The remaining 40% of your success quotient is power-driven by your effectiveness. By leveraging your smarts, your effectiveness ensures that you add value, provide exemplary client service, and maximize your profitability. You control how you demonstrate your effectiveness to others.

You start with a goal that you want to reach. You then articulate and communicate your goal’s intent to your listeners. The way you communicate your intentions deeply influences how your listeners will act and react. When you leverage your intent effectively, your listeners will clearly receive your direction, and will act accordingly. But sometimes your communication efforts backfire and you are not perceived the way you want to be seen.

You may prevent yourself from embracing change, because you do not see the business case for implementing change. Or you may be a strong proponent of the adage if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. Perhaps you are really challenged in making decisions. When you resist change, you hold yourself back from moving forward, experiencing opportunities, and displaying your leadership abilities. It is time to break your default tendencies to resist change and take risk.