Service Minded: The Irving Principle

This is part of a series highlighting the 12 Excellent Service Principles.

The Irving Principle
Get clear on why you are successful.

The Vienna Beef Co. had a problem after they moved into their brand new production center in the Chicago area. Even with 40 years of experience, something was wrong - their hot dogs didn't taste the same. Same spices, same process, different taste. They spent 18 months researching the problem and discovered it was Irving's fault. Their previous plant was a cobbled together chain of old manufacturing buildings in Chicago. Irving was the man who pushed the cart of cold, newly formed hot dogs 30-minutes across the plant to the next step in the process. This trip was unnecessary in the new plant because the two steps were right next to each other for efficiency purposes. The only problem was that Irving's 30-minute walk allowed the dogs to warm up. This proved to be a critical step in creating their signature taste.

The Vienna Beef Co. had enjoyed success for years, but wasn't totally clear on why. Great customer service organizations are infatuated with learning why customers keep coming back. This, obviously, is a major reason why they do.  They understand it, embrace it, train against it and continually adjust for it.

Up next, the Fresh Air Principle - Ask Great Questions...

Service Minded: The Tony Bennett Principle

This is part of a series highlighting the 12 Excellent Service Principles.

The Tony Bennett Principle
Have a veteran's expertise and a novice's energy.

A common affliction in the world of dealing with customers is atrophy of the attitude. We used to be excited to see customers, but with age/time/experience/challenges/etc. comes a dampened enthusiasm for work and customer interaction. The great standards singer, Tony Bennett, was once asked how he continually gives great performances after years of singing the same songs. He says that even though he has sung I Left My Heart in San Francisco thousands of times live, he imagines (and knows for a fact) that many of his audience members have never seen him sing it live. This allows him to have the energy and presence of a novice even though he has the years and expertise of a veteran. Apply Tony's lesson to your world and treat the 4,056th customer with the same spark and freshness you gave to the first.

Up Next, the Irving Principle - Gain Clarity on What Makes You Successful...

Service Minded: The Platinum Rule Principle

This is part of a series highlighting the 12 Excellent Service Principles.

Platinum Rule Principle
Do unto others like they'd like done unto them.

Fellow speaker and leadership consultant, Tony Alessandra, took the golden rule and added some leadership value to it.  He created the Platinum Rule - Do unto others as they'd like done unto them.  Although very important, the golden rule is rooted in " me first - you second thinking".  It states that I will treat you like I want to be treated.  The platinum rule takes the me out of the equation.  It says that I will treat you like you want to be treated because I have taken the time to learn about you and find out how you want to be treated. It is the ultimate act of leadership (being service-minded) and great customer service.

A few ways customer service professionals operate from the Platinum Rule are:  being more aware of others, mirroring body language to put the other person at ease, asking questions to learn about each customer's unique situation, etc.

Personalize.  Customize.  Humanize.

Up next, the Tony Bennett Principle - Have a Veteran's Expertise and a Novice's Energy...

Service Minded: The Open Space Principle

This is part of a series highlighting the 12 Excellent Service Principles.

Open Space Principle
Build on what works.

A marriage counselor was working with an overly negative woman. She had a laundry list of her husband's faults and would focus on them every session. The counselor eventually mandated that the woman only say positive things about her spouse during the sessions. This continued for weeks until the counselor knew the lady was ready to be taught a very important lesson.

The counselor asked the lady to draw a circle on a paper and place a dot in it for every one of her husband's faults (she still remembered them). After a few moments she was asked to look into the circle and write down the first word that came to mind. She said dots. The counselor then pulled out the two lists of her husband's traits - positives and negatives. The positives list was longer and the lady was floored. She looked in the circle and only saw dots (the negatives) even though there were more positives (open space).  She has been looking at her husband and only seeing negatives even though he has many more positives. She didn't need to fix what was wrong with her husband as much as she needed to fix her own habit of only focusing on the negatives.

Great customer service has a foundation of building on what works, internally and externally, and spreading those strategies, tactics, concepts, policies and behaviors across the system. You can't fix every problem, foresee every challenge or make the customer experience perfect.  You can create a culture where your team actively chooses to take what is working and maximize it to the point where the negatives almost become irrelevant.  (Almost...)

Up next, the Platinum Rule Principle - Do unto others like they'd like done unto them...

Service Minded: The Chicken Little Principle

This is part of a series highlighting the 12 Excellent Service Principles.

Chicken Little Principle
Emphasize the positive.

Chicken Little's famous phrase is "the sky is falling." Chicken Littles in the real world are those people who brighten the room when they leave the room. There is no place in great customer service for intentionally negative people. Service to others many times begins with taking a negative situation, a challenging conversation or a seemingly unsolvable problem and approaching it with a sense of optimism and a positive attitude. Get better at helping others by starting with and emphasizing the positive before you deal with or in lieu of focusing on the negative.

Up next, The Open Space Principle - Build on what works...

Service Minded: The 7-Iron Principle

This is part of a series highlighting the 12 Excellent Service Principles.

7-iron Principle
Excellent service is elemental.

A few years ago a neighbor of mine was having trouble learning to play golf. He was trying to learn how to hit every club on the driving range. I told him to take two weeks and only practice with two clubs:

• The putter - because half of your score comes from putting.
• The 7-iron - because it is relatively easy to hit and the basic golf swing is a 7-iron swing with either a longer or shorter club in your hand.

He came back a week later and was ecstatic with his immediate success. Teaching the muscles to hit a 7-iron 150 yards and straight is an effective method for any beginning golfer to get a fast start to mastering other clubs and, at some point, the game of golf. 

Great customer service is the 7-iron of success in any organization that deals heavily with people. Once those lessons are learned and mastered, many other keys to greatness (teamwork, creativity, problem solving, etc.) have a fighting chance to grow and flourish.


Up next, The Chicken Little Principle - Emphasize the Positive...

Service Minded: The 12 Excellent Service Principles

Today marks the beginning of a 12-part series on great customer service. These posts apply specifically to any leader who interacts with customers (clients, shoppers, students, audience members, etc.), but is also relevant to anyone who would like to improve his or her people skills and build stronger relationships. The best leaders are those who operate from a base of service mindedness. How can I help you? How can I make your day better? What do you need from me so you can do your job more effectively? These are the questions guiding the service minded leader through the day. These 12 principles will illuminate what lives on the other side of those questions.

We begin tomorrow...

