How Your Values Make a Difference - For You and Your Team

Watch 3 Minutes of Coaching - The Power of Values for Work-Life Balance

How are you making use of your values? Do they enhance your environment?

 I’ve been writing about leading by your values in my recent posts. Leaders who follow their values are seen as authentic, and are appreciated because they’re genuine and trustworthy. They set a vision based on value-oriented choices and hone in on a path for the future.

 As a leader, your values establish your organizational culture. You set standards for what is right and wrong; just the kind of leadership people seek. The virtues and principles you stand for can help you establish organizational goals. By being the example of honorable values, you motivate staff to implement your vision.

 Valuing people builds the relationships that create engagement and investment. An authentic, relational culture fosters value-based responses, accountability, and higher accomplishments. The values of trust and respect forge truthfulness and a focus on people. Leaders who earn the trust of their people experience a special unity that enhances their entire organization.

 Put your values to work in your leadership style, decision making, and goal setting. As the people in your organization recognize, respect, and adopt your values, they are embedded in the organizational culture.

 Renewing Your Values

 As a leader, you grow into your leadership skills. If you’re anything like the clients I coach, experience and tenure give you the opportunity to see how your values evolve. Wisdom comes from successes and failures, and leads to the understanding that some things are more meaningful than you originally thought.

 Remember every action you take is a reflection of a value you hold. The challenge is to link your actions to values. When you do you will discover the power of alignment. Doors will open to untold opportunities. Most often the value that unleashes the power of alignment is TRUTH. When the value of truth is held, believed and acted upon organizations explode.  When employees can safely share reality suddenly your team will solve challenges that were the barriers that have limited your growth.

 This is the biblical call to speak the truth in love and grace.

 Is truth a value in your organization?

 Another biblical call for an anchoring value is healthy relationships.

 Understanding that relationships are vital for you and your organization leads you to place a higher value on people. Perhaps some relational failures came with a heavy price. By reflecting on your actions, you may find that you do not value people. This epiphany is difficult for many leaders and quite humbling. Watch your actions and  connect them to your values. The process may re-establish the importance of engaging and helping people. Everyone benefits from your renewed perspective.

 Are healthy relationships a value in your company?

 How about humility?

 If you have learned the hard way that taking credit for the contributions of others causes them to distrust you, your values probably need review. Valuing humility and trust more than you once did can be a change brought on from past mistakes. Everyone has some character flaws. Great leaders learn from their mistakes and evolve their values.

 Values are worth assessing regularly. Take stock of yourself, what you stand for, and what mindsets you may need to adjust. Some good questions to ask yourself are: what’s worth standing for… and why?

 Keep your values in mind as you lead. They will be evident in your actions, decisions, and conversations. Your values will guide your thinking, responses, goals, and vision. Ask your people. They know what the values really are.

 Reflect on your actions at the close of the day and attach them to values. The process will change you, your team and your organization. Your people will see a nobler, genuine, trustworthy leader who is worth following.

 What do you think? How are you making use of your values? Is it time for an assessment and adjustment? I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at 714-267-2818, marc@moleadershipcoaching.com , LinkedIn or my website at www.moleadershipcoaching.com

 I am always looking to connect with Christian business owners. Please pass along this blog when appropriate.

 Peace and Blessings,

Marc

Inside Out - Pillar #2 for Your Best Life NOW

Last week I offered the power of the “Do-Over” for your consideration as a personal development tool. The “Do-Over” is Pillar One for relationship building. It is a foundation for your peace and joy as you navigate the work you do and the lives we lead. The “Do-Over” is one pillar of four that I use in coaching and working with leaders across the country. Here is a link back to that blog about “The Do-Over” if you missed it. (Do-Over Blog)

As a reminder The 4 Pillars for “Your Best Life Now” are:

1)      The Do-Over

2)      Inside Out

3)      The Hero

4)      No or Let Go

In this blog I will take-a-look at “Inside Out” which is pillar #2. Inside Out is a self-awareness tool that can pave a pathway towards calm in the midst chaos. The feeling of chaos has turbulence and momentum which is often very unsettling. There is a serious feeling of lack of control. Understanding that in reality we have little or no control in life is little help when that is the current situation. (Though certainly true that we do not have control. We will explore “To Control or Surrender Control – that is the Question” another day.)

The core of “Inside – Out” resides in the concept you may have heard about - that “people don’t really have ideas but rather ideas have people.” Is there an idea that has you?  

Is there a problem?

Is there an opportunity?

Is there a person? A threat? A fear? A “should” or a “should not”?

Is there something that you cannot stop thinking about!

Capture that thought and think about how you can move that from the “Inside – Out!”

There is something powerful that happens when your thinking comes out. When it is inside to has power. It builds upon itself. It terrorizes. It consumes. It belittles.

Inside -Out leaders understand the risk of inside thinking and find ways to shrink the idea. Ways to reduce its power. It is like taking away its oxygen when you get that though to the outside.

You might start by just speaking it out loud to yourself. You might shout it out to the world.

Now you can move towards the best solution, taking the thought it to a friend a confidant or perhaps a personal board of advisors.

This brings-to-mind the reality that you must be careful with whom you share. Understanding the reality and need for different people with whom to share different ideas. This takes work and pays huge dividends. Start by aiming for three. Three people whom you know, like and trust that you can share your thinking. Describe your goal. “I need a sounding board to share what I am thinking. Might you be open to that idea?”

In my experience people always say yes and feel honored and privileged to be asked.

You are about to move towards your best life ever! You have built an important bridge. You have made possible deep connection to others and created a tool that can turn torture into possibilities. As you share what you are thinking you will build more meaningful relationships because the topic has impact and has challenged your inner person rather than having a conversation that often defaults to weather and wine. Most importantly you have freed your mind by moving the thought from inside to our from slavery of the unknown to the freedom of creativity and decision making.

Make “Inside – Out” a part of your life. Ask THREE to be available! Schedule time minimally once a month and share what you are thinking and step into freedom. The freedom towards Your Best Life NOW by using the “Inside-Out” tool.

What do you think? Might you try a “Inside-Out?”  

If you would like to connect you can reach me at marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn

Let’s connect and encourage one another sometime soon.

My work focuses on one to one coaching and group coaching. I specialize in Family Enterprises where the family roles and enterprise roles have created chaos. My work helps navigate towards family peace and business performance. Perhaps you could benefit or one of my clients could benefit from your expertise.

Let’s connect for a quick call to see if we might help one another at Marc’s Calendar

My 4 Pillars - Impactful Lessons Learned and Taught

What lessons have I learned that I want to pass on to others?

At the ripe old age of 67 and counting I have found 4 lessons learned that I want to offer to others with the hope that we can learn from one another and connect at deeper levels and grow into the best versions of ourselves.

The 4 Lessons Learned are:

1)      The Do-Over

2)      Inside Out

3)      Let Go or NO

4)      The Hero’s Position

Each of these lessons have been meaningful to me and those I am in relationship with and those I coach. I will talk through one today and then share the other 3 in the future.

“The Do-Over”

When was the last time you made a statement that on second thought you could have said a little differently and better? Do you find yourself replaying the conversation over in your mind feeling misunderstood?

