Reflections on Leadership

The quote book, “Write Advice; Inspirations, tips and thoughts for leaders and artists” has inspired a new online store.  The name might fool you, but it’s not only for writers. You will find gifts that are perfect for any writer, leader or artist in your life who’s ready to make a difference!

Today is opening day for the store (which you can find here) and I’m excited to see some of the top requested quotes and thoughts come to life on the amazing Tee-Shirts and other products.

Below are a few items you’ll find.

A Confident writer is a sexy writer

Never Be Without a Great Goal

Forgiveness Journal

Come by and browse around, I know you’ll find something for yourself or someone you care about!

The Write Advice Online Store

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I admit it, I can be as politically correct in my language as the some of the most ardent liberals. To me it can show sensitivity or at least tolerance if not compassion in an increasingly intolerant country.  As a writer, words matter. That’s why I believe we shouldn’t sugarcoat the things that we face as a nation and by extension as individuals.  Let’s not waste time calling things “formidable challenges” when they’re “big problems.  America used to be able to solve big problems.  As a nation we routinely lived our values.

It’s easy to be a bit romantic and forget about how horrible this nation used to be for women before suffrage or African Americans before civil rights.  How poorly we treated our elderly, the mentally ill, and non-land owners. History’s canvas is sometimes painted with a lighter touch. Recall that hangings were common in my beloved city of Boston, the carcasses of criminals left out to publicly rot.  The Son’s of Liberty tarred and feathered other human beings. A blind eye was cast in the slave trade.

We forget we were founded as a violent nation.  We picked off British Regulars while hiding in the woods.  At the time we were thought of as savages. We took pride in it as patriotic and character building. Yet when used against us in quagmires like Iraq and Afghanistan we consider it barbaric.

The American spirit will always be divided between those who look at us being here as a matter of Divine Providence and those who consider it the melting pot.  That our greatest strength is taking the best ideas from everyone.

Winston Churchill once said, “Americans will always do the right thing, after they have exhausted all the alternatives.” It’s in that vein of faith I remain hopeful for America, but today a large portion of our population is apathetic.  They might be angry, but they’re also lazy.  Or they’re active without a sense of purpose.  I’m not so sure Americans are trying everything with the spirit we are expected to.  It can be taxing, but civil debate and disagreement coupled with pragmatism and searching for common ground is what has served this nation well in the past.  The problem today is, our tries seem to be halfhearted, or we save the passion for the detestability of our opponents; political or imagined.

We are not trying hard enough.  We are thinking less, worrying more and outsourcing our leadership to other nations, or corporations. As individuals we are all responsible for the eroding spirt and grit because we are complacently letting it happen.  We celebrate the First Amendment by giving the microphones to crackpots then undermine the gesture by reporting the fear and hate they spout as fact rather than opinion. We are focused on symptoms and finding ways to coat, soothe, and relieve them rather than solving the problems that are making us ill.  We moan and complain.  We spend a lot of energy doing very little and here’s some of our results so far:

• 30% of Americans are obese
• 1 Million American High School students drop out each year
• We carry a $13.5 Trillion Debt
• We are #1 in Oil Consumption, #2 in Coal Consumption and #1 in Cocaine Consumption
• 2.3 Million of our citizens are incarcerated, giving us the largest prison population on the planet

We can do better. We must do better.  We can begin by teaching our children and each other how to dream big, think profoundly, decide pragmatically and lead courageously.

There are no shortages of serious problems yearning to be solved. Pick one.

Below is a system designed to help you begin solving the problems that are in your purview to solve.  If it looks like too much work, have someone help you.  Being defeated from within helps no one. Find a problem that’s within your power to solve and begin solving it.  Here’s how.

1. Write down the problem or challenge that you need to solve.
2. Describe the Desired State that could exist without the problem.
3. Describe WHY it’s desired.
4. Create a S.M.A.R.T. Goal to make your intention specific and real.
5. Set the Criteria on how to find solutions to the problem.
6. Generate a brainstorm list of alternative solutions.
7. Narrow the list and pick the “best few” options.
8. Assess each option’s feasibility and potential risks versus gains.
9. Reach a tentative agreement with stakeholders of the problem.
10. Put some resources on a “fall back” plan.
11. Firm up the final decision and announce it to those affected.
12. Develop an Action Plan to go forward.
13. Implement the Action Plan with confidence and passion.
14. Review, assess and celebrate progress.

