Tag Archives: corn

The Every Day Leader: Team Work

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Growing up on the farm one of the first lessons I learned is that it takes all of us to work together when something needed to be done. Each day we all had our own chores we were responsible for… It was a way of life.

It was never an option to join in, you were expected to join in and do your part.

One of the best examples was during sweet corn season. When the corn was ready to be picked the day started early. Some of us were a part of the picking and filling up the back of the pick up. Then it took several of us to shuck the corn…it was hot and the flies were awful, it was never an option to bow out. This was the longest and least fun of it all! There were others inside the house, in the hot kitchen without air conditioning, cutting the corn off the cob and cooking it. Finally it was cooled, bagged up and ready to put in the freezer for the coming months.

It was a job that was virtually impossible for one or two people to do alone. It took all of us and still took all day! I don’t ever remember saying I don’t want to do this or I have something else to do today. You knew it needed to be done, so you did it.

Each person on the team was valuable – the young to the old!

That’s the way teams work, pitching in to build success.

You think in terms of the we instead of me.

We all have opportunities to work in team environments. As everyday leaders we know that each person is a valuable part of the team, and that it takes the whole team to make things happen! We know what it means to be a team player, offering input, but buying into the team decision.

As the everyday leader we know that we have the ability to influence those on the team whether we are the leader by position, or a participant, we have a whole group to influence.

We can model what it means to be on a team. We can encourage and have the opportunity to instill value as we work together. Our thoughts and our actions can impact the others.

We know that how we respond, the words we speak, the attitude we display, the work ethic others see, trust that is demonstrated, a caring spirit and our character overall is how we influence.

What teams are you on? Are you a person of influence to the others?

We all have the opportunity to lead and influence for good or for bad.

Every day leaders, making a difference on the team. Being intentional to be a team player and influencing those around us in positive ways.

The Every Day Leader: Knowing When

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Growing up on a farm I always knew that there were some years that were better than others – even as a young kid.  The weather was always the big determiner.  Often in the conversations I would hear my parents talk about the rain – or lack of it, and how it was going to affect the corn.  I spoke to my parents this week, and the conversation of the heat, lack of rain and the effect on the crops was one of the first things they talked about. 

 

One of the factors that will make a big difference on the crops is the timing of the lack of rain, especially combined with the high temperatures.  If there is no rain during certain stages of growth it is much more detrimental than at other times.

Timing is so important to the Every Day Leader too.  The product life cycle shows stages of timing: when to launch, when the product is at its peak, and  when to retire the product. The timing of launching a new company can make or break that company the first quarter. Even in our relationships with those we lead and interact with, timing is key in knowing when to say something and when to keep quiet.

 It is all about timing.

 As leaders, we must first be aware of our environments.  We need to know the people we are leading, the circumstances that surround us, and what is coming up ahead. Looking ahead and seeing the implications of how things can and will affect those we lead and the environments we lead in are key.   We must think ahead to the impact.

Leaders trust their instincts and are confident in their decisions. No matter what leadership role you have, we must intentionally pay attention to the details so we know and understand timing and it’s effect in all we do.  Making a significant change without proper planning can have a negative impact, even if it is something great.

The everyday leader  listens, is in tune to the circumstances around them and is able to think ahead. This allows us to navigate through decisions and timing as we lead and influence others.

The Every Day Leader, living a life of intentional timing.