Whatever your title, you can make a difference

Future Leaders Summit Key Takeaways

I recently published the first of a series of articles based on key insights from the Future Leaders Summit. This was a recent online event that I hosted, and thousands of attendees from all over the world learned from 31 interviews I conducted with bestselling authors and leadership experts.

In today’s article, I share some key takeaways from my interview with bestselling author, speaker, and leadership advisor Mark Sanborn. I’ve admired Mark’s work since I first read “The Fred Factor” many years ago. I was captivated by the story of Fred the postman. The ‘Fred philosophy’ is to recognize that everyone can make a difference and that passion in our work and in our lives can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Mark has written numerous other books, and we discussed the concept of “You Don’t Need A Title To Be A Leader” during our interview. True, we typically think of leaders as those at the apex of an organization. However, Mark was inspired to write this book after many leaders told him stories about employees who were doing outstanding leadership work despite having no official title.

You are a leader if you make a positive difference in the lives of others by what you do and how you do it.

So, what prevents people from taking the lead?

Mark stated that many people in non-leadership roles do not try to make an impact for a variety of reasons, including:

• Controlling is mistaken for leading. Perhaps they have worked for a leader who micromanaged and controlled the outcomes of their employees.
• They are unaware that they have the ability to lead. Some people are often unaware that they can lead unless they are inadvertently exposed to it.
• I’m not sure how to take the lead. Some people want to make a difference but are unsure how to go about it.

What can you do to add value?

Employees who consistently add value will be recognized as individuals who produce results. These are the people who will be noticed for all the right reasons, and they are the people who are most likely to be promoted to formal positions of leadership.

Do you get noticed at work for the right or wrong reasons?

So, what can you do to add value? Mark shared with me what he refers to as the ‘ROI Factor,’ which effective leaders employ on a regular basis. This is something that we could all benefit from, regardless of our position.

• The letter R stands for relationships. Any time you improve your relationship with a vendor, customer, colleague, or stakeholder, you are demonstrating leadership.
• The letter O stands for outcomes, which are the outcomes you will achieve.
• The letter I stands for improvement, as in making things a little bit better through innovation and creativity.

“It’s not the job you have; it’s how you do the job you do that matters.”

What Can YOU DO TODAY TO MAKE A CHANGE?

I was pleased to see a poster in the pantry encouraging staff to “Show your appreciation today!” while conducting training for an organization in Singapore last week. This reminded me of a conversation I had with Mark about how anyone, regardless of title, can make a difference. Here are a few simple ways you can make a difference today or any day:

• Congratulate a coworker on excellent work on a recent project.
• Stop by someone’s desk to say hello and ask how their weekend was.
• Give someone a Kit Kat chocolate bar and a note that says, “You deserve a break.”
• If you notice someone in need, offer to assist them.
• Pick up some cookies or cupcakes and place them in the pantry for everyone to enjoy.

What are YOU going to do today to make a difference?

I hope you found some of the key takeaways from my interview with Mark Sanborn interesting. I’d appreciate it if you could share your thoughts: How do some of your team members make an impact if you’re a leader?

What can you do to make an impact if you aren’t a leader?

Best wishes for your success!