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Posts Tagged ‘Reflection’

Intentional Leadership — D4, W1, M2 — Relationships

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 14, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Good morning, and Happy Thursday!

Today is another day for reflection. I encourage you to spend some time journaling about what you learned through your colleague, yesterday, about external perceptions of your skills in building the foundational elements of relationships.

What did you learn?

How can you use this new insight to help you improve?

When you are done with that, shift to thinking about the people you lead or interact with regularly. In each of the foundational areas, write down an action step you can take to promote these behaviors and strengthen your relationships.

Honesty

Reliability

Relating

Empathy

Time

Now, we know that if we don’t make these actions a priority, they won’t likely get done. So, let’s look at your schedule…fit these actions into your schedules on specific days and times. You will have a much greater chance of success then.

After all, your calendar is one telling measure of what your true priorities are.

Have a thoughtful Thursday!

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Intentional Leadership — D2, W1, M2 — Relationships

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , on February 12, 2013| Leave a Comment »

It’s self-assessment time! Before we get too far into thinking about and discussing relationships, let’s see how we do on some key foundational elements of relationship-building.

Assess yourself on each of these elements:

Honesty: When you speak with others, how open are you? Do you share information about yourself that might reflect poorly on you? Are you comfortable acknowledging that you don’t know something, or do you bluff your way through as if you are knowledgeable?

WEAK  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  STRONG

Reliability: Can others count on you to follow through on your commitments?

WEAK  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  STRONG

Relating: When you are with others, do you listen attentively, seeking to understand others first? Or are you focused on being understood?

WEAK  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  STRONG

Empathy: Do you demonstrate your concern for others by doing what you can when someone needs help? Recognize that support may take many forms: standing up for someone, listening, taking action on another’s behalf, or just doing some small act of kindness.

WEAK  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  STRONG

Time: Are you consistent about investing time and energy into your most important relationships? Are you contributing to the health of your relationships, or are you taking, not giving? As John Maxwell says, in every relationship you can be a + or a – … which are you?

WEAK  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  STRONG

After rating yourself, spend a little time to summarize your thoughts on this exercise. Are you a plus (+) or a minus (-)? What did you learn that you can use to improve your approach to relationships?

This area of leadership is like all the others in that to do well here, one must have a certain level of self-awareness and operate in an intentional manner. As with the exercises that came before now, it’s important that you are really honest with yourself. If you are shallow in this area, it will be readily apparent.

“See” you on Wednesday!

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Intentional Leadership — M2, W1, Day 1 — Relationships

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , on February 11, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Welcome to month 2 of our Intentional Leadership journey, focused on relationships.

As we start this first week, it makes sense to consider, first, our relationship with ourselves.

If you’ve done much reading about Abraham Lincoln, you will be well aware that he took quite the journey learning to be a leader. He encountered many challenges along his path, often experiencing events that may have driven some to give up, but he was persistent and knew he had important work to do. Over the course of his journey, he came to know his strengths and weaknesses quite well. This self-awareness allowed him to form relationships with rivals as he steered the country through some of its toughest times.

When we look at many leaders — within organizations, local and state governments, and even those responsible for entire countries — quite often you will notice they have built their inner circles with loyal supporter and long-time colleagues. Not Lincoln; he built his cabinet with bitter rivals, knowing full well they would not see eye-to-eye on many matters that would determine what kind of country the US would be, following the Civil War. He realized, though, that each of those men had invaluable knowledge, wisdom, and experience, and he needed the best to help move the country through such a precarious time.

It takes a strong, confident leader to do that. He knew his ideas and decisions would be challenged, and he understood it would be in the country’s best interest to open himself up to that level of scrutiny. He knew the others had value to add, and would help him to make sound, well-considered decisions about our country’s future.

As you come to truly know yourself — values, beliefs, strengths, weaknesses, passions, dreams — you will come to more easily recognize those characteristics and qualities in others, and to appreciate them, as well. You will be able to recognize the value of working together.

Eleven years ago, I went through a life-changing leadership development program. One of the things I learned is: No one of us is as smart as all of us.

No one of us is as smart as all of us.

