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10 Habits of Ultra-Likable Leaders

If you want to be a leader whom people follow with absolute conviction, you have to be a likable leader. Tyrants and curmudgeons with brilliant vision can command a reluctant following for a time, but it never lasts. They burn people out before they ever get to see what anyone is truly capable of.

When I speak to smaller audiences, I often ask them to describe the best and worst leaders they have ever worked for. People inevitably ignore innate characteristics (intelligence, extraversion, attractiveness, and so on) and instead focus on qualities that are completely under the leader’s control, such as approachability, humility, and positivity.

These words, and others like them, describe leaders who are skilled in emotional intelligence. TalentSmart research data from more than a million people shows that leaders who possess these qualities aren’t just highly likable, they outperform those who don’t possess them by a large margin.

Becoming a more likable leader is completely under your control, and it’s a matter of emotional intelligence (EQ). Unlike innate, fixed characteristics, such as your intelligence (IQ), EQ is a flexible skill that you can improve with effort.

What follows are 10 key behaviors that emotionally intelligent leaders engage in that make them so likable.

1. They form personal connections.

Even in a crowded room, likable leaders make people feel like they’re having a one-on-one conversation, as if they’re the only person in the room that matters. And, for that moment, they are. Likable leaders communicate on a very personal, emotional level. They never forget that there’s a flesh-and-blood human being standing in front of them.

2. They’re approachable.

You know those people who only have time for you if you can do something for them? Likable leaders truly believe that everyone, regardless of rank or ability, is worth their time and attention. They make everyone feel valuable because they believe that everyone is valuable.

3. They’re humble.

Few things kill likeability as quickly as arrogance. Likable leaders don’t act as though they’re better than you because they don’t think that they’re better than you. Rather than being a source of prestige, they see their leadership position as bringing them additional accountability for serving those who follow them.

4. They’re positive.

Likable leaders always maintain a positive outlook, and this shows in how they describe things. They don’t have to give a presentation to the board of directors; they get to share their vision and ideas with the board. They don’t have to go on a plant tour; they get to meet and visit with the people who make their company’s products. They don’t even have to diet; they get to experience the benefits of eating healthfully. Even in undeniably negative situations, likable leaders emanate an enthusiastic hope for the future, a confidence that they can help make tomorrow better than today.

5. They’re even-keeled.

When it comes to their own accomplishments and failures, likable leaders take things in stride. They don’t toot their own horns, nor do they get rattled when they blow it. They savor success without letting it go to their heads, and they readily acknowledge failure without getting mired in it. They learn from both and move on.

Related: 12 Things Truly Confident People Do Differently

6. They’re generous.

We’ve all worked for someone who constantly holds something back, whether it’s knowledge or resources. They act as if they’re afraid you’ll outshine them if they give you access to everything you need to do your job. Likable leaders are unfailingly generous with whom they know, what they know, and the resources they have access to. They want you to do well more than anything else because they understand that this is their job as a leader and because they’re confident enough to never worry that your success might make them look bad. In fact, they believe that your success is their success.

7. They demonstrate integrity.

Likable leaders inspire trust and admiration through their actions, not just their words. Many leaders saythat integrity is important to them, but likable leaders walk their talk by demonstrating integrity every day. Even a leader who oozes charm won’t be likable if that charm isn’t backed by a solid foundation of integrity.

8. They read people like a book.

Likable leaders know how to read people as unspoken communication is often more important than the words people say. They note facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice in order to get what’s really going on with their people. In other words, they have high social awareness, a critical EQ skill.

9. They appreciate potential.

Robert Brault said, “Charisma is not so much getting people to like you as getting people to like themselves when you’re around.” Likable leaders not only see the best in their people, but they also make sure that everyone else sees it too. They draw out people’s talents so that everyone is bettering themselves and the work at hand.

10. They have substance.

Daniel Quinn said, “Charisma only wins people’s attention. Once you have their attention, you have to have something to tell them.” Likeable leaders understand that their knowledge and expertise are critical to the success of everyone who follows them. Therefore, they regularly connect with people to share their substance (as opposed to superficial small talk). Likable leaders don’t puff themselves up or pretend to be something they’re not, because they don’t have to. They have substance, and they share it with their people.

Bringing it all together

Likeability isn’t a birthright; it results from acquirable skills that are crucial to your professional success. And just like any other professional skills, you can study the people who have them, copy what works, and adapt them to your own style. Try these ten strategies and watch your likeability soar.

