Leadership Value: Learn from the lessons of false leaders

Leadership Value: Learn from the lessons of false leaders

Over the past few weeks we have had a conversation about what leadership is and what it means to be a leader. Now that we know what it is we should be able to recognize what it is not, right? Unfortunately that is not always a simple thing to do. False leaders are abundant we see them everyday. Some are in office, some at our places of business, and some in positions that we depend on to help provide a safe environment. I have mentioned this before in other Leadership Value posts, but I really want to hone in on it in this one. For many people it is easy to be a leader, especially when there is no sign of trouble, anyone can hold the helm when the sea is calm, is a saying from Publilius Syrus, a freed slave from the first century BC. He is also credited with saying that a good reputation is more valuable than money. On both accounts he was correct. As long as things are good and they are never tested, false leaders are able to have a reputation that is more valuable than money. It is not until time of need that they are exposed. We have an obligation to learn the signs and test those that would lead for the betterment of all those they claim to be striving to lead to a better position. There is a measure of personal responsibility that everyone has over his or her own actions, but that is for another post. Beware of those that steer the ship only in calm water because the sea is not naturally smooth sailing. There will be turmoil and challenges. Many may try to sell you their dream, while you supply everything and they supply only the vision. This not a leader, this person is a shame artist that wants to take advantage of your resources all the while standing on your back to move to a hire position. They will often talk of their vision but will seldom have anything of substance to offer you. If we are to improve our own lot in life and pave the way for others that we care about we must study from our past mistakes and the mistakes of others and those lessons should be implemented in a fashion to maximize our growth.

Leadership Value: Leadership is not a position

Leadership Value: Leadership is not a position

Do you remember when you were in grade school and the teacher would make you do a group assignment. If your class was anything like some of mine, there was always that one kid that volunteered for the position of the leader of the group. Most of the time this person wasn’t really interested in the welfare of the group; he or she wanted the position to make them look better. Let’s be honest, we all want to look good, to be appealing to positions of authority, because they are the gatekeepers of success. They have the authority to; in this case pass or fail you, but more so in life these people are the ones that hold your raise or evaluation for that new position at their discretion. Back in grade school we had not learned that the way a leader really looks most attractive is when the whole group succeeds. So here is where being the leader actually comes into play. Leadership is not just a position; it is in fact the ability to take action, to pull the trigger on a decision. This does not only apply to the calm times but when everyone around them is in a panic, the leader must remain calm and focused. Leadership is the ability to act when everyone and everything around you is in chaos, that is what defines a leader. Often times a true leader is the most reluctant to take on the task of being the leader, because they understand what it means, and what a responsibility they have to the people whom have chosen to follow them. A true leader understands that there is more to leadership than the title of a position.

Leadership value: success and failure is perception

Leadership Value: The difference between success and failure is perception

It’s hard for people to believe that their success is not their own. It’s even harder for them to believe that their failures are not someone else’s. Some people think that if they are ever going to be successful it will be at someone else cost, that there is not enough room for them to be successful and someone else. This is a problem with perception. There are two main factors that will determine how successful you are. The first is not viewing the work as a whole but as each individual task. When small tasks are done with a simple discipline of doing each task the best we can we learn to see success for what it really is. The second thing to know is no matter what you are doing; no matter if it is art, or engineering you are not alone. The road to success is not a journey that is taken alone, although everyone will not make it with you to the end of the journey you must give in order to receive. The opportunity to help someone else is an opportunity to elevate you as well. I do not mean for wealth or taking advantage of another person, but by aiding someone else you have not only changed your perspective but theirs as well.  With the right perspective things become less daunting, because when we succeed it is because we are together, and when we fail it is only because we feel we are alone.

