Tag Helping Others

How to Make a Difference

Steve Keating Leave a comment

President John Kennedy said “Everyone can make a difference and everyone should try.” That’s a very true statement, all of us can make a difference, we just need to decide what kind of differences we want to make.

I don’t think I can change the world but I know I can help change the world for the people I help. So I try to make a difference by helping other people be the best version of themselves that they can be.

Making a difference can take many forms, and the impact one person can have varies depending on the context and scale of their actions. The higher you are in your organization the easier it may be to make a difference. If you’re in a position of leadership in an organization or perhaps government you might find more opportunity to be a difference maker. But make no mistake about this absolute fact: no matter where you are in life, no matter your place in an organizational hierarchy, no matter your level of education or financial situation, YOU can make a difference in the lives of other people. You only need to care enough to do it.

So, if you’re looking to make a difference today and in the future here are some general steps and principles that you can follow to make a positive difference.

• Define Your Values and Passion: Understand what matters to you and what issues you are passionate about. This could be related to social justice, environmental issues, education, healthcare, or any other cause.

• Educate Yourself: Learn about the issues you care about. Stay informed through reputable sources, research, and conversations with experts. Understanding the root causes and complexities of a problem is crucial for effective action.

• Start Locally: Making a difference doesn’t always require grand gestures. Look for opportunities in your local community. Volunteer at local organizations, participate in community events, or support local initiatives.

• Use Your Skills and Talents: Identify your skills and talents and find ways to apply them to the causes you care about. Whether you’re good at organizing events, writing, coding, or any other skill, there’s likely a way to use it for positive change.

• Connect with Like-minded Individuals: Join or create communities that share your values. Collective action often has a greater impact than individual efforts. Working with others allows you to pool resources, share ideas, and amplify your impact.

• Advocate for Change: Speak up about the issues that matter to you. Advocate for change at different levels, whether it’s in your workplace, community, or on a larger scale. Use social media, write articles, or engage in peaceful activism to raise awareness.

• Support Existing Initiatives: There are likely organizations and initiatives already addressing the issues you care about. Support them through donations, volunteering, or spreading the word. This can be an effective way to contribute without having to start something from scratch.

• Lead by Example: Demonstrate the values and behaviors you want to see in the world. Whether it’s practicing sustainability, kindness, or inclusivity, leading by example can inspire others to follow suit.

• Be Adaptable and Persistent: Real change often takes time. Be patient and persistent in your efforts. Adapt your strategies as needed and learn from both successes and failures.

• Educate Others: Share your knowledge and passion with others. Help raise awareness and inspire more people to get involved. Education is a powerful tool for creating change.

The key is to take meaningful and sustainable actions aligned with your values. Making a difference is often a gradual process. But every small effort contributes to positive change over time. Progress doesn’t often happen in leaps and bounds. It often comes from small accomplishments over a sustained period of time. But all progress is progress and a little progress here and a little progress there, can lead to a mighty big difference over time.

Why Do You Want to Lead?

Steve Keating 3 Comments

I was approached recently by someone asking if I would be their mentor. I already mentor a small handful of people and I take that responsibility very seriously. So I am selective about who I can invest my time with. 

First we need to “click.” If we can’t get along then neither of us will accomplish much. I also always approach mentoring with the knowledge that if the mentee isn’t willing to make changes in their life then I won’t be able to do anything to help them. Improvement and growth require a willingness to change. No one changes anything about themselves until they see a need. That’s one of the best things a mentor can do for someone, help them see a need to change something. 

So I asked the person who was looking for a mentor a few questions. I’d bet they are in their early 30’s. They have had a few jobs since college and each new job has come with the opportunity for advancement and increased pay. But in each case the opportunities have not been realized and the person thought a mentor could “give them an edge” when it comes to receiving a promotion. 

They said what they wanted was to earn a leadership position. I liked hearing the word “earn” because it told me they knew they would have to work for their new position. Then I asked why they wanted a leadership position and that’s when we went entirely off the rails. 

They said they had been taking orders for their entire career and they just figured it was about time they should be giving the orders. 