Travis Bradberry

7 Healthy Habits That Maximize Your Productivity Every Day

Entrepreneurs usually keep a densely packed schedule that fits as much work as possible into their waking hours. There’s always something else to be done and more you’d like to achieve, so how do you keep your day running efficiently without being overrun by the demands on your time?

There are some tricks I’ve learned over my entrepreneurial journey that have served me well in running my day successfully. Not every day will stick to the routine, but if you commit to practicing these steps daily, you’ll get better at keeping them over time.

Here are seven steps I’ve learned for effectively running your day as an entrepreneur.

1. Start your day the night before.

The night before is really when your new day begins. I’ve found over the years that by approaching bedtime with a routine I can effectively start the next morning with all systems go. Begin by ensuring you know what’s on the calendar for the following day. Go over appointments, calls and any other important deadlines in the day so you have an awareness of what’s on the agenda.

Next, get anything you need in the morning set aside and ready at night. Bag packed, if you bring lunch -- then lunch made and ready to grab, gym bag all set up to go, etc. Make sure whatever you need in the morning is as easy as grab and go.

Finally, set yourself up for sleep success. Make sure you turn off all electronics that could beep, buzz or light up during the night and disrupt your sleep.

2. Move first thing.

Getting out of bed and making your body move gets the blood flowing and the brain synapses connecting again. If you aren’t in the habit of moving first thing when you get up, this may feel a little strange at first but trust me, it works. Even if you aren't a morning person, grab your gym bag and hit the gym or put on your shoes and walk your dog for 30 minutes. Fresh air and movement start your body and your brain off on the right foot for the day. You’ll have more energy and a clearer head when you’re done.

3. Tame your brain.

Meditation or mindfulness practice is an essential workout for your head. It only takes 10 to 20 minutes in the morning to adopt a practice that can really help you effectively manage your day, and your life. Meditation is proven in study after study to help you deal better with stress and improve the fluidity of your mind, meaning you have a more adaptable brain.

Work your head out every morning with some kind of mind strengthening exercise. Try the Headspace app for a free introduction to what mindfulness and meditation can do for you.

4. Get help with staying organized.

If you aren’t an organized or punctual person, get the help you need to become one. This can be with an organization app like Trello,WorkFlowy or Evernote, or by hiring someone part time to assist you with task, time and calendar management. If you want an efficient day then you need to be organized.

5. Remember to eat.

Your body and your brain need fuel. Don’t forget that food is an important part of the day’s routine. This sounds simple but so many times entrepreneurs run themselves into the ground, skipping meals and forgetting to eat, only to grab the quickest (and often unhealthiest) thing they can eat on the go. Don’t fall victim to this trap. Snack frequently and remember to eat the right kind of healthy, nourishing food you need to stay energized all day.

If you struggle, there are snack prep delivery options like Nature Box or home delivery healthy meal prep options like Blue Apron where literally everything you need for dinner is delivered to your door.

6. Batch your time.

Time batching is an efficient way to get the uninterrupted productivity time you need. Ensure that there’s at least one hour, preferably two, of batched time for you to problem solve, think, brainstorm and otherwise handle the work you need to do without being disturbed. It’s a highly efficient way to get a lot done in small bursts of productivity.

7. Disconnect from work.

Last but not least, when you leave work in the evening, try to disconnect from work. This may be less important when you’re still young and single, but it becomes a crucial lifestyle practice when you have a partner or a family. Your time outside of work greatly contributes to your time at work, so give your significant other and family the focus and attention they need and leave the office work at the office.

Adam Toren

4 Ways Successful People Balance Work and the Rest of Their Lives

Is work-life balance a real thing once you become truly successful? While it’s certainly the case that there are times and seasons forworking ridiculously long hours, studies show that after a certain point, productivity drops off significantly. Employee output falls off a cliff after 55 hours a week – in fact, someone working 70 hours a week has the same production as someone working 55 over the long term.

Additionally, studies show that as we grow more tired, our emotional intelligence and decision-making abilities plummet. For this reason, truly successful people know how to balance their work and their daily life. Here are four ways that successful people find that elusive work-life balance - and you can too:

1. They know what they want out of work and life.

One thing all successful people are good at is setting goals. Those who balance work and life well realize that they need to set goals in both their career and their personal lives. This helps them to be very clear on what they want, so they can say “yes” and “no” to the appropriate projects and tasks.

