BradCo Consulting Ltd.

Common sense for the art of leading!

Category: Leadership & Coaching (Page 5 of 6)

Funny thing happened…

May 4, 2017 /

Leaders read & consistently learn.  In looking at the most successful people who positively influence our world we know this to be true.  They challenge themselves, take risks, follow curiosities & stay connected with their passions to make a difference.  Their examples are everywhere & are an essential part of closing the loop on living purposeful lives to benefit others…giving back!  Actionable leadership keeps us engaged with answering two key questions; What are we doing for others? & How do our actions impact them?

Had the good fortune recently of carving out some time to finish a book that has made a quick impact on my life; “Triggers” by Marshall Goldsmith.  Saw a post advertising his book on super sale & immediately downloaded it.   It took a couple attempts to get momentum but once commitment was in my corner it was engaging.

The most powerful aspect of this book for me was that of self questioning.  Had heard about this technique from one of his VLOG posts & had been only half-heartedly going through the motions of daily questioning.  He states that “active” questions make the most difference because of how they frame the responsibility.  They typically start with something like this…

“Did I do my best to…..”

As you no doubt notice right away, the responsibility lies on us, not with anyone else. We have to reconcile how we did with whatever challenge we’ve chosen to put intent behind.  Happiness, engagement, goals, good deeds, positive thinking, listening, medical appointments, exercise, healthy habits, relationships; anything.

He dives into many things; aspects of self-discipline versus self-control & that we don’t improve without some structure & follow-up.  Great stuff but the habit of questioning ourselves to stay focused can be the structure needed to get better at anything.

Two tools here, daily & hourly questions.  Suddenly it dawned on me that to make progress personally the daily questions were not enough.  Had the self-discipline to start something new but lacked the self-control needed to affect positive change.  Hourly questions were the answer!

We all carry a powerful tool around in our pockets every day that can help, our phones.  Soon after finishing the book, I decided to set 12 alarms from 7AM to 7PM every day & re-wrote the label asking the active question I most needed help with.  Bam!  After the first few hours a noticeable shift was beginning to happen with my state of mind.  How could something so simple be so powerful?  Then this quote popped into my head…

“The utmost in sophistication is simplicity.”  -Apple

One caveat from Goldsmith here; if we don’t want to improve, no structure or person can help, only we make that choice for change.  It was time for me, so it’s working.  Also, in my studies in the field of education a professor noted a study that indicated it only takes 90 repetitions of anything to start a habit.  Good or bad, it’s our choice once again.

What’s my struggle?  Becoming a better listener & always positive.  It’s too easy for me to just “wait to talk” since I love an audience & not engage my brain on what’s being said, mannerisms, etc.  Also, when I focus on being positive it quiets me literally & figuratively.  In carpenter terms I’ve “measured twice & cut once”.  The struggle is real but I’m doing something to inch toward a better me.

The takeaway here is that we can be our own coach!  Asking ourselves the hard questions about what we need to stop doing & start doing instead can be the catalyst.  The successful journey to a more happy life lies in all of us!  The example we are for others can make a profound impact each and every day, we just have to make the choice.  It’s not really about us but it starts there & grows into serving others by our willingness to let go of all the stuff that doesn’t really hold value.

The person that emerges from this simple but powerful tool will yield a better you.  Jump in, the water is fine!

All the best,

Karl

PS  His book has an accompanying App for daily questions you can tailor to your needs.  Works great, just search “Daily Questions” in the app store!  Nope, don’t work or have an affiliation with Goldsmith.
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Tomorrow isn’t promised

May 4, 2017 /

One of my coaches in High School told us the story of this man.  The point was to encourage everyone not to take a play off…ever.  You never know when your performance might make “the” difference in the game.  Go hard all the time so you don’t miss the opportunity to be the catalyst to help the team.  You could end up being the hero your team needed.  Who’s story inspired this motivational analogy?

wally-pipp

If you’re a big sports fan then you’ve probably heard the story of Wally Pipp.  In the first half of the 1920’s decade he was a very productive 1st baseman for the New York Yankees.  In June of 1925 he complained to his manager of a headache & was replaced in the line-up.  The fact the Yankees weren’t having a great season that year adds to the mystique of the story.  These days taking a day off has become common-place to survive a 162-game season but back then it was uncommon.

