Blog - Page 37 of 60 - Wheeler Coaching Systems

Nov

2019

Learning From A Leader in Journalism

I was in Starbucks sitting across from a veteran in the media industry. This man had been a news anchor, led within local newspaper organizations, and led individuals within Gannett’s organization the publisher of USA Today, and presently has been leading the publication and distribution of periodicals that serve local community business leaders. With all this experience I wanted to learn his lessons on leadership.

VISION

Like any leader would suggest, one has to have a vision. Mike has a vision for where he wants to be personally and where his business is going. At times he has had such a strong vision for his community that he sought the opportunity to serve the public through local government. One does not enter that experience nor into developing their own business without a clear vision.

RELATIONAL INTERACTION

Culture.

Leaders create the culture by how they respond, react, and relate. As we talked Mr. Corbett shared his preferred style of leadership. He has experienced authoritative leadership, but personally strives to collaborate and persuade people. If leadership is influence, then I suggest this is the best way to lead. As we build strong relationships we will be more effective at leading others.

We discussed two ways individuals may lead.

Authoritative: Control others and lead by fear

Collaborative: Depend on people’s pride and professionalism and lead by relationship with vision

As a small business owner Mike uses the latter style with those he contracts with to help him produce his publications. This method builds trust and helps work to flow more efficiently.

While in a management role he would spend more time training and holding individuals accountable to specific goals. As a business owner he strives to collaborate and empower his independent contractors with a clear vision of what he wants accomplished. Both approaches are needed, but the situation dictates which to use.

INNOVATION

“The joy is in creating, not maintaining.” Vince Lombardi

Large and small business can operate differently at times. Through his career he learned that a good leader will help and provide room for innovation. The leader will provide direction, but an empowering leader will allow room for individual creativity.

While discussing the concept of innovation Mike suggested two ways of approaching it. One way to innovate is changing the model and tweaking. This can be needed and helpful, but Corbett suggested that leaders need to create new ideas and not just tweak what exists. The challenge for some leaders is the ability to be nimble. Leaders of large organizations have to find ways to be nimble and relevant in an ever-changing market/world or face the possibility of being irrelevant as some portions of the media industry have realized.

How are you leading? Do you have a clear vision for your organization or team? The hardest person to lead is ourselves. How is your personal vision? Do you collaborate or control in your leadership? What do you do to foster an environment open to creativity with your organization or team? Share with me and if you want me to come help your team’s leadership then contact me today. Lead well.

Oct

2019

Building Your Inner Circle

I was talking one day to a former leader in the copy and print industry and we discussed his top leadership principles. (If you want to learn those you can go here.) During the course of our conversation he discussed the idea of how your inner circle helps you maintain integrity. What is our inner circle and how do we create it?

What is it?

In John Maxwell’s New York Times bestseller The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership he describes the Law of the Inner Circle as “a leader’s potential is determined by those closest to him.”¹ I am not going to go in depth on this as I provide four or ten session mastermind groups that explore this book in-depth. Instead let me share some principles this leader uses to develop an inner circle.

How do we create it?

A safe environment is the foundation of this group. These are people committed to keep what is said private. This commitment creates safety to share completely and honestly. When this atmosphere exists, real growth can occur as well as great learning from one another.

What do we do?

The answer to this question varies from group to group. This leader shared three key areas his inner circle continually discussed:

Financial – Where was their business and what kind of thinking help did they need to grow the organization. Were they being wise with the resources they had? This gets personal, but is essential for the inner circle to discuss

People – This is not a venting session. The time focused on helping one another solve real people problems whether that is strategic placement or wisdom on retaining, promoting or removing people. Ultimately holding one another accountable to prioritize people above profits amidst difficult decisions.

Legal – Leaders have to look at the organization from many angles and one of those is legal. A healthy inner circle will keep one another on the right path and call each other out when they sense one another straying.

Who is in it?

This answer is different for every individual, but this leader gave three key traits he felt must exist to create an effective inner circle.

Trust – Without this as the foundation there will neither be full disclosure nor complete safety in the group.

Common Value System – People come from different perspectives and if the values differ too greatly in key areas this can create an unhealthy environment. Choose people who think differently, but have common values in the critical areas for you.

Mutual Desire to Grow and Be Held Accountable – If we want to lose weight, but fail to change our diet then nothing will change. Similarly, the members in the group must have a desire to grow and embrace accountability.

So we’ve clarified the what, the how, and the who now what about you? Do you have an inner circle? If not, do you know who you would invite to create one to help you grow as a leader? Need help creating one? Contact me for a discovery call to see if starting a mastermind with a few key people would be a launching point for your potential inner circle. We can’t lead alone, we need a team. Form your team and lead well.

Maxwell, John C. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007.

Oct

2019

An Athletic Leader for the Next Generation

“Where do you want to sit?” I asked my son

“The very top.” So we climbed up the stairs to the top row of bleachers in the corner of the endzone at the Southern Illinois University football stadium.

