Having led people for more than four decades, I have learned some things that I wish I had known earlier in life. And if I could go back and tell my younger self three things about leading, they would be.
1) One, do not keep score. Life does not always play out how you think it will, and people will likely disappoint you. However, as the old saying goes, “You cannot always control what happens to you or what people do to you, but you determine how you will respond.” Keeping score leaves you feeling disappointed, used, and taken advantage of. I have also learned that human nature tends to focus on the wrong things when keeping score.
2) Two, don’t waste time; instead, cease every moment. There are things I always planned to do that I didn’t get done because I wasted time at the moment. From spending quality time with the ones I love to furthering my education, from exercising to taking a day off, I realize, looking back, that I have wasted far too much time.
3) Third, I would have been better at treating people how I want to be treated in every situation. I have learned that, with the slightest bit of effort, when I took the time to consider how I would want to be treated, I always treated people better, led better, and enjoyed the journey more.
