Extreme Leadership and the TT Races

In April I saw the film TT 3D Closer to the Edge and thought it was brilliant. My partner Andrew has just returned from pitting himself against the TT course, back in 1 piece I’m pleased to say. And we’re gripped by the TT Races and every night tune in for all the latest and discuss – OK I’m an arm chair expert in some aspects. However I’ve been watching the top guy’s like John McGuinness, Bruce Anstey and of course the charmer Guy Martin. How they prepare for the race and how they recover from setbacks.

The TT race is an opportunity for man and machine to conquer the toughest environment, which shows no mercy. Keith Amor came off his bike in the wet the other day, and managed to hang on to the bike long enough not to be flung in to a wall, instead he spun on his back down the road. Last year Conor Cummins came off over the mountain part of the track and bounced like a rag doll down the hill. Amongst his injuries he broke his back in several places – and is back this year to race. Not every one is so lucky and every year riders die doing what they love. They are passionate about what they’re doing, they know the risk and the thrill you get from successfully testing yourself in such extreme circumstances is the prize.

So what have I noticed amongst the best:-

Focus, clarity, determination, passion – They know what they want and why, they also live and breath their sport.

Commitment – this isn’t just to the sport, this is commitment when on the track, every corner is taken on the edge. They know they’re not going to win if they are tentative, or back off half way through. Commit to the corner and if it doesn’t work out, learn from it. Make a decision, follow it through.

Sacrifice – some of the guys there are part funding themselves. And some of those winning now started off part funding themselves.

Faith, self belief, confidence, skill & experience, as well as the ability to take feedback and respond quickly. The bike is always talking to them about the road, it’s their ability to listen and respond that let’s them lead the field. The minute they start ignoring it and thinking they know best, or are invincible, yes you can see where I’m going with this.

Teamwork – races can be won or lost on the pit stops, and of course in setting the bike up in the first place, or repairing it in time for the next race.

Resilience – Both Guy Martin and Connor Cummins had serious injuries from their crashes last year. They’re both back this year. That say’s a lot about their bodies, as well as their minds. I don’t know that I could get back on a bike and go full out again, then again that’s due to racing not being my ‘passion’. Business and specifically leadership are, and I’ve lost count of the knocks and set backs and I just dust myself down, learn from it and get back in the game.

Preparation – they’re all out there beforehand, reacquainting themselves with the course, fine tuning the bikes, and their self talk is positive.

Razor’s edge – the difference between 1st and 2nd place, can be point something of a second. Yet it’s only the winners that get remembered, and talked about.

The leaders in the TT all demonstrate the above. The followers are working on being able to do the above.

Steve McQueen once said “Racing is life – anything before or after is just waiting”. Well I’d change it to “Leadership is life – anything before or after is just faffing about.”

Great leaders in business also demonstrate the above qualities, taking up the challenge of conquering todays tough business environment. One that is also unforgiving, poor leadership can easily take a business under.

The question to ask yourself is – “are you playing to win, or playing not to lose?”

 

Corporate Culture – Less talk, more action

Corporate culture and it’s effect on performance is a rising issue.  However it can be overwhelming and sometimes it helps to look around to see what others have done.  Have they moved from talking about it, and acting all cool and trendy to actually doing something and getting their hands dirty?  Every once in a while I get a bit annoyed by those who just want to talk.  Values blah blah… culture blah blah.  And should you ask them about their leadership in all of this – well – can I not see I’m in the presence of perfection.  Err no, but I’ve certainly met your ego.  What I can tell at that point is, I’m not in the presence of a new client.  One of the things our clients have in common is a strong desire to actually do something and an awareness that no matter how good they are as a leader ( and they are), they know it’s not enough, they want to be a great leader.  Then of course they know that it’s a continual journey.  They are the lid on the performance of the unit/team/section/business.

So if you’re wondering what to do about the impact your current culture is having on the performance of your business you could drop us a line and we can suggest some specific sources that will help you.

Alternatively here is a presentation from Netflix.  OK it’s 128 slides long, but if you’re interested in the what and some how around others companies embracing and working with their culture and values, then get clicking, it’s worth it.

