Bridging Leadership Lessons from the Workplace and Those Experiences Shaping Today's Youth and Tomorrow's Leaders
 It was over 25 years ago when I was starting out on my management and leadership journey, I attended a development course called Leading Edge Leadership that completely changed my life. Jon Baker introduced me to the Welch Grid that was made famous by GE CEO Jack Welch. It has been an instrumental tool/concept for me, and I have since put my own spin on this and now call it the Impact Grid.
I still use Performance and Values as the axes for the grid, but now we consider the Impact that person has on those areas. Impact can also be a positive impact or a negative impact. In this post, I am going to introduce you to the Impact Grid. In future posts, I will go into details on what to look for in people and how to apply the grid to help reinforce a culture of Impact. THE IMPACT GRID A person that has a high impact on the results and the values is a Person of Impact. They are a star and a keeper. The person that has a high impact on performance but not much impact on the values of the company or team, is a Goal Achiever. They can be a challenge. A hired gun. The person that has a high impact on values but struggles to impact performance or get results is a Good Person but may not move the company forward. The person who is struggling to make a positive impact on performance and values is part of The Lost. PERSON OF IMPACT High performers with high values. They not only get things done, they do it the right way. The Person of Impact is that person that when they are on a team, the team achieves more than what was possible as the individual collective. You hate to use buzz words, but they represent synergy, and they make everyone around them better. Your goal is to move people to this quadrant. When you can foster a culture where this is the desired state, then you have a culture where employees are leading the way and success becomes sustaining. You need to keep these people at all costs and be sure to show them support. They are people that you want on the journey as they are aligned and committed to achieving the vision of the organization. GOAL ACHIEVER I flash back to the stereotype of the high achieving salesperson who would get the sale, no matter the cost. The person that management loved because they always exceeded their goal, but the coworkers in the office wanted to take a shower after spending any time with them. This is an unfair description because most of the time, the person is focused on the goal at all costs and fails to recognize the importance of connecting with others and the value of working together. But that lack of alignment with the company values is very impactful… and not in a good way. Yes, they may hit the goal, but the cost could be the engagement of the other employees, decline in the culture, and eventually decline in the performance of other employees. As a leader, your role is to reinforce the importance of the Values and what impact that has on their fellow employees, the company and ultimately themselves. It is a challenge to move somebody over on the Values, and the cost of taking the time necessary can negatively impact those people who are already on the Values side of the grid. Remember, your team is watching. GOOD PERSON I struggled using this as the quadrant title, because instinctively, everyone wants to be considered a good person. But we all know those people who have a heart of gold, who volunteer at all the functions, that will drop everything to help you out, but they just don’t seem to get things done. They demonstrate and reinforce the values that you expect from your employees which is what makes it so difficult when they do not perform. Their Impact is on reinforcing the values in the culture. However, their lack of performance can negatively impact other employees - especially those that are Goal Achievers - when they see management not holding those Good People to performance standards. You want to keep these people, but they must perform. So, to move them up on the grid, you need to focus hard on Coaching and Development to improve their skills or find them a role that may be a better fit for strengths. THE LOST I use this description because many times that is what these people are feeling. They may feel like they don’t belong, they are struggling to fit in and that may show up as a mismatch in values or as not getting things done. As a leader, this is all about communicating expectations and establishing alignment. If they are Lost because they are unaware, then that is on you. If they are Lost because they don’t care, well, now you have a decision to make. If you put the time into coaching and developing their skills AND if you put the time in to define, reinforce and demonstrate the values of the company and they are still Lost… well, at that point they elected to free up their own future. (Thanks for this quote, Jon!) The Impact Grid is a tool that you can use to help foster an environment where people can enjoy their roles and take pride that they are positively making an Impact on others. You can’t delegate culture, and others seem to always be watching to make sure you are holding people accountable. The key is to change the focus to Ownership and reinforce that culture. That can only happen when you, as a leader, are committed to being a Person of Impact, Beyond Today.
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 When I was writing my last article on Being a Leader is Never About You I was focusing on the #LeadersLead forum and how leaders need help sometimes. I wrote about the power of a mentor and the impact they can have on the lives of others and what it means for the mentor’s own growth.
