Good Leaders: Are you a ‘pump’ or a ‘drain’ today?

[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

HealthPartners senior executive Calvin Allen captivated the room of 245 leaders at the Good Leadership Breakfast last Friday with this idea: “Are you a pump or a drain?”  The pump fills people with hope and energy to help them grow and prosper. What the drain does is obvious.

The takeaway for discussion: Who did you help today?

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

The pump in action

This morning, I’m still tired because my pump was working overtime this weekend.  Melinda and I hosted a 50th birthday party for our friends John and Kate Martin. It started with a ‘planning meeting’ on Thursday night.  I was up at 4 AM Friday for the Good Leadership Breakfast and the Good Leadership Certification program afterward. Then, Friday night we hosted a “pre-party” to dress the lamb…and Saturday was the all-day party/lamb roast that went well into the night.

Helping others

In a rare display of self-discipline, I quit drinking beer at 8PM because I needed the pump to be working for a convention speech on Sunday morning.  Wait a minute: a convention speech on Sunday morning?

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

We answered a desperate call from Katie Castrol, of Minnesota Women of Today – their keynote speaker for the closing of their annual meeting cancelled. I accepted the invitation, because I didn’t want to be a ‘drain.’ Turns out, the 120-something highly caffeinated women leaders pumped me up! It was the perfect way to forget I was tired…and to accelerate the idea that Goodness Pays!

Blending the Seven Fs with Katie

The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow was spending a few hours working alongside my daughter Katie.  She attended both the party the night before and accompanied me to the MN Women of Today convention to help me sell books.  In my speech, I highlighted our father/daughter time that morning as an excellent example of “Blending the Seven Fs,” we were working on family, finances, friends, fun and future. If “pump” started with an “F” I’d have put that into the mix as well.

Good leaders make a habit of saying “yes” to helping other people even when the timing isn’t convenient.  And they find ways to spread goodness even when the pump is running dry.

Please share with me: who did you help yesterday?

[/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]

 [/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]