What I learned from leaders at the CU Reality Check Conference

One of the great benefits of my work is that I get to meet and learn from tremendously effective leaders whenever I present at events and workshops.

At the risk of alerting the cliché police––I really do learn as much from the people I work with as they do from me.

Not only do I always learn a lot about leadership challenges and solutions from people in the Credit Union world, but every time I do a CU event, I come away renewed, re-energized and with a refreshed sense of hope and confidence in the future of our society and our communities.

CU leaders are a very special group of people. Of course they’re focused on the success of their organizations––and that means taking care of business. Underlying and guiding that focus is an intense dedication to providing exceptional financial services to their constituents and their communities.

They are passionately dedicated to improving the lives of the people they serve.

Yvette Segarra and Barbara Agin provided me with a wonderful opportunity at the CU Reality Check Conference this week in Atlantic City. In addition to THE SENSEI LEADER keynote, I did a mini-workshop session with all the attendees focusing on the 8 STRATEGIES for EFFECTIVE LEADERS. Here’s what I learned from them:

#1 CU leaders understand that to serve their customers, they must serve the people who serve their customers.

CU leaders are dedicated to developing the people who work in their organizations––at all levels. They recognize the value of all employees and staff in every role, and they embrace the importance of providing opportunity for those who want to further develop as leaders.

#2 CU leaders are devoted to service on a deeply emotional and spiritual level that transcends any material benefits.

They’re not naive––they understand that any financial institution must be successful materially to survive and serve their members. Far beyond that, they express a deep sense of commitment, service and compassion for the people they serve. They know that a checking account is more than a way to move money around, it’s a way to truly make a person’s life easier. They know that a mortgage is not just a way to buy a house––it’s a way to make dreams come true.

#3 CU leaders are committed to improving communication and bridging any divides.

One of the strongest areas of interest in our short workshop was the desire to improve and continually update communication skills and processes.

Effective communication is an essential skill for effective leadership. The CU leaders at this event really dug into this issue and committed to specific action steps to upgrade and expand communication internally and with the public.

#4 CU leaders are committed to being effective mentors.

The leaders at CU Reality Check understood and appreciated the powerful symbolism of THE SENSEI LEADER in regard to a leader’s role as teacher, coach and mentor.

These people are committed to developing the next generation of leaders who will impact and support the growth and success of our communities and our nation. They are highly devoted to becoming effective mentors and continually improving their ability to train emerging and aspiring leaders––understanding that sharing their experience and wisdom with others does not threaten or diminish their own positions, but rather increases their own power and ability to serve.

My workshops are not a one-way information delivery system. By sharing my philosophy, I hope to instigate discussion and stimulate thought. Through the workshop, we together understand both common and specific challenges and opportunities and develop powerful strategies to improve and grow as leaders.

These CU leaders provided me with new insights, new inspiration to develop greater ways to serve and new ideas that will benefit other leaders in the future…

For those of you who attended the Reality Check Conference I can say with sincerity and confidence…

You are THE SENSEI LEADER!

Does power corrupt leaders? Here are the Top 5 Lies about Power

As the presidential race heats up in the U.S., we’re talking a lot about power. We’re talking about how we choose people for positions of power, and we’re talking about the seemingly endless hit parade of leaders abusing power.

It seems timely to revisit some of these ideas and how they relate to how we choose our leaders––and how we choose to lead.

Power is your ability or capacity to act or perform effectively.

That’s it.

Power is one of the most fundamental keys to Mastery. Mastery is defined by your ability to act or perform effectively. Mastery is power––and there is power in Mastery.

What’s so scary or intimidating about that? Why are people so afraid of it?

First of all, like many of the concepts we’re talking about––people don’t know what they’re talking about when it comes to power.

Power is one of the most misunderstood concepts we need to master. One huge problem is that there are a lot of destructive lies circulating about power.

Some people tell these lies because they’re trying to hoard power for themselves. Good luck to them––you simply can’t hoard power––and it’s really difficult and expensive to try.

Some people tell you these lies with best intentions. These people are usually trying to protect you. They’re trying to spare you from pain, disappointment and the agony of defeat.

Good luck to them too!

