Bridging Leadership Lessons from the Workplace and Those Experiences Shaping Today's Youth and Tomorrow's Leaders
 This makes the 7th year that I have participated in Jon Gordon’s #OneWord challenge. It’s a process I look forward to each year - one of reflection, contemplation and aspiration.
The process is straightforward. You ask yourself three questions to create a mindset of growth:
Once you have your internal balance, you start reaching outwards and go through this simple prayer: What do you want to do in me and through me? That question becomes a discussion that will eventually lead you to an answer. I shared my emotional and powerful experience when I uncovered my first One Word in 2019, LISTEN. The majority of my One Word experiences are much more subtle but when the word comes to you, you simply know it is the word. My One Word This year’s One Word came to me while walking on the treadmill one morning. As I was repeating my prayer, I had words popping in and out of my mind. Certain words would bring excitement, and I would think “maybe this is…” and then just as quickly that word would leave, and another word would appear. Then my One Word came forth. RESOLVE. It came with a sense of finality. It was a matter of fact and didn’t leave room for debate. The word was heavy. Instead of my mind racing, it dug deeper into the reasoning showing where it has been missing from my actions and experiences where it will be valuable going forward. Confident with my choice, I then looked up the definition. (Yes, I was still on the treadmill… PSA, don’t do this at home!) Upon reading the definition, the final moment of validation had arrived. Verb
WHOA! That’s it! It fits equally well as a verb and a noun. A reminder that there are issues I have failed to address and that in life, I need to call upon and display RESOLVE to reach my goals. Validation of My One Word Finding my One Word, took me down a rabbit hole of searching for references. I found a quote from Wayne Dyer that is so appropriate to my stage in life: “There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love, there’s only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.” My mind took me back to the previous Church service, when the passtor shared the story of Daniel refusing to break the dietary laws and eat the King’s food and drink his wine. Daniel showed resolve, despite being in a foreign land under the suppression / service of a mortal king, he showed a firm determination to carry out what he saw as alignment with God’s will. Daniel demonstrated a steadfast purpose that I feel has been lacking in my own spirit. Since I have crossed over my halftime of life (check out Bob Buford book titled, Halftime: Moving from Success to Significance) and have since entered the second half with Serve2Lead, I feel that I have spent more time floating with the current than traveling with a purpose. I’ve allowed circumstances to carry me along on my journey instead of traveling my own streams. I recognize that not resolving my indecision has given power to my inner demons and to conquer them… to truly flourish in this second half, I must show RESOLVE today as well as Beyond Today.
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 It’s hard to believe that Quitters Day is a real thing. You won’t find it on a calendar, but it is the day when eager and motivated people who set New Year’s resolutions, lose their motivation and quit. Statistical analysis using fitness apps and goal setting platforms, say that by the 2nd Friday in January (this coming Friday!) 80% of people hang it up. A 2007 study by Richard Wiseman of the University of Bristol found that 88% of those who set New Year resolutions fail by February, even though 52% of the study’s participants were confident of success at the beginning. The University of Scranton’s research suggests that ONLY 8% of people will actually achieve their New Year’s goal… which means 92% of resolutions fail! Why People Fail
When you read that list, does it hit home for you? Does it sound familiar? What Experts Suggest I pulled together a list of the common recommendations you will find in various articles, posted on websites, or part of a helpful meme.