Never heard of him?  That’s not so surprising as he played almost 100 years ago now.  To be fair to his side of the story, he did get beaned in the head by a pitch the very next day after taking his now infamous day off.  He was hospitalized for 2-weeks.  Understandably, my coaches didn’t tell us this part of the story as it would’ve ruined their point.

NEXT MAN UP

As you’ve probably figured out by now Wally Pipp was replaced by arguably one of the best 1st basemen ever to play the game, Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig.  After replacing Pipp he didn’t come out of the lineup for almost 15 years.  He broke the consecutive games played streak playing an astounding 2,130 games in a row over that time.

In sports earning valuable playing time is hard work.  In our working lives it’s just as hard to position ourselves for that special assignment/project that stretches our abilities & propels the enterprise forward.  If you’re recognized as a “go-to” performer these development opportunities will come your way.  As commitment grows, trusting you to deliver will follow.  Always come to “play” because we can all get replaced by the next man up who tackles their responsibilities with passion.

Bring your best every day for yourself & the team….tomorrow isn’t promised!

All the best,

Karl

*Photo of Wally Pipp from Pinterest.com
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The Leadership Puzzle Part 2

March 5, 2017 /

Leadership sythesis Wordle!

Leadership can definitely be puzzling at times with the myriad of people & stuff issues we encounter each & every day.  It’s more art than science!  The world is changing at a speed faster than humans have ever experienced before due largely to technological advances.  This fact alone makes our leadership foothold paramount to balancing the needs of the people & enterprise we serve.  In taking notes on the leadership sessions, books, videos & podcasts, some of the same themes keep appearing (some are listed in the wordle).  These soft skills are so interconnected we often don’t realize when we’re utilizing them. Awareness is the key for those who’ve decided to focus on helping others.  Here are some ideas on the “C’s”…Coach, Communicate, Courage, Care, Compassion & Character.

Coach

Think about the best boss you ever had.  My bet is they never lost faith in you.  They gave you their best so you could be at your best.  Whatever their personal style, they knew how to connect with others in order to help develop their talents into strengths.  Figuring out our individual approach is critical.  Asking for meaningful feedback can be hard but taking it to heart proves even more difficult.  When are we at our best?  Remember the best you experienced & discover how you’re going to be the best.  Strive to be the best coach you ever had or wish you had!

Communicate

How we come across to others can sometimes be a mystery.  After all, we are only responsible for how we deliver messages.  We are not responsible for how others understand what’s being delivered.  However, knowing our audience is something we can know & adjust to.  Public speaking is a skill that everyone can learn.  It’s utilized each & every day with all kinds of different size groups & dynamics.  This skill alone helps us be true to our word & know how to become comfortable when anxiety hits.  Additionally, e-mail is not communication, it’s information dissemination & you can’t derive tone from it.  You can’t lead from this medium either.  True communication happens eyeball to eyeball.  Preparing for this takes dedicated thought, ensures we stay impeccable to our word & is a natural extension of the other “C’s”!

Courage

It takes a lot of this to navigate todays work/life balance challenges.  The ability to truly embrace change with an open mind can be tough.  Great ideas have a shelf life & the things we are doing now were great ideas once.  Creating the environment to listen & accept new conceptual thoughts that challenge old great ideas is the key to moving forward.  Some routine has to be in place so we can’t change everything but a little now & then won’t hurt, it will help immensely.  Avoid being jealous, especially if it’s your great idea that is being questioned, everyone appreciates it when we take the high road!

