Chris Widener's Ezine
March 25, 2009
Issue 109

Welcome!

I'm often asked this question: "Can anyone become a leader?" It's a common question and a good one. And the answer is almost always yes! I suppose there are a very few who, because of one thing or another, cannot become a leader, but I think almost everyone can. Yes, it is true that some are born with a head start in the way of leadership: Perhaps they are good looking, maybe smart or good speakers, or they come from a wealthy family. But there are people like that all over the world who do not lead. And contrary to that, there are people who are born with no natural head start to becoming a leader and they learn, and grow, and become leaders by learning how to influence others – and that is what leadership is – influence. So, if you can learn how to influence, you can learn to lead. So, since anyone can learn, anyone can lead (or at least lead better)! Enjoy this issue with more thoughts on leadership and influence.

You Are Made for Success!
Chris Widener

P.S. Today's issue is going out to 111,624 subscribers. If you've gained value from what you read in my Ezine, then I would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue to friends, family and associates!

In This Issue.......

1. Charting Your Course to Success Article
2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary
3. The Last Word...
4. Can you really get anything you want out of life? Anything?
5. SUCCESS Symposium: Only 3 Days Away!
6. More Information

1. Charting Your Course to Success Article

Golden Rule of Influence Number One: Live a Life of Undivided Integrity by Chris Widener (excerpted for The Art of Influence)

At eight-thirty a.m. sharp, after having left Bobby's apartment exactly at seven for an early breakfast, Bobby, Marcus, and the security team from the Lincolns arrived at their destination: a relatively small company that Bobby was thinking of taking a stake in, in the hopes of growing it. The CEO's admin told them that her boss had been caught in traffic and was just a few blocks away. In the meantime, she led them into the conference room between the CEO and CFO offices.

The boardroom had a classic high-powered look. It had beautifully ornate furniture and a killer view - the kind that is hard to come by in the concrete jungle. When Bobby and Marcus entered the room they were quickly greeted by the CFO, who asked them to sit down. The admin asked Bobby and Marcus if they would like some juice and Danish.

"No, thank you," Bobby replied

"None for me either, thanks"

They launched into the basic "getting to know you" chitchat for a few moments while the three of them waited for the CEO to arrive. During a lull in the conversation, the admin came back in and spoke to the CFO.

"Laura Jackson called. She wants to know when she will get the package that includes the business plans and strategic overview."

"Oh, I forgot to mail it! Do me a favor. Tell her I mailed it yesterday. Then overnight it to her today. Tell her she should get it tomorrow."

"Will do," she said before disappearing through the doors again.

"I hate when I forget to do things," the CFO said as he turned to Bobby. "I must be getting old."

A few minutes later the CEO entered the boardroom, apologizing for his tardiness. He asked the CFO if he had the financial sheets available.

"Sure do," he said as he handed Bobby and Marcus a short stack of papers. "The top two sheets are the overview, the next ten sheets have all the details."

Bobby turned to Marcus. "Give those a once over, will you? Let me know if anything pops out at you." Marcus began to delve into the paperwork. He loved this, barely out of business school and here he was sitting at the right hand of one of the biggest movers and shakers in the world, helping him decide whether or not to go through with a deal. Who would have thought? As he started through the paperwork, he also tried to keep an ear to the conversation. Bobby was known for his keen intuitive sense of which deals were right and which ones were wrong. Sure, he looks at the numbers, but he trusts his gut a lot, as well.

After about twenty minutes of give-and-take, Bobby thanked them for their time and told them that he would get back to them by the end of the day. One-day decisions may seem like a quick turnaround on a 50 million dollar deal, but in the overall scheme of Bobby's wealth, it was a pretty minor decision. Bobby had attended the meeting himself only because the CEO was a friend of a friend and he also thought it would give Marcus some action.

They discussed the meeting on the car ride back. "So, what did you think?" Bobby asked Marcus.

"It was great. I can't think of a better way to get my feet wet."

Bobby spoke to the driver. "Larry, can we hit a Starbucks?  I'll have the usual." He turned to Marcus. "Anything for you?"

"Sure, a tall black drip."

"Got it," Larry said from the front.

"So, Marcus, let's see what Northwestern did for you. How did those numbers look to you?"

"I thought they looked really good." He was a little bit hesitant. They really did look good, but he just hoped that Bobby thought the same thing. He didn't want to end up on the wrong side of the fence right off the bat, missing some crucial piece of information. He wanted to impress Bobby. "What did you think?"

"I agree. The financials look very good. This 50 million could turn into four or five hundred million in six to seven years."

"So, are you going to do it?"

Just then the Lincoln pulled over for Larry's run into the Starbucks. "Well, let's talk about it a bit. We know the science works, right?"

"The science?"

"Yeah, remember? The science and the art? The science is the numbers. Those work on this deal. What about the art?’

"Oh, yeah. Well, the two guys seemed sharp. They seemed like they knew what they were doing. They had a plan for expansion. What did you think?"

"Okay…" Marcus didn't get where Bobby was going with this.

"Those two guys were trying to influence me to put 50 million dollars of my money into their business, right? Which means I'd have to hold them to my Golden Rules of Influence. Unfortunately, their CFO broke rule number one before the meeting ever began."