Fostering Relationships: Share Vs. Spend

Language has a power we sometimes forget. Particularly when it comes to how we label things. A perfect example is saying that you are "spending time" with someone. This label puts the focus on the time instead of the person. Additionally, it almost has a negative connotation - kind of an "I am losing something" feel.

Instead of saying that you are "spending time", try using the words "I am sharing time with someone." This sharing word brings with it a sense of community, friendship, giving and receiving, etc. It also puts the focus of the activity more on the exchange of words, thoughts, opinions, experiences, etc. and less on the minutes spent.

Words make a difference. Not only those you choose to say/type/text to others, but also those you choose to say to yourself. Choose wisely.

Now go share some time with someone.

Skill Assessment: The Downsides of Experience

I recently sat through a high-level meeting where I was consulting a company on their corporate communication techniques. The key leaders in the room were discussing some of their main value statements. A major point for most of their future clients was their experienced staff. I.e. the more years their staff had, the more trusted, credible and valuable the organization became.

This is a well-used and, in most cases, valid characteristic for companies and organizations. However, it is also one that carries with it problems. Here are a few of the top issues:

1. Experience does not always equal expertness. A simple example is my golf game. I have been actively playing golf for 17 years. However, my skill level is that of a five-year golfer. I.e. the value of the number 17 is not reflected in my golfing ability. How many people do we know like this? They have been in the industry for 20 years, but they aren't any more knowledgeable, skilled or valuable than they were 10 years ago.

2. The cost of experience (in some cases) is higher than the received value. Experienced staff are expensive. They demand a higher salary. They aren't always willing to adopt new practices, more efficient technologies or industry changes. Experienced staff can tightly align their job behavior with their job description. They aren't as willing to go above and beyond for the company as they did when they were younger.

A great example is a friend of mine who recently started teaching at a small school. She contacted me after a few months there and asked for some advice on how to respond to a difficult situation. More than one veteran teacher approached her privately and suggested she stop being so excited, creative and hard-working. These experienced, higher-paid educators were actually costing the school more than they were worth not only because they were complacent with their job, but because they were also strong arming the newbies to basically stop making them look bad by working so hard.

Two takeaways from this lesson:

a.  If you are an experienced staff member, think back to the "rookie you."  Were you more energetic?  Thirsty to learn?  Open to new ideas?  If so, recapture that spirit.  Combine it with your current knowledge level, advanced industry understanding and deep network.  You will see marked improvement in efficiency, new ideas, output and value.

b. If you are a manager, supervisor, boss, etc., make sure you equally evaluate, coach and serve your experienced staff and your recent hires. Experience has its upsides, but the downsides demand your attention, as well.

Masterful Communication: New Delicious Tag - Slides!

We are excited to announce a new tag in our huge (over 1,300 links) Delicious database.  Delicious is the most prolific website in a genre called social bookmarking.  Our Delicious account is designed to be a master's degree in leadership.  Most of the tags are based on our PLI curriculum's Essentials of Leadership. 

The largest tag (the one with the most links) is Masterful Communication - over 350 links.  The topics contained within this tag range from public speaking to team communication to listening skills. I combed through them all and tagged the ones with PowerPoint, Keynote or presentation design tips and added a tag to each called Slides.  There are around 40 links contained within the tag now, but it will grow quickly as I am spending more of my time working with clients (banks, speakers, corporate leaders, student leaders, etc.) on helping them design remarkable slide banks.  Enjoy!

The Slides database in our Delicious account

Goal Processing: To Do to Tah Dah!

How you choose to spend your time provides the framework for your life. The content of your activity is obviously important. Ie - are you investing the majority of yourself in meaningful work or mindless chatter? However, the structure of this content is vital as well. An organization system well suited for your personality, lifestyle and work/home demands actually creates time. Let's look at a few well-practiced strategies that can turn your To Do lists into Tah Dah lists!

1. Use to do lists. If your work/home life is important and meaningful, it requires an appropriate level of management. If you aren't using to do lists, a calendar system, etc. you are potentially wasting one of your most important resources - your time. And more than likely depleting another highly important resource - the trust and admiration of others.

2. Prepare to do lists and organize tomorrow's business today. You want to hit the ground running when the new day comes. Don't waste this valuable productivity window by organizing your day. Do it the night before.

3. Put only "actionable items" on your lists. Ie - instead of a line item being an entire project or a collection of tasks, write down only the next step needed to move a project forward.

4. Unless you have absolutely must-do items on your list, the first things you should do are tasks that will add wood to your day's fire. These could be unpleasant tasks, a very difficult task, communicating with a negative or disrespectful person, a set of short/simple tasks, etc.

5. Study Stephen Covey's time management quadrants and perform the necessary self-audit of how you spend your time. The big lesson here is to organize your time so you are working mainly on items that are both urgent AND important. Poor time managers spend too much time on items that are only urgent, but not important. They also don't make time for the category that leads to deep, meaningful success - the important and not urgent (ie - thank you notes, working out, professional development, etc.)

I have a program (in both keynote and workshop format) called It's a Breeze. The big ah-ha is that great time managers are like the wind - in control of the ships in their life. Future great time managers are currently like the sails - at the mercy of the forces around them.

Your choice. Choose wisely. It makes all the difference in the world.


- Posted from the road using my iPhone.

Service Mindedness: Manage the Person Publicly and the Process Privately

I landed at the Kansas City airport at 9 am after a full night of two flights and one very uncomfortable hour of sleep. I am scheduled to speak in Junction City, Kansas that night at 7 pm. Needless to say, sleep is a very high priority. I called the hotel where the conference was being held and where I had a room booked for that night and requested an early (as possible) check in. The front desk lady says no way, so I asked to be transferred to the person in charge of handling the conference attendees' rooms - the event coordinator. After some discussion back and forth she ended our conversation saying, "Come on. I am sure we can get you a room early."

What made this statement even more important was I actually had another option. A friend of mine, Bill Cordes, lives between the airport and the hotel and I could have caught almost seven hours of sleep at his place. But, I believed the event coordinator that I could get in early and away I went.

I arrived at 11 am. No rooms.

I checked back at Noon. No rooms.

I checked back at 1:30. No rooms.

It was 2:20 when I was able to get a room.

At this point, I obviously had two choices. Get upset (which is not healthy in any case, but certainly not when jet lag, a headache and a looming performance that night are mixed with it.) Or I could write a blog post about how sometimes businesses fall down when their front line team default to a strict rule-based interaction with customers instead of relationship-based interaction. Most of the interaction with the customer needs to revolve around their experience in the situation, not on the rules dictating the situation.

