Since my first undergraduate course in leadership, I’ve been fascinated by the abundant scholarly and practical leadership philosophies aimed at cultivating success. Leadership is not an industry-specific phenomenon. Nor is it a subject only for upper-level executives. Leadership impacts organizations at every level.

At this month’s E2Detroit Entrepreneurship and Excellence Symposium, I had the pleasure of attending a lecture on leadership by First Gentleman Dan Mulhern.

Formerly a high school teacher, community organizer and successful attorney, Mulhern has spent the past several years consulting, speaking and writing about leadership. He shared insights from his most recent book, Everyday Leadership: Getting Results in Business, Politics and Life , with E2Detroit attendees. At its core, Mulhern said, leadership is about two things: where are we going? (Vision), and how do we get there? (Momentum).

Vision can bring real life results to your home, work environment and any other organizations or issues with which you’re involved. Begin your vision with the end in mind; make it clear and simple and set activities based on desired outcomes. Vision doesn’t need to be grand and it doesn’t have to come from the top down. In fact, vision is most powerful side-to-side. To cultivate your vision you must create a team and excite people.

Some questions to ask your self as you build you organization’s vision:

  • Where do I think they’re going?
  • How well do I tap in to what my employees think and care about?
  • What are my employees’ most cherished values?
  • How hard am I listening to what other people think is successful?
  • What is my picture of success?

“Leadership is all about energy,” Mulhern said. That’s where momentum comes in. Once the vision is in place, how do we motivate people toward the goal? The first step is realizing the primary job of leadership is emotional; priming good feelings and releasing energy. Some other easy ways to create markedly positive momentum include encouraging the heart, setting reachable goals with clear deadlines, pitching in, making decisions and challenging people.

If you find problems generating momentum, ask yourself three things:

  • Where is the energy moving?
  • What do I need to do to get things moving in the right direction?
  • Who am I being that the people around me aren’t lighting up and what do I need to change?

Posted by Nicole