Saturday, December 5, 2015

11 Results Of Leaders Who Poorly Convey Their Message

on November 23, 2015 in Performance
Leadership comes with a microphone.  The ability to effectively communicate your message is critical to your success.  More specifically, effective vision casting creates organizational alignment and gives clear direction to your entire team.
Without vision, your leadership will never gain traction and your team will then wander aimlessly.
In the November 18th edition of USA Today, columnist Darrell Delamaide discussed the struggles Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is having with her presidential campaign messaging.
First, let me say this is not a political post.  I will not get into the details of Delamaide’s analysis or Secretary Clinton’s campaign.  However, the lessons gleaned from his article are applicable to anyone leading a church, business, non-profit or athletic organization.
The following are 11 Results Of Leaders Who Poorly Convey Their Message:  Notice the downward trend of what happens when messages are poorly conveyed.
  1. You Will Make Mistakes Conveying Your Message – No communicator is perfect and mistakes will be made.
  2. You Can Recover From Your Mistakes – People are generally forgiving of their leaders.  They want you to win.  You just need to avoid the following nine mistakes.
  3. You Cannot Overcome A Continually Poorly Conveyed Message – It will become your leadership Achilles’ heel.  You will not be able to connect with those you are trying to serve.
  4. A Poorly Conveyed Message Will Not Make Sense – There will be a lack of clarity.  Your thought process and reasoning are viewed as illogical.
  5. A Poorly Conveyed Message Is Not Accurate – The facts of your message simply do not line up.
  6. A Poorly Conveyed Message Lack Self-Awareness – People buy into you before they buy into your message.  You do not know how you are personally and your message in general are being perceived.
  7. A Poorly Conveyed Message Makes You Defensive – You become angry when the details of your message are questioned.
  8. A Poorly Conveyed Message Causes You To Lose Credibility – The stories get larger.  Because you are not connecting with your audience, you over-compensate by exaggerating which causes you to lose credibility.
  9. A Poorly Conveyed Message Causes You To Become Angry – You have moved beyond just being defensive.  You now lose composure and show your temper because of a lack of buy-in.
  10. A Poorly Conveyed Message Avoids The Real Issues – You do not address hard facts or core issues.  Your message has now completely been lost.
  11. A Poorly Conveyed Results In You Losing The Support Of Your Most Loyal Followers – You are now the issue.  People know longer buy-in to you.
Do you see yourself anywhere on this continuum?  If so, now is the time to make corrections before you lose the support of your most loyal followers.
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32 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Creed

