I guess there are many benefits of leadership that we can fall in love with.
One might be the fact that it doesn’t discriminate. The positive results of great leadership are the same regardless of race, creed, age, gender, or any of the other protected classes.
Or, we may look to the fact that leadership has a natural flow to it. Regardless of where we start, real leaders just tend to rise to the top… providing the necessary influence and stability wherever and whenever the need arises.
Then again, we may be attracted to the coaching and mentorship aspects. True leaders ALWAYS raise up the next generation… a process which, when done effectively, can be extremely fulfilling.
But right now… I’m on a slightly different track.
While it’s true that we often think of leadership in the corporate sense, tonight I am reflecting on several non-business functions… and the universal application that leadership’s attributes have across life.
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As someone who’s been HAPPILY MARRIED since, well…pretty much forever, I frequently get asked what’s the secret to a strong, stable and fun marriage.
Many years ago, before I was even engaged, I was speaking with a very healthy, wealthy, and wise mentor of mine… and I asked him this same question. Here was his answer, in words that I’ll never forget.
“Steve…,” he said, “be sure to tell your wife that you love her often.”
“Okay…,” I thought, “When’s the best time…?”
His answer…?
“BEFORE someone else does!”
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Now, even though I was still several years away from the alter… THAT made a lot of sense to me! In fact, it made so much sense that I sought out other applications for this nugget of wisdom.
It occurred to me that the same principle was likely responsible for much of the turnover that occurs in business… with client companies, vendors, and employees.
I wondered…
Do ALL the players on our team really know how much they mean to us? Are we telling them and showing them how important they are… OR… have we left the back door open for the competition to woo them from us?
And if they leave the relationship… what unnecessary pain will be caused, and for how long?
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Okay, so I was just asked to add some additional advice for a friend of the family who is to be married next weekend… and yes, it’s my pleasure.
Here are three…
1) Make the commitment once… then be accountable to it daily.
2) Decide now to lock the back door permanently, and
3) Don’t make BIG decisions… on BAD days.
I look forward to speaking with you soon.
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