Red Bike Leader

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Posts Tagged ‘ryan russell’

Chasing Approval

by Ryan Russell | October 28th, 2009 | Posted in leadership

Why do you want to become a better leader? What is it that motivates you?

Avoid the the temptation to work hard to impress your boss, your mentor, your family, or ‘your people’.

Develop your leadership for you… because you expect more and better from yourself. Develop it for a cause. Save lives. Help people. Grow something good. Have purpose.

‘Approval’ is fickle and moody, and it is never quite as much in your grasp as you want it to be.

Every developing leader has someone they would really like to please and succeed for. Unfortunately, it will be a hard day when you come to realize that you should have been seeking a more lasting seal of approval.

now leadership

by Ryan Russell | October 15th, 2009 | Posted in leadership

Hurry up and graduate form high school so that you can get to college. Once in college, focus on your studies and have some fun but get moving on to that career. When you are finally ‘out there’ be sure to keep pressing on, chart your career goals and moves, keep climbing up. Vie for leadership and ‘more’ constantly. Watch out for yourself. Don’t be content. Constantly seek the allusive ‘more’.

Or, take a deep    {breath}     and ………….. p-a-u-s-e ……………..

For many of us, we are in a really good situation right now. Perhaps, much better than the situation gets credit for being. You have income (although you can imagine having more to be certain) and you have relationships, colleagues to know and embrace as you work together on ‘changing the world’. Chances are very good that if you take a look around, you also have leadership challenges and growth staring right back at you. Enjoy the NOW. Soak it up. Maximize it. Squeeze the life out of it. Notice it.

Without trying to be overly zen, your life and leadership moments will pass you by quick enough. Enjoy them in the now, not in the future.

Free to Suffer Consequence

by Ryan Russell | October 2nd, 2009 | Posted in basics

Ahh… consequences. Nobody likes them. Everyone wants to be immune from them. Yet, as young leaders, we are doomed to run into them. Our goal should be to avoid the unnecessary ones.

Enjoy the clip from Colin; it is great and right on target —->  Take a Listen

Prompt Rejection

by Ryan Russell | September 22nd, 2009 | Posted in basics, entrepreneur

“Prompt rejection is cost effective.”

This is a great proverb I received yesterday while taking some cues & pointers from an experienced fundraiser. It transcends that specific topic though. It carries over into relationships, business deals, and even parenting. It saves people on both sides of the equation. If the answer is going to invariably be ‘NO’ then let’s go ahead and get to that conclusion. Save time, hope,  money, energy, emails, phone calls and heartache.

Persistent Leader

by Ryan Russell | September 17th, 2009 | Posted in basics, leadership

We moved into a new community this summer. Through the course of identifying schools, my wife and oldest son came across a descriptive article about a ‘robot club’ at one particular school. Because my son has had a fascination with building things from a very young age this particular item immediately locked into his mind and his childhood fantastical possibilities. Ever since that mid-summer’s day, he has been persistently requesting me and my wife to join the club.

School was out of session and there was nobody to contact. To make matters more challenging, we didn’t enroll him in that school, they were full. He asked me to email them. So I did. At first he asked me every day if they had emailed back. I had to curtail that after day 7. Then he checked weekly, although I think he dreamt of robot club every day and night. School started. No word. I said, “give them one week”. Sure enough, he asked about it after school on the Friday of the first week. Unfortunately for him, I got an email that day stating the club was closed because they had no more room. Like him, I don’t easily take ‘no’ for a viable answer after just one effort. This Monday when he got home from school he and I charted a course to talk with someone in person. How can one say ‘no’ to a passionate and friendly young kid? We found the lead secretary for the school, Stacey. She was pleasant and willing to offer insights. We were personable and, although she didn’t know it, persistent. Stacey informed us that the reason the club was full was a lack of volunteers and supplies. My son quickly shot me the ‘dad, you will get involved’ look. We left a note for the lead volunteer. On the way to the car I had my first and perfect leadership development moment with my oldest son. I told him that personable and persistent people usually find ways to accomplish the things they really want to do. I asked him to remain hopeful and things would eventually work out.

Last night, the robot club lead volunteer called me. I missed his call at 8:30 p.m. but I called him back at 9:30 p.m. He called me back at 10 p.m. We figured out the hurdles together. Apparently Eric really likes robots and is excited to have a kid in the club that is so eager. 

Leadership requires a persistence. Persistence is leadership —- the words have to be synonyms. I am thrilled my son is learning this valuable lesson AND that this time it has been rewarded.

Sarcastic Confusion

by Ryan Russell | September 14th, 2009 | Posted in basics, leadership

“I’m only joking.”

“Just Kidding”

“I wasn’t serious.”

Really? How would I tell… You deadpan sarcasm so much that I can’t figure out which of your statements are serious and which of them are actually playful humor.

—-

If the previous section strikes a cord with you, it is time to rethink your communication style. Better yet, read this to someone who works closely with you AND who will tell you the truth. If they say it ‘might describe you on occasion’ (which is their polite & honest way of saying YES) then you do have a communication problem. Sarcasm is an easy, painful and lazy communication pattern. Leaders communicate straight on about issues. Leaders hold back unnecessary comments. Leaders measure their words knowing that they have impact. 

