Analyzing Leaders and Success

The study of William J. O’Neil, founder- Investor’s Business Daily

Over my 35 years in Sales I have been exposed to many varied, yet successful leadership styles in both the corporate world and also in my avocation, sports officiating.

For me the most consistent message of great leadership and successful people is contained in a daily publication delivered to my doorstep: Investor’s Business Daily. Founded in 1984, the creator of the paper, Mr. William J. O’Neil, saw the need for financial investors to make better investment decisions more quickly. He saw a need in the market: business publications at the time were not formatted in a way that was “investor-friendly.”

Existing sources made it difficult to find the information about stocks needed for an investor to make focused decisions. During Mr. O’Neil’s years of stock research he created a formula for successful investing called CAN SLIM, a strategy based on the historical facts of a stock’s performance. This formula is detailed on the company website, through the “IBD University” drop-down icon.

Among my favorite features of the paper that appear every day is a column emphasizing IBD’s “10 Secrets to Success,” always located on the “Leaders and Success” page. As IBD writer David Saito-Chung suggests, these 10 characteristics form an “action plan” for those who wish to create a better life for themselves and others.

What are these secrets of great Leaders? According to IDB, they are:

1. How you think is everything: “Think success, not failure.”
2. Decide upon your true dreams and goals: “Write ‘em down…”
3. Take Action: “Don’t be afraid- just DO it!”
4. Never stop learning: “More schooling, training, skills…”
5. Be persistent and work hard: “Never give up…”
6. Learn to analyze details: “Learn from your mistakes…”
7. Focus your time and money: “Don’t let others distract you…”
8. Don’t be afraid to innovate; be different: “Fear mediocrity…”
9. Deal and communicate with people effectively: “Learn to understand others so as to motivate…”
10. Be honest and dependable; take responsibility: “Otherwise, #1-#9 don’t matter…”

All of the successful people I’ve known over the course of my life have had some combination of these traits. Interacting with these living examples of leadership – as well as being exposed to them in my daily dose of the IBD – have helped me successfully navigate through challenging business and officiating situations. My hope is that by including the list here, they might benefit you in a similar way.

-Guest Blog by Dennis Bracco

Dennis Bracco is president of DMB Ventures, Ltd., a manufacturer’s representative serving customers with Packaging and Point of Purchase display needs. He is a former Big Ten basketball official. Dennis can be reached via LinkedIn.