Leadership Today

Be yourself

Frank Boudreau — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 01:41:05 +0000

“I’d rather fail at being myself than succeed at being someone else.”
— Andre Gide – - -
As difficult as it might be to truly feel this way, if you have tried to be someone you’re not, you know how empty that is.
The surprising thing is that we try to be someone we aren’t a lot more often than we realize. How often do we force a behavior or a response that is completely out of our normal character? A better question is, why? Why do we feel that we need to be someone we aren’t? There are many reasons really. Fear, lack of self confidence, lack of understanding, lack of faith. Whatever the reason, the results are the same. Loss of self.
The truth is that the only way to truly be successful is to do it as yourself. So maybe you are thinking that being yourself isn’t enough. Well think again.
Remember this, God designed only one you, and He doesn’t make mistakes.

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With power comes responsibility

Frank Boudreau — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 05:16:12 +0000

“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” – - – Abraham Lincoln – - –

Being placed in a position of leadership can sometimes feel powerful. Let’s face it, it can feel good being able to call the shots. Once you have the title, calling the shots is easy. The hard part is calling the right ones. The real test of character is whether or not you choose to do the right thing even if it costs you something.
The power of position should bring a sense of heaviness, responsibility, humility. A weightiness, not of over burden, but of care and concern for the well being of those in your charge. Your decisions will, without a doubt, impact them. Either positively or negatively. You will either build up or tear down. The choice is yours.
So, with power, how will you decide? Will you place their needs above your pride? Will you place their cares above your own?
You have the power in your decisions. What will you do with that power?

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First know, then do, so you’ll understand, then you can teach

Frank Boudreau — Wed, 02 May 2012 00:05:37 +0000

“Those who know, do. Those that understand, teach.” – Aristotle

The best path to being able to teach someone something is by learning then doing then do it some more so that you actually understand it then you might be ready to actually teach it.
Way too often we learn about something by reading about it or hearing about it and assume we are the person to teach on the subject. But the reality is, without experiencing it, we really shouldn’t try to teach it. Whatever the subject is. So before we try teaching, let’s do. And let’s do often enough that we really understand first. Then we might be ready.

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Leave it better than you found it.

Frank Boudreau — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:50:30 +0000

“I never pick up an item without thinking of how I might improve it.” – Thomas A. Edison

In today’s society we are contin
ually looking for what we will get out of things. We buy, borrow, or trade for something and use it up the discard it. Unfortunately and usually unwittingly we sometimes do that in relationships.
So, to Edison’s point, let’s purpose in our hearts and minds to leave things better than we found them. Let’s leave folks better than we found them. Let’s add value to everything we touch and everyone we meet rather than taking away.

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Get them involved

Frank Boudreau — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 04:01:02 +0000

“Show me and I’ll see, tell me and I’ll hear, involve me and I’ll understand.”
- Chinese Proverb -

A leader will tell his people his vision and what he expects. A good leader will tell tell them and then show them so they can see what his vision is and what he expects. A great leader will not only tell and show but actually involve and empower his people so that they will hear it and see it and fully understand it and how do do it. So why is that so important? And, why is it so difficult for many of us to do?

As you develop as a leader you will go through many stages of growth. I like to sum these stages up into three statements:
“Look at me”
“Look at us”
“Look at them”

Think about these three statements. Consider what they really mean to you. Then, be completely honest with yourself and decide which stage you are in. If you are in the “Look at them” stage, consider how you might be able to continue to improve in that area. If you are not, consider how you might be able to get to that stage.
Be Blessed.

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What’s waiting to boil out

Frank Boudreau — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 12:39:33 +0000

“Circumstances do not make the man, they reveal him.” – James Allen

Take a gallon jug of milk and paint in any color. Paint it to look like a gallon of pickles. Dress it up with different labels. Change the appearance any way you want. But, when you squeeze it under pressure and the top pops off, milk is what is coming out.
Circumstances create pressure. Sometimes positive pressure, sometimes negative pressure, but pressure just the same. Regardless, when the pressure increases, and it will, what ever is inside you will definitely come out. It doesn’t matter what you try to make yourself look like or how you act.
So, let’s focus more on what is on the inside and don’t worry about what’s on the outside so much. Let’s develop the inner man and do some clean up work there.
Be blessed.

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Do you really care? Cause they might not?

Frank Boudreau — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:17:33 +0000

“No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”
— Theodore Roosevelt —

As leaders we assume that the whole reason we are in the position we are in because of what we know. Therefore, it must be that we should tell people what we know. In fact, we tend to jump out there and tell people right away.

Look, there are lots of reasons why we end up in leadership positions. For example; elected, appointed, to fill a vacancy, effort and reward. Regardless of how we found ourselves in the leadership position we are in, what counts is what we do once we get there. Now that we have clarified that, let’s talk about the “now what”.
Our people are generally ready to hear good instruction and direction. But first they have to trust you. It’s the same for you right? You aren’t going to follow someone without first knowing you can trust them right? Well it’s the same for the folks that follow you. It’s your job to develop the relationships with the people you lead. Leading by “position” will only get you so far. Leading by “permission” is what takes you the distance. Let your people know you care about them. Work for them, know them, earn their trust. Then they will be ready to hear what you have to say. And far more likely to act on your instructions.

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Do you have self-control?

Frank Boudreau — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 23:38:01 +0000

“One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself.” – Leonardo da Vinci

Titus 1:8 NIV
Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
2 Peter 1:5-6 NIV
For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;
Galatians 5:22-23 NIV
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Proverbs 16:32 NIV
Better a patient person than a warrior,
one with self-control than one who takes a city.
Proverbs 25:28 NIV
Like a city whose walls are broken through
is a person who lacks self-control.
1 Timothy 3:2 NIV
Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,

I really don’t see the need to add anything to these quotes.
Be blessed.

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Do we condemn or forgive?

Frank Boudreau — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 12:48:37 +0000

“Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving.” – Dale Carnegie

The other day my son said, “dad, as long as I can remember these people have criticized you and accused you of having hidden motives. How can you not be mad at them for how they’ve treated you?” I said, “son they criticize what they don’t understand. They don’t understand true genuine caring and concern while taking a stand for what is right.”
It’s easy to get defensive when someone wrongs you. It’s easy to react and justify the need to ‘get them back’. Anyone can do that because it’s a natural reaction.
But how about we take a different road? Let’s go against our nature and see beyond the offense. Let’s gain an understanding of what causes people to do things that might hurt. Let’s look at their heart instead of their actions. Let’s remember that we, too, have done wrong and said wrong things and needed forgiveness and understanding. And let’s remember that we will likely need it again.
Be blessed.

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Are you ready to just do it?

Frank Boudreau — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:08:40 +0000

Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Willing is not enough; we must do.

- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

To think about it is good. To meditate and plan, even better. But if all we do is think about it and talk about it, we and others will never reap the benefits of our gifts. Yes we all have gifts and they come in all shapes, styles, and sizes. But if we only think about using them, where is the benefit? If we only talk about it, what’s the point in having it. We weren’t given our gifts to hide them away or put them in a box for only us to know about them. We were given gifts so that we could use them to benefit those around us as well as ourselves. Don’t we teach our kids to share the gifts we give them? Let’s share our gifts and make a difference in our world.

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