Before we dive into relationships with others, let’s take a close look at ourselves today. Take an inventory of your strengths and weaknesses with respect to building and maintaining relationships.

Which skills do you believe to be your strengths?

Which skills would you be well-served to work on?

You can do what I cannot do. I can do what you cannot do. Together, we can do great things.  — Mother Teresa

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Intentional Leadership – Month Two – Relationships

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 10, 2013| Leave a Comment »

On Monday, we will begin month two of our intentional leadership journey. As has become the pattern, I will share thoughts and exercises with you Monday – Friday each week. The premise for month two is this: Relationships are the best indicators of a successful and satisfied life.

If you’ve been through some “personality” assessments, you may have been categorized as a “task-focused” person rather than a “relationship-focused” person. Earlier in my life, I was more task-focused. I believe it’s the result of having grown up in an unstable household, the circumstances of which lead me to believe that I could count on only myself, and it was much safer to not need people or allow them to get close; after all, they would only disappoint or hurt me.

Those beliefs and behaviors served me well for some time. I learned to be very responsible, independent, self-sufficient, able to learn nearly any skill I needed to get through life’s basic needs and challenges. But there came a time when those beliefs and behaviors became more of a detriment to me. My ability to expand my influence and ability to get work done was severely limited. I had alienated a lot of people.

Over time, and a lot of painful experiences, I learned that not only would I be able to accomplish more and do whatever it was better, but also my life would be much richer if I could develop healthy relationships with people. It was hard. It required me to let my guard down and admit that I couldn’t do it all myself, and it was ok to need people.

I won’t say it’s been a bed of roses ever since. I’ve made bad decisions about trusting some, and not trusting others. I’ve been hurt, more than once. But I’ve also come to really value the relationships I have developed and have a true understanding of the saying: No one of us is as smart as all of us. I truly am more productive, effective, and able to accomplish so much more by connecting with others and spreading the load. And it’s ever so much more satisfying.

I learned that I cannot lead if I am the only one…as they say, if you are by yourself, you are not leading, merely taking a walk!

I believe in the power of true connection which leads to synergy which results in something so much greater than the sum of its parts. However, I also know that this doesn’t just happen. Often, especially in business, you will find groups of people who toil under the illusion they are a team and are all working on the same thing. When you get into the thick of whom they are and what they are doing, however, you discover they are just a group of people who think they are a team…and the results they achieve are either equal to or less than what the individuals would accomplish alone.

True teams do not happen by accident. They take time, intention, and focus to build. But when they really come together, the outcomes can be amazing – significantly more than the sum of their parts.

As we prepare to start Week One of Month Two, take a few minutes to think about these things:

How are your strengths and weaknesses reflected in your relationships?

How have relationships throughout your life helped you to grow into a leader?

When have you put aside relational differences to pursue a shared goal?

What sacrifices have you made for the sake of a relationship?

I look forward to this next part of our journey. Please share your thoughts along the way.

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Intentional Leadership – Month One – Vision – Wrap-up

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on February 9, 2013| Leave a Comment »

We’ve just spent the last four weeks together, focusing on the visions we have cast for our teams/organizations. How did it go for you?

In West Virginia, we’ve had a lot of snow off-and-on over the last couple of weeks, which can create hazardous driving conditions. When I’m a passenger in the car, I can enjoy the beauty and magic of the snow. When I’m the driver, I have other concerns – and being able to see, clearly, where I am going is critical. I must be ever vigilant paying attention to the snow coming down, the road conditions, other drivers, and the occasional critter that decides it must also use the road I’m on. It would be lazy and reckless of me to do anything less.

The same can be said of leaders. It’s critical that we are able to cast a compelling vision in a simple and clear manner, so that our teams and organizations can easily understand. If we do it well, and are able to inspire them, they are likely to commit to helping you achieve it, knowing it’s an opportunity to be part of something much greater than them.

I encourage you to dream big. Find that thing that drives you, that fills you with passion. Paint a vivid picture of it for yourself and others. Determine the path you must start down in order to reach it…then take action.

