Leading with Lollipops- Carter Reports

I want to start by asking all my readers: How many of you are completely comfortable calling yourselves a leader? Some yes? Many are not, but why?

Yet, we have all changed someone’s life — usually without even realizing it. In this funny talk, Drew Dudley, the former coordinator of one of the largest university leadership development programs in Canada, calls on all of us to celebrate leadership as the everyday act of improving each other’s lives – his lollipop moments. This “TED talk” has been voted “one of the 15 most inspirational TED talks of all time” and viewed over 2.5 million times.

How many times have you been asked to define leadership? And how many times have you thought you had clarity on leadership until you had to write or verbalize exactly what it is? I have been there myself. We often place large demands and expectations on the definition of a leader who implements major changes, moves mountains and always gets the gold.

This video strongly resonates with my experience as a business consultant and coach. As much as I focus on “bigger picture” leadership with my clients, I am often caught off guard by their growth and accomplishment in other areas. I ask, what motivated you? And they say “But David, don’t you remember when you said …..?” And like the Drew Dudley, I don’t remember!

The moral to this story? Recognize that you can lead and change people’s lives as everyday acts. And, we all need to acknowledge those acts to ensure that leadership is fostered, acknowledged and rewarded in our homes, workplaces, and communities.

When Dudley speaks, he shares the following six questions as a way to plan to matter and lead each day:

What have I done to recognize someone else’s leadership?
How have I lived like it’s my first day today?
What did I try today that I thought might not work, but tried anyway?
How did I elevate instead of escalate today?
How did I help someone else move closer to a goal today?
What did I do today to be good to myself?

Have you discovered lollipop moments in your life recently? Have others acknowledged that you provided a lollipop moment for them? This is a great concept to put on your radar screen, and a wonderful perspective or “lens” to focus on leadership in your life. Contact me to discuss how to apply this perspective in your life and business.

© 2015-2020 David Paul Carter. Drew Dudley embraces the idea that “leadership cannot be taught. It can only be learned.” Drew has spoken to over 250,000 people on 5 continents, been featured on The Huffington Post, Radio America, Forbes.com, and TED.com.