the leaders coach Archives • Living to Lead

The Tripod of Success

June 18, 2019 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

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

Several years ago, a movie called “The Pursuit of Happyness” debuted. It was based on the real-life story of Chris Gardner, a highly successful businessman who was once homeless.

It compellingly shows how one man and his young son went from sleeping on the floor in a public restroom to living a life of greater comfort, security, and success.

How does someone go from such dire straits to high levels of success?

It boils down to the tripod of success.

Attitude
Motivation
Willingness to learn and do the work

Chris had the tripod.

Was life hard? Harder than most can imagine.

Were the odds against him? Indeed, they were.

Was his dream nearly impossible, given his situation? Most people would say, “Yes.”

But Chris was incessantly driven to get back up every time life knocked him down.

Driven from within by a “never-give-up” attitude; and motivated from without by the desire to give his son a better life, Chris walked up to a highly successful businessman and point-blank asked him how he got there.

The man was taken aback. No one had the nerve to ask him that question before. But it got his attention, and in a good way.

One thing led to another, and Chris worked his way into becoming a highly successful businessman, too. There were nights he and his son slept in homeless shelters or on a public restroom floor, but he showed up for work each day, nonetheless.

His is one powerful story of how attitude, motivation, and a willingness to learn and work can change a life trajectory; and, what’s more, a family’s legacy.

People often say they want a better life for themselves and their families.

They are tired of just getting by in their career or business. Unlike Chris, they may live in nice houses and drive expensive cars; but underneath it all, they know they are just a few paychecks from homeless. Or maybe they are doing well, but dependent on one company or one client for the support of their family.

Think about that.

Does the thought concern you?

It should.

It is wise to diversify – not just your stock portfolio, but your income streams. This doesn’t mean you have to work 80 hours a week, either.

What would it mean to you to have the security of an additional income stream?

What would several income streams provide in terms of freedom and opportunity?

Conversations reveal that most people are concerned about the limits on their income from a job that may or may not exist for them tomorrow – and the limits on their freedom if it does.

There’s a better way.

Those same conversations also reveal key indicators for whether or not they will succeed. This is where the attitude surfaces, and attitude is a key indicator.

“Teach me how, and I will do this!”

“I will do whatever it takes because this is important to me and my family.”

“I need more income, but…”

“I want more freedom, but…”

These are clear indicators.

Surprisingly, many argue against the advice they have requested, saying it won’t work for them or they are too busy (or any number of other excuses). It would be like Chris Gardner asking the stockbroker how he got to where he was and then…walking away.

In two words, that is MISSED OPPORTUNITY.

There is a tripod of success, and it is this.

Armed with these three powerful tools, Chris Gardner created a brand-new life.

And, by the way, so can you!

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.

A Three-Part Plan for Finding Motivation

March 6, 2019 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

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

Leaders are often faced with the challenge of keeping their team motivated.

But…who motivates the leader?

Leaders are people, just like everyone else. And like others, there are times when they lose momentum, get weary, feel rudderless, or suffer from apathy. During these times, motivation becomes a challenge, even for those who are naturally goal-driven.

Who motivates the leader?

Ultimately, the leader motivates the leader. But when there is nothing left within, he or she must also know where to find outside help.

What can you do to get your motivation back?

This three-part plan, mostly crafted in advance, will get you back on track quickly.

1. Examine Your Wheel of Life

When you are off your game, it means some area of life is out of order. This is why, in coaching, the wheel of life is addressed on a regular basis.

The areas of the wheel are as follows:

Physical
Mental
Social
Spiritual
Relationships
Finances
Work

If you lack motivation, visit each area, and ask yourself if something in that area is de-motivating you.

For example, you may have just completed a major initiative. Work has had strong focus for weeks, with all hands on deck and high alert. But it paid off with a highly successful launch.

Yet, suddenly, on the heels of great success, you find yourself de-motivated. When you look at your list of upcoming initiatives, you feel a sense of dread. You can’t convey your enthusiasm to your team for the next goals because, frankly, you don’t have any enthusiasm.

This is a warning signal for you to check your wheel of life.

When you do, in this scenario, you will see how spending so much time on work has impacted other areas. This often happens without conscious awareness until you stop and examine each area.

Physical recalibration is one of the first areas to address. Good health is central to everything you do in life. It is a game changer. To regain motivation, first be sure you are rested, well-hydrated, nourished, and refreshed by physical activity.

Beyond that, look to the other areas that need to be adjusted. Perhaps as part of that work cycle, you tapped into a great deal of mental energy. You will need to refill the bucket.

Relationships are often impacted by a heavy work cycle, so be sure to spend some time with those who mean the most to you.

