The most valuable resource of leaders

On January 13, 2009, in Successful leadership, by Neculai Fantanaru

Ensure your potential to be a brilliant leader, by manifesting your gratitude to your time in an authentic way.

When the common man returns home in the evening from work, wants peace and quiet.  He warms up his meal, sits comfortably in front of the TV for watching the news and drinks his hard-earned beer during the 10 hours of work. Time is running, the news from all the TV channels, are already over. Before bedtime, the common man relaxes half an hour reading the newspaper. Slowly, slowly, his eyes are closing. He turns off the lamp, pulls the blanket on him and lies down, but not before indulging himself: "Tomorrow will be an awesome day". And the next day, the history repeats, his performance area remains the same, unchanged, mediocre or even bad.

Do you make from leadership a permanent form of your existence?

If you are an admirer of art, then you probably know that when a sculptor represents the movement in his creations, it does not appear unbridled, but as a permanent form of existence.

In order to be a leader of first-class, you must be able to perform a leadership work of high-class. You can do this by changing your thinking and actions, by effectively representing your own way of being on the axis of your life. Your collaboration with time, with practice with your power of work, and with your leadership potential, must acquire a permanent form of existence.

Leaders are not like common people. They always make changes in order to get out of routine. Time is the most important resource they have at their disposal, and which they must use it effectively in favor of their training, for strengthening their professional status.

Napoleon Bonaparte, considered to be one of the greatest military commanders in history, had the habit to sit first at the table, which was served, of course in a fast tempo, and he rarely stayed more than 20 minutes. Once, he even stated: "Don’t wait; the time will never be just right".

Be sure that to Napoleon, time was not enough for how much he could do. He knew very well that he could build a bright, glorious and prosperous future only if he can gain time on his side. Since he was little, has fostered the productive habit of reading books in the school library. And he read, read eagerly, sometimes out loud, but always very carefully, learning a little from every book. Many times he did not sleep - meditated on the lessons of the day, and it was said that he was working with so much zeal that he felt this thing on himself.

Have you planted a tree for future?

During his stay in Gothaab, on the western coast of Greenland, the great explorer and scientist Fridtjof Nansen has studied the Eskimos living and nature, and wrote a book about them.

One of the most important things he wrote was: "The good things of life are very unequally divided in this world. To some existence is so easy that they need only plant a bread-fruit tree in their youth, and their whole life is provided for. Others, again, seem to be denied everything except the strength to battle for life; they must laboriously wring from hostile Nature every mouthful of their sustenance."

The "bread-fruit tree" is a metaphor that expresses very well the essential features of the development process. You must plant something of quality that would feed you a whole life, not to pick up scraps to keep your days.

The time used effectively could open you the doors towards success and performance. A wise choice is to use the time reading the latest books and journals of the field in which you carry out your activity. An uninspired choice is to waste time watching TV, moving from one channel to another, or reading the local newspapers.

Are you planting something of quality, or you pick up scraps that would keep your days?

I do not know what choices you will make in life, but I know one thing: if you do not make the right choices, you will never become more productive. Moreover, if you want to become a good professional, and if you really want to have a better future, more generous and full of opportunities, you must gain time on your side, to appreciate it, and to use it as efficiently as possible.

Ensure your potential to be a brilliant leader, by manifesting your gratitude to your time in an authentic way.