Blog - Page 21 of 60 - Wheeler Coaching Systems

Aug

2021

Improv and Leadership

Recently I went to an Improv Comedy Club with my wife. Since we had the opportunity to be away from our children we thought going someplace to get a laugh would be a great experience. Because I constantly think about things through a leadership lens I discovered three leadership lessons from this experience.

Energy

As the evening began the host came up on stage and created an environment of high energy. He got people clapping and had people stand up and dance. This was designed to be an entertaining evening and he had to set the tone and create the right “vibe” in the room. If we have a title or position of leadership we have a responsibility to set the tone in a room.

We can walk in with an overbearing scowl or we can be upbeat and full of life. If the meeting has a serious topic, we set that tone. If the meeting is a strategic brainstorming session, then we need to create an open atmosphere. The leader creates the energy and can influence the energy of a meeting often through both verbal and non-verbal communication.

Engagement

If you are unfamiliar with Improv, part of the experience is audience participation. Before each sketch the host asks the audience for words or may have someone come up to participate. This creates an environment where the audience is part of the experience instead of passively watching. Effective leaders draw out their team members to get them engaged in the conversation.

Have you been in a meeting where no one talks except the person leading? These meetings are difficult to remain engaged in. If you lead a meeting where you are the only one talking you may want to consider ways to engage your team more. Maybe the meeting should only be an e-mail or brief stand up conversation. Possibly preparing questions related to what you want feedback on will help you increase engagement. Each person on your team has value they can bring so figure out how to best engage with them.

Boundaries

We went to the early show on purpose because it was a family friendly experience. At the beginning of the show the host asked for people to judge the competition. One individual was a young man around ten years old. The host did this to help remind everyone this was a family experience. As the host and leader, he had to create a boundary and establish the rules of our time together.

Some of us may not like creating boundaries because of our temperament or other reasons. Boundaries help provide freedom like a fence around a playground. When the team understands the expectations and boundaries they have more freedom to get creative. Create the boundary and free up your team for innovation.

How are you doing in these three areas. What is one step you can take today to grow in one of these three areas. Need help creating an engaging environment? Contact me about facilitating The John Maxwell Team Leadership Game to open up conversation and increase engagement on your team. In the meantime, Lead Well.

Aug

2021

What My Wife Unknowingly Taught Me About Leadership

One night I asked my wife to read one-page of my personal DISC assessment to give me feedback if she thought it sounded like me. She read it and gave some feedback and said now you have to watch this thirty-minute video with me.

I must admit I feel I got the short end of the deal, but little did I realize she was introducing me to the opportunity to learn from an amazing leader. My wife has been involved with Young Living for quite awhile, but I never realized how great a leader the founder of the organization was.

Allow me to share with you some of the wisdom I learned from this interview Scott Shuler of ManUpProject had with Gary Young.

Self-worth keeps you from quitting.

As a leader when you are pursuing a vision many voices internally and externally will discourage you. Some of those voices may be those closest to you therefore we must understand our worth personally and be confident.

Dream or Vision?

During this interview Gary Young provided an illustration. Imagine you just had a vivid dream. You wake up, but did you forget it? Maybe instead you wrote down all the details so you would not forget it. The difference, a dream fades, but a vision sticks. Which are you leading others to pursue?

Nice and passion.

Many of us have heard the phrase that “nice guys finish last.” Gary would argue that nice guys finish where their passion lies. Whether in business or life if a person operates with honesty and integrity they can finish where they want. May passion be supported by the leader’s honesty and integrity.

Passion or Excitement.

A gas grill often has an ignitor people use to start the fire. This ignitor Young would say is excitement . . . quick and sudden. Add gas to the ignitor spark and then the entire grill is full of fire. Young suggests that a leader’s passion fuels the excitement. What is the gas you are adding to fuel your vision?

Business and Family.

Young suggests we pursue our dream at a pace which will be good for everyone involved. We may have an idea, but if those closest to us are not supportive of the dream problems arise. In a respectful way we can sell our family on the idea and go at a pace that works for all involved.

These are only a few of the ideas I gathered from this brief interview. What about you? Do you know who you are as a person? Is your vision clear? How is your passion level? What do you need to do in order to refuel? How are those you love involved in your vision . . . do you need to adjust your pace so you don’t lose those closest to you? I hope these principles have been as valuable to you as they were to me. If you want help thinking into your results feel free to contact me. If you want to learn more about Young Living and all they do, contact me and put “Young Living” in the subject. In the meantime, keep pursuing your dream and lead well.

Aug

2021

Learning from a Leader in the Tech Industry

I was sitting across from a man who has led six different tech companies over the years and presently is the Chief Strategy Officer for Counterpart. I always enjoy these conversations and learning from leaders and their experience. During this time together I was able to learn the three principles that guide him as he has assumed various leadership roles over the years.