While many bosses will push themselves and their teams from one intense sprint to the next, with no break in between, wise leaders will pause between initiatives to refresh the wheel of life and allow their team to do the same. Even a short pause can make a difference.

2. Determine Your Personal Motivators

There are essentially four types of personalities, with varying combinations. Each type is motivated and recharged in different ways. For some, doing something active outdoors will quickly re-charge their batteries; while for others, being indoors and reading a book is highly energizing. Some are energized by socialization; others are drained by it. Motivators are different for each person, but every person needs them.

Identify yours ahead of time. Write them down. As a leader, it is not a matter of “if” you will need them; it is a matter of “when.”

Energy is everything to a leader. When you lack energy, do something on your list.

3. Identify Your Motivational Team

As a leader, you may not be a direct report; but you do need to create a system of support and accountability. You can do this by proactively identifying your motivational team.

A good motivational team will include four key types of members: mentors, partners, supporters, and mentees.

Mentors will guide you and hold you accountable during those times when you do not feel engaged.
Partners will provide the collaboration you need to ignite new ideas; and new ideas bring renewed motivation.
Supporters are essential to motivation. Those who support you will keep things moving, even when you need to step away and re-charge. Support comes from two facets: systems and people.
Mentees are often overlooked as part of a motivational team, but their role is critical. They give you purpose and a path to legacy. And there is no greater motivation than purpose.

It is important to identify your motivational team ahead of time so that when you hit a wall, you have a place to turn. Each of the four team roles is critical. If you short-circuit even one of them, you are short-circuiting your ability to experience full impact.

Are you a leader experiencing a lag? Be assured, this is normal. But staying there is not. Follow the plan above, tap into the resources you have identified, and your motivation will return.

Seven Ways to Ditch Distractions and Increase Productivity

October 18, 2017 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

Featured article by Dave Ferguson in Forbes Coaches Council. Reprinted by permission.

“How to increase productivity” is one the most common Google searches — and a question I am often asked.

In fact, there is not a single person I encounter who doesn’t want to know how to get more out of their time. Because we all get the same amount of time to work with, there are two options: work smarter or work longer.

Not many people willingly choose the latter.

Productivity is about being deliberate and purposeful with your time.

Here are seven ways to increase your productivity while ditching the distractions holding you back.

Block calendar time.

So simple. So effective. Many of us are guilty of scheduling every minute of our day. This can actually eliminate time to get things accomplished. Think about it: If you are constantly running from board meeting to client meeting to answering emails and “quick questions” from employees, you’ve put yourself in a position prioritizing distractions over productivity.

Running a business is hard. It’s fast-paced. Often, it is essential to keep a strict calendar to organize your appointments. So do yourself a favor and pencil in “work time.” This is a meeting with you; it is an important engagement that requires zero interruptions.

Go off the grid.

We are all guilty of allowing ourselves to be on call. We work, but we keep our email open in another browser and check it every time we look up. We answer text messages on our phone the minute we receive the notification.

Setting blocks of time to check your email allows you to regain control over your schedule and, therefore, your productivity.

Quiet your workspace.

For many people, noise equals distractions. To increase your productivity, do what you can to quiet your workspace. Shut the door. Go to another part of the building.

If you are the type of person who needs a certain amount of ambient noise, take control over it.

Purchase an ambient sound machine or play instrumental music. Finding quality ambient sound is also a way to tune out other loud distractions if leaving your workspace for another is not an option.

Set small, manageable goals.

When tasks feel overwhelming, we can be unsure of where to begin — and so we don’t. Don’t let this be you. By breaking up large tasks into smaller, more manageable goals, you take the pressure off yourself.

After time has passed, be sure to check up on your goals to understand which objectives you have reached and which are left. Then create a plan for meeting them.

Call for “standing” meetings.

Meetings are essential for communicating with your team, but they are also productivity’s No. 1 enemy. These time-suckers can quickly halt momentum.

Try holding “standing” meetings. Yes, they are just what they sound like: Everyone stands the whole time. While this tactic may not work for every agenda, you will quickly find that people cut straight to the point during these meetings and are less likely to stray off topic.

This saves valuable time for you to reallocate to your own tasks. Standing meetings have also been shown to increase team morale and improve group performance.

Take it one task at a time.

Quit multitasking. Seriously. Trying to handle multiple things at one time has actually been shown to decrease productivity.

Look at it strategically. When you multitask, no one thing gets your focused attention. You end up taking more time to complete each task. Fully throw yourself into one specific project and watch the progress happen.

Take predetermined breaks.

Don’t forget to give yourself a break. Performing long tasks without allowing yourself to rest will lead to burnout: Your productivity will slow down because your brain is tired.

