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When I finished my last post, I told you that I was going to jump right to the next thing on my to-do list which was the final chapter in my book. Well, I did it.
Four sections, seventeen chapters, and almost 40,000 words. The thought of writing a book never would have even entered my mind three years ago. And now I have done it. I typed the last word, hit save and just looked at the screen. What now?
Since I started blogging almost two years ago, I have looked at many more of my experiences as not just something that happened, but something to write about. If you think about it, there is really something to be learned in almost everything that happens to us.
I spent a good part of today reflecting on my journey through this book project. There are many different challenges I faced. I went back and forth on the things that many authors probably do. Things like what chapter to put where and what quotes to insert for emphasis and character. You know, author stuff.
But as I put word count and punctuation to rest for a while, I discovered that there are much bigger lessons that I learned.
It’s not over until it’s over, and it will never be over.
I felt a multitude of emotions as I looked at the screen, which for the first time in weeks, did not have a word document icon appearing in the task bar. I felt excited that it was done. I felt anxious because there is still quite a bit to do before it actually hits a bookshelf. Finish the cover art, editing, interior layout and so on. The words are written, but the project is far from over.
The thought that came next was actually quite inspirational. This book, due to the isbn number it has been assigned, will be forever. Well, as long as they keep track of that stuff I guess. But that will probably be quite a while.
Our decisions and actions don’t only determine our future.
But the thing that struck me is that the content will be able to add value indefinitely. This magnified the fact that lots of things we do will last forever. The decisions we make and the actions we take all frame what comes next. Every single thing, even down to the smallest detail, will set a unique trajectory for our future.
Let me give you an example. Suppose you go to the store and the checkout clerk is clearly having a bad day. You could return the attitude or you could value the person instead of the action and show them some random act of kindness, thank them and go on your way.
Random acts of kindness really do matter!
Now that experience might be done for you, but you have no idea what a difference it might have made for them. It might have changed the direction of their entire day, including what happens when they get home with their spouse and kids.
You don’t have to think too hard to realize my new book, Leadership by Invitation, is about leadership. One of the most popular quotes by my mentor John Maxwell is, “Leadership is Influence, Nothing More and Nothing Less.” (Tweet This / Post on LinkedIn)
In the book, I make a very clear case that everyone is a leader. After all, we all influence others in some way or another, don’t we? My point is this. The things you do matter. They all matter. The thing we overlook all too often is how much they can continue to matter, even after we think we are done. Your influence matters. Make it count!
The Question: How much do you think about the collateral impact of your actions?
The Challenge: Do something today for someone that won’t matter at all to you after your done, but will make a big difference for them.
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My son Spencer and I are two days into a week long, seven state journey that will take us to Mt. Rushmore and back to the Pacific Northwest.
One of the things I like most about traveling is seeing how people live differently in different parts of the country. If you asked a foreigner to explain the American culture, you would probably get a wide variety of answers but they would all be fairly similar in concept.
I believe this is very far from the truth. I think no matter where you travel in the United States, you see vastly different cultures. Every area has it’s own unique characteristics that set it apart from the rest of the Country.
Today we traveled from Boise, Idaho down through Salt Lake City, Utah and settled in for the night at a campground on the west side of Wyoming.
Most of you are probably aware that the state of Utah has a large Mormon population and as today was Sunday, we noticed very little traffic outside of the interstate. I know there are places in the midwest that share similar policy about shutting down on Sunday in reverence of their religious beliefs.
This is just an example of how one area lives out their unique culture and how that way of living shapes it’s residents for the future.
So is this a good thing or a bad thing? I am sure that you have heard the expression “small town mentality” to describe those that pretty much accept the way things are and don’t have a big vision for any change in the future.
I believe to a certain extent, we are all small town thinkers. We all have been preconditioned to believe that things are the way we have experienced them.
I don’t think our past needs to predict our future. In fact, I am of the belief that we can create our own future, no matter what culture we have grown up in.
