Leader Mundial

Learning to Leverage

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Russ Cline

LEARNING TO LEVERAGE

I’ve been working for the past few weeks on a presentation around “Leverage in your Leadership”. While reading some great books and articles, I found some really good tips to share with leaders about how to leverage our leadership into greater impact.

However, as I was researching and preparing, I realize that it’s one thing to “leverage your leadership”, and it’s another thing to “learn how to leverage your leadership”.

Here are a couple of things I think all of us can do that will help us find greater leverage:

#1) BE INTENTIONAL

Leverage doesn’t just happen. We have to work at it. We have to dream about it. We have to set some goals around it. We have to plan for it. The reality is that most of us don’t have the margin of time needed to be more intentional. We’re running as hard as we can, and we are dropping some of the spinning plates as we try to keep things moving. We will never be able to get the full impact of leverage unless we are more intentional. For the past few weeks we’ve talked about time and distractions. What’s keeping you from being intentional?

#2) BE SPECIFIC

Leverage is good. But what does that really mean? We need to quantify leverage by defining what it really looks like. Often we set goals or think about greater strategy without ever clarifying what this might look like. Recently I read a great book entitled, “Social Impacts” (©2014 by Marc J. Epstein & Kristi Yuthas). The book challenged me to really think about the metrics around what I’m trying to do.

An example might be: “I want to host a leadership coaching event for 15 leaders, helping them learn, grow and apply some leadership principles.”

A more specific way to say this might be: “I want to host a leadership coaching event for 15 leaders, helping them learn, grow and apply some leadership principles into their organizations, and seeing each leader share the principles learned with 2 leaders inside their organization within 15 days of the event”.

This is something that can be measured and immediately there’s a higher value placed on the activity.

#3) BE CREATIVE

Leverage isn’t just about “more people, more impact”. Think of ways to increase leverage that might require some different creative energy.

From the example above: “While teaching leadership principles to a group of leaders, I want to provide them with some tools to use not only in their organizations, but personally with their families. I want their families to be strengthened while they become better leaders.”

Sometimes we get excited when things happen that we didn’t expect. I want to encourage you to think outside the box about what can be leveraged, what can be impacted. Don’t settle for the easy multiplication model of 1 X 3 = Greater Impact! Be creative in the process.

Leverage can be defined as: “The power to influence a person or situation to achieve a particular outcome”

We all need to learn how to do this better!

For more on LEVERAGE, CLICK HERE

Posted in Leadership Coaching, Personal Leadership Tagged with: impact, leverage, multiplication

Distraction Management

Posted on April 2, 2018 by Russ Cline

I was recently reading a book by T.J. Addington entitled “Deep Influence” (Navpress ©2014). There are a number of themes in this book that I resonate with, but once again, the idea of distractions jumped off the pages as this is something I constantly work to manage.

Addington talks about this as he talks about leading with intentionality. Lot’s of great ideas and tips, and I encourage you to read the book.

I want to detour and focus on this idea of “Distraction Management”.

Here I am, looking at the screen, trying to write this blog post, and I’m checking my email, I’m waiting for a phone call, and I’m moving 3 different piles of paper on my desk all at the same time. I’m not managing my distraction very well, and the reality is, if I focused on one task, I would complete it faster, then I could move on to the next, but sometimes I get so caught up in trying to multi-task that I get to the end of the day, and I leave 5 or 6 projects undone because I got distracted and didn’t get it down.

While I haven’t perfected the art of “Distraction Management”, I have learned some things. I’ve shared them with you from time to time, but if you’re like me, you’re quick to forget… because you get distracted!

Here are some things that help me with this:

#1) BLOCK SCHEDULE MY TIME

I try to schedule the week ahead of me, making appointments with myself to focus on specific tasks and blocking time to work on priority projects. Don’t feel bad about doing this. You’re simply choosing to do what’s most important and communicating to people that you’re “booked” or that you “have an appointment”.

#2) ENGAGE FULLY WHENEVER I CAN

When I try to check my messages, track the weather, send texts to my kids and listen to a conversation at the same time, I miss out on something! Engage fully wherever you are. You’ll take more away and people will feel more valued by you.

#3) SAY NO!

You don’t have to do everything. Figure out what is most important, and if you can control your time and decisions, learn to say no. You can’t do everything.

#4) FIND YOUR SPACE

Figure out where you work best. Some people like to work in a coffee shop or in a noisy place. Others need complete silence or a comfortable place. Figure out what works best for you and get there when it’s time to do your most important work. For me, I am most productive when I’m in my office, at my desk, with all the resources I have around me and accessible. I know I work better, faster and I’m less distracted in this “happy place” I’ve created, far from the distractions that tempt me to do something else. Where do you work best?