Those are pretty good. It’s hard to argue with them, would you agree? Did you look at that list and say to yourself, “no problem”? I’m sure you have tried some variation of that list in the past and maybe it got you a little bit past Quitters Day, but did it get you to your goal? 5-Step IMPACT Coaching Process Everything above is just words unless you take action. That is what the 5-Step IMPACT coaching process is designed to do - get you into action in a way that makes sure you are focused on the right goal and that you have identified achievable pathways to hit that goal, WITHOUT having to travel that journey alone. Step 1. Connect the Whys We use several tools to understand your purpose and uncover your passions. We avoid HOPE and make sure that what you have the fire inside of you and is sustainable to push you on your journey. Step 2. Define the Goal/Vision of the Future State you want to achieve You have to be clear and realistic as to what YOU want to achieve. Not what your friend group or what social media tells you should want. But we focus on that true north and make sure it is aligned with your why. Step 3. Take time to define a pathway by working backwards from that Future State This is key. Most people treat their goals like a game of hide and seek. Waiting for people to tell them if they are hot or cold towards some goal. We use time to create understanding and alignment between the Whys and where we want to be. We work our way backwards, finding multiple pathways that can take you to your goal. Step 4. Identify milestones to measure progress on your journey Taking road trips are a lot easier when you have mile markers and road signs to let you know where you are and what’s ahead. You need to celebrate wins. Real wins. That starts by breaking down your journey into steps of a process that builds confidence and habits. Step 5. Foster ownership through accountability It’s the habits that are built through the process where the true value is found. This approach helps reinforce the ownership you have over decisions and what is in your control. Regular check-ins, not check-ons, helps establish ownership. Challenge to You You can definitely do this on your own. I’m confident in that. But will you? Didn’t you say the same thing last year? And the year before that? There is a famous quote that is typically misattributed to Albert Einstein, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Regardless of its origin, it’s gold. So this year, let’s try something new. Reach out because impact is a 2 way street and you don’t have to travel it alone. IMPACT Coaching is a great way to make sure you stick to your goal Beyond Today. If you find it challenging to hit your goals, reach out today and let’s have a free 30-min conversation about the next steps to make 2025 a year of impact for you.
https://www.iserve2lead.com/contact.html  Too often people enter a new year with optimism and hope only to quickly become overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy as the goals slip through their fingers day after day. These people who have the courage to set a goal and are committed to Being Better Today but end up succumbing to frustration and trade in their excitement for disappointment can be divided into two camps:
The Future State In one of my first blog articles, I wrote about the visionary who focuses so much on the future that they failed to see the actions that needed to occur right in front of them. They see the picture that they want to paint and focus on the frame they will put it in, and paint the room where they will hang it, and rearrange the furniture to make sure the painting is highlighted. But they never pick up the brush. They never took the time to prepare and learn how to depict shadows and blend colors. They didn’t purchase the right brushes or easels required to actually paint the picture. Focus on Actions Then you have the people that spend all their time focused on the actions directly in front of them. They take a Bob Ross painting class to learn how to create happy trees. They buy all the latest how-to-books, they begin converting a room to be a studio and they outfit it with all the latest and greatest equipment needed. They get watercolors, acrylics, pencil, chalk… because they are not sure what they are really wanting to paint. They stay busy doing a little bit of everything. Half-finished paintings are stacked up against the wall. Crumpled papers litter the floor with incomplete drawings. They are spending a lot of energy and time but also are no closer to their ideal picture because they don’t have a clarity to what they actually desire for their picture. Finding the Balance by Defining the Journey If you are tired of not achieving your annual goals, then you need to start by changing YOUR behavior. You don’t have to make drastic changes, but there are two things you must do if any journey is going to be successful.
If you want to go from Point A to Point B, well, you better know what Point B looks like or how will you know when you get there? You could wander in the wilderness searching for an elusive place that you will never find. Or you could be one step away from achieving your goal, but since you hadn’t defined it accurately, you had no idea you were almost there. Define Your Point B Take the time to define your future state or your Point B, first, and do so using future terms. In my future state: “I weigh 185 lbs. and finished the annual Turkey Trot 5k without walking at any stage.” “I shared my published book on ‘The Use of Millennial Slang by Gen X Dads’ to all of my family members and friends as a Christmas present.” When you use the future state to define your goal it reinforces in your mind that you can and will achieve it and it provides real clarity to what success looks like. It is 185 lbs. It is by the Turkey Trot. The book is published by Christmas. Define Your Point A Now that you have Point B defined, it’s time for the hard truth and self-reflection of where you currently reside. Take off the rose-colored glasses, remove the filter from your selfie app. Where