They Are People

A long time ago, in my first job out of university I was trying to convince a coworker to call back somebody from the head office on a somewhat time sensitive issue. I’d been in the job a very short time and was not being very successful in influencing this person to pick up the phone and make the call. Finally I was told something that I’ll never forget: 

He is just a person.

This wasn’t a slag on his position in the company, it was a lesson that each person in a company is a person, with responsibilities and accountabilities, but at the end of the day, they are people.

It was also a reminder to not be scared of the person. Now, for the record I wasn’t scared, I was simply trying to follow up on a request, trying to move at the speed of business, as they say.

In any organization there are people with more responsibilities and hopefully the power to fulfil those responsibilities. People can be intimidated by the power that resides within these positions as it is more power than a lot will ever have. These are positions like CEO, Deputy Minister, or Commander. They have a lot of responsibilities and often not a lot of time. However, more importantly, they are people. They have a job to do and they are trying to do their job well. They are hopefully trying to take care of their team while they achieve their objectives. This is admirable but at the end of the day, they are people who want to go home to spend time with people they care about. They want to feel like their contribution matters. They want to be heard. They want to make a difference. They want to have fun.

To reach their objectives, they may have more tools at their disposal. They may have more authority to spend money or reallocate people. They can say yes to things nobody else can but, they can also say no. This make a lot of these positions intimidating, but it is the people in the positions that make the difference.

So, next time you need something don’t be afraid to approach the big boss. They are a person just like you, with challenges and fears like you. They have hopes and dreams like you and even though they may have to play a bit of a character at work to tow the organization line, deep down inside, they are a lot like you.

The Real Leaders

I've been doing a lot of thinking about real leadership. A lot of people disguise behaviour as leadership. Playing hard and going the extra mile is leadership. Standing back and letting the boss be the boss. When it matters you stand up and get it done.

Hogwash.

Leadership is about setting people up for success. It is about empowering people to perform better than they ever believed was possible. The problem with a lot of people is they don't realize to do this long before things get tough.

Great leaders set people up to be successful before they know what the problem is going to be. They empower people so they feel strong and talented everyday, so when the moments that matter happen, all you have to do is tell them this is just like every other day and we can handle it. Being a great leader is about setting things up so extraordinary challenges seem almost routine.

So, how do you do this.

First, you get to know people. You get to know what makes them tick and what's important to them as a person. But everyone knows this.

Then you have to make them feel special. You have to show them why they are great. Not everyone is great for the same reason but everyone has something to offer and you build off that.

Once you make them feel special, you need to show them the way to success. This is not a step by step instruction on how to do the job but an understanding of where you are and where you need to get to. Keep in mind, you are doing this before you know what the big challenge is going to be. You have to make them understand where their strength lies and how to leverage their talents. You also have to make them understand their weaknesses and how to minimize or overcome their challenges.

Now, if you have done this properly, when the time for leadership comes, you have done the hard part. Now, all you do is remind them how good they are and they have been doing this all along and presto, the team is successful.

For all this to work you must admit when you are not very good at something. It's not a sign of weakness, its shows you are honest with yourself and the people around you. It is not easy being the one people are expected to look to for leadership, and admit we are not the best, good, or downright bad. However, you have to. If you want to guide people away from weaknesses to what they do best, you have to know what you are bad at.

If you want to lead, speak up before it matters. Know the people around you. Admit when you aren't very good. Then, you will be a great leader, by anybody's standard.

Vegas - There is Nothing Like the People You Will Meet

No matter where you go you inevitably meet people. Las Vegas is no different. How people are in Las Vegas is unique.

I'm sure many of the people you meet in Las Vegas are normal when they are at home but, since they are on vacation is Las Vegas they relax and act like the person they sometimes want to be. They probably have a few more drinks on vacation. They let their hair down on vacation and Vegas is all about vacation.

We talked to a couple of dudes from Finland in Coyote Ugly, they were there to relax and have a good time. One looked like Kirk Hammett's long lost brother.

We danced with girls from Brazil in Body English. They seemed rather impressed we took the time and put in the effort to wear suits out for the night.

We posed for a picture with a group of women from Calgary that were in town for a wedding the next day. They had all gone to see the Chippendale's and appeared to have enjoyed a few more drinks than they normally do. The were kind enough to point out that we were not like the Chippendale dancers, but we were still cool anyway. They were cool as well, but would never do that back home.

There are also the people who live and work in Vegas. Some of them are just as unique.

There was Al the bus driver. Al drives The Deuce up and down the strip for a living. He likes to talk on the bus PA system. He talked about the wives he had. He told us about the peanut pecan cheese cake waiting for him when he was done his shift. When he was asked how late the bus ran he replied, "In the words of the brother Lionel Richie, All Night Long!" He greatly added to the bus riding experience.

There was also our waitress in Hooters one night. She had a rather sharp tongue and quick wit. She told us about her bookie back in Florida and how it was so inconvenient to bet on a football game in Las Vegas.

There were others that we encountered throughout the trip and only served to enrich the experience. If you are ever in Fabulous Las Vegas watch the people and enjoy the interactions, they are a big part of the trip.