Leadership by Choice

Do you have the opportunity to focus on each decision you make? Chances are, you don't. All too often, our choices are rushed and relationships are strained by not thinking clearly or communicating properly.

We are all responsible for our own productivity. To be a strong leader, our challenge is to find creative ways to be productive and speak with influence. In Leadership by Choice, author Eric Papp looks at key strategies for leaders to excel not just through ability and smarts but connecting with others and establishing strong decision-making skills. The best leaders develop a system for reflecting on ideas and hold themselves accountable for their choices. Leadership by Choice provides you with applicable ideas in an entertaining manner with stories and pictures for all the areas in which you lead.

Loaded with actionable strategies and compelling ideas, Leadership by Choice offers a new road map for becoming a leader people want to follow.

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction xiii

Part 1 Communication 1

Chapter 1 Listen Like Leitha 3

Chapter 2 Speaking with Influence 21

Chapter 3 The Importance of Questions 37

Part 2 Leading Teams 47

Chapter 4 The Abdication of Accountability 49

Chapter 5 Building a High-Trust Team 61

Chapter 6 Leading in Any Position 77

Chapter 7 Leading the Entitlement Generation 91

Part 3 Productivity 105

Chapter 8 Prioritize for Productivity 107

Chapter 9 Fourth Quarter Living Decision Making 125

Chapter 10 The Power of Focus 135

Part 4 Personal Development 149

Chapter 11 Finding Strength in Silence 151

Chapter 12 Rewards of Self-Discipline 161

About the Author 175

ERIC PAPP is the founder and CEO of Results-Based Seminars, LLC, and a professional leadership trainer and consultant. He has delivered more than 350 professional training programs to corporate and private clients. His client list includes Nationwide Insurance, Lockheed Martin, Huntsman Corporation, and many more. He has been quoted in the New York Times, USA Today, the Dallas Morning News, and many other publications.

Chances are you don’t have the time or energy to focus intently on each choice you make. All too often, we rush our decisions and strain our relationships by not thinking clearly or communicating properly. But the best leaders develop a system for reflecting on ideas and hold themselves accountable for every choice they make. In Leadership by Choice, author Eric Papp outlines the key strategies—no filler, no fluff—for leaders to excel by connecting with others and establishing strong decision-making skills.

Leadership by Choice offers you the tools you need to make a conscious choice to positively influence those around you by managing yourself and leading others. This fast-paced, volatile business climate requires leaders who can keep cool, inspire others to adhere to high standards, produce excellent work, and continuously raise their game. This book delivers the tips you need to lead no matter your position, build high-trust teams, and even inspire accountability among the entitled members of Generation Y. Leadership by Choice shares proven techniques that will help you achieve results in these critical areas of development:

• Communication: Listen to your clients, ask good open-ended questions, and find out how your service or product can be of value to them
• Leading Teams: Establish trust and hold people accountable
• Productivity: Develop a focused work approach that others admire and follow, leading to stellar results
• Personal Development: Discover the key ingredient to accomplishing your goals and the importance of silence

To be a strong leader, your challenge is to find creative ways to be productive and speak with influence. Loaded with actionable strategies and compelling ideas, Leadership by Choice offers a new road map for becoming a leader people want to follow.