Photo courtesy of John Eades

LinkedIn Pulse – September 27, 2017

By John Eades, CEO of LearnLoft


As he sat down with me nearing the last day of his employment at the company he helped build, I asked the question, “How are you handling the thought of retirement?”

His answer was something I will never forget, “I am not what I do.”

While I had known for some time how great of a leader he was, those words cemented the sentiment for me and taught me such a valuable lesson about identity.

John Eades, CEO of LearnLoft. Helping Organizations Develop Their People Into Leaders. Photo courtesy of LinkedIn

He went on to share how much joy and accomplishment he felt because of the positive impact he had made on the thousands of customers, employees and family members of those employees who were a part of his journey.

When I ask most people, “Who are you?”
I typically get answers that go right to their professional title like: CEO, Accountant, Lawyer, Project Manager, CFO or Athlete, because people believe “I am what I do.”

There are a lot of reasons for this, but it boils down to the amount of time, energy, and effort we expend doing our jobs.

Photo courtesy of John Eades

I don’t want to leave you mistaken or confused.
I am not saying great leaders don’t work hard, raise the level of performance of their people, have high standards, constantly strive for greatness.
Quite the opposite is true.
They do all these things, but they know at some point it will come to an end. If their entire identity is wrapped up in their work what will they have when it’s over?

Courtesy of John Eades

Here are a few ways to ensure your profession doesn’t become your identity:

Don’t Allow Your Authority at Work to Go to Your Head

Many companies are still structured in a hierarchical way.
While I don’t believe this is the best way, it’s the reality of the world we live in.
Having said that, just because you are higher up the food chain and have more control over daily decisions, doesn’t mean you have higher powers than others.
Great leaders know their responsibility and act accordingly.

Make Your Legacy About Impact

I love the example Oprah Winfrey gave at a recent commencement address,
“The biggest reward in life isn’t financial benefits. Those things are great but they don’t fill up your life, only living a life of substance will. Maya Angelou taught me an incredible lesson. Your legacy is every life you touch.”

If your mindset as a leader is focused on making an impact through those you come into contact with, your identity will center around service (as opposed to your profession).

Photo courtesy of John Eades

Serve Others Outside of Work

Winston Churchill famously said
"We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give."

This isn’t about financial contributions.
Look for ways to volunteer in your community or start a support group.
If you give up your free time to serve others in your community, when you change professions, careers, or even retire, you will have places to go to add immediate value.

Focus on Creating More Leaders

Most people think about their own career and development, (which is important) but great leaders focus as much, if not more on others development.

I love the quote from Noel Tichy,
“Winning companies win because they have good leaders who nurture the development of other leaders at all levels of the organization.”

When you are focused on helping others become the best version they can be, your identity shifts away from simply doing your job to creating a butterfly effect of people that value having you in their life.

Photo courtesy of John Eades

If you are like most people and your profession is your identity, take some advice from this week’s Follow My Lead podcast guest, Michael Bungay Stanier, and use the New Habit Formula:

When this happens... (situation, trigger, circumstance)

Instead of... (habit you don’t want to do anymore)

I will... (new habit you can complete in 60 seconds)

https://learnloft.com/podcast/coaching/  

You have control over your habits and can start implementing some of these ideas to begin the process of transformation.


Free Welder Leader Profile Assessment

Join over 20k leaders and discover how well you are leveraging love and discipline as a leader and find out what profile you are for free.

https://learnloft.com/assessment  

If you are interested in the assessment and think your organization could benefit from a modernized leadership development program.

Find out more here.

http://resources.learnloft.com/welderleader  

Photo courtesy of John Eades

Culture Webinar

Create a Welder Culture: Develop People and Improve Performance.

Join John Eades on Tuesday, October 3rd at 11 AM EST for a live Webinar to discover ways to improve your organization's culture and create more Welder Leaders.

Sign up here.

http://mhouston_0.gr8.com/  


About the Author

John Eades is the CEO of LearnLoft and host of the Follow My Lead Podcast.
He is also the author of F.M.L. Standing Out & Being a Leader, and is passionate about the development of modern professionals.