on November 25, 2015 in Movies
 
Creed, the sixth installment of the Rocky franchise, is ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!  Along with War Room, this is the best movie I have seen in 2015.  This is no exaggeration, Sylvester Stallone playing the aging Rocky Balboa, deserves an Oscar.  There are some scenes, especially visiting Adrianne’s grave and an initial visit to the doctor, which are absolutely heartbreaking.  As great a performance as anything you will ever see.
Regarding the story, Balboa reluctantly decides to train his former friend Apollo Creed’s son Adonis Johnson, played brilliantly by Michael B. Jordan.  Their mentoring relationship is the emotional centerpiece of the movie.  Of course, the film builds towards an inspirational fight which does not disappoint.
This is the must see movie of the Thanksgiving weekend.  Do not miss this as you will enjoy watching Stallone deliver the best work of his career.
The following are 32 Leadership Quotes And Lessons From Creed:
  1. Great Leaders Build Things That Last – The original Rocky opened on November 21, 1976.  This was 39 YEARS AGO!  Sylvester Stallone has kept this entertainment franchise relevant and interesting for four decades!  How many leaders can make that statement?
  2. Your Past Does Not Have To Define You – Johnson was a product of Apollo’s infidelity and abandoned as a child.  Creed’s widow, Mary Anne played by Phylicia Rashad, gave him a future by rescuing him from juvenile detention.
  3. Great Leaders Prepare Privately Before Receiving Praise Publicly – Johnson started his boxing career with no fanfare or acclaim in Mexican underground rings.
  4. “No” Means “Next Opportunity” – Despite constant rejection Johnson continually pressed forward in his dream to become a professional boxer.
  5. Our Choices Have Consequences – When Johnson told Mary Anne he was going into boxing, she said, “Apollo didn’t get hurt.  He got killed.”
  6. Leaders Must Take Personal Responsibility For Their Decisions – Mary Anne added, “You are your father’s son.  You are part of him.  But you don’t have to be him.”
  7. All Leadership Assignments Are Temporary – When Johnson asked Rocky how he defeated Creed, he said, “Time takes everybody out.  It is undefeated.”
  8. Successful Leaders Have Options – Rocky asked Johnson, “Why would you pick a fighter’s life when you don’t have to?”
  9. The Greatest Leaders Were Reluctant Leaders – The greatest leaders did not politic or maneuver for a position.  The position found them.  They were summoned by someone else.  Being summoned has a built-in understanding that you have nothing to prove and have been prepared for the assignment.
  10. Leaders Must Be Willing To Pay A Higher Price – Johnson began training in obscurity simply for the opportunity to box.
  11. Success Smells Like Sweat – Balboa told Johnson, “You’ve got to work hard.  If you don’t do that, I’m out.”
  12. Fundamentals Are Keys To Success – Balboa started Johnson’s training by making him chase chickens, jump rope and do many of boxing’s basics.
  13. Great Leaders Elevate The Performance Of Those Around Them – Balboa pushed Johnson saying, “That bell don’t mean school’s out.  Keep going Donny.”
  14. The Toughest Leadership Challenge You Face Is Self-Leadership – Balboa told Johnson as they looked in mirror, “That’s the toughest opponent when you get in the ring or in life.”
  15. Growing Old Can Be Emotionally Painful – Balboa was lonely.
  16. Growing Old Can Be Physically Painful – Balboa was sick.
  17. Leaders Must Win The Mental Battle Before They Win The Physical Battle – Balboa noted, “This is how I work.  I can’t hold the pads but I’m working with this (Johnson’s mind).”
  18. Listening Skills Are The Most Underrated Leadership Skill – Balboa told Johnson, “You can’t learn anything when you’re talking.”
  19. Successful Leaders Embrace A Process – Balboa’s approach to training was “One step at a time.  One punch at a time.  One round at a time.”
  20. Successful Leaders Embrace Coaching – Not once during the film did Johnson argue with what Balboa was teaching him.
  21. Everyone Gets Better With Coaching – Each time Johnson implemented Balboa’s coaching, he became more successful in the ring.
  22. Leaders Are Not Passive – Balboa’s strategy for facing the lightweight champion was, “He’s the champion.  You have to take it to him.”
  23. Smart Leaders Are Always Looking Forward – Balboa reflected, “Everything I’ve got’s moved on.  My life’s in the past.”
  24. The Danger Of Unforgiveness – Johnson’s inability to forgive his father for not being in his life almost consumed him.
  25. Great Leaders Honor The Past – This movie paid much homage to Rocky I and II.  Very classy.  There were many similar storylines that added a nice touch.
  26. A Leader’s Greatest Gift Is Often Their Memory – Johnson fought for the title in his father’s trunks.
  27. Leaders Expect The Absolute Best From Their Teams – Balboa said, “What matters is what you took from the ring – your pride.”
  28. Production Matters To Leaders – The boxing announcer noted, “He’s got the name.  Does he have the game?  Can he fight?”
  29. Successful Leaders Have Paid The Price Needed For Success – Balboa inspired Johnson by reminding him, “You belong in here (the championship ring).  They don’t know what you’ve been through.  And they sure don’t know what we’ve been through.”
  30. The Problem Is To Identify The Right Problems – Prior to their championship fight, Balboa told Johnson, “It’s you against you.  He’s just in the way.”
  31. Every Human Life Has Meaning And Purpose – Johnson said, “I’m going to prove I’m not a mistake.”
  32. A Good Name Is Rather To Be Chosen Than Great Riches – Balboa summed up his relationship with Johnson, “You’re a Creed and I love you kid.”
In conclusion, Creed is an incredible film.  Go see it this weekend and tell me what you think.
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What Leaders Should Know Before Scheduling Their Next Meeting

