The achievements of others can have two very different effects on a person. There is something about seeing a rival succeed that can make you go one of two ways: either it will cause you to doubt yourself and question your capability or it will make you drive forward and disregard the victories of others as inconsequential.

It’s important to keep an eye on the competition, but you can never stress out over what they have accomplished. What happened, happened. And the sooner you get back to work after a loss the quicker you get to a win. The most skilled and cool-headed businessmen will use that sting of defeat to push them and their team to achievement the next time around.

A business is only as strong as the people that make up the organization. You have to be sure that those you choose hold responsibility and can handle the duties placed in front of them. Choosing someone for any reason other than their ability to get the work done could be a liability.

However, once you bring the person on, it’s now up to you to groom them to be a functioning member of the team. After they have been integrated you must make clear their role, their purpose and your expectations. Leaving colleague to languish without direction is a two-fold problem.

There are many examples of people who have been successfully branded in a way to become synonymous with their products, lifestyles or movements. People like Bruce Lee and Evel Kneival have become culturally iconic personalities. There are many people who have transcended being a “celebrity” to becoming a figure for a movement; Martin Luther King Jr., Che Guevara, Bob Marley, etc etc…

I talk about this in my book, but these are just a few examples of people that have become their own brands. It doesn’t always happen over night (or while you are alive). It’s a process that takes place out of your hands, and it begins when you become larger than life in a way.

One of the most important skills that a businessperson can have is the ability to look at your work and realize what needs to be changed. A creator can not be beholden to every concept that comes from them. The greatest directors know that a certain amount of what they shoot has to hit the cutting room floor. When you formulate a strategy, you must be able to  examine your idea with an objective eye.

An alternative to this is to have someone you trust take the role. If you’re too close to the project, it’s always preferable to have someone else give you their opinion of how to trim the fat. So long as you listen to that person you will most likely be doing the right thing, even if it hurts to modify your work. Never underestimate the importance of a fresh perspective.

Either you’re a manger or you’re managed. Either you give the orders or you take them. Which ever end of the spectrum you are on you know that there are rewards for productivity and punishments for stagnation. One of your most important duties as a leader is to inspire those you lead.

Setting the example is the standard for anyone in a leadership position. As is maintaining a professional distance from you subordinates while still including them in group achievements. Focus on yourself and your team as two parts of a whole.