Achievements Archives • Living to Lead

Four “A’s” to Full Power

October 10, 2018 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

The word “potential” has its roots in the Latin word “potentia,” meaning “power.”

I like to think of a person’s potential as the power within them. Potential is the power that drives us to do and be more, to go higher, and advance forward. Full potential is essentially “full power.”

The boiling point of water is 212 degrees. It’s the difference between water and steam…and steam will drive a locomotive. That is the power of full potential – it is reaching that one degree of difference.

(If unable to view the video above, please click here.)

As a leader, are you operating at full power?

Is your team operating at full power?

If not, why not?

Human nature being what it is, I don’t know of anyone, including myself, who expresses full potential every day of their life. This is where habits come into play – habits help to harness the power and keep you on track. But there are times when you or your team (or both) get off track and lose power.

How does this happen?

External Factors – These are things that happen to us. This can be the result of other peoples’ actions and outside circumstances. Maybe you were about to hit a high water mark in your business, and a major vendor canceled their order. Or you were a strong contender for a promotion, and the decision makers chose the other candidate. Perhaps you had a comfortable nest egg built when the economy tanked. Or something happened in a relationship that is affecting other areas of your life. These are external factors that can affect your potential.

Internal Factors – Internal factors are those things that happen from the inside out. They are rooted in spiritual, physical, or mental patterns. Perhaps you have a revenue goal in your business. You come close every year, but fall just short of the goal…every single year. Or you know there is something you can and should do, but you don’t do it. You fear failure…or perhaps you fear success. You may lack the confidence to step up to the next level in leadership, or have team members who do.

Potential can be affected by your physical condition as well. I am often asked why I take time to ride a bike or work out at the gym. It is because physical strength powers every other area of my life – and it does the same for you.

How can you get to higher levels of power across your team?

1. Assessment

With any coaching client, this is the starting point: “Where are you now?”

On a scale of 1-10, in each area of life (spiritual, physical, mental, vocational, financial, relational) they rate their current status.

Many find there are several areas that are weak. They also may notice how one area (for example, physical health, affects other areas). The gap between where they are and 10 on the scale is “potential.” It is room to gain power.

As a leader, this is a healthy exercise to do at least once a year. It is also a good idea to have your team members do this as well. While you may deal with them on a vocational level, those other areas have the potential to affect that one area…and they therefore have an effect on your entire team.

2. Achievements

Simply put, this step is about asking, “Where do you want to go?”

The percentage of people who always write down their goals is estimated to be around 13-20%. Yet, the act of writing down goals and visualizing them gives you 1.2 to 1.4 times the chances of actually reaching them, according to studies.

So you identify the areas in need of power, and then you define what full power looks like. Once you have done that, you simply need to define the next step.

As a leader, think of your team. Where is there a lack of power? Then visualize where you want to go – the goals you want to achieve.

3. Action

Now ask yourself and discuss with your team what it would take to get there.

Do they need tools?
Are their individual strengths applied in the right areas?
Are they in a position that lets them use their best abilities?
How are the team relationships?

Each of these has potential impact on power. And as you address each one, the power of your organization will increase.

4. Accountability

I have learned the power of coaching in my own life. There are times when I struggle with one of these facets – maybe I know areas of my life lack the power they had, but I need help identifying those areas. There have been times where I really wasn’t sure what I wanted to do next. Clarity can be hard to ascertain from an inside perspective. And, admittedly, there have been times when I knew what was causing a power drain, and I knew where I needed to go…but I just couldn’t bring myself to take action.

This is where accountability comes into play – it is the linchpin for gaining full power. Accountability to yourself, a system, or a coach – whatever works for you – but you need to be accountable in order to reach your full potential.

Are you and your team operating at 212 degrees – full power?

Dave Ferguson is “The Leaders’ Coach”, an internationally recognized executive leadership coach, speaker, facilitator, and author. Are you interested in talking to Dave about coaching or having Dave speak to inspire and motivate your team? “ASK COACH DAVE” at 704-907-0171 or at Dave@AskCoachDave.com.

An Often Overlooked Goal Strategy: Choose Your Words

February 21, 2018 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

You have made goals. Now comes the time to execute those goals.

