Leadership

Do you ever find yourself waiting to become inspired to do the work you know you need to do? Maybe you are waiting around to start on a dream project or maybe it’s as simple as getting a household task done.

Here’s what I’ve discovered – inspiration rarely comes until you get up and take action. Just as we sometimes need to act our way into our feelings, we also need to act our way into inspiration. Recently we were adding some plants to our landscaping. After installing the plants, I needed to mulch our flower beds. I wasn’t very inspired to do it, but once I ordered the mulch to be delivered and a heaping mountain of it showed up on our driveway I had to get to work. On top of that, I had a small window of time to get it done on a busy Saturday. Did I feel inspired? No! But when I took action, momentum kicked in and I accomplished more work than I have in a long time. It was hot, sweaty, dirty work, but at the end I was proud of what I accomplished and finally felt inspired.

What is it that you need to get moving on? Make a decision right now that you are going to tackle it. Start taking action and let momentum build. That’s when inspiration will finally come.

Be Intentionally Great today!

Do you ever find yourself overthinking what your next move should be?

Do you ever find yourself stuck and frustrated?

Do you ever find yourself conflicted about what you “should” do?

As human beings, we have highly advanced minds that can produce incredible things, but we can also cause ourselves a lot of stress from overthinking and fearing the decisions we make. Today I want to help you find some freedom. Instead of overthinking and analyzing something a thousand times, make a decision and start moving forward. As the old adage goes “you can’t steer a parked car.” While your first decision may not be the “best” decision, it will get you moving and you can then make course corrections along the way. Many times, taking the 1st step is the most difficult. Steps 2 and beyond are a bit easier because you overcome inertia and have momentum building.

What decision(s) do you need to make today and start moving on? Real-time confession – I had two decisions in the past few days that I kept thinking about. Once I made my mind up on what to do and began to take action, the next steps became clear and much easier to take. Let that be your story today as well. You are made to keep moving forward. Make the decisions you need to make and start moving forward on them.

Make today a great day. Be Intentionally Great!

In my last blog – click HERE to read – I wrote about growing in influence by empowering others. In that article, I shared a four-stage process to take someone from incompetence to competence, from dependence to independence.

Today I am ending this series by taking a look at how we grow in influence by reproducing other influencers (leaders). It is important for you to personally grow in leadership, but the great leaders don’t stop with themselves. They don’t just accumulate followers. Rather, they reproduce leaders. They have a multiplication mindset.

If you want to grow in influence, taking the step of reproduction is critical. The more you invest and help others grow so they can be more influential, the more influence you will gain. Many people hesitate helping others grow because they fear they will replace them. In reality, leaders should always be looking to train up others who CAN replace themselves! And when people see that you have their best interest in mind and are willing to help them succeed, the higher level of influence you will have.

Influence is NOT about manipulation. Rather, it’s about helping others become the best versions of themselves. You have a lot to offer. Who around you can you reproduce your skills and abilities? Yes, you have much to grow in. We all do. However, you started somewhere to get where you are today. Help someone else begin or continue their growth journey and watch your influence soar.

Be Intentionally Great today!

***I would love to help you grow in influence as a leader. If you would like to learn more about my coaching and training services, please email me at [email protected].

Have you ever had someone who believed in you, trained you and then empowered you to take on key responsibilities? If so, how did that make you feel? What did you learn? How did it help you grow?

John Maxwell wisely states that “the true measure of leadership is influence; nothing more, nothing less.” One key way to influence people is to invest in them and empower them to take on responsibility. The goal of leadership should be to develop other leaders, not gain followers. If you are simply gaining followers who are unable to learn from you and do what you do, then you are shortchanging them, the organization and yourself. One of the key lessons I learned as a young leader is to “work yourself out of a job.” If you develop people who can do what you do, you will be free to work on new and more important tasks or initiatives. And you will strengthen your team and organization.

So, how do you empower others? Follow the following four-stage process:

Stage 1 – I do, you watch

In this stage, you are simply showing your developing leader(s) what you do. Observation is critical for them to get a vision of what they will do. This stage doesn’t need to last long. Simply invite them to shadow you for a reasonable time frame. This could be a few days or a few weeks depending on your circumstances, but your goal is to move them to stage 2 as quickly as you believe they’re ready.

Stage 2 – I do, you help

In this stage, you are now having them help you. You start to apprentice them in a hands-on manner. Give them tasks to do as you are doing your work. Give them more and more pieces of projects as appropriate and as they are ready.

Stage 3 – You do, I help

In this stage, loosen the reigns of what you are controlling. Instead, let them take the lead on what they’ve been doing with you in stage 2. You then will act as their back-up support. Step in only if their failure will be detrimental to the project or organization. Ask them questions along the way to evaluate how well they are absorbing your training and to help them think through changes they need to make.

