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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Monday, November 24, 2014

Great leaders aren't born. - Peanut Butter Principles: 47 Leadership Lessons Every Parent Should Teach Their Kids by Eric Franklin

Description:

Great leaders aren't born. They're nurtured.

In “Peanut Butter Principles: 47 Leadership Lessons Every Parent Should Teach Their Kids”, entrepreneur, speaker, author, management consultant and parent Eric Franklin has assembled a wealth of wisdom that has stuck with him like peanut butter sticks to the roof of your mouth. One by one, you can serve up spoonfuls of Peanut Butter Principles to the youth in your life and make a profound impact to help them grow into confident, intelligent, and successful adults and leaders who make good choices, build healthy relationships, and cultivate another generation of leaders.

Organized by topics, including The Super Self, Making Wishes Come True and The School of Life, Franklin explains how simple concepts can have lasting power to develop young leaders, including:

Be thankful you don't get everything you ask for.
The difference between a goal and a dream is a deadline.
Your accomplishments should speak for themselves. Don't interrupt.
If you don t make your own decision, someone else will make it for you.
Count your blessings, not your problems.

One by one, you can serve up spoonfuls of Peanut Butter Principles to the youth in your life and make a profound impact to help them grow into confident, intelligent, and successful adults and leaders who make good choices, build healthy relationships, and cultivate another generation of leaders.

EXCERPT

"Life is not fair. Get over it."

Do you remember your first major disappointment? Maybe Santa didn’t bring the toy you had been aching for or you didn’t win a race or contest. Or possibly it was the first time you felt the pain of unrequited love. Disappointment comes from expectations that aren’t met.

It happens. That’s what we call “the real world”. Life is fraught with disappointments, heartbreak, and rejection. Sure, it feels unfair sometimes, but there’s no rulebook for life that says the playing field will always be level. We are given chances and choices all along this journey. And even when you feel you’ve made the right decisions and played your best, sometimes, you still don’t win.

You can accept this truth or spend your time whining, “It’s just not fair!”

In order to truly appreciate what we have, we need to experience the unfair things in life. Shielding children from loss and rejection gives them an unrealistic sense of accomplishment. When every child walks away from a competition with a ribbon or a medal, these prizes reward them just for the act of showing up; it has nothing to do with excellence. Years later, do you think a college professor will applaud every student who shows up to class or an employer will pat each employee on the back for arriving on time to work? Of course not. But these are the behaviors for which children are rewarded. So, they come to expect accolades for what should simply be expected of them.

Children can only become exceptional when they have a realistic view of what this measure really is. When we do everything possible to level the playing field, how can they possibly rise above the status quo? How can they differentiate between mediocre, average, and excellent? A person who sees the world as unfair is probably looking at it from the bottom rung of the ladder—not a leader, but someone who blames the world for what he hasn’t had the ability.

“The difference between a goal and a dream is a deadline.”

For years, you would make a wish and blow out the candles on your birthday cake. Do you remember any of those wishes? Were they important enough for you to do more than hope they came true?

It’s wonderful to dream, to open up your mind to possibilities. The problem is, too many people just let those exciting ideas dangle in the wind. They don’t grab hold and make a real effort to convert a wish into reality.

How many times have you started a statement with “Someday…”? Did “someday” ever come?

“Someday” is like Neverland. It’s out there somewhere, just out of reach. You can visualize what happens there. You lose weight, travel, write a book, pay off all your debt, eat healthier, stop smoking, buy a house, go back to school, move out of your parents’ house, and start your own, highly successful business. Wow! I want to live in “Someday”, too.

I know the only way to get to this magical place where dreams come true is to chart a course and timeline. Without such parameters, what you call a “goal” is really just a wish. You’re waiting for it to come true, when you should make it happen.

In particular, young people need to be able to understand that in order to achieve anything, they need a plan with a timeline attached to it. They have to commit to that plan and work it. If they falter along the way, don’t give up on the vision. Just adjust the plan. A big part of achieving a goal is motivation, commitment, and tenacity.


About the author:
Eric Franklin, Entrepreneur and Author of Peanut Butter Principles: 47 Leadership Lessons Every Parent Should Teach Their Kids Eric Franklin had his first taste of leadership during a summer job when at age 16, he was appointed supervisor to over 200 peer employees at his local amusement park. He has been on a mentoring roller coaster ride ever since. Although Eric has held a multitude of distinguished positions over the years and is currently CEO/owner of several successful businesses that operate across the U.S., his core values are as basic to the soul as a peanut butter sandwich is to a hungry appetite.

Eric's formal education has earned him a Bachelor's degree in biology from Hampton University and a Master's in procurement and acquisitions from Webster University. His family and community have been the most influential in imparting upon him the character traits that have enabled him to be so successful.

When Eric isn't busy with writing, business coaching and running several businesses, his ideal scenario for a day would be he, his wife and 3 kids, eating fresh seafood on a tropical island, with of course,the family dog and cat close at hand. An accomplished musician, Eric would end the day by playing a few of his favorite music selections on the piano. Eric also enjoys the simple things in life, like peanut butter.

Eric is a staunch advocate for STEM (Science Technology, Engineering and Math) education and serves on the Southern Maryland Higher Education Council. However, Eric is concerned that with the increased technical proficiency of our students, basic character and life principles are not being taught. He sought to develop resources would be embraced by parents and other mentors and shared with the young people in their lives to ensure a firm foundation for the next generation of great leaders.


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