An Equip and Empower Moment

"The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude;
be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully;
be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid;
be proud, but notarrogant; have humor, but without folly."

~ Jim Rohn, Motivational speaker, author

To lead is to serve,
Coach Carolyn

When A Leader Speaks

Recently I witnessed the following scenario:

At the busstop, a woman asked another woman when the next bus was due to arrive. The second woman, having just looked at the bus schedule, answered the question. The first woman then asked another person the same question, within earshot of the woman she had just asked. Needless to say, the woman became angry because it appeared that the first woman did not trust her word.

When somebody asks a question in a meeting, whom do people look to for the answer? Whom do they wait to hear? The person they look to is the real leader. Identifying a real leader can be easy - if you remember what you're looking for.

Don't listen to the claims of the person professing to be the leader. Instead, watch the reactions of the people around him. The proof of leadership is found in the followers. People listen to what someone has to say not necessarily because of the message, but because of their respect for the messenger.

So I must ask you this: How do people react when you communicate? When you speak, do people listen - I mean really listen? Or do they wait to hear what someone else has to say before they act? You can find out a lot about your level of leadership if you have the courage to ask and answer that question.

From The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by Dr. John Maxwell.

To lead is to serve,

Coach Carolyn

Encourage Others' Strengths

When some leaders begin to work with others on their development, they gravitate to weaknesses rather than strengths. Maybe that's because it's so easy to see other people's problems and shortcomings. But if you start by putting your energies into correcting people's weaknesses, you will demoralize them and unintentionally sabotage the enlarging process.

Instead of focusing on weaknesses, give your attention to people's strengths. Focus on sharpening skills that already exist. Compliment positive qualities. Bring out the gifts inherent in them. Weaknesses can wait - unless they are character flaws. Only after you have developed a strong rapport with the person and they have begun to grow and gain confidence should you address areas of weakness, ...and then those should be handled gently and one at a time.

From Becoming a Person of Influence by Dr. John Maxwell.

To lead is to serve,

Coach Carolyn

The July NYC Meetup Organizers’ Meetup

Yes, even organizers have a Meetup, because being a leader is learned, we are not born it great leadership skills. And it is a marvelous thing to get together with the other leaders to talk about what is and is not working within our groups, and to learn from one another.

Last night, as usual we met at the Skylight Diner with our U-shaped table setup. Our illustrious leader, David Greene, has set the standard for our gathering at this diner. With a total of 22 organizers, assistant organizers or organizers-in-the-making, it was a great meeting packed with lots of helpful information.

There were new organizers and more seasoned organizers to share their experiences with venues, payments, attendance issues, RSVPs, and some technical issues with the Meetup site. The most humorous Meetup was the NYC Easy Going Attention Deficit Disorder Meetup Group. Organizer Tim was great fun and being a new organizer shared his frustrations and joys.

Both David and Tom shared ways to ensure attendance and retention of membership. Both spoke of the personal touch: personally sending emails to the members ensuring their presence at the next event. Tom runs two groups, including the LOST Meetup Group.

Clearly the spotlight was on Sheryl who organizes the Culture for the Non-Cultured Meetup Group, which boasts a membership of 2500 plus. She shared her strategies for planning, organizing and executing her events from start for finish.

A few of the issues discussed were optimizing a better system for Waiting Lists and learning the new Amazon payment program.

We were graced by the presence of two Meetup employees, no doubt doing a “crawl”, Andres and Karina, who are the marketing, strategy and research people. They answered certain techy questions, but clearly let us know that this was not to be about them, but about the organizers sharing. They did stay around after to answer any individual questions.

Being a leader takes courage and a willingness to serve. This definitely describes a Meetup organizer; especially the ones who take the time to come out to gather and share with their fellow organizers ~ knowing there is always more to learn.

To lead is to serve,

Coach Carolyn, The Fearless Entrepreneur

The Practice of Discipline

I share this article on discipline by author and speaker Brian Tracy.

Discipline yourself to do what you know you need to do to be the very best in your field. Perhaps the best definition of self discipline is this: "Self discipline is the ability to make yourself do what you should do when you should do it, whether you feel like it or not."

It is easy to do something when you feel like it. It's when you don't feel like it and you force yourself to do it anyway that you move your life and career onto the fast track.

What decisions do you need to make today in order to start moving toward the top of your field? Whatever it is, either to get in or get out, make a decision today and then get started. This single act alone can change the whole direction of your life.

To lead is to serve,

Coach Carolyn

An Equip & Empower Moment

“A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.”

~ Anonymous

To lead is to serve,

Coach Carolyn

Opportunities, Not Obstacles

"Every wall is a door." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

Great leaders look for opportunities when they come up against a brick wall. Instead of merely seeing the wall, they see it as a door – an opening to a new opportunity. When obstacles arise, some may look at them as failure. There is no failure, only feedback. Remember, you set the standard of what failure looks like for you and your business. When your standard is not met, simply re-assess the standard by asking some pertinent questions.

“What are the lessons I am to learn in this situation?”

“What are the blessings that I can take from this situation?”

Always re-assess your trajectories and intentions. Sometimes we simply outgrow them, or our passion has shifted. Like us, our businesses should be living and growing. George Bernard Shaw once said so appropriately, “The only man who behaves sensibly is my tailor; he takes my measurements anew every time he sees me, while all the rest go on with their old measurements and expect me to fit them.”

Like the tailor, we should continuously re-measure and re-assess so that any missed opportunity turns into a new opportunity. Become a visionary: turn your walls into doors and your obstacles into opportunities.

To lead is to serve,
Coach Carolyn