The Greatest Lesson He Ever Learned

Early in the burgeoning 20^th century, Bethlehem Steel Corporation CEO Charles Schwab had the occasion to converse with a management consultant who inferred that Schwab’s people needed to gain more knowledge about managing.

 

In response to the consultant’s remarks, Charles Schwab responded with the now famous statement “What we need around here is not more knowing, but more doing! If you will help us to do the things we already know we ought to do, I’ll gladly pay you anything you ask!”

 

Without the slightest hesitation, the management consultant immediately agreed to accept Charles Schwab’s challenge and then proceeded to assert that “In 20 minutes, I’ll show you how to get your organization to do at least 50% more.”

 

The advice which the consultant then provided to Charles Schwab was to do the following:

 

● Write down and prioritize your 5 most important tasks to complete in the next business day.

 

● Put the list in your pocket until tomorrow when you will take it out and start working on priority number one.

 

● Look at that priority every 15 minutes until it’s done.

 

● Then move on to the next priority and then the next one after that.

 

● Don’t be concerned if you only finish two or three or even one because you will be working on the most important things.

 

It is important to comprehend that as CEO of Bethlehem Steel Corporation, Charles Schwab was handsomely compensated by Andrew Carnegie for his expertise and leadership abilities at the rate of one million dollars a year.

 

Subsequent to receiving the consultant’s advice, Charles Schwab stated that “this was the most profitable lesson he had ever learned.”

 

What exactly was this highly valuable lesson you ask? It was simply this:

 

The organization whether small or large that understands and executes on the power of focusing on priorities will progress and succeed.

 

CEO Schwab rewarded the management consultant with $25,000 for this sterling advice, which in the early 1900’s was a huge sum of money. Even more so, when you consider that it was for just a few short minutes of advice.

 

As timely as the advice given to CEO Schwab was over a century ago, it remains so to this very day.

 

The ability to appropriately identify and execute top priorities remains a core competency of 21^st century leaders. To this end, one of the key components which we teach in our premier leadership programs and workshops is that “Leadership is WAR”. Employing the W.A.R. analogy in the everyday business activities of your company or municipality is certain to help your organization and your people to accomplish more.

 

       Work on the right priorities.

 

       Achieve the right goals.

 

       Remove the barriers that are impeding your progress.

 

While there are an immense number of focus points that your organization could choose to focus on in both present and future tense, the critical mass of potential success in business, industry and government rests with your organization’s ability to effectively wage W.A.R.

 

As your valued resource partner, we stand ready to assist your organization, its leadership and your people to both wage W.A.R., while assisting them to… Learn more… Do more… Become more.

Copyright © 2016 Developing Forward | Thomas H. Swank, CBC | All Rights Reserved.

Timely Leadership For A Changing World

Over the many years of traversing up and down the Interstate 95 corridor, I am often amused by the cheesy yet catchy billboards that are utilized by South of the Border as part of its innovative marketing campaign.

 

The one particular billboard that always grabs my attention very simply reads “What is old… Is new again”.

 

What a creative way of conveying the subtle yet powerful message that no matter how many times you may have visited Pedro in the past, that there is always something new awaiting you at South of the Border.

 

While life in the 21^st century revolves heavily around what happens to be the latest and greatest, there are those isolated moments when something old remains timely and current.

 

An excellent example of this phenomenon, is a literary work that has remained timely for nearly eighty years… “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill.

 

In his masterful work of 1937 Napoleon Hill writes:

 

“We who are in this race for riches, should be encouraged to know that this changed world in which we live is demanding new ideas, new ways of doing things, new leaders, new inventions, new methods of teaching, new methods of marketing, new books, new literature, new features for the radio, new ideas for moving pictures. Back of all this demand for new and better things, there is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.”

 

How fresh, timely and original Napoleon Hill’s words remain. His thoughts have served as potent fertilizer on the seeds of imaginations for countless generations of leaders and innovators who have furthered our collective way of life for nearly a century.

 

What seeds of imagination are currently fermenting in your organization and in the minds of your people? Is your organization, its leaders and your people fully prepared to embrace the challenge of change that new ideas, new ways of doing business and new ways of serving customers will demand of you?

 

Your organization must possess a crystal clear vision for its future and a definiteness of purpose for what it wants to accomplish in that future and “why”. As well, your people must have the passion, skill sets and staying power to collectively achieve the organization’s ongoing mission and vision.

 

Definiteness of purpose ensures that your organization and your people recognize, embrace and act upon the opportunities that directly relate to the achievement of your organization’s goals and objectives.

 

Napoleon Hill strongly believed that definiteness of purpose was the starting point for all achievement. I would readily concur that his belief is accurate for both organizations and individuals alike.

 

Such an undertaking will require masterful leadership that is capable of preparing the organization to both plan and then flawlessly execute the action steps which are critical to the achievement of organizational goals and objectives.

 

Even as you read this brief there exists an unprecedented need for new ideas, new leaders and new innovation that is greater than at any time in human history. New horizons and new opportunities lie just ahead.

 

While Napoleon Hill’s timely observations continue to endure … They also beg the question … Is your organization’s leadership truly ready for what ever lies around the next bend in the corporate road?

 

Developing Forward Leadership Development

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Garnering Greater Influence

One of the questions that I frequently pose to our leadership program participants is “who” or “what” is influencing them.

 

Additionally, I also instruct them to take a few moments to carefully consider the thoughts and feelings that they have with regard to their organization, key executives, boss, coworkers, family, friends, neighbors and public leaders.

 

The question that subsequently follows is “How many of the thoughts and feelings that you hold toward your employer, executives, boss, coworkers, family, friend, neighbors and public leaders are actually your ‘own’?”

 

As you have undoubtedly witnessed many times in your life, circumstances and people are not always as they appear to be. All too often, the perceptions of other people or situations are vastly influenced by mere snippets of information or the opinions and conjecture of others.

 

If you happen to be on the other end of this equation, your ability to be an effective leader may become hampered or impaired due to the misperception of who others believe you to be, as opposed to who you truly are.

 

The fact is that in both business and government the manner in which you are perceived will directly determine the degree of influence that you will ultimately be able to exert over other people. Your ability to lead effectively is rooted in your credibility as a person as well as in the credibility of your communication.

 

In essence, everything that you say or don’t say and everything that you do or don’t do will either enhance or detract from your personal credibility and your resultant ability to influence and lead other people.

 

While the responsibilities of leadership by anyone’s count are numerous, it is my personal belief that two of your most important responsibilities are:

          To bring out the best in other people.

          To build mutually beneficial long term relationships.

 

Your capacity to develop the potential of your people and to forge meaningful relationships is directly proportionate to your personal credibility. As cited above, the credibility of your communication is a significant factor when it comes to influencing others.

 

This stems from the fact that one of the hallmark qualities of a great leader is his or her ability to become a great listener. Your capacity to listen attentively to what others have to say builds trust and credibility. The more you listen to what someone is really saying to you, the more he or she will trust you, follow your leadership and remain open to your influence.

 

Of all the core competencies that you may choose to develop as an authentic leader, your truest level of success will be as a result of the quantity, quality and sustainability of the relationships that you forge throughout your life and career.

 

It will ultimately be these trusted and valued relationships that will over time determine the scope and depth of the influence you garner as a leader.

 

Developing Forward Leadership Development

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