7 Ways to Know You’re an Inspiring Leader

I’ve done a lot of blogging about the differences between bosses and leaders. I’ll let you peruse some of those posts at your leisure, but if I had to sum ‘em up I’d say this: Leaders don’t just manage people, and they don’t just tell people what to do. They inspire people. They make people want to follow them, and they empower them to succeed.
Of course you’re probably asking yourself: Am I a great leader? Do I have the hallmarks of a true inspiration figure?
You’ll have to do a little self-inventory to know for sure, but to help you gauge your own leadership capacity, let me offer you this… seven signs that you are indeed an inspiration figure in your workplace.

The Seven Signs of Inspiring Leadership

1. You have a sense of purpose beyond your own success. Wanting to achieve great things on your own terms hardly makes you a leader. No, leaders are folks who measure their own success by the success of others; they see it as their mission and purpose to help their team members thrive. If your purpose is to empower, you may be an inspiring leader!
2. You’re approachable. Do your team members feel comfortable approaching you with questions, concerns, or feedback—or do they tremble at the very thought of entering your office? If you’re intimidating rather than approachable, that’s a problem.
3. You’re open-minded. Great leaders are open to whatever works, even if it’s not their own idea. Do you actively court solutions and suggestions from your team members—and implement the ones you think will work? Inspiring leaders do.
4. You’re candid—and constructive. Inspiring leaders give the gift of feedback. If your team members actually accept your constructive feedback and make changes to their performance, that shows that they respect you, and know you’re trying to help them improve.
5. You treat your employees with equality. Favoritism and inspiration do not work together. If your employees feel like you prefer some of them over others, that ultimately reflects badly on your leadership style.
6. You’re grateful. Inspiring leaders are thankful for the efforts of their team—and they’re not afraid to say so.
7. You focus on your team. If you’re happy to give credit to team members, rather than hog it all for yourself, then you’ve definitely got some of the traits of inspiring leadership!

Take stock of yourself—and use these points to determine how inspiring you really are.
Dr. Rick Goodman CSP is a thought leader in the world of leadership and is known as one of the most sought after team building experts in the United States and internationally.
He is famous for helping organizations, corporations, and individuals with systems and strategies that produce increased profits and productivity without having the challenges of micromanaging the process. Some of Dr. Rick’s clients include AT&T, Boeing, Cavium Networks, Heineken, IBM, and Hewlett Packard.
For more information on Rick’s speaking programs, audio programs, and learning programs, contact (888) 267-6098 or Rick@rickgoodman.com, or visit www.rickgoodman.com.

5 Phrases Great Leaders Use Every Day

We’re taught from a young age that actions speak louder than words—and to an extent, that might be true. Yet for leaders, words matter. They are among your greatest tools. A well-timed and well-chosen word can inspire your employees to achieve greatness; the wrong word can cause morale to plummet, or even bring your very leadership into question.

Your words will impact your employees—and your employees will absolutely remember the things you say.

So… what are you saying? What do your words reveal about your leadership style? And what are some phrases you should be adding to your everyday vocabulary?

Add These Phrases to Your Workplace Speech

As leaders, we all think and communicate a bit differently, but I can tell you that there are certain phrases that I always love to hear coming out of the mouths of business owners, managers, and bosses. These phrases, to me, epitomize leadership, and I think you’ll find them to be hugely impactful to your day-to-day engagement with your team.

Try them out and see what a difference they make:

What do you think about this? The exact wording may be a little different; for example, what’s your take on this?  However, it’s important that you adopt the language of collaboration, and make it clear to your employees that you really value what they think. Actively court other opinions and perspectives, and give your team members ownership of team decisions.

What do you need? Empower your team members to do the work you’ve given them. Make it clear that your role is to support them, and help them feel comfortable asking for the resources they need to thrive.

I trust you. It is amazing how powerful this phrase can be in building confidence among your team members. Let them know that you hired them because you believe in their ability to do good work, and that you feel no need to micromanage or to babysit them.

Great work/we can do better. Part of being a leader means encouraging your employees and affirming their hard work—but it’s also your job to push your team to do better and to achieve at a higher level. It’s a balancing act, but one worth investing in.

Thank you. Short and sweet: Let your employees know that their work is acknowledged and appreciated.

These aren’t magical phrases that will transform your business overnight, of course—but they will help you establish a productive, collaborative company culture where your leadership is truly inspiring.

