SELF MOTIVATION

- LEADERS CAN'T LEAD WITHOUT IT

NIGEL A.L. BROOKS

THE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Article reprint
 SELF MOTIVATION - LEADERS CAN'T LEAD WITHOUT IT

Unless forced, an individual can only motivate themselves to do something

well. Self motivation is about developing enthusiasm for an idea, ideal, or
task, and then moving to action. Self-starters are inspired by their own
passion. Leaders motivate themselves first, and then create aspirational
and inspirational messages that influence others to motivate themselves to
follow.

Entrepreneurs and emergent leaders develop passions for ideas, ideals, or

tasks that give them the enthusiasm to "go for it" even when others
criticize, object, resist, or ignore an opportunity or threat. A self-starter
takes the initiative and the risk to transform their ideas or ideals into
results that benefit others. All leaders have to rely upon their own instincts
and establish an environment that motivates others; sometimes in lonely
and uncertain conditions. They must influence others to motivate
themselves who, in turn may become leaders in their own right.

Self motivation has five ingredients: positive attitude, ambition,

confidence, commitment, and self assessment

Positive attitude:

Attitude reflects an individual's positive or negative state of mind towards

an event, activity, condition, item or another individual. Attitude affects
actions; it is easy to be negative and think of barriers, obstacles, and
failure. Whereas contingency plans should always be considered to
prevent or recover from negative outcomes, it is better to think of what is
possible than what isn't. Attitude can be changed through persuasion;
favorable results and success stem from positives attitudes. Hence, it is
important to examine the benefits of the situation or proposition, and think
in terms of how the best results can be achieved effectively and efficiently.

Ambition:

Ambition is the basis of motivation for achieving status, power, and

results. Ambition requires an aspiration (ideal or dream) - a mission and a
vision, and self-esteem - the belief in oneself to achieve a positive result.

2
Confidence:

Confidence is the level of certainty that a hypothesis regarding an intended

action or outcome is correct. With respect to accomplishing the intended
outcome, confidence is the level of certainty that the related people,
processes, and products and/or services are capable. Self-confidence is
belief in one's own capabilities. Confidence is the basis for motivation for
action.

Commitment:

Commitment is the pledge to an aspiration and creates the obligation to

engage and remain in activities that realize it.

Self assessment:

Self assessment is the willingness to understand one's own strengths and

weaknesses so as to undertake a specific role and associated responsibility.
The consequence is taking advantage of strengths, improving weaknesses,
or compensating for them by engaging others.

The criteria for self assessment include: aptitude, qualifications, ability,

proficiency, and experience:

● Aptitude - suitability for a role

● Qualifications - standard conditions or requirements to perform the

role and accept the responsibility

● Ability - expected quality of performance

● Proficiency - level of competencies (knowledge and skills)

● Experience - application of competencies (or lack thereof) to actual

situations, with the related learning

3
Competence includes:

● Personal - intra (self) and inter (relationships with others) - oral and
written communications, and appearance

● Professional and technical

● Enterpriship - entrepreneurship, leadership, and management

***

Leaders cannot attract followers unless they are self-motivated; they can
manage but they cannot lead.

The ability to self-motivate is an enterpriship competency.

4
For more information...

For information about audiobooks, books, earticles, ebooks, and eseminars

offered by The Business Leadership Development Corporation visit
www.etailia.com

For more information about the discipline of enterpriship visit

www.enterpriship.com

For more information about understanding personal styles visit

www.understandingpersonalstyles.com/demo

To assess your individual competencies in thirty minutes or less, claim

your opportunity for instant access when you go to
www.individualcompetencies.com

5
About Nigel A.L Brooks...

Nigel A.L Brooks is a management consultant to entrepreneurs, business

enterprise owners, executives, and managers, and the enterprises they
serve. He specializes in developing the entrepreneurial, leadership, and
managerial competencies that build sustainable advantage from vision to
value. He is an author and a frequent speaker.

He obtained his professional experience as a partner at Andersen

Consulting (now Accenture, Ltd.), as a vice president at Booz Allen
Hamilton, Inc. (now Booz and Company), as a senior vice president at the
American Express Company, as president of Javazona Cafes, Inc., and as
president of The Business Leadership Development Corporation. He has
been a contributing editor for the Bank Administration Institute magazine,
and has served on boards of entrepreneurial networks. He was educated at
the University of Exeter, Devon, United Kingdom.

His clients are in the financial services, food services, high-tech,

manufacturing and distribution, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, professional
services, retail and wholesale, transportation, and government industries.

He has experience in North and Latin America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

www.nigelalbrooks.com

About The Business Leadership Development Corporation (BLD)...

The Business Leadership Development Corporation is a professional

services firm that works with entrepreneurs, lifestyle business enterprise
owners, executives, and managers, and the enterprises they serve.

BLD develops entrepreneurial, leadership, and managerial competencies

that achieve performance excellence by building sustainable advantage
from vision to value through:

 Strategic Management Consulting

 Executive Coaching and Mentoring
 Professional Training via The Center For Business Leadership
Development (CBLD)
 Motivational Speaking

www.bldsolutions.com

6
 THE BUSINESS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
13835 NORTH TATUM BOULEVARD 9-102
PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85032 USA
www.bldsolutions.com
(602) 291-4595

© Copyright 2008-10: The Business Leadership Development Corporation

All rights reserved