Author Archives: Ryan Russell

About Ryan Russell

Ryan Russell - Driven to develop the next generation of leaders.

A Cozy Bed and A Big TV

Posted on by
1

These are the enemies of today’s would-be leaders. Add in Facebook and you may just well have the trifecta. Entertainment, relaxation, and gossip news often spoil what could be industrious days. I am not talking about the weekend or even the 80 hour weeks. Just a typical day. Time and opportunity lost, spoiled away. Invention, entrepreneurship, social change and mercy-aid forgone because you can’t get out of bed early or into it at a decent hour.

Do you have big ideas and find yourself impotent when it comes to execution?

Unplug the TV.
Read, dream and plan a bit more.
Go to bed before midnight.
Awake fresh.
Exercise.
Capture the best part of your mornings for work!

Here’s to you! Enjoy your coffee & your accomplishments.

Google and Lazy Students

Posted on by
Reply

The Lost Arts of Problem Solving and Asking Questions.

How does it begin and where does it end? If I can not find the solution on the first page of google, it must not exist. If my teacher isn’t readily available to do it for me, then “I can’t do it”.

Problem Solving
It is a learnable skill, and for some it is an art. You must begin with determination and then add in some perseverance. It requires a willingness to research… beyond the first five links on google. For challenging problems, you might not even find your answer online. Problem solving can sometimes lead to what used to be referred to as ”head scratching”. Something can be gained by staring at an actual piece of paper where you have scribbled notes and you PAUSE TO THINK. Be willing to follow leads, come to dead ends, and then start down new paths. Some creative brainstorming with other smart people may even be required.

Asking Questions
Don’t be afraid or to proud to ask sharp people for a bit of intellectual assistance. This is different than asking someone to do your job for you. This is actual learning and it doesn’t have to be limited to a classroom at school. Seek out people who know a thing or two or three. Exchange value with them. Get a push in the right direction. Most leaders are willing to donate a few quick minutes to share their skill with young, hungry, up-and-coming leaders. But your do have to ask.

 

Magic In A Conversation

Posted on by
2

It is tough, I know. I too sometimes get caught up in the whole dilemma. In our heads it goes something like this… “Why call the guy when I can email him? Or wait, why email him when I can so quickly text? Better still, why bother with text, I’ll just tweet at him the next time I am checking my other social media outlets.”

Be notified! There is a little magic left in having an actual conversation. It is very personal. Tone, inflection, feeling, care, energy. It all comes through so much better for most of us when we take the time to talk with one another. Our faces more accurately reflect the nature of our souls. Personal dialogue conveys genuine interest. Conversation makes it so much more difficult for minor issues or misunderstandings to become major rifts or flare-ups in a relationship.

Don’t let technology’s ease of use lull you into thinking that it can be an adequate replacement for person-to-person, conversational interactions. If you have an important sale to make, pick up the phone. If a small thing at work is escalating into something that is pissing you off, walk down to the other person’s office. If you don’t feel a tenderness of care in the text messages between you and your lover, try an actual dinner date. Turn off the tech and see what might happen.

How I Got Things Done in 2011

Posted on by
3

Every year we all try to get a little more productive. Here is my list of “The Most Essential and Indispensable Applications of 2011 For Getting Things Done”. No application can make this list if is not cloud sync capable. (Cloud sync is now a ‘must’ and can no longer be considered a “neat feature” for applications.)

Wunderlist - To-Do (GTD)
Since Apple can’t seem to ever get it right with a simple and powerful ‘to-do list’ program, everyone is left searching for the best thing. Here it is.

1Password - Universal Password
Worth every penny. Save & recall all of your passwords in one very secure application. This is a life saver with every website having their own log in requirements. The ‘auto-fill’ feature is time saving both for log-ins & for purchases.

Evernote – Notes & Ideas
Simply the best, most complete place to start, develop, keep and share ideas. PLUS it’s Free!

Google Docs – Documents, spreadsheets, word-processing, pdf’s & more
Google Docs started as a cute alternative to word processing on your own machine is now a viable replacement for ever again paying for a Word or Pages. The best improvement in google docs is the upload feature. You can simply import a document that someone sends you. Edit it. Share it. Download it. Convert it. Great stuff! PLUS it’s Free!

Dropbox – Easy File Sharing
“Get your files anywhere” is the company’s explanation, and that pretty much sums it up. You can also quickly sync files, share files and back-up files of all kinds. PLUS it’s Free!

*If you are still on a windows machine, I feel bad that you are such a slow adopter to superior platforms. Get going! Buy a refurbished machine.

Those Magical Two Words

Posted on by
Reply

There are two types of people who are working your projects. Lazy people don’t count.

One type just wants the job to be over and is trying to find the quickest possible exit. The other type are those who are on the look out for how to make your project remarkable. Both have their place as long as they are working, but I’d rather have the person who is in pursuit of excellence. You know you have found one of these types when they include the glorious little phrase “and also” into sentences.

“I finalized the contract and also was able to save us 10%.”
“We finished the code and also found a couple of ways to make the site more user friendly.”
“I wrapped up the work outlined for this week and also had time to get ahead on next week’s items.”

‘And also’ hints at a person’s willingness to work hard and also their capacity to see what’s ahead and take initiative. Do you have people on your team like this?

Shouting May Be Required

Posted on by
Reply

Colin Cowherd. While we continue to wait on the leadership book, here is another great synopsis of leadership inside of sports.