Dr. Rick Goodman CSP is a thought leader in the world of leadership and is known as one of the most sought after team building experts in the United States and internationally.

He is famous for helping organizations, corporations, and individuals with systems and strategies that produce increased profits and productivity without having the challenges of micromanaging the process. Some of Dr. Rick’s clients include AT&T, Boeing, Cavium Networks, Heineken, IBM, and Hewlett Packard.

For more information on Rick’s speaking programs, audio programs, and learning programs, contact (888) 267-6098 or Rick@rickgoodman.com, or visit www.rickgoodman.com.

Do You Accept Constructive Feedback?

I’ve said in the past that one of the greatest gifts a leader can give to team members is the gift of honest feedback. Taking the time to provide a quick word of encouragement or constructive criticism can go a long way toward showing employees that they are noticed and valued; that you are invested in their future and their place on the team.

But there is a flipside to this, as well: A hallmark of leadership is that you don’t just offer feedback, but also welcome it in your own professional life. Great leaders actively court feedback from colleagues and from employees—and don’t get their feathers ruffled when the feedback is less than positive.

Receiving the Gift of Feedback

It’s a simple fact of life: None of us like having our shortcomings pointed out to us, yet other people can often identify our faults more accurately than we can. When you’re willing to graciously accept that kind of feedback—not bristling or getting defensive, but actually engaging with it and implementing some changes—it shows that you’re a humble leader. It shows that what you care about is seeing all members of your team improve their performance and get better results over time.
When your team members come to you with feedback, then, it’s important to accept and even embrace it—not brush it aside. Some tips for taking constructive feedback well include:

• Don’t take it personally. Remember that everyone has blind spots and skills that need further developing. The fact that you have some areas to work on does not mean you’re a bad person, and that’s surely not what your team members want you to think. The goal is for you to get better, and your team members are just trying to help you—not insult you!
• Specificity is always a good thing. “You’re not a good communicator” is not great feedback; if your team members approach you with something like that, ask them for something more specific. That shows that you really want to improve, and it gives you measurable goals to work toward.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help! If your team members identify problem areas, maybe they can also help you brainstorm some solutions.
• Be grateful. Say thank you for the feedback—remembering that, for your employees, it’s probably really hard to approach their boss or manager with words of constructive criticism!
• Offer to return the favor and do an employee appraisal for anyone who comes to you with feedback—not in a tit-for-tat manner, but in the interest of making everyone on the team even better!

Remember: Feedback is a gift. Give it—but also open yourself to receiving it!

Dr. Rick Goodman CSP is a thought leader in the world of leadership and is known as one of the most sought after team building experts in the United States and internationally.

He is famous for helping organizations, corporations, and individuals with systems and strategies that produce increased profits and productivity without having the challenges of micro managing the process. Some of Dr. Rick’s clients include AT&T, Boeing, Cavium Networks, Heineken, IBM, and Hewlett Packard.

For more information on Rick’s speaking programs, audio programs, and learning programs, contact (888) 267-6098 or Rick@rickgoodman.com, or visit www.rickgoodman.com.

The Laws of Success - The Alex Project

Dr. Rick Goodman discusses the book The Laws of Success by Napoleon Hill and its profound effect on his success in business.  In the Alex Project Rick Goodman's son Alex Goodman will review and summarize Napoleon Hill's Laws for all to benefit from.

The Power of the Personal Note

Have you ever gotten a high score in bowling or maybe it will was a perfect score and the teacher wrote a little remark on the page about your accomplishments? My question is how did it make you feel and did you share that note or score with anyone or everyone? I remember hanging  that   score on the fridge to this day and I still have some of those report cards the ones with the great messages as well as a the not so great.

My point is that it is more important than ever to reach out and touch our clients, customers and friends in a more personal way! Just recently I was in St. Louis visiting my kids and was invited to my friend Doug’s house for a BBQ engagement function for his son and future daughter-in-law. That afternoon we went shopping at Plaza Frontenac  in St. Louis.

 When we walked into Neiman Marcus we were helped by a woman named Karen Gillis who was absolutely fabulous! In no time she had a beautiful present picked out which work very well for my AAA personality, but she also showered my wife with gifts and a box of Godiva Chocolates

To say I was impressed is an understatement! I was overwhelmed by her excellent customer service and looked forward to shopping with her again! If that was not enough two weeks later back in Florida I received a personal letter in the mail addressed to me from Neiman Marcus. To my surprise it was a note from Karen thanking me for my business and giving me her personal hours and contact information. After receiving that personal note I can tell you that Karen is the only salesperson that I will work with at that location!

