Weekly Thought – January 28, 2025

Fred followed the principle: strong leaders identify patterns of behavior in their associates, especially those who are close to them. He had a God-given ability to read people; he spent his life developing and using the gift in order to “stretch others” which was his goal.

People Patterns

I have found helpful to employ people in the area of their gifts and passions. When you do this you only have to correlate their gifts and their work, not supervise them. In furthering this process I want to know:

1) Character: How a person uses his or her intelligence, and gifts is determined by their character. An executive friend of mine had a sign on his desk: “You can trust me to be who I say I will do and I will do what I say I will do.”
2) Confidence: It allows a person to attempt a task with a positive attitude and concentration. The lack of concentration is often disastrous.
3) Concept of self: I am not talking about self-image, but self-worth. This factor is related to the willingness to accept responsibility and self-development.
4) Collegial skills: The ability to operate effectively with teams is important. Loners can be stars, but they seldom flourish on teams. Understanding whether a person is cooperative or competitive under which conditions and circumstances makes a difference.
5) Commitment: The loyalty to the organization’s vision makes a person a good fit in addition to their skills and passions.

This “people reading discernment” is particularly important as measured by the size of the organization. One person out of place in a group of 100 represents 1%; the wrong person in the wrong place in a group of five represents 20%.

Understanding behavior is the key to peak performance. Reading people is essential to effective leadership.

This week carefully consider: 1) How do I evaluate those in my business, community service, or friends? 2) Which area is my strongest? Weakest? 3) What plans do I have to continue growing in discernment?

Words of Wisdom: “Strong leaders identify patterns of behavior.”

Wisdom from the Word: “For wisdom will enter your heart, and moral knowledge will be attractive to you.” (Proverbs 2:10 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – December 31, 2024

Fred “broke out in hives” (as he would say) when being manipulated. He highly regarded his good friend Zig Ziglar whose healthy motivation helped hundreds of thousands during Zig’s lifetime. Those who “worked others over to get their own way” received no applause from Fred.

Walking the Fine Line

We all agree motivation is good and manipulation is bad. But sometimes only a fine line separates the two, and it’s difficult to always know which side you’re on. The issues aren’t always clear-cut – what may be a legitimate case of motivation in one situation could, with a different intent, be manipulation.

For example, Mary Alice hid eggplant in a casserole to introduce it to me knowing I said I would never eat it. I complimented her dinner preparation: “This new dish is really good. What is it?” When she told me I had to decide if I was being motivated, or manipulated. Her motivation was a key factor. And besides, it really was good!

A psychiatrist friend chided me one night by saying, “You businessmen mistake manipulation for motivation. The difference is you can substitute the word ‘Thirst’ for motivation, but not for manipulation.” He was saying unless you are satisfying someone’s thirst, you are probably on the wrong side of the line. I can motivate with integrity because I am bringing to consciousness a genuine thirst.

I was motivated in my appreciation of Dixieland music, for example by Senator S.I. Hayakawa. He was an absolute authority. During one evening we began a discussion about the subtleties. He played on my intellectual interest to attract me to Dixieland. Later I realized that he, an excellent teacher and semanticist, had instilled a deeper interest.

At no time during our conversation did he expect my compliments on his teaching skills. He never said, “I’m going to try to intrigue you.” He simply intrigued me. He saw the thirst. He motivated and enlivened an interest I already had. He deepened it.

This week consider: 1) How clear am I on the distinction between motivation and manipulation? 2) Who has recognized thirst in me and motivated me to grow? 3) When am I tempted to slide into manipulation?

Words of Wisdom: “I can motivate with integrity because I am bringing to consciousness a genuine thirst.”

Wisdom from the Word: “Take note of the one who has integrity. Observe the upright. For the one who promotes peace has a future.” (Psalm 37:37 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – December 24, 2024

Fred, as a young man, received his early corporate experience at General Shoe Corporation (GENESCO) in the personnel department. His understanding of human behavior was soon recognized and gave him opportunities to quickly advance. The efficacy of training was a particular expertise. This week’s piece offers excellent counsel for trainers.

