For me personally, clarity was the difference maker in my transition out of the construction industry.  I mean it’s hard enough as it is to try and stay clear and focused when you only have one job.  Going from one to another, and one that is completely different, produced a lot of fuzz in my vision for a really long time.

I think the most significant thing that was missing early on was guidance.  I was trying to do it all myself and well, you can probably guess how that turned out.  When I became part of the John Maxwell Team, I not only was connected to John himself and an incredible roster of teammates, but a mentorship team that has been invaluable in my successful transition.

One of my teammates, Kary Oberbrunner, who was coaching and mentoring in his own business took me a step further by introducing me to a framework that included an Overarching Vision, Purpose, Unifying Strategies and a Scorecard for Significance. If you want to know more about that framework, let me know, but the end result was gaining the clarity that I had been lacking that brought my world back into focus.

I said clarity was the theme this week, but it came in different forms and I offer these up to see if your world currently resonates with any of them.

I’m not sure where I am so how can I possibly know where I’m going?

You have to start somewhere, right?  Well it only makes sense to start where you’re at.  I have found that if you find yourself in this situation it’s because you’re lacking a benchmark, nothing to define your current condition.  I love the idea of starting with the end in mind.  Do you have a vision for your future?

Look, I will be honest, if you don’t know where you’re going then it doesn’t matter where you are.  Knowing where you want to go allows you to establish what the difference is between the destination and where you currently are.  A destination provides the clarity to map the course to get there.

I’m too busy to figure out where I want to go.  I can barely take care of today.

I know some of you are in this category.  I won’t pretend to minimize your current workload or responsibilities, but this I know – if you don’t know where your going, it really doesn’t matter where you end up.  If you don’t have a plan, someone else will make one for you and if you didn’t know this already, they don’t have much planned for you.

Clarity doesn’t just happen.  It comes from strategically planning out the steps you need to achieve a desired result.  And it only starts there.  Once you have that plan, you need to work it.  Clarity is the glue that holds a plan together and makes it stick!  (Tweet This / Post to LinkedIn)

I’m not quite ready for clarity, I need to take care of a few things first.

Really?  Doesn’t that, in itself, suggest that clarity is needed?  The time for clarity is now. Remember earlier when I said BEGIN with the end in mind.  Last time I checked, the beginning is usually the first part.  My point is that the next move is your most important because it sets the stage for the rest.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you need to take care of a few things before you create and implement a plan.  Those “things” should be part of your plan.  Start now with the plan you want to execute.  Be strategic and specific with every move.

My guess is that you fit into at least one of these three scenarios, maybe more.  This week I mentioned the gap between what we know and what we do.  Clarity can close that gap.

The Question:  Which of these scenarios are you currently in?

The Challenge:  Before going back to whatever it was you were doing, take just 15 minutes and come up with one action item you can take immediately to improve your current condition or circumstance.

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One of the great things about being a coach is that you get to collaborate with other coaches and mentors on a regular basis.  Honestly, I think having a coach or mentor – someone to hold you accountable – is the best way to achieve any goal.  Speaking from personal experience I can say that my results increase dramatically when I have someone holding me accountable to doing what I say I am going to do.

One of my mentors, Kary Oberbrunner, recently posted this on his Day Job to Dream Job blog:

The purpose of your dream is not in achieving the dream itself, but rather the person you become in the process of achieving it.

I think I heard something like this before but it clearly did not stick.  This time it did.  I get this now.  It makes so much sense.  It’s really no different for goals.  When the goal is the goal, the focus is on the destination.  When the goal is about changing who you are, the goal becomes the bi-product of the transformation you go through.

I Don’t Want To Be What I Used To Be!

Maybe it’s the transformation that I have gone through over the past few years in my own life that has brought clarity to this concept.  But now that I understand it, everything I do has more meaning.  And not just to me, but to those around me as well.

In Guatemala last June, John Maxwell told me that; “Once you get a taste of significance, you will never settle for success.” (Tweet This / Share on Facebook / Post to LinkedIn)  Think about that one for a minute!

OK, so why does any of this matter?  If you remember from an earlier post, I mentioned that today in National Quit Day.  The average day that most people give up on their New Year’s Resolutions.  Do you possibly think that the reason they give up is because they are focused on the destination and let’s be honest, how much change can possibly take place in ten days?