As I was writing, I found myself running off course with a specific example I experienced and realized it was moving away from my main topic of a Leader not being about you, because that is exactly what that example was about. So, I cut it from the article but saved it as I knew it might not have been the right time or place, but it was a great story in its own right. THE ODD COUPLE In my previous career, the owner and I would have long conversations on various topics that others in management avoided. Due to our personalities and interests, it seemed to be an “Odd Couple” arrangement, but our united desire to grow and learn made it work. The conversations worked because we could always find that next direction, building upon each other’s perspectives to find a new, distinct pathway that was better than the one either of us were traveling before. At some point, the relationship changed. We no longer had those conversations and while I may not have liked it, I understood the reasoning behind his decision. But while I could continue such conversations with my team, my external mentor, and others who approached me on various topics, he did not have that same support group. I, and others, noticed a change in him. He no longer had that person who could respectfully challenge his point of view. To use a visionary perspective to think outside the box (in some cases maybe too far outside the box!) but it was an approach that I could tell he missed. He no longer had the person who could spark his imagination in one conversation, and in another bring him back to the practical aspects of gaining momentum. LEADING IN VULNERABILITY In hindsight, I regret not fighting harder for that relationship. I told myself that was his call and I convinced myself that I had accepted it and was focusing on where I could have the greatest impact. But I wasn’t being honest with myself. Probably, just like he wasn’t either. I bring this up because it is important to remember that we never truly know the struggles and challenges that others are experiencing. We see the surface. We see the reactions. We see their response. But we don’t know what they are feeling, or the hours spent in mental conflict. By accepting a situation at its face value may be the easiest thing to do at the time, it doesn’t mean that is the case over time. Reaching out to a person who doesn’t like to show their vulnerability, may make them (and you) uncomfortable because it fosters vulnerability, it may be exactly what they need. The leaders. The strong ones. Sometimes they need that helping hand as well, even when they don’t want to acknowledge it themselves. In my last article, I reminded you that leadership is never about you and so it is when you are helping to guide and support those who are your leaders. It’s a reminder that #LeadersLead is not about being a leader, but about Leaders Growing Together - even when they may not see the need for growth. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn, and that mindset is what will make you a Person of Impact, Beyond Today.  As long as I can remember, I have always been approached by people who are seeking advice. People asking for mentoring even when I didn’t feel that I was the best option. Ironically, listening has been a challenge for me as I have had to make a conscious effort to listen to understand versus listing to reply.
As I started the next phase of my life’s journey, I realized that my purpose of Making an Impact in the lives of others starts with being open to help those in need… including myself. I started Serve2Lead as a reminder that Leadership is not a title and being of service to others is a tremendous way to create impact. Putting together #LeadersLead as a forum where Leaders can be both Mentors and Mentees was a way I felt that we could create maximum impact as Leaders Grow Together. Because ultimately, every leader needs to grow. That journey cannot be traveled alone. Leadership Isn’t About You Whether we are looking at Social Styles™ or Situational Leadership™, I remind clients as well as peers that leadership is not about you as the leader. It’s easy to suggest that a client, peer or mentee should get outside their comfort zone, but how often are we following our own advice? We also must flex our leadership style and practices away from where we are comfortable and where our own strengths lie. What does our team need? And specifically, what does the individual need for that specific activity or situation? It is on us, as Leaders, to adapt and model the behavior we are hoping to instill in them. When you are open to learning, open to growth, is when leaders can grow together. That is what we are building in #LeadersLead. An environment where people are comfortable to discuss their experiences - both good and bad - in an effort to gain insight for themselves as well as help others work through their own challenges. Our Next #LeadersLead In our upcoming #LeadersLead session on Aug. 27th, we are talking about how we can influence other leaders – both those we work with and as well as those who are higher in the org chart. As part of our mission of Leaders Growing Together, we decided to help a leader out with a specific challenge they are facing. The Challenge Imagine being the subject matter expert that is given ownership of a task or project and when you execute at the level agreed upon, you get second guessed. Maybe not by your immediate manager but by another group of leaders, unrelated, but somehow has oversight. They desire a speedy and high-quality result, but don’t recognize the obstacles, extra steps, and confusion that they have added to the process by not truly empowering their teams. Questions For the Arena:
In the end, it seems we are in this world to build connections. What comes from those connections and the power of the connections is up to you. When #LeadersLead by being intentional and vulnerable the show their commitment to have a positive impact on the lives of others. They are willing to Serve to Lead because it helps everyone Grow Together, Beyond Today.   Friday was the second session of #LeadersLead which is an interactive, virtual sharing of leadership ideas. I have promoted it by asking people to step inside the Leadership Arena and help foster an environment where leaders can grow together.
