Hang On To What’s Working, Let Go Of What Isn’t…

“As I grow to understand life less and less, I learn to live it more and more.”

Jules Renard

I’ve Been Thinking . . . about what it takes to make sure that I am maximizing the possibilities of every moment I’m alive.

Thornton Wilder’s Our Town has a graveyard scene where those who have died are looking back at their lost opportunities. Emily, a young mother who has just died in childbirth, gets a chance to go back in time as an observer at her twelfth birthday. She is astounded by how fast everything is going and how little time there is to enjoy relationships and the little things that mean so much. As she comes back to her grave she says, “I can’t go on. It goes so fast. We don’t have time to look at one another. . . . Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it? -- every, every minute?”

That is a provocative question. “Do human beings ever realize life while they live it?” Life is moving at a breakneck speed. If only we could see ahead before we get there to know how life is going to work out. Would it change the way we live now?

What are you doing in your life right now that works? What doesn't work? Are you doing enough of the things that work to move you closer to where you want to be tomorrow? Are you moving forward, standing still, or just spinning in a circle?

It takes a lot of effort not to become a victim of you. Take full responsibility for your life. Make choices that move you closer to where you want to be. Quit doing those things that don't work. Refrain from sitting around with your fingers crossed hoping things will get better. They won't. Not that way. Take full responsibility even for your moments of irresponsibility.

Decide if you want your life to become all that it can be or just a fraction of the possibilities. It's your choice. Take responsibility. Do more than exist - live. Do more than casually look around - observe the fullness of life. Do more than hear people speak -listen for wisdom, ideas and feelings. Seek to find all that can enrich your daily experiences.

People stuck on bemoaning their lives make a big mistake. They often think people who are really living have a lot more excitement to inspire them. Wrong! They are indulged in mundane activities, have to pay for their groceries, and work to meet the mortgage. In fact, their toilets get clogged and their roofs leak. Their children are not angels and bugs splatter against their windshield. They get holes in the bottom of their shoe soles and cavities in their teeth.

So what's the difference? They keep doing more of what causes them to live above the ordinary.

So, is your life working? If so, keep doing what works and find more ways to do it. If not, accept conditions as they exist or accept responsibility for doing something about it.

Your attitude toward this process is one of the most important statements you can make about yourself and the kind of life you want. It is not possible to give someone else responsibility but it is possible to relinquish control to circumstances, people and external sources.

Whether we like it or not, we are responsible. The key question is, “What are we going to do about it?”

Your future need not be a repeat of your past. If your life has been filled with scarcity, competition, or disappointment that’s no reason to convince yourself that your future can’t be different.

Past relationships been a bit shaky? Then invest in present relationships the positive qualities and expectations you want future relationships to possess.

Your career has been a drag? What are you investing in it and mentally expecting from it? Step outside of your present position and see what it could become and determine what additional value you can offer.

What are you doing to take charge of your life? Who else is better qualified? You are the lead actor. Are you living by the values you profess? Are your personal priorities given the attention they deserve? If so, you are tapping into an inexhaustible energy source that will help you sustain an energetic, vital and significant life.

Eliminate investing your energies into complaining, anger, resentment or criticism. Evaluate the unproductive habits, routines, and activities that fill your day. Hang on to what works and let go of what isn’t working. It’s your choice. Everything you do in life is by choice. What have you chosen that you feel is right? What changes will you make in future choices?

“You are always only one choice away from changing your life.”

Marcy Blochowiak

Get In The Game

“If football taught me anything about business, it is that you win the game one play at a time.”

Fran Tarkenton
Retired NFL Quarterback

I’ve Been Thinking. . . how much time and energy team members can waste on the sideline preparing to get in the game.

A group of animals decided to organize a football game. Somehow, the teams got organized according to size. All the big animals, including the bears, lions, elephants and giraffes were on one team. Rabbits, squirrels, gophers and insects formed the second team.

The game got off to a lopsided start, and at the end of the first quarter, the big animals were leading 28 to 0. By halftime, their lead had expanded to 63 to 0. The small animals and insects had produced little offensive yardage and were unable to make a single tackle.

As the second half started, the lion received the kickoff on the 25-yard line and was tackled on the 37-yard line. On first down, the bear went up the middle and was toppled at the line of scrimmage for no gain. On the next play, the cheetah attempted to run around an end but was tackled for a one-yard loss. The cheetah looked around at the bottom of the pile and saw a centipede smiling back at him. He looked at the centipede and said, “Did you tackle me? This is the first time I’ve been tackled all day.”

“I sure did,” the gutsy, multi-legged critter responded. “I also tackled the lion and bear.”

One of his rabbit teammates questioned, “Where were you the first half when we failed to muster a single tackle?”

The centipede replied, “I was on the sideline tying my shoes!”

The animal football game reminds me of a few comparisons we can make to the world of business and the need for team members who show up ready to play the game.

First, players need to be prepared to contribute.

On any team there are players who were recruited, some have the courage to walk on and still others decide to transfer in. Regardless, high performers all have one thing in common: they all want to play for their chosen team – they have a passionate desire to make the team and contribute to the team’s success.

One thing is for certain, the right players aren’t satisfied to sit on the sideline waiting to get in the game. They want to play. Every profession needs people who want to make a difference. There are times it might be more popular, comfortable or safe to sit on the sideline pretending you’re not ready to get in the game. That’s not an option.

Secondly, know what they are doing.

Any successful team makes sure they have players who know how to play the game. They are well-trained and possess the “how-to’s” for achieving the level of performance that makes them winners.

Knowledgeable players do whatever they can to be prepared, stay healthy and ready when called on to perform. They train for a certain position, understand the requirements of that position and know how to execute correctly.

Third, be willing to work.

Sounds elementary, doesn’t it? Not so. Finding the right players willing to work their tail off to succeed isn’t as easy as you might think.

Working hard. Hustling. Committed enough to go the distance. The right players with the right work ethic are willing to do “whatever it takes” to meet the needs of the team. And, it is all about the team.

Fourth, be sure you understand the expectations.

Every team has team rules that are expected to be followed. More importantly, are the character standards that will determine the public reputation of the players, coach and organization. Knowing the play book and regulations are important. Knowing, understanding and living the personal and professional expectations and values are paramount to team success.

Fifth, be willing to prepare.

It’s simple. Players willingly practice with intensity, prepare themselves for games and show up ready to give their absolute best. As Roger Staubach advised, “In business or in football, it takes a lot of unspectacular preparation to produce spectacular results.” Not much I can add to that. It speaks for itself.

Sixth, nurture an incredible, impenetrable spirit.

The best players I’ve watched over the years possess two attitudes of imperative importance in any company.

First, is the will to win. Nothing gets in the way of their outstanding performance. They leave it all on the field. Seeing the winning outcomes (win or lose) of their efforts is self-gratifying and certainly impacts everyone who experiences or observes their performance.

Second, they play with a “Yes I Can” attitude. There is a spirit of grit and determination that far exceeds the ‘normal’ player.

So there it is. These are the kind of people who “tie up their laces,” get in the game and make every day a winning day one play at a time.

Be one of them!

“In every contest there comes a moment that defines winning from losing. The true Warrior understands and seizes that moment by giving an effort so intensive and so intuitive that it could only be called one from the heart.”

Pat Riley
Rule of the Magic Moment

Don’t Get Caught Marching In Place

“The great tragedy in America is not the destruction of our natural resources, though that tragedy is great. The truly great tragedy is the destruction of our human resources by our failure to fully utilize our abilities, which means most men and women go to their graves with their music still in them.”

Oliver Wendell Holmes

I’ve Been Thinking . . . about that “music’ still in them” phrase.

I understand a little bit about this “music still in them” thing. For thirteen years my wife tried to talk me into taking ballroom dance lessons. For those same thirteen years I declined to go, believing that if we ever attended a dance, we could just watch how others were doing it and go out and duplicate it. Besides, I dislike taking lessons that reveal my ignorance, and in this case, my lack of rhythm and coordination.

Many years ago, I returned home from a speaking trip on a Thursday evening. Marty (my wife) met me at the door and without so much as a welcome home kiss, or “it’s good to have you back,” she made a dreaded announcement. “Guess what Glenn, starting next week Monday we’re going to take ten weeks of ballroom dance lessons.”

I immediately protested. “Yes, but...” (with those two words you know you’re in trouble). Marty passionately responded, “While you were gone, our friends got together and decided it would be fun to take the dance lessons as a group.” I learned later that our friends didn’t all get together to make this decision. The wives of all our friends decided to trick their husbands into taking lessons by using the same line. It worked. We all showed up the next Monday evening to begin our dancing instruction.

