Thinking Out Loud!: March 2020

Sunday, March 29, 2020

More than Likely, YOU are an Unlikely Hero!

It is amazing how our collective world’s can change so quickly. A few weeks ago, we were preoccupied about where we should take our summer vacations and now, we are debating the merits of single vs double ply toilet paper! In the midst of this coronavirus outbreak, it has me thinking out loud about who the true heroes of our times are!

If you have ever read this blog, you know I can be pretty tough on the cult of personality and the misguided obsession with celebrity worship. Granted, these folks have worked hard, sacrificed much, and have feelings just like the rest of us but that does not make their viewpoints and opinions any more or less valid than yours. In fact, actor Ryan Reynolds posted a great video mocking the self-important posturing of celebrities and “influencers” during times of crises - https://twitter.com/i/status/1242237138239881216. The point is that the people we should be looking toward in helping us through this situation are the people who actually make things, fix things, teach things, heal things, create things, and help things!

I recently read that during the height of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood on PBS in the turbulent 60’s and 70s that parents would ask Fred Rogers how to help young children process the difficult news and events of the day. Fred Rogers in his under-appreciated wisdom would respond that when the news or situations were bad, “look for the helpers!” In short, he was asking us to identify with the problem-solvers and the difference makers. The people who were there on the ground making things better. Essentially, don’t look for the talking head or pundit, look for the unlikely hero!

These days you will not have to look far to find them, in fact you are better off looking closer to you versus Hollywood or Washington, DC. It is amazing to me how the unlikely heroes of the day are NOW:

Local Grocers and Cashiers
Fast Food Franchisers
Local Restaurants keeping their kitchens open
Warehouse workers
Long-haul truck drivers
US Postal Service and other delivery services
Farmers and food processors
Manufacturers
On-line course developers and instructors
Assisted Living caretakers
Of course, health care providers and first responders
And so many more.

I would also include you on this list of unlikely heroes. I have heard story after story from my friends and neighbors of looking out for each other, helping the elderly in check-out lanes, buying and donating food, or supporting a local business. I bet you are doing the same! I bet you are a hero right now if you were not already! Just being that encourager and voice of calm for your family, friends, direct reports, and colleagues makes a lot of things better.

I recently had the opportunity to hear leadership expert and author John Maxwell talk about Leading in Crises. John points out that in time of emergency and difficulty, that the following is true.

Crises are more common than we think and this will not be the last one we will deal with
Crises can distract us from what is most important
A crises will reveal what is inside of us
Crises requires we become very nimble and adaptable
A time of crises will reveal when the real leaders show up versus just those with titles or positions

Trust me, I know this is a difficult time for many people. John encourages us to have as much of a positive mindset as possible because what we focus on - expands! If you would like to view all three lessons from John on Turning Adversity into Advantage, feel free to access that content here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/JohnCMaxwell/videos/

It is my great hope and wish that you and yours are safe, secure, and using this time to reconnect to what matters most. I encourage you to both give and receive support. Make sure to take care of yourself because you cannot give what you do not have!

As always if I can help you and the people you associate with Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I invite you to contact me.

Yours in leadership,

Bill Faulkner

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

Certified DISC Profile System Trainer and Consultant

Email = bill@outloudinc.com

Visit our website at: www.outloudinc.com

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http://www.johncmaxwellgroup.com/williamfaulkner/

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Sunday, March 8, 2020

Tap into your NEXUS STRENGTH!

I am in the process of becoming a Gallup Certified Strengths Coach This process is tied to the incredibly insightful and powerful StrengthsFinder instrument developed by Don Clifton. This process involved hours of in-person training, continued learning, completing coaching sessions, and even passing a proficiency exam. Since one of my Top 5 Strengths is that of LEARNER, I am enjoying every minute of it! As I work more with the instrument and process, though, I am developing several theories around the process and started thinking out loud that the key to effective leadership is taping into your NEXUS STRENGTH.

Please allow me to explain further. It is my belief that in every human being who chooses to access it, we have at our core unique drive or compulsion that drives everything else.

