Inspirational Leadership – Page 2 – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

The Power of Kind Words

Posted July 2, 2020
by admin

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit – – Proverbs 18:21 ESV

I came across this story that I’d like to pass along to you:

One day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name.

Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down. It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in the papers.

That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper and listed what everyone else had said about that individual.

On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. “Really?” she heard whispered. “I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!” and, “I didn’t know others liked me so much,” were most of the comments.

No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn’t matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. That group of students moved on.

Several years later, one of the students was killed in Vietnam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last do so.

As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. “Were you Mark’s math teacher?” he asked. She nodded: “Yes.” Then he said: “Mark talked about you a lot.”

After the funeral, most of Mark’s former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark’s mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher.

“We want to show you something,” his father said, taking a wallet out of his pocket. “They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.”

Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded, and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark’s classmates had said about him.

“Thank you so much for doing that,” Mark’s mother said. “As you can see, Mark treasured it.”

All of Mark’s former classmates started to gather around. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, “I still have my list. It’s in the top drawer of my desk at home.”

Chuck’s wife said, “Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.”

“I have mine too,” Marilyn said. “It’s in my diary.”

Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet, and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. “I carry this with me at all times,” Vicki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: “I think we all saved our lists.”

That’s when the teacher finally sat down and cried. She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again.

Kind words. If there’s ever been a time when we need to speak and hear more kind words, it’s now. It seems that we are hearing less of them these days. Public discourse has a way of turning sour. We seem to be more concerned about being heard, than listening and understanding.

But all that aside, there is a better way. Taking the high road is an option and it’s up to people like me and you to lead the way.

Mother Teresa said, “ Spread love everywhere you go. Let no one ever come to you without leaving happier”.

Change is never easy and at times the ship turns slow, but it happens one heart and one kind word at a time.

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Why Your Values Matter

Posted June 18, 2020
by admin

When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier. – Roy E. Disney

In 2004, a painting by Anna Mary Robertson, better known as Grandma Moses, was brought to the Antiques Roadshow for appraisal. Born before the Civil War, Robertson did not take up painting until late in her life. Her primitive style eventually became extremely popular, and her work commanded a high price.

The man who brought the painting to be evaluated had lived nearby and his mother was a friend of Grandma Moses. He said, “She was just a wonderful friend of the family. And she would let my mother buy these paintings, which she thought had relatively little value. I guess my mother did, too. She probably bought eight or ten paintings in all, and my guess would be for perhaps under ten dollars each.”

The painting that was bought for around $10 was appraised as being with $60,000. In her early days of painting, Grandma Moses did not think of her works as being very valuable, so she parted with them for next to nothing.

Could it be that we are living in times when we truly don’t understand the importance of our values? Indeed, the times in which we live cry out for values-based leadership and in particular, leaders who are anchored to them. Click To Tweet We need leaders who know their true north and live it.

By simple definition, values are “the regard that something is held to deserve, the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.” But defining values and living them becomes the challenge. Here are a few reasons why they are important to you as a leader.

Values are your non-negotiables

In leadership, your values represent your core convictions on how you lead, treat the people on your team, and how you interact with the clientele whom you serve. Your values bring clarity to who you are as a person and how you choose to live and interact with those around you. Your values, therefore, become the filter through which your decisions are made.

Values clarify policies and procedures

Many leaders pride themselves in the policies and procedures of their organizations. But they are only useful if they align with your values. Your policies and procedures do not operate in a vacuum apart from your values. Click To TweetAnd in the event you ever deal with a situation that is not addressed in your handbook, then your default procedure is always to defer to your values for guidance.

Values complement your ‘why’

Much has been said and written in recent years on finding your why and rightfully so. It’s imperative to you as a leader to know it. Knowing your why points you in the right direction while knowing your values provides you the moral compass to go there Click To Tweet. Trying to live out your why without values is like a fish trying to live out of water. It just doesn’t work. So before you begin your journey of discovering your why, start with your values.

