maxwell leadership
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WH Y S H O U L D I G R O WA S A L E A D E R ?
The higher the leadership, the
greater the effectiveness.
often open my leadership conferences by explaining what I
call the Law of the Lid because it helps people understand the
value of leadership. If you can get a handle on this principle, you
will see the incredible impact of leadership on every aspect of life.
So here it is: Leadership ability is the lid that determines a
person's level of effectiveness. The lower an individual's ability to
lead, the lower the lid on his potential. The higher the leadership,
the greater the effectiveness. To give you an example, if your
leadership rates an , then your effectiveness can never be greater
than a !. If your leadership is only a ", then your effectiveness
will be no higher than a #. $our leadership ability%for better or
for worse%always determines your effectiveness and the potential
impact of your organi&ation.
I
Let me tell you a story that illustrates the Law of the Lid.
In (#), two young brothers named *ic+ and aurice moved
from -ew ampshire to /alifornia in search of the 0merican
*ream. They had 1ust gotten out of high school, and they saw few
opportunities bac+ home. So they headed straight for ollywood
where they eventually found 1obs on a movie studio set.
0fter a while, their entrepreneurial spirit and interest in theentertainment industry prompted them to open a theater in
2lendale, a town about five miles northeast of ollywood. 3ut
despite all their efforts, the brothers 1ust couldn't ma+e the
business profitable, so they loo+ed for a better business
opportunity.
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In (#!, the brothers opened a small drivein restaurant in
7asadena, located 1ust east of 2lendale. 0s people in southern
/alifornia became more dependent on their cars in the thirties,
drivein restaurants sprang up everywhere. /ustomers would drive
into a par+ing lot around a small restaurant, place their orders with
carhops, and receive their food on trays right in their cars. The
food was served on china plates complete with glassware and
metal utensils.
*ic+ and aurice's tiny drivein restaurant was a great
success, and in ("), they moved the operation to San
3ernardino, a wor+ingclass boomtown fifty miles east of Los
0ngeles. They built a larger facility and expanded their menu from
hot dogs, fries, and sha+es to include barbecued beef and por+
sandwiches, hamburgers, and other items. Their business exploded.
0nnual sales reached ;
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splitting ;=),))) in profits every year%a sum that put them in the
town's financial elite.
3y (", their intuition told them that times were changing, so
they made modifications to their restaurant business. They
eliminated the carhops and started serving only wal+up customers.
They reduced their menu and focused on selling hamburgers. They
eliminated plates, glassware, and metal utensils, switching to paperproducts instead. They reduced their costs and the prices they
charged customers. They also created what they called the Speedy
Service System. Their +itchen became li+e an assembly line, where
each person focused on service with speed. Their goal was to fill
each customer's order in thirty seconds or less. 0nd they
succeeded. 3y the mid(=)s, annual revenue hit ;#=),))), and by
then, *ic+ and aurice split net profits of about ; )),))) each
year.
5ho were these brothers> 6n the front of their small restaurant
hung a neon sign that said simply / * 6 - 0 L * ' S 0 3 9 8 2 4 8 S .
*ic+ and aurice c*onald had hit the great 0merican 1ac+pot,
and the rest, as they say, is history, right> 5rong. The c*onalds
never went any farther because their wea+ leadership put a lid on
their ability to succeed.
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It's true that the c*onald brothers were financially secure. Theirs
was one of the most profitable restaurant enterprises in the country,
and their genius was in customer service and +itchen organi&ation,
which led to a new system of food and beverage service. In fact,their talent was so widely +nown in food service circles that people
from all over the country wanted to learn more about their meth
ods. 0t one point, they received as many as three hundred calls and
letters every month. That led them to the idea of mar+eting the
c*onald's concept.
The idea of franchising restaurants had been around for several
decades. To the c*onald brothers, it loo+ed li+e a way to ma+e
money without having to open another restaurant themselves. In
(=
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of his best customers, and as soon as he visited the store, he had a
vision for its potential. In his mind he could see the restaurant
going nationwide in hundreds of mar+ets. e soon struc+ a deal
with *ic+ and aurice, and in (==, he formed c*onald's
System, Inc. @later called the c*onald's /orporationA.
?roc immediately bought the rights to a franchise so that he
could use it as a model and prototype to sell other franchises. Thenhe began to assemble a team and build an organi&ation to ma+e
c*onald's a nationwide entity.
In the early years, ?roc sacrificed a lot. Though he was in his
midfifties, he wor+ed long hours 1ust as he had when he first got
started in business thirty years earlier. e eliminated many frills at
home, including his country club membership, which he later said
added ten stro+es to his golfgame. *uring his first eight years with
c*onald's, he too+ no salary. e also personally borrowed
money from the ban+ and against his life insurance to help cover
the salaries of a few +ey leaders he wanted on the team. is
sacrifice and his leadership paid off. In (B for the sum of ;
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To increase your level of effectiveness, you have a couple of
choices. $ou could wor+ very hard to increase your dedication to
success and excellence%to wor+ toward becoming a ). It's
possible that you could ma+e it to that level, though the law of
diminishing returns says that your success will increase only to a
certain point, after which, it fails to increase in proportion to the
amount of wor+ you put into it. In other words, the effort it wouldta+e to increase those last two points might ta+e more energy than
it did to achieve the first eight. If you really +illed yourself, you
might increase your success by that
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E F F E C T I V E N E S S
I N C R f A S t S
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Leadership ability is always the lid on personal and organi&ational
effectiveness. If the leadership is strong, the lid is high. 3ut if it's
not, then the organi&ation is limited. That's why in times of
trouble, organi&ations naturally loo+ for new leadership. 5hen the
country is experiencing hard times, it elects a new president.
5hen a church is floundering, it searches for a new senior pastor.
5hen a sports team +eeps losing, it loo+s for a new head coach.
5hen a company is losing money, it hires a new /46.0 few years ago, I met *on Stephenson, the chairman of
2lobal ospitality 8esources, Inc., of San *iego, /alifornia, an
international hospitality advisory and consulting firm. 6ver lunch,
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I as+ed him about his organi&ation. Today he primarily does
consulting, but bac+ then his company too+ over the management
of hotels and resorts that weren't doing well financially. They
oversaw many excellent facilities such as La /osta in southern
/alifornia.
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*on said that whenever they came into an organi&ation to ta+e
it over, they always started by doing two things: Dirst, they trained
all the staff to improve their level of service to the customers, and
second, they fired the leader. 5hen he told me that, I was at first
surprised.
C$ou always fire him>C I as+ed. C4very time>C
CThat's right. 4very time,C he said.
C*on't you tal+ to the person first%to chec+ him out to see if
he's a good leader>C I said.
C-o,C he answered. CIf he'd been a good leader, the
organi&ation wouldn't be in the mess it's in.C
0nd I thought to myself, Of course. It's the Law of the Lid. To
reach the highest level of effectiveness, you have to
raise the lid%one way or another.
The good news is that getting rid of the leader isn't the only
way. Hust as I teach in conferences that there is a lid, I also teach
that you can raise it.
ow CA N I G R O WA S A L E A D E R ?
Leadership develops daily,
not in a day.
ecoming a leader is a lot li+e investing successfully in the
stoc+ mar+et. If your hope is to ma+e a fortune in a day,
you're not going to be successful. 5hat matters most is what you
do day by day over the long haul. y friend Tag Short maintains,
CThe secret of our success is found in our daily agenda.C If you
continually invest in your leadership development, letting your
CassetsC compound, the inevitable result is growth over time.
B
5hen I teach leadership at conferences, people inevitably as+
me whether leaders are born. I always answer, C$es, of course
they are . . . I've yet to meet one that came into the world any
other wayFC 5e all laugh, and then I answer the real uestion%
whether leadership is something a person either possesses or
doesn't.
0lthough it's true that some people are born with greater
natural gifts than others, the ability to lead is really a collection of
s+ills, nearly all of which can be learned and improved. 3ut that
process doesn't happen overnight. Leadership is complicated. It
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has many facets: respect, experience, emotional strength, people
s+ills, discipline, vision, momentum, timing%the list goes on. 0s
you can see, many factors that come into play in leadership are
intangible. That's why leaders reuire so much seasoning to be
effective. It was around the time I turned fifty that I truly began to
understand the many aspects of leadership with clarity.
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5hether you do or don't have great natural ability for leadership,
your development and progress will probably occur according to
the following four phases:
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ost people fail to recogni&e the value of leadership. They
believe that leadership is only for a few%for the people at the top
of the corporate ladder. They have no idea of the opportunities
they're passing up when they don't learn to lead. This point was
driven home for me when a college president shared with me that
only a handful of students signed up for a leadership course
offered by the school. 5hy> 6nly a few thought of themselves as
leaders. If they had +nown that leadership is influence, and that in
the course of each day most individuals usually try to influence at
least four other people, their desire might have been spar+ed to
learn more about the sub1ect. It's unfortunate because as long as a
person doesn't +now what he doesn't +now, he doesn't grow.
