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Ice Cream: How to win Their Hearts

By Doug Nielsen

I wish you could have been there as I watched my brother Wes in the kitchen carefully cutting up strawberries. 

Wes works at the railroad. 

In fact, I come from a long line of railroaders and I even worked with the railroad for a few years.  It has been said that the next step below the railroad is prison, so in my family we are just glad to have jobs. 

If there’s one thing I know about people who work for the railroad, it’s that they DO NOT work in the kitchen under any circumstance.

So, seeing Wes in the kitchen came as a real surprise.  I asked him, “What are you doing?”  He, without hesitation, said, “Making home made ice cream to take down to my guys.” 

He’s in a fairly big leadership role with a very interesting group of employees.  (In fact there is one guy who literally thinks he’s a dog and when they ask him to bark like a dog, he does.  This guy needs help.)

“Why are you making ice cream?”  I queried..

“Doug, I don’t know all your fancy theories of human behavior and all your psychobabble mumbo jumbo, but I do know how to win the hearts of people.  Once you win their heart they will walk through fire for you”

“I bring ice cream once a week and they absolutely love it.  It’s amazing to me that grown men can get so excited about something so simple, but they do.  Oh, and you should see how they react when I bring sliced cucumbers with salt!  Wow!”

He continued.  “Doug, you know how they closed the huge Salt Lake shop and moved it to a brand new “state of the art” facility in Oregon.  Now I am left with a small “ Podunk” shop here in Salt Lake.”

“Guess what, we are out performing Oregon in almost every single area?  We have broken down equipment with fewer men (some who need professional help).  We are required to do more with less and guess what?  We are doing it.  We are doing it!” 

“Do you know why?” he asked. 

“Let me take a guess.  Does it have something to do with Ice Cream?”

“Absolutely!”

There is shocking power in a leader who has a fiery conviction for his/her vision, the courage to stand up against the odds, and the drive to lead his/her people to victory! 

Yet most leaders don’t have a big enough vision or lack the courage and drive to honestly stand up and lead! 

Wes focused first on connecting with and winning the hearts of his people.  They trusted him and his actions demonstrated it.  He then created a vision for his people. At first, it seemed impossible to do what they are doing.

Leaders are called to make possible that which seems impossible.  

After a three year study, the Center for Creative Leadership concluded that the only statistically significant factor differentiating outstanding leaders from mediocre ones is caring.  Surprising?  No.  Great leaders have the uncanny ability to first show they care and then courageously lead their people to amazing execution!

This Months Invitation:

You are a leader, whether formal or informal. 

Remember, the key to success lies in winning their hearts.  How can you creatively bring “ice cream” to your team?   

Winning a person’s heart is something that you earn and has nothing to do with a title!

Until next time, stay at the helm even through the storms and remember I am pulling for YOU to Take Life by the Helm!!!

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