What Kind of Day Are You Going to Have?

RL Goodall, CEO of DVCC Inc. (www.dixonvalve.com) is one of the best leaders I've had the privilege to work with over the years. He's a brilliant thinker, business savvy and passionate. Over the years he has "learned" how to communicate what is in his heart as well as what's in his head. 

He, along with an exceptional management team which he's assembled, has crafted a Mission Statement that is clear to customers, suppliers and employees. There are few top guys in organizations who can connect the dots as well as Mr. Goodall. At the same time, he is humble and seeks the advice and opinions of others and is willing to alter his own opinion after careful reflection and consideration of opposing view points. A rare character trait of those who have climbed to the top of the corporate ladder. I could go on and on about him but he is not the central point of todays comments although I needed to give you some back ground.

RL tells the story of the daily routine at the breakfast table each morning starting when his kids were very young. Two questions were volleyed each day.

Question #1.) "What kind of day are you going to have today kids?" Answer: "It's going to be a great day Dad!"

Question #2.) "Who's going to make it that way?" Answer: "WE are Dad!"

How often did he do this? EVERY DAY until they left home and were on their own.

RL along with many other leaders inside this remarkable company are "Character Coaches" in the local school system in Chestertown, Maryland. Each week they work with little kids instructing them in the Six Pillars of Character along with the application to life. I've had the blessed opportunity to accompany RL to a classroom of 1st graders in a kind of inter city school where most kids have fathers absent from the home. RL begins his class time by asking the same two questions and gets, in return, LOUD and enthusiastic responses just as his own kids did. But this is still not the point. RL did three important things through this routine.

1.) He gives consistent and frequent positive messaging.

He does not deliver occasional "motivation" messages. He daily repeats and re-enforces the message he deems important. DVCC does this in many areas of their business. Unfortunately, many organizations are inconsistent in their messaging to their employees, customers etc. Because companies are so inconsistent when they try to get serious it's viewed as "just another program" or manipulation effort.

2. Developing the right habit by starting with the right attitude.

When we get out of bed each morning we have a choice as to the kind of day we will embrace for that day. As Chuck Swindoll says, "I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it." Many companies, bosses, employees, parents and kids start the day with a black cloud following them around. Quoting Swindoll again, "We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on that one string we have, and that's our attitude." RL and his team work at establishing a culture of positive attitudes. I'd wager that, just like me, you could name plenty of people and organizations who thrive on drama, pity parties, gossip and negative talk.

3.) Personal responsibility.

Note carefully the response to "Who's going to make it that way?" in RL's daily ritual. "WE ARE!" is proudly proclaimed.

Attention!!!!!

In a world of victims and entitlement thinkers listen carefully. It's YOU who are responsible for having a great day today and tomorrow. NOT someone else!

The answer is not the government, my parents, the union, my boss, the company my spouse or anything out side your own body. When I watch the protest in Greece or people who call themselves "occupiers", minority communities or the so called "99%" in the USA, I can see clearly the "it's not my fault" mentality which permeates our societies. And, of course, this lack of personal responsibility carries over into our business. There is an excuse for everything and it's just "not my fault."

As leaders we should not only be proclaiming positive messages frequently and consistently, we should rid ourselves of those who regularly poison the group with negative victim statements and attitudes.

Great companies like DVCC don't just happen. A planned process of communication and messaging pays off in HUGE benefits and establishes the right culture for success. REAL success.

So....

"What kind of company are you going to have?"

"Who's going to make it that way?"