Your Title Is Not Your Purpose!

When you ask somebody what he or she does for a living, they will most likely tell you what their title is on their business card. VP of Sales, Service Manager, Human Resources Business Partner, Physical Therapist, Business Coach. What do all of those titles really mean? And more importantly how does it describe what these people do and why they do it? Ya got me. 

And what the heck is an actuary? I gotta go to Wikipedia to figure that one out.

See, here’s the thing. Your title doesn’t represent your purpose in business. The beliefs behind what winning looks like for you, your team and your customers are what drives your purpose.

And, let me be the first to break it to ya – you do not impress anyone with your title. The only title I ever saw that made me stop and think was that of a woman at Southwest Airlines – Culture Queen. Yep – pretty much sums it up. I know exactly what her purpose is at Southwest.

But beyond that, call yourself whatever you want. Your beliefs and your behaviors and the messages sent by your actions are what define you. THAT is what you do for a living.

When I first started my job as Plant Manager at a factory in Westminster, Colorado, I thought I was hot stuff. “Lookout everybody, the Plant Manager is in da house!” I thought I held the ultimate power. But on my first day of work, the HR administrative assistant walked into my office and handed me a watering can with a smile. She told me it was my responsibility to make sure none of the plants died. Hmmm, I get it – plant manager. Real funny. But a great reality check.

Title doesn’t mean much. How you treat others, the behaviors you inspire and the results those behaviors provide is your purpose. 

I wasn’t a plant manager. I was a servant leader who helped create a culture of significance so that the dedicated employees could serve our customers and each other in the best way possible. 

That’s what should have been on my business card…

Find your purpose as a leader and then let your actions do all of your talking.

Go Ahead, Dare to be Amazing!

5 Simple Life Lessons My Dogs Taught Me

Dogs have been one of the most pleasurable parts of my existence here on this earth. The connection I personally have with the canine kind is simply awesome. They make me smile and they take stress away like a hot knife into butter.

Who would ever believe that an animal that chases it’s own tail and sniffs the behinds of every dog he meets could have such an amazing impact on my life. But it’s true. If you pay close attention, you too will learn a bunch from these furry hooligans.

See, here’s the thing. Dogs keep life simple and they revel in the smallest of blessings. They don’t expect much – a little love and some food each day. What humans should learn from these creatures is that many times simple will trump sophisticated and complex.

So I now share with you five simple lessons my fury best friends have taught me in this life. These subtle messages have changed me forever.

1.     Be excited and wag your tail for anyone who takes the time to come visit you. Dogs are not judgmental and they aren’t too busy to take a break and provide a proper greeting. And they expect us to treat them the same way. Wag your tail for others a bit more. Greet people you don’t know with a smile. It will be paid back to you multiple times over.

2.     Exercise is the way to make me happy. The biggest thing our boy Rudy looks forward to every day is his four-mile walk in the woods with Cindy. He barks the whole drive to the park and has “happy ears and tail” for all four miles. And then he is a happy boy all day thereafter. He has spent time out in nature and he did it with his best friend. Simply amazing! Exercise is a healthy ingredient in anyone’s life. Try it – you will have happy ears as well!

3.     The simplest things can be the most fun. Otis loved to play tug with an old tube sock tied into a knot. And sometimes he would just toss it into the air himself and chase it up and down the hallway. I loved watching the joy this gave him. A sock with a knot in it. No touch screens. No batteries. No Bluetooth. And no membership fees. Just a boy and his old sock. So simple, but sooooo much fun. Don’t overcomplicate fun. Keep it simple and it will be satisfying for you and others around you.

4.     Slow down and take a nap in the sun. There aren’t many things our dogs enjoy more than a good nap in the sun. It could be 100 degrees outside and Peet will nap on the deck. Dogs know the value of recharging - to be ready for the next wrestling match or chasing of a squirrel. Our favorite way of recharging is going camping in the mountains and doing practically nothing. We become one with nature and keep it simple. And … we take naps. Life these days is just crazy busy for so many of you. Take a nap when you can – you will feel like a new person.

5.     Bark less. It’s that simple. Why? Did you ever notice that the dogs that bark the most either get ignored or receive negative feedback from the owners and/or neighbors? Nobody likes a barking dog. Often times they don’t even know what they are barking at – they may be barking just because they hear other dogs barking. The same things happen with people. Barking too much is a sure way to be ignored or be reprimanded. As the bumper stickers say, WAG MORE, BARK LESS!

The world around you can teach you so much. Keep you eyes open – great life lessons are around every corner. Thank you Smokey, Otis, Nikki, Rudy and Peet – you have collectively made me a much better person!

Go ahead, dare to be amazing!