CHANGE

Feb

2018

Leading In Uncertainty

I’ve been wrestling with something lately and as I sat listening to leadership expert John Maxwell speak last week at the International Maxwell Certification conference something he said really hit home.

“You have to move forward courageously amidst uncertainty”

I have a personality that I want to be in control and want to know all the details ahead of time. This prevents me from being as effective as I could be at times. Having a plan is critical, but at times I have to remember the plan does not have to be perfect and I can still learn and grow from minor mistakes. Courage is a critical aspect to leadership since a leader sees more before others see it. For example, Sir Edmund Hillary and Neal Armstrong have this courage in common. Both of these individuals accomplished something no one before them had by being the first person to see the world from a vantage point no one else had.

Allow me to draw on the wisdom of others in relation to this topic. The two individuals I mentioned above had courage to face extreme physical challenges, but they were not alone. They had a team of people around them. At times the courage we need comes from our mindset and a determination to pursue the vision even though everything and possibly everyone around us say it can’t be accomplished.

The late Martin Luther King Jr. said it well:

“Courage is an inner resolution to go forward in spite of obstacles and frightening situations.”

Resolve – In order for us to lead courageously whether that is having a difficult conversation at work or home, launching a new product, or starting a new business we must have resolve to pursue it no matter what. This inner resolve comes from a clear vision. Martin Luther King wanted to see people of color experience equality and he peacefully fought with courageous resolve.

Change – This word can bring a feeling of excitement and/or dread depending on if you are leading it or forced into it. Bill Hybels who has not only built a large church, but also develops leaders through his association sees courage to change as a key element in sustaining your leadership ability. When leading we cannot stay the same or we will become irrelevant. This takes inner courage because often we are required to let go of something important to us in order to receive something greater. The product that has run its course and now needs to be improved or eliminated even though you created it or giving your children room to grow instead of holding them so tight. Whether big or small, change requires courage.

Contagious – The late Billy Graham said “Courage is contagious. When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.” This is a man who entered into the Soviet Union during a time where he was not freely welcome and his courageous leadership led to the transformation of many lives. Think of the war heroes who forge ahead in battle with bullets flying. The courageous leadership of the man leading the charge contagiously encourages those who follow.

What are you facing that you need courage to move into the unknown? Do you need inner resolve to continue pursuing the vision? Is there a change you need to make that requires a courageous step into the unknown? Maybe you know you need to lead an initiative that will inspire your team to lead more courageously. Whatever the vision before you I am certain there are unknowns requiring you to step out courageously. Who can come with you on the journey because just like Armstrong and Hillary had someone with them, you will need a partner to encourage you? Keep leading well at work and home with great courage.

Feb

2018

Effective Change

Every four years in the United States we listen to the perspectives of multiple people and eventually two who compete against each other to become President of the United States. During the last election cycle the thought struck me that really people are voting for whether or not they want change.

One of the great challenges of a leader whether that is in a small business, large business, government or your home is how to effectively lead through change. In my home we may change plans at the last minute and it can set off some cataclysmic reactions. My problem is I can be a bit of a control freak and think everyone will agree with what I want to do and if not they should just get on board. . . . I know great leadership huh?

The wonderful part about my life is I have a spouse who helps temper me . . . a lot! She understands that if we make a sudden change without involving the children in the process on some level everything will be much less calm. As I reflect on my amazing wife’s skills I realize she intuitively understands some of the foundational principles of change that author John Kotter provides in his classic Leading Change.

Urgency

The first step in leading change is creating a sense of urgency. Mom and dad usually see the urgency as does any leader of a team or organization, but they have to help others sense that urgency too. One effective way to do that is create some type of crisis. Purposely let an initiative fail so that people sense the need to improve how they approach their work. As a parents we establish the possibility of a crisis of the boys losing time doing an activity they enjoy. Not necessarily how you do it at work, but it can be effective at home.

