A great metaphor from Jeffrey Cufaude that shows an example for personal leadership and leadership within District 27. Reminds me that my copy of The Leadership Challenge is getting a little lonely on my bookshelf and makes me think it would be a good idea to take another look into it. How can District 27's leaders--Area Governors, Division Governors, Lieutenant Governors, and the District Governor help you get your job done?
If you want to make yourself popular in airports, be the traveler with a multi-outlet power strip in your briefcase. Its arrival brings sighs of relief from fellow travelers, making you an instant hero as you multiply the outlets available for others to use.We would be wise to think similarly in our leadership efforts. Whether you oversee a small project or an entire organization, more of your attention needs to focus on enabling others to act, one of the five leadership practices from The Leadership Challenge.
When we are in positions of leadership, our attention must focus on building the organizational culture and supportive policies and systems that make it easier for others to act in pursuit of our mission, vision, and goals. We break through barriers, help dismantle obstacles, and introduce accelerators to progress. This is our work ... helping others do theirs. It is clock-building, not time telling as described by Jim Collins and Jerry Porras in Built to Last.
No doubt right now some of your colleagues have ideas in need of a little power boost to get in motion. You could be (or bring) the outlet they need to jumpstart their efforts.