Care

A mentor of mine shared this thought a few years ago.  When a coach/teacher stops being actively involved with a person’s development it’s not that they don’t care it’s just that they know the person has stopped caring.  There are many reasons for this of course.  But this realization doesn’t mean the coach has given up on the individual.  There’s simply an engagement issue or they are ready for someone else to provide meaningful growth focus.  They need a new mentor or a new challenge.  Hook them up with their next great coach or opportunity & time will show them not only the value you had on their development but that you actually did care.  Courageously caring for another is always worth the energy expended for both parties!

Compassion

Everyone we come in contact with is struggling with something we know nothing about unless we ask.  Displaying this trait along with some empathy will provide the glue to keep the team together.  For me, it’s slowing down to listen.  Listening as intently as we desire to share will show kindness & it always works.  Seek first to understand then be understood.  Displaying a degree of gratitude can also show we appreciate their efforts.  Connecting what they’re good at to the work equals maximum engagement.  After all, we are human beings not human doings, right?

Character

From a very early age our foundation for life is forged.  This is often referred to & described as our character.  This is where we must stand tough for what we truly believe in.  Discover & re-discover what it is we really value & model it in everything we do.  This will lead to what & how we’ll stand up for in our dealing with people.  These intellectual differences are the true diversity we need to have patience to understand.  The perseverance to find mutual connection points leads to trust in any organization.

The farther away from “doing” we get in our careers the less relevant we become to the enterprise we serve.  Not being relevant can be scary because we tie so much of our worth to knowledge gained & accomplishments of yesterday.  For organizations to survive long after we’ve gone creating & inspiring new leaders must be the goal.  No matter if they stay or go off & do their own thing somewhere else it’s making work/life better.  And that’s worth it for sure!

There are so many other aspects of the “C’s” to delve into.  For now, these are my thoughts & I’d love to hear yours if you feel inclined.  Michael Jordan said, “I can’t accept not trying!”  So…take some shots.  You’ll miss a few along the way but what we learn will inspire others to do the same!

The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there!

All the best,

Karl
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Your Leadership Puzzle!

February 10, 2017 /

Leadership sythesis Wordle!

Clues to guide leadership development often prove to be more art than science.  So many of these concepts live in the part of our brain that deals with feelings & not language.  This fact alone can make conveying them difficult at best.  Here are some of the tools we can all utilize to begin the journey of putting together what I call your leadership puzzle.

PASSION

We all find time to do the things that are most important to us.  What do you spend 5 hours doing & it seems like 5 minutes?  What was the thing you did at home/work that when you finished you felt engaged & inspired?  Write it down, look at it, study it.  Trust your gut because connecting everything about who you are to this will show you the work you have to do to contribute to the world!

PERSONALITY & STRENGTHS

There are many ways to crack open what makes you, you.  What matters most here is that you remain open-minded & not judgmental in any exercise you choose.  There are an endless amount of factors that can affect the outcome of any evaluation so be sure to get enough rest, pick a good time of day for you & trust your initial reactions.  Myers Briggs Type Indicator or 4 Lenses are great ones, pick one that speaks to you or is recommended.  StrengthsFinder.com is a great way to get away from the typical personality test & shed light on what you’re really good at naturally.  With these evaluations your puzzle will begin to come into focus as who you are relates to your true talents.

LEARNING MODALITY

This is an often overlooked part of how we all interact with the world around us.  These tests tell us about what kind of environment works best for each of us.  Discovering where your strongest foothold lies as either a listener, hands-on or reader can be an “a-ha” moment.  Humans are very adaptable.  We can all learn to survive in any of these but living in an environment for too long that’s not our natural tendency can lead to coping instead of thriving.

VALUES

In a previous post I shared an exercise that is totally worthwhile.  Read my “A Values Exercise” offering for full details.  Once you’ve got your top 3 things, record yourself describing them.  Be sure to answer what they are, why they’re important & how you embody them in daily life.  Listen back & once you get over the sound of your own voice these will no doubt surface when you meet someone & they ask “what do you do?”

CASE IN POINT

There was a lady in one of my leadership development workshops that wrote down “hair & make-up” for her passion item.  She then discovered aspects of her personality that fit perfectly; people energized her, reasonable high emotional intelligence, etc.  She was totally kinesthetic in her interacting with any environment around her.