Stage 4 – You do, I watch

In this stage, you send them off on their own and watch from a distance. Let them know you’re available, but that you won’t be “holding their hand” anymore. You shift from a hands-on mentor to a trusted advisor. At this point you should check in on them occasionally, but create intentional distance so they will feel the weight of their responsibility and understand that it is now theirs to “own.”

If you work through this sequence with those you are leading, you will begin to see leaders multiply and you will feel great joy and relief as you see them succeeding and taking on responsibilities that frees you up to work on other important matters. This is a repeatable process that all leaders should be working through with their followers.

Empower people and watch your influence grow!

Be Intentionally Great today!

It’s been said by many that people do business with those they KNOW, LIKE  and TRUST. We may not consciously think about this, but I’m confident that subconsciously we’re evaluating everyone we meet to see if they meet this criteria. To be a an effective, influential leader we need to realize these three qualities are critical.

But how do you achieve this with people? You connect with them.

Well, what does that mean? There are many ways to connect with people, but let’s look at a few practices that John Maxwell shares in his wonderful book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect:

#1 – Connectors connect on common ground

This is a simple practice that anyone can do, but you have to start by making your conversations about the other person. To find common ground you cannot be focused on yourself. You need to be curious about the people you are engaging. Ask good questions. Listen intently. Be on the lookout for common interests, backgrounds, etc. Spend time on their turf or obey the old adage of “walking a mile in their shoes.” Find common ground and you’ll create a connection.

#2 – Connectors do the difficult work of keeping it simple

Whether you’re talking one on one, to a small group, or to a larger audience, keep your communication simple. Find ways to make complex information easy for people to understand. When you do this, people value your conversations. They will appreciate you! It’s been said that you haven’t mastered a subject until you can explain it to a child. To grow in influence with the people you lead (or want to lead), adhere to the K.I.S.S. principle – keep it short and simple.

#3 – Connectors live what they communicate

This is vital to connection and to your integrity. Do you “walk the talk?” Do you demonstrate in your daily actions what you speak? If you are in sales, do you believe in your product or service? If you’re a teacher, do you adhere to the information and principles you teach? If you are in health care, do you take care of your own health? One definition of integrity is “who you are when no one is looking.” Does your inner and outer life match up? People can spot a phony a mile away. Authenticity is critical if you want to connect with people and grow in influence.

While this is not an exhaustive list of how to connect with people, taking time to implement these three key principles will take you far. Remember, the true measure of leadership is influence; nothing more, nothing less. Take these principles seriously and watch your influence grow.

Be Intentionally Great today!

***If you would like to take a deeper dive on this topic personally, with your team, or your entire organization, email me at chris@leadlifebig. I offer keynote presentations, workshops, and team mastermind group studies on Everyone Communicates, Few Connect by John C. Maxwell.

Have you ever been lost and needed someone to come alongside you to point you in the right direction?

Have you ever been struggling and having a difficult time gaining clarity to understand what decisions are the right ones to make?

Sometimes in life we need a navigator to come alongside of us and help us move forward and in the right direction. It’s not uncommon as young drivers and young adults to call “shotgun” and want to sit in the front passenger seat on a road trip. What we don’t often think about is the responsibility of sitting in that seat to help make sure the trip goes well.

It may not be a huge deal to get lost on a road trip. You can typically stop and ask for directions. But what about being lost in your life’s direction? What about when you feel up against a wall or simply “stuck”? That’s when you need a navigator to come alongside you.

If you desire to have greater influence in the lives of people, consider the following ways of how you can be a navigator for them:

• Spot obstacles ahead and give warnings of danger ahead
• Lead people by the hand through the fog in their minds
• Be a listening ear so they can process what’s going on and help them make sense of it all
• Share your past experiences that can help others avoid the traps you fell into

We all go through times where we need someone to come alongside of us and help us navigate the challenges and potential opportunities in front of us. Commit to being that navigator for others and watch your influence and impact grow!

Be Intentionally Great today!

Do you realize that your personal growth (or lack thereof) affects those around you?

Have you ever considered how YOU can affect the environment you live and work in by making personal growth a priority?

Perhaps you’ve heard the analogy of being either a thermometer or a thermostat. A thermometer simply reads the temperature of a room. A thermostat controls the temperature. When you make personal growth an intentional part of your life, you become a thermostat. You begin to affect the “temperature” in your family, your workplace, and your community.

As a personal growth and leadership coach, I am always on the lookout for people who are growing. I love to observe how one person has the power to make things better in their environment. As a leader, your goal should always be to make things better for those around you. You should be paying attention to what is broken and how you can  help fix it. Leadership is about relationships. Broken things get fixed by people. Consider the following questions:

Who are you investing in?

Whose “lid” are you lifting so they can be more successful?

Who are you encouraging to make themselves better?

What is the condition of your environment?

What needs to change?

What actions can you take to make things better?

You are powerful…more powerful than you probably imagine. As you grow, you have the ability to lift others to new heights. To improve the conditions of your environment, invite others to join you in your growth journey. Your invitation may be just what they need to improve their lives at home and at work.