It’s been said that everyone dreams of something. For some, the dream is so real you can almost reach out and touch it, for others it’s just a passing fancy. For some it’s a wish, for others it’s a belief. If you are the vivid dreamer, and you believe in your vision, you will succeed, but you must get started.

If you’re still following this blog – joining me on this intentional leadership journey – I suspect there is some longing within you, some stirring within your soul that has you excited about the future.

What is it?

What do you long to do, be, or have more of?

What do you want to create in the world?

Whatever it is, grab hold of it, nurture it, bring it forth into the world…do not let it fade away, for we will all miss out!

On Monday, we will begin Month Two of our journey, focused on relationships. “See” you then!

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Intentional Leadership – D5, W4, M1 – Weekend Prep – Vision

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »

This is becoming our Friday routine. Did you anticipate it?

As we come to the end of this first month on our Intentional Leadership journey, will you spend some time in reflection of the work you’ve done over the past week and consider how it’s going?

Are you ahead of me this week and already have your weekend thought out?

How much rest do you need this weekend?

How much – and what kind of – activity do you need?

Who can you spend time with that will encourage, nurture, stimulate, support you?

Who needs some of your time and attention?

What do you need to do for yourself this weekend — to relax, refresh, reflect, reinvigorate?

What do you need to do to prepare yourself for a great start to next week, preparing for Monday?

As is my norm, I don’t have the time scheduled, but have a few things I know I need to attend to:

I need to get more sleep this weekend than I have been.

I will spend time reading, playing, and doing homework with my son.

I will read at least an hour of something fun and an hour of something on growth.

I will spend at least two hours working through curriculum in the John Maxwell Online University and at least two hours on business accounting.

I will call my parents. I will respond to some personal emails. I will handwrite a couple of letters — one to a mentor and one to an old roommate (I confess to not completing this task last weekend).

And I will prepare for Monday…as we all know, Monday is going to arrive; it always does. I know I feel better when I’ve given some thought to how I want it to be.

Again, what thought are you giving to things you have planned or need to prepare for or complete in the coming months?

On Monday, we will begin month two of our Intentional Leadership Journey, and our focus will shift from Vision to Relationships.

Remember, success comes from taking steps and doing work each and every day, consistently over time. You’ll see the benefits of your efforts if you are persistent and consistent.

Have a great weekend, and I’ll “see” you on Monday!

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Intentional Leadership — D4, W4, M1 — Vision

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , on February 7, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Thursday is the day for reflection.

Take some time today to consider what you heard from your trusted colleagues yesterday.

What did you hear that was good?

What did you hear that concerned you?

Would your work carry on because of the legacy you left?

One of the keys to success is self-awareness. This is true true regardless of the position you hold in an organization, and especially so for a leader. We must face the truth and learn from it.

What have you learned about yourself as you focused on your vision this month?

Where are you strong?

Where do you fall short?

What changes will you make in your leadership style as a result of this examination?

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Intentional Leadership — D2, W4, M1 — Vision

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 5, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Today, we’re going to take some time to evaluate our effectiveness related to defining and communicating our vision.

Take a few minutes to reflect on these components and and rate your effectiveness:

Remember, 1 = weak and 10 = strong.

How well are you able to cast and define a vision for your team/organization?

WEAK  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  STRONG

How well can you explain your vision — simply and concisely — to your team/organization?

WEAK  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  STRONG

How effective are you at communicating the vision over time?

WEAK  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  STRONG

How well do you link goals, milestones, and strategy to your vision?

WEAK  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  STRONG

How do you rate your employees’ level of commitment to your vision?

WEAK  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  STRONG

How honest were you with yourself in assessing your effectiveness above? Following this assessment, what areas of vision definition, communication, and reinforcement do you need to spend more time and energy on?

What resources do you need to grow in your weaker areas (books, mentors, experts, outside perspectives, focused practice)?

What are you risking if you do not improve? How could that affect your team and organization?

We are coming close to the end of month one, focused on vision. If you have work to do in this area, time is of the essence!

“See” you tomorrow!

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Bring on the Rain!

