John Stanko

"You have increased the number of your merchants till they are more numerous than the stars in the sky, but like locusts they strip the land and then fly away" - Nahum 3:16.

Companies and organizations form alliances with their clients, suppliers, customers, employees, donors, volunteers, neighbors, local and national governments, and labor unions. These partnerships can be predatory, greedily vying to destroy the environment, competitors, rivals, and other organizations. These partnerships can also do tremendous good and produce positive results for both society at large and the people and companies involved in those relationships. Leaders create or perpetuate the culture and mindset of these partnerships, so it is up to that same leadership to set the tone for the type of partnerships and collaborative efforts of which their organizations will be a part.

LEADERSHIP STEP: Your Leadership Step today is to consider all the partnerships of which you are a part. Are you happy with the results they are producing? Do you like the spirit with which they function? What role can you play in helping to shape, mold, or change these collaborations into forces for positive change and societal contributions? It all points to the business philosophy with which you function and, as a leader, you get to mold the organization's mindset and culture daily.