Posted in Leadership, tagged Consequences, Focus, Goals, Intentional, Leadership, Reflection on April 25, 2013| Leave a Comment »
This has been a fast week for me. What about for you?
What benefits have you experienced from identifying and removing distractions this past week to stay focused on your project?
What do you need to do to maintain this kind of focus over time?
How could being this focused increase your production and fulfillment at work?
I encourage you to really spend some time with these questions and your journal today.
Posted in Leadership, tagged Communication, Consequences, Focus, Goals, Intentional, Leadership, Planning, Prioritizing, Taking action on April 24, 2013| Leave a Comment »
How many projects are you currently working on? Today, let’s focus on just one.
Pick one and recruit some others on your team, or within your organization, and strategize how to get it done. Then, ask each person to write down all their thoughts about the potential distractions that could keep you from completing the project. Share everyone’s list of potential distractions, then as a team discuss how you can eliminate or protect yourselves from the distractions.
As a team commit to the actions defined above and to remain focused on the project until it is completed. Agree to a plan and move forward.
First step: Name the project.
Second step: List the names of the people you will recruit to help you.
Third step: Describe how they can help you.
Fourth step: Take action!
Posted in Leadership, tagged Change the World, Consequences, Focus, Goals, Intentional, Leadership, Purpose, Taking action on April 22, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Wow! We’re already into week three of our fourth month on this journey! Time flies…
What does clear focus do for you and your team? When I work with teams, I begin with team building (have to have a foundation of trust before anything else of significant value will happen), and once we have that foundation, we work on where the team is headed — defining and clarifying what their vision is. Then I walk them through plotting out the steps they will need to take to achieve their vision, how they will measure their progress along the way, and how will they hold themselves and each other accountable for their individual and team commitments.
As they begin to move forward, they will develop momentum, but they will also be dealing with the rest of their lives, which creates some distractions, both at home and at work. It’s critical they remain focused on the end game. Clear focus eliminates distractions, unifies activity, and guides decision-making.
When your focus is diverted, all kinds of things will come into your path to get you and keep you off track. You will find competing goals and your team mates will be pulled in other directions. As the leader, you must be the reminder, relentlessly keeping the team focused on your shared vision, championing that vision, and celebrating the work your team is doing and the milestones it is achieving along the way.
Think back to the Cold War. There were several different schools of thought about the approach we should take with the USSR: Befriend them and seek common ground; divvy up territories — giving them control of Eastern Europe and parts of Asia; others said they must be defeated at all costs.
Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher agreed with the final approach — defeat them at all costs. Our leaders had determined that the USSR having any significant control beyond its own borders was not an option that would be good for the rest of the globe. Each took a specific approach. Reagan framed it as a struggle between liberty and suppression. Thatcher focused on unraveling socialist policies at home and abroad. Together, they focused the resources and willpower of half the globe toward crushing communism.
What do you think would have happened if they didn’t have a laser-sharp focus on these issues?
What distractions threaten to sway the focus of your team?
What can you do — daily — to unify your team’s attention and activities?
Concentrate all your thoughts upon the work at hand. The sun’s rays do not burn until brought to a focus. ~Alexander Graham Bell
Posted in Leadership, tagged Communication, Focus, Goals, Intentional, Leadership, Learning, Reflection, Relationships, Taking action on April 17, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Now that you’ve defined the skills necessary for success in your current role, and are actively working to sharpen at least one of them, let’s think about who can help you.
Who do you know who can help you deliberately develop the skills required in your role?
While you surely have an extensive network and a long list of contacts, create a list of specific people who are key players with respect to your position. Designate each one based on expertise and associate their names with the skills from the list you created yesterday. Think of them as your “inner circle” with respect to sharpening your skills in this job.
On a piece of paper, make two columns. In the left column, list your top ten skills, one per line. In the right column, list the people you identified above who can help you with each specific skill on your list.
Contact at least one person on your list today to help you with something specific.
You know, people are flattered when we recognize their skills and abilities; they want to know that others recognize their talents and competence. You can win in two ways with this exercise: First, you sharpen your skills, and second, you will likely develop a stronger connection with the people you reach out to.
What are you waiting for? Get started…
Posted in Leadership, tagged Focus, Goals, Intentional, Leadership, Personal Growth, Prioritizing, Self-Awareness, Taking action on April 16, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Let’s work through an exercise to clarify your role, sharpen your skills, and refine your ability to focus. Before you can do this, it’s important to understand you role and what skills are necessary for you to be successful in it.
