Blog - Page 2 of 60 - Wheeler Coaching Systems

Mar

2024

Three Ways to Create an Inspiring Environment

Many years ago I was visiting with the strength and conditioning coaches of a very successful professional football team. I had one goal in mind: to understand how they motivate their athletes.

I was talking with the head strength coach ready for some wisdom on how they motivate their athletes. Guess what he said.

“We don’t.”

Needless to say, I was a little deflated at that point and also curious why. Many years later I have heard other leaders in the business world say similar things. So, what does a leader do if we don’t motivate our team members?

I am going to suggest we create an environment that inspires them. We may not be motivating them because we hired them to do a job and don’t feel we should have to. Could it be we have a responsibility to create an inspiring environment? Allow me to provide three ideas on creating that environment for your team.

Understand Their Style

Every one of us is different. We are predictably different though. I have a file on my desk with the results of multiple assessments I have taken to understand myself. One of my favorite, which I use in trainings with organizations, is the DISC assessment.

This tool helps you understand an individual’s personal behavior style. How does this help you create an inspiring culture? Each person is inspired a little differently. Some are inspired by a goal and challenge, some by relationships, some by being a part of a team, and some by precision. When we understand the individual and collective style of our team, we can then create an environment that brings out the best in the team and each individual.

As we speak their style, we connect more effectively and inspire more powerfully.

Sort Out Their Strengths

The human experience can cause us to focus on our weak areas and how to improve them. What if we flip this, focus on our strengths, and use them more frequently? When we position people on our team so that they are working in their areas of strength, we get improved results.

People who work in their strengths will be in flow, enjoy their work, and perform at a higher level. The Maxwell DISC Personality Indicator has helped me understand individual leadership strengths, but I have also used another tool. The Working Genius helps individuals see their work performance preferences and what gives them the most fulfillment.

As a leader who understands these two areas, you will begin to be equipped to create a more inspiring environment.

What is Their Why?

Of the three, this is the most important. When facilitating an ongoing leadership academy I continually remind the leaders in the room to “align the whys.” The team you lead has a purpose, why it exists. Each individual also has a purpose, why they are on your team.

As the leader your job is to understand each individual’s “why” and align it with the teams. For example, if they work to provide for their family and the organization offers more money with increased results then you can remind that individual how their performance helps both the organization and them accomplish their purpose.

As you look at these three areas, which do you need to work on with your team? Need help understanding your team member’s style and strengths? Contact me to discuss how I may serve your team and help you strengthen them and partner with you in building an inspiring culture. Lead Well!

Feb

2024

Five Tips for Building Your Team

I have a family of five. Sometimes we have gone into the city to help at a homeless shelter. This is a great experience but it is limited if only a couple of us go. When all five go, we serve more people faster.

Similarly, as a business leader, one of the most important factors in your success is the team you surround yourself with. Building a healthy, efficient team is essential for the success and growth of your company. You may be faster alone, but you will go farther with a healthy team.

Let’s look at some areas to consider when building your team.

Right People

First, it’s essential to hire the right people. Look for individuals who not only have the required skills and experience, but also align with the values and culture of your company. These individuals will help drive your business forward and contribute to its success. When values align this ensures your culture will not become tainted.

Team Environment

Once you’ve brought the right people on board, it’s crucial to create an environment that fosters teamwork and collaboration. Encourage open communication and create opportunities for team members to collaborate on projects and tasks. A healthy team supports each other and works towards a common goal.

Develop Them

Provide your team with ongoing training and development opportunities. This not only helps them grow and improve their skills, but it also shows that you value and invest in your employees. By investing in your team, you’re investing in the future success of your company.

You may ask, “what if I train them and they leave?” What if you don’t and they stay? Helping them grow and encouraging them to help others grow will only benefit everyone on the team.

Positive Culture

Early on I did not realize the power of culture. The reality is culture will eat your leadership for lunch. Team members who feel valued, respected, and appreciated will provide much better effort and pass this on. A positive company culture not only leads to higher employee satisfaction, but also increased productivity and performance. (There is much more that could be said about this so I have included some past blogs and additional reading on the topic at the end of this post.)