Action Lessons for the Courtyard by Marriott:

- When delivering bad news, give reason and context. All I was told by the front desk was, no rooms are available. As a frequent traveler who has checked in early at hotels many, many times, I understand the process. People check out. Cleaning staff starts cleaning. Rooms begin to become available. The "available" status is a one-at-a-time process, not "all of a sudden every room is available." Even with this understanding, no comments were given beyond the absolute basic information - rooms are available at 3.

- When making a promise (which is what the event coordinator essentially did), work your tail off to deliver as promised and/or communicate the process of trying to deliver on it. I was at the hotel for hours and never heard from the event coordinator who told me to come on because a room would surely be available. Radio silence the entire time. She never tracked me down (I told her what time I would be arriving.)

- Make exceptions for hardships. I clearly communicated my unique situation. Red eye flight. No sleep. Have to speak to the group that night. I was treated like any other person (and certainly others wanted to check in early) who simply wanted to put their bags in their room before the meeting started. Even if you don't want to leave it up to the front desk to make those decisions, create a process that makes certain rooms available for people in those situations. I.e. - everyone knows 3 pm is the check in time. However, we know we have people who want to check in early all the time. Let's implement a process that is proactive to prepare for smiles from our customers, instead of frowns.

- Be vocal about your desire to solve the problem - even if you don't see it as a problem. I actually overheard the front desk staff say to each other, "it says clearly in all the contracts that check in is after three."

A few weeks ago I attended a conference in southern California where the keynote speaker's main theme was "Go Human." Keith Hawkins' point, and my point to not just this hotel, but any business/organization who stays afloat primarily by convincing people to buy their products or services, is to take care of the person publicly and manage the process privately.


- Posted from the road using my iPad

Teaching PLI: Must Read Post for All PLI Teachers/Trainers

In preparation of our trip this week to the California Association of Directors of Activities state conference in San Diego, here is a list of the most useful "teaching/training PLI" blog posts to help all our new friends get started on the right foot. Enjoy!

Essential Resources for PLI Teachers

Iphone App

Exceptional PLI Authors, Bloggers, Videos

How to Run Your Initial PLI Classes

Overview of the HUGE PLI Delicious Database

TRAX Grading/Evaluation System

Books to Supplement PLI

Innovativeness: Leadership Threats Blog Series Post Three

This PLI Blog series is inspired by PLI’s support of the California Association of Directors of Activities annual convention and their theme “Licensed to Lead.”

Each day leaders face a myriad of threats that can delay or derail their best efforts. In this series we will concentrate on the top 10 threats to “National Leadership Security” and the specific leadership tool that is most effective at combating it.

Threat #3:  Problem-Focused/Inefficient/Bland
Leadership Tool of Choice: Innovativeness

Here are few statements that are creativity (and enthusiasm) killers for leaders:

• What if it rains?
• We’ve just got so much to do, I don’t see how we’ll find the time.
• What if nobody shows up?
• It’s been tried before. I’m not sure it’s going to work.
• What if we don’t get approval?
• Our budget’s been cut. So, we’re going to have to cut back on this.
• Great idea. Let’s get a committee together to study it.
• Here, let me show you how to do it.
• That’s not how we usually do things.
• I’m not sure that’s going to fly. Let me run it up the chain of command.

If you’re a leader who ever had a creative idea, wanted to try something new or just desired things to be fresh, different, fun, or more powerful, chances are you’ve also heard a statement like these before.

We’re sure the people who say these kinds of things have good reason to say them. And, we’re sure people who say these things aren’t trying to be negative. There is indeed practicality for dreaming with your head in the clouds and your feet firmly planted on the ground. But, it’s also statements like these that can squash the creative spirit, better approaches, and the bigger success that could be just an idea away.

Whenever you find people concentrating on problems rather than solutions, doing things the old way rather than finding new efficient approaches or going the safe bland way rather than a bold new way, you’re facing a threat to the leadership essential of innovativeness.

“If you’re not failing every now and again, it’s a sign you’re not doing anything very innovative.” Woody Allen

The third PLI Essential is Innovativeness. We define innovativeness as creatively adding value. If you’re not expected to create positive value and growth, then you are not being asked to lead. You are actually being asked to manage. But, if those you serve want new levels of awesomeness in their world, then it’s time to get some innovativeness flowing.

Here are some insightful questions to help leaders get the PLI Essential of Innovativeness flowing:

• How long has it been since you gave or heard an innovative idea? If it’s been longer than a month, get your solution antenna up higher, change your environment or alter your inputs.
• Where do you collect, store, stash, and keep creative insights and ideas? Can you easily access them? There is indeed a time and place to share innovative ideas... make sure you can access yours when the time is right.
• Do you take notes as you go? Life is full of amazing and creative lessons all around you. Take notes, debrief while an experience is fresh, replay how you would do it over again, etc.
• Do you have a routine? Routines are great for consistency, but, they can lock us into being “set in our ways.” Try altering one small part of your schedule, route, or daily process for one week just to see what new things you discover.
• Are you the most creative person you know? If you are, then you need to get busy networking to surround yourself with people with even bolder and crazier ideas to inspire yours!
• Do you fear failure? Realize that we all have fear of falling flat. Know that fear of failure is the single biggest threat to being innovative. When you overcome fear you unleash creative output.

Integrity: Leadership Threats Blog Series Post Two

This PLI Blog series is inspired by PLI’s support of the California Association of Directors of Activities annual convention and their theme “Licensed to Lead.”

Each day leaders face a myriad of threats that can delay or derail their best efforts. In this series we will concentrate on the top 10 threats to “National Leadership Security” and the specific leadership tool that is most effective at combating it.

Threat #2: Discredited/Fake/Self-Doubt
Leadership Tool of Choice: Integrity

You may have the gift to speak, but, if followers don’t believe the messenger they will not accept the message. You may have the gift of vision, but if followers do not trust that your interests are aligned with theirs they will be reluctant to give you full commitment. If you have not acted honorably, you will carry the added burden of self-doubt and worry that your dark deed will be discovered.

“Credibility is the foundation of leadership,” finds leadership researchers Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner. All you have to do is look in the news to find a daily dose of folks whose credibility has been discredited. You see it in your world too. People who act one way in public yet in their Facebook page and pictures reveal a different person in private. People can tell when you are acting. And, while leadership requires action, it is a state of being and not an act.

“In looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And, if they don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.” Warren Buffett

The second PLI Essential is Integrity. We define integrity as being guided by character and to lead by example. Character and credibility are the model and mold that your followers pour themselves into. You cannot possibly hope to create trustworthy followers strong in character and credibility if their example is flawed and fake.