She happened to be not so happy with the job she was doing at the time.  Loved working for the company but “felt” there might be a better fit for her somewhere else.  She was right!  She had developed a moonlighting hair & make-up studio that was interfering with her home life making things out of balance.  Coping to survive.  After leaving the workshop she began seeking out new opportunities inside the company & 6 months after sent me a message about switching jobs.  She had done it!  She found the courage & had the information to convey why she needed something new, what that might look like & how she would contribute better with her strengths.  Since then, she has been totally motivated to come to work, is more efficient/effective & has found balance for increased quality of life.  Everyone wins!

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Putting together your leadership puzzle begins with you asking hard questions to discover & be comfortable with you.  We’ve all worked around people who are insecure in some way.  This leads to increased vulnerability at every turn.  However, you’ll be less likely for these emotions to undermine your life/work if you simply know yourself better.  There isn’t life, there are just 6 billion understandings of it.  Be who you are, do the work you love in the manner you’re most comfortable & you’ll inspire others along the way to do the same!

Your leadership journey begins with a focus on your puzzle pieces.  Putting them together in such a way that stays true to you will allow you to lead others the way they deserve in the way only you can.  Take this common sense approach & don’t settle because you, your family, the organization & the world deserves you at your best!

Ricardo Semler says “Successful companies will be the ones that put quality of life first.  Do this and the rest – quality of product, productivity of workers, profits for all – will follow.”  Life is too short, work someplace awesome that supports a holistic view of personal/professional growth!

All the best,

Karl
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What have you read lately?

January 30, 2017 /

We are all a synthesis of our life experiences!  Be proud of where you’ve come from & focus on future possibilities that are attainable with continued effort to improve.  No matter where you are on life’s journey the following books are all great resources with diverse points of view to encourage & inspire you!

Maverick by Ricardo Semler

Have to be honest here, I’ve been totally enamored with what this man has been able to accomplish.  My brother says I have a bit of a “bro-mance” going on.  Not sure about that but he’s built a flatter organization that continues to profit in todays volatile marketplace.  This details the transitions after taking over SEMCO from his father.  Common sense, intuition & powerful questions have been his guide to strive for more wisdom at work!

What Matters Now by Gary Hamel

A great business thought leader on how we can create better organizations & studies of who’s doing it now.  His first book, The Future of Management, kickstarted my habit of reading, listening or writing something on leadership everyday.  I’m sure you’ll connect with his approach as well!

The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker

A must-have in your library from the man who created the business of management so many years ago.  There is a time & place for management & leadership, they’re different.  We can & indeed need to be effective in our efforts for any enterprise!

Start with Why by Simon Sinek

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.”  Simon Sinek  Most people aren’t aware of what they’re really good at.  Find out where your talents truly lie & connect with why you should do it!

Up the Organization by Robert Townsend

In this ABC reference book, the architect of the “We Try Harder” turnaround at AVIS car rental company tells us about his common sense approach.

The Leadership Challenge by James Kouzes & Barry Posner

It’s been around about 30 years & is another must have reference book for anyone striving to maximize their leadership growth.  This book keeps you coming back & the mobile app keeps you focused moving forward!

On Leadership published by Harvard Business Review

This collection of articles is a breakdown of great concepts.  They detail each idea in short and these versions make quick work out of understanding & application.  They have many other collections on other topics perfect for a business trip!

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz

This book completely changed my thinking of how to deal with not only my feelings & emotions but others as well.  You’ll enjoy his plain language philosophies in this relatively quick but powerful read!

Thanks for visiting, I look forward to your thoughts, learn on!

All the best,

Karl

*Disclaimer:  I don’t work or profit in any way from any of these individuals or organizations they are affiliated with.  Not that I wouldn’t love to in the future in some cases but to date do not!

My top TED Talks…so far

January 29, 2017 /

Leaders are lifelong learners & if you haven’t discovered TED Talks yet you must!  It’s a great resource for thought leadership in so many different fields & myriad of topics.  The following links are just a few of the presentations that have served me well as I hope they do for you.  Dig in to the Ted site to find inspiration on your passion & enjoy!

