Chris McClure

My family had the privilege of vacationing with friends at the Ritz-Carlton hotel on the small island of Key Biscayne, Florida this summer. It was our first time staying at a Ritz-Carlton property. It was an experience we’ll never forget. The service was truly top-notch. The property is beautiful. We felt like we were in a whole other world than the typical hotel experience.

But honestly, we expected this to be the case…the Ritz-Carlton has a reputation for all of the above to be true. Therefore, anything less would’ve been disappointing.

As we enjoyed the phenomenal poolside service and attention, one of the servers stood out. We met Lucia, a college exchange student from Argentina. She is majoring in hotel management and is spending a year in the U.S. learning the Ritz-Carlton way. As we observed and interacted with her, it became more and more noticeable that she is possibly THE best server on their team. I knew I needed to write about our experience with her as an example of what is possible when you take pride in your work.

So, what made Lucia stand out in an already-great service environment? Here are a few things worth noting:

• She always had a smile on her face – even in the extreme south Florida heat
• She was very attentive to her customers – she continually asked if we needed anything
• She did the little things that others didn’t do – she picked up trash when she wasn’t placing orders or delivering food (I saw no other servers do this consistently)
• She was very personable and engaging – she took the time to talk with us about her life and Ritz-Carlton experience
• She served our section to help her busy co-worker – we weren’t her customers one day, but she helped anyway
• She worked hard during her entire shift – we never saw her slacking
• She made up for her errors – she gave us free drinks when she gave us incorrect information

There are probably many more things that Lucia did that were not as noticeable, but I believe she gives us many important things to consider in our work and lives. Many people want to be promoted or receive raises, but most aren’t willing to “play the part before they get the part.” Too many of us want to be given an opportunity and THEN do the required work. The fast-track to promotion is working above your pay grade.

As leaders, much of what we do isn’t very fun or attractive. Leadership is hard. It’s messy. It’s often exhausting. So many people want the perks of leadership without dealing with the responsibilities and costs. Lucia stood out because she was willing to put in the work to be successful. While her co-workers were doing a “good” job, she was doing a “great” job. Even if she was only one percent better, she rose above the norm and stood out.

One of my observations about customer service these days is that the bar is pretty low to succeed. Employees often see customers as more of a nuisance rather than a priority. Visit most stores or restaurants and you’ll immediately see what I’m talking about. This is why franchises like Ritz-Carlton and Chick-fil-A stand out. They have excellent customer service while other similar brands are mediocre at best.

If you want to stand out in your work and life, learn from our experience with Lucia. I believe she’ll one day be managing a Ritz-Carlton hotel because she’s putting in the work now, which will lead to high levels of success later.

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Many people want success but are unwilling to do the daily, mundane work to reap the benefits later on in life. I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the law of sowing and reaping. Farmers understand this principle very well. I admire their work and patience. They prepare the soil, plant the seeds, water the ground, and then WAIT for growth.

I’m not a very patient person. My guess is that you aren’t either. We live in a fast-paced technological, microwaveable world. We expect instant results from very little effort. Unfortunately, success doesn’t come about in an instant. It comes about through the power of daily, compounding interest.

As leaders, we must invest in our growth each and every day so that we have something to give to our followers later. This reality hit me a few months ago. I felt guilty one day for not having to prepare much for an upcoming meeting. It finally dawned on me that I’ve been preparing for that meeting for 25 YEARS! Every book, seminar, podcast, conference, mentoring session, or experience I’ve had has been a seed sown so I can now help others.

What an “aha” moment! Whether you are leading a family, a team, or an entire organization, sowing daily seeds of personal growth is required if you want to someday reap a high level of success. It’s been said by many leaders that it took them decades to become an “overnight success.” The truth is that there are no instant success stories. Successful people were just discovered after putting in a lot of daily, consistent, persistent work in the dark when others were sleeping or having fun.

If you want to be highly successful in your personal life or profession, make the commitment right now to sow daily seeds so one day you’ll be able to reap a crop of hard-earned success.

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It doesn’t take very long for leaders to realize that their character and actions directly affect others. Whether personally or professionally, there is a microscope on the lives of leaders. People are always watching. This is a double-edged sword. It can be attractive or repulsive to family, friends, followers, prospects, customers, and clients.

