High Performance Leadership

The art of leadership is keeping the ego out of the play. It's not about you. It's never about you. As a leader, it's about the cause. -- doug smith  

When it's all important, it's important to determine what is MOST important. Filling our days with little things could squeeze out the big things. The big things matter. High performance leaders keep the big picture in mind from project to project and from goal to goal. -- doug smith

What's the difference between a mission and a vision? You'll get different answers to that question. Here's what I think. Your mission is your practice call to action. It's what you are paid to do. It's how you keep your customers happy. Your vision is bigger. Your vision is largely aspirational, meaning you are not there yet but you aspire to be there. It's something to work toward. It guides your strategy, your goals, your actions. As you get closer to actualizing your vision -- when you become KNOWN for doing that -- it's time to evolve. Evolve your vision so that you can elevate your game. Raise the bar, so you can go far. Your vision evolves. When has it shifted the most for you and where is it now headed? Keep growing -- it's our best choice. -- Doug Smith

Have you ever seen someone who is so flexible that it's hard to know where they stand? There have been times when I felt that way myself. It feels free, but then limits because it's so hard to make a decision. How do you choose? What's best? I've since learned that it helps in making decisions to rely on a solid set of values, a strong sense of purpose, and a committed set of goals. Everything else, from projects to past times, falls in line with those three things. When you add your sense of faith to your values (or as one of your values) it becomes much easier to see when it's necessary to be flexible and when it's necessary to remain firm. High performance leaders maintain flexibility without losing focus.  They know when to be flexible and when to be firm. How about you? -- Doug Smith

Do people know your vision? Can each member of your team clearly define the vision of the team? Knowing where you are headed is important. It helps you prioritize. It gives the team energy. And, if you form your vision carefully enough it can make life around you very fascinating. Go for more than interesting. Go for outrageously fascinating. Change something big. Make some noise! -- Doug Smith

If you suddenly appeared to your much younger self, would your much younger self even recognize you? Despite maybe resembling your parent, you are a very different person. At least you should be. We grow. We change. Our points of view evolve. Sometimes in that change we can get lost and forget the heart of what is still most important to us. Our point of view can shift so gradually OR so suddenly that we do not even notice. We go on. We muddle thru.  We do things that at one time would surprise us. Right or wrong, do you know what you've changed in your values, your goals, your dreams? I've recalibrate some of my expectations formed from an evolving point of view. I've played roles that no longer suit me. I've left so much work on the field that the field of play has hidden completely some days. Enough of that. Enough of slipping into oblivion. I'm going kicking and singing! How about you? -- Doug Smith

Ambiguity could be good but might not be. That's purposely ambiguous. It reminds me of something a fraternity brother of mine once said to another brother: "John, you're a nice guy, but you're a little wishy-washy." "No I'm not," said John, "well, maybe a little..." Yeah. And maybe a lot. Ambiguity drives me crazy. People who don't commit for whatever reason cause me a kind of anxiety. There may not be much that I can do about it, but I do my best to clarify what the heck is going on. Leaders must clarify. We live with ambiguity -- we can't always know how things will turn out. Not everything is even in our control. So things can get fuzzy around the edges. In the mean time, there are important things that we can clarify: - who we are - what our values are and mean - what is our mission and vision - our most important goals - our character Once we have a firm, clear understanding of those five important things, a...

There is strength. There is courage. There is assertiveness. None of them have room for bullying. When leaders cross the line from courage to bullying they may feel immediate gratification but they have planted the seeds of long lasting and critically damaging conflict. If people cannot obtain what they are entitled to fairly, they will find another way. And that other way could be bad for the leader who created the disparity. No matter how committed we are to a cause, to a mission, to a goal, it is never our right to impose any of that on others. The courage of our convictions does not allow us to disregard the rights of others. There is no license for that, ever. -- Doug Smith

Have you ever had to work with someone who does not share your values? In all honesty, I think we all do that all the time. Our values are important, and we strive to live by them every day, but not everyone shares those values and yet we do need the help of people who have different values. It IS so much easier to work with people who share our values. Shared values build trust. Shared values build understanding. Shared values build collaboration. But sometimes we have to be a role model for those values and hope that our demonstration of our values in action will show their merit. By being a positive example of our values in action, we might just encourage other people to embrace those values. And by showing our willingness to work with people we disagree with we can show how we facilitate, rather than force, our way of living. It's harder to collaborate with people who don't share our values -- but not impossible. Who have you been avoiding because of their value...

Who is getting younger? None of us. As a member of the baby boom generation I see my hair turning gray, disappearing (well, alright so it's already gone) and my face getting that cowboy in the son rugged look that reminds me more of my dad than me. We all get older. No matter how old you are, have you asked yourself what you want to leave behind? What do you want to be remembered for? How will this place be better off because you were here. Big or small, we all have an impact. Big or small we all make a difference. In large part, we get to decide what that difference is. I'd like for people to explore, discover, and develop more centered leadership because I was here. I'd like for people to remember me as helping them develop their clarity, courage, creativity, and compassion. There's still so much work to do on that I'd better have another forty years or so to do it. But it's my vision. What's your vision? You're in charge of your legacy. Is...

