Sure this book is about Starbucks, but it’s much bigger than that.  Michelli shows why Starbucks has become the coffee bean superpower of the world.  And it has nothing to do with the beans.  I guess that’s not entirely true, but their success is built much more around who is serving rather than what is being served.

I will admit, I have invested my fair share in the Starbucks brand but I never gave a thought as to what goes on behind the grinder, so to speak.  Michelli explores 5 Principles that give Starbucks the advantage over their competition and I for one, will pay much more attention to what is going on behind the counter next time I visit my local Starbucks.

Definitely a great look at what has made Starbucks so successful, but at the same time, the bar has been set very high for them to continue to live up to their reputation.

In this, the first of three posts, I will recap Michelli’s exploration of “The Starbucks Connection” and Principle 1 – Savor and Elevate.

THE STARBUCKS CONNECTION

The story starts with Howard Schultz stepping back into the role of Chief Executive Officer in 2008.  Schultz introduced his “Transformation Agenda” establishing a forward-looking vision that enhanced the companies established mission.  Michelli shares that:

“While the Starbuck mission was “to inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, and one cup and one neighborhood at a time,” the transformation vision set an energizing and rallying objective, “to become an enduring, great company with one of the most recognized and respected brands in the world, known for inspiring and nurturing the human spirit.”

Whether you are a fan of the coffee or not, I guarantee you will look at the organization differently after giving this book a look.  The investment that Starbuck makes in their people is impressive.  Their commitment is to not only continually improve the product but the way they connect with the customer.  It’s not too hard to figure out why your local Starbucks is always full.

PRINCIPLE 1 – SAVOR AND ELEVATE

There are many great quotes about the Starbucks philosophy throughout, but the message is consistent.  Connect with your customer and create an experience that will be remembered long after that last sip from the cup.

This is done by being passionate about your product and the service provided to deliver it and do it in a way that inspires the customer to share the same passion.  Here is a great quote that represents the Starbucks culture:

“We take the ordinary … and give it new life, believing that what we create has the potential to touch others’ lives because it touched ours.”

It is clear that Starbucks culture is built around both the customer and the product and it’s hard to tell which is top on the priority list but one thing is clear, they are completely committed to make both the best.

This is probably my favorite quote from this section of the book; “all business settings are a stage from which all experiences emerge.”  (Tweet This)  What if we all looked at our business that way?  People are going to pay for your service or your product or both.  The real question becomes, will they enjoy it?  The answer to that will determine whether or not they come back.

TODAY’S QUESTION:  Your brand is really a representation of who you.  What are you doing to use that brand to create an experience that will get your customer or client to share in your passion?

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Self-confidence is one of those funny things.  You don’t really understand it until you get it.  No, not “get it” like understand it, I mean get it like “get it.”  Self-confidence is a process and a difficult one at that.  Our culture does several things to keep you from getting it as well as giving it to you under false assumptions.  Let me explain.

First, the world we live in teaches that failure is bad and that the more you fail, the worse off you get.  If you have been reading any of my posts lately, you know that failure is actually a means to success.  From failure we not only learn the wrong way to do things, but we also learn that doing things wrong is ok because we can learn from those “failures” and build our confidence from the lessons learned.

Second, our society has gone overboard to make sure that everyone feels good.  Somehow by rewarding people, especially children, for everything they do will somehow build up their self-esteem and self-confidence.  Well I suppose it will short term, but what happens when they get into the real world where simply “participating” get’s you just about nothing?

You can choose to agree or disagree with my comments in the previous two paragraphs but the bottom line is that “authentic” self-confidence is the only thing that will provide lasting results.  So let’s take a look at the idea of self-confidence.

WHY DO I NEED SELF-CONFIDENCE?

Self-confidence is the tool that allows you to be you.  Not just you, but the best you that you can be.  We all have beliefs and those beliefs make up who we are.  The problem is that when we don’t have the confidence to “walk our talk” it results in a less authentic model of who we are. Maybe even someone we are not.

WHERE DO I GET SELF-CONFIDENCE?

