by Helena Escalante | Collaboration, Creativity, Leadership, Mindset, Opportunity, Tools
Estimated reading time: 2 minutes, 55 seconds.
TODAYâS IDEA: One question every leader must ask when facing a challenge
— From Out Think: How Innovative Leaders Drive Exceptional Outcomes by G. Shawn Hunter
In his book Out Think, author G. Shawn Hunter shares lessons in business leadership and teamwork via interviews with renowned leaders. In one of his interviews, the author recalls asking Lincoln Crawley, Managing Director of ManpowerGroup (a leading staffing and recruitment company) if he could recall a watershed learning event in his career.
Crawley pointed to a time, about 15 years earlier, when one question made an enormous difference. He was trying to win a service contract for the firm for which he worked back then. He was the lead for this project, and he felt like David competing against Goliath in his industry. Everything pointed to him losing, as he was out-infrastructured (yes, I just made that word upâŠ) and there was no way his firm could replicate the infrastructure of his competitor in the time required for the proposal.
âIn discussions, during the proposal process, the people around Crawley described the technical and financial the company faced as insurmountable,â writes Hunter.
However, Crawley had a conversation with an external mentor, where the latter said he understood the issues and concerns raised, and then asked, âIf it were possible, what would the solution look like?â
That one question is what unleashed possibility.
âThat simple phrase, âif it were possible,â gave the team permission to speculate and open up a whole new conversation. It was an invitation to dream.â
Crawley and his team then got to work, came up with a plan, and gave it to the prospective client.
The result?
They won the contract.
âIâve taken those few words with me all through my career,â Crawley says. The author goes on to note that this phrase has been especially important when Crawley âcanât see his way around a particularly difficult situation [or] when the competitor seems unbeatable.â
Asking, âIf it were possible, what would it look like? [Puts] you in a completely different environment where youâre not now talking about why you havenât done something,â Crawley states. Instead, âYouâre actually talking about how can we make this happen. It changes the conversation.â
Crawley pointed out a curious thing during the in the interview with the author: He didnât fully recognize the power of asking this question in the face of a challenge until many years later, when he had a team of his own.
âOnly then,â writes the author, âdid he recognize that these four words opened up the capabilities and imagination of his team.â
To conclude, Hunter writes, âWhen we see that our teams are stymied, we should try asking them to use their imagination.â
The phrase, “If it were possible…?” is the one question every leader must ask when facing a challenge. It produces a mind-shift that enables both, the leader and the team, to focus on what’s possible. And by focusing on the possibility set amongst the constraints, and not on the obstacles themselves, this question lets the answers and solutions flow freely.
ACTION
TODAY: What challenge are you facing where you seem to be stuck? Ask yourself and your team, âIf it were possible what would it look like?â and let your imagination run wild. A few answers will be crazy and undoable, but youâll also come up with one or more that will reveal how it can, indeed, be possible.
FUTURE: Make it a habit of asking, âIf it were possibleâŠâ whenever you are facing a challenge that seems insurmountable.
Know someone who would like this one question? Please share this post! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Celebration, Collaboration, Creativity, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Miniseries, Opportunity, Planning, Resources, Time, Wellbeing
Estimated reading time:Â 3 minutes, 30 seconds.
TODAYâS IDEA: How to cultivate generosity as a leaderâPart 2
â From The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow by John C. Maxwell
In yesterdayâs post, we saw three habits of generosity that author and leadership guru, John C. Maxwell, suggests we develop to be more effective leaders. Today weâll talk about one more habit, as well as specific actions we can take to improve our generosity and add value to othersâ lives.
Develop the habit of giving. In 1889, Andrew Carnegie wrote, âThe life of a wealthy person should have two periods: a time of acquiring wealth and [a time of] redistributing it.â Maxwell agrees with this point of view and says, âThe only way to maintain an attitude of generosity is to make it your habit to giveâyour time, attention, money, and resources.â
Tomorrow we celebrate Thanksgiving in the U.S. And as we reflect on the upcoming season of gratitude and generosity, here are a few questions that Maxwell poses to make us think about our generosity as leaders:
- Are you a generous leader?
- Do you continually look for ways to add value to others?
- Are you giving money to something greater than yourself?
- And to whom are you giving your time?
- Are you pouring your life into others?
- Are you helping those who cannot help you or give anything in return?
