Beyond all that, make-a-difference people encourage me. They expand me. They engage me. And they empower me to become better.
As leaders (yes we are all leaders in our own way), we should all strive to make a difference – at work, in our communities, with our families, and so on. Beyond that, if we want to be truly successful, we all need to have at least a few make-a-difference people on our teams. That’s easier said than done, of course. You can’t always tell by looking at someone if they have what it takes to contribute something significant.
Now let me share with you two traits that do not automatically place people in the make-a-difference category.
If I had to think of one word to describe what sets make-a-difference people apart from everyone else, it would be the word “Connected”. I’m not talking about being connected in a name-dropping sense; it goes much deeper than that.
1. Make-a-difference people are connected to the leader.
They don’t wait for this connection to happen by itself, either. They take the initiative, because they understand that everything rises and falls on leadership. If you want to be successful, find a leader who makes good things happen and get close to that person. It doesn’t have to be your boss; in fact, it could be someone in a totally different profession. Just hook up with a leader who makes a difference, and soon you will be making a difference too.
As I see it the future belongs to those who see the possibilities before they become obvious. Vision isn’t just something you see; it’s something you hear. What should you be listening for ?
* The Inner Voice.
This is the voice inside that pulls you above the mundane and says, “You were born for something better than this. You were created to do something great.”
* The Unhappy Voice.
This is the voice of discontentment that says, “I don’t like things just as they are.” Great leaders create change because of the internal voice that proclaims, “Things could be better. Things should be better. And there’s something I could do to make it better.”
* The Successful Voice.
This is the inspirational voice of somebody who’s already climbed the mountain and is saying, “I’m up here and there’s room at the top. Come on up-you don’t have to stay down there !”
People who want to make a difference spend time with other people who want to make a difference. And people who don’t care about making a difference hang around with other people who don’t care about making a difference. Like attracts like.
If you want to be a make-a-difference person, “Get Connected” to a good leader, a powerful vision, and other people who want to make a difference. And then get busy.
