By Peter Jeff
The Leadership Mints Guy

Here’s an idea to help you smile in the face of adversity.

I struggled off the 18th green and looked for a super computer to add up my scorecard. My scores on those 18 holes were THAT high, way out of calculator range. I complained how lousy I played.

Gene Kelly Singin' In The Rain

My dad -and playing partner- shot about as lousy a score as I did. But he seemed in much better spirits than I was. And finally he purred through his whimsical Cheshire Cat grin at me: “Look at this way, on a per stroke basis we both got our money’s worth today.”

My dad gave me a lesson in leadership that day. I learned from him that the most effective leaders find a lot more than the silver lining in the clouds of life. They can sing and dance through the rain storms of their lives like Gene Kelly wannabees sloshing through the puddles in the movie: Singin’ in the Rain.

In that movie, Kelly was in love and no amount of rain could dampen his spirits. Likewise, I have found over the years that the most effective leaders are usually that much in love. With their customers. With their employees. And with their vision for their organizations. products and services.

In love, these optimistic leaders are like Dr. Pangloss in Voltaire’s Candide who saw “everything for the best in the best of all possible worlds.”

Accentuate the Positive, Eliminate the Negative

In love, these optimistic leaders make a mantra of the lyric in the song made famous by singer Johnny Mercer You’ve got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative and latch on to the affirmative.”

In love, these optimistic leaders find humor even in devastation, like the facetious sign on a road near Grand Forks, ND during a major flood that promoted a basement apartment for rent featuring “a wet bar, jacuzzi and mud wrestling every night.”

In love, these optimistic leaders beam like the King in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass. Alice complains that she sees “nobody on the road.” And the King responds: “I only wish I had such eyes to be able to see nobody. And at that distance too.” Leaders see the rainbow while everyone else sees only the rain. Even on the golf course no matter how much red ink the scorecard is bleeding.

Today’s ImproveMINT
Look for the rainbow when others see only the rain
to keep your leadership skills in mint condition.

You might also like these previous Leadership Mints on Perception.

Parachuting from Fright to Insight
Yabba Dabba Doo on Monday Mornings Too
Seasoning Your Age With Sage
Success: You’re Richer Than You Think You Are

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