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9sually at some point in life, we are placed in a leadership
position only to loo+ around and discover that no one is following
us. That's when we reali&e that we need to learn how to lead. 0nd
of course, that's when it's possible for the process to start. 4nglish
7rime inister 3en1amin *israeli wisely commented, CTo be
conscious that you are ignorant of the facts is a great step to
+nowledge.C
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That's what happened to me when I too+ my first leadership
position in (B(. I had captained sports teams all my life and had
been the student government president in col
lege, so I already thought I was a leader. 3ut when I tried to lead
people in the real world, I found out the awful truth. That
prompted me to start gathering resources and learning from them.
I also had another idea: I wrote to the top ten leaders in my field
and offered them one hundred dollars for a half hour of their time
so that I could as+ them uestions. @That was uite a sum for mein (B(.A Dor the next several years, my wife, argaret, and I
planned every vacation around where those people lived. If a great
leader in /leveland said yes to my reuest, then that year we vaca
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tioned in /leveland so that I could meet him. 0nd my idea really
paid off. Those men shared insights with me that I could have
learned no other way.
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5hen you recogni&e your lac+ of s+ill and begin the dailydiscipline of personal growth in leadership, exciting things start to
happen.
0while bac+ I was teaching a group of people in *enver, and
in the crowd I noticed a really sharp nineteenyearold named
3rian. Dor a couple of days, I watched as he eagerly too+ notes. I
tal+ed to him a few times during brea+s. 5hen I got to the part of
the seminar where I emphasi&e that leadership is a process, I as+ed
3rian to stand up so that I could tal+ while everyone listened. I
said, C3rian, I've been watching you here, and I'm very impressed
with how hungry you are to learn and glean and grow. I want to
tell you a secret that will change your life.C 4veryone in the whole
auditorium seemed to lean forward.
CI believe that in about twenty years, you can be a great leader.
I want to encourage you to ma+e yourself a lifelong learner of
leadership. 8ead boo+s, listen to tapes regularly, and +eep
attending seminars. 0nd whenever you come across a golden
nugget of truth or a significant uote, file it away for the future.
CIt's not going to be easy,C I said. C3ut in five years, you'll see
progress as your influence becomes greater. In ten years you'll
develop a competence that ma+es your leadership highly effective.
0nd in twenty years, when you're only thirtynine years old, if
you've continued to learn and grow, others will li+ely start as+ing
you to teach them about leadership. 0nd some will be ama&ed.
They'll loo+ at each other and say, 'ow did he suddenly become
so wise>'
C3rian, you can be a great leader, but it won't happen in a day.
Start paying the price now.C
5hat's true for 3rian is also true for you. Start developing your
leadership today, and someday you will experience the effects of
this process.
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5hen you're in phase #, you can be pretty effective as a leader,
but you have to thin+ about every move you ma+e. owever,
when you get to phase ", your ability to lead becomes almost
automatic. 0nd that's when the payoff is larger than life. 3ut the
only way to get there is to recogni&e the process and pay the price.
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Leadership is developed daily, not in a day%that is reality. The
good news is that your leadership ability is not static. -o matter
where you're starting from, you can get better. That's true even for
people who have stood on the world stage of leadership. 5hile
most presidents of the 9nited States reach their pea+ while in
office, others continue to grow and become better leaders
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afterward, such as former president Himmy /arter. Some people
uestioned his ability to lead while in the 5hite ouse. 3ut in
recent years, /arter's level of influence has continually increased.
is high integrity and dedication in serving people through
abitat for umanity and other organi&ations have made his
influence grow. 7eople are now truly impressed with his life.
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There is an old saying: /hampions don't become champions in the
ring%they are merely recogni&ed there. That's true. If you want to
see where someone develops into a champion, loo+ at his daily
routine. Dormer heavyweight champ Hoe Dra&ier stated, C$ou can
map out a fight plan or a life plan. 3ut when the action starts,
you're down to your reflexes. That's where your road wor+ shows.
If you cheated on that in the dar+ of the morning, you're getting
found out now under the bright lights.C3oxing is a good analogy
for leadership development because it is all about daily
preparation. 4ven if a person has natural talent, he has to prepareand train to become successful.
6ne of this country's greatest leaders was a fan of boxing:
7resident Theodore 8oosevelt. In fact, one of his most famous
uotes uses a boxing analogy:
It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out
how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could
have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is
actually in the arenaJ whose face is marred by dust and sweat
and bloodJ who strives valiantlyJ who errs and comes short
again and againJ who +nows the great enthusiasms, the great
devotions, and spends himself in a worthy causeJ who, at best,
+nows in the end the triumph of high achievementJ and who, at
the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that
his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who
+now neither victory nor defeat.
0 boxer himself, 8oosevelt was not only an effective leader,
but he was the most flamboyant of all 9.S. presidents.
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T8 @which was 8oosevelt's nic+nameA was +nown for regular
boxing and 1udo sessions, challenging horsebac+ rides, and long,
strenuous hi+es. 0 Drench ambassador who visited 8oosevelt used
to tell about the time that he accompanied the president on a wal+
through the woods. 5hen the two men came to the ban+s of a
stream that was too deep to cross by foot, T8 stripped off his
clothes and expected the dignitary to do the same so that they
could swim to the other side. -othing was an obstacle to
8oosevelt.
is enthusiasm and stamina seemed boundless. 0s the vice
presidential candidate in ()), he gave B!# speeches and traveled
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ow CA N I B E C O M E D I S C I P L I N E D ?
The first person you lead is you.
t's a tough road to the top. -ot many people ever reach the
place where they are considered one of the best at their wor+.
0nd even fewer are believed to be thebest% ever. $et that's what
Herry 8ice has achieved. e is called the best person ever to play
wide receiver in football. 0nd he has got the records to prove it.
I
7eople who +now him well say he is a natural. 7hysically his
2odgiven gifts are incredible, yet those alone have not made him
great. The real +ey to his success has been his selfdiscipline. e
wor+s and prepares%day in and day out%unli+e anyone else in
professional football.
*uring practice in high school, 8ice's coach, /harles *avis,
made his players sprint twenty times up and down a fortyyard
hill. 6n a particularly hot and muggy ississippi day, 8ice was
ready to give up after eleven trips. 0s he snea+ed toward the
loc+er room, he reali&ed what he was doing.
C*on't uit,C he told himself. C3ecause once you get into that
mode of uitting, then you feel li+e it's o+ay.C e went bac+ and
finished his sprints, and he has never been a uitter since.
0s a professional player, he has become famous for his ability
to sprint up another hill%a rugged
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?evin Smith. Ce's a natural, but he still wor+s. That's what
separates the good from the great.C
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In ((!, 8ice climbed another hill in his career: he made a
comebac+ from a devastating in1ury. 7rior to that, he had never
missed a game in nineteen seasons of football, a testa
ment to his disciplined wor+ ethic and absolute tenacity. 5hen he
blew out his +nee on 0ugust #, ((!, people thought he was
finished for the season. 0fter all, only one player had ever had a
similar in1ury and come bac+ in the same season%8od 5oodson.
e had rehabilitated his +nee in four and a half months. 8ice did it
in three and a half% through sheer grit, determination, and
incredible self discipline. 7eople had never seen anything li+e itbefore, and they might not again. 0nd 8ice continues to build his
records and his reputation while helping his team win.
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Herry 8ice is a perfect example of the power of selfdiscipline. -o
one achieves and sustains success without it. 0nd no matter how
gifted a leader is, his gifts will never reach their maximum potential
without the application of selfdiscipline. It positions a leader to go
to the highest level and is a +ey to leadership that lasts.
If you want to become a leader for whom selfdiscipline is an
asset, follow these action points:
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To develop a lifestyle of discipline, one of your first tas+s must
be to challenge and eliminate any tendency to ma+e
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excuses. 0s Drench classical writer Drancois La 8ochefoucauld
said, C0lmost all our faults are more pardonable than the methods
we thin+ up to hide them.C If you have several reasons why you
can't be selfdisciplined, reali&e that they are really 1ust a bunch of
excuses%all of which need to be challenged if you want to go to
the next level as a leader.
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0uthor i+e *elaney wisely remar+ed, C0ny business or
industry that pays eual rewards to its goofoffs and its eager
beavers sooner or later will find itself with more goofoffs than
eagerbeavers.C If you lac+ selfdiscipline, you may be in the habit
of having dessert before eating your vegetables.
0 story illustrates the power of withholding rewards. 0n oldercouple had been at a campground for a couple of days when a
family arrived at the site next to them. 0s soon as their sport
utility vehicle came to a stop, the couple and their three +ids piled
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out. 6ne child hurriedly unloaded ice chests, bac+pac+s, and other
items while the other two uic+ly put up tents. The site was ready
in fifteen minutes.
The older couple was ama&ed. C$ou fol+s sure do wor+ great
together,C the elderly gentleman told the dad admiringly.
