Month: November 2018

“If you want something you’ve never had you must be willing to do something you’ve never done.” – unknown or maybe Thomas Jefferson

My wife and I were visiting Asheville, NC this past weekend and walked by a local shop that had this quote in their window.  I did check the source and while it is listed as unknown, some believe it came from Thomas Jefferson.

I normally post original thoughts only, but this really struck a chord and I wanted to share. As leaders we are constantly trying to develop other leaders and the ability to grasp this concept and be motivated by it is something we must see in them.  Most “good” performers need to know something has been done before and then have to be motivated to achieve the same or better results; it requires good leadership to lead good performers and we need this foundation in our organizations. But how do we find and develop other leaders who will innovate and create tremendous growth for all stakeholders?

When striving for consistent exponential growth, we must find (or develop) team members that have the capability and desire to be entrepreneurial, which is what this quote is all about.

 

Leaders who put their employees first, will likely be put first by their employees.

This quote is an original from one of my greatest mentors (Lawton Langford).  He has impacted me in so many positive ways, and I am thankful that what he has focused on most has been leadership development.

Decision making is easy if the focus is on what is best for you, your department, your business, your family, etc., without considering and highly valuing the impact on other people, organizations, and/or things. The harder, yet more rewarding route is the leadership track which consists of being self-aware, thoughtful, long-term growth oriented, committed to fostering a great culture, and prioritizing the well being and growth of others.   We all place a high value on trust, being included, and being cared for; The only way for these to be characteristics of an organization’s culture is for leaders to put their people first.  If our actions are aligned with this concept, the actions of our team will be aligned with doing all that is required for continuous success.