Monthly Archives: February 2013

The Ever Day Leader: Short Cuts

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“When it comes to leadership, you just can’t take shortcuts, no matter how long you’ve been leading your people” John Maxwell

Ever been on a walk that seemed a little longer than you anticipated? Or maybe the journey you are on feels like it will never end?  When we are faced with those scenarios we may be tempted to take a short cut.

Short cuts always SEEM easier.

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How many times have we tried short cuts only to find ourselves in a place we didn’t want to be and the situation worse than when we started out?

Short cuts are simply that, trying to cut something short.

It often means you are trying to cut something short that, if done right, could have great potential. When we take short cuts we often miss the journey and the lessons we are to learn along the way.

Shortcuts don’t work with leadership either.

If we are trying to model what it takes, we must walk the WHOLE journey.
If we are trying to accomplish something with our team, we must take the time and think through every aspect and the different angles. We must see the consequences of those choices BEFORE they happen.

 
If we are trying to make changes, it is vital that we gain support first. Changes won’t happen without a team’s buy-in.

 
If we are investing in someone, we must be willing to do what it takes and that means we must go the distance with them. We don’t stop when it becomes a hassle or inconvenience to us. We know as leaders, that investing in people is a priceless reward and WE benefit from it too.

 
If we are growing our business or even just starting out in business, we must be willing to do it right from the very beginning. This often means doing the things we don’t like or that we may struggle with because we don’t know how. Take the time to learn, take the time to do it right and in the end it will save you time, heartache and MONEY.

Every day leaders know that trying to take the easiest route is not always the best route. We know that doing things right the first time, even if it takes longer, is always what makes the difference and has the greatest impact.

It ‘s what Every Day Leaders do, we walk the journey – the WHOLE journey, knowing that as we do we are making a difference in the lives of those around us and our businesses.

The Every Day Leader: The Clacking of Time

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Somehow we always seem to think that time will never end…that it will keep on going and we have forever days.

When in fact, time has a definite beginning and ending.  We often take time for granted. We try to squeeze as much as we can into it or out of it. Other times we just waste precious moments – but we somehow always  believe that we always have more just up ahead.

But do we? 

None of us knows our tomorrow and what it will bring. 

We often hear and we even know deep down that we should embrace every moment.  We know that each moment will never come again, we cannot get it back once it is gone.

Yet, it just doesn’t seem to sink in.

Every day leaders know that each moment matters.  We know that each moment we have is a gift that cannot be squandered or foolishly wasted.  As kids the days seem to last forever, as adults they fly by each one getting faster than the other. Just ask any mother who has grown children.

The years are short, but the days are long. The moments disappear.  As much as we would like to think it is true, our time doesn’t go on forever. 

Every day leaders long to make the most of every moment that has been given to them.  They know that we each have limited days and the clacking of time passes all to quickly.

Every day leaders celebrate each moment making the most of each one of them to make a difference in the lives of others. They invest in those around them, seeking to leave a legacy far greater than themselves.

They invest not only in actions, time, words, but even in writing, knowing that through their encouragement to the next generation they are helping them succeed to do far greater things than they did.

Let us be Every Day Leaders who impart wisdom to those younger than us. Let us be intentional to mentor, guide, and encourage those that want our attention and time that we can mold them into the leaders that God intended them to be. Time indeed has an end and one day we will depart this earth but may our legacy live on in those we mentored.

The Every Day Leader: Sowing and Reaping

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“What you do today, affects your tomorrow.  What you did yesterday is affecting your today”

It is such a simple concept, but somehow we don’t believe it is true. Growing up on the farm, I learned that the type of seed you plant is important.  Quality seed often yields a quality crop.  The same is true for our lives…what we sew each day and how we live our lives in those moments granted to us is what truly matters.

The Bible says it this way: We reap what we sow. 

