Some years ago I took a leadership training class called The Leader’s Compass. As an output for the training, everyone had to develop a Leader’s Compass which was basically a statement of your personal leadership philosophy. The Leader’s Compass could incorporate anything you wanted your team members to know about you, such as, your personal values, operating principles, expectations, non-negotiables, priorities, personal idiosyncrasies, and commitment. I highly recommend getting the book The Leader’s Compass by Ed Ruggero and Dennis F. Haley to help you develop a Leader’s Compass to share not only with the people you work with, but also the people you live with every day; after all they are a part of your team too.
The idea behind sharing this information with the people you are in contact with on a daily basis is to help them understand who you are, what drives your behavior, and why you do the things you do. Sometimes your behavior and actions may get misconstrued by others because they don’t know what drives you to think or act the way you do. Once they have insight into what drives your actions, they may have a different perspective about your expectations and the way you respond to them. Below is the compass I wrote for myself in 2012 that still holds true for me to today:
Tonnia’s Compass
12/12/12
I generally live by the lessons and values instilled in me during my childhood. They have guided me well thus far, so I can’t abandon them now.
Do your best. I was taught to work hard and to work with excellence in everything I do. I commit to give you my best at all times. I realize my best may not always hit your mark. When this happens, I expect you to let me know, so I can have the opportunity to correct it.
Be responsible. I was taught to be accountable for my actions as well as the precious gems and resources entrusted to me. I don’t take my responsibilities lightly and neither should you.
There’s always room for improvement. My father often echoed this to me as I grew up. I didn’t fully understand that back then (especially when I brought home all A’s on a report card and he still told me this), but I have found it to be very true. Becoming stagnant and complacent in my personal and work life are my worst fears; for it would signal I am no longer growing and reaching my full potential. Just as I require myself to continuously reach for my full potential, I expect and want the same for you. I commit to providing an environment that lends itself to nurture everyone’s talent and skillsets. I believe once opportunity presents itself, it’s up to you to recognize it and take advantage of it.
Get all you can, and can all you get; for opening day is coming after a while. I must admit this one didn’t make sense to me for a long time. However, I came to realize my father was simply telling me to surround myself with sources of wisdom, make every effort to learn from them and ask questions. Eventually, a day will come when I will need that wisdom; so soak it up and be prepared. That is what I’m asking of us, to go beyond our daily routines and seek opportunities to encourage, teach, and coach one another with the wisdom and inspiration that has guided us along the way.
Treat others the way you want to be treated. Growing up amongst 13 siblings has taught me a lot about interacting and working with others. I’ve learned personalities, work styles, and personal preferences may vary amongst a group of people and that’s ok, but respect for each individual should remain the same for all. I strive to be honest and genuine with all I come in contact with. I was taught never to compromise myself or my values for anyone or anything; so rest assured I will never ask that of you.
Do good and good will follow you. When you give me your excellence, I can’t help but to reward you. I believe individuals should be recognized for doing their job, and rewarded for going beyond their basic job requirements.
My compass gave you some insight into what guides me. What’s guiding you?