Whether it is a health goal, a relationship goal, a career goal, or some other goal, the process is similar. You have an aspiration. Now you must execute.

Taking a step back, consider what you need to do to achieve those goals.

There is a standard list of project planning steps we all know: set realistic goals, make a plan, build in feedback loops so that even a lofty goal has reinforcing achievements along the way, etc.

These are all critical. It is likely you already do most of these based on experience.

There is another subtle – yet critical – issue you should consider as you pursue your goals: consider your choice of words.

Have you ever noticed how you are describing your goals? Are you using passive words? Why does it matter?

When I coach leaders with regard to their goals, they often speak of what they want to achieve using terms such as: wish, would, could, like, if, and maybe.

“I would like to increase sales by 25%.
“I wish to become successful in 2018.

These are not goals. They are expressions of uncertainty.

When spoken or considered, these expressions further reinforce uncertainty.

If you want to achieve your goals, you cannot be in the business of wishing. If you want to be successful, you must speak with conviction. Using action words shows confidence and determination.

Action words like “want,” “will,” and “can” show intentions of taking action.

Think for a moment. What makes you trust and believe in someone you really do not know? Consider successful sales people. What kinds of words are they using when speaking to you and getting you to buy from them? Are they passive or active words?

People buy from people they know, like, and trust – and people who can who speak confidently about their product.

Consider their mix of topics:

How much time are they reinforcing your relationship with them?
How much time are they educating you on their services?
How much time are they selling you on the advantages their offer provides?

Chances are, they are speaking with confidence in each of these areas.

You may not be in sales. Your goals may be in a completely different area, but the same principle applies. Stop and consider how your choice of words influences not only other people, but yourself.

Using active words will show others that you are confident and mean business.

Those same word choices are also key to convincing you to make the changes necessary to achieve your goals.

How NOT to Achieve Your Goals Next Year

December 31, 2013 By Dave Ferguson 1 Comment

Over the past few months, we’ve talked about how we are going to tackle our goals and dreams drastically differently in 2014. We’ve also talked about a process I call RPM to help you identify and build a plan to hit your goals. Now, let’s talk about why some people fail to achieve their goals (so it doesn’t happen to you).

I have found these 7 common reasons people fail to achieve their goals:

1. The goals are too many and too big. Yes, it is possible to set too lofty and too many goals for yourself! Some goals can take months and even years to achieve. If you have too many of these, you will probably stretch yourself too thin. Ideally, you should only have a few big lofty goals at one time. You need to ensure you have the time and energy to work on them, so don’t overdo it. A good suggestion is a few killer goals and a half-dozen small goals.

2. They fail to write the goals down. I am amazed at the number of people I ask to show me their goals and they can’t produce anything. Usually, they tell me the goals are in their head and that they don’t need to write them down. I usually answer with some statistics that show it’s much more effective to write your goals down. Folks, use the RPM process we discussed last week…write them down…on paper, in your journal, on a white board, or on your bathroom mirror…just get them down somewhere other than in your head. I carry mine with me all the time!

3. They don’t personalize their goals. Why do you want to accomplish the goal? How will you feel when you achieve the goal? What will it mean for you to achieve your goal? If you don’t have clear answers to these questions, chances are you don’t want to achieve the goal badly enough. You won’t be able to sustain the drive to achieve the goal. You need to be clear about the significance of your goals…crystal clear!

4. They don’t look at their goals often enough. We humans can be forgetful, can’t we? If you don’t physically write down and keep your goals in a place where you can see them every day, chances are you’ll forget about them. “Out of sight, out of mind.” I give my clients a neat little planner they can carry in their pocket or purse. They can carry it with them wherever they go…okay, not in the pool or lake, but it certainly can sit in the beach bag.

5. They don’t review and adjust the goals. Things change, people get off track, and sometimes people set goals way above their abilities. If you are checking in on your goals often enough, you can adjust and change them where necessary. It also gives you a chance to review your effort and plan. Are you really attacking the goals like you planned?

