“The older I get the less I listen to what people say and the more I look at what they do.” Andrew Carnegie

There has been a running joke around my house when someone makes a big claim of what they will do, or what they have heard someone talk about doing. I usually respond with, “I’m from Missouri.”

I used this with our children growing up. The idea was basically, I need to see it. Missouri is the “show-me” state, thus the background for my response.

It is one thing to say it and quite another to prove it in action. It is easy to talk about what we want to do, or even discuss what we are going to do. However, the challenge comes in putting our words into action.

When it comes to our leadership, what are we doing?

Leadership is about action. We make a difference when we are practicing what we preach. On a personal basis, if I am going to follow someone it will happen because I see their life in deed, not in word only.

Learn to listen, but lead by action.