The Opportunity - Origins of Lead Change Group Part 1

Leadership

December 2, 2012
Mike Henry
Operations and IT Consultant

Topics

Character-based Leadership, impact, influence, make a difference, Origins of Lead Change, Tribes

This is the first post in a series on the origins of Lead Change. A list of all of the posts along with an explanation of the series can be found here.

Early in Tribes, by Seth Godin there is a section titled The Opportunity, onpage 8 of my copy. Seth Godin mentions how there are tribes everywhere and they are all looking for leadership. "The question isn't Is it possible for me to do that (lead)? Now, the quest is, Will I choose to do it?"

My initial thoughts on Twitter when I first started using it to connect with people, was that it appeared that 30 or so people, acting in unison, could form a significant critical mass on the Internet. The tools, like Twitter made crowd sourcing and influence much easier.

Godin made the connection between marketing, the practice of influencing people to purchase certain products; and leadership, which is influencing people to adopt ideas and to change behaviors.

"This book says something new. Everyone is not just a marketer - everyone is now also a leader. (emphasis Godin's) The explosion in tribes, groups, covens, and circles of interest means that anyone who wants to make a difference can."

I began to follow people who were writing and sharing about leadership. And I clicked the button to form the Lead Change Group on LinkedIn for the purpose of applying leadership to make a positive difference. I decided to try the very thing he was suggesting. I decided to see if I could make a difference.

What about you? Have you tested, really pushed the idea that you can make a difference? Share your ideas below. Take a minute and share this post or do what you can to start making the difference you were made to be. Join Lead Change. Share someone's post. Do something different today. Tony Robbins said "If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten."

Take some action and share it with us. Do it right now! If you wait, you may never do it. Don't let the cement of this moment set without making a handprint! Do it now!

Photo @ Glenys Gustin iStockPhoto

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9 Responses

David M. Dye says:

December 3, 2012 at 12:26 pm

Mike,

Thanks for this series and reinforcing the origins of LCG…and thanks for pushing that button and getting things rolling!

I hope that in the years to come all of us are able to transform the fabric of leadership away from fear and power toward people and service.

Take care and thanks again,

David M. Dye

Mike Henry says:

December 4, 2012 at 5:18 am

Thanks David. I appreciate the comment and your involvement in the group, and I share your hope.

Mike…

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Gioia Magliozzi says:

December 4, 2012 at 2:45 am

Hi.
I stumbled upon the Lead Change Group twitter account a few weeks ago. I followed it just because I felt it could be inspiring for me, but I would never have thought I could get involved in any ways. I’m not a leader, but yesterday I was asked to think about the opportunity of giving some lessons in “soft skills” among which leadership.
I felt lit up and decided it was TIME FOR A (LEAD) CHANGE!
Looking forward to learning from you soon (and perhaps, sometimes, to sharing something interesting as well).
Thank you,
Gioia

Mike Henry says:

December 4, 2012 at 5:21 am

Gioia, thank you so much for the comment and for connecting. We talk about the difference between “positional” leadership and character-based leadership here. Character-based leadership is leading from who you are. You may not be in a position of leadership, but it appears based on what you were asked to do, that you are a character-based leader. In fact, we all are.

Feel free to make yourself at home. We’re also on LinkedIn and Facebook too. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you. Mike…

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Emily Merkle says:

December 6, 2012 at 6:47 am

Mike Henry. Thank you for nudging me. I have a project I feel very strongly about. It involves education curriculum reform and technology. My rough notes are here: .
I know it is solid. It is big picture. Education start-ups are even attracting VC money.
I need a team. Educators. Psychologists.
Education is a very hot topic right now; I worry that my concept is too slow out of the gate.
This is more than a business idea.

Mike Henry says:

December 6, 2012 at 7:55 am

Everything has a time. Isn’t it great to have an idea?

From your own site, you quote Steve Jobs in a rather famous quote of Wayne Gretzke that I love, about skating to where the puck’s going to be.

Don’t let the rest of the world dictate your time. If you feel you have to hurry, skate further out. Ideas have a time. If you get there and the puck has already moved, readjust and go again.

Thanks for the comments and sharing your idea. I’m grateful.

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