— To follow is a bullet of wisdom on leadership. It comes from Tom’s rifle, named Shot, who has seen it all. You’ll get the drift by clicking Blog in the menu above. —
NEW YEAR’S DAY and I was on a hunt. Sort of. Under the arm of Tommy, Rudy’s son, I walked a gravel road. For the Dakota’s, it was a warm day—above zero. What could one hunt mid-winter…on a gravel road? Nothing much, but alas a Magpie flew by and alighted on a telephone wire. Tommy flipped off my safety, raised me to position, sighted in the bird, and began to squeeze the trigger. Then he paused. His Mother loved birds and this one, though a scavenger, vibrantly contrasted winter, adorned with black and white feathers. She would disapprove. Tommy lowered my barrel, reactivated the safety, and resumed his trek.
A new year bespeaks resolutions, and that ought to have you as a leader thinking about values. Oh, there are other good targets, but values are the most endearing and enduring. If you have strayed from your values, what better time is there to return to your roots? Perhaps some allegiance, like Tommy’s to his mother, supplies your motivation. Employee treatment, company history, personal integrity, customer appreciation, whatever motivates you. Embrace that. Then derive measures and accountability to ensure your practices match your resolve.