Values facilitate decision making

As Roy Disney said in the lead-in quote, when your values are clear, decision making becomes easier. Many things about leadership are hard. Hang around long enough and you will learn that. But decision making within your organization becomes easier when your values are clear. Granted, not everyone will like your decisions, but when they are grounded in your values, then explaining that decision now becomes a teachable moment to remind them of those values.

Final Thoughts

Rumi said, “You know the value of every article of merchandise, but if you don’t know the value of your own soul, it’s all foolishness.” And this is the underlying reason to identify and know your values both personally and professionally. There are some things that are passing and temporary and other things that are eternal. The wisdom that comes from knowing your values helps you to know the difference.

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The Dirt on Leadership

Posted June 11, 2020June 11, 2020
by admin

Become the kind of leader that people would follow voluntarily; even if you had no title or position. – Brian Tracy

In her column, Ask Marilyn, Marilyn vos Savant gave an interesting perspective on contentment. One reader wrote in about a unique experiment she had conducted after being dissatisfied that her neighbor’s yard looked better than her own. She did what few have done and walked next door to look back at her own grass. When she stood in her neighbor’s yard, the grass in her own yard now looked greener than theirs so she asked, “Why does this occur?”

Marilyn replied, “The grass looks greener on the other side of the fence because you’re not close enough to see the dirt.” Most of the time, things look better for others simply because we can’t see their dirt.

I remember my days as a young leader looking up to some of those larger than life people who influenced me. On one occasion, I remember meeting one such person and came away quite demoralized. I had looked up to this person, but up close there was a lot of dirt. Words like haughty, aloof, and arrogant come to mind when I recall the encounter.

That experience was more than three decades ago and since then I’ve come to set more realistic expectations. I do this not as a defense mechanism so as not to ever be disappointed again but as a way of embracing my humanity as a leader and recognizing it in others. Any of us can have a bad day and none of us want to be defined by one bad encounter. Do you?

It’s easy to see the successes in others and get caught up in the trap of comparing ourselves – our success, our following, our accomplishments up against those more successful. And when we do, we see greener grass elsewhere.

Seeing the greener grass on the other side is nothing new. We all have those moments when we think it’s time to go graze there. Here are a couple of thoughts to consider when your mind drifts in that direction.

Don’t envy other people’s dirt

Lyrics to an old Garth Brooks song say, “Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers.” In leadership, you see what you think is the greener grass – a career move, a promotion, a better opportunity, etc., and you are tempted to jump the fence. And then in some providential way you come to discover that what you thought was a great move would have been a disaster had you taken it.

Focus on being the best leader you can be right where you are. You can only make things greener if you stay and work it. Click To Tweet

Tend to your own dirt

Back in my high school days, I worked in a garden center. In the winter months when business was slow, we prepared for spring. We would build greenhouses and we would pot thousands of roses.

But before we could begin the potting process we would have to prepare the soil. This would include all of the necessary ingredients including fertilizers – even manure, mixed together. It was smelly, dirty, and hard work. Not to mention the constant cuts from the thorns even while wearing gloves.

In leadership, just as in potting roses, you have to tend your soil, and sometimes the work is dirty and unpleasant. But the reward is worth it. Click To Tweet

So before you are envious of the green grass you think you see elsewhere, stop and consider that there’s a lot of dirt you don’t see. And regardless of how bad you think you have it, your responsibility is to bloom where you are planted.

Ultimately, yes, one day the time will be right, the new calling will be a good fit, and moving on will be the right thing to do. But it’s almost never a good move when done out of jealousy or frustration. In many of those cases, it’s just exchanging one pile of dirt and manure for another.

Final Thoughts

Gandhi said, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” And this is true in leadership. Create the change – create the greener grass, right where you are. And don’t forget that with all the green grass comes a good bit of dirt.

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When Leadership Gets Squirrely

Posted May 11, 2020May 11, 2020
by admin

Some people are like clouds. When they go away, it’s a brighter day. – Anonymous

I have to start this with a disclaimer. I am not a hateful person. I was raised better. So here goes my confession – I hate squirrels. I hate them with a passion. I have on occasions questioned God as to the reason for their miserable existence. But, I digress.

