"It’s great to be great, but it’s greater to be human.”
Will Rogers
I’ve Been Thinking. . .I wish I could have known Will Rogers.
Steve Gragert, director of the Will Rogers Memorial Museums in Claremore and Oologah, Oklahoma documents the history of Will Roger’s influence. “At the time of his death in 1935, Rogers was reaching 40 million people readers at a time.” That’s incredible! The population was only 120 million.
I admire the fact that Rogers traveled the lecture circuit, wrote magazine articles, authored books and produced his “Daily Telegrams” newspaper column. On top of it all, Rogers starred in 21 motion pictures that achieved considerable acclamation and made Will the highest paid Hollywood actor of his time. In fact, his market share was bigger than any entertainer’s past or present.
Why?
He could appeal to the common folk, challenge the political establishment, poke fun at the prominent and elite and he embraced a self-deprecating humor that appealed to the masses. His onstage showmanship drew in the masses who also followed his Sunday newspaper columns that eventually ran in 500 newspapers.
Ironically, the Oklahoma cowboy had atrocious spelling and even worse grammar which added to his humoristic appeal. His 10th grade education might have surfaced in his writing but despite that limitation, he had an inherent sense of what appealed to the American people and he spoke at their level.
Rogers performed and communicated at a difficult time in American history. Yet, he brought optimism, hope as well as a flash of humanity during the dark years of the depression. People sought out his wisdom, honesty and down-home clarity about issues that were impacting their lives. He wasn’t afraid to criticize what he believed was wrong and remain true to the issues he believed in. Many believe his candor influenced public opinion as well as national policy.
I love Roger’s often stated quotation: “I’m not a member of any organized party – I’m a Democrat.” There was more to Roger’s conviction than party lines. He was, without hesitation, always on the side of the working person – even after he became wealthy. Political officials welcomed him with open arms – yet I’ve got to believe they wondered how their conversations would reappear for the world to see.
It was almost like Rogers was looking into the future when he said: “The more you observe politics, the more you've got to admit that each party is worse than the other.” Regardless, Rogers was a true Patriot who believed in the American Dream.
“Be thankful, he said, “that we’re not getting all the government we’re paying for.” Roger’s honest, get to the point, no strings attached approach to Patriotism would be a welcome relief today. One of Roger’s classic observations was, “A senator got up today in Congress and called his fellow senators sons of wild jackasses. Now, if you think the senators were hot, imagine how the jackasses must feel.”
Who is the Will Rogers of today? Someone once suggested it would take the combined attributes of some our greatest comedians, commentaries, musicians and we would still be left short of the impact Mr. Rogers had on the thinking of his day. Who else could get away with saying, “The income tax has made more liars out of Americans than golf,” and still be loved?
His unfortunate death at 55, in the crash of small plane piloted by a well-known pilot preparing for the world’s first transpolar flight, was indicative of his adventurous spirit.
In the midst of current political struggle, corporate controversy, financial ambiguity, and questionable practices; where is the voice that represents the everyday American?
“Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.”
Will Rogers
Friday, March 30, 2012
Will’s Wisdom
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Become an Initiator
“There are two types of people in the business community; those who produce results and those who give you reasons why they didn’t.”
Peter Drucker
I’ve Been Thinking. . . about those who ‘get it done’ and those who ‘think about’ doing something.
In his book Principle-Centered Leadership, Stephen M.R. Covey tells how Columbus was once invited to a banquet, where he was seated at the most honorable place at the table. A superficial self-seeker who was insanely jealous of Columbus asked him pointedly: “Had you not discovered the Indies, are there not other men in Spain who would have been capable of the enterprise?”
Rather than reply, Columbus took an egg and invited those around him to make it stand on end. They all attempted, but in vain; whereupon he tapped it on the table denting one end, and left it standing.
“We all could have done it that way!” the courtier accused.
“Yes, if you had only known how,” replied Columbus. “And once I showed you the way to the New World, nothing was easier than to follow it.”
It’s much easier to follow the path to achievement than to blaze the path yourself. True explorers venture into unchartered territory knowing full well it would be much easier if they waited for someone else to show the way.
Dreamer or Achiever. Achiever want-to-bes are experts at replicating someone else’s effort rather than risk failure, embarrassment or loss. Achievers are initiators. They are pioneers, discoverers, innovators; blazing the path to attaining their aspirations. They stare risk head on and then muster the guts, determination and heart to deliver.
There is a distinct gap between a notion and accomplishment, revelation and achievement, inspiration and productivity. Lots of people have great ideas in the shower but rare are those who dry off and do something about them. In order to reap the benefits of any brilliant idea, you must find a way to bridge the gaps. Bridging the gap between concept and practical application excites initiators.
Wayne Huizenga is an initiator. While managing a garbage collection service he made a bold decision to start his own trash collection business. Not only did he specialize in garbage collection, he built a multibillion-dollar worldwide company that became a Fortune 500 leader in environmental services. Waste Management, Inc. became a fabulously successful enterprise providing outstanding services for customers and creating a great place to work for employees.
Huizenga didn’t stop there. Initiators never stop. . . They seem to be in perpetual motion!
