Are you READY to Lead?

Are you READY to Lead?

For those who have read my blog you will find I offer this challenge and encouragement:

Get BETTER

Be READY

Lead OUT LOUD!

These short phrases capture the intent and mission of Out Loud Strategies. So far, I have written about Getting Better in The Moment We Stop Improving piece. I have also encouraged you to Lead Out Loud when I told you about my friend "L" and how she is sticking her neck out by running for a local office. So why do we need to Be Ready? Ready for what?

In his book, Summoned to Lead, theologian and author Leonard Sweet describes the disastrous Antarctic expedition led by Sir Ernest Shackleton that ended in victory. As their ship arrived at their destination, it became trapped in the ice and was soon broken apart by the pressures of an ice ridge. Such catastrophes have happened to other expeditions but what made this one different is the Shackleton led the members of his party to safety without a single casualty! If it was not for his courage, will, and tremendous leadership ability, most if not all the party would have perished.

The point that Dr. Sweet makes is this. Whereas some leaders are born (with the personality characteristics western societies values in its leaders), and many more are made (through intention and experience), some leaders are summoned to lead in a specific place and time for a critical purpose.

Joshua Chamberlain who led the 20^th Maine Regiment during the pivotal Battle of Gettysburg during the American Civil War stated it best when he later said, “We know not the future and cannot plan for it much, but we can determine and know the manner of person we will be whenever and wherever the hour strikes.” That is why we need to be ready as leaders. You never know what challenges you may face. Such challenges could be organizational, personal, or in your community. The best, and often only thing you can do is to be as prepared as possible. For instance:

• What will be the values that you will refuse to compromise?
• How will you respond to stress (remember, calm is contagious!)?
• What resources will be at your disposal (knowledge, resilience, other people, etc.)?

As always, if I can help you Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I would love to hear from you. Even better, tell me about a situation where you have been summoned to lead and the outcome!

Yours in Leadership,

Bill Faulkner

Co-Founder – Out Loud Strategies

Independent Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team ^TM

www.outloudinc.com

www.facebook.com/outloudinc

www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/williamfaulkner

Making The Case for Sticking Your Neck Out!

Making the Case for Sticking Your Neck Out!

One of the fundamental beliefs of Out Loud Strategies is that, eventually, Leadership has to become an out loud proposition. In other words, eventually, true leaders stick their neck out!

I have a friend and neighbor who is currently doing just that. Let’s call her “L”. On first appearances, L appears to be your typical soccer mom. In her “mids”, L has two children, lives in a nice suburban neighborhood, owns a business with her husband and, yes, her kids play soccer! This is where stereotype ends, however.

You see L is currently running for a local office. That is courageous in that South Florida politics can be especially nasty, even in local community races. What is even more impressive is her total dedication to her community. She grew up here, educates her children here, has her business here, and pretty much refuses to leave the city limits! Seriously, even with all the great restaurants, shopping, and attractions in the three counties that make up South Florida, she won’t venture out! 

You see, all her friends, neighbors, clients, etc. are her “WHY”! L could have easily lived the nice, comfortable life that has become the American Dream, but she is sticking her neck out. She is doing this not for personal gain, but to do the most important thing that leaders do . . . make things better for other people! That is the best “why” a leader can have.

So where are you sticking your neck out?

Where or How are you leading out loud?
What are you making better?

Let me know if I can help you find your "why". As always, I want you to Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD!

Yours in Leadership,

Bill Faulkner

Co-Founder – Out Loud Strategies

Independent Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team ^TM

www.outloudinc.com

www.facebook.com/outloudinc

www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/williamfaulkner

The Moment We Stop Improving . . .

The Moment We Stop Improving  . . . 

The very moment we stop improving, we are no longer good at what we do!

Sounds pretty drastic doesn't it? I believe it to be fundamentally true for any profession or endeavor. Think about it, do you want your physician to be operating under knowledge or techniques that are over ten or fifteen years old? How about a tax accountant that is filing your tax returns under laws from five or even two years ago?

Put another way, what would be the benefits of increasing your knowledge-base, technical skills, etc.? What are the consequences if you did not?

A few years ago, I found myself in this very situation. Even though I pursued and earned advanced degrees all the way to the Ph.D. level, I discovered I had plateaued. I was not offering anything new to my staff, my students, and my organization. I had stopped being good at what I do!

In Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn, John Maxwell states that sometimes people change when it starts to hurt enough that they have to! My coasting through my professional life was hurting me and my effectiveness. That is when I started pursuing an external certification in the areas of leadership development and coaching (my personal areas of strength and interest). I looked at several options and chose the John Maxwell Team due to the fact that the values and approach aligned with my own. The happy result is I have been on a GROWTH JOURNEY for the past two years and it has changed my life. It has made me a better supervisor, increased my relevance with my students, and most importantly, made me a better person. 

I am not proposing you pursue the course of action I did, but I am encouraging you to consider the following:

• Where are you NOW?
• Where to you want to BE?
• WHY do you want to get there?
• WHAT do you need to get there?
• HOW will you do so?

