Skip to main content

Road trip

Picture yourself on a road trip.  Are you the meticulous planner, with detailed maps, all stops planned and hotel or campground reservations made?  Are you more of a free spirit, where you stop when you see something interesting?  Are you someone who drives or flies straight to your destination, with as few stops as possible?  Even though there are many ways to travel, there is still a direction and a destination.  Your personal style may be this way.  You may be a checklist person, where you need to write down all the small steps to your goals.  You may fly by the seat of your pants to get where you're going.  You may be single-minded and driven until you get there.  The thing to keep in mind with leadership, is that you are driving a bus to your destination.  You have responsibilities to your passengers.  Even though you have a preferred mode of travel, it doesn't always work for the rest of your group.  You need to look at their comfort, their safety, their preferences and motivation.  They need to have the same destination as you.  Your passengers get to choose what bus they're on.  Are you on the same bus?

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Franchise opportunity

As I read several blogs and forums relating to direct sales, I'm fascinated by those who complain, complain, complain.  They want something, they get it, but they want it different.  They sign on to a company, but don't like how the company dictates this or that. Direct sellers - imagine you owned a franchise... let's say "Subway" (Subway is a registered trademark & only being used as an example).  You have your location with the pretty sign, all of your food is purchased through your company, you have a fairly standard menu and you get to choose to participte in national advertising and pricing.  And, you have to sell a significant number of sandwiches to retain your franchise. As a customer, I know that I can walk into any Subway and get a BMT that tastes almost identical to any BMT I purchase at any other location.  I know what I'm getting. So what if Subway franchise owners put the name on the door but didn't follow franchise rules? As a custom...

Volunteers

I've heard many in leadership lamenting about the lack of volunteers.  If you lead a church or other non-profit, or are in direct sales, you lead an army of volunteers.  Sometimes, your volunteers will not hit you over the head with their willingness to serve.  Sometimes, they will.  Are you ready to mentor them in their volunteer position so that they will be successful?  Do you follow through with them while enthusiasm is high?  I think we all believe we do. About two years ago, I volunteered with a non-profit in the Quad Cities area.  It took several weeks just to be able to get through to the correct person to volunteer my services with.  I was invited to attend an open meeting, where I spoke of the service that I was willing to provide.  Although there was much agreement that my service would be a great addition to the service they were providing, and several follow up calls on my part, I never was given the opportunity to volunteer. A...

Excuse or reason?

This past weekend, I listened to Sue Rusch, who is a Strategic Consultant, Speaker, & Business Coach (and also very tall).  Of all the wonderful information she gave (and there was a lot), the one quote that really struck home for me was, "We can look at family as an excuse , or a reason ."  Ouch!  It's so easy to avoid the work that I know I need to do, by saying "my family time is more important".  But what am I calling "family time"?  Sitting in a dance studio during lessons?  Watching tv while the rest of my family watches another tv?  Sitting on a field watching soccer practice?  Dinner together (but barely half the family is there)?  Choose what is important.  And be there.  Remember the reasons that you chose leadership.  And if your leadership is important, schedule your activities.  And be there .  No excuses. Thanks to everyone who is regularly (or even occasionally) reading this blog. I've been cover...