A Greatness Undone

...faith and work and charity and healthy eating and being productive and working out and caring for everyone and reading and listening and learning and growing and mentoring and leading and pushing and resting and balancing and reaching out and always being there...

Do you sometimes feel as if you've lost your greatness? As I think about all of the things I tell myself that I'm supposed to be and do and think...I wonder if mine has slipped away?

You see, we all have our own kind of greatness. It's in there. Most of time it's on display and we don't even know it.

Lately, though. Well...you know. The world changed up its cadence pretty quickly, and now we have to adjust.

So.

Adjust.

No, we don't have any rules on how to adjust the right way. We don't need them. We don't have a playbook on what is proper and what isn't. We don't need one.

We just need to remember our greatness...

...and show it.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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title inspiration

One-Faced Leader

I hear a hell of a lot of noise in the world of leadership. Fancy titles, and years of doing the same thing over and over without changing with the times...er...I mean, lots of experience...do not equate with one of the easiest ways to be effective.

Be real! 

Be you!

Stop trying to sound like something you're not!

Jargon

Regardless of the terms in the glossary of your certification credentials handbook of choice, I beg you to only use them when you're taking your favorite certification exam.

No one else cares about them, and quite honestly, no one should. 

"Jargon, in any field, becomes the cover that hides rampant incompetence of leaders everywhere. 

Leadership is not about words, 

it is about connecting with the people 

in your organization and making 

a difference for them, and your company."

- Jay Kuhns

Not About You

Time and again we hear the pundits espouse the power of listening, connecting, engaging, and working closely with our teams. 

Yet the reality is far too often a constant reminder from leadership that they are the "smart ones" and the rest of the team should be grateful that they are in place to save the day.

Pass me my barf bag.

These are the same leaders who are mocked behind their backs for being so embarrassingly out of touch with their own corporate cultures that the team wonders what they actually do all day.

How About You

There should only be one face that leaders wear. It should not be covered in fancy titles, corporate jargon or illusions of power shown only in the workplace. Instead, it should be one that is authentic, consistent, and unafraid to be seen where it matters most...

...on the front line.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Remember Why You Started

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."
- Albert Einstein

Grey, not Black and White
Think back to when you finally broke through and landed that first big job. Whether it was in leadership or not, you soon realized two important things:
- the greater the responsibility you have, the greater the impact you can make
- the greater the responsibility you have, the greater the pressure coming at you from all directions

Finding the balance between the these two things, and not losing your energy and enthusiasm can be a challenge!

The pressure, unclear road ahead, changing dynamics in the workplace, and self-talk inspired depression can often get in the way of why you started down this path in the first place.

Acceptance and Action
There is a fairly straightforward way to deal with these pressures however; one that is often overlooked.

Accept them.

Whether or not something "should be this way" or "should be that way" we must accept the reality that the world is not going to operate exactly the way we think it should.

Accept them.

Feeling frustrated with our colleagues once in a while, wishing we could have avoided a communication failure, or believing we should have removed a poor performer sooner are all normal. Getting ourselves all worked up however, or worse, spending extra time lamenting it all is incredibly counterproductive.

"When we accept the fact that the world of work is never going to be perfect, we free ourselves to remember why we were so excited about work in the first place." 

There are still many opportunities to make a difference. 
There are endless chances to impact another person's life. 
There are no limits to what we can do.

How About You
What is getting in your way as you think about work? Have you allowed yourself to become so frustrated that you spend your days feeling down and depressed? Or, will you decide to accept that we all have our failings, but they should never stand in the way of why we love what we do?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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As I Lay Dying

Have you every felt completely stuck in your work? You know the feeling...projects are not on track the way they should be...leaders are doing lots of talking but very little leading...and it looks like deadlines are going to be missed.

So many issues hitting all at once.

The Cycle of Doubt
I would be lying if I told you I didn't suffer from a cycle of doubt every once in a while. First comes a series of challenges that are quickly followed by the pressure and frustration of the work not being executed the way it should.

I hate that.

Next is that sense of desperation as the pieces seem to be spilling out everywhere without any coordinated plan that is actually being managed. Many leaders tout their own skill set, but very few actually execute effectively. 

Titles do not equal skills. Ever.

The Cycle of Success
Hitting a low point every once in while does have it's advantages, although I would prefer never to get there myself.

Renewed Focus
Sometimes we need to simply change the way we frame our desperate situation. Consider the low point you're feeling as the laser focus you needed to drive forward. The issues are clear...now focus exclusively on those issues. As you begin to resolve them one by one you will feel not only a sense of satisfaction, but a sense of real control.

Energy
Have you ever noticed that when things start to go well you feel even more enthusiastic about the work you're doing? Progress brings with it a new infusion of energy. Embrace that adrenaline rush and keep pushing.

