leader Archives - Epic Living

Who Would Follow You, the Leader?

26 December 2012December 26, 2012Eric

Celebrating the best of the Epic Living Blog, 2012. Enjoy!

I've been thinking a lot these last few weeks about what's the best measurement of quality leadership-in the business world and out. There's so much flowing out there about defining quality leadership, it can be a bit overwhelming. Did I mention burdensome?

I will attempt to set a context you can use to measure leadership in a way that you can pull out in virtually any situation. Maybe it's a question you ask a prospective manager or the HR recruiter who wants to know if you have any further questions.

The question comes down to this; "who follows you even though they don't have to?"

The answer to the above question is so important because anyone can follow when there is a stick and carrot involved. But what about when you're not in charge or some other circumstance changes the order of things? Every time I've met someone who has followed a leader without the force of position, I've encountered someone whose life has been impacted. Impacted in way that you can feel deep in your gut as the observer. Sort of like being in the audience when a great singer sings "that" song.

This all should make us remember that how we influence people (every day) is what builds true followers. And if we do it right, they will stay.

Are You Restless?

16 October 2012October 16, 2012Eric

I heard a "motivational coach" once say that people need quick coaching. In a sound-bite world like ours, I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Maybe he thinks that if it takes longer than ten minutes, people won't move. Is this true for you? Are you restless? In some ways it is true, but I think its more a matter of leaders not giving people substance and candor. Clarity goes a long way in the creation of energy. People rise or fall on the expectations of the leader. And certainly he or she's time spent in helping a follower matters.

In my experience, nothing has come easy or overnight…no matter how much I wished it would have. The truth of what the term "long run" means, applies hear. You probably get that reality is far different than fantasy and we avoid the ugly truth of waiting like the plague.

We claim we're too busy to spend more than ten minutes to grow ourselves. It's as if life is lived half-empty. What a mistake! I think most are just lost and not sure where to go. They've given up on their dreams and are accepting a poor imitation. Titles, money, power and the like won't fill up the vacuum inside you. Human beings were not wired to be fulfilled by the titles, money and power. Titles, money and power were designed to be used for the benefit of others…that's the only way they can be held in check.

Think about the following:

Is what you're chasing really that important?
Are your relationships suffering or growing because of what you're chasing?
Why can't you give more than ten minutes (if that describes you) to the gift of life?
Do you really know what your priorities are?
Do you realise that its not all about you (see A Note from Bosses to Employees post from Execupundit)?
Do you know that all of us are terminal?

A Glass Half-Full in a Half-Empty World

27 March 2012March 27, 2012Eric

Sustained optimism in the craziness of modern life is essential. It pulls you through in hard times and keeps you wide-awake in the good times. What makes it difficult is many attach their optimism to good fortune-small and large.

Let's face it, anyone can be optimistic when the glass is half-full in a half-empty world.

I've written before that human beings are excellent actors. This is really true in our modern life. You've seen it (maybe by accident) before. A leader works on summoning the right words, the right posture, the right look in the eye, all to portray something either not true or something less than sure. This is the strange dichotomy of being real versus the act.

True optimism requires truth.

I've found that people who have followed me just wanted me to be me. They were just looking for truth. Followers are often not under any delusions about where things stand these days. Pity the poor leaders who have convinced themselves otherwise.

So what's your glass like?