Making yourself into a great leader takes time, work, and the often-challenging practice of self-discipline. Continuing the journey of personal growth is part of that self-discipline.

When I first started in business, I had no intention of selling real estate. My career evolved over the years. You see, when I am passionate about something, I am all in. If I am detached, I don’t work at my highest and best level. I love building things. I’m an entrepreneur—a visionary. It took me very little time to realize I didn’t belong behind a desk. I was an influencer, someone who could get people to follow me.

An effective leader is an influencer who inspires the ordinary to become extraordinary through their actions, regardless of where they sit within the organization.  It also comes from knowing and acknowledging that everyone matters in the company. Every employee plays a specific part in the overall corporate culture, which contributes to the success of that corporation. The key is to help your people cultivate an attitude of excellence, and to make it a part of their everyday activities. An attitude of excellence is the most effective way to build an extraordinary team. That’s the price tag of leadership.

To be certain, someone can lead but not everyone is an effective leader. The kind of quality that establishes inspired leadership rarely comes from one-time breakthroughs. It stems from small incremental improvements day in and day out.

The bottom line is if you are lucky enough to be doing what you love, following your passion and adding value to others, it’s probably because you’ve had great leadership along the way.