You got to do your own growing, no matter how tall was your father.(Predecessor)

Points to Ponder:

 
"What you are is the world's gift to you. What you become is your gift to the world.”


Story Line:

Once upon a time, a manager was informing his employee that the employee was in his succession pipeline. While feeling good about the opportunity, but wanting to be upfront, the employee told the boss, “But I am not just like you. I am sure that you know that I will manage with a very different operating style than you.”

The Boss said, “You don't need the same operating style as me. In fact, you don’t want to walk in some one’s shoes and copy exactly his/her brand image. You need to establish your own personal brand image with your team: employees, customers and suppliers. The key things are that you get results and do that with a set of sound principles.”

This reminded me of an incidence a few years ago. My niece and her friend were visiting from England and I had taken them on the standard pilgrimage to Southern California to visit "The Happiest Place on Earth", Disneyland. In the evening. we stayed at the place of two young aspiring actors trying their luck in Hollywood.

As soon as the visitors saw one of these two handsome fellows, they went crazy. In their British accents, they said, “Uncle, he looks just like Tom Cruise. He is so cool.”   The cameras started rolling and the rolls of film started falling; with pictures in many different poses.

On the way back home the visitors couldn’t stop talking about this guy (demonstrating incredible constancy of purpose). Finally noticing that I had been driving for 200 miles without being noticed, their British manners prevailed. Both the visitors asked with one voice (Copy Exactly!), “Uncle, wasn’t he (the Tom Cruise look alike) cute? Don’t you think he will get big roles in the movies?”

Trying to be honest, I said, “He has a resemblance to Tom Cruise, and he is trying everything possible: hairstyle, smile, walk, dressing to look just like him.”

I continued, ”Unfortunately the poor guy is doomed. The only roles he is likely to get are secondary roles as a stunt man to fill in for Tom Cruise; or a place on the corner of Hollywood Boulevard for visitors to take a picture with a look alike.”

I could see a great disappointment on the visitor’s faces, and a look indicating that “this uncle is jealous.”

Reflection:
 
Each individual brings his own uniqueness to this world: different talents, different styles and different approaches. These differentiations are the very sources of creativity and improved results. Live life with your style and your passion. Don't try to be just like somebody else. Be Just like You.

Comments

[Kim]

Your title in email you send is better.i.e. You got to do your own growing, no matter how tall was your father.(Predecessor)