Merry Christmas!

May you and your family have a truly blessed Christmas and a very Happy New Year! 

The MMM will take off the next two weeks for the holidays and return on Monday, January 6^th of 2020.  What are your plans to make 2020 great?

How do you define success?

Success is defined by each of us in different ways.  It should be a very personal definition, not shaped by others' opinions, the media or society.  It should include components of faith, family and helping those around us.  Success should be viewed as a journey and not a specific destination. It likely changes over time and with age It does not have to include financial or materialistic goals, although it may.  Success is simply a recipe for contentment.  What is your definition of success?  Below are a few good keys in my mind...

• Be comfortable with who you are
• Leave the world a better place
• Be a positive influence
• Tell the truth
• Get mad but don't be stupid
• Be a giver not a taker
• Seek God
• Be kind
• Have and accept grace
• Be humble

When you leave…

What do people say about you when you leave?  I don’t mean when you leave the table or a meeting.  People talking behind your back is not what I am getting at either.  What do people say when they are no longer around you on a regular basis?  How do they talk about you when you move out of a community?  What is said about you when you leave a job?  How are you thought of by someone when they leave your company or neighborhood and no longer get to interact with you regularly?  What do people say when you roll off of a Board of Directors?
 

The answer to those questions is the true measurement of your influence and your impact. 

Currently I serve as Chairman of the Board of Leadership Montgomery County (LMC).  It is an organization dedicated to developing leaders in our community and it holds a special place in my heart.  One of the core values of LMC is “We Leave Our Mark.”  We challenge ourselves and others to make a lasting impression.  We should all leave our mark.  The answers to the above questions are your report card.  How will people remember you when you leave?

Influence & Intentionality

True leadership is about influence.  It is not about titles or positions. True leadership is the ability to influence others in a positive way and towards a common goal. It is not magic and usually does not happen naturally.  It requires deliberate and intentional behaviors and practices.  Influential people move through life with a purpose.  They are constantly aware of how their actions and behaviors influence others.  Great leaders look for way to intentionally use their influence to help others grow.     

Do you use your influence intentionally? 

Note:  The MMM actually began in 2004.  Thanks for all our diligent followers who pointed out the 2014 typo last week.