Leadership Archives - Page 63 of 90

Two Seductions that Stunt Growth

Talent provides advantage, but growth multiplies possibility.

You’re a runt when you squander growth opportunities. People might think you’re cute but neglecting growth insults talent.

You are responsible for your development. No one grows for you.

Two seductions that stunt growth.

#1. Expecting others to help you grow.

Growth always includes others, a boss, teacher, coach, or mentor for example, but don’t expect others to help you grow. Your growth is your responsibility.

Others help, but no one grows for you.

It’s tempting to blame others for holding you back, a lousy boss for example. Others impact your trajectory, but you control the rudder.

A lousy boss is a source of opportunity for a person committed to maximize their potential. Stagnation is your choice.

A lousy boss fuels growth when you become the boss you wish you had.

#2. Misunderstanding the growth process.

Growth is often shy.

Personal growth is like growing a garden. One day the seed breaks through; but change was happening all the time. You didn’t see it.

You notice change after it happens, not while it happens.

Others often notice your growth before you.

Explosive development is often followed by a season of quiet. The time after explosive growth might feel depressing. Sometimes you drift toward old habits.

The process of maximizing your talent is like a teetertotter. Sometimes you launch upward. Often you ratchet upward while you go up and down.

Four growth tips:

Learn enough to teach others.
Lean into challenge.
Lower your expectations. Perfectionists fear falling short.
Leverage the dark side. Adversity, disappointment, and frustration are growth opportunities.

You’re always less than you will be when you’re learning and growing.

Are you a growth leader? The seven beliefs and behaviors that growth leaders share

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7 Ways to Succeed at Forgetting

Your inner critic helps you remember pain and disappointment.

Negative memories rain like rocks. Botched projects increase anxiety. Bungled relationships motivate isolation. Anxiety and isolation limit your life.

Research says you remember bad experiences with greater frequency, detail, and intensity than good.

Every manager I know wrestles with an annoying inner critic.

Forget about silencing your inner critic.

Everyone wants to strengthen memory, but sometimes it’s better to succeed at forgetting.

7 ways to succeed at forgetting:

Don’t give pain and disappointment permission to govern the present. When pain and disappointment rule, the future hides behind the horizon.

The past is an anchor when it’s the reason you don’t reach for the future.

You can’t erase memory. You always remember painful experiences, disappointments, and failures.

Forgetting is choosing to act without pain and disappointment in mind. Remembering is choosing to act WITH vision and opportunity in mind.

You don’t forget by trying to forget. You succeed at forgetting by acting with the future in mind.

Dwelling on a painful past turns you into a ‘don’t want’ person. You don’t want painful experiences coming back. If you want to succeed, be a ‘do want’ person.

Aspiration finds fulfillment in a forward-facing life.

7 ways to succeed at forgetting:

Forget failure. Remember lessons.
Forget disappointment. Remember what you saw in yourself.
Forget pain. Remember people that enabled your growth.
Forget the mess. Remember the reward.
Forget things that weakened you. Remember that you’re stronger today.
Forget jerk-holes that threw barriers. Remember people who provided opportunity. It’s self-destructive to live with detractors and haters in mind.
Forget doubt. Remember things that strengthen belief. Remember times you overcame adversity instead of times you threw in the towel.

People are miserable because their body is in the present, but their mind grovels in the past.

What’s important to remember when you’re trying to forget?

What will you choose to remember today? (Remembering is acting with something in mind. It’s not simply recall.)

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Michael Hyatt & Company Changing Name to Full Focus

FRANKLIN, TN—Performance-coaching firm Michael Hyatt & Company has rebranded and updated its name to Full Focus, effective today. Founded in 2011 by Michael Hyatt, the company is a leader in performance coaching for leaders, corporate training, and productivity tools, including the bestselling Full Focus Planner.

Highly respected in the business community and a USA Today, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times bestselling author, Michael Hyatt decided that removing his name was the best long-term choice for the company.