Good Business Leaders Take Responsibility And Thrive

I’m amazed at the number of small business owners who are striving for increased business performance and yet haven’t linked their leadership as a critical factor in making this happen.  One of the factors that’s often overlooked is responsibility.  As the business owner you have the absolute authority to steer your staff to success.  Yes too many give this away to their staff and no I’m not talking about getting all authoritarian and dictator here.

The power to guide your people towards achieving your vision for the business includes responsibilities like making sure they’re on the right direction, being mindful of each and everyone’s tasks and mistakes, and putting them back on the right track when they get lost.  Nobody said leadership was easy or intuitive.  In fact as a small business owner you can be fulfilling so many roles it can become overwhelming.  It’s like juggling plates, but if you’ve got an IKEA plate, a denby plate and a ming plate (OK not sure ming made plates, it might just have been vases), which one do you let drop.  Your leadership of the business is the ming.  Let that one go and you’ve let your business go – well the results that were possible for you anyway.

Business leadership is one responsibility after another – the buck really does stop with us.  There are times where occasionally it makes us feel better to blame someone or something else when things goes wrong, but this shouldn’t be a habit.  It should be the rare slip up.

Instead of blame and excuses good leaders accept that something went wrong, and look for the learning instead.  As the leader of the business or team what can they personally learn as well helping the individual who made the mistake find their learnings.

You may not have full control over other people and aren’t expected to have full control over their actions, but you have total control of your own reactions.  Understanding what to do over sudden and unpredictable circumstances will make you responsible, give you greater flexibility and ironically give you a greater sense of control.

Are you resisting the hero’s journey?

Our life is one huge journey, made up of a series of smaller journeys.  The choice for all of us is whether we see ourselves as the hero or the observer.  The role we choose to take determines our success in life, and by success I mean our ability to handle life and come out on top.

The hero’s journey is a map that can guide us as we negotiate our way through life and all it’s challenges and opportunities for growth.  It is the universal story of human development and if it didn’t work so well, we wouldn’t have a film industry, tv or best selling books.  What’s more for many of us that’s the only medium through which we learn about the hero’s journey, as a passive construct, rather than understanding it in a practical and personal context.

I’ve been working with and teaching the hero’s journey for many years now and I’ve been persuaded (ok it didn’t take much), by Chris Cooper of Be More Achieve More to share more of what I know with his clients on a teleseminar on the 27th July.  So you’re also invited too.  

During the call I’ll be answering questions like:-

- What is the Heroes Journey?

- How can it help us in a personal and a business context?

- What are the signs we’re resisting taking the journey and what are the implications?

 - What resources do we have access to that can help us through our journey?

 Plus there will be time for you to ask me your questions.

I’m currently teaching several coaches to use this in their work, here’s what one of them recently sent to me after her last coaching session “Just wanted to say a huge thank you , you are simply amazing and I can’t thank you enough for the insight you have given me.” 

 I do know what a difference understanding the hero’s journey has on life and so I hope you’ll join Chris and I on the 27th July at 8pm.  To register fill in the form below

Building Trust in the Workplace – Authentic Leadership Master Class

Trust is a critical component to the success and performance of leaders and of a business.

There is a very simple equation:-

High Trust = High Speed + Low Cost

Low Trust = Slow Speed + High Costs

Look at the performance of your business, team, a specific relationship. Do things happen quickly or is everyone second guessing, double checking, re-doing and in the worst case preparing to cover and protect themselves should something go wrong?

Trust is a multiplier effect.  High trust people get the significant projects; you wouldn’t leave your child with someone you didn’t trust and a business makes no different decisions.

• High trust people get promoted and receive more of the company’s resources.
• Collaboration, engagement, innovation, job fulfilment all increase when there is trust.
• The ability to attract and retain talent increases where there is trust.
• Revenue, customer loyalty and referrals also increase if there is trust.

In fact research shows that high trust organisations out perform low trust ones by 278%

On April 15th at 4pm I’ll be interviewing Sue Swanborough, HR Director at General Mills UK, a company that yearly features in the Fortune Top 100 companies to work for.  Sue is an expert in trust and its impact and application throughout the business, from board level to shop floor.  The results of this have been evident in the business results achieved.

In the past Sue, a science graduate has worked in a number of fmcg businesses including Boots, Mars and most recently General Mills. She has moved cross functionally through R&D, supply chain, logistics and manufacturing before joining HR. She has held a number of generalist and specialist roles covering the full spectrum of HR. Her passion and expertise lies in cultural and leadership development through building trust to deliver excellent business results.