#5) TAKE A BREAK

I find that if I take regular breaks, I can work longer. I need to move, I need to refocus, I need to respond to urgent messages. Sometimes just taking a 10-minute walk around the block re-energizes me for another 90 minutes. Take a break when you can. I’ve found that many short breaks work best for me and keeps me fresh.

Learn to manage the distractions in your life, your work and your space!

For more on TIME, CLICK HERE

Posted in Uncategorized Tagged with: distraction, engage, management, multitasking, say no, space, time

Managing My To-Do-List

Posted on March 10, 2018 by Russ Cline

It happens to the best of us:

*We start the week by creating of list of things we need to do.

*Our goal is to “get through the list”, but the longer we focus on the list, the more items we remember to add to the list.

*We end up spending more time creating and managing our list then actually addressing the items that need to be done.

*The LIST controls us!

Janet Choi shares that “41% of t0-d0-items are never completed” (I Done This Blog)

By the end of the week, we’re checking things off, deleting things, and determining that some of these things should have been on the list in the first place!

But, the following week, we’re back at it, building our to-do-list again!

So, here are some simple tips to making your To-Do-List work:

#1) Determine if working off of a list helps your or if it distracts you.

Some people are list people. Some aren’t. If you’re obsessing about your list, or if you are trying to manage multiple lists, then it’s becoming a distraction. You need to figure out a better way to track actionable items.

#2) Keep the list SIMPLE

Don’t detail every aspect of what needs to be done, but keep the list simple. You might want to ask yourself the question, “What’s Important Now?” and only address things that are for NOW.

#3) Assign TIME to every item on the list

Don’t put anything on your list unless you have set a time in your schedule to address it. This is simple “block scheduling”. This is the only way you’ll be able to accomplish the things on your list. Over time, you’ll get better at estimating the amount of time needed to complete the task.

#4) Read through your list 3-times

As you look quickly at your list, you’ll be able to determine if all of the things on the list are under your control, if they are your responsibility, and if they’re a priority. Check the list quickly, and keep weeding off the things that creep in there that don’t need to be there.

There are hundreds of different apps and tools to help you manage your list. Don’t spend too much time and money figuring out the best “method”. Instead, figure out how to be the most effective you can be.

I simply use the Reminders app on my phone, pad and computer. It all syncs together, it’s free (Apple) and it works well. I always have my most current list, and if feels good to get things completed. Don’t get lost in the technology.

For more on time: CLICK HERE

Posted in Leadership Coaching, Personal Leadership Tagged with: block scheduling, effectiveness, list, priorities, productivity, tasks, time, to-do list

COMMUNITY: What Keeps us From Developing It?

Posted on February 13, 2018 by Russ Cline

We’re talking about the value of COMMUNITY but some of you don’t have this, so you’re missing out!

I go through seasons in life of experiencing great friendships, and I go through seasons of loneliness. The reality is that most people will never know when I’m engaged and when I’m feeling lonely because I’ve learned to hide it. Sometimes it doesn’t seem like it’s worth the work!

Here’s the reality: We sabotage our community from time to time, and sometimes we allow it to simply go away!

Why would we sabotage our community?

We Need Some Space: The reality is the Community can be overwhelming at times. We might just need some space, so we step back from time to time.
We’ve Been Hurt: When your Community or someone in your Community breaks your trust or disappoints you, we want to run.
We’re Bored: All Communities and relationships get in a rut. If we aren’t actively bring “life” to them, then there’s a risk of us falling into monotony.
We’re Hiding Something: When we’re not healthy, the last place we want to be is with a bunch of people who care about you. We want to isolate. Stress, Sin, Burnout all weigh into this. Figure out why you want to run!

It’s one thing to sabotage our community. Some of us never get that close for these reasons:

We’re Too Busy: We don’t have time for people or to invest in relationships.
We’re Focused On Work: Sometimes we allow our world to revolve around work. When that happens, outside influences don’t carry much value.
We’re Never Home: We’re running, we’re traveling, we’re focused on ourselves. We’re just not present!
We Don’t Think We Need People: We’re self-sufficient and self-reliant. We don’t need other people in our lives.
We Don’t Know How: We really don’t know how to develop and how to maintain healthy relationships so we avoid it.

I don’t know if you resonate with any of these things above.

All I know is that it takes work to develop and maintain the relationships of a healthy personal community.

Don’t get stuck in the bad habit of being critical and of isolating yourself from others.

We truly do NEED one another!