I Want To Be Who I Am Going To Be!

OK – Problem identified.  Now let’s get to the solution.  Here is my advice.  The next time you set a goal, use the one you set ten days ago if you want, spend some additional time writing down (YES, I SAID WRITING DOWN) the person you hope to become in achieving that goal.

We are ten days into 2014 and I will go out on a limb here and assume that most of you have made some type of list of the things you want to achieve this year.  My guess is very few of you have written down who you would like to become this year.

I Can’t Find The Easy Button

Are you going to measure the success of this year by how well you achieve your goals? What if you fail?  What if life happens and you simply can’t attain your goals because of your circumstances?

Here is the good news about focusing on the journey instead of the destination. Setting out to change yourself does not really have much to do with achieving the goal. We can learn through adversity and we can change during the difficult times.  We can grow every day in any situation.  It doesn’t matter what life throws at us.

“That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” – Friedrich Nietzsche

Nietzsche may give the best goal setting advice there is.  The problem is that most people don’t get stronger.  They give up or simply change direction because “it makes more sense.”  

As far as I am concerned, this may be the most important question I ask this year. “Who do you want to become?”  How about a bonus question to celebrate National Quit Day?  “What will you do to become that person?”

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Barry Smith    1/10/14   photo by author   © Building What Matters 2014

The post Quit Wasting Your Time Setting Goals and Focus On The Journey. appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

The 5 Pillars is a project that I have been working on for almost two years and had a great time with the official launch of “The 5 Pillars of Influential Leadership” Coaching program on May 23th.

Why the 5 Pillars?  I have spent more than 30 years in the business world and although it has been primarily in the Construction world, the 5 Pillars philosophy works across all industries.  In fact, while developing this program I realized that it can have a significant impact on your personal life as well.

I will break down each Pillar into three sections, personal, business and community. Any growth or improvement needs to start within, with the end goal of influencing the community you live in.  In this post we will take a look at PERSONAL LEADERSHIP.

Here we are, the final Pillar – Leadership.  For 13 weeks we have been discussing the skills and values that help form an influential leader.  For the final three weeks, we will look at what influential leaders do, and how they do it.

MENTORING

You won’t find an influential leader out there that does not have a mentor.  None of us are the best we can be in everything we do.  Influential leaders recognize that there are others that can, and are willing to help them take it to the next level.

DEVELOP OTHERS

Influential leaders are committed to helping others along the way.  There is no greater gift than to believe in someone and help them reach their potential and achieve their dreams.  Who can you help develop with the skills you have?

SERVANT LEADERS

Influential leaders are servant leaders.  They give with no expectation of anything in return. Although the initial return on this investment of time and resources is not always seen right away, it becomes very evident over time.

SELF-LEADERSHIP

John Maxwell has said that the hardest person to lead is yourself.  I think he is right. Influential leaders are continually working to improve their own skills and are committed to personal growth.

WISDOM

The only way wisdom is gained is through experience.  Influential leaders spend time reflecting on the events in their lives and the lessons that can be learned.  They are open to sharing both their successes and failures with the intent of helping others learn as well.

COURAGE

Influential leaders have the courage to make the difficult decisions required to change the things that need changing.  You can’t please all of the people all of the time and clear vision on mission and purpose empowers the leader to take others in the direction that they need to go.

INFLUENCE

Every decision you make will influence an outcome.  Influential leaders understand that their actions will impact those around them.  They make their decisions based on what is best for the entire team or organization.  As Maxwell says; “Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.”

TRUST

David Horsager, in “The Trust Edge” says that trust is the real currency in business and life, not money.  Your success is based on people that know, like and trust you.  Building a relationship based on trust will lead to success, but remember, broken trust can take a lifetime to repair.  Do you have that much time?

LEGACY

One of the biggest reasons I made a career change was because I wanted to leave a legacy that mattered.  I could take you on a drive through the Portland area and show you numerous projects that I have been involved with over the last 30 years.  None of them can tell you anything about who I am.  The people that I have influenced as a coach, speaker, trainer and author can tell you how I made a difference in their lives.  That is a legacy worth living.

