action plan Archives • Living to Lead

Good Growth, Bad Growth

April 9, 2019 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

Featured article by Dave Ferguson in CEOWORLD magazine. Reprinted by permission.

Growth is a necessary part of life. It has been said that if you are not growing, you are dying.

We grow food. We invest money so it will grow. And we want our children to grow into driven, responsible, and successful adults.

Growth is a good thing.

Unless it is not.

Weeds also grow. Debt and deficits grow. And there are all kinds of bad health habits that result in growth as well.

Like anything in life, growth can be good or bad.

Now the good news is, to a large degree, you can usually determine the direction of growth by the actions you take.

There is wisdom in the adage, “Train up a child in the way he should go.” In this context, it is like training a small tree. When it starts out, it is weak, and even a light wind could knock it over. To prevent this, you plant it at a good depth, and you tie it to a stake to give it strength and support.

Often as adults, we forget that we should still be growing and training ourselves in the way we should go.

What stakes do you have in place to support your growth?

Here are some stakes that will help you continue to grow in the right direction.

Stake #1: Values

Values anchor you. When you must make a decision or are faced with a situation, solid values will keep you from becoming uprooted. Furthermore, they will give you a basis for how you design each day. Ask yourself at the end of each day, “Have I lived according to my values?” And as you plan for the next day, week, or month, “How will I live according to my values?”

For example, if good health is a value, what are you doing to promote that value…TODAY? Not next month or next year, but TODAY. If a profitable business is a value, what call or visit are you going to make today? If family is a value, look at your calendar. Is your family on the calendar today?

Stake #2: Habits

If an unsupported tree is battered daily from a strong northwest wind, the tree will be permanently bent. It will grow, but in the wrong direction.

This is why the stake of constant habits is important. This stake provides daily reinforcement against the winds of life. Good habits create a good life. Bad habits can destroy it. Make your habits good ones and apply them daily.

“Sow a thought, reap an action; sow an action, reap a habit; sow a habit, reap a character; sow a character, reap a destiny.” –

Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Stake #3: Goals

Instead of New Year resolutions, perhaps the question to ask is, “How can I grow this year?”

Consider each area of life: physical, mental, spiritual, vocational, relational, and financial. How can you grow in each area?

Setting these goals and aspirations gives life and work great purpose.

How will you grow?
How will your relationships grow?
How will your business grow?
How will your team grow?
How will your financial assets grow?

These are targeted questions great leaders ask themselves and others frequently.

The key with goals is to make them specific and measurable. “Someday” is not specific enough. “I should” is a pretty good guarantee that you never will. But if you say, “I will lose ten pounds this month, and here is how I am going to do it and why it is important to me,” your chances of reaching that goal are quite high.

Stake #4: Accountability

Leaders who grow value accountability. They know that being highly accountable to themselves and others increases the likelihood of them forming good habits, reaching goals, and living according to their values.

Do you have a solid framework of accountability in your life?
Do you have established boundaries that help you know when to say, “Yes,” and when to say, “No?”
Do you have a planning system and a way to stay accountable to it?
Do you have a trusted coach or mentor who will guide, encourage, and commit to helping you stay on track?
Do you have a board of advisors to whom you are accountable in business, even if you are the leader?

The choice is yours. You will grow. The question is, “Will you choose to drive these four stakes deep enough to help you grow in the right direction?”

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.

Eight Ways to Motivate Your Team

March 20, 2019 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

Featured article by Dave Ferguson in CEOWORLD magazine. Reprinted by permission.

Consider these two types of calls to customer service.

Call Number One

A very unenthusiastic voice answers with a sigh. You explain your situation and ask for help in resolving an issue. As you ask questions, you sense that they are going through a checklist and responding with “canned” answers.

Ultimately, you are met with a response such as, “We can’t help you with that. You will need to call [another company or another department or another time].”

Or they may say, “This works for us. It should be working for you as well.”

Only you know it is not working. They offer no further alternatives, and then utter these infamous words: “Is there anything else I can help you with today?”

Now, in your mind, you know they did not help you with your first request; and you know they do not really want to help you with anything else. So, you hang up the phone, exasperated.

You are now an unhappy customer.

Call Number Two

“Hello, this is ABC Company, Joe speaking, how may I help you today?”

Joe’s professionalism and enthusiasm are immediately apparent. His energy sets a positive tone for the conversation.