The definition of leadership:
Authentic
Yelling
Get to the point
Win the game
Take the hit afterward

Take the time to listen to his whole rant.

Incase you missed it, here is sideline incident from Sunday’s game following Tom Brady’s interception and the subsequent interaction with Offensive Coordinator Bill O’Brien.

Why You Hate Tim Tebow

Posted on by
Reply

It is easy to hate optimism. It is even easier to hate a cheerful winner. Add in to the mix, “well, he’s not even that good”, and then you really need to hate Tim Tebow.

Sunday’s game was awesome! And yes, Tebow needs to be thankful that Marion Barber lost the game for the Bears. But as good as the game was, if you watched the post-game interview with Tim Tebow, you enjoyed the whole thing even more. Tebow’s smile was contagious. His appreciation for his entire team was authentic. His belief is unflappable (at least while he is winning). Why wouldn’t you want to have this guy as your teammate?

 Bottom line: Tim Tebow provides great drama and controversy AND he does it all from a positive perspective. His team rallies behind his leadership AND he wins. This is excellent leadership no matter your religious perspective.

* The hokey sort of Christians will make too much out ‘the message’ that they believe God wants to tell the world through Tim. Settle down. I am pretty sure God already sent the Messiah. #Christmas

Read the whole post game interview.
Consider Frank Bruni’s thoughts on Tebow’s optimism.

No Hiding From The Inevitable

Posted on by
Reply

It is ludicrous to think or believe that you can run for president in this modern era and try to hide huge secrets in your closet(s). Even before newspapers and reporters, people all over the world have enjoyed the juicy, scandalous details of the failures of people in power. It has only intensified with media and money. You can not hide.

You can own your failures, grow through the hard times that come with confronting them, and avoid repeating your failure. People will let you march on.

But if you try to hide your personal scandals, keep indulging in them, pretend that they aren’t real, or avoid them all together… you will get buried. Reveling in your shortcomings might play popular with the media (for a season), but we won’t trust you in high office or position.

Occupy this you silly people

Posted on by
2

Try as I might, I can’t figure out the main point of “Occupy Wall Street“. It just so happened that I was there on the day the riots started and nearly 200 people were arrested.

In all my research these two videos best highlight what I think of the situation as an observer who actually is trying to understand this collective of odd individuals.  (exhibit #1 – exhibit #2)

Beyond the politics, the point and the methods, I can’t help having a strong opinion about the individuals who make up the majority of those spending day after day at the park. At best, a majority of the people in this crowd are aimless. They possess no obvious signs of the drive, ambition and the true grit that will be essential in bringing about the ‘change’ that they claim to so desperately want. Collectively they are excellent at looking so silly as to garner national and world wide media coverage.  Most days there are more media people covering the story then there are actual people who make of the ‘movement’.

Change has to come from more than words and media hype. Actual change comes from sacrifice, hard work, strategic relationships being formed, intellectual genius being applied. My hope is that this rag tag band of park occupiers will stop occupying the TV with their silliness and start occupying jobs, dreams, ambitions, hard work and a shower. Then they can occupy real leadership and then they can make some real change.

Encouragement Is For The Needy

Posted on by
1

I am not a guy who needs huge doses of what people refer to as ‘encouragement’. No one has to get in my ear each morning and whisper sweet positive thoughts about the day so that I can feel like I have the power to get up, get going and survive. Maybe it’s because my mom did this enough for me as a kid. Or maybe it’s because I have tiger blood and am always ready to kick the day in the teeth like my dad. Who knows why, but encouragement is usually a macro concept for me, something that is very helpful in small doses from people who are relationally close. Give me just a few servings a year.

So what I am about to say is not me by nature.

My first ironman race (bib# 1553) was fueled by lots of small, simple, cheerful, vocal, and helpful pieces of encouragement given out by friends, strangers and other athletes. It was so weird and so cool. Shocked and overwhelmed is how felt during and post race. Even now, almost two weeks later, the encouragement from the day is still leaving an unforgettable impression on my race experience.

The encouragement came in the form of a simple shoulder to lean on when my legs were wobbly getting out of the swim. My friend Greg was volunteering, he spotted me as I ran by his station and shouted “hey Russell!”. Transition volunteers did their role with an unmistakeable spirit of service, trying to help me excel as an athlete, and it fueled my day. A friend and running partner, Amy, came out and shouted support on the bike course. Another friend saved my bacon. Steve volunteered at the bike transition. Out of over 2,500 athletes he met me and took my bike to it’s stand while I went to change for my run. Steve noticed that I left my race timing watch on my bike and took the initiative to bring it to me as I left for the run. Amazing. And Amy, she found me again on the run and chatted positively about my performance as she jogged with me through an aide station. And the finish… WOW!, nothing like it. Friends, acquaintances, strangers, volunteers… they celebrated with me in the achievement. Their joy in my accomplishment seemed to almost match my joy. Maybe they liked seeing my pain and suffering, but I prefer to think that they were celebrating with me.

I could write about so many more encouraging experiences from the day. I think you see my point. Everyone needs encouragement. Placed at the right time during the hardest struggles and it can be the most important thing you ever give to another human being.

I have so much to learn.

* I am very grateful for the ironman stud Christian Isakson and his irreplaceable coaching, friendship and encouragement through this monster effort.