C$ou 1ust need a system,C replied the dad. C-obody goes to the
bathroom until camp's set up.C
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0nytime you concentrate on the difficulty of the wor+ instead
of its results or rewards, you're li+ely to become discouraged.
*well on it too long, and you'll develop selfpity instead of self
discipline. The next time you're facing a mustdo tas+ and you're
thin+ing of doing what's convenient instead of paying the price,
change your focus. /ount the benefits of doing what's right, and
then dive in.
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0uthor . Hac+son 3rown Hr. uipped, CTalent without
discipline is li+e an octopus on roller s+ates. There's plenty of
movement, but you never +now if it's going to be forward,
bac+wards, or sideways.C If you +now you have talent, and you've
seen a lot of motion%but little concrete results%you may lac+
selfdiscipline.
Loo+ at last wee+'s schedule. ow much of your time did you
devote to regular, disciplined activities> *id you do anything to
grow and improve yourself professionally> *id you engage inactivities promoting good health> *id you dedicate part of your
income to savings or investments> If you've been putting off those
things, telling yourself that you'll do them later, you may need to
wor+ on your selfdiscipline.
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Twenty percent of your priorities will give you ) percent of your
production, ID you spend your time, energy, money, and personnel
on the top
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Low Importance$Low %rgency& This is busy or repetitious
wor+, such as filing. Stac+ it up and do it in onehalf hour
segments every wee+J get somebody else to do itJ or don't do it at
all. 3efore putting off until tomorrow something you can do today,
study it clearly. aybe you can postpone it indefinitely.
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4very person is an initiator or reactor when it comes to
planning. 0n example is our calendar. The uestion is not C5ill
my calendar be full>C but C5ho will fill my calendar>C If we are
leaders of others, the uestion is not C5ill I see people>C but
C5ho will I see>C y observation is that leaders tend to initiate
and followers tend to react. -ote the difference:
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Initiate
LeadJ pic+ up phone and ma+e
contact
Spend time planningJ anticipate
problems
Invest time with people
Dill the calendar by priorities
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8eact
ListenJ wait for phone to ring
Spend time living daytoday
reacting to problems
Spend time with people
Dill the calendar by reuests
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any times priorities are not blac+ or white, but many tones of
gray. I have found that the last thing one +nows is what to put
first. The following uestions will assist your priority process:
hat is re(uired of me) 0 leader can give up anything except
final responsibility. The uestion that must always be answered
before accepting a new 1ob is C5hat is reuired of me>C In other
words, what do I have to do that no one but me can do> 5hatever
those things are, they must be put high on the priority list. Dailure
to do them will cause you to be among the unemployed. There
will be many responsibilities of the levels under your position, but
only a few that reuire you to be the one and only one who can do
them. *istinguish between what you have to do and what can be
delegated to someone else.
hat gives me the greatest return) The effort expended
should approximate the tesults expected. 0 uestion I must
continually as+ myself is, C0m I doing what I do best andreceiving a good return for the organi&ation>C Three common
problems in many organi&ations are:
M 0buse: Too few employees are doing too much.M *isuse: Too many employees ate doing too little.
M isuse: Too many employees are doing the wrongthings.
hat is most rewarding) Life is too short not to be fun. 6ur
best wor+ ta+es place when we en1oy it. Some time ago I spo+e at
a leaders' conference where I attempted to teach this ptinciple. The
title of my lecture was CTa+e This Hob and Love It.C I encouraged
the audience to find something they li+ed to do so much they
would gladly do it for nothing. Then I suggested they learn to do it
so well that people would be happy to pay them for it. $ou en1oy
yourself because you are ma+ing your contribution to the world.
=
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comfortably into the reuirements, return, and reward of our
wor+>
#ow to Break the Tie Between Two *ood Options
M 0s+ your overseer or cowor+ers theit preference.M /an one of the options be handled by someone else> If so,
pass it on and wor+ on the one only you can do.M 5hich option would be of more benefit to the customer>
Too many times we are li+e the merchant who was so intent
on ttying to +eep the store clean that he would never unloc+
the front doot. The real reason for running the store is to
have customers come in, not to clean it upF
M a+e your decision based on the purpose of theorgani&ation.
Too 0 - $ 7 8 I 6 8 I T I 4 S 70 8 0 L $ G 4 9 S
4very one of us has loo+ed at our des+s filled with memos and
papers, heard the phone ringing, and watched the door open all at
the same timeF 8emember the Cfro&en feelingC that came over
you>
5illiam . inson tells us why animal trainers carry a stool
when they go into a cage of lions. They have theif whips, of
course, and their pistols are at theit sides. 3ut invariably they also
carry a stool. inson says it is the most important tool of the
trainer. e holds the stool by the bac+ and thrusts the legs toward
the face of the wild animal. Those who +now maintain that the
animal tries to focus on all four legs at once. In the attempt to
focus on all four, a +ind of paralysis overwhelms the animal, and
it becomes tame, wea+, and disabled because its attention is fragmented. @-ow we will have more empathy for the lions.A
If you are overloaded with wor+, list the priorities on a
separate sheet of paper efore you ta+e it to your boss and see
what he will choose as the priorities.
The last of each month I plan and lay out my priorities for the
next month. I sit down with my assistant and have her place those
pro1ects on the calendar. She handles hundreds of things for me on
a monthly basis. owever, when something is of igh
ImportanceNigh 9tgency, I communicate that to her so it will be
placed above other things.
0ll true leaders have learned to say no to the good in order to say
yes to the best.
5 4 - L I T T L 4 7 8 I 6 8 I T I 4 S * 4 0 - * T 6 6 9 / 6 D 9 S , 3 I 2
78 6 3 L 4 S 0 8 I S 4
8obert H. c?ain said, CThe reason most ma1or goals are not
achieved is that we spend our time doing second things first.C
4 D D I / I 4 - / $ IS T 4 D 6 9 - * 0 T I 6 - D 6 8 S 9 8 E I E 0 L .
4 D D 4 / T I E 4 - 4 S S IS T 4 D 6 9 - * 0 T I 6 - D 6 8
S 9 / / 4 S S .
6ften the little things in life trip us up. 0 tragic example is an
4astern 0irlines 1umbo 1et that crashed in the 4verglades of
Dlorida. The plane was the nowfamous Dlight "), bound from !
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-ew $or+ to iami with a heavy load of hol iday passengers. 0s
the plane approached the iami airport for its landing, the light
that indicates proper deployment of the landing gear failed to
light. The plane flew in a large, looping circle over the swamps of
the 4vetglades while the coc+pit crew chec+ed to see if the gear
actually had not deployed, or if instead the bulb in the signal light
was defective.5hen the flight engineet tried to remove the light bulb, it
wouldn't budge, and the other members of the crew tried to help
him. 0s they struggled with the bulb, no one noticed the aircraft
was losing altitude, and the plane simply flew right into the
swamp. *o&ens of people were +illed in the crash. 5hile an
experienced crew of highpriced pilots fiddled with a seventyfive
cent light bulb, the plane with its passengers flew right into the
ground.
T I 4 * 4 0 * L I - 4 S 0 - * 4 4 8 2 4 - / I 4 S
D6 8 / 4 9 S T 6 78 I 6 8 I T I G 4
5e find this in 7ar+inson's Law: If you have only one letter to
write, it will ta+e all day to do it. If you have twenty letters to
write, you'll get them done in one day. 5hen is our most efficient
time in our wor+> The wee+ before vacationF 5hy can't we
always run our lives the way we do the wee+ before we leave the
office, ma+ing decisions, cleaning off the des+, tetutning calls>
9nder normal conditions, we are efficient @doing things rightA.
5hen time pressure mounts or emergencies arise, we become
effective @doing the right thingsA. 4fficiency is the foundation for
survival. 4ffectiveness is the foundation of success.
6n the night of 0pril ", (
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even been mentioned as a potential future candidate for the
7residency or Eice 7residency of the 9nited States.
0 few wee+s before his announcement, Tsongas had learned he
had a form of lymphatic cancer which could not be cured but could
be treated. In all li+elihood, it would not greatly affect his physical
abilities or life expectancy. The illness did not force Tsongas out
of the Senate, but it did fotce him to face the reality of his ownmortality. e would not
be able to do everything he might want to do. So what were the
things he really wanted to do in the time he had>
e decided that what he wanted most in life, what he would
not give up if he could not have everything, was being with his
family and watching his children grow up. e would rather do that
than shape the nation's laws of get his name in the history boo+s.
Shortly after his decision was announced, a friend wrote a note
to congratulate Tsongas on having his priorities straight. The note
read: C-obody on his deathbed ever said, 'I wish I had spent more
time on my business.'C
(
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s
ow *o I D E V E L O P T R U S T ?
Trust is the foundation of leadership.
ne of the most important lessons a leader can learn is how
trust wor+s. To me, it is a little li+e earning and spending
poc+et change. 4ach time you ma+e a good leadership decision, it
puts change into your poc+et. 4ach time you ma+e a poor one, you
have to pay out some of your change to the people.
