Be a Leader - Grow a Pair!

Leadership is getting people to do not what they want to do, but what they need to do.

Servant leadership is not kissing peoples' ass, it is leading people so they don't get their asses kick.

12 Leadership actions you need to put in place now before mediocrity infects your business team.

(Do Not accept mediocrity when excellence is an option.)

1. Create an environment where excellence is expected, enjoyed, and honored.

2. Hold people responsible and accountable for their actions.

3. Reward what you want repeated. Excellent behavior needs to modeled.

4. Always provide constructive feedback(criticism) individually, one - to -one.

4. Deal with irresponsibility quickly and fairly. Too much help doesn't help.

5. Ask open ended questions: Who does what by when?  What's next? What else?

6. Clarify and confirm. (don't ASS-U-ME).

7. KISS - Keep It Simple and Sincere

8. "How can I help?"  does not mean do it for them.

9. Empower, not Umpire.

10. Train to Retain.

11. Listen more, talk less.

12. Start accepting "I'm sorry" only as a polite gesture, NOT as an excuse.

------------------------------------------

SWEET '16

Let's make 2016 a year to remember! 

Let's make 2016 --- "SWEET '16 "  a memorable chapter in our journey.

Here are SIXTEEN "One -Step-Outside-Your-Comfort Zone"(for many) strategies,  guaranteed to re-ignite your Leadership:

1. Once a day;  reward what you want repeated by telling a person more than just "hey, good job"...explain what you observed them doing and why it is important.

2. Have lunch with one of your competitors.

3. Write a poem and share it with a loved one.

4. Take yoga and meditation classes.

5. Run a Marathon, or 1/2 Marathon, or a 10K...or walk it.

6. Jump out of an airplane...with a parachute.

7. Volunteer/ donate to help a cause that your best friend believes in.

8. Ask your employees or business partners how you can be a better leader.

9. Reach out to an old friend that you have not spoken to for years.

10. Ask a good friend whats a good book to read, then read it. (if you've read it, ask for another)

11. Wake up 30 minutes earlier everyday.

12. Talk less, listen more.

13. Establish a relationship with a person more successful than you.

14. Create a new family tradition.

15. Learn a new language.

16. Journalize or blog about all of your above experiences.

" Life always begins one step outside your comfort zone." ~ Shannon Alder

*** Please share how you are going to make 2016 --- "Sweet '16" (comment below)  Thank you!

www.bobgambone.com

------------------------------------------------

Vertical Growth Vs. Horizontal Growth

Business owners have a choice to grow their business in three ways; horizontally, vertically or a combination of the two.

What is the difference between horizontal growth and vertical growth?

Vertical growth:

1. The business owner works entirely "in" his/her business rather than "on" his/her business.
2. Micromanaging is very prevalent.
3. Empowerment is lacking.
4. Client/Customer saturation is inevitable.
5. The business owner continues to work more and more hours to grow his/her business.

Horizontal Growth:

1. The business owner keeps his/her friends close and his/her competition closer.
2. Vision and Mission Statements are clearly communicated.
3. Leadership prevails over management.
4. Training systems, client/ customers service strategies, SMART goals, and Key Performance Indicators are implemented and systematically reviewed.
5. The business owners finds him/herself working less hours "in" the business while the business continues to grow.

"Get the right people on the bus, the wrong people off the bus,  and the right people in the right seats... and THEN figure out where to drive it. " ~ Jim Collins (summary from the book Good to Great)

---------------------------------------------------------------

Scrooged?!

aka,  Conflictor!

We all know one:

1. "Conflictors" know something about everything, just enough to be dangerous.

2. Disagree with you on everything, in a passive aggressive manner.

3. Challenge your knowledge, in a condescending manner.

4. Devalues your time, while their time is precious.

5. Tells you others are not team players, while stabbing you in the back.

6. Creates a positive facade, and then is negative about your positivity.

7. A "Conflictor" is always right, and if you try to prove them wrong...you will become mentally exhausted.

Bottom line; a "Conflictor" is a predator. When you are up they will get you down. And will you are down, they will take you deeper.