You explain your situation. Joe listens intently. He confirms his understanding of your request and begins to find a resolution. If it is within his ability, Joe will take care of it immediately. He may offer a workaround if it is a custom situation.

If it needs to be escalated, he will let you know, and then promise to follow up the next day with the escalation team and keep you posted on progress. He does exactly as he promised.

Joe does not give up until you are happy with a resolution to your issue. He has essentially partnered with you to resolve the issue.

Not only are you a happy customer; you now have a great deal of trust in the company, based on your encounter with Joe.

This is the power of the front line.

Companies spend a great deal of money on marketing and advertising. But how much has your company invested in its front line?

Why does this matter?

It is because your most valuable customer is the one who returns and recommends you to others. Why would you invest so much to get them and so little to keep them?

In a previous article, we talked about how important it is for leaders to motivate themselves.

In this article, we will talk about how you, as a leader, can motivate your team.

Make sure they are placed well.

It could very well be that the representative on call number one had the potential to be a good employee if they were placed in the right position.

For example, you may have an introverted employee who works well in a quiet setting, with minimal supervision. They may be a programmer, for example, or a very detail-oriented accountant. If you place that person in a customer service position, it will be challenging for them to stay motivated long-term. People drain their energy.

On the other hand, if you have an employee who is a helpful “people” person and you place them in this position, it will give them energy.

If you place your people well, you add energy to each individual and to the team. And they will convey that energy to the customer.

Own the responsibility.

While it is true that motivation must come from within, you as the leader must own the outside forces that feed that inner motivation for each of your employees. Place them in the right position. Provide an environment that fits them well. Consider ways to show that you care for them as individuals and not just as part of a corporate machine. Ensure they are well-equipped and trained for the job.

If your team is not motivated in their work, ask yourself if you are doing your part to spark their inner motivation.

Thank your team specifically.

When a team member does something well, be sure to thank them specifically for what they have done. Nothing is more motivating than to sincerely be appreciated for something specific.

Invite their input.

Company suggestion boxes have become the source of sarcasm and jokes. “Put it in the company suggestion box. No one looks there anyway.”

Sadly, there is truth in that.

Leaders often say, “Give us suggestions, send us your ideas, let us know your thoughts.”

But few of those are heeded. And it is not because they are not good ideas, suggestions, and thoughts.

A wise leader will ask for input and take action when it makes sense for the organization to do so. And then report back to the employee that you have done so.

Do you want to motivate your team? Listen to their input and take action.

View them as experts.

Leaders can get into the mindset of thinking only they and their peers know what the company needs to thrive. But a wise leader will take the time to get feedback from the front-line experts, and especially those who deal directly with the customers and systems of the business. While company leaders may be experts in areas like vision and strategy, these team members have expertise as well…in operations, accounting, systems, and customer-facing skills.

If you are only meeting with your peers, you are missing a wealth of expertise. Expanding your circle of expertise not only adds value to the organization, it generates enthusiasm across your team to know they are recognized in this manner.

When individuals are given the chance to contribute their expertise, they are self-motivated to do their best work.

Attitude modeling

There are times when lack of motivation feeds from the top down. For example, if there is a high level of customer dissatisfaction, there will likely be a front-line issue. If you look beyond the front line, you may find that a leader with an attitude issue is having a trickle-down effect.

Leaders are people, just like anyone else. Everyone has good and bad days. But as a leader, your people look to you to set the example. Keeping a positive attitude in the face of adversity not only motivates you; it motivates your entire team.

Take time for them.

Your team will give you their best effort if they feel a connection with you, the organization, and the vision. This means communication is key. Share the bigger picture vision and goals with employees at all levels of your organization. Working together to accomplish a goal is highly motivational.

Empower them to make decisions.

In previous decades of business, the hierarchal model was the accepted norm. Today’s business is much more collaborative. As such, it makes sense for you to give your employees boundaries of authority that are appropriate for their area. If they can help solve a customer’s issue, and they know they have some leeway to do it, they are more apt to be motivated and enthusiastic.

Is your team motivated to serve well? Are you?

PE 101

The registration for our next class is now open. I’m excited to once again be sharing the stage with Titus Bartolotta and others.

The program is four half-day group workshop-style sessions that, combined, make up a really amazing experience.

