How do we go from no experience leading people to idealized leaders on the first day of the job? I have an idea of how to achieve this.  But first, what is an ideal leader?  It’s someone who loves the people they serve, is visionary and inspirational, and elevates the bottom line.  And I have a role model in mind.  She worked in a managerial role at a Chapters bookstore.  To me, she was the epitome of successful leadership.  She adored her staff, treating them like her dearest children, sacrificing her time and resources to bring them joy.  She was a leader who looked at her employees with the soft glitter of adoration in her eyes and the gentlest of voices.  If they needed a day off, she was sure to work their shifts.

But first, I want to share with us how I went from being a mediocre cook with little experience to a phenomenal cook overnight, as it gives insight into how to go from a C to an A in no time.  The overnight success was outstanding, but it took me hours and hours every day to cook up a masterpiece.  The kitchen was like a mad science experiment, and cleaning the dishes overloaded the dishwasher, eventually breaking it and resulting in hours of handwashing, but it was fun.  And the food was tasty.

So, here is how I became a great cook overnight, at least in terms of the taste of the food, not in terms of efficiency.  I took what I learned in psychology class about cooking to an extreme.  In Psychology, I learned that the sense of smell and various colors and textures could create a memorable dining experience, so all my plates were richly colored; I chose spiky vegetables to go with smooth foods and adorned the plates with colorful embellishments, such as fruits and salads.  For the main course, I’d combine the critical ingredients in quantities that optimized their scent.  So, my sniffer was constantly active.  Then, I took all the spices and secondary ingredients from the three best recipes, experimenting with each spice and ingredient by bringing each one close to the key ingredients and sniffing for the optimal scent.  So, like a mad scientist, I created original, aromatic, and delicious recipes.  So, that was how to become a great cook overnight.

So, how do we become a great leader overnight? Here is my theory:

1. Subscribe to Headway book summaries and speed-read through all their leadership books. Knowledge is power, and the books demystify our apprehensions about leading without significant prior experience.  They will teach us the importance of a big, exciting vision; big, hairy, audacious goals; and an agile approach to solving problems.
2. Consider the types of job categories of people we will lead and the employee backgrounds and roles.
3. Associate each individual with someone or something we love dearly or who inspires us unbelievably.
4. Transfer that sentiment of love and inspiration into our discussions with the person under our leadership.

It starts us off on an incredibly great foot.  It’s an acting technique I just learned: even if we have no chemistry with a co-actor, think of someone with whom we felt incredible affection, nurturing, empathy, or any other positive traits, and bring that sentiment to our report.

That acting course got me thinking.  We may get a job offer if we go into an interview and associate profoundly positive memories with the interviewee and company.  So, when I go into my interviews, I will imagine every detail of someone or something that stimulated and inspired me, from when I recorded my first song in a studio to when I won the silver medallion to when I was featured on national television.  And then, we can transfer our excitement to the interview scenario.  We can also transfer our love for our most cherished people to the interviewees.  Those interviewees will become the lights of our universe, where we momentarily experience the privilege of savoring their divine presence.  And indeed, everyone is sacred.

But take caution: to be a CMO or CEO of a public company, we need an MBA, or we will be disadvantaged.  I see the statistics on LinkedIn, and I’m competing with many people who have MBAs.  My communications master’s degree is less desirable than an MBA, reducing my probability of success.  But, hey, we can be in the game and still win gold medals, even if at a disadvantage.  That’s the beauty of risk-taking—we always stand a chance!

A strategy for getting management or other skills is to look at all the courses required for an MBA or other desired program and then get an Audible.ca textbook on each topic, one at a time, and listen while we work.  It also gives us a sense of what we like and don’t like; for instance, I’m presently listening to a textbook on Organizational Behavior and am enamored with it.  So, get a mini MBA while we work, and then when it comes time to get the actual MBA, we can skyrocket to a perfect GPA.  I plan to start an evening or executive MBA in about three years.  I recommend that those who want a high income through leadership do the same.  After all, we were born for big-ticket salaries and prominent roles, and nothing can truly stop us when we’re gunning for the win!