leadership

Stickability – The Power of Perseverance

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These are my takeaways and insights from Stickability by Greg S Reid.

Pre-Owned Stickability: The Power of Perseverance (Paperback) 0399168869 9780399168864

What the heck does stickability even mean?  The definition is a person’s ability to persevere with something, staying power.

Stickability has to be consistent with flexibility.  A balance is crucial as we can take stickability too far.  Know the difference between perseverance and stubbornness and then adjust as needed.  This means you have to be able to identify those adjustments that need to be made.  Be flexible on the solution & listen to others.

Every individual who has attained personal achievement can tell you that the question is not “Will there be tough times?”, the question is “When will they arrive?”  It’s through these moments of uncertainty that our character is revealed.  When we quit we automatically fail because we don’t achieve the goal.  When we accept the challenge, we’re able to clearly understand the reason(s) for the challenge, find the opportunity, and continue on a different path.  Negatives are just the tasks that need to be done to avoid a setback.  Setbacks should be viewed as opportunities to reroute a path to success.

Obstacles can either make you quit or reinforce your resolution.

For every obstacle there is a solution.  You just have to have the discipline to find the solution.

July 2017 – chris sheridan

I love how he tells the story of some spider monkeys.  The experiment put nuts in a jar where the monkeys would reach in to grab them but couldn’t pull their hand out with a clenched fist.  The spider monkeys were unwilling to let go of the small nut in order to gain their freedom.  They had neither discipline nor the wherewithal to surmount an obstacle that, to us, seems an easy fix:  let go of the nut!  This is what we mean by perspective.  What to one may seem like an insurmountable obstacle, to another may seem like an easy fix.  Use other people to help you gain perspective.  Complexity is not about the size of the issue, it’s about the amount of weight you give it.  Most people get stopped in the process rather than realizing that this is part of the journey.

Discipline

We all want happiness & prosperity in our lives – Happiness takes discipline.  We have to have the discipline to determine carefully what this means for us.  Once we have a clearly defined goal, we must maintain discipline to find opportunities within the challenges we’ll face along the way.

Focus & Control

What we focus on is what we see.  When we seek good, good things happens.  When we seek opportunity, opportunities occur.  Now we do live reality where bad things happen.  It’s our reaction to that bad thing that defines our lives.  You can choose how you react.  Someone is always watching us whether we know it or not.  They are watching to see how we react to situations.  How we handle ourselves will impact how they react.  Keep in mind that even if you are going through a challenge that you need to be focused on the solution and not focused solely on the challenge itself.  A problem is an unbearable blockade, whereas a challenge is an opportunity to find a solution.

Frustrated with Things You Can’t Control? Here’s How to Deal - LetterPile

Simple perspective to have:  In the past, the future depended on the changes around us.  Today, the future depends on the changes within us.  The best decision you can make is to make a decision.

THE PAST SHOULD BE A SPRINGBOARD, NOT A HAMMOCK. | Diving quotes, Had ...

What causes failure:
  • #1 cause of failure is the inability to get along with other people.  You can’t go it alone.  You need others whether you want to or not.
  • #2 cause of failure is quitting when the going gets hard.  No matter who you are, there will be a time when things get hard.  You have to overcome that obstacle and push forward.  There is always light at the other end.
  • #3 cause of failure is procrastination.  You have the seize the moment when opportunity comes your way.

 

The quitter never wins, and the winner never quits.

Great ideas originate from
  • A need
  • An unsolved problem
  • An easier way of doing things
Great solutions are created
  • by a person or team with the ability to address one of these points
  • with the persistence to see that vision through.
Success Formula
  • A definite purpose backed by a burning desire for its fulfillment.
  • A definite plan, expressed by continuous action.
  • A mind closed tightly against all negative and discouraging influences, including negative suggestions of relatives, friends, and acquaintances.
  • A friendly alliance with one person (or more) that will encourage one to follow through with both plan & purpose.
  • Self-trust is secret to success.  Have faith with yourself.
  • Have a cause that is greater than you.  By focusing on others rather than yourself, you’ll be motivated to push past obstacles others find insurmountable.
  • Surround yourself with people who believe in you and your cause/goals.
Success Mindset
  • Maintain Mindset – Progress over perfection.
  • As long as you are moving toward success, you are therefore successful.  Just be careful you don’t get trapped in the middle.  Have to keep moving forward.
  • All successful people cannot succeed by themselves.  You need a team and you need to be the leader of your team.
  • Nobody is born a leader, yet everyone is born with leadership potential.
  • Leadership is learned and practiced.
  • Learn to convert fear into relaxed intensity by:
    • Staying true to yourself.  Let your passion and commitment become stronger than your fears.
    • Instead of focusing on the challenge, focus on the outcome
    • Don’t try to blend in out of fear of being different
    • Know that you have what it takes to be a good leader
If you think it is impossible, then it is……for you.
Make dreams a reality by
  • Decide what you want & write it down.
  • Stay focused.
  • Know your way/path forward.
  • Be accountable to yourself.
  • Enjoy the greatness of the moment.  Life is short and needs to be enjoyed every step of the way.
This is your Cul de Sac Moment:

It’s the time in your life where you go inside and set up shop or simply drive on past.  There is no exit.  There is no retreat.  Once you commit to venturing forward, you must live with the consequences.

What Is a Cul-de-Sac? A Dead End That Draws Home Buyers

Ask yourself every night, “Have you made a difference in somebody’s life today?”

Always give back to others.  What simple step can you take today on the path to selfless giving to others?

