Every great man is always being helped by everybody; for his gift is to get good out of all things and all persons. "John Ruskin"

Greatness is rarely achieved alone.  While it may start with a single person or solitary idea, true achievement always needs help.  Great leaders understand this concept. Too often great leaders have "Great Egos" that result in the failure of both the leader and the idea.  If the leader does not know how to get "good" out of those they lead, they get no help when they need it most.  No one wants to help the leader who always acts like they need no one's help in achieving success.

The leader who has created an environment of "help" has figured out how to focus on the good within the team.  Balance strong leadership with an openness that that allows the team "to help" you push uphill towards success. If you are making the achievement about your success then the team may not be inclined to help when it is needed the most.

There is a saying "drop the hammer and pick up the shovel".  If your leadership style is one of beating the team with a hammer to achieve your greatness, over time the hammer becomes very heavy and there will be no one to help you lift it.  Greatness is achieved by being able to pick up the shovel and lead by example. Show the team how to take their "good" and make it great.   With this attitude, the team will advance with you to the top of the hill called success. When you stumble (and you will) the team is there to help you succeed. Because they know your success is their success and together you all win.

What lifestyle am I showing everyone I have?

“These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (Deuteronomy 6: 6-7)

Looking at these verses as a whole in today's words, they guide us to a christian lifestyle. A lifestyle is defined as a way of life or style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group.

God gave us rules and told us to put them in our hearts. We are to impress, on our children. We are to talk about them ALL the time. What our hearts and minds are focused on define our lifestyle. What lifestyle are we projecting to our fellow works, our neighbors, and the "one anothers" we come into contact with.

Does the word of God permeate all of our actions from morning to evening. Is your last thought at night about God and the first thoughts when you wake up to acknowledge God. Thats what these verses are talking about. These commandments were the ten commandments, as a follower of Jesus Christ these commandants were expanded to include loving the one another's. When combined and followed they produce a lifestyle that flows out of our hearts.

If someone looked at my "lifestyle" what would they see? What would they observe based on my words and actions. Would they say, He is a Christian, you can tell by his lifestyle. I rather doubt it. Many people try to obtain a lifestyle by acquiring stuff and showing it off to everyone. Few believe that following God is a lifestyle, its simply religion.

God tells us in these verses that lifestyle flows out of your heart. Your kids will follow the lifestyle you model. Lifestyle is something you are passionate about because you are focused on it 24/7.

Watch a persons attitude, follow what they are passionate about, where they spend their time. There you will see their lifestyle. For me its a simply question. Do I want to follow the lifestyle God has provided for us, or do I want to follow the lifestyle of my wants and desires in the flesh. Where is your heart today?

“A salesman is the act of one, on behalf of another, for the benefit of both.”

This is an unknown quote I came across many years ago.  While we do not know who wrote this quote, I am pretty sure that they had to have been a very successful sales person and rock pusher.

I challenge anyone to come up with a more descriptive definition of a selling in a fewer number of words.  While this quote applies to selling, I would argue that it also applies to life. Taken at the simplest level it is summary of a philosophy for selling and for life. 

Every great action starts with one person.  It may be an act of service, a product, or a passion to change the world.  It starts with the act of one.  Then as “one” comes together with “others” who are like-minded, they now act as a group.

For a great action to succeed it requires a motivation, through out history when one person acts on behalf of another, it creates a selfless path to success.  When the focus is not on “you” but on “them”, a culture of greatness is created. 

For this greatness to grow and multiply, the act of one must benefit both parties.  The “one” and “the another” must both feel that they have benefited during the process.  In sales this is pretty easy to measure.  Did the sales person use good judgment and provide a product or service that benefited the customer, if so they probably made a sale.

An act of one, on the behalf of another, for the benefit of both

Most of us know how to say nothing; few of us know when.

God gave us two ears vs one mouth for a reason.  We need to learn to listen more and talk less.  Too often we decide that to take control of a situation we need to talk. One might argue that the one who knows when to say nothing and let others talk is really in control. 

Years ago I heard a saying that I put into action. The saying was "he who talks first, generally loses".  I was selling typewriters for IBM and had gotten to the stage with a large company where it was time to close the sale.  As I stepped into the Presidents office (who I had not met before) I was a little intimidated. I explained the contract, pushed it across the desk and said, "press hard, there are three copies."  I sat back in my chair and waited, prepared not to utter another word.  I sat in silence for what seemed like an eternity as the CEO looked back from the contract to me.  Finally, the CEO looked at me and said, "I am late to lunch young man and you must practice the same philosophy I do.   "He who speaks first loses", smiling at me as he signed the contract. 

You see too often when we have said all there is to say, we do not know when to close our mouths and say nothing.  A look or body movement, and we want to resell the situation even after we have finished and answered all the questions.  The silence makes us nervous.  

When we begin to talk, we give others a reason not to act, they are having to listen which may encourage a new set of questions.  Its those new issues that may kill a deal that was already done.

So today, take a deep breath, keep you mouth shut and enjoy the silence in the situation you find yourself in.  It means that you are closer to success than you think.