Posts

Influence by the Numbers

Influence – “the action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others.” – Random House Dictionary

Jeremy Lin, Hillary Clinton, Warren Buffet, Adele, Justice Anthony Kennedy, Tim Tebow, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, and Stephen Colbert; what do these people share in common? These individuals are on the Time magazine list of The 100 Most Influential People in the World for 2012.

Chosen in the categories of breakouts, pioneers, moguls, leaders, and icons, Time has given us their annual list of whom they consider to be the most influential people in the world. It’s quite an impressive list. While many of the names are recognizable, would you however, know why Wang Yang, Andrew Lo, or Dulce Matuz was chosen? Yes, they are noteworthy, and each has a compelling reason why they belong on the list.

Napoleon Hill said, “Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.” Leadership is about influence. And understanding the power of influence is all the more important as you begin to make your mark in your surroundings. Here are three insights about influence and how to keep it real.

The practice. Each of the persons chosen by Time shares a common trait; they have excelled in their chosen professions. They’ve worked hard, overcome the odds, and toiled in obscurity long before the notoriety they now bask in. Their influence was carved out of a passion for a sport, a desire for political reform, a need to cure a disease, to entertain the masses, or to raise awareness for human rights.

The practice of influence is simply your passions on display. Mia Hamm said, “If you don’t love what you do, you won’t do it with much conviction or passion.” She’s right. The practice of influence is born out of conviction and passion; it’s the secret to the measure of your influence. If your passions are not known to you they won’t be known by others. When your passions are practiced your influence will take care of itself.

The recognition. Your name may not be mentioned on the cover of Time, but as your influence grows as a leader so too does your recognition. A smart leader understands that recognition and responsibility go hand in hand. So before you begin to crave the recognition be sure that that your heart is in the right place.

Abraham Lincoln said, “Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of recognition.” That is sound advice for any leader. Recognition as a leader is a blessing, not a right. Use it wisely.

The reward. The reward of influence is found in the good that it produces. To be sure, not all influence is good. And some have used their influence for less than honorable outcomes. But the reward of influence can be found in the contributions of lifting up causes greater than self, raising awareness to the plights of the less fortunate, and simply making the world a better place in which to live.

What will be the measure of your leadership? What will be the reward or satisfaction that comes from it? To what end will you use the influence that you have to enrich the lives of those around you? Ella Baker said, “Give light and people will find the way.” And that is what leaders with influence are all about –giving light.

Your influence may not land you on the front cover of Time, but it is in no way less significant. The practice, recognition, and reward come from knowing that you lived with purpose and your influence made a difference.

 

© 2012 Doug Dickerson

Follow Doug at www.twitter.com/managemntmoment

Doug’s new book, Great Leaders Wanted! is now available. Visit www.dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com to order your copy today!

Are You Hoarding Knowledge?

In his book, Eat More Chicken, Inspire More People, S. Truett Cathy makes an interesting observation. He says, “The more we can foster the feeling that we are a group of people working together, depending on each other, and not just bound by a franchise agreement, the more likely we are to be loyal to each other.”

I find fascinating the thought of loyalty and knowledge. In addition Cathy says, “We manage knowledge by keeping people-and their knowledge-in the organization.” What a powerful concept. But this is the rub for many employees – a lack of knowledge which tends to foster the lack of inter-dependency that makes organizations thrive. And if this attitude prevails, then how can employers expect to keep good employees in the organization as Cathy prescribes?

As relationships are built, trust is established, and knowledge is not hoarded, your organization stands the best chance for success. When you learn to work together and see each other as integral parts of the journey toward success-everyone wins.

© 2012 Doug Dickerson
Doug’s new book, Great Leaders Wanted! is now available. Visit www.dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com to order your copy today!

Pardon the Interruption

Amelia Earhart once said, “Never interrupt someone doing what you said couldn’t be done.” I like her optimism. And this is simply the point – optimism matters.

Whether you are a seasoned leader or just out of the gate, optimism is that driving force that will cause you to succeed if you have it, and will hold you back if not.

Take a look at any top performer in his or her respective occupation and the one underlying characteristic that you are sure to find is optimism. Did they face adversity, setbacks, failures, and disappointments? You bet. But what kept them in the game when others gave up? You guessed it; optimism.

Richard M. DeVos said, “Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile.  A world of optimism and hope. A “you can do it” when things are tough.” I agree.  So regardless of the challenges you face and the tasks before you, know that you have the abilities and skills to be the best! Don’t give up!

© 2012 Doug Dickerson

Doug’s new book, Great Leaders Wanted! is now available. Visit www.dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com to order your copy today!

Service-based Leadership

You can start right where you stand and apply the habit of going the extra mile by rendering more service and better service that you are now being paid for. – Napoleon Hill

In his book, Waking the American Dream, Don McCullough relates a story about Winston Churchill during World War II. England decided to increase its production of coal. 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 which 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 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.’”

Needed within the ranks of your organization are team members playing to their strengths to make your business thrive. These positions cover the spectrum from high visibility to those with their “faces to the coal”, but nonetheless extremely valuable in their service and responsibilities.