Key Question – Who is one person that you should reach out to today and begin this journey?

Be Intentionally Great today!

It’s the beginning of Spring as I write this post and I’m thinking about seasons of growth. We made it through a very mild winter where I live and I’m thankful for that. But another season is upon us and it’s time for new growth to start showing up. Flowers are blooming. Trees are budding. Grass is becoming green and growing. It’s what happens during Spring!

But do you think about our personal growth much? Seasons come and go in nature. The same is true in your life. What season are you in? Are you growing? Do you have a plan to grow? Many people drift through life essentially staying the same as they were 5, 10, or even 20 years ago. Is that you? Or are you someone who seeks new growth opportunities?

Personal growth is a choice. In fact, it’s a daily choice. Change is something that most people resist, but the fact is that change is going to happen whether we welcome it or not. Things around us will keep changing. We can’t control most of it. But we can control our own growth. We can pick up a book. We can take a course. We can seek out mentors. We can step out of our comfort zones.

As you reflect on your life, are you choosing to grow or are you staying the same? When we are born, physical and mental growth happens at an exponential rate. As children, we learn something new every day because we’ve never experienced it before. As adults, many things are repetitive and we don’t learn much new. But we have a choice to make.  We can let the days slide by with the same ol’, same ol’ OR we can make the decision to stretch ourselves and learn something new through study or action.

What is one area of your life that you’d like to change? Determine one key action to take today and then do it! Choose to grow. As you grow, new opportunities will come your way. Spend a few moments thinking about the last days of your life. What do you want to look back on and be glad that you did? In order to avoid a life of regret, you’ll have to sacrifice a life of comfort. Determine to take a courageous step of growth.

Be Intentionally Great today!

Do you ever desire to be respected more?

Do you want to receive a promotion so you can achieve greater income and influence?

Start by being responsible where you are.

This is a principle that is often overlooked. We want the promotion before we’ve done anything to receive it. We want credibility before we’ve earned it. We want the benefits before we’ve done the work to receive them.

The way to receive a bigger platform is to shine in your current situation. I recently heard the story of a young woman who desired to be hired for an important role in a non-profit organization. However, she didn’t have the experience to be hired for the position. What did she do? She took an entry-level position in that organization and proved herself in the course of more than a year. Then, when her desired position was open again, she applied and was easily promoted into it.

One of the challenges of today’s culture is we expect to jump into top-level leadership roles without “paying our dues.” In past generations, people understood that they would have to work their way up the “ladder.” Today we have a microwave mindset. We expect to jump right to the top without having to gain experience along the way. If you start your own company or organization, you can do that, but I guarantee you’ll have to learn many hard lessons along the way in order to survive. It’s possible, but not as easy as many like to think.

However, if you work hard and “bloom where you’re planted” in your current role, opportunities will come. While it requires patience, you will be better prepared because of the daily work you do and the incremental growth you experience.

Don’t take it as an insult if/when people say you aren’t ready. Instead, embrace your time in the “incubator” as you mature and grow into the role you desire. Start working at the level you’ll need to when your opportunity comes. There’s a saying of “when you prepare for the moment, the moment is prepared for you.” Are you preparing for your moment? Are you doing the work today in order to receive the level of influence, impact, and income you desire tomorrow?

Being responsible where you are today leads to greater credibility and opportunities later. Show up every day and do your best work. People will notice. However, simply showing up and “putting in your time” will be noticed too. Just because you’re there doesn’t mean you’re contributing at a level that stands out.

You can do this. I believe in you! Don’t settle for coasting and expecting a promotion. Instead, prove yourself by working hard each day.

Be Intentionally Great today!

Have you ever found yourself “stuck” because you didn’t feel you were ready to start something yet?

Have you ever worried about launching a product, service, or initiative before you were confident it was “just right?”

I have good news for you!

If you truly want to become great at anything, you have to start with “imperfect action.” Imperfect action means that you start and adjust along the way. Think about it…technology companies do this all the time. They launch a product or service, then update it based on user experience. Think of how many times you’ve had to update your phone, tablet, or computer. Those updates make the device perform better. That means the product wasn’t perfect when you bought it! It has room for improvement.

Too many people die with their dreams inside of them because they are too afraid to take action before they’ve perfected everything. Too many people live frustrated lives because they don’t achieve their goals, but they never start because they aren’t confident enough at what they are offering. Don’t let that be you!

I’ve experienced this personally. A colleague and I talked about a workshop idea for months before we finally put a date on the calendar. When we did that, it forced us to take imperfect action. It forced us to learn skills we didn’t already possess. It forced us to GROW! And you know what? We led a great workshop that impacted the lives of several people. But it wouldn’t have started without taking imperfect action.

Start before it’s perfect. Implement, then adjust. Become comfortable with imperfect action and you’ll be amazed at how much farther you get in your life and work. You’ll be amazed at how you learn and grow along the way.

I believe in you!

Take imperfect action and Be Intentionally Great today!