5 Key Words Which Describe Extraordinary Effective Teams

Execute, Perfectly, Flawlessly, With Confidence, Every time

Can you use these words in a sentence authentically reflecting how your team functions?  

The more words you can accurately use to describe your team the more effective you are.

Decision Making

The process organizations go through to initiate, develop, and make decisions are just as important as the final decision. A flawed decision making process will ultimately fail with catastrophic outcomes. After action reports help to determine if you success was based on the correct decision making pathways or did the organization get lucky.

Importance of Succession Management for "The Tribe"

The branch on the already ancient oak tree slowly moved to the side as the moon light shifted on the waxy outer layer of the leaves, creating a clear view of the village for the scout. The caves and makeshift huts were silent and the fires had died down after a long night. The fire and encampment were not longer guarded and a sense of complacency had set in, no one thought it was important anymore. The rock caves walls, that use to provide protection, were about to become the very obstructions that kept the inhabitants from escaping. It was almost time to begin; the scout slowly moved back. In order to reduce any noise as he walked, he rolling his foot from the outside inward, so any leaves on the late fall ground would not crunch under his weight. His eyes had long ago adjusted to the night and he could make out the other members of his war party laying down in a gulley not far away. With a stick the scout drew in the dirt the layout of the village. Now the plan could be finalized and the group would slowly move up into position.

The village, once a beacon of wealth, and basic innovation, had become complacent in its success and now would pay a price. The war party understood that success would help ensure their success in the competitive environment in which they lived. The resources desperately needed where now at hand, and they planned on taking by force what they needed. It was a strategic decision to attack the village where the king made his seat. The tactics were planned and practices, and the time to act was now. They slowly moved up. The group now in place had everything covered. Most of the group would charge forward into the huts and caves. The stone walls would be used to trap their inhabitants as the outer dilapidated defenses would be overwhelmed. Others in the group would be stationed in likely escape routes to prevent anyone from leaving. To ensure their own safety, the group left a few raiders in the rear to guard their own backs, or move up and reinforce areas where the attack may be slowed.

The group moved in at a slow stalking pace through the woods till they hit the broken dirt, symbolizing the boundary of the encampment. Once at the line, they began to run as fast has as they could. The key target was Daniau, the King of the lower valley region, but the others sleeping were in just as much danger. They rushed in with hammers made from bone with either sticks or rocks tide at the top with sinew. In a few minutes it was over. People lay moaning or dead throughout the area, victims of their own complacency. The few villagers who woke up, and tired to escape, were ambushed by the raiders laying in wait at the escape routes.  King Daniau was dead. The lower valley region no longer had a king to keep the other tribes in line and focused. Now, challengers from the other tribes would meet to determine who would succeed to the throne. Chaos and inner warfare would erupt if order was not kept. Inner turmoil would allow outside tribes outside of the valley to invade.

Today, businesses face the same problems when they become complacent and lose their competitive advantage; or suddenly lose their key leaders. How do they replace the dead king? Option one, use existing lines of hereditary succession from within the owners? Option two, use the organizational hierarchy where someone who had been training their entire lives for this position? Option three, look deep inside the organization and pick someone who did not ask for the position, but had the necessary skills to take them into the future? Option four, go outside of the organization and bring in someone else to take over. The answer to the question of leadership succession creates the atmosphere for future failure or success of the entire organization, as it did millennia ago with Chief Ugh and “The Tribe”.   

Leadership and Management all began with "The Tribe"

We think the challenges we face as leaders are new and have never been seen before, forcing us to invent creative techniques to unleash the hidden talents of our people.

The Greek philosopher Epicurus wrote about leadership and the challenges faced by ancient managers as far back as 200 B.C. This ancient written work describes many of the same problems faced today and solutions they created. However, this story starts much further back.

The problems of leadership and managing resources start way back in the days where people lived as tribes and took shelter in caves and fought to stay alive. An error today may cost someone their job or millions of dollars to a company; millennia ago, errors cost you or your tribe its very existence. Let’s start from the beginning and observe the problems and solutions of the people who had to get it right the first time:

Chief Ugh woke up after a late night council of his elder, put on his fur robe and went out of his cave to survey area. He lived in the cave because it provided more protection than the simple huts that surrounded the area. Besides, with position come benefits. Chief Ugh was not born into the position of chief, or aim to assent the thrown; he was chosen by his people to lead them into the future.  He looked around and saw what he had to work with.

Alerot, big and powerful, was the most skilled hunter and already out in the early morning looking to bring food back for his family to eat. An equal amount would be shared with the others. In his youth, he was known to have wrestled animals down with his bare hands. Charibert was following him at a distance trying to watch and learn the skills of an experienced hunter. He was a young member of the group. He had a lot of energy, somewhat clumsy and was willing to help, but was self conscience of his limitations. In his mind he would say, “I day I will be the head hunter, and then I will become chief”.

Noblete had a great amount of potential. He was a big strong man, though not as bulky as Alerot. He possessed great intellect to see things as they were and how they could be. He had the ability to develop great ideas to improve their lot and then implement the solutions. He also possessed the skill to bring the other members together to accomplish the projects that benefited all. One day he would ascend to level of king of the lower valley. Alerot was Noblete’s son and showed equal promise for the future.

Chief Ugh then looked over to the fire and saw several people simply sitting around. Brice a middle age man looked angry. He worked hard when he wanted, on projects that he wanted, and only hunted with average enthusiasm. Today, he was by the fire complaining that his son Felyse had gone into the cave and used flint and bone to carve pictures of animals and other scenes of the last great hunt on the walls. Brice had done poorly on the great hunt and did not like to be reminded of those days’ events. Now Brice’s wife was incensed because the images reminded her of her husband’s short comings, and so she took her anger out on him.

Richart was the person who tried to get along with everyone. He was very entertaining but got his chores done. Sometimes he would take the animal pelts and create scenes depicting how the animal lived and the valiant attempt they made to fight off the hunters. Once he placed an elks head over his and snuck up on Charibert. Unfortunately, he startled Charibert and he struck Richart on the side of the head with a piece of bear bone. Over time, Richart would develop the story’s that were passed down from generation to generation until at last they were written down.

Gillot was a negative person. He was quick to blame and slow to act. He enjoyed creating problems for others and attempted to bask in the glow of his own wretchedness.  Natural selection would eventually remove this problem.

Together, these men and their families would become “The Tribe”. The leadership skills of Chief Ugh, later Noblete, and Alerot would be the basis of leadership training today.  

Perspectives of the Wall Street Protest: Priviledge Daughter versus Average Son

John worked for a company building commercial HVAC units. Over the years he determined there should be a better way to control the system output flow of the units to maximize building efficiency. He went back to school at night and learned the skills necessary to develop and build his idea into a product everyone working in the HVAC industry would want. He succeeded and continued to create innovations in the HVAC world. He continued to develop and design and later expanded into other electronics, eventually becoming a very wealthy individual. He had three kids and provided them with everything they could want. He sent them to the best Ivy league schools. His eldest daughter Pam received her MBA and was given a job leading an electronics division in her fathers' company.