My son Spencer is going to be a junior at Boise State University this fall and last night we discussed his future and what that might look like. No, he has not totally identified his future path but he has a pretty good idea and he knows what he is passionate about. I think that is a pretty good start for a 20 year old.
The thing is “he get’s it.” Spencer understands that he can create his future and that the only thing that can really get in his way is himself. The culture he was brought up in may have molded and shaped who he is, but the final sculpting will be by his own hands.
Two thoughts today: If you think that the culture you grew up in or have been in living in for a while will produce your identity, you are wrong. You and you alone, will be the author of your story and tomorrow hasn’t been written yet. What will be written is up to you.
My other thought is for you dad’s out there. When your kids take off for college or simply move out of the house, you lose the opportunity to have a lot of face to face conversations with them. Cherish every opportunity you have and be intentional about keeping the lines of communication open with your children. Remember, it doesn’t matter how old they are, you’re still their parent.
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This is the first of three posts discussing “The Mentor Leader – Secrets To Building People And Teams That Win Consistently” by Tony Dungy. I will admit, I have been a fan of Coach Dungy since long before his first book “Quiet Strength” was published. I have been so impressed not by what Coach Dungy has done but by who he is, and more importantly how he has impacted so many lives around him.
His third book, The Mentor Leader, unlocks the concept of leadership much more than Quiet Strength or his second book, Uncommon, had done previously. Make no mistake, they are all worth the read, but The Mentor Leader brings it all home.
The subtitle, secrets to building people and teams that win consistently. says it all. Mentor Leadership is about building people and when you do that, success is sure to follow.
I will break the book’s nine chapters into three posts. The first will discuss the Mandate, Mind-set and Maturity of a mentor leader. The second will cover the Marks, Moments and Model of a mentor leader and the final will address the Means, Methods and Measure or a mentor leader.
THE MANDATE OF A MENTOR LEADER
“Mentor Leaders understand that if we lose sight of people, we lose sight of the very purpose of leadership.”
- Mentor Leaders put people first.
- Mentor Leaders strive for significance in life.
- Mentor Leaders keep an eternal perspective.
John Maxwell recently said that ‘Once you get a taste of significance, you will never settle for success.” Mentor Leaders understand this concept and base their leadership style on making a name for others and not themselves.
THE MIND-SET OF A MENTOR LEADER
“A well-cast vision is one that can be commonly shared by all members of the team.”
- The focus of a Mentor Leader is on the other person.
- Mentor Leaders maximize the present while envisioning the future.
- Mentor Leaders focus on Vision, Mission and Values.
- Mentor Leaders understand it’s all about serving.
The mind-set of a mentor leader is on the big picture. Having clear vision on your mission will require a firm hold on your value system. Strong values will empower a leader to creates strong people. People are who make the difference.
THE MATURITY OF A MENTOR LEADER
“Your past has helped to set a course for what motivates, directs, and drives you, or what holds you back.”
- Mentor leaders deal with the past learning from the experiences.
- Mentor leaders forgive to allow freedom from the things that hold us back.
- Mentor Leaders motivate, prioritize and balance.
- Mentor Leaders focus on strengths
Mentor Leaders are not created overnight. They understand where they are. They understand how their previous decisions have impacted their current condition and they have a clear picture on where they want to go. They are able to utilize all the resources they have and their life experiences to mentor others along the way.
No question today, but a challenge instead. Find someone to mentor you and find someone you can mentor. A life can be changed and it might just be yours!
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Ethics, morals, values, character, integrity and on and on. Do you get confused on the definitions of all these words that for the most part mean “to do the right thing?”
My favorite way to describe ethics is “your personal set of moral principles or values that define what you consider right or wrong.” The thing that really intrigues me about ethics is that they are different for everyone. When you live by your own code, it is easy to determine whether you have lived up to your code or not.