are you now? How much do you weigh? How active are you? What is your diet? What habits contribute to your current state? What do you need to Keep, Start and Stop doing? Do you know anything about Millennial Slang? Have you created an outline for a book? Do you even like to write? Even though you learned in school that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, life is NOT a geometry problem. The reality is that there is an infinite number of paths that take you from Point A to Point B. The great news is that ANY path can get you there. The bad news is that it is easy to get lost if you don’t have a good map. Creating a Map by Working Backwards They say hindsight is 20/20 because you can look back at your steps and see how you made it to where you are today. That doesn’t mean it was the BEST path, only that it was A path that got you there. But the concept holds true. Work your way backwards from that future state by asking questions to provide clarity. Q: “What needs to happen for me to run a 5k without stopping? A: Well, I need to lose weight and increase my stamina. Q: “How can I increase my stamina? A: Combine jogging and walking until I am only jogging. Q: “What’s the best way to do that?” A: Download a Couch to 5k app and begging using today. At some point, I will come back to point A, where I am today, and it will meet up with my current ability to walk a 5k. This is my path! Now, identify the milestones that you will use to measure your progress. When you compare this to the timeline, is it realistic? Do you need to find a different path, or do you need to adjust your goal? What potential obstacles exist that could cause you to stumble or lose your way? What alternate routes exist for you to make sure you stay on your journey to achieve your goal? If you want to have success on your journey, you need to know where you are and where you are going. Yes, it sounds simple, but when you reflect on those times you failed to hit past goals, where did you stumble? Had you defined your path clearly? The journey of life is not a straight line but a pathway full of potential. Having a well understood map that highlights various paths as well as potential obstacles, will enable you to navigate through the tough times that you will face. The probability of successfully navigating your journey is dramatically increased when you start with your future state and work backwards, to get Beyond Today. If you find it challenging to hit your goals, reach out today and let’s have a free 30 min conversation about the next steps to make 2025 a year of impact for you.
https://www.iserve2lead.com/contact.html  Recently, I was blessed to give the keynote at a retreat where the theme centered around recognizing your Superpower. It was a truly inspiring experience for me to see an energized group that was leaning into the concept and used the two days to build and strengthen connections with those they work with.
As a superhero fan, I geeked out and jumped at the chance to share my own superpower, IMPACT. There were so many ways I could go with the Superhero theme. But when giving a talk, the danger is that you make the talk about you which can be interesting, but only if you can relate it back to the audience. So, my focus turned to their superpowers and how can I help them to see the impact that they can and do make in others. After spending time having them share their superpowers but also building trust through transparency by sharing their “kryptonite”, I shared my “origin story” about My Day of Impact. No, it wasn’t a radioactive spider, but it was pretty traumatic, nonetheless. While sharing the story of flatlining due to a Widow Maker experience may not be the inspiring and energizing story initially, it is relatable to people who may have experienced it through a loved one. The fact that I was able to stand in front of them and share my story allowed me to turn to humor and positivity to get things back on an upbeat path. Being open and vulnerable allowed me to build a deeper connection with the audience and we were able to uncover ways that our superpowers impact others. We also were able to unpack and gain awareness and appreciation for how other people’s powers impact them. How often does “Imposter Syndrome” set in and we discount our own value? How often do we take for granted the Impact we bring to the team? How often do we overlook what others contribute as we focus on our own situation? Becoming aware of your own superpowers is special. Realizing that you are surrounded by people with superpowers of their own is impactful. Teaming up to form your own Avengers or Justice League is when the full potential of your team becomes undeniable. At that point, we turned the focus to putting the power to use. In the immortal words of Uncle Ben Parker, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Creating action plans and commitments to yourself and your team helps form that stronger bond. It’s the “oath” that you will use your superpower for the greater good. What everyone needs to understand is that your superpower is unique to you. While a lot of people may have similar powers, but how you wield your powers, how you uniquely communicate and relate your powers to others, that is who you are, and it is how others see and experience you. My superpower of Impact is found in each and every one of us. We all have the ability to be a Person of Impact in the lives of others. How we choose for that impact to be felt is up to us. That’s the challenge, to use your superpower everyday - at work and in life - to keep making an impact in the lives of others so that they can make an impact as well. This is how your superpower makes an Impact that goes Beyond Today.  It’s always amazing how with so much negativity that exists in the world around us, the positivity is always there if you are willing to look. Sometimes it is very visible as when a community will rally around natural disasters or personal tragedies. At that moment, you come to realize that the “community” goes beyond city limits and is defined by connections.
