Ownership

How does the idiom go…, “Possession is nine tenths of the law ”?

What does that say to the leader in you?

Recently I visited a local retail behemoth to purchase some dress shoes for my son. My wife and I went to the boys shoe section- picked out a nice pair of dress shoes, and preceded to the checkout line. What I did not tell you was that all of the boys dress shoes were marked 50% off, including the ones that we had chosen.

Once we arrived at the checkout counter, the gentleman that was checking us out stated the price. This was the price that was marked on the box; the original price. We avowed to him that they were marked on-sale, and he called the shoe department without luck. My wife and I were distraught about the lack of service that we were receiving, so we thought that we would return to the shoes department, and show the supervisor the 50% sale card in front of the shoes. To our dismay, when we returned to the shoe department (approximately five minutes later) all of the sale cards were missing. I summoned the attention of one of the shoe salesmen, and stated that the shoes that I was holding had a sales tag in front of not only them, but also in front of all of the boys dress shoes. He shook his head in agreement, and stated, “Yes there was, but they really were not on sale, so I removed the sign”.

Ignorance is bliss my friend. What this gentleman, the supervisor, the store clerk, and possibly the retail behemoth failed to realize is that their lack of action in service cost them a customer for life. Not only that, but the siren sound informs us that I am going to notify others that may want to frequent the store.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have managed individuals for years. Some people unfortunately are blind to the impact that they could cause in lacking adequate service. For example, many times in my career I have witnessed- service employed individuals schedule their lunch times during the busiest times in the office. This tells me that they are either uninformed about their role, or their lack of consideration about what their role is truly about.

How do you serve to lead others around the situation that my wife and I experienced in the shoe department? Are your employees educated, and empowered to make sound decisions that are not only good for the customers, but good for business? Let your team members possess the tool of decision making through proper education- then they will own one of the keys to success!

Go out and serve somebody today!

JFH

Mentoring

How did you get to where you are? Did you “pull yourself up by your bootstraps”? If so, fantastic- but I think that there may have been other factors aiding in your climb through the ranks.

I know that with myself, there have been a handful of individuals that have mentored me through education, rebuke, and emulation of best practices. I am confident that I owe a certain amount of my success to their efforts and care in myself.

So, I guess the question is… 1) Who has facilitated growth in your life? 2) Who could you benefit by being an adviser to? 3) Every organization could benefit by instituting an effective mentorship program.

Today, take someone under your wing, and help them the same way that you were helped!

JFH

Leadership Priorities

Hurried and inconsiderate is the approach that most of us take in pursuing our time on the earth. We seem to chase seemingly self fulfilling deeds that we believe will somehow bring about gratification. Unfortunately, the more that we search for this satisfaction without self contentment; the more we are going to feel empty and further away from joy.

The problem is that the world is echoing that your need for… money, beauty, the newest and greatest, as well as other stuff to mask the true emptiness that each of us is susceptible to feeling. Authentic success is not contingent upon the world’s standard of triumph, but on the leadership qualities that you are genuinely implementing in your daily life.

Worldly achievement is not synonymous with peace and joy. Neglecting your family for a paycheck, or sacrificing your precious time with your spouse and children will sabotage the most important segment of your life. Your family should take precedence over any other activity. When was the last time that you turned the television off and had a family game night? Remember that you cannot rewind your life, and give back time.

What are your priorities? When is the last time that you have reevaluated them? Now is the time to recognize and implement a new strategy to succeed in life; it’s not too late!

Leadership is not just about being a team leader in the employment world. It is a lifestyle that permeates every part of your life.


JFH

Change; not just the stuff in your piggy bank!

Why is change such a tough word to swallow? I do not think that it has anything to do with the action of change, but the uncertainty or insecurity one may have about themselves going through change.

Have you ever noticed that anything worth anything is hard? It takes sacrifice, hard work, and educating ourselves about the changes that need to be made in ourselves.

If we are unwilling to change, then we may miss an opportunity that would/ could transform your career or life for the better.

Next time you are confronted with change, open your mind and evaluate the benefits. It may be exactly what you need!

JFH

Planting Seeds

An effective leader is like a gardener planting seeds in their backyard. The first step is to prepare the plot by working the soil. Then after the soil is ready, the gardener carefully places the seed in the ground. Once the seed is planted the gardener waters the patch methodically while waiting patiently to see what results he will reap.

A leader ought to facilitate the effectiveness of their team in the same way, by getting to the ground level and measuring the acidity. While at the ground level it is the leader’s duty to coach the players around their strengths, and provide nourishment so that they are able to grow. The coaching and nourishment are essentially seeds that the leader is planting. Through continual encouragement, coaching, and patience the entire team will reap success.

JFH

Humility

Humility is an uncommon word to describe leaders. You would be hard pressed to hear anything on this subject at a secular university. You would be taught that a leader should be in control, have all the answers, and be able to maneuver and manipulate their surroundings to advance up the corporate ladder.

But, I disagree.

What is leadership worth if you rollover your colleagues, take credit for successes that are not necessarily solely yours, and fail to establish a meaningful relationship with your team members?

If your incentive for leadership is a paycheck then you had better reevaluate your career trajectory, because you will ultimately fail as a leader.

Humility is a valuable ingredient in great leaders, for they understand that success is not simply derived from them, but cultivated by them through the ingenuity of a fine tuned team. Just like in a sporting team, one player or coach does not determine the success of the team, but the wholeness of the team working together for the greater good. Good leaders understand and are humbled by the fact that they are only as good as their team.

JFH

Discipline

One of the most difficult issues that most people struggle with in their life is discipline. Obviously discipline can encompass a lot of different areas of our life, like exercise, time management, education, or ridding ourselves from addictions or substance abuse.

But discipline means that we take ownership over all areas of our life, and make strides to better ourselves one step at a time. Everyone is subject to a vast number of flaws that are only apparent when you get really close to them, while others have flaws that appear as deep cracks in a windshield. But it is each of our responsibility to own our decisions, habits, preferences, addictions, actions, and words.

Today is the day that we take control of the controllable, and stop making excuses for our laziness. Discipline is not how the world sees us, but how we see ourselves with the gifts that we have been given. Each of us have been blessed with inherent gifts, and it is our duty to take ownership through discipline to lay down our fears for the betterment of ourselves and society.

You can make a difference today! Take ownership of your life through discipline.

JFH