Last month I shared with you my Top 10 Favorite Books; I received so many emails about that list that I thought I would share with you my Top 7 Favorite Podcasts:
This is Your Life by Michael Hyatt – Leadership Focus
Ted Radio Hour: NPR (Ted Talks) – Wide range of topics all by outstanding speakers
EntreLeadership by Dave Ramsey – Leadership and Business topics
Beyond the To-Do List – Productivity Focus
Andy Stanley Leadership – Leadership
Seth Goden Start-Up School – Business Focus
Read to Lead – Book Reviews
Podcasts are the key to my continuous learning. What I like about listening to podcasts is that I can subscribe to my favorite industry experts and depending on my mood, I can listen as I go about my day.
For those of you who are “non-techy” like me. Don’t be afraid of podcasts. It’s sooo easy, it only takes 4 steps:
Download a podcast app to you phone (since I have an iPhone, I use Apple podcasts)
Search for one of the titles above
“Subscribe”
Listen
Seriously, this is the easiest way to learn, grow and ignite your creativity… give this a try and let me know how it works for you or better yet, share your favorite podcast! I love seeing comments or getting email from you.
1. Establish an impeccable standard of excellence.
Set high expectations at the outset and raise the bar on any crucial factors. The best way to establish a standard is by modeling the expected behavior yourself. Showcase excellence. Your actions have the potential to affect everyone around you and the bottom line, don’t dabble in mediocrity.
2. Deliver on results promised.
Able leadership requires an ability to deliver results. Rhetoric has little value if outcomes are what’s essential. Instead of touting wins from past performances, focus on capturing tangible gains now. Harness the power of chunking, a process for organizing tasks and breaking them down into bite-size pieces, to avoid stress and burnout.
3. Value people and nurture relationships.
Top-notch people skills are vital to sound leadership. Develop premium listening, communication and decision-making skill sets. Demonstrate integrity by being open, honest and fair. If you treat people well, most will be encouraged to return the favor.
4. Promote strategic cooperation.
Collaboration is an indispensable component of leadership, this is especially true if you can build high-performing teams. Isn’t it fascinating that no matter how brilliant people are as individuals, they are often far more effective when working with others? People often produce higher quality, more efficient work products when collaborating.
5. Resolve conflict quickly and effectively.
As a core leadership competency, conflict resolution is a delicate process that requires thoughtful intervention. Disagreements naturally occur. But persistent hostility should not be tolerated. The bottom line? Conflict gets in the way of everything else. Thus, your ability to quickly and effectively facilitate resolution will undoubtedly boost your ability to lead.
6. Freely develop and support others.
Professional development is an extraordinary mechanism for facilitating growth. Demonstrate your commitment to growth by prioritizing opportunities for enrichment. Challenge yourself and your team to overcome shortcomings at regular intervals throughout the year. Then acknowledge and reward proactive participation to build enthusiasm.
What are some of your career or personal goals? Become an expert in your field? Or even an expert with your finances? Cooking?
How do you become an expert in your field or area of focus? Read. As quoted by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads.”
Self-development expert Brian Tracy tells us that, “If you read just one book per month, that will put you into the top 1 percent of income earners in our society.” Now, imagine what would happen if you read one book a week!
If you read 30-60 minutes a day in your chosen field, that translates into 1 book a week, resulting in over 50 books per year. In three years, that is 150 books in your field or area of focus – quickly allowing you to become an expert in your field.
I know, I know, you don’t have the time to read. I hear that excuse all the time. Try this … listen to audio books.
It works for me. My iPhone is a mobile library. I listen while I drive around town, cook in the kitchen or even while exercising. I was able to read five books over Christmas break this way. There are many online resources for downloading audio books, even your local library might offer them. If you prefer to read physical books, be sure to set time versus saying you will make time. Schedule your reading – this makes it a routine and it will quickly become a habit.
Twelve books that have shaped my leadership philosophy:
Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less by Greg McKeown
The Speed of Trust by Steven M.R Covey
Great by Choice by Jim Collins
Decisive by Chip Heath and Dan Heath
5 Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni
The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal by Jim Loehr
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You by John C. Maxwell
Principle-Centered Leadership by Stephen Covey
Emotional Intelligence 2.0 by Travis Bradberry
Entreleadership by Dave Ramsey
How Full Is Your Bucket by Tom Rath
8 Dimensions of Leadership by Jeffery Sugarman
Three books that have helped me grow as a person:
Jesus Calling by Sara Young
Daring Greatly by Berne Brown
20,000 Days and Counting by Robert Smith
….and a personal author from my childhood is the beloved Dr. Seuss as he was always very wise – “the more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go”. Happy reading!
A friend shared a story about how when they feel grateful for even the small things in life, it changes their whole outlook. It retrains them to think of all the good things in their life versus the things that are wrong, or little annoyances.
He used a shiny plastic gem. I have heard others just carrying a small stone in their pocket, etc. The purpose is to carry it wherever he goes-whenever he touches it in his pocket, it reminds her to be thankful regardless of the good or bad of what is happening at the moment.
This simple act changes his perspective – to a thankful attitude. Thankful for what he has, instead of lacks.
We may think we lack so much….wish we had a different job, or that our kids behaved better, or were heading off on vacation for the holidays. It certainly does not dismiss the pain and suffering that some people may be experiencing, especially at this time of year, but all this “lack” thinking depletes us.
The gratitude stone is one tool that helped my friend, and believes it will be a life-changing experience if we all give it a try. As 2014 comes to a close, let me challenge you to push the pause button and write down ten items you are thankful for right now. I know one at the top of my list….it is all of you – thank you for your business, or being a participant in various training programs, or even just reading this newsletter to inspire yourselves and others. I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Many people start projects with good intentions but struggle to stay on track.
Here are a few of the most common concentration busters that throw people off schedule:
Social media and email. Avoid logging into social media and checking email when you’re working on a project. Consider turning off your alerts and possibly even Wi-Fi. If you feel compelled to check your email, wait until breaks throughout the day.
Multitasking. While people often think they can accomplish more in less time by multitasking, they lose time when shifting attention from one task to another. Try to devote your time to one solid project and see how much further you can get.
Hunger. Remember to always eat breakfast and snack on high-protein items, such as cheese and nuts; and always choose complex carbohydrates, such as whole grains.
Disorganization. Rather than attacking the day’s projects randomly, take some time to organize your deadlines, projects, and plan of attack. Rank them in order of importance, and always tackle the hardest projects first.
Cell phones. Utilize caller ID and let calls go to voicemail. Silence your phone so you can have distraction free time.
Lack of sleep. Most adults need a solid seven to nine hours of sleep each night to fully recharge. If you feel exhausted and tired, your body and mind will benefit from some extra sleep.
Dehydration. Drink water. Even mild dehydration can cause inattention.
Clutter. It can be hard to focus on the task at hand in a room full of cluttered items, so try to work in rooms that are well organized and de-cluttered.