A few years back I heard the concept of the three Ts: Time, Treasure (money, material possessions), and Talent (wisdom, knowledge, expertise, advice, help). While it would be fantastic if we could give something from all those three areas, think of giving, at least, from one of them (time, money, or knowledge/help). Research suggests that making generosity a regular habit may influence long-term wellbeing and happiness, so thereâs a clear win-win for both the giver and the receiver.
At this point, you are probably wondering if thereâs any way of improving your generosity. Maxwell offers the following three things that you can do to add value to others:
Give something away. âFind out what kind of hold your possessions have on you. Take something you truly value, think of someone you care about who could benefit from it, and give it to [him/her]. If you can do it anonymously, even better.â
Put your money to work. âIf you know someone with the vision to do something really greatâsomething that will positively impact the lives of othersâprovide resources for [him/her] to accomplish it. Put your money to work for something that will outlive you.â
Find someone to mentor. âOnce you reach a certain level in your leadership, the most valuable thing you have to give is yourself. Find someone to pour your life into. Then give [him/her] time and resources to become a better leader.â
To be generous you donât have to be a billionaire, simply start where you are and give of what you have. Sow seeds of generosity on fertile soil, and they will take root and provide value now and many times over in the future as they are replanted and harvested by others.
If you celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, I hope you will join me in this new lovely tradition that one of my favorite authors, Seth Godin, started: The Thanksgiving Reader. Itâs been used by more than 100,000 people to date. And because I want even more people using it around the world, whether for Thanksgiving or for the upcoming Holiday Season, my sister and I translated it into Spanish (with Sethâs permission, of course) and you can download it here: The Thanksgiving Reader-ESPANÌOL. Â
ACTION
TODAY: Give some thought to improving your generosity by giving something away, putting your money to work, and/or finding someone to mentor. Alternatively, create your own âProject Generosityâ with a specific goal and outline the steps you need to make it happen in a near future.
FUTURE: Put into action the thoughts from today. What steps do you need to take to accomplish the generous actions or improvements that you thought of? Whose generosity and help can you count on to make it happen? Donât hesitate to do something bigger than yourself, simply consider doing it along with someone else: youâll build a lovely experience and memory together.
Know someone who is very generous? Please share this post with that person. Thank you! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Celebration, Collaboration, Creativity, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Miniseries, Opportunity, Planning, Resources, Time, Wellbeing
Estimated reading time:Â 3 minutes, 42 seconds.
TODAYâS IDEA: How to cultivate generosity as a leaderâPart 1
â From The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow by John C. Maxwell
âNothing speaks to others more loudly or serves them better than generosity from a leader,â says John C. Maxwell, leadership guru and author of The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader.
âTrue generosity isnât an occasional event,â he points out. âIt comes from the heart and permeates every aspect of a leaderâs life, touching his time, money, talents and possessions.â
Further, the author states that leaders donât gather things just for themselves. Instead, they do it with the intention of sharing those things or giving them to others.
An effective leader, in Maxwellâs words, is someone that people want to follow. And one of the qualities of effective leaders is generosity.
So, how can we cultivate generosity to be an effective (or a more effective) leader?
Here are the habits that the author suggests we develop and nurture:
Be grateful for whatever you have. âItâs hard for a person to be generous when heâs not satisfied with what he has. Generosity rises out of contentment, and that doesnât come with acquiring more.â
Maxwell shares a quote from one of the richest men in history, John D. Rockefeller, who said, âI have made millions, but they have brought me no happiness.â To which Maxwell replies, âIf youâre not content with little, you wonât be content with a lot. And if youâre not generous with little, you wonât suddenly change if you become wealthy.â
Put people first. “The measure of a leader is not the number of people who serve him, but the number of people he serves. Generosity requires putting others first. If you can do that, giving becomes much easier.”
Donât allow the desire for possessions to control you. Maxwell quotes a friend of his who says that people are divided into three groups: âHaves, have-nots, and have not paid for what they have.â The author points out that a growing number of people are âbecoming enslaved to the desire to acquire.â This obsession comes out of a false illusion of control (owning) and the anticipated happiness that people hope the purchase will bring.