A Team

The second step Kotter explains is to create a guiding coalition or a team. This is the group of key influencers who are on board with the change process. I think of a newly elected president and one of the first tasks is to get a group of people around him or her who agree with the changes that need to occur and are willing to live out the vision as an example to those they lead. This group of individuals also should have a certain amount of influence even without the President’s appointment of their position.

Paint the Picture

In order for anyone to consider changing, they need to believe you know where you want to go and want to go with you. In order for this to happen they need to see the vision of what you want to accomplish. If I want to change the plans on my children then it will save me some battles if I first explain why and hopefully that will help them to more willingly agree to the change (even though as young children they will have to ultimately do it). This same principle applies with those we lead at work.

Empower

My wife reminds me of this part of change by suggesting we get ideas from the boys on something we are planning to change. When we do, and then implement some of their ideas they feel empowered and more willing to join the change with a positive mindset. This can also be effective at work. Get input . . . listen . . . and implement the suggestions that make sense while having some of the suggestion makers lead that implementation.

After learning a few of Kotter’s principles for change how do you need to be more effective at leading change both at work and home?

Jan

2018

New Year . . . New You

One of my good habits is that I exercise in the morning every week day. In all truth I exercise to help my eating addiction. If I were really disciplined I’d quit eating sweets which are my downfall. Anyway . . . at the beginning of every year I find it very entertaining the huge influx in the local health clubs.

This is great for businesses, but by February the gyms that were overflowing have now returned to a normal state. Part of me chuckles and part of me is saddened by this reality. I chuckle at the consistency of this occurrence, but I am saddened by the reality this is a snapshot of many of our lives.

As I said I have a weakness for sweets. Pretty much anything with chocolate or sugar in general gets me. I know these are terrible for me, but they taste so goooood. I want to change the habit and decrease my amount of sugar consumption, but then I hit the “change wall.”

The “change wall” is that barrier we hit and are terrified to go through because we don’t know what life will be like on the other side. We have two choices when faced with the need to change:

Embrace – Will we see the change as an opportunity to grow and develop into a better version of ourselves?
Resist – Will we just stay comfortable and remain the same therefore not reaching our full potential?

This idea of change has been highlighted in books such as Who Moved My Cheese or Our Iceberg Is Melting which are both parables on how to lead or handle change. These can help us with the nuances of leading others through change and our personal response to change, but it all comes down to the two options above.

As we enter into a new year maybe these two ideas will help you have more success this year in implementing positive changes than you did last year.

Choose the right attitude. Whether we embrace or resist change is a choice we make that starts in our mind with our attitude. Staying the same feels easier, but in the end will we reach our full potential? Are we limiting our personal capacity because of our mindset? Courageously, with faith, take the first step into the change that will help you become who you were meant to be.
Develop the right habit. As we move in the direction of the correct mindset we have to develop a habit. The individuals that succeed in their resolution to exercise put it on their schedule and commit to the habit of doing the exercise regularly as a consistent habit. At first it may just be one day a week, but over time the habit grows until it becomes routine.

Change is hard. Why do people hire personal trainers in the beginning? They need accountability and the investment provides that accountability and helps with their attitude and habits. Maybe there is something in your life and you need to break through your “change wall”, but that will require someone else to help you think into the changes you need to make either personally or professionally with your business/work. If that describes you, contact me and let’s have a complimentary coaching session to see if I can help you grow into the best leader you can be at work and home this year. Break through the wall this year and reach your capacity!

Dec

2017

Do You Feel Stuck?

A while ago I read a book by leadership expert John Maxwell called Intentional Living. This book discusses how to live purposefully and not simply run through your life aimlessly. It seems to me that at each decade of life a new question arises that causes me to think about what really matters. I recently hit one of those decades.

During this time I have asked myself if I am living as intentionally as possible. I have not spent these first decades of my life pursuing money and fame, but have sought to develop leaders particularly among the next generation, but can I be more intentional in what I do? As I read this book I came across a section that discussed how to find your why. When we know our why in life it makes the “what” of our life much more enjoyable.

