Trust.  Such an important topic because I have been witness to countless situations and experiences where it was lacking.  For example, the time when I made a big purchase from a charismatic vendor who then stopped communicating with me after the check was received.  Or, the time when I was surrounded by leaders making big decisions, but not one of them could walk their fancy talk. In both situations, I lost trust (and respect) for the leaders and their companies, which means that ultimately my relationship with them also soured.  How do you think this translates to their bottom line? 

Honesty is so refreshing, isn't it? I was recently at a restaurant with my daughter, and we had something so interesting happen that it's worth sharing. While looking over the menu items, we both wanted to order meals on the healthier side. When the server stopped to take our order, she quickly deducted, by our conversation and menu orders, that we were trying to be healthy. She mentioned to us, very confidently, that if we want a lower calorie and lower fat meal, the turkey burger is not a good choice. She told us that she found out that it is injected with fat for flavor, which triples the calories and puts the fat content at a very high percentage. How refreshing to know the truth!  And, how she did this was in a caring and informative manner and not in a way to slam the restaurant. 

Surely you have heard Oprah talk and write about "being your best self," "living your best life," and "living in the moment."  Once I had my kids, I found that these messages meant so much more because I found myself constantly being swallowed by the chaos of balancing work and family, and I was not appreciating each moment as it was occurring.  Like many working parents, I continue to struggle with my balance and worrying about where I am falling short rather than focusing on what I am excelling at and what I did to the "best" of my ability that day.  Now how do these messages of being our "best self" in our "best life" while being fully present in the moment apply to how you do business and work each day?  I firmly believe that how you show up at work directly reflects who you are and how you live, so Oprah's lessons are extremely important for your professional life and in your business.

Unfairness feels like injustice, and when customers face injustice they are motivated to seek justice.  When customers believe they have been treated unfairly, they are first surprised, then disappointed.  This feeling converts to anger and indignation, emotions that can be held onto for a long time.  Anger wrought from unfairness leads to a desire to punish and is probably the emotional justification for customers who go out of their way to punish an organization.  Trust and fairness are intimately related.  The basis for trust is perceived fairness.  Without trust, a shaky foundation exists for service exchanges.

-Janelle Barlow and Dianna Maul, Emotional Value

The definition of leadership is so much more than the words used in the dictionary.  There are so many facets to the meaning of the word.  Leaders are usually self-made and successful through hard work and making tough decisions.  The good news is leadership is not about a person's title on a business card.  Instead, it's about taking action and achieving goals, not about position.  So if we believe that leadership begins and ends with action, then all of us have certainly taken some positive form of action in our lives; therefore, we are all leaders.  I feel all to often people misinterpret their own ability to lead. To be a leader you don't necessarily have to have followers.  You just have to individually take action on achieving your own personal goals. Are you making a real difference in your world by your leadership, and what can you do to challenge yourself?