Travel down to just about anywhere in the South and one can’t help but notice the ever-present kudzu layering the landscape with its thick foliage and intertwining root system. What is so unique about this pesky weed is how hard it is to contain and eliminate after its roots take hold and its spreads at will. Can an ambitious professional find any similarities to kudzu as it relates to their career ambitions? Believe it or not….yes! The Kudzu Principle is a new concept based on a set of time-tested self-development leadership axioms that can be combined and cause the professional to make a dramatic impact on their career goals. As a Fire Chief, our profession lives by the science of the Fire Tetrahedron, with its essential elements of heat, fuel, oxygen, and a chemical chain reaction. With the presence of each component, the miracle of fire is created and you know what can happen from there. Many self-help practitioners have struggled to find the secret formula for success. Some of the most successful motivational books and programs have centered on the right combination of certain skills and learned traits through habits, decisions, and goals. “Follow these habits and you will be successful,” and “making these decisions early in your life will pave a road of prosperity” are similar statements that we have heard from literally dozens of by-lines from best-selling books, audio programs, and speaking engagements. The good news is that practically all of the most popular self-motivational books do offer advice that makes us better persons and leaders if we are serious about internal change and career advancement.
The Kudzu Principle is based on six ‘underpinnings’ that combine to give potential leaders the keys to open the right doors in his/her career. Essentially, the principles allow a person to develop his own ‘root’ system that ties together to make him an irreplaceable commodity in the promotional register or interview process. Most importantly, with companies merging and the winds of business changing at an unprecedented pace in history, mastering the 6 Kudzu Principles will give the ambitious person an almost indispensable status in his current position. Let’s dive in!