Often, we ignore these nudging’s and miss an amazing opportunity into “The Do-Over” and building a bridge of connection that can move relationships dramatically forward.

Are you ready?

When you find yourself reliving a conversation you have entered the land of “The Do-Over.” Let the reliving experience be the beginning. Don’t ignore these thoughts. Go with them! How might you make your statement now with time to think about it? Try on 3 or 4 different versions. Start with the prompt. What was the statement that started the conversation? You may have been the initiator or perhaps the other person was the genesis. Keep working. Keep refining. You know the part you are re-creating. How might you have designed the response to be most effective, most life giving. Can you imagine how great that would have been! As you refine, you discover that your words are like words written as the perfect response. You are now the screenwriter for your life. How fun is that!

Now comes the challenge.

There is no more powerful relational connector than humility. You have been thinking about a better way to convey your message. Now ask your conversational partner to participate. This is the magic moment. When you go ask for a “Do-Over” your partner will be uncertain as to what is going on and have no idea that you are about to give him/her one of the greatest gifts they have ever received.

You ask – “Hey John/Joan (their name) I would like a “Do-Over”?

They say – “What does that mean?”

You say – “Remember the conversation we had last week. I would like to take another run at that. Remember I asked this question (or make this statement ) and you said …….”  “My ask is that you make the same statement (or ask the same question). How does that sound?”

They will say OK and still be a little uncertain.

It is during this moment that something amazing starts to happen below the surface. There is an understanding that you have been thinking about them and desire to connect. It is almost like slow motion. There is a sense of repair, reconciliation, and hope.

Then off you go!

They make their statement and you reply with your well-designed response.

The results are amazing. The foundation of humility creates a bond of trust. Often the response is “Wow, that felt great!”

I started “The Do-Over” with the person who I need “The Do-Overs” most often, my wife of 40years. Over the last decade we have gotten good at it. It is normalized now and is a tool to not only say I am sorry but to say what I am sorry about more effectively.

I use “The Do-Over” in my coaching practice as a bridge and it has changed many relationships for the better.

The hard part is the ask. It is uncomfortable navigating someone else into the conversation, but it speaks volumes. It is the power of forgiveness. It is the joy of reconciliation. It is the hope for quality relationships.

There you go. One of 4 Pillars, “The Do-Over” Try it. It could change your life.

What do you think? Might you try a “Do-Over?”  

If you would like to connect you can reach me at marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn

Let’s connect and encourage one another.

My work focuses on Family Enterprises where the family roles and enterprise roles have created chaos. My work helps navigate towards family peace and business performance. Perhaps you could benefit or one of my clients could benefit from your expertise.

Let’s connect for a quick call to see if we might help one another at Marc’s Calendar

Train to Trust - Building a Strong Culture

A strong culture depends on an environment of trust, where people can count on each other, take risks together and benefit from the resulting successes. Leaders who inspire authenticity entice people to step out of their comfort zones and enjoy the spirit of cooperation.

This is reflected by one of my favorite quotes from Bill Thrall: “Integrity is the quality of character that elicits TRUST from others!” How awesome is that!

Leaders enhance trust when they’re transparent and humble. Display humility by expressing a need for help. People are drawn to leaders who are willing to exhibit fallibility. Admitting weaknesses and setting aside insecurities reveal a real person who can be trusted.

Trust builds teamwork, which inspires cooperation and a vital interconnectedness. Trust is founded on relationships—and the stronger the relationships, the healthier the culture. Once again, leaders can benefit from the assistance of an experienced executive coach to optimize their people skills and relational intelligence.

Great leaders are comfortable dealing with subordinates when problems arise. They approach difficult situations and challenging employees face to face, with care and honor. They’re firm but fair. Trusted leaders prioritize relationships and make sure employees feel appreciated.

Leaders gain employees’ trust through active listening. As a coach, I love to see this in action. When you thoughtfully address people’s situations and allow them to speak freely, you cultivate greater trust.

Giving honest feedback to employees further raises the trust bar. Be candid, sincere and helpful. As Daniel Coyle suggests in The Culture Code (Bantam Books, 2018), provide “targeted” or specific feedback. People want to contribute the best they have to offer and be valued resources. They need detailed critiques and a chance to earn your approval. Avoid judgmental comments so you can nurture their self-esteem.

High self-esteem allows employees to show initiative and avoid the need for continuous oversight. The best cultures feature self-directed teams whose leaders interject only when necessary. Employees become more invested and engaged in their work, which makes for a strong culture.

What do you think? Are you building TRUST?  I can help by sharing ideas and experiences. You can reach me here at marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn

Let’s connect!

We can encourage one another.

My work focuses on Family Enterprises where the family roles and enterprise roles have created chaos. My work helps navigate towards family peace and business performance. Perhaps you could benefit or one of my clients could benefit from your expertise.

Many of my clients have no family complexity yet are working on Mission, Vision, Values, and execution. Coaching creates a safe place to think, plan and grow.

I do have a FREE RESOURCE – How to identify your Core Values! Click Here

Let’s connect for a quick call to see if we might help one another at Marc’s Calendar

Build a Strong Family Business Culture - Post Your Purpose/Mission

What is your organization’s true purpose/mission?

Do you post your purpose/mission?

Without a fundamental purpose/mission, organizations cannot effectively steer efforts in any specific direction. This is especially important in family businesses. Both employees and family stake holders need a reason to serve, shared goals, a common cause and focus. They need to know what their organization stands for so they can embrace its stance. This is the foundation of a strong culture and can bring together the team as the vision of purpose/mission take hold.

As John Coleman wrote in HBR, there are Six Components of a Great Corporate Culture with my biblical thoughts added

1.      A unifying vision or mission that fashions one’s purpose and plans (Without vision the people parish …. Proverbs 29:18b)

2.      A code of values that influences behavior and mindsets( (All scripture is ….profitable for teaching, reproof, correction and training – 2 Tim 3:16)

3.     Practices that support and enhance people (encourage one another and build one another up – 1 Thes 5:11)

4.      A recruiting process that matches people to the desired culture (Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgement – John 7:24)

5.      A celebrated heritage that tells the company’s story and what it stands for

(So then, stand firm and hold to traditions that you were taught – 2 Thes 2:15b)

6.      A beneficial working environment to optimize synergy

( look not only to his own interests, but also the interests of others – Phil 2:4b)

Leaders are charged with creating a vision of the company’s future. They’re required to disseminate and promote it so others can fall in line. Purpose or mission statements are noble callings to serve, respond to and meet the public’s needs.

Your mission is what you do day by day. Remember Tom Cruise – “Your mission….” Your vision is the long term result of succeeding at your mission over a time span of 3-5 years!

A purpose/mission can tell a story, hinge on a legacy or chase a dream. Each unites people as they endeavor to achieve something together. Culture is enhanced by accomplishing something that’s possible only when everyone shares the same purpose. When this happens in a Family Business there is a calming and energizing experience that impacts the enterprise.

But here’s the thing: effective leaders know that hitting people over the head with mission statements causes more harm than good. In the organizations where I consult, I see people respond best to small, frequent, unobtrusive reminders of their purpose. Offer frequent encouragement and feedback.