Almost a decade earlier I had first met this young man at one of my camps. He was quiet, but focused . . . rare among Junior High aged boys. This year is his Senior year in college and my son and I drove about four and a half hours so I could be sure to see him play at least once.

Why would I do that?

Many reasons, but one was because of the kind of man he is becoming. Yes, he is a great athlete and very good at what he does on the field, but why I wanted my son to be able to watch him and meet him was because of the man he is becoming.

At times people complain about the next generation. If we are honest, people complained about our generation when we entered the workforce. I want to share with you three qualities in this young man that makes him a great leader and will continue to help him grow as a leader in whatever he does.

Humility

Ever since I’ve known Jeremy he has always exemplified this characteristic. Let me clarify something. Humility does not mean thinking less of oneself because he is a very confident young man. It does mean thinking of oneself less. Even after the game smiling and willingly giving high fives and talking to young boys and others. He is good at what he does on the field, but there is no arrogance in him. He exemplifies the idea of team over self.

Perseverance

I have known Jeremy for at least a decade and my role in his life for years was as a strength and conditioning coach. If you don’t know much about the role of this coach, everyone loves to hate this coach because he or she pushes you to do what you do not want to do. In the six plus years I coached him I cannot remember him ever complaining (at least not so I could hear it). He had injuries and setbacks, but he pushed through and never gave up.

Positive

One thing I always see on Jeremy is a smile. Now, I am sure life is not perfect for Jeremy and just like all of us, he has plenty not to be happy about. He chooses to be positive. I have talked to him occasionally as he has been at college and even though the season would not be going well, he was always positive. I am fairly certain this is an intentional choice he makes which is part of what enables him to be a great leader for his teammates.

For those who don’t think there are leaders in the next generation. . . . there are and Jeremy is just one of them. Now, what about us. How are we doing at maintaining humility, persevering through our leadership challenges and staying positive? Need help with breaking through your mental barriers? Contact me for a complimentary coaching session. In the meantime, lead well!

Oct

2019

How Are You at Leading Yourself?

“A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.” James Allen

Self-leadership. We all have to do it. Whether you lead at the highest level, own your own business or participate in an organization in various roles without a formal position of leadership. Even when we are not at work we have to do this. How are you doing in this area?

Each morning I wake up, somedays before the alarm goes off, but often shocked into reality by music blaring out of my alarm. Then what . . . do I snooze? Do I hop out of bed excited by a new day of adventure? Do I lay there thinking of all I have to do that day? Do I start worrying about the million things out of my control?

It depends.

One thing is certain, my mind is going and the battle is raging. What will be my first thought? After that will I feed it so it grows or dismiss it?

It depends.

For years I was a strength and conditioning coach. My job each day was to get athletes to do what they naturally did not want to do . . . work hard on something they may not have seen the benefit in so they could be better at what they enjoyed . . . their sport.

Mindset is key. Carol Dweck in her research on this topic wrote a book about this topic. She highlights two types of mindset:

Fixed

This mindset believes this is how I will always be and I can never change . . . these are the cards dealt to me.

Growth

A person with this perspective thinks I can change and evolve into a different person than I am today.

Both are rooted in our thoughts which directly impact our outcomes. Anyone who has spent time selling an idea, a product, or a service knows this is true. Whether we have doubt or confidence in what we are selling others will sense it.

Let me suggest a few ideas on how to get our mind set in a direction for success each day.

Gratitude

When I wake up each day even though I would rather lay back down I try to think of at least one thing I am grateful for. That may be “thank you for this new day.” Starting the day with thanks and gratitude will help set our attitude in the right direction.

Set the Agenda Beforehand

I find that if I set my agenda for the day, week, etc. the night before I am not waking up anxious about that day. By writing it down, the tasks and goals are out of my mind and I can reference them when work time begins.

Think Time

Each day as I eat breakfast I read and journal. These may not be habits that work for you, but this is a great way for me to dump yesterday’s garbage and some of today’s poor thinking. I read something that will inspire me to live for more than just myself. For me that is the Bible, but for you it may be something as simple as a quote of the day on a tear off calendar. Taking time to clear my mind of the garbage and fill it with truth is critical to helping me have the right mindset.

This only touches the surface of this issue and in later posts I will dig deeper because as the quote at the top says, our thinking determines our character which impacts our results. Which of the three ideas can you implement to help your self-leadership? Need someone to help you think into your results? Contact me. In the meantime, lead well at work and home.

Oct

2019

Learning From a Leader in the Copy and Print Industry

We were sitting in a conference room overlooking the Indianapolis skyline. Our meeting was originally about his new role, but it evolved into a different conversation. This man I was sitting across from had served as an executive level leader in the copy and print industry at two companies.