No leader is perfect. That should be obvious. However, the core values that leaders live by speak volumes to their followers and the watching world. We’ve all seen negative examples of leaders who have been derailed themselves, their organizations, and the lives of others because of poor choices. (Enron anyone?) Some lose their jobs, families, fortunes, even their lives. Thankfully we’ve also had good examples that have endeared us to many leaders throughout our lives.

If you want to be a leader who is highly influential and finishes well, defining your personal core values is a critical exercise. It is something that is often overlooked but can save much heartache and pain.

Just as a company needs to define its corporate values to best serve their customers and clients, a leader needs to define his or her core values to best serve their followers. In order to help you define yours, I will share mine below as an example and give you a few questions to prime your thinking. I highly encourage you to block out time to think through, clarify, and state your personal core values that you will commit to operating by.

Chris’ Core Values:

• Faith – Chris is a committed follower of Jesus Christ whose faith is the filter and standard for all he says and does.
• Family – Chris is a committed family man who protects his family relationships as the most valuable and sacred next to his relationship with Jesus.
• Freedom – Chris believes that God has created each person to experience a full, rich, satisfying, abundant life so they can live out their life purpose.
• Honesty – Chris is committed to speaking the truth in love as a key ingredient in honoring God and others.
• Integrity – Chris is committed to being a person who is honorable and above reproach while doing what he says he will do.
• Responsibility – Chris is committed to making sure he follows through on his commitments and doing his part by using his God-given gifts to serve and help others whenever, wherever, and however.
• Generosity – Chris is committed to sharing his time, talents, and resources with those who he is uniquely created to help.

Primer Questions:

• What character qualities am I committed to displaying in both good and bad situations?
• How do I want people to perceive me at home and at work?
• What do I want people to say about me at my funeral?
• If I lost all my material possessions and money, what qualities will I cling to?
• How do I want my family to speak about me to their friends?
• How do I want my followers to speak about me amongst each other and to my customers and clients?
• If there were only three words to describe me, what would they be?

Who comes to mind when you think about well-known leaders?

Coaches, bosses, and military officers are the first for me.

Now, think about the stereotypical characteristics that they demonstrate. Most of them are strong-willed, over-confident, even gruff in their demeanor.

I recognize that this is not what every leader is like, but these are the labels that many leaders from our recent past have embraced and demonstrated. We live in an ever-changing world. Every generation responds differently to various leadership styles. As an executive coach and leadership trainer, I come across leaders with all sorts of characteristics. However, one characteristic that is often overlooked by some of the best-known leaders our world has today is COMPASSION.

Compassion may not be a leadership quality that most of us think of immediately, but please hear me out. While it is wise to maintain professional boundaries, we also need to consider the human element of leadership. We are leading people after all!

I recently had a leader tell me that one of his employees recommended that he check in on another employee’s personal life. He initially pushed back, but later realized that this employee’s home life could be the cause of recent uncharacteristically poor job performance. Once he checked in, he found out that there were some personal struggles going on and it was affecting this employee’s state of mind and, therefore, his performance at work.

As leaders, it’s vital to remember that followers are holistic people. They bring their home life to work and take their work issues home with them. As much as they may try to avoid it, both aspects of their lives affect the other. To ignore this reality is foolish and detrimental. If you will consider the humanity of your followers, you can connect with them on an entirely different level. You can build trust and respect like never before. They will listen to you more and better. You will simply have a greater influence on them.

Take a few minutes to consider how compassionate you are towards your followers.

Are you doing well?

What areas could improve?

Do they know that you care about them as human beings, not just followers?

What could you do better to show them that you value them?

What actions will you commit to taking today to be a more compassionate leader?

Compassion doesn’t make you a weak leader. In fact, it makes you stronger because you are making daily intentional choices to put others’ needs ahead of your own. That requires discipline and restraint.

We can all become better leaders. Let’s add compassion to our toolbox and work on transforming our workplaces – even our world.

You’ve got this!

I believe in you.

Go make it happen today!