When this topic comes up with my coaching clients, (moleadershipcoaching.com) we discuss the importance of honing vital skills to:

·       Clearly state individual and collective priorities. People want to know what’s expected of them. Often, we have these conversations inside and never get them outside! It is important when you do have the conversation you are prepared and effective – thus coaching!

·       Overstate priorities to ensure everyone is in sync. There’s no need to be forceful or indignant. Aim for supportive, motivational, and specific!

·       Provide high-feedback training. This allows people to fail and find ways to improve. Culture blooms when people are empowered to learn and grow. Be sure to celebrate small victories.

What do you think? Are you building a strong culture?  I can help by sharing ideas and experiences. You can reach me here at marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn

Let’s connect!

We can encourage one another. My work focuses on Family Enterprises where the family roles and enterprise roles have created chaos. My work helps navigate towards family peace and business performance. Perhaps you could benefit or one of my clients could benefit from your expertise.

Many of my clients have no family complexity yet are working on Mission, Vision, Values and execution and recognize finding a safe place to think is valuable.

I do have a FREE RESOURCE – How to identify your Core Values! Click Here

Let’s connect for a quick call to see if we might help one another at Marc’s Calendar

Essential Skills for Culture - Prime Need is Core Values

Do you know your “Core Values?”

As a leader, do you have the essential skill sets to build and maintain a strong culture?

Every company, without exception, has a culture. It determines how people act or work, what they believe or stand for and how they respond to pressures and challenges. I wrote about this in my last post. [link] Building and sustaining a strong group culture is one of the most misunderstood and elusive aspects of leadership in today’s business climate.

Unfortunately, some leaders are disinterested in their culture, with no desire to delve into an area that, for them, is mysterious and superfluous. Others recognize culture’s importance but are too intimidated to tackle it. Still others attempt to craft a culture, but their unfamiliarity prevents them from taking prudent steps—and they may even make matters worse.

A strong company culture doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s based on constructive relationships and interactions. But humans, by nature, fail to engage each other constructively. Selfish impulses and habits get in the way. Fears, stubborn beliefs, prejudices and pride also inhibit healthy group dynamics.

When this topic comes up with my coaching clients, [moleadershipcoachin] we discuss the importance of a focused and deliberate approach to establish, nurture and grow a strong culture. Leadership expert Daniel Coyle identifies three foundational skill sets or proficiencies in  The Culture Code (Bantam Books, 2018). The principles are simple, but following them requires wisdom and empathy:

1.      Define the organization’s purpose. Values and goals must be shared so everyone is on the same page. A strong culture begins with unity and a common purpose. Take a run at learning your values by walking through the  Values Process Worksheet

2.      Foster mutual trust. Establishing a culture where people trust each other and their leader takes time, but it empowers people to excel.

3.      Create a sense of safety. People instinctively yearn for safety, security, a sense of belonging and a personal identity. Employees who feel safe engage wholeheartedly, without fear of reprisal or condemnation. Leaders must provide a consistently safe environment.

What do you think? Are you building a strong culture? . You can reach me here at marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn

Let’s connect. We can encourage one another. My work focuses on Family Enterprises where the family roles and enterprise roles have created chaos. My work helps navigate towards family peace and business performance. Perhaps you could benefit or one of my clients could benefit from your expertise.

Let’s connect for a quick call to see if we might help one another at Marc’s Calendar

Building a Strong Culture

Are you building a strong culture?

Some companies prosper and draw the business world’s attention. They continuously grow, innovate and impress. In contrast, others struggle, never breaking through to reach their desired success. The latter must deal with downsizing, financial shortfalls, market-share losses and tarnished reputations.

The disparities are glaring. While leaders of prosperous companies garner industry admiration, those who head besieged organizations wonder where they went wrong. They search for explanations as to why their operations haven’t fulfilled their potential.

Research in social science and organizational behavior points to a critical quality, one that most directs every company’s future: culture. A strong culture consistently leads to robust performance, while a weak culture suffers ongoing failures.

Too often, I see leaders discount the importance of culture, with predictable consequences. They must define, assess and strengthen their organizational culture to thrive

Culture’s Impact

Culture is to an organization as personality is to a person. Personality describes how we think, act and respond to the circumstances we face.

Similarly, an organization’s culture determines how people act or work, what they believe or stand for and how they respond to pressures and challenges. Every company, without exception, has a culture.

Leaders unfamiliar with the concept of corporate culture or organizational behavior are out of touch with the daily workings within their walls. They fail to realize that culture drives:

·       How well (or how poorly) teams function

·       Whether customers’ needs are being met

·       Whether employees’ needs are fulfilled

·       Company health and well-being

·       Future outlook

Leadership expert John Coleman describes Six Components of a Great Corporate Culture (Harvard Business Review, May 6, 2013):

·       A unifying vision or mission that fashions one’s purpose and plans

·       A code of values that influences behavior and mindset

·       Practices that support and enhance people

·       A recruiting process that matches people to the desired culture

·       A celebrated heritage that tells the company’s story and what it stands for

·       A beneficial working environment to optimize synergy

A trained observer, like an executive coach, can quickly assess whether one’s culture embodies these characteristics.

A strong culture can increase net income by more than 700% in an 11-year span, according to a 2012 study published in the Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business. Other research confirms culture as a significant factor in determining success or failure.

What do you think? Are you building a strong culture? . You can reach me here at marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn

Let’s connect. We can encourage one another. My work focuses on Family Enterprises where the family roles and enterprise roles have created chaos. My work helps navigate towards family peace and business performance. Perhaps you could benefit or one of my clients could benefit from your expertise.

Let’s connect for a quick call to see if we might help one another at Marc’s Calendar

Emodiversity (Emotional Diversity) and Wise Leadership

Wise Leadership and Emodiversity (Emotional Diversity)

Are you experiencing brain fog? Or, maybe it’s a combination of brain fog, with a wide range of emotions? I wouldn’t be surprised. Stress can wreak havoc on our cognition and emotions. But take heart: wise leaders benefit from emodiversity, emotional diversity.

In the May 2019 issue of the Journal of Experimental Psychology, researchers published their findings on emotions and wise reasoning. In the past, theories suggested that the downregulation of emotion may lead to better decision making. But new research finds that recognizing and balancing emotions stimulates insights, and better reasoning.

The researchers studied over 3,500 participants in five studies, testing how wisdom-related characteristics— humility, recognition of a changing world, transcendence, and value for diversity of perspective­—relate to intensity and richness of emotions in specific situations. They found that a rich and balanced emotional life can benefit wise reasoning.

How do leaders balance their emotions? First, emotional awareness is key. Knowing what you feel, and how often you experience the feeling, may be more effective than knowing why. I find self-awareness is the most important trait for a meaningful coaching experience.

A Wise Leadership Journal

If you aren’t already, keep a journal. Give yourself permission to write your thoughts and feelings for a minimum of five minutes, without any editing: no grammar, spelling, or content corrections. Allow yourself to go longer, if needed.

A journal will also allow you to track your inner crowd, which I wrote about in my last post. As Dan Ciampa wrote in Harvard Business Review, “The More Senior Your Job Title, the More You Need to Keep a Journal” (July, 2017), learning what is important and what lessons should be learned happens after the fact. It allows for more meaningful, and productive, exploration of alternative solutions. A wise leader’s journal includes thoughts, feelings, and events: what happened, and how the leader reacted.