Do you feel tested by problems? I've had tough problems that not only test my abilities but also my willingness to solve them. Still, solving them is the best solution. Problems have a way of testing our vision and values. They shine a light on our willingness to stick to our values no matter what, even if it would "make the problem go away" to cut some corners or put a standard on hold. But you can't let values slide - that's why they're values. You can't cut corners on what's right. Stand up to that problem. Analyze it in fine detail. Find the solution that falls within your vision and values, with no compromise. Because if we let the latest problem get the best of our values, there's no end to that temptation. -- Doug Smith doug smith training:  how to achieve your goals   Front Range Leadership:  Training Supervisors for Success What have you learned today?

Ask anyone who works for you -- what is your mission statement? If they can repeat it, you probably have a useful one. If they can't, well -- what exactly is it accomplishing? I think that mission statements are important. I teach people to align their goals with their organization's mission statement. To do that they need to know what it is. To know what it is, the mission statement should be precise, clear, and short. If your mission statement is more than nine words long, how do you expect people to remember it? If you are in charge of your mission statement, you might consider keeping it short. And, if you're not in charge of your mission statement, maybe you can summarize it in nine words or less. Wouldn't that be easier to remember? -- Douglas Brent Smith Here are some useful tips for creating a mission statement .

How firm are you in your commitment to your vision? In my over 25 years of business I have read hundreds of visions that were so abstract that they couldn't inspire even the most dedicated of followers. Or, they were so long that no one could remember them. And, don't assume that the upper executives do a better job of remembering and embracing their company vision, because many of them can't remember them or distinguish them from those of other companies. It doesn't have to be that way. You can have a memorable, actionable, vision that inspires you and others. Something that you can really get your figurative arms around and love. Something that instantly explains who you are as an organization. If you don't have that already, I urge you to do whatever it takes to get it. Keep it short (frankly, ten words is long enough and shorter is even better). Keep it specific. Make it count. Keep listening to others in your organization. Find out what your customers a...

How do you know when your vision has crossed the line into your ego? Is what you want part of a noble plan or a symptom of a simple pain? Centered leaders test their vision against their values to separate character from ambition. They do this by: - Asking people they trust to give them very honest feedback - Checking in on their values: are they living them or just aspiring to them? - Comparing their actions to their values - Comparing their vision to the character they want to be remembered for Centered leaders know the difference between their mission and their ego. How will you stay centered in your quest for success today? -- Douglas Brent Smith Solving Problems. Achieving Your Goals

What do other people think of your team? What do non-team members say about your team, the way you operate, and your results? Are you creating a stir in the world? Is your team making a difference? How can you upgrade your team's curb appeal? Because you will need to recruit some of the best people available to take your team to the next level, won't you? What will make your team so exciting that strangers want to join? Some possibilities include: a vision so compelling that it energizes people a culture of adventure, excitement, and creativity team members who clearly succeed as part of the team results that make things better processes that are fun dialogue that leads to lasting relationships ways to resolve conflict that dignify everyone involved field-changing products or services energized and delighted customers What ideas can you add to the list? What will make your team SO exciting that strangers want to join? -- Douglas Brent Smith Developing Leadership Skills

Centered leaders stay ahead in the field without getting lost in the weeds. How do they do it? By getting precise, open, honest feedback and using it. By keeping their focus on their vision, regardless of the distractions. By building teams of energized, focused, centered team members. Sound tough? That's why it's a full time job. -- Douglas Brent Smith http://frontrangeleadership.com

Is the best result what you really want? I know you want a result that is best for you -- but often we can confuse what is best for us and our teams vs. what we seem to really want. This can work against us. How do we overcome this? Check in on what you really, really want. What is it that you are hoping for? Is that aligned with your vision and goals? If it is, go full speed ahead. Make it happen. Get busy achieving your goals. And if it isn't, it's time to talk it over with someone who can help you with that. Or would you rather get something other than what you want? -- Douglas Brent Smith http://frontrangeleadership.com

The essential question is "How can I help?" This is a question for everyone, and especially for leaders. In your vision, in your purpose, in your mission, in your goals, how can you help to make this a better world -- not just for yourself but for everyone at no cost to anyone? It's an ethical and moral standard that has been beyond the reach of most leaders but that is critically important in an evolving world. How can you help make this a better world, for everyone at no cost to anyone? That doesn't mean no cost in money, time or effort. Of course those expenses must be made. What it means is that as a leader never exploiting anyone in order to advance your agenda. Because not only is exploitation ethically shaky, it inevitably produces side effects that negate your progress. What will you do today to answer the essential question? -- Doug Smith http://frontrangeleadership.com

It takes complete honesty to understand yourself. No illusions. No delusions. No fantasies about perfection. Seeing yourself, flaws and all, takes willingness to listen without judgment to the feedback you get. Ask people honestly, what do they think? It should never take an anonymous 360 survey to know how people really feel about you. Once you create an environment where people know that they will still be valued, still be respected, and still be listened to no matter what their feedback is, they are far more likely to give you the kind of feedback that you really need. It takes honesty from others, and honesty from yourself: - what are you working on that matters? - how closely is your life aligned to your purpose, your values, your vision? - what kind of environment do you create around you for communicating? - how close are your closest relationships? Understanding yourself is a lifelong process. - Doug Smith http://frontrangeleadership.com