You build self-confidence by doing the right things at the right times no matter what other people will think.  If this is a new concept for you, it won’t be easy at the beginning.  But continue and people will recognize you as a trusted, respected individual.  Even if they don’t agree with you, they will appreciate the fact that you actually believe in something and are willing to stand behind it.

WHAT DO I DO WITH SELF-CONFIDENCE?

Do you consider what other people will think of you when you speak or act in a certain way? Or are you so totally convicted by what you believe in that you will do what you do and say what you say regardless of what other people think.  Now I am not saying don’t be respectful or courteous, just be solid in who you are.  That is what self-confidence does for you.  As my mentor John Maxwell has taught us; “you cannot give what you do not have.”

Go back to the title of this post.  What would you try if you had the confidence to do it?  I know there is at least one thing.  Did you know that most people have more regrets for things they wanted to do and didn’t than things they did do and wish they hadn’t? [Tweet This]

Simple challenge for you today folks.  Make a list of the things you want to do but have not had the self-confidence to do, pick one, and GO DO IT!

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The post If I Had The Self-Confidence To Do It, I Would _____________! appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

The main premise of John’s 74th book is that we don’t have to lose.  Rather, we can learn from our failures and mistakes.  John shares some of his greatest blunders and simply stated, he kept a positive attitude when it could have been just as easy to give in or give up.

I’ll admit that I used to be that way when things went wrong.  Blame it on the circumstances or possibly even on someone else just so I wouldn’t look bad.  I am over that mindset now.  Now I realize that failure is actually part of success.  When we understand this, we are able to maintain a positive attitude which allows us to remain focused on the original goal or objective we set out to achieve.

I want to discuss four ways that our “attitude” impacts our life.  These are not just opinions, these are thoughts based on my own failure and success.  I used to try and hide my failures and losses from others.  Now I wear them like battle scars and love to share with others, what I learned from the experience.

PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS

This could be your spouse, significant other, or even one of your kids.  If there is a problem in the relationship, I promise you that it has something to do with the attitude of one, or both of you.  My advice, remember this is based on experience, own your behavior and act in a way focuses on a solution.  A positive attitude can make all the difference in the world and may be your only hope to finding resolution.

BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS

I have watched it over and over, attitudes are contagious.  Much of the success we have in the business world relates in one way or another to teamwork.  When you are part of a team, you have a responsibility to your teammates to be an addition to the team.  This never happens with a negative attitude.  One single bad attitude can divide an entire team.  That being said, one positive attitude can be the catalyst to team success.

HEALTH

We all know that stress is bad for us, and on many different levels.  I am not breaking any ground here by telling you that your attitude will determine your stress level.  Notice that I didn’t say your stress will determine your attitude, even though it might, but here is the deal. When we have a positive attitude, we reduce stress.  A negative attitude creates stress.  Our attitude is our choice – something we have control over.  Stress is the result of our choosing to have a poor attitude or by allowing others to control our decisions.

SUCCESS

Here is the important piece to all of this.  What if you never lost?  What if everything you did was a win or a learn?  How would that impact your attitude?  Look, I get it, sometimes there is so much stacked against and we feel so overwhelmed that it is nearly impossible to maintain a positive attitude.  But this is what happens when we have that “positive attitude” mindset – we look at things differently and some of the things that used to get us down, now get us excited.  Excited to learn and apply that lesson to do or get better.  That is how we succeed.

So a challenge for you today.  Identify something in your life, right now, that has you frustrated or even angry.  Take a moment to reflect on what it is and what you can learn from going through this experience.  As John says in his new book; “Success lies not in eliminating our troubles and mistakes but in growing through and with them.”  

We all will experience difficulties in our life.  I believe our attitudes will make the difference between winning and losing.  So no more losing, only learning!

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You can still see the encore presentation of the Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn webcast by clicking here.

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Barry Smith    10/12/13   photo courtesy of Amazon   © Building What Matters 2013

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Dr. Cloud does an incredible job providing insight on why some people get results and others don’t.  Simply stated, when we invest time beyond the boundaries “we should have” we reduce the results we achieve along the way.