On this 75 minute tele conference call we’ll be discussing:-

• The impact trust has on the performance of a business
• What leaders need to pay attention to
• The top 3 mistakes leaders make and how this endangers the levels of trust they have
• Key strategies to build trust – whatever the size of your business
• Plus we’ll open the lines so you can ask your questions direct, as well as giving you the opportunity to send in your questions beforehand.

To secure your place and get a hard copy of the call, including transcript, follow this link – building trust

Authentic Leadership Development – Using archetypes to improve your emotional intelligence

Ruler seeks Magician to help restore the kingdom

Jester seeks Creator to get right outside the box

Damsel in distress seeks knight, must have own horse.

The examples at the beginning may seem like strange lonely heart ads, but they’re universal patterns that we function around.

Take great movies like ET, Harry Potter, Pretty Woman, Cinderella, and those up for Oscars this year like Avatar.  Each is so powerful and successful because the characters embody a clear archetype and the story line is one we’re familiar with.  King Arthur needs his Merlin for Camelot to be healthy

An Archetype then is a root word that encodes a complete pattern.  If I said his leadership style is little Hitler you know exactly what I mean.

A picture may paint a thousand words, but archetypes convey everything in the word.  Archetypes carry the seed and energy in a universal language.  What’s so powerful is that you respond at a deep unconscious level and either the archetype draws you in or you pull away quickly.

Within business we’re also running our personal archetypal patterns.

The thing about archetypes is that over time we develop our favourites, and we have those that we out and out reject.  Yet all have their place and purpose.  I remember when I first worked with my archetypes.  My destroyer had in the past done just that, destroyed, so when I really needed to let go of things that no longer served a purpose I didn’t, I hung on, and hung on, and then experienced situations where ‘the baby went out with the bath water’.  My experiences with that archetype hadn’t been pleasant, so when it was required, it ran me rather than me using it.  Not good, and even less so as a leader.  We can do all the Emotional Intelligence stuff in the world, but trust me when I say that Archetypes run much deeper, so if you haven’t got a handle on them then you can only go so far.  Now of course things are different, I can sense when the destroyer is required, so I pay attention, what do I need to let go of  – it could be something physical, like a good office tidy up, it could be mental, like a belief, it could be emotional, maybe I’m not being true to how I feel and I’ve been ignoring myself.  When I know what it is I can work with it, and the destroyer is an Allie.  I also appear way more Emotionally Intelligent – and I am, because I’m paying attention to signals from the core of who am I.

Archetypes then are free powerful resources with a specific purpose, if you’re not aware of them, then they run you, when you are aware of them then you can use them.

As a leader your success – and ability to run a productive business with a  highly engaged workforce – is determined by your level of self awareness.  If you’re ready to take huge leaps forward then join me in April where I’ll be helping 12 leaders understand their archetypal patterns, access these phenomenally powerful resources and use them productively.  You can find more information here on our Archetypal leadership development course or contact us to secure your place.

Authentic Success Club – Silver Membership

We want to take this opportunity to introduce you to the Authentic Success Club™, designed to propel your leadership and your life to a whole new level.  From gems of knowledge to exclusive networking opportunities, from continuous learning and application in the real world, this is about being uniquely you, shining bright, thinking big, and settling for nothing less than what you deserve – which of course is the very best.

The Authentic Success Club™ has been designed for leaders with a desire to reach their full potential and leave a welcome legacy in their chosen field of business.

Who you are, what you stand for and how you make people feel, are just as important as the thing you sell.  As a leader when you walk into the room what do you bring with you – and when you leave what do you leave behind?

Introducing The Silver Tier Of The Authentic Success Club – Delivering Pragmatic And Powerful Information And Strategies To Help You Take Your Authentic Leadership To The Next Level

Are you a leader who is ready to step things up to the next level? Are you ready to make 2010 your best year ever? Would you like to learn proven strategies from a proven entrepreneurial leader? Have you wanted to be a part of a powerful, ongoing business program… but you’re on a tight budget?

Well that’s why Ruth is offering the Silver tier of her Authentic Success Club.

Ruth designed the Authentic Success Club based on her experiences in personally working with hundreds of leaders as well as her experiences in working with her own mentors and coaches. She wanted a club with scalable levels of support and mentoring — with options for all leaders whatever their level in the organisation.

