LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM

A 4 YEAR OLD

Dr. VAL GOKENBACH DM MBA RN RWJF

It has been said that all you need to know to be successful in life you learned in kindergarten. But there are other places to learn. As a doctor in leadership I observed several leadership lessons by watching my granddaughter play baseball. Enjoy

LEADERSHIP

BE THE SPIRIT OF YOUR

TEAM, YOUR ENERGY WILL

BE CONTAGIOUS

AND YOUR TEAM WILL PRODUCE

LISTEN INTENTLY TO THOSE WHO NEED YOUR

EAR IT SHOWS

RESPECT AND CARING

Do not answer your cell phone, do not take calls in your office, do not allow interruptions and do not get up and walk out of a meeting that you are leading..

LOAD YOUR TEAM WITH PEOPLE

THAT ARE EXPERIENCED

AND KNOWLEDGEABL

E. YOU WILL BENEFIT.

Leaders hire people that will make everyone look good. Low level leaders will go to great extent to hire people less knowledge then them, because they have confidence and ego issues.

RUN FORWARD WITH

CONFIDENCE AND COURAGE!

People will respect your strength and will feel comfortable in your leadership.

ALWAYS SAY THE SECOND THING THAT COMES TO

MIND

The first comment will be an emotional knee-jerk reaction and once said is hard to retract. Your second comment will be more thoughtful and potentially less hurtful.

TAKE TIME TO THINK

There are times when the world seems to be crashing in around you. At this time it is important to stop and take a moment to think. Slowing down can at times speed you up and improve the quality of your decisions.

KEEP FOCUSED ON YOUR GOAL

Believing in yourself and keeping your “eye on the ball” are key elements to achievement. Don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked or derailed by irrelevant things.

FIND A PROFESSIONAL

CONFIDANT

Remain professional and share you deep, dark feelings with people you can trust. In leadership there is always a possibility that your secrets and feelings will become public and possibly damaging.

FADE INTO THE BACKGROUND AND LET YOUR

TEAM GET CREDIT

A good leader does not need to brag about what they have achieved in fact, in successful organizations you may never know the name of the CEO, just the record of success. It is not about you but rather helping others achieve.

ASK FOR ADVICE IF YOU

NEED IT

We are on this earth to learn. Asking for advice does not represent a weakness but rather a strength on the part of the leader that realizes their competencies and areas that need to grow.

BE A COACH

Be there for your team and cheer them on. They need your support but most importantly they need to know that you care. Making them better by coaching them is a way to show how much you do care.

LEARN TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF

A leader that has the strength to laugh at themselves demonstrates an element of humanity that ingratiates them to their staff. No one is perfect all the time. Might as well have some fun with it.

STAY POSITIVE

Look to the bright side and learn to see your glass as half full rather than half empty. Positive people attract positive energy and positive people!

FOCUS ON MOVING FORWARD AND

DON’T GET CAUGHT IN AGONIZING OVER

THE PAST BUT REMEMBER IT AND

LEARN FROM IT.

Once gone, apart from reflection, the past will help us no longer but rather keep us mired in old feelings and regrets. Keep moving forward into the future.

LEADERSHIP CAN BE A LONELY PLACE

At times all leaders feel alone in the world. This is normal, keep true to your values and continue to engage your staff. These feelings will pass.

KEEP YOURSELF PHYSICALLY FIT

Leadership is a physical, engagement sport that requires great stamina and strength. Keeping yourself physically fit will keep you up for the game.

BE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU

HAVE THERE ARE SO MANY

WITH LESS THAN YOU

Stop agonizing over what you don’t have and appreciate all the gifts you do have. There are many people with less than you. This will relieve a great deal of personal pressure and maybe even get you thinking about reaching out to others.

LASTLY LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY, LIFE IS TOO SHORT FOR REGRETS

THANKS ABBY

THANKS ABBY!