Category Archives: Leader

Intentional Leadership

02 Tuesday May 2017

Posted by in Leader, Leadership

≈ Leave a comment

 

  • “Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives – choice, not chance, determines your destiny.” —Aristotle

    One of the great concepts of leadership is that it never goes out of style.  Even for a post that was written in 2014.  While looking for the idea of “intentional leadership” and what it means I ran across the following by Ken Blanchard, https://whyleadnow.com/2014/01/10/intentional-leadership-3-timeless-narratives-for-2014/ 

    There are some really good ideas here in this post and as leaders, we would be wise to be “intentional” about knowing what they are.  We all have high intentions and for the most part we put sincere effort into our intentions because we are looking for a desired outcome.  However, sometimes we just do not make the intelligent execution to make it happen.  After reading this post about intentional leadership, all three must be met.  We really cannot have one without the others.

    Intentional Leadership—3 Timeless Narratives
    January is littered by a multitude of good intentions! That new number at the end of the Roman calendar, blindly promising to bring us prosperity and success, does often become a distant memory by the time the groundhog raises his weary head from a winter slumber. But the start of something new—a year, a friendship, a work project—can be a great opportunity to lead yourself and others to great success through three simple narratives.

    High Intentions

    The giddy hope and high expectations of a new year often outpace our ability to align old habits with those new intensions. However, high intention is the heart beat of any personal or social revolution. It is woven into the tapestry of humanity, to naturally hope for higher levels of happiness and purpose in our lives. High intensions do not mean that a person who has them need be dissatisfied with the life they are living, but rather are open to challenges and disappointment as they seek meaning and purpose at work, at home, or at play.

    Sincere Effort

    However, the highest intentions are but a thought in the wind without sincere effort to make those intentions a reality. An athlete or an artist does not become excellent without sincere effort. Effort is easy, sincere effort is meeting of the cruelest of tasks with the same zeal for the things we love to do. Sincere effort requires us to do more than put one foot in front of the other; it requires us to take each step, each daily task, as an opportunity to align it with our highest intensions.

    Intelligent Execution

    Our highest intentions and sincerest efforts must be driven by more than just arbitrary motion or aimless daily activity. It’s one thing to have a workout scheduled on your calendar, but it’s another task to lace up the shoes and complete that workout. If you have made resolutions, or have a set of goals for yourself this year, they will ultimately be measured by the intelligence of their execution, not the height of your intensions or the sincerity of your efforts. Forming an intelligent execution strategy promotes real goal achievement. With intelligent execution, you are moving from intensions and knowing, in to action through doing.

    Excellence at work or in life is more than a thought or an idea, it is a purpose driven effort. Make your choices wiser and more productive this year through high intentions, sincere effort, and intelligent execution of those efforts. Live the life you intend to live!-

The Man in the Arena

22 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by in Heroes, Leader

≈ Leave a comment

  • “Discipline, in essence, is consistency of action.” – Jim Collins, in the book Great By Choice

    Isn’t it funny how all the critics know exactly what they would have done.  As leaders WE are the ones who have the beauty and the burden of being in the Arena.

The Wisdom of Flying Geese

22 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by in Leader, Team

≈ Leave a comment

  • There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.  -Nicolo Machiavelli, The Prince, Chapter 6

    Let’s think about the idea of “The Wisdom of Flying Geese” as we lead our teams and also as we follow others.  So many animals have great instincts.  I really like basic truth #4.

    The Wisdom of Flying Geese

    In the Spring, when you see geese heading North for the Summer or South in the Fall, flying along in “V” formation, you might be interested in knowing what scientists have discovered about why they fly that way. It has been learned that as each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following.

    By flying in “V ” formation, the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

    Basic Truth #1– People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.

    Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.

    Basic Truth #2- If we have as much sense as a goose, we will stay in formation with those who are heading in the same direction as we are.

    When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.

    Basic Truth #3– It pays to take turns doing hard jobs, with people or with flying geese.

    These geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

    Basic Truth #4– We need to be careful what we say when we honk from behind.

    Finally, when a goose gets sick, or is wounded by gunshot, and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until he is either able to fly or until he is dead, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation until they catch up with their group.

    Final Truth– If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other, protect one another and sometimes make new friends who seem to be going in our direction.

Victorious Leader

22 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by in Leader, Momentum, Team

≈ Leave a comment

  • “Great moments, are born from great opportunity.” – Coach Herb Brooks, USA Men’s Hockey Team Coach that defeated the Russian Hockey team in the 1980 Winter Olympics.  

    As leaders we must put ourselves in situations where opportunity is.  We cannot be seen standing passive.
    Great locker room material with Victorious Leader.
    Also, if you get a two minute break watch the following youtube clip.  This is really good stuff.
    Victorious Leader
    I do not choose to be a common man.
    It is my right to be uncommon…if I can.
    I seek opportunity – not security.
    I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.
    I want to take the calculated risk:  to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.
    I refuse to barter incentive for a dollar.
    I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence:  the thrill of fulfillment to the state calm of Utopia.
    I will not trade freedom for beneficence, not my dignity for a handout.
    I will never cover before any master or bend to any threat.
    It is my heritage to stand tall, proud and unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefits of my creations, to face the world boldly and say:
    “This is what I have done.”