If any of these speakers inspired you for more, each of them has a ton of additional offerings on the web.  Who knows, maybe we’ll see you on the TED Talk stage someday making the world better with your great ideas.  Powerful ideas don’t take off until someone joins the cause.  You have the power to change the world…one person at a time!

All the best,

Karl

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http://www.coachwooden.com/

https://liveyourlegend.net/

http://ricardosemler.com/

5 “W’s” on Leadership

January 11, 2017 /

These questions appear so many times in articles, posts, marketing, etc.  They are a bit cliche at this point but nonetheless remain a powerful questioning tool.

WHO

Everyone has the capacity to tap into their personal leadership qualities in service to any enterprise we truly care about.  Developing them, therefore, is for anyone who’s decided to focus less on individual contributions & more on others development.  It can be an uneasy feeling to work yourself out of a job.  This is the prime spot to live in to support others’ personal & professional growth.  Giving up control can be hard but ultimately it’s necessary.  Paying knowledge forward gives credit to not only you but those who’ve mentored, supported & guided you along your path.

WHAT

Leadership is about influence.  Author & optimist Simon Sinek says leadership is a choice, not a rank or position.  Your positive influence can make a huge difference.  We will all work with people who choose to focus on other aspects of life & career but recognizing who has chosen to take care of those around them should be supported.  Respect their decision to lead as a natural part of their growth.  If they act with integrity & not to win power & authority over others they should be encouraged.

WHEN

Business thought leader Gary Hamel outlines in his book “What Matter’s Now” that there is no time like the present to transform our workplaces through courage, a contrarian mindset & compassion.  Courage of character with tactful questioning & compassion for others thoughts/opinions will make you a great asset for the long haul in our working lives.

WHERE

Discovering the right environment where you can thrive in your chosen profession is vitally important.  What is your preferred way of interacting in the world; listening, reading, hands-on?  Humans have a great capacity for adaptability but knowing where your foothold lives is a great place to start because you can’t fight your DNA.  Where we work & how we interact there will set you up for less activity & more achievement!

WHY

Because it’s a lonely feeling to look back on a long career to find that you had a chance to make a difference in others lives but didn’t take the opportunity to give back.  If you are feeling guilty about this then maybe you took too much along the way.  Giving back as you go provides a sense of accomplishment as we continue to balance taking care of our people & the tasks at hand.  Ricardo Semler has great thoughts on this in his TedTalk from a few years ago, it’s full of awesome nuggets.

HOW

The biggest challenge of leading is taking care of the needs of those we work with & the stuff that’s just gotta get done.  Striving for balance of these isn’t easy but it’s worth it because you’ll approach the people you lead with empathy while getting the right things done for the enterprise.  Peter Drucker has some great additional thoughts on this in his book “The Effective Executive”.

Always remember, those who follow after us are vitally important & their development can’t be underestimated.  Engage, encourage & inspire!

All the best,

Karl
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7 Enduring Resolutions

December 21, 2016 /

At this time our thoughts are often thrust into pondering meaningful ways to focus the upcoming year.  We are bombarded with things others feel we should “value” but these decisions should be personal.  A couple of years ago I shared my New Year’s resolutions with my wife & she, in turn, shared hers.  At the top of her list was having more patience but the one that sticks in my mind is this…

“I will love myself…..after I lose 5 pounds!”

Too funny, but telling at the same time.  We often don’t give ourselves permission to accept where we are on life’s journey without some kind of condition(s).  Of course, we could always eat better, work out more, etc. but we shouldn’t come to love ourselves just because we do them.  We should begin with a deep appreciation of who we are as the foundation & decide what we need to do to improve, not the other way around.  Easy to say, hard to do.

