Blog

Hiring the Right Help

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 02:20:00 GMT

"I am convinced that nothing we do is more important than hiring and developing people. At the end of the day you bet on people, not on strategies." - Larry Bossidy

Hiring the right help is a hot topic. It is critical to the success of any organization. When we hire well it increases morale and success and when we hire poorly it costs us allot! Let's first look at the cost of a poor hire.

The Cost of Bad Hiring Decisions

The Harvard Business Review points out that as much as 80% of employee turnover is due to bad hiring decisions.
The Labor Department estimates it can cost on average one-third of a new hire’s annual salary to replace him or her and that those costs increase the higher up in the organization the turnover occurs. In some cases, it can total in the millions of dollars if that person is the CEO.
According to a study by the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), it could cost up to five times a bad hire’s annual salary. SHRM also found that the higher the person’s position and the longer they remain in that position, the more it will cost to replace him or her.
Recruiters say if you make a mistake in hiring and you recognize and rectify the mistake within six months, the cost of replacing that employee is still going to cost you two and one-half times the person’s salary. That means a poor hiring decision for a candidate earning $100,000 per year could cost, on average, $250,000, and that expense comes right off the bottom line.

The cost is not only financial. A bad hire can tank your entire team. They can undermine trust, and distract the talent on your team - leading to poor performance for everyone. So how do we hire well? What are the best practices to hiring the right help? I recommend the following seven-step hiring process that we have found works exceptionally well.

How to Hire the Right Help

1. Take your time. When we rush, we make rash decisions that end in regret.

2. Network. Sometimes the best hires are right under our nose. Ask top performers on your team and outside your organization. "Birds of a feather do flock together". Top performers know other top performers and a strong referral is always the best place to begin a hiring consideration.

3. Ask good questions. According to the Vanderbloemen Search Group here are the top ten questions to ask a new hire candidate.

Why are you looking for a new job?
How would your friends describe you?
What are your two greatest weaknesses?
How do you cope with stress?
What goals do you have?
Is your work environment important to you?
How do you handle conflict?
How do you stay organized?
When have you gone the extra mile?
How do you develop team members and volunteers?

4. Use assessments. Assessments are invaluable in a hiring process. The DISC assessment can help you understand the behavior style of a candidate to see if they are the right match for the role you need them to play. Other assessments like the Emotional Quotient measures a person's level of emotional intelligence which is so critical to how well they will mix with the team. There are other assessments to help measure selling skills, attitudes and values and much more. If you contact our office (541) 728-0601 we can assist your assessment needs.

5. Leverage your team. Have your top performers meet one-on-one with your top candidates to gain their evaluation and see first-hand if the person will mix well with your existing team members.

6. Test drive before your buy. A popular approach today is for top candidates to demonstrate their talents and abilities before they are hired. Organizational leaders set-up live tasks and duties similar to the popular Apprentice TV show and invite their top candidates to see how they perform. They provide feedback to each candidate as they are progressing through tasks and usually the right candidate for the job emerges.

7. Get the full story. Depending on the role it is recommended that you interview a candidates spouse or key relative as well as their former colleagues. Family members have the most history of a candidate and you will learn critical background information that colleagues usually do not reveal. They provide character background as well as critical events and interests that make up the person you are considering.

The health and long-term success of your organization will be determined by the people you put in place to run it. My recommendation to you is be patient and diligent with the process presented today and the right person will emerge.

To your excellence,

Coach Greg

4 Mistakes Leaders Make With Their Teams

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:13:00 GMT

Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success. - Henry Ford

I enjoy the opportunity to travel and work with different types of teams in diverse cultures. Most of the teams I work with have a strong desire to improve but struggle with how to do it. Like it or not the primary way for teams to improve is for the team leader to improve their team leadership skill-set.

When the team leader improves their leadership skills the team can mature and play at a different level. In today's blog let's address the four common mistakes leaders make that caps their team's potential.

Mistakes and Solutions:

Mistake One: My way or the highway - leaders manipulate people rather than motivate them.

Solution: Recognize the "top down leadership" style always leads to command and control - limiting the potential of team members. They will continually wait to seek your approval to move forward - thus stopping progress. Try empowering people with clear communication to define the role they are to play and let them grow in their leadership expression. You will find your leadership expanding, not shrinking, through empowering the leadership of others.

