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Trust!
We talk about it and how important it is but do you actually foster and operate in a culture of trust as a leader? A high-trust culture begins with, and I am not going to sugar coat this YOU, you as the leader. When your team trusts you to be honest and forthcoming with them, you can bet that they will always be honest and forthcoming with you. The benefits for high-trust in an organization are many compare to those at low-trust companies. Those who work at high-trust companies report: -> 74% less stress, -> 50% higher productivity, What would that do to your bottom line. -> 76% more engagement, while engagement in the US is now only 33% -> 29% more satisfaction with their lives, -> 40% less burnout. Sol says… “Keep falsehood and deceitful words far from me.” ~ Proverbs 30:8 Reap the rewards of a high trust culture in your organization beginning right now as you demonstrate a life of integrity. When you do that, you will make it a great day and keep being awesome.
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Have you been watching March Madness?
The games have been exciting and most go down to the final seconds. These games provide many lessons that business leaders can learn and employ in their businesses. A recent game was won when the shooter for one team was fouled by the defender with only 1.2 seconds remaining in the game, which the shooter’s team won when the shooter made one of two free throws. The outcome was viewed by basketball analyst Charles Barkley as a wrong decision because he inferred that the referee determined the outcome of the game, not the players. I like Charles and we agree on many things, but this was not one of them because he was not holding accountable the defensive player who gave a slight shove to the shooter, thus possibly impairing his shot. Think now as a leader of what your business would be like if you only selectively determined which rules to enforce and not enforce. In the basketball scenario, by not calling a foul because it was the last seconds of the game would send a signal that it would be okay to foul a shooter taking a game winning shot. The same is true with your business. If someone does something illegal, immoral, or violates a company policy, how can you justify enforcing it sometimes and not others? You can’t, as your leadership will forever be in question, creating chaos and possibly leading to a change in culture. Sol says… “The one who lives with integrity will be helped, but one who distorts right and wrong will suddenly fall.” ~ Proverbs 28:18 Business is sport and sport has rules of the game which must be followed as written to maintain integrity. Make it a great day and keep being awesome. #integrity #culture #leadership #trust When you communicate with others, do you communicate to connect?
John C. Maxwell said, “Everyone communicates, few connect. When you reach out to others to let them know you enjoyed something they presented, said, or did, do you simply say, “I enjoyed your presentation?” Whether you are speaking to a subordinate, boss, or speaker, a comment like “I enjoyed your _________,” is really an empty phrase of praise. To strengthen your comment and let the person being praised know specifically how they connected with you, a statement like, “I really enjoyed your presentation, especially when you said, “___________,” is meaningful. Sol says… “As a crucible refines silver, and a smelter refines gold, so a person should refine his praise.” ~ Proverbs 27:21 Be sure to be specific with others when you praise them to raise your communication to connection. When you do that, you will have a great day and keep being awesome. How are March Madness and business different?
March Madness is 12 days of competition, the culmination of a six month season, while business is a 365 day season. How are March Madness and business similar? Both March Madness and business are built on principles and the fundamentals necessary to execute the principles while facing constant change within their environment. Join me on April 4, 2023, at 9:00 AM EDT for 7 Principles for Small Business Success in a World of Change, where we will discuss seven key principles and the fundamentals for executing those principles for the achievement of your business goals. See the accompanying details to register for this insightful event. 7 Principles for Small Business Success in any Economy PRESENTED BY: Catawba Valley Community College Small Business Center COST: FREE WHEN: April 4, 2023, at 9:00 – 11:00 AM ET WHERE: Zoom (Link provided after registration) REGISTER: https://www.ncsbc.net/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=100430022 We will discuss: -> The value of purpose for you and your business, and the marketplace problem being solved. -> The value of lifelong learning as a business owner. -> Communicating to connect -> The value of developing a business plan and using it. -> The importance of Leadership in starting, running, and growing! a business. -> Building business relationships leading to growth. -> Growing profits through the retention of customers -> Action plan because nothing happens until someone acts. YOU MUST REGISTER to participate in this program. REGISTER NOW to receive the program link and workbook: https://www.ncsbc.net/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=100430022 See you on the 4th! DO NOT...
spend another dime on marketing your business before Tuesday, 28 MAR 2023! Read this and take action. As a small business owner, entrepreneur, or someone considering leaving a job to be self-employed and run your own business, you recognize the need to get your brand known in the marketplace. Before you spend a dime on marketing, STOP to prepare properly for your marketing endeavors in order to maximize your marketing investment. Join other small business owners, entrepreneurs, and those about to become self-employed participating in The Five Ways to Become Known in the Marketplace, Tuesday, 28 MAR 2023 at 3:00 PM EST. This FREE 2-hour online workshop, offered by the Small Business Center at Beaufort Community College, will cover the pros and cons of the many ways to promote your brand, including... -> Advertising -> Public Relations, -> Cold solicitation, -> Social Media, and -> Relationship Marketing, to generate the right exposure to the right people, using the right vehicle(s) for you. Want more information? Email me at [email protected]. Reserve your seat now to receive the program link, REGISTER HERE: https://www.ncsbc.net/reg.aspx?mode=event&event=30430031 Once you register, watch for instructions on how to receive your Zoom link. See you on the 28th! Can you feel it?
