Just because one has a few things figured out, doesn’t mean one has all things figured out.
Nevertheless, it seems the tendency to assume, that when a person makes some money, obtains a degree, or writes a book, they become experts in all things concerning the lives of others.
“I’m successful in business therefore, I have all the solutions for your challenges in life, listen to exactly what I say or suffer” says the self righteously “Omnipotent” leader.
If said person really did have all the answers, then wouldn’t it follow that most everyone within earshot who was coach able and willing to take action, would be having success as well?
The observant soul realizes this is not the case.
This doesn’t mean there’s not wisdom to be found from others.
It simply means that we are all unique, individual beings, on our own unique path of what could be infinite levels of progression.
Like Dexter Yager, legendary home business leader once said in his book, ‘Everything I know at the Top, I Learned at the Bottom‘
“People are always looking for the secret to success. There are lots of A-B-C and 1-2-3 books on the bookshelves.
Experts share their formulas for making money and getting rich. CEO’s write about there experiences and how they made it to the top.
Maybe it will surprise you to hear me say this, but I believe the secret to success is that there are no secrets to success.
The formula for wealth is that there is no formula.
The things I will share with you in this book are not secrets, and they’re not guaranteed formulas or recipes.
They’re just the basic ingredients.
You have to put them in the bowl of your life and stir.”
We can listen to the council of others, and that certainly has it’s value, but at the end of the day we have to mix it all “with the ingredients of our own lives and stir.”
To those of us wisely following those who have gone before let us remember the words of Einstein…
“A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of the truth.”
Just because a leader says it is so, doesn’t mean it is so…
As Mortimer Adler reminds us in his book, How to Read a book, “To regard anyone except yourself as responsible for your judgement, is to be a slave, not a free man.”
And for those of us who have leadership responsibilities, let us remember that we are not suppose to have all the answers for the lives of others.
It’s not and never was our job to be omnipotent.
The 2 greatest responsibilities we have as leaders is to..
1. Lead ourselves as effectively as we can
and..
2. Be a guide through our example first, and our words, love & belief second.
Always remembering the job of “Omnipotence” is not, and never was, ours to be had.
Believe in people and give them the credit & the time for figuring some of those important things out on their own, just like you did.
This post is fulfilling Paul. It really says a lot. There is no secret just spending a lot of time at the bottom and will get to the top. You are a great example of leadership Paul. I love who you are!
Hey Anthony,
I’m so grateful you got some value from this post. And yup, no secret… time, patience and action. You are a great example of all of that and I love who you are! I love how you influence myself and those around you. You’re a true inspiration!