Blog - Page 6 of 60 - Wheeler Coaching Systems

Sep

2023

9/11 Leadership Traits

On September 11, 2001, the world changed forever. As the World Trade Center towers were destroyed and the Pentagon was attacked, we were forced to confront the reality of a new kind of leadership challenge. It was a day full of pain and loss, but it was also a day of bravery and leadership.

On that day we saw leadership traits we all can aspire to live out in our leadership at work and home.

Service

As the nation watched in shock and grief, we saw people step up and take charge. Firefighters, police officers, and medical personnel rushed to save lives and provide aid. In the midst of the chaos, we witnessed true leadership. Leaders who did not consider themselves, but only the lives of others.

Dutiful

The bravery of the firefighters and other first responders was inspiring. Firefighters rushed into the burning towers, and many gave their lives to save others. In the face of certain danger, they put the safety of others before their own. What caused them to do this? This was their duty and charge as professionals.

Courage and Sacrifice

We also saw the courage of the passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93. They banded together and decided to fight back against the hijackers. Although their plane crashed in Pennsylvania, their sacrificial actions likely prevented an even greater tragedy.

Rapid Response

At the Pentagon, senior military leaders sprang into action. Despite the chaos, they were able to organize an effective response and ensure that the building was secure. They demonstrated the ability to rapidly respond to meet the needs of the moment to protect all those they could.

Empathy

Finally, we saw the leadership of President George W. Bush. He was able to comfort a nation in distress and provide a sense of calm and stability. He made sure that the government was prepared to respond appropriately to the attacks. His presence on site demonstrated both compassion and increased his ability to empathize during a tragic time.

On September 11, 2001, we saw the best of humanity. We saw the courage and leadership of everyday people, first responders, military personnel, and world leaders. It was a day of pain and sorrow, but it was also a day of heroism and strength.

As a leader, you too will have tragedy strike. It could be the loss of a team member, unexpected performance drops, outside influences impacting you and your team, or like recently, a pandemic. Which of these areas do you need to grow in to be prepared to lead effectively when a crisis hits? Thank you for being a leader at work and home. Continue to grow and develop into the leader you were made to be. Lead Well.

Aug

2023

Keys to Effective Delegation

As a business leader, you understand the importance of delegating tasks and trusting the process. It can be difficult to manage every aspect of what you lead, so it’s important to recognize when you need to delegate some of your responsibilities to someone else. Delegation can be challenging, but when done correctly, it can be incredibly beneficial to the success of your business.

Clarity

When delegating tasks, be clear and concise about what needs to be done. Outline the job that needs to be completed, the timeline for completion, and any specific requirements or criteria that need to be met. This will ensure the task is completed correctly and within the time frame needed. It’s also important to communicate your expectations for the task. This gives the person you are delegating to the best chance of success.

Trust

One of the most critical aspects of delegation is trust. This may require you to take the time to get to know the person you are entrusting the task to. Ask them questions about their experience and skills, and find out how they would handle different situations. Provide them with smaller tasks to test them and grow your trust. When you’ve determined this person is capable of handling the task, you can know they will complete it correctly and on time.

Feedback

Provide feedback and support to those you have delegated tasks to. This helps ensure tasks are completed to the best of their abilities, and that the team is working together efficiently and effectively. If you have provided clarity on what you expect up front then feedback will communicate how well they are meeting your expectations.

Patience

Remember, trust is earned over time, so be patient and consistent. Don’t expect perfection; mistakes will happen, and that’s OK. When they do, teach, correct, and encourage them so they feel empowered to continue to stretch themselves. Showing respect and understanding will go a long way in building trust and creating a successful delegation relationship.

Which of these areas do you need to grow in with those you lead? Need help thinking into your leadership and growth? Contact me for a no-cost to you coaching session. Keep delegating and lead well.

Aug

2023

Burning Passion

I was in the backyard cleaning up the bushes I had cut down and to save some garbage bags I built a fire to burn a lot of the remnants. As I was going back and forth feeding the fire I was thinking about how this is similar to keeping our leadership passion alive.

Let’s be honest. There are days we get a dip, and the original passion is not there. We get frustrated with life and the responsibilities of leading. Or we are simply tired and need a break. As I thought about this fire concept, I thought of four places we could be when it comes to our passion for leading.

Leaves

When you put leaves on the fire they burn fast and make a cool crackling sound sometimes. They are fun to watch but flame out and increase the smoke.

