Good Morning,
My current read is Bob Russell’s new leadership book “Transition Plan: 7 Secrets Every Leader Needs to Know” (http://www.amazon.com/Transition-Plan-Secrets-Every-Leader/dp/0982720491). Bob Russell is the founding pastor of the South East Christian Mega-Church in Louisville, Kentucky (with over 24,000 members). The place so large that it is often referred to as ‘Six Flags over Jesus’.
Bob talks about the importance of a strong transition plan from one leader to the next and how that helps take the organization to the next level. We have all heard tales of successful and not so successful transitions in organizations. Like Jack Welch and GE where he spent close to 9 years choosing his successor, Jeff Immelt.
One section of the book talked about symbolism and how much more memorable a symbol is than any number of words, no matter how well spoken.
In the final act of turning over South East Christian to his successor, Bob Russell actually handed a baton over to his successor as the symbol of transferring leadership. People who went to that sermon will have a hard time remembering what the sermon was about, or what was said, but they will remember that symbolic gesture of passing the baton.
How can we, then, utilize the power of symbols to strengthen the message we wish to share?
One way is to have a signature move or phrase or something about us which is the key message we wish to impart.
Last weekend while at a training session for Boy Scout Leaders, one of the sessions was about tying knots. The man who taught us the knots wore two ropes around his shoulder, tied in fisherman’s knots by his waist. He carries them everywhere. He is known as the Knotman and when people see him, they see the ropes with the knots on them. When people see him, they remember the knots that he taught them how to tie, just from that symbolic gesture of wearing the ropes with knots.
In one of my past roles, I was remembered as always greeting people, either hello or goodbye. It was considered my ‘signature move’. People knew I cared because of that symbolic gesture I did each and every day.
What is the message you wish to convey?
How can you turn it into a symbol or symbolic gesture which will burn the message into the minds of those around you?
For me, it is for people to read my messages, see my name or face and think about how they can Learn and Grow Daily!
Enjoy!
Sanford Berenberg
Sanford@berenberg.net
http://www.berenberg.net
http://sanfordberenberg.blogspot.com/
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