Intentional Bob’s Top Leadership Tips

Are you being all you can be? Are you willing to take it to another level? Remember that a rising tide floats all boats and that boats and ships were not built to stay in a safe harbor. They were meant to be free and out in the open sea. I look forward to your comments and input on these weekly tips…. Friday 23 May 2014

Tuesday 8 July 2014

Are you using that magnet that all of us have, known as Charisma?

 
This is a follow on article to my previous posting “Whether you realize it or not…You are ALWAYS in 1st Impression Mode”.
 
There are many traits out there that a Good Leader needs to have and most importantly, to exhibit. And one of the top on the list is that of Charisma. That bottom line effect that causes and makes others want to follow and not just follow but exceed expectations. 
 
A true leader never, never focuses on himself. A true leader is othermindedness. That means that he thinks and is concerned about others before himself. Now there are some roadblocks to consider on the road to charisma. When a leader has so much pride that he considers himself better than the rest the chance of people following are slim.
If you are uncomfortable with who you are, others will be too. If you allow your moodiness to pour forth, people will never know what to expect from you. While it is desirable to shoot for perfection, your followers will not abide by unrealistic expectations. And last, but not least, leave the cynicism somewhere else. 
 
You must work on your charisma. Work at Changing your focus. Observe your interactions with others. See how much of your conversations are all about “you”. Fix it!
 
Work on your 1st Impression Mode. Make a good first impression. Learn the person’s name you are working to connect with. Be positive and most importantly, treat them as if they are more important than you.
 
Lastly, be a sharing person and not a taking person. Work to add value to others you interact with. The emphasis is on others first and you second.
 
Spend the next few days dealing with the above and make a list to determine your pros and cons. You can do it. And soon that magnetism that exudes will shine forth as your charisma.
 
Your comments are always welcome. Contact me today and let’s share some thoughts.
Peace. BB

 

 

What is the Elevator Pitch of Your Life?

     I’ll bet you are wondering what the above title is referring to. Could it be that you are thinking that you are a traveling salesman and that you are trying to sell something? Might it be that you are trying to impress someone about something?
     Well actually, Yes! We have all been gifted with an amount of time. What none of us really knows is when the sand in the hour glass will run out. Over that period of time, we will have done and achieved a good many things. Hopefully, we will not have wasted too much of that time. The story of our life is actually quite unique and although there may be similarities to other people, your life is…Your Life. So much has happened in my life and I always felt that I had an unlimited blank check when it came to time. Just a couple of years ago, I had two bouts with the ER as my heart was acting up. For the first time, I fully realized that I had not done everything that I was supposed to do. That I had not yet gotten to see my grandchild not yet born. And the list goes on. So I am doing things differently and yet not differently. But clearly because of what I am involved in through the John Maxwell Team, I have been able to begin to determine what my WHY is so much so that I am feeling 20 years younger.
     There are several questions to be addressed and answered. What is your legacy? What are you leaving behind? How will you like/want to be remembered? What was your Why and how did you fulfill it? Thus, if you could sum it all up into one sentence, what would YOUR LIFE Sentence be? Anatole France said that “The average man does not know what to do with his life, yet wants another one which will last forever.”
     Who are you adding value to? Most people cannot choose when or how they will die but rest assured that each and every one of us can choose and decide how we are going to live! Are you living the legacy, Now, Today, that you want to leave? Are you investing in the next Generation? Perhaps that is why Grandparents exist. They are able to invest into the lives of their grandchildren and teach them that they will be loved unconditionally. And by doing so, they show their own children that they too are indeed loved unconditionally. It is such a joy. Well, it should be such a joy and if it is not…CHANGE as you watch the seed that you planted blossom into the fruitful harvest of your life.
     In closing, What is YOUR Life Sentence? What Legacy are you leaving behind that is in fact happening NOW? Part of my sentence is that I have always strived to help people release the Eagle that lay within them so that they could learn and soar to that which they were destined.  Let me know your thoughts. Be part of one of my MasterMind Groups and let’s grow together.
Peace. Unconditionally. Bermuda Bob
PS. Enjoy this song about the back pages of your life.

Monday 28 April 2014

Questions are So Important. Are you asking the Right Ones?

 
I was in a discussion with someone the other day and at one point they commented to me “why are you asking so many questions”? My reply back after a moments pause (and it is always important to take a moments pause) was that that is what we do. We ask questions. What is however, the more important, is to know if we are asking the right questions.
 
A famous Chinese proverb once stated that “He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask is a fool forever”. So here is a secret that will help you in your quest…When you know the right questions and go to the right people you will undoubtedly get the right answers. But getting there can be quite the journey. Hopefully, you are patient enough for not everyone discovers this secret.
 
Asking questions often separates successful people from those who are unsuccessful. You may be asking yourself, why. Well, the answer is quite simple. You can only get answers to the questions that you ask. As John Maxwell points out in his book Leadership Gold that “millions say the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why.”  We as human beings are and by right inquisitive beings. We are not drones who exist for the sake of existing. Quality questions create a quality life. 
 
The Leadership advice of this posting is to urge and encourage you to seek out leaders in your field and ask them questions. Make sure that they are focused questions. There is something about a well worded question that cuts right to the heart of the matters and causes precise answers. Not only that, they will stimulate new ideas and challenges. 
 
In closing, I am going to include some questions that you should ask yourself. These are not one time questions asked and answered. These are periodic questions that you ask yourself so that you can determine how and where you stand to keep you on track and keep you growing. They are:
1. Are you investing in Yourself?
2. Are you genuinely interested in others?
3. Are you doing what you love and loving what you do?
4. Are you investing your time with the right people?
5. Are you staying in your strength zone?
6. Are you taking others to a higher level?
7. Are you taking care of today?
8. Are you taking time to think?
9. Are you developing other leaders?
And perhaps the most important question based on your beliefs…
10. Are you pleasing God?
 
Remember as you ponder these and other questions that some people see questions as a sign of ignorance. You need to see them as a sign of engagement, curiosity, and the desire to improve. If you’re not asking, you’re not advancing. If you’re not listening, you’re not learning. And here by far, if you are no longer asking questions as a Leader, then you might as well call it a day for your Leadership is lost.
 
What are your thoughts and comments on this posting? Ask me some questions….

Tuesday 4 March 2014

The Results are In…Being a Leader requires People!