The instructor announced we would be learning four dance steps: jitterbug, waltz, fox-trot and polka (I do have a petition started to outlaw the polka. No one should be required to move their feet and body that fast. My mind can’t keep up). The first night our instructor taught us the fox-trot and waltz. I was relatively impressed with myself and my ability to move my feet to the beat of the music but I could think of a hundred other things I would rather be doing.

Twenty minutes before the first lesson ended, the instructor asked the entire class to get in a large circle. Men were asked to stand with their partner on the left. He then made a statement that made my jaw drop in fear. “Students,” he said, “If you really want to be a great dancer, you need to learn how to dance with people other than your spouse.” I had no desire to be that good. “We’re going to turn on the music,” he proceeded, “and I want the men to turn to the women on your right and begin dancing.” He had to be kidding, I thought. At this point, I don’t even enjoy dancing with my wife, let alone a stranger.

I turned to the lady on my right. She seemed like a nice enough person and I wanted to warn her that I had no idea how this was going to go. There wasn’t time. The music began and much to my relief, I recognized the beat as a fox-trot.

My partner had a different understanding of how the four beats went than I did. She ‘marched’ up and down, standing in place for four beats and then repeated the regimen. One...two...three...four. One...two...three...four. We marched in a three foot square replicating a two-person band marching in place. (You get the picture).

I was relieved and worn out when the music concluded and immediately looked for the comfort of my wife.

“Wait, wait,” the instructor broke in. “Let’s try another song with your same partner.” “You have got to be kidding,” I thought, but I smiled and grabbed my partner’s hands pretending to be excited about the opportunity to share another dance with her.

Although the beat of the music had changed, my partner’s obsession with marching carried over to the Waltz. This normally beautiful three step turned into her regimented one...two...three.... As we’re dancing in our little world, I watch my wife float around the dance floor with her partner. Her laughter as well as the laughter of my friends indicated they were well aware of my frustration. “Just wait,” I thought, “your day will come.”

For ten solid weeks, at least once every night I would turn to my left and there she was; the marcher. Dancing with her every week was just a repeat of the week before. We did move into a little bigger square but the marching continued.

Toward the end of our final lesson, the instructor asked us to get into our large circle. I made sure I was a good distance from my magnetic partner. Instead of asking to dance with a stranger, he made these comments: “Folks, some of you have not caught the beauty of ballroom dance.” I was secretly hoping his words were penetrating the marcher’s ears. She was a danger to other dancers. “Listen,” he continued. “I can teach you the steps but you have to feel the music.”

I thought about his final comments all the way home. This one statement was worth whatever we paid for the dance lessons. “I can teach you the steps but you have to feel the music.” Some people could take lessons for the rest of their lives but they’ll never improve. Why? Until you can feel the beat of the music, marching in place is about as good as it gets.

The same can be said of life. You can read all the books, attend inspirational seminars, and even seek out helpful advice or counseling. But until you feel a compelling internal desire to go beyond where you are, to get into the flow of living, your life will remain pretty much the way it is . . . marching in place.

You can dance or live for 20, 40, or 80 years, but unless you can feel the music, your life will consist of marching in place. Choose to live each day to the fullest. Choose to maximize your potential. Choose to make your life an adventure. Choose to live to the beat of life’s music.

“Life is what we make it, always has been, always will be.”

Grandma Moses

Creating What’s “Just Right”

A strong characteristic among peak performers is that they can envision accomplishments beyond their immediate frame of reference.

Charles Garfield

I’ve Been Thinking . . . what would the ideal future look like?

The ability to see beyond the current and imagine what an ideal end result would be isn’t reserved for futurists. Rather, common people with an extraordinary passion to create the ‘Just Right’ future are eligible for participation.

Vision seems to be an elusive yet important life principle. Your vision describes the ideal future for you to attain. It provides meaning and direction while forcing you to break through present limitations. Holding a clear picture in your mind of the desired future will mobilize your creative efforts and generate the desire and energy to perform.

As a young boy, I was fascinated by fairy tales. One of my favorites was Goldilocks and the Three Bears. You remember the story line. The three bears lived in a small suburb on the city’s outskirts. On one bright sunny morning, the bear family journeyed into the city to do a little shopping at the mall. (O.K., I admit it…the story changed slightly to keep up with the times.)

While away, a young girl named Goldilocks rode up to the bear’s suburban home on her ten speed bike. She peeked through each paned glass window and rang the chiming door bell. Unable to arouse anyone’s attention, Goldilocks easily entered through the back door and into the family’s kitchen.

Noticing three bowls neatly set at the country style table, Goldilocks tasted the contents of the first bowl. It was far too hot! The cereal in the second bowl was too cold! However, the third bowl’s cereal was JUST RIGHT. Goldilocks devoured the contents.

Making her way to the living room, Goldilocks noticed three beautifully stuffed chairs. Testing the largest overstuffed chair, Goldilocks didn’t feel comfortable. The medium sized wing-backed chair was not much better. However, the smaller chair was JUST RIGHT…until it collapsed. Frightened by the sound of snapping pine, Goldilocks quickly ran up the stairs.

The upstairs was one large bedroom, containing three neatly made beds in varying sizes. Goldilocks stretched her small frame on the largest bed. It was far too hard to suit her liking. The medium sized bed was cushiony soft but sagged in the middle. The third and smallest bed provided adequate support, was the perfect size, and the bedspread colors matched Goldilock’s sundress. In fact, this bed was JUST RIGHT. And Goldilock’s fell fast asleep.

Visionary people, like Goldilocks are willing to experiment to find out what’s “just right.” They are committed to break through the status quo, create a new way of life and live on the cutting edge of fresh and exciting prospects. Visionaries, unlike Goldilocks, refuse to become so comfortable they fall asleep and get trapped by their contentment.

Robert Collier suggested we should; “See things as you would have them be instead of as they are.” That single effort requires a special focus and refined ‘vision.’

Charles Swindoll, in Living Beyond Mediocrity, writes “I have in mind the ability to see above and beyond the majority. I am reminded of the eagle, which has eight times as many visual cells per cubic centimeter than does a human. This translates into rather astounding abilities. For example, flying at 600 feet elevation, an eagle can spot an object the size of a dime moving through six-inch grass. The same creature can see three-inch fish jumping in a lake five miles away. Eagle-like people can envision what most would miss. Visionary people see beyond the hum-drum of everyday activities into future possibilities.”

What is your vision of the future? What have you envisioned to be JUST RIGHT for you? How do you plan to make next year different from the past or for that matter, how will you be better tomorrow than you are today?

I like the story of the little girl who was drawing with her new set of 64 Crayola Crayons. Her mother asked what the picture was about and the little girl quickly answered, “I’m drawing God.” The mother, questioning her daughter’s artistic direction, responded with, “But honey, nobody knows what God looks like.” The child continued drawing and then said confidently, “They’ll know when I’m finished.

People with vision already know what the JUST RIGHT outcome will be even if no one has ever seen it before.

Remember the words of James Allen: Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.

“The world will step aside for the man (or woman) who knows where he wants to go.”

Henry David Thoreau

Become An Expert At What You Do

“If you are called to be a street sweeper, sweep streets even as Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music, or Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

I’ve Been Thinking. . . about experts. Who are they? What do they do? What makes them an expert?

Consider this. . . Competence breeds confidence. Choose one area of your job. Commit yourself to becoming better at it than anyone else. Or, choose a hobby and become an expert. Find an area in your life you have an interest in and master it.

To feel valued, to know even if only periodically, that you can do something better than anyone else can is an absolutely marvelous feeling.

David Casstevens of the Dallas Morning News told a great story about Frank Szymanski, a Notre Dame center in the 1940’s. Frank was called to be a witness in a civil suit in South Bend.

“Are you on the Notre Dame Football team this year?” the judge asked.

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“What position?”

“Center, Your Honor.”

“How good a center?”

Szymanski squirmed a bit in his seat, but replied firmly: “Sir, I’m the best center Notre Dame has ever had.”

Coach Frank Leahy, who was in the courtroom, was surprised at Szymanski’s response. He had always been so modest and unassuming. So when the proceedings were over, he took Szymanski aside and asked why he had made such a statement. Szymanski blushed.

“I hated to do it, Coach,” he said. “But, after all, I was under oath.”

If you were under oath, what testimony would you be able to give about your professional competence? Are you continually recommitting yourself to being a little bit better tomorrow than you are today? Do you have a burning desire to master what you do and be considered the best? What concentrated effort are you making to become an expert at what you do?

Rosalynn Carter’s comment makes good sense: “If you doubt you can accomplish something, then you can’t accomplish it. You have to have the confidence in your ability and then be tough enough to follow through.” Learn what it takes to become your best. Have the courage to follow through. Invest yourself totally in becoming better than anyone ever thought you could, including yourself.

Experts do what they do like no one else can do it. Make that your mantra. . .

The morning after the big Heisman Trophy ceremony the newspaper headline read: “A landmark night for Baylor.” Baylor’s junior quarterback Robert Griffin III became the school’s first Heisman winner.

