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Posted on Oct 24, 2023

Like The Movie "Into The Wild"? Here Are 109 Ideas About How To Redefine Success Now

Movies like Into The Wild portray a young man who abandons his material possessions to redefine success. It seems easy but we know it isn't...

by Karen Mangia

Community Contributor

Try and live a Christ-centered life because He showed us how to lead people from a disposition of love.

Begin each day with Scripture reading and prayer. In secular spaces, this is called mindfulness. The point is to align my spirit and soul with God’s spirit so that I can employ my rational, emotional, and volitional minds in my leadership from a biblical perspective.

Implement the principles of social-emotional intelligence so that I fuel my team’s desire to engage.

Grow each day as a leader so that as my employees see me grow, it will inspire them to continue to grow.

Be a person of integrity. People may not like everything about me, but I will settle for being known as someone who has integrity. - Isaac Hayes

1 . Commitment to Personal Growth: As a leader, it’s important to constantly strive for personal growth and development. This commitment involves setting aside time every day to learn something new, whether it’s through reading, listening to podcasts, or attending webinars. By continuously expanding our knowledge and skills, we become better equipped to lead our teams and drive our companies forward.

2 . Commitment to Listening: Effective leaders understand the importance of active listening. This means putting aside distractions and giving our full attention to our employees, clients, and stakeholders. By actively listening, we build trust, foster stronger relationships, and gain valuable insights that can help us make better decisions.

3 . Commitment to Empathy: Empathy is a critical trait for effective leadership. It involves putting ourselves in others’ shoes and understanding their perspectives, needs, and emotions. By practicing empathy, we create a culture of inclusivity, build stronger teams, and foster a more positive work environment.

4 . Commitment to Clarity: Leaders who are clear and concise in their communication are more effective at inspiring and motivating their teams. This commitment involves setting clear expectations, providing regular feedback, and communicating in a way that everyone can understand. By being clear and consistent, we create a sense of alignment and purpose that can drive our companies towards success.

5 . Commitment to Self-Care: Finally, as leaders, we must prioritize our own self-care. This means making time for exercise, proper nutrition, and restful sleep. By taking care of ourselves, we are better equipped to handle the challenges of leadership and inspire our teams to do the same. - David Price

1 . Exercise. That’s a non-negotiable in my life. I truly believe that as a leader, I need to set the tone in all the companies that I do by being a fit person.

2 . Upfront leadership. I’ve got teams and leaders inside of my organizations that have people that they’re responsible for and that they’re pushing down and my job is to kind of empower those leaders. And so understanding leadership and being in front of my managers or my team leads is one of the most important things that I do. I speak more to my team leaders than I do anybody else in the organization so that they can go talk to the rest of the organization. Having that and being in control like we do in the military is very important, especially if you trust your team leader, which I do.

3 . Pursue personal growth. I’m constantly looking for chances to improve, discover new perspectives, and enhance my abilities. Personal growth isn’t only for my benefit — it also enables me to back my team and make sure they’re flourishing.

4 . Encourage open communication. I do my best to be open, real, and upfront with my team, always up for listening to feedback or giving a few pointers. The idea is to create an environment where everyone is comfortable sharing about their thoughts and any concerns they have.

5 . Empower and support. I’m all in for providing my team with everything they need to excel — the right tools, independence, and a healthy amount of support. By being there for them and recognizing their accomplishments, I contribute to an upbeat and inspiring workspace. - Zack Hughes

1 . Movement — taking some time every day to move my body, whether it’s getting outside for a walk, doing some yoga, or getting out for a swim.

2 . Meditation — over the last number of years, I have learned the true power of meditation, simply by taking a few minutes out of an otherwise busy day to focus on the present, my breath, and trying to calm my mind.

3 . Reflection — this is something I often talk about on my podcast, the importance of taking time to ask yourself (and physically write down, don’t just think about it) what’s going well and what might you do differently tomorrow?

4 . Speaking up — this ties in with the idea of psychological safety mentioned above; it’s so important to create an environment where people feel safe to speak up and share what’s on their mind. As a leader, I need to lead by example, and speak up if I see something or want to challenge the status quo.

5 . Coaching — during my coaching studies, I learned the power of asking questions rather than telling people what they should do. Often, we have the answers within us, and by asking the right questions we can help employees feel empowered to find their own solutions. - Aoife O’Brien

1 . Leading by example: Leaders should model the behavior and attitudes they expect from their team. I strive to lead with integrity, be accountable for my actions, and treat others with respect.

2 . Communication: Effective communication is critical to building trust and fostering engagement within my team. I commit to communicating clearly and frequently with my team, providing feedback and addressing concerns in a timely manner.