Leadership is multifaceted, but there are core characteristics and qualities that cannot be overlooked. Let’s look at four key elements that are vital for leaders to keep in mind if they desire to grow in their influence and impact.

#1 – Character

Who you are matters more than what you do. 

For years I’ve promoted the idea of “being before doing.” Our world is filled with doers who have questionable character. If you desire to be a GREAT leader, you must protect your character above all else. 

Your character is the only thing that you have at the end of the day. Everything else can be taken away, but who you are is there to stay. 

Are you a person of integrity?

Do you model honesty?

Can people trust you?

Whether you are a business owner, employee, ministry leader, parent, or spouse, character matters. Make sure you guard it as if your life depends on it — because it does!

#2 – Competency

The level of your performance determines the level of your credibility. 

If you are a wonderful person but don’t have the skills to perform a job or duties, your influence and impact will be diminished. No one is good at everything, but in order to grow in your leadership, you must perform at a high level. People may want to be friends with a wonderful person, but they won’t follow an incompetent one. 

In order to grow as a leader, you just commit to growing your skills. Regardless of the area, you seek to lead in, you must strive to be the best. Even if you have a long way to go, people will follow you if they see that you are committed to getting better every day.

Leaders have built-in accountability. As followers improve their skills, leaders must improve their own to stay ahead. You don’t have to be better than everyone, but you must be committed to ongoing improvement.

#3 – Consistency

People need stability from their leaders.

One of the greatest errors a leader can make is being inconsistent. It cuts the legs out from under them. Inconsistency will sabotage a leader quickly. If you are not steady in how you interact and work from day to day, your leadership credibility will suffer until people finally disregard or stop following you.

We live in a world of inconsistent leaders who say one thing and do another. This is a character issue that derails otherwise qualified, skilled leaders. 

Do people know how you will behave from day to day?

Are you approachable one day and repelling the next?

Do you make decisions in a similar manner each time you are confronted with a challenge?

To be a leader worth following work hard to be consistent. If you catch inconsistencies in your life and leadership, take steps to correct them immediately. Be willing to admit failure and show people you are willing to grow and become a stable leader in their lives.

#4 – Caring

Caring is the x-factor for leaders.

John C. Maxwell’s “Law of Connection” states that “leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand.” In a world where we see disconnected leaders who only care about the bottom line and production, caring leaders stand out. 

Caring leaders attract followers who are willing to work hard and stay late when needed. 

Caring leaders retain team members much longer than non-caring leaders. 

Caring leaders shine brightly in an otherwise dark world because they value their people more than the typical leader. 

If you desire to attract and retain top talent, make sure you are caring about the people under your care. Servant leadership became a buzz phrase over the past 20 years. The reason is that it places the heart of the leader towards their followers ahead of their demands. As leaders rise in ranks, they also rise in responsibility. One of the key characteristics that makes a leader GREAT is caring for their followers.

Conclusion

As stated previously, leadership is multifaceted, but if you make the 4 C’s of Leadership a priority you can multiply your influence and impact. You can be a GREAT leader, but it takes daily intentionality. People are craving high-quality leaders to follow. You can be one of them. I believe in you!

Make today GREAT!

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Transitioning well is a difficult task for any organization, team, or leader. While it is critically important for the health and longevity of the organization, taking the steps to do it well are not always obvious or done with intention. If you desire to pass the baton well to the next leader so you can ensure a positive future for your team or organization, follow these 7 steps:

Step #1 — Define The Role

This first step may seem obvious, but it isn’t always done well. One reason that this is overlooked is that there is an assumption that the future role needs to be exactly the same as the current role. While the title and position may stay the same, the needs of the organization may be different today than when the current leader took the reigns.

To define the role well, craft an updated clear job description. Comb through the details of the current description and adjust as needed based on your future goals, needs, and desires, not just your current reality.

Step #2 — Define The Key Tasks

After you have described the role clearly, make a checklist of key tasks that this new leader should prioritize. Nothing is more frustrating than beginning a new role without understanding the key tasks and expectations. While the checklist may be a living document that changes over time, it will help the new leader begin well. 

Leadership expert John C. Maxwell states “All is well that begins well.” When a new president is elected into office, there is much emphasis placed on the first 100 days of his or her administration. The early days for a leader set the tone for the long-term outlook of the organization. By defining the key tasks on the front end, there is a greater probability of success on the back end.