Pam enjoyed being the head of the electronics division at age 29. She was committed to the division and thought about the possibilities for the future. Almost immediately, upon her graduation from business school, and being placed in charge of the division, she began to look over seas for potential locations for outsourcing manufacturing operations. She liked being in charge and enjoyed being able to use the corporate jet to fly to Europe, or other exotic tropical locations, on vacations or week long get away.

Fred, the Representative of the 21^st Congressional District, was a long time friend of the family. John assisted with Fred’s first campaign and has been a reliable donor to his subsequent campaigns over the years. Both Fred and John are extremely loyal to each other and have no problem calling each other when needing help.

Jack was an accountant in a small firm. He has been promoted once, but is happy with  his life. He has two sons who grew up like most normal children playing sports, socializing with friends while attending public school. When Mark graduated from high school he attended an average college. The college had a liberal arts program which allowed him to tailor his degree to his interests. Instead of a business, engineering, architecture or  accounting, Jack received his liberal arts degree with a minor in foreign language. After graduation he found it very difficult to find a job, let alone  secure a job making the money he needed to pay back his student loans. His degree simply did not translate into a professional job. He became very frustrated and angry that after years of study his plan in life appeared to be off track before it started.

In October, 2011, the Occupy Wall Street protests were in full force, with protests sprouting up in every major city. Jack decided one day to attend one of the protest and began to talk to other 20 something’s’ who were in the same predicament as he. Many also had large student loans and now believed they had worthless degrees.  Others had degrees in the science fields and had success only to be laid off when their jobs were outsourced to other countries. As time went on, in the small city Jack lived, the protests began to focus on Pam’s electronic division. It appeared she had been given everything in life she could want and now was planning on outsourcing the city's largest manufacturing operations over seas to save money. Anger began to grow and Pam began to receive threats.

Pam could not understand why she was the target of all the hostility. She had worked hard to get to where she was and had no intention of stopping. She believed the anger was misdirected and that the protesters were to blame for their own misery. Soon, however, things began to get violent, Pam’s car began to get struck by bottles and other objects as she arrived for work. John became very disturbed at this and called Fred, the representative of the 21^st Congressional District and demanded he take action to resolve the issue and protect his daughter. John didn’t care what Fred had to do, bring in the Marshall’s, FBI, whomever it took, but he had given Fred enough donations and now he wanted a return on his investment.

So now we have a daughter who grew up in a life of privilege refusing to give anything back, or lower her expectations in life, standing off with the Occupy-Wall Street protesters and Jack, an average American, who has a ton of debt, no real job prospects, and a degree that did not prepare him for the future. Both inherited their status in life from their fathers, neither really worked hard for what they have. Pam does not believe it is fair to have to share her wealth with the masses because it is hers. Fred, because of the benefits he received from John is forced to take Pam’s side and find a way to put the protests down. Jack points to Pam’s electronic division and blames her for his problems and does not feel it is fair that she is not forced to share her wealth with the masses. This in the conundrum we face today. From all sides, their perspectives is that the system is not fair. 

Secret Leadership and Management Techniques of Santa Revealed

It’s that time of year we all come to look forward to with joy, yes Christmas. But, have you ever thought about Santa and the production miracle he pulls off every year? Unlike the United States Postal Service where a package “that positively must be delivered over night” may actually take four to five days to be delivered; Santa has a drop date that can not be missed. He also has a zero defect tolerance on the toys he delivers.

So, let’s start to look back at the Miracle Leadership of Santa and his well oiled industrial machine. It is little known fact that the elves themselves are not actually from the North Pole. The elves are actually outsourced labor that Santa picked up for a steal while visiting the Philippines one year. Before using Elves, Santa used penguins for all of his operations. Then, all of the sudden, the penguins threatened to unionize over working conditions. See, it seems a beluga whale just happened to stopped by one year and explained the virtues of being members of the “Water Mammal Guild”. It was exclaimed that there would be Tarpon in every pot instead of Cod. At first, Santa gave into the demands of the penguins in order to keep the unions out, but eventually, snow crabs sneaked in under the radar and stirred the penguins up. Santa told the penguins that he would be forced to replace them, as his main labor force, because their demands were costing too much for his “Not for Profit” organization. The penguins continued to demand more changes and one day they found they had been replaced by the new outsourced labor, the Elves. The penguins attempted to get a favorable ruling from the NLRB declaring it an unfair labor practice. At the NLRB meeting, Santa showed all the members a new hand sculpted piece of coal. He explained that due to the increased costs he would incur if they sided with the penguins, this would be the presents their kids, grandkids and great-great grand kids would receive. He would not be able to give them any toys–ever again. Faced with having to purchase toys out of their own money the members of the NLRB stated the North Pole was not in their jurisdiction and they do not cover penguins. The penguins appealed to the UN Courtbut Santa had already shown his artistic coal sculptures to them and the UN refused to take up the issue.  

The elves labor force is broken down into four areas: Factory Elves, Sleigh Elves, Magic Dust Elves, and Administrative Support Elves. The Factory Elves have the hardest working jobs. They have to build all of the toys for all of the boys and girls around the world. Santa enjoys hanging out with the Factory Elves and encourages them to bring their best every day. Over the years, he has mellowed. When the Elves first arrived he did his best impression of the Drill Sergeant in Full Metal Jacket in order to motivate the Elves and set the right tempo. Now, Santa is more relaxed and allows the Elves to have a lot of fun at work. He also found a special additive to go into their daily coffee which really perks them up. Sometimes, Santa will even toss water balloons with the slower Elves. They go outside play water balloon toss, which Santa always wins, and then he comes in to warm up as the elves stay outside exercising to dry out their wet outfits. Remember they are from the lower latitudes. He often looks outside at the Elves exercising and lets out the belly busting Ho Ho Ho. He just loves to keep them in shape through advanced cardio exercises.

Mrs. Clause is in charge of Sleigh 1, the reindeer, and Sleigh Elves. She is very good and take extra special care of the everyone. To most Elves she is Mrs. Clause, Mrs. “C”, but to the Sleigh Elves she is “Missy”. One year she remodeled the Sleigh 1 hanger and had extra heating installed to keep the Elves warm. It was so warm that the Elves had to get new outfits. The new outfits are slimmer, more form fitting with high cut shorts. She is so concerned over the look of the Sleigh 1 that she has the Elves wash and wax Sleigh 1 everyday. She is extremely concerned about every little detail and insures the Elves touch up the smallest nicks on the bottom sleigh rails. They have to bend over a lot; fortunately, Mrs. Clause is always there to rub their backs. To ensure she stays in shape, she even installed a pole in the corner and uses it for exercise. She plays fast paste music and swings around on it, often upside down. She says it keeps her toned and her muscles in shape.  Unfortunately, the toilets are too high for the average Elf to reach, so Mrs. Clause is forced to go in and pick each Elf up and place him on the seat; I know this is wearing her out because she looks worn out at the end of the day.