Dr. Cloud has taken a complex issue and has broken it down into simple terms that every leader should be able to embrace and implement into their leadership and life style.

This will be the first of three posts exploring what it takes to lead teams, companies and cultures defined by high performance and healthy relationships.

THE PEOPLE ARE THE PLAN

Dr. Cloud starts off with a very powerful point.  He suggests that everybody out there is always trying to figure out the right plan.  But the truth is that there are numerous “right plans.”  The real problem is getting the people to do what it takes to make the plan work.

I love what he says next; “Ultimately, leadership is about turning a vision into reality; it’s about producing real results in the real world.”  He is right!  It comes down to the performance of you or your team.  So if you agree that people are the plan then it only makes sense to start with the people you have when formulating your plan.

RIDICULOUSLY IN CHARGE

I believe this is the signature chapter of the book.  Dr. Cloud tells the story of a discussion he had with a CEO.  They were discussing problems that existed within the organization and the reasons they existed.  Dr. Cloud then asked “why do these reasons exist?”  The reason behind the problem – right?  “Who is in charge?” he asked.  The CEO replied; “I am” replied the CEO.

As the discussion continued, the CEO exclaimed “You know, when you think about it, I am rediculously in charge.”  Bingo!  The CEO “owned” the decision making process and decided to own the outcome.  As Dr. Cloud put it; “As a leader, he was going to get what he built, or what he allowed.”

LEADING SO BRAINS CAN WORK

OK, so let’s get into the idea of boundaries.  Dr. Cloud suggests that the reason a leader’s boundaries work is that they actually make it possible for people’s brains to function as they were designed.  In other words, our brains are designed to function within certain parameters and when we stay inside those parameters, by setting the necessary boundaries, our brain functions at it’s highest performance level.

Not having boundaries results in the brain spending critical energy processing information not conducive to producing the results we are looking for.  In Dr. Cloud’s words; “The leader’s job is to lead in ways such that people can do what they are best at doing: using their gifts and their brains to get great results.”

THE EMOTIONAL CLIMATE THAT MAKES BRAINS PERFORM

Dr. Cloud makes the following statement; “The cold, hard scientific facts are that your people think better when they are not stressed, afraid, or depressed.”  He goes on to explore the impact of creating a positive environment and the impact of not having one.

There is a great section on the idea of “Avoiding the negative, and accentuating the positive.” Several great takeaways here including, but not limited to, providing structure, setting clear expectations and a focus on communication.  In simple terms, when the individuals are emotionally healthy, their level of productivity will reflect that.

I have read numerous books written by highly intelligent people full of data analysis and complex issues and ideas.  Many of them made me feel like I was reading a textbook. This is NOT one of those.  Dr. Cloud breaks things down into the simplest terms and provides great questions and suggestions that we can apply to our role as leaders and in our leadership development.

So I leave you with a thought today.  Some of you are in charge of a lot and some maybe not so much.  No matter how much you are in charge of, have you owned it?  Are you ridiculously in charge?  As Dr. Cloud suggests, what we get is either created or allowed.  So what are you creating and what are you allowing in your life?  What needs to change?   OK – so I guess my thought turned into a few questions.  But you know I love questions!

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Barry Smith    10/9/13   photo courtesy of Amazon   © Building What Matters 2013

The post Boundaries For Leaders – Part 1: Who Is In Charge? appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

I used to think like that.  Then I realized how much I was missing focusing on the prize, the win, the victory.  It really is about the journey and not the destination.  I believe that real victory comes from playing the game when you play to learn and not necessarily to win.

If you are nearing the half century mark, or older, can probably remember the ABC Wide World of Sports Commercial with the infamous words “Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport! The thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat.”

• The thrill of victory – being excited because you are the winner.
• The agony of defeat – the pain of being the loser.

Is this really what life is about?  I think it comes down to this …

• The thrill of victory – finding satisfaction from your hard work paying off and producing results.
• The agony of defeat – the frustration that all your hard work did not provide the outcome you were looking for.

I find myself questioning the real value in riding the emotional roller coaster of victory and defeat.  Remember that guy who said; “it’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.”  Well he had it almost right.  I don’t think “how you play the game” is enough.  I think it comes down to what you learn from playing the game.