“The company has grown beyond my name,” says Michael Hyatt. “I’m proud of where we’ve been and excited about where we’re headed. With our commitment to continuous growth, this is the natural next step to even greater company success.”

Other than updated branding and a redesigned website, products and services will remain the same under Full Focus.

President and CEO Megan Hyatt Miller says of the change, “As Full Focus, we’re putting a stake in the ground for the future of our company and our customers, so that decades from now, we will still be providing high-performance solutions for individuals and organizations.”

About Full Focus: Full Focus is a performance-coaching company helping high-achieving leaders and their teams get the vision, alignment, and execution they need to drive extraordinary results without compromising their most important values. They provide books, courses, corporate training, and coaching to help leaders and teams achieve their most important goals. Their bestselling product, the Full Focus Planner, has sold nearly a million copies worldwide and is a leading tool for helping achievers plan their years and organize their days. Find out more at fullfocus.co.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, we only recommend products or services we use and believe will add value to our readers. We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Does Love Work as a Leadership Principle?

Photo Credit: (KY3)

As I stumbled for my alarm at 3:00 a.m. on my first day on the job as a street washer, I wondered what I was getting myself into. CBS had asked my company to participate in its hit reality show Undercover Boss. As the CEO of Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE) at that time, I’d agreed to work at Silver Dollar City, our original theme park in Branson, Missouri. I had no idea that what was about to transpire would change my life and my leadership approach forever.

Before coming to HFE as CEO, I had spent 20 years in the auto industry where I witnessed mostly an autocratic and intimidating form of leadership. The results of this style were troubling; I observed a lack of innovation, arrogant leaders, little focus on culture or people, and sub-optimal financial results.

I always thought there was a better way to lead, but I had not seen a better way modeled until I arrived at HFE. In fact, I had an angst in my soul that longed to see better leadership and BE a better leader. But I thought I was the only one who felt that way.

At HFE, my eyes were opened to something very different: a loving culture that put the employee experience and the guest experience on equal footing with the financial performance. We actually taught LOVE, the verb, to our employees. We defined LOVE as being Patient, Kind, Trusting, Truthful, Forgiving, Unselfish, and Dedicated. Yes, our leaders had to hit the financial goals, but they also had to lead according to these seven words and were held accountable to them.

So, as I worked with Richard on that cold morning in Branson, washing the streets of Silver Dollar City at 4 AM, I was able to witness our culture in action, and so did the TV cameras. I was honored to meet and observe hard-working employees like Richard, who treated each other well and treated our guests even better. To top it off, I was able to help Richard rebuild his home that was destroyed in a flood through a foundation we had started to help employees in need. During filming, I had the chance to work in a variety of roles and meet other dedicated employees like Richard, all of whom were able to receive help from our foundation. Thankfully, the show captured this very special culture and unique leadership model.

While I knew it made an enormous impression on me, I could not have anticipated the chord that our show struck with America. 20 million people viewed our episode of Undercover Boss , and as a result, we were inundated with thousands of letters, emails, and calls wondering how others could create the great culture that HFE exemplified. It turned out I wasn’t the only one with an “angst in my soul”! Thousands of others shared the same angst.

The simple truth is this: there is a crisis of…

5 Tips to Avoid Confusion with Clear Communication

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Three Things You Must Let Go

A man is hanging by a branch above a deep ravine. He looks down; then he looks up and yells, “Help! Help! Is anyone up there?”

“I’m here,” the reply comes.

“Can you help me?” the man calls.

The voice replies, “Yes, I can help you. Let go of the branch.”

After a desperate pause, the man cries, “Is anyone else up there?”

When it comes time to let go, most prefer hanging on.

A former life:

Hanging on is exhausting and frustrating. Strategies that aren’t working won’t magically start working if you just hang on longer. Let go.

You need a former life filled with attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors you have let go. If you don’t have a former life, you’re exhausted and frustrated.

Everyone who grows has a former life.

Every leap forward includes letting go.