Studies indicate that a significant portion of change initiatives fail due to employee resistance. In this post, I want to share some of the key takeaways on the topic Introducing Change. FEAR Attendees were asked to describe, in one word, the biggest reason for people resisting change. Fear was by far the most used word. Other words that were offered, such as unknown, skepticism, understanding and WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) all seemed to support the role fear can have on a person. In last week’s blog, 4 Steps to Create Buy-in for Change, I highlighted the impact fear can have on creating buy-in and laid out some steps to combat that. Because of the fear, the biggest challenge the attendees identified to introducing change successfully was involving employees in the change process. INVOLVE EMPLOYEES IN THE CHANGE PROCESS IS A CHALLENGE I listed out what research has highlighted as the top 5 steps to successfully introduce change. Dr. John Kotter, a change management guru, created Kotter’s 8 Steps and they have evolved away from Change Management to Change Leadership. His approach provides more details than the 5 I have listed here. Research consistently highlights the following as critical initial steps:
When asked which step is the most difficult? The overwhelming response was #4, Involving Employees in the Change Process. This resulted in a lot of discussion about having that shared vision with a greater understanding of the WHY associated with the change. Providing clarity in Roles and Responsibilities using a RACI tool and establishing a Charter up front, were highlighted as ways to help alleviate fears and answer questions early on. When looking at data regarding where you focus your change efforts, you really focus on those who are your “watch and see” employees. They are not going to simply let it happen and that could be to succeed OR to fail. The focus needs to be on keeping them from dropping into the bottom 10% that will be against change no matter what. Ideally, you help them move to the other side of the fence and provide some help in the change effort. ULTIMATELY, IT’S ALL ABOUT COMMUNICATION I limit the #LeadersLead session to 30 minutes to respect participants time and the busy schedule we all face. However, for those who want to stick around and continue the discussion, I started an “After Party” to allow a deeper dive into the topic. In the After Party discussion, we asked the question as to where Change Management efforts typically fail. Our poll matched up with what a survey of 300 managers concluded in that it comes down to execution. There was a great response in the chat that had everyone laughing but also nodding in agreement: “Of course management thinks their strategy is fine, they came up with it!” The discussion culminated with a focus on Communication with has the biggest impact on execution and is fundamental to involving employees in the process. A couple of the great points about communication centered around the fallacy of what is defined as communication. An attendee highlighted that often “messaging” takes the place of communication, and your change management team can check a box saying the poster is up, the email has been sent, now let’s sit back and let the change begin. Another attendee highlighted the importance of “comprehension” when talking about communication and that really hit home for me. It connects the greater why, the WIFFIM, and the shared vision. It also comes back to the previous point of messaging as well as an earlier discussion about “involving” is MUCH different than “telling.” Ultimately, it was a great experience with a variety of perspectives. Leaders came from public, private, and corporate backgrounds sharing their experiences and asking questions. When leaders are willing to step inside the arena and not only look to introduce change but demonstrate a willingness to be changed, that is when Leaders Grow Together, Beyond Today.   Change is scary. The vast majority of the people realize this even if they don’t want to admit it. The results are realized when an organization attempts to introduce change, and they come up against employee resistance. A Deloitte Survey found that only 21% of organizations can manage change effectively. Be sure to join the next #LeadersLead on August 23, 2024, to discuss the challenges with Introducing Change. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER OR VIEW PAST SESSIONS Multiple studies identify communication as the key component when introducing change. But it must be more than talking, marketing or pizza parties. It’s about engaging them to buy-in to the importance of the change versus the discomfort from going through the change. Find the Fears It starts by taking the time to truly listen to their concerns. Their first point is rarely the real issue, and you need to ask questions to dig deeper with the intention of understanding. To get to the root cause. What obstacles need to be overcome, avoided or removed? What is the impact if their fears are realized? Taking the time to understand the full aspect of the fear is fundamental to helping them overcome the fear. Acknowledge the Fears Once you feel like you have a good understanding of the fears, take time to verify that is what they see and feel. Showing empathy and an understanding of their fear is important. It provides an avenue to connect them back to the team and show that they are not alone with their uncertainty of the future. Finally, don’t discount or marginalize what they are feeling. Start to frame the fears they are facing today, by looking at the