Leadership...My Way

It has been asked of me, "Why is it you have such a low turn over of employees?" It was also recently said that, "I make managing look easy." I didn't have an answer to the question, nor did I have a response to the statement. I have never thought that I was great at what I do, however, if I based my results solely on numbers, like most corporate people do, I have been pretty successful. They say that numbers don't lie. I have just done my thing and let numbers fall where they may. I know that the numbers that I have produced is what those on the corporate ladder ahead of me see, but I don't manage number. I see myself as a leader of people not numbers. I think that sometimes people complicate leadership. I have been in a leadership position, by title, all but six years of my twenty-one years in retail. My vision of a leader has been to be the kind of employee that I would want to work for me. When I am that person, I am giving the employees the example that I want them to follow. Corporations want employees to buy into their vision statement. I don't think that the average employee cares about it. They care about what is happening within their particular four walls. How is what they are doing going to change their current situation? Most feel like they are not connected to much beyond their direct leader. People want to feel like they are apart of something bigger than their particular job, so, how can they contribute? It is the responsibility of the leader to make that happen. I would rather hire someone with desire than all the knowledge. If they have a desire to make an impact, they can be taught. It is much harder to re-educate and damn near impossible to create a desire that they don't have. Leaders are to be the example. I believe that people will buy into people before they will buy into a vision statement. I have seen vision statement come and go, but people have they ability to make a lasting impression in a way that words never will. Leadership is about confidence and creating the confidence that others need to have in you. People follow people that are leaders. If you are merely spewing guidelines and corporate rhetoric you are not a leader. Your are a corporate puppet. A leader understands people, believes in others, and makes others a part of the process. I have had the opportunity to help develop others beyond where they were and beyond where they thought they could be. People are drawn towards words but commit to people. Every time that I have left a store or company, multiple people have said that they wished I would stay or they cold come with me. It's not because of what I have said, it's because what I have done and how I made them feel. Be the leader that you would follow.

Dream Big...Pursue Big...Live Big

Stop Using Band-Aids

I am as guilty as the next person in this epidemic. So, the finger that I am pointing is as much pointed at me me as it is the next person. But if you feel that I am pointing it directly at you, maybe it's time for a reality check. It has been said that we are the microwave generation. That we want what we want and we want it now. Maybe I have helped feed this need. I daily write motivational quotes on my facebook page in the hope to inspire others, motivate others, and hopefully be a light in what can be a dark world for some. The problem I have seen is that, it is only a band-aid. All I can do is try to help someone get through their day or maybe just that next hour of their day. However, I cannot fix the deep rooted problems that people are dealing with. That is entirely up to them. Stop allowing yourself the crutch of, "I'm just going to get through today." We all have the ability to do more, be more, and live a more abundant life. We don't have to settle for the life that is being handed to us. We have the choice to make it an incredible journey full of happiness, love, passion, and joy. We have to stop acting as though we are okay because we made it through another day. Stop kidding yourself and deal with the real issues. What is causing you to feel like your life is spinning out of control? What in your life is causing you misery? What are those triggers that make you feel depressed? The band-aid of covering today up with some laughter, love, or motivation, will not fix the problem. Grow up and deal with the root causes of your issues in life. Your friends, family, or coworkers cannot fix it. Only you can do that. Grow up, grow a pair, work on the issues, and stop lying to yourself that you are "Okay." We all have inner "demons" that we struggle with and like it or not, your quality of life depends on your willingness to confront them. Simply acknowledging them, talking about them, or even covering them up will only prolong the agony that you feel inside. 

We live in a time that knowledge is at your fingertips. There is no excuse for not exploring your options for improving your quality of life. Almost two years ago, I had to stop allowing myself to make excuses and delve deep within me and get to the root of my issues. Have I completed the journey. By now means am I where I want to be, but I am a hell of a lot closer than I was. What's your excuse? No time? No money? Don't know where to start? All of those excuses can be all summed up into one word. Laziness. If you are reading this, you obviously have access to a computer and there is so much information available to you. Find you local library and read books. I didn't know where to start either, but I knew that if I just started somewhere, the universe would direct my path. I wasn't wrong. Begin today, trade those handy band-aids for action. What do you have to lose? What you have been doing, obviously hasn't been working. 

Dream Big...Pursue Big...Live Big.

Dollars Don't Create Desire

Some will say,"When I get the money, then I can pursue my dreams." Some will say, "If I lived in ______(fill in the blank), then I would be successful." The reasons for not being successful are endless. We continually justify our lack actions toward our dreams.  I understand and get why we haven't done more to achieve our dreams. The bottom line is, it's fear that stops us cold in our tracks. We fear the lack of money, not living in the right place, or not having the right education. 

Truth be told, people with less money, in worse living conditions, and with less education have pursued and accomplished their goals and dreams. Whatever excuse you can come up with, someone has already crushed that excused with persistence and determination. Persistence and determination will conquer all your fears. It's not about becoming an overnight success, it's about taking those small consistent daily steps. 

Every time that I have stagnated in the pursuit of my dreams and passion, has been when I stopped doing those little daily things that I know I should be doing. I stopped my daily reading, my daily affirmations, and daily believing in myself, which lead to me questioning if I should just give up. I don't like the feeling of possibly giving up. I refuse to give up and it's time to fight back. Watch out, here I come dreams and passions.

Dollar don't create desire, but desire can create dollars. Don't get it twisted.

Dream Big...Pursue Big...Live Big