doug smith training

  Problems are not always caused by mistakes. Sometimes they're caused by good intentions. While it is great to begin with good intentions, what we do still matters more than what we intend. If a leader creates an unfair atmosphere out of the intention to help one particular team member, that could be a problem. If a leader intends to build a high performance team and yet supports without ever challenging team members, that could be a problem. Good intentions are not enough. Right actions matter more. -- doug smith

  Strength is not a zero-sum game. Your strength does not subtract strength from anyone else (or shouldn't). Someone else's strength does not subtract from yours. Sometimes we act like it does, but it need not be that way. As high performance leaders our job is to help others to develop their strength. In the process, we develop our own. Our strength does not depend on anyone's weakness. We never need for anyone else to ever be less in order for us to be more. We can all grow. We can all improve. We can, and should, all develop our leadership strength. -- doug smith

  Goals are powerful. Carefully and clearly defined, goals propel you forward. They make it possible to achieve things that would otherwise elude you. Those could be great things, and those could also be not so great things -- even things that do not serve you well. Keep your goals noble. Set goals that do good for others as well as for yourself. Set and achieve goals that create a better world while avoiding any harm. Noble goals will serve both you and the world. If you can keep your goals noble you'll feel better about achieving them. And we'll all be better off. -- doug smith

  How do you feel about the ego? Or, how does your EGO feel about the ego? A healthy self-image is essential. We do better when we feel better about ourselves. But, it's easy to take that too far. It's easy for someone to make critical decisions based only on the impact to the ego. That causes more problems than it solves. Silly ego. We shouldn't let it decide for us. It will learn to get over whatever is going on. Let that ego energize you, but don't let it polarize you. The ego is less dangerous when you see how funny it is. Laugh, and move ahead using your head. -- doug smith

  The best thing is to prevent problems and the next best thing is to solve them. -- doug smith

  Some people look at projects differently than goals. Maybe the project feels more complicated. What if they are not that different? Every goal is a project. Break it down into actionable steps. Plan it carefully. Give your goals all the discipline you put into your projects. Do what it takes to achieve your goals. -- doug smith

What's your story? Have you ever been asked that question? Do you ever ask anyone else, "What's your story? What is the story behind your thinking, your emotions, your point of view?" Everyone has a story. Complicated, jaded, faded, fabricated, exasperated, under-rated...stories that knit together our moments into who we are. We do need to understand our own personal stories because they give us a place to stand, a place to focus, and a face to show the world. We also benefit from understanding, or sometimes it's enough to seek to understand, the stories of others. People we care about as well as people who stand in our way. Understanding other people's stories helps us understand each other.  When we can begin to understand the stories of others then our own stories contain more joy. I'm in favor of that, how about you? -- doug smith  

Stretch goals might leave stretch marks but they also build muscle. -- doug smith

The road to destiny takes the scenic path. Our job is to pay attention. -- doug smith  

  I don't like to get lost. Unfortunately, without reliable directions I would be lost most of the time. Those directions often lead to detours. The original path is blocked, or unavailable, or more problematic than anticipated...something causes the route to change. If the destination is the same, it's still a worth journey. A detour doesn't stop you from going where you want to go. It's just another scenic route. Slow down and enjoy the view... -- doug smith

  How noisy is it for your team?  When we ask our teams to deal with extraneous details -- too much noise -- they lose track of the purpose of the team. I've lost patience over the years with administrative details that add zero value to the customer proposition. If it doesn't help you serve, help it out the door. Too much noise makes the head lose focus Learning to focus is learning to breathe. Breathing is, of course, the way of life. -- doug smith

The goal is not the point. The goal is the way TO the point. High performance leaders keep their focus on the mission and then work on goals that support that mission. Anything else is piece work. -- doug smith