on November 25, 2015 in Performance
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Whenever a leader walks into a room, the attitude of each person in the room should go up.  Your team should know caring, knowledge, resources and solutions have just arrived.  Leaders worth following should be upbeat and optimistic in nature.  Think about it, why else would they be worth following?
I hope I am a leader worth following but I do know I have an Achilles’ heel.  I just struggle with meetings.  I would rather be about anywhere else than in a meeting.  However, if you are going to talk about work rather than doing it, what is the most effective way to do so?
Recently, Ivy Sprague of MAG Bookkeeping had some interesting things to say about the cost of meetings and how to maximize the opportunity.  Ivy is an expert in this area.  MAG saves church, business and non-profit leaders tremendous time, resources and stress when they outsource their bookkeeping.  Click HERE to connect with this great organization.
Now as promised, the following are Ivy’s thoughts: 
Take a moment to look at your calendar, and count the number of meetings represented in your typical week. Now look at how many of your staff members are in each of those gatherings. Multiply that number by all your employees’ salaries and benefits, then by the number of meetings you have each year. Then add to that amount any money you’re spending on food and beverage for the meetings, plus any costs for renting space if you’re having an off-site gathering. And don’t forget the amount of time your staff is spending these meetings (for which they’re being paid) and not on their core areas of responsibility.
When you look at that number, is it worth it? Is that a number you’ve even thought about before?
We’re not saying don’t meet with your staff—not at all. But be aware of what those meetings are costing you. Instead of practicing efficient communication, we see all too often church leaders dumping all kinds of information on all levels of staff—and those staff members often wander away not sure of what just happened. These meetings may have started out of a desire to be relational, and keep everyone on your staff informed, but have most likely grown into a mass gathering that isn’t as effective as it ought to be.
As a leader, you need to break out the levels of your staff who attend each meeting and be aware of when you’re lumping together strategic and tactical initiatives. Your strategic planning meetings will likely be very involved and have regular updates, whereas your staff meetings should be strictly for communication and relationship and tactical areas. It’s OK to have the same people in multiple meetings for different purposes. Some of your staff may end up being in lots of those meetings, but if those meetings are clear in their purpose and stick to an intentional agenda, they’ll be a good use of your team’s time.
Smaller, shorter meetings that are laser-focused, that keep to an agenda, and are intentional about reaching their goals are the best use of your staff time—and your staff dollars.
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A Rant Against LSU And 20 Leadership Quotes To Honor Les Miles

on November 28, 2015 in Sports Leadership
 
There are widespread rumors today will be the final game for Les Miles as LSU’s head football coach.  If this is the case, it is a crying shame!
As a person who values leadership, I am stunned by the lack of appreciation and insight of those making the decisions for the football program. The following is just a portion of Coach Miles resume:
  • 2007 BCS National Champion
  • 110-32 record.
  • The best winning percentage of any coach in the LSU modern era of coaching.
  • He is an institution at LSU.
  • As of this morning, Rivals.com rates LSU as the #2 2016 recruiting class in America.
What are the people at LSU thinking???!!!
Let me just say this as a HUGE fan of Head Coach Mark Richt of the University of Georgia, if we show an equal lack of appreciation to Coach Richt, I would welcome Coach Miles with open arms to Athens!  LSU decision-makers need a broader perspective than simply beating Nick Saban.
To those making these personnel decisions at LSU, it is shameful and disgraceful how you have handled this and treated a grown man who has given your university so much.  You need to ask Tennessee what happened when they showed a similar lack of appreciation for Phillip Fulmer.  They have never recovered.  Appreciate what you have while you have it.  I still remember the Gerry Dinardo era.
Sadly, I see this same thought process in the Christian, business, government and non-profit sectors as well.  There is an epidemic of leaders not being appreciated.  Where is the gratefulness for the excellent work and sacrifices made?  The grass is rarely greener on the other side.  It is just sad and a sobering reminder to all leaders we may one day be in a similar predicament.
In appreciation to the institution that is Coach Miles is, the following are 20 Leadership Quotes From LSU Head Coach Les Miles:
  1. “Ted, damned if I’m not impressed with your candor.” – on an interviewer’s appreciation of Erin Andrews
  2. “When I wake up in the morning and I turn that film on, it’s like reading a book and it’s exciting.  I don’t read books, but if I read books but it would be like reading a book.”
  3. “There was a contact between a football player and a cheerleader, male I might add.  That male cheerleader clipped me from the side as I was running full speed or slower than full speed, but generally in the upper quadrant of speed.  And I hit the ground pretty good.”
  4. “I got a championship game to play, and I’m excited for the opportunity of my damn strong football team to play in it…Please ask me after.  I’m busy.  Thank you very much, have a great day.”
  5. “Game is played on the field.  Not chatrooms.”
  6. “Let’s not confuse Columbus Day with St. Patty’s Day or some other more noteworthy day like President’s Day, etc…”
  7. “I call all my recruits on their landline telephone.”
  8. “I rappelled down a building.  I don’t know that that was all it was cracked up to be.  It was tall.  It was up there.”
  9. “20 years ago there was not a policy on Twitter.  You know what, 20 years ago there was not a policy on Facebook.  You know what, I bet you that 20 years ago no one doing a Harlem Shake, you know what I mean?”
  10. “Somebody gave me the magic.  They said there’s 500 million on Instagram, whatever the hell that is.”
  11. “It’s kind of like saying, before they had cars, I’m not allowing any of my players to drive cars.  Why?  Well, I like the old buggy.  It’s safer.  The horse is a problem, but as long as you keep the horse pointed in the right direction, you’re OK.” – on banning social media.
  12. “Here are the three spots where the cupboard needs a little improvement for us to do the things we need to accomplish: One of them is on offense, one of them is on defense and one is special teams.”
  13. “I don’t know that you block things out in the scope of magnitude of loss here.”
  14. “We had families of our players staying in the dormitory with them, and still do.”
  15. “I love doing this,…Because I get to remember, again.”
  16. “Why don’t we fly like the birds?…Why don’t we just fly?”
  17. “Spectacular group of men.  You go find them.  You throw your arms around them.  You give them a big kiss on the mouth if you’re a girl.”
  18. “The grass at Tigers Stadium tastes best.”
  19. “Winning is a thing inherent with how you were raised.”
  20. “Some guys don’t have the great decision-making process just yet, but eventually they’ll be very quality husbands, fathers, businessmen.  They just need to outdistance their youth.”
Coach Miles, if this is the end of your tenure at LSU, thank you for all the memories and great work at LSU.  May you be as equally successful at your next assignment.  Have a great day!
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The Type Of Man You Want Leading Your Son – A Tribute To Mark Richt

