Leadership is something we all have concerns about. Leadership is a concept that is not reserved for or only applies to certain people in business, government, and civic organizations. The reality is that no matter our age, gender, occupation, educational level, each of us touches and influences other lives.
Through this extension, we are all leaders to someone at some time. It can be a person under our supervision or care, a spouse we honor and live with, or a child we nurture, a student we teach, or a player we coach. It could be as simple as a fellow member of our church or religious affiliation, club, league, or association, but it is usually identified by the fact we have made a positive difference through our actions and examples.
With this sense of responsibility and being lifelong learners, we are constantly in pursuit of knowledge, whether written or experienced, of how to be a good leader and how to improve our skills. We take great pride in the books we have read and where they sit on the best-seller list. I often find that some of the best examples and learning experiences come from the stories we tell and the experiences we share. Sometimes they come from the stories we learned as children or read to our children as parents or grandparents, or a song we love to sing.
Leaders must develop emotional intelligence along with their educational intelligence and business acumen. Sometimes a simple story I find can help people see the bigger picture, promote moral and ethical behavior, and maybe, just maybe, not take ourselves so seriously that we lose sight of the fact that it is not always about us and be open to learning in creative and unusual ways.
For me, I just had one of those moments. We all have listened to songs over the years that you love and know the words to. Even though you know the words and story of how and why it was written, ever now and then the song catches you in a vulnerable moment. The song you know and love becomes an AHA moment, a self-reflective moment that challenges your emotional intelligence.
For me, this just happened with a song I love listening to and enjoy the words. It is by Samuel Timothy McGraw “Tim McGraw” (born May 1, 1967), who is an American country singer and actor. He has released 16 studio albums. 10 of those albums have reached number one on the Top Country Albums charts, with his 1994 breakthrough album Not a Moment Too Soon being the top country album of 1994. In total, McGraw’s albums have produced 65 singles, 25 of which have reached number one on the Hot Country Songs or Country Airplay charts.
My favorite song of his, and the one I would like to reference is “Humble and Kind.” Although I have sung the song more times than I can count and love his work, this time in a quiet moment I thought what a great inventory of a person’s leadership style, approach, values, and ethics. We all need that introspective, soul-searching, reflective view of ourselves.
The words are powerful but simple and basic. Here are some of the lyrics that moved me and created my AHA moment.
Hold the door, say please, say thank you
Don’t steal, don’t cheat, and don’t lie
I know you got mountains to climb but
Always stay humble and kind
When the dreams you’re dreamin’ come to you
When the work you put in is realized
Let yourself feel the pride but
Always stay humble and kind
Don’t expect a free ride from no one
Don’t hold a grudge or a chip and here’s why
Bitterness keeps you from flyin’
Always stay humble and kind
The central message for me at that AHA moment was Legacy.
What is your Legacy as a Leader?
As a leader, we grow and develop, take on new challenges or simply move into a new phase of our life, we will be faced with complications and adversity that may set us back. Honesty, perseverance, and trustworthiness will become major factors in overcoming these obstacles and creating our personal brand and our legacy. Along the way, you come to a decision point or stage gate. Our choice is simple but profound in each instance, but a decision must be made.
Our choices are LEAD, FOLLOW, or GET OUT OF THE WAY. If you choose to lead, you will need to be an honest and trusted leader to establish your vision, mission, and values so that those in your care or supervision will trust you enough to follow. As a lifelong learner, you are constantly forging a path to transform yourself into a high-character, high-performance leader. You will never be without challenges both in life and business. But if you are focused and ready to face these complex business challenges and personal changes with discipline, determination, honesty of purpose, and in an ethical manner, you will be successful.
Whether we realize it or not, we are all here to determine what our real intent is in life. For each of us it may be different. For some it may be a great spouse, father, leader, and mentor; to have a legacy, to leave the place a little better than they found it. Purpose-driven people put their morals, character, and honesty first. Without purpose, we drift. With purpose, we steer.
You have a responsibility to yourself and to others to use your best judgment, weigh your options carefully, and make the right decisions—even if they’re not the most favorable or popular, even when no one is watching! When you do that, you honor yourself and your values. Wherever your path takes you, know that your trustworthiness is your highest honor.
For if you are a trusted leader, others will believe in your vision, mission, and values and will trust in you enough to follow you. That will be your legacy. As a person your core beliefs are not what you would like them to be, but rather what lives and breathes in you as a person. The good news is that you will have many opportunities in a career and in life to demonstrate these values and beliefs, but only one chance to get it right each time.
And ALWAYS BE HUMBLE AND KIND
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I believe that none of us can achieve success without some help along the way. For each of us, there is a person, a mentor, who we are grateful towards and who can help us get to where we aspire to be. Sharing stories and experiences as a speaker is a way of recognizing the value of these experiences and giving back to the next generation of leaders. It also is a way of demonstrating in words and deed the value I am placing in mentorship. As for me, I have been fortunate to have worked with and mentored by some incredibly special people, and none more incredible than Coach John Wooden.
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I have broad experiences to share that can help others as they grow and take on new challenges. During my time as president of UPS Supply Chain Solutions, I integrated over 20 acquisitions that became UPS Supply Chain Solutions. I steered UPS’s entry into the health care industry and created the mantra, “It’s a patient, not a package. ®” With the ability to see a clear vision of the changing business landscape, the passion to develop strategies, tactics, and metrics to drive desired results, and the passion to develop the Best, The Brightest, Most Informed, and Best People in the industries they serve.
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