At other times, the power of a community is much more obscure and found in the actions and responses of a few, under the radar, heroes who take time to volunteer, step-up and do what is needed to get the job done. I have written quite a bit about IMPACT PLAYERS in past articles and they can be found in countless community organizations working to provide positive experiences for others. I’ve spent over 20 years involved in our local competitive basketball program that serves as a feeder team for our high school boys’ and girls’ teams. I love the game of basketball and have enjoyed helping to provide an avenue for young kids to learn more about the game while hopefully providing a positive and fun environment for the kids to grow. Ultimately, we look for the IMPACT from this involvement to show up in the success of our high school teams but also in the future leaders that graduate. With the youth sports market estimated at $37BILLION in 2022 and continued growth rate of 9.2% per year, you know there is a lot of focus on sports and the kids. But unlike the moneymaker organizations that make regional and national pushes, community sports organizations are interested in the local impact and hopefully focusing specifically on the impact to the kids themselves. They are not a business, but a volunteer organization. THEY FACE THE CHALLENGES When running any event, there are always going to be the potential hiccups that will happen as the day of the event draws close. With youth tournaments you have teams back-out, referees get sick, volunteers don’t show up, and weather-related issues, but somehow, it always works out. My wife would always be amazed how the stress of having these things seemingly unravel sometimes the day before or the day of an event, wouldn’t seem to bother me. I would look at her as she seemed to be offering up some “sympathy-stress” and say, “It will all work out. It is what it is.” And you know what, it always did. That is the importance of understanding that while getting volunteers to help in any event is EXTREMELY difficult and only seems to be getting worse, you will always have those handful of committed people that refuse to let you down. Those IMPACT PLAYERS are what makes an organization run. THEY SUPPORT EACH OTHER On a personal note, my recent participation in running the tournaments over the last few years has dropped to a very minor role as I have had sons playing in a high school tournament that is the same day as our youth tournament. In my middle son’s sophomore year, I chose to miss the championship game that he was playing in to stay behind and make sure everything ran smooth. Coaches from other towns were asking why I wasn’t at the tournament watching my son play and I explained it away. As I listened to it on the radio and walked back and forth between gyms, I listened as my son got his first varsity start, knocked down multiple 3’s, and led his team to the tournament championship. Afterwards, my fellow members of our youth Board said you are not missing one of those again. I am ever grateful that they have been there shouldering the burden, doing work that none of the teams or fans in attendance at these tournaments see or are even aware of, so that the kids can have a great experience. THEY DO WHAT IT TAKES This past weekend we were down to two Board Members at the tournament, but they took care of business. Mopping up bathroom floors, cleaning messes, dealing with missing volunteers, and adapting to the situations, they did their part to help our community and to be sure that they were making an IMPACT for others. I arrived back at the gyms, as the final games of the day were getting ready to tip-off so I could be there to help shut things down and clean the facility. While the Board Members were tired, they had smiles on their faces as they were able to reflect on the events of the day and laugh about what had happened. But they could take pride as parents and coaches would walk by and tell them thank you and show appreciation for a great experience for them and their team. THEY LEAVE A LEGACY A referee came to me at the end of the day, exhausted because of having to pick up some extra games for me. He explained that he wasn’t feeling well when he woke up but knew he couldn’t let us down. He played in our tournaments as a kid. He played for me growing up. He knew the IMPACT that he had on the event and being part of the community, he wanted to do his part. I understand that not everyone can volunteer. There is a lot going on in people's lives with work and family. Maybe they already volunteer for other organizations and are already stretched thin. Many people want to help but are not sure how. Some people always volunteer, but never seem to find a time that works. Regardless, it is what it is. The reality is that when you find your IMPACT PLAYERS who are willing to step up and be part of an organization, then “it will all work out” is a guarantee because they won’t let it fail. The strength of a community can be found in these few volunteers. These few IMPACT PLAYERS, who make sure it will ALWAYS work out, Beyond Today.  