Pay It Forward – September 2010

Pay It Forward Challenge for September:  When you are putting together the packet of school supplies for your kids, make up one extra and bring it to the school to give to their teacher.  Tell her to give it to someone in the class whose parents couldn’t afford it.  Make sure to tell your child what you did so they get the example of generosity.

Lead by Example:  Your Kids Will Be Our Leaders, Caretakers

Ah, September!  Every year at this time, I picture the Staples commercials with the father pushing a shopping cart full of school supplies, skipping along to the song, It’s the Most Wonderful Time of The Year.  What a stroke of marketing genius that was!

For those of you with kids, we all know that Christmas isn’t the Most Wonderful Time of the Year — it’s BACK TO SCHOOL!  It’s that magical time of year, when your little “Mini Me” becomes disengaged from your side and returns to the Land of Learning.  If you are like me and maintain a home office, running a business while your children are at home becomes a daily challenge of multi-tasking and prioritizing home versus business.  While it is always a juggling act, the presence of family members with their own agenda makes it doubly difficult.  My least favorite commercial this summer?  Canobie Lake’s ad where the kids put sticky notes all over the house.  Anyone else feel the pressure to go?

I have found it very helpful to share the stories of my teenage boys with other members of this Network.  Simply viewed without any framework, my sons can seem to me like the laziest, most slovenly children on the planet.  It has been very helpful to hear from other members that their children become exhausted from the slightest exertion or are struck blind when they walk into the kitchen, making them incapable of seeing a sink full of dishes.  It is an odd juxtaposition to have boys that are bigger and (possibly) stronger than me be unable to keep up with this 50-year-old on a job site.  At 17 and 16, they claim to know so much more about the world than I do and I have learned to bite my tongue, because experience is the best teacher.

Our children are growing up in a world where things are given to them in an instant … the ability to reach someone, find information about a restaurant, directions, etc.  The down side to this explosion of technology is that it makes it harder for them to realize that life doesn’t often occur in an instant, particularly when it comes to achievements.

Running a successful business doesn’t happen overnight.  It requires planning, goal setting and perseverance.  Building relationships also takes time, and consists of more than just “friending” on Facebook.  Perseverance and good relationships will help us all to succeed in business.

Whether it’s as a parent or as your President, I always use a Lead by Example rule that I learned in the military.  I want my children (and our members) to be honest, generous, fair and hard working.  By modeling that behavior, I show all around me that this is the standard that is acceptable and this is the response that gets rewarded.  It isn’t always easy, that is true, but I have never had any respect for those that follow a “Do as I say and not as I do” sort of creed.

As your President, I pledge to lead by example.  We owe it to these young kids like my sons.  They will be our work force, they will be the future business leaders and (most importantly) they will be the ones caring for us old ladies in the nursing home!  It’s imperative that they understand that helping others, doing what’s right and always giving 100 percent will always lead to success.

Happy to lead with fun and humility,

Janet
Dirty Deeds, Done Dirt Cheap
Dirtydeedsddc04@hotmail.com