Here are some insightful questions to help followers get connected to the PLI Essential of Integrity:

• What is the condition of your credibility?
• What do you need to say “no” to in order to keep the “yes’s” you’ve already made?
• Do you under-promise and over-deliver or do you over-promise and under-deliver?
• Who in your world is the most credible, honest, and integrity-filled person you know? How do you know this? What example of theirs can you model and add to your life?
• Who is the least trustworthy and honorable person in your life? Why aren’t they believable? Why do you still associate with them? 

Vision: New Blog Post Series

This PLI Blog series is inspired by PLI’s support of the California Association of Directors of Activities annual convention and their theme “Licensed to Lead.”

 

Each day leaders face a myriad of threats that can delay or derail their best efforts. In this series we will concentrate on the top 10 threats to “National Leadership Security” and the specific leadership tool that is most effective at combating it.

Threat #1:  Confusion / Lost / Misdirected Followers
Leadership Tool of Choice:  Vision

Assembling talent and skill around you to make a difference is not enough. More than ever, your team wants to know why they are doing what they are doing. They need to understand how their efforts are contributing to the larger purpose. When you sense others are confused, lost, or misdirected it’s likely that vision is missing or not clearly defined.

The first PLI Essential is Vision. We define vision as passionately pursuing valuable opportunities. All teams need meaning and it’s the primary responsibility of the leader to identify vision.

 

“Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” Japanese Proverb

Here are some insightful questions to help you and your team get connected to Vision : 

• What is your organization passionate about?
• What are your followers individually passionate about?
• How do you define value?
• What are the opportunities that exist internally/externally that you can pursue that will bring the greatest value?
• What does success look like if you could see it, take a picture of it, paint it, video it, post it to YouTube, etc.?

What are the Common Traits of Highly Effective Teams?

Effective teamwork occurs when each individual clearly understands how their core strength plays a valuable role in the team accomplishing its shared goals.

Therefore, to identify the traits of highly effective teams, you need to identify commonalities of highly effective team members. There are four...

1. High performing team members are intensely focused on their work, trusts others, are trustworthy and therefore creates an environment where there is low drama and high trust.

2. High performing team members are optimistic and create the impossible by focusing on solutions and the positive.

3. High performing team members identify, put into action and develop habits that create an environment of encouragement, excellence and high expectations.

4. High performing team members are skilled at maximizing change and solving problems by seeing things differently and getting to the true core of challenges.

5 Questions to Answer Before Setting Your New Year's Resolutions

New year's resolutions are useful primarily because they represent your ability to do two things:

1. Think about living your life in a purposeful, goal-oriented way.

2. Believe you can change for the better.

These two skills are valuable beyond words. Make them a part of every month - not just January. Following are five useful questions to ask yourself before you work on your NYRs.

1. Am I coachable?

2. Do I really want to engage in the hard work of meaningful change?

3. Do I have a crystal clear understanding of what is most important to me, my work life and my family?

4. Have I thoroughly audited my time spent in the past year and categorized these actions into two groups - useful and non-useful?

5. Who do I need to begin, strengthen or dissolve a relationship with to improve the quality of my life, my work and the lives of those important to me?

The process of answering these questions will bless you with the invaluable insight necessary to set realistic, challenging, value-driven and focused new year's resolutions.

To be resolute in beliefs, goals and actions... that should be your job #1 in 2011. Good luck and may next year be your best one yet.

Rhett (Twitter - @yns1)

- Posted from my back porch office using my iPhone 4.

Location:Winding Lake Cir,Arcadia,United States

Skill Assessment: Your Leadership Fingerprint

Your influence as a leader is your leadership fingerprint. It defines who you are as a manager of people and projects. A recent meeting with a client organization highlighted a short list of behaviors you do not want defining your influence. While brainstorming a project idea with my client's work team, the division leader came in. We needed the leader's approval before we could move forward. What happened next was a disheartening display of ineffective leadership...

Behaviors to Avoid as a Leader:

1. He stared at his cell phone the entire time. He used it to check something at the start of the interaction, but then continued to handle it and focus on it. (You need your eyes and attention on the people, ideas and process in the room.)

2. He never asked probing questions to learn more about our ideas. He also never asked for the up sides of the project. He only repeated the down sides. (You need to exude optimism and a supportive, creative energy during brainstorming sessions. Especially when your team's ideas and enthusiasm are at stake.)

3. He immediately told us the idea wouldn't work and repeated that mantra the entire time. (You need to be realistic and practical, but add as many positive ideas to the discussion as you can. Then if things aren't panning out, massage the discussion to "meet in the middle" ideas.)

4. He never sat down to engage in a conversation. He stood, talked at us and then left. (You have an immediate barrier when you walk in - i.e. boss vs. team. This barrier creates negative outcomes (intimidation, average ideas, muted creativity, etc.) unless you break it down and level the emotional and hierarchy playing field. Have a seat and join in.)

5. He never gave an official answer. He relied on the "read through the lines" approach of decision making. (You ultimately need to make a decision. Sometimes on the spot. Make it with class and a spirit of "we did this together".)

Being the leader isn't easy. It's even more difficult when your influence strategies are broken. Examine your style and your methods. If they include any of these, make a change. Your team is silently begging you to.

Remember, it's not about you. It's not even about them. It's about the work. Make it great.

5 Ways to Lead With Impact

All Impact Rules posts can be found at www.ImpactRules.com.  Thank you.

Teaching PLI: My Library

I get asked often, "What books do you read to stay current on leadership concepts and presentation techniques?"  Honestly, most of my reading over the past few years has been and will continue to be the 150+ blogs I read daily (Download my subscriptions here - learn more about OPML files here), as well as books via my Kindle for iPhone.  However, the collection listed below is from the previous 20+ years of reading for feeding the brain...

These are pictures of the library in my office.  If you click on any image, a larger version will open.  I have included my favorites for each image...

These are all favorites.  Seth Godin is always a classic read.

Story Factor, Annette Simmons
See You At The Top, Zig Ziglar

Managing the Nonprofit Organization, Peter Drucker
All of the Marcus Buckingham books
All of the Mark Reardon books

YOGOWYPI Facor, Bill Cordes
Leadership is an Art, Max DePree
How to Win Friends And Influence People, Dale Carnegie
How to Become a Great Boss, Jeffrey Fox

Speak and Grow Rich, Dottie/Lillie Walters
The Element, Ken Robinson

Brain Rules, John Medina
See You at the Top, Zig Ziglar

My Fast Company library dating back to 2002.