Service-based leadership is the life-blood of your organization. In his best-selling book, The Fred Factor, Mark Sanborn writes, “The best Freds are true artists at taking ordinary products or job responsibilities and services and making them extraordinary. They are real-world alchemists who practice the art and science of ‘value creation.’” He is right. Do you have a culture of service within your organization?  Here are three tips to help you turn that picture of service-based leadership into a practice.

Re-create your culture. In a recent survey by Consumer Reports, consumers revealed their most irritating customer service gripes. Topping the list? Not being able to get a human on the phone, rude salespeople, many phone steps needed, long waits on hold, unhelpful solutions, and no apology for unsolved problems, just to name a few.

If you are going to re-create your current culture and transform it into a service-based leadership culture, you must change your point of view. This is done when you quit your navel-gazing ways and look at your operation through the eyes of your customers. Solicit their feedback and audit their responses and see how you measure up. Re-creating the culture within your organization begins when you shift the focus off yourself and onto those you serve.

Re-focus your priorities. Service-driven leadership begins with fundamental shifts in attitudes and actions. This is characterized by making sure that your core values are clear to everyone within your organization and practiced with everyone outside of it. If your values are not clear internally do not expect any help from those you serve because they will not know either.

The responsibility for service-based leadership rests with the leader at the top of the organization. Ken Blanchard said, “True success in servant leadership depends on how clearly the values are defined, ordered, and lived by the leader.” How clear are your organizational values?

Re-claim your purpose. What is the true meaning or purpose behind what you do? Billy Sunday said, “More men fail through lack of purpose than lack of talent.” He’s right. The secret of service-driven leadership is found in your purpose. When your purpose and passions are clear so is your mission.

Without purpose you may find yourself like Alice in the fairy tale Alice in Wonderland. In a conversation between her and the Cheshire Cat, Alice asked, “Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the cat. “I don’t much care where,” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,”
said the cat.

Which way you go matters.  Service-based leadership is deliberate, focused, and is crucial to your success. Service-based leadership is simply servant leadership principles lived out in the marketplace. In order for it to work, you must, like Churchill, paint the picture for others to see and put a plan into action. In order to get ahead you must be willing to serve.

© 2012 Doug Dickerson

Doug’s new book, Great Leaders Wanted! is now available. Visit www.dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com to order your copy today!

Take Me Out to…Fenway Park!

Jimmy Buffet once said, “These old ballparks are like cathedrals in America. We don’t have big old Gothic cathedrals like they do in Europe. But we got baseball parks.” What an astute observation.

Today marks the 100th year of one of the most beloved baseball parks in America – Fenway Park in Boston. I’ve had the honor of attending a few games at Fenway and each time I come away with a sense of awe of just how sacred the grounds are and how rich in history the park is, and just how fortunate we are that it remains.

So, here’s to you Fenway Park. Thank you for the memories and may another 100 years of baseball history be yours – and a few more titles would be nice too!

© 2012 Doug Dickerson

Doug’s new book, Great Leaders Wanted! is now available. Visit www.dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com to order your copy today!

Change is on the Way

Today the Space Shuttle Discovery took its final flight atop a 747 enroute to Washington, D.C. for its final destination at the Smithsonian. I had the opportunity on a number of occasions over the years to witness Shuttle launches from Cape Canaveral which was always a spectacular show.

Many today bemoan the end of an era with the Shuttle program and wonder just what the future holds for the space program. And granted, as much as the space program has been a part of our national experience the past number of decades, I understand the sentiment.

The events of today cause me to think of an important leadership lesson that can be hard to embrace at times: change. I am reminded of what John Maxwell wrote about change when he said, “Once the leader has personally changed and discerned the difference between novel change and needed change, then that leader must become a change agent.” So, what about you? Do you embrace change and are you a change agent?

To be sure, nothing stays the same as we witnessed this morning. But unless you are willing to change for the sake of the future, you will always be living in the past with no clear vision for the future.

How do you embrace change? I’d like to hear your thoughts.

 

© 2012 Doug Dickerson

Doug’s new book, Great Leaders Wanted! is now available. Visit www.dougsmanagementmmoment.blogspot.com to order your copy today!

Leading Through Barriers

A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. – Christopher Reeve

Sports Illustrated columnist Kostya Kennedy wrote a moving tribute recently in honor of Rachael Robinson, the widow of the late baseball Hall of Famer Jackie Robinson. Now 93-years old, Rachael Robinson remains very active in the day-to-day operations of the Jackie Robinson Foundation which provides scholarships to minority students from around the country. Her work in preserving Jackie Robinson’s legacy is testament to her great generosity and authentic leadership.

The Sports Illustrated feature coincides with the 65th anniversary when Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier when he played his first game in Major League Baseball and the 50th anniversary since he was inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame. And thanks to Rachael Robinson, the legacy of Jackie Robinson lives on.

