LEADERS MAKE DREAMS COME TRUE

Maggie Mistral had a super post on "It is never to late to make your dreams come true." Please scroll down the right side of our blog to the link to Maggie's site. It is a very good piece on pursuing your dreams. I often say, "Do what you really want to do now, just in case you only live once."

This cuts two ways for leaders. Leaders, according to Drucker are in the business of removing obstacles so that people can maximize their achievements. I think very secure leaders go even further. They enable people to follow their dreams. Don't confuse me with a secure leader but, I have a story about that.

Twelve years ago, one of our senior guys, Al, stopped by my office around 8 in the morning. Al said, "Mike, do you have a couple of minutes?" I replied, "You are leaving aren't you." He was shocked, "How did you know?" I answered, "Al, don't play poker. It was written all over your face. Where are you going?"

Al said he had an opportunity to work on Wall Street and do distressed investing. I told Al, "You have to do this Al. It is so 'you'." Al looked a little perplexed. "Al, don't get me wrong. I would prefer that you stay with us. You are definitely a future partner. But, you love investing."

Al spoke about how he excited he was about the opportunity, but he that he was a little fearful of the opportunity. I told him, "Al, you have to do this. You don't want to look back when you are 60 and say 'what would have happened if I tried that Wall Street job'. In fact, I will make it easy for you. Go give it a try. If it doesn't work, you can always come back here."

Al looked stunned. "Really," he asked. "Yes", I told him. "But don't tell anyone else I told you this. The offer is not open to everyone." Al went on to a very successful career and was always a very good friend of our firm. Enabling others dreams to come true raises the level of one's leadership to place where incredible results can be achieved.

Cheers, Mike