By: Tammy Godby, Senior Manager, Global Organizational Development | 11/10/2022 |
If you know me at all, it won’t be a surprise that the one person that has had the most influence and impact on my personal and professional life is my dad. He is a role model for all areas of life. I’ve been so fortunate to know many people that have impacted and influenced me along the way, but dad has been the beacon of impact throughout.
A few things that I learned young from my dad and have remained steadfast principles in my life:
If you make a promise – keep it
If someone needs help, help them – because you should, not for the recognition
Whatever you choose to do, do it 110% – why give anything less
If you have a question – ask it or find the answer
You can’t “fix” people, You “fix” problems – find the root
Don’t wait for someone else to be your advocate in life – go after what’s important
If you make a mistake – own it, fix it, and learn from it
If you’re not 15 minutes early, you’re late – this is ingrained in my DNA
Your gas gauge should never be below ¼ tank – no exceptions, seriously
He was a minister for 43 years before retiring…in conjunction with the ministry, he worked as a credit manager for a global corporation for over 20 years before retiring. My dad applied his values and his principles in every area of his life. He was the same person at work, at home, at church, going to the store…everywhere.
My dad has been walking this earth for nearly 82 years and for as long as I can remember he has brought his authentic self wherever he goes. His personal values and priorities remain standard in everything. When “Bob”, my dad, is around, you know who and how he is showing up. He earned and generated respect and trust early on and made sure he worked to keep those things safe. He does not take for granted the trust anyone gives to him.
Now, sometimes authenticity is mistaken for cockiness, overconfidence, or arrogance. Remaining true to yourself is not the same as shaming/blaming or judging others for differences. Staying true to yourself while appreciating and respecting differences is an impact generator. Creating impact or influencing others is something we should all strive for. Creating impact outweighs intent. Impact provides growth and support, while intent is about me and what I want. In a previous blog post, I shared a story on impact – go check it out – it applies here as well.
Through all that I learned from Dad; I strive:
To show up authentically wherever I am
To show, not tell, others my values and principles
To respect the authenticity of others
To provide a safe place for people to learn and grow
To lead with Empathy and Impact
In a nutshell, be the best you can be for yourself and others. Hold your personal values and principles sacred and practice respect and kindness. Give it a try…see what happens.