First, on a piece of paper, describe your current role. What are you responsible for?
Next, outline the skills required for you to be successful in your role. List at least 10 skills, then circle the top three.
Now that you are clear on the top three skills required for success in your job, what can you do in the next week to improve your mastery of just one of those skills?
After you have picked one, create a simple plan that will drive you to sharpen that skill at least twice over the next week. Be very specific and even put the time and activities in your planner. If you don’t commit to it, something else will surely come along and eat up the time you’ll need.
I look forward to hearing what you are working on, the actions you are taking to sharpen your skills, and what your results are.
Posted in Leadership, tagged Focus, Goals, Intentional, Leadership, Purpose, Self-Awareness, Vision on April 15, 2013| Leave a Comment »
As we move into week two of this month on focus, I am reminded of John Maxwell’s Law of the Inner Circle (21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership), which essentially says that because no one person is strong in every quality, characteristic, behavior, or skill, we need an inner circle — people around us who are strong in areas where we are not. Strong, confident, self-aware leaders realize this and know it to be true.
I know this to be true. As an example, I am a strategist. I see the big picture. I thrive on concept development and deep discussions around ideas and problem solving. I can deal with the details, and have spent a considerable number of years doing exactly that, and quite well, but it’s a huge energy drain for me, and quite tedious. Not the best use of my time, energy, or talents. I have a number of skills and talents, and a number of other areas where I’m not the best. The good news is, I recognize this about myself. So, as I build my team, I will be wise to include someone who loves the administrative stuff, who thrives on dealing with the details, among other things.
This was also true of Anne Mulcahy, former Chairperson and CEO of Xerox Corporation. When she was appointed to the top position, a promotion she wasn’t looking for, Forbes Magazine dubbed her “The Accidental CEO.” While she was in an unexpected position, she was not unintentional about how she handled her new-found responsibility.
And a heavy load it was. At the time, Xerox was $18 Billion in debt and under SEC investigation for accounting fraud. Mulcahy knew she had to turn the company around, and to do this she — and her inner circle — would have to be bold and dauntless. Knowing her strengths and weaknesses, she was smart in surrounding herself with outstanding leaders in their areas of discipline, especially in finance and accounting. She expected them to challenge her instincts, to be transparent and blunt about what they found, and they delivered.
During this trying time, Mulcahy put the company through rigorous financial changes, including massive lay-offs (more than 25,000 jobs!), shutting down unprofitable divisions, and even relocated executives to less extravagant offices. All the while, she had her eye on growth, continuing to fully support Xerox’s Research and Development team because she knew the company would required new products to stay afloat.
You could say, Anne Mulcahy had crystal clear focus on where she was taking the company and what was required to get there, and she did this with the support of a strong inner circle. As a leader, you will also need the vision, insight, different perspectives, and support of others.
Who is in your corner and on your team — part of your Inner Circle, if you will — who helps you in your current role?
What skills do you have and what tools do you use to help you stay focused in your job?
Posted in Leadership, tagged Communication, Focus, Goals, Intentional, Leadership, Planning, Prioritizing, Purpose, Reflection on April 12, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Good morning and Happy Friday!
Another week has flown by and we are at the end of our first week of Month Four — Focus.
This topic is a good one for me right now. I am working through the Deeper Path process, as I’ve mentioned, and it’s all about gaining clarity, developing a crystal clear plan for where I’m headed with my life’s work, which requires a lot of reflection and focus.
What about you? What are you thoughts on this month’s topic, so far?
What do you need to focus on?
Now for our Friday ritual, let’s focus on the weekend and the weeks ahead…
What really needs your attention this weekend? Is it projects, people, rest, , fun, relaxation…?
We’ve had a lot going on in our family this past week, so rest and reconnection are definitely in order. My son wants to spend his tooth fairy money on a wind-up turtle for the tubby, so we will go to Toys R Us.