possibilities that exist in the future state. Addressing the Fears Now that you have identified and verified their fears, you need to work to address them. If you cannot eliminate them completely, can you at least minimize them? Can you find trade-offs or other benefits that can be identified to off-set the negatives? Can you share with them the consequences of not going forward with the change? What do they and their team miss out on achieving or what ramifications could occur? Finally, W.I.I.F.M. , “What’s in It for Me?” You must connect them, as an individual, to the benefit of moving to the future state. You either take away the pain or show them how they will benefit. This isn’t manipulation or bargaining, but helping them see the value to them, the team, and the organization. Replace the Fears with the Vision The first three steps are all about understanding the pathway for them to overcome their fear of change. Connecting them to the future benefit is how you complete the buy-in. Painting the Shared Vision is how you help them understand their role, impact and benefit of moving towards the Vision. They need to understand the why and how it connects / aligns with their own why. This is extremely important as the younger generation are entering the workforce. “Because I said” is no longer adequate. Ultimately, it isn’t the act of removing fears, but taking the time to understand them that builds the connection to generate momentum. When they accept that you have empowered them to paint themselves into the Vision, that is when you know that they will lead the change, Beyond Today.  I was working with a group of new managers the other day on the 3 Pillars of Impact. The conversation on the 3rd Pillar, Empower Others, really got traction as this young group of future leaders couldn’t fathom managers not wanting to empower their teams.
In a way, their naivete made me smile as I remember those same feelings as I began my leadership journey. What seems so obvious to you can be oblivious to others or worse yet, known and ignored! I thought I would use this time to recap what we discussed and share with everyone as a gentle reminder for you as you are engaging teammates. To be aware of your engagement level with others and always finding time to take a breath, step back from the situation, and remember why you choose to be a leader. The first 3 reasons are understandable and can be corrected through education, communication and practice. They Don’t Know How Many times, this comes when people are promoted up through the ranks quickly without much time spent in training, or they are long-term contributors that are used to working alone. They feel responsible and have a track record of getting things done. They may know how to delegate tasks but are not comfortable sharing the “why” or even know what it looks like as they tend to focus on what is in front of them. They Will Lose Control There is a fear that comes with empowering others and getting out of the way. What if it goes south? What if they choose a different path than what I think we should travel? It’s my job on the line so I’m responsible. That’s not how I would do it. You are probably familiar with those thoughts and sometimes they are overpowering and it’s hard to push them aside and have confidence in others. They Don’t Trust Their Team When people have come up through the ranks and established a track record of success, it can be challenging to put the same amount of trust in others that you have in your own ability. Also, there may be perfectly good reasons that there isn’t the trust needed to empower. An inexperienced team that doesn’t have the appropriate skills (yet!) or the confidence to execute, would be a disservice to empower them to move forward without greater guidance, direction, support. Now these are a little darker reasons and ones that you wish, in today’s world, you wouldn’t have to mention, but they are just as prevalent today as when I started in the workplace over 30 years ago. They are all related and typically stem from a personal feeling of inadequacy. Jealousy Some leaders don’t want to turn over the reins in case someone else will get credit. They don’t take satisfaction in the growth of others that they were able to foster instead they feel resentment that someone else is getting glory that should have been theirs. Insecurity They lack confidence in their own ability and don’t want to make it obvious by having others step up. They want to be the “boss” and are afraid of losing that title if others show what they are capable of doing when given the opportunity. Ego They want all the focus on them. They don’t want to hand over the mic or share the spotlight. They see empowering their team as taking the attention and focus off them. It also comes into play when a person feels that they don’t need help, they can do it all. Which may be true, but the power of empowerment is the impact it has on the growth & development of others, not just on the results. A leader who is charged with the growth of an organization, and more importantly with the growth of the people, is doing a disservice to both if they don’t embrace empowerment. As I repeatedly say, Leaders Lead, and it is best modeled when Leaders can prepare their team to take the wheel on our journey, Beyond Today.  I received this note from a mentor the other day that he found on a social media post. It really hit home for me as I have experienced this firsthand in many areas of life and from both sides. This seems to be common when a team is out of valance and the individuals become the focus and not the team.
