The Champion’s Brew is a weekly assembly of material I am reading, listening to, watching, or thinking about that is designed to equip and call you to uncommon leadership. I often add my own little spin based on my takeaways and would love your input as well. Any of the points especially impact you? Drop me a note at [email protected], or comment on the blog to keep the conversation going! I believe you will discover that the format is not only useful, but also that you can consume it within the time it takes you to enjoy your daily ‘brew’! Become a member of the Champions Brew Nation by subscribing here!!
Here is your weekly drink of what I have been reading and experimenting with to help me to:
Love Always: For over 20 years, I have been a student of the Toyota Production System, most often referred to as Lean Transformation. Each time I train people who are new to Lean, I start with the most basic tenet that Lean is built on two (2) quite simple concepts: 1) Continuous Improvement and 2) Respect for People. The Continuous Improvement concept is talked about in detail on the journey and many tools can be taught such is 5S (Sort, Straighten, Shine, Stabilize, and Sustain), Standard Work, the 8 wastes, etc. Often, though, it is the second concept that is not talked about enough – Respect for People. Without BOTH, any difficult, arduous transformation (personal, professional, or organizational) cannot be sustained over the long term. So, how do we define ‘Respect for People’? It seems like it is something very basic that we are taught at an early age. For example, I was taught by my mother to respect my elders by referring to them as ‘Mr.’ or ‘Mrs.’ rather than by their first name. But it’s more. Those who know me well have heard me talk about the “8 rules of respect”. Many of the individuals I have coached or consulted with have printed the slide out that has the 8 rules on it. They are so basic, yet so profound. I wanted to share them with Brew Nation today. These rules were picked up from a chapter in the book titled There’s No Such Thing as Business Ethics by John Maxwell:
- If you have a problem with me, come to me (privately).
- If I have a problem with you, I’ll come to you (privately). Really, I could stop there. If we just were able to communicate one on one with individuals rather than trashing them through gossip or posts on social media, wouldn’t many of our society problems be solved or at least minimized?
- If someone has a problem with me and comes to you, send them to me. (I’ll do the same for you) Leaders, don’t miss #3, if someone comes to you with a problem about someone else, ask them if they have yet spoken to that person. If they have not, end the conversation right there. Do NOT participate in the potential for a drama situation.
- If someone will consistently not come to me, say “Let us go see him together. I am sure he will see us about this.” (I will do the same for you)
- Be careful how you interpret me – I’d rather do that. It is easy to misinterpret intentions
- I will be careful how I interpret you
- If it’s confidential don’t tell. If you or anyone else comes to me in confidence, I won’t tell unless a) the person is going to harm himself/herself, or b) the person is going to physically harm someone else.
- When in doubt, just say it. If I can answer, I will.
Really, these 8 rules can go a long way to moving a relationship forward, whether it is at work, with friends, or family. I encourage you to print this list of rules out and display it where you can reference it often. And, I encourage you to take responsibility for YOUR role in these rules. The results can be UNCOMMON!
- Quote: “The respect of those you respect is worth more than the applause of the multitude.” – Arnold Glasow
What you need to do:
Call to Action: Here are a few reflective questions for you:
- Are you willing to try to see things from another’s point of view with these 8 ‘rules’?
- What will it take for you to make the change?
- Which rule do you struggle with the most?
Let’s continue the conversation. Email me at [email protected] or comment on the blog.
I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of Champions Brew. If you enjoyed it, I would appreciate it if you would share it with a friend who might enjoy it as well and ask them to subscribe! I will make sure they automatically get this email every week.
Until next time, go and Grow Champions!