Where:
9820 NorthCross Center Ct.
Huntersville, NC 28078

When:
April – 12th & 26th
May – 10th & 31st

Time:
8am – 1pm

If you are interested, reach out to me directly (email Dave@LivingtoLead.com), and let’s get you registered. I’m giving away a FREE coaching session to a few early birds.

What Will You Add This Year?

January 23, 2019 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

In the previous article, I posed a question: “What will you subtract this year?”

Apparently, it hit a nerve, as it was one of the most-read articles to date. It was all about ways to better use time – to free up time for the things that matter most to you, personally and professionally.

If you have not read that article, take a moment and do so now…before the next distraction or demand hits.

In this article, I want to address the phase that comes after subtraction: What do you need to add?

Have you ever had a marathon office cleaning session, where you managed to clear your desk? It felt great, right? You could sit down to work with a clear mind. That usually lasts about…one day, or for some, one hour.

Why is this?

The return of overwhelm comes because there is no process for preventing it.

Step 1 was Subtraction – Declutter those things that adversely impact your time.

Step 2 is Addition – Determine focus and create a process that keeps you from returning to overwhelm.

Here is a personal example.

Several years ago, I was a successful executive. I also owned and operated several side ventures and a good amount of real estate. On the wheel of life, “Work” was taking over, which is common among executives. But with so much focus on work, as you would surmise, other areas began to suffer.

After a wakeup call with regard to my health, I realized I needed to declutter some parts of my life to create greater margin, which I did.

But that wasn’t enough.

Fill the void.

Here is a fact of life: Voids will be filled.

That empty spot on your desk; the open calendar space; that time you decided to use for exercise…these will all be filled.

The question is: Who or what will fill the void?

Jim Rohn said it well: “If you don’t design your own life plan, chances are you’ll fall into someone else’s plan.”

This is why Step 2 is just as important as Step 1.

Step 1 creates margin.

Step 2 determines who or what fills it.

I had managed to create margin, which is both an accomplishment…and a considerable adjustment.

I quickly realized I had to take another step – the step of intentionally filling it.

I determined my three main priorities and created boundaries on time spent working, and scheduled in time for exercise, reading, and being out in nature to fill those spots previously used for work. My calendar was full, but full of very purposeful commitments to each area of life.

“Wait a minute!” you may be thinking. “First you advocate subtracting to create margin, and now you’re refilling the margin?”

Exactly.

Only this time, I did it with great intention. And that has made all the difference.

It has provided a measure of balance in other areas of life, and contrary to what you might think, business and career have improved with the broader focus to all areas and less time in just work. In fact, I am now a healthier and more energetic leader than I was before.

No matter your position in leadership, I urge you to take these two steps. As a leader, you must be strong for your team, and energetically, you set the pace. Addressing all areas and not just one will help you be a more effective leader.

For Step 2, review your wheel of life.

Honestly assess each area as I do with my coaching clients to determine where adjustments need to be made.

Spiritual Health
Personal Development
Physical Health
Business and Career
Relationships
Financials

Where do you need to add?

Where do you need to subtract?

Create margin, then fill it intentionally. Be the best leader you can be.

What Will You Subtract This Year?

January 9, 2019 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

Back in the 1990’s, it was all about “collecting.” Baseball cards, toys, coins, comic books – you name it. If you had an interest, there was a “limited edition” just waiting for your purchase. This ran in tandem with a housing market where people were leveling up to bigger and better houses. All these things also elicited another big increase – a sinister side effect that eventually came back to bite us economically – and that was the level of consumer debt.

As with all things that fall prey to a frenzied pace, there came a time of rebalancing. It was ushered in as a housing bust. Suddenly, the market had an influx of expensive houses full of expensive collections that no one was buying.

Then came a new generation whose interests were more in the range of “tiny houses” and minimalistic lifestyles, and where now older and wiser Baby Boomers were seeking to downsize in similar fashion to their younger counterparts.

A similar frenzy occurred in the internet world as well. The frenetic pace of internet marketing coming at the average consumer from every conceivable angle reached a peak. As in anything, there is a need for balance.

And today, people are seeking that balance – in their work, personal development, relationships, finances, and health.

As a coach, I work with leaders across many demographics, across the country, and around the world. And in each case, the reason we work together is to identify those areas of imbalance and make the needed adjustments.

