Sam Chand Leadership

Alvin Toffler said it this way, “The illiterate of the future will not be those that cannot read or write. The illiterate of the future will be people that cannot learn, unlearn and relearn. The question for us is, “What is it that we have learned that we need to unlearn?”

Leaders often get sidetracked with a multitude of questions. When new projects arise, we can become obsessed with the logistics. The most essential question leaders will ask, however, is, “Who will help me? Who do I need to make this happen?” Everything else follows this question.

Re-Think And Let Go by Sam Chand

Many of us are discouraged when we fall, thinking we’re failures. However, look at children. The only way they can walk is by falling enough times to learn what it takes. Think of falling as a step forward in your development, and you won’t fear it anymore.

In order to fulfill our God given destiny, we must make key decisions throughout our lives. There may only be a handful of these, but they fundamentally shape who we are and where we go.

When crisis strikes, our first instinct is to try to deconstruct why it happened: did we not plan adequately? Is there something we could have done better? Instead of asking questions that will likely never be answered, we must accept that crisis is a mystery. It’s a learning tool, even when we’ll never fully understand why it happens.

Every organization lives in the tension of its past achievements and its future horizons. In order to move forward, we need people around us who make us, and our ideas, better!

Every leader is an agent of change. Before you make changes, however, you must ask yourself if you have the margin to do so. Many organizations get into trouble because they rush changes when they’re not ready. It’s better to wait until you have enough margin.

Honor and respect are two quite different things. While respect is based on what you do, honor is based on who you are. It should be our goal to live every day in such a way that those we lead can both respect and honor us in a genuine way.

Some people think legacy is something to be focused on only during the later years of life. Some people think legacy is the building, money, or status that you accrue as a leader. Not true! Legacy is a life-long project, and it’s defined by how you impart into other people’s lives. Start today!

So often in life, what’s obvious to you proves to be something to which others are totally oblivious. Just because you can see things in others that they can’t doesn’t make them less than you; it simply means you have an opportunity to speak into their lives.

It's essential to have drivers in your organization who are moving towards the same destination that you are. Look for those who can offer constructive solutions-- not just more problems!

Leaders tend to assume that, when they finally reach the next level, things will be easier for them. I’m here to dispel that myth. When you go higher, your responsibilities grow, and the number of people around you decreases. Higher altitude requires more of you.

As a team, you must know who you are— what you do best. Your team must be on the same page with you, and be able to bring you solutions— not just problems.

Usually, post-event debriefs are filled with accounts of what went wrong. While analyzing our need for improvement is good, we should actually be spending the majority of the time on what went right! What do you want to do again next time? Once you can pinpoint your successes, you can repeat them, and leverage them indefinitely. Ask yourself, “Where did we succeed?” Obsess with what is right, and you will go higher in life.

Are you playing to win? Or are you playing not to lose? The difference is everything. When you’re playing to win, you’ll take risks: innovate. Be fearless. When you’re playing not to lose, you go on the defensive. Teams who are playing to win are actually winning against themselves—they strive to be better every game. So…which team are you on?

There’s nothing truly new under the sun. Therefore, doing a new thing requires us to re-evaluate how we’re operating in the context of today.

Something in us likes to receive good feedback; however, when feedback is constructive, we can balk and become defensive. In giving and receiving feedback, respect is key. Think about if you were on the receiving end of the feedback you’re giving. Understand that other’s opinions have value, as well. Feedback is not a one-time conversation; rather, it’s an ongoing process.

There’s nothing truly new under the sun. Therefore, doing a new thing requires us to re-evaluate how we’re operating in the context of today.

As leaders, we’re very aware of everything outside of us—our companies, teams, finances, and so on. Being self-aware, though, is more difficult. It requires us to ask uncomfortable questions sometimes: “Why am I here? What’s my purpose? What would happen if I was gone?” It’s easy to get so busy that we lose this sense of self. Self-awareness, however, is the key to staying motivated, staying out of the ditches, and staying in a place of growth as a leader.