“Fake It Till You Make It” Nine Deadly Mistakes In Leadership…
The “fake it till you make it” crowd is gonna hate me for this. But I simply don’t think you have to be dishonest to be a successful leader. Because when it all boils down it’s about positioning. Not lies.
By “positioning” I mean: How you differentiate yourself from everyone else in your business while still putting your best foot forward as a credible expert.
And I think it’s one of the most overlooked skills in marketing. Maybe even the hardest one to master. So without further delay…
Here’s 9 Deadly Mistakes In Positioning And What To Do Instead…
Deadly Desperation. You’ve probably heard this one before but it bears repeating. Nothing kills success faster than desperate fear. Top level negotiators use an acronym BATNA (Best Alternative To Negotiated Agreement) By reserving your right to walk away. By always having a second option. You keep control of the situation. You keep your power.
Shotgun Marketing. Trying to be everything to everyone. The Russians have a saying “If you chase two rabbits you get none.” Part of the power of positioning is choosing your focus. Sharpshooters use rifles not shotguns.
Contrary Mary. This is where you spend all of your time trying to reinvent the wheel. The problem is, with millions of marketers out there… there’s almost no “virgin” land left. But that shouldn’t discourage you. People still go to McDonalds, don’t they?
Lair of Lies. Some slime-balls make a business of weaving lies and selling them. The good news: Eventually it backfires. Nobody can fool everybody forever. And when the walls come crashing down… it’s too late. Don’t even stretch the truth. It’s not worth it.
Faking it. Correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t see the point in pretending to be someone you are not. However, there’s an easy solution to this problem. Don’t fake leadership. Be a leader. You have the power right now to stand up for yourself and choose the life you want.
Know it all. You can be an expert and a leader without being a “know it all.” Nobody knows everything there is to know about marketing, business or life. So if you don’t have an answer… confess. You’ll earn respect.
Monkey See Monkey Do. There’s nothing wrong with modeling success but you don’t have to be a carbon copy of your sponsor. You are unique. You have your own strengths and you should develop them.
Saying “yes”. One of the biggest mistakes you can make if you’re trying to position yourself as a leader is making yourself available to everyone all of the time. They’ll start to take you for granted, you’ll lose respect and valuable time.
Picking Boogers. You don’t have to call every lead you get. You don’t have to surround yourself with negative friends. It’s a choice. Part of the power of positioning is giving yourself permission to eliminate the dead heads in your life. I know that sounds a bit harsh but it’s important.
I’m sure you have your own tips that are every bit as good as these ones. And I just hope I gave you something to think about today.
Let me know what you think. 
Jason The “Better Networker”
P.S. If you enjoyed this article and you already subscribe to this blog please share it with your friends on Twitter by clicking the little green “retweet” button on this post.
P.P.S. Did you know? You can get these free tips sent straight to your inbox every time a new post is up? It’s easy to do. Put your name and e-mail in the little box below and presto!
11 Comments
Brock Hardman on October 8th, 2009
Very well said! I totally agree with your insight and feel like posture is everything, not necessarily “faking” it. Being a confident leader will long outlast someone who misleads. Good stuff.
Brock Hardman
[Reply]
October 8th, 2009 at 10:35 am
Hey Brock. Glad you stopped in and
thrilled that you enjoyed the post.
I totally agree. Confidence, leadership…
no need to “fake it” when you can “be it.”
Hope to see you back soon.
[Reply]
LeShawn Fernandez on October 8th, 2009
Well said Jason,because we all make at least 1 of these 9 deadly mistakes even as a leader. Thanks for bringing it to our attention. Have a Bless day!
[Reply]
Adam Goldman on November 17th, 2009
Great article, definitely no need to pretend someone you’re not. A leader doesn’t change himself, he dominates the environment and makes people come to him.
Cheers,
Adam Goldman
[Reply]
November 17th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
Thanks Adam
I really appreciate that you took the
time to comment. Glad you liked it.
See you again soon. I hope.
[Reply]
Clarissa Winchester on March 12th, 2010
This is a great article! After struggling in network marketing for 2 1/2 years, I finally found success when I allowed myself to be a leader – the best type of leader that I could be. For a long time, I lived using #1, #2, #5, #8, and #9 (hey, wait a minute – you were watching me, weren’t you???).
Now that I know better, I do better – and I am seeing change happen!! I finally get it. Building an incredible network marketing business requires you to be strong in your abilities and know that opportunities are everywhere. No begging required!!
Appreciate you!
[Reply]
March 13th, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Hey Clarissa,
Your comment made me smile.
The opportunities are everywhere and there
will always be opportunities for leaders in our
industry… and all others.
[Reply]
Nicely said Jason,
I may not have been in this wonderful world of Internet Marketing for very long, however, I do have a wealth of business and leadership knowledge to share with everyone.
Running a crew of hard working, hard living, and hard playing carpenters for the past 15+ years has taught me a whole lot that will stay with me the rest of my life, whatever I do.
It is obvious to me that those are the same people I want to direct my message to and with over a million tradesmen out of work right now it’s only smart business. Why should I try to change who I am, how I talk, and the way I think just to try to reach a group I don’t even understand?
Your insight continues to stimulate my gray matter and I will eagerly await your next post.
Thanks,
Mitchell Dillman,
“Your On-line Green Home Business Builder”
[Reply]
October 8th, 2009 at 10:33 am
@Mitchell
Sounds like you have a lot of
experience that could put you ahead
of the crowd online. A leader is
a leader. The internet is just
another medium.
Happy to have you as a reader
Mitchell.
[Reply]