Problems are often very complex. Their solutions seldom have to be.

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Do you use an alarm clock to wake up?  Author, Ken Blanchard, a perennial optimist gifted with a positive attitude suggests it be renamed an Opportunity Clock.  Wouldn’t you prefer to be awakened by opportunity rather than an alarm?

Granted, some people like to sleep.   Just like a new vegetarian’s willpower prevents them from indulging in an artery hardening but delicious prime rib, there are those who relish their slumber.  They deeply value it.  It rejuvenates them.  They would never agree with statement, “There will be plenty of time to sleep when I’m dead.”  (To be clear where I stand, I have no problem eating a steak at 11pm, but that’s another story).

Have you seen the sobering advertisements the state of Michigan tourist board have put out, that remind us, “25,000 mornings, give or take is all the average person gets.”

What percentage of those mornings have you hit the snooze button and decided to put off the day for a little while longer?  I asked 235 people how often they hit the snooze button in the morning and here’s the results:

29% – Once

22%  – 2-3 times

9%  – More than 3 time

40% – Before it goes off

When you are living on purpose, you tend to wake up enthusiastically with the alarm, or one minute before it goes off.  Have you ever experienced that?  It’s amazing how you can program your mind that way.  Unfortunately many do not.  People who are not thrilled by the prospects of the day choose to snooze.  Inevitably they then run late and compound their stress.

ACTION: Live on purpose and find your passion.  Passion is easy to identify.  It keeps you up late at night and wakes you up in the morning.  It causes your heart to race, not with anxiety, but with anticipation.  As Wayne Dyer has often said, “You can decide to wake up and get out of bed, open the shades and mumble, good lord, it’s morning.  Or, you can wake up, get out f bed open the shades and declare, Good Morning, Lord.”  The choice is always yours.

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Some people make achieving goals sound like a mysterious science.  They complicate things.  I’m not saying achieving your goals is easy, infact, often it’s easier not too.  Which is why so many don’t.  It’s easy to stay with the status quo.  It’s even relatively easier to go back the way things were.  That’s hardly progress though.

Have you even been stymied after a long meeting that didn’t seem to produce any actions?  Or received instructions from your manager or even a customer that weren’t clear?  There are two questions that will help. How Much?  and By When?

Yes, there are other elements to effective goal setting, however these two questions cut through much of the clutter. “How Much?” is your volume measurement.  It can be anything; dollars, units, customers, votes, legislation. “By When?” gives you a timeframe; a day, week, month, year.  Put the two question together and you have the immediate basis for accountably.  Which is why it’s hard for some people to answer those questions.  They want wiggle room.  They don’t want the accountability.

No one “likes” accountability yet we all thrive when it’s there.  We’re at our best when we’re accountable to ourselves, our family, customer or constituents, and ultimately a higher calling.  Accountability creates movement.  How much and by why is the lever to get things moving.  Get in the habit of asking those questions and providing the answers to projects that are important to you.

It’s hard to predict the future, so sometimes your answers will be off.  Maybe your how much was too much or too little.  Your by when too near or too far.  It’s okay.  Revise the answer and keep going.  If we can hold ourselves accountable to those two progress inducing questions we can achieve more.

As an exercise, listen to your favorite or least favorite politician speak and see how often they offer answers to those questions.  It will give you insight to the breadth of their vision.  If they have no vision, by no means follow them.

Action: Ask, How Much and By When at least once a day for a week then share your results here or on the Karl Bimshas Consulting Facebook fan page. Did your quest for accountability tick people off?  Did you feel like you moved something forward?  Were you satisfied with the answers?  A caveat: make sure you provide your own How Much and by when answers to anyone who asks you.

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When you got up to go to work today were you giddy with excitement to start the year off fresh or were you full of dread?  Were you saddened that the holidays are over and you have to get yourself into a new routine?  Do you miss your family so much that you want to share more time with them?

In the current economy, you might be grateful just to have a job even if you don’t really like it, which begs the question; why are you investing so much time in something you don’t love.  Money?  Duty?  Habit?  Fear?

Each morning you have a choice.  You can get up bleary-eyed and mumble, “Good God, it’s morning.” or awake refreshed and bright-eyed and say, “Good Morning, God.”

Today, appreciate what you have.  Find, create or develop excitement, maybe even inspiration for the year ahead for yourself or better yet, for others.

If you’re not happy where you are, you just found a great goal to work on.  If you’re fortunate enough to actually be happy where you are, good for you, now go help your co-workers get in that same affirming and confident place.

