Category: Diversity & Inclusion

Learning Lakota Leadership Lessons

We seem to have lost the wisdom of the indigenous people, which dictated that in any major decision, the first consideration was 'How will this decision we're making today affect our people in the future? These days, decisions are made based on the bottom line. - Jane Goodall

Today is a Federal Holiday, so I get a day off from work.  President Benjamin Harrison started celebrating Columbus Day in 1892 to mark the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ landing in the Bahamas. In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt made Columbus Day a national holiday.

As President Trump’s proclamation put it, “The permanent arrival of Europeans to the Americas was a transformative event that undeniably and fundamentally changed the course of human history and set the stage for the development of our great Nation.  Therefore, on Columbus Day, we honor the skilled navigator and man of faith, whose courageous feat brought together continents and has inspired countless others to pursue their dreams and convictions — even in the face of extreme doubt and tremendous adversity.”

However, like most things political these days, there is not a consensus for celebration.  President Obama reflected, “As we reflect on the adventurers throughout history who charted new courses and sought new heights, let us remember the communities who suffered, and let us pay tribute to our heritage and embrace the multiculturalism that defines the American experience.”

This year, several states and U.S. cities will not observe Columbus Day but will instead celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day.

This is an interesting point for my blog, which is focused on the seventh of Jesus Christ’s beatitudes—“Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God”—this month.  Given the focus on “Indigenous People” by many—and my corresponding lack of study about them—I decided to dedicate today to learning leadership from Native Americans.  That’s when I found The Power of Four: Leadership Lessons of Crazy Horse by Joseph M. Marshall III.

Click here to learn Lakota leadership lessons.

Go Beyond the Golden Rule

On Friday, we celebrated Employee Appreciation Day—a way to recognize and appreciate employees with the intent of retaining staff.  For the last couple of years, we have provided breakfast tacos and shared a word of gratitude for our team.  It’s a great way to get the team together and say, “Thank you.”

For some, this is expressing their language of appreciation (see my post summarizing Gary Chapman’s The Five Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace).

However, this approach doesn’t work for everyone, and that’s the focus of today’s post.  I’ve often encouraged leaders to “Go Beyond the Golden Rule” when leading teams.  The Golden Rule says, “Treat other people the way you want to be treated.”  But if you lead a diverse team, not everyone will want your kind of treatment!

That’s where Tony Allesandra and Michael O’Connor’s The Platinum Rule comes in.  It says, “Do unto others as they’d like done unto them.”  In other words, treat others the way they want to be treated.  That means, you have to get to know your team members and their preferences!

Click here to learn more about The Platinum Rule