This is what I would call squirrel leadership. We get excited because some external force like a book, a conference, or a conversation gets us excited. When everyone around us is excited, we are excited, but then we flame out quickly. This kind of leadership leaves people frustrated because we have no sustained focus.

Twigs

As I was working on this project, it was exhausting. I was dealing with a bunch of leaves and twigs. Twigs burn longer than leaves, but to keep the fire going I had to constantly go back and forth adding more twigs.

This is experience leadership. We are fired up when we get the new deal, are at the event or whatever gives us that dopamine rush. Then we flame out until we find the next deal, new project, event, etc.

This kind of leadership leaves (no pun intended) people exhausted. Similar to above, the leader has a lack of focus. Unlike above, the leader gets excited about a new vision after some experience and the team doesn’t experience consistency. The leader is either high or low and the team is never sure what they will get.

Logs

When I build a fire to relax around and talk I throw on some logs. There are twigs to get us started, but the logs keep the fire burning consistently. Occasionally I have to turn the log or put another on the fire, which creates a long, slow burn.

This is steady leadership. A leader who is like a log has a deep, steady passion for what he or she leads. This is a leader who is clear on the vision but will adjust the plan strategically to accomplish it. This leader brings reassurance to the team that we are going somewhere and there is a plan.

Embers

These come after logs have burned down. They look cool from afar, but if you get your hand close they are intensely hot. These are what you use to cook your hotdog or slowly roast a nice brown marshmallow.

This is intense and confident leadership. The logs have burned down to embers meaning time has passed, and the vision is clearly working because there is still a fire. This leader from afar looks calm and collected, but up close, he or she has just as much passion as in the beginning. The passion is actually hotter because the results have strengthened the leader’s confidence.

Which of these resonates with where your passion for your vision is now? Are you flaming out as quickly as you are excited? Do you need to get around others who will help you learn and grow to light your fire? Do you need to tweak your vision and add another log? Is it time to light others on fire with your burning embers? Leadership is influence, and fires start with a tiny spark. What do you need to light your fire, or whose fire do you need to light today? Need a thinking partner to give a little oxygen to help strengthen your fire? Contact me for a one-on-one coaching session to think into your leadership. Keep the fire burning and lead well.

Jul

2023

Leading Talented People

I spent years around athletes; some of the ones that drove me nuts were the talented but lazy athletes. I did have the opportunity to work with talented producers who were not lazy as well. Recently I came across an article in Harvard Business Review about managing people. This article challenged my thinking on how to treat highly talented producers on a team or in an organization.

I thought these were good points and wanted to share them with you. To give credit where it is due these ideas were adapted from a book called A New Way to Think by Roger Martin and came to my attention through this HBR article.

Listen to Their Ideas

These talented individuals on your team get results at a high level. If they are not talented but lazy individuals, they are vested in their improvement for the sake of the organization. The authors mention Aaron Rodgers and the tension he has had with the leadership at Green Bay. At the time of the article, we did not know the results.

Rodgers wanted to be listened to and have his ideas considered, especially when signing players that would impact his performance. For example, letting go of high-performing receivers and not building a receiver core around him made him feel unheard.

Talented team members have gotten results for a reason. They bring value and wisdom that upper-level leaders may not even be aware of. Take the time not just to hear, but listen and think about their ideas. If they are invested in the mission of the organization, their ideas will probably be valuable and it will show you appreciate them.

Help them Continually Grow

Talented hard workers have a hunger to grow. We can either accelerate or stunt that growth as the leader. Create opportunities to help them get out of their comfort zone and experience success at higher levels. This may require fighting systems inside the organization that may prevent someone who is talented from getting opportunities because “that is how we’ve always done it.”

As the leader of a talented individual who is hungry to grow, clear the path for the individual. Helping them grow will help you grow and the entire organization.

Praise Them

I have to be very intentional on this one because I can tend to think: “If you are doing your job why do I want to praise you? This is what you are supposed to do.” Maybe you have the misfortune of default thinking like mine. The authors say this about praising high performers:

“They have to regularly flirt with – and actually experience-failure. For that reason they need recognition. Otherwise, they become resentful or sad and drift away from the organization.”¹

If these are hard-working, talented producers, praising them only adds more fuel to their fire. They feel appreciated and valued and want to continue contributing significantly. Regardless of talent, taking the time to praise team members genuinely will multiply commitment.

A Caveat

Regardless of the talent level and work ethic. All individuals should be held to the same basic standards of conduct. Leaders treat people as individuals but hold all to the same standards. This equality of standards creates a healthy culture. By treating people as individuals everyone feels seen and valued.