Everything Rises and Falls on Leadership. Leadership is Influence, nothing more. Leadership is the passion to make a difference with others. Leadership is inspiring others with a vision…I could cite Leadership phrases on and on and one thing would remain static. That without People what or whom would you be leading? In fact, without a lot of people working together there would absolutely be NO successful leaders!
Some of the great leaders throughout history such as Caesar, Lincoln, Patton, Churchill and Ghandi would not have been great without the support of people. I will dare to take this one step further and note that in Religion the likes of Jesus and Mohammed would not have been successful without a following. Too often people in a position of Leadership learn the hard way that it is better to work together with others to achieve a common goal rather than play that famous Radio Station “WIIFM” or What’s In It For Me?
As John Maxwell states in his book “Leadership Gold”, you will encounter mentors and supporters who bring to the table being able to save you the Leader time, add value to you and the team, are servant leaders that compliment you and have the right attitude and love you unconditionally and the list goes on. This is all based on the Vision that you paint for them. But there is one more step in this journey. It is your ability to learn to say “Thank You” to those who follow you.
I leave you with some thoughts to ponder and I would certainly recommend your getting a copy of John’s book “Leadership Gold” to help you be the Eagle you are meant to be and not some duck. Now is the time to thank those you are mentoring. Reflecting on how each and every person has contributed to your success. And most important – Communicate it to them both verbally and in writing and find a way to reward them
Next time you get a chance, turn around and take a good look at who is following you.
Peace. BB

Tuesday 28 January 2014

Not Everyone  Will Still Be With You at Your Journey Finish Line? 

Seasons come and Seasons Go. People come and People Go. There are so many examples down through History that clearly speak to people with great ideas and visions that attract throngs of people only to find that upon reaching the finish line that the numbers have seriously dwindled. In fact, there are stories of people who themselves for a multitude of reasons never crossed the finish line (but not for a want of trying). Let me also add that this is an article on Leadership Tips so I will go into more detail on this topic in one of my Regular Blog Posts and Podcasts.
 
This is Your Journey and this is Your Race but the First and I mean very first thing that you must do is to write down each and every one of your dreams. This is your “Bucket List”. This list should be long. Once you have written down your dreams and put a date on them they turn into goals. You also need to ensure that you remove any and all limiting beliefs. The quality of your thinking will determine the quality of your life…
1. Stay Focused
2. Know your way….chart your course. In other words, get a 10,000 foot view of the race course and see your way to the finish line.
3. Be accountable to yourself…don’t give up before you get started
4. Enjoy the greatness of the moment(s)
5. Travel, travel, travel or as was said in the Movie “Forest Gump…RUN Forest, RUN”
 
Remember that NOT Everyone will take the Journey with you. Not Everyone should take the Journey with you. Not Everyone Can Take the Journey with you.
 
This is YOUR Journey. This is YOUR Race.  Waiting is NOT an Option and Time can never be recouped.
 
My call to action for you today is to determine right here and now as I stated in my Tweet Yesterday that 
  • In 2014 Your Drought is coming to an end…but First You Must Declare It!

Friday 22 November 2013

You must give up in order to go up…and what is it worth to You? 

What is the next level worth to you? That is a definite question that you must ask yourself and not just once! Have you reached your potential yet? Only you can really determine just what your potential truly is. I would hope that you would realize that your potential is limitless but that you must build upon each successful level or the next level will sit in jeopardy. As scripture says a house built on sand will not stand. What price are you prepared to pay and when will we be called upon to pay it? 
 
Are you more interested in accolades or in achievements? As I get older, I realize that while money is a wonderful thing to have, I am more interested in the achievements and accomplishments that I can produce that will outlive me in the long run. I cannot expect others to grow around me unless I am prepared to continue my personal growth. Without personal growth, things quickly become stagnated. One cannot lose focus on what lies ahead and the need to shoot for excellence. This is like watching / playing a game of American Football. There is so much activity in the first half that the second half becomes a question of either sitting on a lead, trying to overcome a deficit or building on the lead. And all too often the game comes down to the last 2 minutes. Even 1 minute! I have seen some games that have been completely turned around in the last minute. But one thing is quite clear…when that clock hits zero it will be the team who has the higher score that will be declared the winner.
 
Are you resting on a plateau or are you prepared to keep climbing? In keeping with the Principles of the 5 Levels of Leadership, anyone can be at the lower levels. It will take work to reach the higher ones but most important it will take skill, sacrifice and guts to stay at the top of your game!
 
What’s it going to be for you? Let me close with a quote from Max Dupree “By avoiding risk, we really rise what is most important in life – reaching toward growth, our potential and a true contribution to a common goal”. You are an Eagle in waiting. You were put on this Earth for a purpose. It is about multiplication and not addition.  Fulfill your destiny. The road is long with many a winding turn. Today is a gift and tomorrow is just a promissory note.
 
What’s it going to be for YOU?          Let’s go together…
 
Peace. BB

Friday 11 October 2013

Influence is like a Boomerang…It should always come back to You.  

One of the 21 Laws of Leadership states that “Everything Rises and Falls on Leadership”. How true this is and to further break down this explanation is that “Leadership is Influence, nothing more. Nothing Less.”
 
Leadership does make a difference and those who utilize influence will indeed make a large impact on their surroundings. The use of influence in and of itself should never be utilized for the purpose of selfishness or negativity. In fact, influence should never be about the individual. There are 3 main purposes:
1- To exist for the purpose of others who don’t have influence
2- To exist for the purpose of influencing those who do have influence
3- To exist for the purpose of influencing and developing other leaders.
 
There is so much that we can talk about on those 3 statements above but for the sake of this article, I will clearly state that influence is there to help others and for it to be loaned out or given away. While on your journey as a new or younger leader, you will need the help and influence of older more seasoned leaders to help you to gain credibility until such time that you have earned the credibility outright. The example of John Maxwell’s creation of the Team and the acknowledgement by John to all the world that “his” coaches carry “his” name and thus if you are dealing with one of his coaches it is as if you are dealing directly with him! What greater influence could you ask for? And what would he ask for in return? The simple knowledge that each and every one of us lives up to and maintains that credibility on his behalf!  Wow!!
 
Now without being negative, there is always the chance that influence may not be used well and to that end you end up allowing others to take advantage of you. Here are 3 examples:
1- Failure to establish your own leadership while using the influence that was loaned to you.
2- Taking the influence that is being loaned to you for granted.
3- Failure to build others along the way
 
Remember that the giving away of influence cannot be done so unconditionally no matter how good your motives are. You must understand that there will be situations and people out there who won’t or don’t know how to use it. You do not have time, efforts or resources to waste. Remember the story of the Talents and the individual who just took the Talent that was given to him and all he did was bury it in the ground. To some extent, you will need to be like a banker looking to see if the individual qualifies for the loan that they perceive to be looking for. 
 
So in conclusion, when looking to provide influence to others…will they be accountable for what is being loaned and will they provide a good return for the influence that you are investing in them?
 
Peace. BB

Tuesday 27 August 2013

The Decisions you will make are based on the choices you have already made. So will you make them or will they make YOU? 

