Category Archive: Church Scattered

The 4 Kinds Of Leaders Who Create The Future

Posted by on January 5, 2018

I have noticed one very dramatic change within the last year of working with coaching executives.  In the past they were constantly looking for strategic innovation when they were not squeezing every ounce of productivity out of their process.  Today, they are all in some way having to respond to the powerful forces of disruption.  This HBR post is excellent:

“Alan Kay, the educator and computer designer, famously declared, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” But what does it take to invent the future in such a turbulent and uncertain world? How do successful organizations build on their history, even as they craft a new point of view about what comes next?”

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How To Recover From Burnout

Posted by on December 15, 2017

One of the most important things I do as a leader is to monitor the margin I have in all of the life accounts included in my Life Plan.  I believe in work-life integration and not balance.  This allows me to have a short term deficit in one area as long as my overall margin is healthy.  However, when my margin is gone in multiple areas, I am in serious danger of moving into burnout. This HBR post will help you in regaining control:

“You feel exhausted, ineffective, unaccomplished, and cynical. Maybe you feel like no matter how hard you work, you can never keep up. Or that you can’t make your boss happy no matter how hard you try. And you’re beginning to question your professional situation: Am I in the right job? The right company? The right career? I used to feel passionate about going into work but now I dread Monday and can’t wait until Friday. Will I ever feel excited about my life and work again?”

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Habits That Keep You Primed For Success

Posted by on December 13, 2017

I am personally convinced that every leader who wants to reach their potential needs to develop a Life Plan.  This plan will set both personal and professional goals with specific priorities to accomplish.  If you do something long enough it will become a habit and eventually part of your character.  This Forbes post is an excellent way to get you started:

“Habits matter. Good ones underpin our successes and bad ones undermine our health and aspirations. That’s why it’s important to intentionally build routines that align with what we want: a happy, healthy, successful life. If you know people who have achieved a goal that you also want to achieve, ask them about their habits!”

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Leaders Prepare For A Period Of Constant Transformation

Posted by on December 6, 2017

We have all known and said for years that change is constant and we must continue to be innovative to improve.  What is new is that disruption is now becoming the major threat and without constant transformation we are always at risk for a total failure.  There is obviously a major difference in leading innovation and transformation.  This Forbes post helps us understand whats at stake:

“According to his firm, at any point, about a third of large U.S. companies endure a severe, two-year decline in their ability to create shareholder value. And of those companies, about a third fail to recover within the following five years.”

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How To Stay Healthy When You're Stressed At Work

Posted by on December 4, 2017

For years I took my health for granted and eventually paid a high price for my neglect.  Sometimes its hard to accept that you have to make the hard decisions to eat right or work out before you gain the benefit of more energy and feeling better.  These same healthy habits will also more than anything else help you deal with stress.  This Fast Company post will get you started:

“Tis the season for stress. The holidays are crazy enough, but add in year-end deadlines and sales goals, performance reviews, and the news of yet another raise not given, and you can already feel your blood pressure rise. But there’s good news: You can still stay healthy, even when work is insane. It’ll just take a little extra effort.”

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4 Ways To Be More Effective

Posted by on December 1, 2017

Productivity is a very big deal.  It’s the difference between working more hours or getting more high priority things done.  Over three years ago, I went paperless and have absolutely no regrets.  I use Nozbe and find it very effective in keeping the main things on top of the list.  This post by Ashley Stahl is simple but profound:

“Ahhh, the true adage, “work smarter, not harder”. While it resonates with most, it can also be confusing and downright infuriating. Maybe you’re already working really, really hard and still aren’t achieving the results you’d like.”

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How To Let Go At The End Of The Workday

Posted by on November 29, 2017

The biggest challenge I have as an executive coach is helping people create the margin they need both personally and professionally.  The 24/7 connectivity world we live in has totally blurred all the lines between work and family time.  Unless you assume the responsibility to lead yourself, you will eventually fail in one or both areas.  This HBR post is a must read:

“Chris, a senior manager at a New York design studio can’t sleep. His mind is churning, thinking about the mountain of tasks facing him back at the office. Katrina, the production manager at a well-known publishing house is distracted by a work email at the dinner table. Her partner complains that she “never seems able to turn off.”

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Key Differences Between Management And Leadership

Posted by on November 22, 2017

It still amazes me when I am working with corporate clients that there is still so much confusion between the roles of management and leadership.  There are many things in common, especially if you manage people instead of being an individual contributor.  However, their can be no doubt that there are fundamental differences between the two disciplines.  This post by Forbes Coaches Council is excellent:

“Every manager strives to become a good leader. Reaching this role takes a shift in thought, as well as in the way that you lead. Becoming a good leader doesn’t happen overnight as it takes time to cultivate your leadership and ensure you are thinking about your organization’s vision rather than the mere execution of different tasks.”

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Four Pathways To Authentic Leadership

Posted by on November 15, 2017

I live daily in the world of leadership development.  On one extreme many people fear the idea of being a leader thinking it almost takes some supernatural ability they don’t possess.  At the other end of the spectrum are the ego driven abusers of power that in my opinion are not leaders at all.  In reality we all lead ourselves everyday and if you want to help others then jump in and lead.  This Forbes post is simple but profound:

“The familiar term leadership has become an unfortunate buzzword — something people bandy about without considering its deeper implications. It’s the same thing that’s happened with words like creativity, innovation and disruption. To help refocus, here are four pathways to becoming a more authentic leader.”

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8 Ways To Effectively Reduce Stress

Posted by on November 10, 2017

Most studies indicate that some stress is good for most of us because its pushes us to be able to do our best work.  On the other hand, chronic stress is very harmful both to our performance and long term health.  Today if you are in leadership, then you must know how to deal with this ever present reality.  Great Forbes Coaches post:

“There are days when you can feel your nerves jangle and your teeth grit. There’s too much to do, and not enough time to do it in, and what you’re working absolutely must be right.  A little stress isn’t bad, but chronic stress, especially high stress, can create long-term health issues. While some people try and ignore the issue and push through, it’s not the best way to cope.”

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