3 . Empowering others: A good leader empowers their team to take ownership of their work and to make decisions independently. I commit to providing my team with the resources and support they need to succeed, while also encouraging and empowering them to take on new challenges.

4 . Continuous improvement: Leaders should be committed to their own ongoing learning and development, as well as to the growth and development of their team. I seek out feedback from my team, identifying areas for improvement, and work to develop new skills and knowledge.

5 . Recognition and appreciation: Leaders should commit to recognizing and appreciating their team members for their hard work and contributions. I commit to taking the time to acknowledge my team’s accomplishments, providing regular feedback and praise, and showing genuine appreciation for their efforts. - Matt Wilson

Burnout and fatigue: The pandemic has created significant challenges for employees, including long work hours, remote work, and increased job demands. This has led to widespread burnout and fatigue, which can make employees feel disengaged and uninterested in their work.

Lack of connection and support: Remote work has led to a lack of connection and support for many employees as they work across locations. Without regular in-person interaction with colleagues and managers, employees may feel isolated and disconnected from their work and the organization.

Uncertainty and fear: The ongoing uncertainty and fear caused by the pandemic have also contributed to disengagement among employees. Fear of illness, job loss, and economic instability can lead employees to disengage and focus on survival rather than work.

Lack of growth opportunities: Many employees are looking for opportunities to grow and develop professionally. If an organization is not providing these possibilities, employees may become disengaged and seek employment elsewhere.

Cultural misalignment: Employees may become disengaged if they feel that the organization’s values and culture do not align with their own. For example, if an organization’s culture is focused solely on profit and does not prioritize employee well-being or social responsibility, employees may become disenchanted.

Overall, other than the impact of the pandemic, the items on this list aren’t new. In my view, the pandemic opened many people’s eyes to these dynamics. In some cases, it even triggered individuals to quit. We still need to see how that will all work out. - Chris Howard

1 . Early to Rise — I wake up around 5:00am (before my house wakes up) to move and feed my body for success.

2 . Personal and Professional Growth — this could come in many forms such as a webinar, audio book, podcast, or enlightening conversation with a like-minded leader.

3 . Plan for Success — in addition to my Google calendar, you can find my paperback planner by my side always. I choose 3 priorities daily that creates growth in my business or life.

4 . Family First — keeping my eye on the vision for my family keeps me grounded in my values. It also ensures that I don’t burnout in my work. This practice has pulled me through many hard times in both the corporate and entrepreneurial settings.

5 . Be Gracious– I share value with or offer assistance to those around me every day, whenever I find the opportunity. Aspire for greatness, and in turn uses that power to impact others — that is when the leader finds fulfillment, as well the respect and admiration of others. - Carin Hunt

1. I must decide upon the direction and the destination of the organization and its employees.

As a leader, I want you to think of yourself as the pilot. If you do not have a clear idea of where you’re trying to take this organization, the people you lead are going to be confused and, most likely, they’re going to enter a state of panic.

It may not be fair, but it is true: when a team is underperforming, you look to the leader. What typically happens when a sports team has a string of losing seasons? The first move the front office usually makes is to fire the coach. Now that may not be fair in your estimation, but it is true that, chances are, there is something wrong with the team’s leadership.

There are three navigational questions you need to ask if you’re going to be an effective leader who takes the people you lead in the direction they should go. These are not questions you need to ask of your people; these are questions you need to ask of yourself, and they should be answered in order. The first question is:

A) What is my purpose as the leader? In other words, what do I do as leader? If you were talking to someone who knew absolutely nothing about your industry, role, or product or service, how would you describe what you do in one sentence? Folks, if you are the pilot and you do not know what you’re doing or where you’re going, your airplane is headed for major turbulence. If your leadership is fuzzy, the people who are following you, who are looking to you for guidance and direction, will feel even more lost in the fog than you do.

B) What is the purpose of this department/team/group that I’m leading? Let’s say, for example, you are the director of human resources. Your next question is, what does the human resources department do? Now, you can tie the first two questions together: “What do I do as director that helps human resources do what it does?” By doing this, you’ll begin to form a clearer picture of your purpose within the company.

Of course, if your position is the president or CEO, you may not have an individual department or group that you lead, so you may skip this second question and move on to the third question.

C) What is the purpose of this organization as a whole? As a leader, you’ve got to be crystal clear. Do not use code words. Do not use jargon. Explain your company to somebody who knows absolutely nothing about it. Again, use one sentence:

The purpose of the XYZ Organization is to__________________.