Step #3 — Identify Desired Leadership Qualities

Now that you have clearly written down the role and tasks, identify the temperament and skills desired and required of the next leader. Leadership is not simply about getting things done. It is also about HOW and WHEN things get done. The temperament of a leader will greatly impact the health and culture of the organization. Answer the following questions:

What do you want your organizational culture to be like?

What style of leadership do your team members need and want?

What strengths of the outgoing leader do you want to carry over?

What weaknesses of the outgoing leader do you need to correct?

Once you have answered questions like these, write a detailed description of the leader you desire. Success mentor Darren Hardy tells the story of writing a 40-page detailed description of the woman he wanted to marry, even down to the texture of her hair. By having such a clear vision of his future wife, it was easy to see her when she came along. The same is true as you search for your next leader. The clearer you are upfront, the easier it will be to spot during the search and interview process.

Step #4 — Develop Your Timeline

You are now clear on the role, the key tasks, and the desired qualities of your next leader. Now it is time to develop a transition timeline. This is when you should determine whether or not there will be an overlap with the outgoing leader. 

If there will be an overlap, how long will it last? 

If not, how will you transition the new leader in for a successful start and tenure?

Similar to the first 100 days of a presidency mentioned above, define target goals to meet in the first 90-120 days for this new leader. What do you want to see accomplished by the end of year one? Mapping out a timeline will help with goal setting, prioritization, and managing expectations. 

Step #5 — Communicate Your Plan

You’ve been doing intentional up-front work to prepare for a great transition. After you have clarity on steps 1-4, develop a solid communication plan for your team and/or overall organization. Share with them the work that you’ve done in preparation for this moment. Answer questions they may have. Ask for feedback to see if you’ve missed anything. Inclusion in the process generates buy-in. 

Since communication is often the greatest struggle of any organization, make sure you over-communicate through various mediums. Write it, speak it, create videos, etc. A good rule of thumb in communication is that if you’re not tired of saying it, it may not have been heard yet. Use social media or internal communication channels to reach your people. Do whatever works best for your people. Communicate, communicate, communicate and then do it some more!

Step #6 — Invest In Your Current Team Members 

This step may at first sound a bit misplaced in this process. However, if you want your next leader to be successful, investing in your current team members to carry the vision, mission, goals, and values forward is imperative. Training them to be the best they can be will set the incoming leader up for greater impact. Imagine inheriting a team that is well-trained and passionate about the future of the organization. Now, imagine inheriting an apathetic team that doesn’t care. Which would you prefer?

As you are working through this process, simultaneously evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of your team. Answer questions such as these:

What gaps do you need to address? 

What strengths do you need to build on? 

Who are key leaders that you need more buy-in from? 

Who will be integral “inner circle” leaders that the incoming leader can depend on?

The more you invest in the training and relationships of your key team members as you prepare for the transition, the better off your new leader and the organization will be.

Step #7 — Set A Hard Date To Step Away

Some leaders will be moving on to new opportunities while others may be retiring and have no urgency. In either case, make sure that there is a hard date established when the current leader will step away and hand the keys over to the incoming leader and move on. 

In cases where the current leader is the founder, this step may be very difficult. Each situation will vary. However, the importance of a clear transition date is critical. No incoming leader wants to live in a world of uncertainty. He or she may appreciate an overlap to be caught up to speed, but at some point, they need to be able to take over the reins of leadership. Determine this date based on the needs of your organization, but make it clear and stick to it. Get up-front agreement from the current and incoming leaders so they can work well together for the sake of the organization.

Conclusion

Leadership transitions happen regularly, but how they happen varies. Some are done very well while others are done very poorly. For the sake of your team and organization, follow these 7 steps to prepare well for your next transition. This is an extremely valuable process whether it is for the top leadership of an organization or a team lead change. The timeline will vary based on the level of the role, but the steps will prove to be valuable in any situation.

