leadership – Page 18 – Doug Dickerson on Leadership

How Your Attitude Helps Shape Your Company Culture

Posted February 9, 2020
by admin

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of human freedoms- to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. – Viktor E. Frankl

I read a story about a young man named John who received a parrot as a gift. The parrot had a bad attitude and an even worse vocabulary. Every word out of the bird’s mouth was rude, obnoxious and laced with profanity.

John tried and tried to change the bird’s attitude by consistently saying only polite words, playing soft music and anything else he could think of to “clean up” the bird’s vocabulary.

Finally, John was fed up and he yelled at the parrot. The parrot yelled back. John shook the parrot and the parrot got angrier and even ruder.

John, in desperation, threw up his hands, grabbed the bird and put him in the freezer. For a few minutes, the parrot squawked and kicked and screamed. Then suddenly it was totally quiet. Not a peep was heard for over a minute. Fearing that he’d hurt the parrot, John quickly opened the door to the freezer.

The parrot calmly stepped out onto John’s outstretched arms and said “I believe I may have offended you with my rude language and actions. I’m sincerely remorseful for my inappropriate transgressions and I fully intend to do everything I can to correct my rude and unforgivable behavior.”

John was stunned at the change in the bird’s attitude. As he was about to ask the parrot what had made such a dramatic change in his behavior, the bird continued, “May I ask what the turkey did?”

Like John, you may be surrounded by people with bad attitudes and you are desperate about what to do.

Did you know that according to an article in Inc., science says that your bad attitude can cost you $3,600 a year? The link was made between cynicism and income and how cynical people make less money.

How about you? Are you allowing a bad attitude and cynicism to generate negative consequences in your life?

The attitude you have contributes to the overall company culture where you work. The same goes for your colleagues. Based upon your attitude and the attitude of those around you, is this concerning? Click To Tweet

Your attitude is important. Here are a few reasons why.

People are watching

Wherever you are within your organizational structure you carry within you a certain amount of influence. This translates into your leadership capacity. So how you handle stress, adversity, challenges, the unexpected, etc. all contribute to an attitude that’s on display. Your attitude by default and whether you like it or not is shaping the culture around you because other people see it.

People are listening

One of the most important things you learn as a leader is how to choose your words carefully. It’s not always easy especially when that special someone at the office has got on your last nerve. I get it. But the way you contribute with your words ought to be a reflection of how you want to add value as a leader. Are your words lifting? Helpful? Encouraging? Know this - your attitude as reflected in your words matters because people are listening. Are you helping your culture or hurting it? Click To Tweet

People are reacting

As a leader in your organization, not only are people watching and listening to your attitude, but they are reacting to it. If your attitude alone was the attitude thermostat that the rest of your organization was set to, what kind of workplace would it be? You may not think that your attitude alone makes that much difference. But what if your attitude was taken and multiplied by 30 employees, 50 employees, or 100, would it matter then? Would you stay and work in that environment?

Final Thoughts

“The greatest day in your life and mine”, says John Maxwell, “is when we take total responsibility for our attitudes. That’s the day we truly grow up.” How about you? It’s time for an attitude check to help shape your company culture in a positive way.

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Celebrating Black History Month

Posted February 3, 2020February 3, 2020
by admin

Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed. – Booker T. Washington

In celebration of Black History Month, here are twenty inspirational quotes to think about. In the spirit of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. who said, “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear,” let’s recommit ourselves to being messengers of love in a world that so desperately needs it.

“ The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.” – Kobe Bryant

“The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself- the invisible, inevitable battles inside us all- that’s where it’s at.” – Jesse Owens

“Just don’t give up what you’re trying to do. Where there is love and inspiration, I don’t think you can go wrong.” – Ella Fitzgerald

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” – President Barack Obama

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer.” – Harriet Tubman

“Great leaders are almost always great simplifiers, who can cut through argument, debate and doubt, to offer a solution everybody can understand.” – Colin Powell

“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” – Muhammad Ali

“Never be limited by other people’s limited imaginations.” – Mae Jemison

“If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” – Frederick Douglass

“Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” – Langston Hughes

“Where there is no vision, there is no hope.” – George Washington Carver

“Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise. I rise. I rise.” – Maya Angelou

