I’ve worked with countless numbers of leaders and high achievers in the business and sports worlds. They have risen to the top through hard work, focus and determination. Each has applied these overarching principles to chart a unique and individual path to success.
But through the research that I’ve done and the people I’ve worked with, there is one consistent trait that virtually all of them share in how they conduct themselves and how they lead other people.
That trait is intentional behavior.
"The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win." Bobby Knight, Vince Lombardi and Charlie Munger have all been associated with this quote over time. They coached it, won championships and made fortunes incorporating it into their belief systems and leadership styles.
Preparation is an intentional behavior and manifests itself in many ways. Great leaders are intentional in how they communicate, in the daily disciplines that drive them personally and professionally, and in how they lead and inspire others.
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to speak to the employees of a branch of a Fortune 500 company in Indianapolis. As part of my time there, I joined the managing partner of the office for an early morning workout. We talked about vision, purpose, his team, the leaders in his office and the people they managed as well.
But in the middle of our discussion, and in the middle of his workout, he paused. He pulled out a notebook and started taking notes.
Of course, my curiosity got the best of me. So I asked him what he was taking notes on.
“Let me show you,” was the response.
He turned back dozens of pages to reveal an entry from the last day of the previous year: “I track all of my performance in all of my workouts. This last entry for the year shows how many calories I burned for the entire year, how many miles I ran for the entire year, how many workouts I had, too.”
I was taken aback but not surprised.
It was all about his intentional behavior. No wonder he was such a great leader. The truly great and inspiring thing about this was that he wasn't just practicing intentional behavior in his professional life, he was also practicing intentional behavior in his personal life as well!
What I knew then and what I have continued to find among leaders is that intentional behavior that manifests itself in all parts of a person’s life is one of the integral keys to success.
Think about how intentional behavior can apply to your own life.
I’m not necessarily advocating that you record every detail of every workout, but are there other metrics you can measure? Are there other ways you can take the application of intentional behavior and apply it to your own personal and professional life?
Of course there are. You start by raising your level of consciousness and focus on what it will take to improve.
If you have a poor diet, start tracking the food that you eat. Paying attention to what goes into your body is the first step to changing your overall health.
Be intentional when it comes to relationships with your friends and family members. When you are more engaged with the people who matter on a personal level, you are more ready to give and to receive love and affection.
If you manage a team of salespeople, are you charting more than their raw results? Are you looking at the quality of the leads they’re pursuing? Are you setting the table by helping them find a break into the most lucrative and promising accounts? Are you giving constructive and useful feedback for a team that works with you, and not for you? Communicate milestones and expectations for those you lead. Be clear in your messaging as well.
Before you attend a meeting, do you have clear goals and expectations of what the meeting will accomplish? If you are running the meeting, do you have an agenda that you can clearly communicate? Few things in business are worse than sitting through an endless meeting that drags on forever without focus or energy. Your mind drifts. You zone out. And above all else, you are wasting valuable time -- time you can never get back.
Being intentional means being in the present moment.
Be aware of that present moment at all times. When you approach a meeting with intentional behavior, you can eliminate all of those negatives that are in your control, and you can also influence others to be more intentional as well.
Even if you don’t manage people, you can apply intentional behavior to make your own work life more productive and satisfying. Doing so will help you eliminate unnecessary tasks and thinking that can weigh you down. When you are intentional, you know what tasks you can delegate so that you can not only be as productive as possible but also more valuable to your organization.
Find what works for you. Challenge dead space in your life. Think of what frustrates you the most. When you attack these problems through intentional behavior, your image, personal brand and self-esteem will flourish. That’s why the will to win must first be exceeded by the will to prepare.
Be intentional, and you will enjoy a greater level of success.