Let’s say you work for XYZ company; and within XYZ company, you are the director of human resources. You now have three levels of questions you need to ask and answer: “What do I do as human resources director that helps the human resources department do what it does? How does that help XYZ company do what it does?”

As the leader, you need to be able to clearly articulate what you do that helps your department do what the organization is supposed to do. After you answer these three questions for yourself, it becomes your responsibility to make sure each one of your employees has an answer to the same questions for themselves: “What do I as (job title) that helps (department name) do what (XYZ Organization) does?”

2. I must decide to be the chief motivator of my team.

You may find yourself leading a team of people who are only here to collect a paycheck — just phoning it in. How do you get these people motivated and excited about their work? Here is the answer: you must connect them to the higher purpose of their job. In other words, you must help them to understand the “why” behind what they do. If they don’t have a good, strong reason why they do what they do, if they don’t have a compelling answer as to why their job is important, they’re probably not going to do their job with much enthusiasm or energy.

Nothing motivates more than understanding the true purpose of a job. Plus, nothing will make your team as a whole gel together more quickly than understanding their collective purpose as a team. As the leader, you must decide to be the chief motivator of your team, and the best way to provide that motivation is to help your team unlock self-motivation by clarifying the greater purpose behind their job.

Having a greater sense of purpose creates more lasting motivation than money ever will — though your employees do deserve to be well paid for their expertise. Some leaders and organizations erroneously think that simply throwing money at their workers will help motivate them to work harder, but nothing could be further from the truth. If you want a team that motivates themselves and decides within themselves to work harder and always give their best, you as their leader must help them discover their greater purpose.

3. I must decide what each team member needs most from me.

Not every person you lead will need the same type of attention from you, and there is no single approach to leadership that can be applied across the board to every person.

People are different. They have different backgrounds, different personalities, different ideas of right and wrong, and different work ethics. Therefore, it is incumbent upon you as the leader to skillfully determine who needs what, when they need it, and why. As I often say, you cannot lead them if you do not know them.

When it comes to leadership, one size does not fit all. As the leader, as the coach, as the chief motivator, it is your responsibility to know each one of your players well. What is the best way to speak to them? What should you never say to them? What are their biggest fears or insecurities? How do they wish to be rewarded for a job well done? You cannot learn about the people you lead by sitting in your office all day every day, waiting to be needed.

If you cannot answer those basic questions about each one of the people you lead, get out of your office and get to know your people. This may mean taking each one of them out to lunch; it may mean having a one-on-one with each of them and directly asking them those questions; it may mean intensely observing them as they do their job and quietly making notes for yourself. Whatever you do, get to know them so you can effectively lead them.

4. I must decide how to prioritize your daily schedule in order to maximize effectiveness.

In my individual coaching sessions with leaders — as well as in my group coaching and consulting sessions — I often hear this profound sense of overwhelm. There is so much to do, and leaders often do not know where to start. There is always a mountain of paperwork and a never-ending to-do list, and a sense of dread often comes over you.

Great leaders must decide to prioritize their day to yield maximum effectiveness and minimal anxiety. I have two bits of advice for you regarding this need for prioritization. The first is this: make sure your priorities align with your supervisor’s priorities for you. My second piece of advice comes from former US President Dwight D. Eisenhower. This advice has become very popular over the years within the business world thanks to Stephen Covey discussing it in his classic work, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.

It is important to distinguish between urgent and important tasks. An urgent task is one that requires your immediate attention. It is something that must be done now, and it is something for which there will be serious negative consequences and repercussions if it is not done immediately. An important task is one that does not require immediate attention but is one that helps you to achieve your long-term goals. It does not have to be done right this second, and maybe not even today or this week, but they are still very important.

The bottom line is this: if I fail to prioritize my day, then someone else will gladly do it for me…often to my own detriment!

5. I must decide to be the type of leader others want to follow.

I suggest that there are four qualities that you must decide upon fostering in order to be the type of leader others want to follow. Remember, you want to be seen as the “go-to person” within your organization — perhaps, even, within your industry. You want to be the leader to whom other leaders come for advice and mentoring. You want to position yourself to be head-and-shoulders above other leaders in similar situations.

There are four essential qualities, in no particular order, of followable leaders. They are:

A. Proficiency. Simply put, proficiency speaks to how competent you are. In fact, the real question is are you not simply good but great at what you do? If not, are you willing to learn and grow? Do you want the spotlight to shine only on you, or are you one who gets joy from seeing your entire team rise to superstar status?

You see, the best leaders are not only those who are good as individual performers; the best leaders make everyone around them better as well. The best leaders do not simply develop themselves; they develop those around them. If your employees are not better performers and better human beings by having been exposed to you, you are failing them and you are failing yourself.