O
4very leader has a certain amount of change in his poc+et when
he starts in a new leadership position. Drom then on, he either
builds up his change or pays it out. If he ma+es one bad decision
after another, he +eeps paying out change. Then one day, afterma+ing one last bad decision, he is going to reach into his poc+et
and reali&e he is out of change. It doesn't even matter if the blunder
was big or small. 5hen you're out of change, you're out as a
leader.
0 leader's history of successes and failures ma+es a big dif
ference in his credibility. $our people +now when you ma+e
mista+es. The real uestion is whether you're going to 'fess up. If
you do, you can often uic+ly regain their trust. I've learned
firsthand that when it comes to leadership, you 1ust can't ta+e
shortcuts, no matter how long you've been leading your people.
T 8 9 S T I S T 4 D6 9 - * 0 T I 6 - 6 D L 4 0 * 4 8 S I 7
There are three ualities a leader must exemplify to build trust:
competence, connection, and character. 7eople will forgive
occasional mista+es based on ability, especially if they can see that
you're still growing as a leader. 3ut they won't trust someone who
has slips in character. In that area, even occasional lapses are
lethal. 0ll effective leaders +now this truth. 7epsi/o chairman and
/46 /raig 5eatherup ac+nowledges, C7eople will tolerate honest
mista+es, but if you violate their trust you will find it very difficult
to ever regain their confidence. That is one reason that you need to
treat trust as your most precious asset. $ou may fool your boss but
you can never fool your colleagues or subordinates.C
2eneral . -orman Schwar&+opf points to the significance of
character: CLeadership is a potent combination of strategy and
character. 3ut if you must be without one, be without strategy.C
/haracter and leadership credibility always go hand in hand.
0nthony arrigan, president of the 9.S. 3usiness and Industrial
/ouncil, said,
The role of character always has been the +ey factot in the
rise and fall of nations. 0nd one can be sute that 0metica is no
exception to this tule of histoty 5e won't sutvive as a countty
because we are smartet or more sophisticated but because we< )
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< L 4 0 * 4 8 S I 7 I6 I
are%we hope%stronger inwardly. In short, chatacter is the
only effective bulwat+ against internal and external forces that
lead to a country's disintegtation or collapse.
/haracter ma+es trust possible. 0nd trust ma+es leadership
possible.
/ 0 8 0 / T 4 8 / 6 9 - I / 0 T 4 S
/haracter communicates many things to followers:
/ 0 8 0 / T 4 8 / 6 9 - I / 0 T 4 S / 6 - S I S T 4 - / $
Leaders without inner strength can't be counted on day after
day because their ability to perform changes constantly. -30 great
Herry 5est commented, C$ou can't get too much done in life if you
only wor+ on the days when you feel good.C If your people don't
+now what to expect from you as a leader, at some point they
won't loo+ to you for leadership.
5 4 - 0 L 4 0 * 4 8 'S / 0 8 0 / T 4 8 IS S T 8 6 - 2 ,
7 4 6 7 L 4 T 8 9 S T I . 0- * T 4 $ T 8 9 S T I- IS
0 3 I L I T $ T 6 8 4 L 4 0 S 4 T 4 I 8 7 6 T 4 - T I 0 L .
Thin+ about what happened in the late ()s. Several high
profile /hristian leaders stumbled and fell due to moral issues.
That lac+ of consistency compromised their ability to lead their
people. In fact, it gave a blac+ eye to every pastor across the nation
because it caused people to become suspicious of all church
leaders, regardless of their personal trac+ records. The flawed
charactet of those fallen leaders destroyed the foundation for theif
leadership.
5hen I thin+ of leaders who epitomi&e consistency of
chatacter, the first person who comes to mind is 3illy 2taham.
8egardless of personal religious beliefs, everybody trusts him.
5hy> 3ecause he has modeled high character for more than half a
century. e lives out his values every day. e never ma+es a
commitment unless he is going to +eep it. 0nd he goes out of his
way to personify integrity.
/ 0 8 0 / T 4 8 / 6 9 - I / 0 T 4 S 76 T 4 - T I 0 L
Hohn orley observed, C-o man can climb out beyond the
limitations of his own character.C That's especially true when it
comes to leadership. Ta+e, for instance, the case of -L coach
i+e ?eenan. 0s of mid((!, he had a noteworthy record of
professional hoc+ey victories: the fifth greatest number of regular
season wins, the third greatest number of playoff victories, six
division titles, four -L finals appearances, and one Stanley /up.
$et despite those commendable credentials, ?eenan was unable
to stay with a single team for any length of time. In eleven and a
half seasons, he coached four different teams. 0nd aftet his stint
with the fourth team%the St. Louis 3lues%he was unable to land
a 1ob for a long time. 5hy> Spottswriter 4. . Swift said of
?eenan, CThe reluctance to hire ?eenan is easily explicable.
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4verywhere he has been, he has alienated players and
management.C4vidently, his players didn't trust him. -either did
the ownets, who were benefiting from seeing their teams win.
/raig 5eatherup explains, C$ou don't build trust by tal+ing
about it. $ou build it by achieving results, always with integrity
and in a manner that shows real personal regard for the people with
whom you wor+.C
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ow CA N I E F F E C T I V E L Y CA S T
VI S I O N ?
+ou can seize only what you can see.
ne of the great dreamers of the twentieth century was 5alt
*isney. 0ny person who could create the first sound
cartoon, first allcolot cartoon, and first animated featurelength
motion pictute is definitely someone with vision. 3ut *isney's
greatest masterpieces of vision were *isneyland and 5alt *isney
5orld. 0nd the spar+ for that vision came from an unexpected
place.
O
3ac+ when 5alt's two daughters were young, he too+ them to
an amusement par+ in the Los 0ngeles area on Saturday
mornings. is girls loved it, and he did too. 0n amusement par+ is
a +id's paradise, with wonderful atmosphere.
5alt was especially captivated by the carousel. 0s he
approached it, he saw a blur of bright images racing around to the
tune of energetic calliope music. 3ut when he got closer and the
carousel stopped, he could see that his eye had been fooled. e
observed shabby horses with crac+ed
= 3ecause vision leads the leader. It paints the target. It spar+s and
fuels the fire within, and draws him forward. It is also the fire
lighter for others who follow that leader. Show me a leader
without vision, and I'll show you someone who isn't going
anywhere. 0t best, he is traveling in circles.
To get a handle on vision and how it comes to be a part of a
good leader's life, understand these things:
E I S I 6 - ST 0 8 T S 5 I T I -
5hen I'm teaching at conferences, someone will occasionally
as+ me to give him a vision for his organi&ation.
3ut I can't do it. $ou can't buy, beg, or borrow vision. It has to
come from the inside. Dor *isney, vision was never a problem.
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3ecause of his creativity and desire for excellence, he always saw
what couldbe.
If you lac+ vision, loo+ inside yourself. *raw on your natural
gifts and desires. Loo+ to your calling if you have one. 0nd if you
still don't sense a vision of your own, then consider hoo+ing up
with a leader whose vision resonates with you. 3ecome his
partner. That's what 5alt *isney's brothet, 8oy, did. e was agood businessman and leader who could ma+e things happen, but
5alt provided the vision. Together, they made an incredible team.
E I S I 6 - * 8 0 5 S 6 - T 6 9 8 I S T 6 8 $
Eision isn't some mystical uality that comes out of a vacuum,
as some people seem to believe. It grows from a leader's past and
the history of the people around him. That was the case for *isney.
3ut it's true for all leaders. Tal+ to any leader, and you're li+ely to
discover +ey events in his past that were insttumental in the
creation of his vision.
E I S I 6 - 4 4 T S 6 T 4 8 S ' - 4 4 * S
True vision is farreaching. It goes beyond what one individual
can accomplish. 0nd if it has real value, it does more than 1ust
include othersJ it adds value to them. If you have a vision that
doesn't serve others, it's probably too small.
E I S I 6 - 4 L 7 S $ 6 9 2 0 T 4 8 84 S 6 9 8 / 4 S
6ne of the most valuable benefits of vision is that it acts li+e a
magnet%attracting, challenging, and uniting people. It also rallies
finances and other resources. The greater the vision, the more
winners it has the potential to attract. The more challenging the
vision, the harder the participants fight to achieve it. 4dwin Land,
the founder of 7olaroid, advised, CThe first thing you do is teach
the person to feel that the vision is very important and nearly
impossible. That draws out the drive in winners.C
Docus 6 - L I S T 4 - I - 2
5here does vision come from> To find the vision that is
indispensable to leadership, you have to become a good listener.
$ou must listen to several voices.
T 4 I- - 4 8E 6 I / 4
0s I have already said, vision starts within. *o you +now your
life's mission> 5hat stirs your heart> 5hat do you dream about> If
what you're pursuing doesn't come from a desire within%from the
very depths of who you are and what you believe%you will not be
able to accomplish it.
