The Home Team

Certainly, we have all heard the sad stories contrasting the overwhelming success of a leader/entrepreneur and the demise of that same person’s marriage and personal affairs. For years, professional women have felt this struggle to have it all while “balancing” motherhood, marriage, and career. Slowly men are dealing with the same issue, especially men of faith, as they focus on what really matters in life.  Usually the solution given is to find balance. But how do you balance your family against your career?  Perhaps today my loved one/child/spouse is my top priority but the rest of the week my work/team/committee takes precedent. Well that may work if you value your job as much as you do your family but most of us do not. We enjoy our work but we LOVE our families. There is a difference, an unequal distribution of value.

Hear me clearly, I do not confess to have all the answers on how to make this work, and I am quite aware that every family situation is complex. Given that, I do believe that just as we lead those we work with to higher heights, we must be intentional about the value we add to our family. Are we affirming their natural talents, are we effective listeners, do we help them learn how to find their own solutions to problems? These are “value-added” leadership skills we can carry from work to home and they give us the opportunity to invest in the growth and development of the team that matters most - the home team.

Stay in Your Lane!

A common theme or saying in today’s society is “stay in your lane.” The phrase means, “Mind your own business or keep moving straight ahead and don’t veer over into what others do best because in all honesty, it is not your forte.” My interpretation sounds humorous, right? Yet, it is true, for many reasons, including for the purpose of building stronger leadership skills. 

As I have been sharing, great leaders know their strengths. They are focused, meaning they pay attention to the path that brings out their personal best. They concentrate on areas where they can make the greatest contributions (most leaders can successfully excel in no more than three areas) and they spend the bulk of their time in that or “those lanes.” Picture this, you need to get to Orlando from Ocala and the local news has already reported that there is a major accident on I-75, it would make sense that you would avoid that particular highway, bound to be filled with distracted rubberneckers going way below the stated speed limit. You would most definitely take an alternative route like State Road 441. 

Rather than get into some else’s lane where they will not add the greatest value or where they might feel deflated, the best leaders delegate responsibilities to leaders-in-training and more importantly, they eliminate as many distractions from their day as possible.  This is the true example of efficiency, a skill all leaders must possess. 

Are you Thinking Like a Leader?

Think like a leader. You might say, I have never been a leader, I'm learning now, so how would I know? Well, it's quite simple. If you have ever worked for someone else then you have some concept of how a leader thinks. Simply put yourself in their position and ask yourself what would you do. For starters, leaders think in terms of multiplication and so should you. Imagine if you owned a company and needed something done, would you want one, very talented person with only 24 hours per day to get the job done or would you prefer ten talented people working together to get it done. I hope you would choose the latter. That's thinking as a leader and in multiplication.  

Leaders also think about solutions to problems in positive ways. They do not see lack as a limitation but a challenge that needs to be overcome. Thomas Edison, one of the world’s greatest inventors knew a thing or two about multiplication and failures. He engaged in ten thousand experiments before inventing the incandescent light bulb. When asked about his failures, he once stated, "I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward." Leaders stay positive under pressure and so should you. Jettison the thoughts common to laborers and mentally become the leader you feel destined to be.

What are you Missing?

Motivation creates the opportunity to lead. Over the years, I have noticed people who have worked for the same corporation for years and years, yet remained in the same position. They are very knowledgeable and they produce consistently but there is little to no growth in their status. If you are one of those people and you want to advance, pay close attention and examine your motives. Ask yourself the question, "Why am I stagnant?"  I don’t know your answer, however, I can almost guarantee you that you have the wrong motive. 

Workers, as characterized above, are bound in their ability to move mountains, solve problems, and meet deadlines. They are good on the team but seldom leaders. They tend to have this, “if it's going to be done right then I have to do it” mindset and they don’t trust “it” to anyone else. This sounds good, however something even more important than results is missing. People.

People should be your motivation. Certainly, people can be lazy and shifty; they may even talk all the time and never get anything done. Still these same people eventually leave the job or leave you behind. My advice. Get out of your own way.  If you already have the know-how, teach someone else to do what you do. Take your eyes off of self and turn this into an opportunity for improvement. This shows initiative and the ability to lead others to success. Inevitably, someone in authority over you will notice that you are more than a one-trick-pony, who gets their work done and to heck with the rest, and in the end you will be rewarded.

Adding Value

Adding value is a term commonly used in business. A company may set itself apart from its competitors by boasting that they have intentionally added value to their product or service that cannot be gotten elsewhere. BMW is a value added car manufacturer.  Sure you could drive a non-luxury car and still get to grandmother’s house on time, however, BMW boasts that it is “the ultimate driving machine.” They have in essence, added value to the quality of the ride to grandmother’s home when they equipped their vehicles with smooth suspension, high-grade leather, and features not normally found in the basic car.