But what happens when you are in a much larger group. How do you define what is right or wrong when so many different opinions must be considered?
One of the current projects I am involved in as part of the President’s Advisory Council for the John Maxwell Team is to create a Code of Ethics. This effort, headed by my good friend Deb Ingino, will lay out a blueprint for the way we act as a team and how we represent the John Maxwell brand.
I believe in any organization, ethics are represented from the top and like the saying goes, you are only as strong as your weakest link. If you are not unified in your ethical practices, it will show, and it will show in a negative light. So what is the best way to be unified? I would suggest communicating that code clearly so that everyone knows exactly what you, as a team, stand for and how you will act.
Your personal code of conduct should represent what you believe in. When part of a team or organization, you may have to change a little to conform, but you should never compromise your integrity, or your code. Your code should always be more stringent that any group you participate in. This is why your code is so important.
“Live one day at a time emphasizing ethics rather than rules.” – Wayne Dyer
I think Dyer brings up a great point. We often allow our ethics to be determined by the laws and rules that we are governed by. To me, that is no more that letting someone else make my decisions for me and tell me how I should think and what I should believe in.
The culture we live in today is ever changing and what may be our personal code today, may change tomorrow. Now before you start beating me up for waffling, consider that once upon a time some of our most respected leaders believed that women should not vote and all men should not be given the freedom they deserved.
My point is that times change and the way we act may need revising at times as well. But what you believe in should always stay the same if you based it on how you truly feel on the issue.
My guess is that very few people have an actual written code of ethics or conduct, but if you were going to write one, what would be in it? What do you hold to be true that you are unwilling to compromise on no matter what the circumstances?
Even when you don’t think they are, people are watching you. Do your actions represent what you believe or simply what the world is willing to accept?
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This is the 8th of 16 weekly installments on The 5 Pillars of Influential Leadership. Every Thursday, I will break down the 5 Pillars and show you how becoming and influential leader will not only improve your job skills but your personal life as well.
The 5 Pillars is a project that I have been working on for almost two years and am looking forward to officially launching “The 5 Pillars of Influential Leadership” Coaching program on May 23th.
Why the 5 Pillars? I have spent more than 30 years in the business world and although it has been primarily in the Construction world, the 5 Pillars philosophy works across all industries. In fact, while developing this program I realized that it can have a significant impact on your personal life as well.
I will break down each Pillar into three sections, personal, business and community. Any growth or improvement needs to start within, with the end goal of influencing the community you live in. In this post we will take a look at PERSONAL GROWTH.
Our personal growth journey is highly dependent on two things; Intentionality and Accountability. Deciding to do something accomplishes little. You have to do it. In more cases than not, you need to be held accountable to achieve your goals. Let’s take a look at some of the areas we need to be growing in daily.
CHARACTER
It has been said that the true test of character is how you act when nobody else is looking. I think there is much truth to that statement, however, the real truth is that people are looking. What do you think people see when they are looking at you?
ATTITUDE
Most of us have a tendency to blame something or someone when something goes wrong. This is usually reflected in our attitude. The simple fact is that we are the only one that can determine our attitude. Simply put, it is a choice. Only we can decide how our attitude will be and the thing often overlooked is how contagious that attitude can be.
PERSONAL GROWTH
We all know the things that we need to do, but how many of them are we actually doing? Personal growth is what takes us to the next level. Determine where you want to go and you will know how you need to grow.
SACRIFICE
One of my mentors once told me that to say yes to one thing is saying no to another. I never really looked at it that way but it’s true and sometimes saying no means that you have to sacrifice something. What is one thing in your life right now, that you could sacrifice, to make room for something else more important?
PERSEVERANCE
We have all heard the phrase “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” As related to that statement, how tough are you? Winston Churchill said; “Never, never, never give up.” Sounds like pretty good advice to me. You really have to ask yourself the question; “How bad do I really want it.”
