Are You a “Crazy” Great Leader?

I am not sure how I got on this topic with our marketing guy, but we were talking about what he would consider the most effective marketing campaigns in our lifetime.  His favorite was Apple’s “Think Different” because it set the tone for who Apple was and who it would strive to be.  You may remember this campaign as “Here’s to the crazy ones… because the people crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

So are you “crazy?”  Or do you accept the status quo?  Great leaders seek to transform good to great. They push themselves and their team to be better, to reach greater heights. Great leaders help their team accept and drive change instead of shrink from it.

Crazy great leaders encourage creative, out-of-the-box thinking and support new ideas, open collaboration and individual growth.  And these same leaders create an environment where creativity and vision is rewarded.

So how do you become a crazy great leader?   Here are some common traits we tend to see:

Attitude Adjusters
Great leaders make sure their team members look for ways to overcome obstacles rather than let these obstacles turn into excuses.  There is always an excuse if you look for one – instead, make sure your team looks for solutions.

Character Builders
What builds character?  Failure.  Remain optimistic and teach your team that there is more to learn from a mistake that success.  And then get better.  If your team is afraid to fail they will be afraid to act at all.

Goal Setters
Set high performance benchmarks for your team – high enough to be attainable but not so high that they demoralize and discourage pursuit of these goals. And these same leaders set goals for themselves that are touch to achieve as well.

Consistent Forces
Have a clear plan and goals, and follow through.  Don’t panic or waiver at the first sign of trouble, but don’t be rigid either.  Be strong and a source for your team to turn to for advice.  If you keep a level head, so will they.

Company Men and Women
Great leaders are deeply invested in their team’s and company’s success.  The best leaders keep their focus both on the organization as a whole and their team.

So here’s to the crazy great leaders, crazy enough to push their businesses forward!