You can’t move forward until you let go of what holds you back.

Hanging on delays growth and progress.

Where nothing goes away everything stays the same.

How do you complete this sentence? “In my former life I _________.”

Three things you must let go:

Waiting for the perfect moment. The ‘perfect moment’ is procrastination’s delight.”
Thinking you’re always right. A wise person will suggest you try a new strategy. It will feel wrong. Try it anyway. Wisdom feels wrong to fools.
Focusing on can’t. People who focus on what can’t be done are cowards, unless they come up with something they CAN DO.

Before you let go:

Find a reason to let go.

Choose an aspirational future before you let go of something in the present.

A forward-facing life takes you further than circling the present or hanging on to the past.

Choose a goal that pulls you forward. Ask yourself, “What do I need to let go to move toward this goal?”

What should you hang on to?

What might people need to let go in order to thrive?

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Texas Roadhouse and a Leader’s Legacy

A personal note: This post is a tribute to Kent Taylor, founder and CEO of Texas Roadhouse who tragically passed in March 2021. Kent was one of the most intentional leaders I’ve ever met, and I am grateful I had a chance to make his acquaintance, and more importantly, learn from his example. He lead with heart and was beloved by his employees. This article is excerpted from my book, The Intention Imperative.

What kind of CEO displays his biggest failures on the wall of his office?

Kent Taylor, founder of Texas Roadhouse, not only openly admits that three of his first five restaurants failed, but he has a memento from each mounted behind his desk with a plaque detailing the money lost.

“That way,” he explains, “Visitors can see that failure isn’t a bad thing when you’re trying to innovate.”

The Beginning

Kent Taylor lived in my home state of Colorado and worked at nightclubs and restaurants. Known as a maverick, he often “got in trouble” with chain management for his innovative ideas and promotions. He returned to Louisville, Kentucky in 1990 with dreams of opening a Colorado-themed restaurant.

His new place opened in 1993 at the Green Tree Mall in Clarksville, Indiana. Today TXRH has 549 restaurants in 49 states and 7 countries.

TXRH Today

Each store employs 170 to 200 team members, fondly referred to as “roadies.” The 6,700- to 7,500-square-foot facilities serve meat that is cut in-house and all made from scratch dishes (even the bacon bits). Their restaurants average 5,000 guests per week, and the chain serves 300,000 meals each day.

The six-ounce sirloin began as the most popular dish and remains so to this day—25 years later. The steakhouse prides itself on a six-ounce cut of meat that actually does weigh six ounces, which is surprisingly rare (pun intended). Each restaurant has its own meat cutter, who maintain their edge through competition. The top ten attend the company conference, and the winner brings home a new truck.

This might seem like an unnecessary expenditure to some, but an accurate cut means less wasted meat and money. The program to recognize their stars costs about one million, but they estimate it saves between 10 and 20 million dollars. It all comes back to the company’s views on employees: “embrace people and treat ‘em better than they would be treated at other chains.” And it certainly seems to be working.

TXRH, at the time I’m writing this, has enjoyed 32 consecutive quarters of positive comparable restaurant sales growth. The guest count continues to rise 3.5% in the past year. The chain is about half the size of Outback Steakhouse, but is valued at more than $3 billion. Compared to that, Bloomin’ Brands and its entire portfolio of restaurants—Outback, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, and Bonefish Grill—is valued at well under $2 billion.

Intentional Leaders Are Involved Leaders

This kind of success doesn’t happen by sitting back and letting…

4 Steps to Defining the Win

There’s a downpour of challenges and a drought of people ready to rise.

People who run from new challenges might complain, but they prefer losing.

Why people don’t rise to new challenges:

People never rise to an ambiguous challenge. Before you call people to rise to new challenges, define the win.

“Let’s do better,” offends people who believe they’re doing their best. “Let’s work harder,” frustrates people who are working hard.

A vague definition of winning never inspires.