You see, one of my great joys is birding. I have somewhat of a bird sanctuary in my backyard at home. I love the beauty and majesty of the many birds that visit the feeders every day. They are beautiful creatures and it brings me a great deal of satisfaction to feed them and to create space for them in my yard.

But, I hate squirrels.

I hate having to chase them away from the feeders. I hate having the “experts” in the specialty stores recommend me to buy their guaranteed product that will keep them away. They don’t. Squirrels are a nuisance of the highest order.

Hang around in leadership long enough and you will run into squirrely characters. Over the years, I’ve come across plenty. Who are these squirely characters you have to contend with in leadership? In what ways are they like the menacing squirrel? Here are a few examples.

They are self-serving

At times in your organization, you will run across people who are self-serving. They make decisions based entirely on what’s good for them. Typically, these people have hidden agendas that over time become not so hidden. Then one day you have that aha moment and you realize that everything that they have been doing has only had one benefactor-themselves. Like the squirrel, they take what they want and leave the rest with no thought to the consequences.

They stick together and sow discord

Negative people tend to attract negative people in the same way positive people attract positive people. It’s one of the reasons why attitude is so important. Left unchecked, this pact of negative influencers can grow like cancer and pull everyone down. This is not to say every organization has this pact within it, but most have at least one. And so long as there is one sympathetic ear then there’s the potential for disruptions in the morale of your organization.

They are indecisive – until they aren’t

Have you ever seen a squirrel try and cross the road? They zig-zag back and forth in either direction until they finally dart across the road before they meet their demise. Sometimes in your organization, you will run across those squirrely and indecisive leaders who can’t seem to make up their mind. Their ability to lead is hindered by the obvious fact that they don’t know where they are going or why. This, of course, only frustrates the dynamic of the organization due to a lack of leadership skills which makes everyone else want to pull their hair out.

They destroy to get what they want

Over the years, I’ve had more than one bird feeder destroyed by squirrels. It’s just what they do to get to the seed. In every good, efficient, and profitable organization there are a group of dedicated and committed people who have the buy-in and determination to bring their vision to life and succeed. And then there are those squirrely people who are only in it for themselves and what’s good for them. And unfortunately, they will cause more harm than good until they are dealt with.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes when I see a group of squirrels in my yard, I call for my dog, Shakespeare. It’s a fun little activity as he anxiously waits for me to open the door while channeling his inner Mufassa with all of the energy his seven-pound Morkie body can muster. Then it happens – he charges through the door to defend his yard. The chase is on! It ends almost as quickly as it begins – the squirrels win again!

But in real life, it’s not as easy, and it’s certainly not amusing. Too much is at stake. As a leader, you will be surrounded by people who bring you joy and delight like the birds. They are pleasant to be around and are good team players.

And then you have a few squirrels.

Next week, I will devote this space to how we deal with those squirrely people and help you see your path forward.

Until next week, keep feeding the birds. It’s worth it.

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Are You Leading By Example?

Posted April 8, 2020
by admin

I don’t know any other way to lead but by example. – Don Shula

When General George C. Marshall took command of the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Ga., he found the post in a generally run-down condition. Rather than issue orders for specific improvements, he simply got out his own paintbrushes, lawn equipment, etc., and went to work on his personal quarters.

The other officers and men, first on his block, and then throughout the post, did the same thing, and Ft. Benning was brightened up.

Leadership by example is a timeless principle. Actions like this speak volumes and words are not necessary.

While our current circumstances we find ourselves in today obviously do not mirror those found in the story, we need leadership by example as we’ve never needed it before.

To be sure, leading in a time of a worldwide pandemic is not something any of us have experience in. It’s all-new territory.

But the foundational principles of leadership are applicable to any situation and is why it’s incumbent upon leaders the world over to step up and be the leader others are looking for.

What exactly does leadership in a global pandemic look like? When the people you lead look to you, what hope and assurances are you offering to them?

Recently, I was reading back through Leadershift by John Maxwell. In the book he makes this noteworthy observation: “What is happening around you determines whether you hold fast or move forward.” This is especially true today.

Whether or not you move forward depends on how you act today. It’s why your leadership is so important to you and the people you lead.