John Maxwell will be releasing his 74th book “Sometimes You Win, Sometimes You Learn” in early October and the focus of the book – losing.  Oh, did I say losing?  Well that’s what some of you call it when you fail.  This book is really about winning – winning by learning from your failures and maintaining a positive attitude while doing it.

You have three choices.  You can win, you can lose, or you can learn.  You see, you don’t have to lose any more. Although I am looking forward to John’s new book, I don’t need to read it to know that learning is better than losing. What it really comes down to is how I respond the the things I struggle with in my life.

I can be defeated or I can push through, get as close to “winning” as possible and learn from how I fell short so that I might improve next time.  For me, it is really about growing. With the right attitude, we can grow more from our failures than we can from our successes.

I know that if I continue to grow everyday, through the good and the bad, I will succeed.  John was asked what topic his new book falls under – leadership?  personal growth?  communication?  His response – “attitude.”

This book is about attitude and when our attitude reflects our desire to learn and grow, we are much more likely to actually learn from our mistakes rather than let them keep us down or hold us back.

“Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take the rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory not defeat.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Life is much bigger than one single victory or win.  We can learn every day and more importantly, we can learn even from the things we fail at.

My question today will require a little thinking on your part.  What would you do if you knew you could not fail?  And here is the challenge; DO IT!

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SAVE THE DATE:  On October 10th, John will be doing a WEBCAST to teach from his new book and introduce the Maxwell Leadership Assessment.  CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE WEBCAST

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Barry Smith    9/21/13   photo by author   © Building What Matters 2013

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Although the official release of Scott’s first book, Discover Your Sweet Spot – The 7 Steps to Create a Life of Success and Significance, is not scheduled until the first of the year, I have had the opportunity to be included in a group to receive an early release of the book.

Yes, this is another book that focuses a lot on leadership, but Scott provides 7 steps that will guide you along a path to success and significance in whatever lane you are travelling.

Scott is the Vice President of the John Maxwell Team and one of the team mentors.  A very successful businessman in the Landscaping business, Scott parallels the ideas of DESIGN, BUILD and MAINTAIN into whatever environment we find ourselves.

This will be the second of three posts taking us through the 7 steps that will teach us how to Design, Build and Maintain a life of success and significance.

PHASE 2: BUILD YOUR LEADERSHIP ENVIRONMENT

STEP 3 – Tear Out, Then Build Up

Pulling from his landscape background again, Scott creates a picture of pulling weeds when entering the building phase.  He presents a very thought provoking question – “Do your excuses serve your dream?”  In other words, the excuses that you use in life are the weeds preventing you from building your dream.

He provides a great three step process to eradicate these weeds, or “excuses,” that are in the way of construction.  This is crucial.  If the weeds are not removed during the build phase to allow the new “roots” to take hold, you will will be focusing on pulling weeds the rest of your life.

1. Identify your weeds.  Review your construction site, “your life,” and remove the weeds that will prevent you from building the life you desire.
2. Own your weeds.  You know what they are and no one is going to remove them but you.  You have to own those weeds and take responsibility in making sure that they are gone as you get ready to build.
3. Eradicate the weeds.  You have identified them.  You have owned them. Now eradicate them.  Don’t settle for some or most of them.  You are building your foundation and the rest of the product will only be as good as the foundation you build upon.

STEP 4 – Build Midcourse Corrections

Things happen along the way that may require course corrections.  You may run into some unforseen conditions – something you could not have predicted.  Or maybe you simply want to change the design because you are beginning to see the finish product and can make it better.  Scott gives us four things to consider regarding course corrections:

1. Intersect the issue.  When the issue is identified, take aggressive moves to address it.  Don’t assume that it won’t be an important piece of the final product.  Remember the design devils, the small details matter.
2. Correct the problem.  Fix it!  Evaluate your options and choose the most logical correction moving forward.
3. Protect the goal.  Don’t lose sight of the desired outcome.  All the details are important, but if you get stuck on one thing, the schedule will suffer. Course corrections are changes in direction but still provide forward motion.
4. Reflect the outcome.  Certainly you desire that masterpiece when complete.  The end product will be a reflection of the process.  The quality of effort you put in through the process, will determine the quality of the end product.