RIDING YOUR HORSE In football, they talk about the workhorse running backs that you can give the ball to, and they can grind you out the yards. They do their job. They don’t complain. They push through. The problem is when coaches keep going back to them because that is their bread and butter. Maybe because they don’t have the quality players needed to add a passing game or maybe they haven’t bothered to develop an offensive strategy as a counter because why should they fix something that isn’t broken. But it will break by overuse - either physically or mentally, and more than likely, both. In today’s workforce, it shows up in the decline of engagement scores. They don’t feel appreciated or valued, so why continue to work at that level. Coaches, just like business leaders, can panic and become reactive. “Let’s ride the horse that got us here” is a common phrase in sports, but you see it in the business world as well. They don’t want to risk failure by going with an unproven individual, even when it is in their best long-term interests to have greater options. PILING ONTO THE PLATE “Julie did a great job on her last project so let’s give her this area as well.” This is the standard response when someone is successful. They are proven. They are a known commodity, so let’s give them more - they can handle it. I’ve done it and have had it done to me. As achievers, we are excited for the opportunity to once again showcase our talents. To shine in a different situation. We like the accomplishment. We like the recognition. We like the challenge. Good leaders will also recognize when things need to come off the plate when it is getting too full. In terms of the classic full-plate description of Thanksgiving Dinner, they can anticipate the gravy overflowing the mashed potatoes and getting dangerously close to the edge of the plate and heaven help us if it touches the cranberries! But great leaders can talk to them and assess whether it’s better to take stuff off their plate or give them an additional plate to allow more room. But they also recognize that it’s hard to carry two plates through the buffet line, so they make sure you have another resource to help carry the plate or help in how things go onto the plate. Great leaders give their employees greater responsibility with the resources, development and authority necessary to maximize the probability of them being successful. GROWING YOUR ROLE PLAYERS I’ve written before about the need for great teams to be made up of people who know their role. People who may not always be the star, but they can star in their role. Communicating expectations to support staff, coworkers, and teammates is essential for clarity and alignment. Making sure the vision is understood by everyone. When you ride your star and put it on their shoulders, you are giving them additional stress and, in some ways, handcuffing them from reaching their full potential because you fail to grow the team as a whole. In sports, you can sign the best player in the world, but if you don’t surround them with the right people with complementary skills AND with the right mindset, you may put up big number, but you will fail to win the big games. It’s the same for work. How are you empowering your team and developing their skills and confidence? Where can they take the lead on projects or sub-projects where they can develop their communication, organization and follow-up skills? Do you have the critical and possibly difficult conversations with your team members on where they currently reside on the depth chart? Do they know their strengths and weaknesses and how they support or negatively impact the team’s success? Have you helped them create a development plan to enhance their strengths and negate their weaknesses? DEFINING A TEAM I was researching the definition of a team and most every definition started with mentioning individuals working together and then finished with a common goal or purpose. Pretty good and pretty accurate. I would prefer that first they would talk about the collective, a unity or entity that is made up of individual contributors working on a common goal that benefits the greater good. That way, whether you have a star or a bunch of role players, the focus is on the team and how everyone contributes in their own way. By focusing on the growth of the team and how EVERY member fits into the team, we can avoid the “performance punishment” of your high contributors or Impact Players. You can focus on helping all your people become the Person of Impact that they are meant to be. Growing as a team will ensure the individuals make an impact Beyond Today.  I’ve been asked why I decided to start the #LeadersLead sessions so I thought I would share it on the blog. We are all familiar with the power that comes from attending a solid training/development session. The new ideas, the fresh perspectives, the excitement of putting them into practice. But when you get back, life happens and implementing becomes a challenge because it wasn’t a transformation, it was an event.
