Many of us have heard of the "7 Steps to Effective…" or "10 Secrets to Getting…" or the "A-Z Guide to …" Yet we probably cannot recite the 7 steps or the 10 secrets and we would be hard-pressed to name the A-Z alphabetical guide to anything.

The "A to E" Guide to Leadership" is a quick and easy yet meaningful way to remember what it means to be a true leader.

A-be Accountable.

Being accountable means being transparent - telling the truth even when it is difficult. Doing the right thing when others would have you do otherwise. We call this the "Sun-Sentinel test." The Sun-Sentinel is our local newspaper-simply put, we say, "Don't do anything you do not want to read about in the morning news." You can insert your own hometown newspaper here. Think of the public figures you know (and not so public figures) and the headlines you read about them. Would you rather be known for doing the right thing or the not so right thing? Be Accountable-to your family, your friends, your employees and colleagues, your community.

B-focus on Best Practices and Innovation.

Staying "inside the box" works at times-if you need routine and repetition and are producing mass quantities of the same item. Even then, we need innovation and ideas to improve our product or service. As the saying goes, "If nothing ever changed, there would be no butterflies." And what would a world be without butterflies? Innovation and the focus on best practices is invigorating, it generates creativity and enthusiasm, it allows others to be part of a solution. Where would we be without innovation? No electricity, no automobile, no flying machines, no computers, no world wide web, no cure for diabetes, cancer, ALS, and more. Be innovative and focus on Best Practices-innovate, iterate, duplicate and replicate. Over and over and over again.

C-Collaborate and Communicate.

The wise leader John C. Maxwell wrote in his 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, "He who thinks he leads, but has no followers, is only taking a walk." People who think they are leaders yet have no one following or listening to them are just folks walking alone. We want to follow leaders who are effective-part of that effectiveness stems from the ability to collaborate and communicate. Effective leaders know they can't do everything themselves and they willingly admit when they need or want others to join them-in partnership, in planning, in projects. They know that working in silos perpetuates the status quo and that in order to have a greater impact, it is critical to both Collaborate and Communicate effectively. It takes practice and persistence and passion. So, polish your skills, be persistent, and don't be afraid to show your passion.

D-be a Data-Driven Decision maker.

I recently heard a quote on Wharton Business Radio (Sirius XM Channel 111, @bizradio)-I think it was a promo for their show Moneyball, a show that focuses on predictive analytics in the sports world. I love sports and I love data and I love when those two worlds collide, so I am a big fan of the show. The quote was, "In God we trust, all others need data." I told a Data Geek friend of mine the quote (her quote is "Data is the new Sexy") and we agreed that both should become new and trending hashtags (although the first one is a little long). The point is that effective leaders make decisions based on data-they may use intuition or gut feelings but when data stares them plainly in the face it is hard to ignore. Using Data to Drive Decisions and focus on areas of improvement or strength lends credibility to our actions-why are we talking about this issue? Why is it important? What is the data telling us? once we identify what the data is telling us, go back to the "B" and identify Best Practices and Be Innovative to develop strengths-based solutions to address the challenges.

E-be an Employer of Choice.

Finally, be an Employer of choice. And if the company you work for is not an employer of choice, be a leader of choice-someone who others want to work for and with. Cultivate the culture of your program, business, organization-ask people how they like their recognition and then deliver based on their needs. Be transparent in your actions (remember the A of the ABCDE) and be honest. Tell people how they are doing, give them the tools to improve-both professionally and personally-and be available. Recognize that each individual you work with is exactly that-an individual-unique in their strengths and abilities, their needs and their preferences. Be the leader that others say they wished they could work with-be the leader that other organizations and businesses turn to when they need advice, support for a collaborative project, or a keynote speaker at their event. If you focus on A, B, C, and D, you will naturally become the E.