John provides three clues to understand your why:

What do you cry about? Does a certain cause or injustice bring you to tears or are tears caused by a specific pain in your life?
What do you sing about? Is there something in your life that brings great inner joy such as helping others achieve success?
What do you dream about? If money were not a concern, what is it that you dream of accomplishing? Is it something so big you know you can’t do it alone? If you can do it alone, maybe the dream is not big enough.

Maybe you know these answers and you are in your passion zone, but still feel stuck in a rut. What can you do? Here are a few ideas:

Make a change and try a completely new job or role. Maybe your time where you are is up and you need a new challenge somewhere else if there is not an opportunity where you are. (Now, this does NOT apply at home just so you know)
Shift your mindset. Maybe you’ve had a desire to continually be getting and you are at a spot where you need to be giving more to others. Giving of your wisdom, giving of your time, giving a listening ear all may create a situation where you end up getting out of your rut.
Try to be a rookie at something. Why do we like getting a new _________ ? On one level this is because we are invigorated by the challenge of understanding and learning something new, but as we become experienced we can become bored. What is something you can approach like a rookie? Maybe a new skill, experience, or taking an appropriate personal or professional risk that will stretch you and make you grow.
Get objective help. At times we can benefit from someone who will help us think into our business, leadership, and life. An effective coach will help you do that because they will help you think into your results by asking questions.

This summer I had to help someone get their car out of the mud because they were in a rut with their tires spinning. Three other men and I gave the driver a push and after spraying mud all over us she was on her way. If you are stuck in a rut either personally or professionally hopefully this gives you a push to get out. It probably won’t be clean or easy, but it will be much better than staying stuck in the mud. Take the first step to lead yourself well in this so you will lead others better.

Jan

2017

Four Principles to Make Growth Easier

Have you ever tried to learn something new? That is the easy part . . . gaining the knowledge. The hard part is implementing it. I was in the backyard throwing the football with my son one evening. For fun I thought I’d try throwing with my left hand. As you can guess the accuracy, power and overall aesthetics looked about as good as a two year old.

I know how to throw a football so I worked at it one step at a time. I had to think a lot in the beginning and it was awkward, but by the end of our time together it became quite a bit more natural to the point I threw a spiral or two. This is what growth feels like.

I was reading the book SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham because I don’t know a whole lot about effective sales. At the end of the book he provided what I would call four growth principles when implementing a new concept:

Focus on just one behavior to work on – when I first learn something I want to master it all now and on top of that, I want to be perfect at it. That is not how I learned to read. I learned letters, then certain words, simple sentences, etc. So when we learn just take the next step.
Choose a safe environment for practicing – if I want to improve my speaking ability and implement new techniques and skills I probably should not practice in front of hundreds or thousands of people. I should start by practicing with a few friends or a small audience so the awkwardness of implementing something new can be worked through without the risk of setting me back from my larger goals.
Practice it a lot and quality will come – I am a recovering perfectionist so I often want to be able to do everything perfect before I do it “for real.” I simply need to practice and learn from my mistakes. As I continue to learn I will be able to perform the skill with better quality over time.
Try it at least 3 times before judging whether it works – If a baseball player were adjusting his swing the first few times will be awkward and maybe not successful. If he gives up after just a few tries then he will not really know if it works. Give whatever skill you are trying an appropriate amount of time to develop before dismissing it as ineffective.

Maybe you remember when you were a child and the physical growing pains you experienced. Possibly you know that awkwardness of the first time you tried to have small talk in a social gathering. Growth is painful and awkward at first, but over time through perseverance and taking it one step at a time you will develop. Is there an area you know you need to grow in, but are overwhelmed by? Identify it and break it down into small steps and take the first step of growth today. Maybe the first step is commenting below on what you are going to grow in to hold you accountable to doing it. If you found this helpful, please share it with someone and keep pursuing growth.