Ding-Dong
A recent solicitation was different. Folded like a fan and wedged under our mailbox, the solicitation offered of a dog poop pick-up service. As solicitations go, it was nothing out of the ordinary. What was out of the ordinary – and what delighted me – was the message at the bottom: PS: I am a 9-year old.
I left a message for Jack saying that while I didn’t need his service I was glad to know he was available. I wished him well and left my name and number.
Attitude, not age
He answered my questions directly. He was polite, not pushy. He has a goal that’s meaningful to him. Calling him a natural sales person would be so inaccurate, even misleading. Calling him an entrepreneur, a leader of himself, hits the mark.
I admit that my day job of teaching people (much-older-than-9) how to be better leaders and managers had a lot to do with why Jack’s way of being caught my attention.
See it, Seize it
My clients, many of them small business owners, want to have a productive, effective and profitable workplace. To create that, they tell me they want … employees who are unafraid to speak up… commitments made in meetings delivered on and not undone in the hallways … people to manage themselves and be accountable … work to less frustrating and more satisfying.
My clients learn how to have what they want actually happen by practicing a fundamental leadership concept that Jack demonstrates: Create your own opportunity and act.
You do know Jack
The beanstalk that grows up into the sky is Jack’s opportunity to escape. He climbs it, even though he has no idea where it leads. It is the acceptance of this risk that ends up transforming his life. While not every risk leads to the discovery of a golden hen that provides a never-ending supply of golden eggs, the reader walks away from this story with the knowledge that even the scariest risk brings the possibility of reward.
The risky part for my Jack isn’t the picking up of the poop. It’s asking people if you can pick up their dog’s poop for 25¢ per pile. Whether he gets a “no” or a “yes,” Jack is climbing the opportunity stalk that he planted for himself. To be the leader you want to be, get to know the Jack in you. It’s a summer job that pays benefits all year long.
P.S.: Well done, Jack. You’re hired.
Take care.
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Camille Smith – Leadership Coach, Communication Specialist, Facilitator, Speaker, President, Work In Progress Coaching~Turning potential into results: www.wipcoaching.com Office: 831-685-1480 ~ Mobile: 831-251-5190