Just a short minute

Every second that we inhale and exhale means only one thing: we are ALIVE! 

If we are alive then we ought to live our best life. In order to live our best life we need a purpose. A purpose is the reason for which we create something. Likewise, a purpose is also the "WHY" for which something exists. For example, the purpose of this blog post today is to spread an inspirational and uplifting thought to all of us who seek to become better leaders. Again, that's my specific purpose for this blog post. We leaders are responsible and accountable for what may or may not happen. Moreover, no longer will we allow things to just happen to us. No longer will we watch everyone one else reach their full potential. Isn't time that we reached ours? Isn't it time that we start making things happen and create legacies for our children's, children's, children? Zig Ziglar, my dear friend who passed away said it like this: "Man was designed for accomplishment, engineered for success, and endowed with the seeds of greatness."  To grow the seeds within us we must fertilize our minds, water our plans, and give some light to our actions. We have the DNA of greatness pulsating through our veins. However, it's up to us to become a better version of ourselves. We must become better not only for ourselves but also for our families and communities. We must take this second to change the course of our future by becoming alive in just a short minute.

Zombie leadership versus uplifting leadership

Sometimes sitting behind our laptops and mobile devices is like playing a "pretend" game of leadership zombies. Wait!!! Did you hear that? Sounds like another zombie leader fell asleep behind the keyboard again.

Technology with all its bells and whistles is both addictive and overwhelming. On one hand, some of us stay up late playing our favorite game apps on our mobile devices. On the other hand, we get bombarded by text messages, emails, websites, and new "to do lists" that we create. Literally, "There's an app for that" not to mention all of our social networks are screaming for our uplifting leadership and attention.

It's amazing to think about the several hours we all spend next to our laptops, mobile and technological devices. In fact, some of us are so intimate with our devices that we even fall asleep with them laying right next to us. To be networked with like-minded people is one thing but being connected twelve months a year at a 24/7 pace that's a bit much. Wouldn't you agree?

In order to escape this zombie leadership effect, uplifting leaders know how to take a timeout and hit the pause button. Kudos to my friend Dan V. Forbes who has decided to take a 10 day Sabbatical away from technology. Dan is the founding leader of the Lead With Giants community, a vibrant leadership community of leaders helping leaders.

Leadership is not about being beholden to our technological devices as if we are playing a "pretend" game of leadership zombies. And yes, leadership is about accountability and responsibility. However, we all reserve the right to step away from our technological devices and leadership roles to enjoy our quiet lives as uplifted leaders.

2013 "Lead With Giants" Notable Mentions:
The Advisory Council consists of Alli Pollin, John Thurlbeck, Tony Richards.  
The Moderators consist of David Hain, Brian Rensing, Mike Cowan, Brian Smith, and Sage Bramhall.

Bounce beyond our comfort zone

It doesn't matter how tall or short, how old or young we are. We all have our own self-paralyzing fears and thoughts.

Take for instance my youngest daughter who is three years old. Like most kids she rules the world when she's in her own element. However, one of her fears is dogs, especially Mr. Evan's medium size chocolate labrador. Mr. Evan our neighbor next door was hosting a huge BBQ birthday party for his wife since she turned 40 years old.

As my daughter and I approached his home she became more petrified. Recognizing her concern, he responded "My dog is not at the house. He is having a doggy sleep over somewhere else." Initially she did not believe him until she overcame her own concern by surveying the yard and then his house. The next thing we knew, she took off running as she smiled all the way towards the bouncing castle. 

No matter where we are in life, we all need to take action and grow just a bit more beyond our own comfort zone. Doing so will cause us to stretch our leadership, experience new freedoms, and find colorful bouncing castles.

Two inseparable gummy bears

My wife and I are like two inseparable gummy bears from the same bag of candy. 

We were both born in the same City of Boston. We also share the same birth year. If you're keeping score, we're 37 years old. And yes, we do enjoy when people say "No way, you both look twenty something." And that's why our personal story is so fascinating. Life and leadership is not always about the challenges; sometimes, it's about the encounters.

Ayana and I first encountered each other in vacation bible school at the age of five all because a friendly church deacon invited some kids out from his neighborhood. Eight years later, our families decided to leave Boston to start a new life in the suburbs. Independently, our families moved to Brockton, Massachusetts. Ayana went to North Junior High School and I attended South Junior High. All of the area junior high schools fed up to one central high school.