This may be the worn-out executive who is weary of the financial responsibilities that come with keeping a company profitable and making payroll week in and week out in a highly competitive marketplace.
This may be the entrepreneur who has hit the wall on capacity and is fast becoming a victim of his or her own success.
It could be a leader who has climbed the ladder of success only to realize it was the wrong ladder for them.
It could be a very successful leader who suddenly finds themselves in need of a new challenge, a retreat, or a combination of both.
Often, it is a leader who has devoted so much to a successful career that their health and relationships are in jeopardy.

The point is, leaders are people, too. They push too hard, strive for too much, and, yes, even leaders need to take the time to declutter some part of life and work and do some rebalancing.

And so, as we begin a new year, I challenge you to consider where you need to recalibrate.

I am not going to challenge you to take on new initiatives and new endeavors – not yet. Not until you have first considered what you are NOT going to do this year.

Ask yourself, “What do I need to release this year in order to gain margin for the things that matter most to me?”

Here are some considerations for decluttering.

1. Work

Are you finding yourself working all the time? Do you stay late most nights, work weekends, catch yourself checking email in the middle of the night? This level of work will crowd out all other areas of life if you let it. I know, as I spent my many years trying to do it all as well…until the day I got a wake-up call regarding my health. Don’t wait until you hit that wall. Set boundaries for yourself regarding work.

And, by the way, do your team a favor, and don’t email them in the middle of the night, on weekends, and at all hours. Be respectful of your time and theirs.

2. Volunteer Work

I am a major proponent of giving back and supporting my community. But ask yourself if all the obligations you have make sense for you. It is easy to fall victim to volunteer overcommitment. Does the volunteer work fit your values, your schedule, and your passion? Then by all means, continue.

But if those volunteer opportunities have simply become a source of dread, with no purpose behind them, then it may be time to do some shifting. The fact is, organizations are best served by those who have the passion and resources to do the work well. If you can’t be that person, allow someone else to take your place who can fill that role with passion and purpose.

3. Screen Time

Nothing has had more impact on society in recent years than screen time. We are bombarded everywhere with screens – tablets, TVs, mobile phones, movie screens, digital signs and billboards, and JumboTrons™.

According to a shocking study by Nielsen, “American adults spend over 11 hours per day listening to, watching, reading or generally interacting with media.”

The greater impact may be what we are missing during those 11 hours each day. What could you do with 11 extra hours a day? Think about that.

While all our devices and even social media have some benefit, I challenge you to see if you are gaining 11 hours’ worth of benefit from them each day. If not, it may be time to set some limits. Don’t miss the game by giving all your attention to the JumboTron™.

4. Meetings

Teamwork is important. Communication is essential. But ask yourself if you are having meetings that do not result in actions taken, problems solved, or goals determined. If meetings are needed for a specified purpose, then, meet. But if they are simply obligatory because they are on the calendar and have become routine ruminations of the same weekly cud, it may be time to seek more productive endeavors.

Click here for some additional ideas on ways to have productive meetings.

5. Projects

For many of us, activity is key. Idleness is a function we avoid at all costs. But activity is not the same as productivity. If you are always moving, pushing, and ideating, it may be time to stop for a bit and just “be.”

This is another leadership lesson I have learned through the years. You may observe I spend regular time at the beach. This is my time to “be.” During these times, I am giving my mind time to reflect and recharge. It is often during these times of “inactivity” that ideas come, or resolutions present themselves.

Ask yourself if all the projects currently on your plate are the right ones for you at this time. Or are they simply ways of keeping yourself busy?

When you focus in on the one to three projects that will get you to where you want to be, you have a greater chance of success. When you focus your activities on that narrowed field, you can reach your goals. And when you schedule fewer activities on your calendar, you can, ironically, accomplish far more than you imagined.

It may come as a welcome relief to many to have read an article about “less” in a world that constantly demands “more.”

What will YOU subtract this year?

—

Here is a complimentary tool to help you narrow your focus…and broaden your success.

Looking for a leadership development program you can use with your team? Check out the Boss or Leader: Lead and Learn Kit. It is affordable, effective, and provides high impact. Be a leader who makes a difference!

Click here for details.

Leaders in Pursuit of Purpose

December 5, 2018 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

You have accomplished a great deal as a leader. Maybe you started a business and hit your initial income goals. Or perhaps you have climbed the ladder of success in your field to a very high level.

Others look at your life and think you “have it made.”

But you know the dirty little secret.

Something is missing. You don’t know what…but something is missing.

