"Lessons on Leadership from Glenn Holland and Andrew Carnegie" by Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM

How do you develop people in your company?

How do you help your students to want to learn?

A reporter asked the great American industrialist, Andrew Carnegie “how he managed to hire 43 millionaires?"

Mr. Carnegie responded “ that none of them were millionaires when I hired them.” When asked how he developed them he said, "You develop millionaires the way you mine gold.  You expect to move tons of dirt to find an ounce of gold, but you don't go into the mine looking for the dirt—you go in looking for the gold.”

Andrew Carnegie knew how to select his winning team. Zig Ziglar says you need to, “Be a good finder” and Mr. Carnegie was a “good finder”.

 Mr. Carnegie wrote in his Autobiography “The development of my material success in life can not be attributed to what I have known or done myself, but to the faculty of knowing and choosing others who know better than myself.”

What are the 3 ways Andrew Carnegie hired his team members?

1) He chose experts in the steel business.

2) He embraced diversity for his team members selecting people on their skills, personalities, business experience, and believed if you had the expertise he was looking for that your age or gender didn’t matter. Mr. Carnegie wanted the best members for his team.

3) Mr. Carnegie was willing to “learn and listen” to the people he was leading.

Andrew Carnegie said, “I did not understand steam machinery, but I tried to understand that much more complicated piece of mechanism- man.”

He also said, “As I grow older I pay less attention to what men say. I just watch what they do.”

Throughout his life he was “an avid reader”.  As a young bookkeeper, he was invited on Saturdays to go to private libraries of well-off citizens to read and learn from their collections. Once he had achieved success, he gave back by assisting in the building of “three thousand libraries” for young people to have appropriate books to read.

Carnegie-Mellon University was built by Andrew Carnegie, as was Carnegie Hall in New York City, the most famous concert hall in the United States. He also donated over $350 million dollars to his public foundations, and awarded grants annually “to benefit the public”.  His foundations continue to give to worthy recipients each year. In 1999, his Carnegie Corporation of New York was valued at over $1.55 billion even after grants had been given of “millions of dollars” continually.

In the movie “Mr. Holland’s Opus”, Richard Dreyfuss plays Glenn Holland, a musician and composer who takes’ a job as a high school orchestra teacher to support his family. His dream was to write a great symphony. Over the course of 30 years, Mr. Holland evolves into a caring, compassionate teacher who inspires, motivates, and encourages his students to “love learning”. He worked diligently with them and was willing to go the extra mile to make a difference. Mr. Holland was determined to educate his students and have them grow into fine young men and women who would be able to study, work hard, and think clearly to reach their goals for their futures.

 In his 30^th year of teaching at the high school, the music program is being phased out, and Mr. Holland will no longer have a job. As he’s getting ready to leave the school for the last time, he hears sounds coming from the auditorium. When he goes into the auditorium he sees his former students on stage with their instruments getting ready to play the music on their stands. Sitting in the filled auditorium are his wife, son, fellow teachers, and more former students he has helped to educate over the years. He is asked to take the baton and conduct his symphony for the concert.

Mr. Holland’s “true symphonic masterpieces” were all his former students that he shaped and groomed over the years to be fine young men and women who would go on to reach their goals and help others reach them, just as Mr. Holland taught them to do!

What 3 things did Mr. Holland teach his students that benefited them through their life's journey?

1) He taught his students the joy of learning by making it fun and exciting to learn. He showed them with a positive attitude how to focus and concentrate on the work and how to enjoy working with others. He taught them using "the Learning by Example" approach.

2) He taught his students by encouraging, motivating, and inspiring them to do their best work. He was always kind, patient, and compassionate with each student and they knew he cared about them and believed in them. He removed roadblocks from their path and made each of his students believe in themselves. He was always willing to spend the extra time explaining a difficult concept until the student understood the material, giving them self-esteem and self worth.

3) He taught his students to never give up and how to work step-by-step to do their very best work and to be able to think clearly and concisely.

So what three things should you do to develop your winning team at your company or school like Andrew Carnegie and Glenn Holland?

1)  Throughout his life Andrew Carnegie was “an avid reader”. Never stop learning and always continue to develop your mind by studying and reading to gain new knowledge every day.

2)  Glenn Holland showed compassion and dedication to helping his students understand the material by explaining it step- by-step in a clear and concise manner. Jackie Robinson said: "A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives."

3)  Andrew Carnegie developed his team members by mining the gold in each of them. Glenn Holland like Andrew Carnegie developed his students by mining the gold in each of them.

Benjamin Franklin asked himself each morning “What good shall I do today?” And before he went to sleep at night he would ask himself “What good have I done today?”

You should ask yourself these two questions each morning and evening. In leading your team at work or teaching your students, be willing to help them reach for the gold inside of them.

Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM, John Maxwell Team Member, and Certified World Class Speaking Coach is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, sought after speaker, business owner, teacher, researcher, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations "Tune Up their Businesses". Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your businesses successful. She writes a monthly newsletter "Madeline's Monthly Article & Musical Tips Blog" and a monthly radio show "Madeline's One Minute Musical Radio Show". She has just published her new book "Leadership On A Shoestring Budget" available in print or as an e-book. To contact Madeline for your next speaking engagement: mfrankviola@gmail.com

"Honor Those Who Made A Difference in Your Life" by Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM

When did you last say thank you to a friend, teacher, coach, mentor, parent, or another relative? It’s never to late to say thank you and show some gratitude.

Zig Ziglar said, “The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more things you’ll have to express gratitude for.” He also said, “Among the things you can give and still keep are your word, a smile, and a grateful heart.”

