“You were born to win, but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win, and expect to win.” –  Zig Ziglar

There are many who lead who do not express a desire to win, they simply try not to lose. They don’t want to acknowledge competition – they just want to be left alone. There is no finish line for these individuals – only an endless and very tedious treadmill.

It is easy to identify those who plan, prepare and expect to win. There has to be a fire inside that propels them forward, but they may need some help along the way.

“The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint to keep from meddling with them while they do it.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Suggested Reading: The Leader Who Had No Title: A Modern Fable on Real Success in Business and in Life

Two of the most common types of executives are those who micromanage and those who macromanage. In the first instance a micromanager cannot look into the future of the business because they are constantly paying attention to details that can be accomplished by others. In the second case they may macromanage a business in such a way that everyone shows up for work, but no one really knows what they are supposed to do. To find a balance between these extremes is hard, but it is a balance that successful executives eventually find.

And ultimately when you are prioritizing what you need to do first keep the following advice in the forefront of your thinking.

”Do the hard jobs  first. The easy jobs  will take care of themselves.” – Dale Carnegie