Blog - Page 3 of 60 - Wheeler Coaching Systems

Jan

2024

Thinking – A Leaders Weapon

As leaders, we often find ourselves caught up in the hustle and bustle of work. From meetings and calls to emails and deadlines, the noise and constant activity can be overwhelming at times. But what if I told you that the key to success may lie in the power of silence and thinking time?

At first, the idea of silence and thinking time may seem counterintuitive to the go-getter mentality we’ve been conditioned to embrace. If you are like me, you like to keep going. There is always another goal to accomplish, a task to do, and life to impact. Maybe we can go fast by slowing down. Let’s look at a few benefits of slowing down to think.

Clarity

One of the most important benefits of silence and thinking time is the opportunity for clarity. In the midst of our busy schedules, it’s easy to get caught up in the minutiae of day-to-day tasks, losing sight of the bigger picture. Taking time to quiet our minds and reflect allows us to gain a fresh perspective and see our work from a new angle. This helps us make more informed decisions and set strategic goals for the future.

Creativity

Silence and thinking time also give us the space to tap into our creativity. When we’re constantly on the go, it challenges our ability to access our creative potential. By allowing ourselves the time to be alone with our thoughts, we create an environment that is conducive to innovative thinking and problem-solving. Whether it’s brainstorming new ideas or finding solutions to existing challenges, the power of silence can be a game-changer for our businesses.

Well-being

Silence and thinking time are essential for our mental and emotional well-being. The constant noise and busyness of a leader’s life can take a toll on our mental health, leading to stress, anxiety, and burnout. Taking time for silence and reflection allows us to recharge our batteries, reduce stress, and foster a sense of inner peace. This not only benefits us personally but also has a positive impact on our leadership abilities and decision-making.

So, how can we incorporate more silence and thinking time into our daily routine? It’s all about making intentional choices to prioritize these moments. This might involve scheduling regular breaks throughout the day to step away from our work and simply breathe, or setting aside designated periods of time for quiet contemplation.

Ultimately, as leaders, it’s important to recognize that silence and thinking time are not a luxury but a necessity. By embracing these moments of stillness, we can find greater clarity, creativity, and emotional well-being, ultimately leading to more success in our businesses. What will you do in the next week to create space for silence? Need a tool to guide your thinking specifically on your business in these silent moments? Check out https://bit.ly/6WaysLead to get a free e-book on Six Ways to Think Into Your Leadership. Lead well.

Jan

2024

Four Leadership Principles from the Life of MLK

Each year when we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr. I like to explore his leadership and share some leadership lessons we can learn. Dr. King was a true visionary and his approach to leadership has left a lasting impact on the world. His passion and vision were two of the most evident leadership qualities, but let’s explore what else we can learn.

Commitment

One of the most notable aspects of his leadership was his unwavering commitment to his cause. He was incredibly passionate about achieving equality and justice for all, and he was willing to do whatever it took to make that vision a reality. One example is the fact that he went to jail 29 times. This level of passion and dedication is something that every business leader can aspire to. When you are truly passionate about your business and your goals, it becomes much easier to inspire and motivate your team to achieve greatness.

Communicator

In addition to his commitment, Martin Luther King Jr. was also an incredibly effective communicator. He had a way with words that was both powerful and compelling. His famous “I Have a Dream” speech is a perfect example of this.

In his book Martin Luther King Jr. On Leadership Donald Phillips highlights a number of reasons why public speaking is crucial for a leader. A few that I think are critical to our leadership as leaders are:

Building support and enthusiasm
Inspiring people to take action
Keeping the team informed on the leaders actions
Educate, persuade and sell people on new ideas
Clearly identify the values of the organization¹

Composure

Another important aspect of Martin Luther King Jr.’s leadership style was his ability to remain calm and composed in the face of adversity. Although he was thrown in jail 29 times, violently attacked, received threatening phone calls, and even his home was bombed,² he never wavered in his ability to maintain poised. As a business leader, you will face challenges and setbacks. By emulating Martin Luther King Jr.’s ability to remain calm and composed under pressure, you can lead your team through tough times with grace and confidence.

Strategic Planner and Organizer

Dr. King was a master of strategic planning and organizing. He mobilized thousands of people to participate in peaceful protests and marches, all with the goal of effecting change. As a business leader, it’s crucial to be able to plan and organize your team effectively in order to achieve your business objectives. Not only this, but like Dr. King, go with them as you execute the plan.

As you look at these four areas, which one do you need to grow in this week? Take time to think of one action step you can take to lead with greater commitment and composer or improve your communication and planning skills. Need help growing in your leadership? Contact me for a no cost to you coaching session. Lead well.

Phillips, Donald T. Martin Luther King Jr. On Leadership. Warner Books, NY. 1999.
https://novaonline.nvcc.edu/eli/evans/his135/events/king68/king68.htm#:~:text=King%20faced%20many%20obstacles%20while,and%20he%20was%20even%20stabbed retrieved 1/15/24

Jan

2024

Five Steps to Help You Achieve Your Goals

The gym was bustling today. The first two weeks of January you are fighting to use equipment because everyone is set on this being the year they reach their fitness goals. I applaud that, but over half of them are done by the middle of the month. What happens?

