Okay so I have arbitrarily decided that 2008 is the year of the leader- with the US election coming up fast and the recent tragedy of leadership loss in Pakistan I feel that this year will be heavily focused on leadership.

Leadership is on of those words that we project onto only those who are in ‘boss’ positions and often we do not equate ‘managing’ with ‘leading’. Here’s the deal we are all leaders in some capacity regardless of our job titles. So having stated that 2008 is the “year of the leader” here are 6 ways to start the year off right:

1. Know your vision- what do you want to create this year?

Here are a few more questions to ask yourself in regard to vision.

What is the issue that is keeping you up at night?

What do you need and who can help you to create solutions?

What one major accomplishment would you like to achieve by the end of 2008 for yourself?

What one major accomplishment would you like to achieve with your team?

2. Communicate your vision- can you imagine if Martin Luther King had never used the words, “I have a dream…” to state his vision? A leader of magnitude has a fierce commitment to their vision and a deep heartfelt need to share that vision with anyone who will listen. Communicate in every forum possible- verbal, written, intranet, internet, blog, you tube, web radio, other blogs let everyone know about your vision and create positive energy around it.

3. Align with others with big visions- this is the year to align with others who have sinilar vision, goals and commitments. Encourage others to think big and bold, to behave big and bold and to create big and bold results. When you encounter individuals who are constricted by fear show them the opportunities that exist and steer them away from the limitations of fearful thinking. Gain energy from others who are focused on the possible and learn from them how to think even bigger and behave even more bolder.

4. Act abundantly- be generous in helping others achieve their goals. Let this year be the year that you give more openly and with no expectations of anything in return. Be the leader who shares information abundantly, who trains abundantly who provides tools abundantly and shares recognition abundantly. Each time you find yourself wanting to gain for ’self’ enlarge the scope of who can gain to everyone around you.

5. Fill your calendar with ‘fun’ dates- get out your PDA right now or your date book and choose one day per week to do something fun that you have always wanted to do but never actually followed through on. You get to decide if it will be an hour or 30 minutes- by scheduling it in you will remind yourself to do it. I finally signed up to do the stand up comedy course that I have been talking about for 3 years! It is scheduled for 8 weeks in 2008. After that I have scheduled dance classes.

6. Commit to being your best ’self’- Show up at work and with everyone you interact with as your ‘best’ self ever. You know the person who you are when you feel at the top of your game. Make this the year to be the most patient, tolerant, and understanding person that you can be. Then notice how much better you feel and how everyone else responds to you.

I hereby declare 2008 the Year of the Leader- that’s you! Yes life will happen, things will happen and yet we can set our intention at the beginning of each year just as we set it for each day and we can make this our best year ever.

Happy New Year!- Cheryl Cran, CSP www.cherylcran.com