T 4 9- 0 7 7 $ E6 I / 4
5here does inspiration for great ideas come from> Drom
noticing what doesn't wor+. *iscontent with the status (uo is a
great catalyst for vision. 0re you on complacent cruise control> 6r
do you find yourself itching to change your world> -o great leader
in history has fought to prevent change.
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T 4 S9 / / 4 S S D 9 L E 6 I / 4
-obody can accomplish great things alone. To fulfill a big
vision, you need a good team. 3ut you also need good advice from
someone who is ahead of you in the leadership 1ourney. If you
want to lead othets to greatness, find a mentor. *o you have an
adviser who can help you sharpen your vision>
T I-? 0 3 6 9 T 5 0T $ 6 9 '* LI?4 T 6 S 4 4 / 0 - 2 4
I- T 4 5 6 8 L * 0 8 6 9 - * $ 6 9 .
T 4 I I I 2 4 8 E 6 I / I
0lthough it's true that your vision must come from within, you
shouldn't let it be confined by your limited capabilities. 0 truly
valuable vision must have 2od in it. 6nly e +nows your full
capabilities. ave you loo+ed beyond youtself, even beyond your
own lifetime, as you've sought your vision> If not, you may be
missing your true potential and life's best for you.
I...........To improve your vision, do the following:
easure yourself. If you have previously thought about the
vision for your life and articulated it, measure how well you are
carrying it out. Tal+ to several +ey people, such as your spouse, a
close friend, and +ey employees, as+ing them to state what they
thin+ your vision is. If they can articulate it, thenyou ate probably
living it.
-o a gut check. If you haven't done a lot of wor+ on vision,
spend the next several wee+s or months thin+ing about it. /onsider
what really impacts you at a gut level. hat makes you cry) hat
makes you dream) hat gives you energy)
0lso thin+ about what you'd li+e to see change in the world
around you. 5hat do you see that isn't%but could be> 6nce your
ideas start to become clearer, write them down and tal+ to a
mentor about them.
Drom (
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T 4 I 7 0 / T 6 D
0 L4 0 * 4 8
WH Y I S I N F L U E N C E I M P O R T A N T ?
The true measure of leadership is influence nothingmore, nothing less.
f you don't have influence, you will neverbe able to lead
others. So how do you find and measure influence> ere's a
story to answer that uestion.
IIn late summer of ((!, people were 1olted by two events that
occurred less than a wee+ apart: the deaths of 7rincess *iana and
other Teresa. 6n the surface, the two women could not have
been mote different. 6ne was a tall, young, glamorous princess
from 4ngland who circulated in the highest society. The other, a
-obel 7eace 7ri&e recipient, was a small, elderly /atholic nun
born in 0lbania, who served the poorest of the poof in /alcutta,
India.
5hat's incredible is that their impact was remar+ably similar.
In a ((B poll published by the London-aily ail, 7rincess *iana
and other Teresa were voted in first and second places as the
world's two most caring people.
That's something that doesn't happen unless you have a lot of
influence. ow did someone li+e *iana come to be regarded in the
same way as other Teresa> The answer is that she demonsttated
the powet of influence.
* I 0 - 0 / 0 7 T 9 8 4 * T 4 5 6 8 L * ' S I 0 2 I - 0 T I 6 -
In (, *iana became the most tal+edabout person on the globe
when she married 7rince /harles of 4ngland. -early one billion
people watched *iana's wedding ceremony televised from St.
7aul's /athedtal. 0nd since that day, it seemed people never could
get enough news about her. 7eople were intrigued with *iana, a
commoner who had once been a +indergarten teacher. 0t fitst she
seemed painfully shy and totally overwhelmed by all the attention
she and her new husband were receiving. 4arly in their marriage,
some reports stated that *iana wasn't very happy performing the
duties expected of het as a royal princess. owever, in time she
ad1usted to her new role. 0s she started traveling and representing
the royal family around the world at various functions, she uic+ly
made it her goal to serve others and raise funds for numerous
charitable causes. 0nd during the process, she built many
important relationships%with politicians, organi&ers of
humanitarian causes, entertainers, and heads of state.
*iana started rallying people to causes such as medical
research for 0I*S, care for people with leprosy, and a ban on land
mines. She was uite influential in bringing that last issue to the
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attention of the world's leaders. 6n a visit to the 9nited States 1ust
months before her death, she met with membefs of the /linton
administration to convince them to support the 6slo conference
banning the devices. 0nd a few wee+s later, they made changes in
their position. 7atric+ Duller of the 3ritish 8ed /ross said, CThe
attention she drew to the issue influenced /linton. She put the
issue on the world agenda, there's no doubt about that.C Several executives followed him out. So did many
of the company's largest accounts, including 3ritish 0irways and
ars, the candy ma+er. Saatchi's influence was so great that his
departure caused the company's stoc+ to fall immediately from
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/ross, a 9nited 5ay shelter, or their local church, then you +now
that they really do have influence% and leadership ability.
ere is my favorite leadership proverb: Ce who thin+s he
leads, but has no followers, is only ta+ing a wal+.C If you can't
influence others, they won't follow you. 0nd if they won't follow,
you're not a leader. -o matter what anybody else tells you,
temember that leadership is influence%nothing mote, nothingless.
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ow D O E S I N F L U E N C E WO R K?
/eal leadership is eing the person others will gladly
and confidently follow.
ociologists tell us that even the most introverted individual
influences ten thousand other people during his or her
lifetimeF This ama&ing statistic was shared with me by my
associate Tim 4lmore. Tim and I concluded that each one of us is
both influencing and being influenced by others.
0
I - D L 9 4 - / 4 / 0 - 3 4 * 4 E 4 L 6 7 4 *
The prominent leader of any group is uite easily discovered. Hust
observe the people as they gather. If an issue is to be decided, who
is the person whose opinion seems most valuable> 5ho is the one
with whom people uic+ly agree> ost importantly, who is the
one the others follow>
8obert *ilenschneider, the /46 of ill and ?nowlton, a
worldwide public relations agency, is one of the nation's
!
ma1or influence bro+ers. e s+illfully weaves his persuasive
magic in the global arena where governments and mega
corporations meet. e wrote a boo+ entitled !ower and In1
fluence, in which he shares the idea of the Cpower triangleC to
help leaders get ahead. e says, CThe three components of
this triangle are communication, recognition, and influence.
$ou start to communicate effectively. This leads to
recognition and recognition in turn leads to influence.''
T 4 L 4 E 4 L S 6 D L 4 0 * 4 8 S I 7
5e can increase our influence and leadership potential if we
understand the following levels of leadership:
= 7 4 8 S 6 - 6 6 *
7 4 6 7 L 4* 4 E 4 L 6 7
4 -T
RESPECT: Peo!e "o!#
!o$ %e&()e o" $*o +o(
,e -. $*/ +o(
,e,e)e-/
NOTE T*2) )/e 2) ,e)e,e. "o, !e.e,) $*o
*e )e-/ +e,) 4,o$2-4 eo!e -.
o,4-25/2o-) Fe$ 67e 2/ T*o)e $*o .o ,e
%244e, /*- !2"e
7 8 6 * 9 / T I
6 -
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NOTE T*2) 2) $*e,e !o-4#,-4e 4,o$/* o&&(,)
Yo(, &o662/6e-/ /o .ee!o2-4 !e.e,) $2!!
2-)(,e o-4o2-4 4,o$/* /o /*e o,4-25/2o- -. /o
eo!e Do $*/ee, +o( &- /o &*2ee -. )/+
o- /*2) !ee!
7 4 8 I S S S
I6 -
RESULTS Peo!e "o!!o$ %e&()e
o" $*/ +o( *e .o-e "o, /*e
o,4-25/2o-
NOTE T*2) 2) $*e,e )(&&e)) 2) )e-)e. %+ 6o)/ eo!e T*e+ !27e
+o( -. $*/ +o( ,e .o2-4 P,o%!e6) ,e "28e. $2/* e,+ !2//!e
e""o,/ %e&()e o" 6o6e-/(6
RELATIONSHIPS: NOTE Peo!e $2!! "o!!o$ +o( %e+o-. +o(, )//e.
Peo!e "o! !o$ %e&()e (/*o,2/+ T*2) !ee! !!o$) $o,7 /o %e "(- C(/2o-
/* e+ $-/ /o S /+2- 4 /o o !o- 4 o- /* 2) !ee! $2/* o(/ ,2 )2- 4 $2!!
&()e *24*!+ 6o/2/e. eo!e /o %e&o6e ,e)/!e))
7 6
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RIGHTS: Peo!e NOTE Yo(, 2-"!(e-&e $2!! -o/ e8/e-. %e+o-. /*e !2-e) o" +o(,
"o!!o$ %e&()e 9o% .e)&,2/2o- T*e !o-4e, +o( )/+ *e,e: /*e *24*e, /*e
/* e+ * e /o /( ,-o e, -. /* e ! o$ e, /* e 6o, !e
L 4 E 4 L i : 76 S I T I 6 - 74 6 7 L 4 D6 L L 6 5
3 4 / 0 9 S 4 T 4 $ 0 E 4 T 6
This is the basic entry level of leadership. The only
influence you have is that which comes with a title. 7eople
who stay at this level get into territorial rights, protocol,ttadition, and organi&ational charts. These things are not
negative unless they become the basis for authority and
influence, but they are poor substitutes for leadership s+ills.