I saw this as a way to expand the positive impact of one-on-one mentoring that is more than the group-coaching trend that has gained traction. Because it’s not about me. Leadership is not about you. It’s about the people you are impacting. This is what led me to the concept of we need to learn from each other. To have those safe, small-group discussions on a larger stage. To maximize the impact and outreach. To establish a community where people are committed to impact others by being impacted themselves. When leaders have a growth mindset, they seek out opportunities to learn and improve. When leaders have an IMPACT mindset, they are seeking opportunities to grow AND help others grow as well. Let's build this community together. Our first session will be on July 26th at 12pm CST. The first topic will be Employee Engagement. You can register by clicking HERE. I scheduled this for 30 minutes because while it may not be enough time to have an in-depth discussion on the topic, we are all busy and it should be enough to stir the drink, to turn the soil, and start the growth process. For those that have more time, we can keep the discussion going. NOT EVERYONE HAS A MENTOR The reality is that not every leader has a mentor. Official or unofficial that they are comfortable going to and have some tough conversations. While I highly suggested having a mentor or a coach to help you on your leadership journey, it can be costly to pay for the services and some companies frown on the approach. This won’t take the place of a quality mentor/coach, but there are some benefits as well due to variety of perspectives and experiences that you will hear. IT’S A SAFE PLACE Some people are not comfortable discussing certain situations with coworkers. It could get back to others who might be the focus of the issue. Coworkers may think that you are not capable and lack the leadership necessary for the position if you ask for assistance. Maybe politics are practiced, and you are afraid of retribution or a hit on your reputation. Here, it’s a virtual environment where you can choose to share or simply listen and gather ideas. You can grab the mic, type in the chat or just participate in the polls. NOT EVERY LEADER IS AN EXTROVERT It doesn’t matter if you do personality tests like Myers Briggs or DISC, or you move into the behavior and communication styles like Social Style™, being a leader isn’t about being an extrovert or an introvert. Some leaders are more comfortable holding the mic while others just want to listen. That’s okay. The hope is that as trust and respect grows in this environment, people will be open to being vulnerable and transparent. When they are ready, we can hand them the mic and they can share their stories and experiences. EXPAND YOUR NETWORK You will meet, hear, and observe other leaders who are committed to a growth mindset. They recognize and accept that they don’t know everything. You have a community where you can find people that you could connect with outside of #LeadersLead to get advice, share experiences, and create benchmarking opportunities. I’M SELFISH Sometimes, it’s okay to be selfish. This is a way that I can continue to grow for all the same reasons I have written here. Remember, it’s about Leaders Growing Together. We learn from each other's success AND failures. We gain perspectives that may be different from our own and expand our understanding of different situations. FACTORIAL > ADDITION This is really the best representation of the power of #LeadersLead. It’s not about the sum of the knowledge of the participating leaders. I hate to pull out the Buzzword Bingo, but the “synergy” created by having everyone participate really has the potential for exponential IMPACT. During regular one-on-one type of coaching sessions, you have two people that are directly impacted, and multiple other people can feel the ripple effect. But in this setting, it’s a bigger conversation where everybody is taking away something different. Everyone is applying what is said to their similar but unique situation. That is why I call this Factorial IMPACT. The impact on every person is multiplied by that person’s ability to impact others. So, there it is, 6 reason on why I started #LeadersLead, which hopefully are reasons that resonates with you. We would love to have you take 30 minutes out of your day to spend some time with us. Share, listen, and grow with us. To make an IMPACT in your life and the life of others. Because leaders just don’t lead today, they lead Beyond Today.  As you know, the 3 Pillars of Impact and how they are critical to building a culture of success, is the cornerstone of my blog. As part of the concept, I have written about the importance of moving to I WILL versus I WANT to establish the discipline needed to move forward.