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Chris McClure is an author, coach, and speaker in the areas of personal growth and leadership development. He helps leaders become GREAT and raise up next generation leaders in their organizations through faith- and values-based coaching and training. You can learn more about Chris and his services at LeadLifeBIG.com.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, young employees are not patiently waiting on the sidelines for their turn to lead. They have grown up with opportunities throughout their lives and as they enter the workforce, they are excited and expecting to make an immediate impact. Their youthful energy can be a major benefit, but many organizations are not developing their leadership potential soon enough, which ultimately hinders the organization long-term. In order to maximize the talent in your organization, begin with these 7 steps for developing your next generation leaders:

Step #1 — Identify Who They Are

The very first step that experienced leaders must do is open their eyes to identify who the potential leaders are in their organization. They don’t have to be the youngest employees, but they often are. Ask yourself the following questions:

Who has a consistent and positive work ethic?

Who has influence with their peers and other leaders in the organization?

Who is self-motivated and overachieving?

Who is seeking greater opportunities beyond their job requirements?

Who is adding the most value to the team or organization?

Who solves problems before asking for direction?

As you think through these questions names and faces should come to mind. Walk around the office and look for signs of potential leaders. Your job as a key leader is to identify talent, then take steps to develop it.

Step #2 — Invest In Them

Once you have identified potential next generation leaders, invest in them with third-party coaching and training. Choosing to invest communicates that you believe in them and are willing to help them become a valuable leader for your organization.

Sending potential leaders to outside training or hiring a leadership coach to work with them is an investment, not an expense. It is much wiser to invest in people even if they ultimately leave your company than to not invest and let them stay. There is always a risk of investing in and then losing talent, but the leaders you invest in are more likely to stay and make an impact long-term.

Focus on teaching them foundational leadership skills and vocabulary. Help them understand what leadership consists of and requires. Give them access to seasoned coaches and trainers who will be an objective voice that will connect with them. Give them safe spaces to discuss the flaws and challenges they see in your organization without fearing repercussions and judgment. Provide a sounding board and thinking partner who will help them overcome the challenges they see, which will enhance the organization.

Step #3 —Invite Them Into Mentoring Relationships

Beyond offering third-party coaching and training, connect them with mentors within your organization who are seasoned leaders. These people should understand your organization’s culture, values, mission, and vision. They should be models of what you want to reproduce. 

Inviting potential leaders into these mentoring relationships speaks loudly that you believe in them. It elevates their self-worth and confidence. It gives them someone with whom they can turn to so they can process challenges and celebrate wins. Mentoring is a lost art in many organizations because it is squeezed out in the name of busyness. Mentoring is a long game, not a quick fix. If you desire solid, qualified leaders long-term, begin mentoring your potential leaders today.

Step #4 — Give Them Opportunities To Practice In A Safe Environment

As you give them coaching, training, and mentoring, also give them opportunities to practice their leadership in a safe environment where they can make mistakes and learn. One of the greatest reasons people do not step up to lead is because they fear failure. They fear the ramifications of failing. 

Remove the fear by giving them opportunities where they can fail without fearing for their jobs or future opportunities. Teach them that failure is the way to success. Show them how to fail forward by learning from their mistakes. Remember, the greatest inventors and leaders of history failed many times before becoming the successes we now recognize them to be.

Step #5 — Give Them Responsibilities And Provide Real-time Feedback 

Next, give them responsibility and real-time feedback so they can make immediate adjustments. If you watch NFL football games today, you will notice that they give tablets to players as soon as they come off the field of play. Quarterbacks are looking at images and video of what just happened. Why did a play fail? What is the defense doing? What should we do next time when we are back on the field?

When you give responsibility and debrief immediately, you are able to help potential leaders learn from mistakes and make corrections. Failure isn’t final, but not learning from failure is detrimental personally and organizationally. Give opportunities to take responsibility for tasks or projects, then debrief with them each step of the way. When they succeed, cheer them on. Correct and celebrate with them during this step.

Step #6 — Empower Them With Authority To Take Action On Their Own

Once they and you are comfortable with their level of performance on smaller opportunities, it’s time to empower them to take the lead. This may be a project where you do not provide step-by-step feedback or it may be a task that you let them run with and observe from a distance.