 
Each and everyday we make decisions. We have no choice but to make them but we do have a choice as to how we address them. A quote from the famous College Basketball Coach, John Wooden states “There is a choice you have to make in everything you do. So keep in mind that in the end, the choice you make, makes you.“
Our lives are a compilation of choices made along the way that will effect and determine the decisions and choices that lie ahead. In some regard, we refer to them as reflexes but in actual fact, it is learned experiences and decisions that kick in automatically later when we need to make those decisions in a split second. Sounds a bit supernatural you are probably saying to yourself. But remember that we were created by a supernatural source. You will have to take that one on faith.
According to John Maxwell, there are 3 things that are realized when making touch choices:
1. My Choices Have Shown Me Myself
2. Many Choices Were Not Easy
3. The Choices I Made Changed Who I Was
There are 3 Critical Choices to help govern you as a Leader:
1. My Standards for Myself Will Be Higher Than What Others Might Set For Me
2. Helping People Is More Important Than Making Them Happy
3. My Focus Will Be On the Present
As I conclude today’s entry, I ask you to think on the fact that each and everyday, we need to strive to do better. That rear view mirrors were made small for a reason. Look ahead and not behind or as John always has said, “Yesterday ended last night”. That opportunities will present themselves and will wait for no one. Based on the choices and decisions we have made and are making will determine our recognition of these opportunities and how we are to deal with them.
I leave you with the famous quote by Yogi Berra, former famous NY Yankees Catcher and Baseball Manager…
“When you come to a fork in the road, TAKE It.”
 
So the choices you make in life…well the decision is Yours.
 
Peace. BB     As always, I look forward to your thoughts and comments.

Monday 5 August 2013

If you are just focusing on climbing the ladder, not only make sure that the ladder is up against the right wall but Be sure to Connect as well. (Make sure the rungs are secure and you don’t step on anyone going up)

 
I don’t know if you are like me but I grew very competitive in my life. I had to be the best and to a degree this led to a jealous streak in me as well. No matter how many times I heard the scripture about blessed are those who humble themselves for they shall be exalted, I was more on the exalt part and less the humble part. As you can guess, this could wear thin on people sometimes which would prove to be humbling every once in awhile. Just because I was the “leader” did not mean that I was indeed the leader or even a leader. John Maxwell always says to turn around once in awhile and see who is actually following you. And unfortunately, it took me a while to realize that being the first up to the top of the ladder without connecting with people along the way would be a waste of time and energy.
 
But let me not steer you wrong. It is important to climb the ladder. It is natural and in your DNA to do so. We tend to be aggressive and initiate that which others tend to ignore. It is just that you need to connect as well.  For without connection you do not gain your Team’s allegiance. Your leadership will be undermined and most importantly those who have been climbed over will seek and look for an opportunity to take you down.
 
So what changed in ME?     Suffice to say that I had an attitude change. I learned that my attitude determines my altitude. Just me?
I am sort of ashamed to admit that I was indeed the one that could have the attitude. And to think that I was considered to be a good leader by many. But they thought like me and to a degree also acted like me.
 
Which type of Leader are you? Do you even consider yourself to be a leader? Please look in the mirror. Remember the picture of the kitten seeing a Lion looking back?  Are you a climber or are you a connector?
 
Here are some points to ponder:
1. Climbers Think Vertical – Connectors Think Horizontal
2. Climbers Focus on Position – Connectors Focus on Relationships
3. Climbers Value Competition – Connectors Value Cooperation
4. Climbers Seek Power – Connectors Seek Partnerships
5. Climbers Build Their Image – Connectors Build Consensus
6. Climbers Want to Stand Apart – Connectors Want to Stand Together
 
This is a topic that deserves a great deal of discussion and I will look forward to having that discussion with you and your organization. Climbing without connecting is dangerous and Connecting without Climbing is….well….Dangerous.
 
What are your thoughts? Contact me today so that I can help you with your organization.
Peace. BB

Wednesday 4 June 2013

The Secret To A Good Meeting Is the Meeting Before the Meeting 

I am going to precede my posting by putting my call to action here at the top. Please click “Like”, Share and certainly leave me your thoughts and comments. Let’s share with each other and help each other to be more effective Leaders.
If I have learned one thing, I have learned that having a meeting for the sake of having a meeting is not the best way to do things. Further, allowing meetings to go on and on because round robin discussion has taken on a life of its own. Many times this implies that the group attending has not done the required preparation for the meeting.
Yes, this may seem to be coming across hard, but I am sure you will agree with me that time is the most important commodity that you have. Your time cannot and should not be wasted. In fact, by ensuring that your meetings flow smoothly allows you and your team to get on to the tasks at hand and not waste time and efforts.
Let me ask a few basic questions and see if any of these fit into your situation(s):
1. Have you ever planned a meeting only to be bushwhacked by the people attending? In other words, you lost control of your meeting.
2. Have you ever had people always arrive late because they think that by doing so they show their importance? Of course, this is disruptive to your flow.
3. Or how about never showing up for the meeting which makes you wonder where they are and why.
I am sure that if I asked you that you could come up with a few things of your own that you have and are noticing at your meetings. There are basically 2 main reasons why meetings fail:
1. The leader does not have a clear agenda
2. Other people attending the meeting have their own agenda.
Here is what I have found out and as a result of following this procedure have had great meetings and oh by the way, they don’t take all day / night to hold.
Hold a Meeting Before the Meeting.
-The Meeting Before the Meeting Helps You to Receive Buy-In
the more you can do before the meeting there is less of a chance for negativity to seep in.
-The Meeting Before the Meeting Helps Followers to Gain Perspective
give the “influencers” the right perspectives before hand and they will help influence the others.
-The Meeting Before the Meeting Helps to Increase Your Influence
Leadership is influence, nothing more nothing less. You must invest time in your people. If you only have time for your people at meeting time…you are in trouble.
-The Meeting Before the Meeting Helps You Develop Trust
You as the leader must be an agent for change. It is no fun to have to continually and constantly “run the gauntlet”! Here is the time to answer questions and let your people know of your motives. Because you are doing this one on one or in smaller groups your trust factor increases exponentially.
-The Meeting Before the Meeting Helps You Avoid Being Blindsided
This is pretty self explanatory. Do what you need to do so that you don’t get caught by surprise. You need to know in advance what to expect.
Let me conclude with some serious advice:
1. If you can’t have the meeting(s) before the meeting…don’t have the meeting.
2. If you do have the meeting(s) before the meeting, but it does not go well…don’t have the meeting.
3. If you have the meeting(s) before the meeting and it goes well…HAVE the Meeting!
“Good planning always costs less than good reacting” – W. Schmidt
A Leader Never has to recover from a good start. So there you have it. Give it a try. I have not been disappointed now that I follow this mentality. I was before.
Peace. BB

Friday 19 April 2013

In continuation from last week’s posting on Experience… I want to ask you this week to provide some feedback from some profound sayings. I look forward to your input and the discussion that comes forth.

1. Experience teaches nothing, but evaluated experience teaches everything.
2. The difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure.
3. Don’t just learn something from every experience. Learn something positive.
Lastly, a poem by Rudyard Kipling     If by Rudyard Kipling
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master,
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those tow impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can stalk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings -nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you’
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And – which is more – You’ll be a Man, my son!
Ponder these words as they deal with integrity and wisdom as they pertain to Experience and Leadership.
Peace. BB

Friday 5 April 2013

So if you had to make a statement about experience…would you say that it is the best teacher?