Be an Abraham in a Nimrod World

1 Comment / Growing in Faith / By

“I see the shame-based fear of being ordinary because social media has taught you an ordinary life is a meaningless life.”                                                                   – Brene Brown – Daring Greatly Book

An ordinary life can make a huge impact.  The rise of social media has improved our life to keep us connected, but also diminished our life as we can get caught in the comparison loop that makes us feel ordinary.  We see our friends going on big vacations, having fun when we were not invited, getting a promotion at work, etc….   We compare ourselves to that highlight reel when reality is probably something much different.  Comparison is the thief of joy, especially for our youth that are focused on how many friends, followers, likes, comments they get.   For adults, it can be their career, promotion, house, car, etc.   We can wrap our identity in that instead of what we should.  It becomes more about us and less about others.  It becomes more about what people can do for us versus what they can do for others.  

Abraham was an ordinary man that led an extraordinary life making a huge impact on the world.  He made that impact by being humble and following God.  Genesis 12 –  Trusting God’s plan for his life even when it seemed impossible.  There is another man in the Bible named Nimrod in Genesis 10.  Many of you probably have never even heard of him.  He was the first “celebrity” at the time known for his hunting skills.  Genesis 10:9 “He was a mighty hunter before the Lord; that is why it is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the Lord.”  It was like people saying today, “Man, you are Nimrod good!” or “You have game like Nimrod.”  You had Nimrod jerseys you wore.  Genesis 11:4 – Nimrod and his followers were the architects of the tower Babel.  They wanted to make their own kingdom and power/dominance by building the tower.  It was based in fear that if they don’t do something they will be nothing.  They were building their life for their own glory and power.

We cannot build our life for the temporary here on Earth.  Everything in this world will fade.  We need the solid foundation of God.  We need to be an Abraham when our culture is telling us that we should be like Nimrod.   Our human soul is too weighty for something so fragile.  Chasing the temporary will have us running in the wrong direction.  We chase things and when we get to the top, we think “Is this it?”

Don’t build out of fear but walk out on faith.  Abraham built an alter to God while Nimrod built a tower for his own glory.  Abraham got to touch all of lives, while Nimrod fades in the background that no one really knows who he is.  God’s kingdom will never fade.

What does it look like to trust God with the course of your life?

What goals do you need to refocus to be more God centered?

How can you choose to be content with the life you have, and not covet someone else’s?

“Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant.”  Galatians 1:10

Reference:  Jesus in Our Generation by Ben Stuart

The One Minute Manager

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Goals begin behaviors.  Consequences maintain behaviors.  People who feel good about themselves produce good results.

Being a leader and goal setting is totally my jam!  It is something that I constantly am looking for a better way to not only set goals, but also communicate them.  This is can go both up to your manager or down to your team member.  This book, The One Minute Manager, is a quick read that could bring big impact to your work life.

The One Minute Manager (Paperback)

There are 3 stages to becoming a one-minute manager.

#1 – One Minute Goal Setting

If you can’t describe the problem and the solution to fix the problem, then you are just complaining.  Be part of the solution!  (ouch…right)

When making a goal, use the rule of thumb that the entire thing must be able to be read in 1 minute (one single pc of paper).  You want to make it as simple as possible but have enough information that everyone is aligned.  You both will agree upon the goal and the steps needed to get there.  This gives ownership and understanding of the expectations.   Make sure established checkpoints are defined to ensure performance towards that goal.  This can be weekly, monthly, or quarterly depending on the goal.

This is not for EVERY aspect of the job.  This is for major goals and responsibilities.

Goal setting is based on the person’s ability at that time.  You set an achievable goal.  Then next step you stretch that goal a little farther.  Each time stretching the goal.  Never stop improving and pushing.

If you are the manager:  You do NOT do the talking.  You do the listening and ask the right questions for the person to gain the confidence in the solution they come up with.

#2 – One Minute Praising

As a leader, you want to help your team members reach their full potential.  You can do this by catching them doing something right.

When setting their goals, make sure they know up front that you are going to let them know how they are doing.  Feedback is critical.  This feedback needs to be in the moment.  Don’t wait a week, month, or their next performance review.

Praise must be specific, so they know you really do care and know what is going on.  Tell them how good you feel about what they did, how it helps the organization, and the other people that work there.  Make sure to stop for a moment of silence so they can “feel” how good you feel.  Touch is also helpful when giving praise.  Depending on your relationship you can shake hands or put a hand on their shoulder.  It is critical that what you say and do is sincere.

People will perform better knowing that you are watching and will actually start praising themselves.  Your praise will be an added bonus to them.

#3 – One Minute Reprimands

Now to the hard and sometimes uncomfortable part of leadership which is reprimands.

The key to success with this is to make sure it is about their bad behavior and not the person.  Never attack the person’s worth or value.  Focus on the behavior and the person will not become defensive.  Only discuss one thing at a time with the person.  Do not save up bad behaviors.  The behavior needs to be in the moment or immediately when discovered.  Look them in the eye and tell them precisely what they did wrong, how it makes you feel, and how they are still a good person/asset to the company.

Always end it in praise.  1st Reprimand & then praise

We are not just our behavior.  We are the person managing our behavior.

Overall

The best minute I spend is the one I invest in people.  It’s better to invest in your people then new machines, etc.

Everyone is a potential winner.  Some people are disguised as losers, don’t let their appearance fool you.

In the beginning, a new hire will need lots of attention to succeed.  Goal setting, Praise, and Reprimands.  Once they get their feet under them, most require little to no hand holding.

Even if they don’t need hand holding, feedback is critical for productivity and job satisfaction.  People need to hear what they are doing right and what they are doing wrong on a regular basis.

Reflection is Key.  Take a minute:

  • Look at your goals.
  • Look at your Performance.
  • See if your behavior matches your goals.

3 Choices when Hiring Someone

  • Hire a winner – hard to find and expensive
  • Hire someone with potential to be your winner & train them to be a winner
  • Pray – I hope this person works out (TTW)