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Giving and Gaining Respect

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Giving and Gaining Respect
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Very often, the word “respect” is associated with leaders, as in, “That person is a respected leader in the community.”

But there are two particularly important things to note with regard to this concept.

One is that leaders are responsible for earning that respect. It is not inherent to the position, as many would believe. It is earned by daily actions that earn the trust of your team, actions that demonstrate that the words you say are the words you live. If there is a difference, your team will notice. In our Leader’s Ladder workshops, we share how having a title is only the first rung of leadership. Respect and legacy are much higher levels of leadership. These levels are cultivated over time and rooted in trust.

The other aspect of respect that gets lost in today’s commoditized workplace is the importance of respecting your team for their strengths and contribution to organizational success.

Here are some examples of what NOT to do.

1. You meet with only certain members of your team. Everyone else knows they are outsiders of the core team you meet with all the time.

While those outsiders could bring great value to the conversations, they are never included. Instead, you come out of the meetings and start randomly throwing out tasks with no forewarning and no connection to the bigger picture.

The message this sends to your team is that they are simply doers of tasks, not contributors to a cause.

2. You have team members who go above and beyond what is expected. But instead of sincerely acknowledging their efforts, you take them for granted and pile on even more. Then, when they are overwhelmed by the load, you ask, “Why isn’t all this done yet?”

The message this sends to your team is that they are being used to build a business, not valued for their passion and contribution.

3. You feel you must manage every aspect of the work, so instead of collaborating with your team to determine who can lead a project, you dictate every step of what must be done, when, and how.

The message this sends to your team is that they cannot possibly think for themselves and that you are the boss.

Is it any wonder that one of the most common issues leaders have is a disengaged team?

Take note of your words and actions this month.

  • In your interactions with your team, are you showing respect?
  • Are you building trust by ensuring that your actions and words are congruent?
  • Are you developing leaders or treating your team members like commodities?
  • Are you sharing projects or delegating tasks?
  • Are you giving your people opportunities to grow, solve problems, and contribute to the bigger picture?

These are serious and important considerations, the kind that make the difference between being a boss or being a leader. True leaders give and gain respect.

Watch the video below for a good discussion on the differences between a boss and a leader.

DavDave Fergusone 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.

Two Steps to Start Creating a Leaderstyle that Fits Your Lifestyle

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Is there something you have always wanted to do?

From the time I was young, I wanted to live near a beach and go there on a regular basis. But life threw some curve balls my way at a young age, and later, I joined the military and went to college.

Afterward, I dived into a busy corporate career and spent many years in the coaching and speaking industry. I kept putting in my time so that maybe, someday in the distant future, I could reach my goal. I really didn’t want to wait until retirement to live at the beach, but that was my trajectory.

Then, one day, I had a wake-up call that made me realize I could not continue to delay my dream. In fact, I realized if I didn’t make some lifestyle changes, I may never see that dream at all.

As the workplace and technology began to change, so did my mindset. I began to see there were ways to make my dream a reality sooner than later. There were ways I could make a living without losing my health.

That is when I decided to create my own “leaderstyle” that would result in the lifestyle I wanted.

If we are connected on social media, you see my posts from the beach all the time.

Would you like to learn how to do this for yourself?

Here are two steps you can take to get started.

Define Your Desired Lifestyle

Your goal may not be to spend time near the ocean. It may be to spend time in the mountains, with your family, pursuing an interest, or championing a cause. Maybe, like many, you simply want to create a life that has more balance in all the important areas. Or perhaps you want to reach certain career levels in a business without sacrificing the people and values most important to you.

I can tell you with certainty that if you don’t define your desired lifestyle, someone else will define it for you. It’s your choice. You can live by design or by default.

It sounds like a simple assignment: define your desired lifestyle. Yet, you would be amazed at how many people never take the time to do it. They just continue doing what they do, day after day, week after week, year after year. And before they know it, decades have passed.

Do yourself a favor and define your desired lifestyle now. Write it down. Don’t question whether or not it is possible (you will talk yourself out of it). Write it down, no questions asked. It is yours.

Create Your Leaderstyle to Support It

This may be the more challenging assignment.

Maybe you know your desired lifestyle. You know exactly what you want to do but are frustrated because it seems unattainable.

Rest assured. It may be more attainable than you think.

What is your first step? Decide.

Yes, it is that simple.

Decide to make a change.

Decide to be unapologetically you.

Decide that you will go after that dream before it dies – or before you do.

I am often asked, “How do you do this? How do you make a living and still manage to enjoy the things you do?”

This is where it starts.

Are you ready to create a new “leaderstyle” that leads you to your desired lifestyle?

DavDave Fergusone 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.

Five Landmarks of Leadership

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Five Landmarks of Leadership
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Featured article by Dave Ferguson in CEOWORLD magazine. Reprinted by permission.

