Traits of a Leader

by Rick Garrett

Overview

A man's observations of life at work and at home on a daily basis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781491898307
Publisher:	AuthorHouse
Publication date:	03/29/2014
Pages:	100
Product dimensions:	5.00(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.24(d)

Read an Excerpt

Traits of a Leader

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By Rick Garrett

AuthorHouse LLC

Copyright © 2014 Rick Garrett
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4918-9830-7

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CHAPTER 1

LEADING & LIFE

Leaders can become melancholy at times. Lost time with the kids, not calling the parents as often as they should, not much time to tell the wife "I love you", and always in a hurry to go to the next project or assignment. Drive forward. No retreat. No rest. No satisfaction in the job. Little satisfaction in their home life. Sometimes slowing down is a good thing. Forgive each other. Smell the roses occasionally. Life goes around but once. Don't miss it!

I Wish I Had ...

Before we go to our final resting place, if we have an opportunity to say a few words, what do you think we will say? Will we speak of our regrets and our successes? What will we say to our friends? What about our enemies? Will we speak kindly and generously of our superiors at work and our co-workers? What about the ones that nurtured, guided, chastised, corrected, praised, and forced us to become better?

What about family and work? We all have to work in order to make money to raise a family and have a roof over our heads. The question is, how much work is enough and how much family time do we need to sacrifice to become successful? Times arise when there is no way to make the recital, the game, the school play. However, there have been, and will be times when we could attend but don't because we feel guilty for leaving work early. We justify with, "No one else leaves early and there is just too much to do. There will be such a backlog when I get back, I'll never get caught up."

Children are probably the closest thing to heaven most of us will see. The early years go quickly and the first step and the first word will only occur once. Development begins, then pre-teen, then the dreaded teen years when they start thinking for themselves and challenging the status quo. While challenging the way things are, they are also watching to see how we react. They are looking for love, understanding, discipline, and guidance without verbalizing their need for them.

Do you think you would say, "I wish I had spent more time at the office? Always more that needed to be done. Probably should have played more golf and done a little more fishing. The bowling league was fun and I should have bowled on two teams." On the other hand, do you think it would go something like this, "I wish I had spent more time with my family. Picnics, if only in the backyard. Play catch and just talk. Family night around the dinner table. Should have been more involved at school and had individual time with each child doing things they like to do. My wife deserved more attention and kinder words from me. Group hugs. More hugs period. I wish I could have a 'do over'."

"There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven." Ecclesiastes 3:1 NIV

Kindness

What does it take for people to be kind and why aren't we kinder to one another? How much energy does it take to be kind; give a smile, speak to a stranger, let another go first in line, hold a door open, say thank you and mean it, bend over and pick up something another has dropped—not much energy required is it? If it's this simple, then why don't we show acts of kindness? In public, we're usually in too much of a hurry and at work, well, we don't want to appear soft. These two behaviors can drive a wedge between others and us at work. Being kind does not mean being a push over. A kind person does not mean someone without serious ideas. Kind does mean you are considerate, empathetic, understanding, and willing to acknowledge others in various phases of your life. Kindness costs nothing monetarily and requires very little effort be put forth. Any act of kindness shown to you has been remembered, right? The question should be, "How many people remember your acts of kindness?"

Mark Twain said, "Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see." Proverbs 11:17 says, "A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself." NIV

They Let Me Know

My daughter-in-law was in the kitchen with me when one of the grands came running up and said, "Mommy, you forgot!" Jackie, my daughter-in-law, commented how they never let you forget. Seems like the kids never let you forget even if they forget to pick up the toys, clean their rooms, or brush their teeth.

Co-workers can be quick to point out what the leader has forgotten. Leaders, much like parents, are subject to this type of scrutiny. The use of calendars, alarms on the cell phone, notes jotted down on a legal pad, or just memory never erases all the "you forgot" comments. Parents do not intentionally forget and neither do leaders. Mental lapses, multi-tasking, and the rush to meet other needs all arise, and forgetting is the occasional price paid.

Forgetting is not the final outcome once it is brought to light. All things can be corrected and mended. Nothing is more valuable than an "I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I did forget but did not mean to cause you harm." More times than not, an admittance from the superior of a mistake will open the eyes of the subordinate that a true leader can and will admit to mistakes and will make amends.

"Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or swerve from them." Proverbs 4:5 NIV

Culture

Often times, younger individuals change direction with the wind. The old adage of finding one's self has some validity, but I think it can quickly become a scapegoat. Immaturity and avoidance of responsibility have nothing to do with finding one's self. Although, this does start the early development of one's culture.

Younger individuals need a strong foundation to lean on as they progress in life. Free lunches will be in short supply as growth takes place. Individuals begin their development of culture at early ages and the process continues as life's circumstances change. No one is guaranteed anything in life. In America, we like to say all have a chance and can be anything we desire. Other countries cannot boast of this ability to afford opportunities. With these opportunities, culture will be developed based on decisions made. Decisions are made based on one's individual culture.

Honesty and integrity are good basis points for all culture. Age is irrelevant to developing one's culture. True enough, the younger someone is, the less likely they are to understand culture and how it develops. What about us older individuals? We have grown, failed, succeeded, laughed, cried, evaluated, understood, and misunderstood. Have we laid down a foundation for a strong culture for the younger generations? Leaders of families, businesses, and communities shoulder responsibility to assist in the development of individual culture. Leaders understand the need for business culture. Leaders need to understand that without strong individual culture, businesses do not exist.

"The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity." Proverbs 11:3 NIV

Everyone Has a Niche

I have published on Kindle, and soon Nook, two books of fiction. My wife told me that I should write a children's book as the grandkids and I are always going at each other. So, Chinky Chunk Chin the 'possum, Ikky Yack Yuk the skunk, Illy Nilly Roll the rabbit, and Filly Felly Nell the horse, have spoken on paper, be it electronically. Angie, my friend, will do the editing as she did on the fiction books, and my wife, Lynn, will do the sketches of the animals.

The title of the book is Four Friends. It's about how being different is okay. Not everyone will be exactly alike. I've heard it said that all of us being exactly alike would be boring. I believe that to be true to a certain depth, but that total opposites find it very hard to understand and get along.

We do tend to gravitate to the ones that are like us in various ways. Hanging out is usually done with "likes" as there has to be little effort exerted to enjoy the company and things in common to share.

Understanding differences takes on true meaning when we attempt to understand the "unlikes" and nurture a relationship. The work place holds many opportunities to experience differences and learn to accept and grow from these differences. Have you ever noticed how a certain personality seems to be drawn to various jobs and levels of jobs? There are jobs that I would not want to do, and some jobs I would not be able to do. We just need to admit that there are some people we just don't care for, through no fault of theirs or ours.

This is where the rubber meets the road in relationship building. Not a relationship outside of work, but one of acceptance and appreciation for the job they do. Each member of the team has a duty and responsibility to execute no matter if the task is mundane or exciting. Different can be beneficial, and yet we are all the same.

"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 NIV

Ozzie and Harriet

One of the first black and white television shows was "Ozzie and Harriet". You may remember it, depending upon age, or you may remember that Ricky Nelson, their son, sang on the show. The show was somewhat typical of the 1950s. Dad worked, mom stayed at home. Children said yes Sir, no Sir, yes Ma'am, no Ma'am, please and thank you, excuse me, and always told the truth.

Still, there were the Eddie Haskells of the world. Suck up to adults, bully to the younger ones, conniver, instigator, and always the innocent! So polite he was sickening. In that kinder and gentler time he was tolerated and even associated with. Unfortunately, Eddie is still with us in some form or fashion.

The workplace and home cannot go back to the 50s, nor should they. Too many advancements and improvements have been made. However, we can go back to civility and honesty in the workplace. We can go back to family dinners (at least weekly) where all around the table and yes, the silence may be deafening at first, but talk will gradually occur. Who knows, more than once a week may spawn off. We may find ourselves at work saying thank you, excuse me, yes Sir and yes Ma'am. The leader may start a new trend. Civility and manners at all times at work and at home. Novel idea!

