doug smith training

Clarity on your goals gives you strength. -- doug smith

Does the way you look at a problem affect the problem? How does your own focus influence what happens in the process of solving a problem? What if we could think of someone who gives us a problem as a new collaborator? -- doug smith

True story: when I was much younger I was known to tell a tale or two. They were usually rooted in reality, but I'd embellish the truth to make it more interesting. Like that story I'd tell about my trip to McSorley's in New York when I ran into John Lennon. We had a nice conversation. Except, he wasn't there. I thought of him, and he lived in New York at the time, but seriously was much more likely to be on the other side of town. Go figure. How many times did I tell that tale? Maybe once or twice. Once to my best friend at the time. Did she believe me? Not if she knew me well enough... How about you? Do your fish stories end up with bigger fish than you actually caught? Do you augment reality with some great tales? I got a great gift last December from one of my good friends and fraternity brother, David Spiegel. It's a coffee mug with the saying "Keep telling the stories" written on it. I love it. I don't think that he meant "tell tales."

How much time do you spend motivating your team? Trick question? How about this for a bold answer: all the time. Every moment that you spend with your team is an opportunity to motivate.  When you inspire your team their performance elevates. But, where to begin? How do you get that fully energized, totally motivated team? The first step to motivating others is wanting them to be happy. Wanting them to be happy enough that you ask. Wanting them to be happy enough that you collaborate on creating an environment where their happiness can flower and grow. No problem, right? Try this: ask them what motivates them. What energizes them? What gets them excited? And then?  Listen. -- doug smith Call to Action: Stay curious about what makes your team members happy. Ask!

We do not have to create teams where people either win or lose. We do not have to create organizations where people either win or lose. We do not have to create societies where people must either win or lose. We can make better choices. As high performance leaders, we can co-create better outcomes; ways for all of our constituents to benefit. We can even compete without tearing down our competitors. What if every action you made as a leader improved the world, instead of producing a little tear in the fabric? Zero-sum leadership is not sustainable or defensible. Lead without producing loss, or face your own eventual loss. -- doug smith

Problems keep us sharp as long as we don't keep them in the dark. -- doug smith

When in doubt about what to talk about with your team, talk about goals. -- doug smith

Teams need constant attention. You get them where you want them and then they change. Just like relationships. The dynamic is always moving. High performance leaders move with the team, gently directing and redirecting and communicating as much certainty as you have available. Your team might need to grow before it knows it. Your team might need to slow down and focus. When we can put our coaching hat on and guide the ingredients we need become more clear. One-on-one conversations, powerful meetings, meaningful goals, clear roles...the list is remarkably stable even though the players are not. You can build a team or tear it down. It's your choice. -- doug smith

Communicate as if your career depended on it. It does. -- doug smith

What we learn becomes more important when we apply it. Learn, apply, learn again. -- doug smith

What's your best offer today? Has an opportunity come your way? Are you ready for something new? I have a natural tendency to defau lt to defensive posters when an offer comes my way. I'm too busy. I'm not interested. I 'm concer ned. Sometimes, a great offer gets lost in the attempt to avoid disaster. I'm practicing, though, a way thru that. I'm practicing the pause. During the pause, before I say know, I spark the inner curious mind to consider. What if this is great? What if this is fun? What if this makes at least two people happy? Before I say no, I think about my yes. What do you think? -- doug smith

When a leader's first thoughts are to service, all other jobs become easier. -- doug smith