There is always a time to party

Many times in the pursuit of our larger goals we forget to celebrate the smaller goals that pave the way to that ultimate level of success we are striving for. None of us is promised anything as far as success goes. There is a lot of hard work and dedication that must be done long before we ever see and hold the fruit of our labors. As leaders we must not forget to celebrate the moments with those that believe in us and work towards the goals with us. In those moments we all taste a small measure of the future success that we will share if we continue to work together as a team and learn from each other. As leaders we must encourage the celebration of these moments, it is not only validation for all that we have worked for until that moment, but it is also fuel to keep the fire burning even brighter than we could have imagined. As leaders we must foster the celebration of our milestones rather it is a party or just a night out with pizza and a firm hand shake we must take the time out to enjoy the fruits of our endeavors before we press on. Let us not get so caught up in the race to the finish that we forget to enjoy each and every moment, every relationship, and every obstacle overcome that inches us closer together as a group, and to the end of a journey; where we will start anew. Life is often seen as a series of obstacles it is only when we take time to celebrate and reflect that we can see the journey for what it really is and apply that perspective to our future.

Leadership value of the day: Addition or Subtraction

Leadership value of the day: Addition or Subtraction

Most people are familiar with the simple math principals of addition and subtraction. However many think that these principals only apply to numbers, money, or anything with a value. While these principals are commonly taught in that frame of reference today I want to offer up a theory. This theory boils everything down to these two things. In life every relationship you have either adds to your life or it takes away from it. Take a moment and really think about this. You have friends that either foster positive change in your life or friends that help you spiral out of control. It is often not that black and white, as our nature is not one that is polarized but a nature that is more that of yen and yang. We must look at our relationships in a reference of time and growth to see if the relationship is one that should be fostered or cut off. However before we can get to this point we must embrace the principal that all relationships either add or subtract. If you are striving to lead and become a great leader this is something you would do well to keep in mind. If you are working to change your life and mentality start by embracing this principal, this will allow you to fully see the scope of a relationship. This does not mean cut off all the people that are not adding to your life, because it may be you who adds to theirs, but understand that if this is the case you should be aware of how your relationship with this person influences you as well.

Leadership Value of the Day: Preparation

Leadership Value of the Day: Preparation

Sometimes we get so excited to do what we have been dreaming about that we get ahead of ourselves. We look to finish the race before we have even begun. This is a mistake that can slow and even finish a project before it has even had the chance to breath. As a leader striving for greatness not only in self but the projects we want to produce, we need to often prepare ourselves and the people we a leading for the tasks at hand. When many people think of preparation they think about the gathering of all the materials they may need and the drawing up of a game plan to help them achieve their measurable goals. This is a great step, however it is not the extent to which one must prepare. In order to truly prepare a leader must now where he or she is leading people, the goals that need to be achieved and must communicate those goals to the people that are making up the team. Sounds easy right? It is not as easy as it sounds because we all are subject to getting caught up in the heat of the moment and forgetting the purpose and our preparation. A great leader should always communicate the goals of the group in the simplest form. This allows all involved to know what is the collective goal. It helps to solidify the unit as a cohesive group, and not just a bunch of people with their own agendas. That leads us to one of the most important factors choosing your people wisely. Many leaders do not like to turn people away from their groups. However sometimes it is necessary for the whole group. It is the leaders job to make sure that the group embraces those that are coming fourth with a pureness of intent, and protect the group from ill will and malice. Sometimes that comes in the form of friends that fain to be champions of your cause. Finally in order to be completely prepared for the task at hand you must be able to delegate the right people for the right jobs. A great leader does not need to run around to every job to make sure it is done. A great leader instills confidence in the people that he or she has chosen. Letting them know that they are trusted and capable to perform the duties at the highest levels for the progression of the group.

Here is a little funny video that drives home the point of preparation.

Leadership Value of the Day: Overcoming an Entitlement mentality

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Leadership Value of the Day: Overcoming an Entitlement mentality

This is the second version of this post that I have written today. I read the first one and realized it was too much for many people to handle. That I had taken people too far to fast, and that if I want to reach people that I have to break the information down into small digestible chunks of information that people can understand before I spill all my opinions out.