0 person may be Cin controlC because he has been ap
pointed to a position. In that position he may have authority.
3ut real leadership is more than having authorityJ it is more
than having the technical training and following the proper
procedures. 8eal leadership is being the person others will
gladly and confidently follow. 0 real leader +nows the
difference between being the boss and being a leadet.
M The boss drives his wor+ersJ the leader coaches them.M The boss depends upon authorityJ the leader on
goodwill.
M The boss inspires fearJ the leader inspires enthusiasm.M The boss says CICJ the leader, Cwe.CM The boss fixes the blame for the brea+downJ the leadet
fixes the brea+down.
2haracteristics of a 3!ositional Leader3
0ecurity is ased on title, not talent. The story is told of a
private in 5orld 5ar I who shouted on the battlefield, C7ut
out that matchFC only to find to his chagrin that the offender
was 2eneral C3lac+1ac+C 7ershing. 5hen the private, who
feared severe punishment, ttied to stammer out his apology,
2eneral 7ershing patted him on the bac+ and said, CThat's all
right, son. Hust be glad I'm not a second lieutenant.C The point
should be clear. The higher the petson's level of true ability
and the resulting influence, the more secure and confident he
becomes.
This level is often gained y appointment. 0ll other levels
are gained by ability. Leo *urocher was coaching at first base
in an exhibition game the 2iants were playing at 5est 7oint.6ne noisy cadet +ept shouting at Leo and doing his best to
upset him.
Cey, *urocher,C he hollered. Cow did a little suirt li+e
you get into the ma1or leagues>C
Leo shouted bac+, Cy congressman appointed meFC'
!eople will not follow a positional leader eyond his
stated authority. They will only do what they have to do when
they are reuired to do it. Low morale is always present.
5hen the leader lac+s confidence, the followers lac+ com
mitment. They are li+e the little boy who was as+ed by 3illy
2taham how to find the nearest post office. 5hen the lad told
him, *r. 2raham than+ed him and said, CIf you'll come to the
convention center this evening you can heat me telling
everyone how to get to heaven.C
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CI don't thin+ I'll be there,C the boy replied. C$ou don't
even +now your way to the post office.C
!ositional leaders have more difficulty working with vol1
unteers, white collar workers, and younger people.
Eolunteers don't have to wor+ in the organi&ation so there is
no monetary leverage that a positional leader can use to ma+e
them respond. 5hite collar wor+ers are used to patticipatingin decisionma+ing and resent dictatotial leadership. 3aby
boomers in particular are unimpressed with symbols of
authority.
The following characteristics must be exhibited with
excellence on this level befote you can advance to the next
level.
Level 4& !osition$/ights
M ?now your 1ob description thoroughly.M 3e aware of the histoty of the organi&ation.M 8elate the organi&ation's histoty to the people of the
otgani&ation @in other words, be a team playerA.
M 0ccept responsibility.M *o your 1ob with consistent excellence.M *o more than expected.M 6ffer creative ideas for change and improvement.
L 4 E 4 L < : 7 4 8 I S S I 6 -%7 4 6 7 L 4 D 6 L L 6 5
3 4 / 0 9 S 4 T 4 $ 5 0 - T T 6
Dred Smith says, CLeadership is getting people to wor+ for
you when they are not obligated.C# That will only happen
when you climb to the second level of influence. 7eople don't
care how much you +now until they +now how much youcare. Leadership begins with the heart, not the head. It
flourishes with a meaningful relationship, not more
regulations.
0 person on the CpermissionC level will lead by interrela
tionships. The agenda is not the pec+ing order but people
development. 6n this level, the leader donates time, energy,
and focus on the follower's needs and desires. 0 wonderful
illustration of why it's so critical to put people and their needs
first is found in the story of enry Dord in 0mitai 4t&ioni's
boo+, odern Organizations& Ce made a perfect car, the
odel T, that ended the need for any other car. e was totally
productoriented. e wanted to fill the world with odel T
cars. 3ut when people started coming to him and saying, 'r.
Dord, we'd li+e a different color car,' he remar+ed, '$ou can
have any color you want as long as it's blac+.' 0nd that's when
the decline started.C
7eople who are unable to build solid, lasting relationships
will soon discover that they are unable to sustain long,
effective leadership. -eedless to say, you can love people
without leading them, but you cannot lead people without
loving them.
2aution5 *on't try to s+ip a level. The most often s+ipped
level is
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e becomes a great provider for the family, but in the process
he neglects the essential relationships that hold a family
together. The family disintegrates and so does the husband's
business. 8elationships involve a process that provides the
glue and much of the staying powet for longterm, consistent
production.
The following characteristics must be mastered on thislevel before you can advance to the next one.
Level 6& !ermission5/elationship
M 7ossess a genuine love for people.M a+e those who wor+ with you more successful.M See through other people's eyes.M Love people more than procedures.M *o CwinwinC or don't do it.M Include others in your 1ourney.M *eal wisely with difficult people.
L 4 E 4 L # : 7 8 6 * 9 / T I 6 -%74 6 7 L 4 D 6 L L 6 5 3 4 / 0 9 S 4 6 D
5 0 T $ou 0 E 4 * 6 - 4 D 6 8 T 4 6 8 2 0 - I G 0 T I 6 - 6n this
level things begin to happen, good things. 7rofit
increases. orale is high. Turnover is low. -eeds are being
met. 2oals are being reali&ed. 0ccompanying the growth is
the Cbig moC%momentum. Leading and influencing others is
fun. 7roblems are solved with minimum effort. Dresh
statistics are shared on a regular basis with the people who
undergird the growth of the organi&ation. 4veryone is results
oriented. In fact, results are the main reason for the activity.
This is a ma1or difference between levels < and #. 6n theCrelationshipC level, people get together 1ust to get together.
There is no other ob1ective. 6n the CresultsC level, people
come together to accomplish a purpose. They li+e to get
together to get together, but they love to get together to
accomplish something. In other words, they are results
oriented.
The following characteristics must be mastered with
excellence before you can advance to the next level. Level 7&
!roduction$/esults
M Initiate and accept responsibility for growth.
M *evelop and follow a statement of purpose.M a+e your 1ob description and energy an integral part
of the statement of purpose.
M *evelop accountability for results, beginning withyourself.
M ?now and do the things that give a high return.
M /ommunicate the strategy and vision of theorgani&ation.
M 3ecome a changeagent and understand timing.M a+e the difficult decisions that will ma+e a
difference.
L 4 E 4 L ": 7 4 6 7 L 4 * 4 E 4 L 6 7 4 - T%74 6 7 L 4 D 6 L L 6 5
3 4 / 0 9 S 4 6 D 5 0 T $ 6 9 0 E 4 * 6 - 4 D 6 8T 4
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0 leader is great, not because of his or her power, but
because of his or her ability to empower others. Success
without a successor is failure. 0 wor+er's main responsibility
is doing the wor+ himself. 0 leader's responsibility is
developing others to do the wor+. The true leader can be
recogni&ed because somehow his people consistently
demonstrate superior performances.Loyalty to the leader reaches its highest pea+ when the
follower has personally grown through the mentorship of the
leader. -ote the progression: 0t level
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M $ou have become a statesmanNconsultant, and aresought out by others.
M $our greatest 1oy comes from watching others grow anddevelop.
M $ou transcend the organi&ation.
/ L I 3 I - 2 T 4 S T 4 7 S 6 D L 4 0 * 4 8 S I 7
ere are some additional insights on the leadershiplevels
process:
T 4 I 2 4 8 $ 6 9 2 6 , T 4 L 6 - 2 4 8 I T T 0 ? 4 S .
4ach time there is a change in your 1ob or you 1oin a new
circle of friends, you start on the lowest level and begin to
wor+ yourself up the steps.
T 4 I 2 4 8 $ 6 9 2 6 , T 4 I 2 4 8 T 4 L 4 E 4 L 6 D
/ 6 I T 4 - T .
This increase in commitment is a twoway street. 2reater
commitment is demanded not only from you, but from the
other individuals involved. 5hen either the leader or the fol
lower is unwilling to ma+e the sacrifices a new level de
mands, influence will begin to decrease.
T 4 I 2 4 8 $ 6 9 2 6 , T 4 4 0 S I 4 8 I T I S T 6 L 4 0 * .
-otice the progression from level two through level four.
The focus goes from li+ing you to li+ing what you do for the
common interest of all concerned @to li+ing what you do for
them personallyA. 4ach level climbed by the leader and thefollowers adds another reason why people will want to follow.
T 4 I 2 4 8 $ 6 9 2 6 , T 4 2 8 4 0 T 4 8 T 4 2 8 6 5 T .