Well, do you? Welcome to Sol’s Wisdom for Leaders Something everyone in a leadership position should feel is the pressure from those they lead to lead them honorably, fairly, justly. You may have worked under the leadership of someone who turned a blind eye to a top performer, or maybe someone they liked, who skirted the rules, maybe even doing something unethical, immoral, or illegal, only to make an extra mark. Yet, they held others accountable for the simplest of infractions. Dave Ramsey alludes to this and several other team killing behaviors in his book, EntreLeadership , identifying the primary killers as… -> Poor communication -> Lack of buy-in of the purpose and the goals to fulfill that purpose -> Back stabbing and rumors as the result of gossip -> Lingering disagreements without resolution -> Incompetence of execution, be it performance or rules based that is allowed to persist. Sol says… “Justice executed is a joy to the righteous but a terror to evildoers.” ~ Proverbs 21:15 Always remember that while doing the right thing may sometimes sting, doing the wrong thing destroys. Make it a great day and keep being awesome. Do you have integrity?
Don’t you wish everyone did? Leaders who live lives of integrity are highly trusted, enabling those who follow them to have faith that whatever they do is for a good reason, with the expectation of a valued outcome. Leaders demonstrating integrity adhere to a moral code of incorruptibility, sending the message that you can bank on their efforts to do what is right. Such a moral code is shared by my alma mater, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina as stated by three words: -> Honor – Honor is given to those who have built an excellent reputation for doing what is right. -> Duty – The willing performance one’s commitments. -> Respect – Treating people fairly, without bias. Sol says… “A righteous person acts with integrity;” ~ Proverbs 20:7 Live your life with integrity and be the kind of person everyone can trust to always seek out the right thing. Make it a great day and keep being awesome. Think back for a minute to the last time someone approached you with a business opportunity.
How did you determine whether it would be a valuable opportunity for you? Over the years, I have been approached many times with business opportunities with the promise of making so much money I would be able to live the life of my dreams. That always makes me wonder, followed by several thoughts shooting through my mind. -> The first is to wonder how this person, with whom I don’t spend a lot of time, if any, knows what I dream of. -> Next comes discernment of my value of the person sharing the opportunity. -> This is followed by listening to an opportunity overview to determine if it fits into my current business model. -> Finally, if there is no evidence of synergy of seamless operation, I reject it. Sol says… “The sensible person’s wisdom is to consider his way, but the stupidity of fools deceives them.” ~ Proverbs 14:8 The importance of knowing your purpose and the path to its fulfillment keeps you from getting off the road on the wrong exit, delaying your arrival at your desired destination. Make it a great day and keep being awesome. Have you ever been challenged to hire someone who didn’t have all the specified credentials listed for a position over someone who did?
What did you do? I was once placed in that position, faced with an articulate, well read candidate lacking most of the listed qualifications and one who checked off every box on the qualification list. Easy choice, right? Wrong. One candidate met all the education and previous work experience listed as requirements while the other had only two years of college and caddied for a PGA Tour golfer who rarely made the cut. In weighing the demands of the job with the requirements, it was clear that in this case, the least qualified on paper possessed a mastery of the soft skills needed for success in this job found lacking in the most qualified. Those soft skills? -> Communication: The caddie demonstrated the ability to speak clearly and be understood at all the job levels with whom he would be interacting. -> Commitment: Caddying for a PGA golfer who regularly missed the cut, meant he would not be making a great deal of money, while being faced with travel expenses moving from tournament to tournament, learning a new course each week, and always being on time. -> Consistency: The caddy demonstrated a level of consistent activities leading to excellence in the execution of his job through preparation and improving himself by reading good books and meeting influential people. Sol says… “The one who has contempt for instruction will pay the penalty.” ~ Proverbs 13:13 Over some opposition, I hired the caddy who turned out to be an exemplary team member who finished his degree and went on to a stellar career. Make it a great day and keep being awesome. Have you ever wondered what makes the most successful people successful?
There is a simple principle you can follow and employ to facilitate your journey to achieve the success you seek. The principle? Very simple, “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do.” The key word there is “UNWILLING.” How do you know what unsuccessful people are unwilling to do? Chances are, you aren’t willing to do them either. Since we all have 24 hours in a day, the difference between successful and unsuccessful people is what they are willing to do during those hours, things like. -> Focus, not allowing interruptions during critical times. -> Rejecting time wasting activities like TV viewing. -> Preparing for performance excellence by writing down and acting on plans. -> Seek out coaches and mentors for new ideas and different insights Sol says… “Idle hands make one poor, but diligent hands bring riches.” ~ Proverbs 10:4 Commit now to overcoming your roadblocks by identifying, then doing those things you have been unwilling to do. Let me know how you do! Have a great day and keep being awesome. |
AuthorBrian Kennedy is an encourager who shepherds small business owners and entrepreneurs along the path of business success to preeminence by embracing time tested principles and executing the associated fundamentals daily. Archives
March 2024
Leadership
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