To our surprise we encountered each other for a second time. This time we were classmates in the same high school 30 miles south of Boston. Fast forward to our sophomore year, I moved away to Rhode Island and graduated high school while living there. For one reason or another, I compelled my family to move back to Brockton, Massachusetts as I was preparing to attend Lafayette College in Pennsylvania. 

It was not until our senior year of college that we encountered each other for a third time. We were both  home on Thanksgiving vacation shopping for ingredients at the supermarket. Little did we know, our families lived less than 30 seconds from each other on the west side of Brockton. There we stood talking as friends and exchanging our future dreams and contact information. Based on our encounter I said to myself "Aha, she will be my wife." And that's what I did. I decided to pursue her. Three years later we were married. 

Life and leadership is not always about the challenges; sometimes, it's about initiating, influencing, and recognizing meaningful encounters. If you want something badly enough go out and pursue it. Go for the encounters in life. Today, my wife and I are like two inseparable gummy bears. We enjoy inspiring the lives of others and the relationship we share. We continue to grow and learn together intertwining our lives from the same bag of candy. 

Playing with sticks

Like most things in life there is a protocol, a system, or a precedent to follow. While adults concoct many self-imposed limitations on a daily basis, children at play create their own freedom of thoughts. 

Take the idea of playing with sticks for instance. On one hand, a blunt stick to us adults is just a boring dull stick. On the other hand, children can re-imagine the same blunt stick into a magnificent shiny sword. 

A sword is symbolic because it represents three things: honor, liberty, and strength. This is especially true when children find themselves in some distant land clashing with titans, monsters, and villains. 

We as good to great leaders oftentimes resemble grown adults playing with blunt sticks. However, if we learn to become extraordinary we too can wield magnificent swords.

Put your fingers in the taffy

We all have our own unique experiences when it comes to living our lives as employees. Yet for one reason or another at some point in our careers we all have felt unfulfilled. 

A typical employee rant would go something like this:  "I'm driving to work. I'm doing my job. It’s so busy but actually I'm bored. I'm looking for some recognition. I'm taking an extended lunch break today. Will I get caught? I don't know but I would like to get off early today. Where's my boss? Can I get on Facebook before going home? Can I just go home now? Perhaps I should stay late. I might as well connect to my job from home. Do I really HAVE to do this all over again tomorrow?”

Life is so much more than this. Stop thinking and start working your plan. In the words of my dad "You have to put your fingers in the taffy." Taffy is a sticky mass of boiled sugar, butter, flavorings, and coloring. The only way to make taffy is through stretching or pulling.

We can become what we truly want to BE. We have to push and pull and see what happens. We only live once and then it is over before we know it. Find out who you are, what you want to do, and then stretch yourself. The only person who can stretch your mind and leadership is you. I’m just a regular guy who is here to light the fire on your bunsen burner. That's what my leadership is all about.

Leadership is like balloons

Leadership is like balloons. They can come in a spectrum of colors: red, green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, and blue. Some balloons stretch to their limit and then snap back to their original shape. Other balloons fill up with different types of substances like water, air, and rocks. 

A single balloon does not represent the same scale and size as if you had a thousand balloons tied together to form a community.  The more color, shapes, and sizes the more diverse the balloons. It is in their diversity that makes balloons all the more beautiful. Balloons are empty until filled and outside material substances can ultimately change their direction and purpose. 

Here are three leadership lessons from Hasan Harnett about balloons.

1) Be flexible in your leadership. Change is one of the most difficult things we face in life as leaders. It is important to have firm goals but stay flexible enough in achieving them. 

Albert Einstein said "The measure of intelligence is the ability to change."

Jacqueline Carey stated "That which yields is not always weak."

2) Embrace diversity and the differences among your followers. Diversity represents the complex expressions of each person tied together for a common purpose. Remember to approach life with the same attitude in mind. Accepting your encounters with diversity is a learning opportunity. Respond appropriately.

Henry David Thoreau said "It is never too late to give up prejudices."

Stephen Covey said "Strength lies in differences not, in similarities."

