Tuesday April 14, 2009 #111

 “Let’s put it this way:  In leadership, we have the water and they are thirsty. Our responsibility as leaders is to offer clean, cool, refreshing water. Their decision to drink it is theirs alone.”

~David K. Aaker

This quote from my mentor has always resonated with me and I hope it will do the same for you.  Imagine as a leader that your experience, wisdom, and vision are the cool, refreshing water which can quench the thirst of the people you influence.  While it is true that you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink, it is also true that when the horse decides he is thirsty he will head for the nearest source of water.  If we want to influence we have to be ready and willing when the people around us need their thirst quenched.  Otherwise they will seek it elsewhere and it may not be the quality of water that as a leader, you want them to drink.

Think about the quality of the water you are offering.  And give it freely.