Leadership is influence, nothing more nothing less, as John C Maxwell says. Making sure that everyone is taken care of, and putting others first is the influencer's main priority. People will then start following you because they want to not because they have to.

The most crucial asset a leader has is the people, and highly motivated and collaborating teams are the outcome of great leadership. 

The leader always strives to find a win-win outcome in every situation. If your ambition is to win every battle, you will lose the "war". For example, try to win every argument with your wife, and you will see how that goes. If you are not careful she will lose her love for you.

When you look after your business relationship, they will look after you, and that is the signature mark of a significant influencer. 

Investing in people is essential for business. To get more essential deals, you need to work your way up the ladder. Build a trustworthy reputation. Always over-deliver on your promises. In some eastern countries, it can take months or even years to build trust and establish the right kind of business relationship. Once that is done, the influencer can close business deals of more than 10-15 years. Always try to look at things from a holistic, long-term perspective instead of short term wins. 

So, in summary, looking after others is a long term investment. The return is always going to be better than short term wins. There is truth in the expression; Wait for great.

Influential peoples' testimonials for success

I recently went to the 10X Growth Conference in Las Vegas, and I got the chance to listen to many influential people. One of them was Scooter Braun, who told a story from his earlier days of his carrier. At that time, he made a habit of connecting with people who were in the same situation as he was. One of those persons happened to be the founders of Spotify. They joined, and Scooter got the chance to invest in that company before it was introduced to the stock market and thereby made a lot of money in the end from that deal.

At the same conference, John Travolta spoke about sowing seeds continuously with a long term purpose. You never know when the value is going to come back to you, but if you keep adding value to people, good things will come back to you in a multiplied form. 

Mr. Travolta also spoke about the importance of not assuming anything. Often when you assume too much, things go wrong. Instead, gather enough information before you make a decision. Be true to your integrity and only make the decision you can stand for. 

When you over-deliver on others' expectations and manifest it in words and actions, people will follow you, trust you, and do business with you.

The leader always has high integrity and expects the same from everyone else. 

Why do I have to surround myself with great people?

You become the one who you spend the most time around.

Surround yourself with great people that believe in you and that have the same mindset as you do. Having someone to believe in you is essential for you to grow yourself to greatness. That influential person perhaps sees things in you that you are not able to see. 

When you buy into the vision of who you can become, your mind will start working for you, and eventually, your image will come true. Proximity is power.

Find people that are better than you, and you will be able to grow yourself faster. 

 But how do I find great people?

Well, he who seeks shall find. Great people are everywhere on social media, books, etc. Never be afraid also to approach them and ask for advice. 

The best way for the leader in attracting great people is through personal development. You attract who you are, not who you want. That is another reason why I have committed myself to personal growth. The more I learn, the better people are surrounding me.

Why is the journey the price?

Success without fulfillment is the ultimate failure - Tony Robbins.

You can be super successful, but if you are not happy within, you will feel miserable.

Before you decide to become successful, you first have to set your priorities straight. What is your purpose? Are you driven by fear or purpose? What is your definition of success? Remember that money will only amplify the feelings you have, regardless if they are positive or negative. 

Learn to appreciate everyday life, that conversation, the sun in the sky, or the coffee break. Be grateful for what you have and not for the things you don't have. Every day make sure to add value to the people around you. 

Why is it essential to have a vision?

The influencer and the person of success always shoot for the stars. Thinking more prominent than you can see is a mindset that stretches you. The 10X Growth Conference that I referred to earlier is about amplifying your game with 10 times. The founder of this idea is Grant Cardone, and he teaches that people often give up and don't put in enough action. 

Then when the result doesn't occur, people quit. Don't be a quitter. You only fail if you stop trying.

The 10X mindset helps you to think in another dimension, and that enables you to elevate your game to a higher level. What do you have to do to 10X your business sales, personal growth, love life, etc.? 

Why do I need work-ethics? 

One thing that every speaker had in common at the 10X conference was their relentless work ethic. Either they came from a poor environment or a place of fear or that they were extremely purpose-driven. Nevertheless, they all were committed to taking action every day. 

They hold themselves accountable and received a lot of power, knowing that others also needed to put in an equal amount of work to outperform them. Even though some of them were aware of their competitors, their focus was on themselves, not on their competitors. They measured their success upon the personal progress they made.

You don't build greatness in a day; you make it every day. Find your passion in life, and work won't appear as hard, painful, or frustrating. It will appear as something you love to do.

People hate their job because they don't know how to do it.

Why you need to develop yourself

The more value you can add to the marketplace, the more money you will have in your bank account. The more significant problems you can solve, the bigger money checks you are going to get. 

When you share your knowledge, you will also have a positive feeling as long as you don't take advantage of the situation and overcharge your clients for your services. The highest form of this positive feeling is when you engage is real contribution without any strings attached.

That is one of the reasons why I have started my blog. My mission is to help as many leaders in the world as possible. The purpose is to upgrade their leadership skills so they can have a positive impact on others and their own lives. 

The world is in need for better leadership especially in these times when we all use social media and getting further away from each other even though it might seem to be the opposite. My point is that influencing people through social media takes more leadership skills than if you do it face to face.

Personal growth equals happiness, and who doesn't want to be happy?