Mistake Two: Paperwork before people work - leaders focus on projects and cease to relate to the people fulfilling them.

Solution: Separate your project work from your people time in your day. Schedule uninterrupted time in the morning to work on your projects, and make appointments in your afternoon to collaborate with team members.

Mistake Three: Absence of Affirmation - leaders lose touch with how hard people are working and focus more on mistakes than motivating people to positive results.

Solution: Affirmation is the least expensive, most powerful tool in a leader's tool box. Try this week to affirm your team members as you witness them doing things well. You will be amazed at the morale boost and increase in team results.

Mistake Four: Poor delegation - leaders that delegate on the fly - fail to equip their people for success.

Solution: As you delegate to your team, they are asking the following four questions:

1. What am I supposed to do?

2. Will you let me do it?

3. Will you help me when I need help?

4. Will you let me know how I'm doing?

Help your people help you. You hold the keys to a greater team. The question is will you invest the energy to unlock the door of potential by applying the truths in today's post? Go for it! You can raise the level of your team leadership and build a better team.

To your excellence,

Coach Greg

The Secret of High Performance Teams

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:04:00 GMT

"Pursuing high-performance teams as a strategy for improved performance is messy and extremely challenging." - Mark Miller

It can be done! You can build a high performance team. In today's post we look to Mark Miller the President of Training and Development for Chick-fil-A. I will share Mark's insights from his new book The Secret of Teams.

I like Mark's simple, yet wise approach to the challenging topic of building a great team. He believes there are three critical components to building and leading high performance teams.

High Performance Team Components:

Talent
Skills
Community

Before we examine the three critical components its important to remember the purpose of high performing teams - results. High performance teams are created for the primary purpose of getting it done! It's not enough for a team to get along and function well together - they need to produce great results.

Let's take a quick look at the high performance team components:

Talent: Great teams hire slowly and carefully to acquire the right people - that's what makes them great! This requires incredible self-discipline to search for the right talent and not just leap at the first available person that comes along.

Skills: Great teams continuously train their people. Training and coaching sharpens our skills and exposes areas of weakness that need to be addressed. Training and coaching also create a culture committed to excellence.

Community: Everyone wants to know they matter and someone cares. Great teams care for each-other. They support each-other in their personal and professional life. They have chemistry and collaboration because they show up for each-other.

That's the secret to high performance teams. Interested? How about sitting down for a few minutes and consider how you can address the talent, skills and community of your team. Be encouraged a little effort goes along way in building great teams.

To your excellence,

Coach Greg

The Case for Teamwork

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 20:18:00 GMT

"Teamwork remains the one sustainable competitive advantage that has been largely untapped" - Patrick Lencioni

I agree with Patrick. If teamwork is a "sustainable competitive advantage" why do so many leaders not invest greater time and energy in building better teams?

As I travel and work with teams I see three reasons why leaders do not invest more energy in equipping their teams.

Obstacles to Great Teams:

(1) Teamwork takes time.

(2) Teamwork is hard to measure.

(3) Teamwork is challenging.

Let's take a quick look at these obstacles.

Teamwork takes time - As leaders we are busy keeping people focused on objectives, delivering our services, caring for customers and financial stability. We can barely get done what were already doing - so how can we find the time for leadership development? The truth is you will never find time to build a better team - you will have to create time to focus on it. Great teams are built over time with intentional effort. The most effective leadership development is delivered during the regular course of our work. For example if you added a biweekly one-on-one time with your key reports and coached them to greater success - you are building a better team.

Teamwork is hard to measure - Why you ask. Because it impacts the outcome of an organization in such diverse ways that it is hard to put your finger on the benefits. Even though the impact of teamwork is hard to measure the results are there. In my experience staff will stay longer and work more effectively in an organization in which they are developed as well as compensated. This means your best talent will stay and therefore less turnover and more developed teams with greater results.

Teamwork is challenging - Great teams require courage, discipline and emotional energy. As challenging as great teams are to build their power cannot be denied. When people come together and partner to achieve something greater than their own personal satisfaction - they cannot be defeated.

As I begin a new series on Teamwork I encourage you to engage in the blogs and apply the truths in your own context - the benefits will be great.

