The Power of One
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the leadership impact that one person can have, especially after watching a video clip of an Olympic athlete from years ago. More on that later. The main question that has been bouncing around my brain is this: Can one person really make a difference? And, with all of the emphasis that has been placed during the past few decades on cooperative learning, teamwork, and group-think, should we even support the notion of “the power of one”?
Yet consider the fact that teams and entire companies are comprised of many individuals, whose efforts are influential because of the collective endeavors of each and every one. In addition, those men and women who choose to move into leadership roles typically believe that they‘ve got something unique to offer, and because of this faith in themselves, they tend to fulfill their own vision of achievement. Indeed, according to former high-tech executive and consultant, Steve Tobak, “It’s probably the single most common characteristic among successful leaders. They truly believe they can make a difference” (find more of Tobak’s thoughts on this topic at http://www.cbsnews.com/news/can-one-person-really-make-a-difference/)
At LEADon, we’ve certainly seen the powerful impact individuals can make in their own lives as well in the lives of others in their “sphere of influence.” On occasion it has taken the foresight of one person alone to change the course of an entire Corporate Family® merely by being willing to improve his or her own leadership skills. Sometimes a single individual has made the final decision to add leadership services to the budget, only later to discover that the time, money, and effort involved paid off in overall productivity and profitability. These lone wolves took risks for themselves and others, realizing that leadership is all about influence—both in the now and for the future
Think about how many times one person has made a difference in your life. Maybe it was something he or she said. Perhaps this man or woman doesn’t even know how much he/she changed your life. In fact, like Derek Redmond, you may never have even met this individual.
Who is Derek Redmond? He’s the Olympian I referred to earlier—and he’s someone who has powerfully impacted my life, even though I only know him through an amazing video of his loss at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games. Loss? That’s right, he lost the 400m semi-final race when his hamstring snapped mid-run. But this courageous athlete completed the course, painfully hopping to the finish line. Influential? You bet! Inspiring when it comes to the power of individual determination and its impact in all aspects of life? Watch and decide for yourself: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2G8KVzTwfw.
The team at LEADon understands the possibility that every single individual has to make a difference, and we truly believe that we can only measure our success through your success. Contact us today at 858.592.0700 or www.leadonuniversity.com if we can assist you in your own personal leadership journey.
