Leadership

If you’re like me, you want instant results. You want to take X action and see Y result NOW. But what I’ve discovered is that lasting results take time. It takes going through a process of growth and development to become the best versions of ourselves.

We live in a “microwave” society where we expect everything to happen FAST, but long-term development and lasting results take time. We need to learn how to patiently go through the process in a very impatient culture. Our expectations have changed exponentially over the past 30 years as computers and technology have changed the game. Remember when we waited for the screech of dial-up internet to load up so we could use email and do some browsing online? Then high-speed internet was introduced and we became impatient with dial-up. Now high-speed continues to get faster and faster, yet we are impatient with it.

So, how do we manage expectations when things are constantly speeding up? We need to embrace the process. We need to realize that it takes daily growth in order to have long-lasting, sustainable results. Don’t be a “flash in the pan” that has no long-term impact. Instead, make a commitment to work through the process to grow daily and experience the compound effect of intentional action steps.

You are becoming daily who you were created to be. Instead of wishing away the pain and struggles of today, embrace them as growing pains and catalysts to become a better, stronger, wiser person who will be able to make a greater difference tomorrow and in the years to come.

John Maxwell states in his Law of Process that “leadership develops develops daily, not in a day.” I believe that is true for so many areas beyond leadership. Your relationships, your skills, your impact develop daily, not in a day.

Realize that growth and progress often take longer than you want and cost more than you expect. But if you embrace the process and keep a long-term view of development you will be able to better manage your expectations and find yourself being more patient.

Embrace the process.

Be Intentionally Great today!

Perhaps you’re like me – you want to take action and slowing down to think and plan is awkward and challenging. Perhaps you’re the opposite – you love to think and make plans, but taking action on those plans is a challenge for you. Wherever you fall on this continuum, we must all realize that strategic planning is critical for our long-term success.

John Maxwell’s “Law of Priorities” is “Leaders understand that activity is not necessarily accomplishment.” We can be busy doing many things without accomplishing much. We live in a society that wears “busyness” as a badge of honor. Ask most people how they’re doing or what’s new and they’ll say something like “Staying busy!” But one lesson I’ve learned from people much wiser than me is that slowing down and doing “deep” work is much more impacting than going fast and doing “shallow” work.

If your goal is to feel like you’ve accomplished something today, make a list of 20 menial tasks and get them done. You’ll feel good about it at the end of the day, but will you really have accomplished much? What if instead you sat down for 15 minutes each morning to think through your day and write down what matters most? What would it look like for you to strategically map out your days and weeks? Do you think your impact would increase? Do you think it could affect your influence – even your income?

A gentleman I know shared that he dedicates one hour every Monday morning just for “thinking time.” He sits down with only a notepad and pen. He dedicates this time to think about how to move forward in his business. He said the first 15 minutes can be rough sometimes, but once he’s in a good mental place, ideas start to flow. What do you think would happen in your life and work if you dedicated time to stop and think about your life and work?

Don’t get me wrong, this will require discipline and commitment for many of us. For action-oriented people this can be a real challenge. But let’s not forget the value of slowing down and planning so that we can increase our influence, impact, and income. I’m confident we’ll all be better for it.

Be Intentionally Great today!

Would you like to live a life of greatness and leave a lasting legacy? I think it’s safe to say that most people would say “Yes!” to that question. But many people aren’t sure how. Maybe that’s you.

Achieving success in your life is to be admired. It means you’ve put in a lot of energy and hard work to get there. It means you made the decision to go after your goals and visions. It means you made sacrifices in order to achieve at higher levels.

But what if there is a way to up-level your success to achieve an even greater reality? Would you want that?

The way to achieve this is to shift from “success thinking” to “significance thinking.” It’s a subtle shift, but it is what leaves a lasting legacy. A personal example of this is my grandfather. He passed away at the age of 69 when he lost his battle with cancer. He had a successful business career that he retired from several years earlier. He was a leader in his church. He was a city councilman for many years. He was an incredible father and grandfather. He took every opportunity to make an impact in the lives of people he met, even the hospital staff that took care of him up until his last day of life. He left an incredible legacy for me and my family. He did this because he didn’t settle for “success” alone. He chose to live a life of significance.

You can too. But how do you do it?

When I coach clients on how to discover their purpose, I share four key areas to reflect upon:

1 – Gifts/Skills/Abilities – What are you good at?

2 – Experiences – What personal and professional experiences have you learned from over the years?

3 – Passions – What energizes you? What angers you that you want to fix? What motivates you to get out of bed each day?

4 – Needs – What needs do you see around you that you can address?

When you find the intersection of each of these areas, you will find your life purpose. As you grow throughout your life, your purpose will grow as well. Defining your life purpose is a key step to shifting from success to significance thinking.

Let me give you two ways to make this shift:

1 – Invest in your personal growth.