I have reviewed numerous books and many have had a specific topic or targeted audience.  Discover Your Sweet Spot is for everyone.  We all have a Sweet Spot, but very few are living in it.  If you want to get there, do yourself a favor and pre-order this book.

Creating an environment that is conducive to success means confronting your current one.  If you want to change the design, you must first be willing to change yourself.  It starts from within.

Today’s question: “What are the weeds in your life that need to be pulled?”  If you are serious about building a better life, your weeds need to be pulled!

Click here to read Part 1 – The Design Phase

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Barry Smith    9/18/13   photo courtesy of Scott M Fay   © Building What Matters 2013

The post Discover Your Sweet Spot – Part 2: The Building Phase appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

Honestly, I dream of the day when I am not stressed out about something.  I am not sure that day will ever come, but if it does, I know that I will have to deal with a little more stress before it does.

Is going through stress the only way to eliminate stress?  Sometimes I wonder!  I know there are people that are out there as they say “carefree and fancy free.”  I am not sure I know what that means and that’s probably because I don’t fall into that category.

OK, maybe I should write something productive instead of stating the obvious.  Here goes.  There are many different kinds of stress that we all deal with.  I think the short term solution is to manage stress.  You can’t make it all go away today and you definitely can’t control all the variables that lead up to it.  Here are some of the types of stress that I have first-hand knowledge of:

PHYSICAL STRESS

There are many different reasons we suffer from physical stress.  Your job may require you to exert a tremendous amount of energy or you may simply be on a rigorous workout program.  Both can create physical stress but both for good reasons.  On the other hand, maybe you are suffering from physical stress due to lack of exercise or poor eating habits and find even the most basic activities challenging.

MENTAL STRESS

Have you ever heard someone say that their brain hurts?  I have used the phrase to describe how I feel after a full day in front of the computer. My brain doesn’t really hurt, but I feel like it should after how much I just used it.  Let’s face it, when we are up against a challenge that requires extreme focus, it is going to create mental stress.

EMOTIONAL STRESS

This is probably the big one.  Our emotions are probably the most difficult thing for us to manage.  Even the slightest of things can set us off.  Often times, these are minor things that trigger something bigger and then the blow up.  It all comes down to whatever thing is stressing us out turning us into a ticking time bomb.

I have not really stated anything above that you didn’t already know, so what’s the point.  The point is that all of these types of stress can be reduced if we choose to. Huh?  I said choose to.

Yesterday I made bad choices.  My list that I wanted done by mid-afternoon didn’t even start until mid-afternoon.  My wife asked me to make her a Blueberry-smoothie and as I proudly prepared to pour the masterpiece into a cup for her, the bottom fell out and I ended up with an 18″ wide frozen blueberry pancake spread across the counter (I should have taken a picture of that, but I was too frustrated to even think of the photo-op.)  Most everything else went wrong yesterday and my stress level and attitude reflected it.

What happened yesterday?  I let things get to me.  That’s usually when things go bad. How do we avoid letting things get to us?  That’s the million dollar question and a topic for another day.  But this I know … when we let circumstances control our actions our actions will result in our circumstances.

Here’s a thought … Next time things are getting to you (and they will) – consider this question, “what would be the best possible outcome right now?”  I would suggest that merely asking the question will reduce your level of stress!  And you might just get a really good answer.

Have a great day!  It’s the only one you have until tomorrow!

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In section one, which will be discussed in this post, Pink discusses what he calls the “Rebirth of a Salesman.”  In section two, Pink provides a new twist to the ABC’s of selling which historically has stood for Always Be Closing, by discussing Attunement, Buoyancy and Clarity.  In section three, he discusses the way we should be selling in today’s environment – The Pitch, How to Improvise and How to Serve.

Pink states that most of us reside in “non-sales selling.” We’re persuading, convincing, and influencing others to give up something they’ve got in exchange for what we’ve got.  Let’s take a look at what this really means.