Work
Now it's time to leverage your focus and energy and build a reasonable plan...and for God's sake execute that plan.

Results
As your hard work pays off be sure to recognize the results you and your team are achieving. Part of every plan should be a few moments to formally acknowledge the successes along the way.

How About You
You're not laying there dying. You are a beast. Get the hell up, dust yourself off, and go kick ass.

Now.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Sometimes I need to...

be more kind.

listen longer before I answer.

focus on the positives.

worry about other's feelings ahead of my own.

be aware that my actions impact others.

lend a hand to someone in need.

mentor a new leader.

challenge a complacent leader.

go out of my way.

inspire as many people as I can.

take the blame.

be an example.

not be so hard on myself.

support those who give it their all.

hold the slackers accountable.

think bigger than I did yesterday.

remember I can not do it alone.

have some downtime.

lose.

thank my colleagues.

say hello to a stranger.

take a rest day.

be better prepared.

reach out to someone who needs help.

stop explaining why I love my music.

remember diversity is not a to do item.

be vulnerable.

push harder than is humanly possible.

...but always lead the way.

What is on your list?

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This Is Your Time!

In our work lives we rarely have the opportunity to hear an inspirational message to kick off a big meeting, or day, or week. Work just doesn't operate that way. 

We're supposed to dive into our task list, Inbox, and meeting schedule "all fired up" yet we rarely hear words that help us realize how important that meeting, or day or week could be.

I need that message today...maybe you do too.

This is your time...let's go out there today and take it!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses. 

Through Hell

Sometimes it is all simply too much to handle. The stress of the job, home, school, relationships, deadlines, and the reality that stress breeds more stress.

When that happens, what do you do? Winston Churchill's famous quote has served as a reliable and motivational support throughout my career. But sometimes a catchy phrase or helpful message on a sticky note next to your computer doesn't do enough.

What do you decide to do?

Churchill was not only a charismatic leader, he was also pretty damn smart. If you find yourself going through hell right now, don't give up. Don't quit. Don't stop trying. Reach out to your colleagues for support. 

But above all else... 

Keep going. 

How About You
Take it one little step at a time, but you absolutely can not stop moving forward. We all go through a little hell from time to time...but that doesn't mean we have to stay there.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses. 




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Are You Going to Finish Strong?

I spent a lot of time this weekend thinking about all of the challenges that lie ahead for me this week.  Sometimes it felt like maybe I had taken on more than I could handle.  I started to slip into a little "woe-is-me" session.


And then I watched this short video and quickly realized I have exactly zero problems...at least problems of any consequence.  Take a look...and let me know what you think.


I'd love to hear from you.


No Excuses.

For Dad...Guns, Race and Inspiration

My recent post on role models  highlighted one of my "larger than life" heroes, Dietrich Bonhoeffer.  I made only a slight reference to the person who introduced me to Dietrich, and who essentially, is the one that moved me down my professional path.


I have dozens of examples as to why I was so influenced by this person.  Looking back now, I am not surprised that I have been in leadership roles beginning at a "young" age in both my personal and professional lives.  Two brief examples will illustrate his amazing impact.


GET THAT GUN OUT OF MY FACE


Growing up as a boy in Scranton, Pennsylvania during the early 1970s was a turbulent time.  The radical 1960s had come to a close, Vietnam was out of control, and racial injustice was alive and well.  Always an advocate for those in need, he was approached by a man who was desperately searching for housing.  This man had found an apartment, but the landlord was apparently unwilling to rent to him.  The landlord was white, and the man in need was black.

Undeterred, my mentor went with the man to confront the landlord.  When the two of them arrived and knocked on the landlord's door, and clarified who they were and why there were there, a threat with a hand gun was the response.

Now most folks would accept that perhaps it was time to leave, but not in this case.  Viewing this as an opportunity to move social justice forward, my mentor  began a dialogue with the landlord.  The threat of violence dissipated, and a breakthrough of sorts was achieved.  The black man had his apartment.

OUR COMMUNITY IS COMING APART

Two decades later my mentor was working in a new community that saw racial tensions at their highest level in years.  Every weekend was a recipe for disaster as clashes between the black community and police became all too commonplace.  Following a particularly dangerous weekend, it was time for action.

He called for a series of retreats between the two sides.  Facilitated at a beautiful lodge on a lake thirty minutes outside the city, he helped the two parties make incredible progress.  The volcano that was ready to erupt quieted once more, and both sides came away with a new found respect and understanding for each other.  The result?  My mentor received the New York State Bar Association's Humanitarian of the Year Award for his leadership.

THANK YOU

Mentors create not only an example, but energy as well.  Their impact can move us in such a profound way that you have no choice but to learn from them.  For me, I would simply like to thank my mentor for being such a source of inspiration and driving force in my life.

Thank you Dad.

No Excuses.