Of course, it isn’t enough to just have goals. You need the activities you’re undertaking daily in both your work and home lives to move you towards those general goals. Ask yourself the following questions to see if your own goal-setting initiatives measure up:

• Have I identified the work and home projects critical to my success, both in the short-term and the long-term?
• Have I developed a way to capture my work and home goals so that I can keep them at the front of my mind?
• Have I set smaller “milestone” goals for both work and home initiatives that’ll help me advance towards the larger goals I’ve set for myself?
• Have I shared my goals with the people around me who can support me?

Successful people don’t achieve their goals alone. A key component of balance is being on the same page as those around you so they know what to expect from you and vice versa. Talk with your partner and other important people in your home life to set goals and expectations about your day-to-day relationships. Work with your boss or your employees to set clear parameters around your career goals and success metrics. When you know what you want in both areas, you’ll be able to avoid distractions.

2. They take care of issues at home.

In a study shared by NPR of 122 men and women, researchers found that subjects were more stressed when they were at home than when they were at work. People who are successful don’t let their work become a haven from a difficult home life. Instead, they balance work and life by finding effective strategies to deal with the stressors that come from each one.

Stress at work is different than home-related stress. In some ways, the pressure to perform is higher, and the risks if you fail more dire. In other ways, however, you have an emotional attachment to outcomes at home that you simply don’t have at work. Further, you can’t simply quit your daily life like you can a job. Learning to manage your emotional reactions at home, and working through ongoing conflicts, are keys to success.

3. They take their vacation time.

At the end of 2014, unused vacation days were at a 40-year high. This isn’t good news for employees or companies. Some people are afraid of the workload they’ll come back to, viewing vacation time as a luxury they simply can’t afford. And it’s certainly true that, in some cases, taking vacation creates far more work than simply plugging along (at least in the short term).

However, there are very important benefits that come with taking vacation time. Studies show that vacation time is important for productivity and also helps the economy to grow. Successful people know that chronic stress without a break makes them more irritable, less able to sleep soundly and more likely to be depressed and anxious. They take their vacation time as an essential part of their work-life balance.

Take a second now to plan your next vacation day. It could be a week spent somewhere exotic, or it could be a simple day trip to a nearby town. Whatever the case may be, and whatever you can afford to get away with, put it on the calendar now and commit to taking this time for yourself.

4. They outsource and delegate.

Fortunately, we all have tasks that we can outsource and delegate, both at work and at home. Successful people take full advantage of this, from sending out laundry to having an assistant sort their email. Consider the tasks that take a significant amount of your time. Can someone else do it more effectively? If so, hire or delegate that task right away.

The following are just a few of the things you could delegate at work and at home to help manage your stress and make your work-life balance more successful:

Work

• Data entry
• Paperwork
• Administrative support
• Email responses
• Customer service responses
• Marketing campaigns
• Bookkeeping and accounting
• Accounts payable and receivable
• Collections
• Projects that don’t require your specific expertise

Home

• Grocery shopping
• Meal preparation
• House cleaning
• Laundry and dry cleaning
• Yard work (including lawn mowing and gardening)
• Pool maintenance
• Dog walking
• Handyman repairs
• Your daily commute

If you get creative, you’ll find that there are hundreds of ways to free up more time to commit to your work and home life goals. Of course, there is a cost associated with many of these ideas. Calling an Uber to drive you to and from work each day might not be financially feasible; that is, unless you’re using the time you’ve freed up from driving to take on work tasks that’ll earn you more money than what you’re spending.

Regardless of whether you outsource and delegate here and there or aim for a fully-optimized life, when you focus on the things you do best, you’ll not only be better able to balance your work and your life – you’ll enjoy both of them much more. In addition, outsourcing and delegating allow others to step into their own strengths and grow and develop on their own.

Creating a work-life balance can be difficult. It’s important to remember that a balance is never a 50/50 proposition. Sometimes your work will require more from you, and other times your personal life take center stage. The idea of balance comes from not becoming so focused on one or the other that you completely fall down. Successful people have discovered how to do this by setting clear goals and expectations, taking care of issues at home, taking the appropriate time off, and delegating or outsourcing where they can. As a result, they’re better prepared to avoid burnout and maintain their overall productivity.

Sujan Patel

How Your Friends Influence Your Success

You can tell a lot about a person by the company that they keep. There’s a saying that goes something like: You become the average of the six people that you spend the most time with.

If you look at your professional company -- the other co-workers, colleagues, business owners and industry professionals that you most often interact with -- who are they, what do they stand for and what do they say about you?

How is your circle influencing you?