Throughout history, landmarks have been used to mark important places and events. They represent boundaries, victories, memories, histories, and discoveries.

Landmarks help you know where you are and remind you of where you (or others) have been. They serve as guideposts for future generations.

Ancient wisdom admonishes us to “remove not the ancient landmarks.”

Why is this?

Because if we remove them, we remove those boundaries, victories, memories, histories, and discoveries that will protect us, guide us, and give us wisdom.

If you have been to a historic location, for example, you would never know that anything significant happened there if it were not marked. But because it is, you pause, reflect, and learn. This does not mean that all landmarks represent good memories or favorable histories. It means there is something to be remembered – a valuable lesson to be learned – from their presence.

Do you have these important landmarks in your leadership?

  1. Boundaries

An effective leader must have boundaries. What is your defined role? What are your values? What are your responsibilities? What are your goals?

Answering these questions helps you set the landmark of your boundaries.

Boundaries are important because they provide a perimeter of focus. They help you know where you “belong” and where you do not belong. They help you know when to say, “Yes” to an opportunity and when to say, “No.” They guard your character. They contain your energy, so you are operating at your best, with tight focus and high performance.

  1. Victories

Landmarks mark victories, and victories are born of challenge. Thus, landmarks are symbolic of overcoming a challenge.

Think back to the challenges you have faced in life and leadership. If you are like most, you will come to two conclusions: (1) They were some of the toughest times, and (2) They taught you some of your most important life and leadership lessons.

Mark those victories. Remember what you faced and how you overcame the obstacles. Remember who helped you during those times. Use this landmark to prepare you for future challenges. Develop your strategy and support team now before the next challenge comes. Looking back to the landmark of victory equips and encourages you for the next challenge you will face.

  1. Memories

What if you woke up tomorrow with no memory? That would be a tragic loss, to the level of losing your very identity.

Similarly, it is a tragic loss when you forget the important events, people, and experiences in your life that helped to make you who you are.

Take time to remember those who have made an impact on your life. If they are still alive, thank them. If not, share with someone a lesson you learned from that person. In doing so, you help carry their legacy forward.

Memories can be good or bad, but they all work together to make us who we are. They serve as guideposts for what to do and what not to do in life.

Take some time to write down the lessons you have learned from others and the experiences that have made you who you are. You are a unique collection of memories. Never forget. Always be thankful.

  1. Histories

History is essentially the story of civilization. Woven across centuries, it ties the past to the present and provides guidance for the future. History is the foundation of the future.

As a leader, it is good to reflect on the landmark of history.

What went right? What went wrong? And how can we make it better in the future?

The adage that “those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it” is true. You don’t have to make the mistakes of the past; but there is merit in learning from them. Before you move forward, check the historical landmark for perspective.

  1. Discoveries

Many of the world’s greatest leaders were “discoverers.” They had a natural propensity for learning and exploring, for finding new and better ways to solve a problem or meet a need.

Do you as a leader have landmarks of discovery?

What solutions have you developed? What problems have you solved? What new possibilities have you unearthed? Do you value activity over discovery?

Discovery is the creative and curious side of leadership, the landmark of significant growth and innovation. As a leader, and especially as a business leader, you cannot afford to lose this landmark.

Be a strong leader. Take time to visit these five landmarks regularly. Character, success, wisdom, identity, and innovation await you there.

Dave FergusonDave 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.

 

 

Six Elements of Growth

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Six Elements of Growth
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Featured article by Dave Ferguson in CEOWORLD magazine. Reprinted by permission.

Whether you’re growing plants, people, business – or all three – you know that growth takes certain elements.

In recent months, I have learned how important the growth hormone is for humans, for example. It is active at relatively high levels for most people until about the age of 25.

 

Then, quietly, it slows, with gradual but little noticeable effect until one day, you realize you’re not as limber as you used to be or your muscles are not as strong as they once were, even though you are working harder than ever on strength training. Maybe you forget a few words here and there, or you just don’t have the stamina to do all that you want to do.

The point is this: when the elements that promote growth are diminished, we start to decline.

  • When a business stops doing what made it grow or loses focus on its core branding, it starts to decline.
  • When relationships are not continually nourished, they decline.
  • When you stop learning new things and keeping your mind engaged, your brain’s ability to function optimally will be impacted.
  • When you stop investing in your team, their engagement will lessen.

Six Elements Required for Growth

Whether you are seeking to grow your influence, your business, or to help those around you grow, you will need these elements.

Grounding

Growth begins with grounding. You plant a seed in the ground. You set something in a place where it can get the nourishment and support it needs to grow. The same holds true for people and businesses. They must be grounded in a place where they get the nourishment and support needed to grow.