Only a few weeks ago I took my mother and her boyfriend out for her birthday to the Capitol Grill in Boca Raton, Florida. When we arrived at the table it was decorated with a personal note for my mother acknowledging her birthday. Our server Isabel came to our table with glasses of champagne to toast my mom’s birthday. The meal and the service was magnificent and we left completely full and happy, but once again that is not the end to the story.

 A week later I received a personal note from our server is Isabel and in it she told me how honored she was to have  been able to make my mother’s birthday special. Just like Karen from Neiman Marcus she also stated in her note that she looked forward to serving us again in the future!

Again I can tell you the next time I go to the Capitol Grill in Boca Raton Florida I'm asking for Isabel to wait on our table.

The bottom line is two great companies, well-trained employees and satisfied customers who will return again and again. This Is the Power of the Personal Note!

Dr. Rick Goodman speaks from real -Life experiences and achieves great results! Dr Rick’s newest book Living a Championship Life "A Game Plan for Success" has been widely acclaimed since its release.

Dr. Rick Goodman is a professional speaker and author who will give your audience specific tools and systems that get great results. Dr. Rick also works with organizations that want to Develop Great Leaders "Through Excellence in Communication and Team Building". For more information on Rick's speaking programs Consulting Programs and Training programs contact (888) 267-6098 or Rick@DrRickGoodman.com or on the web at www.DrRickGoodman.com  

Memorial Home Health Care People Making a Difference

Today I had the Pleasure of Speaking at Memorial Home Health Care in Hollywood, Florida. With all the troubles in the world regarding our economy, job losses and the housing crisis we face, it's good to be able to count on people that are around to serve the health needs of others.

We have to remember in life that's not what happens to us. It's what we do with what happens to us, That makes a big difference!

It was refreshing for me to see that there are people in this world that are totally focused on helping others with their health care needs. This in my opinion, could be the highest form of service that there is on the planet .

I want to congratulate the entire organization At Memorial Home Health Care as they strive for excellence in serving the needs of others.

We Are in a Recession No Duh!

It amazed me to watch the local and national news last night and have our so-called experts tell us that we're in a recession. Do they think that the American people are so stupid that we haven't figured this out a long time ago?

I know there's a common adage that he who yells loudest might just be believed. Unfortunately there are a good number of Americans that truly believed President Bush when he said we were not in a recession.

I think it's imperative that each one of us as Americans not only begin to think for ourselves but we should also be listening to Jimmy Cricket and let our conscience be your guide not the talking heads are politicians who attempt to tell us what we should be thinking!

A Dichotomy of Opinions "The Problems Facing The Major Networks"

I don't know if you're like me but as an American citizen looking forward to the opportunity to vote in the upcoming election. We are facing a number of issues most importantly the economy and the pessimistic attitude of most Americans towards the elections.

For just one time I would like to watch a news broadcast without getting the spin from one of the talking heads. As an independent voter and communication specialist I want to listen to what's truly being said . This is why God gave me two ears and a brain to think, I resent being told by my the news channels and I just heard something different.

Anybody who's watched Fox news knows that this channel leans towards the Republican point of view. When I watch CNN I am surprised lately at how liberal their stance is when reporting the media events of the day, it's almost as if they were a Democratic talking head. This was truly evident in the debate last night especially with the new twist of scoring the debate that the channel uses.

I particularly got a kick out of Roland Martin! When it was time for Barak Obamas opening remark Mr. Martin hit the plus one button when Senator Obama said thank you Hofstra University. His scorecard looked like a football game score 54-40 something in favor Obama. If the sender breathes does he get points?

Finally I turned to NBC news where Tom Browkow and Brian Williams were discussing the debate. I believe that Tom Browkow was the first news man on all the channels that I flipped through last night that actually had an unbiased opinion! This frankly was the most refreshing 20 minutes of news I watched all day.

I truly believe that the American people are smart enough to make their own decisions about their lives without the interference of government or the positive and negative spins that all news reporting agencies have been using in this election.

It almost makes you want to turn off the news and watch a good movie!

That's if Hollywood can make some good movies these days!