Griffin accepted the honor wearing his Superman socks. . . cape (on the socks) and all. The junior quarterback known as RG3 flashed his wide smile when the winning announcement was made and made his way to the podium. “This is unbelievably believable,” he said. “It’s unbelievable because in the moment we’re all amazed when great things happen. But it’s believable because great things don’t happen without hard work.”

Griffin’s comment unveiled a heavy dose of practical philosophy for anyone passionate about becoming an expert.

Time. Commitment. Energy. Passion. Practice. Make them your friends.

"Just keep going. Everybody gets better if they keep at it."

Ted Williams

Push the Envelope

The guy who invented the wheel? He was an idiot. The guy who invented the other three; he was a genius.

Sid Ceasar

I’ve Been Thinking. . . about a product that is 100 years old, gets twisted, dunked and bitten and has 25 million fans on Facebook?

Any guesses?

More than 35 billion were sold around the world in 2011.

The design consists of 12 flowers, 12 dots and 12 dashes per side. Each one contains 90 ridges.

Still puzzled?

The Oreo cookie (mystery solved) was first baked in Manhattan and sold in Hoboken, New Jersey. Not one piece of this trivia would be in existence had not a baker decided they would provide the world something we didn’t know we were missing.

That’s what successful organizations do. They continually create, reinvent or revolutionize products or services in such a way that customers shift in their direction and become loyal fans.

In the 1920’s Henry Ford learned of a process for turning wood scraps from the production of Model T’s into charcoal briquettes. He built a charcoal plant and Ford Charcoal was created (later renamed Kingsford Charcoal). Today, Kingsford is still the leading manufacturer of charcoal in America. More than 1 million tons of wood scraps are converted into quality charcoal briquettes every year.

Henry Ford had no clue that Kingsford Charcoal would be a byproduct of scraps from his Model T’s. His curiosity and innovative spirit led to the creation of a product no one knew they needed before it was created.

Compare that to a company founded in 1775 who processes 6516 pieces of product people need every second but is on the verge of going bankrupt.

How can that be?

Bloomberg Business Week reported a 20 percent decrease in their volume from 2006 to 2010.

Blame it on more than 107 trillion emails sent in 2010.

Even though the United State Postal Service (another mystery solved) maintains an address book of 151 million businesses, homes and P.O. Boxes across the country, they struggle for survival.

What’s the point?

It’s not about survival . . . as you might think. It’s about ‘Pushing the Envelope’ (pun intended) beyond normality to consider positioning yourself to become a 100 year old legacy people continue to embrace - - rather than a dinosaur struggling for survival in a changing world.

Reimagine. . . Revitalize. . . Reconceptualize. . . Redesign. . . Reconfigure. . .

Start a “Become an Exception to the Norm” campaign. . .

     Revolutionize what you do. . .

     Be the leader! The Pioneer!

How?

     Abandon the normal. . .

     Get restless. . .

     Nurture curiosity . . .

My friend Peter Finney once said his company had a “cheerful but perpetual attitude of dissatisfaction.” I love that!

Be an outlier – someone willing to touch the outer edges of what is possible in your profession . . . Outliers continually find ways to push the envelope while navigating the potential pitfalls and minefields innovation naturally brings.

Look to the future with positive anticipation because you have determined to create your own future rather than relying on fate to determine your outcomes.

Take a bold step to envision what people will need even though they don’t yet know they do.

The innovator doesn’t always invent new ideas. Instead, he borrows and reconceptualizes existing ones to solve problems and create opportunities.

Denis E. Waitley

Complain! Complain! Complain!

“Complaining about your job, next to baseball, is the national pastime.”

Michelle Goodman
The Anti 9 to 5 Guide

I’ve Been Thinking . . . about a group of people I don't enjoy being around.

The headline read: ‘When ‘take this job and shove it’ isn’t enough.’ The article highlighted the actions of an executive who bomb blasted his company’s blind pursuit of profits. Once a respected employer, the disgruntled ex-employee claimed the work environment became “toxic and destructive.”

It’s not my intent to judge the validity or absurdity of the condemnation. He’s not the first person to criticize their employer.

Remember the Jet Blue flight attendant who cursed out an entire plane full of passengers over the PA, grabbed a beer, and deployed the emergency chute for his dramatic exit – from the airplane and the company. He ‘slid’ his way into a questionable employment future.

I get letters periodically from disgruntled people expressing the unfairness of their situation and asking me to ‘fix it.’ Unfortunately, the majority of these letters are unsigned. It is difficult to resolve the issues of a ‘ghost.’ In addition, I’m always intrigued by the expression that they are victims and unable to do anything about their current situation. I learned a long time ago from Lou Holtz that, “The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely the one who dropped it."

I recently heard about a group of people who over a few years resigned, retired or were released from the same employer. They still gather periodically for ‘happy hour’ to complain about their past employer and relive their unhappiness. Apparently they subscribe to Drew Carey’s observation: “Oh, you hate your job? Why didn’t you say so? There’s a support group for that. It’s called everybody, and they meet at the bar.” Yikes! Doesn’t seem like a good antibiotic for healing the nagging infection of being disgruntled.

So what’s my point? Here’s a little food for thought for the complainer and non-complainer alike.

I sincerely don’t believe this is how we are intended to live our lives or who we are intended to be influenced by. Stay away from these compulsive complaining people. Limit your exposure to their ‘life is terrible’ addiction. They will suck the energy from your very body. Unfortunately, there is no transfusion available to replenish the lost vitality but separation will help.

Even more important . . . don’t be one of these people. As Anthony J. D’ Angelo in The College Blue Book says, “If you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it.” Beware! Most complainers don’t think or know they are . . . energy suckers.

Find something good about your job, the people you work with, the lunch hour they provide, the paycheck you receive. . . Something! Dwell on it until you get your mind off of the negative. If nothing else, at least spend equal time in gratitude as you do complaining. As Robert Cook advised: “Say and do something positive that will help the situation; it doesn’t take any brains to complain.” In fact, most continual complainers quickly reveal their ignorance because they have nothing intelligent to say.

Stay away from the ‘poor me’ mentality. Other people are just as busy as you are, have as many or more problems as you do and don’t have the energy to heal your life and theirs. If only we all spent as much time being thankful for the blessings we receive as we do the bummers we experience.

Do a little self-analysis concerning your complaining quotient. Ask a trusted friend what they think of your attitude. Tell a trusted friend, co-worker or neighbor you can no longer endure exposure to their continual complaining. You’ll be amazed at the renewed vigor you will experience at every ounce of negativity you shed. . . yours and others.

“Totally self-responsible people look upon themselves as self-employed, no matter who signs their paychecks, in the final analysis they work for themselves.”

Brian Tracy

Wisdom from the Summit. . .

“Leadership means vision, cheer, leading, enthusiasm, love, trust, verve, passion, obsession, consistency, creating heroes, coaching, and numerous other things.”

Tom Peters

I’ve Been Thinking. . . about the honor of leadership.

 

I recently attended an event entitled The Global Leadership Summit. The two day simulcasts featured speakers from various walks of life and leadership perspectives.

 

I managed to glean several insightful, challenging, and pertinent one-liners from our dynamic speakers that I thought you might enjoy contemplating. I encourage you to choose one or two of these bits of wisdom to dwell on for a concentrated period of time. How could you use this insight to grow yourself as a leader?

 

Here you go. . .

 

Everyone wins when a leader gets better.

 

True Responsibility of a Leader: Never Accept the World as it is - but What it Should Be.

 

Leaders build teams primarily because they don’t have a clue what they are doing and are hoping they can find someone who does. (You have to admit this is funny – probably a bit of truth as well)

 

The moral failure of a leader will challenge the integrity of others as well. Integrity lost cannot be fully restored.

 

EVERY life is capable of greatness. . . a leader’s responsibility is to create opportunities for that greatness to be revealed.

 

The greatest danger is not failure but being successful and not understanding why you are successful.

 

Great Leaders are Incessant ‘Tinkerers.’

 

At the core of leadership is trust. . . do people trust me? To the degree you are trusted, you are free to lead.

 

Destroy your enemies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . by turning them into your friends.

 

If your people can’t do an accurate impression of you when you’re gone, you don’t communicate enough.

 

Vision ---- makes the present indefensible and unacceptable (think about that one).

 

People need to be reminded rather than instructed.

 

Core Values – something you are willing to get punished for.

 

Things that seem impossible today will be inevitable in retrospect.

 

Honor is given. Respect is earned.

 

Note to Older Generation: If you’re not dead. . . You’re not done leading!

 

Note to Younger Generation: Honor those above you by serving those below you with integrity.

 

Greatness is not a matter of circumstance but conscious choice.

 

Signature sign of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency.

