The Test is Our Walk

“Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards.”
– Vernon Sanders Law

I saw this quote on The John Maxwell Company’s Facebook page a few days ago, and man is it powerful!

Are you enduring a test right now – as a leader, an employee, a parent, or a partner? If so, here are some things to ask yourself:

• What am I supposed to learn from this test so I don’t have to endure this same test again?
• Am I handling myself in a way that I would be proud of myself (and others would be proud of me) once the test is over?
• What can I learn through this test that I can share with others who’ll go through the same test?
• How am I growing through this test?

Just like in school, these life tests are an evaluation to see if we have truly learned or mastered something that we’ve been taught. We learn every day through our interactions with people, circumstances, and conditions. The test is our walk that challenges our talk.

I saw this picture the other day and thought it was such a great illustration of the old saying, “You’re only as strong as your weakest link.” We typically think of this quote in a negative way in regards to how a weak link can hurt the team. While that is often true, there are some situations when a weak link is a good thing to have in your organization. It doesn’t have to be negative as long as it’s part of your plan.

Growing companies are constantly adjusting their chain by adding links. In fact, every time we make a new hire, we add a weak link. Let’s face it. A new employee is not immediately productive; therefore, they start out as a weak link. It’s expected, and it’s acceptable for the short-term. It is the leader’s job to make sure the “weak link” is not a long-term condition. (more…)

When you see the word, “change,” what goes through your mind? Excitement? Fear? Anxiety? Maybe all of the above!

Just the idea of change can evoke a whole range of emotions, but if we’re going to thrive in business and in life, we’d better get used to it. As the old cliché goes, “Change is the only constant.” Think about it. What would your life look like without those big and often unexpected changes? (more…)