Posted in Food for Thought, tagged , , , , on February 3, 2013| Leave a Comment »

I’ve been thinking a lot about resilience lately. Contemplating what it is that allows some people to emerge from adversity and change, stronger and more confident, ready for whatever comes next, while others sink into defeat, seemingly unable to overcome whatever hardship they have experienced.

About 10 years ago, my sister took me to see George Strait in concert, in Seattle. JoDee Messina opened for him. Prior to that night, she wasn’t really on my musical radar, but she put on a good show and it turned out I loved a lot of her songs. Last week, I rediscovered her while browsing the CD racks at Wal-Mart. I picked up her Greatest Hits CD (yes, I know — I’m out of sync with the times, not buying it in iTunes!). I’ve been enjoying it immensely, and have found myself playing one song over and over and over in the car. Here it is:

Bring on the Rain*

Another day has almost come and gone
Can’t imagine what else could go wrong
Sometimes I’d like to hide away somewhere and lock the door
A single battle lost but not the war

Tomorrow’s another day
And I’m thirsty anyway
So bring on the rain

It’s almost like the hard times circle round
A couple drops and they all start coming down
Yeah, I might feel defeated
I might hang my head
I might be barely breathing, but I’m not dead

‘Cause tomorrow’s another day
And I’m thirsty anyway
So bring on the rain

I’m not gonna let it get me down
I’m not gonna cry
And I’m not gonna lose any sleep tonight

‘Cause tomorrow’s another day
And I am not afraid
So bring on the rain

I appreciate the recognition that sometimes life is really hard, overwhelming even, and sometimes we need a time out. Time to breathe, regroup, and prepare to meet the challenges of life on a new day…and yet, we are undefeated; we are resilient; we will rise, again, to face whatever challenges that will emerge in our lives.

So, what is it that allows us to declare “I am not afraid!” Certainly, I’ve experienced adversity, profound pain, and what some may define as failure. But  every single time, I’ve woken up the next morning, and forged ahead to face life head-on…unsure how I would handle whatever came next, and yet, knowing down deep that come what may, I would do my best and keep moving.

After some reflection, I think resilience comes from a fundamental belief in ourselves, our value, our expectation that we are here to do something important — a healthy level of faith that all will be well in time. It’s borne of courage and confidence and the knowledge that the experience brings growth; having survived whatever the situation, we will emerge stronger and better able to make our way through whatever comes next.

What change are you working your way through?

Will you allow it to consume you and flavor the rest of your life?

Will you emerge stronger and more confident?

How resilient are you?

What is the foundation for your resilience?

 

What does this song say to you?

*Thank you to JoDee Messina, Tim McGraw, Billy Montana, and Helen Darling for sharing this song with us.

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Intentional Leadership — Weekend Prep — D5, W3, M1 — Vision

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 1, 2013| Leave a Comment »

This is becoming our Friday routine. Did you anticipate it?

Are you ahead of this post and already have your weekend thought out?

As we come to the end of this third week on our Intentional Leadership journey, will you spend some time in reflection of the work you’ve done over the past week and how it’s going?

What about giving some thought to how you will spend the weekend?

Who do you need to spend time with?

Who needs to spend time with you?

What do you need to do for yourself this weekend — to relax, refresh, reflect, reinvigorate?

What do you need to do to prepare yourself for a great start to next week, preparing for Monday?

We have a play date to make Valentine cards for my son’s Kindergarten class.

I will read at least an hour of something fun and an hour of something on growth.

I will call my parents. I will respond to some personal emails. I will handwrite a couple of letters — one to a mentor and one to an old roommate.

I will spend at least two hours working through curriculum in the John Maxwell Online University and at least two hours on business accounting.

And I will spend some time preparing for Monday.

As we all know, Monday is going to arrive; it always does. Won’t it feel much better to be ready for it?

Again, what thought are you giving to things you have planned or need to prepare for or complete in the coming months?

On Monday, we will begin week four of our Intentional Leadership Journey.

Remember, success comes from taking steps and doing work each and every day, consistently over time. You’ll see the benefits of your efforts if you are persistent and consistent.

Have a great weekend, and I’ll “see” you on Monday!

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