Giving

“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”

Zig Ziglar

This idea applies in many ways. Generosity is at the foundation of many successful people’s lives. One of the biggest ways Drew applies this idea of giving in his leadership is by investing in his people. The greatest asset we have on our team or in our organization is the people. This leader invests in his team in a couple key ways.

Nurtures their strengths. The tendency may be to focus on improving our weaknesses, but when leaders nurture the strengths of those they lead then they are going to multiply the results. As Buckingham and Clifton say:

“you will excel only by maximizing your strengths, never by fixing your weaknesses.”

Understand them. This requires a leader to slow down, communicate, observe, and listen. If we are busy giving orders and fail to slow down and connect with those we lead we fail to invest. Taking time to give our time will multiply in the return when done genuinely and strategically.

Transparency

This idea could be discussed in a blog of its own. I have asked some of my mentors how to be transparent with those we lead, but not too transparent that it creates more unnecessary challenges. The two ways Linn suggests we be transparent are through integrity and honesty.

Nothing is more frustrating for those being led than when what we say and what they experience from us are out of alignment. This alignment only occurs with integrity and honesty. If the organization is struggling be appropriately transparent. While being transparent leaders need to discern how much to truthfully share without creating alarm and also create appropriate urgency. This transparency is also evident when the leader is humble enough to admit not knowing all the answers and engaging the team for solutions.

Continual Learning

The humility I mentioned above is the backbone of Drew’s final leadership principle. He realizes he is not the smartest person in the room. As leadership expert John Maxwell says, if we are the smartest person in the room we are probably in the wrong room. Drew has two key ways he maintains a learner’s mindset.

Get out of his comfort zone. I was talking to my mentor and coach one day and he reminded me that I have to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. As leaders when we stay in our comfort zone too long we risk what we lead either plateauing or declining.

Learn people’s story. As I mentioned earlier, people are an organization’s greatest asset. When we take time to learn about others we are showing we care and will be able to align the team/company vision more intimately with someone’s personal vision.

Leadership is a journey and we are all growing every day. If not, we may not be leading much longer. Which of these three areas do you need to develop in? Need help thinking into it? Contact me for a thirty-minute thinking partner session at no cost to you. Lead Well.

Aug

2021

Leadership Lessons from Braveheart – Part II

Nearly every year I watch the movie Braveheart. This year was a little different. I watched it with my three sons for the first time. After watching it last year I shared a blog on three leadership lessons I saw in the movie which you can read here.

This year was no different. As I watched the movie for yet another time, I saw leadership lessons from the life of William Wallace that I hadn’t quite noticed before.

Passion

My favorite scene in the movie is before the battle of Stirling. Scottish clans are lined up ready for battle. As the English army lines up their courage falters and they start to leave. As they begin to leave, in rides William Wallace and inspires them with vision and passion to call them to fight. His final words before provoking a fight are:

“They can take our lives, but they will never take our freedom.”

As leaders we must have passion for what we are leading. As the leader we most likely care more than anyone else and think about it more than others. How do we transfer this same passion? We must be able to help people see more as we do. One way that is accomplished it genuine belief and clear communication of the vision that people can feel from us.

Wisdom

William Wallace is watching as his dad and older brother go off to fight the English. Before leaving young Wallace is sitting on his dad’s horse eager to go with him. As his dad pulls him down from the horse William says he can fight. After affirming his fighting ability he says:

“I know you can fight, but it’s our wits that make us men.”

His dad is killed and his Uncle Argyle raises him. Wallace who was eager to learn how to fight was first taught how to use his mind. He returns and has the wisdom to know when to fight and when to wait. Through time, knowledge, and experience leaders gain wisdom. Wallace was smart, but he knew how to apply that intelligence in practical ways to help Scotland win key battles.

People

Two main groups of Scottish existed: commoners and nobles. Wallace was one of the former. Though he was knighted and possibly tempted with lands and money, he would not take it. As his fame and success on the battlefield grew the nobles wanted him collaborate more closely with them. He refused to enter this quest for titles, land, and power. When asked to work with them he challenges the nobles stating:

“Your position exists to provide these people with freedom.”

Wallace had the hearts of the people. His passion was contagious because he lived out what he believed. His vision was crystal clear with a relentless pursuit of one thing. At his execution his final word exclaimed that one thing.

“Freedom!”

As leaders all three of the above are needed. Passion fuels us on the days we want to quit. Wisdom informs our decisions. Ultimately if we are trying to accomplish anything of significance it requires the hearts of the people. Are we living out what we are leading? Do we use the product? Do we serve alongside others in the cause? Are we willing to sacrifice to keep the vision alive? Big questions. Hard questions. Maybe you need someone to help you clarify your vision or help you break through the barriers to living into your passion as a leader. Contact me and let’s discover any way I may be able to help you raise your leadership level to be an even greater warrior for what you lead. Lead Well.