In this step, micromanaging is not an option. You should not “hold their hand” through each action they take. This is their project or task to own. The success or failure of it is on their shoulders. They are not only responsible, but they should have the authority to take action as they see fit. Prepare for lapses of judgment and failures to occur, but let them work through them. If they come to you and ask you to bail them out, refuse to do so. Instead, offer advice and support, then send them back out to make proper adjustments. 

WARNING: This is often a difficult step for experienced leaders. You may have done what they are doing before in a different or “better” way. You may want to jump in to fix problems. DON’T DO IT! They need to work through their problems individually and with their teams (if applicable). There is nothing more disempowering than taking responsibility and authority away from someone in the middle of a project. Only step in if the failure of the project will severely damage the team or organization, but do so in a manner of mentoring, not harsh criticism.

Step #7 — Promote Into Strategic Roles Where They Can Excel

Now that you have walked through the previous six steps of this development process, it’s time to promote your potential leaders. There is no exact or perfect timeline for this step. It should be done with wisdom in a manner that is best for the leader and the organization. Trust your intuition. Don’t fear promoting them too soon. Remember, if you have worked through this process, they will have mentors surrounding them to catch them when they fall.

Prepare to promote developing leaders quickly. Remember, they are energetic and ambitious. They are ready to take the reigns and make a name for themselves. Remember that it’s easy for them to become impatient. Help them settle down and encourage them to continue to prepare for their moment. Make sure to promote them into opportunities where they can excel. Consider their unique abilities and experiences. Don’t place a square peg into a round hole. As Jim Collins wrote in his best-selling book Good To Great, make sure you have the right people on the bus and make sure they are in the right seats. One of the worst things that can happen to potential leaders is to be placed in a losing situation before they ever begin. Promote strategically into roles where they can achieve early wins and help move the needle for your organization.

Conclusion

If you work through this 7-step process you will be well on your way to developing and improving the leadership culture of your organization. Leadership is more of an art than a science. You must consider the attributes of the person you are developing as much as the skills they need to learn. To become a leader of leaders you must always be on the lookout for new talent, invest in their growth, connect them with mentors, give them responsibility with real-time feedback, create a safe environment to test their skills, give them responsibilities with authority, and promote when the time is right. 

The world is changing at a faster rate than ever before in history. The need for prepared, adaptive leaders is greater than ever before. The next generation of leaders should not sit on the sidelines waiting for their turn many years from now. Instead, do yourself and your organization a favor by developing tomorrow’s key leaders today. When tomorrow comes, you’ll be glad you did!

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Chris McClure is an author, coach, and speaker in the areas of personal growth and leadership development. He helps leaders become GREAT and raise up next generation leaders in their organizations through faith- and values-based coaching and training. You can learn more about Chris and his services at LeadLifeBIG.com.

If you’re like most people, you find that the holidays can go too fast and can be extremely stressful. The average person is working hard to finish the year strong at work while simultaneously trying to squeeze in shopping and holiday gatherings with friends and family.

Too many people allow life to happen to them. I believe that you should happen to life. You can do that by being intentional. It’s easy to drift in life and drifting often takes us places we don’t want to go. If you want to get to a desired destination, you need to know your starting and ending points.

The famous quote from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland when Alice is talking to the Cheshire Cat is:

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?”

“That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat.

“I don’t much care where–” said Alice.

“Then it doesn’t matter which way you go,” said the Cat.

“–so long as I get SOMEWHERE,” Alice added as an explanation.

“Oh, you’re sure to do that,” said the Cat, “if you only walk long enough.”

As you navigate the holiday season (and any season of life for that matter), it’s imperative that you know where you want to go. In order to combat the typical holiday madness in a productive and healthy way, here are four tips that will help you navigate this time of year with intentionality.

The word “rest” is not something that many people consider or feel is possible during the holidays. However, if we are to become the best versions of ourselves, rest is vital to our health and well-being. Rest will impact how we end this year and how we begin the new year.

As we walk through these four steps think about some clear actions that you can implement in your life. Knowledge is only helpful if it is applied.

R—Reflect on the past year (evaluate)

Although experts regularly teach that end-of-year evaluation is a key component to future success, it’s something that you have to fight for. We live in a world of distractions and as leaders, we seem to either be lighting fires under people or putting out fires that have become crises in our organizations. Leadership takes its toll on us and we have to be extremely intentional to schedule personal reflection time. 