"A generous man will proper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." Proverbs 11:25 NIV

Rest

When we lived in Palm Bay, Florida, our daughter Tisha went to a community college and worked part time at Wendy's. Each member of the Wendy's team was responsible for different areas to break down and thoroughly clean after closing. Some jobs took longer than others did, but they all worked together to complete their jobs and leave. Late from work, as late as two in the morning, then up and off to school by seven a.m., and then study after school before going back to work. This kept up for a full semester. Her mom or I would go in to wake her up and at times, with eyes wide open, she would sit straight up in the bed, talk to us, then lay right back down and continue sleeping. One day after we were sure she was awake, we left the room and we heard a thud. We went to see what happened and Tisha was sitting on the floor. When she tried to get up, she had no feeling in her leg; it was asleep, so down she went.

All who have had second jobs to cover the bills and those who worked their way through school know the price you pay and how the lack of rest builds and affects your life. The effects range from health, both physical and mental, to emotional tolerance.

Rest is a prerequisite for continued positive performance.

The Bible says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 12:28 NIV

Educating

Albert Einstein said, "The only rational way of educating is to be an example." What kind of example are we when things get tough, budgets are cut, wages reduced, and corporate wants it yesterday? I'm not asking what we want to be, but what kind of example are we really? Pressure forces us to act in different ways based on personality and ability to handle strain. Yes, at times leadership is a strain!

Focusing on the final product, preparing for the worst-case scenario, and having faith in our ability to drive the engine forward will set the level of our example. Regardless of our planning, knowledge, and energy we are going to be some type of an example.

The level and the quality of education delivered to our associates will be determined by our example to them.

"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12 NIV

Validation

Everyone wants to be validated by someone else. Be it co-workers, superiors, spouse, or family members. The rub comes when a leader begins to require validity from someone else on a continual basis. Recognition and praise go a long way to keep morale up. Posture becomes a little straighter and our walk a little faster, and with an assured demeanor.

Leaders who have planned, prepared, and taken action should be able to validate themselves. Expecting approval on all our decisions and our results is unrealistic. Failure and rejection are part of every equation for growth. However no one, and I mean no one, should be allowed to take away your self-worth and your value to your company, family, and co-workers. Knowing your worth is not being egotistical. Simply put, "To thine own self be true." Shakespeare had it right. Be honest with yourself. Face your doubts and concerns. Address shortcomings. Plan and pursue. Seek counsel from more experienced individuals whether in your field or not (different opinions throw out different options).

Validation may or may not come when you feel it is deserved. No matter if you have faith in yourself, your plans, your position, and your team, go forward and validate yourself. Do not worry about when it will come from others. Keep going and it will come, probably when you least expect it.

"In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for noble purposes and some for ignoble. If a man cleanses himself of the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work." 2 Timothy 2:20-21 NIV

Contentment

So, you think you are ready to move on? What qualifications do you have? What experiences can you draw from? Why is now the time to move on? Who has recommended you for the move? Who supports this move? Have you trained someone to replace you? Why do you want to move on?

Contentment at our current job seems to be a fleeting quality. Desire to move on, to promote, to grow are all worthwhile objectives. However, timing is key to success. We need to celebrate and enjoy our current station and this season of our life. Embrace where you are, slow down and enjoy, grow and mature in your position. The next step may be too grueling for you at this time. What lies ahead may be something that can shatter your dreams and abilities. Whenever we are promoted, no matter how ready we feel, unexpected opportunities will always arise. Listening to and learning from superiors are needed attributes that can carry us a long way. Let's not be so anxious to move on without some genuine soul searching and questioning of our motives and our abilities. I'm not saying to doubt ourselves, but advancement always comes at a price.

"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" Hebrews 13:5 NIV

CHAPTER 2

LEAD TO LEARN

George Bernard Shaw once said. "Youth is wasted on the young." This can be and has been true in the business world and other endeavors.

The 1960s were turbulent overseas and internally here in the US. Change was coming, older adults disliked it, and the youth were protesting anything and everything. Some protests were needed and some were not. In the 1950s, it was Elvis Presley and his style. Once on the TV the camera never dropped below the waist of Elvis. His provocative moves and rock 'n' roll were of the devil and would be the destruction of all the youth.

Seems America has survived the challenges to the norm and has survived the pendulum of change that goes back and forth.

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from Traits of a Leader by Rick Garrett. Copyright © 2014 Rick Garrett. Excerpted by permission of AuthorHouse LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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