How many times have we experienced situations in our lives where we did not get the position because we were told that we did not have enough experience? To be patient that with some more time and experience we would? Youth and inexperience time and time again were detrimental to gaining higher positions. The importance to pay your dues. To get your ticket punched. I could go on and on and it would sound extremely negative. In fact, it would even sound like a whole lifetime of trying to get ahead. But here is the deal…
We all begin our lives as empty notebooks. Everyday we get a chance, an opportunity to put and record all the new experiences that we have on those pages. With that comes new knowledge and understanding. If we choose not to fill up our notebooks and leave the book shut, then what knowledge do we gain? What experiences do we record? Would you also agree that once you begin to fill up your pages that you need to take the time to stop and reflect which of course will lead to greater wisdom? The bottom line is that “Experience teaches nothing, but evaluated experience teaches everything”.
Here are some tips about experience you should and need to know:
1. We all experience More than we understand
2. Our attitude toward unplanned and unpleasant experiences determines our growth
3. Lack of Experience is costly
4. Experience is also costly
5. Not evaluating and learning from experience is MORE Costly
6. Evaluated Experience lifts a person above the crowd
I will go into more detail on this in my next installment but for now I ask you to provide some feedback on what has been written here as well as the 6 steps above. There are no wrong answers….only experience gained from answering them.
Peace. BB

Friday 22 March 2013

Be Honest, have you ever left a Company because of the Company or because of the company kept? I am paraphrasing of course because if you were to take a survey you would find that most people left a job not because of the Company but because of someone or someones that were trying to run the company. Go on…admit it…you know this is correct. Look in the mirror or see if the shoe fits. Oscar Wilde once said “Some cause happiness wherever they go. Some cause Happiness whenever they go”. So what are the some of the reasons why people abandon the “leadership”? We have chatted on this before. Remember that all too many leaders are really people who are managers in leadership positions. That all to often you will hear someone say that when they get promoted to that position, then they will go out and buy a leadership book or take a leadership course…..TOO LATE! Then of course, we have the leader who buys the book and then….yes, that’s right….does not read it. Here are 4 good reasons why people Quit: 1. People Quit People Who Devalue Them – All of us and I mean all of us, like to hear good things said about us. We want to be appreciated. We want positive feedback. But what is the norm is that we don’t in most cases. In fact, a new phrase was created in this generation called “dissing”. 2. People Quit People Who Are Untrustworthy – People must experience the leader as believable, credible and trustworthy. But a recent survey (Quite a few actually) are indicating that trust in the workplace is on the decline (might even apply to politics too). When leaders break their trust with their people it is like the breaking of a mirror. Even though it is possible to pick up and glue all the pieces together does it ever  resemble the original? 3. People Quit People Who Are Incompetent – When leaders are incompetent, they become distractions to the team. They waste people’s energy. They keep people from keeping the main thing the main thing. The vision and values of the organization become blurred. In fact, the team will become afraid that the leader will mess things up. Blow it. Not lead when the time comes. (Reminds me of the chapter in Band of Brothers concerning Lt. Dye) 4. People Quit People Who Are Insecure – This is by far the most important even if the other 3 above are addressed. The desire for power, position. When the Leader is so afraid that the people he is leading will develop so well that he works himself out of a job. Thus, the leader has to show that he is indispensable. So training is little if any. Mentorship is non existent…..etc….. In conclusion, here are 6 important points to ponder and work towards: 1. I take responsibility for my relationships with others 2. When people leave me, I do an exit interview. 3. I put a high value on those who work with me. 4. I put credibility at the top of my leadership list 5. I recognize that my positive emotional health creates a secure environment for people 6. I maintain a teachable spirit and nurture my passion for personal growth “It’s wonderful when the people believe in their leader. It’s more wonderful when the leader believes in the people” Friday 8 March 2013

A True Leader will know what to do when the chips are down (Tough times don’t last but Tough Leaders do!) 

As I write this, I want to ask you 3 questions…1. Are you quick to embrace the perks of Leadership? 2. Are you prepared to pay the price of Leadership? or 3. Whenever an unpopular decision has to be made do you punt or are you prepared to carry the ball?
I remember a line from a now classic movie “The Replacements”….”Winners always want the ball”. So what is a leader to do? The purpose of leadership is to take people where they couldn’t go on their own, inspire and equip them to do what they though they couldn’t do, and accomplish what can be done by a group working together. There are times when a leader must move forward. Must take that courageous step and NOT wait for the approval of others. Quite frankly, as a leader, if you try to please everyone you will eventually alienate everyone. Every leader will face tough times and that is when you as the leader will be able to distinguish yourself.
1. Tough calls will demand risk…there will be times when YOU will have to establish a precedent.
2. Tough calls will bring about an inward battle…all significant battles are waged within self. The real test of courage will be quieter. Doing the right thing isn’t always easy but it is always necessary if a leader wants to have integrity and be effective.
3. Tough calls will distinguish YOU as a Leader…to put it bluntly, when an organization has momentum, all the leader has to do is find out which direction they are heading and get out there in front of them.
In closing, here is a famous quote from former Mayor on New York City, Rudy Giuliani “When the right person is the leader, he does even better during tough times”.

Segment from the Replacments Thursday 28 February 2013

Keep Learning to Keep Leading

The only one who can ensure that you are growing is You! You need to be intentional about this. Now this may sound harsh on my part but for you younger folk out there I remember a statement by the famous Ben Franklin stating that most men die at 21 and wait another 40 years for their bodies to catch up. So I ask you…what is your plan for continued professional development?  Don’t have one? Then here is my statement to you. It is not too late to have a “Personal Growth Plan”.
Defining moments will define your Leadership. This is a phrase that comes directly out of John Maxwell’s book Today Matters. And by the way…Today does matter! Let’s understand that the secret to your success is found in your daily routine. If you do not do something everyday to grow then your potential diminishes and will diminish exponentially over your lifetime.
So I will not belabor the point..here are some suggestions to move forward:
1. Invest in yourself First. Most people seem to think that in order to grow their businesses or their teams that they need to invest in them. While this is true, these same leaders don’t think that they need to do this themselves. Wrong! You need to invest in YOU first. This is NOT selfish this is paramount.
2. Be a Continual Learner. If you want to lead then you have to continue to learn. Period! One of the great illusions of life is the thought that you have arrived. Well if you stop learning, you may have arrived but you won’t be going anywhere and others will pass you. Think of this as your “journey” and get out of your comfort zone.
3. Then Create a Growth Environment for those you are leading.Your organization will continue to grow and be successful. Your people stretch and continued to be challenged.
As Walt Disney commented “I am a part of all that I have met.” Thus in conclusion…your organization will have no where to go but up.

