Sorry if the title sounds like an insurance commercial - I promise that isn't what this post is about. Today's quotation is from a famous leader - one of my favorites - and a guy who is getting more popular than ever. A book about his life (well, his death), is a recent bestseller. That book, Killing Lincoln, has been turned into a National Geographic 2 hour docudrama, and a movie about part of his life is up for 12 Academy Awards this weekend.

While Abe is one of the most quoted guys around, the one today isn't among the most famous.  Read it and what follows, then apply it to your life and work.

Questions to Ponder

- Do you have a personal policy?

- If so, what is it?

- If not, how would having one change your life and results?

Action Steps

1. If you have a core policy like this (regardless of what you call it), read it now.

2 . If you don't have such a statement or list, begin crafting it now.

3. Give yourself time to draft it, then resolve to refine it over the next few days and weeks as you use it.

My Thoughts

When I first decided to use this quotation, I wanted to write about the pros and cons of organizational policies. That would be worthy of an article. But in the light of my desk lamp, I decided to go a different, more personal direction.

So really, what is your policy?

What are the guiding principle(s) that guide your days, actions, and decisions?

If you can't immediately state them, it doesn't mean they don't exist. But it does mean that you often have a more complicated life. Some decisions require more thought than others. Get those policies - or personal agreements - written down, so that you can use them in your daily life more intentionally. Doing that will lower your stress, raise your confidence, and increase your productivity.

Additionally, having a clearly stated personal policy will help you be more fulfilled in your life.

That is a policy worth having.

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Kevin Eikenberry is a recognized world expert on leadership development and learning and is the Chief Potential Officer of The Kevin Eikenberry Group. He has spent over 30 years helping organizations across North America, and leaders from around the world, on leadership, learning, teams and teamwork, communication and more.

Twice he has been named by Inc.com as one of the Top 100 Leadership and Management Experts in the World and 100 Great Leadership Speakers for Your Next Conference. The American Management Association named him a “Leaders to Watch” and he has been twice named as one of the World's Top 30 Leadership Professionals by Global Gurus. Top Sales World has named him a Top Sales & Marketing Influencer several times, and his blog has been named on many “best of” lists. LeadersHum has named him one of the 200 Biggest Voices in Leadership in 2023.

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