Happiness, as we know, comes from within. So, Maxwell says, âIf you want to be in charge of your heart, donât allow possessions to take charge of you.â
Regard money as a resource. Maxwell shares with us the unfortunate, yet popular view that when it comes to money, you canât win. âIf you focus on making it, youâre materialistic. If you try to but donât make any, youâre a loser. If you make a lot and keep it, youâre a miser. If you make it and spend it, youâre a spendthrift. If you donât care about making any, youâre unambitious. If you make a lot and still have it when you die, youâre a foolâfor trying to take it with you.â
Fortunately, we donât have to see money that way. There is, indeed, a way to win with money: âhold it looselyâand be generous with it to accomplish things of value.â
âMoney is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master. If it gets on top and you get under it, you will become its slave.â â E. Stanley Jones
Come back tomorrow for Part 2 where we will continue looking at habits to develop and practical ways to improve our generosity as a leader.
In the meantime let me know in the comments here: Who has done something generous for you lately?
And I’ll share my answer to that question with you: I am grateful for the generosity of my friend Andre Piazza, co-host of Octanage Podcast, for having me on his show this week. The podcast shares the life and success of entrepreneurs in Brazil and, thus, it’s in Portuguese. Yet since it’s been years that I don’t speak it, I’ve forgotten most of it, so Andre kindly allowed me to speak in Spanish instead. The result? An awesome bilingual podcast where we had a ton of fun! đ If you understand either Portuguese or Spanish you’ll be able to follow along. Check it out!
ACTION
TODAY: Think about what generosity means to you. Who has done something generous for you? How can you pay it forward in the same way or differently?
FUTURE: John Bunyan wrote âYou have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.â What can you do for someone who can never repay you?
In the spirit of generosity, please share this post with someone who has shared something of value with you. Thank you! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Creativity, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Wellbeing
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 20 seconds.
TODAYâS IDEA: 5 Problem-Solving Qualities Every Leader Must Have
— From The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader: Becoming the Person Others Will Want to Follow by John C. Maxwell
Whenever we read about leadersâ lives and accomplishmentsâwhether contemporary or throughout historyâone underlying common stands out: their problem-solving ability.
âNo matter what field a leader is in, he will face problems,â says John C. Maxwell, author of The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader. â[Problems] are inevitable for three reasons. First, we live in a world of growing complexity and diversity. Second, we interact with people. And third, we cannot control all the situations we face.â
Thus, as a leader, Maxwell suggests cultivating these five problem-solving qualities, because âyou canât let your problems be a problem.â
1. Leaders anticipate problems. âSince problems are inevitable, good leaders anticipate them. Anyone who expects the road to be easy will continually find himself in trouble⊠If you keep your attitude positive but plan for the worst, youâll find yourself in a good position to solve problems that come your way.â
2. Leaders accept the truth. âPeople respond to problems in these ways: they refuse to accept them; they accept them and then put up with them; or they accept them and try to make things better. Leaders must always do the latter. [âŠ] No leader can simultaneously have his head in the sand and navigate [his/her] people through troubled waters. Effective leaders face up to the reality of a situation.â
3. Leaders see the big picture. âLeaders must continually see the big picture. They cannot afford to be overwhelmed by emotion. Nor can they allow themselves to get so bogged down in the details that they lose sight of whatâs important.â
4. Leaders handle one thing at a time. The author shares this great quote from Richard Sloma, management guru: Never try to solve all the problems at onceâmake them line up for you one-by-one. Then Maxwell goes on to say, âThe leaders who get in trouble most often are the ones who are overwhelmed by the sheer size or volume of their troubles and then dabble at problem-solving. If youâre faced with lots of problems, make sure you really solve the one youâre working on before moving on to the next one.â
5. Leaders donât give up a major goal when theyâre down. âEffective leaders understand the peak-to-peak principle. They make major decisions when they are experiencing a positive swing in their leadership, not during dark times.â
After reading all this, youâre probably wondering how you can improve on your problem-solving skills. Well, I have good news and not-so-good newsâŠ
First, the not so good news: âThe ability to solve problems effectively comes from experience facing and overcoming obstacles,â says Maxwell. Thereâs no way around it. Experience is the best teacher indeed: âif you never try, fail, and try again, youâll never get good at it.â
Now, for the good news: âEach time you solve another problem, you get a little better at the process.â And this is something that builds on itself, giving you more experience and tools every time.
