Can your team disagree with you?

Would they? Or would they be afraid to say something?  Would you retaliate or get angry?  Would you think they were disloyal or not being a team player?

If you have nobody around you who will check you when you are wrong, then you had better be the smartest person in the room on all matters all the time.  

As for me – I don’t want that pressure.  I don’t want a team of yes men/women.  I want diverse perspectives.  There’s someone who knows more about that truck, or what’s going on in the shop, or what customers are saying, or about technology, or just about anything. 

So when an employee speaks up and points out the flaws in my thinking or plan, I am grateful.  That’s why I have them on my team.

Hire people with energy!

“One of the most important qualities that I think is often overlooked is just energy.  It’s vitality; a sort of life force that some people have and others don’t.”

It’s certainly not the only quality we should look for, but it’s a great one!

Who on your team has energy?  Who doesn’t?

Do you need someone with energy to bring (new) life to the team?

Negative people/Positive people

Let’s say a leader has two choices.  They can have a team of ten negative people, or a team of ten positive people.  Which would you choose?

What performance/harmony difference would it make over time, either way?

Ok, now think about your team.  Who are the most positive people?  Who are the most negative?

“Stay away from negative people.  They have a problem for every solution.”

Gratitude from a leader/manager

Gratitude attracts more of what you are grateful for.  Sounds like a great leadership quality. 

Gratitude – express it to your team and your customers.

“For what I have received may the Lord make me truly thankful.  And more truly for what I have not received.” – Storm Jameson

Leaders – No place for blame.

“You know how blame is described in the research?  A way to discharge pain and discomfort.” – Brene Brown

As a leader of an organization who owns the results or is calling the shots, you can blame (others, COVID, the election, this or that), but you’re still stuck with your problems.

Take responsibility.  Then make an intelligent plan, and act.

Be a hero

The word hero is derived from a word that means “strength for two”.

Keep yourself physically strong so you have strength for two.

Keep yourself financially strong so you have strength for two.

Keep yourself emotionally strong, so you have strength for two.

Or three, or four, or ten….

Be a hero.

What price are you paying?

We talk a lot about being successful here.  Hopefully, by now, you can see that I do not advocate working 80 hours a week.  Work hard – work all the time you work.  And, if you want it bad enough, working longer than 40 hours a week is a good idea.  

There are seasons of life.  In the spring you can work quite long if you have a passion and dreams and ambitions.  If you have a gift, you must give it.  Remember to pay attention to what work is doing to you, and you will learn a lot, and be better prepared to be happy in the future.

Remember to define success by what fills your soul and makes you happy.  Don’t let society or others tell you what or who you should be or what success is.  Try things out, and follow what feels right for you.

There’s a stereotype by many that very successful people are uncaring of others, only care about money, and have paid too high a price for their success.  While there are some who will fit that description, most don’t.  Stereotypes are never accurate no matter what group they refer to.

The goal of life is to be happy and fulfilled by being the best version of you, now and not later.  This is why you pursue “success”. 

Chase your dreams in a way where you can do that.

Not enough time?

You don’t lack time.  Other people who are far more successful than you have the same amount of time you do.

You lack priorities.  You are trying to do too much.  You are doing things you shouldn’t be doing.  You are doing things that are less important while the most important things don’t get done.  You aren’t using a team well and aren’t letting go of activities that others can do so you can do more of what your unique ability is that moves the needle.

Arrange your time so you are working on what is most valuable, and what will get the most results tomorrow.

What do you need to do more of?  Less of?

get "the right things" done

Top performers don’t get it all done, they get the right things done.

What are the right things for you?

Didn't sell it? Follow-up!

Whether you are in sales or not, following up is about knowing you are going to have imperfect experiences with people. 

It’s a chance to address them, fix them or overcome them.

Follow-up!