I can't resist sharing this post from Marshall Goldsmith. Last month I worked with a department where many of the managers thought that they did not need to acknowledge their staff's good work. I received comments like, "why should anyone get attention for doing their job?" Marshall's example reminded me of some of my conversations and his example is superb! You will enjoy this post.
Do You Have an Excessive Need to Be Yourself?
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Thursday, July 23, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Aspire!
I just finished a book entitled, Aspire! by Kevin Hall (Hardcover - Dec 29, 2009) I was able to get an early copy and wanted to share a few insights. The book is, in fact, inspiring and has several little nuggets of gold in language distinction, which I loved. I appreciate when a writer can take a word and make it mean more and provide the reader with room for their own "ah-ha moments." Kevin has done that in this book.
Jim Collin's Level 5 leader is both undaunted and humble - I thought you would enjoy diving in with me on two words explored in the book: Leader and Humility:
Leader, it turns out is an Indo-European word and is derived from two words: “Lea” which means path and “der” which means finder. Therefore at its root, a leader is a pathfinder. This may come as a blinding flash of the obvious, but how many leaders do you know that really are not pathfinders? Particularly in today's environment, having the vision, foresight and the undaunted courage to find the right path and help others get on it is required.
If we were to use only this definition, pathfinder, we would conclude that to be a leader, you must be able to read the signs and the clues toward the right direction, see the path and then be able to show others the path. This is not to say that this leader would not invite other's to join in to share what they see and flesh out methods for getting on the path, but a real visionary and pathfinder tends to see initially what others do not. In addition, being a pathfinder, not only means finding the "right strategic path" but also means being a pathfinder for your life – knowing what path you are called to take is what makes authentic leaders truly exemplary. Before we can help someone else find their path, we must find your own and stay agile enough to adapt to change as needed!
How would you rate your leadership using the root definition, pathfinder?
Humility, has its origin in the Latin word, humus, meaning soil – specifically rich, dark, organic soil. Kevin explains that when a seed is planted in fertile soil it transforms into something far greater and can share itself with others. (The seed, of course, becoming a magnificent tree and bearing fruit and shade to share with us mere mortals and animal life)
Humility, if we use this meaning, starts with the nurturing quality of the soil – humus. (We could say for humans that perhaps, humus is an open and mailable heart and mind.) When we have humus in our lives, we seek to learn, gather new skills, knowledge, and grow and develop; thus fostering a suitable attitude and "soil" ingredients that ensure optimal fruit. Interestingly, humility is the soil that allows self-mastery and leadership to thrive. It requires humus to be able to be teachable, to be wrong, to learn more even when one is the expert, and to be coachable even when one doesn't have to be. It takes humus to truly become a master of self, where the self is constantly looking for how to improve and learn from others. Self-mastery can only be gained through openness to honest feedback, self evaluation and practice. It is what makes great leaders great.
What kind of soil or humus do you currently possess?
Now, how fun is that?!
Jim Collin's Level 5 leader is both undaunted and humble - I thought you would enjoy diving in with me on two words explored in the book: Leader and Humility:
Leader, it turns out is an Indo-European word and is derived from two words: “Lea” which means path and “der” which means finder. Therefore at its root, a leader is a pathfinder. This may come as a blinding flash of the obvious, but how many leaders do you know that really are not pathfinders? Particularly in today's environment, having the vision, foresight and the undaunted courage to find the right path and help others get on it is required.
If we were to use only this definition, pathfinder, we would conclude that to be a leader, you must be able to read the signs and the clues toward the right direction, see the path and then be able to show others the path. This is not to say that this leader would not invite other's to join in to share what they see and flesh out methods for getting on the path, but a real visionary and pathfinder tends to see initially what others do not. In addition, being a pathfinder, not only means finding the "right strategic path" but also means being a pathfinder for your life – knowing what path you are called to take is what makes authentic leaders truly exemplary. Before we can help someone else find their path, we must find your own and stay agile enough to adapt to change as needed!
How would you rate your leadership using the root definition, pathfinder?
Humility, has its origin in the Latin word, humus, meaning soil – specifically rich, dark, organic soil. Kevin explains that when a seed is planted in fertile soil it transforms into something far greater and can share itself with others. (The seed, of course, becoming a magnificent tree and bearing fruit and shade to share with us mere mortals and animal life)
Humility, if we use this meaning, starts with the nurturing quality of the soil – humus. (We could say for humans that perhaps, humus is an open and mailable heart and mind.) When we have humus in our lives, we seek to learn, gather new skills, knowledge, and grow and develop; thus fostering a suitable attitude and "soil" ingredients that ensure optimal fruit. Interestingly, humility is the soil that allows self-mastery and leadership to thrive. It requires humus to be able to be teachable, to be wrong, to learn more even when one is the expert, and to be coachable even when one doesn't have to be. It takes humus to truly become a master of self, where the self is constantly looking for how to improve and learn from others. Self-mastery can only be gained through openness to honest feedback, self evaluation and practice. It is what makes great leaders great.
What kind of soil or humus do you currently possess?
Now, how fun is that?!
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