GUARD YOUR REPUTATION
Guard your reputation; it hurts you alone!a Stake it on good. Yet know that the cost of a good and bad reputation is the same. It is the price that is different. Where you place your effort matters. Guard your reputation; it is the only thing you have. Though you can never lose it, you can change it. Best of all you can make it.
Allan
WHAT DO YOU SETTLE FOR
Not good, not the best, but the goal is the prize.
Allan
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE
Don't worry. God can make sure you live three generations to get His work done.
Allan
LEADING CHANGE IS A GAME OF POWER
Leading change is about how you use authority and power. Authority is given to you by virtue of your position. You gain power by winning loyalty and faithfulness. These are achieved by schemes, strategy and stealth. Use them all to your advantage.
Allan
I'M AFRAID TO CHANGE SYSTEMS
Changing business systems is like changing houses. You do not think you can cope until you move and you do not move until you have to. After you move, you wonder what all the fuss was about. Well it is really not as simple as that. But the point is that with enough motivation or frustration you can make the move. Yes, be careful, but moving has a number of advantages too. It gives you a fresh start. Now who would not like that?
Allan
THE HARDEST PEOPLE TO LEAD
The hardest people to lead are those who do not know where they are going or why they are being led. Anywhere will do so long as there is a bed. And everywhere is where they think they should be. And since they do not know what they want, you are not doing a good job.
Allan
IS YOUR LEADERSHIP SELFISH?
Leadership is never about "me" it is about "others". Leadership is not selfish. It is not about how much food you ate, or what you did not get. It is about what you do for others and whether you gave them your best. It is not about how rich and famous you are. It is about how wealthy and satisfied you helped others to be. It is not about how good your products are, but how well they serve others. Between you and me, leadership is about others not us.
Allan
LEADERSHIP WITHOUT SPIRIT IS DEAD
A body without spirit is dead. There are many bodies in leadership without spirit or passion or a heart for what they do. Their impact is weak, half-hearted and may even be offensive. They do more harm than good. This type of leader gives people reason to dislike him. He puts in no effort, time or energy in his work. And certainly has no eye for quality. But leaders with spirit, passion and heart are loved more than feared. Leaders with spirit make a place come alive. Do you have spirit?
Allan
WHO DO YOU RESPECT
All leaders have one characteristic in common. All of them respect themselves. It does not matter what people think of them or how they would like other people to feel about them. It is something they know about themselves. Do you respect yourself?
Allan
CORPORATE IS WHAT MEETS THE EYE
Many people when asked to describe a "corporate" will tell you of a top of the range business that is careful to maintain a public image. However, just because some people press "like" on the web page does not make it so. A corporate business invests in much more than just image. Successful corporate businesses invest in staff training, service systems, product development and customer satisfaction. Such business does not just look good. They are good at what they do. Too many people think that corporate is what meets the eye. It is five times more expensive and reaches the customers heart.
Allan
Leaders control the environment they are in by their influence. They champion specific principles, behavior and attitudes. They will change the environment if necessary to reflect their views beliefs and understanding. Managers on the other hand will not stand a disordered environment. Managers implement programs to maintain order. The powerful combination of leaders and managers creates a snowball of growth that every organization needs.
Allan
DO YOU PLAY THE BLAME GAME?
The Blame Game is a very popular because it is impossible to lose, it's not about you and the aim is to find someone else to blame. It's also very easy to play and sidetracks people from the real issues. The Blame Game gives everyone the full thrill of a movie chase. If you have nothing to do, it deals with your boredom. But if you have something to do, don't waste your time. The game takes a lot of energy. What the players don't tell you is that the person to blame is always the wrong one. The winners get to throw stones, the problem is not solved and the case is just for fun. Leaders don't play this game.
Allan
LEADERS PAY THE PRICE OF PRIVILEGE
Passion, Privilege and Responsibility
I listened in to some teenagers in a debate about how all the chicken in the garden should be killed and eaten in a big feast because they made such a mess on the grounds. They were tired of cleaning up after the beasts. Getting rid of them was a total solution. They could be excused as teenagers, but many leaders often look for the easy way out.
What we love is privilege without responsibility. We pursue that option with passion. It forms our leadership philosophy. We keep changing tactics and trying out new things not so much because they are better, but because we are looking for options that have less of a role or the least responsibility. However, leaders never have that option.
There is a proverb that warns, "Where there are no oxen, the crib is clean. But much increase comes by the strength of the ox". If you give up the responsibility you give up the privilege. If you buy a car you must fuel it, if you use a cell phone, you must buy airtime. If you want babies you must be prepared to change diapers. If you want the golden eggs you must look after the goose. If you want a spouse, you must become one. If you want to be a leader are you willing to pay the price? Leaders pay the price of the privilege they enjoy.
Allan
YOU WILL FACE LEADERSHIP INERTIA
In school, we learned about an interesting concept called inertia. It will resist your initiative to move. When you do move it will resist your efforts to stop. You just can't win, or can you? Leaders experience this natural force when dealing with situations and when leading people. Whenever you don't seem to be winning think about how you normally overcome inertia.
Inertia bothers you at the start, but so long as you keep moving, it stops bothering you and actually helps you keep going. When you need to stop, it fights you. However, so long as it is the right thing to do and you are determined to stop, you stop. Beating this thing called inertia is an indicator of your maturity and passion. It tells you how important the thing is to you.
Some people think inertia works against you. I like to think of it as a matter of perspective. Fighting it is not an option. You can't win. The question is will you or won't you make it work for you.
Allan
WHEN SHOULD YOU TAKE THE LEAD
When no one wants to take responsibility for the decision, the people are looking for a leader. Be the one.
Allan
HOW TO GET THROUGH THE INTERVIEW
The interview is a place to judge. It is a seat of destiny and a chair of hope. You always need to be your best in the dock because your life may be determined in a sentence. However, you want to come out with all your feathers on, because that is not the last one you will ever sit.
The power of presentation cannot be overrated. Long before the interview, go to the mirror and ask yourself if you would like to meet the person you see. At the interview exchange seats with the judge and see things from their point of view. Prepare your case as you would expect your lawyer to represent you. Listen for the sentence before you leave the dock and plead business sense if you sense the ruling may be against you. However, always thank the interviewer because there is always a chance you will be called back. And remember it's not about you; it's about them.
Allan
WHY YOU SHOULD READ MORE
Reading is not as important for the knowledge you gain as compared to the ideas you generate form that reading. Reading trains the mind to think and explore options other than those you find in the text. People who read tend to have more ideas. Not because they know more, rather it is because they think more.
Allan
HOW TO TURN MANAGERS INTO LEADERS
Managers are the backbone of every organization. They get stuff done. No manager worth his or her salt says, "I can't do it". Managers are made to DO things. They are built to find ways to do things. They don't give excuses. I love that precious value about managers. Leaders need managers to get the work done. There is no reason why managers cannot also be leaders. It will take a shift of focus, but right now, the world needs more leaders urgently. And managers can help. There is no point in working on weaknesses to get managers to be leaders. We can do more with their strengths.
Managers love what they do. They get joy from doing it. We can get them to become leaders by inspiring them to do more than they normally do. Managers work on objectives. To make them leaders they need to explain the reasons behind it, and the impact of those objectives will have. Managers get work done through people and tell them what to do. To make them leaders they need to work with them and listen to them too. Managers show people what to do. As leaders, they will show them how to do it. Managers control funds, leaders release resources. Managers share goals, leaders share roles. Not every manager needs to be turned into a leader, but those who get to lead need to make the shift to get the job done.
Allan
