doug smith training

How is your sense of urgency? When something is important, do you ramp up a bit, do you ratchet up your resources, do you move faster and more decisively? Most leaders can tell just by looking at someone whether or not they have a sense of urgency in that moment. There's an important feature in that skill: in that moment. Just because someone doesn't look urgent right now doesn't mean that they aren't sometimes quite urgent. We can, and should, practice urgency without burning out. "In that moment" matters. That's one of the benefits of deadlines: creating those moments of urgency that we might otherwise lack. There's nothing like a deadline to make you increase your sense of urgency. And usually, more urgency translates into more speed. We do want to get things done, right? -- doug smith  

Leadership carries many responsibilities. One of them is the responsibility to improve things. People, products, processes -- none of these are perfect. As leaders, we can help them get better or we can keep them right where they are. Given a choice why not allow things to get better? -- doug smith  

  Focused leaders have zero time for inauthentic messages. They tell the truth unconditionally and insist on the truth consistently. Be a leader who can handle the truth. Be a leader who tells the truth. -- doug smith 

It's easy to forget how much work it took to get where you are. Skills that we can take for granted are still absent or being developed in other people, including our team members. Compassionate leaders remember what they were like before they acquired the skills they now wish their team members had.  The challenge: staying patient. The good news: as a leader you can help those team members grow.   -- doug smith

It would be easy to get upset about it, but not helpful. It's better to see the truth and then deal with it. It's all a work in progress. "Done" is only temporary. -- doug smith  

Ever set a goal that you didn't achieve? Of course, we all have.  What went wrong? It was probably either a) you didn't have a plan, or b) you had a plan and didn't follow it. Goals need plans that we act on relentlessly. To achieve your goals with certainty, identify where and when you will work on them. Set a plan. Follow the plan. Adjust and repeat. Think about a time when you DID achieve your goal. You set a goal, designed a plan, then followed that plan.  Do that. Do more of that. -- doug smith  

I watched a boss once put his fist thru a wall. He was angry. I don't even remember what he was angry about, I just remember thinking "man, you could have broken your hand..."  We all get angry. Our feelings react to some threat, real or imagined, with strong energy. You see it all the time, and more than ever -- angry people losing their composure. It's easy to lose your temper but hard when people find it. Because, when they find it, they lose respect for the source. Centered leaders manage their emotions, even (especially) anger. -- doug smith  

It's easy to lose patience. We expect everything right away, perfect, and hassle free. When was the last time that you grew impatient because someone or something was not matching your expectations? If you're at all like me, that was probably not long ago. What if we took a pause. What if we let a moment form before judging it? Those critical thoughts might not need to be said. That aggressive body language might be unnecessary.   Patience prevents endless misunderstandings. I'm working on developing more patience. How about you? --  doug smith

Do your team members love their jobs? Do you? There is nothing quite like loving a job you're doing. Focused, alive, attentive, building something important, serving people gladly...what could be better?  We all need to work, why not love the work we do? As a leader, you are the main reason (yes I said the MAIN reason) your team members either love their jobs or they don't. It's all in the climate you create, the environment of both support and challenge balanced with precision and love.  A leader who helps someone love their job is giving the world a wonderful treasure. What can you do today to show your team members the potential to make this the best team ever, with the best jobs ever? Here's one idea: appreciate. Thank someone, recognize some, share with someone how you value what they do and who they are. They'll like that, you'll like that...everybody wins. -- doug smith  

This could be a whole book, but I'll keep it short. Every day is a struggle to influence and to avoid being manipulated. Both struggles impact each other. We need to be open to being influenced. Sometimes we're wrong. Sometimes our perspective shifts, our approach changes, our actions respond. But, manipulation is inconsiderate. Manipulation is disrespectful. Manipulation says "we don't trust you so we're going to make it hard for you to do what we don't want you to do..." Influence all day long. Involve people in that influence. Make your circle larger and watch your potential grow.  But as soon as you try to manipulate someone, you've crossed a dangerous line. What do you think? -- doug smith  

Now is one of those words that means different things to different people. It implies a sense of urgency. Immediacy.  And, it can mean so much more. When I say "now!" I mean it will not be perfect but it will be DONE. When I say "now!" I mean seriously, attentively, and instantly. When I say "now!" I mean "now for me" without expecting anyone else to follow automatically. If it's not urgent for you, even if it is for me, just let me know. What do you mean when you say now? -- doug smith