Dr. Mike's
Video BLOG
Who You Hang Around With…
In the past two weeks I was speaking at six of the Ohio High School Athletic Associations Leadership workshops around the state. It is such an honor to not only be linked with such a great organization but also to have the opportunity to speak to so many great student leaders and their coaches and administrators that came with them. Let me share with you some of the highlights of what I was presenting to them.
I kept emphasizing to them that “Who you hang around with you become.” For instance, if you hang around with people who always come into work late, leave early, are always behind in their work and have a bad attitude with colleagues and customers, then you will become just like them. If you hang your hat with the whiners, complainers and the aint-it-awfulizers, you will become just like them. If you hang around those people who are the depressing, angering, blamers, you will become just like them. I even informed the student athletes that if you hang around people who violate the athletic code of conduct by smoking, drinking or doing drugs, you will become just like them. You get the picture.
The people who are on the opposite end and “are doing the right thing” even when others might not be watching (which is the true test of one’s character). They are the ones who have “a spring in their step and are the focused forward thinkers” who choose not to hang around with these “Debbie downer” people. They know that these people will bring them down and that’s not where they want to be. They know they can be better than what they might be seeing around them. In fact, I informed everyone in attendance that leaders of character “step up to the plate” and “speak up and speak out” in an attempt to get these people off the dime and make better choices in life.
Now is being a leader of good character tough to do? Sure it is. I told them that one of the toughest person to ever lead in life is themselves. It takes work. It takes courage. It takes intentional effort. The way to get better in leadership skills is to look around you and seek out the people who already have good leadership skills, watch them, listen to them, mimic them and become like them. Talking about being a better leader is easy. Being the message of leadership in action takes work.
I really enjoyed flicking through this. I think I will have a look through your other post’s!
Wow! – Joe, Pam and Jim left some great posts – I love what Joe states about following a leader just to follow a leader – they might lead you off a cliff! – so true!!! – I love the fact that Jim is becoming a Dr. Mike SOWGI (Some One Who Gets It) – Once you get it, you will go out and influence everyone you live and work with – Pam’s father is that same SOWGI type of father – He gets it and he passed it along to Pam – Thanks everyone!
Thanks for your message Mike. I have listened to your message for several years and it consistently emphasizes the importance of making good choices and accepting responsibility for those choices. Too often, people are looking to place the blame on others for the choices they make and they try to make their problem, your problem. Keep up the good work!
You gave these young people absolutely fantastic advice! My Father gave me the same advice when I was growing up and it was absolutely “right on” and has proved me well my whole life. In fact, I still follow this advice and hang out with “people who are doing the right thing, have good character, and are moving forward in their life.”
Thank you for this post, it is very uplifting.
“a leader with no followers is just out for a walk”, not sure who said it, but it is true. The challange is to keep asking ourselves where the leader is going. A leader can lead a group off a cliff. Follower or leader, we l have the responsibility to ask questions of our leaders. Quality leaders ask their followers to do just that, ask questions and constantly search for a better way. Quality leaders are grown by quality leaders, just have to find those type of leaders.
Thanks,