The reindeer, the engines of Sleigh 1, and things of legend can only fly using “Magic Dust” from the vault. There is a special set of elves that leave each year and go south to get the “Magic Dust”. These Elves are different. They have goatee mustaches, dress in shorts past their knees, wear shirts with different colors and writing on them. They generally keep to themselves and stay up all night, only coming out of their room for a late night snack. Every year, Santa takes them a large envelope and off they go heading south. When they come back they have a tan and enough “Magic Dust” to keep the reindeer going for another year. They are a happy bunch.

Because of the bad economy, Santa was forced to outsource his administrative and support operations to China. The Administrative Elves were then sent to the other areas to fill in needed gaps. They were all happy to join in and help out. I thought the Administrative/Support Elves always thought of themselves as being better than the other elves but I was proven wrong. Santa had a closed door meeting with them and explained the situation. He used power point slides and showed the Administrative/Support Elves several options on how they could help out or what might happen if they decided they could not go to other operations. Amazingly, on that same day, a pod of orcas were seen out at see; they never come this far north. But, all of the Elves decided to happily transfer. Now, this has caused some slowdown in receiving parts from other parts of the world. Even modern automation is not as effective as a motivated Elf.  It seems, the Admin Elves had the supply system down pat and even received special gifts from their regular suppliers, especially from China.

One Elf, we will call “Thomas”, did not like the changes going on. He wanted to buck tradition and get new modern uniforms that he thought better fit the modern Elf. He even designed the outfit himself, it seemed to be tighter in the middle and had ruffles on the edges. I agreed with Santa when he said it looked rather flamboyant and we would stick with tradition. Thomas got angry. He then started spewing crazy talk about forming a union to increase our wages and better conditions. He thought we should embrace a more diverse culture with open minds and attitudes. Yes, we work hard and Santa pays us very well. We take our money and purchase gifts and supplies from the Santa Land Store. The Santa Land Store also has convenient banking hours and finances the loans on our ginger bread houses. One day, Thomas after a two hour speech on the benefits of unionization simply walked off. It was rumored he hot and sweating heavily when he walked off into the snow storm outside. It appears he was so pumped up after his speech that he was able to open the big door, by himself, which usually takes three of four elves to open.  It was one of the worst snow storms on record and no one understands why he would have gone out there. Santa said he looked for Thomas but never found him. It is believed he went back down south.     

Even Mrs. Clause was defiant on letting the sleigh cargo crew unionize until one year when she walked into the rein deer “Magic Dust Vault” and found someone had accidentally left a small bag open and the dust was floating like snowflakes in the air. When she came back out of the room she was by all accounts different. After “Sleigh 1’s” departure she arrived back at the cargo loading area wearing a skin tight fire red outfit with fishnet stocking and had a special gleam in her eyes. The door closed and the next day after the revelation of some pictures rumored to hidden away, Mrs. Clause became pro-cargo handling unionization, much to the chagrin to Santa who had stopped by a local Elf village to bring in some union busting help. From that time on, Mrs. Clause has never been seen near the “Magic Dust Vault” again.

We never hear any complaints from the Sleigh Elves. They seem to go to work early and willingly stay late at night to keep up. The Elf wives are often over heard saying they are happy Mrs. Clause takes care of their husbands, so they don’t have too. But overall, everyone is extremely happy to live and work at the North Pole. Santa is always finding new ways to keep us motivate and engaged. He is always looking to find new ways to improve efficiency and effectiveness of the entire organization. Remember, together, we reach our absolute deadline with zero defects every year. Together We Are One.   

YOU CAN READ CHAPTER TWO: SAM THE SNOWMAN DEFIES HIS MORTALITY.

Of course this is a parody of organizations with good reputations,  but in reality have horrible managment. Santa is great and would make a great Splash on the Matrix

Operational and Team Spheres That Impact Your Teams Success

Sometimes you simply scratch your head and wonder if it is you or your company that seems out of whack. Sometimes it is you, but I bet the majority of the problems are caused by the misalignment of core components in your company.  I will make this easy to understand, using the laws of three; you will see how your team fits in with the “big picture” of your company and how easily a misalignment can occur.

Picture your company operating within three core spheres:  

• Organizational Structure
• Priorities & Philosophy
• Human Capitol

Each has a different core function that must be equally balanced to create a successful company. The more overlap between the three spheres the more aligned your organization will be and this increases your chances of success. Think of a helicopter rotor. There is more strength at the center and the blades move slower that at the edges. The farther apart the spheres are in your company the more energy you have to use to be successful. Too much overlap in one area will cause in imbalance.  Now, let’s take a closer look at the operational spheres.

The Organizational structure is the architecture of your organization outlining who is responsible for each system. It also explains the hierarchy from the boss to the bottom person. In some cases there is redundant overlap in one area and not enough assets in another causing an imbalance.

The Priorities & Philosophy provide reason for the existence of your company. In some cases priorities have changed but the philosophy has not evolved to the changing climate of today’s business environment. This leaves people wondering what the overall mission of the company is supposed to accomplish, besides surviving.

The last sphere is your company’s Human Capitol. Your human capitol, employees, is the greatest asset your company has. In times of crisis, your employees can think on their feet and instantly make changes based on observations that modern machines cannot. As an organization you must answer the question, do you have the right people working for you? Do my employees have the correct skills and knowledge to take you to the next level? Ultimately, do they believe in your company and want to be apart of its success?  

From the Operational Spheres, we go to the Individual Unit Spheres. Your team, and its overall success, is directly linked through the Human Capitol sphere In other words, the Human Capital Sphere provides the employees for your team to operate.  All work teams in your company are comprised also comprised of three spheres. Again, the more overlap the spheres the more successful your team will be. The more successful your team the more likely your company will be successful. Now we look at relationships of a smaller set of spheres in which your team operates. These smaller spheres are described:

• Organizational  expectations of my team
• The leader’s needs
• The teams’ capabilities

The first sphere answers the question, “What are the expectations of my team from the organization?” Within this sphere another question is then asked, “How does the effectiveness of my team impact my company’s success?”  If it has no impact then you should be looking for another job because you will eventually be downsized out of your current one.  Your team should be building a competitive edge for your company. If it is not then turn your team around and create one; success is built on the shoulders of the smallest teams.

The second sphere answers, “What does your leader need to be successful?” Do they have all the personnel and equipment necessary to accomplish their tasks?  What skills and abilities do they need to take you to the next level? This one can be answered at www.integritasleadership.net/matrix.

Lastly, the remaining sphere answers the question, “What are the capabilities of your team?” Does your team have the individual abilities to both accomplish the expectations of your company and fulfill the needs of your leader? Do they need additional training or equipment? If the team is not capable of accomplishing their assigned tasks then the company is crippled at the lowest levels. These three spheres need to be aligned and fully functioning before your team can make a positive impact on your company.

