The Foundations of Leadership range from emotional intelligence to building relationships. Each foundation brings in elements of all the other foundations - and allows you to practice your leadership skill. As you do this, you'll find that your leadership becomes effective. Effective leadership creates empowerment, innovation, creativity, and achievement - possibly where none existed before. This same leadership teaches people how to lead, along with responsibility and accountability. Let's discover the ways that your effective leadership can be an advantage - both to you and your organizations - in several different areas of life. In the following series, we will look in more detail at each area and at the advantages that you can obtain.

First, think about how effective leadership can be used as a personal advantage. The most obvious advantage is that you are increasing your own skill. You can take your leadership skills with you wherever you go, whether in personal or work situations. When you have increased skills, you'll feel more confident in your own abilities. Think about the advantages that could come about because of that confidence. As you practice the foundations of leadership, you'll develop a toolbox or bench strength of your own - and be able to call on those tools when you need them the most.

At an organizational level, let's look at communities or community organizations. Many times, as we've discussed, these organizations lack solid leadership simply because people do not step up to the plate. When you courageously step forward as a community or organizational leader, you define or redefine what leadership means to that group. But every organization has its own agenda - and you can promote that as a self-made leader. Not only this, you can use your own leadership as a way to create the expectations of leadership - this way, all facets of the organization will be able to sense when leadership is lacking - or has failed.

Corporate groups need leadership at all levels, and perhaps this is where your effective leadership can lend the most advantage. Everyone has some vision for his or her career, whether it's to advance, to make a place right where you are, or to expand your position laterally. When you set the leadership example, you're setting yourself up for the achievement of your own vision. As a leader, you prepare yourself to compete with the other people who want the same things. But take the advantages to the entire organization. Effective leadership builds teams, sets up open communication, and helps the organization move forward to the fulfillment of its goals. Leadership in corporate work groups creates a succession plan and a pool of talent who can fill in as things expand.

What about your family? You can use effective leadership as an advantage in family situations, as well. First, you are setting new expectations for yourself and for your family. Above this, as you move through the leadership foundations, you'll start to define the roles and responsibilities of each family member. Everyone will learn about responsibility and accountability, as well as their own skills. You'll be able to spend more time coaching and communicating than dictating and ordering. How is this advantageous? Imagine how your every day issues will start to work themselves out, whether it's bedtime or behavioral problems. Picture your family members when they want to pitch in and achieve the goals you've set for them.

Your effective leadership is an advantage - and you can use it personally and for the organization. As we move through this series, we'll discuss in more detail the ways you can utilize the advantage personally, in your community and community organizations, at work, and at home.