Tuesday 12 February 2013 Tip:Don’t Manage Your Time, Manage Your Life

The ability to maximize time is essential to your productivity and effectiveness as a Leader. Nothing else marks an effective executive as how they take care of the love of their time.
We are all endowed with 168 hours in a week (24 hours in a day). Some of us are able to pack more into our 24 hours than others. As my mentor John C. Maxwell likes to say that it is like packing a suitcase. The key to maximizing how much you can get in that suitcase is knowing what to pack. So where do we go from here? Well, first to establish that time is an equal opportunity employer – but not everyone gets the same return on that time. Next, that there is really no such thing as “time management”. You cannot manage time. Time will march on regardless of what you do and how you use it. No matter how wealthy you may be, you CANNOT buy more time.
So if you cannot manage time, what can you do? You learn to manage yourself. Nothing separates successful people from unsuccessful people more than how time is used. They realize that time is the most precious commodity on Earth. They continually analyze how they are using their time and asking how they can get more out of it. So you can appreciate that you don’t pay for things with money, you really pay for things with time. The famous quote that “time is money” really sings here.
People squander their time when what they do brings them little if any return. Here are 3 statements regarding people who manage their time poorly:
1. They undervalue their uniqueness doing what others want them to do.
2. They ruin their effectiveness by Doing Unimportant Things
3. They Reduce their potential by doing things Without Coaching or Training.
Will talk more on this topic in future postings but let me close out with a classic quote by Zig Ziglar when it comes to businesses and their investment of time in their employees….”The only thing worse than training employees and losing them is not training them and keeping them”.
What are your thoughts on how you spend your time and how you can better maximize it. Let me hear from you.
Peace. BB

Tuesday 5 February 2013 Tip: Keep Your Mind on the Main Thing

 Not sure how many of you have heard of the Pareto Principle. But to make it easy, it is commonly referred to as the 80/20 principle.
This is a powerful Leadership principle is ever there was one. You see that leads us to realize that
1. In life, we are often doing too many things and
2. The things that we are often doing are in fact, the wrong things.
It is so important to decrease the complexities of our lives and start focusing on the the top 20 percent. Did you know (some examples):
That 80 percent of traffic jams occur on 20 percent of the roads
That 80 percent of classroom participation comes from 20 percent of the students
That 80 percent of the time you wear 20 percent of your clothing
That 80 percent of the problems are generated by 20 percent of the people
and most important….
80 percent of all decisions can be made on 20 percent of the information garnered!
So, that it why it is so important for you to find out what the “Main Thing” is. Where are you spending your time? Have you prioritized your schedule?
Ask yourself 3 questions:
1. What gives you the greatest return?
2. What is the most rewarding?
3. What is required of you?
Not easy questions to readily answer but must be addressed. According to Warren Buffett – “The Business Schools reward difficult, complex behavior more than simple behavior, but simple behavior is more effective.”
Let me add that for Leaders, it is better to know the most important things than to try to know everything! Here are some pointers to work on:
1. Determine not to know everything
2. Determine not to know everything First
3. Determine to let someone represent you
4. Determine to Stay within your strengths and NOT work on your weaknesses
5. Determine to take charge of what takes your time and attention.
I hope that I have wet your appetite on this topic. I will look forward to comments and feedback for sure. Over the next couple of postings, I will go into more detail. Until then…..Peace. BB