As you have just read, it is easy for a company to become misaligned creating confusion among the teams and employees. The next time you question how effective your team is, think about the different spheres and see if you can create a competitive edge for your self by jumping in and fixing the problems.

Ninja Leadership Training for $39.99. Call now and we'll throw in a set of steak knives.

"One step Ninja Leadership Training programs for $39.99. Call now and we will throw in a set of steak knives for free; just pay separate shipping and handling. At the end of the 4 hour video, you will be able to Ginsu your way through any leadership problems. When you walk into a room a soft light will shine down on you, and tranquil music will fill the air. You will instantly be able to 'WOW' people with your enlightenment." You see commercials like these on television, usually on weekends, and during late night reruns of B-movies.

Well, I'm here to tell you, there is no one stop leadership training program in the world. Each program must be tailored to the needs of the student leader. A very few people are  near the pinnacle as leaders and only need a little polishing. Some have no leadership skills and need an entire program. Most people in leadership positions already possess some level of competency as a leader. These are the people who truly need custom training programs to develop their leadership skills, without wasting  time rehashing skills they already have. 

A custom made leadership training program creates a higher rate of return for your training dollar. Custom training programs are just that, custom. They assess your current skill sets and create pathways to take you to the next level. However, to save money, you can still attend a large seminar and learn all sorts of leadership techniques that are not worth the price of admission. Its your call to make. Find a certified leadership trainer or call the 1-800 number for the instant enlightenment video with steak knives. That simple decision may truly gauge your Splash on the Matrix.  

In case you didn't realize it, and some people apparently didn't, the Ninja Leadership Training was a parody to get my point across and not a real product.

Activity vs Productivity

There are stark differences between being active and being productive. In fact, you can be productive in a very short period of time. While you can stay active all day and accomplish nothing.  If you are simply running around trying to accomplish everything you are staying active. You are probably not accomplishing anything, but you are burning calories.  The key to change activity ot productivity is to set goals for yourself. If you have a task to accomplish set a time table for it to be accomplished. You may only have a few minutes a day to set aside to work on the task; but, during those few minutes you are being productive.

There are times when simply being active is good for the soul, like walking on a sunny spring day or finishing up busy work. Most of the time, we need to be productive and accomplish important tasks. It is important to know the difference between the two, and when each one is appropriate. Knowing the difference will increase you Splash on the Matrix.

Essential and Ancillary Tasks as a Leader

It is important to recognize the difference between essential and ancillary task in your job. Sometimes we focus on the secondary tasks and forget to accomplish the essential tasks that are necessary for success as a leader. Make a list that outlines all of your tasks as both an employee and leader. Next, determine the tasks that are absolutely necessary from those which are secondary. You are now in a position to prioritize your daily tasks, make long term attainable goals, and increase the overall efficiency and effectiveness of your team. Once you understand the difference between your essential tasks and ancillary tasks you make a greater Splash on the Matrix.

Using the 4 Ds to Increase Your Efficiency and Effectiveness

Saying D's are great usually garners strange looks from my clients.  Then, I explain how to use the 4 D method to increase  individual effectiveness and efficiency. The system will sound simple, but if you follow the system the results can be phenomenal for you and your team.

• Delete: Delete tasks that no longer fit the mission of the company, or are no longer worth your ROI. Don't waste your time on projects, or anything else, that no longer produce a competitive edge for your organization. Times change and you must also change; focus on the tasks and projects that set you apart and benefit your bottom line. 
• Delay: Do not confuse delay for procrastination. Just because a new project is suddenly dropped on your desk does not necessarily mean you stop everything, change gears, and start to complete the latest task. First, learn to work smarter, not harder. Look at what you have to complete and then schedule everything for a "smart time" when you can give it your full attention. Concentrate on what you need to accomplish right now. Everything will be accomplished at the appropriate time that leads to your success.
• Delegate: You do not  have to do everything yourself. Look at at everything that needs to be accomplished and determine if you are absolutely the only person who can get the task completed. Look at what your team is capable of and determine if one of your team members is better suited to handle the task. Chances are, one third of your projects can be given to others who can do just as well as you.  Give items to someone better, faster, or competent enough to do the job successfully. This will free up your time for you to excel on the tasks that you are truly the only that can handle. Delegating provides opportunities for you team to learn and grow and accomplish more with less time.
• Diminish: It may sound simple, but you don't have to reinvent the wheel with every new client. Use what you already have and create short cuts that make your life easier. Once you have templates created that cover the forms, brochures, or presentations you normally use them as master templates you can tweak for each need. You can then reuse the master template, which saves time, for you to concentrate on your core tasks rather than spending time doing redundant paperwork. If you are determine to have a new template for each customer simply add or subtract a few lines and you have created a "tailor made" product. By creating master templates, and diminishing the time you waste on meaningless tasks, you free up an extraordinary amount of time and  create a competitive advantage for yourself and your team.

This is just an overview, but use the 4 D's and see how you start to make real headway every workday. See how you and your team become successful and together you create a bigger Splash on the Matrix.  

Leadership Branding in a 3 Minute Scene

It may seem like a cliché to say Hollywood creates great movies that stir people’s emotions, but creating a realistic leadership brand requires the same ingenuity to create a fascination with you as a person and leader. In one 3 minute segment in the movie “Crimson Tide” you can see and feel an entire Ivy League course on leadership branding. The scene stars out with the crew of the USS Alabama lining the dock in a rain storm. There is a crisis in Russia and the Alabama has been called by the government to protect the millions of Americans, this is both the suspense of the situation and call to action rolled up into one. Then the captain ties himself to the crew, aligning them with his own personal brand. By saying the only thing he asks of his crew is for them to Keep Up with him, yet another call to action. Then,  he ties himself and the crew to the ship. By stating to the Chief Petty Officer, in front of the crew, the ship has a proud name, representing a proud people, from a outstanding state, from the finest country in the world. Then to top it off says “GO-Bama” as the crew replies, “Roll Tide”. Now everyone and everything is innately connected, ship, crew, and captain in call to action for a life or death struggle to save America.

From a branding standpoint, it is more than a great scene. It is more than a call to action. It is a scene that ties the actors and viewers into the story. From the initial fascination with the characters people choose sides on which leader is right and which one is wrong.  It delves into changing demographics and organizational paradigms, old versus new, authoritarian leadership verses inclusive leadership. But even further it creates the image that people want to be a part of something larger than them. A reason to sacrifice themselves if need be for the greater good. Ultimately, you a sucked into the leadership brands of the Captain and his Executive Officer.

As a leader you have a brand that you created over time and are judged by through every encounter you have with your employees. What is your brand? Are you able to tie the mission of your organization in with the job responsibilities of the people you supervise? Without giving a speech, written by a highly paid writer, and based solely, on your actions do you create your own call to action? Do people believe you have the knowledge and skills required for you to be successful? On a daily basis, do you create a vision of where you wish to take your team and inspire them to willingly follow you?

