Seven Disciplines of A Leader

9Discipline 5: Reciprocation, Collaboration, and Service

Effective Leaders Must Influence and Inspire Others

When your security comes from principles, you see everything through principles. When your boss or colleagues make mistakes, you're not accusatory. Why? Your security does not come from them living up to your expectations; it comes from within you. You share recognition and power. You see an ever-enlarging pie. The assumption about limited resources is flawed. The abundance mentality produces more profit, power, and recognition for everybody. You go from a scarcity to an abundance mentality by desiring mutual benefit.

The Way It Was

Mark, a near-retirement executive who had worked for a large national company in the 1980s, told me this story as we waited out a storm delay at the airport in Dallas. I didn't know Mark, in fact, I had met him only in the airline lounge when the airline announced a two-hour delay. After commiserating with each other about the delay, we decided to pass the time over a couple of drinks. We were both anxious to return to our respective homes after a hectic week on the road, and we let down our hair a bit as we talked. He reminisced about his earlier years in business.

“It was the day of the conglomerates,” he said, referring to the 1980s, “and companies were buying up other companies as fast as they could. It didn't seem to matter what business the acquiring companies were in. Companies bought telecommunication carriers, medical supply manufacturers, ...