Tuesday 29 January 2013 Tip: If you want to soar, don’t send your ducks to Eagle School! One of the main purposes of Leadership (as we know it) is to add value to others but be it as it may, not everyone responds in the same way. Some people will change, some won’t.  In fact, it can be very frustrating, not only for the leaders trying to evoke the change(s) but for those that the changes are for. What this clearly means is that good people are found and not changed. Motivated people are found. It is far harder to motivate the unmotivatable. To quote a line from a famous hotel chain…”We do not teach our people to be nice.” “We hire nice people”. Now don’t get me wrong on this as there are a good number of people who are motivatable but it is more so that they already know how to be nice. It is just that they have forgotten how to be. There are 3 good reasons as to why you would not want to send your ducks to eagle school: 1. If you send your ducks to Eagle School, you will frustrate the ducks. The bottom line to this as was the case in the ugly duckling is that ducks are not supposed to be eagles nor do they want to be.  Ducks do have their strengths (and weaknesses). They swim and migrate well, together. Eagles on the other hand would find these tasks daunting. Leadership is all about placing the right people in the right place to help guarantee their success. 2. If you send ducks to Eagle School it will frustrate the Eagles. Eagles don’t live in barnyards. They were born for one reason…to soar! Thus, hanging with ducks causes them a great deal of impatience. They don’t want to be held back. As a leader, you should always challenge people to move out of their comfort zone, but never and I stress, never, out of their strength zone. 3. If ou send ducks to Eagle School, you will FRUSTRATE yourself. I am sure we have all experienced situations whereby people have not risen up and fulfilled our expectations. This sometimes happens to parents but that will be another entry another time. No matter how much training, motivation and provision of the best resources they just did not rise to the occasion. In conclusion: It is very important for a leader to get the right people in the organization and put them in the right positions. If you need eagles, then go out and find the eagles. If they are not to be found in your organization, then you must go outside the organization. If you need ducks, then find ducks but know that you should always look for that eagle who has great potential and that you can develop into a great Eagle! Thoughts and comments welcome. How would you rate the comparison of those around you? How many Eagles have you come across?   Tuesday 15 January 2013 Tip: If you want to know how the leader is progressing…then have a good look at the people involved. To quote my mentor Dr. John C. Maxwell “Everything Rises and Falls on Leadership”. When ever you have a good leader, the team, the organization, the department etc. gets better. When ever you have a bad leader, everyone has a tougher time. In fact, if you have not gone over the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, let me know and I will get you into one of my mastermind groups. These laws are the laws! I learned from personal experience that thinking that I did not need the laws was actually slowing down my progress! I am dating myself again, but do a comparison of the great debate between Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan during the 1980 Presidential Election. The whole election balance was turned on one single question asked by Reagan. “Are you better off than you were four years ago?”. Reagan caused everyone to focus on what the Leader of the country had done or not done during the past 4 years. The state of the country was the result of who their leader was. So what was the solution….change leaders! When leaders are healthy , the people they lead are healthy. When they are not, so to tend to people the conditions of their followers. I will go into more detail on this topic in my next writing. But for the sake of this article….If you want to know how you are doing as the leader or to analyze the leadership of someone else…ask these 4 questions: 1. Are the people following?   Is the leader going somewhere and are they able to persuade people to go with them. 2. Are the people changing?  Are the people willing to make changes for the sake of progress. In the words of President Harry Truman “Men make history and not the other way around”. 3. Are the people growing? The growth and development of people is the highest calling of a leader. You as a leader will go out there and look to find the right or good people BUT if you don’t develop them will cause you to lag behind. The development of your people falls on YOU the Leader. And we are talking about more than just job skills. 4. Are the people succeeding? The bottom line in leadership is always about results. Leaders may impress others when they succeed but they impact others when their followers succeed! Remember, we are about Serving Others. We are about helping others to become successful. In the words of the late Zig Ziglar “If you help enough people get what they want you will get what you want” (paraphrased). What are your thoughts? How have any of the above questions impacted you in your environment? Peace. BB   Saturday 5 January 2013 Tip: A Leaders’ First Responsibility: To define Reality. This is actually a real life phrase that comes from Leadership Expert, Max DePree. While the statement clearly makes sense it clearly also does not imply that you will be good at it. People generally change only when they hurt enough that they have to or that they have learned enough that they want to. There are enough cases in your life where things are staring you right in the face and yet you still refuse to accept or face the reality that awaits. There are 6 rules for successful leadership according to Jack Welch (there are probably more but these 6 will suffice for this writing): 1. Control your destiny or someone else will 2. Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it were. 3. Be Candid with everyone 4. Don’t manage, lead 5. Change before you have to 6. If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete So just short of having someone throw a bucket of ice cold water in your face, know that “Realistic” Leaders are objective enough to minimize illusions and that self-deception can cost them their vision. Ask yourself the following 6 questions on your way to your “reality check”: 1. What is reality in this situation? Do others agree with my assessment? 2. Can I identify each issue? Can I break down reality to better understand it? 3. Can the issues be fixed? Separate the solvable for the unsolvable. 4. What are the options? Establish a game plan. 5. Am I willing to follow the game plan? My commitment as a leader is essential. 6. Will my leadership team follow the game plan? Their commitment as leaders is also essential. You may want to keep a copy of these 6 questions on hand for ready reference. These questions will compel you to look realistically at the issues rather than glossing over and putting a positive spin on them., Wednesday 26 December 2012 Tip: Be a Problem Solver. Don’t  allow them to fester? The best way to solve many problems is to confront them. All too often the problems can be the people you deal with. As we prepare for the dawn of 2013 (the world is still here) make a resolution and be determined to allow that Leader that is in you to come out and become the problem solver: 1. Pray through your own anger. Don’t let emotion get the best of you. Wait and allow that emotion to pass. 2. You be the initiator. If you have to wait for the other person things will only fester the more. 3. Begin with the end in mind and that starts by showing affirmation. Encourage the other person and then seek permission to speak candidly. 4. Admit that YOU have a problem. Don’t just put it on the other person’s shoulders. 5. Discuss the issue and seek clarification as you don’t understand how things got to be the way they do. 6. Give the other person the opportunity to speak and respond. There are ALWAYS 2 sides to every situation. 7. Narrow and prioritize. Change takes place one issue at a time. 8. Allow for forgiveness and repentance. 9. Compromise is a wonderful thing but not at the expense of principles. Be flexible. 10. Don’t ever be afraid to pray. True Leaders require help and guidance from a higher authority.   Tip: “Get in the Zone and Stay There” Simply stated “Find out what you do well and keep on doing it.” Sounds easy. The reality of this statement is that your mission is to discover your strength and not only start to develop them but to keep on developing them! Do you think that major league ball players don’t practice? Do you think that the greatest of surgeons don’t practice? It can and probably will take you a while for you to search out what it is that you in fact do well. I think of the statement by British Poet Samuel Johnson who said “Almost everyman wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities which he does not possess.” Let me share a few points: 1. Knowing your purpose in life…your purpose in life is always connected to your giftedness 2. Growing to your maximum potential      and 3. Sowing seeds that benefit others So here are my suggestions so that you can get on the road to the Zone: 1. Ask yourself….What am I doing well? NOT what are you doing right but rather what are you doing Well. 2. Get Specific. Your strengths are always specific. This is where you are looking for your “sweet spot”. 3. LISTEN for what others Praise about YOU. 4. Check out the Competition. Don’t spend all your time comparing yourself to others but don’t waste your time doing something that others do in fact do better. People don’t pay for average. If they are better, find something else to focus on.  