 If your team is motivated by you, and your actions on a daily basis, to accomplish things that they would not believe they could accomplish then you have created a brand that is truly remarkable and rare. Without a doubt, you will make a huge Splash on the Matrix.  

Actually Embracing "Out of the Box Thinking"

It sometimes amazes me to hear organizations that say they believe in out of the box thinking; then, after being hired to consult with managers I am told out of the box thinking will get you fired. Part of the problem is the economy and organizations wanting to stick with things that are proven to work  In other instances, organizations wish they could actually implement out of the box thinking but are to afraid to take the first step.

Well, peoples ideas that get trapped in an organization that is  unwilling, or unable, to act is sometimes a god send for the rest of us. The people with both vision and courage will eventually get fed up and leave. They go out and start their own business.  Those are the people who don’t just think out of the box but build whole new industries. These are the people who use their creativity to build businesses that create the boxes most people are supposed to think outside of. These are the companies that are truly collaborative and build new tools and products that people spend enormous amounts of money to possess. Then other companies say they should have either listened to the guy before he left, or which they had someone that thought outside of the box like that.

Just think, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Henry Kiser, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs would have never made it as mid level managers. They had too much drive and intellect to be kept down by any organization which only played lip service to out of the box thinking.  A great organizational leader once said, “The people who scream the loudest usually leave and go on to make great things happen.”  If you wish to create great organizations, and a competitive edge, you can no longer play lip service to the notion of out of the box thinking. You must actually embrace it and be willing to take the risks to receive great rewards. Once, as an organization, out of the box thinking is embraced, and actively implemented, the culture will begin to transform into a high performance organization. The sky will be the limit as to what the organization can accomplish. Eventually your organization will be building the boxes the competition will be trying to think their way out of. As a leader, embracing out of the box thinking will create a bigger Splash on the Matrix, which will resonate through out your entire industry.

"Sometimes the Best Plans Fail"

Like the story says, “sometimes the best plans fail”.  As leaders, we strive for success and sometimes we declare through our own bravado, “failure is not an option”. Well, the reality is failure may not be an option but becomes a reality cracking you in the forehead.  Once failure happens you can only dust yourself off and find out what happened to your fool proof plan. Don’t get angry, it only slows you down from analyzing what happened.  

 Here are a few steps:

·        Analyze what went wrong. Maybe it was a great idea and the timing was off. Sometimes success also happens through outside circumstances and not related careful planning.

·        Discuss with your team what was learned. You will learn different perspectives for what went right and wrong, and then be better prepared for the next time.

·        Decide what to do differently. It may not be as simple as reinforcing what you did right or wrong. By examining your failure you may have to completely change course.

·        Reaffirm your faith in your team and their individual abilities. You should confront the issues that need to be addressed, but reassure your team that failure only makes inevitable success more sweat.

·        Spotlight individual accomplishments. Especially if you are trying something new your team members have had to stretch and grow. Even if that one project failed, someone on your team probably learned a new skill or improved their abilities.

When you stop being angry at the situation, and analyze failure as a cause and effect relationship you begin to grow and improve. As you improve you create a greater Splash on the Matrix. Together, you will be on the cutting edge of success.

Confrontation or Criticism

Confrontation is not a negative but rather a positive approach to negative events. Don’t confuse Confrontation and Criticism. Confrontation deals with issues and missed opportunities and directly effects the team’s ability to succeed. It is usually specific, such as you missed a specified target date for project completion. Criticism deals with individual attitude and perceived personal flaws. It tends to be more general in nature. As a leader you must understand the difference between the two.

When a team member makes you angry, first look at their behavior and then judge your own emotions. Are you planning to confront a specific issue, or you going to criticize a perceived flaw in their character?  The answer to that question; and how you handle the issue, either positively or negatively, impacts your ability to be a true leader. Overall, it confirms or tarnished your leadership Brand and determines the Slash you make on the Matrix.  

"Nothing But Rock Bottom"

While driving down the road, I recently saw a bumper sticker that said “Nothing But Rock Bottom”.  I still don’t know the context of the sticker, a band or a way of life.  But it many people feel the same way right now with a downturned economy. Many people are simply feeling they have hit rock bottom and can’t go any further.

Well, the good news is when you hit rock bottom you have no place to go but up! When you feel you have hit the bottom simply stop resisting and take a break.  Fighting the inevitable wears you out! It is time to rest, rethink, recommit, and get back on track.  Take time for introspection to realize how you got to rock bottom in the first place. Where did the train derail? Perhaps you were on the wrong path all along.

It’s time to change things, and get you back onto the road of success. Is it time to learn a new skill?  . If you are afraid of the future, and making changes in your life, it’s time for you to take the first baby step. Time rolls on and things do change, so get use to it. Embrace Change! You are at rock bottom so something has to change, right?  

See what interest you and start to build those skills. You may have had the wrong job all along and even knew your job did not make you happy. Well, now it is time to get a job that fulfills you in new field. Maybe it is time for a move. If you always wanted to live someplace else, guess what, it’s time to get in the car and move. Making any change can only improve your situation. Make a long term plan that is different from the one you currently have. Pick a date in the future and shoot to be back on track by then.  Now, reverse plan and map out the steps from the end to the beginning that get you there. You may realize through your backwards planning you may need more time to accomplish those long term goals. You may be able to move the date up. Be realistic. On that date you may still not be at the point you had hoped, but I know you will be higher than rock bottom. Even so, you can look back and see how far you have come and know you will make it. Take today to rest, tomorrow you make your plan, and on the third day you start. Pick one goal a day and do your best to accomplish it towards your final destination.   

Use the Intangibles of Your Organization to Successfully Recruit

What makes people want to come to work in your organization? Is it the culture, location, benefit package that has then clamoring to join your organization? If you recruit using your benefit package or salary scales what happens when they necessarily change? Can  you always afford to pay more than the other guy? How about your benefit package in the wake of the changing health care laws?

Don't recruit with the tangibles, recruit with the intangibles. Honestly, show how your organizations culture is superior to your competitions. If it isn't explain, how you are building a team that's culture will surpass that of your competition. They can join the Under Dog scratching and clawing to defeat the competition to come out on top. Or try, working at your organization will provide greater opportunities for grow and develop faster that anywhere else.  Examine your organization from top to bottom and develop a list of intangibles that set you apart and use them as your recruiting tool. If you truly are different, the intangibles will speak for themselves.

Female Firefighters: Demonstrate True Pioneer Spirit

I recently met with an fire chief in the area. During the meeting the topic of females in the fire profession came up. For many organizations, there are only a handful of female firefighters at most. Imagine being the female who goes to work everyday knowing she is entering a male dominated profession.