Where do you stand among your professional peers? Are you always the leader of the pack or are you making sure to surround yourself with people who will push you to be your best?

When you play tennis, the best way to improve your own game is to play with someone superior to you. This allows you to rise to the challenge of bringing your play up to the other player’s level, rather than holding back. Even if you are evenly matched with a competitor, it can be hard for you to improve.

When I learn a new skill or enter a new arena, I seek out the people at the highest level. Sometimes, this means paying for that privilege. When I trained with The Second City (the famed comedy and improvisational school that is known as the breeding ground for SNL, etc.), I had a few options. I could have started with the beginner class, but that would have made me work at the pace of the slowest learner, as the group can only go that quickly. Instead, I opted for a more efficient, albeit effective, option. I chose a custom program where I was the only student and my counterparts were the professional troupe members. This meant that I was the slowest one in the room and I had to jump in the deep end and swim with all of my might to keep up with them.

Getting to the next level

Can the people around you provide you with the opportunities you are looking for and get you to the next level? If you are only networking, masterminding and interacting with those at your level who have the same types of contacts, they may not be able to push you to step up to the next level, and they will unlikely be able to refer you to those next level opportunities that you seek.

I see it as a challenge, particularly for women who stick to women’s-only networking groups. While these groups have value, sometimes the women are missing the opportunity to connect with those individuals (which include men in higher positions) who can help recommend them for new opportunities.

Paying it forward

You can’t always be the student, so when you can, remember that there are others than can benefit from your guidance. As you improve your tennis skills, let a novice play with you from time to time to get exposure. Pay it forward, as there will always be more to learn and more to give.

Carol Roth

6 Business Books That Will Revolutionize Your Business and Change Your Life

Books have the power to change lives. We live in a time when books are more affordable and accessible. Yet, fewer entrepreneurs read books, using the excuse of a lack of time. If you can’t find time to read, you as an entrepreneur will not grow, which will have an effect on your business.

If you study any successful entrepreneur, you’ll see one of the keys to their success is that they educate themselves through books. You can get books these days for as little as .99 cents. Many are even free through Amazon’s KDP Select program. There’s no reason not to have a Kindle full of books that can educate you and teach you strategies to grow your business. 

Here are six books that can help you create a business and life you love. This list is a good start. It’s up to you to research books that will help you and your business where you are in your journey. These books are changing lives and helping entrepreneurs grow their business. 

1. Just Blow it Up: Firepower for Living an Unlimited Life.

Dixie Gillaspie is an author, coach, speaker and fire starter. She is also a contributor here at Entrepreneur. Her mission and this book are all about breaking through the barriers that typically hold entrepreneurs back from growth in their business and life. Your mindset is one of the most important parts of your business because what you think affects the action you take. Just Blow it Up helps you identify mindset traps and gives you a practical strategy to beat them. This is the definitive guide to climbing over those mental walls.

2. MONEY Master the Game: 7 Simple Steps to Financial Freedom.

Tony Robbins is a pioneer in the personal development space, but his book on finances is like a graduate course in college. A novice in finance could read this book and walk away an expert. Tony takes complicated financial strategies and distills them down to the average reader’s level.

Money is not everything in life, but it is important, especially in the business. There are many entrepreneurs who are great at making income, but are clueless as to how to make their money work for them through investing. You started your business to create freedom, Tony’s book can help you take that freedom to a level you didn’t think was possible through the right investment strategies.

3. 48 Days to the Work You Love.

If you are a frequent Entrepreneur reader, Dan Miller’s book will speak to you, especially if you’re stuck in a day job. What comes through the most in this book is how unique and genuinely an entrepreneur is Dan Miller. Dan is an entrepreneur who refuses to accept what society and the media have conditioned us to believe about our dreams and entrepreneurship. He lays out an actionable plan to transition out of a day job into a business and life you love. Read the book with caution because you will walk away changed. I read this book in hours. I couldn't out it down. 

4. Business in Blue Jeans.

Susan Baroncini-Moe has written the playbook for creating a business that’s everything you’ve wanted it to be. Susan starts off dealing with the mindset traps and moves to the strategies that will help your business see explosive growth. She teaches you how to build a business you love on your terms. Entrepreneurship has changed. Today, you can run a multi-million dollar business from anywhere in the world. Susan teaches you how. I read this book on an eight-hour bus ride from London to Paris, I couldn't sleep because the book had me speechless.