More importantly, adding value has much less to do with earning profits or increasing sales and much more to do with providing benefits that are intrinsically in sync with the values.  The result, however, of adding value, often times does lead to an increase in profits. So what do you value? Is it an essential part of the product or service you provide?

If you believe in customer service, does that value consistently show up in how you and your employees treat patrons? If you like believe that work should be fun, is that reflected in your company culture? If you value family first, does your company have a policy that encourages employees to take annual vacations with their family? These are only examples.  Whatever the case, lead with your values in mind and those with similar values will follow.
  

Citizen Diplomacy

Long ago, I came across a mission statement, and I have never forgotten it.

It has stuck in my mind and I have shared it with many. Once in a while you come across a powerful statement and you feel like you own it. What do you think it’s about? Here it is:

In a democracy, the ultimate responsibility for a nation’s actions rests with its citizens. The top rung of government – the entity with the ultimate power of governance – is the asserted will of the people. Therefore, in any democracy, it is essential that its citizens be fully and accurately informed.

In the United States, currently the most powerful nation on earth, it is even more essential that its citizens receive complete and undistorted information on topics of importance, so that they may wield their extraordinary power with wisdom and intelligence.

Unfortunately, such information is not always forthcoming.

The mission of If Americans Knew is to inform and educate the American public on issues of major significance that are unreported, underreported, or misreported in the American media.

It is our belief that when Americans know the facts on a subject, they will, in the final analysis, act in accordance with morality, justice, and the best interests of their nation, and of the world. With insufficient information, or distorted information, they may do the precise opposite.

Several years ago I was fortunate to be introduced to two Jewish attorneys from Gainesville that had a broad history with Sister City International and the twinning process. They had paired 100 U.S. and Russian cities together. I have heard one of them say, “we are not going to take credit for ending the Cold War, but soon after it ended, President Reagan came on national TV and said we need to have more sister city relationships.”

Incidentally, they also have a trilateral city relationship between Gainesville

- Qalqilya, Palestine and - Kfar Saba, Israel. This leads me to Sister Cities

What is Sister Cities International?

Sister Cities International was created at President Eisenhower’s 1956

White House conference on citizen diplomacy, where he envisioned an organization that could be a champion for peace and prosperity by fostering bonds between people from different communities around the world. By forming these relationships, President Eisenhower reasoned that people of different cultures could celebrate and appreciate their differences and build partnerships that would lessen the chance of new conflicts. Since its inception Sister Cities International has played a key role in renewing and strengthening important global relationships.

I have shared all of this with you, to share a recent visit our city had from a delegate from Ramallah, Palestine. Ramallah is a small city (population, approximately 57,000) in the Palestinian Territories, located within the West Bank region, approximately 10 miles north of Jerusalem. Ramallah is known for its relaxed atmosphere with many cafes along its main streets.

Ramallah is considered the cultural capital of the West Bank, with a highly educated and fashionable population. This young gentleman, Wajdy Hussain, was a wonderful ambassador and won the hearts of all who met him. When asked what he thought about Ocala, he replied with “America is a wonderful place and there are many, many nice people that are going to like you if you share with them a real smile".  

“I went into north central Florida, in a region known as "horse country,"

Ocala, what a beautiful city!  Everything attracted me, from the oak trees and dangling trellises of Spanish moss, to the rolling hills. And I had the opportunity to explore miles of unblemished nature.”

“I visited the beautiful Rainbow Springs, but missed the opportunity to canoe on that day.”

“And last but not least, the people in Ocala. I mean all the people I met in my visit, they are so kind and great people. All what you need there just a smile and you will find yourself between many people respecting you.”

I believe his expression captured it well. Ocala, a city well-known for its warm-hospitality, philanthropy and natural beauty. May we all embrace citizen diplomacy and make this a better universe.

See you next time on a Moment with Manal.

The Power of Influence!

Influence is power, directly or indirectly used to create a desired effect. Leaders most

definitely have “influence.” Some have it naturally, for instance, world and religious

leaders have a certain type of charisma that engages others and makes constituents and

congregations want to follow them. Others have learned how to develop the skill. In fact,

many books have been written on the subject. The most successful, “How to Win Friends

and Influence People,” was first published in 1936 and is still relevant today. !

At the foundation of influence, whether nature or nurture is “credibility.” In general,

those who appear to believe and practice their own message excite the masses. Leaders

with influence are deemed as trustworthy. They seem to walk the walk, and not just talk

the talk. Again, they epitomize credibility. They are consistent and have proven

themselves to accomplish their goals and to keep their word. If they say they are going to

do something, they usually do, and because of their actions and consistency over time,

they have earned the respect of others.