Some years ago I wrote an article about learning leaderships skills from my Dad when it came to my business, career and life. As we approach father’s day I find myself compelled to share the content of that article again. I think mostly because it tells part of a life story in on how a person can influence your life. Whether that would be in some positive or negative way. My family members would probably tell you that I tend towards the positive lessons learned and like to lean into that which interests me for it is who I am naturally.
Men as role models or fathers (aka Dads) have an important role to play in life. My Dad was an interesting man, an entrepreneur, a professional and a hard worker. He comes from a generation where you worked hard, real hard. I guess he worked at least 12 to 14 hours a day seven days a week 52 weeks of the year. Even with that time working he found time to teach me to fish and develop my thinking that impacts my life today.
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When I was six years old my Dad started me fishing with a bamboo fishing rod. Eventually, I graduated to a spinning real and then to the ultimate skill of handling a fly rod and the importance of being aware and understanding the water, the trees and the land around me. Basically, my environment! A good skill learned in any circumstance.
Some of the best times I had with my Dad were fly-fishing at the 4 Mile Straight in the South East of Placentia, Newfoundland. During those days my Dad spouted his life philosophies, his work ethic and his keen eye for business and ability to make money. Today, as a man who built my own career, I keep these things in mind while I am on my life’s journey and share the best ones with my sons.
In reflection, I have realized that these simple life rules are keen to living a good life and being a leader at whatever it is you do. All you need to do is adapt them for who you are. I called them Dadisms and I share them with you in the hopes that this father’s day week you too have some insights into your life and the things you wish to pass on to the people around you.
20 Leadership Dadisms to Use in Your Business, Career and Life
- Pup for the path, old Dog for the trail (experience trumps all, I think this is what this means)
- Choose your friends wisely as they can make you or break you (my boys have always picked good friends)
- Watch your back and the backs of those that care about you (take care of people)
- No matter what is going on in your life the tide will always come in (one of my favorites)
- People appreciate being appreciated, make sure you appreciate them (nothing like sharing appreciation for life)
- Take a compliment well, be thankful and grateful, it is a blessing (we all like compliments, so compliment someone today)
- There is nothing you can’t do in this world if you put your mind to it! (conceive, commit, achieve)
- Make a decision, make a plan and make it happen! (goals are one thing, behaviors are another)
- A strong belief in yourself will take you far, be focused on the outcome
- Do something useful, don’t just sit around, make things happen (I think this means get off the couch)
- Don’t spend all your money. Save your pennies! You will need them. (very true)
- Make sure you work! Work is important. Work!
- Some people will envy what you have, be jealous and put you down. Don’t listen to them it’s a waste of time.
- Always look for someone to replace you, teach them, as you should always move on
- Keep your wits about you at all times, you need them
- Drunk man’s words, sober man’s thoughts, stay sober! (I wonder if this came from experience)
- Change happens! Change with it! Change all the time
- Contributing to your profession, your career and your business, will take you far (still working on this one)
- With people it is as simple as like you, know you, trust you and buy from you (or work with you)
- Always tell them that business is great and you are looking for more (some days I want less, just saying)
In my Dad’s spare time he liked to fish. Fishing was a time to get out into the country, hike and spend time with the water, the trees, the land and reflect on life. He would walk, stop and turn around and look at me and say one of these statements and then continue on his path, a path that with time and age he blazed into his trail. These days he is in his mid-nineties. Doing fine but with age one’s trail eventually comes to an end, at some point.
A man’s children and his garden both reflect the amount of weeding done during the growing season. –Unknown Click To TweetAs a boy, I followed my Dad’s path and watched as a trail was blazed. As a man I have followed my own path and blazed my own trail. In reflection, as if looking at the water, and through the trees, and into the land I see that these moments had purpose and meaning that build young boys into young men who grow into a man. The wisdom of men before us can turn followers into leaders. The life lessons that we allow into our lives forge the path, the trail, the journey of our lives.
Interestingly, I don’t really fish anymore. Well once in awhile with my boys. But they have their own interests and I always focused on the uniques things about them, their natural tendencies and what I could do to build their character. Help them walk a path and forge a trail. My big thing is mountain biking. The lessons learned from fishing still apply when it comes to being on the trail of life.
As a man, I am grateful for those days at the 4 Mile Straight, the lessons that I learned and the time that I spent with my Dad fly fishing. I realize that these words are about a journey that unfolded over a lifetime. They are statements of leadership in the way we live our lives and the path that was walked and a trail that was blazed. Hopefully at least one of these statements can help you blaze your own trail.
Until next time.
Be Your Best,
Invest in the Success of Others,
Make Your Journey Count.
Richard
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PS: I do want to say that the women in my life and mothers are important also with lots of leadership lessons learned for the people around them. The things I have learn from my mom and my wife (who is a mom) have contributed deeply to who I am as a person over a lifetime. So I promise to find a story appropriate for mother’s day and to make a list of the leadership skills I learned from the important women in my life. But you will need to wait till next May 2017 for that blog.
