What is your definition of success?

How would you define success?  I think the modern definition of success leaves a lot to be desired.  Look in any dictionary and you will see a definition that goes something like this: to gain wealth or fame.  I am sure that if you asked 100 leaders their definition of success it would be very close to what you find in the dictionary, but the reality is that it is much more than just making more money and being famous.

Look at some of the so-called successful people in the news today.  Bernard Madoff had a lot of wealth and fame and is now in prison.  Look what is happening to the “Governator”, Arnold Schwarzenegger, after news of his affair with a maid.  Looking at the definition in our dictionaries these two guys would be described as successful, but are they really?

Early in American history our leaders believed that success was a gift from God and any successful people were living in God’s favor.  Ben Franklin wrote that “the pursuit of wealth was virtuous and would lead to success.”  General George Patton defined success as “how high you bounce when you hit bottom” and Coach John Wooden said that “Success is a peace of mind, a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing that you did your best.”

As leaders how will we know if we are successful?  Personally, I will know I am successful when I do the following:

·        Am a role model for my family and friends

·        Put others before myself

·        Talk to God every day

·        Become a servant

·        Become the best husband and father I can be

·        Love others as I love myself

·        Share my financial gifts with others

How’s that for a short list?  Needless to say I am a long way from being successful, but hey I have the rest of my life to work on it.

The real question is how will you know when you are successful?  Hopefully you will spend some time thinking about it.

Have a great week!

Human Capital

     It has been too long since my last post to this blog, but it has been a very busy time in my life.  It is amazing how life can take control of our lives if we let it.  The last time I posted something here I discussed a new book I had just read called the Great Workplace by Michael Burchell and Jennifer Robin.  When I really like a book I tend to read it more than once and I am now reading this one for the third time.

     When I think about all of the things going on in my life right now they all seem to point to me trying to become a better leader.  With this being said, it does not take long in reading the Great Workplace (pg. 7 just under the title Trust) to read what makes this book great.  Think about for a minute what the authors say “It is often said that employees tend to join organizations, but leave their managers”.  How true is this statement in your career?  How many times have you left an organization because you just couldn’t deal with the leadership?  When I think about the different positions I have held I left the majority of them because I just couldn’t get on board with my leaders.

     Hopefully if you are reading this blog you are trying to be the best leader you can be.  To me this means you are trying to live your life like a true servant leader.  There is a lot of good information out there about servant leadership, and I won’t expand on it here, but I think many people who view themselves as great leaders often miss the mark.  Many times people are great leaders in certain situations where everyone is watching them, but are totally different individuals when the eyes are off of them.  I think a true leader is a true leader all of the time in every situation.

     I agree with Burchell and Robin when they say “In the best companies, leaders at all levels have a strong commitment to creating strong ties between the employee and the organization.  Indeed, enhancing trust, pride, and camaraderie in the workplace is the central task of effective leadership in today’s organization.”  This my friends is really good stuff.  Too often in industry we get caught up in improving processes.  Organizations spend untold millions each year for the next big process improvement tool.   Don’t get me wrong here I too believe that processes should be improved, but there is nothing in a process you can improve without spending all of the time necessary to improve the employees also.  “World Class” organizations realize how important their Human Capital Management processes are to the life of the company and spend just as much time, maybe more, improving them.

     I challenge each leader who reads this to think about what they are doing personally to improve their human capital.  It will be different for each organization, but spending time fostering trust, pride, and camaraderie will unfold many great things for us.

     Have a great week!