The Complete List of ‘UP’ for Leaders
Thanks to readers who correct, clarify, and expand on the ideas presented here on Leadership Freak.
Several readers expanded the ideas in this morning’s post. I can’t resist compiling a ‘complete’ list of ‘UP’ leadership behaviors.
- Rise up. Believe you can make a difference.
- Wake up and Get up. Use your most productive time for your most important work.
- Show up. (Expanded this morning.)
- Listen up. Spend more time listening than speaking.
- Sign up. Step up. Make commitments. Avoid dabbling.
- Pass up. Choose commitments carefully. Commit when you clearly bring value.
- Open up. Share your heart. What do you really think?
- Fess up. Own mistakes and move on.
- Make up. Do everything within your power to protect and strengthen relationships.
- Draw up. Make plans.
- Stir up. Shake up. Every meaningful change requires a shake up. (More here.)
- Build up. (More here.)
- Ease up. Go for a short walk in the morning and afternoon.
- Back up. Stand behind people, especially when they mess up.
- Turn up. Pop up. Check up. Drop in on people. Show interest.
- Heads up. Practice pattern recognition.
- Call up. Invite people on the fringes to take on new challenges.
- Thumbs up. Cheer up. Encourage people. Notice progress.
- Meet up. Schedule short standing meetings.
- Chin up. Practice optimism.
- Speak up. Describe challenges. Point out elephants.
- Shut up. Hush up. Make room for others to speak and perform without you.
- Sum up. Restate action-items at the end of conversations and meetings. “Am I getting this right?”
- Clear up. Confront confusion.
- Clean up. Jump in and help when things go bad.
- Follow up. Do what you say.
- Wind up. Wrap up. Finish stuff.
- Mess up. Try stuff and learn.
- Pray up. (For people of faith.)
- Move up. If you do the previous 29 behaviors you’ll move up.
What other ‘UP’ behaviors might leaders employ?
How might you explain some of the ‘Up” behaviors listed above?
How about Train Up? Self and others…
Oh my word!! I thought for sure I had them all. That is such a good one. Thanks Herb.
Open up. Sometimes it is ok to show vulnerability, it is a sign of being real.
Thanks Gerry. Yes. #7 🙂
Wise up. Turn data and information into valuable knowledge and insight.
Brilliant! Thanks Debbie. This is cracking me up. I wonder what else?
How about Give Up? Give up your prestige, your power, your praise, and your position.
Thank Pat. There’s a lot of potential on Give Up…. Great!
I was thinking of “Don’t Give Up… use the UPs listed to rectify and remediate….”
Suggest “Health Up.” Don’t like the phrase as we don’t express ourselves that way. But we do need to exercise regularly, eat healthily, get our sleep needed, and address hygiene IF we’re going to be capable of routinely addressing the others on the list.
YES! I hear you John. My wife and I are working to get 5 miles a day in…. it takes discipline.
You have to have health, as you say, in order to do anything.
This is great! I love it.
How about Shape Up? Get yourself healthy and or team in line…
Hey Jeff. You and John are heading in the same direction….Shape up feels a little smoother on the tongue than health up. But shape up can be taken as, “Get your act together”…. Shape up or ship out!
Lift up
Hey dwilliams…. Man oh man… I went to double check my list. KaPow! You nailed another one.
Fly up😊
OH YEAH!
How about Grow Up? Similar to the “Train Up” above. Always be looking to continue to grow and develop both yourself and those around you.
Thanks Kristi. I never would have imagined how long the list could become. Loving it.
Loosen up: A little levity goes a long way. Kind of a palette cleanser to eliminate bad echoes from intense moments.
Absolutely. People take themselves too seriously!! Thanks Rob.
How about Look up – as in research things you want to know more about or look up the people you are interested in contacting (or maybe even hiring)? (Context clue: I’m an English teacher so, I’m always telling students to look it up and credit the source!) 🙂
And the hits keep on rolling in. Thanks Carla. Do your research. Don’t shoot from the him when issues are important and lives are impacted by decisions.
Store up! Make a file on your computer titled “Leadership Lessons” and store up a wealth of leadership info. Start with this blog!
You have to smile at this growing list.
Journaling is a useful tool for learning and self-awareness.
You may have to title your next post “The Revised Compete List of Up for Leaders.” So could we say, Back Up? This is cracking me up.
‘Eat up’ have a meals with the team and share life together