Tag: #Leadership

Success Thrives in Conducive Surroundings

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The basic principle of success is constant growth and achievement of your next goal. It is done through dedication, commitment, perseverance, and hard work. What it also requires from you is a conducive environment where it can flourish.

Such an environment can be produced when you surround yourself with like-minded, successful individuals. These are people who share your vision for success, and who believe in your goals as much as you do. The quality of the people you surround yourself with will continue to have a major influence on the trajectory of your life. This is one of the most important lessons I have learned, and one that has signified to me the importance of good company. I learned through Jim Rohn, that we become the combined average of the five people we hang around the most. He would continue this thought by saying, “you can tell the quality of health, attitude, and income of this person by looking at the people around them.”

The individuals in our lives serve as a catalyst: they can either help us reach ever-higher heights in our lives or become blocks that prevent success. I have been lucky in being surrounded by individuals who shared my values and goals, from family to teachers and mentors. The roles they have played at critical junctures of my life have helped me determine who I am, and the direction my life has taken.

The book of Matthew states “Do not give dogs what is sacred, do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” This is a simple lesson in surrounding yourself with people who understand and share your values and goals, rather than those who would trample them.

There are a great many examples to be found from all around us of the power of surrounding yourself with the right people. Henry Ford, from the moment of first acquiring his wealth, to exponentially expanding it, kept himself in the company of such individuals as Thomas Edison and John Burroughs, men who shared his ideals and compassion. He tried to associate himself with great men, who possessed the knowledge base, intelligence, and creative thoughts that ultimately helped him on his way to immense success.

PRACTICAL EXERCISES

This is an approach we all must adopt if we wish to be truly on the path of continuous success. You must become highly selective of the people you allow in your inner circle. Do not feel bad about the people that are excluded, so defined your inner circle of friends and mentors you can call on.  At the same time, make sure you are around people who are successful, who themselves are already where you want to be.

Now go one step further. Examine your inner circle and ensure these are the people who give you confidence. Make sure they enhance your creative and decision-making abilities and give you the strength and ability to face any challenges that come your way in the pursuit of your goal.

Dr. D

The Carolyle Destiny Group

https://linktr.ee/TheCarolyleDestinyGroup

Sharpen Your Ax to Develop the Best in You

Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, “If the ax is dull and its edges unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.”

Setting out to accomplish any goal without the necessary skills or tools is like trying to chop wood with a dull ax. You must overcompensate your efforts by applying more strength and muscle to accomplish the task, requiring additional time and energy. The duller the ax, the stronger the effort and the less efficiency involved.

Developing your leadership skills is critical at every level within any workplace or organization. Why? Because these aptitudes contribute to a healthy and effective workplace culture. In fact, 83% of organizations state the importance of cultivating leadership at all levels within the workplace hierarchy.

Yet, many also express their leaders are simply not ready to helm the organization. Despite the widespread availability of comprehensive leadership books and programs, people often lack the skills needed to lead an organization at any level.

These considerations bring me back to my military days. I initially did so well when tasked with an assignment to turn around inadequate conditions and boost morale amongst soldiers by helping them acquire new skills and abilities. Eventually accomplishing this goal, I was overjoyed to see the soldiers so proud of themselves. I went on to believe my next assignment would offer a chance to relax and relieve the pressures of my last one: only to find that I was embarking on a new challenge even more demanding than the last. With each new rank and level of responsibility came an even greater test. It was during these times that I realized the Army wanted me to excel and develop my skills at a higher echelon: with my superiors not only expecting elevated levels of proficiency and competency but also encouraging continuous learning and the application of related skills to accomplish any given mission. Hence, the Army was seemingly more interested in my leadership development than my ability to learn new tasks I’d only go on to forget months later.

There’s a difference between learning new skills and developing them as a leader within an organization—as new learning adds new skills to the toolbox that are further honed and utilized for their intended purpose. In essence, this helps leaders solve diverse problems facing any organization. Development inspires leaders to take on all challenges presented with the right mindset and a passion to train others to resolve problems, as well. This is even more true in the diverse and fast-paced world we live in today.