The 5 Pillars coaching program will take each topic to a much deeper level.  We will explore open ended questions and how they are directly impacting your life and more specifically in this segment, will allow you to evaluate and understand your role in growing your business.

In the mean time, start asking the type of questions that will result in better answers. When you ask “How can I”  you get an answer that will move the needle.  “What can I do today to increase my ability to be an influential leader?”  Answer that question, act on it, and you will succeed.

RELATED:

• Click here to see Part 1
• Click here to see Part 2
• Click here to see Part 3
• Click here to see Part 4
• Click here to see Part 5
• Click here to see Part 6
• Click here to see Part 7
• Click here to see Part 8
• Click here to see Part 9
• Click here to see Part 10
• Click here to see Part 11
• Click here to see Part 12
• Click here to see Part 13
• For more on The 5 Pillars of Influential Leadership and to view my video click here
• To view my guest post in the 2013 International Leadership Blogathon click here

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Barry Smith    8/1/13   photo by author   © Building What Matters 2013

The post The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership – Part 14: My Leadership appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

As a coach, and a mentor at times, I have discovered that not only is it better to learn together, but it is also incredible what you can learn watching others learn.  Bell and Goldsmith have hit a homerun on the third edition of this effort.  I will admit that I did not dive into the first to additions, but if you did, the authors have assured us that there are new stories and lessons, much the result of reader feedback.

There are enough takeaways in this book to write a book – well, I guess they already thought of that.  The mentoring model that this book is built around holds the belief that great mentoring requires four core competencies, each which can be used to mentor in a variety of ways.

Bell and Goldsmith use the mnemonic “SAGE” to describe the progression of a productive mentoring process.  For sake of time and space, I will cover these four steps in this post but they only make up about half the book.

SURRENDERING – Leveling the Learning Field

As a coach, I think this step is the one that resonates the most with me.  As the authors put it, “It all begins with surrendering to the process of learning instead of pursuing the program of teaching.”  They go on to say; “Surrendering means completely relinquishing any effort to control or manipulate the outcome.  Surrendering means putting all effort into being completely authentic, real, and mask free.”

The idea is that we get out of the way of ourselves and allow the process to produce the results.  I read this to say that the first step in any successful mentoring effort is to be authentic and transparent and to build rapport with the protégé.

ACCEPTING – Creating a Safe Haven for Risk Taking

The next step is accepting.  “Accepting means inviting the learner to be courageous, to take the risks needed to unfreeze old habits, and embrace and internalize new practices.” Additionally, “When mentors listen to learn (not to instruct), when mentors question to unearth (not to prove), and when mentors converse to explore (not to boast or best), the protégé experiences acceptance.”

Go back and read that again and think about your prior mentoring experiences.  Would these ideas have made a difference in your experience?  The key is found in the final word – acceptance.  Accepting the person and their circumstance eliminates the roadblocks that can hinder the process.

GIFTING – The Main Event

I am very pleased that the authors have included this step.  So much of what we experience in life revolves around someone else’s motives.  As the authors suggest; “True gifting is the expression of abundance without any expectation of a gesture in response.  And it is deliberate and intentional action rather than simply a personality trait or kind manner.”

When was the last time you did something for someone with no expectation of anything in return?  The point here is again, that when our motives our pure, the person we are working with senses that.  When they know you are making an investment in them, and believe in them, it empowers them to move forward in a positive manner.

EXTENDING – Nurturing a Self-Directed Learner

The authors wrap up the SAGE model by recognizing that the mentoring process can create codependency.  Think about it, the protégé has gone through a huge transformation and for the most part, it has been a product of the relationship.  The final step is to extend that learning and change beyond that relationship.

Bell and Goldsmith state; “As new forms of learning become available, the protégé discovers new routes of self-sufficiency.  The ultimate extension takes the mentor completely out of the equation, leaving the protégé to find his or her own way to competence – and independence.”

I am blessed to have several mentors in my life that help me along the way.  That being said, I realize that the only person that will actually create change in my life is me.  I know this because my mentors have followed a model close to that described by the authors.  So I can tell you with full confidence, that this works.  Mentoring makes a difference and makes a significant difference when it is done right.

