I can remember being told that one of the distinguishing features of a leader was their ability to have an uncommon sense or knack for knowing exactly what was needed before it was needed. Somehow, the leader, just knew. They might not even know how they knew, they just did. Facing incredible odds and daunting adversaries, these larger than life legends stormed forward while normal humans stood in awe.
Who wouldn’t want to follow someone with that type of sixth sense?
Here’s what I’ve discovered in my studies of high performance individuals, teams, and leaders. This doesn’t refute the legendary leader myth, it simply clarifies a bit. Remember, clarity is a good thing. I’ll use a really normal, frail, non-rock star type to make my case. In other words, he’s like you and he’s like me.
His name is Mike. Talk about normal.
His last is Matrka.
He is short, and unlike me, doesn’t seem in the least bit bothered by the fact. He leads a team of small GIANTS. They design and build beautiful spaces. They transform houses into objects of functional beauty that are built to last. They are uncompromising and NOT very well known outside of UA. Hmmmm….
Here’s the uncommon sense, I’ve observed, that separates Mike from all the other builders. Do NOT miss this. This is something I’ve observed in countless small, medium, and larger than life GIANTS. Here it is.
He has some very uncommon sCENTs that he can’t seem to get enough of. He LOVES the smell of lumber, concrete, and dirt. Yea, baby.
What scents can’t you get enough of at your place of OPUS?
What smells remind you of your labor of love?
When Monday morning arrives what, besides the smell of money, most excites your senses?
What activities do you find yourself giving to your world that make no CENTs but make perfect sCENTs to you?
Tell me more…
BUILT TO LEAD 
Thank you for inspiring us, Mike!
This reminds me of the Uncommon sCENTiment of another blog Give,give,give…
Posted on January 28, 2009 by Chet.
When I read that post I replied “Here’s my echo. Some of you are already wired give, Give, GIVE. Are you ALSO willing to receive, Receive, RECEIVE?”
Most of us are used to “TAKING” or “TRANSACTING”. These two come a lot more easily. We TAKE when we sense we’re entitled to something because we feel someone OWES us or we DESERVE it. We TRANSACT in order to PAY for something — and then the transaction is settled, no one owes anyone anything anymore, we’re all square. We like it like that because of our PRIDE. PRIDE can TAKE and TRANSACT but it can NOT receive.
Why? RECEIVING feels weird. It violates our internal justice system in a backwards way. If something is a true GIFT, we didn’t deserve it, and if we try to pay for it, that makes it TRANSACTING — not RECEIVING. This is why FEW receive well — it’s hard for the normal conscience to live with the nagging feeling of OWING someone, and so we either don’t accept the gift, or we offer to pay for it, OR we MISS OUT ON WHAT “GIVE, GIVE, GIVE” IS ALL ABOUT by rationalizing in our mind that we DO deserve it and TAKE it.
It takes HUMILITY to RECEIVE.
In G2G, Collins says HUMILITY is the intangible #1 quality of what he calls “Level 5 Leaders”. Like Mike, Chet is a crazy Level 5 Leader who likes to give, Give, GIVE. Friday he called me to tell me about a HUGE gift he wanted to give me. When the phone got quiet, he asked if I understood why he was offering it. I must have sounded pretty stupid on the other end of the phone because I KNEW why but I couldn’t get the words out. Part of it was because my PRIDE & HUMILITY were having a fight. And maybe beneath it all part of it was because after a lot of re-learning I still have a hard time letting others LOVE me, which is really what’s at the heart of TRUE receiving (and the motive underlying TRUE giving).
Leaders TRUST first, they BELIEVE first, they LOVE first, and they GIVE first. How could I ever thank Chet?
Applying grace to help me save face in my awkward pause, Chet DID tell me how I could “pay” him. Basically it was “go do the same” — translate go BE the same. BECOME a giver in this work, and you can give to me too. GIVING is contagious, and it’s even more blessed than RECEIVING, but RECEIVING comes first, which comes from LOVE.
Do you LOVE your team?
Will you let YOUR leader GIVE you ANYthing?
Will you let HUMILITY win over PRIDE?
Will you move from becoming a TAKER or a TRANSACTOR to becoming a RECEIVER?
Giving is INSPIRING. It creates chemistry and a contagious culture.
And it makes NO CENTs.
Thank YOU Johnnytherue for your kind words and, as usual, your incredible AND.
Your wisdom, your gratitude, your giving, your writings, and your work are a gift to behold…