5. The Dip.

You know this list wouldn’t be complete without a Seth Godin book. Seth has a way with words and knows how to cut through the fluff. The Dip is a book about knowing when to quit or move on. The book deals with mindset struggles and offers a plan to overcome them. It’s a short read that should be on every entrepreneur's book list.

6. The Fire Path.

Kate Erickson wrote this book about leading podcaster John Lee Dumas. John and Kate have built the Entrepreneur on Fire podcast to a six-figure a month business. The book lays out a practical plan you can use to grow a business using the untapped medium of podcasting. 

Make time every day and week to read an excellent book. Many of the most successful entrepreneurs read a book a week. Knowledge is power and the key to growth. Add these books to your list; they can help you create a business and life you love.

Kimanzi Constable

5 Frugal Habits of the World's Richest People

Just because someone has accumulated a bank account that rivals that of Bill Gates doesn’t mean they spend like there is no tomorrow. Research and anecdote teaches that wealthy people, including the very wealthiest, are surprisingly frugal.

That’s not saying they're cheap. After all, there is a difference between being cheap and frugal. Frugal means being smarter and wiser at prioritizing your funds, finding the best value and making solid investments, traits that have fattened the bank accounts of the richest people in the world. They have so much wealth because they realize the real value of money.

Here are some of the frugal habits of the wealthy you adapt to build up your own hefty bank account.

1. They use coupons.

Surprisingly, households with average incomes of $100,000 or moreuse more coupons than those that bring in under $35,000. Celebrities including Carrie Underwood, Lady Gaga, Kristen Bell and Hilary Swank are just a few examples of wealthy individuals who are fans of coupons.

As a whole, it’s been found that an astounding “71 percent of the affluent use paper coupons every month, with 54 percent using online coupons every month.”

2. They live below their means.

The super rich are also known for living well below their means - even as far as cutting their own hair. One example of this is that they don’t see a vehicle as a status symbol. Instead, they realize that a car serves just one purpose; to get from Point A to Point B.

Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, famously drove around in a 1979 Ford F150 pickup truck. Walton’s son, Jim drove an older Dodge Dakota despite being worth over $16 billion. Mark Zuckerberg owns a modest $30,000 Acura TSX entry-level sedan, the 61st richest person in the world Azim Premji drove a Toyota Corolla, and Warren Buffett recently sold his 2006 Cadillac, which was noted for not being anything special, for a new model.

Many very rich people live in modest homes. Warren Buffett still resides in the house he bought bought for $31,500 in Omaha, Nebraska in 1958. Mark Zuckerberg, Tim Cook and Christy Walton all live in modest homes.

Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad, Hobby Lobby founder David Green and former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer prefer to fly commercial, and even coach. Bill Gates was known to fly commercial for years. Azim Premji usually stays at company guest houses.

Finally, the wealthy don’t spend money on only luxury clothing. John Caudwell, an auto-shop owner who entered the cell phone business in 1987 and is now worth $2.6 billion, has stated "I don't need Saville Row suits” and "I don't need to spend money to bolster my own esteem.''

In fact, 74 percent of the super rich shop at Wal-Mart, while only 6 percent shop at Brooks Brothers.

3. They are charitable.

One of the more interesting habits that the rich have in common is their willingness to donate a vast majority of their wealth to a charitable cause. Zappos’ Tony Hsieh personally invested $350 million in theDowntown Project to improve downtown Las Vegas. Chuck Feeney, the co-founder of Duty Free Shops, has donated more than $4 billion to disadvantaged children and public health initiatives. Other wealthy individuals including Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, George Soros, Mark Zuckerberg, and Michael Bloomberg have donated huge chunks of their fortunes.

4. They value quality over quantity.

Wealthy individuals aren’t cheap, and certainly are not against enjoying themselves, but they put more thought into their purchases. For example, T. Boone Pickens has said,  “I don’t go cheap on anything, but I’m not a shopper. If I want something, I look at it, decide what it is, but it will usually be the best product. I’ve got a pair of loafers that I still wear that I got in 1957.”

5. They don’t carry wads of cash.

It’s been found that “86 percent of people who spend cash on luxuries like expensive cars, jewelry, and electronics are non-millionaires trying to act the part by purchasing luxury brands.”

Take the advice of oil mogul T. Boone Pickens and carry around only the cash that you need for what you intend to buy. According to Brad Klontz, a CFP professional and associate professor of personal financial planning at Kansas State University, the rich are often "money vigilant.” They avoid credit debt, and “are more anxious about making sure they have enough money and are managing it well.

Murray Newlands