"You get what you focus on."  -Vannoy & Ross As a leader it is important to know what talents you possess, that you bring to the leadership table.  Do you know what strengths you possess?  Every leader possesses her/his own unique set of talents.  According to the Gallup Organization, "we spend too much time focusing on our weaknesses, trying to make them stronger rather than recognizing our strengths."  When you focus on your weaknesses, you miss out on utilizing what you do best for your organization. 

We’re all in the same business, the people business.  It’s not what we make or sell that’s critical; it’s how we take care of the people who buy it.  Our job is to make customers (internal and external) happy. What’s the best way to do that?  By giving our “pickles.”  “Pickles” are those special or extra things you do to make people happy.  It may be doing something extra for a customer or sending a handwritten thank you to them.  The trick is figuring out what your customers want, then making sure they get it, that’s the “Pickle!”

“Successful teamwork is not about mastering subtle, sophisticated theories, but rather about embracing common sense with uncommon levels of discipline and persistence. Ironically, teams succeed because they are exceedingly human. By acknowledging the imperfections of their humanity, members of functional teams overcome the natural tendencies that make teamwork so elusive.” - Patrick Lencioni

Are you a positive leader? Do you wonder how others think about your attitude as a leader? A quick test is to observe the way people react to you when you walk into a room. Are people happy to see you? Do they want to talk to you? Or do they quickly make themselves scarce? If they run when they see you, it's time for an attitude check.