Malcolm Forbes stated "Diversity is the art of thinking independently together."

3) Fill your mind with the right material substances. You can fill your leadership much like a balloon with whatever you choose. However, whatever you put in your balloon determines your leadership trajectory. In general, balloons filled with water become heavy and fall to the ground. Balloons filled with air become light and float better. Balloons filled with rocks sink. 

Every day you are at the beginning of a new leadership journey by which you must make decisions about your why and purpose. Success is only a decision away. I urge you to make your choices wisely. 

Maneuvering through your own personal storms

Huge thunder storms loomed ahead as my son and I were traveling from Charlotte, North Carolina on I-85 N heading to Northern, Virginia this past weekend. We were on this road trip because my younger brother was graduating from Hylton High School.

The dark black clouds that were once afar mysteriously appeared right above us. Despite all the warning signs, we found ourselves driving in the midst of a heavy rain storm. Putting my blinker on, I began to switch from the fast to slow lane as the rain over took my vision. No sooner as I attempted to switch lanes, our vehicle began to hydroplane. The slow lane was like a moving river. So I decided to switch back to the fast lane to gain better traction.

Without warning, a truck appeared in my rearview mirror. The truck driver was in a rush as he flashed his high beams and rode my bumper. I felt imprisoned by the rain above me, the river of water to the right of me, and the trucker who rode my bumper from behind. Although I was a little annoyed, my inside voice told me not to panic. "At least I could enjoy the viewpoint from my left side", I reasoned.

All of a sudden, a jeep from the opposite side of the highway skidded and crashed into the center of the highway. The impact made the jeep's headlights "bug out" like a cartoon character that got walloped by an anvil or hammer. As a result, the jeep's bumper hurled over the median narrowly missing us. The truck driver who was riding my bumper from behind saw the fate of jeep driver who was in a rush too. Thus, the truck driver never attempted to ride my bumper again.
Maneuvering through your own personal storms is as challenging as upholding your integrity, honor, and virtue while driving with someone riding your bumper.  When your options get restricted learn to relax but hold your leadership principles firmly in place. Set the right example for all others to follow including your own children who watch from the back seat.

Leading beyond the world of averages

Someone once said: “You are the average of your five best friends.”

Ah…the game of averages. It appears to me that leaders in the 21^st century compete fiercely in this world of averages too. Let’s do an acronym to illustrate my point since we all need to raise our leadership to the next level. Write the word “PAGE” on a clean piece of paper. If you are an average leader or if you are doing things in an average kind of way, you will live a poor life.

P – Poor
A – Average
G – Good
E – Excellent

Think about it like this, average leaders end up having poor friends, poor careers, and lead poor lives. Likewise, good leaders have average friends, average businesses, and live an average life. Similarly, excellent leaders have good friends; good businesses, and live a good life.

Competition fiercely competes on the same “PAGE” even at the level of excellence. However, competition barely exists when you are an extraordinary leader.

The illusion of getting ahead

Every now and then, it seems like all we do is work. 

Most of us wake up and go to sleep with work on our minds. In between, countless hours are invested and exhausted at work. Even the juiciest conversations at major functions and networking events all lead back to this idea of work. 

Getting ahead involves a different type of work. Getting ahead is problematic especially since outside influences compete for our finite time, energy, and efforts. 

There’s nothing wrong with working because you have a task, position, role, or job to uphold. It is noble to work and earn a living. 

The trap is believing that the superficial aspects of your day to day work will lead you to a mind blowing result. It won't. Getting ahead involves thinking, planning, and doing what you set out to do.

21st Century Leadership Road Kill

How much will you invest in your personal development this year?

The best investment you will ever make in your life with your money is your investment in you. On one hand, extraordinary leaders understand this basic premise. As a result, they almost always have an amazing story, life, family, and friends because they habitually reinvest in both their hard and soft skills over longer periods of time. 

On the other hand, good to great leaders falter because of time horizon and investment constraints. In other words, they lack the habit of investing which causes them to miss out on the compounding effects of personal growth. 

Realize that the world is shifting towards an extraordinary leadership mindset. Leaders who refuse to invest in their own leadership development and life skills will end up like 21^st century road kill. Therefore, put your money where your mouth is. Remain congruent with your thoughts, words, and actions.