Elements of Style, Strunk and White
Switch, Chip and Dan Heath
The Art of Manliness, McKay
Slide:ology, Nancy Duarte
Quantum Teaching, DePorter

The Traveler's Gift, Andy Andrews
Work Hard, Be Nice, Mathews
Children Learn What They Live, Dorothy Law Nolte

The Man Who Was President for a Day, Andrew McCrea

Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World, Zig Ziglar

The Wealthy Speaker, Jane Atkinson
Remarkable Leadership, Kevin Eikenberry

Presentation Zen Design, Garr Reynolds
Bob Hope:  My Life in Jokes, Bob Hope

Innovativeness: A Creativity Sparker

Your turn...


- Posted from the road using my iPhone 4.

Emotional Maturity: The Spirit Circle

Download the Poster Version

Your best leadership is done with a spirit of enthusiasm, servanthood, kindness and energy. Spirit means these characteristics are a part of you totally.  They define who you are and are not changed by the conditions or people around you.

The Spirit Circle is a simple concept designed to demonstrate how talented leaders live a high-quality life and make a difference in the world.

Your spirit drives your attitude.
Your attitude feeds your effort.
Your effort creates your results.
Your results feed your spirit.

Great leaders live by certain metrics, rules and codes for each of the four (servant spirit, positive attitude, tireless effort, excellent results, etc.), but the fact that each of the four are dependent on the other three is the critical lesson.

The secret to getting your leadership in gear using the Spirit Circle is that you can begin anywhere.  Start by improving your attitude about something or someone.  Give more or better effort.  View your current results in a new light from a better perspective or set your sights on more meaningful results for the future.  Any of these actions will begin a chain of reactions leading to an improvement and refinement of your spirit.

Choose to be a spirited leader today.

The Genesis of the Impact Rules

All Impact Rules posts can be found at www.ImpactRules.com.  Thank you.

Teaching PLI: Leadership Truths Are PLI Essentials (Part 2)

Post by Ryan Underwood

We wholeheartedly recommend Truths About Leadership as a companion to your PLI curriculum. You will be affirmed in knowing that the curriculum you are training and teaching is backed by phenomenal research and findings by Jim and Barry. To help you connect the dots, we’ve outlined below Jim and Barry’s 10 Leadership Truths with the PLI Essentials.

Leadership Truth 6: Trust Rules

PLI Essential: Integrity

When you follow the rules you showcase your character. This strength of character serves as a powerful force in influencing others because rules bring certainty, stability, order, and organization. When you follow the rules, you are more likely to attract people who will follow the rules you establish.

Leadership Truth 7: Challenge is the Crucible of Greatness
PLI Essential: Innovativeness

Expert leaders have challenges. In fact they have more challenges than most because leaders are great at solving problems. When you develop your innovativeness you become known as a solution-oriented person. People are greatly inspired by leaders who concentrate on what can be done and who know how to make it happen.

Leadership Truth 8: You Either Lead by Example or You Don’t Lead At All
PLI Essential: Integrity, Goal Processing, Emotional Maturity

Life happens. Ups and downs, rights and wrongs come to us all. Leaders command their personal behavior in all situations. They understand when they don’t do this, they simply cannot be in a position to lead. When leaders use their values to leverage feelings and emotions they make decisions to maximize the success of the whole. They set a clear example for how others can effectively follow and positively process whatever life may bring.

Leadership Truth 9: The Best Leaders Are the Best Learners
PLI Essential: Skill Assessment

Expert leaders are self-aware. They are thirsty for personal and professional growth. They understand that they will only be able to lead that which they are prepared, have the skill, and capacity to lead. This commitment to learning inspires followers to become learners, expand their ability, and become masters of their own talent.

Leadership Truth 10: Leadership is an Affair of the Heart
PLI Essential: Vision

People are greatly inspired by passionate people with a purpose. When you love what you do, who you do it with, and what you do it for your actions are authentic. You will attract others with a similar heart. When these passions combine, you now have a leadership force that can truly improve the world around you.

Teaching PLI: Leadership Truths Are PLI Essentials (Part 1)

Post by Ryan Underwood

What are the essentials of leadership?

This is the question that started the Personal Leadership Insight curriculum project nearly five years ago,  Our goal was to truly understand the qualities all leaders need to master in order to confidently say, “I am a leader.”

Our journey to discover the essentials led us to hundreds of interviews and thousands of responses to surveys from leaders from all walks of life throughout America. White House Fellows, West Point Graduates, professional athletes, executives, elected officials, teachers and some of the best student leaders in the country all weighed in. Once we assembled all the data, what emerged was ten clear leadership attributes that became known as the PLI Leadership Essentials.

World renowned leadership experts Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner recently led a webinar sharing the “Truths About Leadership” based on their recent book of the same name by Wiley & Sons Publishing. After 30 years of detailed study on leadership, Jim and Barry’s research has concluded ten universal truths of leadership that, as the subtitle to their book reads are, “No-Fads, Heart-of-the-Matter, Facts You Need to Know.” Jim and Barry’s findings on leadership truths align perfectly with what we presented through the PLI Leadership Essentials curriculum project.

We wholeheartedly recommend Truths About Leadership as a companion to your PLI curriculum. You will be affirmed in knowing that the curriculum you are training and teaching is backed by phenomenal research and findings by Jim and Barry. To help you connect the dots, we’ve outlined below Jim and Barry’s 10 Leadership Truths with the PLI Essentials.

Leadership Truth 1: You Make a Difference
PLI Essential: Skill Assessment

When you realize you are a person of influence and have assessed your skills and are ready to do what you were meant to do, your next step is to make the difference you were born on this earth to make.

Leadership Truth 2: Credibility is the Foundation of Leadership
PLI Essential: Integrity

You may have all the talent in the world, but integrity and credibility are the ticket to the leadership game. Without it, you can’t play.

Leadership Truth 3: Values Drive Commitment
PLI Essential: Vision, Wise Judgement

Expert leaders are driven by their core beliefs. This forms the vision for the world they create and the decisions they make. When values are clear, the commitment, enthusiasm, discipline, and work necessary to achieve become easier.

Leadership Truth 4: Focusing on the Future Sets Leaders Apart
PLI Essential: Vision, Goal Processing

People are greatly inspired by leaders with a purpose who know where they are going and why. This lifestyle (and yes, it is a lifestyle) is a powerful force because your accomplishments and purpose-filled behavior set you apart and influence others to follow your lead.

