Tag Archives: leadership

Leaders Need Washboard Abs

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I supposed it has a real name, but I call it the finishing work. It is the work at the end of a project that takes it from being pretty good to being very exceptional. In most cases it is the final 10-15% of the work that could be done, but doesn’t necessarily have to be done. Few people tend to like do finishing work, so it becomes the natural separator in almost every experience that you have. You will find it is the difference between restaurants, websites, athletes, leaders and relationships.

I want washboard abs.  Although I workout 6-7 days a week and have completed several marathons, triathlons and an ironman, I still do not have them. Why? Because I hate sit-ups and being a conscientious, healthy eater. These two items are finishing work. So, even though I workout really hard, I am still short of one of my goals. So, someday soon I will have to discipline myself to drink no beer and take the extra 15 minutes at the end of each work out to put in some sit-ups.
* And, no, these are not a requirement for leadership, but it got you to read the article.

How about you? Do you cheat excellence in areas of your leadership, home, work or personal life because of finishing work? It’s tough, but it is what it takes to move areas in your life from ‘good’ to ‘awesome’.

Someone Else’s Strategy

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Recently I elected to take a 13 week education course on finance. Initially, I was very resistant to giving up a minimum of 20+ hours of my time over the course of 3 months, but the series of talks has come highly recommended. For context, I haven’t felt a compulsion to buy the course book to accompany the talks and I see the small recap/study groups afterward as a low return proposition. The topics aren’t rocket science, plus the material is online for free along with the accompanying work study projects. If I really wanna read the text, like a cheap college student I figure I can borrow it from someone who drops outs or that isn’t using it the 5 other nights of the week. As with most other things in my life, I have adapted the process to suit my style, needs, interests and study habits.

What should not have astounded me in the first 3 weeks of the course is how taking class with adults is similar to junior high school. Comments directed my way over the first few weeks, “I’m wondering, why you don’t bring your book to class?”, “Did you get your homework done?”, “Can you really be paying attention while you are checking your email & reading news on your phone?”

Simple leadership observations:

  • Know your strengths, you best modes for learning and working, and regardless of what other people think about your methods, focus on the results and maximizing your effectiveness and time.
  • Another way of saying it, you can’t run everyone else’s race, you can only runs yours. What is required for your optimal performance will be unique to you.
  • If you do it the way everyone else does it you will get the same results as them, not exceptionally better results.

My challenge: Aspire to be different and see things from a different angle. Prepare yourself for the resistance, because when you don’t ‘fit it’ it will bother other people.

Here’s is a impact talk from Steve Jobs to expand on the concept.

Drive and Desire

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This morning I went to the high school track closest to where I live to put in some speed work as I train for my first marathon. Arriving very early, I found that the track was in complete lock down. Every gate closed, every opening shut, chained and padlocked. Not one soul running. It was frustrating and more so, it was very confusing… I began to ask myself questions like, “Why aren’t any of the school’s athletes out there? Why aren’t other area runners training? What is going on?” So I drove a few more miles down the road to check the next high school. The track was wide open, and sure enough it was packed. There were 50-100 student athletes getting in their before-school training. Area runners were doing speed work. The track was even humming along with a few house moms getting in some circuit training.

So who sets the tone of desire and drive for the organization? Is it the security guard who unlocks the gates? Is it head of the athletic department? Is it the conditioning coach? Or is it the athlete who gets up early to train? You know the answer… each of them do, but the driven athlete will always find a way to train, just like the driven leader will overcome obstacles to achieve his goals.

* It shouldn’t surprise you to know that the high school with the closed track only has a few state titles in it’s history. Conversely, the high school with the open track has many and is considered by some to be the premier academic AND athletic school in the entire state.

The Hardest Road

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The hardest road is the one that you are afraid to go down. This road is not your greatest weakness but it might be your biggest obstacle. You know that along the way it will be difficult and grueling. However, it will certainly create change and growth. On this road you might need the challenge and guidance of somebody who is more experienced and better equipped. This road doesn’t have the quick results but it is the one that will dramatically alter your life.

You know what your road is… it has already popped to mind.

More education? Discipline to work harder & smarter? A fear that needs conquered? A comfort zone you need to break out of? A strategic skill that you have avoided developing? The crucial conversations you haven’t had?  You might even have to quit something to start down the road. And in all reality, you are going to have to work your ass off.

Want IT Yourself

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It’s fun to help people.

I truly enjoy the process of coaching, sharing, challenging and stretching another person to bring out their best. No egos involved, just one human helping another human get ahead, do better, advance in your station in life. I love helping people realize their ‘IT’.

IT = your dreams, goals, ambitions, desires, future, and possibilities.
IT = making more money, having more freedom, enjoying life to it’s fullest, changing the world.
IT = what could be.
IT = the desire you have to be something more or better.

Here’s what drives me absolutely nuts though… I can not want ‘IT’ for you. You have to want IT more than anyone else does. If I want IT for you more than you want IT for you… you are on the wrong track and IT will never become reality.