It also allows you to note positive and negative emotions, key to creating emodiversity.

The Balance of Positive and Negative Emotions

Wise leaders understand that both positive and negative emotions work in the decision making process. Positive emotions open us; they expand our social, physical and cognitive resources. Negative emotions serve to limit our thoughts and behaviors; they help us to focus and act more decisively in times of stress or crisis. But an imbalance can sap our energy and lead to brain fog.

Research conducted by organizational psychologist Marcial Losada, PhD, along with psychologist Barbara Fredrickson, PhD, finds that a 3:1 positivity-to-negativity ratio is ideal for optimal functioning. Wise leaders track their ratio, and when needed, increase positive moments.

To reduce the impact of negative moments, practice mindfulness meditation; observe your thoughts without judgment.

If you are getting caught up in negative thinking, try these tips suggested in Fredrickson’s book, Positivity: Groundbreaking Research Reveals How to Embrace the Hidden Strength of Positive Emotions, Overcome Negativity and Thrive (Crown Archetype, 2009):

1. Recognize and counter negative thinking habits (always/never, most/least, internal/external).

2. Distract yourself from rumination.

3. Practice mindfulness (observe without judgment).

4. Limit your exposure to bad news streams.

5. Avoid gossip and sarcasm, and increase positive feedback to others.

6. Practice gratitude, and smile more.

All these actions align with God’s Word as we are encouraged to capture our thoughts and to think positive thoughts by focusing on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Philippians 4:8. An additional balance against negative thinking is focusing your mind on gratitude.

Wise leadership envisions the best possible future for everyone. As Stephen S. Hall writes in Wisdom (Random House, 2010),

In an age of reason, thought will seem like wisdom’s most esteemed companion. In an age of sentiment, emotion will seem like the wisest guide. But when human survival is paramount, social practicality and science are likelier to lead us through to better times.”

What do you think? How is your emodiversity? I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me here at marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn

Let’s connect. Just to encourage one another. My work focuses on Family Enterprises where the family roles and enterprise roles have created chaos. My work helps navigate towards family peace and business performance.

Let’s connect for a quick call to see if we might help one another at Marc’s Calendar

Wise Leaders Gaining Wisdom from Others

As a leader, how often do you rely on the wisdom of the crowd in your decision making? How often do you rely on your intuition?

To be sure, part of wise leadership is ensuring you have the right people in your crowd: the right subject matter experts and godly counsel. I wrote about this in my last post.

Your crowd should include a variety of subject matter experts to form a collective opinion, rather than a single expert. If you have wise subject matter experts—if they have the abilities and characteristics I described in my prior two posts—research indicates that their aggregate knowledge would exceed the knowledge of any one individual expert. But there’s a caveat: diversity and process, with process centered on values.

Wisdom of the Crowd

As researchers from Duke University found, averaging cancels error when the crowd wisdom is based on two factors:

1.      Diversity: your subject matter experts should bring diverse perspectives. For example, one expert may focus on short-term goals, and the other on long-term goals.

2.      Process: your subject matter experts should not be influenced by others before sharing their findings.

When making decisions, you’ll also need to decide how much weight you give to their wisdom, as well as yours. This also comes in to play when you can’t find enough qualified subject matter experts, or when there simply isn’t a model or path to follow. That’s when wise leadership is put to the test.

In highly complex systems, when there is information overload or not enough pertinent data and analysis, how do you make high-stakes decisions?

In October 2019, Harvard Business Review author Laura Huang published an interesting article on the topic. According to Huang, it’s important to recognize two factors: what is the level of unknowability, and what is the context.

When there is just not enough information (when the level of unknowability is high – like COVID-19)), and, when there is not a proven model or schema (when there is not a map or context), you’ll need to use your inner wisdom.

Wisdom of the Inner Crowd

Recently published in the American Psychological Association quarterly journal for research on judgment and decision making, researchers shared their findings on how the wisdom of the inner crowd can boost accuracy of confidence judgments.

“Analytical and simulation results show that irrespective of the type of item, averaging consistently improves confidence judgments, but maximizing is risky…our results suggest that averaging—due to its robustness—should be the default strategy to harness one’s conflicting confidence judgments.” ~ Litvinova, A., Herzog, S. M., Kall, A. A., Pleskac, T. J., & Hertwig, R. “How the ‘wisdom of the crowd’ can boost accuracy of confidence judgments,” Decision, February 2020

These finding suggest that similar to the wisdom of the crowd, averaging yields better results. Once again the world discovers what God has declared for thousands of years. Of course, most of the wise leaders I know have not navigated their way through a pandemic. But, they are keen observers, have learned how to recognize patterns, and rely on mental models. They challenge themselves to make tough appraisals and learn from the consequences. When it comes time to reflect on the information they’ve gathered and analyzed, they apply the wisdom of the inner crowd.

I invest deeply in creating teams of shared values teams of Christian business owners. I do this through CBMC – Christian Business Men’s Connection. There are other offerings in the marketplace. The main idea is to find your TRIBE. Find your INNER crowd and listen. This increases your likeliness of minimizing risk and maximizing opportunity even when we are in uncharted waters.

What do you think? How do you use the wisdom of the crowd in your decision making? What about the wisdom of the inner crowd? I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me here at marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn

If you are committed to following Jesus and have a passion for work, I would love to connect. Just to encourage one another. My work focuses on Family Enterprises where the family roles and enterprise roles often create chaos. Let’s connect for a quick call to see if we might help one another at Marc’s Calendar

Wisdom - Process for Tough Decisions

The Wise Leader Process for Tough Decisions

As a leader, what is your process to make tough decisions?

This may be the best and most difficult place to see God at work. That is the “slow work of God.” Process takes self-discipline which is often overlooked as a fruit of the spirit. Remember discipline makes space for God to work.

Based on the conversations I’ve been having with leaders, executives, and managers, knowing what to do—and how to do it best—has become more important than ever before. We need a better process to manage in uncharted territories.

Think about it: simple systems are extremely predictable and require few interactions or interventions. And while complicated systems have many moving parts, their operations are predictable; there are clear patterns. Complex systems may operate in patterned ways, but their interactions are continually changing. As a result, they require wise leadership to continuously assess and adjust for new data, as well as all of the possible consequences of a change.

To be sure, wise leaders understand that they have limits in their knowledge and wisdom, but they can use a process to manage complexity.

The Tough Decision Process

1.      Identify subject matter experts and resources. A wise leader relies on data, but also ensures that the right questions are being asked, to (and by) the right experts.

2.      Collect accurate, verifiable, and reliable information. Recognize interests, goals, and values to create context for the data.

3.      Evaluate and annotate findings. While you may be tempted to discard information that may be unreliable, incomplete, biased, etc., save the information with notations for future reference.

4.      Create time and space to reflect on the information. Examine it with your mind, gut, and heart, by asking yourself:

o   “What lines up with God’s values?”

o   “Who stands to benefit the most?” (always seek the benefit of others)

o   “Who is most at risk?”

o   “How will this impact the future?”

o   “What are the impacts today?”

o   “What is the right thing to do, right now?”