BUT if you CAN DO it better DO IT! Last but not least, if you are in a Leadership position…Find and Develop the Strength Zones of YOUR people. As always, I welcome your comments and feedback especially after putting the above to use. Peace. BB   Tip: “Chances are, that if you are not out there leading, you probably will never get kicked in the butt” Being a Leader and Being In Charge will almost certainly garner you with criticism. And some of the best critics are those who are not leading. I love the statement of why the rear view mirror on a car is so small compared to that of the windshield ahead. Heck, even Moses faced a lot of complaints, criticism, and whining. But there was no turning back. Ya know the famous saying…”if you are not the lead dog, the view is the same”. Not everyone handles criticism in the same way. Some of us try to ignore it. Some of us go on defense mode and some of us are just plain witty and reduce the size of the critic. But one thing is for certain…ALL LEADERS have to deal and will have to deal with negativity and criticism. You cannot and will not be able to avoid it. It just goes with the territory. And the bigger the leader you are…guess what…yes, you got it! So here is what I suggest starting today and moving you forward from now on: 1. Know Yourself. Have a realistic view of yourself. Many times it is the position and not the person that garners the criticism. 2. Change Yourself. If the criticism is in fact accurate, you have one of two choices. The correct choice is to evaluate the situation and then CHANGE for the better! 3. Accept Yourself. The easiest thing in the world is to be you. The hardest is to be what others want you to be. As the motto of the US Army recruitment used to say….”Be all that you can be”. Being who you are and getting better at it will take you to the level of being better than you are. 4. Lastly, Forget Yourself. Let the light shine on someone else. A secure leader never needs to defend himself. It is hard enough in this short lifetime that we have to just be ourselves. There is no time to work at being someone else. If you were meant to be someone else…..”Blessed are the flexible for they shall not get bent out of shape” And that my friend is and will be the price for being out front. And I will say that I actually prefer it out here than back there. What about you?   Tip: “Don’t put live eggs under dead chickens.” (Sunday 14 October 2012) Whenever I hear this quote, the first thing that always comes to mind is Law #1, The Law of the Lid from the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership…Leadership ability determines a person’s level of effectiveness. There are so many instances in business today whereby the teams growth and effectiveness is stifled by a manager who micro manages or worse is threatened by knowledge, passion and energy by those same members of the team. What eventually happens is that some of those eggs become rotten and waste away, while others still may hatch on their own but what comes out is anything less than what should have. But worse still is that with no one to properly watch the eggs and nurture them along comes a fox or two to raid the hen house and those eggs end up in some other nest and watch out what happens to that company as a result! My suggestion is that you seriously consider a mastermind group on the 21 Laws and follow that up with John’s book the 360 Degree Leader. Contact me today and let’s talk about this and how we can get the “Lid” raised in your organization.   Tip: Never Work a Day in Your Life. (Saturday 29 September 2012) Wow, this is one of those phrases that some people will come back with..”Are you Kidding”? “Yeah, right”! or even “if I don’t work, who is going to support my family…the Government”? (Actually, that would be an interesting topic for another day as I try to stay away from political jargon and that new word in the English Language “Entitlement”. So, where I am coming from is more to the tune of some people asking me about what I do and when am I going to retire etc. My response is usually, depending on who I am speaking with that I am either retired or that I will never retire. If I am doing what I want to do and I am enjoying doing it…IS it really work? Is it a JOB “Just over broke”? I know you have all heard the phrase…”I don’t have to go to work…I get to go to work”. Well that’s it! You see I am doing what I enjoy doing and what I do I enjoy! I try to always do it with passion. My life has been a journey as I am sure that your life is a journey. It has taken me to reach my late 50’s to realize that my passion is to teach Leadership and to be a Leadership Coach. Everything that I have done previously has set the stage for today. No longer do I want to try to herd cows (no bull) but rather I quite enjoy trying to herd cats. You should try it. You should work to live and be in the moment. Talent is never enough. Opportunity will never get you to the top by itself. Knowledge can be a great assets, but it won’t make you “all that you can be”. We need to pour passion and desire into our mix. In conclusion, know that “The World will belong to passionate, driven leaders…people who not only have enormous amounts of energy, but who can energize those whom they lead”! Here’s a question or two for you to comment on….How often have you felt like you were just one of the herd and are just going through the motions? Do you personally feel that life is just about reaching 65, retiring and THEN having a life? Look forward to hearing from you. Peace. BB   Tip: Learn not only to handle Criticism, but actually grow from it. (Saturday 22 September 2012) Not everyone handles criticism the same way. Some try to ignore it. Some try to defend themselves against it. Some will actually try to use a witty remark as a comeback. You cannot allow yourself to get into a tit for tat situation. This is such an important topic that I am going to spend the next couple of weeks on this. This is a Leadership blog to my focus is pointed on how to help improve and work through criticism from that stand point. All leaders have to deal with negativity and criticism, regardless of position or profession. It is something that cannot be avoided as it is written into the annuls of human relations. All too often criticism evolves from lack of understanding and even from jealousy. To take from the famous quote of Aristotle…”Criticism is something you can avoid easily – by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing”. Clearly, we will conclude that YOU ARE NOT NOTHING and hence there will be the possibility of criticism. In conclusion for this entry: Know Yourself – this is a Reality Issue. You must and need to continue to be an upfront person. You as the leader must have a realistic view of yourself. Learn to separate the position from the individual. Learn not to take it personally. Learn to begin with the end in mind and work to be solution driven. Ben Franklin said “there are three things that are extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one’s self.” Know yourself…be patient, try hard not to assume, and by all means work hard not to jump to conclusions.   Tip: Defining Moments Define Your Leadership (Saturday 15 September 2012 (Sorry that there was no entry last week as Bermuda was getting ready and experiencing Hurricane Leslie) To quote Winston Churchill “In every age there comes a time when a leader must come forward to meet the needs of the hour.” All too often we as individuals focus on our milestones in life. You know those things that mark what we accomplished in life. Clearly as you are reading this, you can appreciate that you are still here and that there can and will be many more accomplishments yet to happen in your lives. Remember that we have already chatted about what you are going to do with the dash between your dates. I am sure that you will agree and realize that some of our defining moments come as a total surprise and all too often rise to the top during times of crisis: having to make an unpleasant and unpopular decision; taking a stand on an issue; facing a personal challenge/failure; having to decide on forgiving. Forgiveness is a topic we will spend time on at a later date. Unfortunately, there are times when a leader has the opportunity to make a positive difference in society and tragically does not rise to the hour and occasion. Quoting John Maxwell’s Law of Process “Leadership develops daily, not in a day” Thus, we must be in continual preparation/preparedness for when those moments that will define us appear. Defining moments put the spotlight on us. Our character is not made during these times – it is displayed. Defining moments are intersections that appear in our lives that compel us the opportunity to turn, change direction or even to seek a new destination. Remember the line from the poem…”The Road Not Taken”? So in conclusion, reflect on your Defining Moments from the Past, Prepare for your Defining Moments in the Future and Make the most of your Defining Moments right now here in the present. Remember that Leaders become better leaders when they experience a defining moment and respond to it correctly! And by all means….seek the help of a Maxwell trained Coach….”hint, hint”. Your feedback and comments are always welcome. email me at [email protected]. Tip: The toughest Person to Lead is Always Yourself (Friday 31 August 2012) There are so many accomplished and qualified leaders out there and the usual assumption is that “I wish I could be more like them. Just like them. Be them” We tend to say these things because these people look, smell and act like they are there. Well the fact is that some of the best leaders always have and always will be the toughest person that they will ever lead. Can you name a few? Clearly in life, we as leaders do not see ourselves as we see others. We may even be harder on others than we are on ourselves OR we may even be harder on ourselves than we are on others. Have we looked in the mirror lately and liked what we see? Action: Over the next few weeks, we will be going into more detail on this and I would like for you to ponder on the following: 1. Do you see yourself as you see others? How clearly do YOU see yourself? 2. Are you harder on yourself than on others or vice versa? Where do YOU need to Grow and how well do YOU take advice? 