High Performance Leadership

High performance leaders surround themselves with positive people. They recruit and develop people who take positive actions instead of complaining or blaming. They set the example by modeling positive behaviors. They spot their counter-productive habits and redirect them to positive ones. Reading everyday. Developing collaborative relationships. Taking competition seriously without destroying anyone. Solving problems with the strength to create solutions that leave no victims and no losers. A positive leader builds a positive team. What you see may be what you get -- but it's also true that what your TEAM sees, from you, you will get. -- doug smith

Have you thanked everyone on your team this week? If not, how many of your team members have you thanked? It's easy to take your stars for granted. They keep working hard no matter what and delivering on their promises. But if you take your stars for granted too long, they go away. Possibly to a competitor. Stars have choices. It's easy to take a typical performer for granted. Aren't they getting paid to do their job? Shouldn't they be grateful? But typical performers can turn into poor performers if they are ignored. Without the coaching to perform, how do you know they will continue to grow? It's easy to take your poor performers for granted. Maybe you even dream about an exit plan for them. But while they are there they could be doing irreparable harm to your team, your customers, and even your organization. Behavior is contagious. Ignore poor performance and soon you've more of it than you can stand. Everyone on your team is important. You can, as...

How do you manage your time? I've taught time management skills for longer than most people I meet have been alive. Some things change (technology, styles, priorities) and some things stay the same (healthy habits, counter-productive habits.) It's all important and some of it is helpful to apply. But what comes first? Once I realized that time is the one common currency -- the one resource we are all truly created equal in -- I realized how important it was to not get everything done but instead to get what is important done. To focus on the vital. To savor the healthy. To grow. Because all the time in the world doesn't matter if it's spent on things you don't like. It's why some minutes feel like hours and yet some weeks feel like days. When we are happy with our actions, when we are in that blissful flow of creative sparking and helping -- time truly flies. Managing time only works if you're happy doing what you're doing. Do that, and ma...

If you've ever had a leader slow you down, you know how frustrating that is. Not enough resources, not enough support, even undermining your efforts. That's not leadership - that's obstruction. Leaders provide guidance. Leaders provide direction. Leaders provide training and inspiration. At some point, high performance leaders need the trust to delegate and stay out of the way. My limitations have no business slowing you down. How about yours? -- doug smith

I do not enjoy it when someone breaks a promise. And yet, I have broken promises. I do not like it when someone lies to me. And yet, I have lied. I'm not fond of broken hearts, yet truth be told I have broken hearts I should have loved unconditionally. We are flawed creatures in need of learning, in need of helping, in need of forgiving. Forgiveness brings peace that even can't reveal. Always forgive. -- doug smith

Do you make a lot of promises? Leaders with credibility keep their promises. To keep their promises, high performance leaders prevent themselves from over-promising. Not too many promises. No promises too large. Tell the truth. Stretch yourself, but don't break yourself and for goodness sake don't break your word. We should make few promises because they are so hard to keep. No one wants to hear "I tried." We're listening for, "Yes, I did." -- doug smith