Ideally, we should be planning ahead at the beginning of each week and reflecting at the end of each week. If you’re evaluating regularly, nothing should be a surprise when your year-end review comes along. However, too many of us are not consistent in regular reviews and often overlook year-end reviews altogether. This impedes our ability to grow and become better leaders. We can gain years of experience, but not be any better for it. A solution to this problem is to schedule time now for when you will block out a few hours up to a few days to reflect through the holidays.

As you reflect on the year coming to an end, evaluate using the following questions:

• • What went well?
  • What went poorly?
  • What was an investment of time?
  • What was a waste of time?
  • What should you do again?
  • What should you avoid in the future?
  • Who added value to your life and work?
  • Who subtracted value?
  • What key actions led to the greatest results?
  • How can you repeat them in the future?

Journaling the answers to questions like these can be very powerful. It doesn’t have to take long to do this exercise. Even 15 minutes of thinking time can be powerful. The key is to slow down long enough to proactively think instead of reacting to whatever comes your way.

E—Exhale (take time to breathe from the busyness of life)

My wife is a very driven woman. She is a passionate, energetic, successful middle school teacher. She runs hard all week long and then she crashes hard on the weekends. I regularly have to remind her to breathe. Even when she’s watching TV and enjoying downtime, she can become so focused that she forgets to breathe. Anyone here like this?

A friend of mine shared with me that he developed the discipline to sit still for five minutes and focus on breathing each day. He told me it was transformational for him.

As I’ve observed the impact of my own breathing habits, I’ve realized that when I focus intently or am stressed I begin to hold my breath or take shallow breaths. Occasionally I will catch myself and take a few deep breaths. This helps my mind clear, diminishes stress, and enables me to relax.

As you navigate this busy holiday season, pay attention to your breathing. Remind yourself to breathe if necessary. Place sticky notes on your computer screen, dashboard, or bathroom mirror. Place reminders wherever it will trigger you to pause and take some deep breaths.

Life is too busy and challenging to not find ways to reduce stress. There’s much wisdom in the people who set aside time to breathe and meditate. It’s a time to recharge and refocus so you can be about the things that matter most.

If you’re a person of faith, block out time to pray and breathe deeply. Many people also find yoga and other breathing exercises beneficial as well. Customize whatever works for you, but be intentional about it. 

I am a person of faith and I’ve developed a daily habit that has revolutionized my life this year. I get up at 5 am (most days), get ready for the day, then spend an hour reading, praying, and journaling before I wake my kids up for school and get them out the door for the bus. This daily routine has become something I crave. I used to be a “night owl” and hated getting up early, but now I crave the quiet calm of the morning before I begin my days. In order to experience this, I had to shift my schedule significantly. Now, I make sure I go to sleep before 10 pm so I can wake up fresh in the early morning hours. 

While this may not be the specific step you need to take, figure out what works best for you and do it. Give yourself margin in your schedule to breathe. 

S—Schedule intentional time with those you value most (quantity and quality)

Time is our most valuable asset. We work so hard in our lives to earn money and all the while we burn precious time that can never be renewed. The truth is that we can always find ways to earn more money. But once time passes, it’s gone forever. 

Much has been said and written about the differences between quantity and quality time. We often deceive ourselves into believing that “quality time” makes up for the loss of quantity time. As a father of three young kids, I know for a fact that quantity and quality are not synonymous. My kids want both. When I’m in a busy season, I hear grumbling about not spending enough time with them. No amount of quality time will fill the gap. 

Regardless of the type of relationships we’re discussing, people can tell how much we value them by how much time we give them. It’s been said that you can see your priorities by looking at your checkbook and your calendar. The difference is that no matter how much money you spend on someone, time will always be more valuable. My kids are less interested in money and things than they are in time spent with me. Those you love and value the most feel the same way even if it’s deep inside and not spoken.

During the holidays, block out time to invest in your relationships. Time spent together protects relationships and communicates value to people. We all put important things on our calendars, but how often do you schedule relational time? Many people fear this makes it feel artificial. But think about it—if your spouse, child, or friend saw that you value them enough to block out time on your full calendar for them, don’t you think that it would speak volumes? You block time for projects—blocking time for relationships is even more important!

