 In this week's challenge, I challenged all my Facebook friends (www.facebook.com/drwillspeaks) to write down 35 things that they want to accomplish in the next 10 years. I call this my decade forecasting, and I use this with all my coaching clients, it helps simplify what you should be focusing on and when you should be focusing on it. We all have a limited amount of time and must use it wisely.
I often ask people do they plan on being around in 10 years, and almost without fail, they all say yes. Then my next question always is do you have a road map or blueprint? And I usually get a puzzled look. In my experience people don't accomplish much, simply because they don't know what they should be focused on. So time just simply flies away in their life. Let me share a few things on my list: 1. Build a strong network of friends 2. Develop better relationships with family members 3. Write a best seller 4. Become a part owner in an NBA team So, when I look at my list of 35, I ask myself what can I work on and accomplish in the next 1-3 years. Looking at my list, building a strong network of friends and developing better relationships is doable and achievable. Years 4-7 I will work on writing a best seller and year 8-10 position myself for ownership. I do this for every thing on my list, so I know what I should be working on now, and where my focus should be. This allows me to have great focus and discipline in my life and it will help you have great focus as well. So I challenge you to write down your goals and don't cheat yourself, you will be amazed at what you can accomplish when you are focused and headed in the right direction. Remember, Think Better, Live Better
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Teams in corporate, church world and sports are made up of many moving parts and people. Every individual has their own perspective and ideas of how something should flow. Everyone looking for their idea or way to be implemented in the overall plan. Two of the greatest team killers I have seen in my experience is number one lack of communication and the other assumptions.
When these two elements are present, the team is sure to implode no matter how talented they may be. Communication must be clear, if not, everyone is left to think their idea is the one and this leads to assuming. So as a leader how do you diffuse this problem. You make every effort to clearly communicate the goals and the intent of the organization at every turn. If not, you open the door to these team killers. Remember, Think Better, Live Better When I was in the military, one of the first things I learned was that leaders sacrifice. Leaders are first to work and last to leave, leaders ensure that the team has what they need, even if it means they go without. From the moment I entered Basic Training I was taught to think of the team first.
Today I talked with a dear friend that reminded me of this principle. As we talked on the phone and caught up with each other, I asked him how work was going. He explained that he just took over a new unit, Nate is a First Sergeant in the United States Army. Nate told me that he got the unit because he turned down the opportunity to drive for the President of the United States. Yes, that President. Nate is an exceptional leader and recently completed an assignment driving for a 3-Star General in Washington, D.C. His reward so to speak was being assigned to the President's driving team. Why did Nate turn this great opportunity down you ask? Because leaders sacrifice. Nate has a beautiful family that has supported him throughout his military career. Earlier on in his career, he was not able to pick and choose where he wanted to be assigned, so this meant the family had to up root several times. Well this time was different, he had a choice. When he talked with his family about the opportunity to drive for the President, he noticed the disappointment on his teenage daughter's face. Nate accepting this assignment, would mean the family would have to move and his daughter would have to change schools for a third time in four years. Nate made the choice to allow his daughter to finish her high school years at her current school. Nate is a leader that knows "Leaders Sacrifice." A great leader is always thinking about the team, how decisions affect the whole. Nate made a decision that I feel will enhance his family team for years to come. I salute his decision Remember, Think Better, Live Better! Forgiveness is a choice that can be made by anyone at any time. Unfortunately many choose not to make this choice and live life in torment. Unforgiveness is like a prison, because it locks you in, hinders your mobility and forces you to look at the same scene over and over again.
When we forgive, we are not saying what happen was right, or that it didn't hurt, or we were not disappointed. What you are saying when you forgive is that, I will not allow someone elses issue prevent me from moving on. That pain you feel is an indicator that you have feelings and you trust people, which are all necessary elements of living a joyful life, Never allow anyone to steal that from you through un-forgiveness. To help yourself in this process, ask yourself the following questions: 1. Has not forgiving the person made me feel better? 2. Has not forgiving the person made the action any less hurtful? 3. How has not forgiving affected my other relationships? After this week, don't allow yourself to be placed in a box, imprisoned because of someone else's misjudgment, ill-will or hurtful ways. Free yourself and forgive! Remember, Think Better, Live Better Being an effective leader is all about developing, developing how you learn, lead and love those who look to you for leadership. For almost two decades I have been involved in leadership and leading teams. And what I have observed in my leadership and other great leaders I have studied is that people respond when you C.A.R.E.
The most effective leaders CREATE environments where individuals can grow, develop and flourish in their given fields. Great leaders ASSESS their teams to ensure they have the tools to perform their best; they are always looking to give their team the right equipment. In my experience you need to RELEASE your team, micro-managing those you lead will foster distrust and make them feel belittled. Lastly, look for the opportunity to ENCOURAGE, even when a person makes a mistake, look for the training opportunity and be able to still see the value Follow me on Twitter @moldlegacy Today, I learned of the death of two great individuals, Rev. Fred L. Shuttlesworth a Civil Rights Icon, and Co-Founder of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The other was Steve Jobs, the innovative, vision minded and bold Co-Founder of Apple, home of the iPhone, iPod and iPad and other innovative products. As I read articles, read Tweets and Facebook post honoring these great two men, I was inspired. Mentally examing my life, and preparing to make any changes necessary to ensure I am living my life wisely, time is so very precious. Rev. Shuttlesworth was 89 and Steve Jobs 56, the latter very young by many accounts. Life is filled with twist and turns, unexpected occurrences, mistakes and regrets. We all have some would've, could've and should've in our lives, but we must learn to learn from all these events and move on. Allow your past to be a teacher, but never allow your past to hold you captive. Many people make the unnecessary choice to limit themselves because of the past, becoming a prisoner to fear, doubt and unbelief. Distrusting themselves and the potential that is on the inside of them. In my book the 9 Practices to Guarantee a GREAT Day (available for free download on my resources page of my website) I say you have to give people permission to be human. The same is true for yourself, you must give yourself permission to be human.
I want you to do something very powerful, I want you to write yourself a Forgiveness Letter. In this letter, tell yourself that you forgive yourself, and you longer choose to be a prisoner of the past. Your letter can be short or long, that's up to you. But I want you to forgive yourself of every mistake, bad decision and regret you have made in the past. Then I want you to tell yourself that you know you will make more mistakes and bad decisions in the future, but you promise yourself to learn from them and not punish yourself. At the end of the letter, give yourself PERMISSION to be GREAT! Remember, Think Better, Live Better www.facebook.com/drwillspeaks www.twitter.com/moldlegacy |
AuthorDr. Will is an author, speaker and leadership consultant.... Archives
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4802 E. Ray Rd. Ste 23-122
Phoenix, Az 85044
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4802 E. Ray Rd. Ste 23-122
Phoenix, Az 85044
Legal Information