 Yesterday we talked about how the richest people in the world building networks, or as I call them, cobwebs of personal relationships.
In building those relationships, the best of leaders recognize that giving is a major part of the relationship building process. This realization brings me to ask, “What does being a giver mean to you?” What came to your mind first, something financial? material? A gift need be neither financial nor material. However, what you give will be considered extremely valuable, especially when that gift is that of your time. As a leader, the gift of your time sharing your knowledge, insights, experience with others is a gift that cannot be equaled. Sol says… “A present is a precious stone in the eyes of its possessor.” ~ Proverbs 17:8 To whom can the gift of your time, along with knowledge and insights be given today to nurture another’s growth journey? Make it a great day of giving and keep being awesome.
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Robert Kiyosaki, the author of Rich Dad Poor Dad said, “The richest people in the world look for and build networks; everyone else looks for work.”
This begs the question of you as a leader, “Are you constantly seeking deals with people you may or may not trust? Wouldn’t it be better to seek relationships with those who are highly respected and can help bring you deals with people you can trust? Let’s face it! You don’t get up each morning with the goal of making deals with people you can’t trust. Doing business with people you can’t trust is a fool’s game. Good deals are done with good people, and you find them by seeking mutually beneficial know, like, and trust relationships. -> Know – It takes time to get to know someone and that requires learning about them, their values, their lifestyles, and the way the conduct business. -> Like – Let’s face it. If you spend time getting to know someone, you will learn whether or not you like them enough to spend more time with them. -> Trust – Knowing you can take what they say to the bank because of the level of integrity by which they are known, which is influence. Remember when your momma said, “Birds of a feather flock together?” Those with whom you establish mutually beneficial know, like, and trust relationships are no different, as they carry influence with others of a similar feather. Sol says… “Righteous lips are the delight of kings, and they love him who speaks what is right.” ~ Proverbs 16:13 The best leaders seek to build good relationships with those they know, like, and trust. Make it a great day and keep being awesome. According to Eric Hoffer, the learners are those who will eventually lead the world, while those who depend only upon what they have learned without seeking to advance their knowledge and understanding will lag behind in the world that has constantly changed before their eyes.
How does that affect your leadership role, which includes building both your organization and those who operate within the organization? Your job as the leader is to find those who are capable of not only the competencies required for the job, but also, and possibly more importantly, hungry for the new knowledge to compete, excel, and grow. Many years ago, before the computerized world, I was once asked by one of my retail chain account managers what he could do to be a more valuable part of the team. “Computers,” I answered. “Learn all you can about computers because business will be governed by them in the future.” Steve, I will call him Steve because you see, his name is Steve, immediately enrolled in computer classes and purchased a desktop computer for his home. Sol says, “A wise son heeds his father’s instruction.” ~ Proverbs 13:1 Because of Steve’s willingness to follow instruction and become a learner, he was tapped to train the corporation’s field sales teams several years later when laptop technology was rolled out to the field to better serve our customers. Teach your teams like you would one of your own children and note which ones accept the knowledge and grow. Make it a great day and keep being awesome. To be an effective leader, how much should you learn?
The words of Jim Rohn ring freshly in my mind as I hear him asking, “How much should you learn?” followed by, “All you can.” How do you approach learning in your leadership journey? Sol says, “Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.” ~ Proverbs 12:1 As a leader, you may have had to deal with some in your organization who weren’t performing at the required level of competency yet showed disdain at learning ways to become better. That lack of willingness of someone in your organization to learn and grow in knowledge is like a bad piece of fruit in a basket of fruit, eventually destroying the other pieces. Don’t let that bad piece of fruit infect your basket. Instead, make learning part of your organization’s daily routine. Make it a great day and keep being awesome. Yesterday we talked about ways of demonstrating integrity when tempted to forgo it for the sake of saving a minute or dollar.
That subject begs the question, “Have you ever considered the benefits of demonstrating your integrity in your leadership?” Demonstrating integrity in your leadership… -> Gives you a spirit of peace. -> Enhances your brand value in the marketplace. -> Due to your reputation of trustworthiness, deals with good people are easier to make and more fulfilling. -> Increases revenues and profits. Sol says, “The integrity of the upright will guide them, but the perversity of the unfaithful will destroy them.” ~ Proverbs 11:3 A brand known by its integrity is far more financially and mentally profitable, leading to an enhanced reputation, longer business life, and more peaceful lifestyle than does one of low integrity. Make it a great day and keep being awesome. Have you ever been tempted to take a shortcut, fudge on a deal, or treat someone unfairly.