            There are many layers to the entitlement mentality. I am only going to deal with the one that most people are aware of. I am doing this for two reasons. The first is simple; in order to change things you must first be made aware that things need to change. The second reason is because I am living it in my life now, but more on that in bit. So let’s just jump into shall we.

            The mentality that someone owes you anything is ridiculous. I see it more and more everyday. People that feel they are owed something in life. While it is true that many of us come from a lot that has not been dealt the best hand, we cannot use this as a reason to not put in the work ourselves to change our lives, and our world for the better. Many people think that just because they show up to work that they are owed a paycheck. Are you one of those people? Do you believe that just showing up is enough? While showing up is half of the battle many times we forget to teach that after you show up you must show up. You have to work to be productive, and not just go through the motions but to actually get results. We are a society that rewards just showing up, and not the results that are supposed to be a product of showing up. There are deeper reasons for this that I will not try to address in this short post, but we must understand that in this life we can only reap what we sow. Many say that phrase but few truly understand the meaning. Many of my friends are graduates of a university or a technical school, and believed that coming out of this most expensive and segregated time of our lives would yield the ability to earn enough to make a living. Many of us are being hit with the harsh reality that this is not necessarily the truth. While we may have learned theories and techniques to help us get in to a door, we have not been taught how to think for ourselves once we walk through it. That is the real problem. If we are unaware of what we really need to know to make it in the society we live in it will breed this mentality of entitlement, because of the promises made. Changing this mentality is simple it only takes two things. First, be productive. Measure your success in the things that yield results and not just showing up or getting something to a finishing point. Second, think. Take time to think out what you really want to achieve. Thinking is an activity many people do not engage in anymore, many have become content with allowing others to think for them, and thus we go round and round.

Leadership Value of the Day: Understanding life as a production triangle.

Leadership Value of the Day: Understanding life as a production triangle.

When I was starting out as a videographer, I knew very little about the business of production, and I knew even less about the uphill battle I would face to change my life after sitting out of school for ten years. All I did know was that I wanted to do something that I had always dreamed I could, but had been told was impossible. From the outside in it looked simple. Pick up a camera film some stuff edit it and there you go. It is like life that way. We can often see the things others should do but have difficulty knowing what steps to take on our own. Then one afternoon as I was explaining the production triangle to someone else as it was explained to me it dawned on me that this simple break down could also apply to life.  Maybe I am getting ahead of myself. How many people reading this know what the production triangle is, ok by show of hands now… Oh, I see. Please allow me to explain then. The production triangle is a triangle, of course, but it represents the three main aspects of a production. On one side there is Time, on another Money, and on the final side Quality. Now the deal is you can only have two sides of the triangle at any given time. For instance you can get something done fast and if you want it to be quality work, it will cost you more money, or you can save money and it is going to take longer to get the same quality, or you can get it fast and cheap but needless to say the quality won’t be there. Do you see how this works? Ok so where was I … oh yea ok so life is just like this. You can choose to work hard and sacrifice and pull yourself closer to greatness, or you can choose to have a good time and indulge all of the little things that you want but you will sacrifice the ability to become great. The point of it all is that in this life you have to choose what it is you are willing to sacrifice to get to where you want to be. If you can’t remember all of that just think of it like this; at any given time you will only get two of the things you want, so you should make sure that the two things you choose are helping you reach your goals and not a sacrifice that you will have to make up for later and possibly never gain the ground you lost. After ten years out of school I was blessed enough to be surrounded by people who saw the potential in me to do something more with my life. Sometime we don’t get a second chance, so we don’t have the luxury of mindlessly wandering hoping it will all work out in the end. Be diligent in your journey and intelligent in your decisions if you desire to be great.

Eddie Griffith opens the door for a conversation about faith and sex.