Think of taking a 10-minute break every two hours as refueling your mental fortitude. You can’t expect to produce quality work if your brain is running on empty.

Four Steps to Breaking that One Bad Habit

September 27, 2017 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

It started with a simple question: “How does your day start?”

“Well,” he responded, “The alarm goes off at 5:30 a.m.”

“Great!”

“But,” he continued with head bowed slightly, “I hit the snooze at least ten times…every single day.”

Prior to this, we had been talking about how as a company, he and his team were committed to growth and results. And as an individual, he was committed to success. He was a good and honest leader, admired by many.

And yet, despite the commitment, team buy-in, and support, he was not doing those things to which he had committed. He could not understand why he was not seeing results.

And that is when I asked the question, “How does your day start?”

I called him out on it. “You’re feeding the enemy,” I said. “He’s smiling because he knows that your morning habit is keeping you from making progress. He has you right where he wants you…snoozing through life.”

The realization of the morning habit he had developed and how it was affecting not just his morning, but the rest of his day as well, was a light bulb moment. He realized that this one habit was also violating one of his core values – that of being true to his word.

It was a tough realization, but I am thrilled to report that shortly thereafter, I began getting emails from him, letting me know that he had gotten up at 5:30 a.m. and was working out. He even texted me pictures from his office one morning to show he was working early and getting a great deal done before anyone else came in.

Practicing this new habit to replace the old one was a small step that carried major impact.

He began to feel better physically from working out, which had a direct and positive effect on his productivity and outlook. And the more he accomplished toward his goals, the more energized he became.

Changing just one habit generated the cycle of energy needed to start reaching goals and getting results.

How do you break one bad habit that is holding you back?

Identify the Problem

Think about your goals, both personal and professional. What goals did you set for the year? Are you on track? For many, the answer is a regretful no.

Then take the next and even more important step – ask yourself why.

WHY haven’t you reached your goals?

Your first answer will likely be an excuse.

“My team is not committed.”
“I don’t have time.”
“Circumstances prevented me from reaching my goals.”

Here’s the key: don’t accept your first answer.

Dig deeper. Ask why repeatedly until you get to the bottom line.

The bottom line may be that you don’t communicate well with your team, took on too much to start with, didn’t have a plan to execute the goal, or simply that you have procrastinated.

The closer you get to the bottom line, the closer you get to personal responsibility.

Identify the Bad Habit

Now consider the bottom line you have determined. In the example above, it was procrastination. What habit or habits were feeding that bottom line? Sometimes is as simple as hitting the snooze alarm.

That was the underlying habit.

Now you’re getting somewhere. You have gone from blaming circumstances you can’t control to habits you can control. And that is a powerful step.

Create a Plan

The first part of your plan is to ask what you will stop. In this case, it was simply to stop hitting the snooze alarm.

But stopping a bad habit is not enough.

You must replace it with a good habit. And for that, you need a plan.

Instead of hitting the snooze alarm, this coaching client determined he would replace that time with a morning workout. That one step had overarching benefits that extended well beyond his physical well-being.

But he knew he needed one more step.

Establish an Accountability Partner

If you have ever gone on a “diet,” you know that willpower has its limitations. It’s been proven that those who have a trainer stay in the game and get better results.

Do we have the ability to change habits and reach goals on our own? Of course, we do. But we are also human. The truth is we love potato chips, and we don’t like to exercise. Sitting on the couch and eating chips is “comfortable.”

This is why you need an accountability partner – you need someone to supportively kick you off the couch.

When I started getting texts, emails, and pictures from this client showing his new habits, I knew he was on a strong path to success. He was being accountable for his actions.

I challenge you this week to ask yourself what one bad habit is affecting your productivity, your energy, and your values. Take an honest assessment…then take action! You will be amazed at the results.

If You Don’t Like What’s Being Said – Change the Conversation

July 19, 2017 By Dave Ferguson Leave a Comment

We live in a culture that prides itself on viewing the action of criticizing the failures of its leaders not only as a right, but as a responsibility.

And while this is for the most part very valuable advice, it is easy to get caught up in critiquing others and overlook that failures are a marker of learning. Failure provides guidance for improvement. But this doesn’t mean that it’s easy.

CRITICISM COMES WITH THE JOB

Criticism is part of success. There are no high-level executives — or TV personalities, professional athletes or artists — that have been successful without a peanut gallery full of critics.

Criticism is, in fact, the dominant conversation in our culture.

But it doesn’t have to be. Critics only have the power you supply them with — if you feel ashamed of a failure, make excuses or find someone else to blame, critics will be quick to repeat that narrative — and will frequently enhance that story with their own observations and embellishment.

