Every morning one of the first things I do is make myself a cup of coffee.
I love coffee--you might say it sets the tone for my day.
But I have to doctor it up with some sweetened creamer.
And I started to think if coffee is my standard go-to for starting my day, that sets the tone and something I rely on every day; it's a metaphor for leadership.
Yeah, I said it, coffee is like leadership.
Organizations, and more importantly the people in those organizations, rely on the vision of their leaders to set the tone.
They look to their leaders for examples of behavior, for focus and direction, and for a common purpose that is bigger than themselves.
But like my coffee, not all leadership looks the same.
Some leaders are easier to follow than others.
Some leaders are more present than others.
Some leaders are more effective than others.
And just because a leader has a formal leadership position, doesn't mean they've learned everything they need to about leadership.
That's why great leaders read voraciously and are always seeking new ways to better their craft.
If you are a leader, what do you do to become better?
How do you improve your leadership on a daily basis?