Leadership Truth 5: You Can’t Do It Alone
PLI Essential: Service Mindedness, Fostering Relationships

Expert leaders invest their energy and time in using their skills, talents, and abilities to serve and help others. When you are others-centered you greatly expand your ability to attract others to help you.

Check back tomorrow for the final five.

Innovativeness: Time to Explore

Have you created space in your life for exploring?  New travel destinations.  New people.  New ideas.  New web sites.  New books.  Etc.  You are expected to lead, guide and direct others.  This is a daunting and time consuming task.  It is important you carve out time for sheer wonder to remain strong in your life.  Tunnel vision and constant repetitive thoughts/sights/motion will create an intellectual and emotional vacuum in your life that hampers your ability to see, find and create new ideas. 

A few simple ways to keeping exploring:

• When you are traveling, try new restaurants, shops, attractions, etc.
• http://www.stumbleupon.com/
• http://www.flickr.com/
• Stop into a Borders, Barnes & Noble or, better yet, a library or locally-owned bookstore and pick up a new book.
• Start a blog that demands you research new ideas to share with your readers.
• Call a friend, co-worker, industry peer, etc. and ask them to lunch.
• Pick somewhere different for a meeting.
• Change your routine.
• Make a new connection with a new peer, client, friend and create a new product, service, idea, etc.

General: Out of the Blocks Review

My good friend and highly-successful professional, Sean Kouplen, has written a book that should be devoured by any success-driven student - high school or college. Check it out on Amazon at tinyurl.com/outoftheblocks. Learn more about Sean and his speaking services at www.outoftheblocks.net.

Sean is one of those guys who you just wonder how he gets it all done. He has excelled at every level in life - school, leadership, family and business. This book contains insights on Sean's secrets. Out of the Blocks is written in story form and contains a truck load of valuable and concrete advice for students to get started right in school, business and life. Get your copy today. It will be worth it.


- Posted from the road using BlogPress and Rhett's iPhone4.

Fostering Relationships: Two Simple Observations

Two simple observations from this photo:

1. The thank you note is not dead. We received these from audience members this summer.

2. As long as student leadership organizations continue to get funded and supported, we have a bright future. 95% of these letters are from members of student leadership organizations. Writing a thank you note is an act of respect, character and great relationship skills.


- Posted from the road using BlogPress and Rhett's iPhone4.

Masterful Communication: Listen. To. Me!

Addison is our three year-old. She is at the age where she absolutely knows when daddy is listening to her or not. Although her mother and I believe her to be an angel, Addison is a standard-built little human and communicates her frustration with daddy by a good dose of crying, screaming and stomping. She doesn't like it when she feels like daddy isn't giving her the attention she needs and deserves.

This exchange happens every day in households across the world. However, they also happen in companies and organizations every day. They don't always end in crying and foot pounding (at least not in public), but team members get ignored daily by their bosses and it dramatically impacts their job satisfaction, productivity and overall quality of life.

Patrick Lencioni, the business leadership author, calls this anonymity in his Three Signs of a Miserable Job. (It's one of the three signs, also.) He frames it as the feeling that no one is paying attention to you. Your voice isn't heard. Your boss doesn't care. No one is listening.

This Labor Day think about your work as a leader as an opportunity to help your team love their work. A big part of this is having their needs and desires met and even exceeded. And from the age of three your team has desired to have others listen to them - especially the people closest to them at work and at home. They may not cry or throw a tantrum, but they are telling you they want your attention. You just need to listen.

A few ideas:

- Have regular one-on-ones.
- Give your full attention to them.
- Practice active listening every chance you get.
- Remember little and big things about each individual.
- Do things that show you listen to them.
- Ask their opinion.
- Involve them in decisions. Especially when you don't have to.
- Don't make assumptions.


- Posted using BlogPress from Rhett's iPhone 4.

Teaching PLI: Resources

Following is a list of ways to connect, learn and grow from us:

http://delicious.com/pliblog - Huge database of leadership content I have gathered for you (and us) from the 150+ blogs I read daily. It contains over 1,000 articles, blog posts, videos, etc. They are all indexed by our curriculum's 10 leadership essentials (http://www.PersonalLeadershipInsight.org).

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pli-blog/id349608878?mt=8 - iPhone app that aggregates the RSS feed from this blog, my other blog, our PLI_Leadership twitter account (We also have other Twitter accounts you can follow - TeamTRI, RhettLaubach and yns1).

http://plileadership.blogspot.com/ - The PLI leadership blog.

http://www.authenticityrules.com/ - The speaking skills blog.

http://www.leadersingear.com/ - My new leadership and presentation skills book.

http://www.slideshare.net/rhettdean - A collection of my PowerPoints.

http://tinyurl.com/theleapshow - The slide show I use at the end of many of my keynotes to inspire.

http://www.personalleadershipinsight.org/- Our rich, beautiful, meaningful and interactive leadership curriculum.

We are also on Facebook, LinkedIn, Plaxo and Twitter. Just search for our names (Rhett Laubach and Ryan Underwood).

I hope you enjoy these resources and find them enriching and valuable.

Skill Assessment: Four Big Questions to get in G.E.A.R.

One of the primary purposes of leadership conferences and classes is to inspire people to get their leadership in gear. This initiative is obviously close to my heart and one that makes a dramatic impact. As we motivate and inspire conference participants or leadership students to make a difference, there are four key questions we need to help them with. Their answers to these questions and our sage advice on how to answer them provides the foundation and fuel needed to get their leadership in gear.


Four Questions to get in G.E.A.R.
(And a few key anchor words...)

Grounded - Why are you here?

This question is not about why they are at the conference or in the class (although that is important). It is about why they are anywhere. What is your purpose in life? Leaders who understand, are deeply connected with and stay grounded to their core purpose are more likely to get and stay in gear. This purpose must align with your deepest values and beliefs. Why are you here? The answer to this question gives life meaning.

Engaged - What do you create?

Highly effective leaders are results-oriented. They are greatly concerned with making things happen, creating change and leaving everywhere they go and everyone they connect with a little better than they found them. They are excellent at creating cool, interesting and meaningful stuff; which in turn attracts people with those same qualities. What do you create? The answer to this question gives life direction.

Authentic - Who are you?

Self-awareness is critical to good leadership. You must understand your strengths, weaknesses, talents and skills before you can fully lead. Highly effective leaders are so true to who they are, their "leaderly" actions become second nature. This allows them to genuinely place their time and attention on others. People are starving for leaders who are authentic, bold and caring. Who are you? The answer to this question gives life clarity.