DISCIPLINE
Jim Rohn said; “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” When you think about it, he is spot on. To set a goal is one thing, to accomplish it, is entirely another. New Year’s resolution anyone! Have someone hold you accountable and you will be amazed at how much better you get regarding discipline.
INTEGRITY
What things prompt you to compromise your integrity? We all have a certain value system that when asked a question, the answer is obvious, yet when actually tempted, the answer becomes much more clouded. What things do you do in your life that demonstrate you are a person of integrity? Maybe this is a difficult question to answer.
SELF-CONFIDENCE
Self-confidence may be the most important piece in your personal journey of growth. I think the most important thing we can do to grow is to believe in ourselves. You can have the same impact on others by believing in them as well. Henry Ford said; “If you think you can or you think you can’t you are probably right.” Do you agree with Mr. Ford?
SELF-CONTROL
Self-control is the ability to choose the right thing over the wrong thing. Maybe it’s the food you eat, the words you say or the behavior you exhibit. The ability to control your actions comes from the ability to make a decision. Putting thought into the “why” behind that decision will always push you in the right direction.
The 5 Pillars coaching program will take each topic to a much deeper level. We will explore open ended questions and how they are directly impacting your life and more specifically in this segment, will allow you to evaluate and understand how you alone are the only one who can craft your personal growth journey.
In the mean time, start asking the type of questions that will result in better answers. When you ask “How can I” you get an answer that will move the needle. “How can I be held accountable to accomplish the things I know I need to do?” Answer that question, act on it, and you will succeed.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO REGISTER FOR THE MAY 23RD CALL
RELATED:
- Click here to see Part 1 of The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership
- Click here to see Part 2 of The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership
- Click here to see Part 3 of The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership
- Click here to see Part 4 of The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership
- Click here to see Part 5 of The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership
- Click here to see Part 6 of The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership
- Click here to see Part 7 of The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership
- For more on The 5 Pillars of Influential Leadership and to view my video click here
- To view my guest post in the 2013 International Leadership Blogathon click here
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]]>Carl Jung said “The greatest tragedy of the family is the unlived lives of the parents.” Stop and read that again. I believe that this is true not just for parents but for everyone.
Living a fulfilled, meaningful life requires growth. One of my focus points as a coach, trainer, speaker and author is growth. Whenever I address the subject of growth, I always bring up the two components required for growth. Intentionality and Accountability.
The first two Pillars of my 5 Pillars of Influential Leadership are Awareness and Environment. Both of these are critical to our growth. Once we realize where we are and where we want to be and how that journey will be impacted by the environment we find ourselves in, we are ready to grow.
But as I said, growth only comes through Intentionality and Accountability. Certainly there are many other factors that will determine how you grow and the rate in which you do it, but the first step is always intentionality.
Every time I use the word “try” when speaking with one of my coaches or mentors, I hear the silence on the other end of line. I love this quote from one of the greatest visionaries in history, Yoda. “Do or do not, there is no try.” Trying get’s you to the line of intention, but accomplishes nothing. Like Yoda said, “do or do not.”
We have to have the try to get headed in the right direction, but growth comes from actually doing it. Doing it comes through accountability.
Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement and success have no meaning.” – Benjamin Franklin
It doesn’t matter how you define success, you have to be a life long learner to continue to achieve that success. When you stop growing, you put a cap on your potential and I believe that when you stop moving forward you are moving backward.
Growing means stretching outside of your comfort zone. It means doing things you have not done before. It means facing the failure of not succeeding the first time you attempt something new. Many people have a tendency to quit when the going get’s tough.
PERSONAL GROWTH requires SACRIFICE, SELF-CONTROL, DISCIPLINE and PERSEVERANCE. Your ATTITUDE is really a reflection of your CHARACTER.
Your INTEGRITY will create CONSISTENCY and CREDIBILITY. Understanding your PRIORITIES will allow you to maximize your PERFORMANCE.