Are you continually growing? Are you finding new books, articles, conferences, and trainings to attend? Do you have a mentor or coach? Are you filling your own tank so you are filled up to pour into others?

While it may be an overused analogy, putting your own oxygen mask on before you help others is critical in emergency situations and investing in your personal growth is as important in living a life of significance. Create a personal growth plan and determine to grow day after day.

2 – Find ways to invest in others. 

As you grow personally, you will be able to help others more. It could be mentoring a fellow employee. It could be helping a neighbor. It could be mentoring your child(ren). It may be serving the under-resourced and homeless population in your city. It literally could be dozens of ways. Go back to the process of discovering your purpose and seeing the needs around you. Investing in others is what builds legacies.

You have so much more to offer than you can imagine. Don’t settle for a life of mediocrity. Instead, go after a life of significance. Read one of my favorite quotes from Nelson Mandela:

“There is no passion to be found playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.”

You are capable of so much! Choose to lead your life BIG – Be Intentionally Great – by growing and investing in others. I believe in you. I can’t wait to see the legacy you leave while you move ahead in this incredible journey called LIFE!

***If  you need to clarify your purpose and/or learn how to break through barriers holding you back from reaching your potential, please contact me. I would love to help you advance in your life.

Hey there! I hope you’re doing great today!

Do you ever feel distracted?

Do you desire to accomplish more and use your time better?

If you’re like most people, you are bombarded daily with advertisements, social media, and all sorts of people and other things demanding your time.

To overcome this, you must create a greater sense of URGENCY in your work and life. How do you do that? Set deadlines and write down the cost you’ll pay by not meeting the deadline.

My mentor Kary Oberbrunner is leading a group of us through a course to help us become “unhackable” in work and life. In one of his sessions, he stated “If I want my time to count, I must count my time. Desire without a deadline is simply a pipe dream.”

Wow! How often do you have dreams and goals that just never happen because you’ve not given yourself a deadline to accomplish them? How often are you counting your time? Do you have real dreams you’re going after or just a “pipe dream?” What is it costing you to not take action with urgency?

Block out some time in the next 2-3 days to write down the dreams and goals that you have. Then give yourself a deadline to take action on those items. Your dream may take months or years to achieve, but what will you do in the next 30 days? What will you do next week? What will you do today?

Create a sense of urgency in your life to achieve your goals and dreams by setting a deadline. Then, block the time on your calendar for when you will focus on taking action. I guarantee this will help you block out distractions and accomplish more. I’m experiencing this lesson in real time even as I type.

I would love to help you become “unhackable” in your work and life so you can achieve your goals and dreams. If you recognize that having a coach to hold you accountable and teach you how to overcome the distractions and barriers in your life is valuable and needed, contact me at [email protected]. My dream is to help YOU achieve your dreams!

Go Be Intentionally Great today!

Have you ever considered that your life’s purpose isn’t just for or about you?

Many of us struggle in life wondering what on earth we’re here for. You may ask questions like:

• What is my calling?
• What should I do with my life?
• Isn’t there more to life than what I’m experiencing?

You’re not alone. I remember pondering these questions as a teenager when my high school graduation loomed and having no clue what to do with my life. Then an international trip outside of my comfort zone happened and a mentor stepped intentionally into my life. I finally had vision for my life. I realized that I was being called to equip others to clarify their life purposes and break through barriers so they could reach their potential. I couldn’t say it that clearly back then, but that’s what was in my heart and mind.

Maybe you’re much older and still wondering what your life purpose is. It’s okay. I want to encourage you today that you were created with a great purpose for your life. If you’re still breathing, you have a purpose!

But here’s the thing – your purpose isn’t just for or about you! There are people right around you that need you to live a full life of purpose. They need you to be inspired and motivated at home, at work, and in the community in which you live. They need you to care about them and use the abilities you have to help them live better lives and experience better work environments. You are important and needed!

But how do you discover your life purpose? This can be a detailed discovery process that takes time, but here are four areas that point to your purpose:

• Abilities – What gifts, skills, or abilities do you have that can help and serve others?
• Experiences – What experiences have you had (good and bad) that can help others? Quite often, the pain we go through points to how we can help others most.
• Passions – What excites and motivates you? What do you daydream about? What makes you laugh, cry, or sing? What gets you moving in the morning?
• Needs – What are the needs you see and hear of right around you? Who is in need? What are the needs?

While we could dig much deeper into each of these areas, use the questions from each area to process on your own. Click HERE for a recent free teaching call I recorded called “How to Clarify Your Purpose & Go After Your Dreams in 2017!” I believe it will help you.

Also, maybe you have a big dream or some key goals you want to work on or accomplish in 2017. If that sounds like you, check out my upcoming Master Class on John Maxwell’s book “Put Your Dream to the Test.” For only $49, you will receive 6-sessions of teaching and coaching on Tuesday nights at 8pm EST, January 17 – February 21, 2017. You will learn 10 key questions to use as a filter for any dream or goal you have. This is the upfront work that should be done before taking action. Act fast because registration closes tonight, January 16th, at midnight! Click HERE for more details and to register.