Dr. Rick Goodman is a professional speaker and author who will give your audience specific tools and systems that get great results. Dr. Rick also works with organizations that want to Develop Great Leaders "Through Excellence in Communication and Team Building". For more information on Rick's speaking programs Consulting Programs and Training programs contact (888) 267-6097 or Rick@DrRickGoodman.com or on the web at

Healthy Tension Makes a Healthy Candidate

I was recently reading an article in the South Florida Sun Sentinel http://sun-sentinal.com/. The article focused on how Senator John McCain liked to solicit advice from Senators, campaign consultants, and even his former deputy press secretary. The article went on to focus on how McCain even publicly disagreed with his own spokeswoman Jill Hazelbaker after she used a line of attack against Senator Barack Obamaa that he had approved.

In a recent interview, McCain said "You've got to have competing opinions, I think a certain amount of tension is very healthy and a certain amount of different views are also good for a candidate or a President. After just having finished, the New York Times best-selling book Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin it is most evident that one of our greatest presidents Abraham Lincoln, filled his cabinet with advisers who not only did not like each other on many levels, but also had opposing views on how the country should be run.

Had it not been for the strong leadership skills of Abraham Lincoln and his ability to bring together individuals who had opposing views, sometimes causing great amounts of tension in the Cabinet and in the White House we might not be the country that we are today. I would like to see healthy tension in opposing views with whomever is elected as our next president. How about you?

Dr. Rick Goodman speaks from real -Life experiences and achieves great results! Rick is the author of Living a Championship Life "A Game Plan for Success" http://livingachampionshiplife.com/ which has been widely acclaimed since its release. Rick has worked with companies of all sizes-from small businesses and entrepreneurial startups to Fortune 500 companies His high-energy content rich keynotes, seminars and workshops are designed for associations and firms of all sizes that want to maximize their potential.

For more about Dr. Rick or to retain his services to speak to your company, visit http://www.drrickgoodman.com/

Preparing Your Team To Succeed

In order to prepare your team to succeed. It is important that you have systems in place that are designed for simplicity's speed and efficiency. Your team is only going to be as good as the coach and therefore it's very important that your staff understands the office systems and why they're in place.

It's important to design systems in your office as if you were going to open up five more offices. Everything must feel touch and taste the same way. Your staff should be able to go from one office to another and the systems in each office should already be in place so there is no need for further training.

It's important for you analyze your systems and ask yourself the following questions:

1: Can my staff members go to any of my satellite offices and function without having to be trained?

If your answer is yes then your systems can be duplicated.

2: Does my staff understand what the weekly monthly and yearly goals are for our practice and do I cover that in our weekly staff meetings?

If your answer to this is No your team will be unprepared to assist you in achieving your goals.

It was once said "No plan is a plan to fail". In order to prepare your team to succeed it is imperative that you have systems in place that will assist your staff in helping you to reach your goals and they have to understand what those goals are.

Dr. Rick Goodman is a professional speaker who works with organizations that want to Develop Great Leaders “Through Excellence in Communication and Team Building”. For more information on Rick’s speaking programs, Audio Programs and learning programs contact (888) 267-6098 or Rick@drrickgoodman.com (www.drrickgoodman.com)

Hillary Clinton Has Just Realized Personality Is Important!

"People do business with people who they like, who are like them" This is Business 101! I was watching Meet the Nation on CBS this Sunday morning and I was amazed to hear one of the commentators say that Hillary Clinton had just discovered that personality was going to be important in the presidential race.

To me this remark was kind of funny and struck a chord. You would think that everyone in the presidential primaries, knows that people will vote for you if they like you.

The issues are important don't get me wrong, however people buy feelings and emotions and until Hillary Clinton showed some emotion she had little connection and rapport with the voters.

If a candidate shows little emotion, although their arguments and intent are good there will only be a few voters in their audience that they will connect with. However, when people have that warm feeling when someone is truly loved the sky is the limit. If Hillary wants to win the election, she must be truly loved.

The question is, how can she accomplish this?

In my program "Striving for Excellence" which is currently playing on YouTube http://youtube.com/ I discussed two triads. The Personal and Professional Triads, specific principles that one must understand in order to be successful. If any of the candidates can master these triads they will surely gain the presidency.

The legs of Professional Triad are Love, Appreciation and Respect. In order for any candidate to win the race the American people are going to have to fall in love with the candidate. It's going to be important for the candidates to demonstrate in return their appreciation and love of the American people and their willingness to make a difference.