Think of a high performer on your team. Which of these areas do you need to improve as a leader? Need help thinking into it? Contact me for a no-cost to you coaching session. Lead Well!

Martin, Roger. “The Real Secret to Retaining Talent.” Harvard Business Review, March-April 2022.

Jul

2023

Leadership Tension: Empowering and Controlling

I have the opportunity to sit across from many leaders. One particular day I was facilitating a leadership experience activity where the leaders would discuss various questions. One of the questions addressed the issue of empowerment.

I asked these leaders to raise their hands if it was hard for them to equip others, and over half raised their hands. I asked why, and most said it took too much time. It is quicker for them to do it.

As I dig into this idea individually with leaders, I find a tension exists. They want responsibilities off their plate but also want it done right. Craig Groeschel discussed the tension of empowering and controlling in his leadership podcast.¹ What do we do about this tension? How do we navigate it?

Why Leaders Control

In his book The Control Freak, Les Parrott explores why leaders meddle and try to control. He suggests this is rooted in anxiety. The fear that they may lose it all.² An unhealthy leader tries to clone him or herself and, in reality, develops a team of followers who do tasks and take orders. This fear compels them to control in an unhealthy way.

In a previous blog, I mentioned how Ed Catmul of Pixar, in his book Creativity Inc discusses this idea of control in light of the ability to trust. He says:

“Fear and trust are powerful forces, and while they are not opposites, exactly, trust is the best tool for driving out fear.”

The fear of losing money, power, results, etc., as leaders, can compel us to reach for more control. A leader must move from fear to trust to empower those they lead. Can this drive for control be helpful for a leader?

Helpful Control

Leadership expert John Maxwell often emphasizes that a leader “sees more before.” This is a practical outworking of vision. Leaders see what others do not. Because of this perspective, they may have certain expectations. These expectations help preserve culture.

In his book, The Advantage, Patrick Lencioni provides four disciplines for organizational health. One of those disciplines is creating clarity^.3 Clarity in mission, vision, values, and process procedures are all part of this healthy culture. This clarity is the healthy control a leader brings to a team.

Sports demonstrates another area of helpful control: the scoreboard. In his book The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork, John Maxwell describes the Law of the Scoreboard, which helps the team know where it stands.⁴ Leaders are creating a healthy control method when they have a scoreboard. McChesney, Covey, and Huling suggest a compelling scoreboard is the third of four disciplines for execution in their book.⁵

This scoreboard helps clarify what is really important for the team to execute on and get results. It may feel controlling, but it clarifies where the organization stands and gives more purpose and direction.

Empower or Dump

We have established some reasons why people control and what healthy control can look like, but what about this idea of empowering? I have seen leaders who hand off a task to a team member and think they have empowered them. The team members look stunned and confused, wondering what they are supposed to do. This is an example of dumping a task that Groeschel suggests does not empower.

When we empower, we give people the authority to create and build something. For example, if I ask someone to fix my roof, but I give them no tools, they lack power. If I give them tools and they have the freedom to fix the roof the best way they know based on their expertise, then they are empowered. They will learn, grow, and even be able to teach others how to think about repairing a roof. If I tell them exactly how to do it, I’ve only dumped a task, and they will become good at the task but not necessarily learn how to think and problem-solve like a leader.

When we dump on those we lead and do not resource nor provide clear expectations, they may feel controlled. Remember a time you did a task, and someone came back and told you it was wrong, but you had no clear explanation of expectations at the beginning? This only sets you up to feel controlled and frustrated. Laying out expectations when we empower is a healthy control in our leadership.

Control or Boundaries

Fences are good. Think of a playground. Years ago, a study showed that kids at a playground with a fence feel free to play anywhere within the fence. Without the fence, they huddle near the teacher.⁶ Now, let’s imagine another scenario where they were shocked every time someone got near the fence. What is the difference between these two scenarios, and what does it have to do with control in our leadership?

The first scenario is a healthy boundary. Similar to when you provide clear expectations in delegation. If people know the expected outcome and are given the freedom to get there in the way they see works best, they don’t feel controlled. This is a boundary and a clear expectation that limits the project in healthy ways and provides focus. This is healthy control by the leader.

On the other hand, if, as the leader, you hover over your people and try to micromanage every step of the journey, then people feel controlled. They feel as if you are ready to zap them like the fence if they mess up. This type of control from a leader is unhealthy and will create a culture of fear.