COMMITMENT to EDUCATION will help you overcome ADVERSITY and positve ACTION will help build SELF-CONFIDENCE and EMPOWER you in the FULFILLMENT of your GOALS.
If you want to do more, achieve more and become more, you need to grow more. So my question today is simple, “How far are you willing to grow?”
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On May 23rd, at 8:00 pm ET, I will be hosting a free call introducing “The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership” Coaching Program.
This will be a content filled call that will not only teach you about influential leadership but also about leading an intentional and successful life. The words in capitals above are topics within Pillar #3 – GROWTH.
This is the third of five posts related to the 5 Pillars that will go out prior to the call on the 23rd.
For more information and to register for the free call CLICK HERE.
To see the first video on Pillar #1 – AWARENESS click here
To see the second video on Pillar #2 – ENVIRONMENT click here
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Chances are if you are reading his, you are stressed out about something. Maybe lots of things. There has been a lot written about stress and how to avoid it.
Honestly, I dream of the day when I am not stressed out about something. I am not sure that day will ever come, but if it does, I know that I will have to deal with a little more stress before it does.
Is going through stress the only way to eliminate stress? Sometimes I wonder! I know there are people that are out there as they say “carefree and fancy free.” I am not sure I know what that means and that’s probably because I don’t fall into that category.
OK, maybe I should write something productive instead of stating the obvious. Here goes. There are many different kinds of stress that we all deal with. I think the short term solution is to manage stress. You can’t make it all go away today and you definitely can’t control all the variables that lead up to it. Here are some of the types of stress that I have first-hand knowledge of:
PHYSICAL STRESS
There are many different reasons we suffer from physical stress. Your job may require you to exert a tremendous amount of energy or you may simply be on a rigorous workout program. Both can create physical stress but both for good reasons. On the other hand, maybe you are suffering from physical stress due to lack of exercise or poor eating habits and find even the most basic activities challenging.
MENTAL STRESS
Have you ever heard someone say that their brain hurts? I have used the phrase to describe how I feel after a full day in front of the computer. My brain doesn’t really hurt, but I feel like it should after how much I just used it. Let’s face it, when we are up against a challenge that requires extreme focus, it is going to create mental stress.
EMOTIONAL STRESS
This is probably the big one. Our emotions are probably the most difficult thing for us to manage. Even the slightest of things can set us off. Often times, these are minor things that trigger something bigger and then the blow up. It all comes down to whatever thing is stressing us out turning us into a ticking time bomb.
I have not really stated anything above that you didn’t already know, so what’s the point. The point is that all of these types of stress can be reduced if we choose to. Huh? I said choose to.
Yesterday I made bad choices. My list that I wanted done by mid-afternoon didn’t even start until mid-afternoon. My wife asked me to make her a Blueberry-smoothie and as I proudly prepared to pour the masterpiece into a cup for her, the bottom fell out and I ended up with an 18″ wide frozen blueberry pancake spread across the counter (I should have taken a picture of that, but I was too frustrated to even think of the photo-op.) Most everything else went wrong yesterday and my stress level and attitude reflected it.
What happened yesterday? I let things get to me. That’s usually when things go bad. How do we avoid letting things get to us? That’s the million dollar question and a topic for another day. But this I know … when we let circumstances control our actions our actions will result in our circumstances.
Here’s a thought … Next time things are getting to you (and they will) – consider this question, “what would be the best possible outcome right now?” I would suggest that merely asking the question will reduce your level of stress! And you might just get a really good answer.
Have a great day! It’s the only one you have until tomorrow!
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I have never made the claim of being a scholar when it comes to the English language. Sometimes I misuse words and sometimes I misspell them, although modern technology has taken care of most of that. I know I mess up on defining them occasionally so I thought I would go out on a limb and define a few words in this post.
I will be honest, I did not look these words up and I might be totally wrong with the way I define them.That being said, it really won’t matter, because it is not about what they mean it is about the difference between them and how we deal with the difference.