Huizenga decided to rent movies through free-standing outlets, malls; wherever movies could be rented. Strange idea. Of course, Huizenga built Blockbuster, Inc. into another multibillion-dollar Fortune 500 company that created thousands and thousands of new jobs and produced massive profits. He now had two Fortune 500 companies notched on his belt.
He wasn’t done. AutoNation became a multi-billion dollar used car outlet company. It was his third Fortune 500 Company.
How does someone like Wayne Huizenga do it? He is truly an initiator. You don’t have to create Fortune 500 companies to be an initiator. But, nothing of significance was ever created by people who sit on their hands. As Zig Ziglar so eloquently said: “You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”
Disturb the Present. When was the last time you did something for the first time? Refuse to get comfortable with being comfortable. Be restless. Start something. . . anything. Push on. Discover something other than the tried and true. The comfort zone, habits, traditions, procrastination, aversion to risk and holding tight to the customary are the antonyms to initiation and innovation.
Drive Intentional Improvement. Immerse yourself in curiosity. Initiators are rarely satisfied with the way things are. Give yourself permission to discover and experiment. Mediocre, good enough, ordinary is so run-of-the-mill. Find a crack, a slight opening in the ‘ordinary’ and create the extraordinary. Move from blind satisfaction to a chronic, obsessive, compulsive passion for making things better.
Determine Your Path. Do you want to make a difference with your life? Do you want the world, your family, your work, relationships to be better because of you? Stop waiting for someone to create a risk proof plan to make it happen. Being an initiator isn’t about blindly following some road map to success. Create it!
Put your energies, ideas – your heart into the world and people around you. Uncover undiscovered possibilities because, like Columbus you were willing to go first into unchartered territory. Be an initiator.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Mark Twain
Peter Drucker
I’ve Been Thinking. . . about those who ‘get it done’ and those who ‘think about’ doing something.
In his book Principle-Centered Leadership, Stephen M.R. Covey tells how Columbus was once invited to a banquet, where he was seated at the most honorable place at the table. A superficial self-seeker who was insanely jealous of Columbus asked him pointedly: “Had you not discovered the Indies, are there not other men in Spain who would have been capable of the enterprise?”
Rather than reply, Columbus took an egg and invited those around him to make it stand on end. They all attempted, but in vain; whereupon he tapped it on the table denting one end, and left it standing.
“We all could have done it that way!” the courtier accused.
“Yes, if you had only known how,” replied Columbus. “And once I showed you the way to the New World, nothing was easier than to follow it.”
It’s much easier to follow the path to achievement than to blaze the path yourself. True explorers venture into unchartered territory knowing full well it would be much easier if they waited for someone else to show the way.
Dreamer or Achiever. Achiever want-to-bes are experts at replicating someone else’s effort rather than risk failure, embarrassment or loss. Achievers are initiators. They are pioneers, discoverers, innovators; blazing the path to attaining their aspirations. They stare risk head on and then muster the guts, determination and heart to deliver.
There is a distinct gap between a notion and accomplishment, revelation and achievement, inspiration and productivity. Lots of people have great ideas in the shower but rare are those who dry off and do something about them. In order to reap the benefits of any brilliant idea, you must find a way to bridge the gaps. Bridging the gap between concept and practical application excites initiators.
Wayne Huizenga is an initiator. While managing a garbage collection service he made a bold decision to start his own trash collection business. Not only did he specialize in garbage collection, he built a multibillion-dollar worldwide company that became a Fortune 500 leader in environmental services. Waste Management, Inc. became a fabulously successful enterprise providing outstanding services for customers and creating a great place to work for employees.
Huizenga didn’t stop there. Initiators never stop. . . They seem to be in perpetual motion!
Huizenga decided to rent movies through free-standing outlets, malls; wherever movies could be rented. Strange idea. Of course, Huizenga built Blockbuster, Inc. into another multibillion-dollar Fortune 500 company that created thousands and thousands of new jobs and produced massive profits. He now had two Fortune 500 companies notched on his belt.
He wasn’t done. AutoNation became a multi-billion dollar used car outlet company. It was his third Fortune 500 Company.
How does someone like Wayne Huizenga do it? He is truly an initiator. You don’t have to create Fortune 500 companies to be an initiator. But, nothing of significance was ever created by people who sit on their hands. As Zig Ziglar so eloquently said: “You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”
Disturb the Present. When was the last time you did something for the first time? Refuse to get comfortable with being comfortable. Be restless. Start something. . . anything. Push on. Discover something other than the tried and true. The comfort zone, habits, traditions, procrastination, aversion to risk and holding tight to the customary are the antonyms to initiation and innovation.
Drive Intentional Improvement. Immerse yourself in curiosity. Initiators are rarely satisfied with the way things are. Give yourself permission to discover and experiment. Mediocre, good enough, ordinary is so run-of-the-mill. Find a crack, a slight opening in the ‘ordinary’ and create the extraordinary. Move from blind satisfaction to a chronic, obsessive, compulsive passion for making things better.
Determine Your Path. Do you want to make a difference with your life? Do you want the world, your family, your work, relationships to be better because of you? Stop waiting for someone to create a risk proof plan to make it happen. Being an initiator isn’t about blindly following some road map to success. Create it!
Put your energies, ideas – your heart into the world and people around you. Uncover undiscovered possibilities because, like Columbus you were willing to go first into unchartered territory. Be an initiator.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
Mark Twain
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)