Being a big sports fan, I always look for ways to apply leadership tools into the sports world and vice versa. Those interests led to the creation of a program designed for sports teams where I took the 3 Pillars of Impact into the Locker Room. The Impact Grid is no different. Applying it to both the Team perspective as well as the role of the Individual Athlete as part of the greater team. With basketball getting underway, let’s take a look at how the Impact Grid can be used to set and measure contributions for the player and for the team. PERFORMANCE The great thing about sports is that you have statisticians or fancy A.I. like Hudl and Synergy that make your performance metrics readily available. You have the basics focused on scoring, assists, rebounds, etc., but then you have advanced metrics like Effective Field Goal percentage (eFG%) and Value Point System (VPS) that try to give a more complete picture. On a side note, if you really want to see the power of Data Analytics in sports, read the book Moneyball. Let’s be honest, you can pick and choose what you measure to give you the desired outcome you seek. What you choose to measure in Performance needs to be relevant to what your team needs from you. This is why having strong communication to ensure alignment with your coach is critical to your development plan. When you enter the crazy and complex world of college recruiting, the college coaches are also providing feedback on what they want to see from you as well. They also have full time analytical people to assess your performance and tendencies to see how you fit into their system. Goals may focus on getting bigger, faster, and stronger. Or they want to see you perform in different scenarios that more closely resemble what you will see at the next level. Again, having your coach on board with those expectations will help the growth process. VALUES Many times, sports teams will create a list of values as a way to deliver expectations of behaviors. It could be a blend of how they expect you to play on the court but also could be focused on character, citizenship and performance in the classroom. As an individual, you have your own value system that probably stems from your family relationships. As you get older and mature, you may become more aware of other factors that impact you as well. If babies are ever at odds, seek clarity from coaches, family members and mentors in your life. Most often conflict stems from a breakdown in communication. In recruiting, values become a more critical aspect of the Impact Grid as it can not only determine where you will go, but potentially the health of the relationship and the impact the experience has on you and your team. Chasing a school or program that isn’t a good fit based upon Values is a recipe for disaster. You see this in high profile travel teams where what they value due to shoe deals, sponsors and media may end up being different than what they say during the recruiting process. BREAKING DOWN THE IMPACT GRID The Goal Achiever aka, the Me Player The stat padder. The person who after a game, win or lose, is checking their stats to see how THEY did. They bring value in productivity but if they negatively impact team chemistry, it won’t be long until others are “trying to get theirs” and losses will naturally follow. The Good Person aka, The Energy Player or The Glue Guy These people are the WE over ME players. They bring energy and make the team better not necessarily in measurable ways that show up in the box score. But in how they carry themselves on and off the court. Heck, they may only play in mop up time, but the fans know who they are, and your starters are excited for them to get their time to shine. They are the loose ball diving, charge taking, high five giving, extra pass making on the bench jumping, incredible teammates! The Lost aka, The Complainer They are down and they won’t be happy until everyone else is down. Struggling to perform in practice or in games, they typically try to make themselves feel better by blaming someone else for their struggles. Their focus is on the coach and complain to everyone about how the coach is ruining the team, while ignoring their own lack of effort, outside work and negative attitude. They require a “come to Jesus” meeting to them move from this quadrant or they need to move on from the team. The Person of Impact aka, The Player Coach or The Captain They get it done on the stat sheet and in the locker room. When coaches talk about their contributions, it’s more than stats as they focus on leadership and character as well. In basketball, historically, the Point Guard position is normally where the player would most commonly be found but the game has changed, as have the players. I purposely did not use the title The Superstar because their importance can be inflated by fans and media based upon Performance and their struggle in the Values area may not be evident to those outside the locker room. Performance can be in the little things that you don't find in the typical box score or may not be in games as much as it is in practice. But the impact on winning is felt by everyone and when you need a bucket, you trust them to either get the bucket or to set up the person who will. In sports, the true sports fan knows the Person of Impact when they see them. Sports is a tremendous venue to see the power of teamwork and leadership. Performance can be easier to see and measure but you gain clarity on the impact of values, the closer you get to the team. Developing more Impact Players doesn’t mean you have more stars, but you have more players who are starring in their roles. The more Impact Players you have on your team improves the odds of reaching a championship, on the hardwood or in life, Beyond Today. If you would like to find out more about how the 3 Pillars of Impact and the Impact Grid can be used with your Sports Program, reach out by clicking this LINK and let’s have a discussion on creating that Culture of Success.