Law enforcement faced the challenge of integrating females into the profession many years ago, and in some cases still struggle with the issue. These female firefighters are the new pioneers of today. They have the same job responsibilities of their male counterparts, but have to work harder to trail blazed  the path for those females to follow. In many older stations, the buildings were not constructed with separate bathrooms or bunk spaces for men and woman. Besides the issues of building construction, they must still live and work within the male dominated fire culture. At what point is a joke or comment cross the line from being funny to harassment?  How does a female stand up for herself as a person without being labeled a derogatory comment? These issues, and many more will eventually be worked out. As society, and demographics of the workforce, changes more woman will enter the fire profession. The woman who work in the profession today are true pioneers with the grit of the woman who walked across the great plains in the 19th century. The are creating the path for the future and have earned the right to be called "Professional Firefighter" 

Changing the work culture one success at at time.

If you do not believe your organization is special why do you care who gets hired? Lets face it, you spend most of your day at work; therefore, you have a vested interest to make it as fulfilling as possible. If you are not a supervisor pick one thing each day to improve upon, that is your goal. If you are a supervisor, pick one thing you would like to improve upon. Once you have accomplished that goal move on to the next one. As you improve the people around you will catch on and they will improve. This is called improving from the bottom up. The same principle applies to the organizational culture around you. If people are negative, challenge them to improve one thing. Negative people do not start out that way, they become negative after they feel that they have failed over a period of time.Help them improve one thing and then another and watch what happens. Your working culture will slowly improve and your work environment will improve in kinds.

Which One Do You Use: Hard and Soft Leadership

The greatest leaders you ever met had the ability to understand and use two basic principles of leadership: hard power and soft power. Unfortunately, many people use hard leadership to get things accomplished. Basically, they use their power of position to force things to get done. This ultimately creates a my way attitude as perceived from you subordinates. Because they are afraid of you or the consequences that you will bring if they do not perform the eventually lower their own goals to meet your expectation.This leadership style will always limit you from reaching your full potential. And, as the leader, you will never gain the full power you wish for.

Now,  soft leadership is about changing your teams thoughts, feelings, and beliefs in a project to align with yours. Together, you move forward as a single unit to exceed the original goals. Soft power creates synergy among the group. Exclusively using hard power creates a pecking order and fear. 

The truly outstanding leader knows how soft and hard power work. Through their wisdom, they  know when to use each one effectively. Those are the leaders I wish to follow, work around, and learn from. You can go any where and learn about hard power. Together, I will show you how to use soft power. Together we will make a big Splash on the Matrix and place you on the Cutting Edge of Performance.

Actions Create a Resonance Splash on the Matrix.

I recently read an article in which the writer attempted to explain why "leadership" should be changed to "resonance" in looking at the impact of people on an organization. The argument attempted to explain that positive images, memories, emotions and influence have a greater impact than the original actions on the organization, when looking at the broader context of organizational effectiveness.

Sounds like an interesting idea and concept. I also have interesting ideas that are simply short sighted or backwards. I understand the idea of resonance of actions but the writer  misses the larger picture. If you look at the issue from a cause and effect pespective, the cause is the "action" and reasonance is the "effect". If you have no action taking place there is no effect, hense no resonance. It's like looking at a tidal wave. An earthquake, meteor strike, or under water nuclear blast starts things in motion. Then the water rises and creates the tidal wave that reasonates around the globe. It is the initial action which caused the resonance, not the other way around.

From the matrix point of view. All actions. either positive or negative,  create a Splash that are felt by the people you influence.  The larger the Splash the greater  impact on the Matrix. If you are low in the organization your actions will resonate to a smaller pool. If you are higher in the organization your actions will reasonate with a larger body of water. Positive actions create a greater Splash and you gain credibility in your orgnaization. Negative actions create a Splash which may cost you your career. In the end, you may feel the tidal wave of resonace, but it was caused by someones inital actions.

A New Lesson from West Point

If you look at West Point Football team’s roster you will see something out of the ordinary. One of their Captains is not a starting player. You may think, “so what”? It t is a big deal, really. Think about it, a team captain is not one of the starting team members. This really is a big deal, and I will explain why.

First, just because your star players have athletic ability does not necessarily mean that they can lead and motivate their fellow players. Secondly, it shows a second tier athlete has the ability to motive others to do their very best, even if it is better than he can do. What a leader! He places the teams well being over his need to succeed. The team recognizes his abilities as a “leader” over “athlete” and chooses him to be one of their captains. (Just to point out, this is a military academy and developing leadership a backbone of the program.).

How does this translate to you and your business? It’s simple; don’t just look at your star performers on the quarterly spread sheet. Look at the intangibles which  everyone brings to the table. Your “star employee” may be the one who motivates and sets everyone up for success. If I was faced with loosing one of those employees, I would choose to loose the employee with the higher numbers, over the person who creates the environment for organizational success. The person who creates the environment conducive for overall success will help develop a long line of outstanding performers. Today, go out and look for the person on your team who creates that environment that helps you succeed.

Influence: Positively Impact Thoughts, Feelings, Actions

The true mark of a person’s leadership skills is not the ability to make a decision or order team members to complete tasks. No, the true mark is the leaders’ ability to influence the team members to want to accomplish the task. Influence is derived from the leaders’ ability to change team member’s thoughts, feelings, and actions. The more adept someone is in the ability to positively influence the team  the bigger Splash they make on the Matrix.

The Changing Face of Professional Firefighters

The Virginia Department of Labor predicts by the year 2020 over 50% of the workforce will made up of woman. Over the past 20 years law enforcement has made tremendous gains in recruiting woman to join our profession. The fire professions have attempted to make gains but as still far behind. Over the next few months, Jackson Baynard and I will be exploring the implications of the changing demographics of the fire professions.

We will be exploring these changes from several aspects. The item that easily stands out is the cost of retrofitting the fire stations. Many stations are old and are not equipped with separate bathrooms or bunk facilities designed for men and females.

That is a matter of cost, but there are other considerations. The CPAT test used by many fire agencies to initially evaluate potential employees is extremely rigorous and many people fail to get past this test. This test has been shown to be valid and a predictor of the physical attributes necessary to be successful. Should the test requirements be lowered? Would that endanger people? Because the CPAT test is valid and people from both genders pass, and fail the test, should it continued to be used in its current form?

Once more woman join the ranks of career firefighters will management and supervisory styles need to evolve, of course they do. As woman set the example and move up the ranks how will this potentially impact agencies? A woman will break the ceiling and become a Fire Chief. This will further create more opportunities for woman as professional fire fighters. However, as a pathfinder it will come will its own challenges and rewards.

To anyone, with any understanding of the changing demographics of the work force, it is not the question will woman be joining the ranks of the professional fire fighter. The question to ask, is anyone preparing for the change? We shall see, and I hope we will make a positive change.

Catalyst for Something Great

When you go to Barnes and Noble and go to the Management section you find the leadership and management books thrown together. That's because even many of the authors either do not know, or ignore, the simple fact that management and leadership are completely different. Actually they can be compared to two magnets repelling each other. Management is about sustainability through processes. Leadership is about breaking barriers through innovation and courage.

However, just to throw people off, good management is the foundation of an organization and leadership is the material you use to build the structure. Together, they become the catalyst for something great, or not.

How strong is your foundation? What is the material you used to build the structure?   