Follow him on Instagram @johngeades 

https://www.instagram.com/johngeades/  


Source: LinkedIn Pulse

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/  



ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.08.27

Professor Jeff DeGraff: The internet is a lot less democratic than you think

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2323  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.07.01

Dr. Bertalan Mesko, PhD: The Top 10 Trends Shaping the Future of Pharma

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2286  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.06.20

Sir Richard Branson: Finding My Virginity - my new autobiography

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2280  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.06.14

Dr. Travis Bradberry: 50 Inspirational Quotes To Motivate You

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2277  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.06.10

Changing Landscape of Prostate Cancer Research and Development

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2274  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.06.09

Siemens Healthineers Debuts Symbia Intevo Bold SPECT/CT

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2273  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.05.27

Reid Hoffman: My New Investment in Change.org, The Global Hub For Positive Social Impact

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2260  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.04.21

Apple celebrates Earth Day with new initiatives and stories of innovation

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2233  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.04.19

Shelly Palmer: Can Self-Driving Cars Ever Really Be Safe?

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2232  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.04.14

Jamie Dimon, Chairman & CEO of JPMorgan Chase: Good Reputation Advances Your Career

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2229  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.03.13

William D. Cohan: It's time we stop hating Wall Street and start appreciating what it does for the U.S. economy

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2210  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.03.01

The new Hanoi Lotus Centre project has been featured on Archdaily!

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2201  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.01.31

How Facebook Uses Data Analytics To Understand Your Posts And Recognize Your Face

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2186  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2017.01.13

JPMorgan Chase and CCSSO Announce USD 20 Million to Improve Career Education for Young People in 10 U.S. States

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2228  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2016.06.25

Toyota launches Biodiversity & Sustainability Learning Center to complement its Biotope project in Thailand

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2081  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2016.03.25

Walter Isaacson: These Are the Two Original Sins of the Internet - And Now's the Time to Fix Them

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2044  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2016.03.16

Daniel Burrus: Artificial Intelligence Isn't for Winning Board Games. It's for Saving Lives

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2041  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2016.02.09

Professor Adam Grant: I asked Larry Page, Elon Musk and Jack Dorsey how they felt starting their companies. Their answers caught me off guard.

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=2021  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2015.09.17

Jack Welch: Six Ways to Tell if You Work for a Really Great Company

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1967  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2015.09.07

Professor Barry Schwartz: Why We're So Unhappy With Work - And How to Fix It

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1957  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2015.09.04

Sir Richard Branson: You Can't Fake Personality, Passion or Purpose

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1954  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2015.08.15

Geoff Colvin: What Really Makes Teams Work

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1948  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2015.02.08

Richard Branson: My top 10 quotes on change

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1868  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2014.06.20

Richard Branson: 8 tips to evolve a start-up into a successful company

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1736  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2014.01.01

Big Idea 2014 By Jeff Immelt: The Age of Gas

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1624  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2014.01.01

Big Idea 2014 By Jim Kim: Invest in People

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1623  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2014.01.01

Big Idea 2014 By Michael Andrew: A Global Glimpse Into the Future

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1622  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2014.01.01

Big Idea 2014: When A Big Idea is The Big Idea…

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1621  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2014.01.01

Big Ideas 2014 By Richard Branson: The Year of the Entrepreneur

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1620  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2013.12.29

2013 Business School Dean of the Year

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1619  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2013.10.01

Sir Richard Branson on how he judges personality. How I Hire: Focus On Personality

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1566  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2013.08.26

Jeff Immelt, Chairman and CEO at GE: How to Differentiate Great Leaders from Good Leaders

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1530  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2013.07.16

John Donahoe: To Beat the Chaos, Take a Thinking Day

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1500  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2013.06.13

Bill Gates: Three Things I've Learned From Warren Buffett

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1482  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2013.04.02

Sir Richard Branson: Smart Phone? I Prefer a Brilliant Assistant

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1436  


ASTROMAN Magazine - 2013.01.04

Richard Branson: Top 10 tips for making lists

https://www.astroman.com.pl/index.php?mod=magazine&a=read&id=1378