May I suggest they took the short-term perspective instead of the long view. When we focus on our goals we may think “how fast can I get there?” versus “how far can I go?” The second question is a focus on growth.

Setting goals is an important part of any success story. Whether working towards a promotion at work, a degree, or a better lifestyle. Having clearly defined goals and a plan to achieve them can make all the difference. I hope these steps will help you set and reach your goals.

Define Your Goals

The first step to setting goals is clearly defining what you’re trying to achieve. Ask yourself what you want to achieve and why. This will help you to stay focused and motivated as you work towards your goals.

Let’s look at losing weight. Clearly define how much weight you want to lose or in business what revenue amount you want to reach this year.

Break Your Goals into Smaller Goals

Once you’ve defined your goals, it’s important to break them down into smaller, more manageable goals. This makes them easier to track and helps you stay on track with your progress.

If we want to lose weight or reach a specific annual revenue number, this can be overwhelming. Don’t worry because our next step will help reduce this feeling.

Create a Plan

Now that you know what you want to achieve, it’s time to create a plan. Start by outlining the steps you need to take to get to your goal. This helps you stay organized and ensures you don’t miss any important steps on your way to success.

How many days will you exercise? What daily activities do you need to do in order to reach your revenue goal?

Track Your Progress

As you work towards your goal, it’s important to track your progress. This helps you remain motivated and shows you how far you’ve come. You can track your progress by setting milestones and keeping a record of your accomplishments.

Many people create a workout log for their fitness goals. If you are working on a revenue goal, create a visual chart to track the activities that will help you reach that goal. Be sure to add an area on this chart to track your results.

Celebrate Your Success

Once you’ve achieved your goal, it’s important to reward yourself. Celebrate your success and enjoy the satisfaction of having achieved something you set out to do.

I’m not good with this one. I will often set a new goal and not take time to celebrate reaching the goal I was pursuing. Find ways to celebrate with others as you reach your goals, then start the process again to keep growing.

As you look at these steps, which of them do you need to do better with? Need help thinking into your goals? Go here for a goal-setting guide sheet. Lead Well!

Jan

2024

Three Keys to Leading Yourself

If you know me then you know I spend time regularly at the gym. This has become a lifestyle habit to keep my chest from sagging to my drawers and manage stress.

During this time of year I smile and get mildly frustrated at the same time. During the first couple weeks of the year the attendance at the gym increases dramatically. Around the middle of the month though . . . it drops closer to normal.

What happens?

The same that happens to all of us when we start slipping on our goals. One of the following three factors is no longer effective.

Vision

“When we know why we do what we do, everything else falls into place.” Simon Sinek

Whether the goal is becoming healthier or reaching a specific professional goal we often get distracted from an unclear vision. We may have a goal, but do we have a clear reason why we want to accomplish the goal?

When the goal first comes into our awareness, we should ask “why?” as many times as we need until we determine the real reason we want to achieve the goal. This clarity will help us maintain focus when multiple other priorities attempt to distract us.

Plan

“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.” Benjamin Franklin

This has been quoted by many people but originated with Benjamin Franklin. We have set a goal and have a clear vision of why we want to accomplish the goal. The next key is creating a definite plan. A definite plan does not need to be an A-to-Z map of every detail. It can be as simple as one step.

Try this. Write down your goal at the top of a page of paper and then make three stair steps. What are the three steps you would need to take to accomplish the goal? There may be more, but what are the major steps that, if you continually execute, you will accomplish your goal? Write it down and then move into action.

Persevere

“Everything worthwhile is uphill.” John Maxwell

This is the most challenging key of the three. We must persevere. Whether the goal is losing weight or growing your business, it will take discipline and effort. We will have days we want to quit, and days we fail to execute the plan.

Quite honestly, we will have days we flat-out fail.

Get up.

Take the next step and continue to climb the hill developing the habits that will help you accomplish your goal. Surround yourself with people who will support, encourage, and push you to keep going.

Setting the goal is the easy part, but executing can be the most challenging. Which of these areas are you stuck in? Do you need help with prioritizing as you start this new year? Check out this resource to help you with prioritizing this year. Lead Well.

Dec

2023

What Home Alone Taught Me About Leadership

Every year I get the opportunity to provide a leadership training program to a group of individuals who serve municipalities. One of their recent assignments was to watch a movie and report what they learned about strategic planning. One member watched Home Alone.

Since it is the Holiday season, I took time to watch Home Alone with some of my family. While watching the movie I saw some principles we can apply when it comes to our strategic planning. As you close out this year and head into a new one, I hope one or all of these are helpful to you.

Identify Problems

For those of you not familiar with the movie, the youngest boy in the family gets left home alone when the family flies to Paris for Christmas. At one point in the movie, he realizes there are burglars attempting to break into his home. He has held them off for a while, but learns they will be coming back on Christmas Eve at 9:00 PM. Kevin had a problem and he had to figure out what to do.