Relationship-focused - Who is on your team?

Life and leadership are team sports. Engaged leaders have identified, understand the importance of and spend time cultivating the relationships in their life. This includes people following them and people they follow. They put relationships first and results second. Who is on your team? Answering this question gives life joy.

If you are a leadership teacher, trainer or conference organizer, invest time examining your curriculum, material and speakers and make sure these four critical questions are addressed.

Step one is to know your personal answer to each. Here are mine:


1. Why are you here?

To bring glory to God through my relationships and my leadership teachings.

2. What do you create?

Personally, I create harmony and security for my wife and daughters. Professionally, I create a tribe of inspired and motivated students, educators and professionals armed with better tools for getting their leadership in gear.

3. Who are you?

I am a Christian, American, husband, father, speaker, author, blogger, singer-songwriter and epic fajita artist. I am more than what I do though. I am what I believe, who I spend my time with, what I read/watch/listen to and what I think. I work hard to align all of those elements with my answers to #1 and #2.

4. Who is on your team?

My most important team mates are Jesus Christ, my wife Ashley, and my daughters Vivian and Addison (and soon-to-be Emerlyn Kate :). Ashley and I's immediate family, friends, peers, church family and long-time clients also play a vital role on my team. All my audience members, clients, and suppliers comprise the rest of my team. They are all a joy to work with and make my team exciting, colorful and ever expanding.

How about you?


- Posted from Rhett's iPhone on tour in San Diego.

Location:Harbor Island Dr,San Diego,United States

Teaching PLI: My Leadership Quotes

If you are teaching leadership in either a classroom, training or conference environment, here are a few of my leadership quotes to use as discussion starters, thought provokers, etc...

Rhett Laubach's Newest Leadership Quotes

"Leadership is acting on the fact that people are basically good, but naturally selfish.  They need you to inspire their better self."

"Leadership is the intimate collision of bold performances and courageous souls."

"Leadership is having and doing something with great ideas that hide under piles of blood, sweat & tears."

"Leadership is more than finding new committed people. It is also finding the new commitment in the people you already have."

"Leadership is creating awesome, meaningful stuff and therefore attracting awesome, meaningful people."

"Lead is a verb. Leader is a noun. Leadership is both."

"Leadership is creating value and seeking growth."

"Leadership is being interested in others first and interesting to others second."

"Leadership is unrealistically supporting your team's potential and working unusually hard to reach yours."

"When the world says give up, the leader whispers give it one more try."


Get more by following me on Twitter - @yns1.  You can also follow @PLI_Leadership.

Skill Assessment: What Type of Leader Are You?

Are you a Cosmetic, Slim•Fast or Healthy Leader?

[A cosmetic person's quality of life is driven by their looks.]

The Cosmetic Leader is only interested in looking good and making surface only improvements. Their focus is primarily self. They think that as long as they look good, people will follow them. They are like everyone else in the fact that they have blemishes, but they spend their energy finding new and more creative ways to cover them up instead of working hard to overcome their shortcomings.


[A Slim•Fast person's eating habits are driven by the latest diet fad and they do not invest time exercising or eating healthy.]

The Slim•Fast Leader is mostly transactional with their leadership. They keep track of good deeds others do or don't do and treat them accordingly. They are one-sided with their development and only focus on leading other's growth, not investing time in self-improvement. They look good, but never really do any of the hard work necessary to create real, meaningful change. They avoid difficult conversations, are risk-averse, too prideful to seek coaching, etc. The Slim•Fast Leader is certainly better off than the Cosmetic Leader, but their systems and philosophies hold them back from creating real, meaningful change in themselves and others.


[The healthy person exercises and eats right.]

The Healthy Leader is a leader inside and out. They look good on the outside as a result of doing the work necessary to be good on the inside. They also demonstrate and promote healthy leadership in themselves and others by doing the hard, dirty, unpopular work that the Cosmetic and Slim•Fast Leaders avoid. They are balanced in their approach to life, growth, time management, priorities, etc. Healthy Leaders serve as selfless role models for the benefits of living a clean, powerful and positive life.



- Posted using my iPhone.

Teaching PLI: A few of my Favorite Leadership Books and Blogs

At the very back of my leadership book, Leaders in Gear, I have a list of my favorite leadership books and blogs.  I have a library of hundreds of leadership and life skills books and I read 150 blogs every day.  These are my favorites...
.

1. The Art of Innovation, Tom Kelley
2. The Bible
3. Brain Rules, John Medina
4. The Dip, Seth Godin
5. The Effective Executive, Peter Drucker
6. The Element, Sir Ken Robinson
7. Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman
8. Getting Things Done, David Allen
9. How to Become a Rainmaker, Jeffrey Fox
10. How to Say it for Women, Phyllis Mindell
11. How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie
12. Influence, Robert Cialdini
13. Inspire any Audience, Tony Jeary
14. Leadership 101, John Maxwell
15. Leadership is an Art, Max DePree
16. Little Black Book of Connections, Jeffrey Gitomer
17. Made to Stick, Chip and Dan Heath
18. Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham
19. Presentation Zen, Garr Reynolds
20. Quantum Teaching, Bobbi DePorter
21. Season of Life, Jeffrey Marz
22. See You at the Top, Zig Ziglar
23. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey
24. Slide:ology, Nancy Duarte
25. The Story Factor, Annette Simmons
26. Teaching as Leadership, Steven Farr
27. Three Signs of a Miserable Job, Patrick Lencioni
28. Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill
29. The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell
30. Winning with People, John Maxwell



1. Books – blog.800ceoread.com
2. Brain Science – brainrules.blogspot.com
3. Business & Sales – www.thejfblogit.co.uk
4. Happiness – www.happiness-project.com
5. Ideas – ben.casnocha.com
6. Ideas – changethis.com/blog
7. Ideas – sethgodin.typepad.com
8. Ideas – www.danpink.com
9. Leadership – plileadership.blogspot.com*
10. Leadership - blogs.hbr.org/goldsmith
11. Leadership – www.allthingsworkplace.com
12. Leadership – www.leadershipnow.com/leadingblog
13. Leadership – www.marksanborn.com/blog
14. Presentation Design – blog.duarte.com
15. Presentation Design – www.ethos3.com/blog
16. Presentation Design – www.presentationzen.com
17. Presenting – www.AuthenticityRules.com*
18. Presenting – sixminutes.dlugan.com
19. Productivity – www.zenhabits.com
20. Productivity – www.marcandangel.com
* Rhett’s blog

If you are in the Oklahoma City area and are interested in a powerful personal development conference experience, check out the information and consider attending our Core Four Conference on September 9, 2010.  Learn more at http://tinyurl.com/corefour.  We would love to have you!