I believe in times like this that there are a few foundational leadership principles that you need to be standing on. Here are just a few worth noting.

Lead with focus and perspective

In uncertain times, we need leaders with a steady hand and proper perspective. We don’t need endless knee-jerk reactions to everything we see and hear. This only breeds more fear and stress. In uncertain times we need leaders who know how to weather the storm which allows others to gain much-needed confidence. Calm focus and perspective is a sign of stable leadership. Be an example of it.

Lead with the right attitude

Attitudes are contagious and the attitude of the leader tends to be the attitude throughout the organization. If you want to keep morale strong and hope alive, be a leader with a strong attitude. Click To TweetThe impact of your strong attitude will prepare you for the long haul. No one knows how long this pandemic will last but a strong attitude is essential to beat it. Be the leader who brings hope to your people. Begin with the right attitude.

Lead with empathy and compassion

Before this pandemic is over, most of us will be touched directly or indirectly by COVID-19. You will know people who have it – be it a family member, friend, colleague, and unfortunately, maybe even someone reading this. Your empathy and compassion as a leader are needed now more than ever. As a leader others are looking to, now is the time to step up and care for those in your care. Your leadership will be defined by the empathy you show and the compassion you mobilize. Click To TweetLet’s be all about bringing hope and healing to those around us.

Lead with the end in mind

When this pandemic is over, many people will be walking back into their places of business and familiar surroundings. But it will not be the same. Just as many have had to learn how to adjust to new ways of doing things while working remotely, new adjustments will be made upon the return. A wise leader doesn’t just think about the here and now, but also knows how to think long for the good of his people. Click To Tweet

Final Thoughts

In these uncertain times, people need the assurance of proven leadership. The people in your sphere of influence need you. Be the leader they can look to who is steady under pressure. Be an influencer of hope. Above all else, keep the faith. We will get through this together.

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Time to Count Your Blessings

Posted March 29, 2020March 29, 2020
by admin

When we lose one blessing, another one is often most unexpectedly given in its place. – C.S. Lewis

The story is told of an old Navajo Indian who became rich when oil was found on his property. He took all the money and put it in a bank. His banker became familiar with the habits of this old gentleman. Every so often, the Indian would show up at the bank and say to the banker, “Grass all gone, sheep all sick, water holes all dry.”

Without a word, the banker would take the Indian into the vault, show him several bags of silver dollars, and say, “All this is your.” The old man would spend about an hour stacking up the dollars and counting them. Then he’d return the bags to their places, come out of the vault, and say, “Grass all green, sheep all well, water holed all full”.

It’s amazing what a few weeks of living with the middle of a pandemic can do to change our perspective. Life as we used to know it has changed. New normals are in place. Activities that we used to take for granted are on hold, have been cut back, or canceled. Most schooling now takes place at home, and work is done remotely for many.

How are you holding up? How are you adjusting?

In times like this, we have a choice- grow bitter or grow better. We can give in, become despondent, or we can rise to the challenge of new opportunities that lie before us. Click To Tweet

It’s inspiring to see stories of children going out in the street in their neighborhoods in the morning reciting the Pledge of Allegiance before they begin school. How great it is to see the sidewalk chalk drawings or how about the bear hunts in the windows of homes in our neighborhoods.

It seems as though everyone is doing all that they can to pull together and find a way to get through these tough times together.

Yes, people are suffering, many have lost their jobs or have been furloughed. So let’s be realistic -we are in this for the long haul. And this is all the reason why we need to pull together.

How wonderful it would be if when this coronavirus pandemic has passed that some of our new normal activities would remain in place like caring for our neighbors, making sacrifices for our communities, and continuing with random acts of kindness just to make someone’s day.

We have known times of adversity before. And just as we have come through those difficult times in the past, we will come through this one. It’s who we are and it’s what we do. But before we complain too much about this new normal, how about taking time to count our blessings. Why not inventory the things you can be thankful for that transcend time or pandemic -- faith, family, friends, etc., I believe when we take time to count our blessings will see our world in a whole new way. Click To Tweet

It’s as we count our blessings and change our perspective that we are able to appreciate what truly matters.