Example

Finally, it’s important to lead by example. As the leader, your actions and behavior set the tone for the rest of the team. Demonstrate integrity, accountability, and a strong work ethic. By leading by example, you’ll inspire your team to do the same and create a healthy, positive work environment.

Building a healthy team takes time, effort, and dedication, but the rewards are well worth it. A strong, efficient team is essential for the success and growth of your business. Which of these areas do you need to focus on during the next week or month? Need help with developing your culture? Contact me to discover ways to help strengthen your culture and grow your team at the same time. Lead Well!

Recommended Books on Culture

The Culture Code by Daniel Coyle

The Advantage by Patrick Lencioni

Culture Rules by Mark Miller

Past Blog Posts on Culture

https://wheelercoachingsystems.com/8-types-of-culture-which-is-yours/

https://wheelercoachingsystems.com/culture-what-makes-it/

https://wheelercoachingsystems.com/five-tips-on-building-a-healthy-culture/

https://wheelercoachingsystems.com/generosity-a-key-to-team-culture/

Feb

2024

Leadership Lessons from Presidential Leaders

Each year I like to take time to help us draw out leadership lessons from presidential leaders. Think about it, the presidents of the United States have faced some of the most daunting challenges and have had to make tough decisions that have shaped the course of history. As citizens we can easily criticize and share our opinions just like fans of a football game can criticize the coach, but unless we have been in their seat, we really don’t understand the pressure. You face your own pressures as a leader. Let’s take a moment and look at some lessons we can learn from past presidents.

Effective Communication

One of the most important qualities of a successful leader is the ability to communicate effectively. Time and time again, we have seen presidents who were able to connect with the American people through powerful speeches and clear, concise messaging. Whether it was Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address or Franklin D. Roosevelt’s fireside chats, these leaders understood the importance of rallying public support through effective communication.

Calm Under Pressure

The President never knows what problem he will wake up to. The presidency is perhaps one of the most high-pressure jobs in the world, and yet the best leaders have demonstrated an ability to stay composed in the face of crisis. Whether it was George Washington’s leadership during the American Revolution or John F. Kennedy’s handling of the Cuban Missile Crisis, these leaders remained calm and collected even in the most challenging situations.

Develop a Strong Team

In the book Team of Rivals Doris Kearns Goodwin highlights the fact that President Lincoln had a team of different thinking individuals in his cabinet, some were his rivals. He understood that effective leaders build strong teams. No president can run the country single-handedly, and the best leaders have understood the importance of surrounding themselves with a strong team of advisors and experts. Whether in war or peace presidents have carefully built teams around them that would help inform their decisions. The model of Lincoln was he surrounded himself with people who thought differently. This helped him get diverse perspectives in decision-making as well as insight into how others thought.

Decisive

Presidential leaders have often demonstrated a willingness to make tough decisions, even when they are unpopular. Whether it was Harry Truman’s decision to drop the atomic bomb on Japan or Lyndon B. Johnson’s push for civil rights legislation, these leaders were not afraid to make difficult choices in the face of intense opposition. In doing so, they were able to make lasting and meaningful change.

How are you doing in these areas as a leader? Take a moment and evaluate how effectively you communicate, how calm you are under pressure, how diverse your team is, and how decisive you are in decision-making. Which of these areas do you need to focus on during the next week or month? Need help growing in one of these areas? Contact me for a powerful coaching experience to help you think into your results and grow as a leader. Lead well.

Feb

2024

Leadership Lessons from the Gridiron Part III

It is Super Bowl Sunday as I write this. This year is a battle between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. Two storied franchises. I was originally going to look at another coach, but instead I read and found some principles that have helped the coaches of these teams get their teams to the Super Bowl.

Trust

While researching I found an article highlighting what Andy Reid did in the beginning of his tenure at Kansas City to turn the team around. He intentionally built trust by creating a leadership committee with the players. Being around sports for many years personally I saw this was an effective tool for building leaders on the team.

