What motto is driving your leadership actions?
“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”
– H. James
This weekend I connected with a friend who I met in 1997, when I joined a high-tech research and manufacturing organization that was striving to create a learning organization culture.
“A learning organization is an organization that is continually expanding its capacity to create its future.”
– P. Senge.
She and I worked together for 10 years. During these years, I watched her find the strengths in numerous ‘average’ performers who then soared! She found the good in every person she met, and she built relationships that has lasted decades – all while delivering sales and growth goals that outpaced industry and economy trends.
I do believe this supervisor, who was then promoted to manager, then executive, and led teams within a Fortune 50 organization developed more people, and helped create more successful career paths than any other leader I’ve worked with. And, her results in terms of sales and growth were unmatched.
As the HR/OD exec, in the years up to 2007, I remember the feedback she continuously received on reviews from her team: she cared about her team, she supported others personally and professionally, she was a straight talker, and encouraged people to do more, be more. I remember this so clearly today, as I watched in awe decades before.
As we spoke this past weekend, she shared with me this quote by Henry James that has driven her leadership philosophy: “Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.”
What motto is driving your leadership actions?