“Do not seek to follow in the footsteps of the wise; seek what they sought.”
-Matsuo Basho
Look before you leap. He who hesitates is lost. Get back on the horse. Cut your losses.
Idioms, adages and proverbs have been around for ages. These are phrases and statements that were said at one point in time and were so perfectly fitted to that situation that the way they were spoken, everyone remembered them. BUT…
The moment, the message and the messenger have to be in sync for them to be considered wisdom. And that is where leaders come in. Leaders are the coaches, bosses, managers and teachers that know the right thing to say to the team, client or individual to change the trajectory of their career, life, project, etc.
However, the leaders need to know what role they are playing in any given situation. You need to bounce between the accountability of a manager, the motivation of a coach, and the patient teaching of a mentor. In short, you must be able to be all of these things at the right time, for the right person, with the right message.
After all, that employee with all of the great ideas needs accountability! And that intern who is the most competent person you’ve ever met needs a little confidence to take on that big project role and mentorship. Whether we are the mentor or the mentee, we all get better through mentorship!
Leaders make a difference. No, leaders make THE difference. Whether at home, at work or in your community, remember, people are yearning for leadership!
BJ Kraemer, President