Posted in Leadership Coaching, Personal Leadership Tagged with: community, friends, relationships

COMMUNITY: 2 Are Better Than One

Posted on February 12, 2018 by Russ Cline

I was performing a wedding a couple of weeks ago, and I shared this verse with the newly married couple. It comes from Ecclesiastes and this is The Message translation, chapter 4 verses 9 – 12:

“It’s better to have a partner than go it alone. Share the word, share the wealth. And if one falls down, the other helps, but if there’s no one to help, tough!

Two in a bed warm each other. Alone, you shiver all night.

By yourself you’re unprotected. With a friend you can face the worst. Can you round-up a third? A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.”

This is a great passage to share with a newly married couple as it really is an encouragement to them that there’s strength and power in this union of 2 people.

I’ve been thinking about these verses as it relates to COMMUNITY.

We weren’t created to live a lone, isolated life. We were created to live in community with others. The ideas from the verse “when one falls, the other helps” or “with a friend, you can face the worst” are powerful images of the importance of other people in our lives and in our COMMUNITY.

Who’s in your COMMUNITY?

Do you have people in your world that…

*You’re doing daily & regular life with?

*You’re depending on and who are depending on you?

*You’re working with to accomplish great things together?

*You’re counting on to pick you up with you fall? And you’re picking them up?

We need COMMUNITY!

If you have a hard time defining your community, do these things:

•Make a list of the qualities of people you desire. Sometimes when you have the “wrong” people around you, it actually hurts you.

•Make a list of people in your life that fit these qualities.

•Be intentional with them. Ask them if they would be willing to walk and journey with you. Define what that might look like. (How often you communicate, how often you connect in person)

•Don’t focus on what others can do for you. Figure out how you can reciprocate and contribute in a positive way to their lives as well.

•Work at it. Building real community takes effort and maintaining this community takes real work. Do the work!

Start by defining one, then work towards a couple.

The passage from Ecclesiastes ends by saying, “can you round-up a third? A three-stranded rope isn’t easily snapped.”

There’s strength in surrounding your life with people who are part of your COMMUNITY. Don’t take this for granted. Make it a crucial part of your life.

For more on COMMUNITY, CLICK HERE

Posted in Leadership Coaching, Leadership Community, Personal Leadership Tagged with: community, friends, life, protect, support

Sometimes You Just Have To STOP

Posted on November 22, 2017 by Russ Cline

This past week I was reminded of an important lesson…

Here it is: “It’s OK to STOP sometimes!”

That’s it.

While driving home from a meeting, I was listening to my favorite radio station is Los Angeles that played classic rock music (yes, I graduated from High School in the early 80’s).

They had shared earlier that the station had been sold after 10 years of playing great hits, and the new owners were developing a new format and a new target audience.

Now, I listen to this station while in my car, while in my office, and sometimes in the gym. I just like local radio and I like to be reminded of some great music from the past that I might have forgotten about.

Back to driving… I’m driving down the freeway, and at 1:00pm sharp, the DJ came on the air and simply said, “Goodbye”. Then the station went quiet.

I was a little shocked because it had finally happened, and I was a little sad. I drove in silence for about 60 seconds, then the new station came on the air, and I could tell immediately that it was reaching for a new audience.

Don’t worry, I’ve found another station to listen to that isn’t exactly the same, but it’s close.

As I’ve thought about that experience, I’m reminded that “sometimes, you just have to STOP.”

We spend a lot of time, energy and money doing things that we just shouldn’t be doing anymore!

I’ve been running for the past year. Lot’s of miles, lot’s of exciting conversations, training events, relationships and opportunities. It’s been a great year, but it’s also been a full year.

If a radio station can simply decide to STOP, either by choice or because of someone else’s decision, maybe I need to look at some things in my life that I need to stop doing.

So, I’m taking a small inventory this week:

*What am I doing that I shouldn’t be doing?

*What have I said YES to, that I should have said NO to? Is it to late to change that decision?

*How do I create healthy margins in my schedule and in my life?

*What mistakes to I keep making over and over again that drives the chaos in my life and work?

*As I think about a New Year coming, what can I do today that will help me in the year to come?

Remember, I’m in this for the long haul. I want to be effective, I want to be able to contribute, I want to continue pursuing the call and the passion God has put in my life for years and years to come.

Sometimes when you don’t STOP things, you can’t START things that you should be doing.

What about you?

What do you need to STOP today?

Here are some other TIPS on managing your personal life. CLICK HERE

Posted in Personal Leadership

Building An Effective Team

Posted on September 12, 2017 by Russ Cline

I googled “how to build an effective team” today. I got about 62 million results, and after looking at the top 5, I quit my search. Everyone has ideas on how to build an effective team, and many of them will work, so if you have a lot of time, I encourage you to google and then read like crazy!

