MIRROR MIRROR ON THE WALL

Think about a difficult leader that you have worked for. Have you made a conscious decision to lead differently than “them”? I’ve only been a waitress once, for one day. I was sixteen years old and had just passed my driver’s test on the second try. Excited to have the independence my age deserved, I realized I would need money for gas. It was time to get a job.

Applications submitted. Interviews complete. I found my job as a waitress in a nursing home in Cupertino, California. Eagerly I reported to work on the first day as a dining room waitress. A notebook and pencil thrust into my hand, I went onto the floor to take my first orders.

Quickly I realized that this job was much harder than I thought. The residents starting telling me what they wanted for lunch. But they also had questions and special requests. I didn’t know the menu. I didn’t know the protocols for special requests. I wrote everything down as fast as I could and tried to be patient with the people who were getting increasingly impatient with my novice abilities.

Evidently I didn’t get the orders right, because when I went to the kitchen to pick up the food for my table, the chef was yelling at me, calling me incompetent, and barking about my stupid first day mistakes. I grabbed the food, struggled to get them on the table, only to find the residents at my table were as irritated with me as the chef.

At the end of the lunch shift, with teary eyes and embarrassment, I turned in my resignation and went home, discouraged and defeated by my first and only day as a waitress.

“I’ve never known a person who didn’t light up at the memory of a truly great boss. And for good reason – they can shape and advance your career in ways you never expected – and sometimes they can even change your life. In stark contrast, a bad boss can just about kill you.”

Jack Welch, Winning

What is your memory of the worst day you ever spent in a job? What happened? How did you feel? Who was the leader on that worst day in your life? Can you remember their name?

My experience was 42 years ago, but I can feel the humiliation and defeat of that job as if it was yesterday. The only leader I remember is the chef that chewed me out. I don’t remember who hired me. I don’t remember any training or preparation for my first shift. I don’t remember anyone concerned about my decision to resign. There was no exit interview. But this I know. I don’t ever want to put a new employee in that position. I don’t want any person to remember me 42 years later with humiliation and defeat.

Today, jot a few notes down about the worst working day of your life. What could the leader have done to set you up for success? What could they have done to make that the best day of your working life?

Then the hard part of the assignment.

Turn the mirror towards you.

Have you set up your people for success today?

Decide what you need to do right now to make sure that working for you will be a positive memory.

Let’s be better leaders – and leave a legacy.

3 Steps to Harness Your Teams Strengths

It's time to ask yourself: How will I harness my teams strengths each and every day to help us reach our desired destination? In my work as a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach, I lead my clients through three steps of harnessing their strengths, which make up the basis of my Strengths Coaching System:

Step #1 - Maximize Your Strengths

Measuring your team’s top five strengths with the StrengthsFinder 2.0 is just the tip of the iceberg. Once you have discovered your signature strengths, you can dig even deeper by exploring the wide array of supplementary strengths based assessments available to help you diversify and define the language you use for your strengths, while also expanding the number of practical techniques you can use to put your talents into practice. The VIA Survey, for example, measures character strengths, broadening the context in which you see and use your signature strengths. Realize 2 and StandOut will also deepen your vocabulary of your strengths.

Strengthening your mindset is all about overcoming the fears and limiting beliefs associated with harnessing your strengths as you mentally prepare yourself for your Iditarod.

My wife and I were certainly anxious before taking our first sled ride. We worried about getting hurt, losing control of the sled, careening into the snowy wilderness. And, while some of those fears were well founded, they had a lot in common with the deficiency or weakness based mindset most of us have developed about ourselves.

So often, when facing a new opportunity or challenge, we prepare for the worst. On the precipice of closing a sales deal, planning a career move, or angling for that next big promotion, we assume we're going to fly off the sled and land in the snow. And this I can't, weakness based mindset predicts our fate. We lose control of the sled because we're so focused on what we can't do, instead of tapping into what we can do and finding others to help us fill in the gaps.

A strengths based mindset, on the other hand, prepares and focuses on what you do best. Remember—a successful sled is led by a team of dogs with different talents. Each individual dog plays a valuable, yet distinct role in every trip. Were the driver to focus on what each dog can't do or doesn't do well, he or she would have trouble unifying the team and staying on the trail. To successfully achieve your goals, you must mount your own sled with confidence, knowing which strengths will help you round the next bend, leaving your cant’s and don'ts at the lodge. Maximizing your strengths starts by becoming an expert on your personal top five strengths while seeking guidance from those who share your talents and partnerships with people who you feel can help you better utilize them. Make a list of resources—books, tools, colleagues—that will deepen your understanding of your signature strengths. Consider joining others in a strengths mastermind group. Commit to an attitude of lifetime learning, whether it is through self-study, coaching and workshops. (I recommend a combination of all three.)