Silver is ideal for junior to middle leaders or small business owners who are ready to take their career and business to the next level — at very little cost!

Register for the first quarter (which begins in February), where Ruth will guide you through the seminal text Think and Grow Rich.  Plus you’ll get ring side access to the Master Class on Building Trust in the workplace, with Sue Swanborough, HR Director for General Mills UK.

This club is packed with value – here are the exact details of what you get, including a one off bonus but you need to act before the 28th January to get it.

Leadership Development 2010 – You, Your Values & The Company’s Culture

The culture of your organisation is fundamental to business growth, especially if you’re wondering how to get the best from your people and increase your organisations’ performance.

As leader’s we need to be aware both of our presence and the wake we leave behind, these are powerful forces that impact our ability to encourage our staff to live the company’s values.

We might ask our employees for Creativity, Commitment or Integrity, but they have to choose to give them.  They’re not skills but intrinsic traits which we can only encourage to be expressed.

Join us on this 1 day workshop to discover your personal fit with your organisation’s current and desired culture and learn about the common barriers to business growth and cultural transformation.

What will I learn?

You will complete your own Individual Values Assessment before the day and we’ll take you through what the results mean.   Looking at what it means to you, your leadership, the current and desired culture of the organisation.  You’ll have a cleared idea of what’s important to you and what’s required of your leadership in 2010.

You’ll also learn the common barriers to business growth, the cost and symptoms of these and the 4 steps you can take to avoid them.

Plus we’ll share with you some aspects of best practice in the role values play in business performance and releasing human potential.  There will also be the opportunity to learn from your peers as you share your experiences and insights.  The event has been designed to be interactive, informative and experiential.

Who is this designed for?

This day is aimed at CEO’s, MD’s, FD’s and HRD’s who want to improve the performance of their organisation and create a profitable and healthy culture.

Date, Location, Investment

4^th February 2010

Manchester, venue to be confirmed

8:30 Registration and coffee

9:00 – 16:00 Event

Your investment for this event including all materials, lunch and refreshments is £247+ VAT.  Places must be booked before 31^st December to allow sufficient time for you to complete your Individual Values Assessment and for the results to be processed.

To book or find out more contact us now.

What do you make people feel?

I love the BMW Joy advert.  From a branding perspective they’ve summarised what they believe they’re about.

What I really like is the bit where they say… ‘we realised what you make people feel is as important as the thing you make’ or words to that effect. I even spoke back to the TV, saying how true that statement was – and it is rare I am moved to talk back to the tele.

Now of course comes the challenge of getting that feeling of Joy into their dealerships.   Yes the cars when you drive them bring a feeling of Joy (I’ve had one and did enjoy driving it).   The dealership staff though never left me even close to Joy; unless you count when they handed me my keys back and I found that this time they hadn’t damaged the car.  Fortunately the fourth dealership and a commute later and I found one that didn’t think damaging your car was a normal side effect of a car service.

Having been this clear about their corporate statement then it has to be felt at every touch point.  Let’s hope they’re working on this so that something this powerful doesn’t just become a gimmick.

As a leader can you articulate your brand ethos so succinctly, your purpose, do you know how people feel when they’re with you and when you’ve just walked out of the room?

In a nutshell…Who you are, what you stand for and how you make people feel, are as important as the ‘thing’ you sell.

Self Image = Results

Your self image is determining your results.  Now maybe you’ve never seen your identity as directly linked to the results you’ve achieved or will go on to achieve.  In essence we can’t outperform our sense of self.  Well you can but only for a short while and then, like an elastic band, it snaps back to where it knows.

You’ve no doubt heard people say “act as if”, or ” you have to be it before you can receive it”.  We see this commonly in the workplace when people are doing a role before they get the promotion.

Self esteem, self confidence, results, success, resilience, adaptability are all tied up to self image / identity.

Any time you say “i am…” you’re making a statement about your identity.

Now most of us talk a lot but don’t really pay 100% attention to what we’re saying.   Your identity is unconsciously running you.

This autumn you can change all that.  You could decide you’re going to understand the power of self image and identity, and work on making sure yours is working for you, not against you.  Join me on my 8 week study group, we’re doing this by phone so it’s really easy to join in.  You can get the full details here.

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