Have a great day.  It’s up to you.

Learn more by reading reading, “How to Stay When You Want to Quit; Re-scripting your life from whiner to winner” available on Amazon.com

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Congratulations, you made it.  It’s a new day, month, year, and decade.  The “first of the year” has arrived, so no more feeble excuses.  It’s time to get to work on you.

“But today?  It’s a holiday.”

Well Kid, any day you make progress on your goals is cause for celebration so you might as well get started.  Do something.  Have you written your goals down yet?  Have you shared them with a supportive person?

Most Contributed to Success

In a recent survey 38% of the respondents cited Support from Others as a major contribution to their success last year.  This was second to old-fashioned Discipline and Persistence.

Of those same respondents, 55% were optimistic about accomplishing their goals in 2010.  That’s a good start, although 100% would be better.  Those who aren’t  sure may be pragmatic or they may be a little too reliant on luck.

How Likely to Accomplish 2010 Goal?

For the nearly 20% who are beginning the year with low confidence there are two choices; break your goal into smaller manageable pieces, or find a new worthwhile goal.  If you don’t think you can achieve your goal, how can anyone else?

Working on your goal will not always be easy so begin the habit of asking, “Does this move me closer to or farther from my goal?”  If you listen to your intuition, you will always hear an answer.  Heed what it tells you and choose to do the things that move you a little closer…everyday.  There are 365 days in this year, what you do with them is up to you.

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Here are four things I would like you to experience in 2010.

1.  Find a Great Goal. Even if you have a Laissez-faire attitude, there is a special joy in discovering some spectacular thing you want to have, do or be.  Fill yourself with that positive yearning.

2.  Set at least one Great Goal. Make it a SMART Goal and better to set three.  Short-term, mid-term and long-term goals can keep your momentum — and if interrelated can help you achieve each of them faster.

3.  Get a Great Goal. Meaning, achieve it.  Making your goals a reality is seldom easy and that’s good.  Great goals give our life a sense of personal purposefulness.  Don’t you want to live your life on purpose?  Stick with it.

4.  Celebrate. Let’s get rid of the long bovine expressions that have plagued us for too long.  The good and bad things in your life are tied more to your attitude than anything else.  Want more good things?  Celebrate every positive thing that happens. If you’re the reserved type, this will feel odd.  Why celebrate things that are supposed to happen?  Because they worked!  We mourn loss we must celebrate achievement.

Have a happy, safe and enriching new year filled with meaningful goals.

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On January 20th the United States will again demonstrate its talent for peaceful transitions as the stewardship of presidential power is passed literally and figuratively. This year of course is unprecedented, thankfully so.

Every four or eight years the world is treated to the reminder that change is inevitable and can be embraced with dignity, respect and celebration. This year’s inaugural address from Barack Obama is likely to provide lofty language of hope, openness to new ideas and an urging to view a landscape full of possibilities. There will be calls for sacrifice and the somber reality that tough decisions between terrible options will be made. The spirit of America will be renewed and echoed across the Washington Mall and into the classrooms and offices, churches, synagogues and mosques across the land as unity seeks to replace past divisiveness. People of every spot and stripe will be called upon to act and to lead.

I have long believed that everyone has the capacity to be a leader. A leader is a person who knows their strengths and maximizes them while making their weaknesses irrelevant. They do the same for their followers, be they citizens of the world or members of a little league team. A leader shares their vision, passion, and action. To move an organization, family, or nation forward, they create an environment where what I call “The Four Musts” can thrive.

• A strong leader and strong, pervasive leadership
• A repeatable compelling vision and sense of purpose
• A sense of overwhelming optimism
• A regular diet of meaningful recognition

A leader also understands the value of teamwork and freely acknowledges that wherever they hope to go, they cannot get their alone. They prioritize actions by asking their followers what I call “The Power Question”. “What one thing can I do for you that will most help you make a positive difference?”

On Tuesday, anyone who is listening will know the transformative vision of this nation. Some may not like or accept it. That’s okay. Conscientious objections are useful because listening to those who oppose you is a great way to learn, improve and unite.

An inaugural address is like a manifesto, a way of sharing your intentions and initiatives and where you’re headed. What about you? How do you emerge from your periods of darkness? What is your vision? Where is your passion? What have you put into action? Find a way of communicating it to the people who are important to you. You may be surprised at how much sooner you’ll arrive.

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