 In my previous articles, I introduced the Impact Grid, discussed the importance of measuring Performance, and the criticality of practicing and aligning to the values of your organization. If you haven’t yet read those articles, I would strongly encourage you to go over them to help understand the nuances of evaluating Performance and Values.
Now that we understand how the Impact Grid works, let's look at how we can benefit or maximize the IMPACT from putting the Impact Grid into action. SELF-REFLECTION The easiest and most basic way to begin using the Impact Grid is to first use it as a self-assessment tool. The beauty is that this doesn’t have to be solely about work. Maybe you feel something is missing in your life, you feel a calling to help in your community, connect deeper in your faith, or you want to put energy in building your family legacy. Regardless of the purpose, begin by defining what success looks like in your ideal future state. How would you measure success? Describe and create examples of the Values you feel are essential to reach that higher purpose. Plot yourself on the grid about where you stand on achieving the Performance results you identified and how well you are living the Values that you highlighted. Be honest with yourself. If you asked another person, and if they had the courage to speak truth to you, where would they place you? Which quadrant are you in? Where do you need to focus more… on your Performance or Values? Based on this assessment, create a specific action plan focusing on just 1 to 3 areas of growth. Make sure it is specific, measurable and time bound. I suggest you find an accountability partner or a coach/mentor that can help you stay accountable to encourage your ownership in the process. 360 TEAM This is one of the more powerful uses of the Impact Grid as it requires full transparency and vulnerability. You must be truthful to yourself and to others. The 3 Pillars of Impact are the backbone as you must possess the Courage to Challenge, you need to Expect Excellence in yourself and others, and you must Empower Others to provide you with feedback, accountability, and guidance. Each teammate starts by plotting themself on the Impact Grid and then proceeds to plot their team members as well, based upon their assessment of them. When considering Values, these should be universal definitions and standards for your team. The examples may be specific to your team versus what other teams in your organization experience. However, Performance is complicated because it not only is specific to the position /role of your team members, but it is also relevant to the expectations that leadership has of them personally. After the initial plotting of the team members, you now engage your teammates and see where they plotted themselves. The benefit begins to emerge as discussion occurs about the performance criteria for the individuals and where discrepancies exist and why. They gain understanding that the metrics are different, but alignment happens as communication leads to clarity. Now, everyone knows where they stand, and they understand that they need to move to be a Person of Impact. Individuals create their own action plans, but also share them with the larger team to validate the plans will help them grow, are focusing on the right areas, and are visible to create a support and accountability network. The focus should not be on where they are, but on the journey to get them where they need to be. LEADER DRIVEN As the name implies, this is a tool that is managed and driven by the leader. The leader plots their team on the Impact Grid based upon their observations and performance assessment. The risk is that this happens in a vacuum without bringing in perspectives of others on the team who may work more closely or at least have different interactions and relationships than you would have as their manager. The important component is the communication between the leader and the team member to align the expectations of Performance and Values but also on how they are measuring up to those expectations. While this approach keeps it as a 1on1 framework, the relationship potential by having these conversations focusing on their development can be enormous for their own growth, but for the growth of the leader as well. Establishing a regular meeting cadence focusing on their future state, reinforces the potential of the team member and how it connects to their WHY. SETTING EXPECTATIONS I won’t belabor this topic as it has been sprinkled throughout the other three benefits. But I do want to point out the importance of having clarity around expectations. This is typically a major point of failure where people are misaligned on expectations either through assumptions or poor communication. Expectations need to be specific to the person. Expectations also can be specific to the position/role. Expectations also exist for the team as a whole. Expectations can exist for the team as a whole or to become part of the team. Within the team, expectations can change for each position/role. Finally, each individual within a position can have different expectations due to varying experience, capability, skill sets, etc. The Impact Grid can be as complex or as simple as you make it. What’s also true is the Impact you get from using the Grid is based upon what you put into it. Embracing the benefits of the Impact Grid will create lasting impact Beyond Today.  In my last two articles, I introduced the Impact Grid and then followed it up with a deeper dive into the Performance aspect of the Impact Grid. This article I will jump into the critical part of the Impact Grid and that is measuring Values and the Impact of those Values.
