Lead, follow, or get out of the way

Good morning. I made it through class with the help of my friend, Mr. Starbucks. He is a friend who always comes through for me especially on bad days. He can also make good days much better. With that, I have a ton of paperwork to get through by the end of the day.....so...

I just got a call from the big kid. His nemesis of the week is the intern trainer. They have butted heads on a number of occasions and it seems that the head trainer who is all of 24 years old is supporting the intern. Politics...hurt feelings...disrespect....it's got such a soap opera feel to it.

He was also complaining about his team mates who are really enjoying their senior year. They start the day and end the day with a brew or two. Somehow they make it to class, yet they seem disengaged. And he is fearful that they will not pay attention to the baseball when crunch time comes. He wants to be a leader but he does not know how....and here is my specialty....that's right, I have a degree in leadership. Don't laugh...I know the theory and content and most people would not believe it. But, I am somewhat of an expert.



Yeah....still laughing? Well, me too. In fact, I rarely share what I do with people who are not in academia since they would have a difficult time believing it. Most think that I am a flake. That's OK. As long as I can perform in the classroom and espouse my knowledge, I am cool with it. When one of the high school moms asked me if I was a doctor, I said that I earned my doctorate. Her reply was: "I thought that you were a real doctor." Ouch....






And so, I keep my personal and professional lives separate.

Back to the kid....my advice to him was simple. "Lead by example." People follow individuals that they like, admire, and want to be with..... That's it. You don't have to bully...yell...belittle...manipulate. Be yourself. Work hard. Let them see results. If you really want to lead this team, lead by your example. No complaining...just get to work and show them the results of their efforts.

 

It's a very short and sweet message. Don't overthink it. Just do your thing. Control what you can. Don't worry about what it out of your control because it is wasted energy and taking up too much space in your brain. Find one guy who has your work ethic and hang out with him. Don't change your goals because others do not share them or believe in you.



Keep your focus. And remember to take care of not only your body, but your mind, emotions, and spirit too.

OK, now that I have spent time pontificating, I have to get moving on this work of mine.

Last words....if you are not a leader, be a great follower. Choose you leader well and good things will happen.

Shalom!