“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” Winston Churchill.

Recently I was delighted to learn that Gary Oldman had won the Oscar for Best actor for his portrayal of Winston Churchill in the film The Darkest Hour.

I’m sure the recognition he has received compensated for the early starts and two and half hours Gary Oldman spent every day being made up and put into a prosthetic body suit. His appearance was transformed and he gave a brilliant and convincing performance as Churchill.

I really enjoyed the film which illustrated Churchill’s leadership style (which wasn’t always to everyone’s taste). It showed some of the choices and decisions he had to make when the UK faced much adversity and challenges in the Second World War.

When I was thinking about Churchill and leadership in general it inspired me to write this week’s blog. I think we can all learn lessons, wisdom and gifts from leaders of all kinds. These could be famous historical figures such as Churchill, Mother Theresa, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela or others we have observed. It could be people we’ve worked with, played sport with or teachers, parents etc.

We don’t have to lead a business or a team to be a leader. We can be the leader, the director and architect of our own life. It’s possible to learn great insights, healthy habits and behaviours from leaders to apply into our life in order to be the very best we can be personally and professionally. We can show leadership qualities in our daily interactions with others.

Here are a few thoughts from me about what we can learn from great leaders to apply in our own lives:-

• Have a clear vision and sense of direction. If we know where we’re heading we’re more likely to know when we get there! Having a clear vision helps us to manage our time and energy appropriately. It enables us to focus on our most important and key priorities and avoid distractions and time wasting activities.

• Develop a sense of purpose. When we have great self-awareness and clarity on our key talents, gifts and strengths, it can help us to develop a definiteness of purpose. Being committed to our purpose and having an understanding of how we can positively impact and help others with our skills brings greater meaning and satisfaction to our life.

• Be a great listener. You learn more from listening than talking! When you develop a great ability to listen with the intent to truly understand, you develop greater connection with people. When you are truly present, it helps people to feel valued and important. It develops trust and more effective relationships.

• Trust your instincts. Whilst facts and figures are important in decision making and analysing situations, so is intuition. We can learn to tune into and trust our inner wisdom. Our past experiences and learnings help develop this valuable wisdom. Great leaders have a hunch about what to do, the action to take and back their feelings.

• Be consistent in your actions. Healthy habits and routines help us to achieve our goals. Commitment and self-discipline are key traits to help us see plans through to completion and achieve our vision. Small actions applied consistently lead to extraordinary results over time. Consistency helps us to be first class and the best that we can be.

• Be impeccable with your word. When we say what we mean, mean what we say and do what we say we going to, people know where they stand. Relationships become more harmonious and effective. Trust is developed as people see that we operate with high levels of integrity. People like and respect those that stick to their promises.

• Be the change you wish to see. If we’re not happy with something in our life, rather than moan and complain, we can take positive action to change things. We can lead by example and be an inspiration for others to follow our lead. We can commit to walking our talk and ensuring that our words are matched by deeds.

Why not take a few moments out to reflect and consider what action you can take personally to be more of a leader in your own life.

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