Your life matters and not just for you! Others need you to live a life of purpose each day. You can do it. I believe in you!

Be Intentionally Great today!

Happy New Year!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. I know I did! During the holidays, I heard about and read “The 12 Week Year” by Brian Moran. This is an incredible book that not only redefines a year and how to quadruple your results, but it gives a specific plan of attack. I highly recommend you pick up a copy! You can click HERE to learn more about it and purchase it at Amazon.com.

Today I want to share one key thought that is foundational to getting the results that Moran writes about. To get the results that you desire, you must work each moment, day, and week with intentional and effective execution. Too often, we set big goals, but we don’t take the action required to get the results. Without action, the results will not come.

What do you want to accomplish in the next 12 weeks?

What are your big goals?

What strategic actions must you take to reach those goals?

Do you have a plan to effective execute those actions?

Some of us are naturally action-oriented. However, we can also lack strategy. As my mentor John Maxwell says in his Law of Priorities, “Leaders understand that activity is not necessarily accomplishment.” You must take the time to set goals, determine strategic initiatives needed to achieve those goals, then take action. Moran says that goals are reached moment by moment, day by day. He emphasizes that we can control our actions much more than we can control our results.

Too often we set annual goals and then procrastinate on tackling them until the last quarter of the year. Why? Because of the pressure of a deadline! Moran wrote “The 12 Week Year” to redefine the year to be every 12 weeks where we consistently feel the deadline approaching and celebrate our wins. Deadlines prompt us to take action. 12 weeks is a time frame that is long enough to accomplish significant goals, but short enough to put healthy pressure on us to take action.

As you get into the rhythm of your work after the holidays, I highly encourage you to pick up this book, study its material, and start making your own 12 Week Year plans. Take intentional, effective action and watch the results that you get!

Be Intentionally Great in 2017!

Do you need help setting goals, determining your strategic initiatives and putting an action plan together? I would love to help. Simply email me at [email protected].

You have the capacity to be a great leader. Do you believe that?

I’m not saying that you will necessarily lead a revolution like Martin Luther King, Jr. or Nelson Mandela or Mahatma Ghandi. What I am saying is that you have the capacity to influence the people around you in a big way.

John C. Maxwell famously teaches that “the true measure of leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.” You influence people each day – family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc. You even influence yourself and self-leadership is the toughest form of leadership!

Listen to what Alan Hirsch writes in his book The Forgotten Ways – “To be a great leader in this sense is to inspire, evoke, and nurture something correspondingly great in those who follow. Through an integrated life, great leaders remind their followers of what they can become if they too base their lives on a compassionate notion of humanity framed by a higher moral vision of the world in which we live.”

The reason you can become a great leader is because you have the ability to inspire, evoke, nurture and remind people of what they can become. You can point out the strengths you see in them. You can encourage them to use their talents. You can push them to develop their abilities. You can give them HOPE by speaking words of affirmation and encouragement to them.

Think about it…how often do people speak encouraging words to you about your strengths and talents? If you’re like most people, it’s not often. In fact, most of us take these things for granted in the people we’re closest to.

If you want to become a great leader – and I hope you do – start paying attention to the people around you and help them see the value they contribute to the world. Encourage and challenge them to step into their gifts and grow to the next level. Be a messenger of hope by pointing out what is often overlooked.

Be Intentionally Great today!

At the risk of being cliche during Thanksgiving week, I want to simply say “Thank you!” You are why I do what I do. I am passionate about coaching people to clarify their life purposes so they can break through barriers and reach their potential. I am passionate about guiding people to grow in leadership so they achieve greater influence, impact, and income. I am passionate about helping teams and organizations develop healthy cultures that truly make a difference for employees, customers, and clients.

As I reflect on the past 16 months since I started my blog, I feel very blessed and honored that you have chosen to connect with me. I hope that what I share is encouraging and valuable to you. I hope that as you apply the principles that I’ve found so valuable over my years in leadership that you will have a greater personal and professional life.

As you enter this week of Thanksgiving, I encourage you to reach out to those who are connected to you and let them know how you are thankful for them. One of the great things about annual holidays like Thanksgiving is that they give us a consistent rhythm in our lives to stop and reflect amidst hectic schedules. Don’t let this week slip by without sharing your thankfulness with those that impact you.

Idea – write at least five notes or cards to people who have made a difference in your life this year to express your thanks. In our culture, we don’t receive many letters or notes encouraging us. Stand out this year by giving the gift of your written thoughts.

I hope you have a fantastic week and please know I am praying that you and your loved ones have safe travels as you spend time celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday.

Be Intentionally Great today!