13 leadership rules from Colin Powell

Where do you seek guidance and inspiration to help you navigate the complexities of your role?

Colin Powell’s 13 Leadership Rules provide a powerful framework to inspire and guide leaders through challenges and opportunities:

𝐈𝐭 𝐚𝐢𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤! 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠. 🌅 Perspective is everything. A new day often brings new solutions.

𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐭 😡➡️😌 Allow yourself to feel emotions but don’t let them cloud your judgment.

𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐠𝐨 𝐬𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐞𝐠𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭. 🧠↔️🏢Separate your identity from your role to maintain resilience.

𝐈𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐨𝐧𝐞. ✅ Believe in the possible, and you’ll find a way

𝐁𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐢𝐭. ⚠️🎯Consider the long-term consequences of your decisions.

𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. 📉🚫Weigh all information but don’t be paralysed by negatives.

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞’𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐬. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐥𝐞𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬. 🚶‍♂️🚶‍♀️Respect autonomy in decision-making for yourself and others.

𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬. 🔍Attention to detail can prevent larger issues.

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭. 🏆🤝Recognise and celebrate the contributions of your team.

𝐑𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐦. 𝐁𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐝.🧘‍♂️❤️A composed and compassionate leader fosters a positive environment.

𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐚 𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐁𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. 🎯📈 Set the bar high and lead the way over it.

𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐧𝐚𝐲𝐬𝐚𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬. 🚫😟 Courage isn’t the absence of fear; it’s the decision to move forward regardless.

𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐦 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫. 🌟💪A positive outlook can inspire and energise your team.


🔑 These rules emphasise resilience, decision-making, humility, and optimism – key traits that every leader should embody.

Read more in his book, ‘It Worked for Me: In Life and Leadership.’

❓What are your thoughts on these rules?

❓ Which of these rules resonates most with you?

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