Criteria for Effective Training

In every aspect of business it is important to establish measurements. This is especially true for those responsible for training. Here are five questions I have found to be helpful in evaluation.

1) Is this job fitting well with his or her talents? If the answer is no, then I have little possibility of maximizing the person’s potential. It is my job to make sure job, talents, and temperament mesh. For example, putting a loner into a team operation will grind the gears long term.

2) How much willingness to do the job am I seeing? I watch to see if the person is basically enthusiastic about opportunity. If the job is simply something to fill time and provide a paycheck, I don’t expect much.

3) How consistent is the person’s effort? Sporadic effort is not what I want. A friend once told me, “The amateur plays well when he feels like it; the pro performs well whether he feels like it or not.” Long-term, consistent, day-in, day-out effort is what pays off in an organization.

4) What are the objective results? A lot of people give activity, talk, and excuses but produce little. Some get by for years without really producing. I know a man who is regularly praised. When I asked what specifically was highly regarded. “Oh, he’s got personality. He is such a likable guy.” But bottom line: he has never produced anything.

5) Is this person willing to be evaluated? I am not going to spend time developing somebody who resists having his results measured. Those who let me know they are self-evaluated and refuse feedback are not candidates for upward progress.

This week think carefully about: 1) How can I apply these questions in my work, my parenting, my community/church relationships? 2) Which question is most helpful in my current situation? 3) What can I do to help someone who is growing?

Words of Wisdom: “Long-term, consistent, day-in, day-out effort is what pays off in an organization.”

Wisdom from the Word: “A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher.” (Luke 6:40 NET Bible)

Weekly Thought – December 17, 2024

Fred thoroughly enjoyed watching talented people maximize their gifts. He urged everyone to discover and develop their “uniqueness.” He especially appreciated those who could take an idea, mobilize others around it, and see it realized.

Vision Gathering

Leaders coagulate followers around the vision, not themselves. This is where we see integrity. Drawing followers to the person and not the vision is embezzlement. Using personal magnetism as a means of getting things done is, to me, manipulation. Genuine leadership gathers people around the purpose of the organization. Toward that end leaders must recognize:

1) Distinction between decisions and commitments. The first is short-term, the second is long term. Decisions can be for a limited project while commitments are aimed at the ultimate purpose. Both are necessary. People committed only to the long-term vision and not to specific tasks will not accomplish much. For an organization to thrive, the leader’s job is to produce the activity which then moves forward the overall vision. The leader must move people from decision to commitment.

Wise leaders know that when they get a decision, even a group decision, they have not gotten commitment. One of the worst mistakes a leader can make is getting a group to decide something they will not commit to. In the emotional moment of decision you can assume they are committed, but if not, things will fall apart.

2) The “driving wheels.” There’s a difference between people who provide the momentum in an organization and those who ride. Wise leaders know that if they get the driving wheels committed, they will bring the others along. Without the commitment of the driving wheels, the organization moves with an unsteady rhythm.

The best way to persuade the driving wheels if not with emotion, but with comprehension. My close friend, Jack Turpin (founder and president of Hallmark Electronics) gave a speech on sustained excellence. He has no lasting respect for short-term excellence. “Anybody who can reach excellence should try to sustain it,” he said. He knows how hard that is. He went on to say the only way people will perform excellently over the long term is if they fully comprehend what they are doing. A decisions based on emotional fervor won’t last; a fully comprehended commitment will.

Leaders must be honest about the vision, the effort necessary, and the reasons for the commitment.

This week carefully consider: 1) Am I clear about the importance of both decisions and commitment? 2) What important commitments have I made? 3) How am I doing sustaining excellence?

Words of Wisdom: “Leaders must be honest about the vision, the effort necessary, and the reasons for the commitment.”

Wisdom from the Word: “O Lord, teach me how you want me to live. Then I will obey your commands. Make me wholeheartedly committed to you.” (Psalm 86:11 NET Bible)