Every leader is tempted about something sooner or later. Remember, being tempted is not as big an issue as giving into it. The difference between good leaders and those who are revealed as dishonest in some fashion is how they deal with those temptations, maintain their integrity. A true leader demonstrates integrity when -> Rejecting the opportunity to increase the bottom line by cutting corners. -> By holding to the principles of doing the right thing for their people. -> When they continue delivering great value even though costs are up. -> When they value the importance of others more than themselves. Sol says, “'He who walks with integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.” ~ Proverbs 10:9 Take a moment today to see how you demonstrate integrity in your leadership both in the marketplace and at home. Make it a great day and keep being awesome. Sol’s Wisdom for Leaders
BUSY IS NOT ALWAYS BEST Are you busy? Are you so busy that you are too busy to take the time to invest in your business by investing in your employees? Good leaders understand that achievement begins with what you invest in, not just doing. As a coach for small business owners, managers, and entrepreneurs, I see too many who set goals and begin doing without investing the time in understanding the best directions to move, costing them even more time and valuable financial resources. Failing to properly prepare themselves and their employees for the upcoming challenges costs more than taking the time to make those investments. Instead, being deliberate can bring about the successes you seek in less time. -> Understand that “slow and steady wins the race” is built on understanding and doing simple steps daily, like compound interest, provides the results you seek. -> Invest in hiring the best people to execute your plans. Keeping in mind that the best people may not be those with the most experience, but the most hunger to learn and achieve. -> Being quick without the need for hurrying results from the teaching of the principles and fundamentals governing the actions needed for the results you seek. -> Understand that knowledge is not power until it is shared with those responsible for executing the plan resulting from that knowledge. You see, Sol says, “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; Teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” ~ Proverbs 9:9 The best leaders invest in those people and processes that keep their organizations productive, not busy. Make it a great day and keep being awesome. #busy #productive #training #planning #smallbusiness Have you ever evaluated your characteristics and how others feel about you as their leader?
Leaders make or break an organization, be it a small company, department, or massive organization. How you affect others determines the level of performance your organization achieves. Some of the characteristics people look for in their leaders are: -> Humility demonstrated in both words and actions. -> Trustworthiness, having a word that stands for something -> Those who see employees as teammates to care for, not tools to be used and discarded. -> Vision casters who seek to better everyone’s lot in life. -> Focused on achieving the vision which benefits all stakeholders. -> trusted to never talk badly about a member of the organization or a competitor. -> equal handed when it comes to dealing with members of the team over whom they have responsibility. How do you stack up? Sol says, “These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren.” ~ Proverbs 6:16-19 As Ross Perot said, “Business is not just doing deals; business is having great products, doing great engineering, and providing tremendous service to customers. Finally, business is a cobweb of human relationships.” Make it a great day and keep being awesome. Unless you are driving right now, take a moment to close your eyes to envision all that you have achieved at the end of 2023 based on the goals you have set.
What is it going to take to achieve that lofty attainment? What does that look like? Going back to yesterday’s post, a major part of your business and personal growth is to “be fruitful and multiply” as the Creator instructed. What does that fruit of your vine and multiplication of your opportunities look like? What will it take to get there? To be fruitful to the point of expansion you will need to -> Be clear in your mind and the minds of those who support you and buy from you of your purpose. -> Be highly committed to providing the goods and services you offer at the highest possible level. -> Be consistent in the way you do business. To achieve the clarity, commitment, and consistency it will take to achieve your plan, you must remain focused on the main thing and not permit yourself to be distracted by opportunities that don’t fit you and/or your model. This will include: -> How you plan the use of your time. -> The research and learning you do as a leader. -> Developing and nurturing relationships with likeminded people, bent on achieving. This will require discipline on your part as Sol reminds us when he says, “Drink water from your own cistern, and running water from your own well.” ~ Proverbs 5:15 Stay focused and you will make it a great day and keep being awesome.  Are you where you want to be in your life?
If you aren’t, consider the people with whom you surround yourself and your booklist as major factors. The Late Charlie “Tremendous” Jones famously taught that “You will be the same person in five years as you are today except for the people you meet and the books you read.” Thinking back to the gifts and talents you have from our Creator, take into consideration that His next instruction was to “be fruitful and multiply.” Using our gifts and talents that mirror those of the one who created everything, we should become producers from those talents, and grow what we have to the benefit of others, like your family, employer, employees, customers, and more. When you have a plan for meeting people from whom you can learn and grow, as well as read books that expand your thinking, you will find the kind of growth and outcomes you seek. When I talk about the books you read, I am not alluding to the books you listen to. Frankly, there is a difference. However, for our reference here, we are talking about learning information that helps you grow in knowledge and wisdom, resulting in new opportunities. When seeking information to help you grow and understand, the written word is the better format as, -> It supports cognitive health -> You can do only one thing at a time, read. -> You have a single focus which is on the page, leading to greater understanding. -> You have a reference point to which you can refer easily. Sol says, “Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding;” ~ Proverbs 4:1 Great leaders listen to encouragement and read to know and understand. Make it a great day and keep being awesome. |
AuthorBrian Kennedy is an encourager who shepherds small business owners and entrepreneurs along the path of business success to preeminence by embracing time tested principles and executing the associated fundamentals daily. Archives
March 2024
Leadership
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