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Happy New Year!

I hope that you had a Merry Christmas. I can say that mine was the best ever! We are just returning from time with Family and it brought much enjoyment to the both of us. The prime highlight was experiencing Christmas with my amazing wife. If you are married, I hope you experience the same. If not, you just have something else to look forward to.

As the new year has been approaching I have been clawing a bit to take some time to just be still and reflect on 2007 and find ways to head into 2008 with clarity towards my purpose in business and life. You probably have so many things on your plate in "oh-eight" that you are struggling to prioritize them ... and the year has not started yet. Join the club...

Here is some advice I recently received and it's helping me. Try this over the next few days.

1) Write out your Gratitude List. What are the things you are grateful for that happened in 2007? If you are like me, you can write these down in bullet point words or short sentences. Additionally, pick at least 5 people you are thankful for and write each of them a handwritten note letting them know that they were a highlight of your year in 2007.

2) Create a Gap List = think about your job, family role, spiritual role, life vision (if you have one) and ask yourself where your gaps were? I know I have allowed some gaps to come in between what I wish to do and what I actually did. Think on these things for yourself and make note as to which Gaps you want to close in 2008.

3) Make a random list of all the items on your plate in 2008. Take a look at this list, take a deep breath and do your best to prioritize them. Ask yourself - which of these is going to have the most impact? Which ones are going to take other people to complete? Write down some of those people. Which of these has to be done regardless of your level of excitement towards it? Which are you most energized about? As you think on these things you will be able to get them in a workable order that will allow you to go into the year focused vs fearful.

4) Make an Excitement List =Spend some time with your spouse, significant other, children, family etc and make a small "excitement list" of things you all would like to do together in 2008. Let it be realistic so you can make time for them and look forward to it!

5) Write down at least one Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG - a la Jim Collins) you believe you can hit in 2008 and think on ways to make it happen.

Thanks for reading, subscribing and supporting my blog in 2007. I have enjoyed posting them and look forward to sharing more and growing with you in 2008.

Happy New Year - all the year through! Ryan

Inspiration Without Education = Frustration

My very good friend and superb leader Chad Eudy shared this with me recently and I was immediately attracted and in agreement with his simple wisdom. He told me: Inspiration without Education Leads to Frustration. I could not agree more.

I have seen many people get inspired about something and they're ready to take on the mountain to its pinnacle, yet they are not sure how to get there and/or what it is going to take to make it. What happens is in the midst of inspiration, every excitatory chemical is firing in our brains and we miss the crucial step on becoming well educated in the arena pertaining to our inspiration. When we skip this step, our inspiration quickly falls into the frustration category. When someone hits frustration, they forget what ever inspired them in the first place and in goes the towel toss - they give up!

Here is a simple and timely example for the new year: There will be many people that get inspired to lose weight, improve their current physical condition, tone up, etc. They get inspired by the age old "new years resolution." They hit the gym and have no idea where to begin so they just start working on every machine in sight. Well, this "fire the cannon" approach may not lead to desired results and they give up. Now, had they self-clarified their goals,received some education from a trainer or even a few fitness articles, they could have gone in, narrowed their focus to a few key exercise routines and began to reap the results much faster. The education in this example is the key to making the most of the inspiration.

Personal story:

On October 13, 2003 I attended an event where an amazing business speaker provided a message that greatly resonated with my heart. That night I called my Dad and told him - "I know what I want to do with the rest of my life!" With excitement, he asked me.."How do we make that happen?" I told him "I am not real sure, but I am going to find out, I am going to start reading a lot about it, surrounding myself with people that could help me and I'll figure it out!" You see I was so inspired, but I knew I had a lot of work to do to get there. Here I am today still educating myself and learning more on this area. Here is what is happening: I knew on that day in 2003 I wanted to speak to organizational leaders on the importance of improving the lives and the workplace in which they lead. Five years later and a lot of education under my belt and a lot more to go, I am making progress towards my speaking/writing desires. Had I skipped the education piece....my inspiration would be just that today, nothing more.

Next time you get inspired - recognize that it happened for a reason that lies deep inside of your potential! Begin the education process that will allow that potential to rise up within you and manifest itself into tremendous impact. Take the route of Inspiration - Education - Manifestation - Transformation AND Repeat...INSPIRATION - EDUCATION - MANIFESTATION - TRANSFORMATION.

Thanks Chad!

Toyota! - I Love What You Do for Them

Back in October, the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) allowed me the privilege to give a talk to a few hundred Grocery Distribution leaders on "leading the future of your business." That future of course would be the human capital and primarily the younger generations. In a short amount of time, I attempted to provide a lot of advice for them. One key area was the way recruiting has to be done today vs. yesterday. This applies to any organization.