Simon Sinek talks about the issue where toxic leadership tends to be promoted because we have metrics galore to measure performance, but because it is difficult to put a numeric value on such things as trust and how you are as a person, those areas don’t typically come into play for promotions. (See Simon Sinek Why Toxic Leaders Get Promoted.) So how do you work Values into the Impact Grid? Organizations typically identify a set of core beliefs and guiding principles that shape a company's behavior, decision-making, and overall identity, these become their Values. But let’s be honest. They typically become buzz words, ideal states of unicorns and rainbows that are more fluff than fact. Ideally, they would like them to be the foundation for how employees interact with each other, customers, and stakeholders but that is not always the case. They become eyerolls and sarcasm fodder for the disenchanted. SETTING THE VALUES Setting Values is similar to setting a Vision. It’s hard to get buy-in on the values when it is a single point of view. Entrepreneurs tend to struggle to convey their vision because it is so intimate to them. They find it difficult to translate the vision into a language that others can understand. The same can be said for Values. What the Entrepreneur “valued” in their unshakeable determination to create a business may not be the same values that will establish a sustainable, flourishing business. Be open to input and influence by your fellow teammates. When setting Values, they can’t be reactionary. You can set them because of an observed undesired behavior in your team. That won’t give credence and will serve only as lip service because in practice, they have been tolerated. Engage your team to refine the Values into desirable AND achievable states in which you would like to operate. But don’t set your team up for failure by turning Expectations into Perfection. An ideal state doesn't leave wiggle room when situations arise. It can negatively impact your team if you make your values unattainable to practice every day. ALIGNING THE VALUES Once you have identified the Values that will be your guiding principles, you need to describe them in actions in ways that people can easily understand and will strive to live up to those values. Aligning people to the values is about getting to the “why” which I have found to be one of the few ways to move someone to the right on the Impact Grid. When you can explain WHY the Value is important and you can relate it back to them and their world, you can see the moment their eyes open wide in understanding, and they see their connection to the values. Having alignment to the values should be a prerequisite to be on the team. The values should be shared during the interview process so that there are no questions. More than performance, this should be your focus in the early stages. Are they the type of team member that you want on your team? If they are, then you can teach them the skills. MEASURING THE VALUE That is why Impact is such a critical piece. You can share the values and agree with them. Demonstrate them in your actions, which is good. BUT are you promoting them? Are you representing the values in everything you do? Are you living them and truly walking the walk? So, when it comes to the Values, you are looking for two things: the absence of the value and the impact of the value. Practicing and not going against the value is the standard. But the impact you have on others by practicing the value is what moves someone to the right on the grid. Likewise, the negative impact that comes from not practicing the value moves them to the left and MUST be addressed quickly. It’s a moment where other employees are wondering what you will do. They are grading you to see where you are on the grid and how committed you are to holding up the Values. Will you walk the walk? If, for example, you have 5 team Values and a team member is following all of them in practice but only has two in which he is significantly impacting others, then as a leader, your focus area will be on enhancing how they can improve impact in the other three values. It may be to explore further what the definition of the value means to them and to others. What are examples of how that value could be realized for the benefit of others? That is having an impact. This will always be more subjective than performance metrics. You need to identify and track examples of your team members living out the values. Use of 360 reviews about the quality of the team member as a person is a way to obtain metrics to put people on the grid. High performers will always perform… until they leave. High performers will always make an IMPACT… both good and bad. The only long-lasting, powerful IMPACT can be found when Performers connect, align and live the well-defined and understood values of your organization. At that point, your high performers understand the role they play in the future of others. They understand the IMPACT they have, Beyond Today.  In my last post, Introducing the Impact Grid, I shared my thoughts on a way to assess your team and the Impact that they are making. The purpose of the four quadrants was to set the stage for how to use the tool to assess your team. This article will focus on how Performance, the Y-axis, comes into play on the Impact Grid.
