Tag Archives: bold

The Every Day Leader: BE BOLD… Walk through the OPEN Door

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Months ago I wrote about the cardinal that was pecking at the window of our dining room begging to get in. I was reminded then how we as people can act similiarly…we do the same thing over and over thinking it will yield the result we want.  I also noted that if he would step back look at it from a different angle he might see the door was a better way to get in.

He has now taken up his pecking to the window above the door.  He pecks almost everyday.  It is as if he knows that the door is the way to get in, but he doesn’t quite have the nerve to actually go through with it.  He wants to take the next step, but just can’t quite seem to make himself do it.

Aren’t we just a little bit like that too?  We know what we want to do.  Maybe it is a dream to pursue, maybe it is making a career change, or any bold step of change in our life…but, like the cardinal, we just can’t quite get the nerve to do it.

Taking the first step…TODAY

The first step is always the hardest.

Instead of taking the first step, we keep playing it in our mind and we stay at the same place.  We wonder about the what ifs, we wonder if we have the courage to do it, we wonder what others would say, we wonder if we can do it, and we wonder if it will fail.

We have all heard the stories of those who have experienced failures – many failures before they found the success.  We all know of Thomas Edison, Colonel Sanders, Warren Buffet, and Trump and we know that failure could happen. 

One of the greatest lessons as leaders is to learn from your failures.  In fact, I would go as far to say that failing at times is really part of the success.  It is what we take away from that failure that prepares us for the next step.

Go ahead…

Be BOLD

Don’t stay pecking at the glass above the door – GO THROUGH IT!

Every day leaders know that by taking that first step, by walking through the door, by leaving the safety net and being bold they become better people. They succeed far greater than they could have imagined and they make a difference in the lives of others.

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The Every Day Leader: Intentional Generosity

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A child does not naturally care for others around them. I recently watched my little granddaughter as she so carefully cared for her sister who wasn’t feeling well.  Even though she was only four there was something in her make up that  knew to share what she had, to love and to care for her five-year-old sister.  It wasn’t just because she had a fever. Sharing, caring and loving is something she knew and has had modeled for her.

Intentional leaders are very much the same way, somewhere along the way they paid attention to someone modeling everyday leadership before them. Somewhere along the way they capitalized on one of the greatest opportunities of another leader’s generosity to share their knowledge. If we are willing to share with others what we know, to share what we have, and to be willing to work with others our entire outlook is different.  As we intentionally model this way of life, we teach others to do the same. The term collaboration takes on a whole new meaning!  It is not about what we can get out of it, but rather what we can offer to others.

Generosity not only makes us better leaders, it makes us better people. When we selflessly give of our time, talents, and resources expecting nothing in return we change those around us and we change ourselves. And through these efforts organizations take on a more intentional way of doing things and relating to their staff, customers, and all they encounter. We gain a new perspective and understanding of doing life together.

As an Executive Director of a medium size nonprofit I have learned that my role is not to just care about my organization or even the people working for me. Without fail the times that I have intentionally shared my knowledge and collaborated with others in the community, the more my organization is helped and the people we reach. Generosity always comes back to you in greater ways than what you gave.

Take a chance, be BOLD… look beyond your own place of influence and see what happens when you live the life of an INTENTIONAL LEADER.