Step #2 - Mobilize Your Strengths

One of my coaching clients uses the phrase “What strengths am I going to use today?” taped above her desk? The pinnacle of the strengths coaching system is mobilizing your strengths to work, to well-being, to marriage, to parenting, to faith, and eventually the world.

Harnessing your strengths is a lifestyle, a string of flags on a map, not a single destination. With each trip—each goal—we refine our strengths style, developing leaders who will one day pass the torch, modeling his strengths for a new generation. In my own life, my strengths are always taking me higher and helping me trek further into the future, making me a better Christian, coach, mentor and model both for my coaching clients as well as those I love.

Now that you are maximizing your unique set of talents, you can take the reins and start to steer your life, team, and business in the direction of your dreams. So, what are you waiting for?

Step #3 - Monetize Your Strengths The third step of harnessing your strengths is often one of the most exciting, especially for entrepreneurs, business owners, and executive teams looking to use their strengths in the workplace. Monetizing your strengths answers the question: How can I hone my marketing message, get more leads, and grow my client base so we can make more money?

A strengths based marketing and sales approach can transform a business—I've seen it happen. I can't count the number of phone calls and emails I've received from clients celebrating a major sale, new position/promotion, or small business success after tailoring their marketing strategies and sales techniques to their top five strengths. In my book, Selling Strengths, I take you step by- step through the process of making over your marketing strategy so you and the unique benefits you offer can really sparkle, allowing you to reach more potential customers and close more sales. Here's your head start. Ask yourself: What is keeping my ideal client up at 3 AM?

Think about how your unique combination of strengths can help your ideal client sleep better at night. Whatever the answer, you want your marketing to clearly communicate how you and your services can solve your customer's problems and add value to their life and business. A strengths based marketing approach gives you a language to communicate why your special blend of strengths makes you the best person for the job.

Strengths based leaders know how to maximize their own strengths as well as the strengths of all the members of their team so that each individual experiences more confidence and personal engagement on the job and the group as a whole enjoys more overall productivity and profitability (and fewer office wars). By valuing and balancing the unique contributions of each member of their organization, strengths based leaders create interdependent teams with trust, compassion, stability, and hope.

A strong business is also based on strong emotional loyal customer relationships. They increase referrals and add value to your services with positive word-of-mouth advertising and glowing testimonials. Securing customers for keeps depends on making authentic, natural connections with your signature strengths. The research reveals that emotionally engaged customers pay 67% more a year for the service they purchase from you because they feel confidence, integrity, pride, and passion. 

Bring GALLUP Certified Strengths Coach and Convene Resource Specialist, Brent O’Bannon to your Forum Day or organization. Learn more at http://brentobannon.com/strengthsfinder-keynote-and-workshops/

Three Reasons to Develop Leaders (Including You)

There’s so many more, but here’s three reasons for pursuing leadership development (not leadership training….but that’s another blog): 1)   People are looking for a guide, not a map

It is so hard to take people where you’ve never been.  And it’s hard to venture into unknown territory.  What if you could make the path easier through a developmental assignment that got someone ready for the next part of the journey?  Could they lead a company project with others before becoming a supervisor?  Could every new employee work in the manufacturing plant their first week on the job, so they know how things get made?  And for you - will you better be able to lead the company or your area into new territory if you’ve invested in learning something new?  Could you find a mentor or a coach to help you develop your skills?  What about being on a board of another company or a non-profit?

2)   I want to be like you, dad…

Yeah – that “Cat’s In The Cradle” song still gets me.  When your son or daughter says that yes – mom – I want to be like you, where does that come from?  We all look up to someone.  I bet that others look up to you.  What are you teaching those around you?  If you keep developing yourself, you’ll always have something new to pass on to others.  And if you encourage those you work with to develop, just think about the multiplication!

3)   Let’s not always do what we’ve always done

It happens to the best of us.  When we’re no longer new at what we do, we’re…well…no longer new.  That means some good things – we know what’s worked and what didn’t work – and we also can run on autopilot in so many areas.  When the world shifts in IT, marketing, sales, operations, engineering, new distribution methods, new business models, how do we question things again?  By putting ourselves, and those around us, into new situations, pairing that with permission to question, and expecting ourselves and others to explain, brings amazing clarity.  There’s nothing like a production teammate working in marketing and asking “what causes us to talk about our products like that when they do so much more?” to make you realize how you missed a few things along the way.

What’s your reasons for encouraging leadership development?  What has made it effective for you?

