Have you given any thought to how many people’s lives you have touched over the years? It could be as simple as a friendly gesture at the grocery store. In other cases, it is being the manager of a department and having a direct impact on a person’s career.
It is not something that you need to actively think about to be able to influence someone. As a boat passed through the water, it leaves a wake behind it. Depending on how close you are to the boat when it passes, the more you will feel the effects of the wake. This is the same thing in our lives.
Those that are closest to us are going to feel our wake. Be aware of how you treat those around you. Do you treat them with love and respect? Is it a two-way relationship or do you just use them for your own benefit? Your team will be more effective if you allow those around you to be successful and you recognize them in front of their peers and let them shine for what they have done. My most successful teams have always been when they are stronger than I am, and I just get out of their way.
This is not a sign of weakness. It takes strength to be a servant to your team and help them grow. If you keep them confined to your limits, they can only grow to your level. If you let them surpass you in talent, it will grow your team and it ends up being a reflection on your whole team, including yourself.
What happens when you do not treat your teammates fairly or respectfully? The productivity and moral go down. This results in higher turnover and more stress. This continues to build up like the wake of a boat that is picking up speed. It starts affecting the other teams around you besides your own. Quickly, you become a disruption in the progress of the organization.
Even a slow-moving boat will create ripples in the water. Remember that regardless of if you are a good influence or a bad influence, you are touching people’s lives. Be aware of your wake that follows behind you.
What tips can you share that have worked for you to be aware of your wake? I would love to hear from you.