Within your organization, you may perform a SWOT analysis or some less formal way to evaluate the state of the organization and potential problems on the horizon. If you don’t, this is a great way to be proactive instead of reactive in how you lead your business.

Determine Your Plan

Once he identified the problem – they were coming at 9:00 PM he developed a plan. Kevin realized there were multiple possible entry points to the home, and he created obstacles for entry. Not only that, but he had a plan on how to get the police to arrive.

After you have identified threats and weaknesses, which are where problems are visible, create a plan. Take time to evaluate options, select the best one, and then implement that option. The critical step after you have determined a plan is to implement and adjust as needed.

Use Your Resources

Kevin was home alone, but he was resourceful. He used ornaments, paint gallons, tar, nails, shingles, a blow torch, and more to help implement his plan. He couldn’t run to the store and load up on ammunition or build a huge blockade. He used what he had at his disposal and moved ahead.

“We don’t have the resources” you may think as you look at your plan. That is okay. What can you do with what you have? This is the stage where you can tap into the creativity of your team. What can you do to move into action to take a step closer to your goal?

Accept Help

Even the best-laid plans don’t always work out. Kevin didn’t, as the burglars figured out what one of his final moves was and caught him. With fear in his eyes and his life at risk, help came from an unexpected place . . . I won’t tell you where in case you haven’t seen the movie.

We can create the greatest plan in the world and start moving forward, but eventually we will hit a roadblock. When that time comes, we need to have the humility to ask for help either from other members of our team or outside the organization. As we all know from 2020, unexpected and uncontrollable situations arise. In those moments we will need help and have to embrace it.

As you look at your organization or team which of these do you need to improve on for the upcoming year? Need help thinking into your strategic plan or need help developing the leadership, communication, or teamwork of those on your team? Contact me and let’s discover ways I may be able to assist you. In the meantime, build your plan, implement your plan, adjust your plan, and keep moving forward. Lead well.

Dec

2023

Three Keys to Reducing Hurry

I have to close out the year and finish strong.

I have to attend all the holiday parties I’m invited to.

I have to get all the gifts bought and wrapped.

I have to create my plan and set myself up to start the new year strong.

I have to . . . .

I thought this time of year was supposed to be full of joy, but it seems we all get caught up in “have to” syndrome. Ironically, I just finished reading two books others recommended to me that help us with the hurry of life. Hurrying occurs not just during the holidays but throughout the year.

One book is by a pastor, and the other is by a sports psychologist. One was recommended to me a while ago, and the other is a friend of mine. Both have great insights, but I don’t have time to share them all, so I have put links to the books at the end of this post, but below are a few principles I hope help you to lead yourself well during this holiday season and beyond.

Our Time Creates Us

“…how we spend our time is how we spend our lives. It’s who we become (or don’t become).”

John Mark Comer

As one year ends another begins maybe you create time to reflect on the past year and look at where you spent (or hopefully invested) your time. I have heard there are two places to find out our priorities . . . our bank account and our calendar.

We all have the same amount of time. The question is, are we leading ourselves intentionally or accidentally? Whether you have decades or years of life the way we use our time creates us.

I have a friend who passed away a year ago and in the last months of his life he was living his best life. He poured his time and energy into people. At his funeral, the room was packed, and it was a demonstration of a life lived on purpose, not just chasing the urgent.

Our Time Can Be Directed

“If everything in life is urgent, then fast is the only speed we have toward everything. And urgency toward everything will cause stress, anxiety, and feeling overwhelmed.”

Dr. Rob Bell

Comer discusses disciplines such as silence, solitude, and slowing to help us with the problem of hurry or urgency that Dr. Bell mentions above. Your life is full as a leader, and you have a bent toward action. We can’t stop moving forward, but maybe we need to consider slowing down and creating space to relieve the stress, anxiety, and overwhelm.

In my book 25 Ways to Lead Better at Work and Home, I suggest nine ways to recharge, such as reading, being in a community that supports you, exercising, and others. This concept of recharging during the holidays can be as simple as a few minutes with your coffee in the morning, thinking and prioritizing your day to direct us out of hurry and into an intentional investment of time.

Patience is Essential

“Success grows in those who know what is important, and act with urgency toward the important. Peace rests with those who are also patient with the results.”

Dr. Rob Bell

A successful leader focuses on his or her priorities and moves with laser focus toward those few priorities. This leader patiently works the plan and knows the results take time.

This is a journey that is difficult for me because I want it done . . . yesterday. I am learning to enjoy the process and continue to consistently take steps toward the goal, knowing the results will come in time. Our job is consistently planting the seeds that will lead to our desired success. This requires persistence and patience.

How are you doing in these three areas? What could you do this holiday season to slow down and enjoy the process? As you look ahead to the new year, maybe you want to focus on your priorities to help you move purposefully and patiently forward with less hurry. Check out Prioritizing for Success to help you get focused as you round out this year and head into the new one. Resist the hurry, choose patience and lead well.

Comer, John Mark. The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry.

Bell, Dr. Robb. I Can’t Wait to Be Patient (And The Fastest Way to Get There).

Wheeler, Randy. 25 Ways to Lead Better at Work and Home.