4 steps to defining the win:

Go negative before going positive. Feel the pain before calling people to rise. Describe the future if you don’t change. For example, “What will be true next month, if we keep doing the same things? People need to feel the need for change before you call them to rise.
Paint a picture of the rising sun. What will be true if we make this difficulty or frustration better? ‘Reaching the numbers’ isn’t a rising sun! A rising sun is about people. What will be true for people if you succeed?
Focus on immediate opportunities. What does it mean to rise TODAY? You might ask, “If I walked into your area and saw you rising to this challenge, what would I see you doing?” Talk is important. Behaviors change things.
Call people to rise to new behaviors. I hope you enjoy an unsatisfying present if you aren’t willing to adopt new behaviors. Be specific, relevant, and actionable. If you can’t see it, it doesn’t matter.

Challenge:

It’s delightful to talk about changing others.

We hide behind blaming others. You get to raise your hands in noble exasperation and say, “I can’t force people to change.” But you can CHANGE YOURSELF.

If you prefer a painful present, get out of leadership.

Why don’t people rise to new challenges?

What might you add to the four steps to define the win?

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The Only Challenge that Matters

The only challenge that matters is the one you give yourself. Others might try to challenge you, but the only challenge you win is the one you want to win.

The only way to advance is to challenge yourself.

Taking on a new challenge means:

Doing something you haven’t done before.
Applying current skills on a larger scale.
Developing and testing new attitudes, behaviors, skills, and practices.

New challenges are like adding weight to the bar. It’s wise to feel concerned. Don’t jump from 100 pounds to 200. Learn from someone who lifts heavy weights. Get a spotter.

Taking on new challenges means stumbling forward instead of sprinting forward. How you set expectations and deal with failure determine how far you go.

Bad habits become more dangerous when you take on new challenges. The habit of speaking first and listening later, for example, hurts more when stakes are high. Good habits protect you.

7 ways to challenge yourself today:

Avoid doing things that matter less.
Build new relationships.
Strengthen current relationships.
Practice a relevant skill. (Listening, planning, or coaching, for example.)
Participate more in meetings.
Bring up an issue you’ve been avoiding.
Say no.

4 ways to win when you challenge yourself:

Go public. Let others know what you’re doing.
Get partners. We go further with mentors, coaches, and friends.
Define the big win. What will be true if you win?
Set short-term wins. Long-term goals can paralyze. Short-term wins lend themselves to taking action today.

Challenging yourself means facing fear, exposing limiting beliefs, and stepping into the unknown.

Advancement begins at the point of discomfort, when you try something you haven’t done.

How might you challenge yourself today? Others?

How does one win when taking on a new challenge?

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20 Useful Ways to Create Focus Today

Distraction dilutes the impact of your life.

Consider the splendid absurdity of an unfocused life. You can spend a day chasing distractions and feel important doing it.

Distractions are tender morsels of delight that gobble your time and squander your talent.

The world provides a thousand whispering seductions that create the illusion of significance.

Focus determines the quality and direction of your life.

20 useful ways to create focus today:

Do one thing at a time. Forget about multitasking. Open an application. Use it. Close it.
Decide to finish what you start. Set milestones for large tasks.
Schedule distraction-time. Give yourself 15 minutes to click on news banners before lunch, for example.
Place your phone out of sight and out of reach. David Burkus calls this creating friction.
Schedule time to complete a task. Set a deadline. Then observe #2 above.
Protect your best hours. Schedule important tasks when you’re at your best.
Clear off your desk. Clutter is distracting.
Schedule email-time. If it’s not email time, turn off email.
Manage your energy. Notice fatigue. Fill your own tank.
Choose one or two important tasks to complete today.
Go for walks.
Say no. Try it.
Know the difference between urgent and important.
Do less people-pleasing. Stay connected to who you are.
Put next week’s big rocks on your calendar this week.
Go to bed. See #9 above.
Define success for today.
Connect with an accountability partner.
Prepare for tomorrow tonight.
Ask yourself if what you’re doing actually contributes to your mission.