The Leadership Principle of Developing People The master may get better work from an untrained apprentice than from a skilled rebel.

To develop means to become gradually fuller, larger or better. It can apply to anything including people, products and attitudes. Since life is a process, we are all involved in developing –  physically, mentally and spiritually. We are not born developed but we are all born with the potential to develop. So, why would we prefer to hire an “untrained apprentice” rather than a “skilled rebel?” Very simply, a person may have great skill but if they have an overbearing attitude about themselves, they will be a problem and will have trouble fitting into an organization.  This tells us that the will of a person is more valuable than the skill.  If you have a person’s will, you can develop their potential.

What you put into your mind, the decisions you make and the people you surround yourself with create your environment.  There are two things that are very important to the outcome of any life:

1. The environment in which you are born and nurtured.
2. The environment you choose for yourself.

The first environment is not your choice.  When you are a parent, it is your responsibility to prepare your child for the future.  The people that raise you, their attitudes, the way they treat you and what they teach you is not in your control or of your choosing.  Their influence in the early years of your life impacts your thought processes and can play a big part in determining your future.  Of course, you can make decisions for yourself later on but, even then, they can be influenced by the paradigms of your past.

The second environment - the one your choose for yourself - is even more important then the first because you assume the responsibility for your choices and have the opportunity to direct your future.  It is important to remember the power of an environment.  “You are a product of your environment.  So choose the environment that will best develop you toward your objective.  Analyze your life in terms of its environment.  Are the things around you helping you toward success – or are they holding you back?” (W. Clement Stone)  A person’s mind or spirit is like a seed.  Within every seed is the potential for life.  If it is in the correct environment, it will grow and develop into its full potential.  Likewise, you will grow and develop to your full potential if you choose the right environment.

If you are a person who seeks developing yourself and others, you will experience the following benefits:

1. You will grow and mature into your potential. This will increase your sense of self worth, your confidence and propel you to greater achievements.
2. You will be viewed as a person of value and possibilities. This will bring you opportunity and influence.
3. You will see the potential in others and contribute to helping them fulfill it. This will add value to them and, in turn, add value to you.

If you are a person who seeks development of yourself and others, you possess the following characteristics:

1. You help to create a good environment by living by values like positive attitude, honesty, restraint, etc...
2. You have a fixed vision of what you aspire to become.
3. You seek out opportunities and resources to facilitate your development.
4. You make it a priority to help others develop because you want a better future for them.
5. You recognize that your situations and successes are created based on how you develop yourself and others.

1. Examine the past to see if you need a shift in thinking or environment to reach your potential.
2. Study the values in life and determine which ones will create the right environment to reach your goals.
3. Be prepared to change. Of you honestly examine your surroundings and your thought processes, there is a good chance you will find things that need to change in order for you to move forward.
4. Look for resources to add value to yourself like articles, seminars, books and advice from people you admire and respect.
5. Remove yourself from environments that do not help you to develop your potential and eliminate thought processes that are self defeating.

1. Have you ever worked with a “skilled rebel?” What was your experience like?
2. Do you believe that people are a product of their environment? How much influence do you think an environment has?
3. Have there been values sown into your life that have contributed to your successes?

Evaluate yourself from 1 to 10	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Why did you give yourself this rating?
What benefits will you obtain by raising your rating?
What specific action can you put into practice to test the benefits of this principle?