Becoming a Dream Manager

Do you know the dreams of those around you?  What are your dreams?  Based on a true story, Dream Manager by Matthew Kelly tells the story of Simon who is the Dream Manager.  He believes that people will be more loyal, have a higher morale, and be more productive if he can help connect them to their dreams.  So Simon asks employees to share their dreams and he helps them develop plans to reach them.  When people achieve some of their dreams, they respond positively.  The organization benefits and employees benefit so it is a win/win situation.

When was the last time you were asked about your dreams?  Do you take the time to ask others about their dreams?  While the message of this story is simple, it is also profound.  Simon summarizes by saying, "The primary responsibility of all relationships is to help each other fulfill our dreams."  Since leadership is about relationships more than it is about position, helping others fulfill their dreams should be our goal.  Envisioning this philosophy of leadership brings up different behaviors and attitudes than thinking of leadership as position, power, and control.

John Maxwell, an authority on leadership, says that "leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand."  If others are going to follow you, it is important to inspire something in them.  I believe he is also the person who said that "people don't care what you know until they know that you care."  Helping people connect with their dreams is just as important in families as it is in the workplace.   

If we aspired to become dream managers, then there would be few bad boss stories to enter into the bad boss contest.