I arrived in America in the mid-90s with less than $100 in my pocket. I want to discuss today’s second leadership quality- “never give up.” I also learned from dad that never let circumstances determine how far one could go and never give up. Once you set a goal, every step you take matters. Instead, we learned from his example that whatever you do, work as hard as you can and be the best you can be. We got good grades in school and are doing well in life today, not because he ever demanded us to. My dad never asked my siblings and me to do well in school or be somebody he influenced us by setting examples. By the time he retired, he had become a renowned expert in the chemical engineering field. He was determined not to let one tragic accident cripple him mentally and physically. Later, when the Chinese government gradually loosened its control over the Chinese people, dad started translating foreign engineering articles into Chinese. Usually, when I woke up from my sleep in the middle of the night, I could see candlelight in the other room, knowing that dad was still studying the dictionary. At the time, we often experienced rolling blackouts due to the electricity shortage. His teacher was an English to Chinese dictionary, and he memorized the dictionary word by word. Still, it took him two years to be able to walk tall on his own again.ĭuring this long and excruciating recovery period, dad not only learned how to walk again but also taught himself English. He was determined to walk on his own feet and return to the life of being a loving father, supportive husband, and productive employee as soon as he could. He told me that had he missed a session, his recovery would have been delayed by days or weeks. Sometimes it was so difficult to watch him in so much pain that I begged him to skip a session. After several surgeries and many acupuncture sessions, he had to learn how to walk again.ĭuring his physical therapy sessions, I could tell from his facial expression and sweat that every step he took was agonizing. On his way to pick me up, a truck made a sudden illegal turn, crashed into his bike, and ran over his left leg. When I was four years old, my dad got into a traffic accident. How many of you consider your parents among the most influential people in your life? Fortunately for me, my parents are among the most influential people in my life. The first leadership skill I want to discuss is "Influence Others by setting examples." A good leader influences others' thoughts and actions by setting examples. What is the most significant difference between a manager and a leader? One of the essential differences between leading and managing is that while a manager tells others what to do, influence is a crucial element of leadership. Writer’s note: I delivered the following speech on leadership at an investment conference this week.
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