It is in this process that we have an opportunity to “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10

Sometimes, taking more time before acting is the wisest thing to do. To be sure, action is important. But give yourself time to embrace the elements that make you wise, as well as the paradoxes:

1.      Recognize your limits, and ask for help when needed. Act with humility and courage.

2.      Acknowledge feelings, practice temperance in expression, and strengthen your emotional resilience.

3.      Allow time and space for others, as well as self. Be patient, forgiving, and show mercy.

4.      Practice compassion and fairness. View situations as they are, with a dispassionate, clear eye of human nature.

5.      Demonstrate your ability to cope with adversity: be brave, persistent, and act with integrity.

6.      Embrace ambiguity, practice gratitude, and cultivate hope that more shall be revealed.

When this topic comes up with my coaching clients, we discuss how common “brain fog” is right now. After all, we are charting a course through a global pandemic. Using this as a checklist can help you navigate through the fog.

What do you think? Where do you see the model of wise leadership in your organization? I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me here marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn

If you are committed to following Jesus and have a passion for work, I would love to connect. Just to encourage one another. My work focuses on Family Enterprises where the family roles and enterprise roles often create chaos. Let’s connect for a quick call to see if we might help one another at Marc’s Calendar

Tough Decisions - Wisdom - 6 Areas to Target

The Six Abilities of Wise Business Leaders

Finding a clear path forward through a global pandemic requires wise business leaders. Where do we turn for models?

As I wrote in my last post, wise leadership is a combination of elements, including intelligence, self-awareness, acknowledgement of personal limitations, humility, patience, and emotional resilience. The best resource for growing wise leadership is in the Book of Proverbs, God says if you ask you will receive. If you are looking for wise leadership and the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience and understanding in making good decisions look closely at the Word of God.

Even the world acknowledges the need for wisdom, according to psychologist Dr. Robert J. Sternberg, “leaders are much more likely to fail because they are unwise or unethical than because they lack knowledge of general intelligence.”

Six Abilities of Wise Business Leaders

Professors Ikujiro Nonaka and Hirotaka Takeuchi shared their research on the six abilities of wise leaders in the Harvard Business Review article, “The Big Idea: The Wise Leader.” They found that it isn’t just uncertainty that challenges leaders, rather, it’s leading people to adhere to values and ethics. As a coach, I have found this to be true. The six essential abilities are required and real and

1.       In complex situations, wise leaders quickly perceive the true nature of the reality; the underlying issues for people, things, and events taking place now, and projections for future consequences. Their explicit and tacit knowledge (honed by a love for learning), perspective (broadened by open-mindedness and their habit of asking “why?”), and creativity allows them to envision a future before jumping to decisions.

2.       Wise leaders practice moral discernment: they make decisions about what is good for the organization and society, and act on it. They strengthen their discernment with:

a.       Experience (especially facing adversity and overcoming failure)

b.      Adherence to values/ethics (self-awareness of values and ethics, which are modeled in business and organizations)

c.       Pursuit of excellence (not to be confused with perfection) 

d.      Learning (a breadth and depth of subjects, including history, philosophy, literature, and fine arts.)

3.       They enable symbiotic learning by providing opportunities to interact closely with—and between—others; wise leaders develop relationships, and the spaces to nurture them. Today, that may mean more virtual meetings and the development of new groups, teams, and networks, as well as technology skills.

4.       Wise leaders use applicable metaphors and stories to communicate their experience and understanding into tacit knowledge that all can understand. Great stories describe relationships (between people, places, times, or things). They don’t have to be long, but the right story, at the right time, can call others to take right action.

5.       They nurture wisdom in others through mentoring, apprenticeship, and distributed leadership. Mentoring focuses on learning to achieve competence, proficiency, skill, know-how and wisdom. Apprenticeship focuses on sharing experiences, contexts, and time.

6.       Wise leaders bring people together and inspire them to take action. They understand and consider differing points of view, emotions, needs, and the element of timing. Wise leaders embrace the paradoxes of life; they refrain from either/or thinking, and cultivate a both/and mindset.

All six essentials are areas to target for every leader. Understanding the impact is important but knowing the source is most important.

What do you think? Where do you see the model of wise leadership in your organization? I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me here marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn

If you are committed to following Jesus and have a passion for work, I would love to connect. My work focuses on Family Enterprises where the family roles and enterprise roles often create chaos. Let’s connect for a quick call to see if we might help one another at Marc’s Calendar

Tough Decisions Require Wise Business Leadership

Tough Decisions Require Wise Business Leadership

In a time when “flattening the curve” requires universal participation, when, how, and who to re-open requires tough decisions. Wise business leadership is needed more than ever before.

There’s no shortage of talks, posts, or tweets on our need for wise, capable leaders who pursue the common good; who balance big-picture thinking with next-step management. But predicting outcomes becomes much more complex as systems and people interact in unexpected ways.

We need our business and organization leaders to do the right things, in the right way, against the right time frame. The real stand outs that I have noticed can navigate intrinsically complex circumstances, make smart decisions, and inspire others to do the same.

You see, two challenges commonly surface in complex circumstances: unintended consequences and difficulties in making sense of a situation. Unfortunately, many leaders tend to overestimate the amount of information they can process: humans have cognitive limits. More than ever, leaders need input from others to grasp complexities and determine how they affect other parts of the system.

Clearly, we need competent input from leaders that stand upon values that are anchored on more than intelligence. This is a call for wise counsel as a stepping stone towards wisdom.

A leader must be able to keep the big picture in clear view, while attending to all of the small executions that will lead to the right outcomes. They need wisdom.

Wise Leadership Defined

Wisdom is available from the Lord Almighty and starts with fear or I would say AWE of the Lord and from such a humble position the Lords says:

“If any of you lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” James 1:5

Seems so simple and requires discipline.

Discipline according to Henri Nouwen means “the effort to create some space in which God can act.” Now we are getting closer. As you seek wisdom do you give God the space to deliver on your request?

The result is a godly wisdom ….

 “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (1 Cor 1:25), so “Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold” (Prov 3:13-14).

Wisdom seems like a paradox: based partly on knowledge, shaped by uncertainty; action and inaction; emotion and detachment. Wise leadership reconciles these seeming contradictions as part of the process of becoming wise, for wisdom is a process of relationship with God which gives insight, perspective and a calm yet powerful confidence as you decide what to do next in a season of uncertainty.

These days more than ever, God is calling leaders to come and reason with Him.

Imagine that! Are you ready?

What do you think? How do you define wise leadership? In what businesses and organizations have you seen examples of this? I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me here marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn

To experience the power of coaching schedule a complimentary session at Marc’s Calendar

7 Core Character Qualities of a Christian Leader

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For the Christian leader, character, which 19th century evangelist D.L. Moody described as “worth more than anything else in this wide world,” is the moral and ethical foundation for the kind of success that honors God.

1 THE GOD-HONORING CHRISTIAN LEADER IS CHARACTERIZED BY LOVE.

When one thinks of a LEADER, the word “love” isn’t necessarily what comes to mind. To the world, the word “love” may even sound weak. LEADERSs typically are admired for their ability to accomplish great things.

In Scripture, the word “love” is not only feeling based, but a deliberate decision. Jesus’ Great Commandment is to love God and love people (Mark 12:30-31). The God-honoring LEADER seeks and maintains an ongoing, intimate relationship with God and lives out of an over flowing relationship with Him. From that relationship, the fruit of the Spirit is manifest and his character becomes extraordinary.