B. Integrity. My own definition of integrity is a strict adherence to one’s own code of conduct or values. In other words, to be a person of integrity means to know what one’s own values are and to refuse to violate them. An ancient philosopher even defined integrity as who you are when nobody is watching you.

Are you honest in your words and in your dealings with others? When your employees hear you make a promise, can they count on you to fulfill it? Do you treat everyone with the same degree of respect and professionalism, or does someone have to believe like you, look like you, live where you live, vote how you vote, worship how you worship (if they even worship at all), etc., for you to treat them well?

C. Benevolence. Are you the type of leader who genuinely cares about the people you lead? Do you view them as partners, or do you view them as objects whose sole purpose is to help you achieve your personal career goals? How kind are you? How friendly are you? Do you know their names? Do you know anything about their families? While we cannot be expected to treat them as if we are the psychologists and they are our patients, are we at least concerned about what may be troubling them beyond the walls of the office? As the age-old adage goes, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

D. Humility. I have seen far too many leaders who honestly believe that their employees should be filled with awe and wonder at the prospect of working under such an amazing specimen of leadership. I like to look at it the other way around: as a leader, I am the one who is privileged to come beside you and help lift you to a place of excellence.

Unfortunately, we live in a world that often equates humility with weakness, so it takes a lot of fortitude to set one’s ego aside and propel a team to higher heights. It is worth doing, however, as humble leaders are considered more approachable, more forgiving of mistakes, and more willing to acknowledge others for jobs well done. - Dr Derrick Noble

Slow Down and Bring Others Along.

I didn’t get where I am by being slow. Often, I forget that I am wired for a different speed and that my brain works like a 3-D chess board attuned quickly to strategy on several levels. It’s imperative that I slow down and make sure others are on the same page, see all the angles I see, and that I bring others along instead of getting there first.

2. Teach Something New Today.

We all know the advice, to learn something new each day. Sure, do that. More importantly, be the one to teach something new to another. Commit to making it make it happen for someone else. Keep it small, a brief backstory, or a bit of trivia. Show others how you think in a way they will remember. I have found it is usually these small conversations, factoids, and exchanges that my clients and team remember and bring them up again when I least expect it, and it moves the work forward.

3. Have Threesomes Whenever Possible.

Everyone wants a piece of me, in a good way! To toss an idea around, get my input on an issue, and discover new resources. When possible, I include a third person in the conversation. Although not always convenient, it builds team, spreads the message, and cross-pollinates ideas.

4. Keep Perspective.

What is deeply rooted in me is that I am intense. What is really annoying about me is that I am intense. Sometimes I lose sight of what makes me successful can also take me down a rabbit hole. I make the commitment to keep perspective, I call it Goldilocksing, find the right size, not too big, not too small, just right and remember, Goldilocks was trespassing in the 3 bears house, so I must ask, should I even be in this territory? Now that’s a perspective.

5. Start one new project — even if it’s just the warm-up….

I always have ideas, and so do my team and my clients. Every day I try to get one new conversation on the books. Put an idea out there, get a next step, move the proverbial ball down the field or the court or in the right direction. This ensures that even when I am stagnant there are things in the works that will eventually bubble. The best part, others reciprocate and bring new ideas to me, and we keep growing and going deeper and building our next steps. - Ilene Marcus

Self-Care: Being a leader can be very demanding. It can drain also drain you physically, mentally, and emotionally. I have started prioritizing my health by waking up at 5 or 5:30 in the morning, working out first before I check my emails. Making sure that I’m eating, taking breaks throughout the day and getting the appropriate amount of sleep at night. I’m also making time to do fun things with my family. Keeping this type of balance help me feel more energized, focused and engaged.

Constantly learning: With the business world constantly changing, it is imperative to commit to learning a new skill, or technique to stay competitive and relevant. I also keep myself informed of current trends.

Listening & Effectively communicating: I am also committed to listening more to my team and encouraging open and effective communication. This way we are all actively participating in creating a space where everyone feels comfortable speaking up about ideas or issues. This type of open line of communication helps build trust between myself and my team and it also help with fostering collaborations across departments or teams.

Setting Clear Expectations: Setting clear expectations not only for my team but for myself helps eliminate confusion around goals or tasks that need to be completed. It also ensures accountability and clarity which is an environment where l must be thrive.

