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3 Things You Need to Do to Be in the Top 1% of Your Chosen Field

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Everyone endeavors to be a champion; to be a leader in their field. Many people get frustrated when they simply do not see that process involving as expeditiously as they would have anticipated. But the fact is that many people are already in the top 1% of their field. And, if they would simply expand their horizons and look at alternate ways of viewing their successes, they may see that.

Below are three ways that you may consider as pathways to viewing yourself in the top 1% of your chosen field:

1. Know your category

There are many measurements that can be utilized in most chosen professions to gauge success. We tend to only look at the end result, the finish line, but there are many baton handoffs that occur between the gun sounding at the start and the flag at the finish line. For example, in sales we tend to look at percent of quota as a method of gauging success.

Closing sales and percent of quota is one way of assessing your level of success in the field of sales, but think for a moment of other gauges of success that will move us toward a greater percent of closing the sale. For example, if you are in a high cold call sales environment, the number of calls you make may be above the average, significantly so that it places you in the top 1% of all callers.

“The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same.” – Colin R. Davis

This behavior must ultimately lead to the more macro measurement of percent of quota. However, your calling behavior should be celebrated as you being in the top individuals who place calls. Perhaps it is your closing on appointment stats or maybe it’s referrals received?

In my field, that of training and keynoting, most individuals look at income as being the top 1%. I have no illusions over the fact that I am not earning what Anthony Robbins, Brian Tracy, or other luminaries in the field earn. However, my statistics on LinkedIn at the very top of the LinkedIn food chain. My social selling index places me in the top 1% of individuals in management consulting. So, guess what? I am the top 1% at least of something! And that will lead to higher income.

What about you? Think about what criteria you can use to measure yourself that will lead you to an elevated level of status in your chosen field? And here’s a bonus, that status elevation may lead to an increase in self-confidence. That may lead to an increase in the overall macro measurement you are looking to attain.

2. Never stop learning

The old saying, “you are either green and growing, or ripe and rotting” holds true. The fact is that to be in the top 1% of any field requires constant and continuous focus on learning both within the field, and outside of the field. The notion of learning outside of your chosen field is important as you begin to take ancillary information and incorporate it into your daily activities. The end result is new and exciting ways of managing yourself in your business by taking what people have done outside of your business and applying it within.

May I suggest a formalized and structured time for daily learning. It could be as simple as 15 minutes a day. Choose a time when you will be uninterrupted or have the ability to set up your environment where you will not be interrupted. Then think about what knowledge you want to acquire. It may be a book that you buy, a video that you watch, or feed that you read. But the constant repetitive pattern of the behavior called “acquiring knowledge” must lead you to the top 1% of your chosen field.

3. Have fun on the way to the top

You may have heard that success is a journey and not a destination. That is also true of entering the top 1% of your chosen field. If every day you wake up with a sour stomach and a grimace on your face wondering how you’re going to claw your way up the wall of success, when you get there chances are the first emotion you will feel is resentment for the arduous journey that brought you to the pinnacle of your field.

“Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.” – Jim Rohn

But when every day is a joy because you enjoy what you do, the people you do that with, and your inevitable ascension, each day becomes a wonderful thread woven into the fabric of a joyful and successful career.

I have seen many people over the years in my training and consultancy become so obsessed with the goal that they lose focus on the path. I have also seen individuals climbing with unbridled enthusiasm and doing whatever they can to bring others along with them. That brings me to a question you may want to answer:

Can I really make it to the top 1% of my chosen field if I do not bring other people along with me?

Biagio Sciacca, known to his friends as Bill, was a lifelong resident of Pittston, PA. He is the owner of Intelligent Motivation, Inc. a global consulting and training firm specializing in management and leadership training as well as psychological assessment for hiring and staff development. He is the author of several books relating to goal setting, and his third book, Provocative Leadership, is publishing soon. Now residing in Tamarindo, Costa Rica, he divides his time between his international coaching and training clients, writing his next book and wandering aimlessly on the beach. Feel free to contact Bill at bill@intelligentmotivationinc.com or schedule a call with him by going to www.intelligentmotivationinc.com and clicking on the “set up a call” tab.

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Success Advice

Why One-Size-Fits-All Leadership Will Always Fail (and What Works Instead)

The surprising truth about leadership styles that can make or break your team’s success.

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Leadership has always been as much about people as it is about performance. Ken Blanchard, in his influential book, “The One Minute Manager”, put it simply: different strokes for different folks. (more…)

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What Every New CEO Must Do in Their First 100 Days (or Risk Failure)

Your first 100 days as CEO could define your entire legacy, here’s how to make every move count

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When Tim Cook took over from Steve Jobs at Apple, the world watched with bated breath. Jobs wasn’t just a CEO; he was a visionary, an icon, and a legend of innovative leadership. (more…)

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Entrepreneurs

The Leadership Shift Every Company Needs in 2025

Struggling to keep your team engaged? Here’s how leaders can turn frustrated employees into loyal advocates.

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Bridging the gap between employees and employers
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”

While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.

Why This Gap Exists

Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.

What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.

Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap

Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.

1. Practice Mutual Empathy

Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.

2. Maintain Professional Boundaries

Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.

3. Follow the Golden Rule

Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.

4. Avoid Micromanagement

Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.

5. Empower Employees to Grow

Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.

6. Communicate in All Directions

Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.

7. Overcome Insecurities

Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.

8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship

True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.

9. Eliminate Favoritism

Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.

10. Recognize Efforts Promptly

Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.

11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews

When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.

12. Provide Leadership Development

Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.

13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles

Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.

The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role

Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:

  • Build diverse talent pipelines

  • Embrace flexible work models

  • Design compelling career paths

  • Simplify HR processes

  • Redefine the value HR brings

The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.

Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff

When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.

Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.

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Entrepreneurs

What Makes an Entrepreneurial Leader? Traits of the World’s Best Innovators

Inside the mindset of entrepreneurial leaders who transform risk, passion, and vision into world-changing results.

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entrepreneurial leadership skills and traits
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