The nature and direction of our goals.
Our true personal ambitions.
Our professional trajectory.
Our core leadership intention or platform.

I call this your Nexus Strength – that one core talent or personal imperative that provides the psychological fuel and emotional energy that drives everything else! This nexus is so fundamental to us that unless we intentionally attempt to discover its source, we are often unaware of it. It simply drives us without full understanding of how central it is to our core being.

Let me provide an example. If you are familiar with the StrengthsFinder assessment, you know that the researchers have ascertain that we possess to a greater or lesser degree 34 fundamental talents or strengths. These 34 talents are then groups in four domains which include:

Executing Talents – organizing and initiating action

Relationship Talents – building and maintaining impactful connections

Influencing Talents – persuading and motivating

Strategic Talents – analyzing and applying information

When you take the assessment, you are initially a T0p 5 Report with your top 5 strengths in priority order. One of my Top 5 Strengths is DEVELOPER which involves a desire to invest in others and facilitate their growth and success. DEVELOPER is my Nexus Strength. It has and still drives my career choices, how I view people, how I approach leadership, what I consume and read, etc. It is my life’s mission and work. It provides the background impetus that drives all my other Strengths and provides the reason why I value learning, why I enjoy maximizing others, how is arrange learning and trainings for maximum effect, and why I feel responsible to and for others. The interesting thing is that Developer is not my first Strength, so my theory is that somewhere in your Top 5 Strengths your Nexus exists.

So why is it important to understand what your NEXUS STRENGTH is?

PURPOSE – if you have a clear understanding of your NEXUS STRENGTH, it will provide clarity on your life’s purpose and intention. It becomes a one-word theme for your life that you can use to evaluate choices, decisions, and directions. It will provide a focus that will help you be the best at what you do. The Franklin-Covey group in their 5 Disciplines material encourages us to look at our tole and try to reduce it down to just one or two words. When you do so, it will change the nature of your work, interactions, and conversations. For instance, let’s say that after all is said and done, the essence of your role is that of Problem Solver. Armed with that knowledge then you excel in this role since everything you say, do, learn, and achieve is all directed toward solving worthy problems!

PASSION – has become an over-used word these days but when I think of passion, I think of it as the necessary emotional impetus that helps us achieve big and small results. I cannot see how you will hope to achieve anything in your personal or professional life if you do not have psychological energy around it. As a career and leadership coach, I do sometimes work with people that are incredibly successful because they truly enjoy what they do. Obviously, the converse is troubling in that if you do not have a passion around a role, then you can certainly cognitively do the job but there is no maximum effort because it just does not (or no longer) inspires you. Your Nexus Strength is that which allows you push through, especially when leadership becomes challenging and difficult.

POTENTIAL – your NEXUS STRENGTH eventually defines your potential. This is why it is so important to not only realize how your Strengths have helped you be successful in the past and to this point in your life but how it can be focused to impact your future success. When you know your NEXUS STRENGTH, it is incredibly important to create action items around how you will intentionally leverage that Strength to maximize your leadership impact. How can you use to increase 3 key leadership competencies that John Maxell highlights in his book Leadersshift which include:

Motivating Others
Working in the Global Marketplace
Leading Change

The point being is that your NEXUS STRENGTH has not only helped you achieve your current success, but used with greater awareness and intention, will help you ensure greater future success.

Again, this notion of a NEXUS STRENGTH is just my opinion. I do, however, believe that knowing what truly motivates you, inspires you, and knowing what makes you want to do the things that you want to do is an impact multiplier because it attaches a useful label to such motivation. Once you know what it is, you can use it to serve you and those you lead.

If you would like to know more about the Clifton StrengthsFinder instrument, please visit:

https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/252137/home.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Strengths_ECommerce_Brand_Search_US&utm_content=gallup%20strengths&gclid=CjwKCAiAzJLzBRAZEiwAmZb0arCiqycuRJww796c9Radc89IKIfiq2Sam22RQpFv-ZHSvdm7HWzCDhoCIDwQAvD_BwE

If I may be of assistance in accessing and debriefing your Strengths Results, please do not hesitate to contact me.