“When I dare to be powerful -to use my strength in service to my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid.” – Audre Lorde

“Surround yourself only with people who are going to take you higher.” – Oprah

“The progress of the world will call for the best that all of us have to give.” – Mary McLeod Bethune

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” – Michael Jordan

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” – Arthur Ashe

“Dreams are lovely but they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change.” – Shondra Rhimes

“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.” – Wilma Rudolph

“Don’t sit down and wait for the opportunities to come. Get up and make them!” – Madam CJ Walker

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How Adversity Shapes You As A Leader

Posted January 26, 2020January 26, 2020
by admin

One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity. – Albert Schweitzer

In 1799, Conrad Reed discovered a seventeen-pound rock while fishing in Little Meadow Creek. Not knowing what it was made of, his family used it as a doorstop for three years. In 1802, his father, John Reed, took it to a jeweler who identified it as a lump of gold worth about $3,600. That lump of gold, which was used as a doorstop for three years in North Carolina, is one of the biggest gold nuggets ever found east of the Rockies. Until its composition was determined, its value was unknown.

Hang around in leadership and sooner, rather than later, you will come to learn about adversity. As in life, it comes with the territory.

Your composition as a leader will be tested and what lies underneath will reveal the type of leader you are. Adversity over time will mold you into the leader you become. Click To Tweet

Albert Einstein said, “Adversity introduces a man to himself.” The same is true in leadership. Readily, some would say they could do without the introduction to oneself through adversity. But, nonetheless, adversity has a way of rearing its ugly head. So, now what?

I would like for you to focus on the following three questions as you going through times of adversity as a leader. It’s as you think through these responses you can begin to navigate your way through the adversity that comes to all of us.

Is my adversity defeating or refining me?

Leaders are not immune to adversity. We all face it. But we don’t all respond to it the same way. Your response to and attitude toward adversity will strengthen you or defeat you based upon your reaction to it. Click To Tweet

If the adversity you face is defeating you – by this I mean, disrupting your rhythm as a leader, your judgment and decision making, the way in which you treat others and your temperament, then you need to take a step back and evaluate your response to it. Recognize your reactions and make adjustments accordingly. Be willing to acknowledge it and ask for help. But don’t let it defeat you.

Is my adversity serving me or hurting me?

For some leaders, adversity is like gas on a fire. For others, it’s a death nail. One thing is for sure, going through times of adversity will test your mettle. Adversity will control you or you will control it.

About a month before Edison released the phonograph his lab was destroyed by fire. He lost everything. To add insult to injury, his building was underinsured. By most any account, it was a disaster. How would he recover and what would his response be? After the fire, it’s reported that Edison said, “Thank goodness all of our mistakes were burned up. Now we can start fresh again.” His response shows us that adversity can serve us well if our attitude is right.

Is my adversity promoting me or holding me back?

In a perfect world as leaders, we wouldn’t face adversity. But that’s just not our reality. In the end, it’s our response to adversity that will promote us or hold us back. Our promotions will come as we choose the right attitudes, keep our hearts right, and not lose sight of the big picture. Click To Tweet

Final Thoughts

“Every adversity, every failure, every heartache,” said Napoleon Hill, “carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.” And this is the truth I hope you will discover as a leader. In what was once only considered a rock worthy of only being a doorstop, turned out to be the largest lump of gold east of the Rockies.

Your composition as a leader will be tested. Your adversity is like the refining process. The next time it comes your way embrace it. Soon your true worth will be seen for what it is.

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Leaders: For Best Results, Walk Out

Posted January 20, 2020
by admin

Either you run the day or the day runs you. – Jim Rohn

I read an article by Scott Mautz in Inc not long ago about the five skills employees want most from their bosses. The compilation of these skills came from a survey conducted by LinkedIn.

The top five skills were problem-solving, time management, decisiveness, empathy, and compassion.

What do you think? What would you say are the most important skills you’d like to see in your boss? As I was thinking about what the respondents to that LinkedIn survey revealed, it also got me thinking about another way in which a boss can really make his people happy – just walk out!

No, I am not talking about walking out to never return (although that might make a few people happy), I am talking about something more useful and practical that’s found in three simple tips that can make a big difference.

