Zig Ziglar may seem like an unusual addition to this Leadership Lessons mini-series. After all, he is a sales guy – a true businessman. We are not in business, much less in sales. But Zig Ziglar operates on principles that we all believe in. I have learned quite a bit from him and so can you. Many of the ideas he focuses on transcend categorization. They are just good, strong tenets for bettering yourself and anything you are part of – including your church!

Here’s a list of action steps Zig Ziglar has published on Keeping the Right Attitude that we should take to heart every day (taken from Ziglar on Selling, pp. 334 to 336):

1. Accept the fact that you CAN control your attitude.
2. Make the commitment to do whatever is necessary to take control of your attitude.
3. Evaluate each book, television program, movie and video before you start reading or viewing it with a question: “Is this going to help me in my personal, family, or business life, or is there a better use I could make of this time?”
   
4. Learn one new word each day. In less than five minutes per day, you can get amazing results.
   
5. Read something of value to you personally and professionally for at least twenty minutes every day.
6. Turn your car into the University of the Automobile (with tapes and cds that can help you grow).
7. Choose your associates carefully.
   

I will let this list stand for itself. Those of you who know me well have heard me talk about many of these principles in the past. Pay special attention to the one about making good use of your time and reading every day!

That wraps up our Leadership Lessons mini-series, but don’t let it be the end of studying great leaders for you. Those who have come before have a lot to teach us, if we will just take a few minutes and tune in!

-Nelson