on November 29, 2015 in Sports Leadership
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Today, the University of Georgia and Mark Richt mutually agreed to end his tenure as the school’s head football coach.  This move is representative of all that is wrong in college sports specifically and our nation as a whole.  His removal shows a complete lack of understanding of what it means to be a successful leader.
In addition to the infographic shown above, the following are just some of Coach Richt’s additional accomplishments:
  • Two-time SEC champion
  • Five-time SEC East Division champion
  • 144-51 record while at Georgia
  • Two-time SEC Coach of the Year
  • 2013 Stallings Award for commitment to humanitarian and community service.
  • 9-5 bowl game record
  • 1 year removed from being the 2014 season-ending 9th ranked team in the country.
  • Six Top 10 finishes in 15 years
I must say it – are you kidding me?  Coach Richt is only one year removed from a Top 10 finish and has nine wins this year with a chance to make it 10 at the bowl game.  Unbelievable!!!
But what I and many others will remember about the Mark Richt era is the lasting impact of his Christian leadership.  Other than the man who led him to Christ in 1986, former Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden, I have never witnessed a coach who represented Christ in such an honorable fashion.  In fact, listen to the interview below with Paul Finebaum where at the 4-minute mark he begins discussing his faith in Christ.  Notice the impact his life has on those in the media.


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7 Signs Of A Church Or Business In A Free Fall

on December 1, 2015 in Sports Leadership
Does everything seem to be going wrong at your church or business?   Are the key indicators of your success continually going down?  Does everything feel like a struggle?  Does it feel like if you didn’t have bad luck you’d have no luck at all?
If you have been in leadership any length of time, you have been there.  You know at best, you have little to no momentum.  At worst, you may be in full-fledged free fall.
Recently, Andy Benoit of the amazing website The Monday Morning Quarterback, profiled the Atlanta Falcons.  The Falcons started the season by winning their first five games.  With new head coach Dan Quinn, the team appeared to have a chance to make the Super Bowl.
They have since lost five of the last six games.  Benoit describes the team as being in a free fall.  It is amazing the parallels which exist between a sports team in free fall and a church or business in free fall.  You can read his full article by clicking here.
The good news is with the right decisions and best practices, you can regain lost momentum and stop your free fall regardless of the type of organization you lead.  First, let’s look at the anatomy of a free fall from Benoit’s article.  I will then conclude this post with a much-needed word of encouragement.
The following are 7 Signs A Church Or Business Is In A Free Fall I gleaned from Benoit’s profile:
  1. Missed Opportunities – There is a difference between sensing opportunity and seizing it.  The Falcons were favored in four of the five games they lost.  These teams were considered easily beatable.
  2. Unnecessary Mistakes – The Falcons have made far too many turnovers during their last six games.  In particular, quarterback Matt Ryan has thrown two or more interceptions in five games this year and is on pace for the most in his career.
  3. Loss Of Talented People – One of the season’s best surprises, running back Devonta Freeman, missed the last game with a concussion.  Even in the prior two games, Freeman only rushed for 12 and 43 yards respectively.
  4. Poor Fundamentals – There is a lack of attention to the basics of your profession.  In their 10-point loss to the New Orleans Saints, the Falcons lost two fumbles in scoring position.  Two weeks later in a 3-point loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Falcons lost three fumbles, two in scoring position.
  5. Poor Execution – Atlanta defeated the Tennessee Titans, one of the league’s worst teams, earlier this year by a score of only 10-7.  Part of the reason was Ryan throwing two interceptions because the Titans defense outschemed the Falcons offense.
  6. Poor Decision-Making – Ryan, a very cerebral quarterback, has been making a number of uncharacteristically bad decisions resulting in unnecessary interceptions.
  7. Poor Performance – Wide receiver Leonard Hankerson has had a number of dropped passes this season and veteran Roddy White has had three or fewer catches in eight of the team’s 11 games.
The good news is all these issues are correctable.  With their solid defense continuing to play well, there is still time for the Falcons to make the necessary adjustments, correct their mistakes, regain momentum and make the play-offs.  Chances are the issues in your church or business are correctable as well.  I hope this list helps you identify your problems.
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25 Statements About Changing A Teenager’s Life From John Calipari