In this post, I decided to simply share a couple of things that I’ve found that have made all the difference in teams I’ve been a part of and in teams that I’ve led.

Here are my 3 ideas on how to build an effective team:

#1) Determine if you NEED a team

Sometimes we’re not ready to lead a team. We think that a team will solve all of our problems, however if we’re not ready to build a team, to invest in that team and to maintain that team, it’s often better to NOT have a team. You can work by yourself, you can work at your pace, and you’ve got nobody to manage! Sounds good, right?

However, you’re missing out on the benefits of having a team: collaboration, team momentum, energy, and I could go on and on. There are many benefits, but I want to warn you… if you’re the leader, having a team will require you to put a chunk of your attention there.

Be sure you’re ready for that because it’s not fair to bring people in to join you if you’re not willing and able to actually lead them and the team.

#2) Bring in the RIGHT people

I’ve heard people say over and over again, “I need help!”. Sometimes, in saying that we don’t really care what kind of help it is, we’re just looking for help.

I want to tell you: It’s better to NOT have someone, than to have the WRONG someone.

If you’ve decided to build a team, figure out what kind of people you need and do the work of finding the right people. Go after people, check their references, ask lots of questions, don’t get in a hurry… do your due diligence!

When you’ve found the RIGHT person, a team brings incredible value. If you have a team of the WRONG people, it will destroy your energy, your passion and your vision.

#3) INVEST in that team

It’s not enough to build a team. As a leader, you need to invest into that team, and this means to invest time. Build relationships with them, get to know them, share your stories, do fun things together, cast vision, challenge each other, celebrate each other, help each other, serve each other.

The more you invest in your team, the more effective they’ll become. It’s the best investment you can make and your organization will reap the benefits.

Years ago, I served with a team that was functioning really well. There was clarity around our vision and our focus, there was energy and we really enjoyed working and being with each other. It was a really fun season of life and work. I often think back to this season of life and I have really good memories of not only what we accomplished, but HOW we accomplished it. The team was effective. I didn’t say perfect, I said effective.

You can lead an effective team, and you can be a part of an effective team.

For more on TEAMS, CLICK HERE

A great book on finding the right people? Patrick Lencioni’s book, “The Ideal Team Player”.

Posted in Leadership Coaching, Organizational Development Tagged with: effective teams, leadership, right people, team, team building

Make Better Decisions

Posted on August 25, 2017 by Russ Cline

Everyday we’re all forced to make decisions. Some of these decisions are easy to make, and some are more difficult. A couple of years ago I wrote a post on “How To Make Good Decisions” HERE.

I was recently ready an article on Entrepreneur.com, and Scott Halford shares an article entitled, “Five Tips for Making Better Decisions”. Read the full article HERE.

In his article, the first thing he talks about is this: STOP SEEKING PERFECTION. His point is that many of us don’t make decisions on time, or sometimes don’t make decisions at all because we’re afraid they might be the wrong decision, or we’re not sure that it’s 100% right!

As I’ve worked with leaders for years, this is something I’ve heard many times. Instead of making an “OK” decision, we don’t make a decision, which is always worse! We think that if it’s not 100% right then it’s better to not do it.

I simply want to encourage you: It’s never going to be 100%. It’s never going to be perfect. It’s not going to be the perfect time. As a leader, you have to do you best to make the best decision possible, given the information you have, the options you have and the support you have.

Then, the job of the leader is to see the decision through, and often this means you’re working it out, you’re cleaning it up, you’re adjusting along the way.

Don’t be paralyzed!

I was reading the classic story this week from Matthew 14, where Jesus walks on the water. The disciples were afraid, and Jesus comforts them, and Peter makes a quick decision… he blurts out, “Lord, if it’s you, command me to come to you on the water!”. And Jesus responds, “come”.

Peter then got out of the boat and walked to Jesus.

He made a really quick decision. Looking back on it, there were lot’s of ways this could play out, but all Peter cared about was the fact that Jesus invited him to join him on the water, so he went.

You might remember the story: Peter saw the waves, was afraid, and Jesus rescues him and walks him back to the boat. But don’t forget this part of the story: Peter made the decision to climb out of the boat and walk to Jesus!

What would you have done had you been in that boat?

Would you have followed Peter? Would you have been paralyzed by fear? Would have been willing to do something others might think is completely crazy?

Here are some reminders when making decisions:

*You’re never going to be 100% ready or 100% right. Do your best.