Aug

2021

Olympic Mindset for Leaders

I was watching the end of the men’s 1500 meter swim race. I am not a swimmer. Actually, I am more of a drowner. Watching this was mind boggling for all of us as each of my boys were sharing how they would have drowned by the end of the first lap.

The American swimmer was holding a pace between third and fourth during the race.

Then they hit the last lap.

Finke starts closing the gap and reaches the wall to push off before the final length. He explodes off the wall staying under water long enough to gain ground. As he comes out of the water, he overtakes the leader to reach the finish with plenty of room to spare.

While watching this and the women’s 100 meter track race later I thought of three principles these athletes teach us about toughness that all leaders can apply.

Focus

At the end of Finke’s race during his interview they asked what was going on in his mind during that final length. I imagine all sorts of thoughts raced through his head such as “I am exhausted,” “I can’t swim anymore,” “my body hurts,” or even “I want to quit.” None of these thoughts dominated. What dominated was the voice of his coach yelling in his head not to quit.

When it gets hard where does our focus go? As leaders we often want to quit. The climb feels too hard. The challenges look to big. (As an aside, if you aren’t experiencing these feelings ever I would ask: is your vision big enough?) I like what John Maxwell says in his book Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn:

“Not being controlled by our feelings means that we can face our fears, get out of our comfort zone, and try new things.”

Long before that evening Bobby Finke had developed the discipline to control his feelings in such a way he could focus on results.

Coaching

As I mentioned, in the post-race interview Finke said how he heard his coach’s voice in his head. I would assume all those other thoughts were competing, but his coach had not only helped him develop his body, but also his mind. As leaders we need someone in our corner to help us with our mental game.

I spent well over a decade helping athletes develop and when I launched the business I was amazed how many mental battles I had to face. I too need someone in my corner just like an athlete to encourage, challenge, and help me think. Who is the coach in your corner and who do you need to be a coach to?

Trust the Process

As I was watching this race I thought he must have had a plan. He did not get out front and hold the lead of this long race. He paced himself strategically. When the time was right, he burst ahead. I am certain for years he has raced with this process and seen positive results.

I wonder if he ever got bored and wanted to try a new method. Maybe. The process of timing worked so he trusted it. As leaders we need to innovate as John mentioned above, but we also need to trust the processes that work and know the right timing to make our move as Finke did.

As a leader how are you doing in these areas. Just like sports, leadership is a mental game. Who do you have in your corner to coach you and help you win the mental game? Need help thinking into your timing or with focus? If these are areas you need to grow in contact me at randy@wheelercoachingsystems.com and let’s discover if I can help you reach Olympic level results in your leadership. Lead Well.

Jul

2021

Leadership Perception vs. Reality

In one of my early jobs one boss shared the thought: “perception is reality.” I was really annoyed by that statement. I figured it didn’t matter what people perceived about who I was because I know who I really am and my character.

Character is absolutely more important than reputation which is an overflow of how people perceive us. Something I read recently caused me to think more into this idea of perception. While reading Thanks for the Feedback by Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen I came across the following statement:

“We judge ourselves by our intentions, while others judge us by our impacts.”

Intentions

Let’s say you are at work, and you see someone struggling to communicate their thoughts in a meeting. You want to help so you jump in and add to the conversation or give advice later on how to present more effectively. Your desire is to help them grow, develop, and succeed so you jump in or provide feedback. That intention is an overflow of your character.

This is your perspective.

Impact

You see this co-worker the next day and he is avoiding you. At one point you are together alone and can feel the tension. Since you care about the relationship and are completely confused as to what is going on, you ask:

“Hey Jim, what’s wrong?”

Silence

“Did I do something because it seems you are really frustrated?”

“Well, since you asked . . . “ Jim at this point strongly unleashes feedback as to how he did not want any advice and felt like he looked incompetent when you jumped in during the meeting.

You stand in shock while experiencing the impact of your actions even though they had pure intentions. They were perceived as overstepping your bounds.

Put on Different Shoes

I remember reading in the classic book To Kill A Mockingbird a conversation between two primary characters encouraging the value of putting themself in another person’s shoes. I must continually pause and ask myself before I speak or act: how will this impact the other person? This is especially important if we are in a position of power over another person. What may seem like a trivial statement to you as the leader may impact in a deeper way.

What does all this mean? We need to pause long enough to consider how what we are going to say could be perceived by the other person?

I would suggest two ideas. First, authenticity and appropriate transparency will decrease the probability of a mismatch between intention and impact. The more people know us as leaders the greater probability of understanding our intention and our words or actions having the intended impact. Second, take a moment to read the e-mail before you press send or think about how what you are about to say needs to be delivered. Not just the words, but also the tone of voice and your body language.

I guess my boss was kind of right at least that perception does influence reality in the mind of the listener or watcher.

Do you need help in how you communicate with those you lead? If so, let’s connect and maybe a Maxwell Communication Impact Report and debrief would be a great first step for you. Click here to set up a discovery call so I can help you grow your impact as a leader in this area. Lead Well!