When a "Conflictor", by no choice of yours, tries to ruin your Holiday Season...do not try to handle them alone. One on one they will drain you. Bond together with people you trust and eventually the "Conflictor"  aka Scrooge, will get frustrated and move on to other prey.

Never a Stupid Question, Right?

A collection of  "Really?!" one-liners,  business owners or potential business owners have shared with me in my free consultation sessions. Many became clients and I have helped them. The rest? Oh well,  I hope they found help somewhere.

Here we go...

"Do I really need a logo and branding, I thought only big businesses had that."

"Well, I want to make more money but I don't trust people."

"Do I have a vision and mission statement for my business? Not at all, do I need one?"

"I really don't plan too much or even have a strategic plan...I kinda just see how things happen."

"I want to open a restaurant because I love to cook, I'm a hard worker, and I have the support of my family...isn't that enough?"

"No, I have never worked in retail, but this new franchise opportunity this guy was talking about sounds great!"

" ...not sure if my business is up or down from last year, but I do know my bills are getting paid."

"What's a target market?"

"My point of difference? I offer great service."

"There is enough free help out there...I don't need to pay for it."

"What measurements do I have in place?...they are all right here (as he pointed to his head)."

" What is horizontal growth?"

"I have more clients then I can handle...I don't need any help."

I have so many more I can share, but you get the point. Now I admit, when I started my own business five years ago I said some of the same things, that is why I hired a coach...enough said.

-----------------------------------------------

Family: A Leadership Core Value

When it comes to core values,  "family" needs to be in your top three in order to be a successful leader.

Here are 5 reasons why:

1. Family teaches you the importance of teamwork.

2. Family helps you model servant leadership.

3. Responsibility and loyalty are derived from family experiences.

4. Discipline, within a family,  accelerates action and develops motivational skills.

5. Family traditions are the foundation of what leadership is all about, people and giving.

-------------------------------------------

CEO of Your Life

***Please welcome my guest blogger, Maripat Abbott***

Create and Share your Transition Vision – Be the CEO of Your Life

A traditional leadership coach is someone who helps others sharpen their leadership skills in the corporate or entrepreneurial world. That is not my mission. I help my clients to become the CEOs of their life, empowering them to give themselves that promotion.

In my experience, most of us have somehow sublimated our CEO title – given our power over to someone or something else. It saddens me when I can clearly hear that a person has been demoted – or put on severance – not by a company, but by themselves.

I most often see people demote themselves during times of major life transitions like a health challenge, a job loss or change, a relationship status change, pregnancy or any other large life events. During times of transition, fear and resistance to the unknown can begin to dominate,  which can cause us to lose our power.

So how can we avoid losing our CEO title during the transitions in our life? How do we trust that there is no candidate better than ourselves to lead us through? How can we remember that we are the single most qualified one to lead our life?

One helpful tool is to create a powerful vision statement that outlines how you intend to run the company of YOU during this transition. Then you must communicate that clearly to your support system of family, friends, co-workers and acquaintances, who are in essence a part of your company.

Like a CEO, you respectfully require that your community understand and follow your vision statement so that the company of YOU thrives throughout this transition and you do not lose your primary relationship – the one with yourself.  This is always your number one job.

Your vision statement and request might sound something like this: “I am in the midst of… [changing jobs, getting divorced, selling my home, opening a new business] and am very optimistic about the ultimate outcome. I need you to hold this vision with me and remind me when I forget.”

Your primary goal is to maintain your leadership role without being forced into a severance package from your own life.

Maripat Abbott

Executive Relocation Coach

Certified Life Coach

Certified Yoga Instructor

Phone: 630-708-RELO

Email: mp@HolisticRelo.com

Website: HolisticRelo.com

-----------------------------------------------------------------------