I realize this was a little longer than my typical entry, but this is an important topic.  The mentoring process has changed my life and it can change yours as well.  Bell and Goldsmith have provided the blueprint to mentor your way to greater achievement and greater significance.

My encouragement today is for you to make the commitment to building partnerships for learning and get involved in the mentoring process.  Find someone that can help you take it to the next level and do the same for someone else.  There is no better time than right now!

For more on Managers As Mentors click here

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Barry Smith    7/24/13   photo courtesy of Amazon   © Building What Matters 2013

The post Managers As Mentors – Building Partnerships For Learning appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

His third book, The Mentor Leader, unlocks the concept of leadership much more than Quiet Strength or his second book, Uncommon, had done previously.  Make no mistake, they are all worth the read, but The Mentor Leader brings it all home.

The subtitle, secrets to building people and teams that win consistently. says it all. Mentor Leadership is about building people and when you do that, success is sure to follow.

I will break the book’s nine chapters into three posts.  The first will discuss the Mandate, Mind-set and Maturity of a mentor leader.  The second will cover the Marks, Moments and Model of a mentor leader and the final will address the Means, Methods and Measure or a mentor leader.

THE MEANS OF A MENTOR LEADER: MAXIMIZING TEAM PERFORMANCE

“The secret is to work less as individuals and more as a team.  As a coach, I play not my eleven best, but my best eleven.”  –  Knute Rockne

• Mentor Leaders create a culture.
• Mentor Leaders understand that diversity enhances excellence.
• Mentor Leaders promote togetherness.  This keeps the team moving forward.
• Mentor Leaders lead volunteers for extraordinary achievement.

When mentoring, it is important to focus on strengths.  None of us are capable, or required to “do it all.”  Build your team by building the best of what each individual has to offer.

THE METHODS OF A MENTOR LEADER: THE SEVEN E’S OF ENHANCING POTENTIAL

“Blessed is the leader who seeks the best for those he serves.”

• Mentor Leaders promote Engagement.
• Mentor Leaders encourage further Education.
• Mentor Leaders emphasize the need for Equipping.
• Mentor Leaders Encourage no matter what the circumstances.
• Mentor Leaders seek to Empower others.
• Mentor Leaders Energize their tribe.
• Mentor Leaders Elevate others to a higher level.

The best way to enhance potential is to build the individual.  How many of these E’s are you providing in the lives of the people around you?

THE MEASURE OF A MENTOR LEADER: BUILDING OTHER LIVES OF IMPACT

“Start right where you are, with the people right around you, doing something as simple as engaging with them and talking.”

• Mentor Leaders recognize it about the journey, not the destination.  They add value every moment.
• Mentor Leaders share the journey with the entire team.
• Mentor Leaders finish strong and live a life of significance.

Whether we recognize it or not, we would all like to leave a legacy of significance. There is no better way to do this that to help others build theirs.

Coach Dungy has done a clear and concise job of explaining how important it is to both be a mentor and be mentored.  Everyone has a skill set and there is no greater gift that to believe in another person and help them achieve what they want in life.

Make a difference today and share what you know with someone and help them become more than they thought possible.

• To see part one of The Mentor Leader click here
• To see part two of The Mentor Leader click here

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Barry Smith    7/17/13   photo by amazon   © Building What Matters 2013

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The book has Debbie, the one mentored in The Secret, now mentoring the son of her mentor following his death.  Blake, just starting out in his professional life, is searching for a way to fit in as an employee and fill the role as a leader.

Debbie shares many of the insights that Blake’s father had shared with her years before.  The book evolves around the acronym GROW.

The model is comprised of four ways that leaders must challenge and stretch themselves, both on and off the job, to reach their greatest potential.

GAIN KNOWLEDGE

Blanchard and Miller describe four ways that we gain knowledge:

1. You need to start with yourself if you are going to lead effectively.
2. You need to gain knowledge about others if you are going to lead as a group or individually.
3. You need to gain knowledge about your industry.
4. You need to gain knowledge in the field of leadership.

In short, to be an influential leader, you need to be a life-long learner.

REACH OUT TO OTHERS

Blanchard and Miller suggest that “teaching is one of the primary ways that leaders learn.”  I think they have described this process well by stating “As a leader, your role is to teach by sharing information as well as asking probing questions.”

