Calling All Leaders

Calling all leaders. What do you think about when you hear that? Do you think, "Hey, that's me?" Or do you think, "She must be talking about someone else because I'm no leader."

 

If you are alive and breathing (and you are since you are reading this), then I am definitely talking about you.

 

Often times we view leadership as a title or position. But it's not. Leadership is influence. Good leaders will gain in influence beyond a position.  So whether or not you think you are a leader, all of us have the opportunity to influence those around us.

 

Think about it. Have you ever known a teacher or a boss who had the "title" of leader? Then there was that student or employee whom everyone followed. That's who had the influence. Title or no title, that's who the actual leader was.

 

So whether you are the head of a large corporation, a department lead, a teacher or coach -- you are a leader.

 

If you are a stay at home mom or a grandmother, you are influencing those children -- you are a leader.

 

If you are a student or have brothers, sisters, classmates or neighbors -- believe me, they are watching how you live your life -- you are a leader.

 

If you are an hourly employee with coworkers you see every day, you can influence their lives -- you are a leader.

 

If you are like my favorite cashier at our small town grocery store, who says, "God bless you" to everyone who goes through her line – you are a leader.

 

So be like our cashier. Think of the influence she has. I wonder who has come into that grocery store heart broken or hopeless and left with hope because of that sweet cashier.

She on purpose influences and blesses everyone who comes in. My friends, that is influence! That is leadership!

 

So whether you have the title or not, make a decision today to be intentional with your influence. Answer the call and make a difference in someone's life.

 

Think About It

• Who will you come in contact with this week?
• Who are the people with which you have influence?

Now Do Something About It

• Take time to make someone's day.
• Go out of your way to ask someone, "How can I help you?"
• Meet regularly with a young person, coworker or friend.

 

“The only thing a title can buy is a little time – either to increase your level of influence with others or erase it.”  --John Maxwell



Add Value

Add value is such a common term used in the marketplace today. Usually it refers to increasing the value or worth of a product or a service.  Ultimately it is about increasing revenues or profits.

As leaders, if people are our greatest resource -- which they are -- then wouldn't it make sense that adding value to people should be our number one priority?

So what does that mean? 

 It’s really simple. 

You add value to people when you truly value them.  If you don’t value them, then bottom line, you will devalue them.

When you add value to people you are literally increasing their value, worth or importance.  You invest in them to become the very best they can be.  You do whatever you can to help them achieve what they were placed on this earth to do.

I hear from so many great people from all types of companies how devalued they are.  They are unappreciated, underutilized and have leaders who attempt to motivate with fear. 

You will shine if you are a leader who values others. 

Take time to find out what’s important to them.  Help them achieve their goals.  Believe in them.  Encourage and affirm them. Listen to, care about and love them.  Help them grow and impart to them.  Ask, “What can I do for you?”  “How can I help you?”  Then do it!

If you do this, not only will you add value to others, you will become invaluable!

 Think About It

• Who can you add value to?  A family member?  A friend?  A coworker?  A fellow student?  A team member?   A teacher?  A boss?

Do Something About It

• This week intentionally add value to someone!

 I’d love to hear your comments on what you have done to add value to others.

“Leadership isn’t how far we advance ourselves, but how far we advance others”  –John Maxwell



Everyone Needs A Paul, A Barnabas & A Timothy

They say it's lonely at the top. But it shouldn't be. The strongest leaders are never alone. They know it takes solid relationships and connections to others for us to truly grow.

Ask yourself the following three questions.

Who is your Paul? Paul is that mentor with wisdom and experience. He knows where you're going, because he's already been there. He helps you avoid the pitfalls and shares his secrets of success. He sees the potential in you and challenges you to stretch beyond where you think you can. His investment in you is invaluable as it causes exponential growth.

Who is your Barnabas? Barnabas is that "iron sharpening iron" person you call friend.  He is someone you can be yourself with because he knows the real you. He holds you accountable and tells you the truth.  He encourages and believes in you. With Barnabas, you can laugh, cry or even vent. You can have fun or just relax.  How sad it is that so many leaders have no one who they call friend. Oh how  they are missing out.

Who is your Timothy? Timothy is that emerging leader who is hungry for someone to take time and invest in him. He is the next Captain, CEO, Professor, Pastor, Producer or Senator. He has great potential but needs someone to recognize it and draw it out. And you do. You are with him when he fails and when he succeeds. You are his biggest fan. You help sand off those rough edges, because you see a diamond in that piece of coal. You develop, challenge, stretch and empower him. And nothing causes you to grow more than sharing what you know with him.

So I ask again.

     Who is your Paul?

     Who is your Barnabas?

     Who is your Timothy?

If you don't have an answer, do something about it today!

"Life change doesn't happen without life exchange."

"More time with less people equals greater kingdom impact."

  --Tim Elmore

Love 'Em Enough To Tell 'Em The Truth!

You have a team member in your organization that is difficult to work with and constantly rubs others the wrong way. So, what do you do?

      1.   You pull the entire team together and bring up the behavior generally. You give recommendations on how we should all work better together.

Bottom line, the person to whom you were referring, had no idea you meant them. And the rest of the team leaves wondering who or even what you were talking about.

2.   You constantly overlook this behavior time after time because surely “they didn’t mean to come across that way.”

Everyone else on the team wonders why you allow this to continue and loses respect for your ability to lead.

3.   You just avoid them.  “Out of sight, out of mind.”

Obviously we know this doesn’t work either.

None of these three address the issue. The problem is still there. Then after months or even years of frustration, you’ve finally had enough. And…they’re fired. It’s a total shock to them and they have no idea what they did wrong. They find another job, only to continue the same behavior, and the cycle repeats.

So the question is, whose fault is it?  Who are you really protecting?  Them or you?

Why is confrontation so dreaded?  Is it because you don’t want to hurt their feelings?

You think being honest with them hurts? Not being honest with them hurts much more in the long run. Why let issues continue year after year, that perhaps one conversation could fix?  By dealing with it early in the game when the issue is small, you prevent much greater problems down the road.

Sure the truth hurts….but only for a little while.  And when the truth is received, it can also bring tremendous growth. Honesty and truth are vital components to growth.

Is confrontation hard?  Sure it is. Otherwise, everyone would do it. But good leaders do what’s right, even if it’s difficult.

If you really care about the people around you, then be honest with them and tell them the truth.

To Be Continued….

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.  Ephesians 4:15, 25 NLT

Trust is built only when truth is told. – John C. Maxwell