OPINION|
In my career, I have tried to learn something from everyone with whom I came in contact. I tried to emulate the good traits I observed and vowed not to repeat the negative. Lately, I have thought about those sayings, advice, and other words of wisdom. I thought some of them might have meaning for others.
I would not swear all of these are original, but they were my sources for them. And this list is not exhaustive, but these are the words of wisdom that have stuck with me over time. I have adopted and/or repeated many of them. The best ones are common sense stated in a memorable way, preferably with some humor.
From professional colleagues: ‘Never, ever lose your temper. But if you do, make it memorable.’
“Work hard and no surprises” — those were the two rules vice president Dr. Jim Meyer had when I worked at Emporia State University from 1976-86….it was eloquent in its simplicity.
In 1993, when I told Jim I had been asked to lead governmental relations, without hesitation he said, “Congratulations. You will be working with your school’s biggest donor.” I tried to stay true to that philosophy for the 21 years I had that role.
Vice president Greg Onstot, with whom I worked at Missouri State University from 1986 until he retired in 2007, had some doozies.
“He’s like a lost ball in the tall weeds” — after all these years, that still makes me chuckle, probably because I can relate so well to the golf analogy.
“You want to be right, not dead-right” — suggesting that often a compromise is a good outcome….his version of “don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.”
Springfield Mayor Ken McClure, with whom I worked when he was Chief of Staff to Governor Matt Blunt and when he was vice president at Missouri State, had this advice:
“Never, ever lose your temper. But if you do, make it memorable.”
Dr. Jim Baker, assistant to the president and then vice president at Missouri State, always reminded us that “the customer isn’t always right, but the customer is always the customer.” You can insert whatever group applies: students, legislators, family, etc.
From Missouri State Presidents: ‘It’s always easy when someone else is doing it.’
I worked with two presidents who appreciated the English language and knew how to use it, but did so differently.
The late Dr. John Keiser, Missouri State president from 1993-2005, had several truisms and advice:
“The more you do, the more you will be asked to do.”
“It’s always easy when someone else is doing it.”
“Don’t let a five-dollar decision become a million-dollar headache.”
“Remember, it ain’t your money you’re spending” — that was his grandfather’s response when, prior to taking his first presidency, Dr. Keiser asked for advice.
“It is possible to be fired for the right reasons.”
Dr. Michael Nietzel, president from 2005-10, had a different approach that was just as instructive.
My Dad, Leon Kincaid, who died in 2015 at age 84, told my brothers and me, “Most things have been said and done already, so to stand out and be memorable, you have to find a different way of saying and doing things.”
No one lives up to that philosophy more than Dr. Nietzel.
Dr. Nietzel tells the story of how he chose a college. “I wanted to go to Grinnell, but my dad wanted me to go to Wheaton. So, we compromised. I went to Wheaton.”
During his interview for the presidency at Missouri State, Dr. Nietzel was asked to describe how the provost model would work when implemented. His explanation began with, “If you’ve seen one provost model, you’ve seen one provost model.”
In his book “Degrees and Pedigrees,” Dr. Nietzel addressed the fact that a few notable CEOs, such as Bill Gates (Microsoft) and the late Steve Jobs (Apple), did not have college degrees. Dr. Nietzel wrote:
“But to suggest that their highly unusual paths to success are a preferred or reasonable career strategy over earning a college degree simply ignores the evidence. It’s like pointing (down) to Muggsy Bogues and saying that being tall is not important in the NBA.”
As you may recall, Muggsy Bogues was 5-feet, 3-inches tall.
From authors and speakers: ‘Give up the past for the future.’
The late Peter Drucker was, according to Wikipedia, an “Austrian American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings contributed to the philosophical and practical foundations of modern management theory.” His words of wisdom included:
“Look out the window, not in the mirror.”
“Manners are the lubricating oil of an organization.”
“If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old” — which I found to be one of the most difficult tasks for organizations.
“Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.”
“Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
“Give up the past for the future” — this had a significant impact on me….I went to my job “to-do” list, which was overwhelming me…..I eliminated everything that had no real value to anyone other than me because I felt obliged to complete the task….it was a liberating experience.
The management consultant and author Tom Peters, best known for “In Search of Excellence,” has also been an inspiration.
Mr. Peters says his consultant life can be summarized in six words: “Hard is soft. Soft is hard.” His point is that numbers, plans and organizational charts — the hard stuff — gets too much attention, while the soft skills — caring, training, acknowledging — are often overlooked or minimized. These “people practices,” he says, “create the most wholesome, community-minded organizations — and win the marketplace as well.”
Mr. Peters has more:
“Listen to everyone. Ideas come from everywhere.”
“Remember my mantra: distinct… or extinct.”
“There are few things that will take you further in life, than your ability to make a good presentation.”
The late Stephen Covey’s “Seven Habits of Highly Successful People” is worth reading and rereading. I believe the most impactful of the seven is “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.”
And then there’s my favorite, attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882):
“What you do speaks so loudly I cannot hear what you are saying.”