  • Never communicate truth through sarcasm – go head first into the issues OR don’t worry about it.
  • If sarcasm becomes more than 25% of your ’style’ with any individual, you don’t really have a relationship with them.
  • Observe other really sarcastic people and reflect deeply on your opinion of them AND other leaders’ opinion of them.

option 1: coaching

by Ryan Russell | September 9th, 2009 | Posted in basics, leadership
It would have been very easy to be upset. After all, we had just paid too much for those poolside margaritas to come back as weak flavored water experiments. Our hope was some very cold and refreshing adult beverages to enjoy with our plunge into the pool on that hot day. In this early summer moment of frustration and disappointment I was witness to a very fine leadership skill put on display. Instead of fury, harsh rebuke or silent contempt, my uncle proceeded to invest a valuable fifteen minutes of his afternoon in coaching the young lad who was behind the bar. He wasn’t aggressive but personable. He wasn’t arrogant but rather experienced. He wasn’t hurried but instead showed genuine interest in the young person. The net result equalled a better blend of ice cold pool side liquid goodness AND an invaluable leadership lesson.    

Correction does NOT only come through conflict. I see it time and again with leaders developing young leaders. Course correction comes: 
1. after many mistakes have been made & ignored 
2. with an aggressive, adversarial or conflict oriented style
Consider a few corrections in your development of the people around you.
* See the person you are developing as someone who wants to learn & grow; assume the best about them.
* Don’t wait for mistakes or missteps to build up; address the situation or actions as soon as possible and as often as necessary.
* Use a coaching approach; think about your language, tone, posture, facial expression.

It really isn’t that hard to help someone else increase their performance when you see their shortcomings as coaching opportunities where, without arrogance, ego or attitude you approach it as an opportunity to develop them for success.

Game of inches

by Ryan Russell | August 24th, 2009 | Posted in basics, leadership
Football is referred to as “a game of inches” and often you will hear announcers describe scoring drives as getting “stalled”. Another artful cliche states that “a Super Bowl is won a play at a time”. So coaches implore  their players to “keep moving the ball down the field”. You gotta keep moving the ball down the field. Vary the plays. Keep your opponent off balance. Have your momentum carrying you forward. Do what ever it takes to keep moving the ball down the field.
Leadership on a daily basis looks exactly the same way; you have to keep moving the ball down the field. As the point person, that is your role. So how do you do that? Solve problems that can’t be solve. Encourage your team. Devise a strategy. Go with the forward momentum. Stay focus on one play or deliverable at a time. Enjoy the process along the way. You have the idea… Leadership often is play by play. One play at a time.
Master plans & 5 year strategic visions (do people do those anymore?) are useful and sometimes necessary — each long term component serves it purposes. But do you have your team moving forward OR are you in danger of letting your mission get stalled?

Unconventional Audio

by Ryan Russell | August 20th, 2009 | Posted in entrepreneur, leadership

[I have been contemplating this idea for a while, so here is a new twist for the blog.]

I thoroughly enjoy sports talk radio to break up a long drive , as interesting listening while putting in the mileage on a long run or as a relaxer at the end of a long day. Some guys are quite talented and worth their paycheck. However, one stands above the others — Colin Cowherd. He is intelligence far exceeds his average listen, he understands that he is in entertainment so he doesn’t take himself too seriously AND he also has some brilliant insights about life and definitely about leadership. About once a week he ends up sharing a very insightful segment that lasts between two-to-five minutes. Here’s the first one. in what will probably be a semi-regular installment. Hang with it till the end. GREAT LEADERSHIP STUFF.

Ultimate Communication

by Ryan Russell | August 17th, 2009 | Posted in basics, leadership

I was re-introduced to “Ultimate Frisbee” this weekend; the main difference this go around being that I played for real. ‘Ultimate’ (the players’ shortened name for the game) is like soccer meets football but with less contact, more scoring and a disk (frisbee). It evidently is a viable recreational sport with leagues and all in the Pacific Northwest. While taking part in the pseudo-competitive team atmosphere I was reminded again about just how far a small bit of well timed communication can take a group of individuals who desire to win together. In fact, I would say it was the differentiator between the ‘winners’ and the ‘losers’.

On the field communication incorporates the the small and easily overlooked items. It takes into consideration the quick assignments of responsibilities in the heat of the action. Our ‘normal’ roles are accounted for by the definition of our pre-assigned position but in the heat of it all there are always fine adjustments to be made. Field communication doesn’t have time for egos, arm chair decision making or sulking about small assignments. In fact, it is usually less focused on what others need to do and more focused on communicating quickly and precisely what I will do and contribute; who I will guard on defense, where I am going on offense, immediate scoring opportunities and also urgent threats to the team which could result in a defeat or at minimum a score against us. And throughout the entirety of a game, teams with great communication skills assess their situation regularly, dole out encouragement, bark about adjustments to be made and remain committed to the blaring fact that the only way they win is if they work together as a team.