I had to capitalize on the opportunity to learn from him so I asked him what his top three leadership principles are . . . and he gave me four. Over his years in various roles with Xerox and later Sharp Business Systems Ross developed and lived by these ideas.

Integrity

Yes, any good leader would say this, but his definition was very powerful:

“ An uncompromising value system to do what is right”

He takes this a bit further by emphasizing the importance of having people who will hold you accountable. This is the inner circle that John Maxwell refers to in his book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. These individuals Raifsnider speak truth with each other’s permission.

Culture

I’ve heard it said that culture eats leadership for lunch. At the same time leaders have a responsibility to be aware of and influence the culture of the organization. Ross described a healthy culture as one where people are first. This environment creates a sustainable and predictable organization versus a toxic, unproductive and stagnant organization.

Ross suggested that a continuous learning environment also creates a healthy culture. This will require investing in your people both by formal educational opportunities and on the job challenges to stretch them. Raifsnider found that when you attract the right people, invest in people, and people understand and embrace and understand their role in the mission and vision, a healthy culture evolves.

Communication

Leaders know this is critical to leadership at any level, but Ross broke it down to three “C’s”.

Clarity – make sure what you say makes sense. I would add use the KISS principle and keep it simple to keep it clear.

Context – the leader helps provide clarity when he or she explains the purpose behind what is being communicated. This improves understanding and increases buy-in.

Consistent – We have a lot pulling at us professionally and personally. We would love to say something once and be done, but unfortunately that is not always the case so we must communicate the message consistently.

When leaders combine these three “C’s” they equal trust from those who follow them.

Results Matter

We can be the best leader in the world, but we won’t stay the leader if we fail to get results. What do results look like? For the non-profit sector these are the areas that are relevant to the key stakeholders. When that is determined metrics can be placed behind it for accountability. For-profit organizations must determine what results are relevant in a return for their measurables. Ultimately accountability for results Raifsnider suggests must honor people for the greater good of the organization. Keep the people first to maintain a healthy culture and ultimately drive the desired results.

What about you? When you look at these principles which do you need to focus on over the next week, month, quarter, or year? How would your team or organization look different? Need help getting your organization thinking like leaders? Contact me to schedule a 15 minute discovery call to learn about a 45 minute leadership training for your organization or team at no cost to you. In the meantime, lead well!

Sep

2019

I Can’t . . . Yet

A number of years ago I joined the John Maxwell Team. This is a group of individuals who are independently certified to speak, teach, and coach using John Maxwell’s proven leadership content. If you have never heard of John, he has been named by INC magazine as the number one leadership expert in the world.

A couple years before I joined this global team of over 25,000 people I earned my Masters in Organizational Leadership. At that point, my wife asked, “what are you going to do with it?”

Since I am a wise individual who always has plans made and completely figured out, I said . . . “I don’t know.” Now I have been on a journey of trying to add value to others to help today’s leaders reach their full potential and inspiring youth to see how to be effective transformational leaders for tomorrow. This is an uphill journey.

John Maxwell and some of the others who I have a privilege of being mentored by in this program have reminded me “anything worthwhile is uphill.” With this uphill climb I often have to overcome my downhill habits. Lately I have increasing awareness that some of my biggest downhill habits are in the way I think.

Four-Letter Words

Growing up we have all heard not to say certain four-letter words. Here is one, well technically it has six letters, that creeps into my mind often either subtly or directly: CAN’T.

I have seen as I attempt to meet a new person who may help me expand the business, try a new skill I have not used often, or have a challenging conversation this word creeps in. It appears like a snake sneaking up and quietly hissing in my ear ideas like you aren’t qualified, you aren’t smart enough, you don’t have the credibility and at times gets to the point of suggesting I just give up on what I am pursuing.

Change the Question

So what happens when these thoughts creep in? At times I want to give into them and have a great pity party. I have been reminded by some of the mentors I have access to that I need to change the question. Instead of focusing on limited resources, time, experience, etc. I need to ask one of two questions:

What CAN I do?

I may not be speaking in front of tens of thousands and sharing principles to lead better at work or home . . . yet. But I can speak in front of a small group. I can make a phone call to meet the person who can help me take the next step.

How CAN I?

This question assumes we can, but also asks for the next step. Say you want to take your family on a cruise, but right now your savings is negative. Instead of just asking how this would be possible, look at what you can do . . . save change, do odd jobs, get another job, close more deals, make it a family savings event, cut spending, or any number of options. Then take the next step.

I don’t know about you, but I can be greatest limiter to moving in the direction of my dream. I must get out of my own way and take the next step. It won’t go perfect and I will make mistakes . . . . but that is a topic for another day.

What about you? What CAN you do to lead that team toward its goal or accomplish a family dream? How CAN you get there? What is next. When you hear that little four letter word maybe you just need to add a three letter word of YET and take the next step. If you need help thinking into your leadership personally or professionally or breaking through limiting beliefs, contact me and let’s talk. Lead Well!