High Performance Leadership

  Should high performance leaders smile more? If you've ever worked for a leader who did NOT ever smile, you probably yearned for a bit more human touch from them. How can you know that you're pleasing your leader if they remain cold and unfeeling? Sure, it can be annoying if a leader is happy-go-lucky all of the time. Tough leaders face tough situations with toughness without tearing their people (or themselves) apart.  Smiling is essential. Smiling keeps us grounded. Smiling puts positive energy to work for us, regardless of what's going on. Think about it: you can smile whenever you want to, it is completely up to you. When you do smile, it makes you feel better. When you do smile, it makes other people feel better, too.  There is more power in your smile than in anyone else's smile. Go for that power: smile. -- doug smith

How is your image? How about your self esteem? We all know people who can talk a good talk, but as my good friend Mike Reil once said "talkers and walkers aren't always found in the same body." We are largely what we do. What we do determines our credibility. When we form and practice good habits (not just talk about them) people see who we really are and then they can believe us. Plus, when we form and practice good habits over and over it creates patterns that positively reinforce our identity, our character. What's your favorite good habit? Do you do that every single day? -- doug smith  

If a goal energies you, motivates you, and excites you it's a goal worth working hard on. To quote the Beastie Boys, "Get Busy!" -- doug smith  

  I used to resist feedback. I would have rather not know than to hear something negative about me or my performance. Truthfully, I still don't crave criticism. But, I've learned that we always have choices when it comes to feedback. We can choose: How seriously we take it How personally we take it Whether or not we use it Whether or not we build our relationships with it I'm sure you can think of even more choices.  Feedback gives us insights into our development. Seeing our level of development -- finding out what we've still got to learn and yes, reinforcing where we are already strong -- is excellent guidance. It's like finding treasure map, with your potential being the treasure. I'm going to keep digging. How about you? -- doug smith Fast, affordable leadership training

If you dream ambitiously enough, there will be dreams that you need to let go. I had to let go of my dream to be a professional basketball player. I had to let go of my dream to jam with Crosby, Stills and Nash. You've probably let go of a few dreams, too. But there are two types of dreams. Dreams we had in the past, and dreams we still hold for the future. Letting go of dreams from the past is no reason to let go of dreams for the future. Hold on, baby. Dream on. -- doug smith  

Take a deep breath while you contemplate something or someone you are grateful for.  Pause and repeat. -- doug smith  

Has anyone ever told you not to rest on your laurels? It's OK to celebrate. It's good to reflect on the bright spots. And then, with all of the possibilities in front of us -- to move forward.  -- doug smith

What if we lived like a teacher teaching the unknown, reaching the loved, and preaching possibility? What if we did our best to bring out the best in everyone we encountered? It may not be possible to do that all of the time, but it is certainly possible to do that more often. Let's do that more often! -- doug smith