A few years ago, I discovered the following personal mission statement carved below a statue of Merlin Olsen outside the Utah State football stadium where he played.  He says…

“The focus of my life begins at home with family, loved ones & friends.  I want to use my resources to create a secure environment that fosters love, learning, laughter & mutual success.  I will…

Protect & Value Integrity

Admit & Quickly Correct My Mistakes

Be a Self-Starter

Be a Caring Person

Be a Good Listener with an Open Mind

Continue to Grow & Learn

Facilitate & Celebrate the Success of Others”

Merlin Olsen (September 15, 1940 – March 11, 2010)

You’ll notice he begins with aspects of others first, this recognizes that the example of how we live our lives has a direct impact on those around us.  This is clearly a choice for leadership; to take care of those closest to us first in our diverse life roles of son/daughter, sibling, spouse, parent, colleague, etc.

Protect & Value Integrity; this is first for good reason.  If we don’t figure out what we stand for we’ll fall for any passing fad that comes along.  Your character should not be situational, remain steadfast to protect it!  To value your own integrity is to keep it at the forefront of how you live each & every day.

Admit & Quickly Correct My Mistakes; we are all human & will always make mistakes but admission & correction gives us permission to fail while encouraging others to remain positive in the face of change.  We often forget change has to happen if things are going to move forward, it’s as constant as time passing.  Encourage a healthy curiosity.  One must fall down to keep learning!

Be a Self-Starter; this is essential for lifelong learning.  Our development is not linear but organic, like agriculture, always growing.  We can learn something from every situation we find ourselves involved in if we are open to receiving.  Move past the negative, self-defeating emotions & discover the value.  Learning what not to do can be just as valuable as what to do!

Be a Caring Person; well, he was certainly this.  As a member of the “Fearsome Foursome” defensive line with the NFL’s Rams, he could be intimidating but his work outside football paints a different picture.  Would a truly mean person work for FTD selling flowers? Showing you care for others shows you love yourself enough to be vulnerable & open with your emotions so it’s OK for them to be.  Being the first one to say “I love you” in any way opens the door for true connection & the best leaders know you have to start there to get an extension of teammates talents.  He did this with his family, friends & anyone who he came in contact with him.  Perhaps this was his true superpower!

Be a Good Listener with an Open Mind; this is a skill that seemed to come easy for him.  In an increasingly fast-paced world, we can become distracted in a moments notice.  You can’t replace or underestimate the value of human interaction.  Being truly present creates deep connections that are the foundation of understanding & eventually trust!  We all the power to make this a part of our everyday leadership activities.

Continue to Grow & Learn; striving for lifelong improvement speaks to not only education but also personal growth.  Making self-reflection a habit is the hallmark of all great impactful leaders.  He certainly had an impact on & off the field just as we can.

Facilitate & Celebrate the Success of Others; he opens & closes with a focus on others.  Deciding to look after the people around you consistently takes a ton of energy.  What you give others will come back to you in spades if done authentically with compassion.

After reading his mission statement, the idea of New Year’s resolutions took on a whole different meaning.  It’s my hope that we all get to a place where we can love ourselves & be courageous in sharing that love with others.  Maybe, just maybe, our actions will encourage others to do the same.  If you make no other resolutions except re-committing to your version of these you’ll have done more than enough.

All the best,

Karl

*Image of Merlin Olsen from Pinterest.com
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Leadership 101 from 4 NFL coaches

December 2, 2016 /

Sports has taught many of us life lessons we didn’t realize we were learning until later in life.  In this way, the sports we participated in hold a special place in our memories.  In fact, they have the power to take on a life of their own in our daily lives.  But it’s probably the intense preparation, the journey, that our coaches led us on that taught us the most.  Those incredible individuals gave us their best, pushed us to improve & never let us quit on ourselves no matter what.

During my short college coaching time, our staff had the pleasure of attending a clinic where some successful coaches shared their X’s & O’s & overall philosophies.  Knowing why, how & what gets these guys out of bed in the morning is powerful knowledge.

One of the speakers was Marty Schottenheimer; his passion for coaching resonated with all of us.  An awesome opportunity to hear from a great NFL coach & man.  Here are some of his thoughts & some nuggets from 3 other NFL greats.

