Berger Leadership Blog

How we think directly corresponds to how we act. Truly successful leaders understand the power of thought and how positive thinking drives an optimistic attitude, which more often than not leads to successful outcomes.

That being said, an effective leader should think differently. Lolly Daskal, president and CEO of Lead From Within, lists several ways that successful leaders express their ways of thinking. Her list includes:

- Instead of thinking only of themselves, they include others. Instead of "I want …," successful leaders put their teams first.
- Instead of dwelling on problems, they focus on solutions. By focusing on solutions, you'll find opportunities.
- Instead of advancing their individual success, they work toward building a successful team. The success of a team is much easier to maintain than that of an individual.
- Where others think small, they think big. If you think small, you'll stay small.
- Where others become distracted, they stay focused. "Successful leaders have the strength of purpose to see things through to completion," Daskal writes.

To be successful, we must first think that way. Our sole focus at NAFCU is on advocacy, education and compliance assistance. This focus seeps into everything we do because it's how we think. Through our member-driven values of passion and excellence, NAFCU continues to grow and find success.

Daskal adds that changing your way of thinking can be hard, but "establishing the right way of thinking is required if want to succeed and make a lasting change in the world."

Follow me on Twitter (@BDanBerger).