In 2011, I jumped on the opportunity to become a founding member of the John Maxwell Team. My goal was to grow as a leader and get better as a public speaker. Not only did I grow in these two areas, I gained so many other benefits. One of them was an opportunity to continuously learn from gifted mentors.
Paul Martinelli is one of those mentors. I would encourage you to follow him on Facebook. He recently posted a sizzling article on being on time. Here is a brief excerpt: “I really believe that either you’re an 'on-time' person or you’re not. It’s not one of those 'sometimes you are, sometimes you aren’t' kind of things. You are. Or you’re not. And quite honestly, I’m amazed at how many people who are professionals in other areas of their lives fail so drastically in this area. Being late, to any degree, is a really bad habit. You see, what I learned early on in my own life, is that it truly is a matter of respect. I got to the point quite a long time ago where I’ll not hire someone because they’re a couple minutes late for a job interview. They might interview perfectly, and they might have all the credentials, but I believe that how you do anything is how you do everything. I have never met anyone who has achieved any significant level of success and impact, and who is highly respected by others, who does not hold to this value and this principle of being on time.”
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Besides providing a much needed “wake-up and get better Jon” moment, this powerful phrase Martinelli used several times has been churning in my mind: “How you do anything is how you do everything.” I wish we could sit around a table and discuss that statement. It feels harsh. It feels so black and white in a world that resists absolutes. Is it true? Can you be an honest person if you are honest “most of the time”? Can you be a person who passionately offers your best if you offer your best “most of the time”? Can you be a servant leader if you occasionally make leadership a “privilege to be enjoyed”?
For the last two years I have obsessed over “is my audio and video in sync?” In other words, if I say that I respect and value people, are my actions in sync with my belief? If I say that I am a God-first person, are my actions in sync with my belief? If I say I love my family, do my actions support my claim? If I say I trust and believe the best in people, do my actions support my claim? I believe rare is the leader who consistently lives with their audio and video in sync, personally and organizationally in the family, team, department or company they lead.
How do we bring our video into better synchronization with our audio? Identify who you want to be. Self-evaluate and ask for evaluation from others. Own your “stuff” by letting others know what “stuff” you are working on. Those three steps will enable progress.
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God bless you. Love and lead well. God is for you; others are counting on you.