What you eat today, will affect your health tomorrow.  If you are a good neighbor today, it will be remembered tomorrow.  How you treat your customers today will affect your business tomorrow.  What you are modeling for your kids today will impact their tomorrow.  How we choose to spend our time today, will affect our relationships tomorrow.  If we neglect those who love us and support us today and never invest in the friendships we have, they will be gone tomorrow. If we are unkind to another, they will remember it tomorrow.

It is a simple cause and effect principle.  Everything you do TODAY matters….

Every day leaders understand this.  Everything we do has the power to impact another positively or negatively.

How are you living your TODAY?  Are you living it in such a way that your tomorrow will reflect your intentional choices?

Every Day Leaders choose what matters


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The Everyday leader: Your Story of Influence

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What is your story? The story of YOUR life. We all have one.

Most likely your story is one that is filled with all kinds of chapters. Good times, bad times, times when you have been hurt or hurt another, times of failure, times of success, times of strength, even times of shame. All of those experiences make up YOUR story, the story that is totally unique to you. It is this storyline… the storyline of your life that has made you into the everyday leader that you are.

We have often heard our past shapes and mold us. Did you know that the way we are driven is often from the uniqueness of our own stories? It is this story that gives us an incredible understanding and compassion to see the lives of others in a whole new way. Our story serves a purpose and it is never in vain. This purpose empowers and enables each of us to make a difference in the lives of others. To hear and understand their stories in a way only we can after having walked that path ourselves.

Tragedies, celebrations, tears, smiles, regret, shame, broken dreams…all of these things make us who we are. These are the things that make our stories real and help us to connect and to inspire and influence those around us.

How often to you hear of someone doing something huge because of something in their past? How about the Adam Walsh story? Imagine the loss the parents experienced when they lost their son in the blink of an eye! They now spend their lives helping other families find kidnapped children and help to locate criminals. This tragedy was a chapter in their story that has driven them to be passionate in helping others that face similar circumstances. The stories of our past give us passion. They also make us the everyday leaders that can and do make a difference in the lives of those we encounter.

Do you have a chapter you would rather simply keep quiet about? Even those chapters that you would rather forget – are part of what make you, the unique you, that God has created.

Sharing your story means being intentional to help those around you. It means accepting your story and using it for the greater good. It may even mean embracing your story; knowing that God uses all things in our lives for a bigger purpose than we can ever know, even the chapters that don’t make sense to us.

The everyday leader, living intentionally, using our stories to make a difference.

I want to be that person. To embrace all of the chapters of my life. To use my story for His glory.

The Every Day Leader: The Farmer in all of US

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One of my favorite Super Bowl commercials this year was Paul Harvey in “God Made A Farmer”, advertising the Ram truck. You had to look hard to see exactly what the product was that they were actually advertising. It was subtle throughout the short clip, but the Ram truck was there, standing strong and dependable helping the farmer.

Growing up on a farm, this commercial got me right from the beginning. It drew me in and kept me until the very end. I know what it is like to get up early, plow fields, milk cows, all the while being resourceful, caring for family and the community. I watched my parents model all of those things to me – day in and day out as I grew up on our dairy farm. Though I haven’t lived on a farm for many years, those lessons that were instilled in me never went away… there is a bit of a farmer in all of us.

This commercial was a beautiful tribute to those who work the land but also to all of us who share those same values: pride in our work, dependability, reliability , trustworthiness, and community.

As leaders we need to strive to embody those values and display them to all those we influence. One of the main values stressed in this commercial was dependability.

It didn’t matter if a calf was be born at 2 am and chores started again at 6 am…my dad would be there. Despite the business of the farm, if a neighbor needed us, we were there. If you were tired, you didn’t stop for an afternoon nap – too many things depended on you.

Dependability seems to often to be missing in this day and age. People are quick to say they will do something and then don’t. As leaders dependability is seen in our consistency to lead in the right ways, it is showing our staff and those we influence that we have their backs.

Yes there is a bit of farmer in all of us and if we let it…it just may come out.

Every day leaders are dependable, even when we are tired or stressed.

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