We Come Into this World with Nothing and Leave the Same

Unless your name is Rockefeller, Carnegie or even Trump, you're not likely to be born with the proverbial spoon in your mouth. Certainly, there are smaller, more localized versions of these famously wealthy families, but most of us don't have a family business dynasty to step into. I certainly didn't and neither does my assistant, Devin, on Like A Boss.

This has benefits and drawbacks. For those of us that work to obtain our success through disciplined work, laser like focus, consistent goal setting and follow up measurement, it creates character that we earn. This road is never easy though and many times people want the "easy way." I don't believe there's an easy way unless you have that silver spoon, but even in that case the drawback is that you never truly develop your character through the work in earning the position you are in.

In the Chinese Chou Dynasty which lasted more than 800 years from 1122-256 C.E., the Chou kings delegated authority to local relatives and noble magnates who were known as lords. This is similar to the European feudal system whereas a centralized king would delegate much the same way to lords and their power was hereditary passed from one generation to the next. The early Chou kinds were vigorous leaders who were able to retain the allegiance of their lords, when necessary, by superior military power. However, as generations inherited the power, the younger kings did not have to work to earn their position and, as a result, were weaker leaders. By the third generation it is reported in history that this feudal system would often struggle as the lords would challenge the hierarchy.

This history lesson may not make much sense at first read, but my point is that when you are given your position you will often not value it, you haven't earned it, you don't possess the character earned from having built the business yourself and therefore cannot lead from a position of respect. When you build it yourself, you automatically lead from a position of respect. You've done every job within your organization just as I have. When you're handed your business position, your perspective is one from which you will never understand and respect the jobs of those who work for you.

When I began my real estate career, I started with a large locally owned family brokerage. The President and CEO was the younger generation of the founder. He would come to our annual retreat at the beginning of each year and regale us with stories of the new family 10 million dollar jet he purchased, flying around with the governor discussing the 60 million dollar retail development he was working on and the multi million dollar mansion he called home. He was saying all of this to an audience of real estate agents that probably made, on average, an annual income of around $30,000. The fact that he would speak in such large volumes of money, those most of society in general and certainly in his audience will never be able to relate to, showed how out of touch he is with reality. He was given his position, he never had to earn it, and it spoiled his perspective from the inside out.

From my own perspective, he was not an effective leader. He didn't ever come around except when he was required, he couldn't relate to anything any of us as agents were struggling with, challenges we faced, the daily grind of our business and the hustle necessary to succeed. It's not his own fault he didn't understand. He never had to hustle. And it spoiled his perspective, ability to relate and thus lead.

The best leaders will always be ones that have and continue to work the daily grind. They lead from a place of first hand experience, can guide, teach and advise those they are bringing up with them through direct mentoring. Those are the business leaders I have the most respect for because they've earned their position and continue to re-earn it each day. I'm one of those leaders and proud of my path and where it's led me.

Many of us may think that inheriting wealth and/or position is the path we would rather have provided to us in life, but just as that brought the Chinese feudal system in part to its knees, so it does in the current day with those that have not earned their position. Be thankful if you are not provided the "easy way" and every challenge you encounter view it as an opportunity to learn and grow your character. You will then become your own self made success and will lead from an earned place of respect that others will find easy to follow Like A Boss!

Live your truth. Love all of you. Become empowered by realizing all you need to succeed is within you, as you are, right now. Love, B :)