Successful Leaders are Intentional Every Day

By Michael J Griffin

6 minute read

Successful leaders are intentional. Positive leaders are intentional. Significant leaders are intentional. Being intentional propels them achieve their purpose and goals, to grow others to make a positive impact on their teams, organization or community and maybe even the world.

“The world is a dangerous place. Not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing.” Albert Einstein

Whether you are a young leader finding your niche, or middle aged leader at the mid-life cross roads, or an older leader moving towards the golden years (not retirement!), we all need to live a daily life that is INTENTIONAL!

Let’s review eight characteristics of an intentional leader. Apply these intentional principles to grow yourself and your influence to make the world you impact a better place. Intentional leaders want to make a positive difference.

Intentional leaders are purpose-driven. BPN states “They know their purpose in life and want to take steps to accomplish that purpose/mission daily. They know who they are and what they can do to add value to others. They lead with a sense of meaning and direction, which motivates both themselves and their followers to collaborate towards a common purpose.” If you have yet to find your purpose/mission in life, “plug into and serve” a leader or organization whose mission is bigger than yourself! Learn from other successful intentional leaders!

“The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose.” Rick Warren

Intentional leaders focus on strengths and talents. Determine what are your core competencies and link it to your passions in life. Use assessments to give you more clarity if you are unsure of your strengths. Put aside your weaknesses and focus on getting better, just as an artist practices drawing simple objects that lead to masterpieces. Don’t wait to be intentional until you’re good at something; start now to become not only good, but better at what you are good at.

“What great leaders have in common is that each truly knows his or her strengths – and can call on the right strength at the right time.” Tom Rath

Intentional leaders are visionaries. Intentional leaders have a clear vision of what they want to achieve built on their life mission. They know their long-term goals and have a well-defined roadmap to get there. This long term clarity enables them to make focused decisions and align their actions with their objectives. Intentional leaders are visionaries of others: they can see the potential in others and guide, lead and coach to reach their full potential in life.

“No one stumbles upon significance. You have to be intentional.” John Maxwell

Intentional leaders seek continuous improvement. Intentional leaders are committed to learning and growing themselves and others. They actively seek and give feedback, reflect and learn from their experiences and failures to improve themselves and others for future significance. Intentional leaders see success as an ongoing journey, not a destination. Your life journey of positive significance must be have the element of intentional improvement. Trouble with this? Read Dr. Maxwell’s book the 15 Laws of Growth.

“When you become stagnant and aren’t improving by the day, you are only moving toward your failure.” Pooja Agnihotri

Intentional leaders have a daily agenda consistent with their purpose. I vaguely knew this but Dr. Maxwell taught me a simple “Daily Five Swings” that keeps me focused on achieving my purpose every day.  Determine what are the intentional 5 swings you need to do daily to keep you on track for success and significance. This daily leadership focus has a great impact on others you lead by giving them focus and meaning to their daily agenda. You can look at most people’s daily agenda and tell if they live intentionally or reactively bounce from one circumstance to another like a ball in a pinball machine. Here are my Daily Five Swings:

• Read and reflect every morning

• Keep healthy – without health, I cannot live my purpose

• Add value to others – be a servant leader

• Innovate in the marketplace and community

• Maintain and grow healthy relationships

Each of these daily swings have intentional daily actions that support each “swing.” Remember what Zig Ziglar said:

“If you aim at nothing, you are sure to hit it.” Zig Ziglar

Intentional Leaders are disciplined and resilient. They get up every morning and take on the new day being positive and persevering regardless of what yesterday’s trials, hurts and failures have dumped on them. They learn and grow for negative experiences to even better accomplish their purpose the next day. Successful leaders are intentional on finding coaches or accountability partners to keep them disciplined, rebound or grow in areas of their life where they need to improve.

 “Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” Nelson Mandela

Intentional leaders don’t give up. They may have to adjust their sails through the storms of life but the keep their focus on vision. They are not the leader that says:

“If only….”

"One day....”

"I’m so unlucky...."

"When things get better...."

"When the kids grow up...."

"If I could ever get a break...."

"I always seem to get overlooked...."

"I'm just never in the right place at the right time...."

Intentional leaders are humble and adaptable to achieve their vision. Why? They don’t let their ego, emotions, or unhealthy relationships get in the way of living their purpose. They are never “poor woe is me.”

“Success seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go.” William Feather

Intentional Leaders have healthy emotional intelligence. Intentional leaders are aware of their emotions and how they may impact their decisions and interactions with others. This was a big one for me personally. Without good EQ, an leader can have the best intentions in the world, but poor EQ can easily damage and even repel others from following or collaborating with you in achieving your mission and vision. Effective leaders manage their own emotions, empathize with the emotions of others, making them more attuned to the needs of their team. The big idea for me is “never take it personally” listen well, and be intentional for the win-win outcome.

“We are dangerous when we are not conscious of our responsibility for how we behave, think, and feel.”  Marshall B. Rosenberg

Let’s end with the insights of John Maxwell on leaders who practice “Accidental Growth” with successful leaders that practice “Intentional Growth.”

May you start tomorrow to be the intentional leader you have potential to be. As my hero Bill Wilson says It’s not what you accomplish, but what you put in motion.” Get moving tomorrow – be intentional!

Michael J Griffin
CEO and Founder of ELAvate
Maxwell Leadership Founding Member
Intentional 5 Daily Swing Leader