While you put on your success face during the day, your nights are filled with restlessness.

While you go through the motions of your work and daily life, there is a sense of apathy, boredom, or dread.

The work you used to love now feels uninspiring.

You may realize your career success has impacted other areas of your life, and not in a good way. Perhaps your health, relationships, or sense of personal fulfillment have suffered.

You read books like Purpose Driven Life, and while the messages are good and sound, you still have that gnawing sense that something is missing.

That “something missing” is, indeed purpose.

Purpose is the driving factor of human beings. We are either living our purpose or searching for it, and it seems elusive. In a sense, purpose is our highest potential – it is the ultimate reason we exist. Even those who are living their purpose will plateau at times and experience a sense of rudderless-ness.

Here are signs you are struggling with purpose.

Boredom
Apathy
Dread
Lack of fulfillment, even though you have everything you need and more
Resentment toward those who are living their purpose
Fear that you may never find your purpose
Issues in other areas of life beyond work: relationships, spiritual, health, or personal finances, for example
Restlessness and feelings that something is missing
Frustration or anger

What to do when you are at these points.

Understand this is a normal part of being human

Humans are designed for purpose. Each of us comes equipped with innate strengths, and we have a unique blend of skills and life experiences as well. We seek to use these tools to fulfill our purpose. But we are human. We don’t have it all figured out yet. And that is okay. The act of seeking, striving, plateauing, and then resuming our pursuit is…life. The key is to expect the ups and downs of fulfilling purpose, and work with it.

Rest

It is hard to bring your fullest potential in your work when you are exhausted. As a leader, managing your energy is critical. You must be at your best in order to lead your team to be their best. Stephen Covey’s Habit #7 – Sharpening the Saw – is a critical habit for long-term success. In this day and age, more is expected of leaders than ever before. Competition is fierce. Margins are tight. Challenges are many. Sharpening the saw is not only a good suggestion; it is an essential life practice.

Look for a new challenge

Some leaders are blindsided when they reach a level of success – something major to which they have aspired – and then find they are not satisfied with that success. This is because there is still more potential.

The cure?

Rest, then pursue a new and higher challenge. You may not “feel” like pursuing a new challenge, but once you begin, you will once again resume your path to purpose.

Face your fears

Fulfilling your purpose and reaching your highest potential can be fear-inducing. What if you miss the mark? What if you pursue the wrong purpose? What if your ladder of success is pinned to the wrong wall? These are fears of failure.

What if you do succeed? This is the fear of success, and it has the same effect as the fear of failure – stagnation.

Give yourself permission to experiment, fail, and even succeed. Everything you learn along the path of life and work is of value to you in your pursuit of purpose. Don’t wait until you know your purpose – start from where you are, and purpose will reveal itself with more clarity as you go.

Focus on legacy

We often confuse accomplishments with purpose. Purpose is bigger than accomplishments. It is the core of who you are as a person, and what you leave behind for those who follow.

In this sense, you lay a path to purpose day by day, but you may never fully realize that purpose in your lifetime.

Think of the many authors, architects, artists, and leaders from history. Many died penniless, perhaps with a sense of purposelessness. But their legacy lived on, well beyond their lives. They had done what they were gifted to do, and that was their purpose. They may not have realized it, but their lives served great purpose.

Leaders would do well to seek to serve with the gifts they have been given, and let purpose unfold in its own time.

In the classical Christmas movie, It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey thought he had purpose. He was going to travel and see the world. He was going to have an adventurous life.

But the reality of his life took a different turn. He worked in his father’s struggling business, stayed in his hometown, married, had children, and lived in an old drafty house. His life seemed purposeless to him.

But when given the chance to see how life for others would have been if he had never been born, he realized his life had even greater purpose than he imagined.

As you go about your day-to-day life and business, focus not on purpose, but on service. How can you, as a leader, serve others? This creates legacy.

“The Bridge Builder,” a poem by Will Allen Dromgoole says it well.

When a man was asked…

You’ve crossed the chasm, deep and wide,
Why build this bridge at evening tide?

He said….

There followed after me to-day

A youth whose feet must pass this way.

He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;

Good friend, I am building this bridge for him!

Looking for a leadership development program you can use with your team? Check out the Boss or Leader: Lead and Learn Kit. It is affordable, effective, and provides high impact. Be a leader who makes a difference! Click here for details.