Underestimated: Unleashing the Power of Hidden Potential

Underestimated

Unleashing the Power of Hidden Potential

Timothy Hodges

Copyright © 2024 Timothy Hodges

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2024

ISBN 979-8-89315-257-9 (pbk)

ISBN 979-8-89315-258-6 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

About the Author

This book is a collection of thoughts, ideas, affirmations, advice, and experiences centered around successful leadership, career development, resilience, change, culture, employee recruitment and engagement, and other content devoted to helping others bring out the best in themselves to excel in their careers.

It was written over a two-year period and curated solely from experiences in my professional life. This book is intended to assist and inspire readers in tapping into and finding their authentic voices, inner resiliency, and ambition, and to guide them in realizing a complete and fulfilled life and career.

I toyed with titling this book Trial and Error but thought it did not capture the spirit of the content. But the truth is, the information contained in this book is all learned through my experience and the challenges I have overcome, such as being underestimated and then finally becoming unleashed from the insecurities and roadblocks that I put up in my own mind, as many people do.

As a result, I have enjoyed an extremely rewarding career in business, which has been mostly in the health-care industry, even with all the hurdles and dark periods. Now, I am enjoying an even more exciting phase of my life and a new chapter as an entrepreneur.

I didn't get to this better place easily, and I have been lucky enough to collect some wisdom and lessons along the way. These lessons were mostly learned from the twists and turns, good mentors, falling down, and getting back up after falling down.

I guess you could consider much of the content in this book as war stories. Luckily for me, I am still here, stronger and a little smarter as a result. I hope to pass on some helpful tidbits that will get you where you are headed faster and better prepared than I was.

The essence of teamwork

In your career, it's important to know the difference between how far you can take something and how far things can go. Individuals can only take things to a certain level. I believe it takes a team, good leadership, and vision to take things as far as they can go.

Reaching the summit

There are mountains we are forced to climb and mountains we choose to climb. Both can be challenging for quite different reasons. Ultimately, the one thing both scenarios have in common is that when you reach the top of the mountain, the accomplishment you achieve is extremely rewarding. So keep climbing.

Talk about leadership confidence

The best boss that I ever had told me her goal was for me to take over her position one day, and eventually go further than she did in her own career. She made both happen. I am forever grateful to her. These are the types of leaders you want to work for, and the type of leader you should strive to be.

Here's an idea

One key management concept that I learned over time is that when an employee has an idea or makes a decision, let them run with it. As a leader and manager, you don't need to love every idea or even fully support every decision that your team members make. However, the likelihood of an idea or decision being a success is greatly enhanced when your team members have total ownership of them, because they are 100 percent their ideas. Also, if the idea flops or a decision they make is not successful, never second guess them. That is the kiss of death for the trust between a manager and a team member.

Play the long game…

Just remember on challenging days that you don't need to win every game in the regular season to get to the World Series. You just need to win the most.

The luck of the draw

When it comes to success:

Experience truly matters,

Strong leadership skills are essential,

A good work ethic is key,

Knowledge is power,

Teamwork and diversity are critical,

And staying humble is a must.

But…

Timing is everything.

Earn it!

I have always believed that if you have to ask people to respect you, it will never happen. Respect should occur organically because of a person's character, integrity, and knowledge. It really must be earned over time and naturally through actions and behaviors that warrant true respect.

Myth buster…

One of the best salespeople that I know recently told me that she doesn't think of herself as a salesperson. I told her that is what I think makes her great. The best salespeople don't realize they are actually selling; they are just being themselves, authentic.

Simple ingredients for success…

Below are values I try hard to follow daily.