Performance and Traits of Leadership with Erik Therwanger

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Are you disengaged at work? Have you ever struggled with making a decision or taking the lead on a project? You’re not alone. In previous years, Gallup has reported several concerning statistics surrounding employee engagement and lack of leadership in the workplace. Although dismal, Erik Therwanger provides the silver lining in today’s episode.

Key Takeaways

What traits could make you a true leader,
How leadership can be applied at every level through organizations, and
The secret to becoming an unstoppable goal achiever.

🧩 The 14 Traits of Leadership

Before pursuing leadership, it helps to know where to start. That’s why Erik is an advocate of the Marine Corps’ 14 traits of leadership. Through rigorous training and execution, Therwanger has experienced the true power of these traits and encourages everyone to give them a try! They include: Bearing, Courage, Decisiveness, Dependability, Endurance, Enthusiasm, Initiative, Integrity, Judgement, Justice, Knowledge, Loyalty, Tact, and Unselfishness. In addition to the traits of leadership, below is a fantastic example of actionable phrases to follow (also provided by the Marines). Although they are specific to duty, Therwanger believes real-life application could be the key to your success. Try replacing “Marines” with “co-workers”, “friends”, etc.

Know yourself and seek self-improvement.
Be technically and tactically proficient.
Know your Marines and look out for their welfare.
Keep your Marines informed.
Set the example.
Ensure the task is understood, supervised, and accomplished.
Train your Marines as a team.
Make sound and timely decisions.
Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates.
Employ your command in accordance with its capabilities.
Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.

🧗🏽 Looking Up, and Down

According to Gallup, over 80% of the US workforce has been previously disengaged. There is a common misconception in today’s workforce that leadership is the job of solely the highest ranking individuals within an organization…. Wrong. Therwanger preaches that despite repetition within lower level positions, you will, “Still encounter people you can make an impact with.” It may not seem like there are many opportunities in certain jobs, but remain enthusiastic and apply the leadership traits to get where you want to be.

🤞🏼 Activate the Power of Who

Therwanger believes we all have an unlimited potential to achieve our goals if we activate the power of who. So, what is the “power of who”? Similar to one of Jordan Belfort’s goal principles, the theory is that attaching the outcome of a goal to someone you care about, such as a friend or family, will serve as a powerful motivational factor in achieving it. For example, attach one of your goals to a charity you care about. When the person or group you attach your goal to is expecting, or even dependent, on the outcome, you are much more likely to succeed.

📄 In Conclusion

Leadership is proven to be one of the most transformative commitments one can make on the path of self-development. It positively impacts you, those around you, and the world. Being a leader isn’t always easy, but following the traits of leadership is a surefire way to get started.

📽️ Watch the Full Video on YouTube

Quotes

“What I’ve found is that most people are driven by the people in their lives. Even though It’s important what we do and how we do it, it’s really important why we do it.”

Erik Therwanger

“People that unlock the ‘power of who’ unleash an unlimited breakthrough source of energy.”

Erik Therwanger

“I think we treat leadership like it’s just going to happen. ‘Just because you’re being promoted, now you’re going to be a great leader.’ You may be great at your job, but that doesn’t mean you’re good at managing people.”

Erik Therwanger

“We spend more time finding products to sell than finding people to lead..”

Erik Therwanger

About the Guest

Erik Therwanger

Founder of Think GREAT

As the founder of Think GREAT, Erik draws from experiences as a U.S. Marine, executive business leader, sales professional, and entrepreneur to help organizations to achieve greater levels of success. Erik uniquely combines leadership development, team building, sales training, and goal-setting into strategies and techniques that empower employees, sales teams, leaders, and business owners to exceed expectations.