PART ONE – REBIRTH OF A SALESMAN

1.  WE’RE ALL IN SALES NOW

Pink discusses a survey that was completed called “What Do You Do At Work?  The survey found that 40 percent of the time we are focused on persuading, influencing and convincing others in ways that don’t involve a purchase.  Additionally it was found that this part of our efforts was crucial to the success of our business.

I think of two quotes by John Maxwell, “Everything rises and falls on Leadership” and “Leadership is Influence – Nothing more, nothing less.”  If you follow my thinking, you can draw the conclusion that everything rises and falls on influence.  If you are not influencing others, you can not achieve the desired result you are looking for.  If you are in charge of anyone, personally or professionally, one of the things you desire is productivity and good decision making.  This requires persuading, influencing and convincing.  You are in sales!

2.  ENTREPRENEURSHIP, ELASTICITY AND ED-MED

The idea of entrepreneurship is clearly one of the biggest ways we do business today.  “Outside the box” thinking is critical in the success of many of today’s business relationships.

We have to be flexible in today’s marketplace.  Our ability to be elastic, to stretch and expand, is often required to connect with clients and customers.  Pink states “Interacting with customers around problems isn’t selling per se.  But it sells.”

Ed-Med is the fastest growing industry in America today.  Pink shares two comments from his investigation as to what is fueling these industries, “As teachers, we want to move people” and “moving people is the majority of what we do in health care.”  If you fit into these categories, you are in sales.

3.  FROM CAVEAT EMPTOR TO CAVEAT VENDITOR

Caveat Emptor – “Buyer Beware.”  Back in the day, the seller had all the information and it was up to the buyer to trust what he was being told in making his decision to buy.  Caveat Venditor – “Seller Beware.”  Today with the abundance of information on the internet, the buyer now has accessibility to virtually as much information as the seller.  To the seller – you better know what you are talking about because chances are the buyer does.

The bottom line is that, as Pink has titled the book, “To Sell Is Human.”  It is in our DNA to sell.  We all want to influence others in what we believe in.

Do you try and influence, persuade or convince?  If you do – You are in sales!

Next week we will take a look at Part 2 – “How To Be”

Find out more about Daniel Pink and “To Sell Is Human” at  www.danpink.com

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Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   2/27/13            photo courtesy of Amazon

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I have asked many people what leadership means and often times I get responses like, “the people that run the business” or “a group of people that make the decisions.”  I suppose both are potentially correct but I see leadership as those that are influencing others.

The President of the United States is not just the individual who sits in the Oval Office.  He is the person that is leading our Country.  His decisions will influence the way our Nation operates both in success and in failure.  I make no political statement here, just simply stating that the people that hold leadership positions, influence the outcome of those which they are leading.

The important question to me is, how much influence are they really having on those that they are leading?  If we want to succeed in business, or in life, we need influential leaders.  Leaders that are making a positive impact within the region, business or family in which they exist.

Here are a five ways to identify an Influential Leader:

1.  AWARENESS

An influential leader has keen awareness of what the issues are.  Have you ever heard a leader speak and thought “He has no idea what is really going on?”  Leaders often lose touch on the pulse of the people they are leading.  To facilitate change and forward movement, a leader needs to be aware of the issues and how his decisions will impact his people.

2.  VISION

An influential leader has clear vision on what the desired outcome is for his role as a leader. There are two parts to this vision.  The first is that the vision is in alignment with the needs of the people.  The second is that this vision had been clearly communicated.  This will provide in buy-in from his followers and unity and strength in moving forward as a whole.

3.  DEVELOPING OTHERS

An influential leader develops those around him.  It is crucial for the success of any organization to grow the people within that organization.  If a leader has a long list of things “only he can do”, he is not doing a good job developing others.  Eighty percent of a leaders time should be spent on only the things he can do.  If this time is being spent on things that can be delegated, he is doing a poor job of developing and empowering others.

4.  ENVIRONMENT

An influential leader works to create and develop and environment that is conducive to growth for both the individuals and the organization.  A healthy environment is a place where others can thrive and grow.  A place where there are opportunities to reach their potential.