As leaders in the workplace (or even as parents in our homes), we need to sharpen our tools so they are ready to tackle any given challenge and ultimately summon the best return and reward for our efforts. With respect to leadership, this means developing related skills to influence those around you. As a parent, improving leadership aptitudes can bring everyone closer as a family and result in more congenial conditions at home.

To quote John Maxwell, “You can’t give what you don’t have.” As a leader, if you lack the skills needed to successfully execute this role, sharpen your ax through education, training, and professional development. Likewise, as a parent, sharpen your ax by developing effective communication strategies with your family members, improving your listening skills, and serving as a role model for those you love.

Dr. D

The Carolyle Destiny Group
https://linktr.ee/TheCarolyleDestinyGroup
(Tomorrow’s Destiny becomes Today Direction)

Your Attitude Determines your Destiny

                                                        Your attitude determines your altitude

On my desk in a picture frame, is my favorite quote by Zig Ziglar, when it comes to your attitude, “Your attitude determines your altitude.”   This reminds me to always keep my attitude in check because with the right positive mental attitude it could take you above during the storms of life.  Even when you don’t have control over the situation.

     To define our attitude, it’s the way we think and perceives the world, it’s the first thing which influence our behavior and exposes emotional and mental character of a person. With a positive attitude we can solve any type of problems and can face stressful situations.  Even when you don’t have control over the situation.  Having a positive attitude can hold us high above during the storms of life. 

      In my 20’s — I remember getting my first big job working for a big utility company as a meter reader, it had a six-month probationary period.   Then I got fired!!!   That Day, I remembered being call in the HR manager office on a Friday, there were Union Representatives and my supervisor.  I listened to 20 mins of complaints against me that did not represent my character, my work ethics, nor my Christian values.  I thought to myself, just a week ago, I received accolades 4 months straight for being the top meter reader in the department.  I was the guy that worked six days a week, worked the hard and dirty jobs no one wanted.  Surly I thought the permanent position looked promising.   What I was hearing was a description of someone else?   None of that mattered, still one week prior to the end of my probation on a Friday, I was Fired and told to pick up my last paycheck on false accusations.   I later I found out that I was making the older guys look bad. This wasn’t the norm of that department. So, I was expendable.    

However, I felt angry, confused, and felt betrayed by my supervisor and the company I worked for.   I remember sitting there refusing to allow this to shape my thoughts for violent retaliation.  So, I began to recite scriptures of my childhood and sung those songs I learned in Sunday School, “This little light of mine, I going to let it shine.”  I walked out of the office with peace and comfort.    And throughout the coming weeks I continued reciting those words of peace and comfort.

     Less than month later, I got a call from the Army recruiter and the rest is history.  It was my conscious awareness of the negativity present before me but, how in the mist of the storm, I shifted that mindset to a positive attitude that helped me to get through it, look your attitude serve as a compass in your life that directs your behavior. Changing the attitude of mind can change your behavior, direction and ultimately your destiny.

Quote: “A bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn.” -John C. Maxwell.                                                I took that turn, over 40 years!

I want to leave one thing with you, when you are struggling to maintain a positive mental attitude especially, now in this pandemic (Phil 4:8) 8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Check out my other articles and blogs at http: thecarolyledestinygroup.one or http://dcdardentalk.com

Let me know if this of any value to you.

Derrick Darden, PhD

How to Add Value to People?

Do you add value to your people, employees, or team members? Or do you manipulate them?

Let’s look at both: adding value to employees, versus manipulating them for your advantage. Both start with attitude. Our attitude determines whether we will succeed or fail. The attitude of a leader, especially within the workplace or the organization, is contagious. It will send either a negative or positive message to employees. Your employees will react either way. Your actions speak louder than words.

Everything starts within the mind. Your thoughts, emotions, and beliefs, which form your attitude, are displayed in front of people. If you think people are lazy, always looking for a handout, and should be grateful for just having a job, your attitude may be clouding up a possibly good environment. In this case, your attempts to motivate your people and add value to them will be null and void.  