We can highlight the importance of moving from emotions to actions by digging a little deeper in those areas where these gaps are all too common:
Facing Your Own Demons When I catch a look at myself in the mirror or late at night, when everyone else has gone to bed, and I reach into the fridge and grab that late night snack, I get overwhelmed with emotions. I am moved to tears as my frustration turns to anger and then gives way to disappointment in my decisions and the results of those decisions. I say to myself that I will change tomorrow. I commit to Being Better Tomorrow instead of Being Better Today. I feel better by letting my emotions come out, but that is short lived because emotions are not actions. Emotions are feelings, they are wants, but I still lack the WILL to change my actions. Whether at work or in your personal life, your vision and outcome need to be clear. Action plans that can walk you down a path towards your goal is essential for you to recognize progress and value. Finally, we are not meant to travel life’s journeys alone. Find someone who can help you be accountable, supportive, and inspirational on your journey. The Emotional World of Sports I’ve spent a lifetime playing, coaching, and watching sports. What I have found myself doing more recently is observing leadership being displayed during competition. I watch and listen to coaches and players. How they react when there is success and more importantly when there is adversity. Coaches will get angry when a player allows a defender to score or when they give up an offensive rebound. The coach visibly shows frustration and complains to the bench, screams at the player on the court, or throws his hands up, exasperated. As if somehow, the player decided to make a mistake on purpose. Again, these are just emotions. Change comes from Action. The response in practice is to use drills to create habits. To teach and educate through the power of video by highlighting where there is a problem, reinforcing when you see something good, why it should matter, and the action necessary to correct the problem. Everyone has emotions. Not everyone has the discipline to do something about the problem. That is what separates out the leaders. Emotions in the Workplace Managers and supervisors seem to live an episode of Groundhog Day where they are stuck to repeat their day until they get it right. Delegating actions to only have the employees not meet the deadline, not meet the objective, or not meet the standards. They get frustrated, just like a sports coach, when they see employees failing to execute and meet expectations. They complain about the new generation of employees. The frustration causes the managers to take over or micromanage claiming, “if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.” They feel stress and may become concerned about the security of their own job. They may lash out in a way counter to their personality or make the phone call to HR. None of these actions are moving anyone closer to addressing the issue, because once again, they are focused on the emotions and not the actions that created the challenge. The training to build habits. The communication necessary to build clarity and define expectations. Reinforcing behaviors and actions that move the employee and the company forward. Moving to Action Take the time to go back and review the 3 Pillars of Impact. Find ways to begin to put them into action - with yourself, with your team, at work. These 3 Pillars are about taking action with those around you to make sure there is clarity and alignment. To not only establish a Shared Vision but to align on the steps to reach the goals of the vision. You can’t wait for HR to roll out a new training program or for the formal review to assess and improve their performance. YOU, as the leader, need to take action to set the expectations and ensure that those on the bus are equipped to travel the journey with you. Responding to your emotions can give you temporary comfort or maybe it's a distraction to where you have dropped the ball. Ultimately, it keeps you in the realm of WANT versus taking action and moving to the land of WILL. It is not the emotions but the actions that will move you to where you want to be Beyond Today.  In honor of Father’s Day, I decided to share a few nuggets of wisdom that I learned from my own dad. I have been compiling this list for a while and it was a challenge to pick the ones I wanted to share and also to refine and categorize them in a way that would connect with a broader audience.