So where do you fall in this tension as a leader? If you were to rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 5, with five being not controlling at all to the point of no boundaries and one being ready to zap people at any moment, where would you rank yourself? Like many leadership tensions, the best place to be is in the middle. We will lean toward one side over the other but aim to walk the tense tightrope balancing empowerment with control.

Need help thinking about where you fall on this? E-mail me at randy@wheelercoachingsystems.com, and let’s talk about how I can help you think into your leadership so you can lead from a healthier place. If you found this helpful, share it with others. Lead Well.

Craig Groeschel Leadership Podcast. Episode 114, “Lead Like It Matters Part I.” August 4, 2022.
Parrott, Les. The Control Freak: Coping with Those Around You. Taming the One Within. Tyndale House, Wheaton, 2000.
Lencioni, Patrick. The Advantage. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, 2012.
Maxwell, John. The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork. Thomas Nelson, Nashville, 2001.
McChesney, Chris, Covey, Sean, Huling, Jim. The 4 Disciplines of Execution. Free Press, NY, 2012.
https://www.asla.org/awards/2006/studentawards/282.html retrieved 7/9/23

Jul

2023

Founding Fathers Four Pillars of Leadership

Over two hundred years ago a small group of men were credited as the leaders of our nation and created the foundation of freedom we are able to experience today. These men demonstrated four pillars of leadership which I will cover in just a moment and essential for leaders at any level.

In their excellent book CEO Excellence McKinsey & Company senior partners Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra explain six essentials elements for a CEO. I would suggest these six major mindsets can be broken down into four simple pillars that hold the roof of influence: leadership at its core.

6 CEO Mindsets	4 Pillars
Set the Direction	Leadership
Engage the Board, Connect with Stakeholders	Communication
Manage Personal Effectiveness	Self-Leadership
Mobilize through Leaders, Align the Organization	Teamwork

These four pillars and six mindsets can be seen in our founding fathers in the following ways.

Teamwork

We’ve heard of the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773 where people were throwing tea off of ships in opposition to the British taxation without representation. This bold move was what became the beginning of the American Revolution.¹ How does something like this happen? By a group of 30 to 130 men working together to disguise themselves and dumping 342 chests of tea into the water. A small group of people mobilized and aligned for a common purpose created the event that began a revolution.

Within your organization, a small group of people may be willing to be mobilized and aligned to accomplish something that could trigger great momentum. Identify those people and put them together to start something great for everyone.

Communication

April 18, 1775 Dr. Joseph Warren asked Paul Revere to ride into Lexington, Massachusetts to warn key leaders of the American Revolution of the possibility of their arrest by the British.² On a secret mission, Revere rode and eventually arrived at his destination to inform these leaders of what could happen.

Revere modeled the importance of communication as a leader. First, he learned about the situation and then he went into action to spread the message. When working with organizations and teams one of the most significant challenges is effective communication. Revere’s communication led to a chain reaction of communicating to key stakeholders that helped the Sons of Liberty prepare for battle. As leaders, we must communicate in a timely and effective manner to mobilize our team.

Self-Leadership

The most difficult person to lead is us. One of the self-leadership challenges they mention in CEO Excellence is perspective. At the beginning of this war, I imagine many of those enlisted were excited to fight for the cause, but as they saw the cost they had to remain steadfast in their mental fortitude.

As a leader you have a vision of where you want to go, but at times you may wonder if this is the right direction or not. Evaluate, adjust, tweak the plan, but it takes courage and a willingness to get out of our comfort zone to hold the vision. These men believed in their vision for freedom and were willing to continue to fight, are you?

Leadership

George Washington. A quiet farmer with a family joined the military and when the Continental Army was formed to combat the British he became commander. During the following eight years of fighting the British alongside his men, he only spent ten days at his home.³ Washington understood a key principle of effective leadership: example.

By being out with his troops suffering alongside them, he could set the direction and adjust in a timely manner. As leaders, we need to know what the front line is doing. We must sometimes experience it with them so our decisions are more informed. If you think you aren’t getting good information from your team, take time to be among the “troops” and learn for yourself. Not only will it inform your decisions, but it will increase your influence.

As you look at these four pillars, which do you need to develop more? Need help developing in these four pillars? Check out my new online self-guided course you can invest in to grow yourself as a leader. If you want to get multiple for your team, then contact me and put 4 Pillars in the subject line to learn about a group discount. In the meantime, Lead Well!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Tea_Party
https://www.paulreverehouse.org/the-real-story/
https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/george-washington