The Mentor Leader

I recently read the book, The Mentor Leader, by Tony Dungy.  Among many awesome insights to leadership that I gathered throughout, one of the most profound paragraphs in the entire text was this brief story.  It is a reflection of a CEO of a Fortune 500 Company, an unnamed friend of Mr. Dungy’s.

I had long known that I could influence whether or not my employees had a good day; it was fairly obvious that I held sway over that, for better or worse. But one day, as I drove home, trying to fight off a dark cloud from a tough day's work and trying not to let it affect my family when I walked through the front door, I realized that many if not all of my direct reports were experiencing the same thing. If they weren’t able to compartmentalize their frustration, anger, and irritation, then they were going to take those toxic feelings into their homes. I don’t simply have an impact on my direct reports - there is an exponential effect on those around them as well, based in no small part on their interactions with me.

This reminds me of the Liberty Mutual pay-it-forward commercials in which random acts of kindness extend far beyond a person’s initial intention.  It is a good reminder to keep in mind the magnitude of our impact on others.  It extends far beyond the person you are presently dealing with. 

Will your next interaction leave that person wanting to inspire or tear down the next person they encounter?