Transformation by going down the Road Less Travelled

Robert Frost once wrote a poem that people know but seldom live by: “The Road Less Travelled”

“Two roads diverged in the woods and I took the road less travelled by. And that has made all the difference.” The joke goes the reason no one went down the road is the bridge was out. But what is the true nature of this poem and the blog that attempts to prove transformative guidance to leaders?

The first question to be answered is not why the road is less travelled, but why the person took it. Was the person naturally curious? Where they board of the tedium of their lives, a natural feeling of inward turmoil we all have as we hit middle age? The important thing is the person took the leap of faith to go somewhere the average person does not tread.

The second question to be answered, was it worth it? Without knowing anything of the journey, I can say without equivocation “yes it was”. The person who attempts this journey, and it would be a journey, must have the mindsets  “whatever happens, I am open to the outcome”. The person saw, heard, smelled, and most assuredly “felt” something that the average person trying to live by their status quo lives will never know. This one fact sets this person apart from everyone else. Are you this type of person? Be honest, are you?

As individual human beings, members of  communities, managers, and leaders every day we face those cross roads, seeing  them or not. Most of us take the road more travelled because it is easier, unfortunately helping to keep us in our mundane worlds. We take the road more travelled and wonder why our own lives, employees, and companies are stuck in ruts. All the while we hold others in awe wondering how they became successful. Well, it’s simple, sometime in their lives they took the road less travelled. They “felt” something people who never take the chance will never feel.

If you want to go to the next level for yourselves, your employees, or you organization, open up your eyes. Look for the road less travelled, turn your feet, and begin to walk down the path. It takes courage, but open yourself up to “feel” the experience of taking the road less travelled. It will be the beginning of transforming you as an individual, a supervisor, into leader.  

Go out and find your road less travelled and enjoy the experience.

Are You a Leader or Coward when making Internal Transferrs?

I am often asked by business owners, division managers and supervisors questions in regards to employee discipline procedures. Most of those questions can not be answered in a simple blog. However, one particular situation creates a lot of friction, the internal transfer. In a lot of cases the employee may have problems, not with only with their immediate supervisor but also with the second level up supervisor. In many cases this is the second level manager. Eventually, the second level manager has enough and requests that the employee is transferred to another division. The issue of transferring your problem employee is another important topic for another day.

In many cases, second level managers simply sign the orders of transfer  and orders the first level supervisor to tell the employee he or she is moving to an new assignment. In some cases the first level supervisor can not even provide guidance as to why the employee is being transferred. The employee is upset because they felt they have been wronged. The first level supervisor feels like an idiot for having to break the news, and the second level manager looks like a coward.

Listen up second level supervisors, it is not OK to send the next level down to do your dirty work. You look like a coward and the image gets reflected around the entire organization. If you have a case to move someone,  bring them in the office and professionally tell the person the reasons for the transfer.   In the end, you will look like a stronger leader for having the courage to take personal responsibility for your actions. Your subordinates will respect you more and the employee will have a chance to understand the reasons for the transfer from the person who ordered the move. 

Being in a leadership position is not always easy. With the increase in pay comes the increase in responsibility. If you are afraid, or do not know how, to talk to employees about performance issues contact Integritas Leadership Solutions, LLC and we can help you learn these skills.

Power of Your Passion is the same as E=MC2

The power of passion in an individual can be written out: Passion =>E=MC2. That right, the power of passion is unstoppable when released.  

What are you passionate about? Not something that you really, really, really, like, but something that creates heart pumping adrenaline flowing through your chest? You know that feeling; you know the amount of energy that creates. Well, that energy level is picked up by other people around you and energizes them. That passion becomes the catalyst that can bring up your entire team.

 Go out today and find someplace quiet. Stop focusing on tomorrow, your bills of today, and look inside at what you are passionate about. If there is nothing, then remember what you were passionate about; the something that really got your blood flowing. (Once you remember that feeling of passion which stirred your insides you will want it back, look out its addictive.) Then rekindle that little something and let its fire begin to grow. Eventually, it will grow larger and begin to take over your life. Your energy levels will increase at work, even if it is old hat to you. People will feel the energy and it will pick them up. You can be that catalyst that improves organization and the lives of your team members from the inside.  

Multi-tasking and your Effectiveness on the Matrix

Today in our high speed lives we are tasked to do more in less time. So, now everyone tries to multi-task to accomplish everything at the same time. Well, the news is in. You are not as effective when you multi-task. You actually become less effective and lower your score on the Matrix.

Let me explain my rationale on this one. It takes between 30 seconds and one minute for you mind to switch to a new task, refocus, and reengage before making a second of progress on the new task. Say you have three tasks and 15 minutes to accomplish each one. When you multi-task, AKA juggle, looks what happens. You spend one minute on each task and then move on to the next one and so  on until the 15 minutes is up. Each time you spend one minute on each you never really have time to refocus and reengage. So, you mind is actually on all three tasks at once and you never focus. SO, things get missed and your effectiveness goes down.

If on the other hand, you spend 5 minutes on each and then move on you are more effective. You mind has time to switch, refocus, and reengage and you still have 4 to 4.5 minutes of time to be effective. In the end, in both scenarios you accomplish both tasks in the 15 minute time frame, but which one do you think was more productive? Think about it the next time you are faced with multiple projects and a limited time frame.  Rethink your multi-tasking time management and make a bigger Splash on the Matrix.

Heart and Brain: Essential Organs to Make a Huge Splash on the Matrix

Have you ever said a supervisor has no HEART? Well, if they only use their brains for analytical thinking, guess what, they are not leaders they are managers. If you have someone who cares a lot about people, uses to much heart, but can not make a decision then they too are also not a leader or manager. Actually, they should be looking for another occupation.

Managers do just that, simply manage. They make decisions and it does not matter if anyone cares, or will even follow the changes. They are great for watching automated assembly lines.

Leadership requires more. It requires the ability to think through a problem, determine a favorable outcome, the correct pathway to that outcome; and, wait for it, the ability to sell the vision to their subordinates and inspire them to go out and reach that outcome.

To make the biggest Splash on the Matrix you have to show your team members that you know your job. Then, show you have the ability to apply your knowledge to a given set of circumstances, correctly. Then create the vision of what the resolved problem will look like. Lastly, be able to inspire people who have to do the work to go forth and perform to their highest abilities. Weakness in any one category impacts you splash. Follow the process every day and you too will make a great Splash on the Matrix.  It sounds easy, and it is. You only have to use the process a few times a day and you will soon see how your effectiveness explodes. Good Luck!

Celebrate your " Full Potential Day".

I have found something for everyone to think and reflect on in your own lives.   When every child is born he or she is an individual with their own unique qualities. Overtime, most of us slowly begin to conform to the norms set by others and begin to loose our own uniqueness. Each year, we celebrate our birthdays as we slowly loose the creativity, and potential, which makes us unique individuals.

