It's the Customer, Stupid!: 34 Wake-up Calls to Help You Stay Client-Focused

Chapter 28. Nine Rules That Drive Client Loyalty

Rule 1

"To lead the best, you have to be the best!"

Great customer-driven leaders manage the attention they give to others, and they manage the meaning of that attention. They control the level of trust that exists between themselves and others, and most importantly, they manage themselves. These leaders are always proactive; they are goal setters who begin with an end in mind. They know what they want the outcome of their actions to look like because they've envisioned it from the start. It's as clear as if they have already achieved it. They abide by the words of Henry Ford: "Whether you think you are successful or not, you're probably right either way."

Successful leaders always put first things first and clearly adopt the philosophy "What's the most important thing I can be doing right now?" They recognize the difference between important and urgent tasks at hand.

Rule 2

"Customer-driven leaders keep the axe sharpened and they listen."

Great leaders take the time to stay on top of their game.

Rule 3

"Customer-driven leaders make their team members' goals their own."

Great leaders serve as both the messenger and the message of what is important to those whom they guide. They are the example of what good behavior in the leadership arena should look like. While they envision goals for themselves, they are careful to make their people's goals part of their own. They let their people define those goals and take ownership of them.

Customer-driven ...