 

When Things Are Tough, People Become More of Who They Are.

 

Don’t Allow Differences with Others to Become Personal.

Leaders Move People from ‘Current’ to the ‘Preferred’ Future

Leader. . . YOU are the most DIFFICULT PERSON you will ever lead. . . . . . OUCH!

 

“The number one reason leaders are unsuccessful is their inability to lead themselves.”

 

Truett Cathy
Chick-Fil-A Founder

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Row, Row, Row Your Boat

“Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life to carry out a concrete assignment which demands fulfillment.”

Dr. Viktor Frankl

I’ve Been Thinking . . . about a recent conversation with someone who wasn’t sure they were in the right career. Their level of discontentment and unhappiness with life was troubling. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Gilford Highet in The Art of Teaching recalls the provocative and humorous story of the famous orchestra conductor Toscanini who once arrived on tour in a new city and took over an orchestra he had never conducted before. He started conducting and after a minute or two noticed that the first violin player looked odd. He was playing well enough, but his face was all distorted, and when he turned a page of the score, he grimaced as though he were in great pain.

Toscanini stopped the orchestra and said, “Concert-master! Are you ill?” The first violin’s face at once returned to normal.

“No, thank you,” he said, “I’m quite all right Maestro. Please go on.”

“Very well, if you’re sure you’re fit,” Toscanini said. “Begin at D, please musicians.” And off they went again. But the next time Toscanini glanced at the first violin, he saw him looking worse than ever. His face was all drawn up to one side, his teeth were showing between wolfish lips, his brow was furrowed with deep clefts; he was sweating painfully, and breathing hard.

“One moment, please. Concert-master, you really look ill. Do you want to go home?”

“No, no, no Mr. Toscanini, please go ahead.”

“But I insist,” said Toscanini. “What’s wrong, are you having an attack, would you like to lie down awhile?”

“No, I’m not ill,” said the first violin.

“Well, what on earth is the matter?” said Toscanini. “You look awful, you have been making the most agonizing faces, you’re obviously suffering . . .”

“To be quite frank,” said the first violin, “I hate music.”

Imagine playing in an orchestra and not loving music. How absurd. Yet, everyday people are involved in jobs they don’t enjoy. Still others are engrossed in careers they don’t want. Work becomes an irritating necessity that strips them of professional adventure and satisfaction.

Remember as children how we sang over and over again the words of the famous song Row, Row, Row Your Boat? Let me refresh your memory:

Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily
Life is but a dream.

These lyrics contain a powerful message. Row, row, row whose boat? That’s right . . . YOUR boat. Not someone else’s boat or the boat someone told you to row. What boat (career) do you want to be in? Quite simply, if you hate music, then playing in the orchestra will not make work a dream. A nightmare would be more like it.

“Each one of us has some kind of vocation,” said Thomas Merton. “We are called by God to share in His life and in His kingdom. Each one of us is called to a special place in the kingdom. If we find that place we will be happy. If we do not find it, we can never be completely happy.”

Do you love your vocation? Do you go home from work feeling fulfilled and satisfied? Do you begin each day looking forward to the challenges awaiting you? Is there a sense of peace about this being the job you were specifically chosen to do?

If you answer “yes” to these questions, the chances are good you are rowing your boat, doing what you choose and love to do. If, on the other hand, you immediately answered “no,” I assure you, a better fit between you and what you do is possible.

Find your passion. Clarify what’s important to you. Never mind attempting to be like someone else. Know who you are and what you have a burning desire to do. Move in the direction of your niche and enjoy the journey as much as the ultimate destination. Begin rowing YOUR boat today and experience the achievement and satisfaction reserved for you.

If you don’t love what you do, you have two choices. You can either change what you’re doing or you can change what you love.

Billy Wilcox

Live Long And Love It

“First you forget names; then you forget faces; then you forget to zip up your fly; and then you forget to unzip your fly.”

Branch Rickey

I’ve Been Thinking. . . about Branch Rickey’s comment. I’m not sure why I chuckle to myself every time I read it. Maybe it’s because I’ve played the first half of my life (plus a few) and have attempted to lightheartedly anticipate the future. Or maybe it’s because I’ve experienced ‘most’ of what he has talked about.

Of all the classic quotes and thoughts I’ve collected over the years, my file on aging is the most entertaining and enlightening.

One of my favorites. . . “I’m finally learning that I’m about as old as I feel right after I demonstrate how young I feel.”

Columnist Doug Larson writes, “The aging process has you firmly in its grasp if you never get the urge to throw a snowball!” Now if you think you’re too old to be throwing snowballs just remember; you’re never too old to become younger. It’s not how old you are that matters; but how you are old.

Most of us at one time or another contemplates retirement. “Retirement at 65 is ridiculous,” spouted George Burns. “When I was 65, I still had pimples.” Later, Burns was more emphatic about retirement; “I’ll never retire because there isn’t a thing I can’t do now that I didn’t do at 18...which gives you an idea of how pathetic I was at 18.” Maybe this is why at age 96 George Burns signed a five year deal with Las Vegas’s Rivera Hotel instead of one for ten years, because he wasn’t sure the resort would last ten years. Leave it to George Burns to add his unique flair to the aging process.

You can be sure Mark Twain remained youthful with his imaginative mind. He once commented, “When I was younger, I could remember anything, whether it had happened or not.” I’m sure he also found it convenient to forget those things he found less than pleasurable. His classic comment that “age is mostly a matter of mind, if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter” served him well.

Washington Irving reminded us that, “whenever a man’s friends begin to compliment him about looking young, he may be sure that they think he is growing old.” Bernard M. Baruch would have kept Irving’s comment in perspective with his youthful belief that “old age is always fifteen years older than I am.” I especially like that one.

“I think we’re finally at a point where we’ve learned to see death with a sense of humor,” Katherine Hepburn said in an interview. “I have to. When you’re my age, it’s as if you’re a car. First a tire blows, and you get it fixed. Then a headlight goes, and you get that fixed. And then one day, you drive into a shop and the man says, “Sorry, Miss, they don’t have this make anymore.”

Art Linkletter once told an audience, “There are 4 stages of humankind, Infancy...childhood...adolescence...and obsolescence.”

Rabbi Harold Kushner took a more philosophical approach and offered this insight: “I would rather think of life as a good book. The further you get into it, the more it begins to come together and make sense.”

Bob Hope declared that he “discovered the secret of eternal youth. I lie about my age.” Face it, we can lie as long as we want, but the longer we lie the older we get. What’s critical is that each year we receive the gift of life; we live it with more fullness than the year before.

“We have added years to man’s life,” commented Louise M Orr. “Now we face an even greater challenge - adding life to these years. In other words, we have given the American people the opportunity to enjoy nearly twice as many years as did their ancestors and now we have the obligation to help turn old age into something more than a chronological period of life.”

Maybe we could benefit from the reflective thinking of baseball great Ernie Banks. “I don’t live in the past. Some people tell me they’ve got this mental image of me frozen in time, like it was 1958 forever. Well, it’s not, I like getting old. Just remember, you only live once. And if you do it right, once is enough.”

Let’s let Douglas MacArthur have the final word on this subject. These were his comments in his farewell address to the cadets at West Point.

“Whatever your years, there is in every being’s heart the love of wonder, the undaunted challenge of events, and an unfailing childlike feel for “what next” on the job and in the game of life. You’re as young as your faith, as old as your doubts; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair. In the central place of your heart, there is a recording chamber. So long as it receives messages of beauty, hope, cheer, and courage; so long are you young.”

“A long life may not be good enough, but a good life is long enough.”


Edward B. LeWinn, M.D.

Fallen On Rough Times

I like living. I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.

Agatha Christie

I’ve Been Thinking. . . about the importance of keeping life in perspective.

On 10:32 Saturday morning Larry approached our table in Bryant Park in New York City. “I’m sorry to bother you,” he apologized. “I’ve fallen on rough times. Could you spare some money?”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I won’t give you money but I’ll buy you some breakfast at the La Bain Quotidien coffee shop. Come with me.” (It’s just across the street from the park where my wife and I had just purchased our morning goodies to enjoy in the park.)

Larry agreed. As we walked he talked. “I lost my job as a security guard and my wife threw me out,” he said. “I’m cold. I’m hungry. I have nowhere to go.”

I really didn’t care about the accuracy of Larry’s story. In fact, I could care less if he was lying through his teeth. I had prayed that morning that God would place someone in our path that day who needed to be loved and that I would respond with unconditional love.

We walked and talked. Larry ordered a large coffee and almond pastry. I paid the bill and we parted our ways with a handshake and a mutual “God Bless You.”

Later that morning we walked deep into Central Park in New York City. You’ve probably seen the bicycle form of transportation in the city. A strong, but normally, naturally thin, muscular person cycles you in a small carriage fit for two.

