Scott Eblin in his book, The Next Level, used a quote that I love. 'Leaders bring the weather.' This idea applies to influence as much as it does to leadership. Parents, spouses, co-workers, teammates, coaches, principals, and anyone else that does life with anyone else (that's all of us) have dozens of opportunities on a daily basis to 'be the weather'. Too often though we simply fill the roll of the weather man by observing the weather and maybe on a good day helping the people around us prepare for what's coming. We miss so many opportunities to be the weather for the people around us!
Growing up, my father was the weather. For our home. For the schools he led. For the teams he coached. For reasons that I don't really know, he had an understanding that he could be the weather wherever he was. He was and is always upbeat, optimistic, curious, and engaging. I don't think he feels that way all of the time, but he knows that he can be the weather and he chooses to make that a positive thing for the people around him. I'm grateful for his example. I probably do a lot of things subconsciously that have a lot of benefit to others because he made a conscious choice to be the weather.
Here's four quick ways that you can be the weather rather than simply be a weather man for the people around you...
BE AWARE! - Martin Luther King Jr once said, 'the first cure for ignorance is awareness.' I think that's true. I believe most people don't want to be a negative influence on others around them. I also think many people are unaware of how their behavior can influence the weather. Don't miss your opportunity to be the weather to the people around you.
BE ROUTINE - Keystone habits are those little habits in your life that all sorts of other good things stem from. A good bout of exercise boosts endorphins that lead to a good mood that leads to more activity during the day that leads to expending more energy during the day that leads to being more tired at night that leads to falling asleep and staying asleep at night. So an exercise habit in the morning can lead to sleeping well at night. It's a keystone habit. The exact same science can be applied to being the weather for the people around you. I made a commitment to high five my administrative assistant the first time I walk into the office each morning. At first, it was a little weird, but it's now become the norm. The high five announces that it's going to be a good day and we are in this together. The high five begats trust, commitment, safety, transparency and a whole list of other benefits to our office atmosphere that others feel when they come in. It's even to the point now that my admin assistant won't let me past her desk to my office without the high five. I guess we control the weather together, now. The routine of the high five has become a keystone habit to controlling the weather.
BE MISSION-MINDED - How often do you actively remind yourself of the purpose to what you are doing? I read once that leaders are either over-communicating the mission or under-communicating the mission. I decided I would be an over-communicator and it doubles as a very regular, active reminder of why we are doing what we are doing. And it helps to control the weather.
BE A SERVANT - When I'm interacting with any of the people I'm responsible to influence, I try to always end our interactions with this question: 'What can I do for you?' People very rarely have an actual answer for me, but that's not the point. The point is that I'm reminding them that I care about them, that I'm in their corner, and that I want to serve them from where I'm positioned. It also helps me to control the weather for them.
Weather men get a bad reputation and they have a tough job trying to predict the weather. However a powerful storm gets our respect, fresh fallen snow gets our adoration, and a rainbow gets our awe.
Nothing against weather men, but don't be one for the people in your life. Be the weather instead.
Growing up, my father was the weather. For our home. For the schools he led. For the teams he coached. For reasons that I don't really know, he had an understanding that he could be the weather wherever he was. He was and is always upbeat, optimistic, curious, and engaging. I don't think he feels that way all of the time, but he knows that he can be the weather and he chooses to make that a positive thing for the people around him. I'm grateful for his example. I probably do a lot of things subconsciously that have a lot of benefit to others because he made a conscious choice to be the weather.
Here's four quick ways that you can be the weather rather than simply be a weather man for the people around you...
BE AWARE! - Martin Luther King Jr once said, 'the first cure for ignorance is awareness.' I think that's true. I believe most people don't want to be a negative influence on others around them. I also think many people are unaware of how their behavior can influence the weather. Don't miss your opportunity to be the weather to the people around you.
BE ROUTINE - Keystone habits are those little habits in your life that all sorts of other good things stem from. A good bout of exercise boosts endorphins that lead to a good mood that leads to more activity during the day that leads to expending more energy during the day that leads to being more tired at night that leads to falling asleep and staying asleep at night. So an exercise habit in the morning can lead to sleeping well at night. It's a keystone habit. The exact same science can be applied to being the weather for the people around you. I made a commitment to high five my administrative assistant the first time I walk into the office each morning. At first, it was a little weird, but it's now become the norm. The high five announces that it's going to be a good day and we are in this together. The high five begats trust, commitment, safety, transparency and a whole list of other benefits to our office atmosphere that others feel when they come in. It's even to the point now that my admin assistant won't let me past her desk to my office without the high five. I guess we control the weather together, now. The routine of the high five has become a keystone habit to controlling the weather.
BE MISSION-MINDED - How often do you actively remind yourself of the purpose to what you are doing? I read once that leaders are either over-communicating the mission or under-communicating the mission. I decided I would be an over-communicator and it doubles as a very regular, active reminder of why we are doing what we are doing. And it helps to control the weather.
BE A SERVANT - When I'm interacting with any of the people I'm responsible to influence, I try to always end our interactions with this question: 'What can I do for you?' People very rarely have an actual answer for me, but that's not the point. The point is that I'm reminding them that I care about them, that I'm in their corner, and that I want to serve them from where I'm positioned. It also helps me to control the weather for them.
Weather men get a bad reputation and they have a tough job trying to predict the weather. However a powerful storm gets our respect, fresh fallen snow gets our adoration, and a rainbow gets our awe.
Nothing against weather men, but don't be one for the people in your life. Be the weather instead.
‘Bite Down and Don’t Let Go’ is a collection of writings on being intentional about life in a way that produces great persistence. Read about it more here.
Dr. Chris Hobbs is an educational leader with more than two decades of experience. He’s earned a few degrees and won some awards. He’s happily married to his high school sweetheart and they have three teen age children. Life is messy and complicated most of the time. You can follow him on Twitter for all sorts of inspirational thoughts and good laughs.
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