Quit Early / fail

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Your opportunities to quit early are many. At the first sign of resistance. During the middle of the first hard ascent. When the comfort of the bed seems better than the early morning of sweat and hard work. As pain creeps in. Facing an unforeseen and ridiculous obstacle. When you are no longer favored to win. Early on you will run smack into  … Anxiety … Loneliness … Pain … Ridicule … Easier Paths … Being behind … Comfort … Conformity … Fatigue.

Don’t trade in your dreams, visions, goals and ambitions by quitting shortly after you have begun. What you are experiencing in those early tests is common to every leader. The resistance sharpens the leader. The pressure shapes you and prepares you for better things yet to come.

Lance Armstrong is a 7 time Tour de France champion (the undisputed, single hardest cycling competition in the world) because he doesn’t quite when things get hard, when others get ahead or when he experiences a set back. He steels himself with resolve, grit, determination. ‘I am done’ is not in his vocabulary when the prize is still out in front. Yesterday he blew out a tire and saw his rivals gain minutes on him in the month long race that is separated by mere seconds in the end. His response:

“Our chances took a knock today,” Armstrong said. “I’m not going home, we’ll stay in the race and keep trying.”

* A short series of failures you can make as a young leader.

Don’t Jump the Shark!

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What are you great at?  What are you known for? Why is your company successful?
Keep doing it.
When Fonzie jumped over a shark, he coined a term that we still use today: Jumping the shark. It refers to the point where a TV show goes off its designed path in order to reenergize the series.
A current TV Show that has come under fire for “jumping the shark” is American Idol. They have stopped doing the things that made the show unique and relevant.
Leaders need to understand what makes them unique and relevant and they need to stay true to their goals and priorities. There is no need to try to reinvent yourself or your company when when you are on top.
Don’t jump the shark in your leadership!

What’s Left Behind

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You can live your life so sheltered that when you’re old and gray, all that you can claim is to have lived long enough to have become old. That’s not my way. - Ed Viesturs; 1st American to climb all 14 of the world’s tallest peaks.

Ed spent 8 years in college and then a few more in practice to be an established veterinarian. He jumped ship to pursue his love for high altitude summit climbing and eventually became the first American to summit the world’s 14 highest mountain peaks all without the aid of bottled oxygen. Many of us have found ourselves wondering if we could leave our current place behind in an effort to chase our dream. You can! You are capable of the same creative processes and leadership required to pursue your dreams and your purpose. But, you will have to leave other things behind.

Wipe It Off

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People are bound to say crap about you… that is the nature of people and also the nature of leadership.
You need to figure out when to let the crap stick or when to wipe it off.

Identify the 2-5 leadership voices that count the most to you and your development. Let them speak into difficult problems, even if you don’t always agree with what you hear. Be willing to give them a full account of your hardest scenarios. Likewise give them full access to the scenarios if needed or when you can. Count on these people to ask you hard questions and challenge your growth. Listen to them and let their guidance shape your life.

Honor, or at least respect, people who have an issue and come to you in person and are willing to speak frankly. Those rare, but open discourses can typically result in good to fair resolutions if you are willing to listen and be open to growing. Learn to slough off and ignore the rest.

As for the people who have the crap to say….
Ignore spineless, behind-your-back conversations. Don’t worry about half-told truths. Delete the all-too-easily volleyed emails, text messages and twitter updates. (You know that person wouldn’t say directly to you what they have written with their new found technology enhanced courage.) Your leadership and your character will always prove itself out in the end.

Life is far too easily consumed with dissections of emotionally charged situations, frustrations, disappointments and disagreements. Do your best as you make your leadership calls. Trust your experience. Admit and learn from your short comings. Keep moving on.

Volunteer Leadership Team

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Some quick basics on building a kick-ass volunteer leadership team.

Never go alone. Get people engaged in your initiative from the very beginning. If you can’t take people with you early on when your passion is white hot, then it won’t get any easier for you later.

Get people in on the ground floor. Some people are more inclined to serve with you because you aren’t thoe big and established ‘old dog’. Use this to your strength.

Share your vision of the glorious future. Make it straight forward and easy to understand. Practice this every time you meet with someone. if you don’t have it down to 2-3 quick & easy to understand sentences.

Grow Up! The best leaders will come around young leaders when they see your desire to grow up and do something of import. You don’t have to wear a suit and tie to accomplish this, but you must be ready to work hard. Have fun, but prepare yourself to grow and demonstrate this with how you carry yourself.

Don’t put off inviting in BIGGER minds. Find people that will challenge you. BE SURE to listen to them when they speak. This stop investing if you demonstrate that you aren’t listening.

Keep close a tight group of trusted people. Choose carefully 3-5 rock solid leaders you can depend on in hard times & for key decisions.

Don’t just invite friends, but choose leaders. Diverse strengths and insights won’t come without some effort on your part to seek them out. Just because people are easy to hang with doesn’t mean they will be the best leaders for your project.

Engage your key people regularly. This doesn’t have to translate into more meetings though. Invite them into your processing, your planning, your strategy. Quick phones calls and emails will do the trick.

—> If they aren’t invested, they aren’t invested with their time, money and mental energy that will help your project or organization move towards accomplishing your dreams.