Some of these will probably bring out your own memories of your dad and his sayings so please share. It’s the sharing of memories that not only carries on the impact of others but helps build future stories for the next generation. My dad was my hero. He is the person I have respected most in my life and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think of him and share with him my own adventures. He’s the standard by which I measure myself and the port I search for in stormy weather. If it’s Worth Doing, it’s Worth Doing Right Don’t do something halfway around my dad or you were going to hear this… on repeat! Ironically, that wasn’t the view of my mom which led to some interesting dynamics throughout their life together. Whether it was cleaning, building or practicing sports, he wanted to make sure you were committed. He believed in working smarter rather than harder, but also didn’t believe in taking shortcuts just to save time. Ultimately, if something deserved to occupy your time, then it had value and you needed to treat it with respect.
You Can Do and Be Anything You Want Don’t let people's view limit you as they do not control your potential. The long talks we had through my childhood were always about people who succeeded and achieved in life. My dad was an avid reader of Time, US News, Scientific American, Sports Illustrated and many others and would always share the stories of those who overcome life's challenges. He stressed to me that being an athlete and being intelligent are not mutually exclusive. He would reference Bill Bradly, from Crystal City, Mo. Whose journey took him to Princeton, to the Final Four, to the Olympics, to a Rhodes Scholar, to the Knicks, to the U.S. Senate. He would say, that could be you. And I believed him. Dad grew up during the depression, hitchhiked the country after WWII, and settled down in Alaska raising a family and starting multiple businesses to provide for his family. He started youth sports programs, served on school boards and hosted politicians. He was a person of impact.
It’s Okay to Be Silly I never remember my dad wearing tennis shoes. My early memories were of my dad always being dressed up. Wearing wingtip shoes even when on vacation. As we got older and we moved to Missouri, it changed to jeans and wearing ball caps. But his ability to find ways to have fun in life never changed. The corny jokes and comments that are now celebrated as “Dad Jokes” were just my dad. Ordering a “Dr. Salt” because all of us and the grandkids were ordering Dr. Pepper. He and I would follow each other around the house walking in some goofy fashion like we belonged on Benny Hill or Carol Burnette show just to hear my mom cackle. Normally, kids would grow out of this, but somehow, I enjoyed this routine with him until he could no longer remember what to do.
“All I want to see is elbows and a$$holes” This is a saying that he learned from his days in the Merchant Marines in reference to sweeping/mopping the deck. He loved to bring it out when we were sweeping driveways, repairing the flat roofs, prepping the motel pool for summer, or shoveling the crap in the barn. While it was infuriating to hear him repeat it over and over with the smugness of a person who had heard it a hundred times himself, it obviously stuck with me and something I have repeated to my own kids, but not nearly as often because my hands start to blister by simply uttering the words! It wasn’t just the words. It was the lessons that he demonstrated about the importance of committing to your work - even when the job sucked - because it was the job you were hired to do.
Let’s Walk the Fence Line On the surface, it was all about work and making sure that everything was up to par. Originally, it was walking around the resort/motel we owned at the Lake of the Ozarks. Later, after we bought a farm, it was literally walking the fence line to make sure it was still strong and repair where it wasn’t. But it was so much more than that. It was getting outside and stretching your legs. But the real purpose was to stretch your mind. That is when we would dream and talk about what could be and craft a future state that would bring out that mischievous twinkle in his eyes. I miss those moments.
Take Time to Enjoy Some Ice Cream “Ready when you are…” As the older kids left home and it was just me and my parents, this was the phrase you would hear every evening as we were hanging out in the kitchen or living room watching some T.V. It was the signal that Dad was ready for some ice cream. We didn’t have little dessert bowls. Mom scooped it into cereal bowls. Lots of scoops! Sometimes she would bring out the 14 various toppings so you could create the sundae of your dreams, but most nights it was simply chocolate syrup.
The connection to the past is important because it helped shape who you are and how you impact others. But you can’t only cling to the memories for the real value is how you use build upon those experiences to create memories for others. To expand your IMPACT so that your legacy is the foundation upon which other legacies will be built. When your time draws near, you will be able to reflect, smile and enjoy that breath as you state, “ready when you are” and you move Beyond Today. |
AuthorTom Brown - a husband and a father who is simply trying to make a difference. Using my experience as a Manufacturing Executive to connect leadership from the boardroom to the hardwood to help teams grow and develop to make a difference in the lives of others. 
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