We took our first ever eight block ride through Central Park to the “Met” (Metropolitan Museum of Art). Omar was our “driver.” He had immigrated to the United States – to survive. He was from Mali.

“If you have no money in Mali,” Omar said, “you die! I decided to pursue my happiness in America.”

“Are you glad you did? Are you happy?” I asked.

“I’m alive,” he responded. Wow! That was powerful!

Upon arrival, I paid the hefty bill he announced, along with an appropriate tip for the short, but uphill trek to the museum.

We shook hands and shared a mutual, “God Bless You!”

In 1993, North Carolina basketball coach, Jim Valvano was awarded the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage. He had recently discovered that he had incurable cancer and had been given six months to live. He ended his acceptance speech with these words:

“I urge all of you to enjoy your life, every precious moment on this earth. Spend each day with some laughter. Don’t be afraid to feel….to get your emotions going. Be enthusiastic, because nothing great can be accomplished without enthusiasm. Live your dreams.”

Whether you can relate to Larry, Omar or if you are privileged to live a run-of-the-mill normal life, Jim Valvano’s advice is all inclusive.

It’s a great day to be alive! Despite the pain, challenges, disappointments, hurts, mysteries, losses . . . you get the point. . . I’m blessed to be alive. Thank you Omar, Larry, Jim Valvano and late Presidential Press Secretary James Brady. . .

“You gotta play the hand that’s dealt you. There may be pain in that hand, but you play it. And I’ve played it.


James Brady
Presidential Press Secretary

The Best Keep Getting Better

“The quality of an individual is reflected in the standards they set for themselves.”

Ray Kroc

I’ve Been Thinking. . . about getting better.


In the late 1600’s, three rural families dominated the musical instrument industry. Working in shops located side-by-side in the Italian village of Cremona, these families produced the finest in violins.

The Amatis family hung a sign outside their shop that read: “The best violins in all Italy.” Not wanting their creations to go unnoticed, the Guarnerius family posted a sign that read: “The best violins in all the world!” The famous Anton Stradivari, known to produce the finest, most expensive stringed instrument, boasted his world-wide notoriety by hanging a sign on his front door which simply read: “The best violins on the block!”

Stradivari was a self-taught violin making perfectionist. He refused to develop a relationship with “good enough.” Using primitive tools and working alone until late in life, Stradivari created a standard of violin quality unmatched by his competitors. Each violin had to meet his personal standards. His passionate attention to detail allowed him to make the bold statement; “Other people will make other violins but no one shall make a better one.”

Can you make that same claim? Other people may do what you do but no one will do it better. Henry Ward Beecher suggested, “Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself.” To be the best you can be requires an unquenchable desire to continually make your best better. The exciting result is that your commitment to personal excellence will last a lifetime and beyond.

“Once you’re labeled ‘the best,’” said Larry Bird during his prime in the NBA, “you want to stay up there, and you can’t do it by loafing around.” In his off-season, Larry Bird lifted weights, ran, and worked on new moves and shots. “If I don’t keep changing,” Bird told Esquire magazine, “I’m history.”

Are you the best? What effort are you putting forth to get there, and, if there, how are you refining your skills to make sure you don’t become unfortunate “history?”


The best keep getting better.

Jessica Tandy, Oscar winner for her role in “Driving Miss Daisy,” was asked in Vis a Vis if any of her performances have left her unsatisfied. “All of them,” she instantly replied. “I’ve never come off the stage at the end of a performance and said, ‘Tonight, everything was perfect.’ There’ll always be some little thing that I’ll have to get right tomorrow.” Such is the reason why her performance in the movie “Fried Green Tomatoes” once again won her outstanding reviews.

Are you raising the bar on your current idea of excellence? The best keep redefining better.

No one knows for sure who invented the cupcake, but there’s no question who improved it. D.R. “Doc” Rice is credited with injecting the cream filling and putting the squiggly white line atop the cupcake’s chocolate icing at Continental Baking Company’s Detroit Plant. Rice’s changes in the original devil’s food cake hand-covered with vanilla or chocolate icing formula, led to widespread popularity of the snack.

What areas of your life could become better with an ‘injection’ of innovative thought and action?

The best make things better and raise the bar.

Michelangelo received a visit from a friend as he worked diligently on a sculpture. After a brief chat, the friend left but returned later to find Michelangelo working on the same statue. Thinking the statue was nearly completed on his last visit and seeing no visible change, he exclaimed, “You haven’t been working all this time on that same statue, have you?”

“Indeed I have,” the sculptor replied. “I’ve been retouching the facial features, refining the leg muscles, polishing the torso; I’ve softened the presentation of some areas and enhanced the eye’s expression.”

“But all those things are insignificant,” responded the visitor. “They are mere trifles.” “That may be,” replied Michelangelo, “but trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle.”

“Trifles make perfection and perfection is no trifle.” I love that concept! Although simply spoken, the consequences have monumental impact. People who pay attention to the “little things,” the seemingly insignificant, produce excellence in larger matters. The best pay attention to the trifling details.

Take inventory. What small details in your life have you overlooked? Are there functions that appear insignificant? Renew your commitment and give attention to these finishing touches.

“I am a big believer in the ‘mirror test.’ All that matters is if you can look in the mirror and honestly tell the person you see there that you’ve done your best.”


John McKay

Become An Enemy of Mediocrity

The signature of mediocrity is not unwillingness to change. The signature of mediocrity is chronic inconsistency.

Jim Collins

I’ve been thinking . . . about how annoying mediocrity is.

Aldous Huxley lamented, “The tendency of the masses is towards mediocrity.” In a world of conformity, average, ordinary, sameness and yes, dreaded mediocrity; innovative companies find being the best of mediocre nauseating. Instead, there is a sense of urgency inspiring them to reinvent excellence; to imagine and create what could be.

World class is unreachable if being just a little bit better excites you. Tom Peters said: “If you are spending all your time trying to incrementally improve what you do, you are not spending enough time reinventing it, going for quantum leaps or blowing it up.” Gradual improvement, doing things just a little different then you’ve done them in the past, rarely produces eye catching, foot-stomping, award winning results.

World class performance requires a visual & mental transformation . . . seeing your operation, your position or your life as you’ve never seen it before. Think about who you can become. What are all the possibilities for outrageous innovations? Dare yourself to envision the unknown. . . even the presently considered impossible.
World Class is all about creating one-of-a-kind, ‘WOW’, unforgettable experiences. How can you be so good at what you do that people can’t help but applaud your efforts? Quoting Tom Peters once again: “If you are not distinct you will be extinct. If when you do what you do very well and it is still just ordinary, you have work to do.” What separates you from the masses?

The way things have always been creates a powerful magnetic force to keep things the way they are . . . or as close as possible to the current comfort level. The possibility of discomfort can dramatically stymie any effort to take giant steps towards reinvention. Find a way to dump the baggage that forces you to a standstill. Continually recreate the status quo, don’t protect it.

As Cynthia Barton Rabe warns, “what we know limits what we can imagine.” Why? Because, as some wise Texan once declared; “If all you ever do is all you’ve ever done, then all you’ll ever get is all you’ve ever got.” If you keep doing things the way you’ve always done them or you do them the same way everyone else does, what is going to set you apart from anyone?

What’s your passion? Where would you like to have unmatched performance? How can you become uncommon? Where can you invest your energy to move from ordinary to extraordinary? From average to world class? It’s simply not good enough to be simply good enough.

World class isn’t about winning. . .
World class isn’t about the competition . . .
World Class isn’t about beating someone. . .
World Class is about setting a higher standard. World class is about transforming what you can do to be considered among the world’s best at what you do.

William Taylor was the co-founder and founding editor of Fast Company Magazine. In his newest book Practically Radical, Taylor suggests that in order to stay relevant in a changing world, “You have to be the most of something: The most elegant, the most colorful, the most focused.”

What would you tell people you are “the most at?” According to Taylor, “it is not good enough to be ‘pretty good’ at everything. You have to be the most of something.” If potential customers don’t clearly see what sets you apart, then the competitive advantage is literally non-existent.

If you don’t yearn for excellence, then you will soon settle for acceptable or good enough. The next step is mediocrity, and nobody wants to pay for mediocre! It all begins with becoming an enemy of mediocrity and a friend to tremendous, exceptional, outstanding. . .

“Mediocrity is a region bound on the north by compromise, on the south by indecision, on the east by past thinking, and on the west by lack of vision.”

John Mason

It’s All About Team

“The most important measure of how good a game I played was how much better I’d made my teammates play.” 

Bill RussellBoston
Celtics Hall of Fame

I’ve been thinking . . . about teamwork.

The concept of teamwork seems to be worn out. Maybe we’ve overused the term without fully understanding the intent, process or outcomes. Regardless, I’m well aware that lip service without practical application or personal commitment has bred indifference to this age old concept.