on December 2, 2015 in Sports Leadership
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Leaders like smart.  Leaders like intelligent.  Leaders are naturally resistant to anything which reduces them to a level of mediocrity.  Leaders do not like dumb.  They demand excellence.
This is why I am a big fan of The Herd With Colin Cowherd.  His simulcast on Fox Sports 1 and podcast (click here to subscribe) features the best guests from sports, entertainment, business and politics, the best interviews and contains great insights on leadership.
On today’s show, he hosted John Calipari, the incredibly successful head basketball coach of the Kentucky Wildcats.   Coach Cal spent a good amount of time discussing how he can have a generational impact in the life of a teenager.
The following are 25 Statements About How To Change A Teenager’s Life captured from the interview.  All quotes are from Coach Cal unless otherwise noted.  To order his book Players First: Coaching From The Inside Out, click here or on the image above.
  1. “Basketball coaches, football coaches win games.  Administrations win championships.  They create a culture.”
  2. “There’s a culture of winning at Kentucky.  I’m not the only coach to win a championship at Kentucky (five have).”
  3. “If you want to win a (football) championship, you want to be the coach at Alabama.”
  4. “I’m at Kentucky.  If we lose to Wright St on Friday (they’ll say), the game has passed me by and we need another coach.”
  5. “The biggest thing for me is you’ve got to keep it real with these kids. We’re not making any promises that are outlandish.”
  6. “This is very hard playing at Kentucky…One of the challenges for you is every game you play is someone’s Super Bowl.”
  7. “That’s why my teams do so well in March.  Every game is significant.  Every game you have to be ready.”
  8. “I enjoy recruiting…You get to learn about families.”
  9. “If you’re about people and you’re about helping them, don’t you want to hear their story?”
  10. “I am coaching someone’s child.  That is not just a basketball player.  That’s someone’s child.  And many times these children are trying to change the whole direction of a family.”
  11. “Let’s learn about this family.  Tell me where it all started.  What have you been through?  How have you gotten to this point?”
  12. “I go into a home, look around and say, “If we do right together it ain’t going to be like this long.”‘
  13. “I’ve been in some homes so hot, I’m sweating so bad it looks like I’m lying…Mom’s cooking a meal and it’s 105 before she starts cooking.”
  14. “The more richer the neighborhood the more isolated I’ve always felt.” – Cowherd
  15. “In this country we’ve got this thing backwards.  When you don’t have anything, like nothing, you can’t get anything.  You can’t get hamburger.  You can’t get coffee.  You can’t get anything.  And when you have all that you need, don’t need anything, they give you stuff.  They’ll give you cars.  They’ll give you clothes.  You don’t have to pay for anything.  They’ll pick up your check.”
  16. “They all have lifetime scholarships.  I’m not going to hold them back for me.”
  17. “John Wall is not only a great player.  He just gave $400,000 to a homeless shelter.  He gave $1 million when he signed his contract.”
  18. “Our home court advantage is we got really good players.  That’s your advantage.”
  19. “If you’re going to draft a 19-year-old, deal with it.  You’re the team that’s taking him…Don’t take him thinking that he’s 23.”
  20. “This stuff now has become generational money…This is their opportunity for their families.”
  21. “You are walking into a man’s word.  N-B-A.  No Boys Allowed.  That’s a man’s world.  Are you ready?”
  22. “Are you ready to say ‘No’ to everyone around you?  Are you ready to be the CEO of your company?  Cause if not, you’re getting robbed.  Are you ready to read those contracts?”
  23. “In the NBA it starts with establishing who you are.  Then when you establish yourself as a player, you want to win.”
  24. “If you’re not winning, he’s not staying.”
  25. “I’ve been fortunate.  My best players, great guys.”
What is one thing you learned from Coach Cal which can help you better lead young men?  And once again, if you have not purchased his book Players First: Coaching From The Inside Out, click here or on the image above.  It will make a wonderful Christmas gift.
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