# Ask Dr. Happy O. Lendervedder, leader & leadership authority **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 30, 2008, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-dr-happy-o-lendervedder-leader-leadership-authority/451104 "2008-05-30T04:36:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-dr-happy-o-lendervedder-leader-leadership-authority/451104/21 "2008-05-31T14:05:57Z")
[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever] Do you incorporate some kind of swirling or twisting technique with your wipe? [/QUOTE] -Six words: [Huggies Gentle Care Sensitive Baby Wipes](http://www.diapers.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=6729&From=Brand) ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-dr-happy-o-lendervedder-leader-leadership-authority/451104/22 "2008-05-31T14:10:46Z")
[QUOTE=Sal Ammoniac] Do you agree with John C. Maxwell that one sign of a great leader is posting an OP about leadership? I do! [/QUOTE] -The best way to claim authority on something is to write about it. The more you write, the more of an authority you are. Once you’ve written the most words on any given topic, you are then the leading authority-- you are a leader. Therefore the first step toward being a leader is writing a lot of words. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-dr-happy-o-lendervedder-leader-leadership-authority/451104/23 "2008-05-31T14:42:18Z")
What should a leader do when confronted by a new, up-and-coming employee with dreams of being the new boss? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-dr-happy-o-lendervedder-leader-leadership-authority/451104/24 "2008-05-31T14:48:43Z")
[QUOTE=blondebear] What should a leader do when confronted by a new, up-and-coming employee with dreams of being the new boss? [/QUOTE] -Encourage and promote. That being said, you need to first set up a dummy department/division, with no real purpose, but with a real great sounding name-- like “Corporate trends” or “Internal logistics”-- and promote him over there. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-dr-happy-o-lendervedder-leader-leadership-authority/451104/25 "2008-05-31T15:34:17Z")
[QUOTE=Happy Lendervedder] And that’s the thing. The milkman _does_ arrive everyday at 7am [/QUOTE] Actually, nowadays, the milkman only makes it to the stockroom behind the supermarket. To actually drink, you have to stand in line at the cash register and swipe your card. And apparently, you need to learn a good swirling, twisting technique to help you s…wipe 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-dr-happy-o-lendervedder-leader-leadership-authority/451104/26 "2008-05-31T15:52:48Z")
Say I want to start a restaurant. Assuming I don’t have to worry about discrimination laws, should I hire good-looking waitresses who don’t really know (and aren’t really willing to learn) anything about customer service, or go with no-nonsense “mature” long-time servers who won’t win any beauty contests, but won’t screw up orders either? ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-dr-happy-o-lendervedder-leader-leadership-authority/451104/27 "2008-05-31T15:58:05Z")
Do they teach you in Leadership School to use the ‘-’ mark before all of your sentences? Or is that your own personal trademark style? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-dr-happy-o-lendervedder-leader-leadership-authority/451104/28 "2008-05-31T17:10:56Z")
[QUOTE=Sternvogel] Say I want to start a restaurant. Assuming I don’t have to worry about discrimination laws, should I hire good-looking waitresses who don’t really know (and aren’t really willing to learn) anything about customer service, or go with no-nonsense “mature” long-time servers who won’t win any beauty contests, but won’t screw up orders either? [/QUOTE] -Lead your customers to believe that they are getting everything they deserve, and more, no matter which pool of waitresses you opt for. -True success is felt from the happiness of those around you. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-dr-happy-o-lendervedder-leader-leadership-authority/451104/29 "2008-05-31T17:14:06Z")
[QUOTE=lorene] Do they teach you in Leadership School to use the ‘-’ mark before all of your sentences? Or is that your own personal trademark style? [/QUOTE] -First rule of good leadership: Never attend classes at a place called “Leadership School.” -Second rule of good leadership: Make sure every statement you make is distinct from the previous. Don’t confuse those around you by running everything together. Hence the ‘-’ marks. An asterisk (\*) or a greater-than sign (\>) would be just as effective. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2008, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-dr-happy-o-lendervedder-leader-leadership-authority/451104/30 "2008-05-31T17:23:17Z")
[QUOTE=chappachula] Actually, nowadays, the milkman only makes it to the stockroom behind the supermarket. To actually drink, you have to stand in line at the cash register and swipe your card. And apparently, you need to learn a good swirling, twisting technique to help you s…wipe 🙂 [/QUOTE] -Ahh, but don’t you see that the milkman is just a metaphor for something greater and more important? That something? “Success.” -Using effective metaphors to make a point is the number one rule of successful 21st Century Leadership. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ask-dr-happy-o-lendervedder-leader-leadership-authority/451104.md?page=1)