Archive for Leadership
What Is A Servant Leader?
Posted by: | CommentsHave you ever voted for a President? How did you make your decision? Did you vote the way your parents did? What are your major concerns for the USA and the world? Do you believe that the major skill all Presidents need is leadership?
The best simple definition of a leader is someone who has followers! Historically many of us are familiar with the consequences of Stalin, Hitler, and all of the world leaders as well as all Presidents of the United States. Because of the potential of a nuclear holocaust, I believe we now need a true servant leader. Robert K. Greenleaf author of Servant Leadership, says, “A servant leader is servant first then a leader second.”
My first recommendation to a leader is to develop intact Self-Esteem and model Self-Esteem behavior for the world. Leaders with intact Self-Esteem are servants. We need servant leaders in families, government, business, education, health care, and spiritual groups.
How can you identify a servant leader? A servant leader leads through the influence of their example. Walt Whitman answered this when he wrote, “We convince by our presence.” Servant leaders help other people meet their highest priority needs. The best test of a servant leader, as well as the most difficult to administer, is to ask these questions: Do those served grow as people? During the process of being served, do these people become healthier, wiser, and freer? Are those being served more autonomous (self-directing), and are they more likely to become servants? What effect is the leader having on the less privileged in society? Will these individuals benefit or, at least not suffer additional deprivation?
All leaders have outcomes. The servant leader creates trust in their outcomes. Followers recognize that the servant leader serves
with integrity by helping them discover their own outcomes. Leaders do not elicit trust unless they have intact Self-Esteem and reflect this in their values and competence. They also need to have a driving force that will support the tenacious pursuit of an outcome regardless of obstacles encountered. Not much happens without a dream. Behind every great achievement is a dreamer of great dreams. However, it takes much more than just a dreamer to bring dreams into reality. The dream, of course, has to be there first. Then, because of commitment and effort, the servant leader acts with integrity to bring the dream into reality.
Elect a servant leader and then, watch what happens!
The Test of Greatness: What Have You Left Behind to Grow?
Posted by: | CommentsA mentor is a resource person who accepts you totally and unconditionally, never devalues you through criticism, never tells you what to do, gives you answers, or uses guilt, blame, or punishment. This person(s) asks questions and listens, and helps you discover answers for yourself. He or she can give you direction and help you make excellent choices.
When half of the world is a mentor to the other half, world peace and tranquillity will be the outcome. Individuals will then take a quantum leap to strive for excellence in order to make a significant contribution. They will increase their productivity to model behavior and create a climate where each person can thrive.
A mentor:
1. is an example of excellence.
2. has a thirst to learn.
3. is open to all experiences.
4. avoids comparison with others.
5. knows what he is looking for and knows it when he sees it.
6. is spontaneous and childlike vs. childish.
7. comes from abundance vs. scarcity, to share all knowledge.
8. is congruent.
9. passionately commits to 100% ownership of their personal power.
10. encourages all persons who are influenced by them to retain 100% ownership of their personal power.
11. accepts responsibility for everything s/he thinks, says, does, and feels.
12. has the capacity to mentally experience an out come in advance of reality.
13. has the vision to see the big picture of his/her life.
14. enjoys a balanced lifestyle: Spiritually, Mentally, Financially, Socially, Physically, Family, and Career.
15. generates a “WOW!” enthusiastic attitude toward living regardless of world conditions.
16. is sensitive to all human beings.
17. is an excellent external listener.
18. knows how to be present to the moment and each person in the moment.
19. knows and practices the Art of Askin Questions.
20. gives the mentee T.U.A. and freedom to describe his message through pacing, leading, and double looping.
21. knows when to let go; avoids all dependency, guilt, and blame.
22. appreciates that the relationship may experience gradual changes including: resentment, detachment, indifference, and lack of appreciation.
23. has decided that “five-sensing life” (experiencing life with all your senses) is part of the pathway to total fulfillment.
24. realizes that value judging is the only way to “hurt”.
Value Judgments
I dreamt death came the other night
And Heaven’s gate swung wide,
An angel with halo bright
Ushered me inside.
And there! To my astonishment
Stood folks I’d judged and labeled,
As “Quite unfit” of “little worth”
And “spiritually disabled.”
Indignant words rose to my lips,
Yet never were set free.
For every face showed stunned surprise,
Not one expected ME!
25. demonstrates that daily expansion of competence, reprogramming, and daily action can lead the mentee to create a demand for their talents and skills..
26. believes that life is a series of new beginnings and that being an unconscious incompetent lead to being a conscious incompetent, then to being a conscious competent, and gradually to being an unconscious competent where excellence becomes reflex.
27. has the Self-Esteem to constantly look for new awareness to pursue knowledge. This will ideally lead to a significant emotional moment when the mentor can welcome the mentee to a professional level. Then both can go their separate ways to guide others to “Give Themselves Away.”
28. builds trust and cooperation.
29. ignores gossip, criticism, and put-downs of self and others.
30. accepts the responsibility to have the “and then some attitude”, to give more.
31. invests daily to become a superlative communicator.
32. tithes her talent in the community.
33. is aware that “The tragedy of our age is that most people die with their music still in them”.
34. knows that as “change agents” they can encourage all people to feel free to describe who they are thus generating more intimate bonds among all individuals.
35. has intact Self-Esteem.
The Mind
“What the mind attends to, the mind considers.
What the mind does not consider, the mind dismisses.
What the mind continually considers, the mind believes.
What the mind believes, the mind eventually does.”
Become a mentor and then, watch what happens!
Bill McGrane has been a mentor & motivational speaker to many clients! See the list.
How Is Your Courage?
Posted by: | CommentsWhat could be the best gift to give yourself when you begin a new year? People get excited about many things during this time of year. What was your best gift in the past year? Do you feel you have leadership abilities? How much closer are you to fulfillment, peace of mind, and tranquility? Do you live a balanced lifestyle: spiritually, financially, socially, mentally, physically, family, and career?
Great changes are taking place in the world every day. What would be a powerful word for next year and future years? The word I suggest to you is “courage”. Courage is not the absence of fear. Webster defines courage as “that quality of mind which enables one to meet danger and difficulties with firmness; valor.” Sidney Bremer, author, says, “Courage is the brother to decisions”. True courage is cool and calm. Peter Marshall, author and minister, said, “God give us the courage to stand for something lest we fall for anything.”
So let’s look at the word courage as an acrostic (describing the use of a word by having each letter stand for another word or phrase) for the next year:
C – reminds us that it takes courage to communicate -
verbally, nonverbally, and tactually. It takes courage
to listen, to ask questions, and to give undivided
attention to everyone we meet.
O – reminds us to be open to idea, conversaion, and every life event. Stretch to new levels of awareness.
R – reminds us to be responsible for everything we think, say, do, and feel. With intact Self-Esteem, we choose language to help people feel better about themselves. It takes courage to not defend, justify or explain your behavior.
A – reminds us about our attitudes. Our attitude is the way we think.
G – reminds us to grow. How many books will you read in the next year to upgrade your people skills? How many learning programs/seminars will you attend?
How many cassettes will you listen to?
E – reminds us of our Esteem. Self-Esteem is the self repect you feel for yourself. It takes courage to pracice your Self-Esteem skills. Many people are threatened when you change.
Were you aware I left out the letter “U” until now? The reason I did that was to remind you that you depend on you to show courage.
This is my gift to you for the next year – the gift of courage. I wish you the courage to create intact Self-Esteem daily. Have the leadership that you and those around you desire.
Let us create peace on earth by showing courage every day in everything we think, say, do, and feel and then, watch what happens!
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“I now choose to have the courage to take charge of my life.” |