For individuals, this involves being grounded on core values – things like faith, health, and relationships nourish body and soul. They give you strength and endurance.

For companies, this is all about values, vision, and mission. It is the foundation from which you grow as a company, and the foundation on which you rely for support as you grow. A company without core values, vision, and mission will wither when the tough times come; but one that is rooted and grounded firmly will be able to stand the test of time.

Regulators

Hormones are essentially human regulators. These ingenious little elements influence everything we do, how we move, and even how we think and feel. Regulators on an engine control its speed and intensity, keeping it well-paced somewhere between stalled and explosive.

As a leader, you must have and provide regulators in order to be at your most effective level. As an executive coach, I have seen first hand what can happen to a person whose regulators are not in good working order. Their priorities get out of sync. They start to neglect the things that are most integral to their survival – health, relationships, and faith, for example. They power up, full throttle, but without regulatory balance, they end up in my office or on the phone with me talking about their losses and what they can do to regain control of their unregulated life or business.

Businesses need regulators, too, in order to grow. Most call these policies and procedures. Leaders may tend to underplay their importance, but they do so at their peril. These regulators allow the business to grow and remain viable.

Financials are a big area where regulators are a critical factor. It is especially important for individuals and companies to recognize that unregulated spending has its consequences. So does the lack of spending on things like maintenance, operations, and compliance.

Creating and managing revenue is key. The importance of this is underscored in a Federal Reserve Report noting that “44 percent of all respondents could not cover an unexpected $400 emergency expense.”  (By the way, if you are one of these people, talk to me. I can help you.)

This is not just a personal problem. Businesses can be operating on dangerous margins as well. Closely regulate your income and expenses and keep your debt to equity ratio in check.

Oxygen

Three Minutes. That’s how long the average person can live without oxygen. Without this critical life element, your heart stops beating, and your brain cells begin to die. Within six minutes, your brain will cease to function.

Quite the thought, isn’t it?

Without this one single element, you’re three minutes from a point of no return.

Let me ask you this as it relates to life and growth in other areas besides physical.

How long can you as an individual survive in other areas without fresh air?

How long can a business survive without fresh, new ideas?

It may not be three minutes, but without freshness and newness of ideas, innovation, and experiences, you will reach a point of no return. To grow yourself or your business, take time to recharge and refresh. Go on a vacation. Do a team retreat. Take a walk outside. Brainstorm with those who think outside your normal box.

Water

Humans are composed of up to 60% water. Your heart, lungs, brain, and liver have even higher percentages. It would follow, then, that water is important to life. Dehydration can result in dizziness, fainting, and loss of functionality.

In life and business, energy is expended. Yet, energy is needed to function in life and business. This means there must be regular cycle of energy expenditure and replacement. Without times of renewal, your life or business can suffer loss of functionality.

The speed of business being what it is today, many leaders expect their employees to be on call, essentially, 24/7. While it may seem to be a way to increase productivity and responsiveness, very often the effect is the opposite. It depletes the energy of the team.

The cure? Take a break. Celebrate wins before moving on to the next big thing. Determine boundaries and set the example for following them. Take time every so often for a “digital detox” and encourage your team members to do the same. Do something different, or do something you must do…differently.

These types of activities help refill the tank of energy that is critical to your team’s performance.

Tending

Tending is an interesting word. It is essentially the work of paying attention to needs.

People and results thrive with proper attention.

This means if you delegate something, trust your team to do their job, but continue to give it and them the attention needed to grow. Delegate, don’t abdicate. If you have a responsibility, give it attention. If you have a bank account, give it attention. If you own a home, well, you know what happens if you don’t give it attention.

Tending applies to everything you own, everything you do, and every area of your life. If, at this point, you are thinking this is an overwhelming responsibility, then it might be time to simplify some things and to evaluate your priorities. If you have more than you can give attention to, it’s time to start saying, “No” to some commitments that no longer fit your vision, goals, and values.

Harvesting

Growth is intended for harvesting. In fact, harvesting allows for new growth, in addition to supplying the needs of others.

Growing must have purpose.

Do you have a business? How will your growth impact you and your employees, customers, vendors, and community?

Do you want to improve your health? What is the purpose? How will your good health impact your life and the lives of others?

Do you want to grow your bank account? Focus on your “why.”

Growth alone is not enough. Growth with a harvest is a necessary and welcome cycle of life and business.

 

And now for the tough questions…

  • Do you have these growth factors in your life?
  • Do you have them in your business?
  • Do you have them in your relationships?

In each area of life, in order for you to grow, you must have these six elements. Check in regularly to ensure you and your team are well-equipped for growth!

Dave FergusonDave 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.

Good Growth, Bad Growth

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Good Growth, Bad Growth
Image Credit: Shutterstock

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 FergusonDave 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.

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