Getting to Different
Leaders see beyond the inevitable.
Leaders rise above “what is” to imagine “what could be.”
Defining leadership:
“Leadership is causing the realization of a future that wasn’t going to happen anyway. Leaders say, ‘It could be different’,” Ron Kaufman author of, Uplifting Service.
The result of leadership is things are different. Ron would say there’s an “uplifting outcome.”
During our conversation Ron said, “Leaders …
- Look at things differently.
- Propose new ways.
- Remove roadblocks.
- Sustain enthusiasm. There is always wear and tear along the way. Who is the spark plug?”
Getting to “different”:
I asked Ron to tell me something that changed his life and he told me about leaving the U.S. during his Junior year of college to organize Frisbee tournaments overseas. When I explored it with him, he said, “I became open to new experiences.”
Being open:
Openness to new experiences enables leaders to see things differently (See #1 above).
Ron explained two expressions of openness:
- Listening to whatever someone is saying. Their background of concerns constitutes who they are.
- Accepting wherever they are coming from.
“The execution of leadership begins with the led not the leader – understand and appreciate others. Get in synch before offering suggestions.”
Power:
Power to change is built on the power of understanding.
Ron said, “Once you understand and appreciate others you have the opportunity to design a future that wasn’t going to happen anyway. How can you uplift – show possibility – and call them into action given who they are?”
Ron’s philosophy of life and leadership falls under one big umbrella, “We are here to bring value to others.” He reminded me the power of leadership is shifting from you to them.
How do you get to different?
How is understanding others a component of getting to others?
Bonus: Free chapters from Ron’s book, Uplifting Service.
Great leaders are always looking for innovative ways to improve. In fact, they get most of their ideas from listening to customers, prospects, constituents, competitors, etc. They’re listening for what’s missing. That’s where innovation begins.
Hi Steve,
Thanks for being a regular contributor.
I’m taking “listening for what’s missing” with me today.
You have my best,
Dan
Good post Dan.
Leadership is about seeing a visions that things could be different and then commiting to seeing that happen.
And, as we have discussed many time, listening is key. Leaders who fail to listen to the experiences and concerns of others, as well as honoring what they bring to a situation are doomed.
Leadership is about leading yourself and a team.
If we do not listen, we can never hope to understand. And, if we don’t understand, we cannot hope for a consensus to our leadership.
Martina
Hi Martina,
Great seeing you again!
“If we do not listen, we can never hope to understand.” KaChing!
Always glad to read your comments.
Best,
Dan
I think you get to different by not assuming you know the answer. Also by not stopping at the first answer but continuing to explore the issues to see what other possibilities exisit. As Steve said above this includes listening to others, really listening.
Hi Bonnie,
Great seeing you again.
Love your insights…especially .. “Not stopping at the first answer”
Best regards,
Dan
I like this. I’m going to get up tomorrow and make it different; make it something that ‘wasn’t going to happen anyway’.
I love the idea that leadership goes beyond what would happen anyway… Kaufman nailed it.
two things rang true for me in this post.
1- Insight: looking at things different to see what is not seen by others.
2- enthusiasm: choosing to bring enthusiasm to work EVERY day instead of being reactionary to exterior circumstances.
great post Dan!
Hi Dan, this sounds like a great book. I just downloaded the free chapter and am looking forward to reading it. Thank you for the post and opportunity to preview the book. Have a great day today.
Just want to say I really appreciate these daily blogs. So many times they address exactly what I am dealing with that day! They have been very helpful! Thank you!
Sharing what I think about a leader with you, I learned the following analogy from my history teacher, who used Napolean as his example. Here it is:
A leader is an 1 and a follower is a zero. Without followers, 1 is not significant, with more followers, the leader can be tremondasly larger. Between 1 and 0, there are almost nothing. What defines a leader is his/her followers. It is the best analogy I heard about learder and leadership. What do you think?
Here is an example:
“1,000,000,000 >>1,000” means that a leader with 9 followers vs. one with 3 followers.
can you delete this one draft please? thanks. Helen
Sharing what I think about a leader with you, I learned the following analogy from my history teacher, who used Napoleon as his example. Here it is:
A leader is a 1 and a follower is a zero. Without followers, 1 is not significant, with more followers; the leader can be tremendously larger. Between 1 and 0, there are almost nothing. What defines a leader is his /her follower. It is the best analogy I heard about leader and leadership. What do you think?
Here is an example:
“1,000,000,000 >>1,000″ means that a leader with 9 followers vs. one with 3 followers.