I thought I’d challenge myself to distill the real rules of leadership into the 25 best, after an adult life of working with many of the greatest companies and captains of industry in the world.
Let’s not waste a second—and jump right in:
1. When faced with a problem, a leader’s only option is to find a solution. And get the job done.
2. If you’re not making the people you lead greater, you’re not really leading. You’re only following.
3. You can change the world or you can play with your phone. You can’t do both.
4. Income and impact is the marketplace’s reward for the delivery of value and magic.
5. You can’t inspire your team and customers if you’re empty of inspiration. So run your calendar so you don’t drain yourself of inspiration. Ever.
6. You must believe in you, when nobody believes in you, until the entire planet believes in you.
7. The job of a leader is to walk into what’s uncomfortable, not away from it. Fear is simply freedom waiting for you to embrace it.
8. Instinct is more powerful than intellect and energy is more valuable than intelligence, when it comes to building a great business. And leaving a gorgeous legacy.
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9. If you’re not being laughed at a lot you’re not thinking very big.
10. The key to a domain dominant company isn’t your products and services but your values and culture. Focus on building an amazing ones and your people will live that message.
11. A key goal of business is to find a pain that many people suffer from and then solve it elegantly and efficiently. Solve people’s problems and they’ll pay you a fortune.
12. Rest for a leader isn’t a luxury but an absolute necessity. Genius-grade ideas show up not when you’re exhausted, but when you’re fresh.
13. Getting into the finest fitness of your life by exercise, nutrition and intelligent recovery isn’t a cost but an investment. Cheap costs more.
14. Reward is experienced in direct promotion to the amount of risk you’re taking. If you’re not having the level of winning you want, ask yourself if you’re taking enough risks each day.
15. No idea works for someone unwilling to do the work. The billionaires and top leadership teams I mentor are true masters of execution (not meetings!).
16. Success in leadership while losing your soulfulness and happiness is fool’s gold.
17. A difficult client is a fantatical fan in disguise. Turn the frustrated consumer around by wowing them.
18. Stop worrying so much about being interesting or liked and focus more on being interested and helpful. Leadership is not a popularity contest.
19. Grit, resilience and being relentless will help you rise to the top so much more than intelligence, good genes and lucky breaks. Persistency is the mother of mastery.
20. Join The 5AM Club! It’s a life-changing morning routine that has already helped tens of millions of people just like you consistently make their days magic. Own your mornings and you’ll win your days. Go ahead and get your copy of The 5AM Club book here and start reading it fast!
21. To lead fully is to serve greatly. Being useful to as many people as possible is the master skill of superb leaders. And it’s the gateway into joy, peace and true power. Trust me on this one. Please.
22. Life’s too short to wait for the perfect time to make your ethical ambitions real. Think big, start small and begin now.
23. Real leaders pursue a cause that’s larger than themselves. Ego-chasing is a limited game.
24. Build a great company and delight many customers yet don’t forget your family. Arriving at the top but being all alone will yield an empty victory.
25. Fortune favors the leader who disrupts. Please don’t fall so in love with your winning formula that you begin to fall in love with it.
I’ve worked hard on these rules (on my refueling break) because I really really really care about you and the rest of my readers globally.
I pray they serve you well! Please review them regularly, journal about the ones that speak most to you and SHARE them with your teammates, customers and friends.
Together, our community of over 100 million people who consume my content are making the world a wiser, better and brighter place. Thank you. It’s a genuine honour to be of service to you.
Love + respect,
Robin