Is a Good Man Hard to Find?

There is a quote from Herman Koelliker which says,"One man working with you is worth a dozen men working for you." 

Yesterday I was reminded of just how true this is. I stopped by the office of one of the guys who reports to me in our organization. He asked me how I was doing and said a couple of encouraging things to me. Said I had been on his mind a lot the past couple of weeks.

It’s funny, but I never think of this guy as working ‘for’ me. I have always thought of him as working ‘with’ me. We are like minded in our desire to see the mission of our organization accomplished, and we have many common interests. Every time I am around him I am challenged to be a better man. I have no doubt that he is cheering for me as much as I am for him.

Do you view the people around you as working ‘with’ you or ‘for’ you? The answer to this question will ultimately determine your success as a leader. You are only as good as the people with whom you surround yourself.

Pick someone today who works with you and thank them for their contribution to your leadership and your team.

A good man might appear hard to find, but chances are he is right down the hall.

 

i2i,

Randy

 

What do you look for in a great employee?

 

repost from 9.9.10

Car Sick

It was a warm spring afternoon and I was in a hurry. Frazzled after fighting the Friday Atlanta rush hour traffic and rushing to my parents house for the weekend.

I knew my mom had dinner waiting. Our kids were being noisy. And my wife, as I recall, was asleep.

As we exited I-75, my oldest who was about 8 years old, commented for about the fourth time, “I am car sick.”

I remember saying, “You’ll be okay.”

She said, “I feel like I am going to throw up.”

What came out of my mouth next was possibly the dumbest thing I have ever said. The circumstances, the frustration, the traffic, the kids, the stupidity . . . “Well, then just throw up,” I said.

What came out of her mouth next . . . Let’s just say it wasn’t words. Thank God for Walmart sacks!

I learned a valuable leadership lesson that day.

As the driver it is not my job to conquer the trip. It is my job to get everyone to the destination still wanting to be in my family.

How are you “driving” your organization lately? Are the people who are following you being jerked around in the back seat? Are they a bit nauseous from your lack of attentiveness to their needs? Do they wish someone else was driving?

You cannot afford to ignore the others in the car. Those people on your team who are in the trenches. The ones who execute the strategy and pave the way for the vision to be accomplished.

If you have taken your eye off of the back seat, you are making a mistake.

Reengage before it is too late. And whatever you do, don’t say anything stupid.

I can tell you from experience it won’t be pretty and you might even wake someone up.

 

i2i,

Randy

Can you think of ways that leaders lose sight of the needs of team members?

 

repost from 2.4.11

Helping Others Succeed

Yesterday, my brother (who happens to be one of the finest leaders I know of) reminded me of a story about a farmer who owned an old mule named Warwick.

While trying to help a man pull his car out of a roadside ditch, the farmer told the man, “Yep, old Warwick can do the job,” and proceeded to hitch his mule up to the vehicle.

The farmer spoke up, “Pull Fred! Pull Jack! Pull Bob! Pull Warwick!” and the old mule pulled the car out of the ditch.

The driver, who was amazed, asked the farmer, “Why did you call out all of those names before you called Warwick?”

The farmer replied, “Old Warwick is going blind and can’t see anything around him anymore. But as long as he believes he is a part of a team, he will pull all day.”

I hope you are linked up with a great team of people and are all pulling in the same direction.

In the Bible, Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.”

Pick one of your teammates today and make an effort to encourage him or her. Doing so might help you both get out of a ditch.

 

i2i,

Randy

 

In your opinion, who is the greatest team in the world?

Comments?


Hush

There are times when you should just keep your mouth shut.  Don't believe me?  Just ask Peter from the Bible.

For those of you unfamiliar with the stories of the Good Book there is one found in Mark Chapter 9 that proves my point.

Jesus had just taken three guys up to the mountains for some down time.  Peter was one of the guys.

During the getaway there was definitely a "mountaintop" moment and the appearance of Jesus was "transformed," according to the Scriptures.

Upon seeing this happen, Peter 'exclaimed.'  Fancy way of saying he got a little too excited.

He said, "It is wonderful for us to be here!  Let's make 3 shelters as memorials - one for you (Jesus), one for Moses, and one for Elijah.

We are told, "He said this because he really didn't know what else to say . . ."

Have you ever said something because you "really didn't know what else to say?" I know I have.

Good leaders know when to speak and when to stay silent.  They understand the importance of listening and watching.

Your job as a leader is not to solve every problem.  Your job is to discover solutions.

Chances are, there is a solution waiting to be discovered by listening to a teammate.  By seeking to collaborate.  By brainstorming instead of bulldozing.

The Bible also says, "Be slow to speak and quick to listen."

Heed those words and you might find that others are more interested in what you have to say.

i2i,

Randy

Do you think it is more natural to be a talker or a listener?  What are the keys to being a good listener?

Iron

An old proverb says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another."

If you find yourself feeling dull as a leader, look to your right or left.

No one there?

Chances are, you need a wing man.

Who is making you better as a leader?

Who are you making better?

Find the right person to partner up with and watch what iron can do.

i2i,

Randy

Comments?

Car Sick

It was a warm spring afternoon and I was in a hurry.  Frazzled after fighting the Friday Atlanta rush hour traffic and rushing to my parents house for the weekend.

I knew my mom had dinner waiting.  Our kids were being noisy. And my wife, as I recall, was asleep.

As we exited I-75, my oldest who was about 8 years old, commented for about the fourth time, "I am car sick."

I remember saying, "You'll be okay."

She said, "I feel like I am going to throw up."

What came out of my mouth next was possibly the dumbest thing I have ever said.  The circumstances, the frustration, the traffic, the kids, the stupidity . . . "Well, then just throw up," I said.

What came out of her mouth next . . . Let's just say it wasn't words.  Thank God for Walmart sacks!

I learned a valuable leadership lesson that day.

As the driver it is not my job to conquer the trip.  It is my job to get everyone to the destination still wanting to be in my family.

How are you "driving" your organization lately?  Are the people who are following you being jerked around in the back seat?  Are they a bit nauseous from your lack of attentiveness to their needs?  Do they wish someone else was driving?

You cannot afford to ignore the others in the car.  Those people on your team who are in the trenches.  The ones who execute the strategy and pave the way for the vision to be accomplished.

If you have taken your eye off of the back seat, you are making a mistake.

Reengage before it is too late.  And whatever you do, don't say anything stupid.

I can tell you from experience it won't be pretty and you might even wake someone up.

i2i,

Randy

Can you think of ways that leaders lose sight of the needs of team members?


Intentional Integrity . . . Find a Wing Man

Let me start by saying that integrity is not something you do as much as it is who you are.  But there are things you can do to help yourself become who you want to be.

Author Henri Nouwen once wrote, “I have found over and over again how hard it is to be truly faithful to Jesus when I am alone.”

His statement gives a clue to another way we can be intentional about pursuing integrity.  Find yourself a wing man.

Accountability is a powerful thing.  It is actually a barometer of whether you are living an “integrated” life or not.  If you are avoiding accountability or if you balk at the idea, it should be a red flag.

Having a friend who knows your strengths as well as your flaws can help you stay on the right path.  You are much more likely to do the right thing when you know others are counting on you.  And you are certainly on your best behavior when others are present.

If there are places where you are tempted to compromise your integrity, you should never go there alone.

Travel, computer usage, discretionary time, and even a meeting with someone you shouldn’t be meeting with, can all represent danger zones.

Build yourself a lifestyle that is surrounded by accountability and you will increase your chances of staying faithful.

i2i,

Randy

Are there some practices you live by to help you maintain your integrity?

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