Lastly, the American people have got to respect their candidate. With the economy slipping these days, we want somebody that we can respect that will tell the truth. This is what the American people deserve!

Any candidate who runs in this race, and doesn't garner the respect of the American people will surely lose the election.

The Personal Triad in some respects may be even more important than the Professional Triad. The Legs of the Personal Triad are Faith, Forgiveness And Gratitude. The next president of this country must be a person who possesses an amazing amount of faith. I'm not talking about faith in a religious sense. I'm talking about faith in their abilities in the abilities of the American people to rise above the challenges that we face every day.

The candidate must also possess an enormous capacity of Forgiveness. They will need to be able to forgive themselves and forgive others, because the decisions that they will make may be the most challenging they ever face in their lives.

The last is Gratitude, this leg is like a magnet that attracts all success. When a person is grateful for their circumstances, even in the darkest of times, they will attract the best for the American people.

I believe that the candidate that can harness these principles will be the next president of the United States. I just hope the American people make the right decision!

Dr. Rick Goodman is a professional speaker who works with organizations that want to Develop Great Leaders “Through Excellence in Communication and Team Work”. For more information on Rick’s speaking programs, Audio Programs and learning programs contact (888) 267-6098 or mailto:Rick@drrickgoodman.com (http://www.drrickygoodman.com/)

True Leaders in Columbus Georgia

Last week I had the pleasure of meeting with leaders in Columbus, Georgia. I was speaking at the Managers and Supervisors Conference where I met some of the most fabulous and positive people I've spoken to in years. A majority of these people were teachers and educators. They were willing to learn and were excited to share the lessons that I was teaching them with their students. It's always been my opinion that teachers are the most important people on the planet, and unfortunately the lowest paid. However, their natural energy and excitement about what they were doing in life truly inspired me from the moment they walked into the seminar to the moment they left with smiles on their faces. I also had the pleasure to meet with the association executives from the Florida Society of Ambulatory Surgical Centers http://fsasc.org/ in Tallahassee Florida. I can't wait to meet with their members and deliver my newest keynote address: Striving for Excellence " What We Do and the People We Touch" at the Marriott Hotel in Tampa Florida On July 19. The executives at the FSASC also informed me that my article had just been published in the Georgia Society Of Ambulatory Surgical Centers http://gsasc.org/ Spring newsletter. I'm really excited that my article has had such an amazing effect on the people in our healthcare industry today. Every day I realize that I am truly blessed to be able touch so many peoples lives on a regular basis.

Dr. Rick Goodman is a professional speaker who works with organizations that want to develop great leaders. For more information on Ricks speaking programs, Audio Programs and learning programs contact (888) 267-6098 or rick@drrickgoodman.com (www.drrickgoodman.com)

Lobsters and Leadership in the State of Maine

For the third time in as many months I've had the pleasure of working with some of the top leaders in the state of Maine.The people of the State exhibit a hands-on leadership quality that we all should embrace. They are friendly, involved and on top of things. I've worked with leaders in Health Care, Retail, and the Technology Sector. What I appreciate most about the people of Maine is there down to earth quality and understanding of the communications skills that make a difference. My first stop was in Waterville, Maine, where I met with new managers and supervisors from hospitals and state organizations. These are people that want to make a difference in other people's lives. Today I had an opportunity to speak in Rockland, Maine, which is the lobster capital. I met with representatives of Home Health Care Facilities, Hospitals, trucking companies, and one of the neatest boutiques I have ever seen called the Grasshopper

Working with these people and helping them with their communication skills filled me with a sense of tremendous gratification. Tonight as I sit here in Portland, Maine for the second time in the last month and a half right I had the opportunity to visit my favorite lobster Restaurant J'S Oyster Bar it's a place where the locals go. The quality I like best about this restaurant is the outstanding customer service.

The lobsters are superior to any restaurant I've ever been to and the diversity of their clientele is incredible. People from all walks of life come to J's. It's not the prettiest place in the world. In fact, I think some people call the restaurant a dive. However, when you walk into J's they make you feel like you're at home. I think we could all learn a lesson from the quality of customer service st J's . You don't have to be a fancy place to offer excellent customer service, and now days we all have competitors. The quality of our service will be directly proportional to the longevity of our business. Those business's that deliver the best quality and customer service are those that will succeed for years to come! So the next time you're in Maine go down to the wharf and experience true New England gem!