MARTY SCHOTTENHEIMER

He is perhaps most famous for coming up just short in big games & his pre-game speeches. His English degree served him well in the latter & his winning percentage speaks to his success despite not winning the big one.

Find out what you do best & do it!  Throughout his career, his teams ran the ball but he wasn’t afraid to change when the team was better at something else.  “Marty-ball” meant finding & doing what the teams he led did best.  He’s the only coach to be fired after going 14-2, you can’t argue with that record.

Live life one step at a time & play the game one play at a time.  Don’t let one mistake, one bad play ruin the next one.  Stay optimistic & have a short memory to move on so you can bring your best on the next play.  Hard to do but powerful if you can re-focus quickly.  Their family instituted the “midnight rule” to develop the ability to move on.  They could complain & re-hash events of the day until midnight then they had to be done with it.

Never stop coaching.  In everything he does, he’s always helping make people better.  His approach of treating everyone the same encouraged lifelong learning no matter where they were in life’s journey.

Expect to win!  He encouraged his players to trust their preparation & align their expectations on desired results.  Maintaining a positive attitude through tough times with the focus on killing ’em with kindness will be the measure of the dignity you displayed whether you win or lose.

Leaders say “we”!  Throughout his presentation, he always included others by stating “we” accomplished it.  This inclusive mindset develops deep trust as players & coaches become confident he has their back.  We don’t do anything by ourselves, we always need others to succeed.

BILL WALSH

He was nicknamed “The Genius” but perhaps his legacy lies in his relentless pursuit of constant improvement, perfection through precision.  You don’t just have one chance to succeed in life you have many.  He seemed to have been kept from a few NFL coaching jobs because it was thought he couldn’t handle the emotional ups & downs.  History has shown that he figured out how to manage himself to get the best out of his players no matter the cost to him personally.  That’s leadership!

Leaders accept responsibility; finding the middle ground between the well being of the people & the achievement of the goal is one of the trickiest aspects of leadership.  Being ready to take bold risks & stay accountable for the final decisions made is paramount.

He lived by the “no enemies” rule.  Spending time getting even empowers enemies to get ahead of you while you’re figuring out how to get ahead of them.  Look forward & create no enemies, it’s wasted effort!

His brain-child, the “west-coast” offense was labeled finesse but it was hardly that.  They were tough!  They lived by the mantra “Beat ’em to the punch” as he prepared his teams for every situation imaginable so the unusual became routine.  What a concept!

His legacy book “Finding the Winning Edge” has become the coaches “bible” for how to be successful no matter the enterprise.  If you can find a copy, read it, it’s as amazing as the man who wrote it!

DICK VERMEIL

He might cry every time they open a Wal-Mart but his passion was never questioned. People, patience, passion & hard work were his calling card.  The son of a mechanic, he knew that no one ever drowned in their own sweat.  He was a demanding coach & steadfast compassionate person.  He took the Philadelphia Eagles from worst to first & eventually to an appearance in the SuperBowl.  He took the knowledge he gained in the broadcast booth into his next coaching job with the St. Louis Rams where he eventually won the big game in one of the best Super Bowls ever played.

He worked with a “no clock” mentality in his first few coaching jobs but it was his ability to adapt that made him develop into his best “leader” self later in his career.  He began to work smarter instead of harder by providing opportunities for others around him to flourish.  They delivered!

BILL PARCELLS

He loves competition…duh!  The games wouldn’t mean as much if there wasn’t a scoreboard; it was always about achievement.  He wasn’t pretentious or phony, he was himself.  After all, football isn’t a game for the most well-adjusted people.  Creating turmoil can get attention where it’s needed & can ignite their inner passions.

Diversity is present everyplace we work & you can embrace it to its fullest by finding out if they’re willing to help the team.  If they are, then come on in for the win!

Those who follow are important & he developed some of the best coaches in NFL history. His philosophy of being hard on the coaches in front of players worked magically.  The players would always rally around their coach without them feeling demeaned in front of their peers.  Psychology 101 right there!

