Really, what can one person do?
Does my vote count? What can this one act of kindness do? How does this really matter? Have you ever asked yourself this question? I know I have, and this morning I actually answered myself!
The answer is in biology. Well, at least I think that's where I learned it. How do cells grow? They duplicate right? One becomes two, two becomes four, and so on. Without that first "one", there will never be the next "two". That is what your efforts, kindness, leadership, donations, and votes mean. We are all part of a chain in this universe. It is up to each of us, to either start or keep something going.
Why is this in a leadership blog?
Why am I talking about reproduction of cells in a leadership blog? Because as leaders, it's all the small things that we do or don't do, that really matter. It is the opportunities we have to add value to our business, family, or community every day that will make the difference in the long run. Asking about an employees family, helping out at the food bank, donating to the local little league, listening, nurturing, or empowering our teams, matters. Showing you have faith in someone may just give them enough confidence to try something new in their life. Who knows?
How many times have you said something to a friend or your child, and you stop and say "I sound like my mother or father?" That is what this all means! Leaders add value to others, and they in turn pass it on. That is how we grow, develop, and evolve.
The little things matter
On October 12th, I had the opportunity to host an event called Live2Lead in the Detroit/Ann Arbor area. We had a full house of 120+ people in attendance to hear John Maxwell and a host of other speakers. This is a quote that I copied from one of the attendees:
"Wow!!! Great event! This should be part of every company training. Should be mandatory to graduate high school!"
My attendees were local businesses, residents, school administrators, and I hosted an group of high school seniors. One of the seniors was at the event last year, and was hoping she was selected again by the principal to come this year. The word is out at the high school, that this is a great event!
It was only one event. Four hours. 5 Speakers. Only taking up a small space in our busy lives. Why will this little thing matter? I am sure that someone, if not many of the attendees, will pass on something they learned to someone else. They will take the opportunity to pass on the wisdom of John Maxwell, Tyler Perry, Carly Fiorina, Daniel Pink, or Debra Searle. They will continue the chain of growth, and this is how we change, grow, and evolve.
Personal, Professional Growth
This is also how growth works. We learn a bit more today, to stack upon our skills from yesterday. As we continue to learn, we grow. As we receive value from others, we have more to pass on. We can truly affect situations, lives, and conditions if we continue to grow, acting as a river, not a reservoir.
At the Kole Performance Group, we work hard today, to improve your tomorrow!