Posts Tagged ‘commitment’

Long-Term Leadership Made Easy

The marquee of the Sparkle Car Wash on 82nd and Craig gave me my first breath of fresh air regarding the Colts Super Bowl loss. It read, “Thanks Colts, for Another Great Year!”

As disappointing as it was to see one of the best teams in the history of the NFL lose the Super bowl, the Colts character of leadership reminds me of what being the best is all about.

The key to the success of the Colts organization is that they hold themselves to a continuous standard of excellence, which is clearly marked by their multi-year success record, with a myriad of players on the front line.

Here are some of my observations of the team and how they have been wildly successful at creating long-term leadership excellence:

1. Focus – I love watching Peyton Manning focus on the sidelines while the defense is playing. He isn’t wandering around or talking to his team mates. He sits quietly in what I can only assume is an exercise in focused meditation; mentally reviewing the plays that will help his team win.

2. Integrity – They do what they say that they are going to do – nothing more and nothing less. The Colts are also a team that acts as if they have their heads together when they are not on the field. Their outside behavior is another reflection of their ability to focus on what is most important.

3. Fundamentals – You don’t see too many trick plays and risky chances called by the coaching staff. The Colts focus on the basics of the game, and that is what makes them great.

4. Consistent Attitude – Every once in a while you will see Marvin Harrison or Gary Brackett stunt a little bit after making a big play – but not often (if you would like to know the definition of “stunt”, email me at jamar@goreachmore.com). These guys are level headed and are all about getting the job done. Go to work, throw the ball, catch the ball, hit the line, run the ball, do it with energy and commitment, win the game. There is very little show or flash – just good ‘ol football.

The Colts know that winning every play and every game does not make a stellar career. Staying in the game, obeying the preceding rules, and playing hard are what makes their organization a football dynasty. They have a very clear focus on reality.

When reachmore’s executive coaching clients are going after their biggest year ever, we don’t pull out all of the flashy marketing plans, complex financial analyses, and 6-sigma operational structures. We teach our clients to focus, live and work with integrity, to perform the fundamentals of running their business daily, and to do everything with a level head. Those are the keys to long-term leadership.

Jamar Cobb-Dennard is the Vice President of Business Development for reachmore, which provides leadership coaching for small business and executives. Email Jamar at jamar@goreachmore.com for the latest on reachmore’s newest seminar, Launch.

Long-Term Leadership Made Easy

The marquee of the Sparkle Car Wash on 82nd and Craig gave me my first breath of fresh air regarding the Colts Super Bowl loss.  It read, “Thanks Colts, for Another Great Year!”

As disappointing as it was to see one of the best teams in the history of the NFL lose the Super bowl, the Colts character of leadership reminds me of what being the best is all about.

The key to the success of the Colts organization is that they hold themselves to a continuous standard of excellence, which is clearly marked by their multi-year success record, with a myriad of players on the front line.

Here are some of my observations of the team and how they have been wildly successful at creating long-term leadership excellence:

1.    Focus – I love watching Peyton Manning focus on the sidelines while the defense is playing.  He isn’t wandering around or talking to his team mates.  He sits quietly in what I can only assume is an exercise in focused meditation; mentally reviewing the plays that will help his team win.

2.    Integrity – They do what they say that they are going to do – nothing more and nothing less.  The Colts are also a team that acts as if they have their heads together when they are not on the field.  Their outside behavior is another reflection of their ability to focus on what is most important.

3.    Fundamentals – You don’t see too many trick plays and risky chances called by the coaching staff.  The Colts focus on the basics of the game, and that is what makes them great.

4.    Consistent Attitude – Every once in a while you will see Marvin Harrison or Gary Brackett stunt a little bit after making a big play – but not often (if you would like to know the definition of “stunt”, email me at jamar@goreachmore.com).  These guys are level headed and are all about getting the job done.  Go to work, throw the ball, catch the ball, hit the line, run the ball, do it with energy and commitment, win the game.  There is very little show or flash – just good ‘ol football.

The Colts know that winning every play and every game does not make a stellar career.  Staying in the game, obeying the preceding rules, and playing hard are what makes their organization a football dynasty.  They have a very clear focus on reality.

When reachmore’s executive coaching clients are going after their biggest year ever, we don’t pull out all of the flashy marketing plans, complex financial analyses, and 6-sigma operational structures.  We teach our clients to focus, live and work with integrity, to perform the fundamentals of running their business daily, and to do everything with a level head.  Those are the keys to long-term leadership.

Jamar Cobb-Dennard is the Vice President of Business Development for reachmore, which provides leadership coaching for small business and executives.  Email Jamar at jamar@goreachmore.com for the latest on reachmore’s newest seminar, Launch.

