Educate Yourself & Family Members To Become Leaders:

Our education should never end. Don’t be the kind of person that “Died at age 20 – Buried at age 80″. Seek to be a learning individual just like an organization is or is not a learning organization — one that constantly observes and evaluates itself and its environment with the goal of constant improvement. Learning individuals and learning organizations become or are leaders. Because too many Americans failed to pick up the gauntlet and to even modestly self-educate themselves in history, economics, and current events, the wool was oh so slowly pulled over our eyes.

We suffer now from a more than less self-inflicted wool-over-the-eyes phenomena that is causing our Nation to head over the proverbial cliff. The wool was, yes, pulled over; but then we flipped on the auto-pilot, rolled over, and for decades let Barney, Chris, Harry, Nancy, Tip, Jimmy, Maxine, Pete, Joe….and you name ‘em run OUR government and intrude into nearly everything. We “contracted out” our leadership instead of us leading our elected political leaders.

Therefore, seek to self-Educate yourself and your Family to become leaders. A good model to use is the “Know, Be, Do” paradigm or model. First, identify what leaders in your kind of situation or anticipated or desired situation should Know. Second, identify what leaders in your kind of situation or anticipated or desired situation should Be. And third, identify what leaders in your kind of situation or anticipated or desired situation should be able to Do. Make a list for each one of the Know, Be, and Do areas and get busy developing and working your own education and training program. And as always with a project, “posse up” — get some help.

Just think of the many things not covered in, say, public schools that you would want your kids to Know (knowledge of their surroundings, current events, basic law to keep them out of trouble; how to work with and motivate people; technical skills for selected activities or tasks), to Be (have and exhibit character, ethics & values, and good citizenshp), and to be able to Do (setting goals, problem solving, communicating with others, how to supervise doing a task to completion). Please note that the suggested subject areas in the previous sentence are only a start.

Finally, even for families that send their kids to public or private schools, there is still a lot of education and training that can and should — for both kids and adults — be “Home Schooled”. Look at all the resources that are available now to learn and stay informed. All that’s needed is a personal learning blueprint, and then brick by brick by brick…..

A good place to start is to look at the lists of suggested Leadership Traits and Leadership Principles below.  Begin with a self, family, or peer evaluation and a commitment to improve traits and ways of doing things in which you may be lacking.

IS WHO AND WHAT YOU ARE THE RESULT OF YOUR DELIBERATE EFFORTS OR ARE YOU THE PRODUCT OF SOMEONE ELSE’S “DESIGN”?

DO YOU NEED TO “UNINDOCTRINATE YOURSELF”?

Suggested Leadership Character Traits:

(1) Courageousness
(2) Competence
(3) Honesty & Straightforwardness
(4) Impartiality
(5) Committed
(6) Integrity
(7) Maturity
(8) Perseverance
(9) Self-Discipline
(10) Flexible (when needed)
(11) Confidence
(12) Endurance
(13) Decisiveness
(14) Calmness Under Stress
(15) Initiative
(16) Sense of Justice
(17) Assertiveness
(18) Empathy
(19) Sense of Humor
(20) Creativity
(21) Bearing
(22) Humility
(23) Tactfulness (saying what needs to be said without giving unnecessary offense)
(24) Selflessness
(25) Loyalty

Leadership Principles:

(1) Know Yourself And Seek Self-Improvement
(2) Know Your Job And Be Technically Proficient
(3) Seek Responsibility And Take Responsibility For Your Actions
(4) Make Sound And Timely Decisions
(5) Set The Example
(7) Know Those You Lead And Look Out For Their Welfare
(8) Keep Those You Lead Informed
(9) Develop A Sense of Responsibility In Those You Lead
(10) Ensure That The Task to Be Done Is Clearly Understood, Adequately Supervised And Fully Completed
(11) Train and Cross-Train Those You Lead As A Team
(12) Employ Your Organization Or Team In Accordance With Its Capabilities