Continuing preparation for the Women in Leadership Luncheon; it takes a lot more preparation than one might imagine to deliver an awesome keynote speech, and that’s my intention. I don’t want anyone attending the luncheon to walk away disappointed. I also just committed to sponsoring the Chick-Fil-A Leadercast being hosted at University of Charleston on May 10. So, I have some work to do polishing up my marketing materials for Empowerment Mentoring and a couple of Mastermind Groups (15 Invaluable Laws of Growth and Everyone Communicates Few Connect). I am still working my way through content in the John Maxwell Online University; this material is so good on so many levels, I will go through it over and over and over and over, and get something new out of it every time! Finally, I applied to be part of the team John Maxwell is taking to Guatemala in June to teach Transformational Leadership. This is an opportunity of a lifetime and I’m so excited! Can’t wait to hear if I will be included in the team. If the answer is “yes,” I have a lot of work in preparation for that, as well.
What’s in store for you this weekend, next week, and in the coming weeks? Are you taking the steps to set yourself up for success and fulfillment?
Have a great weekend, and I’ll “see” you Monday!
Posted in Leadership, tagged Focus, Goals, Intentional, Planning, Reflection, Success on April 11, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Today, I encourage you to spend some time journaling about the goal you accomplished this week using your objective statement and task list.
Did you do it?
Were you successful?
Were you more aware of the big picture surrounding the task and how it involved others?
As a result, were you able to come up with a task list more quickly from the objective statement?
Were your activities more focused this week than in previous weeks?
What have you learned, so far, about focus, that you can carry forward and increase your effectiveness going forward?
Posted in Leadership, tagged Focus, Goals, Intentional, Leadership, Planning on April 9, 2013| Leave a Comment »
What important projects are you working on, either at work or at home? Pick one and take some time to consider what challenges you might encounter while working your way through the project.
Now, think of other people who have worked on similar projects. Pick someone you know well enough to connect with who will spend a little time with you. Then use the opportunity to discuss your project, the challenges you think you might encounter, and how you might navigate your way through those hazards. Get their input.
What insights do they have to offer?
How will you use it?
Posted in Leadership, tagged Focus, Goals, Intentional, Leadership, Planning, Prioritizing, Reflection, Self-Awareness, Taking action on April 9, 2013| Leave a Comment »
I’m working my way through a process called The Deeper Path, led by Kary Oberbrunner, a fellow John Maxwell Team member can coach who is guiding me through this amazing process he developed with his Builder, Chet Scott. Traveling The Deeper Path is all about gaining clarity and focus.
While I have what I believe to be a lot more clarity about where I’m headed and what I’m building in my life than many others, I know I don’t have it to the degree I need it to be truly fulfilled, successful, and reach my potential. The truth is, there is so much stuff going on around all of us all day long, so much noise, so many messages to sift through, so many people clamoring for our time and attention, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. It’s easy to get lost in all the stuff. It’s easy to be busy, and yet not feel productive.
I know I’ve been there, on more days than I like to admit to. Yet, I’m aware of this, and awareness is the key. Once you have come to this realization, you have the opportunity — and the choice — to do something about it, to do something differently.
You see, busy doesn’t necessarily equate to productive. To be productive, I need to spend my time on the “right” activities. To know what the “right” activities are, I need clarity and focus!
How do we get there? Begin with the end in mind: What objective are we trying to achieve? When you can write an objective statement simply and clearly, you understand what you need to do to achieve it, when you need to do it, how you will do it, what resources (people and other) you need, and what the result will be when you are done.
Let’s put it into practice. We will create a task list that will allow you to stay focused on your project, effectively thinking through from the big picture to the details.
Across the top of a piece of paper, write your task or goal statement. Then, below it write this — and do the ranking:
Priority (1 = Low and 5= High) 1 2 3 4 5
Impact (1 = Low and 5= High) 1 2 3 4 5
Define the following:
What tools will you use to accomplish this task? List all resources — tangible or intangible, including specific people (time, money, supplies, staff, other materials, etc…)
Who will benefit or otherwise be affected by the completion of this task?
What will be the result?
When you’ve completed this exercise, use the information to draft your objective statement. Here’s an example: “By the end of this week, I will have created a comprehensive client contact file, including communication preferences, connection time-lines, product and services preferences, and known networks/affiliations, which I will use to track my business and networking activities.”
Now, take a clean sheet of paper, write your new objective statement at the top, then create your thorough task list which will allow you to meet your goal. Make notes as you work through it this week on what worked, what didn’t what you added that you didn’t need, what you needed but didn’t think to list…We’ll do some reflection on this later.
Get to work!
Leadership & Life Potential, LLC 