Interest vs. Commitment

Take out a piece of paper and write down a list of everything that interests you.  For most that will include exercise, church, family, work, travel, friends, Facebook, TV, radio, video games, neighbors, etc.  Put everything on this list that occupies your time throughout a typical month.

Next, I want you to circle the 5 things that are most important to you.  These are your commitments.

Finally, I want you to look at your calendar during the past month and see where you spent your time.  Was it spent on your commitments, or loosely spread unevenly amongst your interests?

I have completed this exercise with hundreds of people and I almost always get the same response.

There is a major disconnect between where you spend your time and your commitments.

In a world filled with opportunities to get distracted, most people are over interested and under committed.

We’ve all said “yes” to too many committees, after school events or distant family functions.

Your happiness and success is directly related to the decisions you make with your time.

Make sure you’re crystal clear about the difference between an interest and a commitment.  For most of you this will be a difficult process because we want to be everything to everyone.

In addition, it’s likely that a new level of commitment will result in some hurt feelings and a few uncomfortable conversations (someone has to tell your kid’s teacher that you can’t be the chairman of the Science Fair).  That’s OK.

For those of you that have a particularly difficult time saying “no” to any and every request of your time, I have a suggestion.  When an opportunity for involvement arises ask yourself this simple question – “Does this opportunity relate to one of my five commitments?”

If the answer is “no” then don’t do it!  I don’t care if it will only take 10 minutes to complete.  Get used to saying “no” to any activity that distracts you from your commitments.

This week strive to do less.

CJ McClanahan
reachmore

Want to Experience Rapid Growth in the Next 12 Months?

I ran into an old employee of mine the other week, and she shocked me with the news of her recent success story.

When she worked for me, she had just graduated from college.  At the time, she was talented and spirited, but she was also unreliable, unfocused, and flighty.  Needless to say, our business relationship ended quickly.

She left me to work for another company, and quickly rose to the top in sales.  I lost track of her progress over the past year, and it was during that time she had made some remarkable changes.  Since I had last seen her, she left her job, started her own company, recruited 5 employees, and has grossed $500,000 in sales as a 25 year-old small business owner!

Wow!  The most impressive part of her success was the change that I saw in her.  I could hear the new found maturity in her voice and could see the focus in her eyes.  After seeing her again, my business leadership “brain” started reflecting on what made Tracy, and her business, grow so quickly.

Here are 4 keys to rapid growth that Tracy Itzen, of ItzenMedia.com – a motorsports marketing and advertising agency, used during her first year in business to create MASSIVE success and rapid growth:

1 – Be Focused – One of the first and best things that Tracy did for herself was to rid herself of distraction, and focus on the success that was in front of her.  That meant removing herself from people that could bring her down, meetings that were a waste of time, and any activity that didn’t produce results.

2 – Have Confidence – Tracy had the confidence that she had the talent, contacts, and resources to be the BEST in her industry.  She stepped out on that confidence and focuses on winning every day.

3 – Be Passionate – Living and working in your passion in a key to rapid success.  The passion that she has about her company and product inspired others to invest their time and money in making her business dreams come true.

4 – Think, believe, and act MASSIVE – Itzen Media does business with some of the biggest names in motorsports (NASCAR being one of them).  Getting the quick attention of industry powerhouses requires visualizing and believing in yourself performing at that level.  If you can see and feel yourself growing rapidly, you can do it.

If you don’t let anything sway your focus of success, and you have confidence as you approach it; then no one will be able to sway your passion or the reality that you have created through visualizing your success.  Create the rapid growth you have always wanted by following the same path of Itzen Media.

Jamar Cobb-Dennard is the Vice-President of Business Development for Reachmore, which provides leadership coaching for small business and executives.  Email Jamar at jamar@goreachmore.com for the latest on Reachmore’s newest seminar, Launch.

Interest vs. Commitment

During a recent conversation, a friend told me about their frustration with a committee of volunteers they were leading.

“No one shows up to the meetings on time and it’s nearly impossible to get them to complete the tasks they agreed to at the previous meeting.”

I smiled.

Not because I thought the situation was funny, but because I had been there dozens of times before.

The problem she was having is that her committee was full of people interested in the organization.

What she needed was a room full of people committed to the organization.

There is a huge difference between an interest and a commitment.

For example, you might be interested in becoming more involved in your church, but you are committed to showing up to a client meeting on time.

In 2009, the problem we face is that we get the two mixed up all the time.  As a result, we become interested in just about everything (e.g. – Twitter and Facebook) and committed to very little.

The reason we continue to add so many interests to our plate is that we don’t want to miss out on the next best thing.

I am not suggesting that you shouldn’t utilize Twitter or Facebook.

However, I am suggesting that if you choose to do something – do it 100% – be committed.