V Is For Victory: Spell It Out For Your Troops
By Bigg Success Staff
02-27-08
Leadership Skills
We recently did an article entitled 248]. Leaders guide their troops to success just like generals lead their soldiers into battle.
Great leaders clearly define victory. They spell it out for their troops so everyone has a clear understanding of what success means. This is the starting point for attracting followers.
Your troops have to know what is expected of them or they won’t perform well. They also need to see that you are worth following. They want to be part of something special – something that makes a real, positive difference.
Know your vision of success
Before you can spell it out for your troops, you have to know what victory means to you. This will require you to dig deep within yourself to determine what you want. You have to start internally because if you’re not excited by the mission, no one else will be either.
Then, you need to do some research to determine what is possible given the resources available to you and external forces. You can’t expect your troops to work miracles. Great leaders challenge their troops, but they don’t overextend them.
By merging what you want with what is possible, you’ll be able to define success.
Keep it short, compelling, and memorable.
Your vision of success should be 97 short enough to fit on a cocktail napkin.] A great rule-of-thumb is to keep it to ten words or less. You want a concise statement so that it’s easy to repeat, memorize, and internalize.
It needs to be grand enough to persuade your troops to take action when they hear it. People don’t line up to follow leaders with small dreams. They get excited by bigg visions of a great future. Your vision should light a fire under your troops.
It should be stated so that they can easily recall it. Use short, rich words. Keep it to one simple sentence. Use words that imply movement and progress.
Clearly communicate it to your troops.
Your vision of victory won’t serve any purpose if you’re the only one who knows what it is. You have to explain it to your troops so they understand it and buy in. Plan your presentation carefully.
Make it a special event so it stands out in the minds of your people. Give them the opportunity to ask questions and make comments. Keep the conversation focused on the purpose of the session – to come to a meeting of the minds on exactly what you will accomplish together.
Paint a picture of what victory looks like and what it means.
You want your troops to be able to 8 visualize success] in their minds. As you discuss your vision, they should feel as if they’ve already been victorious. Appeal to all of their senses so it makes its greatest impact.
Now help them understand why success is so important. Explain the high cost of falling short of the mark. Show them what a difference victory will make in people’s lives.
Great leaders spell out victory for their troops. When your people understand what you’re trying to accomplish and why it’s so important to do it, they will follow you to the victory you desire!
Hear today's 5-minute lesson and laugh on The Bigg Success Show.