YOUR ATTITUDE IS YOUR ALTITUDE

Dare to Serve Reflection: How do you think about the people you lead? Last night I enjoyed a dinner conversation with a Popeyes leader who oversees more than a dozen restaurants. In our chat, we were reflecting on how grateful we both were for the momentum in our business – and how blessed we felt to be a part of this company. I was so impressed with this person’s genuine love of the restaurant business. It led me to ask him to share a bit about his family history.

He told me about his grandparents. He had spent summers with them – working the land. Learning what hard work looks like. Learning what it means to serve others – the workers on the farm. Learning how to prepare food from the barn and the garden. A hard life in many ways, but a place to learn how to love others, do productive work, and treasure the simple things. He then said – “I think this is where I learned my love for the restaurant business.”

And then I understood so much about the man – his values, his perspective, and his attitude. His mindset was – “I can find joy in serving others, in working hard, and in treasuring life shared with the people in our restaurants.” Wow. I want to work for him. Wouldn’t you?

When I joined Popeyes in 2007, we were suffering from a lot of things. Discouragement, disappointment, skepticism, frustration, and more. Our employees had watched multiple leaders come and go without a turnaround of the business. Our franchise owners were exasperated at the poor performance. Our board wanted to know what was wrong. Our shareholders wanted their investment to provide a return.

We needed new results to be sure. But to get there, we also needed a new attitude. We needed to think freshly about our work. Why it is valuable? Why do we want to work hard to solve the problems? Why we want to serve the Popeyes family well? Without a fresh mindset about the work, we would have been doomed to repeating history.

Is your attitude determining your altitude?

What emotions do you have about your workplace today? How will your mindset affect your work today? What could you do to approach the work freshly and positively?

Serving Performs.

Are You Interested In Becoming An “Exemplary Leader”?

You may have been born with some leadership traits but an Exemplary Leader is created over time and of course the whole process starts with a right spirit toward God. You see we’ve been created for excellence and to operate with a Spirit of Excellence.

The mind ultimately becomes a battlefield where God’s vision, desire, and action mapping for our lives collide with soulish emotional issues like insecurity, worry, anxiety, doubt, fear, etc.

An Exemplary Leader creates a lifestyle of seeking, obtaining and imparting Insight, Growth, Impact and Legacy as is the focus of Convene.

You begin this journey with the end in mind, “What legacy do I want to leave this earth with?”, “How can I best honor God with my life” and work backwards from there. This vision of a future state actually starts attracting resources to fulfill your vision of legacy. I often say that where God’s vision is for you that’s where His provision will be and where it will start showing up. “Seek FIRST The Kingdom of God and all that you will need will be added unto you.”

“How do I know His vision / legacy for my life”, you ask? Well, it’s in His Word and it is in your desires; “When we delight ourselves in the Lord He give us the desires of our hearts”. When we are God focused, dwelling in His presence continually, living in the awareness of His presence He places His desires for us in our hearts to be acted upon. Jesus says to us, “My sheep hear My voice”…. “The steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord”. On a business level and as a business and organization leader, a CEO | Business Owner | Solo Entrepreneur, how are you going to develop into an Exemplary Leader? A leader who inspires others, drives people toward excellence, holds people accountable, instills a sense of trust promoting sustainability and profitability for your organization honoring God in the process and changing the culture?

Learning what exactly makes an Exemplary Leader is your first step. Among other things, an Exemplary Leader centers around character, purpose, integrity and values all converging creating a leader driven by a Spirit Of Excellence and this attitude, “Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men, knowing [with all certainty] that it is from the Lord [not from men] that you will receive the inheritance which is your [greatest] reward. It is the Lord Christ whom you [actually] serve.”

Manifesting a Spirit of Excellence is allowing the manifested Glory of God to be seen.

Here are a few initial steps to start taking in order to becoming the Exemplary Leader you’ve always wanted to be:

1. Defining Your “WHY”! | Establishing Your Vision

What is the “one thing” that, as a business, you are most passionate about, solves a problem, and honors God? “And He who sent Me is [always] with Me; He has not left Me alone, because I always do what pleases Him.” Jesus

What is your “Why” [vision / purpose]? What are we in business to provide a solution for?

The most useful vision statements are laser focused on your primary customers desired results; a solution that solves a problem. “I have come to seek and save the lost” Jesus stated.

What ‘need’ are we developing a solution for?

In conjunction, “What’s” the one thing you must measure to know if your successful.

When there is a big enough reason “Why” [vision / purpose], you will always figure out the “how”. What purpose and passion [The Why] is burning in your soul for your business?

Vision should then result in priorities being established; it is about getting and remaining focused on it. Laser-Focused.