Walk out

The lifeblood of your organization is found outside of the protective confines of your office. Yes, you have to spend time there for obvious reasons, but getting out and among your people is essential. The answers to how, why, and what questions on your mind about your organization are found outside your office. The greatest appreciable asset you have is not your desk, it’s your people. Get out there and be with them. Click To Tweet

Get a fresh perspective

Being out among your people gives you a fresh perspective as to what’s going on in your organization. This gives you a close-up view of what’s working, what’s not, and what’s on the minds of your people. It gives you the opportunity to build relationships with your people in a non-threatening manner. Additionally, it sends a signal to your people that you are involved and engaged and care about what they do.

Go back and implement

The benefit of being out among your people is that you can go back to your office and translate what you’ve heard into practical action steps from the people who know best. Let’s be honest - more times than not, the best ideas flow into your office, not out of it. Click To Tweet But when you are out and among your people, if you’re smart and listening, you will pick up on the ideas and suggestions they are giving you and put them into practice.

Final Thoughts

The purpose of walking out and getting among your people besides the reasons stated above is to build your leadership skills. It’s about building relationships and earning trust. You can’t do that if you are detached from your people.

Effective leadership doesn’t happen in a bubble and rarely alone. Leaders need to be accessible, relatable, teachable, and in this case, mobile. When you are among your people they will see you as one of them, not above them. So do your people a favor and walk out more often!

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Five Questions Every Employee Should Be Able To Answer

Posted January 12, 2020
by admin

Our lives are shaped by the questions we ask. Good questions lead to good outcomes. Bad questions lead to bad outcomes. – Michael Hyatt

A friend once asked Isidor I. Rabi, a Nobel prize winner in science, how he became a scientist. Rabi replied that every day after school his mother would talk to him about his school day. She wasn’t so much interested in what he had learned that day, but she always inquired, “Did you ask a good question today?”

“Asking good questions,” Rabi said, “made me become a scientist.”

How’s your workplace culture? It’s a subjective question perhaps, but one that’s important nonetheless. A good leader cares about it.

Your workplace culture is the sum of all the people who have bought-in not only to you as a leader – but to your organization-, your values, your service, your product, and the contributions you are making because your organization exists. If your people have no buy-in or sense of ownership, then your culture is going to suffer as well as your impact.

In light of this, here are five basic questions your team members need to be able to answer. These questions are a reflection of their personal investments as well as their understanding of what it means to be on your team.

Why am I here?

Your employees need to be able to answer this question at the beginning of their tenure in your organization. Without a clear understanding of how they fit in and why they fit in, your people will never reach the potential for which they were hired. Click To TweetBut it also helps them clarify internally the reason they chose to come on board in the first place. If they don’t have a good answer to this question then chances are they have no good reason to be there.

The question of why am I here speaks to their motives.

How do I add value?

Everyone in your organization wants to know and believe that they make a difference. They want to be impact players. They should be able to identify ways in which they add value and know that they are not being taken for granted. No one person can do it all by themselves, and everyone’s contribution matters. Your employees need to be able to clearly and confidently identify the tangible ways they add value to your team. Their sense of belonging is riding on it. Click To Tweet

The question about value speaks to their contribution.

What is our purpose?

Fundamental to the success of your team members is a clear understanding of what they are doing and why they are doing it. Your mission and vision must be clear. Your employees need to be able to answer this. If they can’t, they are exposing a much deeper issue for you as a leader. Employees with no knowledge of the greater purpose to which they serve reflect a dereliction of your leadership. If your people don’t understand their purpose they will have a hard time finding their place.

The question of knowing your purpose speaks to understanding your ‘why’.

What sets us apart?

In addition to knowing their purpose, your team members need to know what sets their organization apart from their competitors. Most businesses – be it a coffee shop, retail store, school, financial services, etc. are a dime a dozen. Knowing what sets you apart goes beyond memorizing a mission statement that’s in a cracked frame in the break room. It’s about the relentless pursuit of excellence in everything you do.

The question of knowing what sets you apart speaks to your values.

Are we still growing?