General: How to Maximize a Conference Experience

John Maxwell, the famous leadership author and teacher, tells us there are three things we must do to grow as leaders:

1. Surround yourself with the right people.
2. Consume the right media.
3. Attend the right conferences.

When you attend conferences, to make the most of them, follow these five guidelines.

1. Be child-like. This doesn't mean throw a tantrum if the room is too cold. It means ask questions. Lots of them. Don't let your pride or reputation or position keep you from raising that hand and getting clarity, more information or better information.

2. Take organized notes. If you aren't writing, you aren't learning. But don't just write to recall. Write with organization. Make notes of what needs to be delegated, acted upon immediately, filed for later, etc. This will help your post-conference actions take flight quicker and more efficiently.

3. Offer solutions, advice and suggestions in a CVS format. Concrete. Visual. Simple. It is important to not only add value where you can, but to be clear with your thoughts.

4. Maximize gap time. The official sessions and breakouts will be valuable learning environments, but the real magical sharing times happen early in the morning, at meals and during breaks. Make the most of them.

5. Seek out answers. If possible, go to conference with specific questions and challenges you are looking to resolve. Then hunt to find experts, speakers, exhibitors and attendees who might just have the answers you are looking for.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

General: Indiana FFA State Convention 2010

Sold out of Leaders in Gear last night after my keynote at the 2010 Indiana FFA State Convention. I am so very proud of all the students, parents and advisors for investing in their leadership. LiG is packed with tips and strategies to help them know how to use their influence to make a positive difference in the lives of others!



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Skill Assessment: Vital Questions

Many times your effectiveness is based on your ability to know which questions to ask. Here a few vital leadership questions you should be reflecting on regularly:

Am I coachable?
How do I respond to feedback?
Am I fully committed to my leadership duties?
Do I represent the best of my organization?
Am I supporting and encouraging the people around me?
Do my words, body language and attitude lift others or bring them down?
How can I be my best today?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

General: Who is Your Leader Hero?

We are on a search for a few good men and women. Please comment on the one person you most admire as a leader in your life and at least two reasons why. Stories are welcomed. These individuals will be featured on this blog (by us interviewing them directly) and their stories will be shared with thousands during our hundreds of speeches and trainings throughout the year. We look forward to seeing who our readers hold up as model leaders and heroes. Please comment today! Thanks.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Fostering Relationships: The Leader's #1 Job

Achilles is famous in Greek mythology for his ultimate strength and beauty.  He was the perfect warrior except for his even more famous heel.  A small arrow shot to his heel brought him down.

Every boss, supervisor, business owner, manager and team leader strives for perfect strength and leadership.  They all can be brought down with a number of different weaknesses and tactical errors, but there is one that is the ultimate Achilles Heel - either not knowing or forgetting to do Job #1...

A leader's #1 job is to grow and develop their people.

At a recent state human resources management conference I presented a workshop covering the six keys to getting employees engaged and keeping them engaged in their work.  A major take-away for the HR professionals was based on a question:  do the bosses in your organization have this #1 job in their list of core duties?  Do they personally invest financial and calendar resources to this task?  Their responses were interesting.  Some were shaking their heads yes.  Most had a look that said, "No."

The most important relationship in an organization is the one between a supervisor and their immediate team members.  When this goes bad or isn't healthy, people under-perform, cause trouble or just leave.  There are many reasons why a leader's #1 job is to grow and develop their people, but helping people meet/exceed expectations and enjoy their job is the best reason. 

If you are a boss and/or play a role in helping bosses understand how to do their job effectively, ask yourself that question.  If you don't give a resounding yes, make some changes.  Dedicate a majority of your time developing people and helping them understand expectations, develop their strengths, minimize their weaknesses and have what they need to do their job exceptionally.  Good luck.

Vision: Personal Leadership Plan

"3. Every useful brush has a canvas upon which to leave its mark. Getting into Leader Gear requires a reason, a purpose, a place, a team, a project and/or an idea. You reading this book means you more than likely already have one or more of these. They are essential for your leadership to create real change and value. The secret is not that you need a canvas on which to leave your mark. The secret is that you need to whittle down the size of your canvas for your colors to be bright, bold and substantial. Don’t try to be everything to everyone. Although this book covers a wide swath of leadership topics, skills and application points, you need to take a different approach. Focus your leadership strongly in one or two areas. As those areas gain color and strength, you can move on to others. Trying to be everything to everyone is a recipe for disaster. Pick and choose your battles. Prioritize. Think like a master surfer riding a wave. His most important ally is the ability to be totally present; using all his physical and mental strength to read the moment, adjust quickly on the fly and make it to shore safely. Being in Leader Gear means being 100% present for the people and projects that need your time, attention and leadership. On their behalf, thank you for giving 100% to moving from a leader in waiting to a Leader in Gear."

Those are the final words of the first chapter of my new leadership book, Leaders in Gear.  The core lesson is you must have a place to apply your leadership.  You are a leader because you have influence on others - for good or for bad.  However, your goal is to put action to your leadership and this requires a field on which to throw the ball around. If you are struggling with where to apply your leadership or if you think it is time to kick it up a few notches, you should consider going through the process of creating a Personal Leadership Plan. 

(Click here for a visual version of the following process.)


Personal Leadership Plan
Step 1.  What is your definition of leadership?  This definition should be brief - like a mission statement - and should give you (and others) a sense of your core values and beliefs about leadership and influence.

Step 2.  Who are the people and projects in your life that need your leadership the most?  This list should be short as well.  Just a handful of people and a few projects, but be specific.  List faces, not groups.  List general tasks at home, work and play, not just home, work and play.

Step 3.  What specific actions do you need to take to be a better leader for each person and project?  How can you "act out the words" in your leadership definition?  Again, be specific.

Step 4.  Break each action down.  List out the goals and the benefits of accomplishing each.  Give yourself benchmarks.  How will know that you are half-way and all-the-way finished with that goal (with the understanding that some of the goals may be perpetual)?  Most importantly, give yourself time reminders.  When will you revisit this plan to check in on yourself and see how you are doing?  You should not only write these in your plan, but also put them in your calendar tool.

Step 5.  ACT!  You might be amazed by either how much leadership you are already doing and simply aren't labeling it that or by how much you aren't doing.  Either way, a PLP is a valuable and meaningful process only if you get to and complete step 5.  Good luck!