2. Self-Control

“… the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, self-control…. those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.”

Exemplary Leaders are effective and efficient, exercising the character quality of self-control; self-discipline and willpower in order to stay focused on the big picture, stay the course, and create enough margin in your life in order to focus and keep driving toward the vision. “Do everything decently and in order.”

Self-Control as well has to do with inner motivation; pleasing God or seeking people’s approval.

Exemplary Leaders establish clear goals and objectives, leading others on the journey to manifesting excellence. An Exemplary Leader develops a clearly articulated vision [The Why] for their business and the self-control to become laser-focused on bring the vision into reality.

This laser-focused approach includes creating the right business model and organizational design: systems, structure, strategy, style, staff, shared values, and skills. The truth is, “organizations function the way they are designed to function”. It is up to the leader to create the environment and culture to realize the vision, honoring God in the process and influencing the marketplace toward the Kingdom of God.

Self-Control, among other things, has to do with following through in everything you do and measuring the results of the core activities that drive the business to its intended vision. Remember, what you don’t measure you can’t manage and targeted adjustments are not possible.

Being strong in your resolve and resisting the inevitable temptation to give up, or lose your identity for short term gain you are honoring God and setting an example for others to live up to. Jesus was tempted in this way and He responded with, “It is written”. His identity was clear and His mission was non-negotiable.

3. KEEPING A “CLEARLY DEFINED VISION” IN FRONT OF PEOPLE

This has to do with keeping the corporate mandate visible. Mandate is something you do that you would die to accomplish.

God has created us with a desire to be involved in a cause and we operate better together when the cause is clearly understood by everyone. What is your “Why”?

The people you are leading need to completely understand the vision of the enterprise in order to gain meaning in their work, share your vision and work ethic in a heartfelt way. Every step of the way, communicate with your team to make sure they’re on the same wavelength and know what you expect of them.

The implementation of a defined vision requires a defined method. You need a plan, a method, a course of action in which you’ve gotten those around you involved in.

A mandate requires a having a razor fixation which then engages people. Take that a step further and get them involved in the planning process. This gives everyone a greater sense of ownership toward the end result; it results in greater retention and sustainability leading to greater customer satisfaction, profitability and legacy generating. This honors God.

“But I do not consider my life as something of value or dear to me, so that I may [with joy] finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify faithfully of the good news of God’s [precious, undeserved] grace [which makes us free of the guilt of sin and grants us eternal life].” Paul

4. VISION INVOLVES OTHERS

To me money is not the most important thing in your purpose. What we need more than money is people. In God’s Kingdom and Way of acting and behaving money is considered temporal and a “little thing” but people’s souls are for eternity.

Vision and Purpose involves others. It requires us to become “others focused” and not “self-focused”. How do you help the people around you grow and improve? Provide for their families? How do you teach, lead, and succeed together. How do you disciple people in a marketplace environment?

Exemplary Leader praises highly and in public while criticize constructively and in private. The way you praise and criticize others can make all the difference.

Publicly praising the people who do excellent work for you will feel a sense of accomplishment and the drive to do even better.

When someone does something wrong, offer constructive criticism and do it privately. Suggest solutions on how they can improve and take the time to answer any questions. They’ll accept your input more willingly if they know it’s done to help and not to harm.

Exemplary Leaders make it a point to understand their people. You can’t truly lead a group of people unless you truly understand their hopes, dreams, struggles, pains, and goals. All the good intentions in the world mean nothing unless you have a true sense of the people you’re working with.

Getting to know each other on a personal level will strengthen the bond between you. They’ll want to do better for you because you’re more than just a “boss”, you care.

Be their leader, first, and their friend second. You’re their leader and that means that you have to make difficult decisions from time to time. These decisions cannot be affected by personal relationships.

Choose your emotional response to a situation carefully. Sometimes you’ll need to practice the art of silencing your inner thoughts when they’re not appropriate in order to set a positive example. “Be still and know (recognize, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth.” One way we exalt God is by the way we treat others with love and compassion. Make the hard call. There are times when you have to bite the bullet and make some unpleasant decisions. Firing, demoting, and holding people accountable for their actions can be very hard at times. As a leader, it’s your responsibility to handle these matters. Being Christ like in how you handle it is how you please and honor God.

No matter where your leadership role takes you, believe that you can be a strong leader. Remember that in order to lead others, you must be disciplined yourself. After all, your actions will speak louder than anything you can say.

In order to gain the respect of others and honor God in the process, strive to lead by Christ’s example in every area of your life. You’ll be well on your way to becoming an Exemplary Leader!

“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation].”