Life involves pain, disappointment and sometimes defeat. Get a helmet and get on with it.

Let’s expose these lies and put them to rest. Here are The Top 5 Lies About Power:

LIE #1: POWER CORRUPTS

Bull.

Power does not have a mind. Power is not capable of thinking or choice.

Power is simply your capacity to achieve your goals and fulfill your desires.

If your goals and desires are centered on positive values, you’ll produce goodness and abundance and you’ll be able to share this abundance with others.

If you’re a rotten person, then you’ll probably use your power to take what you want regardless of the effect on the people around you and the planet you share with them.

Whether you’re a good person or a rotten person is up to you. How you use power is up to you. Without power you can’t do very much. If you want to help yourself and others, you need to develop personal power. If you want to help others as well as ultimately creating happiness for yourself you’ll also want to develop good character and a positive value system.

Power doesn’t corrupt, it’s just that corrupt people have the same access to power that you do. If you want to prevent corruption, become powerful, live a positive life and teach others to do the same.

LIE #2: POWER IS JUST FOR THE POWERFUL!

Some people are born with the proverbial silver spoon in their mouths. Some are born into rich families, some are also born smarter or with better health than others. True enough.

Power is not something you’re born with. Power can only be developed. People born with disadvantages become powerful, and people born with every imaginable advantage can still turn out to be weak.

If you did inherit fortune, fame, good looks and intelligence, be thankful; you were blessed with some powerful resources. If you didn’t, be thankful; you were given the opportunity to create your own success from scratch. You may have an advantage over those born with privilege. You may develop a true understanding and appreciation of wealth at an earlier time. You may find true wealth long before you produce material riches.

It’s your nature to be powerful. It’s up to you to express your nature.

LIE #3: MONEY IS POWER

In this statement you can also substitute knowledge or fame.

Money, knowledge and fame are resources you can access to develop and express power. They are not power in and of themselves. If they were, all rich and smart people would be powerful; no desperate or stupid people would be.

LIE #4: POWER IS CONTROL

People control power. Power without control is dangerous. In fact, you need to develop power in order to gain control. This is true of material resources, emotional resources and spiritual resources.

If you lack personal power, you cannot control these resources, these resources will control you. People become slaves to money only when they lack the power to develop control over their impulses. Greed is born in a vacuum, and the vacuum that breeds greed is an absence of personal power, discipline and compassion.

The same is true in an emotional sense. When you lack power, other people can control your emotional assets. When you’re powerful, you own the resources you need to maintain control in your own life. This is particularly important when times are tough and you’re emotionally vulnerable.

Don’t confuse power and control. The only way to really control others is through fear and subjugation, but that kind of control invites revolt. Dictators control other people.

Inspire and motivate others. Share the power and there’s little or no need for control. It’s much more effective to control conditions than to try to control people.

When you think you’re controlling others, they may really be the ones in control. People often go along with the dictator just to make life more tolerable. Once the opportunity presents itself, most people will eventually try to free themselves from oppression. When it comes to people, control is at best a temporary illusion. Most dictators fall, and few truly win the hearts of the people.

Real control is an internal process. Learn to develop and control your own resources. Develop your own personal power. Cultivate the power in others and you’ll become a leader. Leadership is your ability to bring out the best in others, and that’s real power!

If you really want power in your own life and you want to have a positive impact in the lives of others, then trust is a much more powerful force than control.

LIE #5: YOU CAN’T GET IT!

A close cousin would be: “You don’t deserve it.”

Every human being has the capacity to develop tremendous personal power. Within the scope of your unique talents and abilities, your potential is unlimited.

I believed every one of these lies at some point in my life.

It took me a while to understand the authentic meaning of power; and even longer to learn to embrace power and to accept the responsibility that goes along with it. One of the great teachers who helped me in this adventure is Lao Tzu. I’d love to sit down with him; I’ve got a lot of questions! Unfortunately, he’s been dead for about 1,500 years.

I’m very grateful his words are with us forever:

Cultivate the inner self––
Its Power becomes real.

Cultivate the home––
its Power becomes abundant.

Cultivate the community––
Its Power becomes greater.

Cultivate the organization––
Its Power becomes prolific.

Cultivate the world––
Its Power becomes universal.