High Performance Leadership

Saying that we did the best we ould and actually DOING the best we could are NOT the same and does not fool anyone. You'll know for sure when you did the best you could when there is nothing left to give. -- doug smith  

  Some of the best and happiest people I know take some time every day to focus on what they are grateful for. Their lives aren't perfect and they don't expect them to be, but their lives ARE filled with wonderful blessings, gifts, moments of joy, and the pleasure of helping and being helped. Usually, that gratitude starts in the morning. I find that when I spend some time being grateful in the morning (it begins with prayer and returns during meditation) that I have more moments during the day that spring up spontaneously: joyful, unexpected moments of gratitude. With so much to be grateful for, I revel in enjoying each of those moments. How about you? Here's my gratitude suggestion for the day: Take a deep breath while you contemplate something or someone you are grateful for.  Pause and repeat. Isn't that nice? -- doug smith

What would you consider the highest power? I don't mean a diety or supernatural power -- that's something else. When it comes to earthly, leadership power -- the ability to influence people and results -- what is the source of that power? Inner strength? Can't hurt. Intelligence built from learning? That's a great contributor as well. But the highest power? That comes from collaboration, cooperation, and service. In comes from working together toward a common good with no hidden agenda and no victims. It's a high standard that generates high performance.  That means no power grabs. No hoarding. No manipulating people using tricks and coercion. It means true sharing and caring. The highest power is available to you but only if you share it. It isn't anyone's to keep. -- doug smith  

It's almost a curse word in the lexicon of leadership: micromanage. Haven't we all felt resentment at being overly managed? Haven't we all bristled at the manager who seems to want to control every aspect of our jobs, maybe even our very lives? And so as leaders we work hard to develop other approaches. We build skills that create participative, transforming leadership. We seek to motivate thru influence rather than power, because in the end, as John Maxwell said, "leadership is influence." But what if your job goes beyond leadership? What if the core of your job is to supervise? It's one of those things that makes front line supervision one of the toughest jobs in any organization. We are called to lead, to motivate, to inspire AND to achieve ever improving results. And, sometimes we must supervise a team member who simply does not get it. It's not because people are bad or have bad intentions. Most of the time, if someone is not meeting our expe...

How are you at solving other people's problems? Does it sometimes seem easier to you to tackle a concern of someone else, rather than one of your own issues? Sometimes we can see with greater clarity the problems of someone else, and miss those of our own that are right in front of our eyes. But does that mean we should go around solving other people's problems? It may feel easier to solve someone else's problems but trying to do so may not help either of you. It's usually better to help, rather than take on, the issues of another person. How can you make yourself available to help, without assuming responsibility or ownership? High performance leaders sort that out, and help when they are needed while letting other people learn what they need to learn to move forward in their mission. It's not always easy -- that's what makes it so wonderfully valuable. -- Douglas Brent Smith http://frontrangeleadership.com

The essential question is "How can I help?" Whether you are the leader of thousands or completely on your own, your role on this planet is to help, to make things better. Usually, that means helping other people. Kings, rulers, athletes, artists, government officials, doctors, fire fighters, deli workers, mechanics, economists...we are all here to help. Sometimes it doesn't feel that way. Sometimes we feel the need to be served instead. But whatever the situation, no matter what the organization, high performance leaders know that their role is to help. Reflection Questions How can you be most helpful? What situations are you facing right now where you have not yet asked the question, "how can I help?" Who do you remember the most for being ready to jump in and find a way to help? How did they make you feel? How engaged and happy did they seem to be? Action Plan Within the next 24 hours, find a situation and ask yourself "how can I help?" ... and then...