Some of my advice was:

1) Get Fresh with your Easy Catch = you see the "easy catch" is the typical "now hiring, help wanted, accepting applications" all of which are terribly out dated and mega boring, especially to the young people who want something a little hip and certainly more promising. For example, take a company that runs their business based on the way in which they develop leaders. The could say "Now Hiring" or even take it as far as: "Accepting Applications from those who want to grow." My feedback is that both are bad when you could say: "Come to our incubator, where you get more than just excellent pay, we grow leaders!" See there --- I am sure you could even spend more than just 2 minutes on that and really kick up the attraction level. Make it Fresh!

2) Cuddle up to your Community = This is where your business needs to have excellent relationships with a massive portion of its community. Be a friend to your community and I am not just talking about sending a check or two to the local charity and getting your name on a banner or the outfield particle board of the local ball field. Have a group of leaders in your community provide value added services (teaching, equipment, hosted luncheons) and even grass roots relationship building. With this, people in the community will send the BEST candidates your way first. What type of people are you after? Find out where they hang out and build cuddly relationships where they roll.

A month later I opened up the November issue of Fortune Magazine(Vol 156, NO. 10 November 12,2007). Within the first 4 pages I was caught by a Toyota advertisement that absolutely nailed both of these points in one amazing ad. I am going to take you to it. You will notice the thumbnails along the bottom of the page. Click on the one with a precious little girl who is on the back of what appears to be her dad. To zoom in on the picture and read the brilliance, just click and hold your mouse over the photo (the web site advises also tells you how). You must check it out right here: Toyota Nails It!

This ad is simple/creative (fresh), promptly specific, it catches your attention quickly and is understandable and appealing to every English Speaking Demographic. It is VERY emotionally attractive and will certainly draw top talent and customers to the brand. Along with the "fresh easy catch" they are cuddling directly to the community and most importantly to the people they wish to attract and impact.There are many more details I could point out to you that they captured, but I do not want to spoil it for you. Look for the extra emotional appeal and "comment" on what you see.

Oh yes, Toyota happens to be one of the worlds finest incubators for growing leaders and just happen to sell a few automobiles. You do not need the Toyota bankroll to pull something like this off and you do not have to publish it in the entry pages of Fortune. Posters around town, a myspace page and the local paper will do just fine to get you started.

The Best Question Ever

A few years back I was introduced to a book that changed the way I faced decisions in my personal life and my business life and now most of all, it helps Sara Grace and me in our desire to have an abundant and fruitful marriage.

The credit for the best question ever goes to Andy Stanley - a leader/speaker/writer whom we both greatly admire and learn from. It is a very simple question that filters through a very simple thought process, yet allows clarity towards the most complex issues.

The Best Question Ever is :

What is the Wise Thing to do?....See, pretty simple. One might think that this is too simple. Well, if you are reading this, I guarantee you that you are such a person that can discern the wise thing to do. You have to think on it and allow your thoughts and experiences to guide you. Now you may not like where your thoughts take you, but I bet you they will be the wise thing. Here is how you ask yourself this question.

What is the Wise Thing to Do?

1) Based on my past experiences and situations.

2) Based on my present circumstances.

3) Based on my future hopes and dreams.

Run your thoughts through these 3 simple areas of your life and I promise you that your decisions will go the right direction. The Book is very short, easy to read and will change your life.

The Best Question Ever

The Shirt Must Fit

Too often I have seen someone placed in a position that they were clearly not ready for. They likely had a track record of positive performance in a previous or current capacity. What too many do in this case is take that performer and place them in a new position with greater responsibilities. Seeing this as a promotion and mega morale boost to the newly promoted, the move often comes back as a misfire when we realize that the individual is failing and bringing down an area of the business effectiveness.

What happened? They clearly were not ready for that new role with such a greater realm of responsibilities. A significant amount of development in reactionary mode is not the cure for "over-sized promotion." However, a serious amount of development in preparation mode IS the preventative measure against "over-sized promotion."

I look at this way and this has worked for me when analyzing someone for a new role:

Look at their current position as a T-shirt size. For example, say they have small responsibilities with a small group of people. Well, they would be working in a small t-shirt responsibility. Your focus should be to address the reality as to whether or not they are filling out that t-shirt or if they still have room to grow until even the small size fits them well. Perhaps you find that they are fitting quite snug in that small t-shirt...well, it's probably time to move them up to a medium (medium level of responsibility and medium amount of people). Of course when they first put on the medium, it is going to be somewhat loose and it's your duty to develop them over time so that they grow to fit this and so on until they can move up to a large, XL, XXL, etc.