6. They keep the goals to themselves. These are the chickens. They are scared to share their goals with anyone as they fear failure and humiliation. How many times did Thomas Edison fail before he got the light bulb working? Once you have written down your goals, I highly recommend you publicize them. Yes, announce them to everyone you know; family, friends, enemies, co-workers, etc. Post them on your website and on Facebook. It may make you feel a bit uncomfortable but you know what I say about that. “To change, you have to get uncomfortable”. Put yourself out there this year…put it all on the line! You will get to read mine next week.

7. They don’t have a support network. While they are your goals, you don’t have to be out there on an island. This is where a good coach can really assist you. Accountability and follow-up is imperative in the goal process.

Now that you know the many pitfalls, it’s up to you to put yourself in the position to achieve them. Don’t fall victim to these seven common mistakes. If you’re reading this column, chances are you aren’t common. I challenge you to hit it out of the ballpark in 2014! Call me, and I will gladly help you.

Give Yourself the Gift of Good Health

December 26, 2013 By Dave Ferguson 1 Comment

I have one more gift for you this year! Each year, late in the month of December and over much of January, many people approach me and ask for advice on fitness, diet, and overall health. As we all know, many people start of each year with some health resolutions. While I am primarily a business coach, I do quite a bit of life coaching along the way. While today’s topic may appear to be a non-business subject, don’t be fooled. Just as business people read this column to assist in their business, there is no reason why health shouldn’t be just as important. Your health is absolutely critical to not only your personal success but also to the overall success of your business, whether you are a business owner, or not.

Today, record numbers of people are losing their lives to cancer, obesity, diabetes, heart disease, stress and more. The latest statistic I could find on diabetes is a staggering one. It states that, “one in three children born today will contract diabetes, primarily due to obesity, which is caused mainly by poor diet and lack of exercise.” In addition, the “highly acidic” lifestyles many of us live, which creates massive amounts of toxins in our bodies, is thought by many to be the leading cause of cancer. Can we effectively run a business when we are living lifestyles that destine us for these diseases?

Regardless of the physical or emotional shape we are in, we can always improve it. With good physical health comes energy, which is vital to our success. All the experts tell us that if we truly want to make a change in our life we should find a mentor to help us. In essence, we should find someone who has already made the changes we want to make and model them. Today, if you’ll let me, I’d like to be your mentor for physical health. Without going into too much detail (I save that for my one-on-one clients) I want you to know that this past year I let “things” get in the way, and I lost control of my diet and didn’t take good care of myself physically. I’m taking steps I will discuss with you today to get back on a healthy track. You will not believe the amount of energy and creativity you’ll gain by practicing these habits. I’m excited!

1. Reduce the amount of these you put in your body:

Processed Fats and Oils: Cooking fats makes them unusable and toxic to the body, resulting in acidic and disease bearing conditions.
Animal Flesh: This is the leading source of saturated fat and cholesterol and a big cause of heart disease. Watch the red meat!
Dairy Products: These are also a leading source of saturated fat and cholesterol. They are extremely fatty and one of the most destructive things we can put in our systems. As a former cheese lover, I can tell you this was personally a very challenging change to make, until I really looked at the flip-side.

2. Drastically reduce or eliminate your dependence and consumption of these acid additions:

Sugar (there are 14 teaspoons of sugar in one can of soda)
Alcohol
Nicotine
Caffeine
Drugs

3. Eat a diet that consists of water rich foods:

This should be about 70% of what we put in our mouths.
We should also drink half our body weight in ounces of water per day.

4. Make Aerobic training a priority:

At a minimum of 30 minutes, 4 days per week.
Heart rate should be between 70 and 80% of your maximum heart rate.

5. Include supplements in your daily plan: I will gladly discuss the many options with anyone who contacts me.

6. Exercise daily.That’s right every day. All you need is 25 minutes per day. A mix of strength and cardio exercises is recommended.

While making these changes in your lifestyle are difficult, I can tell you from personal experience, that you will indulge in life much more when you have the energy, vibrancy, and clearness that these healthy habits afford you. You will think, act, and feel at a different level, and your business will follow. Join me! If you need any assistance or if I can answer any questions for you, please do not hesitate to email or call me.

I will close with a quote from the great Zig Ziglar: “Discipline yourself to do the things you need to do when you need to do them, and the day will come when you will be able to do the things you want to do when you want to do them!”

Happy Holidays, and Awesome Health!