2 THE GOD-HONORING CHRISTIAN LEADER IS HUMBLE.

Humility flows out of proper perspective and a grateful heart. The humble CHRISTIAN LEADER surrenders to God, giving Christ His rightful place as Lord. He or she understands that not everything depends on them, and that everything is possible with God. They're grateful to God—for who God is; for a costly salvation; and for the gifts, talents, business opportunities, and significant purpose God has provided.

Secure in their identity in Christ and humbly aware of their strengths, they willingly admit their weaknesses and mistakes. They invite dissenting opinions and give credit and recognition freely. They also encourage the right people in the right roles and allows them the freedom to perform.

3 THE GOD-HONORING CHRISTIAN LEADER IS OBEDIENT.

The obedient CHRISTIAN LEADER lives for an audience of One and seeks to be a wise and faithful steward. A “doer of the Word,” he applies God’s principles to everyday business decisions. He realizes the importance of pursuing holiness and practicing self- discipline—doing the right thing, whether or not he feels like it. Leaders must lead themselves first through discipline; then they can focus on leading others. Many get this out of order, and weak character sabotages their success.

4 THE GOD-HONORING CHRISTIAN LEADER HAS INTEGRITY.

Many over-simplify integrity and miss the extreme importance of this quality for the CHRISTIAN LEADER. Integrity is multidimensional:

The CHRISTIAN LEADER achieves real integrity only when he’s completely aligned with the will of God, courageously exercises self-discipline, and is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

5 THE GOD-HONORING CHRISTIAN LEADER IS HONEST.

While honesty is a sub-trait of integrity, it’s so critical for a CHRISTIAN LEADER that it deserves to be highlighted. Automobile pioneer John Dodge once commented: “There is no twilight zone of honesty—a thing is right or wrong, it’s black or white. Today, we hide our dishonesty behind such euphemisms as ‘gray areas,’ ‘half truths,’ or ‘little white lies.’”

Honesty begins with ourselves. As the Scripture above points out, we’re experts at lying to ourselves, many times unknowingly. Dishonesty is usually easy to spot—and powerfully detrimental to an organization. So, for the CEO to be an example of Christ to non-believing team members (or believers!), honesty is extremely important. Without complete honesty, trust is lost and relationships suffer.

6 THE GOD-HONORING CHRISTIAN LEADER IS FAITHFUL.

There are two main components of faithfulness: living by faith and being trustworthy. Living by faith means seeking and trusting God, pursuing the mission He’s given us with courage, taking risks, and persevering in hope through difficult times. It’s resting on His character, relying on His promises, and doing things His way, not ours’.

The faithful CHRISTIAN LEADER also seeks to be a person God can trust— recognizing that God leads the and has entrusted all to His followers. Every Christian leader realizes he’ll answer to God for everything—work, relationships, lifestyle—and more and looks forward with hope and joy to the day he’ll stand before the Lord and hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

7 THE GOD-HONORING CHRISTIAN LEADER IS A SERVANT

Jesus was a model servant to the Father and we’re similarly called:

“He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them”

(2 Corinthians 5:15).

Being a servant-leader requires being humble and secure in our identity and caring for those we serve. If we seek the approval of men over the approval of God, we’ll cling to position, power, and authority for ego’s sake. Part of servant leadership is striving to serve customers and vendors with excellence—it’s seeking to deliver value and be a blessing to them in every interaction.

Is the Missing Piece in Your Leadership? Communicating Deliberately

As a leader, are you communicating deliberately?

Giving your people the information they need to complete their tasks and contribute to your organization requires thoughtful and appropriate communication. Assuming that people are getting the information they need—or can figure things out for themselves—yields unpleasant surprises. Information left unmanaged does irreparable harm. Misunderstandings, confusion, misrepresentation and assumption distort information.

Without accurate and timely information, your people will end up doing the wrong things at the wrong times for the wrong reasons, notes communication expert Dean Brenner in "The True Cost of Poor Communication" (Forbes, November 2017). Good communication requires a deliberate and thorough approach, coupled with significant forethought and diligence.

When this topic comes up with my coaching clients, we discuss three components of deliberate communication:

1.      Clarity

2.      Specificity

3.      Relevancy

Clarity. Information—be it instruction, updates, plans, orders or analysis—benefits everyone only if it’s clear and concise. Asking questions and seeking feedback affirm understanding. Use language geared for your audience to enhance clarity. Present information in a decipherable order and tempo so people can grasp it immediately and avoid confusion. Be clear about expectations and requirements. Set a well-defined, purposeful standard that points everyone in the right direction.

Specificity. Information should be specific enough to be understood, but not over-explained or expressed condescendingly. Convey challenging topics with unambiguous descriptions and explanations. Avoid using generalities on detailed subjects to prevent assumptions and misunderstandings. Put yourself in your audience’s shoes to see if information makes sense and will be meaningful later.

Relevancy. Leaders must be relevant communicators, confirms Dianna Booher in Communicate Like a Leader: Connecting Strategically to Coach, Inspire, and Get Things Done (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2017). Give people information that pertains to them and what they’re being asked to do. Impertinent data may be interesting, but it dilutes the mission and makes staff question your priorities. Timeliness is critical, so share information as soon as your people can benefit from it. Don’t hold it to benefit yourself.

Our target in leadership is to lead like Jesus. To speak the truth with love creates an environment of growth. This happens when leadership speaks with clarity, specificity and relevancy.

Keep in mind:

·       Forthright and truthful leaders convey information their people can count on, carrying weight and reliability.

·       When leaders hedge or dance around a topic, people question information’s validity and their boss’s intentions.

·       When people know their leaders have integrity, they respond commensurately. A leader’s honest communication is rewarded with attention and allegiance.

“Remember effective communication is more a product of the character of the communicator than the communicator’s skill” Ken Boa

What do you think? Are you communicating deliberately? I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at marc@moleadershipcoaching.com or schedule a conversation at MARC’S CALENDAR

Essential Communication Skills

Essential Communication Skills for Leaders

How strong are your communication skills?

Leaders continue to assume greater responsibilities and pressures as markets and technologies call for increasingly faster commerce, responses and results. Information overload and business volatility have become the norm, requiring nimble management and staff interconnection. Leadership success depends on a most essential professional skill: strategic communication.

Task completion and organizational achievement demand peak-level communication. A leader’s fundamental role is to be an excellent communicator and a proponent for a communication-based culture. Organizations led by great communicators are far more likely to prosper, especially when faced with onerous challenges.

Unfortunately, I see too many organizations hampered by leaders who fail to grasp the power of good communication (or discount its importance). Some leaders consider information to be communication in and of itself, but it’s really just data. Communication is the ability to convey information strategically—the very core of leadership, affirms executive coach Dianna Booher in Communicate Like a Leader: Connecting Strategically to Coach, Inspire, and Get Things Done (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2017).