Think about that person that fit the small very well. Maybe the really did an excellent job turning a failing small department around so you give them the ultimate pat on the back and promote them up to a large department. Well, they will be swimming in the large department trying desperately to fit the responsibilities. The inability to automatically shift from a small to a large will harm your business and the leadership potential of that person.

Be sure to grow your people into the proper sizes of their leadership shirt. If we as leaders catapult someone from a small to a large without even stopping to make them wear the medium first...they are not really the ones that end up failing. It is us.

Think about shirt sizes and how each person fits so you can avoid "Over-Sized Promotions." Ask yourself and your team:

1) How do they fit in their current leadership T-shirt?

2) Are they ready to wear the next size up or is it going to swallow them?

3) What must be focused on with them to grow their leadership muscles...so they can fit?

While you're at it. Buy a T-Shirt gift and support change in the world. Visit my friends site @ YouCauseChange

Avoid Altitude Sickness

In my post yesterday I referred to leaders in high altitude positions. That would be CEO's COO's EVP's and any other of the hierarchal top brass. This level usually gets the most attention, receives the credit, criticism, publicity etc. Hopefully this level gives more attention than they receive. One of the themes I am finding in my studies and observations is that this is also the group that gets all the development.

Why would we not develop the execs? We have to. After all, that is where the buck stops on many occasions and these people need to know the ropes VERY WELL. This development must continue to improve as we move forward to better our organizations. You see, the continuous development of this group is not a new thing. Most companies do a good or great job of focusing on the leaders in high altitudes. However, if we spend all our time in the high altitudes, our business will come down with altitude sickness.

Think about times when you have traveled to the mountains, or spent a few days at higher levels of elevation. Generally you fatigue rapidly, headaches can be common until you acclimate...for the most part, you are incapable of performing to your best.The same is true for your business. If all the development dollars and time are spent at the top, that high altitude approach to things will only create a headache that harms sustained success. It's easy to say that my point here is the importance of developing at all levels and your system of development being what people think about when they think of the word leadership. That can be a point, but I want to help you think further.

Think on this: As you begin to decrease your altitude and develop people lower on the org chart, you must increase your patience and empathy. This has not happened for most companies and they wind up halting their lower altitude development efforts because "These youngsters just don't get it!"....NOT so fast. They just do not get it the same way the execs get it. In most situations, the executives are far more experienced and likely have a heightened level of intelligence. The expectation too often remains the same for a middle manager as it does for an executive when it comes to learning and development. That way of development is flawed and will always be an uphill battle that causes a "They don't get it" mindset.

Many businesses have had their motives in the right place and should get and E for effort, but their unrealistic learning curve and lack of empathy has lead to a "cease-develop." Therefore many organizations are struggling with lack of talent. The talent has not been developed in a way that allows them to learn most effectively.

Continue to fervently develop execs in the ways that work for them. Begin to develop the next level in a different way that works for their learning (use the same leadership principles of course, but change the packaging.) As you move further down the org chart, adjust your development system to connect with the appropriate audience. By doing this you will grow people much faster and the future of your company will thank you.

If I can be of any assistance to help you think strategically on this, please contact me. I am happy to share what I am learning about this.

Leadership Means More

If I asked you the following question:

"What comes to your mind when you think about the Leadership at Coca-Cola?"

Recent thinking on this question leads me to believe that most people would say, "Well the CEO, COO, CFO, and the executive team responsible for the organization." You would likely come to this answer because that is the way our minds have been programmed for a long long time. We tend to immediately think about the top brass. When the word leadership comes up in regard to any organization, our heads go up to an authoritative figure with a fancy title. I do agree that such people are leaders or at least they better be and they must have a plethora of leadership ability and security. However...

We have to change the common answer to the question and shift our focus forever!

When we think of the leadership in any organization large or small, we should picture the entire body of employees and the development environment in which is provided to them. Leadership should equate to a large body of people who invest in each other so that everyone may achieve greatness and produce extraordinary business outcomes for the customer, community, and stakeholders.

In order to do this there must be a systematic and organized approach to the development of people. So systematic and organized in fact that it becomes the driving force of the enterprise. In order to reach a systematic and organized approach, you must have the inner strength to take on the hard work that is entailed when it comes to developing people. The very reason so many companies fail to develop leaders as part of their business strategy is because it is so hard and often times the results are not seen for a long time. This very difficulty and reluctance to develop people is the number one reason why we are facing a talent crisis.

Leadership has to be known as the development of a group of people, not just the select few in high altitude positions.

Application:

Get together with your team and put the question on the wall. What is the common theme of the answer? Allow this to be the beginning of serious conversation and eventual action to become a business driven by LEADERSHIP. I have even provided the power point slide for you, just save it and display it in your meeting. Have all the lights off and allow it to glow on the wall when your friends arrive.

Download leadership_question.pot