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Leadership

Master Leadership

“Leadership is coordinating action to realize the future you care about.” — Rick Maguire, Futurity

Welcome to Leadership on Sources of Insight!

I’ve grown and groomed many leaders and leaders of leaders at Microsoft and more.   This is an organized index of leadership articles and resources available on this site that you can use to master the mindset, Skillset, toolset for better leadership through guides, checklists, articles, quotes, and more.

On This Page

What is Leadership?
My Leadership Philosophy
Getting Started
The Leadership Guide
Leadership Skills
Leadership Checklist
Leadership Quotes
Leadership Products
Best Leadership Books
All Leadership Articles

Browse the Latest Leadership Articles

If you want to just browse the latest leadership latest articles, here you go:

Explore All Leadership Articles

What is Leadership?

I think of leadership as influencing with a purpose.   As John Maxwell put it, leadership is influence:

“Leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.” — John Maxwell

I agree with John Maxwell that leadership is influence.  It’s not about position or role.

In my experience, the whole point of leadership is to help people go and grow where they have not gone before.

To me the difference between good leadership and great leadership lies in how you achieve the vision, how well you pave the path for others, and who people become through the process.

When leadership is done well, people are inspired by the vision, they generate energy, and they achieve great things, together, and become greater versions of themselves.

In one line, I might say: Leadership is the empowerment of others in the direction of their dreams.

My Leadership Philosophy

I’ve led teams at Microsoft for more than 20 years including remote and virtual teams.  Here is my leadership philosophy:

  • Leadership starts from the inside out.  Learn how to lead yourself first, before you lead others, so that you can become a better leader.
  • There are thought leaders and there are people leaders, and sometimes both, but being good at one does not necessarily make you good at the other.
  • Leadership takes heart. You gain leadership by giving your power away to others, by empowering them and building trust that you have their best interest at heart.
  • Focusing on strengths is a force multiplier for everyone.  The best thing a leader can do is to bring out the best in others.
  • Establishing a vision, mission, and values helps create clarity, bring people together around a common purpose, and create culture.
  • Culture eats strategy for breakfast, but strategy is a skill that more leaders should learn to grow their competence and capabilities, and to help teams navigate challenges with skill.
  • As a leader, you need to balance connection and conviction so that you can handle the tough stuff under stress.
  • The best leaders grow more leaders and give people chances to rise and shine.

Getting Started with Leadership

Getting Started with Leadership – The Getting Started with Leadership Guide will help you build your leadership foundation, master personal leadership, and learn how to lead others.

The Ultimate Leadership Guide

The Ultimate Leadership Guide – The Leadership Guide will help you quickly learn the mindset, skillset and toolset of better leaders.

Leadership Skills

Leadership Skills – To become a better leader, practice the skills of leadership: Change, Connection, Courage, Culture, Emotional Intelligence, Influence, Motivation, Storytelling, Strengths, Strategy and Vision.

Leadership Checklist

The Leadership Checklist – The Leadership Checklist is a list of checks to remind you and help reinforce the mindset, skillset and toolset of better leaders:

Best Leadership Quotes

Best Leadership Quotes – This is my collection of the best leadership quotes that I’ve curated as a way of organizing the wisdom of the ages and modern sages.

Best Leadership Products

Best Leadership Products – This is a walkthrough of some of the best leadership products to help you learn and master your leadership abilities and become a better leader.

Best Leadership Books

  • Leadership on the Line, by Ronald Heifetz and Marty Linsky
  • Principle-Centered Leadership by Stephen Covey
  • The 5 Levels of Leadership by John Maxwell
  • The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John Maxwell
  • The Leadership Challenge by Jim Kousez and Barry Posner

Browse my full list of the Best Leadership Books.