Leaders develop and use communication—a soft skill—to work with others, recognizing that success relies on unity and collaboration. When combined with the traditional hard skills of quantitative analysis and decision-making, communication rounds out a leader’s ability to bring people together and achieve high performance. A lack of communication causes multiple obstructions, debilitations and failures, as Booher notes:

In survey after survey, managers report that their team understands organizational goals and initiatives. Yet team members themselves say they do not. In a recent worldwide Gallup poll among 550 organizations and 2.2 million employees, only 50 percent of employees "strongly agreed" that they knew what was expected of them at work. Obviously, there's a disconnection here.

How to avoid disconnection and move towards unity and harmony are leadership commitments that separate high functioning organizations from the competition. These areas of leadership align with purposeful biblical leadership. Leaders must therefore master three essential skills to avoid these disconnects:

• Communicating deliberately – remember less is more.

  “Even a fool when he keeps silent, is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.” Proverbs 17:28

• Communicating interpersonally

  “It is the same for you. If you speak to people in words they do not understand, how will they know what you are saying. You might as well be talking into an empty space.” 1Corn 14:9

• Communicating by adding value

  “Whatever your task, put yourself into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance in your reward; you serve the Lord Christ” Colossians 3:23-24

What do you think? How strong are your communication skills? I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me here marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn

To experience the power of coaching schedule a complimentary session at Marc’s Calendar

How Your Values Make a Difference - For You and Your Team

Watch the Power of Values - 3 Minutes of Coaching

How are you making use of your values? Do they enhance your environment?

 I’ve been writing about leading by your values in my recent posts. Leaders who follow their values are seen as authentic, and are appreciated because they’re genuine and trustworthy. They set a vision based on value-oriented choices and hone in on a path for the future.

 As a leader, your values establish your organizational culture. You set standards for what is right and wrong; just the kind of leadership people seek. The virtues and principles you stand for can help you establish organizational goals. By being the example of honorable values, you motivate staff to implement your vision.

 Valuing people builds the relationships that create engagement and investment. An authentic, relational culture fosters value-based responses, accountability, and higher accomplishments. The values of trust and respect forge truthfulness and a focus on people. Leaders who earn the trust of their people experience a special unity that enhances their entire organization.

 Put your values to work in your leadership style, decision making, and goal setting. As the people in your organization recognize, respect, and adopt your values, they are embedded in the organizational culture.

 Renewing Your Values

 As a leader, you grow into your leadership skills. If you’re anything like the clients I coach, experience and tenure give you the opportunity to see how your values evolve. Wisdom comes from successes and failures, and leads to the understanding that some things are more meaningful than you originally thought.

 Remember every action you take is a reflection of a value you hold. The challenge is to link your actions to values. When you do you will discover the power of alignment. Doors will open to untold opportunities. Most often the value that unleashes the power of alignment is TRUTH. When the value of truth is held, believed and acted upon organizations explode.  When employees can safely share reality suddenly your team will solve challenges that were the barriers that have limited your growth.

 This is the biblical call to speak the truth in love and grace.

 Is truth a value in your organization?

 Another biblical call for an anchoring value is healthy relationships.

 Understanding that relationships are vital for you and your organization leads you to place a higher value on people. Perhaps some relational failures came with a heavy price. By reflecting on your actions, you may find that you do not value people. This epiphany is difficult for many leaders and quite humbling. Watch your actions and  connect them to your values. The process may re-establish the importance of engaging and helping people. Everyone benefits from your renewed perspective.

 Are healthy relationships a value in your company?

 How about humility?

 If you have learned the hard way that taking credit for the contributions of others causes them to distrust you, your values probably need review. Valuing humility and trust more than you once did can be a change brought on from past mistakes. Everyone has some character flaws. Great leaders learn from their mistakes and evolve their values.

 Values are worth assessing regularly. Take stock of yourself, what you stand for, and what mindsets you may need to adjust. Some good questions to ask yourself are: what’s worth standing for… and why?

 Keep your values in mind as you lead. They will be evident in your actions, decisions, and conversations. Your values will guide your thinking, responses, goals, and vision. Ask your people. They know what the values really are.

 Reflect on your actions at the close of the day and attach them to values. The process will change you, your team and your organization. Your people will see a nobler, genuine, trustworthy leader who is worth following.

 What do you think? How are you making use of your values? Is it time for an assessment and adjustment? I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me at 714-267-2818, marc@moleadershipcoaching.com , LinkedIn or my website at www.moleadershipcoaching.com

 I am always looking to connect with Christian business owners. Please pass along this blog when appropriate.

 Peace and Blessings,

Marc

Values Are Your Barometer

Paul Larsen, in his book, Find Your Voice As A Leader, (Aviva Publishing, 2016) recognizes that because we set our personal standards with our values, they serve as gauges or barometers for the important things in our lives. Values are barometers.

 You see, your sense of success is based on how well you feel you’re upholding your values. For example, if relationships are a high value, you can assess how many new ones you made, or how many struggling ones you mended. If you value humility, you can judge how well you allowed others to be lifted up and recognized.

 As a leader, your satisfaction or fulfillment can be gauged by your values of serving or hard work. You are rewarded with great feelings and a sense of worth when your values lead you to make a positive impact in these areas.

 A high value of optimism or excellence can impact your emotional level or state of energy. Similarly, a high value of loyalty or commitment impacts your perception and approach to challenges, endurance, and perseverance.

 Values As Warnings

 Larsen also sites that leaders whose roles are misaligned with their values experience inner conflict, stress, or frustration. You may be a leader facing hardships without recognizing the reasons. An inner look at your values may reveal some contradictions in your business life that need to be addressed.

 If you value transparency and you are required to be vague in dealing with difficult  issues with your people, you will be torn inside. Your emotions and spirit will suffer by going down a contrary path.

 If you value excellence, you will be discouraged and defeated if the pressures of your environment force your people to submit substandard work. Your inner-self is in conflict with your actions.

 If you value relationships, you will be distressed if your workload doesn’t permit you to engage your people in ways that allow you to know them. You’ll sense an emptiness inside that won’t go away.

 An area that is often a source of conflict in leadership is faith. Many leaders have not done the work to understand their values and the workplace. Often leaders seek black and white value alignment when in reality there are many shades of gray that require thinking and prayer, even as a strong believer.

Look for the warning signs. I see this in the clients I coach (www.moleadershipcoaching.com) whose responses to situations, confidence, positivity, and quality of relationships are affected by actions that contradict values. This is another reason why assessing your values is so critical. Allow a coach or mentor take you through the process of identifying those ideals that you strongly believe in.

 Assess your job, your work and your relationship paths to see where you fit and where you don’t. Make changes before a value-action misalignment takes you further down a painful path. No one benefits if you are in conflict with your values.

What do you think? What do your barometers tell you about your values? How are your actions aligned with your values? I’d love to hear from you.

I am Marc Ottestad – leadership coaching on faith- focus and freedom for Christian Business Owners.

 If you are stimulated by the idea of faith and leadership, let’s connect. I can be reached at marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn or text me at 714-267-2818

Here is my CALENDAR to make connecting simple

Leading by Godly Values

As a leader, the only effective way you can direct your life and the lives of others is to truly know what you stand for. Your personal principles or values direct your thoughts, priorities, preferences, and actions. The aspects of life that you value shape your character, which determine how you lead. They determine how you do everything.