2rowth can only occur when effective change ta+es place.
/hange will become easier as you climb the levels of
leadership. 0s you rise, other people will allow and even
assist you in ma+ing the needed changes.
$ 6 9 - 4 E 4 8 L 4 0 E 4 T 4 3 0 S 4 L 4 E 4 L .
4ach level stands upon the previous one and will crumble
if the lower level is neglected. Dor example, if you move from
a permission @relationshipsA level to a production @resultsA
level and stop caring for the people who are following you
and helping you produce, they might begin to develop a
feeling of being used. 0s you move up in the levels, the
deepet and more solid your leadership will be with a person or
group of people.
I D $ 6 9 0 8 4 L 4 0 * I - 2 0 2 8 6 9 7 6 D 7 4 6 7 L 4 . $ 6 9 5 I L L - 6 T 3 4
6 - T 4 S 0 4 L 4 E 4 L 5 I T 4 E 4 8 $ 6 - 4 .
-ot every person will respond the same way to your
leadership.
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D6 8 $ 6 9 8 L 4 0 * 4 8 S I 7 T 6 8 4 0 I - 4 D D 4 / T I E 4 , I T I S
4 S S 4 - T I 0 L T 0 T $ 6 9 T 0 ? 4 T 4 6 T 4 8 I - D L 9 4 - / 4 8 S 5 I T I -
T 4 2 8 6 9 7 5 I T $ 6 9 T 6 T 4 I 2 4 8 L 4 E 4 L S .
The collective influence of you and the other leaders will
bring the rest along. If this does not happen, divided interest
and loyalty will occur within the group.
$ 6 9 9 S T ? - 6 5 5 0 T L 4 E 4 L $ 6 9 0 8 4 6 - 0 T
T I S 6 4 - T .
Since you will be on different levels with different people,
you need to +now which people are on which level. If the
biggest influencers within the organi&ation are on the highest
levels and are supportive of you, then your success in leading
others will be attainable. If the best influencers are on the
highest levels and not supportive, then problems will soon
arise.
4veryone is a leader because everyone influences some
one. -ot everyone will become a great leader, but everyone
can become a better leader. 0re you willing to unleash your
leadership potential> 5ill you use your leadership s+ills to
better man+ind>
y Influence
y life shall touch a do&en lives 3efore this day
is done. Leave countless mat+s of good or ill,
4'er sets the evening sun.
This, the wish I always wish, The ptayet I
always ptay: Lord, may my life help othet lives
It touches by the way."
ow CA N I E ; T E N D MY I N F L U E N C E ?
The act of empowering others changes lives.
n 4nglish artist named 5illiam 5olcott went to -ew $or+
in (
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-ot wanting to lose that spar+ of inspiration, 5olcott too+ the
wrapping paper and said, C-othing is ordinary if you +now how to
use it.C 6n that ordinary paper 5olcott made two s+etches. Latet
that same year, one of those same s+etches sold for ;=)) and the
other for ;,))), uite a sum for (
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Hust about evetyone has the potential to become an empowerer,
but you cannot empowet everyone. The process wor+s only when
certain conditions are met. $ou must have:
7 6 S I T I 6 -
$ou cannot empower people whom you don't lead. Leadership
expert Dred Smith explained, C5ho can give permission foranother person to succeed> 0 person in authority. 6thers can
encourage, but permission comes only from an authority figure: a
parent, boss, or pastor.C
84 L 0 T I 6 - S I 7
It has been said that relationships ate fotged, not formed. They
reuire time and common experience. If you have made the effort
to connect with people, then by the time you're ready to empower
them, your relationship should be solid enough for you to be able
to lead them. 0nd as you do, remember what 8alph 5aldo
4merson wrote, C4very man Ror woman is entitled to be valued
by his Ror her best moments.C 5hen you value people and yout
relationships with them, you lay the foundation for empowering
others.
84 S 7 4 / T
8elationships cause people to want to be with you, but respect
causes them to want to be empowered by you. utual respect is
essential to the empowerment process. 7sychiatrist 0ri ?iev
summed it up this way: C4veryone wants to feel that he counts for
something and is important to someone. Invariably, people will
give their love, respect, and attention to the person who fills that
need.C 5hen you believe in people, care about them, and trust
them, they +now it. 0nd that tespect inspires them to want to
follow where you lead.
/ 6 I T 4 - T
The last uality a leadet needs to become an empoweret is
commitment. 9S 0ir executive 4d c4lroy stressed that
Ccommitment gives us new power. -o matter what comes to us%
sic+ness, poverty, or disaster, we never turn our eye from the
goal.C The process of empowering others isn't always easy,
especially when you start doing it for the first time. It's a road thathas many bumps and sidetrac+s. 3ut it is one that's worth traveling
because the rewards are so great. 8emember: when you empower
people, you're not influencing 1ust themJ you're influencing all the
people they influence. That's impactF
T 4 8I 2 T 0 T T I T 9 * 4
6ne mote crucial element of empowering needs to be in place if
you want to become a successful leader: $ou need to have the
right attitude.
any people neglect to empower others because they are
insecure. They are afraid of losing their 1obs to the people they
mentor. They don't want to be replaced or displaced, even if it
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process. 9se the following steps to guide you as you empower
others:
i . 4 E 0 L 9 0 T 4 T 4
The place to start when empowering people is to evaluate
them. If you give inexperienced people too much authority too
soon, you can set them up to fail. If you move too slowly withpeople who have lots of experience, you can frustrate and
demorali&e them.
8emember that all people have the potential to succeed. $our
1ob is to see the potential, find out what they lac+ to develop it,
and euip them with what they need. 0s you evaluate the people
you intend to empower, loo+ at these areas:
:nowledge. Thin+ about what people need to +now in order to
do any tas+ you intend to give them. *on't ta+e for granted that
they +now all that you +now. 0s+ them uestions. 2ive them
history or bac+ground information. /ast a vision by giving them
the big picture of how their actions fit into the organi&ation's
mission and goals. ?nowledge is not only powerJ it's empowering.
0kill. 4xamine the s+ill level of the people you desire to
empower. -othing is more frustrating than being as+ed to do
things for which you have no ability. $out 1ob as the empoweter is
to find out what the 1ob reuires and ma+e sure your people have
what they need to succeed.
-esire. 2ree+ philosopher 7lutarch remar+ed, CThe richest
soil, if uncultivated, produces the ran+est weeds.C -o amount of
s+ill, +nowledge, or potential can help people succeed if they don't
have the desire to be successful. 3ut when desire is present,empowerment is easy. 0s seventeenthcentury Drench essayist
Hean La Dontaine wrote, Can is made so that whenevet anything
fites his soul, impossibilities vanish.C
< . 6 * 4 L D 6 8T 4
4ven people with +nowledge, s+ill, and desire need to +now
what's expected of them, and the best way to inform them is to
show them. 7eople do what people see.
The people you desire to empowet need to see what it loo+s
li+e to fly. 0s their mentor, you have the best opportunity to show
them. odel the attitude and wot+ ethic you would li+e them to
embrace. 0nd anytime you can include them in your wor+, ta+e
them along with you. There is no better way to help them learn
and understand what you want them to do.
# . 2 I E 4 T 4 74 8 I S S I 6 - T 6 S9 / / 4 4 *
0s a leader and influencer, you may believe that everyone
wants to be successful and automatically strives for success,
probably as you have. 3ut not everyone you influence will thin+
the same way you do. $ou have to help others believe that they
can succeed and show them that you want them to succeed. ow
do you do that>
;
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appeared on 4arth. 0 billion minutes ago, /hristianity emerged. 0
billion seconds ago, the 3eatles performed on 'The 4d Sullivan
Show.' 0 billion /oca/olas ago . . . was yesterday morning. 0nd
the uestion we are as+ing ourselves now is, '5hat must we do to
ma+e a billion /oca/olas ago this morning>'C
a+ing /oca/ola the best company in the world was
2oi&ueta's lifelong uest, one he was still pursuing diligentlywhen he suddenly, unexpectedly died. /ompanies that lose a /46
often go into turmoil, especially if his
departure is unexpected, as 2oi&ueta's was. Shortly before his
death, 2oi&ueta said in an interview with the "tlanta >ournal1
2onstitution that retirement was Cnot on my radar screen. 0s long
as I'm having the fun I'm having, as long as I have the energy
necessary, as long as I'm not +eeping people from theit day in the
sun, and as long as the board wants me to stay on, I will stay on.C
Hust months after the interview, he was diagnosed with cancer. Six
wee+s later, he died.9pon 2oi&ueta's death, former president Himmy /atter
observed, C7erhaps no othet corporate leader in modern times has
so beautifully exemplified the 0merican dream. e believed that
in 0merica, all things are possible. e lived that dream. 0nd
because of his extraordinary leadership s+ills, he helped thousands
of othets reali&e their dreams as well.C
26 I G 9 4 T 0 ' S L 4 2 0 / $
The legacy left to the company by 2oi&ueta is inctedible. 5hen he
too+ over /oca/ola in (, the company's value was ;" billion.