And hereâs the happy ending: you can (and definitely should) always write a great last chapter. Itâs the best way to come out better, stronger, and with the gift of having learned something, than prior to the problem.
ACTION
TODAY: To flex your problem-solving muscles, Maxwell suggests going out looking for trouble. âFind situations that need fixing, come up with several viable solutions, and then take them to a leader with good problem-solving experience. Youâll learn from [his/her] decisions how he thinks when handling difficulties.â
FUTURE: When faced with problems in the future, Maxwell offers the following TEACH approach to problem-solving:
T ime: Spend time to discover the real issue.
E xposure: Find out what others have done.
A ssistance: Have your team [or get a group together to] study all angles.
C reativity: Brainstorm multiple solutions.
H it it: Implement the best solution.
Know someone who is a whiz at problem-solving? Or someone who is going through hell and could use some help? Please share this post:Â Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Collaboration, Creativity, Goals, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Planning
Estimated reading time: 4 minutes, 14 seconds.
TODAYâS IDEA: When creating your business vision, keep these points in mind
— From Leadership 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
Walt Disney came up with his business vision after taking his two daughters to an amusement park. In there, he was captivated by the carousel. However, when it came to a stop, âhe observed shabby horses with cracked and chipped paint. And he noticed that only the horses on the outside row moved up and down. The others stood lifeless bolted to the floor.â
This disappointment is what inspired him to create his business vision of âan amusement park where the illusion didnât evaporate, where children and adults could enjoy a carnival atmosphere without the seedy side that accompanies some circuses or traveling carnivals.â From there, Disneyland was born and the rest is history.
As a leader, it is very important that you, too, create your business vision. John Maxwell, leadership guru and author of Leadership 101, says, âVision leads the leader. It paints the target. It sparks and fuels the fire within, and draws him forward. It is also the fire lighter for others who follow that leader.â
To create a successful business vision, keep in mind the following points:
Vision starts within. âYou canât buy, beg, or borrow vision. It has to come from the inside⊠If you lack vision, look inside yourself. Draw on your natural gifts and desires. Look to your calling if you have one.â
The author says that, as you look within for your vision, you must listen to several voices:
The inner voice. âDo you know your lifeâs mission? What stirs your heart? What do you dream about? If what youâre pursuing doesnât come from a desire withinâfrom the very depths of who you are and what you believeâyou will not be able to accomplish it.â
The unhappy voice. âDiscontent with the status quo is a great catalyst for vision. Are you on complacent cruise control? Or do you find yourself itching to change your world?â
The successful voice. âNobody can accomplish great things alone. To fulfill a big vision, you need a good team. But you also need good advice from someone who is ahead of you in the leadership journey. If you want to lead others to greatness, find a mentor. Do you have an adviser who can help you sharpen your vision?â
And this last voice is essential if youâre having a hard time coming up with a vision of your own. Maxwell suggests hooking up with a leader whose vision resonates with you. If you canât come up with your vision yet, but you are in alignment with someone elseâs vision, perhaps, for the time being, the best thing you can do is to help out and learn as much as you can from this other leader. That way, when you have created your own business vision, you will know how to execute.
Vision draws on your history. âVision isnât some mystical quality that comes out of a vacuum, as some people seem to believe. It grows from a leaderâs past and the history of the people around him.â Look at the story of Disney and many other leaders; it was connecting the dots of past events to their present capabilities that lead them to create their vision.
Vision meets othersâ needs. âTrue vision is far-reaching. It goes beyond what one individual can accomplish. And if it has real value, it does more than just include others; it adds value to them. If you have a vision that doesnât serve others, itâs probably too small.â
Run your vision by a small group of trusted friends and ask for their feedback. They will come up with ideas and twists that would have never occurred to you. Take what works and discard the rest, and you will be able to broaden your vision to add more value to those whom you will serve.
Vision helps you gather resources. âOne of the most valuable benefits of vision is that it acts like a magnetâattracting, challenging, and uniting people. It also rallies finances and other resources. The greater the vision, the more winners it has the potential to attract. The more challenging the vision, the harder the participants fight to achieve it.â
ACTION
TODAY: Do you have a business vision? This can indeed mean that you are starting a business, but not necessarily. It means that you have a vision for yourself in business, whichever path you decide to follow, whether your own, or as an employee for a company whose business vision resonates with you. If you donât have one, give some thought to the points above and create one. Remember this awesome quote by Rosabeth Moss Kanter: “A vision is not just a picture of what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves, a call to become something more.”Â
FUTURE: As you grow in life and business, make a point of revising your vision from time to time. Your vision must be exciting and relevant to the stage youâre in, and itâs also important to make sure it continues to lead you to where you want to go.