To quote Les Giblin: “You cannot make the other fellow feel important in your presence if you secretly feel that he is a nobody.” This is a great lesson. Just think about that when you find it difficult to acknowledge people or find it difficult to trust and believe in them. You can’t motivate or trick them into believing you have their best interests at heart. People are not fooled by hypocritical behavior. Therefore, when the opportunity presents itself, they will leave the company, organization, or directorate. People leave people, not organizations.      

A leader who shows that he genuinely wants to add value to his people is valuable to the company and its culture. So try to see your employees in a positive light. In the morning, when I first see my team, I smile. Then I say, “Good Morning! Glad to see you.” It is genuine and from the heart. Try to create a pleasant atmosphere before starting your day.  

So, how do you add value?

When I was leading hundreds of soldiers or employees, doing small things that were memorable to the people I led went a long way. I remembered their birthdays, kids’ names, hobbies, or something personal and unique to them.

To quote John Maxwell, people don’t care how much you know, they care about how much you care about them.

When you value people, you look out for their interests, you empower them, and you help them to grow both personally and professionally. Sydney J. Harris says, “People want to be appreciated, not impressed.” First and foremost, adding value to people means valuing people. I wish my leaders had learned this lesson. I would be telling you about memorable experiences instead of anguishing ones.  

Remember, people do as people see!

Derrick Darden ,PhD

Website: thecarolyledestinygroup.one

Photo by rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

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Are Your Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Working?

Today diversity and inclusion efforts are a part of the core strategy amongst top organizations, no longer are most companies giving lip service that in order to be competitive in a global workforce, a diverse workforce is necessary.

Although the business case for diversity and inclusion (D&I) may be clear to you, everyone in your organization may not be on board. One reason is that while people usually understand the benefits of D&I in theory, they sometimes find them harder to relate to their everyday experiences at work. Even teams that are highly effective because they are diverse might not connect their performance to their composition.

Not having your employees on board can put your organization’s efforts to build a diverse and inclusive brand at risk. To create a culture of inclusion that everyone subscribes to is not a quick and easy task. If you want to prevent a disconnect between your D&I goals and the on-the-ground experiences of your employees and clients, here are five pointers to bear in mind.

1. LEADERSHIP PLAYS A CRITICAL ROLE
An organization’s diversity and inclusion efforts will fail without leadership commitment. As important as bottom-up initiatives are, diversity and inclusion need to be embedded in the way the organization operates. It needs to be a strategic priority and not an optional add-on. It’s the leaders who show what is important for the organization. They are also the role models who shape the organizational culture.

2. EVERYONE NEEDS TO BE ON BOARD
If any of your employees feel excluded from diversity initiatives, they will most likely not subscribe to the messaging. Make sure you consult regularly with staff representing all the different groups in your workplace to get their input and have them shape your diversity and inclusion activities.

3. GOOD COMMUNICATION IS KEY
To ensure that everyone on your team sees the link between diversity, inclusion and business success, it is crucial for leadership to be thoughtful and consistent in communicating the reasons behind D&I efforts.

4. START AT THE BEGINNING
The hiring and onboarding process is the first contact a new employee will have with your organization and can leave a lasting impression. Look at your recruitment and onboarding procedures. Where do you distribute your job postings? What questions do you ask in an interview? What does your onboarding process look like? Simple things like assigning a new employee a mentor or creating a list of frequently used acronyms can be quite helpful.

5. INCLUSION IS A JOURNEY, NOT A DESTINATION
Being inclusive is something you need to keep doing, consciously, again and again. An organization should regularly examine its practices and policies through a D&I lens and provide training to employees so they all have the awareness, skills and knowledge required to build a more inclusive work culture.

It might seem overwhelming at times, but through collaboration and taking small actions, you will make progress. As the famous proverb goes, “the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.”hey are diverse might not connect their performance to their composition.

by Anna Kostecka

Are Your Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives Working?

Main Website:http:thecarolyledestinygroup.one

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