I tend to measure the success of a team by looking at how they perform. But as we know, it isn’t always the results that matter, because HOW they perform and HOW they go through the process of working towards success often comes down to the Values. It’s not that they are counter to each other, but they need to be in balance. Because the best people in the world, who can’t get crap done, are just good people, but are not reaching their full potential of impacting others. LOOKING AT PERFORMANCE The best thing about measuring performance is that you can typically create metrics that can help provide a quantitative assessment to the level of performance. You can establish goals and targets that you can then use to measure your progress. Whether you call them Performance Metrics, Key Performance Indicators, or Goals, you need to establish what success looks like. More specifically, what success looks like for them in their role. Whether it is using a scoreboard for comparison, a clock to keep time, or a destination on a map, making sure the rules of the game and defining success is key to any relationship. For each team member, they should understand what is expected of them and what it will take to move them up the Y-Axis to increase their level of performance. Goals need to be understood, and alignment should exist between you and the team member. You should strive for agreement, but if not, then alignment at the minimum needs to be in place where expectations are understood. Besides understanding what the scale is for them, the team member needs to be clear, where they are on that scale currently, and have clarity to what it will take to move up the scale to become a high performer. Many times, leaders fail to explain why they are where they are with concrete examples. Further explanation may be needed to explain why their scale is somewhat different from other team members based upon experience, expectations, and past performance. REASONS THEY MAY FALL SHORT As leaders, it’s important that once you are able to critically assess their performance, that you take time to determine how their performance matches up to your expectations. It’s completely possible that a person who is putting in the effort, can still not achieve the agreed upon goals. A good leader will dig deeper to truly understand how they are falling short and more importantly, WHY they are falling short. Here are a few reasons:The Goal is Wrong Many times, we tend to set an obscure goal or target that isn’t based upon evidence or history. It is a desired result based upon the dream killer… Hope. Many times, those goals are pulled out of thin air or out of the nether regions. This can be a huge disservice to your team member and the organization as a whole. It devours their energy and enthusiasm and replaces it with frustration and a decline in self-worth. It is essential that goal setting is done jointly and that you have alignment on what is expected. An eager and ambitious person may agree to a goal with plenty of confidence in themselves but lacks the competency to determine if it is even achievable. As a leader, revisit the goal. As they perform and you are able to gather data, reassess whether the trajectory is appropriate. Are the resources and processes adequate to achieve the goal. Don’t be afraid to reset. Misalignment If you lack clarity in regard to the goal and of what success looks like, it’s easy to apply your own interpretation. When you tell a friend you are going to treat them to a good meal and your definition is this incredible food truck, while theirs is a fancy steak dinner with a white tablecloth, well, there will be some disappointment. Not catching this early is more than a morale killer. It can lead to resentment and conflict. AS a leader you become frustrated that they are not achieving the results you expect. While they are getting angry that apparently, they can’t do anything right or possibly they start to believe that you are completely clueless. If they start venting their frustration to others, it can create a toxic and hostile environment that will impact the working relationship of your team. As a leader, you need to make sure there is clarity on the goal. To do this, make sure it is a SMART goal. But more than that, share the WHY behind the goal. This can create greater understanding of the purpose and also where there may be ways to adapt their approach to the goal. Appropriate check-ins, not check-ons or check-ups, to review alignment is a great way to prevent someone from getting too far off course. Make sure that they can explain they WHY in their own words and apply it back to their situation. This reinforces that it’s not about hearing your words repeated back to you, but they know why it is important to them and the team. They Lack Competence Often, you see people under perform because they simply lack the competence to perform their job. The skills required to be successful may not have been transferred to them through on the job training. They simply don’t know how to do it successfully. With this you need to establish a skill assessment on what is needed for the role and then where the employee is at in comparison. This will determine the gap that exists, and you can then put together an action plan to improve their skill set to help them become successful. During this stage, it is important to match the expectations to where the person is relative to their competence. If you maintain the high standard associated with perfection to a person just starting out, they will always be lacking. High performance is not a single definition. It is relevant to the respective individual - where they are at in their growth process and the role they are playing now AND in the future. I do hold some people to higher standards because expectations for them are different. The key is that they know this, and they understand why it is the case. Communication is the critical step in all relationship and vitally critical here. You need to make sure that they understand the benefits they enjoy and the rewards that they receive will be appropriate to the higher expectations. Transparency is the key to maximizing the real value of the Impact Grid. Working with your team members so they understand where and how they bring Impact with their performance. The level of Impact that they have now and the potential you see from them on how they can Impact the future. While high performance is critical to the success of any team, it is the impact of that performance that separates people. It is the high performer who becomes a Person of Impact that leads you Beyond Today.  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. |
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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