Chris Widener  

Can you really get anything you want out of life? Anything? Let Chris Widener teach you about the power of influence. For details, go to http://Influence.YourSuccessStore.com

2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary

"Quality questions create a quality life. Successful people ask better questions, and as a result, they get better answers." -- Anthony Robbins

Chris' Commentary:
Questions show an inquisitive mind. Questions show someone who wants to learn and grow, and that is the key to success. Those who will never go anywhere in life ask only, "Why do we have to do that?" Those who achieve much ask how things can be done better, how they may grow personally, how they may help others to a better life. Questions, questions, questions. Have you asked many questions lately? Do you want to grow? If so, begin to ask questions.

Action Point: Take some time today to take a specific area of your life. Maybe work, maybe home -- it doesn't matter. Begin to ask questions about it. Pretend you are an outsider looking in. What questions would that person ask of you if they were trying to help you grow that area of your life. Then, don't just come up with easy answers. Ponder the questions for a while. Let the answers come to you slowly.

3. The Last Word...

The Qualities of Skillful Leadership by Jim Rohn

If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself. Leadership is the ability to attract someone to the gifts, skills, and opportunities you offer as an owner, as a manager, as a parent. I call leadership the great challenge of life.

What's important in leadership is refining your skills. All great leaders keep working on themselves until they become effective. Here are some specifics:

1) Learn to be strong but not rude. It is an extra step you must take to become a powerful, capable leader with a wide range of reach. Some people mistake rudeness for strength. It's not even a good substitute.

2) Learn to be kind but not weak. We must not mistake kindness for weakness. Kindness isn't weak. Kindness is a certain type of strength. We must be kind enough to tell somebody the truth. We must be kind enough and considerate enough to lay it on the line. We must be kind enough to tell it like it is and not deal in delusion.

3) Learn to be bold but not a bully. It takes boldness to win the day. To build your influence, you've got to walk in front of your group. You've got to be willing to take the first arrow, tackle the first problem, discover the first sign of trouble.

4) You've got to learn to be humble, but not timid. You can't get to the high life by being timid. Some people mistake timidity for humility. Humility is almost a God-like word. A sense of awe. A sense of wonder. An awareness of the human soul and spirit. An understanding that there is something unique about the human drama versus the rest of life. Humility is a grasp of the distance between us and the stars, yet having the feeling that we're part of the stars. So humility is a virtue; but timidity is a disease. Timidity is an affliction. It can be cured, but it is a problem.

5) Be proud but not arrogant. It takes pride to win the day. It takes pride to build your ambition. It takes pride in community. It takes pride in cause, in accomplishment. But the key to becoming a good leader is being proud without being arrogant. In fact I believe the worst kind of arrogance is arrogance from ignorance. It's when you don't know that you don't know. Now that kind of arrogance is intolerable. If someone is smart and arrogant, we can tolerate that. But if someone is ignorant and arrogant, that's just too much to take.

6) Develop humor without folly. That's important for a leader. In leadership, we learn that it's okay to be witty, but not silly. It's okay to be fun, but not foolish.

Lastly, deal in realities. Deal in truth. Save yourself the agony. Just accept life like it is. Life is unique. Some people call it tragic, but I'd like to think it's unique. The whole drama of life is unique. It's fascinating. And I've found that the skills that work well for one leader may not work at all for another. But the fundamental skills of leadership can be adapted to work well for just about everyone: at work, in the community, and at home.

-- Jim Rohn

4. Can you really get anything you want out of life? Anything?

YES, it is possible for you to get anything you want out of life. Anything. But there's just one problem. Usually...
 
Someone else has it, and you have to convince them to give it to you!
 
Here are some examples of what I'm talking about:
 
- If you want to go to college... you have to convince the college admissions officer to let you in by showing that you're a good student.
 
- If you want to get a date or someone to love you... you have to convince that girl (or guy) of your dreams that you can be trusted, and you're worthy of their love and attention.
 
- If you want a raise or a better job... you have to convince your employer to give you one.
 
- If you want to run a business and create wealth... you need to find customers who are willing to buy your products and services.
 
And if you want the deeper and more meaningful things in life... like the trust, respect, praise and admiration of the people around you... loyal friends... security... prestige... popularity... children who adore you... overall success... you know, things you can't buy with money... the fact remains... (to finish reading go to http://Influence.YourSuccessStore.com)

5. The SUCCESS Symposium for 2009 is only 3 days away!

With all the news about recession, unemployment and bailouts, the SUCCESS Symposium offers you an incredible opportunity to spend a full day of learning, networking and growing! Past events positively affected thousands of lives and received universal praise from attendees. This event promises to be the most powerful, life-changing Symposium yet!

Don't wait for things to change. Make things change! The networking and relationships alone will make this day one to remember forever. Plus, bring your teenager, spouse, company, networking group, etc. You don't want to miss this year's SUCCESS Symposium!

Make your plans now to join Chris Widener and a powerful lineup of personal-achievement experts at the SUCCESS Symposium--only 3 days away! For more information or to secure your seats now, go to www.SUCCESS.com/symposium or call 877.243.8383.

6. More Information

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