Leadership ? Push vs. Pull?

At your next staff meeting consider leading your team through the following discussion.

This lesson is focused on getting people to think in terms of effective leadership. When helping a co-worker, or a customer, employees must understand their role as a leader. The exercise goes like this:

Introduction of the Exercise: (feel free to create your own similar story to support the exercise)

Like many who come from a small town, I was amazed at the number of transients who made the campus of the university I attended their local residence.

At first, the idea of having to walk past many of these individuals was a bit scary. I was not accustomed to being solicited for money or "spare change".

However, after a few weeks of walking to class and regularly being asked for "a quarter for a cup of coffee", the experience quickly became routine.

In fact, after a while, if I didn't see one of the regular panhandlers for a period of time, I would wonder where he was keeping himself.

Certainly, after a brief period, the transients became a small part of my environment, part of my daily experience of college life. Over time, I got to know some of them by name, and they became familiar with who I was.

In any event, one of the most notable transients I became acquainted with was a man by the name of Uncle Ben. Uncle Ben could often be seen dragging a short rope behind him as he walked down the street.

You would think, by watching Uncle Ben, that he was delusional and under the misguided assumption that he had a dog tied to the end of the rope.

Uncle Ben would look back at the end of the rope as he walked, and say - "Come on now boy, keep up."

Very often someone would witness this questionable behavior as Uncle Ben approached and they would ask simply, "Why are you pulling that rope?"

(At this point, give each team member a short piece of string and ask them to experiment with the "rope". Pull it back and forth along the table. Then ask them to guess as to what Uncle Ben's response is going to be. Then continue the story.)

Again, very often someone would witness the behavior as Uncle Ben approached, and they would ask simply, "Why are you pulling that rope?"

Uncle Ben would quickly reply, "Well have you ever tried PUSHING a rope? It doesn't work very well!" This always made Uncle Ben holler in laughter as he kept walking past the person who fell victim to his humor.

You have to give Uncle Ben credit. Indeed, you can't very well push a rope.

In conclusion, make this strong point to your group:

By "pulling" the rope, it will follow you anywhere. Try to "push" it, and the rope goes nowhere at all. The same can be said for the art of leadership.

Leadership is the ability to make people want to follow you. They do that when they see that you are willing to work alongside them and take a vested interest in their success.

People will follow you if they feel you know where you are taking them. If they feel you have integrity and truly care about their success.

We must each pull our co-workers with us. We must pull our customers toward us. Otherwise, we run the risk of pushing them all away.

Richard Gorham is the founder and President of Leadership-Tools, Inc. His web site, http://www.leadership-tools.com is dedicated to providing free tools and resources for today's aspiring leaders. Offering high-quality tools in the areas of Business Planning, Leadership Development, Customer Service, Sales Management and Team Building.

---

Leadership Styles and What We Need For the Future:

By definition a leaders leads a team to take action... Read More

3 Elements of Leadership Power!

In an article discussing the need for innovative products and... Read More

What Does Exceptional Business Success Require of Us?

To excel in business we need conscious command of all... Read More

Sometimes Leaders Need to Get the Boot

Today I stood up to a guy right in front... Read More

Ten Qualities Of A Great Leader - Plus 1

Great Leaders are optimists first and foremost. Their tendency is... Read More

Would Socrates Be A Celebrity Today?

Last week, as I was standing in the checkout line... Read More

The Four Laws Of Leadership (Part One)

Leadership is motivational or it's stumbling in the dark. After... Read More

Strengthening Leadership Development with Employees

Within every business lies a network of people who are... Read More

Hidden Self Confidence

Peer independence is arguably the least understood aspect of self... Read More

Act on Some of the Facts

Making any decision without having all of the information and... Read More

Visions of Leadership

Right about now, you've made the discovery that... Read More

Women in Leadership - How to Get Promoted

It is often much harder for women to get promoted... Read More

Secrets of Creating Success with Ease

Do you ever strum your fingers on the desk top... Read More

5 Power Keys For Leadership Success!

Did you know that you can successfully handle most leadership... Read More

Leadership A Perspective From Tao

Tao Te Ching said to be written by Lao Tzu... Read More

You Make The Difference

What do you think makes your company successful? Your newest... Read More

Character Traits of Extraordinary Leaders

When people make a decision (either consciously or unconsciously) to... Read More

What Makes A Good Leader? Ask Uncle Sam

What do the major generals who are leading the war... Read More

Leaders ARE; Are you?

Identity CrisisIt's not only the knowledge you carry around in... Read More

Leadership Training Seminar - What Makes A Great Leader?

At one point or another, we have all been either... Read More

The Best Ways To Multiply The Extraordinary Leadership in Your Organization

Extraordinary Leaders are those who understand that in order for... Read More

3 Aspects of Developing Leadership Skills

Everyone knows that great leaders are made, not born. However... Read More

Leadership Skills - 10 Ways to Beef Up

10 Ways to Beef Up Your Leadership SkillsHave you ever... Read More

None of Us Arrived with an Owners Manual: A Fresh Perspective on the Drive to Lead (part 2)

Why didn't I get an Owner's ManualAfter a little while... Read More

Leadership and Change in a Holographic Universe

Have you ever noticed that since the early part of... Read More

The Metamorphosis of the Successful Executive . . . Overcoming Professional Stagnation

You're a bright, successful business executive making good money and... Read More

Rationalize Success Away

I was invited to do a Leadership workshop at a... Read More

Leadership Activity: How Leadership Agenda, Strategy, and Behaviors Shape Your Success!

"Forward, as occasion offers. Never look round to see whether... Read More

Mr. Shoaffs Simple Strategies to Success

(Excerpted from the Jim Rohn Sampler single CD)My first mentor,... Read More

Five Things Smart Leaders Do to Lower The Barriers To Change

Smart leaders understand that they don't "make" a change happen.... Read More

Shades of Grey: Government, Religion, & People

Some think that everything is black and white. I'm beginning... Read More

Leadership Skills: Four Ways of Overcoming Perfectionism

We pay a high price for perfectionism. "What perfectionism?" we... Read More

Is Your Life Ready For Groundhog Day?

In the hit comedic movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray's character,... Read More