This type of “committee” creates an environment to build open communication. When there is open communication with the leader issues can be addressed more quickly. Open communication will increase trust. When a team moves at the speed of trust, they can move much faster.

Culture

One article I read highlighted the culture that the 49ers have explicitly developed. Reid has developed a culture of trust and Shanahan has created core values to guide the team. Values such as mutual respect, competition with collaboration, empowering players, and focusing on fundamentals.

A team that is clear on its values will be able to make decisions more effectively. Take Johnson and Johnson in 1982 for example. When they decided to remove all Tylenol products after they learned people died from it being laced with arsenic, this was guided by their values. Values create the foundation of a team’s culture.

Strategy

Football is a game of strategy, not just during the season, but also in the off-season. Who will they keep? Who will they trade? Who will they draft? All these decisions, informed by a clear picture of the culture they want to create, are strategic.

People have differing opinions on the 49ers leadership, but as one writer reflected back they could see how their off-season personnel strategy has gotten them where they are. Once the season starts each team must trust their coaches, build the culture, and execute a strategy that is often adjusted along the way.

Consistency

Each team has gotten to this level because of consistency. The Chief’s players know what they get with Andy Reid. Some criticize Shanahan’s lack of emotion, but he is consistent. This is not an exciting word, but as leadership expert John Maxwell puts it . . . “Consistency compounds.”

If people feel they are walking on eggshells with you as a leader then you probably are not consistent. When people on the team know they will get a reliable response, whether in good or bad times, this builds trust and confidence and a willingness to take risks that will bring about growth.

As you look at these four areas, which one do you need to develop? Take a minute to reflect on these four areas and pick one to develop over the next week or two. People do not become champions by accident. Consistent cultures that develop trust and have a clear strategy they execute daily will climb the mountain of success. Keep growing and climbing and if I can help you think into your results contact me for a powerful coaching session. Lead Well.

https://www.cnbc.com/2023/02/08/how-kansas-city-chiefs-coach-andy-reid-builds-trust-with-players.html

https://people.com/sports/all-about-andy-reid-kansas-city-chiefs-coach/

https://www.newspressnow.com/sports/chiefs/reids-leadership-paying-dividends-for-veteran-players/article_a8b8983a-c6d3-11ee-86e2-2b139006ce48.html

https://bootcamp.uxdesign.cc/drawing-leadership-lessons-from-the-49ers-super-bowl-run-b41dc090efdb

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/49ers/article/top-10-moves-49ers-leadership-duo-john-lynch-18387127.php

https://www.si.com/nfl/49ers/news/the-49ers-have-a-leadership-problem

Feb

2024

Leadership Lessons from the Gridiron Part II

In less than seven days many people will be watching the latest battle for the Lombardi Trophy during the Super Bowl. Last week I shared part one of a three-part series on leadership lessons from Super Bowl coaching legends.

Since we are approaching the Super Bowl I thought it would be appropriate to highlight leadership lessons from the one the trophy is named after. . . .Vince Lombardi. Coach Lombardi was the head coach of the Green Bay Packers in the 1960’s and won five National Championships in seven years including the first two Super Bowls.

In his book Run to Win Donald T. Phillips highlights many leadership lessons from Coach Lombardi’s career, but I will focus on just three in this post.

Teamwork

“People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses or the complex problems of modern society.”

Vince Lombardi

Building a team can be a challenging process. As a leader you must take a group of individuals with their own agendas and get them working together toward a common goal. Lombardi loved the idea of getting group of individuals to work together as a unit. What helps us do that?

Put the team in front of our own individual agendas. Human nature causes us to naturally consider our desires before others. As a leader the challenge is to provide a big enough “why” that everyone wants to align their agenda toward the teams. The job of the leader is to create a compelling vision that unifies the team and keeps them unified.

Desire Over Ability

“I’d rather have a player with fifty percent ability and one hundred percent desire, because the guy with one hundred percent desire, you know, is going to play every day, so you can make a system to fit into what he can do.”