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Harnessing the Power of Common Ground

Posted March 22, 2020March 22, 2020
by admin

No one can whistle a symphony. It takes a whole orchestra to play it. – H. E. Luccock

I read a story about a family in New York who intended to raise cattle, so they bought a ranch out West. When their friends visited and inquired about the ranch’s name, the would-be rancher replied, “I wanted to name it the Bar-J. My wife favored Suzy-Q. One of the sons wanted the Flying-J while the other liked the Lazy-Y. So we’re calling it the Bar-J-SuzyQ-Flying-W-Lazy Y.

“But where are all your cattle?” the friends asked. The would-be rancher replied, “None survived the branding.”

While the story does have a humorous component to it, the sad reality is that this scenario plays out on a regular basis all the time. It doesn’t happen on a ranch. It happens in businesses and organizations where its people have failed to find common ground.

In his book, The Leader’s Greatest Return, leadership expert John Maxwell states, “You need to find common ground with potential leaders, which is less about ability and more a function of attitude.” He’s right.

But why is common ground so hard to find and maintain? Here are a few reasons that quickly come to mind.

Individual agendas – We want it done our way and we are not willing to bend
Unchecked ego’s – We think it’s all about us
We have unhealthy relationships – We view each other as competitors rather than colleagues. Internally there’s an us vs. them mindset that’s killing the culture.

Finding common ground is but a beginning to building deeper and healthier relationships within your organization. It’s where trust, loyalty, and respect are established. With it, the sky’s the limit. Without it, you’ll always be scratching your head trying to figure out why you’re stuck and not making progress.

So how do you find common ground? It’s not as complicated as you might think. Here are a few suggestions.

Ask more, talk less (this is where the buy-in happens)

One way to harness the power of common ground is to ask questions. Seek out feedback from all sectors of your organization. The more you ask, the more you will know. That much is a given.

But by asking questions you are also inviting more buy-in and participation from your people. Finding common ground is a discovery that begins simply by talking less and asking more.

Seek first to understand (then be understood)

The difference between a smart leader and a not-so-smart leader is that the smart one wants to understand others before being understood. Click To Tweet As a leader, when you invest the time to get to know your people – what makes them tick, understand on a deeper level what they do, how they do it, and why – then it opens up a whole new level of understanding for you as a leader.

Also in this is your ability to understand their needs on a more personal level. It’s not just about knowing their requests or their frustrations, but why it matters and is so important to them. When you seek to understand, you are laying a strong foundation of common ground.

Prepare the path (to a brighter future)

It’s not an uncommon desire on the part of a lot of people to want the path cleared for them. But when you prepare your people for the path then they can tackle any obstacle that arises on it. This is done when you and your team have found common ground.

When your people, at every level, are empowered, trusted, given the ability to make decisions in real-time, it’s a game-changer. Click To TweetThis can only happen and be successful when you’ve dealt with individual agendas, unchecked ego’s, and have built healthy relationships. It’s a must if you want your team to share common ground.

Final Thoughts

Harnessing the power of common ground can transform your organization when you approach it with a humble attitude and right mindset. Your people will learn the value of being on a team with a purpose. As a leader, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn that it’s not about you.

Common ground is a game-changer. Find it. Protect it. Live it.

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The New Normal: The Impact of COVID-19 in Your Daily Leadership

Posted March 15, 2020
by admin

What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

For the foreseeable future, we are now living in a new normal. The COVID-19 (Coronavirus) has the world on edge as the virus spreads and death tolls climb. Be it directly or indirectly, everyone has been impacted by it.

Your leadership in this new normal is important. Whether your occupational field is in healthcare, government, retail, financial services, education, religious, corporate, etc. the signals you send as a leader make a difference.

I’m reminded of Churchill’s leadership during World War II. England needed to increase its production of coal. Winston Churchill called together labor leaders to enlist their support. At the end of his presentation, he asked them to picture in their minds a parade that he knew would be held in Piccadilly Circus after the war.