Everything you do depends on the answer to this question. Your employees may fully understand why they are there, how they add value, what your purpose is, and what sets your organization apart; but if your organization has grown complacent then you are vulnerable. Having the right answers is a good thing, having the right mindset is better. If your culture has stopped growing, then it’s time to disrupt things and get back on track. Click To Tweet

The question about growing speaks to your future.

Final Thoughts

A good leader will ask great questions. Not for the sake of asking questions but to gauge the heartbeat of your organization and to know your people. Don’t be afraid to ask the questions. Don’t be afraid of the answers.

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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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How To Finish The Year Strong

Posted December 19, 2019
by admin

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the one who thinks he can.
– From, The Man Who Thinks He Can, by Walter D. Wintle

The Greeks had a race in their Olympic games that was unique. The winner was not the runner who finished first. It was the runner who finished with his torch still lit.

As we move down the stretch toward the end of 2019 now might be a good time to think about how you are finishing the year. As it was with the Greeks, it’s the one who finishes the race with his torch still lit that wins.

At this juncture in the year, you may be tired and weary. You may be more than ready to turn the page and welcome a clean slate that awaits you in 2020. With the finish line of another year in sight, let’s consider the traits of leaders who finish strong. It’s a simple list and is certainly not an exhaustive one. You may want to add to it. These are my top three.

Leaders who finish strong have clarity of purpose
One of the traits of leaders who finish strong is those who live their life intentionally with purpose. Each day is seen as a gift and an opportunity to add value to those around them and make a difference in their world.

Living and leading with a purpose makes each day meaningful and unique. It’s an opportunity to use your God-given gifts and abilities for a good cause. When you live your life with a purpose it motivates you in a different way. No longer is it about you, it’s about others. A selfless leader is a strong leader who will also finish strong. Click To Tweet

Leaders who finish strong have a resilient attitude
I’ve yet to meet a leader who doesn’t face his or her fair share of problems and adversity. It comes with the territory. Maybe more so. But the leader who finishes strong is not the one who was exempt from adversity but the one who endured it.

Leaders who finish strong have discovered the secret that it’s not about what happens to them that matters but what happens in them that sets them apart. Leaders who finish strong have a resilient attitude that never gives up. They understand that they are responsible for it and work at having a good one every day. Click To Tweet

Leaders who finish strong have tapped into their work-life balance
“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” so says the old proverb. Leaders who finish strong are those who understand the importance of a sound work-life balance. These leaders know and understand the value of hard work and give it their all day in and day out. They roll up their sleeves and are willing to go the extra mile to get the job done.

But finishing strong requires balance. And if as a leader you are burning the candle at both ends with no balance in your life as it pertains to rest and recreation soon you will be of little value to anyone.

Leaders who finish strong are able to do so because they have found the balance they need. Make sure that you give your mind and body the rest it needs and deserves. Click To TweetRemember, it was not about finishing the race first for the Greeks that mattered, it was finishing with your torch still lit. If you cross the finish line of 2019 burned out and spent how will you begin 2020?

As the year draws to a close, think about how you can finish strong. What action steps do you need to take? It’s not too late. Finish strong and be ready to tackle a new year with a renewed sense of passion and purpose.

© 2019 Doug Dickerson

Read more at https://www.dougdickerson.net/

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What Your Employees Don’t Need From You

Posted November 18, 2019
by admin

What a pleasure life would be to live if everybody would try to do only half of what he expects others to do. – William J.H. Boetcker

I read a story about a farm boy got a white football for Christmas. He played with it a while and accidentally kicked it over into the neighbor’s yard. The old rooster ran out, looked at it, and called the hens to see it. “Now look here,” the rooster told them, “I don’t want you to think I’m complaining, but I want you to see what they are doing next door.”

Ask most people at their place of business what they need from their employers to be more successful or productive on the job and they will be quick to tell you. But when you ask them what they don’t need in order to be more productive is when things get interesting.

Knowing what your people need to succeed is important, but also knowing what they don’t need from you will certainly help. Here are four things to start with.

Your negative attitude

In as much as positive attitudes are contagious, so too, are negatives ones. If you make it a habit to circulate among your people with a bad attitude, always finding fault, only focusing on what’s wrong, then your presence will be a demoralizing factor. Click To TweetThe truth be told, your people may have every tool they need to succeed but if you have a negative attitude then it is hindering them.