 Unfortunately, many leaders haven’t identified their values. This is true in the world of secular and faith-based leadership. What I often see with the clients I coach: they find their roles frustrating, confusing, or unfulfilling. If a leader’s experience can be described this way, imagine what their people are experiencing. If you struggle with internal conflicts, or have a sense of something important missing from your life, assess your values.

 Max Klau states in his Harvard Business Review article, Twenty-First Century Leadership: It’s All About Values, that a significant purpose of personal values is to serve a cause greater than yourself. Great leaders have a vision of serving by contributing to a cause where they try not to be the focal point. This requires a set of values based on benefiting others.

 For faith-based leaders that cause could be defined as worship as we work unto the Lord. Understanding how to attach your faith to your values in the workplace is important work.

 Your values are simply your ideals, the foundational principles that you live by. They are the important standards you feel should govern body, mind, and spirit, manifested throughout the course of your personal and business life. Generally, people resonate most with a handful of values, each having a great influence on their character. I suggest to prioritize just a few to prevent losing focus.

 Some examples of personal values that leaders have been known to embrace

• Honesty

• Integrity

• Accountability

• Humility

• Loyalty

• Serving others

• Excellence

• Optimism

• Relationships

• Hard Work

The list is broad. No two leaders will have the same set of core values. They are almost as unique as fingerprints. Look at what you “do” today as an indicator. Your values establish your personal standards for what is right and wrong, acceptable and not acceptable. They are the basis for judging your personal progress of growth, your impact on your areas of responsibility, the contributions you’ve made and the satisfaction you receive.

 Take a run at identifying 3 to 5 and then force rank them. This is a great opportunity to connect with God and listen to how He made you and how He wants to grow you.

 The good news about this process is that it moves your conversations and your identity towards alignment. This happens as you plan, execute and assess. You may find values that are spoken but not acted out are the cause of the frustration. As you do this over and over the frustration you and others were feeling will be gone!

 My values are Faithfulness, Resourcefulness and Persistence. These values anchor me in my life, my work and my challenges.

Have you identified your values as a Christian CEO? How do they shape your leadership? I’d love to hear from you. You can reach me here marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn. 

 If you are drawn towards leadership and faith and how that works for you and others I would love to connect. Here is my calendar.

Are you a humble GODLY leader?

Help me be the leader you have called me to be!

Are You a Godly Humble Leader?

Are you a humble leader?

Humble leaders regard the needs of others ahead of one’s own. This drives me directly towards Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather in HUMILITY value others above yourselves, not looking towards your own interests but each of you to the interests of others.” Humble leaders think of their self less, not less of their self. They are fulfilled by helping others achieve fulfillment. A leader with a humble approach lifts people’s spirits, self-esteem and confidence.

I’ve been writing about this in recent posts. (HUMILITY) If you want to harness the power of humble leadership, I recommend that you start by assessing your behavior. In my last post I shared three key questions; here is one more for you to consider.

Do you search for sources of blame when things go wrong? Are your stories getting more creative as you try to avoid judgment? ( Remember only God does the judging and we are called to assess our reality and situations as they arise.) Is throwing people under the bus more the norm than the exception? Try to recognize that blame causes more damage to your reputation than the initial problem. Blame generates guilt that may grow into shame. Respect and trust are earned only when you accept responsibility for a situation, learn from it and take steps to avoid a repeat scenario. Admit to your people that you don’t know everything and you’re open to learning new ways to improve efficacy and productivity. Swallowing your pride is a major step toward achieving humility.

Making Adjustments

Leaders can certainly change—at least to a degree. Behavioral adjustments and upgrades are possible, but they take work. An entire overhaul of your behavior is generally not workable and may indicate you’re not in the correct role and the same is true for those you assess in their roles.

A cognitive decision to improve is only the first step in practicing humility, point out Merwyn A. Hayes and Michael D. Comer in, Start with Humility: Lessons from America’s Quiet CEOs on How to Build Trust and Inspire Followers (CreateSpace, 2010). Change is proportional to the effort you put into it. Lasting results are achieved only after rigorously practicing new behaviors.

AWARENESS – ASSESSMENT – REFLECTION – ASSERT CHANGE – REPEAT!

Welcome to leadership!

Training your brain requires focus, repetition and ongoing feedback from others. Consider hiring a qualified professional coach (moleadershipcoaching) to help you adopt a humbler approach to leadership. The rewards are well worth the investment.

What do you think? Are you a humble leader? How does your faith influence your leadership? Do you call yourself a Christian CEO or Christian Leader? I’d love to hear how you integrate your faith and leadership. I can be reached here mottestad@cbmc.com , LinkedIn or by text at 714-267-2818. I seek to meet leaders who desire to lead well and hear the voice of God. Let’s connect. Here is my calendar.

3 Steps to Assess Your Humility

3 Steps to Assess Your Humility Level

We were pretty cute and then we took on our role in leadership.

Some how many babies grew into leaders who believe workplace humility is a detriment, not an advantage. Authority, power and even intimidation are best to run organizations and achieve results. Perhaps this is based on a misunderstanding of true humility: a desire to serve and a dedication to bettering others. If you wonder about your own leadership, I recommend that you start by assessing your behavior and responses to the following questions. (You can work with a trusted colleague or coach to ensure you see yourself clearly.)

1. Do you frequently lose your temper? Perhaps you’re short with people or pressing your points without regarding theirs. Take stock of how people respond to you. Is there an issue with your approach? If your employees try to avoid you or resist bringing up difficult topics, you may be overbearing. Focus on being calm and collected, and recognize the harm caused by a lack of kindness or empathy. Put yourself in the shoes of a person confronted with your gruff approach. Beware of passive aggression or sarcasm as these are habits that reduce trust.

2. Are you a focused listener? Are people frustrated because they can’t complete their sentences with you? Do you make sense of their points, or have you missed part of the conversation? Do people’s comments indicate that you don’t understand their perspective? Practice better listening skills by eliminating distractions and making a deliberate effort to grasp everything someone is saying. Imagine being quizzed on the conversation to see if you’ve caught every point. Ask questions to verify what you were told. (If this embarrasses you, use it as an incentive to listen better.) Declaring that you are seeking to be a better listener is a little humbling in and of itself and serves as a magnificent building block.

3. Are you too focused on your own image? Do you build yourself up at others’ expense? Do their victories end up on your bragging list to impress? Do you give your people a chance to present how they accomplished their tasks? Any attention your people draw from success reflects directly on you. Great leaders don’t need to grab credit. They earn much more respect when their people get the credit. Advance your reputation through your team’s exemplary track record. Jesus encourages us all to give to others the best  – that is to love others – When we are self-focused it is impossible to be loving others and is certainly not a sign of humility.

What do you think? What do these questions reveal about your humility level? I’d love to hear from you. I can be reached here marc@moleadershipcoaching.com and on LinkedIn or text me at 714-267-2818

Here is my CALENDAR to make connecting simple

If you have yet to read my previous posts here are the links 

PERSERVERENCE           GETTING THE BEST FROM PEOPLE       

 COACHING CONVERSATIONS        FEEDBACK                                           

5 GOLDEN RULES FOR LEADERSHIP     HUMILITY

POWER OF FUN              PURPOSE        BOUNCING BACK

ENJOYING GOD       SELF AWARENESS

GRATITUDE         LISTENING      INFORMATION OVERLOAD