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.

Fifteen Years of the MMM!

I wrote the first Monday Morning Minute on November 21, 2004.  This month marks fifteen years of sharing thoughts and challenges with you all on a weekly basis.  I hope somewhere along the way you have found something motivating, encouraging or challenging, maybe all three.

Wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving and a great start to the holiday season.  Be blessed my friends…  

Momentum Breaker – Dishonesty Momentum Maker – Character

Character is the sum-total of a lifetime of everyday choices.  It cannot be built overnight.  It can, however, be destroyed in a minute by dishonesty.  We make choices each and every day which either build or destroy our character.  Many of you have heard me say before…  “Do the right thing, even when nobody is looking!”  It is a matter of integrity and it builds character.  A trustworthy leader has a much easier time generating momentum than a leader with a reputation of being manipulative and deceitful.  Great leaders know how to be a momentum maker not a momentum breaker.

A portion of this MMM was taken from an article by Dr. John C. Maxwell.