At the risk of adding one more
element to the “national crises” carousel, I believe the crises du jour is a
role model crises! Hollywood and the broadcast news mediums are imploding with
reports of sexual harassment and misconduct among its top celebrities. The
personal and domestic violence allegations against professional athletes are
compounding. Don’t even get me started about the charges of corruption and
misconduct among career politicians on both sides of the political spectrum.
Finally, and most regrettably, the US space program, once an inspiring
combination of bravery and innovation, has become a shell of its former glory
and now our astronauts have to hitch rides on other country’s vehicles. All
this has me thinking out loud about if there is anyone left to look up to?
Now granted, I do believe
there are still good and honest individuals in all the streams of influence I
reference above. The problem, however, is that when the top leaders and
notables in those industries fall from grace, it brings down the entire
institution. We think that if those individuals who have reached the pinnacle
of success in their fields of endeavor can’t get it right, then what does that
say about the entire institution they represent?
As I was taught to do as a
young professional, however, if you are going to identify a problem then you
need to generate a solution. So here is my solution . . . YOU! That’s right,
you the average Joe and Joan citizen who go to work each day, put forth your
best effort, and do it all in an ethically responsible way. You are now my official hero. Seriously, they ought
to make trading cards with your picture because you are our last, great hope to
make society a more just, innovative, and responsive one. In fact, I would go
as far to say that you are the only who deserves it because until the culture
of professional athletics, entertainment, media, and the government decides to
change, the individuals who are part of those establishments are not worthy of
ANY kind of recognition or admiration.
So now that I have appointed
you to this new national role, how can you maximize your potential as a
billboard worthy role model whose words and deeds are ones the rest of us
should emulate? Trust me, there is no
pressure here. You can handle your new-found role in the national spotlight walking
in your sleep! But just in case you need
some reminders, here are a few recommendations:
Realize
Your Value
Recently a former student leader
of mine, Chris Conlan who serves as an executive producer for Voice America,
encouraged me to apply to have my own show on this network. After I submitted
the application, I started to worry about who I would have as guest on the
show. I did not worry about that for very long because I was able to quickly
answer the question with the names of the quality people in my life that deserve
to have their stories told. They are not rich or famous, but they are healers
and educators, activists and philanthropists, innovators and millennial
motivators. They have and add such value and you do to. You are worthy of being someone’s role model
because you have earned the right to be!
By the way, if you feel I am worthy of it, I would love your vote to have my own
show on Voice America so feel free to visit to get an idea of my intention and
the nature of the show http://contest.voiceamerica.com/contest/1/entry/6 .
Understand
Your Impact
I once heard it said that even
the quietest person can influence over 10,000 people. Now in this age of social
media, I would 10X that! I bet you have no idea of how many people you positively
influence on a day to day basis. That great example spreads like a social
contagion from the people you directly influence to those they know and subsequently
influence. And so it goes. Your impact spreads far beyond you in both time and distance
so get it right!
Decide
Where You are Taking the Rest of Us
The first two steps in
becoming a national role model discussed above occur almost subconsciously. You
just do what you do because that is what you do! In the spirit of transparency,
I got that great quote from one of my former team members, Dr. Jene Kapela who,
herself, is a great role model and started her own consulting and volunteer vacation
firm - https://kapelaleadershipsolutions.com/.
This third step, however,
requires a new level of personal awareness. If you buy into the fact that you have and add value which, trust me, you do then I would encourage you
to take a good hard look about where you want this new level of national
prominence and influence to take the rest of us. What do you want your
leadership to actually DO? I once explained to a former student that I believed
she had the potential to be one of the strongest leaders the campus had ever
experienced. I don’t think she believed me at the time but my “oh so prophetic
pronouncement” did come to pass! A couple of years later we were talking about an
issue she was involved in and I asked her where did she intend her leadership
to take others. Like you, I do not think she ever thought of herself in that light
or even considered the question. Eventually she understood that when you are a
role model, everything you do, say, post, etc. has impact - one way or the other.
The point is this, there is no
such thing as a “neutral” role model. You are constantly influencing people for
good or ill, so you need to decide where you want to take us. To be clear, this
is not arrogance, it is merely a fact. This fact, however, can be life changing
(if not life cringing!) because when
you understand this, it will:
- Influence your decisions
- Color all your conversations
- Define the nature of your
relationships
- Impact your actions
- Shape your legacy
I started this week’s blog
with a bit of melodrama, but it is concerning to think that institutions that
were once trusted and revered are now suspect and reviled. Our communities are
desperate for women and men of integrity so why can that not be you? I know
this is a bit of a scary proposition but why not you? Just step up, speak out, and
lean in! It is you we are waiting on. In fact, if you need some further
inspiration, watch this great video produced by Leadercast. https://vimeo.com/album/2019306/video/94980342
As always if I can help you and
the people you associate with Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I would
invite you to email me or to visit my website below and see if any of the
training or coaching experiences I offer can provide an impact, especially when
it comes to creating organizational values that stick! I am also pleased to
announce the launch of my first book, Leading Out Loud: Strategies for Raising
Your Leadership Voice! available on Amazon.com. Also, as a bonus, if
you go to my Out Loud Strategies website (www.outloudinc.com) and
enter your contact information, I will send you a FREE guide to establishing a
mentoring initiative program in your organization! Such an initiative would be
critical to add value to your organization!
Yours in Leadership,
Bill Faulkner
Principal Consultant – Out
Loud Strategies
Independent Coach, Speaker,
and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team TM
Email
= bill@outloudinc.com
For more information on the
John Maxwell Team, please visit