Know someone who would like this post? Please share! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
by Helena Escalante | Accountability, Goals, Growth, Leadership, Mindset, Time
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes, 48 seconds.
TODAYâS IDEA: Top 5 Barriers to Teamwork
— From Equipping 101: What Every Leader Needs to Know by John C. Maxwell
Our culture loves the myth of the self-made man or woman. We applaud and admire the story of the lone entrepreneur who builds an empire.
But the truth is that nobody reaches the top by themselves. Everyone gets help along the way.
John C. Maxwell, leadership guru and author of Equipping 101, challenges us to think of one act of genuine significance in the history of humankind that was performed by a lone human being. âNo matter what you name, you will find that a team of people was involved.â
Teamwork is not necessarily seenâor even considered soâwhen it comes from an external source and not directly within the immediate circle, such as funding, government licenses and permits, outsourcing help, or any kind of metaphorical push along the way that gets the person unstuck and moving in the right direction.
Yet itâs important to recognize that no man is an island and that any worthwhile feat requires teamwork. As the authorâs famous quote and title of another one of his books says, âTeamwork makes the dream work.â And he goes on to provide a list of the benefits of teamwork:
- Teams involve more people, thus affording more resources, ideas and energy than would an individual.
- Teams maximize a leaderâs potential and minimize her weaknesses. Strengths and weaknesses are more exposed in individuals
- Teams provide multiple perspectives on how to meet a need or reach a goal, thus devising several alternatives for each situation.
- Teams share the credits for victories and the blame for losses. This fosters genuine humility and authentic community.
- Teams keep leaders accountable for the goal.
- Teams can simply do more than an individual.
But we already knew this⊠right? So, why are we so adamant and hardheaded about doing things by ourselves?
Maxwell thinks there are four main barriers to teamwork, and he shares them with us.
Barriers to teamwork
Barrier 1: Ego. âFew people are fond of admitting they canât do everything, yet that is a reality of life. There are no supermen or superwomen. So the question is not whether you can do everything by yourself; itâs how soon youâre going to realize you canât.â
Barrier 2: Insecurity. âOnly secure leaders give power to others⊠insecure leaders usually fail to build teams because of one of two reasons: Either they want to maintain control over everything for which they are responsible, or they fear being replaced by someone more capable. In either case, leaders who fail to promote teamwork undermine their own potential and erode the best efforts of the people with whom they work.â
Barrier 3: NaivetĂ©. â[Some people] naively underestimate the difficulty of achieving big things. As a result, they try to go it alone.â
Barrier 4: Temperament. âSome people arenât very outgoing and simply donât think in terms of team building and equipping. As they face challenges, it never occurs to them to enlist others to achieve something⊠But whether or not youâre naturally inclined to be part of a team is really irrelevant. If you do everything alone and never partner with other people, you create huge barriers to your own potential.â
And besides these four ones from Maxwell, Iâd like to add a fifth barrier that Iâve come across:
Barrier 5: Time (perceived lack of). Some people (read: me⊠#notproud) are so pressed for time in general, that we think bringing someone on boardâor even outsourcingâis going to take a lot of time due to the time and effort involved in training the new person. Eventually, we come to realize that the time and effort in training will be well worth it, as it will be a small investment up front, in comparison to the return in the form of help that we need, the freedom to take that off our plates, and the peace of mind that comes from knowing itâs being done (and done well!).
ACTION
TODAY: Are you trying to work on something where youâd be better off enlisting the help of others? Iâve learned that almost everything can be optimized, automated, or outsourced (thanks, Ari Meisel!) Which one of the barriers is holding you back? What steps do you need to take to overcome it?
FUTURE: What are your big, hairy and audacious goals? If you break them down into doable chunks, where could you use some help? Keep in mind that help is not just for the things you donât know how to do or canât do, but also (and especially!) for the ones that you do very well and should not be doing (not the best use of your time).
Know someone who is battling with these barriers to teamwork? Please share this post! Email, Facebook or Twitter.
