Rochester Leadership Digest Lisa Hill DiFusco

A Shared Leadership Language

Dear Readers,

       Ultimately it is service of others that leads to our happiness. It seems to be in our DNA. We know that endorphins increase when we engage in an act of kindness, and they do so for the recipient of our kind act as well. What is really interesting is that they increase most of all, not for the giver or receiver, but for the observer watching.

       Horst Schultz, co-founder of the Ritz- Carlton Hotel Co. and Capella Hotels & Resorts, states his job is to create consciousness of excellence in people. He goes to work every day for 2 reasons:

1. To be with his friends (his employees)
2. To practice excellence

The work culture he has established at the Ritz focuses on service of others as busboys are authorized to spend up to $2000 per incident to resolve customer problems. The intention is excellence, not mediocrity or complacency, in serving others. You may recall their mission statement: “Ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen.” Service of others elevates the giver and receiver, and releases hormones which make us more trusting, more generous and friendlier. It also lowers blood pressure.

       Mr. Schultz was a recent presenter at the Global Leadership Summit. His passion for excellence became part of something called a “Shared Leadership Language” – words and phrases that effortlessly instruct.

       A shared leadership language holds the possibility of uniting a community. It allows people from different sectors, backgrounds, and belief systems to share something in common. It

Tears down walls. The truth is, most are drawn to becoming a better leader. A shared leadership language helps people do just that. Here are a few examples taught at the Global Leadership Summit…

Play to people’s strengths – Marcus Buckingham, a renowned thought leader widely recognized as the world’s leading expert on talent, encourages his readers to align employees with tasks that energize them, rather than tasks in which they are strong.

Vision is defined as “a picture of the future that produces passion in people” – The first step in leading others is to identify a vision, and powerfully inspire others to follow it. Bill Hybels explains that leaders need to be constantly inspiring followers. It doesn’t happen just one time.

Humble, Hungry and Smart – Several-time NY Times best-selling author, Patrick Lencioni, provides a roadmap for hiring ideal team players, principles outlined in his recent book, The Ideal Team Player.

Leadership is solving problems – The retired four-star general who served as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Colin Powell, believed in pursuing excellence… and that was all about solving problems.                                               

Failure is not an option. Oh, yes it is! – Colin Powell exhorts leaders to remember the  importance of intentionality.

These and other leadership principles foster a shared leadership language in a community, and are presented each year at the Global Leadership Summit. Leaders from all sectors assemble to hear cutting-edge research and experience on what works best and why.
       I began attending the Summit in 2004 and have gone almost every year since. What I’ve observed over the years is that 100% of the individuals and organizations who apply the presented principles get better. They thrive. No exceptions!
       In fact, what began as a resource to help church pastors around the world become more effective 25 years ago, has become so successful that 70% of the 410,000 attendees from around the world now come from the business sector. It’s an interesting dynamic.
      Today over 2 dozen cities leverage the Summit as a catalyst to solve community challenges and form city movements. People from different ethnic and economic backgrounds with differing perspectives work together to solve community challenges.

 

       In our third edition of the Rochester Leadership Digest we welcome our featured authors who wish to make Rochester a thriving beacon. We especially wish to thank Mayor Lovely Warren for her contribution, Dr. Ehsan Hoque from the University of Rochester and Dana Miller, Director of Development Services from the City of Rochester. 

       Your wisdom motivates others to pursue greatness.

With gratitude,

Lisa Hill DiFusco
President and Founder
The LightHeart Institute

                   Lisa Hill DiFusco is the President and Founder of The LightHeart Institute, a for-profit, 32 year-old Rochester-based company whose mission is to foster an upward spiral of health and prosperity. Through a holistic lens it offers services in leadership development, holistic/integrative psychotherapy, functional medicine consultancy-care and spiritual growth.