As a new high school violin student in the 11^th grade, arriving in the second semester at the North Carolina School of the Arts, NCSA, in Winston-Salem, I attended my first music theory class on my first day of school. The teacher said to me, “There is no way you will pass my class!” After classes that day, I was quite depressed and went back to the dorm. That was the day I met my neighbor, Lois Artis, a wonderful trombonist, marvelous academic student, with a positive motivating attitude, always willing to help others. We talked for a few minutes and I told her what the teacher had said to me. Lois replied, “I will help you and you will do well in her music theory class.”

Lois patiently helped me understand the material, while doing laundry, so that I did well in the class! She knew, even at that young age, how to “lift” others up to realize their potential. She was a leader even in high school and understood how to develop a team.  I will forever be grateful for her help.

In Mr. S’s English class in high school at NCSA, I met Bruce Lemerise, a terrific artist, and illustrator, with a brilliant mind. We enjoyed discussing the assigned books and plays by Shakespeare that we read for class and our collaboration produced the top grades in this class.

We would discuss the psychological dimensions of the characters and write thoughtful papers on our discussions. Bruce went on to study art in New York City and I went on to the Juilliard School and we continued our friendship and our discussions on books, art, music, and the theater.

When I played my graduate recitals at Juilliard, Bruce said, “How you walk on and off stage is really important.” So he made sure I practiced walking on and off the stage with my shoulders back and my head held high and balanced on my spine walking with my viola and my music. He also had a friend who did stage makeup show me how I should properly make up for the stage. Bruce knew how important first impressions were and wanted me to make a great one.

Bruce later worked as an illustrator/artist for Pepperidge Farm, Nestlé’s, Ogilvy & Mather, Avon, Durkee Spices, MGM/UA, Western Publishing, Woman’s Day, Ogilvy & Mather, Country Time Lemonade, and other companies. He did Broadway posters, and greeting cards.

Bruce Lemerise also wrote and illustrated a children’s book called “Sheldon’s Lunch” dedicated to his mother, Marie Lemerise. He illustrated A Golden Book, “Can I Get There From My Room?” and “The Big Little Golden Book of Funny Poems”. Bruce sent copies of these books for my children to enjoy.

In 1988, Bruce Lemerise died. He was a wonderful person who cared about his family, his friends and loved to draw and do illustrations. I think of him often and am so grateful that he was my friend.

As a student at the Juilliard School in New York City, I met Karen Iannotti, a remarkably gifted pianist. She was a beautiful young women, inside and out, with a warm personality always willing to help others. We lived at the Coliseum House in New York City on 228 West 71^th street. We were neighbors and became good friends and enjoyed playing concerts together.

A writer friend of ours had written a one act play which he premiered at Sardis in New York City for backers and Karen and I played the background music for the play. One of the pieces was “Saber Dance” by Khachaturian which Karen and I wrote a marvelous arrangement for viola and piano. We had a wonderful time making music together and helping out our writer friend with his successful “One Act” play.

Karen Iannotti performed at Carnegie Hall in 1979 in a piano concert sponsored by Carnegie Hall, Inc. to commemorate the 150^th Anniversary of the birth of composer/pianist Louis Gottschalk. She also performed as a guest artist/pianist for the opening of the workshop and executive offices for Jim Henson Associates, “Moppet Show”. She was also the Musical Director and pianist for the “Bel Canto Opera Company” of New York City’s production” of  “Prince Igor” by Borodin. During this time she taught many students and they learned the joy of playing the piano.

Karen was a well-known accompanist for singers in Sara Lee’s Studio in New York City. When I wanted to study singing she suggested, “Study with Ms. Lee she’s the best voice teacher in New York City.  She taught Todd Duncan who sang Gershwin’s “Porgy and Bess”.” Karen played for my lessons with Ms. Lee. We had a terrific time. In 1983, Karen Iannotti passed away. She brought such joy to her family, friends, relatives, and students, by her warm caring personality and her beautiful piano playing. She was one of the finest people I have ever known and I like to think she’s up there playing piano for the angels.

  

So what are the 3 things you can do to say thank you to the friends, teachers, coach’s, mentors, parents, or relatives who have helped you?

1) Start your day by remembering and writing down the people who have made a difference in your life. Write them a note or call and thank them. Think of one person who has made a positive impact on your life and do something nice for them. 

2) Honor a special person in your life on a weekly basis by acts of kindness to others.

3) Think of the people who have made a difference in your life and honor them in some way by sharing your appreciation by random acts of kindness to others.

"Of all the “attitudes” we can acquire, surely the attitude of gratitude is the most important and by far the most life changing."~Zig Ziglar

So start a notebook today and enter the names of your teachers, mentors, coaches, and friends who have made a difference in your life and do something nice for them. Don’t wait. Do it now, before it’s too late!

Remember what Zig Ziglar said, “The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more things you’ll have to express gratitude for.”

Madeline Frank, Ph.D., DTM, John Maxwell Team Member, and Certified World Class Speaking Coach is an Amazon.com Best Selling Author, sought after speaker, business owner, teacher, researcher, and concert artist. She helps businesses and organizations "Tune Up their Businesses". Her innovative observations show you the blue prints necessary to improve and keep your businesses successful. She writes a monthly newsletter "Madeline's Monthly Article & Musical Tips Blog" and a monthly radio show "Madeline's One Minute Musical Radio Show". She has just published her new book "Leadership On A Shoestring Budget" available in print or as an e-book.

To contact Madeline for your next speaking engagement: mfrankviola@gmail.com