The point is that as leaders, we need to take the first step.  If there is a problem, show up with a solution.

OPEN YOUR WORLD

Blanchard and Miller add “Your capacity to GROW will determine your capacity to lead.  If you get too busy with your job to grow, your influence and your leadership will stagnate and ultimately evaporate.”

They go on to suggest that “you will add much more value as a leader if you open up and expand your world with leadership experiences and life experiences.”  They then add the reminder that “you need to be on the lookout for experiences inside and outside work that will make you a better leader over time.”

WALK TOWARD WISDOM

The closing statement to the four steps is clarified with this statement; “Wisdom is the application of knowledge, discernment, insight, experience, and judgement to make good decisions when the answer may not be obvious.”

They acknowledge that growth in wisdom has no formula, but almost always has at least one of four elements:

1. Self-evaluation is the ability to look in the mirror and tell yourself the truth.
2. Those pursuing wisdom need honest feedback.  Find someone you can trust to provide that honest feedback.
3. Be willing to seek counsel from others.  Great leaders know when they don’t know and are willing to find the answers.
4. Understand and accept that wisdom is accumulated over a lifetime.  Great leaders understand that there is always more to learn.

I think my favorite line from the book is “We got caught providing yesterday’s answers to today’s problems.”  How often do you feel like that is what’s going on around you? Great Leaders GROW is a great read for anyone interested in developing or improving their leadership skills.

Influential leaders need to be ahead of the game.  What are you doing today to GROW as a leader?

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Barry Smith    6/26/13   photo courtesy of Ken Blanchard Companies   © Building What Matters 2013

The post Great Leaders GROW – Becoming A Leader For Life appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.

Every time mother nature throws something at us, I am reminded of the leadership that is needed to pick up the pieces in an effort to bring back some type of order within the chaos.  I recognize that lives have been changed forever, but in reality, we are forced to move on.  Not forget about those lost, but move forward in honor of their lives and their memories.

The interesting thing to me is how so many step up to the plate when there are no other options.  The need is there, and countless people simply step to the plate and do what needs to be done with no expectation of anything in return.

I think John Maxwell is right when he says “Everything Rises and Falls on Leadership.”  The community impacted by this latest event will recover.  They will recover because leaders will step to the plate and lead them forward.

The lives that were impacted by the tornado will be changed forever and I won’t pretend to understand the challenges that they face.  But this I know, as a community they will pull together.  They will encourage each other and lift each other up when the memories of those lost are pulling them down.

They will find strength in each other knowing that they must go on because they need to be there for each other.  They will rise again and they will do it on the leadership of those within the community that understand and believe that to do so is the only option.

SERVANT LEADERS provide WISDOM and COURAGE to MENTOR, DEVELOP and INFLUENCE others.

Leaders use their VISION and AUTHORITY to deal with CRISIS MANAGEMENT.  They depend on their INNER CIRCLE to NAVIGATE challenging times and MANAGE the resources they have available.

When there is ABUNDANCE, leaders give GENEROUSLY.  PRIDE will be put aside and STRATEGY will result in building TRUST and creating a LEGACY that will make a difference.

No question or challenge today, but a request:  Please keep those impacted by the events in Oklahoma on Monday in your thoughts and prayers as they deal with the challenges they face in recovering from this tragic event.

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On May 23rd, at 8:00 pm ET, I will be hosting a free call introducing “The 5 Pillars Of Influential Leadership” Coaching Program.

This will be a content filled call that will not only teach you about influential leadership but also about leading an intentional and successful life.  The words in capitals above are topics within Pillar #5 – LEADERSHIP.

This is the final of five posts related to the 5 Pillars that will go out prior to the call on the 23rd.

For more information and to register for the free call CLICK HERE.

To see the first video on Pillar #1 – AWARENESS click here

To see the second video on Pillar #2 – ENVIRONMENT click here

To see the third video on Pillar #3 – GROWTH click here

To see the fourth video on Pillar #4 – COMMUNICATION click here

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Barry Smith    5/21/13   photo by author   © Building What Matters 2013

The post Everything Rises And Falls On LEADERSHIP! appeared first on BUILDING WHAT MATTERS.COM.