Oh, I forgot to tell you the words. Sorry! Here they are … skill, talent and gift. I know – way too much excitement! But here’s the deal; I hear these words used interchangeably all the time and I know that is not right. He is the way I would use these three words and how I think they are very different.
SKILL
I think a skill is something we 100% develop. We might have some personal characteristics, or even gifts or talents, that might facilitate the development of that skill but it still is developed nonetheless.
TALENT
I see talent as something you are born with but can improve upon with additional effort. Most, if not all athletes, are born with some athletic talent but must be life long learners if they want to be one of the best in their sport.
GIFT
This I believe, is something from God (not trying to push anything on you here – just my definition, remember). I think we are born with gifts and no matter what we do, we will always have them. Doesn’t mean we will use them, but we have them.
If you are still reading, you are interested or you just wanted to see if my definitions were even close to what you thought. How did I do?
Remember when I said it didn’t really matter if I defined them right or not? Here’s why … it doesn’t matter because the point is this … If you are not using the gifts that you were brought into this world with, you are not living the life you were designed to live. I don’t care what you call them – if your life circumstances are not allowing you to use the gifts that the good Lord blessed you with, you are not where you need to be.
I imagine I will get some push back on this but that’s OK – it’s what I think and I will own that. If you agree with me great. If you disagree with me great. I would suggest being more concerned with what you think about you than what you think about me.
Let me put it another way – How much sense does it make that you ignore the things that come easy, that come natural, in trade for the things that you have to work really hard for. I’m not a big “destiny” guy and I am not even going to try and define it but I do thing some things were meant to be and some were not.
This I definitely believe – we were all created to become the person that God designed us to be. Who are we to mess with His plan. Again, no “faith” statement here, I am simply telling you what I think. I am not trying to convince you of anything.
But I do have a question for you to think about – “Are you trying to become something that you do instead of focusing on who you already are?” Just a thought!
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This is the second of four posts discussing David Horsager’s book “The Trust Edge.” How Top Leaders Gain Faster Results, Deeper Relationships, and a stronger Bottom Line.
The basic premise of the book is that when we build trust, we gain a competitive advantage in the world we live in. I believe that this applies to both our personal and professional lives. Simply put, when we build trust, we build relationships. And as we all know, people want to spend time with, associate with and do business with people they trust.
The heart of the book focuses on Horsager’s Eight Pillars of Trust – Clarity, Compassion, Character, Competency, Commitment, Connection, Contribution and Consistency.
This post will address the first four.
PILLAR 1: CLARITY
Horsager describes Three Key Areas of Clarity:
1. Vision and Purpose – If you want people to trust you, they need to understand your purpose and your vision. If they don’t understand where you are headed, how will they know if you get there?
2. Expectations and Communications – How are you communicating your intentions? Have your expectations been made clear? These are both critical if you are going to get the buy-in and engagement you need to be trusted.
3. Daily Tasks – Do the things that you do every day align with your mission statement? This one is pretty straight forward. Do your actions match your thoughts? When they do, you increase trust.
PILLAR 2: COMPASSION
Horsager describes The Four Laws of Compassion
1. Listen – Do you ever find yourself answering a question before the other person has even finished asking it? I have. The importance of actually listening is huge. Let the other person finish their thought and you will validate them and build trust.
2. Appreciate – I love the question Horager suggests … “How many of you feel overappreciated?” People want to be appreciated. This validates them and builds trust.
3. Wake Up – We are so concerned about the future that we forget about the present. Wake Up and get the most out of NOW that you can. Today only happens once.
4. Serve Others – When we help others and develop a reputation of being unselfish, others will trust that we are looking out for them and are concerned about what’s important to them.
PILLAR 3: CHARACTER
Horsager describes the Two Sides of Character
1. Integrity – Horsager asserts that “Integrity is being consistent in thoughts, words and actions. Being consistent builds trust.