I’m beginning to lean more toward the idea of “team spirit.” Legendary basketball coach John Wooden defines it as “an eagerness to sacrifice personal interests and glory for the good and greatness of the team.” I love that definition.

What would happen if everyone on your team agreed to give up just one of their personal interests for the good of the team for 30 days? What if each person was willing to sacrifice personal achievement or satisfaction for the team’s success? What if “we” rather than “me” guided all decisions for a month? I’m talking more than a token effort here. Let’s think about a full-fledged selfless pursuit of team spirit.

Sound simple? Maybe. There are substantial egos, agendas, selfish interests, personal hang-ups and a host of other issues you’ll have to contend with. Try it anyway. Challenge your team. The potential results are worth the required effort.

Let me illustrate. I’ m normally glued to the Olympics. There’s something about patriotism combined with watching sports I know very little about, cheering my heart out, celebrating the successes and grieving the losses. Personal and team success is undoubtedly magnified in this venue.

Let’s go back in time to the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Michael Phelps was having a wonderfully successful Olympic experience. He was prepared for yet another event. His competition was favored teammate Ian Crocker who had posted the best times in the world for the 100-meter butterfly. It was fabulous race. Spectators were engaged. The television announcers called the event with unguarded enthusiasm. Somehow Phelps managed a last second surge and touched the wall 1/100th of a second ahead of his competitors, in route to another gold medal.

Everyone knew nineteen-year-old Phelps entered the Athens games intent on chasing Mark Spitz’s record of seven medals. The quest was still within reach. But then, Phelps shocked everyone by producing one of the most unexpected and memorable moments of the 2004 Olympics.

Immediately following the butterfly competition, Phelps and teammate Crocker sat together for a television interview. They both talked about the importance of team and how happy they were for each other. It was unusual display of team spirit especially in light of some egotistical showboating and boasting on the part of other American athletes. Phelps and Crocker genuinely shared the spotlight and unpretentiously shared the glory of the moment. It was heart warming and probably unprecedented.

Shortly thereafter a special announcement shocked the Olympic world. Michael Phelps had decided to step aside allowing Crocker to swim in his place in the upcoming 400-meter relay. Phelps told the media Crocker was better in this event than he was and the team had a better chance to win with Crocker than with him. You’re kidding. Even though he had earned the right to swim this event, he decided to give Crocker an opportunity to earn his own gold medal. When the buzzer sounded and the relay began, Phelps was in the stands, enthusiastically cheering on Crocker as the U.S. team went on to capture the gold.

Phelps’s decision rocked the Olympic world. His concession made headlines around the world. Why? Because this display of selfless team spirit is so rare in the athletic world. Or is it just the athletic world. Could it be rare in your world as well?

Team spirit is all about understanding that we succeed only to the degree we help our team succeed. G.K. Chesterton is credited with saying, “There is the great man who makes every man feel small, but the really great man is the man who makes every man feel great.” It could also be said the really great team player is the one who knows how to make the other person successful.

Team spirit. . . the realization by each team member that they are only as good as their team’s ability to succeed. That’s powerful stuff.

When it comes to your teammates, you want to compete in such a way that instead of competing with them, you are completing them. Those are two different mind-sets.

John Maxwell

The Model Employee

The more strongly you feel about what you do, the more likely you are to push yourself to be good at it and find a way to make a success of it.


Blake MyCoskie Toms

I’ve Been Thinking. . . what if I was the model employee? What does the model employee look like, act like, perform like, and behave like?

Several years ago I traveled to Northern Minnesota to pick up a prisoner at a minimum security prison. Upon checking in at the hotel I asked the clerk what they did for fun and excitement in their community.

“In the evenings,” he responded, “we go down to the lake and watch the moose dance on ice. It’s delightful.”

I decided experiencing this strange activity was better than nothing or staring at the walls in my hotel room. I checked out of the hotel the next morning and let the clerk know I went down to the lake the night before to watch the moose dance on the ice. “It was the worst thing I ever saw,” I told him. “The animals were clumsy and uncoordinated. They were falling all over themselves and the ice.”

“Well of course they were,” sneered the local. “No one goes to the lake on Wednesday. That’s amateur night.”

Today’s team member can’t afford to act like an amateur. Regardless of the day or the situation, organizations need our best effort every minute of every day. Good employees are dependable, reliable, focused on results, and show up every day to do what’s required.

Model employees understand the necessity to take their performance to a heightened level. There are significant distinctions between remarkable employees and the amateur (good employees). Here are a few distinguishing qualities.

Love What They Do. Model employees do what they love and love what they do. As Billy Cox indicated, “If you don’t love what you do, you have two choices. You can either change what you’re doing or you can change what you love.” Loving what you do is fundamental to becoming a team member with exceptional value. I don’t mean ‘like your job.’ I’m talking about an unmatched, irrepressible, intoxicating passion for what you do. Only those who have it, understand it. Others find it just a bit strange. . . almost irritating. It’s okay to be a bit quirky --- passionate about what you do.

Exceed Expectations. Exceptional employees could care less about their job description. They are motivated by doing whatever it takes to generate results to help their organization succeed. In fact, their mantra is do whatever it takes and then just ‘a little bit more.’ Regardless of the job expectations, the model employee understands the job description is a minimal guide for their daily contribution. They have higher aspirations. They transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.

Make Relationships a Priority. Ben Stein got my attention when he said, “personal relationships are the fertile soil from which all advancement, all success, all achievement in real life grows.” Note the use of the word “all.”

Remember the Academy Award winning movie Rocky? I love the scene where boxer Rocky Balboa describes his relationship with his girlfriend, Adrian: “I’ve got gaps. She’s got gaps. But together we’ve got no gaps.” Collaborative relationships minimize, or even eliminate the gaps.

Exceptional team members understand their success is directly related to their ability to help others be successful. The old phrase, “when I help others to be successful, I too will be successful,” is a daily reminder to make relationships with my team mates a priority. Without their success, I’m mediocre. Weird isn’t it?

Work Smart. Model employees zealously refrain from committing random acts of stupidness. They don’t do dumb things. They use their experience, knowledge, insight and common sense to work smart, make smart decisions and seek smart solutions to lingering possibilities. Notably, they don’t shoot themselves in the foot by taking action that causes others to say, “What was that all about?”

Here is a sure fire ‘work smart’ formula. Find a way to do what you do best every day by investing your strengths in a culture that is a fit for you.

Be a Problem Solver. As John Maxwell said, “Many people would rather deal with old problems than find new solutions.” Not true of the truly outstanding employee. Peter Drucker once commented that; “People do not want to hear about your labor pains. They want to see the baby.”

It’s all about producing results regardless of the circumstances. The mediocre, normal, run of the mill team member tends to talk about their problems, dwell on them and sometimes even exaggerate their problems. The model employee produces results despite their challenges and sometimes because of their problems. In other words, they deliver the baby despite the labor pains.

Devoted to Excellence. Mediocre or good enough is never in the vocabulary of an outstanding employee. They are always tinkering, massaging, fooling around, or experimenting to create excellence. Other people love policies and procedures while the model employee loves to find a better way.

Unfortunately, too many people exemplify Yogi Berra’s comment. “I’m in favor of leaving the status quo the way it is,” he said. Nothing of significance is accomplished from that mentality.

If you want to be average, do what average people are doing. Excellence happens when you think about it, talk about it, and model it all day long, every day. Such is the modus operandi of the model employee.

There it is. That’s what I see in model employees and what I aspire to be. I understand this isn’t an exhaustive list of a remarkable employee’s lifestyle but it’s a great start. Once I get these qualities mastered, I’m sure I’ll discover another set of admirable qualities to pursue.

Gotta get going. . . I’ve got some work to do.

You should feel as excited about going to work in the morning as you are about getting home at night.


Lee Cockerel

Hero or Horrible Boss?

“You (boss) volunteered to be a leader (accepted promotion) hence you volunteered to be a full-time “people developer.” Don’t like it? Fire yourself.”

Tom Peters

I’ve Been Thinking . . . about the incredible responsibility of being a leader.

In their book The Manager’s Communication Handbook, the authors share these disturbing findings: First, only 14% of employees said they had a positive role model at work. Also, 86% couldn’t identify even one person at work they wanted to emulate. How sad! Especially considering these attitudes are a direct hit on leaders.

The film comedy Horrible Bosses features three dreadful managers who make their employee’s lives miserable. The targeted victims can’t quit. They need the money. In their desperation, they devise elaborate, absurd plans to eliminate their tyrannical bosses.

The movie is an exaggerated (I hope) display of calloused, uncaring, self-indulging, and controlling scenarios that exemplify the potential destruction caused by horrible bosses. People caught in the harrowing grip of such leaders must be the ones who can’t find a role model at work or identify someone they want to emulate.