Vince Lombardi

People need ability, but the challenge as a leader is to discern where their desire is. Hiring people can be one of the more challenging parts of leading. It may be tempting to hire the talented person even if you don’t know their desire level.

I have worked with individuals who are talented but lazy. Ultimately it ruins the culture and brings others down. On the other hand, an individual who is willing to learn, work, and grow can develop skills, and if they are on board with the vision, will continue to be an extremely valuable team member you will always find a place for. Your job as the leader is to find the best fit with what skills he or she has.

Culture of Discipline

“[Lombardi] established his authority by setting the rules, explaining them clearly, and enforcing them evenhandedly. . . creating a culture of discipline on his team.”

Donald T. Phillips

Culture will eat leadership for lunch. As a leader you mold the culture. Just as a football coach creates the culture on his team, so as a leader you can mold your team’s culture. Phillips gives us three keys: set, explain, and enforce the rules.

Within your organization or team are the expectations of how you do things clearly explained? Are they clearly enforced? If not, it may be a sign you need to get clear on what expectations you have for your team. Clearly explaining what you expect and holding people accountable to those expectations will create a culture of discipline and results.

How are you doing in these three areas? Which one do you need to work on in the next week? Need accountability or help thinking into your leadership? Contact me for a no-cost-powerful coaching experience. In the meantime, lead well.

Jan

2024

Leadership Lessons from the Gridiron Part I

Two people run full speed at each other and crash into one another with nothing but some plastic armor to protect them. This is football simplified. Since we are just a couple weeks away from the Super Bowl I thought I’d highlight some legendary football coaches and the leadership lessons we can learn from them.

In this blog I am going to explore lessons from former USC and Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll. Years ago I read his book Win Forever which I will draw on for some of his principles and how we can apply them to our leadership.

Know Your Philosophy

If you are a basketball fan, then you are familiar with legendary basketball coach John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success. This was his philosophy in one diagram. During a period in between coaching jobs, Coach Carroll developed his own pyramid which defined his philosophy of leading and coaching.

Brene Brown in her book Dare to Lead emphasizes that “clear is kind.” When I meet one-on-one with leaders, I find that clarity can be the biggest challenge. If the leader is unclear where they are going, the team will be even less clear. As the leader get as clear as possible on where you are going and what are the key priorities (beyond money) in your organization. This philosophy will be your North Star to keep you pointed in the right direction and a roadmap for decisions along the way.

Use Competition as a Tool

“However successful you may be, there is always some element you can improve upon, some achievement to exceed.”

Pete Carroll

I have had the opportunity to be around successful teams when as a strength and conditioning coach. Becoming successful was a lot easier than staying successful. As Coach Carroll suggests above, there is always room for improvement. Keeping this in mind helps the team stay hungry.

How does competition fit into this? I would suggest the healthiest way to use competition is to get individuals to compete against themselves while working with one another toward a common goal they are attempting to achieve. When a leader uses competition to pit people against one another it creates backbiting and politicking. This will encourage an unhealthy team. Help team members set goals and allow them to see how they rank against one another, but make any reward tie to the team effort which maintains unity of purpose.

Practice

Recently I was preparing for a talk I was going to give to a group of professionals. I don’t enjoy talking to the wall or a camera, but I need to. There is part of me that wants to wing it, but I realized during this time that in my years of playing sports I had no problem preparing and practicing for the game because I knew it was necessary to perform at my best. This is no different with any other skill.

Leaders are busy, but they still need to create time to practice and grow. Maybe as a leader you need to improve your delegation skills, how you lead a meeting, or how you communicate. Take a minute and get feedback from your team on where you need to grow. This will show you where you need to practice. Maybe you need a coach to help you or invest in some sort of training. We all have areas for growth and practice helps us improve.

When you look at these three areas, which do you need to focus on this week? Put time in your calendar today to focus on the area you need to make a priority in order to lead and build a more productive team. Need help thinking into your leadership? Contact me for a no-cost-powerful coaching session. Lead well!