doug smith training

Someone once told me that they always win. "How does that work?" I asked. "Simply," he said. "I always win because I'm the bigger dog." Maybe. But what happens when he meets a bigger dog? (and guess what -- there's always a bigger dog.) If you embrace a dog-eat-dog approach to leadership be careful. You will most certainly be eaten by a bigger dog. -- doug smith

Strategy gets you started; discipline keeps you going. That looks like showing up early, staying late, attending to the details, mapping the big picture, and mobilizing team members every day. It means reading material in your field, related to your field, and in other fields where you never know when a bit of inspiration might appear. Your strategy is important. It sends you a detailed message for your plan. But you are more than your plan. You are a high performance leader with goals to achieve. That takes discipline. Strategy gets your started; discipline keeps you going. Keep going. -- doug smith

Are you prepared? Whatever goal you are working on, have you prepared and designed a plan to get there? It takes a strategy. It takes selecting the tools you need, the tasks you need, and finding the help you need to reach your goals - whatever they are. Want to improve your communication skills? Plan who to talk with. Want to improve your leadership skills? Plan what you will change and who can be on your team to help you change. Want to improve your productivity? Plan how to make better use of your time by doing things faster, better, and smarter. None of your goals can be achieved accidentally. There is no magic, only work. What's your plan? What's your strategy? -- doug smith

Supervisors are asked to make more moves each day than a complicated game of chess. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, sometimes you end up in what feels like a stalemate. But you keep on pushing, you keep on growing, and you keep on growing. Making the right moves, what I'd call the Royal Moves , requires training, experience, and an open mind. You need the open mind when the moves don't go exactly as you planned. Are you making the royal moves? Are your people growing, thriving, excelling, and delighting their customers? Are you making the royal moves? Is your own career developing in ways that challenge you and still bring a smile to your face? The royal moves keep you growing. It's deciding to plan more carefully so that the unexpected is not quite so unexpected. It's building the relationships that help you resolve inevitable disagreements. It's taking the time to coach your team members every day instead of letting administrative details pull

Do you remember a time when it was hard to let go of something, long after you knew it was not you'd intended? There have been times that I've thought too much about something, long after thinking about it could do any good. I'm getting better at recognizing those moments. It takes work. It takes recognition. Process, decide, and let go. Note to self: If you keep re-deciding you'll never get anywhere. -- doug smith