We have all heard the terms or phrases made about other people, about the masses of the population, about the majority of people on the earth,… “Oh he or she is just the average type person.”  We have all heard men or women talk about the folks who work for them either in individual or combined groups using descriptive words in their comments like, “He is much like the average worker,” or “that particular person is like most of the other people who I employ,…he is just average or he is mediocre.”

Words, the same or similar to these examples, are ban-tied about daily in the  social circles and the work world of America.  I guess it is so because there are so many average people in the world.  It might also be because of a very bad and sloppy habit we content Americans have permitted to permeate our own thinking and speech.

I once heard the word average defined as,…“the top of the bottom,…or the bottom of the top.”  It seems that it is all a matter of personal perspective and viewpoint.  Another fellow I heard define average saying it was the “cream of the crap.”  Any of these three definitions, in my personal opinion fall way short of the mark as to their correctness.

Now I grant you that there are definitely different and distinctive categories of people and people’s work habits and work ethics.  But I must also tell you that God did not make or create any one of His finest Creations, mankind,…to be better than the rest,…just like the rest,…or worse than the rest.  All created human beings are designed and fearfully and wonderfully made by their Creator God to achieve greatness and accomplish wonderful things in love and service to their fellow man.  For unexplained and unknown reasons, God allows some people to be born with more physical or spiritual talents and abilities than do others,…some have greater intellect than do others, and certainly some are more physically and spiritually more attractive than are others.  But, God makes every human being with a specific plan and purpose to develop and accomplish while they are alive on earth.  This purpose, once accomplished, is to be for the love and service to their fellow men and women,…and all for the glory of God Almighty Himself. 

From birth until death, every man or woman will spend their lifetimes searching for that God-given Plan or Purpose for their lives.  Some of them find it,…and develop it,…to the completed levels as preplanned by God.  Others do not.  A life of happiness and peace of mind are the rewards for finding it and developing it while a person is still alive.

To the extent people discover God’s Will and Purpose for their own lives is what really separates them in to the different categories into which they settle and live out their lives on this earth.  Now never forget that every created human being has within themselves the innate ability to find their Purpose in Life and pursue it with passion.  Developing this God-given Plan can occur at any given time while they are still alive.  Chronological age plays little role regarding the discovery of God’s Plan for a person’ life.

A short description of the things it takes to become highly successful, starting from nothing significant, can be adequately described by the life of Mr. Charles M. Schwab, an American Industrialist.

A story please………

Charles M. Schwab (1862–1939), was a normal man without great experience or more than two years of advanced education.  He grew up and became a day laborer in the then expanding American Industrial Revolution.  But he wanted more in life than what he possessed.  He was internally driven and motivated and was always searching for ways and means to advance himself,…to make himself more valuable.  Mr. Schwab became the president of Carnegie Steel Co. when he was only 35 years old.  Such was an incredible achievement during those times of American history.

Mr. Charles Schwab became Andrew Carnegie’s “right hand man” and was also one-time president of U.S. Steel and Bethlehem Steel.  He grew and continued growing to become a multi-millionaire business leader.

Mr. Schwab possessed a deep appreciation for the common, dedicated working man and he gave the power to succeed to any employer who was willing to pay the price for hiring and working with such a dedicated common man.  Mr. Schwab eagerly pointed out that he motivated his own workers by appealing to the American spirit of conquest within every man’s heart.  Mr Schwab termed this American Spirit of Conquest, within all good men’s hearts, as a spirit of doing things better than anyone has ever done the before.

Charles Schwab asserted, “In that time it has been my good fortune to watch most of the present leaders rise from the ranks, and ascend step by step to places of power.  These men, I am convinced, are most natural prodigies.  They won out by using normal brains to think beyond their manifest daily duty.”

Now listen to what he is really saying.  Normal men,…used their brains,…thought through the things they did before they did them,…and lastly thought and worked beyond (more than) they were paid to think and work.

The best way to lead other people is by being the right and righteous example for them to observe, to follow, and to duplicate.

There are always two sides to every situation and relationship among men and women.  Being a leader of people is no different.  Mr. Schwab worked for Andrew Carnegie.  Lets quickly peek at what Mr. Carnegie had to say about Charles M. Schwab.

Andrew Carnegie said, “When Charlie Schwab first went to work for me he had no ability as far as surface appearances went other than that possessed by any other day laborer.  But Charlie had an unbeatable mental attitude and a disarming personality that enabled him to win friends among all classes of men.

He also had a natural willingness to do more than he was paid for.  This quality was so pronounced in him that he actually went out of his way to get in the way of work.  He not only went the extra mile, but he added two or three extra miles, and went with a smile upon his face and the right attitude in his heart.

He also went in a hurry and came back for more when he had finished any task assigned to him.  He took hold on a hard job as eagerly as a hungry man takes on food when it is set before him.

Now what can one do with a man like that, except to give him plenty of rein and let him go as fast as he pleases.  That sort of mental attitude inspires confidence.  It also attracts opportunities that would run away from the man who carries a frown on his face and a grouch in his heart.

I tell you frankly that there is no way to hold back a man with that sort of mental attitude.  He writes his own price tag and gets it willingly.  

If one employer is short-sighted enough to withhold recognition of such a man, through adequate compensation, some wiser employer will soon discover him and give him a better job.  The law of supply and demand, therefore, steps in and forces the proper reward for such a man.  The employer has very little to do about such circumstances.  The initiative is entirely in the hands of the employee.  

Word has reached my ears, many times, that Charlie Schwab got a favorable “break” because old man Carnegie took a fancy to him and pushed him up front ahead of all the others.  The truth is that Charlie pushed himself up front.  All I had to do in the matter was to keep out of his way and let him go.  Any favorable “break” that he received he created for himself…through his own initiative.”

Leadership for the most part is a learned skill set.  You normally are not born with it.  You always attract in life, what you are,…not what you want.

Leaders Gotta Lead………………..