Your indifference

Everyone wants to be appreciated, valued, and wants to believe that their work makes a difference. But if you come across as indifferent to their work, ideas, and contributions then you are sending signals that they are unimportant to you. If you place no value in your people then how can you expect them to place value in their work? Indifference breeds indifference and the results will be devastating. Click To Tweet

Your Obstruction

Your leadership style will either facilitate the progress of your people or it will stand in their way. If you burden people down with unnecessary policies and procedures, time-wasting meetings, or ill-timed interruptions then you are in the way. Your employees should not be made to pay the price for your poor time management skills. Don’t allow the “tyranny of the urgent” to be an obstruction to your people.

Your Inconsistencies

While most of your people will never speak up about this, don’t mistake it for not noticing. Inconsistent actions by management always send the wrong message. When you communicate one thing and do another then you have planted doubt and mistrust in the minds of your people. Click To TweetYour employees don’t need mixed messages. It only creates confusion and animosity.

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When Things Aren’t Always Clear

Posted November 10, 2019
by admin

The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place. – George Bernard Shaw

Communication is the lifeblood of any good organization. With it, things run smoothly. Without it, it’s a constant struggle.

Consider this humorous story I came across not long ago. It was about a man who lacked tact. He was the type of person who just couldn’t say anything graciously.

He and his wife owned a poodle. They loved this dog. It was the object of their affection. The wife was to take a trip abroad, and she made it to New York on the first day. She called home and asked her husband, “How are things?”

He said, “The dog’s dead!”

She was devastated. After collecting her thoughts, she asked, “Why do you do that? Why can’t you be more tactful?”

He said, “Well, what do you want me to say? The dog died.”

She said, “Well, you can give it to me in stages. For example, you could have said, ‘The dog went out on the roof.’ And then when I travel to London the next day and call, you could tell me, ‘Honey, the dog fell and had to be taken to the vet. In fact, he’s in the hospital, not doing well.’ And finally, when I call you from Rome, ‘Honey, brace yourself. Our dog died.’ I could handle that.”

The husband paused and said, “Oh, I see.”

Then she asked, “By the way, how’s Mother?”

He said, “She’s on the roof.”

Communication. How would you rate it in your organization? Is it good? Bad? Why is that? If it’s bad, is that a reflection of the culture at large or is it more random? Regardless of your answers, one thing is for certain – good communication matters.

As a leader, you want to make sure that your communication systems are working. It needs to be C.L.E.A.R.

C – Correct.

It’s not enough that communication in your organization is taking place. The information that is flowing within and out of your organization needs to be accurate. Expediency serves no purpose if the information is wrong Click To Tweet. Make sure it’s correct. Nothing is more frustrating than inaccurate information being disseminated. It makes you look bad and frustrates the very people you are trying to serve.

L – Logical

A necessary ingredient to good communication is that it’s logical. Make sure that it serves a useful purpose and is beneficial to those who receive it. If the information you are trying to communicate is important enough to be distributed to those in your organization and beyond, then it’s important that it’s done right. Don’t put forth information that is irrelevant or hard to understand.

E – Essential

It’s one thing to communicate regularly, but how much of that communication is essential? How would a communication audit look for you and your organization? How much of what you communicate in a meeting could have been handled in an email? Click To TweetHow do you recoup that lost time in productivity? What about those unnecessary emails that clutter up the inbox? Good communication is necessary but make sure that what you are communicating is essential. Don’t waste people’s time with the trivial.

A – Accessible

Information that your people need should be accessible through good communication channels. Make sure that people who are supposed to be in the loop are in the loop. Don’t make access to information difficult or make assumptions that it’s been received. Nothing will frustrate your people more than being in the dark on matters that they should know about. Be intentional with your communication and make it accessible. Click To Tweet

R – Regular

Good communication within your organization should be regular. In other words, good communication practices should be a part of the routine of your organization. It’s dependable, it’s reliable, it’s accurate, and you’ve built a reputation upon it. Avoid the pitfalls of poor communication and poor morale by good communication a priority. Too much is at stake not to.

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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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