Epic Living - Leadership Development Career Management Training Executive Life Coaching Author

Advice for Barack Obama

This is not a political/2008 American election post.  This is some friendly/honest advice for Barack Obama.

For consistency, I'll focus on things relating to leading.  So here goes:

1. Embrace candor and don't tell us what we want to hear.  I know political pundits and spin doctors would say that's crazy, but its what most Americans want.
2. Don't assume that you've arrived or have been anointed.  Leadership is a responsibility and not a privilege.
3. Surround yourself with people who are interested in doing the right thing, and not polling numbers.
4. Since history will judge you by what you did and not what you said, make your decisions and carry them out.
5. Tough roads are what make us great, so don't shy from them.
6. Be careful with people who are impressed by you.  Those types will tell you only what is in their best interest.
7. Tell America what you're for.  Anyone can say what their against.  Courage is found in the "for."
8. Be specific, even if it costs you.
9. Like all of us, we only get one shot at this thing called life, so make it count.
10. There are no inside secrets.  So don't assume anything.

Is It the Economy?

With all of the talk about the economy one could get lost in the maze and forget where great opportunity can be found.  I don't write this to diminish any pain you may be experiencing, but to remind you of what could be ahead of you.

In that spirit, look at the below post from a couple of weeks ago:

Having trouble in life and/or career? 

Think about the following:

• Trouble is like fire in the furnace that removes impurities from gold-your gold.
• Trouble is like a plow to soil being prepared for seed planting-seeds of a great life.
• Trouble is like an inconvenient truth haunting you to move out of what's familiar and comfortable.
• Trouble and pain are relatives, and they both are megaphones for a deaf world (thanks to C.S. Lewis for that analogy).
• Trouble is like a laser in a master surgeon's hands that focuses exactly where the need is.
• Trouble should move you to ask for help.
• Trouble is like the rainstorm that precedes the sun and rainbow.

Why We Follow the Leader

In America we are in the midst of an election cycle that's interesting to say the least.  The following is from an article I wrote last November.  I believe sets an appropriate tone.

I'm always fascinated by how leaders (good and bad) use words to get people to follow. It’s a very powerful reality when you think about it. What's critical is why a leader wants you to follow. Often it is not the subject (global warming, quarterly profits, keeping a relationship going, etc.) at hand. Sometimes the leader will use certain words to connect with what motivates you. Sometimes the leader will only use words that they think you want to hear. Bad news is never far behind words used to please your itching ears. For example; “The plant is still viable and no shut-down is in the foreseeable future.”

Leaders and followers have one thing in common; both tend to wear masks. No where is this more prevalent than in the corporate landscape. When you have that much power and money floating around, you might as well call it a Greek Tragedy.  Some masks are used to hide scars that have been inside for years, while others are used to deceive. Regardless of the intent, masks are not a good thing.

Consider former Vice President Al Gore. Why does he want you to follow him on his crusade to save the planet? He has stated that it’s about the spiritual and the moral. Maybe it is...maybe it is something completely different. In a recent article on CNN/Money.com, Mr. Gore said it’s the single most important thing we (citizens of planet earth I guess) should be focusing on. You may agree or disagree, but you can’t deny the power behind the words he uses.

One of the greatest hungers plaguing us today is our desire for authenticity. We’ve become suspicious because we’ve been sold the bill of goods more times than we care to remember. Some have followed the road of cynicism, while others are still looking for this elusive bird.
No human becoming can know for sure what sits inside of another person's heart (good reason not to be in the judgment business). So why not do some deeper looking before you decide to follow.

Here are some tips to act on:

• Ask the leader/leaders a lot of why questions. For example; "Why do you want this event/outcome to occur?" Then follow up with a why question to their answer. If the leader seems put off or disturbed (watch their eyes on this one), it might be a sign of insincerity.
• Don't follow someone/something for fame and fortune. Those who do things for those two reasons are dwelling in the Land of Fake.
• Make sure your values/motives line up with the cause or leader.
• Look at the company the leader keeps. If they hang with devil, they normally will act like him.
• Seek the advice of someone who isn't afraid to tell you the truth. What they say may hurt, but it could keep you from going over a cliff.
• Watch the body language. For example, observe the blinking of the eyes. If the leader blinks at a high rate, he or she might not be fully committed to what their speaking of.