Leaders are Learners

by Greg McClanahan

(Editor's intro: Greg has coached some 150 manufactured home retailers and served firms such as Fleetwood Homes, Sam's Club, Conoco Philips and others with his success strategies, soft skills insights and training programs.)

Leadership is needed today more than ever before as organizations must proactively address and respond to changing market conditions.  To sell is to lead or influence a course of action. Good management ideally means good leadership. The key word in this definition is lead. Leadership is required in every area of our life.

The questions we asked were, "What can we do to make your life better? What can we do to aide you in your pursuit to make these leadership skills second nature?  How can we bring about permanency and ownership of the skills that lead to personal excellence?"

Research shows that our retention rate lowers the farther we distance ourselves from exposure to a particular subject.  That is why leaders must ALWAYS be learning and refreshing their skills in order to be able to effectively lead at every turn. If you read our article from last month's www.MHMarketingSalesManagement.com ezine, you found that our organization's goal is to consolidate the massive amount of professional development material and refine it into manageable messages. You can then read the best parts and learn the key competencies that will enhance your success.

One of our findings is that great leaders are readers.  There is something unique about our ability to own information and for it to become a part of our character when it is taken through our eyes verses just through our ears.  While reading, our mind is able to set the pace that allows us to compare and contrast, reason and evaluate and explore and discover new ideas as words pass from sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph and topic to topic.

Leaders have the uncanny ability to take charge of their personal learning.  Leaders tend to pay attention to information others deem as insignificant.  Leaders stay informed and have an insatiable curiosity to learn everything that may have an impact on their work.  They are always searching for meaning.

John Gardner said the following:

"Meaning is not something you stumble across, like the answer to a riddle or the prize in a treasure hunt. Meaning is something you build into your life. You build it out of your own past, out of your affections and loyalties, out of the experience of humankind as it is passed on to you, out of your own talent and understanding, out of the things you believe in, out of the things and people you love, out of the values for which you are willing to sacrifice something. The ingredients are there. You are the only one who can put them together into that pattern that will be your life. Let it be a life that has dignity and meaning for you."

It is interesting that John uses the analogy of having the right "ingredients" and that we can put all experiences into a "pattern" that becomes your life. A recipe directs us in the mixture of the appropriate 'ingredients' to produce a desired dish. A seamstress overlay's a 'pattern' on a piece of fabric to define where cuts need to be made. Our lives are no different.  We must use the right ingredients and follow the correct patterns.

Through the Around the Campfire program, we will define the 'ingredients' and skills needed in the recipe for a successful life. We will continue to explore the various traits and 'patterns' that are consistently demonstrated in the lives of those who have achieved success in their chosen careers.

It is clear that the outcome of our life depends upon our willingness to overlay these patterns of success upon the fabric of our own life. We are the seamstress and chef in the most important task of building "A life that has dignity and meaning." Doesn't it make sense to devote time to discover those ingredients and patterns that will lead you in the creation of something extraordinary?

When you are continually growing, making alterations when needed and at your best, you will be able to give your best. Search for meaning in every task today. The choices you make will be influenced by the outcome of your search. The Around the Campfire Organization strives to be leaders in providing innovative ways to inspire and teach the skills that are required for you to be successful.

Here's to your success!

Greg McClanahan is the President and founder of the Around the Campfire Organization. He also works full time for the Southern Ute Indian Tribes factory build housing operations as their National Sales Manager. If you missed his article last month, please access A Unique and Effective Training and Development Approach in our archives…its free, just a 30 second sign up is needed. What Greg didn't mention in his Executive Summary is how affordable the Around the Campfire program is! For less than the cost of a single cup of java at Starbucks, your organization can provide a month's training for each team member. This is an affordable, quality process you can use to continually improve your organization with! Learn more about Greg's visionary personal and professionally development process at: www.aroundthecampfire.org or you can contact him at 180 Valle Escondido Drive Durango, CO 81303, (970) 759-1767; or via email at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Posts and feedback to the post below on the concepts noted in his article are welcome and encouraged!