You’ll always be the hardest person for yourself to see!  The players who “got it” became his guys, remained loyal & played hard every play.  In fact, they thanked him for the life lessons he taught through the tough battles of the NFL.

He tells us in his NFL Network “A Football Life” special that he’s kept this poem with him all these years.  Hope it serves you as well as it has served him, it’s a great one!

THE MAN IN THE GLASS

When you get what you want in your struggle for self

And the world makes you king for a day

Just go to the mirror and look at yourself

And see what that man has to say.

For it isn’t your father or mother or wife

Whose judgment upon you must pass

The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life

Is the one staring back from the glass.

He’s the fellow to please – never mind all the rest

For he’s with you, clear to the end

And you’ve passed your most difficult, dangerous test

If the man in the glass is your friend.

You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years

And get pats on the back as you pass

But your final reward will be heartache and tears

If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.

by Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr. – 1934

One of the most entertaining speakers at the clinic was Lou Holtz.  This is my favorite take away from his talk…

“We’re all better coaches when we have better players!”

His point was that it’s what we do with who we have that matters most.  Keep coaching to get the best from everyone.  If people feel valued & supported they’ll work hard toward the goal.  True in sports & in life.  He’s a real common sense guy who has the ability to boil down complicated aspects of leading into something easy to grasp.

Have you ever wanted to know something before you were supposed to learn it?  In my experience, it’s this willingness to seek out & find ways to learn the key aspects of your life’s passion before others expect you should know them that can make a huge difference. This feeling of “back-pressure” will lead to learning the trade not just the tricks of the trade.  Hopefully, there are some aspects of these great coaches that resonates with your life & leadership journey!

All the best,

Karl

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To lead or not to lead!

November 26, 2016 /

There are few things discussed more in our working lives than leadership.  Have we made leadership so complicated it seems unattainable?  It can become so daunting a concept people can become discouraged & avoid it altogether to instead focus on other aspects of our lives/careers we seem to able to control.  Why?  Isn’t it worth it?  Of course, it’s my feeling that it is & the decision to serve others has the power to transform your life journey!

“Leaders are made not born.”  -Vince Lombardi

What did he mean?   Can you really make a great leader?   My feeling is that he meant to inspire each of us to find what we’re good at, strive to be the best & remain optimistic that success will follow.  With self-reflection & intense desire to consistently dedicate efforts in this area you’ll grow.  You own your translation of what he meant & these findings can help you discover your authentic leadership “brand”.  This foothold will give you the confidence needed for the work ahead.

When asked about the topic of leadership, Colin Powell describes what it means to him (and who taught him) in this short video.

Colin Powell on Leadership

MENTORSHIP

Remember, only you have the power to choose your mentors & we can learn something from everyone if we choose.  Just because someone has a position of responsibility above you doesn’t mean they are automatically a mentor.  Likewise, those who you lead may not see YOU as a mentor.  Becoming comfortable with this fact (for real) can be very freeing.  Give them your best & time will determine the value you provided!

LEADERS ARE PEOPLE TOO

We all make mistakes; modeling the boss you wish you had will keep you genuine & humble.  In this Harvard Business Review video, they outline some of the top focus areas for all of us to use for self-reflection.

Mistakes Leaders Make

LEADERS LEARN

Today we have the luxury of so many great resources available at our fingertips anytime, anywhere.   Finding the people we relate to will consistently feed our curiosity, creativity & growth.  Here are a few of my trusted go-to thinkers & doers.  Is your list serving your needs in leadership development?

Peter Drucker, Marshall Goldsmith, Simon Sinek, Gary Hamel, Robert Townsend, Dick Winters, Bill Walsh, Colin Powell, Vince Lombardi, John Maxwell, Ken Blanchard, Steven Covey, John Wooden, Dale Carnegie, Bill Parcells.

Strive to learn something new every day to get 1% better than yesterday & your journey will be impactful in service to others.  There’s no better time than now to live the life you can imagine.  Learn all you can & give it away to inspire others to do the same!

All the best,

Karl
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