Our leadership quote of the week was selected in celebration of the life of Nelson Mandela who died at the age of 95 on December 5.
What a life he led. A fabulous role model for us as leaders and as human beings. A well educated man who stood up for what he believed; spoke up for others; was arrested and convicted for conspiracy; then sentenced to life in prison at the age of 44.
He was released after 27 years (age 71). Four years later he was elected President of South Africa, the first black South African to hold that office. He focused on racial tension, human rights, land reform and healthcare.
After one term, he declined to run for re-election and instead focused on charitable work combating poverty and AIDS. He held international acclaim for his activism; recognized with over 250 awards including the Nobel Peace Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Instead of one quote, I selected a trilogy, three quotes that can help us lead through difficult, seemingly impossible times. They remind us to believe in ourselves and to believe in what can be.
But it’s not about pushing people to work harder to achieve the impossible.
If we want others to be as determined as we are about handling difficult situations, we must convey a clear and compelling message about our purpose and vision.
- Why is it important to handle these difficulties?
- How does it help your customers?
- How does it help your team members?
- What’s in it for them?
- How does this help them achieve their dreams and goals?
Be clear about your purpose, vision and goals. Help them be clear about theirs. Purpose provides push and pull. All you have to do from there is provide a bit of guidance and perhaps an occasional reminder of why the work is important; plus a few words of encouragement, like these from Nelson Mandela.
That’s extra easy if you go ahead and post these quotes now. See instructions below.
And if you haven’t already done so, sign up here for a Monday morning BOOST for you and your team – the Leadership Quote of the Week delivered to your email box each Monday morning.
Use the above quote as background or wallpaper for your computer with just three clicks.
1. Click on the image above or on this link.
2. Right click on the image that appears.
3. On the pull down menu that appears, click on “set as background”.
Voila! There’s still plenty of room on the left side of the screen for all your shortcut icons.
Or print the PDF version below. Just click on the printer icon in lower right corner of the image.
Problems with printing? Try this.
One last note: In addition to bite-size bits for daily learning and reinforcement, we also offer on-site workshops and individual coaching, all tailored to the needs of the individual or organization. Contact Jan to discuss your needs: Jan@BusinessClassInc.com
