I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHARE WITH YOU

"There is no delight in owning anything unshared."

Seneca

1st century BC Roman philosopher/playwright

Yes there is for those things meaningful only to you.

However, in most cases, for most things, sharing, which takes many forms, will bring you greater reward.

And nowhere is this more true than when it comes to sharing your knowledge.

REST IN PEACE

"It always seems impossible until it's done."

Nelson Mandela

20th century anti apartheid revolutionary/President of South Africa

He taught us all including those who refused to learn.

In so many ways, one of the great leaders of the 20th century.

I'LL HAVE TO REMEMBER THAT

"The best memory is that which forgets nothing, but injuries. Write kindness in marble and write injuries in the dust."

Persian proverb

Unfortunately we all too often do the opposite.

Doris Kearns Goodwin's excellent "Team of Rivals" chronicles Lincoln's success in getting the best from his political rivals.

The one thing among many things he did extremely well was to put aside personal slights from those with talents he knew would benefit him and the nation.

The sign of real leadership.

Awakening Minds

"I am not a teacher but an awakener."

Robert Frost

20th century American poet

Mr. Frost created new thinking that never would have existed were it not for his poetry.

What do you think?

The essence of good management?

Being One Doesn't Necessarily Mean You Are The Other

"Aspire to be a hero than merely appear one."

Baltasar Gracian

17th century Spanish philosopher

Substitute "great manager" for hero and it works in business as well.

However understand that being promoted to manager is not all that difficult whereas earning the adjective "great" in front of the title is.

The Ideal Manager

"They are eloquent who can speak low things acutely, and of great things with dignity, and of moderate things with temper."

Marcus Tulius Cicero

1st century BC Roman writer/orator

An eloquent prescription for balanced management.

Only "Own" What Is Yours

"What is not yours always chirps for its master."

Spanish proverb

And this is not just a matter of acting as though a suggestion or idea came from you; it must actually have done so or it will be apparent to others when it did not.

But even if that weren't true (it must be; I don't believe the Spanish would have turned it into a proverb were it not), there is as much if not more gratification to come from supporting the contributions of others.

Particularly if you are management.

Thank You Steve, RIP

"Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything -- all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. ... Stay hungry. Stay foolish."

Steve Jobs

It's Not About You

"To know how to hide one's ability is a great skill."

Francois de la Rochefoucauld

17th century French writer

Particularly in business.

Your company will only achieve through the efforts of many.

As capable as you might be your real task is to make sure you channel the collective ability of others rather than attempting to do everything yourself.

We Care About Our Employees And Their Families

"The family is one of nature's masterpieces."

George Santayana

Late 19th century, early 20th century American philosopher/poet

How if at all does this quote apply to business and in particular to those companies who say "we are family"?

The Value of Win Win

"He that complies against his will is of his own opinion still."

Samuel Butler
17th century British poet

One of the tenants of contract law holds that benefit must exit for both parties. You can force agreement but better for both parties to feel they've been treated fairly.

True in management/employee relations as well.

Management Genius: Stiring the Pot

"Philosophy becomes poetry, and science imagination, in the enthusiasm of genius."

Isaac D'Israeli
Early 19th century British writer

Genius, the missing ingredient that makes the stew.

If that's not a definition for inspirational management I don't know what is.

The Art of Visionary Management

"Art is not what you see, but what you make others see."

Edgar Degas
19th century French artist

" . . . what you make others see."

Yesterday's quote from Jack Welch said that it is the leader's responsibility to communicate vision that others can then act upon.

How you do that is itself art rather than a science you learn in graduate school.

What do you think?

The Essence of Leading

"If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, become more, you are a leader."

John Quincy Adams

Notice nothing in that about giving orders, setting priorities that others will follow, being in charge.

Everything refers to doing something that causes others to do positive things ("inspire", "dream", "learn", "become".)

My new and favorite definition of a leader.

Insanely Great!

"There is a fine line between genius and insanity."

Oscar Levant

And that line is often a matter of timing.

When Mr. Obama first said he wanted to be president.

When Mr. Jobs first said he wanted Apple to be the leading seller of music and music players.

When you first set what appears to be an impossible goal.

Genius or insanity?

Inspirational Management: True Leadership

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires."

William Arthur Ward
Author

Based on the reaction to previous quotes it appears we have consensus about the importance of team building and the closely related need for managers to help others succeed.

In other words managers are teachers. If so shouldn't the companies they work for look for many of the same qualities in their managers that educational institutions attempt to find in the teacher they hire?

As a minimum teachers must teach, managers manage but if they are to also inspire, how do we find those who stand above the rest?