Let’s celebrate a new day, “Our Full Potential Day”. Today, stop competing with the Jones’ record and start competing with your own record. Imagine competing with yourself to break your own records. Once you break your record, be it in sales, customer service satisfaction, making widget or any other record you wish, you start over again trying to break that record. Wow, watch the explosion of your potential and impact on your life. Your creativity will double, and then double again, because you will have to find new ways to break your old records. Bam, change your attitude from one of conformance back to a unique individual with unlimited creativity.

Imagine, as a supervisor or manager, your entire team trying to beat their individual records. Get ready, you will make a splash on the matrix and people will start beating down your door to find out where you found such a motivated team. You can reply, “I didn’t, they were born that way.”  And you would be right!  

Use R4 to turn your life into a Dynamo of Power

Are you tired of being tired, and want more from our work/life balance? From the first day we join our professions are days are numbered. Think about it, once hired you will eventually leave; one way or another you will leave. As we go further along through the years we become distracted, loose focus, and eventually become lethargic as we sail our schooner on the Sea of Apathy. But there is hope! We have R4 to help you get out of the doldrums’ and rejuvenate yourself and your career.

No one intentionally gets apathetic about their careers, it just happened. Time to get out of denial and reclaim your given right to be happy, motivate, and excited about your life and work! Use R4: Reset, Reassess, Reconnect, Reinvigorate

Reset: Bam! Take a look at your work life balance, a true examination of your life, thoughts, and feelings. Are you happy how things are going? Did you once have more energy and zest for life? Well, if you want to improve you need to hit the Reset button. Make the commitment that things will be different. Change the course of the schooner from the Sea of Apathy and head to the Tranquil Ocean. You must make the commitment. You are worth the time, just hit the Rest button and go after it!

Reassess: Time to go back and look at your priorities. Do you have any? Do you have too many? Is this where you want o be in life? Well, a little secret, priorities are a list from 1 to whatever number you want. Go back and number your “chores” and turn them into priorities. As we move along in our careers we often feel our time with our families or retirement become higher priorities than work. I said priorities are numbered, right. I didn’t say they were all in the same path. You can have an outside of work set of priorities and a different road that has at work priorities. The problem people have is when they try to make both roads converge. Don’t keep them separate. While at work, reassess you priorities.  Determine what you want out of your work and set those priorities. Do you want to learn new skills? Well take the bull by the horns and go learn new ones. Do you need new challenges or want more responsibility? Well, go out and take more on, don’t wait for someone to bring something to you. GO GET IT! Once you have reassessed, don’t get bogged down by the new challenges that come along.  Make a set of challenges and list them from 1 to what ever number you want. When you finish number 1 the next one in line becomes the new number 1. Work your way down till you have finished all number 1’s. 

Reconnect: This may scare your friends, family, boss and coworkers! Start over and make the connections that you once had and made your work enjoyable. (If your new work priorities indicate you need a new job then make the connection with a recruiter at a new business, make the call and make the connection.) Go out and talk to your co-workers. Talk, don’t bitch. Make the connections to people and find out their interests again. You may have more in common than you once thought.

Reinvigorate: Once you have reset you attitude, determined what is important through the reassess process, reconnected to those around you and made new connections with people you have begun to meet, you will begin to be reinvigorated. Once your life’s priorities are in alignment with who you really are then everyone stand back, because you are about to be a dynamo. You will have more zest for life and begin to live life and not muddle through the time you still have on this earth. Go out be daring, and make a Splash on the Matrix.

Bring Forth: Energy, Effort and Enthusiasm to Transform Your Team

What can I say, the three most important elements any supervisor can bring to work is his or her Energy, Effort, and Enthusiasm for their profession. Notice, I did not say job. What ever you do for a living you should strive to be the very best, make it your profession, at least till you find another one. No one ever became successful aiming to be mediocre.

When you bring your positive energy, perform the best that you can everyday, and work with a high level of enthusiasm, you become infectious to others. Even the most disgruntled person will eventually turn around if you follow these simple rules.

I know, there are days that you just don't have a lot of energy. Well, that happens! But you make the conscience choice on how you use the energy you have. You can choose to to use it to make positive change and help someone or not. When you come to work, and you lead people, they know when you are having a hard time pushing forward. If you have developed a good foundation using the three "E" principals, your people will help pull you forward.

Everyone knows when their team leader, supervisor, manager, etc does not show any effort. be the example! Go out and do your job, show then how to perform their jobs, and get dirty. Show them how to do the tough jobs and they will never be able to look at you and say, "he or she won't do it, so why should I". Be the person who they look up to and say, "Wow, if they can do it, so can I." or, " They can do it, now I have no excuse." When your people see you working hard they have no choice but to work hard also.

Nothing creates a atmosphere of high performance than having a team leader who comes to work everyday with a level of enthusiasm that you can not help but to be caught up in. You make the call. You choice to show enthusiasm that make everyone want to walk through fire to to help you out and make you a success, or suck the wind out of sails of everyone and make them want to join another profession.

Notice I wrote, "your people". If you truly want to be a team leader everyone who works around you become "your people"; this includes the person down the hall, the maintenance man, receptionist, or simply the person who needs a little help that day. When you stop being a manager and see people as "your people" and not as your subordinates, then you transform into a leader with incredible opportunities, not just for your self, but those around you. When you become the three "E's" you will become the person that people look up to and want to work around. You become the myth, the enigma that others claim to be.

What holds us back?

Two words: FEAR, Vulnerability

FEAR: False, Expectations, Appear, Real

Yep, I said it; don’t hit me! Does that sound like I’m afraid? Nope, this concept is too important to be afraid. But people are afraid all of the time. People with chronic anxiety know what I’m talking about. We all have a level of concern about the events in our lives, some controllable, some not.  Most of us have expectations on how the events play out. Some look at the worst case scenario to justify our actions, or more likely in actions.

Fear starts with the letter “F” for False. Most of the time, our greatest concerns, or “fears”, over a particular event does not come true. When things work out, many people say, “Wow, I dodge another one”.  Hell that leads directly to the letter, “E” for Expectations. Let’s try and say, “I have positive expectations for this or that event. Positive in that it will work out, or I will have a good time today. Not, “I’m positive something bad, like a meteor hitting my new car on the way home from the show room, will happen to me today”.  “A” is for Appear. Things are never as bad as they appear. (Objects in the mirror appear closer than they really are.) “R” is for Real. Is your “fear” in your head or is it real? Most of the time, your concern is about something that could happen, but will not MOST of the time.  Change your attitude from “Oh crap, this is going to hurt” too “Man, I’m going to experience life to the fullest and you can change your “fear” to Full Experience Appears Reasonable. 

It should be easy to understand how getting over your FEAR will make you a better person, leader, and a starting point to transform yourself into the ideal level on the Matrix. Go out and make a Splash.

In the next post we will discuss Vulnerability. Vulnerability is not saying you should lay on top of a fire truck wearing only a European Speedo thong with the mesh front. That would be stupid, but  people are given the equivalent advice every day.