In the movie, the three friends bond together and the despicable bosses ultimately cause their own destruction. In real life, the plot is rarely as dramatic or entertaining… or ‘happy ever after.’

Here’s how not to be a horrible boss:

Develop People One At A Time. John Maxwell reminds us, “Never forget that leadership is the art of helping people change from who they’re thought to be to who they ought to be.” People-focused leaders invest their time, energy, and resources into developing people into all they are capable of becoming.

I know you’re busy and have a lot on your plate but unless you invest in your people the rest of your activity loses result power. Develop the skills, knowledge, and talents of your people and impressive results will follow. Figure out what you can do through training, coaching, and mentoring to help your people achieve what they are capable of achieving.

Who should you be investing in today?

Maximize Individual Strengths. Author Stephen Covey suggested, “The job of a leader is to build a complementary team, where every strength is made effective and each weakness is made irrelevant.”

Unlike horrible bosses who are renowned for accentuating everything that’s wrong, great bosses understand people’s greatest potential is achieved by maximizing what they’re already good at doing. Find out what comes naturally to your team members and discover opportunities for them to excel.

Take the talents people possess and design opportunities around them. Don’t try to push a strategy on a person that doesn’t effectively use their strengths. Strategically discovering avenues for people to apply what they do best is a fast track for developing high performers.

Nurture a People-Focused Culture. Great leaders create a great people-focused culture that produces great people results. Gary Kelly, Chairman, President and CEO of Southwest Airlines said in the company’s September 2011 issue of Spirit that “The biggest difference between Southwest and the rest was the attention to Culture. Your business plan is what you are, but Culture is who you are.”

At Southwest, culture is a way of life. It is lovingly referred to as “Living the Southwest Way.” Southwest is intent on hiring people who have a Warrior Spirit, a Servant’s Heart, and a Fun-LUVing Attitude.

“Living the Southwest Way” or any other culture begins with the leader’s unmovable passion to set the standard. A people-focused culture evolves out of a leader’s inherent respect for people and a desire for people to truly be the priority.

Be a Hero. Every leader has someone who is yearning to find a leader who believes in them more than they believe in themselves. Find that person. Be that leader.

Before giving up on a challenged team member, pour your full effort into them. Inject some confidence. Reassure them that you believe they can excel and you’re there to help them get to where they want to go.

Sometimes you’re successful. Sometimes not. Give it your best shot. Sometimes, the victory is just knowing you tried.

When you’re successful . . . you’ll be a hero and you will have gained a team member prepared to perform at new heights.

Serve. Serve. Serve. The higher you rise, the greater your opportunity to serve and the greater your responsibility to find ways to encourage, elevate and energize those around you.

Finding ways to let people know how important you are and the importance of your position minimizes your influence. When you consistently allow others to enjoy the spotlight or you actually create the spotlight for them, your impact is multiplied.
Assume a servant role in all matters, treating others as the most important people in your life.

In their book The Leadership Challenge, James Kouzes and Barry Posner write, “Any leadership practice that increases another’s sense of self-confidence, self-determination, and personal effectiveness makes that person more powerful and greatly enhances the possibility of success.”

That’s the power of Servant Leadership!

The strategies to become a hero rather than a horrible boss are rather simplistic – but profound!

One day a little boy approached Walt Disney and asked, “Do you draw Mickey Mouse?”

Walt humbly admitted, “I don’t draw anymore.”

The little boy continued, “Then you think up all the jokes and ideas?”

“No,” Disney responded, “I don’t do that.”

Quizzically the boy looked at Disney and said, “Mr. Disney, just what do you do?

“Well,” Disney graciously responded, “sometimes I think of myself as a little bee, I go from one area of the studio to another and gather pollen and sort of stimulate everybody. I guess that’s the job I do.”

Hero bosses nurture everyone around them by stimulating and extracting the best that is available.

People go to work to succeed not to fail. It’s the leader’s duty and responsibility to lead people to success.

Norman Schwarzkopf

Will’s Wisdom

"It’s great to be great, but it’s greater to be human.”

Will Rogers

I’ve Been Thinking. . .I wish I could have known Will Rogers.

Steve Gragert, director of the Will Rogers Memorial Museums in Claremore and Oologah, Oklahoma documents the history of Will Roger’s influence. “At the time of his death in 1935, Rogers was reaching 40 million people readers at a time.” That’s incredible! The population was only 120 million.

I admire the fact that Rogers traveled the lecture circuit, wrote magazine articles, authored books and produced his “Daily Telegrams” newspaper column. On top of it all, Rogers starred in 21 motion pictures that achieved considerable acclamation and made Will the highest paid Hollywood actor of his time. In fact, his market share was bigger than any entertainer’s past or present.

Why?

He could appeal to the common folk, challenge the political establishment, poke fun at the prominent and elite and he embraced a self-deprecating humor that appealed to the masses. His onstage showmanship drew in the masses who also followed his Sunday newspaper columns that eventually ran in 500 newspapers.

Ironically, the Oklahoma cowboy had atrocious spelling and even worse grammar which added to his humoristic appeal. His 10th grade education might have surfaced in his writing but despite that limitation, he had an inherent sense of what appealed to the American people and he spoke at their level.

Rogers performed and communicated at a difficult time in American history. Yet, he brought optimism, hope as well as a flash of humanity during the dark years of the depression. People sought out his wisdom, honesty and down-home clarity about issues that were impacting their lives. He wasn’t afraid to criticize what he believed was wrong and remain true to the issues he believed in. Many believe his candor influenced public opinion as well as national policy.

I love Roger’s often stated quotation: “I’m not a member of any organized party – I’m a Democrat.” There was more to Roger’s conviction than party lines. He was, without hesitation, always on the side of the working person – even after he became wealthy. Political officials welcomed him with open arms – yet I’ve got to believe they wondered how their conversations would reappear for the world to see.

It was almost like Rogers was looking into the future when he said: “The more you observe politics, the more you've got to admit that each party is worse than the other.” Regardless, Rogers was a true Patriot who believed in the American Dream.

“Be thankful, he said, “that we’re not getting all the government we’re paying for.” Roger’s honest, get to the point, no strings attached approach to Patriotism would be a welcome relief today. One of Roger’s classic observations was, “A senator got up today in Congress and called his fellow senators sons of wild jackasses. Now, if you think the senators were hot, imagine how the jackasses must feel.”

Who is the Will Rogers of today? Someone once suggested it would take the combined attributes of some our greatest comedians, commentaries, musicians and we would still be left short of the impact Mr. Rogers had on the thinking of his day. Who else could get away with saying, “The income tax has made more liars out of Americans than golf,” and still be loved?

His unfortunate death at 55, in the crash of small plane piloted by a well-known pilot preparing for the world’s first transpolar flight, was indicative of his adventurous spirit.

In the midst of current political struggle, corporate controversy, financial ambiguity, and questionable practices; where is the voice that represents the everyday American?

“Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.”

Will Rogers

Become an Initiator

“There are two types of people in the business community; those who produce results and those who give you reasons why they didn’t.”

Peter Drucker

I’ve Been Thinking. . . about those who ‘get it done’ and those who ‘think about’ doing something.

In his book Principle-Centered Leadership, Stephen M.R. Covey tells how Columbus was once invited to a banquet, where he was seated at the most honorable place at the table. A superficial self-seeker who was insanely jealous of Columbus asked him pointedly: “Had you not discovered the Indies, are there not other men in Spain who would have been capable of the enterprise?”

Rather than reply, Columbus took an egg and invited those around him to make it stand on end. They all attempted, but in vain; whereupon he tapped it on the table denting one end, and left it standing.

“We all could have done it that way!” the courtier accused.

“Yes, if you had only known how,” replied Columbus. “And once I showed you the way to the New World, nothing was easier than to follow it.”

It’s much easier to follow the path to achievement than to blaze the path yourself. True explorers venture into unchartered territory knowing full well it would be much easier if they waited for someone else to show the way.

Dreamer or Achiever. Achiever want-to-bes are experts at replicating someone else’s effort rather than risk failure, embarrassment or loss. Achievers are initiators. They are pioneers, discoverers, innovators; blazing the path to attaining their aspirations. They stare risk head on and then muster the guts, determination and heart to deliver.

There is a distinct gap between a notion and accomplishment, revelation and achievement, inspiration and productivity. Lots of people have great ideas in the shower but rare are those who dry off and do something about them. In order to reap the benefits of any brilliant idea, you must find a way to bridge the gaps. Bridging the gap between concept and practical application excites initiators.

Wayne Huizenga is an initiator. While managing a garbage collection service he made a bold decision to start his own trash collection business. Not only did he specialize in garbage collection, he built a multibillion-dollar worldwide company that became a Fortune 500 leader in environmental services. Waste Management, Inc. became a fabulously successful enterprise providing outstanding services for customers and creating a great place to work for employees.