Consider, however, approaching your recent failure as something to celebrate: This failure means you’ve attempted something new; you’ve stepped “out of the box” and approached a problem in a different way. It is a sign of innovation. It is a symbol of grit and determination.

Failure and personal ego are inextricably intertwined, and so it is impractical to tell anyone not to take criticism personally. It is OK to take criticism personally. But it is not OK to make it personal.

What do I mean by this?

Criticism, by its very nature, puts us on the defensive, and so it is easy to want to give into impulses of self-defense and fire back. These are emotional responses. Actions are productive responses.

By assuming the criticism was given in order to help you improve, even if, and especially if, the intent was more malicious, you effectively take power from your criticizers and use it to fuel your professional development. Congratulations, you have taken the first step in changing the conversation.

NONE OF US ARE ABOVE REPROACH

One of the most beautiful (and most infuriating) aspects of the human condition is that we are fallible; everyone makes mistakes. However, criticism is a great tool for learning — if you allow it to be. Always place yourself in a good position to correct your behavior and improve your performance. Great leaders practice and present to others qualities of self-reflection, self-awareness and self-care.

While the first stage of changing the conversation of criticism is all about rendering disapproval into personal capital gain, it is equally important not to disregard criticism completely. Our knee-jerk reaction to criticism is to be defensive.

I didn’t do that. It’s not my fault. They just don’t know what they’re talking about.

However, the difference between a good leader and a great leader is patience and approach: Listen to what is being said. Even if the delivery is hurtful, is there any truth to the message?

Take a moment to reflect on all aspects of a situation, and never let pride or strong will prevent you from learning. By approaching failure as a learning opportunity, you inherently teach your followers to do the same.

A PRODUCTIVE NARRATIVE

Success is a story of perseverance. In fact, it is the “success-through-failure” stories that get told over and over again:

• Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and even after earning a spot in the NBA, he went on to miss more than 9,000 shots — 26 of which would have been the game-winning shot — and lost nearly 300 games in his professional career. But he sits today as the highest-paid athlete of all-time with a $1.7 billion brand through team contracts and endorsements and a laundry list of distinguished professional accolades.

• It took J.K. Rowling years to write Harry Potter — years filled with poverty, depression and unemployment. The manuscript was rejected by no less than a dozen publishers. Her infamous book series has now landed in children’s literature stardom with millions of copies sold, having been translated into 73 languages and has now accrued more than $20 billion throughout the franchise — effectively making her the first woman to become a billionaire author.

• Oprah Winfrey was deemed “unfit for television” early in her career. She disappointed as a street reporter, and while she had a proclivity for human interest stories, she had a problem staying emotionally unattached. Today, she is a social icon as one of the world’s leading and most famous interviewers and has changed the television industry. She’s captured nearly 30 million Twitter followers, 18 Emmy Awards, nurtured lasting relationships with some of the world’s most influential leaders, and has built a net worth of more than $3 billion.

While success takes many forms, it shares a common characteristic: to push through when it gets difficult and to stay focused despite any opposition.

Even if the journey is long and the obstacles are unknown, you do have complete control over the narrative of your success — and your actions provide the framing.

Thomas Edison could have focused on any one of his critics condemning his failed attempts at inventing a light bulb. Instead, he chose to look at his situation from a productive perspective, famously saying, “I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

For great leaders, failure is never a loss.

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

It boils down to the tripod of success.

Chris had the tripod.

People often say they want a better life for themselves and their families.

Think about that.

Does the thought concern you?

It should.

There’s a better way.

In two words, that is MISSED OPPORTUNITY.

There is a tripod of success, and it is this.

What can you do to get your motivation back?

1. Examine Your Wheel of Life

This is a warning signal for you to check your wheel of life.

2. Determine Your Personal Motivators

3. Identify Your Motivational Team

Here are seven ways to increase your productivity while ditching the distractions holding you back.

Block calendar time.

Go off the grid.

Quiet your workspace.

Set small, manageable goals.

Call for “standing” meetings.

Take it one task at a time.

Take predetermined breaks.

“But,” he continued with head bowed slightly, “I hit the snooze at least ten times…every single day.”

And that is when I asked the question, “How does your day start?”

Practicing this new habit to replace the old one was a small step that carried major impact.

How do you break one bad habit that is holding you back?

Identify the Problem

Identify the Bad Habit

Create a Plan

Establish an Accountability Partner

I challenge you this week to ask yourself what one bad habit is affecting your productivity, your energy, and your values. Take an honest assessment…then take action! You will be amazed at the results.

CRITICISM COMES WITH THE JOB

NONE OF US ARE ABOVE REPROACH

A PRODUCTIVE NARRATIVE

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