The tides they are a changing in the entertainment industry. We are living in exciting times for those of us who are avid creators of content for the web. We’re seeing more and more development of excellent ideas into well-executed web series that are shifting the focus of entertainment, as we know it. Eddie Griffith is a filmmaker that is at the forefront of these times, and his groundbreaking web series is sure to spark controversy and conversation within the black community as well as religious communities.

Eddie Griffith, Creator and Director of "Ken"

Eddie Griffith is a generation X filmmaker from Brooklyn, New York. It was in his senior year at Buffalo State College, where he became the Vice President of the college television station that had the most profound impact him. This is where he learned to love storytelling. It was in a class taught by Tom Fontana that Eddie learned how to tell stories and create characters that were authentic and diverse. Since then Eddie has worked his way from Production Assistant to Assistant Director as a member of the Directors Guild of America (DGA).

“Ken,” is a web series about a late twenty-something African-American man going through a second coming of age as he deals with his faith and sexuality. The series exposes a wall of silence that exist between sexuality and religion. This series has sparked conversations that might have otherwise not been had.  I believe it is an important conversation for many of our homosexual brothers and sisters to have, as it has been common practice for the church to condemn those who love members of the same sex.  Which in my opinion needs to be a conversation that we have. However the questions do not stop there. The fledgling series also quandaries the state of relationships, and how truth in all aspects should not just be the air between two people but the place where each individual resides and move from.

In order to accomplish the daunting task of creating a world that feels and looks real Mr. Griffith has assembled a cast that truly personifies the voice of a young African American generation that is conflicted between love and religion. Leading this cast is Jarret Janako, as Ken. Jarret delivers a convincing performance as the confused and tormented Ken. However it doesn’t hurt that he has supporting actors that can hold their own as well such as Krystal Farris and Yarc Lewison. Krystal is a native of Georgia and has honed her craft on the stage in off-Broadway productions, and Yarc Lewison is an actor with over 50 films under his belt and a growing list of notable directors for which he has given performances. The combination of talent assembled for this production is sure to provide Ken with ample drama, and character, while creating a conversation with an audience that is ready to be open, honest and truthful about sexuality and religion.

Here is the pilot episode, please feel free to comment and share.

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Leadership Value of the Day: You get what you pay for.

Leadership Value of the Day: You get what you pay for.

In these days we are often looking for the best deal the shortest and most efficient way to get somewhere, or achieve something. If that means cutting our thanksgiving day with family short, or waiting in a long line in the cold we are willing to go through it to get the best deal. We are a culture that has decided that we would rather find the short cut. This might be okay when it comes to your Christmas shopping or finding that perfect gift if you are willing to pay the price. Realize that you are not just paying money; you are sacrificing time. So how does this relate to leadership? Where does that leave us? There is no short cut to success. There is no road map that will guarantee that you will be successful. You have to be willing to pay the price, because you truly only get what you pay for. This does not mean to go out and buy the latest self-help book as soon as it comes out, although increasing your knowledge wont hurt your chances of being successful. The payment that is required for success is different form buying gifts. The price for success seems like it would be different for everyone; however this is not the case. The price for success is the same for everyone. It is having a belief system that allows you not to give up even in the tough times. Having the mettle to withstand the no’s and frustration of those that don’t get you or why you won’t just give up and do something else. The price is not being a quitter, and unfortunately most people are not built to withstand the pressure, they cannot pay the price, because it is too high for them, so they stop. When they stop they live a life that is reflective of the effort they put in. If you have paid the price for something and all you have to do is pick it up are you just going to sit at home and watch them advertise the item and wish you had one? No you are going to hop in the car and go get it. Many people refuse to hope in the car and they spend the rest of their lives paying that price. Your life will only reflect what you put into it and the price you are willing to pay. So for a better life make a choice. Do you want to continue to pay the price you are paying now and get what you have now, or are you willing to step it up? Work harder, knock on more doors, get more no’s and get what you have paid for.