Lollipops and Leadership
Earlier this week I learned that a young man that I have known for a very long time has recently been released from his job, along with many others. This dismissal had nothing to do with performance, talent or integrity, all categories in which he excelled. The reductions were a normal part of business. His company has been acquired by different owners several times over, and with the current owners and merger, his department, along with others has been consolidated and reduced in size. This is a sad situation, a very unfortunate situation, and an all too real aspect of business. Businesses are constantly pressured by competitive pressures to continually drive for productivity and efficiency. They merge, evolve and change, and with wise leadership hopefully grow the business by making it more productive at lower costs. Sometimes the best of people get caught up in the after math and find themselves in a position of personal upheaval and change.
There are so many aspects of this situation that I want to be able to share with this young man that it will surely entail many mentoring sessions. This is a major stressor in any person’s life, and the ability to address it in such a way so as to turn it into one of the best things to happen to that person will take faith, confidence, relationships and hard work. I know that his “Cheese has been moved” but I also firmly believe that he will soon navigate this stretch of white water and come out the other end all the better.
One thing that I would like him to know is that his impact as a leader does not diminish simply because he is not currently employed. Leadership is not a synonym for management, and the fact that he does not have a group or tasks to manage at the moment does not alleviate his ability or responsibility to lead. I like the way Orrion Woodward and Chris Brady put it in their book, “Launching a Leadership Revolution”, “Leadership is the influence of others in a productive, vision-driven direction and is done through the example, conviction, and character of the leader.” Whether or not a person is currently receiving a pay check, or in search of their next employment opportunity, the ability to help influence others in a positive direction, and to help people forge a better life is a constant and unending proposition. There remain families, friends, churches, schools and communities that will desperately need the inspiration, vision, motivation and example that can only be provided by wise and committed leaders.
Sometimes we feel that our influence, and therefore our leadership is directly tied to what we do for a living. If we lose our position, we lose our ability to lead. This is not true. We influence people, either in groups or individually, and as such we continually find ourselves in position to help guide people to carve out better lives for themselves. Often time this occurs in ways that we are really not even aware of! Time and again I have heard from people telling me about a time that I was inspiring or motivating to them to go in a new and better direction. For them it was a significant life event, and to be honest, often time I don’t even remember the issue at all. The truth is, sometimes we have an impact on people’s lives when we least expect it, and when we are simply doing what we do naturally, and how we lead our lives and attempt to help influence others and impact their lives for good.
I would like to thank Alexa for sharing the following link with us. She was moved by a TED talk she came across in her personal leadership growth journey. In this one short story, Drew Dudley does a suburb job illustrating a truth in what he refers to as a “Lolly Pop Moment”. Give it a listen and remember that changing the world means helping people, and the best way to do this is usually done one person at a time.
So to my young protégé I would offer the following words of advice:
We are to live by faith, and it is true in this situation also. I firmly believe that when one door closes another will be opened. Be prayerful and watchful to discern which direction to follow next.
Use this time to diligently seek and prepare for the next opportunity. Live by faith and do the work.
Network more than ever. This is a people business, and the best way forward is often by connecting with the right people at the right time and at the right place. Be ever on the lookout for new opportunities to sell your talents and desires.
Continue to be a great leader. You still have responsibilities to guide, protect and provide for your family. You still have the opportunity to impact and to help others that cross your path. Keep passing out lollypops and making people’s lives better. With that, you will soon find yourself in the next phase of your life journey. I stand ready to be amazed at what God has in store for you next!
And above all,
Stay Strong,
Terry