Ask yourself a few questions:

• • Who do I value most?
  • Am I giving them the time they deserve?
  • Who am I giving too much time to that isn’t mutually beneficial?
  • What adjustments do I need to make in my calendar in order to invest in my valued people?
  • At the end of my life, who will I regret not spending more time with?
  • What can I do now to minimize regrets?

Time is fleeting. It goes by too quickly. Just the other day I saw a picture pop up as a memory on Facebook of my wife and two sons who were 3 and 1 at the time. Our little girl wasn’t born yet. Now, our kids are 12, 10, and 8. I treasure every day I have with them. But I have to fight to protect the time I invest in them. I encourage you to fight for time to invest in your valued people as well. Doing so will be one of life’s greatest blessings and will prevent regret at the end of your life.

T—Think ahead (plan for next year)

This is the step that often comes naturally to us this time of year. When the end of one year comes, we get excited about a fresh start and we begin to dream and cast a vision for the next year. Because we gain energy from this, we should also block time to give adequate attention to it.

Here are a few questions to guide you to strategically think ahead:

• • At the end of next year, what would I like to have achieved?
  • What action steps are required to achieve these goals?
  • What is required of me in the new year?
  • What would give me the most satisfaction in the new year ahead?
  • What are my personal goals for the new year?
  • What are my organizational goals?
  • What actions do I need to take in order to grow in the new year to become the person and leader I desire to be?

With each new year comes a new opportunity to grow and become better. Instead of dealing with regrets of the past, the new year brings hope for a brighter future. As you think ahead, envision what your ideal life and business will look like five years from now, then determine the steps it took to achieve that vision. This is an activity called “remembering your future.” 

Everything is created twice—once in the mind of the creator and then once physically. When you envision your ideal future, you have the opportunity to then create it physically. Too many people are daydreamers—they envision a better future, but they leave it at that. They hope that it will magically come to pass. However, those who achieve the vision are those who identify the necessary steps to take and then get to work.

Whether it’s for your personal life or your organization, think ahead and dream about what you want to see happen. Then determine that in the new year you will get to work on making it happen. Thinking ahead turns busyness into productivity. John Maxwell states in his “Law of Priorities” that “Leaders understand that activity is not necessarily accomplishment.” If you desire to have a year of accomplishment in the year ahead, it begins with thinking now.

As this year comes to a close and you navigate the next few weeks of the holiday season, may you intentionally R.E.S.T.

Let’s do a quick review:

R—Reflect on the past year

E—Exhale to destress and refocus

S—Schedule intentional time with family and friends

T—Think ahead to the New Year

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It has become a bit cliche to use the airplane oxygen mask illustration, but if you don’t help yourself first, you won’t be able to help others.

When it comes to becoming more valuable in your family, marriage, friendships, and workplace you have to invest in yourself. If you are the same person five years from now that you are today, you won’t be nearly as valuable as you have the potential to be. If you don’t start developing yourself today you are hindering your growth tomorrow.

What do you want to be remembered for? Are you working on becoming that person yet?

What level do you want to achieve in your career? Are you positioning yourself to achieve that level by how you are developing yourself today?

I recognize that it is difficult to do the grinding work today when you won’t see results until later, but if you don’t fight through those feelings you will not move forward to meet your hopes, dreams, and goals down the road.

I was greatly impacted by a John Maxwell video I watched several months ago. He asked “What is your goal for 10 years from now?” Then he asked “What do you need to do in the next 30 days to move towards that goal?”

10 years may seem like a long way off, but when you look back on your life, it will feel like the years flew by. Before you know it, another decade will pass. Will you have done the work needed to see the results that you desire?

Don’t let another day, week, month, or year slip by without taking action to move towards your goals. Invest in yourself. As you do, you will become more valuable to the people around you. Your growth will spill over onto the people in your life.

Be Intentionally Great Today!

My mission as a success coach and leadership trainer is to help you take action to become the best version of yourself. Contact me today to discuss how I can help you and/or your organization achieve greater results!