Lesson 5: The Ripple Effect

Like a stone hitting the water, the ripples of a leaders decision often impact more than the person making the choice. Our decisions in our personal and professional lives ripple into the lives of our colleagues, friends, family members, neighbors, and competitors. The impact can last hours, days, weeks, years, or even a lifetime.

How are you making decisions? In other words, what is guiding you? As the expression states, "if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for everything."

Having a mission, purpose, or compass is a good way to stand for something. Not only is this important to guide your decisions, but it can impact the lives of others. What can others count on making ripples in the waters of your leadership?

One of the best leaders I have ever had the privilege of working for didn't have a fancy degree, outrageous title, or was influenced by politics. This leader had one mission in life - "kids first." This attitude has served him well over the years and has also shaped my own philosophy as a leader.

What do you stand for? What ripples are you making? What ripples can others count on from your leadership? As I steer the waters of leadership, I'm starting to realize that every careless word, careful decision, selfish action, or act of humility has more of an impact on others than I have ever realized.