Huizenga didn’t stop there. Initiators never stop. . . They seem to be in perpetual motion!

Huizenga decided to rent movies through free-standing outlets, malls; wherever movies could be rented. Strange idea. Of course, Huizenga built Blockbuster, Inc. into another multibillion-dollar Fortune 500 company that created thousands and thousands of new jobs and produced massive profits. He now had two Fortune 500 companies notched on his belt.

He wasn’t done. AutoNation became a multi-billion dollar used car outlet company. It was his third Fortune 500 Company.

How does someone like Wayne Huizenga do it? He is truly an initiator. You don’t have to create Fortune 500 companies to be an initiator. But, nothing of significance was ever created by people who sit on their hands. As Zig Ziglar so eloquently said: “You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

Disturb the Present. When was the last time you did something for the first time? Refuse to get comfortable with being comfortable. Be restless. Start something. . . anything. Push on. Discover something other than the tried and true. The comfort zone, habits, traditions, procrastination, aversion to risk and holding tight to the customary are the antonyms to initiation and innovation.

Drive Intentional Improvement. Immerse yourself in curiosity. Initiators are rarely satisfied with the way things are. Give yourself permission to discover and experiment. Mediocre, good enough, ordinary is so run-of-the-mill. Find a crack, a slight opening in the ‘ordinary’ and create the extraordinary. Move from blind satisfaction to a chronic, obsessive, compulsive passion for making things better.

Determine Your Path. Do you want to make a difference with your life? Do you want the world, your family, your work, relationships to be better because of you? Stop waiting for someone to create a risk proof plan to make it happen. Being an initiator isn’t about blindly following some road map to success. Create it!

Put your energies, ideas – your heart into the world and people around you. Uncover undiscovered possibilities because, like Columbus you were willing to go first into unchartered territory. Be an initiator.

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

Mark Twain

Focus On What You Do Best

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, “I used everything you gave me.”

Erma Bombeck

I’ve Been Thinking. . . about my responsibility to develop my God-given abilities.

I love the story of the ninety-year-old man who, when asked if he knew how to play golf, responded that he didn’t know. “What do you mean, you don’t know?” he was asked. The man, with a wry grin on his face, replied, “I’ve never tried.”

Many of us have talents, abilities and gifts we’ve never fully developed. Others haven’t taken the time to identify their strengths and still others don’t have a clue what they can do because they’ve never tried.

Gallup, Inc., an international research and consulting company, studied 250,000 successful people and concluded that “the highest levels of personal achievement came when people matched their activities with their strengths.”

Author H. Jackson Brown Jr. quipped, “Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There’s plenty of movement, but you never know if it’s going to be forwards, backwards, or sideway.” If you know you have talent, and you’ve seen a lot of motion – but little concrete results - you might benefit from an intense strengths focus.

Activity without productivity is often talent without disciplined application. Often times, people are so intent on improving their weakness, talent takes a back seat. Unless your weakness impedes your results or zaps your confidence, learn to manage rather than correct. Let the strength of your talents compensate for your weakness and make them irrelevant.

We have a responsibility to nurture our talents to become the best we can be so we are prepared for life’s opportunities. But how? How do I develop the necessary discipline to develop my natural abilities? Actually, it’s simpler than you might think.

First, determine what you are naturally good at. What activities tend to give you a natural high, peak your interest, or trip your trigger? Where do you enjoy investing yourself? What comes easily to you? What tasks are a no-brainer for you to accomplish?

Secondly, find a way to invest yourself enlarging your talents. Professionals understand the price to be paid to achieve impressive results. They practice, apply and refine their talent. Find paths to contributing your unique abilities to achieve what your organization needs you to do and produce uncommon results. How could you get involved in special projects that would highlight your strengths and allow you to contribute in a special way?

Follow the wisdom of basketball great Larry Bird. “A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses those skills to accomplish his goals.” This is a wonderful lead-in to our final step.

Finally, Act! Sitting on the sideline is unacceptable. What is holding you back? What keeps you from applying your God-given abilities? Face it head on. It is time to do what you were designed to do. Find a need and invest everything you have in making life better for someone else. Les Brown says, “You don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great.” Do it!

In his book, Just Like Jesus, Max Lucado tells about a wealthy woman who lived 100 years ago. She was extremely stingy with her money, so neighbors were shocked when she finally had her home wired for electricity. Weeks later, a meter reader noted very little usage, so he asked, “Are you using your power?”

“Certainly,” she replied. “Each evening I turn on my lights long enough to light my candles; then I turn them off.”

Are you using your power? Are you doing all God equipped you to do? Have you joined the anti-just-get-by league? Commit fully to the power that is in you. I love what Charles Swindoll says about having the discipline to apply ourselves. “When you do the most what you do the best,” he said, “you put a smile on God’s face. What could be better than that?”

Don’t paint stripes on your back if you’re not a zebra. Focus on building upon your unique abilities.

Lee J. Colan

Find Your One Thing

“I am appalled at the aimlessness of most people’s lives. Fifty percent don’t pay attention to where they are going; forty percent are undecided and will go in any direction. Only ten percent know what they want, and even all of them don’t go toward it.”

Katherine Anne Porter
Pulitzer Prize Winner

I’ve Been Thinking. . . about movies and direction in life. Stay with me on this one.

The first movie is a scary one. What if? What if I could watch a movie today that will be played for me when I reach my eternal destination and it is entitled: The Life, Adventures and Accomplishments of Glenn Van Ekeren --- As They Could Have Been. I have a feeling this could be a horror movie with a bad ending.

If only I had understood early on that every choice I made contributed to the overall quality of my life. If only I had understood that there was a purpose in every action. If only I had realized that there was meaning in everything I attempted and achieved. If only. . . If only. . .

Enough of that scene. It’s depressing. Let’s leave my life and explore a couple commercial movies with a message. If you’ve seen the movie City Slickers, you probably recall a memorable scene involving Billy Crystal, who played a city slicker enduring a dude ranch vacation, and Jack Palance, who played a crusty old trail boss.

Here’s the scenario. Palance and Crystal are riding slowly across the terrain on horseback, discussing life and love. Crystal is amazed at Palance’s apparent ability to enjoy his seemingly questionable, less than exciting life and have his act together while Crystal is struggling to find direction and meaning. Here’s their conversation:

Palance: “How old are you? Thirty-eight?”Crystal: “Thirty-nine.”

Palance: “Yeah. You all come out here about the same age. Same problems. Spend fifty weeks a year getting knots in your rope -- then you think two weeks up here will untie them for you. None of you get it. [Long pause] Do you know what the secret of life is?”

Crystal: “No, what?”

Palance: “It’s this.” [Holds up his index finger]

Crystal: “Your finger?”

Palance: "One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don’t mean nothing.”

Crystal: “That’s great, but what’s the one thing?”

Palance: “That’s what you’ve got to figure out.”

The weather-beaten, crusty old cattle driver nailed it. He wasn’t verbally elegant but he was profound and well-seasoned on life’s necessities. That one thing is what you’ve got to figure out.

Don’t make this too philosophical. Simply, what is your reason for living? What is your ultimate aim? Why are you here? What is that “one thing” you want to be the driving force for everything you do? If you’ve never thought about such questions before, you will find the process stimulating and enlightening.

Someday, your movie will be played back to you as well. These are the very questions that might come back for you to answer. Have you found that “one thing?” Have you figured it out? Are your actions consistent with achieving your “one thing?”

Movie number three. Recently my wife and I decided to attend a movie we previously determined to forego. A combination of newspaper reviews and a heart tug led us to the theater Saturday evening.

A 9-year old boy, the central character of the movie, lost his father in the World Trade Center attacks on 9/11. I wanted to avoid reliving the potential sadness, emotions and reality of loss related to this horrific tragedy. Instead, director Stephen Daldry filled Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close with hope, honor and intense purpose.

Nine-year-old Oskar Schell is attempting to cope with the aftermath of his father’s death by pursuing the purpose of a mystery key. He believes the key will lead him to a message from his father and thereby keep him connected to the man he fervently admired. His borderline Asperger’s syndrome fuels his obsession to do whatever it takes to solve the mystery key.

Oskar’s quest ultimately reveals that the purpose of the key actually has an enormous message for someone else’s life. Facing his strongest fears, engaging others in his search and pursuing answers with unquenchable determination leads Oskar to the realization that the answers weren’t as important as the journey.

Isn’t that just the case of our lives? Purpose in hand, it’s the journey that really matters. But, it’s the purpose that directs the journey. They’re Siamese twins. Purpose and journey.

Find your one thing. Understand that the journey is worthwhile because of the one thing and someday your movie will receive a standing ovation.

“How different our lives are when we really know what is deeply important to us, and, keeping that picture in mind, we manage ourselves each day to be and to know what really matters most.”

Stephen Covey