All Leadership Articles

Latest Leadership Articles

Character

  • 10 Big Ideas from Lead with Humility
  • 12 Traits of a Great Leader
  • A Great Leader is Rarely Realistic
  • Character Ethic is the Foundation for Success
  • How Leaders Can Show They Truly Care
  • Integrative Thinking: Synthesize Multiple Ideas into One Complete Idea
  • Intelligent Leadership Book Review
  • Leadership is Who You Are
  • Stephen Covey Leaves a Legacy
  • Testing for Expert Judgment
  • Top 5 Characteristics of Effective Leaders
  • Warrior Leaders are Positive and Exude Positive Energy
  • Warrior Leaders Focus on the Highest Value Activities
  • Warrior Leaders Reveal Great Character

How Tos

  • How To Be a leader In Your Field
  • How To Communicate Without Conflict with Anyone
  • How To Consistently Build a Winning Team
  • How To Get Your Ideas Adopted through Imperfection
  • How To Inspire a Vision
  • How To Make Better Decisions Through Disagreement
  • How To Use Future Picture to Share Your Vision
  • How To Visualize Success
  • How To Visualize Success by Stepping into Your Future
  • How To Visualize with Skill

Leadership Lessons from Leaders

  • Top 10 Leadership Lessons by Jim Kouzes
  • Top 10 Leadership Q&A with Jim Kouzes
  • Lessons Learned from Bill Gates
  • Lessons Learned from Colin Powell
  • Lessons Learned from Ken Blanchard
  • Lessons Learned from John Wooden
  • Lessons Learned from John Maxwell
  • Lessons Learned from Mike Kropp
  • Lessons Learned from Stephen Covey
  • Lessons Learned from Steve Jobs

Models and Frameworks

  • 4-Dimensional Leadership
  • 5 Practices and 10 Commitments for Effective Leadership
  • 10 Practices of Personal Leadership
  • A Leaders is the Trustee of the Intangibles
  • Future Picture: How the Military Communicates Vision More Effectively
  • How To Adapt Your Style with Situational Leadership
  • Political Competence: Influence with Skill and Get People on Your Side
  • Situational Leadership II
  • STARS Model of Business Evolution
  • Strategy Diamond
  • The First 90 Days: Your Road Map for Success
  • The Influencer Change Framework
  • The Six Steps to Fight Pilots Use to Plan Successful Missions
  • Vision, Mission, and Values

Personal Leadership

  • 8 Ways to Be Heroic
  • Adapt, Adjust or Avoid Situations
  • Build Your Personal Board of Advisers
  • Everyone is a Leader
  • Guide Your Path with Vision, Values, and Goals
  • How To Be a Leader in Your Field
  • Live on the Frontier of Your Experiences
  • Personal Leadership Helps Renew You
  • Personal Leadership is a Choice
  • Reflecting With Skill: The Art of Structured Reflection
  • The Inner Edge: The 10 Practices of Personal Leadership
  • How To Sustain Your Virtuous Cycles and Halt the Vicious Ones
  • The Power of Personal Leadership

Styles & Types

  • Detailed Command vs. Mission Command
  • Heart-Led Leadership
  • How To Adapt Your Style with Situational Leadership
  • Pattern-Based Leadership vs. Fact-Based Management
  • Situational Leadership II
  • Task-Oriented vs. Relationship-Oriented Leadership Styles
  • Visionary Leadership
  • What Executives at Microsoft Taught Me

Team, Teaming, and Teamwork

  • 5 Ways to Improve Commitment and Follow-through
  • 7 Steps for Building High-Performing Virtual Teams with Skill
  • 10 Big Ideas from Outthink
  • 10 Ways to Hold People Accountable
  • Assessing Your Existing Team
  • Clarify Meaningful Results
  • How Effective Leaders Get Their Team on Board
  • How To Build High-Performance Teams More Consistently
  • How To Create a High-Performance Team with Vision and Values
  • It’s Not Just a Team Effort
  • Leadership Skills for Making Things Happen
  • Management Lessons of a Lifelong Student
  • Smart Leaders, Smarter Teams Book Review
  • STEALTH Debrief: Generate Valuable Lessons Learned
  • The Leader Must First Belong
  • Lessons from Fighter Pilots on Planning Successful Missions
  • Vulnerability-Based Trust: Your Key to High-Performance Teams

Vision, Mission, and Values

  • Corporate Culture — Actions Speak Louder than Words
  • Effective Leaders Develop Multiple Future Outlooks
  • Envisioning: The Leadership Skill of Time Travel
  • Future Picture: How the Military Communicates Vision More Effectively
  • Guide Your Path with Vision, Values, and Goals
  • How To Create a High-Performance Team with Vision, Identity, and Values
  • How To Find Your Values
  • How To Inspire a Vision
  • Mission Statements Explained
  • Visionary Leadership
  • Vision, Mission, and Values

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About the Author

JDI am J.D. Meier. Join me on a quest for the world's best insights and actions for work and life. Learn more...

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