9nder 2oi&ueta's leadership, it rose to ;=) billion. That's an
increase in value of more than #,=)) percentF /oca/ola became
the second most valuable corporation in 0metica, ahead of the car
ma+ers, the oil companies, icrosoft, 5alart, and all the rest.
The only company more valuable was 2eneral 4lectric. any of
/o+e's stoc+holdets became millionaires many times over. 4mory
9niversity in 0tlanta, whose portfolio contains a large bloc+ of
/oca/ola stoc+, now has an endowment comparable to that of
arvard.
3ut high stoc+ value wasn't the most significant thing 2oi&ueta
gave to the /oca/ola company. Instead it was the way he left a
legacy. 5hen the /46's death was announced, there was no panic
among /oca/ola stoc+holders. 7aine 5ebber analyst 4manuel
2oldman said that 2oi&ueta Cprepared the company for his not
being there as well as any executive I've ever seen.C
ow did he do it> Dirst, by ma+ing the company as strong as he
possibly could. Second, by preparing a successor for the top
position named *ouglas Ivester. ic+ey . 2ramig, writer for the
"tlanta 2onstitution, reported, C9nli+e some companies, which
face a crisis when the top executive leaves or dies, /oca/ola is
expected to retain its status as one of the world's most admiredcorporations. 2oi&ueta had groomed Ivester to follow his footsteps
since the 2eorgia native's ((" appointment to the company's -o.
< post. 0nd as an indication of how strongly 5all Stteet felt about
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/oca/ola's footings, the company's stoc+ barely tippled six wee+s
ago when 2oi&ueta was diagnosed with lung cancer.C
*oug Ivester, an accountant by training, started his cateer with
/oca/ola in (!( as the assistant controller. Dour years later, he
was named chief financial officer. e was +nown for his
exceptional financial creativity, and he was a ma1ot force in
2oi&ueta's ability to Revoltio!i"e the company's approach to
investment and the handling of debt. 3y ((, 2oi&ueta must have
decided that Ivester had untapped potential, because he moved him
out of his sttictly financial role and sent him to 4urope to obtain
operating and international experience. 0 year later, 2oi&ueta
brought him bac+ and named him president of /oca/ola 9S0,
where he oversaw expenditures and mar+eting. Drom there he
continued to groom Ivester, and in ((", there could be no doubt
that Ivester would follow 2oi&ueta into the top position. 2oi&ueta
made him president and chief operating officet.
5hat 8oberto 2oi&ueta did was very unusual. Dew chief
executives of companies today develop strong leaders and groom
them to ta+e over the organi&ation. Hohn S. 5ood, a consultant at
4gon Gehnder International Inc., has noted that Ccompanies have
not in the recent past been investing as heavily in bringing people
up. If they're not able to grow them, they have to go get them.C So
why was 8oberto 2oi&ueta different> e +new the positive effect
of mentoting firsthand.
8oberto 2oi&ueta was born in /uba and educated at $ale,
where he earned a degree in chemical engineering. 5hen he
returned to avana in (=", he answered a newspaper ad for a
bilingual chemist. The company hiring turned out to be /oca/ola.3y (BB, he had become vice president of technical research and
development at the company's headuarters in 0tlanta. e was the
youngest man ever to hold such a position in the company. 3ut in
the early (!)s, something even more important happened. 8obert
5 5oodruff, the patriarch of /oca/ola, too+ 2oi&ueta under his
wing and began developing him. In (!=, 2oi&ueta became the
executive vice president of the company's technical division and
too+ on other corporate responsibilities, such as overseeing legal
affairs. 0nd in (), with 5oodruff's blessing, 2oi&ueta became
president and chief operating officer. 6ne year later he was the
chairman and chief executive. The teason 2oi&ueta so confidently
selected, developed, and groomed a successor in the (()s is that
he was building on the legacy that he had received in the (!)s.
L 4 0 * 4 8 S 5 6 L 4 0 E 4 0 L 4 2 0 / $ 6 D S 9 / / 4 S S I 6 - . .
.
Leaders who leave a legacy of succession for their organi&ation do
the following:
L 4 0 * T 4 6 8 2 0 - I G 0 T I 6 - 5 I T 0 CL 6 - 2 E I 4 5 C
Hust about anybody can ma+e an organi&ation loo+ good for amoment%by launching a flashy new program or product, drawing
crowds to a big event, or slashing the budget to boost the bottom
line. 3ut leaders who leave a legacy ta+e a different approach.
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They lead with tomorrow as well as today in mind. That's what
2oi&ueta did. e planned to +eep leading as long as he was
effective, yet he ptepared his successor anyway. e always loo+ed
out for the best intetests of the organi&ation and its stoc+holders.
/ 8 4 0 T 4 0 L 4 0 * 4 8 S I 7 / 9 L T 9 8 4
The most stable companies have strong leaders at every level ofthe organi&ation. The only way to develop such widespread
leadership is to ma+e developing leaders a part of your culture.
That is a strong part of /oca/ola's legacy. ow many other
successful companies do you +now about that have had a
succession of leaders come up within the tan+s of their own
organi&ation>
70 $ T 4 I 4 7 8 I / 4 T 6 * 0 $ T 6 0 S S 9 8 4 S9 / / 4 S S T 6 6 8 8 6 5
There is no success without sacrifice. 4ach organi&ation is
uniue, and that dictates what the price will be. 3ut any leader
who wants to help his organi&ation must be willing to pay that
price to ensure lasting success.
E0 L 9 4 T 4 0 L 4 0 * 4 8 S I 7 0 3 6 E 4
I- * I E I * 9 0 L L 4 0 * 4 8 S I 7
-o matter how good he is, no leader can do it all alone. Hust as
in sports a coach needs a team of good players to win, an
organi&ation needs a team of good leaders to succeed. The larger
the otgani&ation, the stronger, larger, and deeper the team of
leaders needs to be.
5 0 L ?0 5 0 $ D 8 6 T 4 6 8 2 0 - I G 0 T I 6 - 5 I T
I- T 4 2 8 I T $
In the case of /oca/ola, the leadet didn't get the oppottunity
to wal+ away because he died an untimely death. 3ut if he had
lived, I believe 2oi&ueta would have done 1ust that. 5hen it's a
leader's time to leave the organi&ation, he has got to be willing to
wal+ away and let his successor do his own thing. eddling only
hurts him and the organi&ation.
D4 5 L 4 0 * 4 8 S 70 S S I T 6-
ax *upree, author of Leadership Is an "rt, declared,
CSuccession is one of the +ey responsibilities of leadership.C $et
of all the characteristics of leadership, legacy is the one that the
fewest leaders seem to learn. 0chievement comes to someone
when he is able to do great things for himself. Success comes
when he empowers followers to do great things with him.
Significance comes when he develops leaders to do great things
for him. 3ut a legacy is created only when a person puts his
organi&ation into the position to do great things without him.
I learned the importance of legacy the hard way. 3ecause the
church grew so much while I was in my first leadership position in
illham, Indiana, I thought I was a success. 5hen I began there,
we had only three people in attendance. Dor three years, I built up
that church, reached out to the community, and influenced many
people's lives. 5hen I left, our average attendance was in the high
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two hundreds, and our record was more than three hundred people.
I had programs in place, and everything loo+ed rosy to me. I
thought I had teally done something significant.
4ighteen months after I had moved to my second church, I had
lunch with a friend I hadn't seen in a while, and he had 1ust spent
some time in illham. I as+ed him about how things were going
bac+ there, and I was surprised to hear his answer.C-ot too good,C he answered.
C8eally>C I said. C5hy> Things were going great when left.
5hat's wrong>C
C5ell,C he said, Cit's +ind of fallen off. Some of the programs
you got started +ind of petered out. The church is running only
about a hundred people. It might get even smallet before it's all
ovet.C
That really bothered me. 0 leader hates to see something that
he put his sweat, blood, and tears into starting to fail. 0t first, I got
tic+ed off at the leader who followed me. 3ut then it hit me. If I
had done a really good 1ob there, it wouldn't matter what +ind of
leader followed me, good or bad. The fault was really mine. I
hadn't set up the organi&ation to succeed after I left. It was the first
time I reali&ed the significance of legacy.
7 0 8 0 * I 2 S I D T
0fter that, I started to loo+ at leadership in a whole new way.
4very leader eventually leaves his organi&ation%one way or
another. e may change 1obs, get promoted, or retire. 0nd even if
a person refuses to tetire, he is going to die. That made me realiðat part of my 1ob as a leader was to start preparing my people
and organi&ation for what inevitably lies ahead. That prompted me
to change my focus from leading followers to developing leaders.
y lasting value, li+e that of any leader, would be measured by
my ability to give the organi&ation a smooth succession.
y best personal succession story concerns my departure from
S+yline /hurch. 5hen I first arrived there in (, I made one of
my primary goals the identification and development of leaders
because I +new that our success