Taking Responsibility for actions and decisions: As a leader we have to set an example for how problems should be handled. So it’s important that I take responsibility for my actions and decisions instead of pointing the finger or making excuses. By taking ownership allows me to be honest with myself first before being honest with others. It also sets the tone for how problems should be addressed moving forward. - Tee Johnson

1. Self Care

Taking care of self is THE most important commitment because as a leader, you are the one guiding the ship. If you run yourself into the ground, you’re no good to anyone.

2. Emotional Efficiency

Emotions can either be a massively effective tool for compassion, connection & empathy, or a ticking time-bomb waiting in the closet of unresolved issues.

3. Journaling

Journaling is one of the fastest ways to connect & communicate with the subconscious mind to get more done in less time.

4. Prioritizing

Knowing where to spend our time & resources to move whatever needle is most important to us can make the difference between spinning our wheels or gaining traction.

5. Presence

The most precious resources is time, and being as present as possible allows us to make the most use of that resource, instead of wasting our time in protection mode from the pains of the past, or preventing possible pain in the future. - David A Caren

1 . Go to the gym. It works wonders on controlling my stress, focus and overall feelings.

2 . Be honest, fair, and empathetic to others at work and outside of work. Even if that honesty might hurt.

3 . Act quickly on situations, problems, and hard conversations rather than letting them sit. Leaving them sitting causes anxiety, and lack of sleep and hurts your overall mood/attitude.

4 . Call friends that understand the problem or have faced similar issues and ask for their opinion.

5 . Offer favors, advice help to others without looking for anything in return….Not keeping score. - Jeffrey Gabriel

1 . Be kind. To everyone, all the time. You have no idea what they’re going through. And if you’re going through something, you’ll at least get kindness back when you need it most.

2 . Define a Daily Vision. I use daily Visioning to feel successful every night, instead of behind with thoughts running. Sometimes it’s as small as, “I am laying in bed and I feel a little bit better than when I woke up.”

3 . Get enough sleep. It’s amazing how much better of a communicator, thinker, writer, coach, and mentor I become when I am rested.

4 . Reframe comparisonitis. You might not be able to stop yourself from comparing your situation to others. But as you recognize those thoughts, shift your thinking to remind yourself you’re doing your own thing and on your own journey.

5 . Baby steps. Some days, you are just taking one small step forward. And that’s okay! - Lois Weinblatt

1 . My personal morning and night routines which include mindfulness, exercise, nurturing the soul, nutrition and rest have a direct impact on my energy and how I show up and therefore on how I lead. These can be the first things to suffer for a leader whose time is limited and self-care is the first thing to go by the wayside. But like anything of value, routines require intentionality and consistency.

2 . Be visible, available and approachable, and value the time of others.

3 . See, value, treat and appreciate each person I come in contact with as I would like to be seen, valued, treated and appreciated.

4 . Visit my people in their spaces and places.

5 . Clarity of communication and to never tire of repeating values, principles, guidance, and expectations. The greatest gift of kindness I can offer is clarity of communication. - Matthew Brackett

1 . Movement — taking some time every day to move my body, whether it’s getting outside for a walk, doing some yoga, or getting out for a swim.

1 . Early to Rise — I wake up around 5:00am (before my house wakes up) to move and feed my body for success.

2 . Personal and Professional Growth — this could come in many forms such as a webinar, audio book, podcast, or enlightening conversation with a like-minded leader.

3 . Plan for Success — in addition to my Google calendar, you can find my paperback planner by my side always. I choose 3 priorities daily that creates growth in my business or life.

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Like The Movie "Into The Wild"? Here Are 109 Ideas About How To Redefine Success Now

Movies like Into The Wild portray a young man who abandons his material possessions to redefine success. It seems easy but we know it isn't. Here are 109 ideas about how to redefine success.

Be Productive

Person Of Integrity

Commitment

Chances To Improve

Speaking Up

Listen More

Plan For Success.

Communication

Grow And Develop

Self-discipline

Family First

Decide

Teach Something New

Be Firm

Setting Clear Expectations

Self Care

Be honest

Get enough sleep

Exercise Before Work

Be Visible

Speaking Up

Family First

Like The Movie "Into The Wild"? Here Are 109 Ideas About How To Redefine Success Now

Movies like Into The Wild portray a young man who abandons his material possessions to redefine success. It seems easy but we know it isn't. Here are 109 ideas about how to redefine success.

Be Productive

Person Of Integrity

Commitment

Chances To Improve

Speaking Up

Listen More

Plan For Success.

Communication

Grow And Develop

Self-discipline

Family First

Decide

Teach Something New

Be Firm

Setting Clear Expectations

Self Care

Be honest

Get enough sleep

Exercise Before Work

Be Visible

Speaking Up

Family First

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