Jackie Robinson’s rise to stardom as an authentic major league player was met with much resistance and racial barriers that had to be overcome. And one event that helped turn the tide of public perception occurred in his home stadium in Brooklyn when during a game Robinson committed an error.

The fans began to ridicule him. He stood at second base, humiliated, while the fans jeered. Shortstop Pee Wee Reese came over and stood next to him. He put his arm around Robinson and faced the crowd. The fans grew quiet. Robinson later said that arm around his shoulder saved his career.

Thomas Edison once said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success before they gave up.” And this is the challenge for leaders who break barriers. Success comes to those who will stick to it longer than others, who will not give up, and press through their personal barriers. What will be your response to the barriers in leadership that you face? From the amazing career of Jackie Robinson to the remarkable work of his beloved widow, Rachael, we learn three important leadership lessons about facing our barriers.

Barriers build character. Down through the ages traditional wisdom has taught us to pick our battles wisely. But if given the choice, how many of us would choose to face a battle? The point being, we do not always choose the battles or barriers that we face, but we do choose how we address them. Robinson’s battle, by default, was in breaking the barriers of racism and proving he had the skills worthy of the Major Leagues. And Robinson did this with his character in-tact and with the talents that placed him in the Hall of Fame.

The next time you are tempted to grumble or complain about the barriers that you face try a little perspective on for size. It’s been said that obstacles are those frightening things you see when you take your eyes off the goal. Barriers can build your character if you will learn not to let them be your road block.

Barriers build bridges.  And this is the mark of what happens when leaders step up to the plate.  As barriers are overcome and new doors are opened, it paves the way for others to step up and achieve their dreams. As a leader, when you face and overcome your barriers you are creating opportunities and possibilities not just for yourself, but for others.

The emergence of Jackie Robinson onto the grand stage of Major League Baseball opened the door for other minorities who have followed. But what is notable is the way in which Robinson viewed his hurdle. He did not see his barrier as a stop sign. He saw it as a pause on his pathway to his dream. How do you see your barriers?

Barriers build possibilities. Robinson’s post-baseball career was marked by his service to the cause of Civil Rights. Now through the mission of the Jackie Robinson Foundation, his memory is being honored and his legacy is being passed down to future generations. The barriers he faced were merely stepping stones to great causes that live on 40 years after his death.

What will be the mark of your leadership? It will, in part, be determined by the choices you make in the face of adversity. Your barriers are not detours; they are signposts that you are tempted to ignore. But it’s when you travel with courage the road marked out for you that you can rise above them, and pave the road of your destiny.

 

© 2012 Doug Dickerson

Doug’s new book, Great Leaders Wanted!  is now available. Visit www.dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com to order your copy today!

What an Attitude!

Over the years I have been convinced that the attitude we have goes a long in determining our success as leaders. We may not always control what happens to us, but we are in charge of how we react.

My friend Mark Sanborn says, “”Freds know that one of the most exciting things about life is that we awake each day with the ability to reinvent ourselves. No matter what happened yesterday, today is a new day. While we can’t deny the struggles and setbacks, neither should we be restrained by them.” What a powerful thought.

That we will face struggles is a given. But our attitude should be predictably positive! How is your attitude?

© 2012 Doug Dickerson

 

Follow Doug at www.twitter.com/managemntmoment

To order Doug’s new book, Great Leaders Wanted! visit www.dougsmanagementmoment.blogspot.com

What’s Not to Love?

The new list of the best and worst jobs of 2012 as reported by careercast.com has been released.

Topping the list of the best jobs? HR Managers, Financial Planners, Occupational Therapist, and Online Advertising Manages. Topping the list of worst jobs were lumberjacks, newspaper reporters, and broadcasters.

Everyone wants to find meaning and value in their work. Whether you work in an occupation that ranks for being a “best” or a “worst” job according to the poll, what matters is that you are doing your best, and that you are a “best” employee.

Indira Gandhi said, “My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was much less competition there.” How true.

Here’s the leadership lesson: it’s not about where you work that makes you happy or fulfilled; it’s about being your best and doing your best that makes you fulfilled.

© 2012 Doug Dickerson

Follow Doug at www.twitter.com/managemntmoment

Apology Accepted?

Yahoo Sport is reporting (http://yhoo.it/HtApbW) that on the heels of The Toronto Maple Leafs missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the seventh straight year, that team chairman Larry Tanenbaum has released an open letter of apology to the fans.

In part, the letter reads, “The Toronto Maple Leafs are a public trust with the greatest fans in the world. We have fallen short of everyone’s expectations, and for that we are sorry. We take full responsibility for how this team performs on the ice, and we make no excuses. The way this year ended was unacceptable. Results are the only measure of success in sports and the results speak for themselves.”

What do you make of the open letter of apology? Do you think he was correct? Robin Quivers once said, “An apology might help, but you can your life without one.” While it might be commendable that the apology was issued, who really benefits from it?

So, I’d like to hear from you. Was it appropriate and given a similar set of circumstances would you do it?

 

© 2012 Doug Dickerson

Follow Doug at www.twitter.com/managemntmoment