During a recent coaching session, I was asked, “How do we get the most out of ourselves?”
Several ideas came to mind, and I quickly rattled off a short list. Upon further reflection, I thought it was a list worth sharing, because we all have the potential to do more than we are doing today.
Here are eight ways that you can unleash the best from within yourself.
The success of a team can depend on many things, but certainly a leader’s attitude, energy, and confidence makes a huge difference. This can be referred to as “mojo” – that certain charm or personal magnetism that makes people and teams more successful.
One gifted leader I know recently referred to that intangible quality in an insightful communication to managers, which said in part:* Read the rest of this entry »
In life, there will be setbacks, maybe even huge ones that dash our hopes and derail our plans. They cause us to question what’s wrong with us. Thoughts like, “Why me?” and “Poor me!” can overwhelm us.
It’s natural to feel this way once in a while, but how we deal with that adversity can make a huge difference in our lives. If we look around us, we will find people who have overcome great obstacles. They can become role models in challenging times.
While there are many who could rightly lay claim to the title of “America’s Finest,” such elite stature surely belongs to the US Navy SEALs. The SEALs exude leadership and triumph in difficult situations. The recent Bin Laden raid in Pakistan only added to their mystique.
Last year I read a riveting book, Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell. Luttrell was part of a four-man mission in Afghanistan. Against all odds, he survived, but the rest of the team unfortunately did not.
Imagine flying the Apache AH-64 helicopter, cruising at 165 miles per hour with one eye on what’s ahead and the other eye focused on your helmet’s eyepiece and its sophisticated navigation and armaments systems.
Yes, that’s right! One eye must fly the plane and the other eye, simultaneously, keeps track of sophisticated systems. These pilots are amazing.
It takes that same kind of concentration to lead a team in today’s competitive and increasingly complicated environment. Leaders must keep one eye on the immediate challenges, and the other eye on the road ahead and the strategic adjustments and changes that will be required.
One of the great things Building Champions’ coaches do in helping people prepare their Life Plan is to ask them to compose their own obituary. You write it the way you want to be remembered by your family, friends, colleagues and others important to you. For me, this was a powerful experience.
But how I wanted to be remembered was probably not how it would really be written if my life had ended right then. There were gaps that I needed to address.
Have you ever had someone ask you for advice and suggestions about their career? What do you say?
My first response is to “Aim Higher.” We often sell ourselves short. We don’t pursue every opportunity to stretch our limits. We need to take full advantage of the potential that lies within each of us.
Many of us don’t see all the possibilities that lie ahead. We must be open to uncovering them. This begins with exceeding expectations in the work we are doing right now. Excel at every task, large or small, and set as a goal to add real value every day.
Some of us are naturally very positive. But anyone who watches the news for very long can lose even the most optimistic spirit.
Back in the 1970’s, I started attending “Success Conferences” and greatly enjoyed listening to Zig Ziglar. He offered a lot of positive messages, but one was right on point: “avoid stinking thinking.”
We can’t stick our heads into the sand and avoid the problems around us. At the same time, we need to open our eyes and see the positive.
One of the great joys of coaching is watching the progress and accomplishments of others. As coaches, we get the opportunity to help our clients identify big goals, and then move toward achieving them.
You may have seen the movie or read the book The Blind Side by Michael Lewis. It is the compelling story of Michael Oher, who as a young boy lived on the streets and spent time in foster homes. He was one of nine children of different fathers and a mother who sometimes disappeared for days while on cocaine or other drugs.
No one, including Child Protective Services, believed he had much of a chance in life.
Remember the old acronym K.I.S.S., or “Keep it Simple, Stupid”? This saying still makes a lot of sense today.
Business can be complex, and that complexity only seems to be increasing. Local, state, and federal regulations create challenges. We are bombarded with media, social media, and an overabundance of consumer research. Financial requirements, legal advice, vendor agreements, tax laws….all of these crowd our minds and demand our time.
If you are managing and leading people, the increasing degree of difficulty in getting the real work done can be overwhelming. This is when it is necessary to step back, take a breath, and determine the simplest solution.
Jerry Baker began his career in the management development program at Ford Motor Company, later became a manager of budgets and analysis for Northrop Corporation, then furthered his management development as Deputy Director for the California Department of Commerce when Ronald Reagan was Governor.
He advanced through senior management ranks at Countrywide Financial, becoming Managing Director. He then became Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fleet Mortgage Group, a public company. Jerry joined First Horizon in 1998, holding several senior executive positions before becoming President and CEO of First Horizon National Corporation and First Tennessee Bank.
As a member of the Board of Directors Jerry helped to refocus, develop, recruit and lead the company through a tumultuous period. Under his leadership the company had nearly 10 years of double digit growth in returns.