March 22nd, 2011
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.
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Tags: Achievement, Careers, Hard Work, Opportunities
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March 8th, 2011
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.
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Tags: Good News, Leadership, Negativity, Optimism
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February 22nd, 2011
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.
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Tags: Achievement, Action, Challenges, Potential
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February 7th, 2011
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.
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Tags: Change, Communication, Processes, Simplicity, Teamwork
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January 10th, 2011
Recently, at a roundtable meeting we hosted for CEOs, Coach Barry Engelman offered the group six powerful “C” words that leaders should keep in mind as they start 2011.
Barry has graciously permitted me to share these words with you, and I’ve added my own thoughts as well. I believe that all leaders can use a good dose of “Vitamin C” for the New Year.
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Tags: Achievement, CEO Roundtable, Communication, Goals, Vision
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December 21st, 2010
At the end of each year, all of us at Building Champions take time out to rest and reflect. With this in mind, our office will be closed beginning on December 24th. You can look for more thoughts on Leadership From the Trenches when I resume blogging in January.
What will the New Year hold for you? In what ways will you be blessed, and how can you continue to help others be the best they can be?
My hope is that you will join me this Christmas season and reflect, renew, and recommit to be the best person you can, in every respect. Here are some questions to help you do just that.
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Tags: Planning, Questions, Reflection
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December 13th, 2010
As we approach another year, we go through the “exercise” of preparing a new budget, reviewing our vision, and detailing the actions needed to reach our goals.
These are all reasonable and necessary activities, both for our businesses and for us personally. However, these activities are often approached as just an annual exercise … something to do and get done so we can get back to work.
When completed, the exercise goes back on the shelf or the corner of the desk to be reviewed again next year.
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Tags: Expectations, Goals, Planning, Processes, Vision
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November 16th, 2010
At the Building Champions Experience in September there were many discussions about finding our “why.” In essence, what is our purpose, and is what we are doing each day as meaningful as it could be?
These are critical and difficult questions to answer. How we think about them can uplift us, shape our attitude, guide our direction, influence the actions we take, and help us improve.
One of my colleagues, Steve Scanlon, pointed out that, “in life there is no such thing as standing still; you are either moving forward or backward.” If we think we can tread water in pursuit of our goals, we are sadly mistaken. The world around us will continue to evolve and move forward, and if we are not advancing toward our goal then we are falling behind.
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Tags: Achievement, Goals, Purpose, Vision, Why
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October 25th, 2010
How many times do we begin with great intentions, but fail to get the job done? Our plans were solid, we had detailed action steps, but something got in the way and we didn’t follow through.
How much time is wasted by incomplete efforts with poor results, and nothing tangible to show for it? Probably more than we would like to admit.
In the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, John Stephen Akhwari represented Tanzania in the marathon event, and he had every reason in the world to give up.
Akhwari had dislocated his knee in a fall and was hurt, bleeding and bandaged when he entered the darkened arena. Most of the crowd had already left, as Akhwari came in well over an hour behind the runners who finished before him.
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Tags: Challenges, Following Through, Goals, Integrity, Opposition
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October 11th, 2010
Recently, I shared some insights from the breakout session I led at the Building Champions Experience entitled “Strategy and Strategic Thinking.” Today, I’d like to tell you about my other breakout session on the subject of Leadership.
I believe hope is essential in all we do, but hope alone is not a winning strategy. It is your leadership skills that will make success a reality!
In this session, I focused on 10 Leadership Principles that I have learned from my time in the trenches. Some of these principles came naturally, but many were observed, developed, or improved through practice.
Let’s explore these areas briefly and review why I believe these principles are indispensible for achieving success.
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Have you ever had someone ask you for advice and suggestions about their career? What do you say?
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.