How to Pull a Rabbit Out of Your Hat

I recently watched a magician named Derek Hughes perform… he was amazing! To the casual observer, he was empowered with supernatural abilities. The truth: although well practiced and eminently skilled, what the audience experienced were some tricks of his trade. I'm thankful magicians aren't the only ones who have a few tricks up their sleeve.

Can You Lead?

Every follower deserves a leader who can actually lead. As important as it is to Start with the Heart, leadership character alone is insufficient. Last week I began to unpack the four critical domains of leadership beginning with our ability to Lead Self. Today, we’ll focus on the one which gets the most attention – the skills needed to lead well. 

Start with the Heart

Every journey has a beginning. Although many of you have been on your leadership march for a long time, others are fresh on the trail. Regardless of where you are on your timeline, there are four arenas which require your attention and ultimately your mastery if you want maximum influence and opportunity.

The World Needs More YOU!

Last Friday I had the opportunity to speak to a company's core leadership team on the subject of high performance. To set up the day we looked at several changing market dynamics.

I think we would all agree, from technology to competition, the demand to adapt to the needs of your customer base is enormous. The only thing unchanging is the pace of change, which continues to accelerate. 

[Tweet "The only thing unchanging is the pace of change, which continues to accelerate."]

With our minds wrapped around the need for change, it was the end of the day that brought us back to reality. The company brought in Howard Behar, former president of Starbucks International for a Q&A after I spoke. What an honor to share the stage with such a great leader ... and talk about a guy who is comfortable with change. Howard helped take Starbucks from 28 stores to over 23,000 during his time with the company. 

Howard Behar

But it was what Howard said about not changing that resonated most. 

"I'd rather work for an organization that was unsuccessful, yet true to their values, than one that was successful financially without being true to their values. Never change who you are. Hold to your values!" 

Howard's words challenged me on many levels. Truthfully I value my values much more than I do financial success. But if I'm dirt honest, I am conflicted at times. Too often it is easy to be lured by the bottom line or to desire approval from those I encourage. 

[Tweet "Holding to your values will lead to greater influence."]

How about you? Do you set your affection more on your success or your values? Are there times when you compromise who you are to impress others. 

Duplicity is the enemy of trust. You can increase your impact if you will be who you are ... define your values and live them out. If you want to win in today's marketplace and you're a values driven leader, be willing to change everything except the most important thing ... who you are.

The world needs more YOU!

Leadership Begins at Home,

Randy

Why do you think so many leaders compromise on their values?

Comment Below ...

The Best Planning Question Ever...

The fourth quarter every year is always challenging for me. Not because of year-end deadlines or goals I’m striving to nail before the annual clock strikes midnight – the challenge is preparing for the upcoming year.

What's Next on Your Leadership Journey?

Every great leader is on a journey - a long, never-ending quest to serve and grow. Have you ever given much thought to yours? If you have, and you are like most of us, you realize your path has been challenging, exhilarating and even frustrating at times, but it has certainly not been a straight line.

Today's Challenge: Can I Trust You?

People do not follow leaders they do not trust. If you and I are trustworthy, we’ve jumped a significant hurdle on the path to effective leadership. It we are not seen as trustworthy, no amount of skill will suffice. If your heart is not right, no one cares about your skills. Today’s Challenge question is… How do you build trust?

How to Make 2016 Great! - Part 2

We don’t control outcomes or opportunities - we do control our readiness for the challenges and opportunities we encounter. This core belief creates a passion in leaders to learn and grow. The New Year is a perfect reset moment. Our process of preparation can have a huge impact on our readiness and our success.

Is Your Team Bringing You Life?

One of my favorite authors is, corporate poet, David Whyte. In his work, The House of Belonging, Whyte reminds his readers of the importance of being surrounded by people who bring life.
He writes, “Anything or anyone that does not bring you alive is too small for you.”
As you look at your team, is there anyone who is not bringing you life? Is there anyone on your team who would say you are not bringing life to them?
Great leaders are emotionally intelligent. They pay attention to relationships, seeking to add value to the people they lead. They also are wise enough to rid themselves of draining team members.
If you want to have a great team, it starts with people who bring each other life. Anyone who fails in that department might be too small for you.  
Leadership Begins at Home,
Randy
What type of team members bring life to you as a leader?
Comment Below ...

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