First, he said, would come the sailors who had kept the vital sea lanes open. Then would come the soldiers who had come home from Dunkirk and then gone on to defeat Rommel in Africa. Then would come the pilots who had driven the Luftwaffe from the sky.

Last of all, he said, would come a long line of sweat-stained, soot-streaked men in miner’s caps. Someone would cry from the crowd, ‘And where were you during the critical days of our struggle?’ And from ten thousand throats would come the answer, ‘We were deep in the earth with our faces to the coal.'”

Just as Churchill had to rally the people around a common cause, so too is COVID-19 a challenge all of us face. It’s no respecter of persons. We are all in this together as it were -with our faces to the coal.

What’s needed to lead in the new normal? Here’s a start.

Lead in the new normal with a steady hand

In this new normal, we need leaders with a steady hand. We need leaders with eyes wide open and clear thinking. We need leaders in the new normal who exude confidence and calm.

Leadership Tip: In this new normal you people want steady leadership.

Lead in the new normal with courage

A new normal like ours will require courage to not just lead with a steady hand but speak the truth with authority. It will require courage, boldness, and at times, restraint. Courageous leadership in times of adversity will calm fears and inspire hope. Click To Tweet

Leadership Tip: In this new normal, your people are looking for courageous leadership.

Lead in the new normal with facts

As we see so often in times like this, there’s information overload that’s accessible 24/7. Justifiably so, people want information. As you lead in this new normal, be responsible and communicate with your people factually. When people look to your leadership in these times, be the voice of reason and facts.

Leadership Tip: In this new normal, your people want facts more than hype.

Lead in the new normal with patience

It’s been said that in times of adversity, leaders aren’t made, they are revealed. Your past experiences, both good and bad, have prepared you for moments like this. It’s time for you to step up in your leadership. But in doing so, exercise patience and understanding with those around you. People may be traveling the same road as you, but they may not have all been on it for as long. Let others both learn from and be reassured by your leadership and experience. Click To Tweet

Leadership Tip: In this new normal your people need your patience as you navigate through uncertain times.

Lead in the new normal with compassion

Now more than ever, we need leaders who will step up and model compassion. So many people have been impacted by COVID-19 and many are in a bad place. Leverage your leadership to rally around those in need. This can be our finest hour if we step up with compassionate hearts. Click To Tweet

Leadership Tip: In this new normal, your people need to see compassion in action. We must look out for one another.

Final Thoughts

Even though we are living in a new normal in uncertain times, I believe we will come through it strong. Your leadership in this new normal is essential. When it’s all over, let it be said that you rose to the occasion and led with clarity and confidence. This is your finest hour.

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Lead Up Leadership

Posted January 5, 2020
by admin

Your rewards in life will be in direct proportion to the value of your service to others – Brian Tracy

It is said that Napoleon once lost control of his horse and a private jumping into the path of the horse took control of it. Napoleon then said, “Thank you, Captain.” With that one word, Napoleon promoted the soldier from the rank of private to captain, but it was because that soldier put his general first.

Leading up – not to be mistaken for kissing up, is a leadership mindset that is lost on many today. While kissing up may be practiced among the ranks by a few and for obvious reasons, leading up is a different ball game altogether.

Leading up is a leadership mindset that looks different, feels different, and in fact, runs counter to the way most people go about their daily lives in the marketplace.

But why?

For starters, it runs counter to the mindset of looking out for yourself above everything and everyone else.

For others, it could be a pride or ego problem. The idea of serving is lost on them because they have a misplaced understanding of what lead up leadership is all about.

What does a lead-up leader look like? What makes them different? Here are a few lead up principles that I have learned over the years. It’s not an exhaustive list by any means but I trust will give you some insights as to what lead up leadership is all about.

Lead up leaders never stop learning

Your capacity to contribute to your organization is connected to your willingness to learn and grow as a leader. John Maxwell put it this way, “No matter how much it costs you to keep growing and learning, the cost of doing nothing is greater.”

You can’t give what you don’t have. Leading up is about keeping up and learning all that you can so that your contributions are greater. Click To Tweet

Lead Up Tip – Be proactive. Read new books, seek out a mentor or coach who can help you put a plan in place and help you take ownership for your continued growth.