5.  LISTENING

Above all, an influential leader is a good listener.  I said a good listener.  A good listener blocks out his own personal agenda when actively listening.  He also acts on what he has heard.  No one person has the ability to make decisions on their own.  They need to listen both to their staff and the people they represent.

Leadership is influence and in order to have influence there needs to be action.  The results will be defined by the action taken.  If you are a leader, what kind of results are you getting from your influence?  If you are a follower, what kind of influence does your leader have on you?

Don’t be a positional leader.  Having your name posted on your door or the word “president” as a title mean nothing unless you are acting in a way that fulfills the responsibility of that position.

Your influence as a leader will define your legacy as an individual.  Are you creating the legacy that you want?

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Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   2/1/13            photo by author

The post Why We Need Influential Leaders appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

This is the second of four posts discussing David Horsager’s book “The Trust Edge.”  How Top Leaders Gain Faster Results, Deeper Relationships, and a stronger Bottom Line.

The basic premise of the book is that when we build trust, we gain a competitive advantage in the world we live in.  I believe that this applies to both our personal and professional lives.  Simply put, when we build trust, we build relationships.  And as we all know, people want to spend time with, associate with and do business with people they trust.

The heart of the book focuses on Horsager’s Eight Pillars of Trust – Clarity, Compassion, Character, Competency, Commitment, Connection, Contribution and Consistency.

This post will address the first four.

PILLAR 1:  CLARITY 

Horsager describes Three Key Areas of Clarity:

1.  Vision and Purpose – If you want people to trust you, they need to understand your purpose and your vision.  If they don’t understand where you are headed, how will they know if you get there?

2.  Expectations and Communications – How are you communicating your intentions?  Have your expectations been made clear?  These are both critical if you are going to get the buy-in and engagement you need to be trusted.

3.  Daily Tasks – Do the things that you do every day align with your mission statement?  This one is pretty straight forward.  Do your actions match your thoughts?  When they do, you increase trust.

PILLAR 2:  COMPASSION

Horsager describes The Four Laws of Compassion

1.  Listen – Do you ever find yourself answering a question before the other person has even finished asking it?  I have.  The importance of actually listening is huge.  Let the other person finish their thought and you will validate them and build trust.

2.  Appreciate – I love the question Horager suggests … “How many of you feel overappreciated?”  People want to be appreciated.  This validates them and builds trust.

3.  Wake Up – We are so concerned about the future that we forget about the present.  Wake Up and get the most out of NOW that you can.  Today only happens once.

4.  Serve Others – When we help others and develop a reputation of being unselfish, others will trust that we are looking out for them and are concerned about what’s important to them.

PILLAR 3:  CHARACTER

Horsager describes the Two Sides of Character

1.  Integrity – Horsager asserts that “Integrity is being consistent in thoughts, words and actions.  Being consistent builds trust.

2.  High Morals – Consistently doing “the right” thing is a great way to build trust.  Regardless of the issue, people will know that you will make a good decision.

PILLAR 4:  COMPETENCY

Horsager describes Three Ways to Gain Competency

1.  Join a Mastermind Group – I believe this is one of the best ways to build competency.  A mentor of mine puts it this way “Hang out with people that believe what you do but think different thoughts.”

2.  Read – Every leader is a reader.  Continually exposing your mind to new information will build competency.  People trust those with knowledge.

3.  Get a Mentor – There will always be someone who knows more than you about any given subject.  Many are willing to share their insights and experiences with you and help you along the way.

The Trust Edge provides a blueprint not only for building trust but living a meaningful life.  Trust impacts every part of our life.  Part 3 will cover the second half of the Eight Pillars of Trust.

Rate yourself on how well you are doing the things described above.  This may give you some insight on your Trust Edge.

See Part 1 of The Trust Edge by clicking here.

Find out more about David Horsager and The Trust Edge at:

www.TheTrustEdge.com or www.davidhorsager.com

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Barry Smith   www.buildingwhatmatters.com   1/30/13            photo courtesy of Amazon

The post The Trust Edge – Part 2, Clarity, Compassion, Character & Competency appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.