Success Advice
4 Key Principles For Finding Your Path to Greatness

Success is defined in different ways by different people, but more and more it has become synonymous with money and status.
Real success, however, is less about results or a bottom line, and more about the process of achieving goals and dreams.
Many business people today are overwhelmed by the need to maintain results-driven success. Once we decide that the results are all that matter, then success comes at high price. We find ourselves making sacrifices and compromises that were once unacceptable. We trade today for some future payoff. When that payoff comes, we realize it can never be enough. And, when the results we work so hard for don’t materialize, we label that failure. It’s an impossible model to sustain for a lifetime.
Fortunately, there is another way.
In my book, Own YOUR Success, I contrast results-driven success with a much more balanced approach. The key principles are ones that anyone can put into practice immediately.
The first principle is Attain Belief in Yourself, which I break into five keys:
1. Accept the truth. Acknowledging the person you are today is the key to becoming the person you want to be and, ultimately, to attaining belief in yourself. There is a big difference between failing and not getting the results we want. Instead of seeing failure, see opportunities for growth and change.
2. Speak the truth. Be honest about your past behaviors and habits. While it may be difficult to acknowledge them, burying those parts of our lives makes us feel like victims, amplifying our fear and pain. Shedding light on the past, by talking with a trusted friend or professional, frees us.
3. Breathe through the truth. Avoid reacting from a place of pain or anger – no matter how much you believe you are right. Be open to changing your perspective. Treat yourself lovingly. Do not self-destruct.
4. Process the truth. Give yourself time and space to find your equilibrium. Developing belief in yourself means gaining confidence that will lead to a stronger foundation.
5. Create a plan based on the truth. Changing entrenched behaviors and mindsets takes time, and sometimes they return. Stay strong. Continue to believe and actively engage in this process. Define how you want to live your life from where you are right now.
Once you attain belief in yourself, you can believe in others – as all great leaders do. Use meditation and mindfulness to gain focus and clarity. This allows you to act with purpose, intention, and awareness at all times.
The second principle is Act with Courage and Integrity.
Whether you are the CEO, in middle management, or in an entry-level position, when you act with courage and integrity, it inspires others to do the same. A big part of that is appreciating all people and the selfless acts and sacrifices they make every day.
The third principle is Create Your Prizefighter Day – Do Great Things!
Each day set three attainable activity goals: one personal, one professional, and one to help others. By taking action in these three areas every day, you make each day victorious. The victory is not in the results, but in the actions themselves. Even if what you do doesn’t turn out perfectly, as you may have hoped, the experience of accomplishment every day is a victory.
The fourth principle is Create a Living Legacy.
Surrender to a cause greater than yourself. Find your passion and live it every day. Work diligently toward your goal. Fight for what you believe in despite the obstacles in your path. Don’t wait to leave a legacy after you’re gone. Live that legacy every day.
Quotes Of Greatness
As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world, but in being able to remake ourselves. – Mahatma Gandhi
“Greatness lies, not in being strong, but in the right using of strength; and strength is not used rightly when it serves only to carry a man above his fellows for his own solitary glory. He is the greatest whose strength carries up the most hearts by the attraction of his own.” – Henry Ward Beecher
“All greatness of character is dependent on individuality. The man who has no other existence than that which he partakes in common with all around him, will never have any other than an existence of mediocrity.” – James F. Cooper
“Man’s greatness lies in his power of thought.” – Blaise Pascal
“Those who occupy their minds with small matters, generally become incapable of greatness.” – Francois de La Rochefoucauld
“Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – William Shakespeare
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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:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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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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