Where do I begin? Well, first off, “their entire career” was around 10 years. I’m not overly impressed with that. But I suppose when that’s a third of your life it seems like a long time. The bigger problem was of course the “giving orders” part. 

I asked several more questions. I determined that this person had worked for several bosses but had likely never actually worked with a leader. Their impression of leadership was someone in a position above them telling them what to do and when to do it. 

That’s a big problem. Most people in leadership positions lack any type of formal leadership training. So they “lead” the way they have been led. 

I asked one final question. I asked, “what are you willing to change about yourself in order to authentically lead the people you are responsible for?” Their answer is what ended our discussion. They said, “as a leader it’s not my job to change, my people need to change to suit me. That’s the kind of leader I want to be.”

I won’t be working with that person. I determined that they didn’t really want to learn. They had an rigid understanding of what leadership meant to them and they didn’t display much interest in Authentic Leadership. 

So for anyone interested in moving into a leadership position let me suggest that you first ask yourself “why do I want to lead.” There can be several good answers to that question but one of them must be “so I can help others learn, grow and succeed.” 

Authentic Leaders don’t aspire to a leadership position. They aspire to become a person worthy of leading others to their full potential. They don’t hope to hold a position that people will want to follow. They work to become someone that others will want to follow, whether they have a leadership position or not. 

If you’re interested in helping others grow then leading people will be very rewarding for you. If you’re only interested in giving orders then I would suggest a career as a short order cook. Then you can yell “order up” all day long and not offend a single person. 

Want more of LeadToday? I’m changing things up on my Twitter feed for subscribers. Beginning March 2nd I’ll be publishing two videos each week focusing on an element of Authentic Leadership. I’ll post these videos each Tuesday and Thursday morning. They will be about 10 minutes long so we can get into the topic in a more meaningful way. The investment for subscribers in still only $5 a month. That’s for at least 80 MINUTES of quality video content on leadership a month. 

If you’re interested in taking a look then head on over to my Twitter profile page. If you’re not a follower yet hit the follow button. It will change to a subscribe button and once you hit that you’re on your way. You can cancel at any time you’ve decided you have nothing left to learn about leading the people who you count on for your success. 🙂

Here’s the link to my Twitter… https://twitter.com/leadtoday 

The Benefits of a Generous Spirit

Steve Keating 5 Comments

Sir Winston Churchill said “We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

No matter how much or how little you have, you have something that you can share with others. That something has the potential to change someone’s life for the better. IF you’re willing to share.

There are many logical reasons to give. It has been proven that giving can lower your blood pressure. It reduces the stress in your life. You will experience less anxiety and giving helps keep depression at bay. It also increases self-esteem.

But here is the best reason to make a difference in the life of someone else…because you can.

Some of you reading this are saying to yourself I’d give if only I had something to give. But as I said before, you absolutely have something to give. You only need to broaden your perspective about what you have that is valuable.

During this particular time in history there are many people experiencing profound loneliness. They would love for someone to talk with. If you have a willing ear and a mouth that works then that someone could be you.

I’ll bet there is an organization in your community that is matching up willing “givers” with people who could use a bit of conversation to brighten their day. If you Google it you can find that organization. 5 or 10 minutes a day to do a little good, maybe a lot of good, maybe even save a life.

That’s just one of a million ways you can give back this very day!

Still some of you are saying I’d do that if only I had the time. As anyone who has ever heard me do a Webinar on “Using Your Time Effectively” time is just an excuse for people too busy…or lazy, to make a real excuse.

You have plenty of time to do everything that is a priority in your life. And this is a bit off topic but if you have more than a small handful of priorities in your life then you probably don’t have any real priorities.

You might be thinking I can’t “spend” time giving back because I have kids, work, homeschooling, plus tons of stuff. So DON’T SPEND time on anyone, instead “INVEST TIME” with everyone in your life.

That change of mindset will improve every relationship in your life.

The benefits of giving far outweigh whatever perceived “costs” there may be. You don’t need money to give, you don’t need some special gift or skill to give. You don’t need more time in the day to give.

You just need a willing heart and a desire to help.

Giving to others is one of the nicest things you can do….for yourself. I think you deserve it, don’t you agree?