3. Focus on these 4 key areas as we prepare for further discussion: -Learn Followership -Develop Self Discipline -Practice Patience -Seek Accountability Your comments and feedback are welcome either here on this site or by email to me at [email protected]   Tip: Leadership is the power of one harnessing the power of many. (Friday 24 August 2012) How effective is a tug of war if you are the only person on your team? How well would you play baseball if you had to play all 9 positions? How great would the impact of your corporation be if you were all there was? I think back to the great movie Ben Hur just before the classic chariot race where Charlton Heston explains to the Shiek (owner of the horses) that he was going to re-harness the 4 horses as they all had different strengths and thus harnessed together their power would become as one. Action: Today, take some time to reevaluate your plan of action for your project or what goes on in your office. Do this especially if you are classified as a leader holding a position or title. Determine if you moved a couple of things or people around how the end result could and would be different. Remember that there is so much power in a Team and that Everything Rises and Falls on Leadership. Look forward to your comments…Peace. BB   Tip: Leadership is evoking in others (and yourself) the capacity to dream. (Friday 3 August 2012) Going back to the 60’s song by the Byrds whose chorus line was “I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now” reminds me as to how fast the days go by. Clearly we build up momentum from the time of our birth and reach a certain zenith and then begin a downward swing. BUT WAIT A MINUTE…We were in fact put on this earth to be dreamers and to put those dreams into effect. Some of our best inventions came from dreams. It is so unfortunate that we have allowed (in many cases) to lose the ability to dream. When we were young our parents and relatives asked “and what do you want to be when you grow up”? We would then ramble out so many things ranging from our heroes to places to go etc. Then as we got older, we were suddenly told to “get serious and STOP dreaming” This was Wrong then and it is Wrong Now. I don’t know about you but I have come to realize that our lives are a series of peaks and valleys like a roller coaster. So there is still time to make time to enjoy the dreams that we have not lived yet. Action: Today, no matter your age…Take some time to enjoy the terrain around you. Take some time to look at some pictures of what you would like to do. Take out a piece o paper and sit down with yourself or with your significant other and write down a list of things that you would like to do this month, this year, the next 5 years etc. For some people they refer to this as a “Bucket List”. The world may be smaller because of Technology but it is no less beautiful. Never be afraid to dream. You or someone you know may have the answer or the cure to something this world needs but will never be realized. I could go on all day about this but please, please do not be part of the never achieved dreams that are in the graveyard unfulfilled. Ensure that the dash between your dates was all that you “DREAMED” it could be!   Look forward to your comments…..Peace. Tip: July 20 and 27 was away on vacation and visiting family recharging and enjoying. Tip: Leadership is the ability to submerge your ego for the sake of what is best. (Friday 13 July, 2012) I don’t know about you but all too often these days (especially from those who have NOT had any Leadership training/courses) I run into what I refer to as “SIP’s” (Self important people). And I should know as I used to be one! It is ok to be knowledgable but not to the point where you step all over other people to get the job done. I am so grateful to Dr. John Maxwell for a number of his books that relate to this topic. One that comes to mind is the Book the 360 Degree Leader. Action:  Take a few steps back upon approaching a project that involves people. It is ok to ask some questions and make some statements but it is EVER so important to take the “I” out of the discussion and LISTEN to what others are offering. Oh and try to leave your Ego at the door. You can always pick it up on the way out. Oh and did I mention that you should look into some Leadership training. Peace.   Tip: Leadership is about practicing patience. (Friday 6 July 2012) I don’t know about you, but for most of my life, I have been a pretty impatient person. I was constantly trying to look ahead, think ahead, move ahead and yes, even get ahead. Did not matter if some people got stepped on along the way. I am grateful for learning personality traits as the first thing was that I now understood myself better and most importantly, I am now able to better understand the personalities of others and respond accordingly WITH Patience. Action:  Take the time to go online and google Dr. Robert Rohm’s DISC Personality assessment. And Take the Assessment. This is going to be (actually already is) a long hot summer. As such, your patience may be tested more than usual. Take a few moments to pause before reacting. I would be that in many cases, it won’t be worth your energy to get aggravated.   Tip: Leadership is the readiness to stand out in a crowd. (Friday 29 June 2012) How easy it is to just stay in the background on things. To just fit in to what is going on and let someone else make a decision or decisions. But what ultimately happens is that all too often the decision(s) that someone else makes on your behalf are not the decisions you would have made and how sorry you end up being. We are living in a day and age where we need to make our own decisions. This will mean standing up for what is right and separating yourself from the crowd. Action: Monitor what is going on around you. Take an account of your thoughts and ideals. This may result in you having to vote for the other guy. If you have never voted before…Vote! Be someone who is not afraid in this day and age to stand up for what is right. Be contagious and watch how others begin to follow your lead on your way to being a Leader. Tip: Leadership is seeing the possibilities in a situation while others are seeing the limitations. (Friday 22 June 2012) All too often and I was guilty of this….anytime something different came up or was not my idea was never going to work. Some people look at the glass half full of water and will say that it is half empty. I remember the story of Thomas Edison who went through 100’s of failures trying to make a light bulb. His answer to the neggie people was that he had simply found 600 ways that did not work. Fortunately, he did not listen to them and we can see quite well at night today. Action:  When planning out or contemplating a task that is coming up take a step back and look at it from a wider perspective. Take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle….on the left write the Pro’s and on the right the con’s…work to ensure that your pro’s outweigh your cons and if you get stumped…ask someone for help. We are a virtual world today. Who knows, your collaboration with someone to make something work may be the next ______ that helps us all on Planet Earth. Tip: Leadership is taking responsibility while others are making excuses. (Friday 14 June 2012) We see it and hear it everyday in the workplace, in the news, on the radio and TV. In fact, almost everyone is quite comfortable “passing the buck”. To be honest, it is a natural defense mechanism to blame everyone and everything to the point where they/it becomes the scapegoat for what goes on or fails to go on. But to be real, someone has to take responsibility. Responsibility is different from blame. Action: If you are in charge then BE IN CHARGE…take action. Plan your work and work your plan. Ensure that the tasks for both you and your team mates are going properly. Remember the Law of Navigation…anyone can steer a ship but it takes a Leader to chart a course. You be the Leader, You Chart the Course and You be Responsible. Tip: Leadership is being dissatisfied with the current reality. (Friday 7 June 2012) Are you where you want to be? Do you even know where you want to be? Will you know when you get there that you are there? And are you satisfied? As we go through life, we go through different phases. It matters not what generation you are in be it a boomer, x, y or even this new one called “igen”. There is more to life then being in a rut. Did you know that a rut is just a grave with the ends lopped off? Action: Today is the day! Today is the day that you need to start learning to be dissatisfied with the reality around you. There are many positive things that await you out there. You have been put on this Earth with talents and treasures that only YOU will be able to bring forth to mankind. What a waste if mankind never gets to benefit from what YOU have to offer. Pick up a Leadership book, get a Leadership DVD or CD and most of all, go to your quiet space and meditate and then write down the goals…YOUR Goals that come to your mind. I can guarantee you won’t be alone in your quiet space. Peace. Tip: Leadership is the passion to make a difference with others. (Monday 21 May 2012) I have been living in Bermuda for the past 35 years. When I first arrived on these shores I found it strange (i came here from the Great Empire State of New York, a place called Long Island <pronounced: Lung Guyland>) Anyway back to my story…I found it strange that everyone here greeted you with a “Good Morning” etc with a big smile. People they did not even know. Hey we did not do that in NY ya know! But as time marched on and people got “busy” with their lives, it seemed like this process almost disappeared. Action: Take some time TODAY and this week moving forward to make that extra effort to look people in the eyes, smile and provide a greeting. Who knows where this process will leave you. It might even cause people to want to come back to your business if you have one. It might help someone who is down today to “get back up”. I’m just sayin’! Tip:  Leadership is being dissatisfied with the current reality. (Monday 23 April 2012) Action: Either at the beginning of each day or at the end sit down and write down some goals and dreams that you want to accomplish. Now list the things that you do on a daily basis. Then take your list and put a “date” on each item and focus your daily events towards accomplishing those goals. The maxim that “if you keep doing what you are doing, you will keep getting what you’re getting”. Aim to improve yourself by 1% a week and look where you will be by years end!   Tip: Leadership is the willingness to put oneself at risk.   Tip: Leadership is the passion to make a difference with others. (Friday March 23rd 2012) Action: Take a few moments this week to interact with some of your colleagues in a positive way. Perhaps do a lunch or a coffee and find out more about them. See what is on their mind and attempt to help them with it.

One thought on “Intentional Bob’s Top Leadership Tips”

  1. Very we’ll said Bob (aka dad in-law). What a wonderful subject to ponder! If we all invest in future generations just think how wonderful the world will be. Thanks for being an active grandfather to Michael! We love you!

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