You see, the WHY will fuel the WHAT and the HOW! Is it a promotion, career change, personal mastery, or something more intrinsic like a fitness goal or a life skill? Author Alex Cohan states, "in order to grow, your present and future must be totally unlike your past." Here are a few tips:

1. Take inventory of the questions above and reflect on your answers.
2. Based upon that, determine the next steps of a GROWTH PLAN (remember that you do not have to have every step figured out in order to start).
3. Determine the resources you will need – self-training, mentors, advanced degree, etc.
4. Target metrics that will track your improvement. In other words, how will you KNOW you are improving?
5. Repeat!

Keep in mind, these are just basic steps and there are many resources available on the web, great books, videos, and podcasts. Just try the things that appeal to how you learn best. Feel free to contact me if I may be of assistance at bill@outloudinc.com. As always, I want you to Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD!

Regards,

Bill Faulkner

Co-Founder – Out Loud Strategies

Independent Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team ^TM

www.outloudinc.com

www.facebook.com/outloudinc

www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/williamfaulkner

A Good Weekend, a Circle of Wood and Leadership Excellence -

A Good Weekend, a Circle of Wood and Leadership Excellence -

A  Very Good Weekend -
Over the July 4th weekend, my wife and I took an impromptu trip to Nashville, TN (well, at least what passes for impromptu for us - 4 weeks of planning, researching places of interest, etc., etc.!). For those who do not know, Nashville is the home of American country music (my wife's favorite genre) but it is also attracting a lot of other "indie" and americana artists these days as well.

We had a great time watching fireworks, eating very unhealthy foods, and listening to tons of live music played by aspiring young artists in the various clubs - all in all, a very good weekend!

Right down the block from our hotel was the historic Ryman Auditorium - the “mother church of country music”. We took a fascinating tour of this hallowed building that still attracts national artists to this day. I learned that for over 30 years, the Ryman housed the Grand Ole Opry which has featured country and other artists since the genre's inception. Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Minnie Pearl, Bob Dylan, Charlie Daniels, Trisha Yearwood and many other music legends have all played there.

A Circle of Wood -
In the 1970's, the Opry moved to a larger and more modern facility 20 minutes from downtown but so that the "circle would be unbroken", they cut a circular section from stage-left of the old auditorium (the side from which the artists always entered). Workers then placed it right under the center-stage microphone of the new Opry where the headline act stands when performing (yes, learned that from another tour!).

When an artist walks on stage at the Opry and stands in that circle, they have entered a pivotal moment their career. All that came before has led them to that point where they now stand where music legends have before and will again. They are no longer average, they have STEPPED UP and now STAND IN Excellence.

Can you imagine the thoughts and feelings when a Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks or Miranda Lambert first stood in that circle and played in front of what was probably the largest and most important audience of their career? What do you think got them there?

 . . . and Leadership Excellence -
No one's path to success is the same but I believe there are some common habits that are REQUIRED for Leadership (and musical) Excellence.

• Recognition of Talent - everybody is good at something. As leaders we have to recognize our gifts that will serve others. An unused gift is a tragedy of omission.
• Sacrifice - in John Maxwell's  21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership - The Law of Sacrifice states that to "go up, we have to give up!" Just like talented artists, effective leaders have to sacrifice time, personal agendas, self-interest, etc. in order to do the hard work of getting BETTER!
• Working to Strengths - can you imagine Blake Shelton or Taylor Swift as rock artists? Actually they probably would be great but you know what I mean! Leaders, like artists, have to determine their leadership "swim lane" and THRIVE there!
• Obsessive Hard Work - I once read a quote that said "it took me 20 years to be an overnight success!" We rarely hear about the monumental efforts that took these artists to that wooden circle. I am sure if asked they would speak more about their struggles versus any quick wins. The same is true for leaders who truly want to be the best at what they do. Remember, GREAT things are rarely easy!
• Adaptability - I was once in a small band in college with a fellow student whose father played with the house band of the Grand Ole Opry. The tradition was that if you ever visited the stage, no longer how long the absence, you had to be ready to play if needed. The lesson is clear for leaders. You never know when you will be asked to STAND IN Excellence so it is critical that you make yourself as READY as possible.
• Faith in Self - finally no one can achieve excellence let alone perform for thousands, unless they have a solid belief in their worth (even when others do not). John Maxwell often says "you will never out perform your own self-image!" so why are you limiting yourself?

Questions for Consideration:

• Review the list above, what habits have you mastered?
• Which do you need to work on?
• Based on such reflection, what do you need to do differently?
• What wooden circle are you seeking?

Finally, are you Standing in Excellence or just waiting in the wings?

Feel free to contact me if I may be of assistance at bill@outloudinc.com. Maybe I can help you reach your own wooden circle! As always, I want you to Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD!

Yours in Leadership,

Bill Faulkner

Co-Founder – Out Loud Strategies

Independent Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team ^TM

www.outloudinc.com

www.facebook.com/outloudinc

www.johnmaxwellgroup.com/williamfaulkner