2. High Morals – Consistently doing “the right” thing is a great way to build trust. Regardless of the issue, people will know that you will make a good decision.
PILLAR 4: COMPETENCY
Horsager describes Three Ways to Gain Competency
1. Join a Mastermind Group – I believe this is one of the best ways to build competency. A mentor of mine puts it this way “Hang out with people that believe what you do but think different thoughts.”
2. Read – Every leader is a reader. Continually exposing your mind to new information will build competency. People trust those with knowledge.
3. Get a Mentor – There will always be someone who knows more than you about any given subject. Many are willing to share their insights and experiences with you and help you along the way.
The Trust Edge provides a blueprint not only for building trust but living a meaningful life. Trust impacts every part of our life. Part 3 will cover the second half of the Eight Pillars of Trust.
Rate yourself on how well you are doing the things described above. This may give you some insight on your Trust Edge.
See Part 1 of The Trust Edge by clicking here.
Find out more about David Horsager and The Trust Edge at:
www.TheTrustEdge.com or www.davidhorsager.com
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Barry Smith www.buildingwhatmatters.com 1/30/13 photo courtesy of Amazon
The post The Trust Edge – Part 2, Clarity, Compassion, Character & Competency appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.
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The Law of the Ladder says that “Character Growth Determines the Height of Your Personal Growth.” I had to think about this one a little bit. So according to the law, the better character I have, the better my ability to grow.
I guess if you think about it, it makes sense. If I am able to follow a strict code of conduct related to morals and values or “character” it would follow that I could accomplish the same consistency with personal growth.
I have to admit, I never really put these two things together but once you consider that our habits, or lack thereof, are fairly consistent regardless of the issue. If we don’t follow through on the small things, we most likely won’t follow through on the big things.
The higher our level of character, the higher our level of respecting and honoring the things that really matter. John Maxwell in his book The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth describes the five rungs of his ladder:
1. I WILL FOCUS ON BEING BETTER ON THE INSIDE THAN ON THE OUTSIDE – CHARACTER MATTERS
How you are on the inside is the real picture of your character. There are many people that we deal with every day that we view as fake. Authenticity comes from within and is usually is one of the first things identified during a first impression. How do you represent?
2. I WILL FOLLOW THE GOLDEN RULE – PEOPLE MATTER
Treat others as you would like to be treated. Easier said than done, right? You may have a chip on your shoulder over something, but at the end of the day – people matter. Your character will show them how much.
3. I WILL TEACH ONLY WHAT I BELIEVE – PASSION MATTERS
We all have opinions, but for some of us, those opinions get mixed into teaching or training that we are responsible for. Do us all a favor and only teach on what you believe in. You are doing your students or clients a disservice by selling them on something you don’t believe in yourself.
4. I WILL VALUE HUMILITY ABOVE ALL VIRTUES – PERSPECTIVE MATTERS
We all probably know numerous people who don’t even know what humility means. And some that do, simply disregard it. Being humble is a sure way to focus attention on the other person and take the attention off yourself. We all have something to offer, but be of integrity and only offer it up when the person on the receiving end is ready to receive it.
5. I WILL STRIVE TO FINISH WELL – FAITHFULNESS MATTERS
Above all, strive to complete the task and finish strong. Finishing what you started displays not only character, but commitment. We all know the “I was gonna” guy. Most of us rely on other people to complete their list of tasks so that we can complete ours. Remember, we are talking about growth. If you expect to grow, you not only need to complete your list for everyone else, you need to complete your own.
“Ninety-nine percent of leadership failures are failures of character.”
– Retired General Norman Schwartzkoph
Good character, with honesty and integrity is essential to leading a successful life. Personal growth starts at our core. Are you ready to grow?
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Next Up: Law #10 The Law of the Rubber Band.
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Barry Smith www.buildingwhatmatters.com 12/5/12 photo by author
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