Lead up leaders support their leaders

Leading up is all about adding value and making contributions that make the organization better. As you support and promote the vision of your leader you are demonstrating what a lead-up leader looks like.

This is not about shelving your ideas but earning the right and having the credibility to present yours when the time is right. Zig Ziglar put it this way, “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help other people get what they want.” It’s a lead-up principle that feels awkward at first but pays great dividends in the future.

Lead Up Tip – Do all that you can to get to know your leader. Find ways to lighten his load help him reach his goals. When the leader wins, everyone wins.

Lead up leaders have a servant’s heart

Lead up leaders have a servant’s heart. They make things happen not just for themselves but for others as well. They are not driven by ego and self-centeredness but have a genuine interest in seeing others succeed.

Jim George said, “Serving others prepares you for leading others,” and this is the golden (and often missed) nugget of leadership. As you learn how to lead-up, you will grow your capacity and potential as a future leader.

Lead Up Tip – There’s no greater calling than servant leadership. When you lift others, everyone is better for it. Look for ways to add value to those around you.

Final Thoughts:

Your end game in leadership is not to be served but to serve. Lead up leadership is simply the refining process of learning and understanding that it’s not all about you.

If you can’t learn to set aside your ego and serve others in the place where you are now, you will not be a leader worth following in the future. Click To Tweet

In order to go up, you have to learn how to lead up.

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Ellen Was Right

Posted October 14, 2019October 14, 2019
by admin

Do things for people not because of who they are or what they can do in return, but because of who you are. – Harold S. Kushner

Ellen DeGeneres and former President George W. Bush made news recently. I am sure you heard about it.

The two were spotted sitting next to one another at a Dallas Cowboys football game. For some reason this set off a firestorm as to why the two were laughing and having a good time together. It somehow didn’t fit the mold of some people’s mindset.

How could a gay Hollywood liberal be laughing and having a good time with the former president- a conservative republican?

I believe the answer is more simple than some try to make it. They didn’t look at one another through the lens of a label. They looked at one another through the lens of friendship.

Like Ellen, and like most of you reading this; we all have friends who are different from us. They hold different political views, religious views, and have different sexual orientations, etc. And I, for one, am thankful for this. Our diversity is not our weakness, it’s our strength.

Speaking about the controversy, Ellen said, “We’re all different. And I think that we’ve forgotten that that’s OK that we’re all different”. She added, “When I say be kind to one another I don’t mean only the people that think the same way that you do. I mean be kind to everyone. Doesn’t matter”. Click here to watch Ellen’s statement about the game.

What Ellen said is a reminder for everyone about the need for civility and is also a powerful lesson in leadership. It’s needed today more than ever.

When I released my first book, Leaders Without Borders: 9 Essentials For Everyday Leaders, back in 2010, I believed so strongly that kindness was one of the essential qualities of leadership that I devoted a chapter to it. In the world of leadership, kindness matters.

In leadership as in life, you will cross paths with people who are different from you. Some will be more difficult to lead than others. The challenges are as varied as people. And as a leader, how you treat people and practice the art of kindness will speak volumes about your leadership. Here are a few reminders worth noting.

Treat people the way you want to be treated

This is a timeless principle. It’s a principle that most people were raised on. It’s time to dust it off and live it. Be that leader.

Take the high road

Getting in the mud with the pig might make the pig happy, but you will only get dirty. Your leadership should be marked by what you do to lift those around you. Be that leader.

Be a defender of good

The morale of your organization is only as good as your expectations. Goodness will only prevail as good people rise up and defend it. Be that leader.

Be an example of kindness

In a day and time when we are as divided and polarized as ever, we need more random acts of kindness and leaders who demonstrate it. Set differences aside and do what’s right. Be that leader.

Thank you, Ellen and George, for reminding us what being kind is all about in a not-so-kind world at times. Maybe this one small act will spark something big. Perhaps Ellen will have George on the show to continue the dialogue. I’d love to be there. And yes, George needs to pay back the $6 for the nachos.

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