*You don’t have to make decisions on your own. Get some help.

*If you make a mistake, and you will, then Make it right.

Don’t be afraid. Do what you’ve been created and positioned to do… LEAD!

The Leader as a DECISION MAKER

Posted in Leadership Coaching, Personal Leadership Tagged with: 100%, decision making, decisions, lead, mistakes

Leading Change

Posted on June 9, 2017 by Russ Cline

My friend Ellis shared this quote at a recent Leadership Summit:

“Change is like surfing: You either catch the wave or the wave catches you”.

We’re not sure where that quote originated from, but the idea has been in front of us all for all of time.

Change happens. How we respond to change makes all the difference.

My wife Gina was sharing with me “The Transtheoretical Model”, which she studied in grad school. Basically, it’s the stages of change that we all go through. It can be simply described this way:

Stage 1: PRE-CONTEMPLATION: No intention on changing behavior

Stage 2: CONTEMPLATION: Aware a problem exists, but no commitment to action

Stage 3: PREPARATION: Intent on taking action

Stage 4: ACTION: Action around changing behavior

Stage 5: MAINTENANCE: Sustained change: New behavior replaces old

Stage 6: RELAPSE: You fall back into old patterns of behavior

It’s then an upword spiral, learning from each cycle, each change, and each relapse.

Here’s a simple version that defines this cycle, without the relapse stage:

OK, so now you understand a little of the cycle of change. I encourage you to dig a little deeper.

How do you, as a leader, handle change? Do you embrace it? Do you welcome it? Do you run from it?

Forbes Magazine published an article on “Fear of Change and 6 Ways to Overcome It” by August Turak. I’ll summarize here:

Turak shares these 6 ways to overcome fear:

Step 1: Be Compassionate: Realize that there are risks involved with change and everyone will be affected.

Step 2: Build a Bottom-Up Consensus: Bring people along in the process, and help them embrace it.

Step 3: Have a Plan for Getting Initial Buy-In: Do the work of planning and evaluation. This helps people embrace it.

Step 4: Minimize your Risks: Take some small steps to test the change before diving in. Evaluate along the way.

Step 5: Measure Results with Hard Data: Show how the change benefitted the organization or had little impact. Prove the effort.

Step 6: Feedback: Allow people to weigh in on their perspective to the change.

Every leader needs to determine how they will deal with change. Change will come. The difference is that as a leader, how you respond or react to change will affect more people then just yourself. You are responsible for others, or a department, for the organization.

I love this quote from Maya Angelou: “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change your attitude.”

No matter what, change comes. How you lead people through that process will often make a bigger impact than the change itself.

For more on CHANGE, CLICK HERE

Posted in Leadership Coaching, Organizational Development, Personal Leadership Tagged with: change, fear, leadership, leading change, stages of change

What’s Your MESSAGE?

Posted on May 8, 2017 by Russ Cline

I was recently asked by a non-profit leader for my “best advice” to someone who is trying to raise funds for their organization.

I thought about it for a minute, then replied simply that the most important thing to think about is YOUR MESSAGE.

Here are some foundational questions:

*What are you wanting to do? What is the purpose behind the project/activity?

*What are the results that you’re hoping to realize from the project/activity?

*Why are YOU wanting to do this project/activity?

Doug Brendel writes about YOUR MESSAGE:

THE MESSAGE is more important than the mechanics of communicating it.

THE MESSAGE must compete with thousands of other matters intruding on the donor’s attention.

THE MESSAGE therefore must be repeated constantly, in terms that the donors understand, and in ways that make it count for them.

This is what I’ve learned, and what I continue to learn:

When we talk about FUNDRAISING, it’s not about having connections to people with resources.

The most important thing to do first, is to define your message so that people are able to understand:

*WHAT you’re wanting to do and WHY you’re wanting to do it.

Sometimes we make it much more complicated than it needs to be.

Our job isn’t to coerce people into getting involved and giving to the project/activity.

Our job is to share the plan, the purpose and the outcome, and INVITE people to consider getting involved. This is their decision, not ours.

For those of us that believe that GOD really does own it all, our job is to share what He has called us to do, and invite others to seek God’s direction for their involvement. It’s not about us!

We can’t talk about FUNDRAISING without laying this foundation.

There is work involved in fundraising, and there’s real work involved as you refine your message and figure out the best way to capture and present it, but fundraising isn’t a mechanical activity. We’re trying to connect with people’s hearts, and our job is to do the best that we can do, and then trust God to move them and lead them in the way that HE would have them go and be involved.

For more on FUNDRAISING, CLICK HERE

Posted in Leadership Coaching, Organizational Development