To your excellence,

Coach Greg

A Time For Everything

Sat, 05 Nov 2011 19:20:00 GMT

"There is a time for everything, a season for every activity under the heavens"

The Fall is one of my favorite seasons. The trees in the beautiful Cascade Mountains where we live are changing and actively dropping leaves. The yellows, oranges and reds as I captured in a tree by our home are quite vivid as they validate that Summer is over and Winter is coming. I can't wait! Fresh powder on Mt. Bachelor and four months of fun in the Winter sun.

Seasons are all about change. God designed it that way. He created the ever changing weather patterns to provide what we need. This Winter provides the snow that melts in the Spring, replenishing our lakes and streams so the fish, wildlife, farmers and people have all the water we need. The Summer gives us the growing season to capitalize on the Winter water provision for a a time of great harvest. A great system!

Changing seasons in life are also important. The book of Ecclesiastes talks about the fact that:

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heaves" and

"a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing"

Our life has seasons and there is a time for change in which we need to "refrain from embracing" so we can "embrace" something new.

I am in one of those seasons.

CHANGE IS GOOD

After 12 years of building Ministry Coaching International as a co-founder, president and coach - it's time to: "refrain from embracing" and "embrace" a new season. Dianna and I are thankful to all the wonderful people who have invested in our lives and who we have had the privilege of serving. It's difficult and exciting - all at the same time.

What we have learned is that life has Necessary Endings. Dr. Henry Cloud in his book Necessary Ending's talks about the fact that we must first experience a Necessary Ending before we can experience a new season - moving us closer to our intended future.

Necessary Endings are challenging and painful. It feels a bit like tearing something from your hand while you have a firm grip on it. The Necessary Ending can be a desolate land that you find disorientating and difficult to navigate while you are trying to walk forward. Change is challenging!

CHANGE IS CHALLENGING

Because of the fear of hurting someone
Because of the fear of the unknown
Because of the fear of confrontation
Because of the fear of grief
Because of the fear of not having the skills
Because of the fear of too many losses in your life from making the change

Notice the common emotion at each change point as we travel through a Necessary Ending - fear. We must face our fear if we are going move through a Necessary Ending and "embrace" our new season in life. Treat fear for what it really is:

F = False

E = Evidence

A = Appearing

R = Real

When Joshua was about to lead the entire nation of Israel into the Promised Land he had to face his fear. Would they be able to conquer the enormous challenges and emerge victorious? God made sure Joshua understood that he was not alone. He sent a powerful warrior Angel to tell Joshua that He was with him and he needed to: "Be Bold and Courageous!"

That's a word to ALL of us today; "Be Bold and Courageous" - "embrace" your intended future and walk through your Necessary Ending to the new season He has for you.

Change is good! Consider for a moment the benefits of embracing change and moving onto a new season.

CHANGE HAS BENEFITS

It causes you to grow
It expands your creativity
It opens up opportunity to build something new and serve people in ways you could not before
It enlarges your network of friends, colleagues and customers
It refreshes and sharpens your vision
It exercises your faith
It improves your prayer life and dependance upon God

The days ahead are bright and filled with faith as I "embrace" this new season. I look forward to sharing more exciting developments as they unfold.

How about your life? Are you embracing a new season that you know is necessary? Perhaps its a new season in your health, relationships, or leadership. You may need to "refrain from embracing" something so that you can "embrace" something else. My encouragement to you is to: embrace change and charge forward to what God has for you.

To your excellence,

Coach Greg

Are You Isolated?

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 01:28:00 GMT

Does this deer look like he is in trouble? A friend of mine sent me this picture taken from his sailboat on Lake Michigan. This crazy deer is 3 miles off shore swimming hard in the wrong direction - all alone. Apparently it is more than 80 miles to the next shore. My friend tried to turn him around back to safety - but he refused to yield.

Unfortunately I have met talented, charismatic leaders who do the same thing.

They swim in the wrong direction - away from the safety of trusted advisors and key relationships. There working hard to stay afloat but their drifting farther and farther out into deep water - towards disaster. As an ancient proverb says:

"Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgement." Pr. 18:1

Why you ask? Why would intelligent people isolate themselves? Isolation begins in a person's heart when they believe that they "know best". They really think they know better than most people on what should be done in most situations. You might say they're a bit egotistical. They're pretty high on their own opinion and seem to be experts in most things. The amazing thing is they don't really check into the things and they have an opinion about everything. They don't check with those who "really know" and get the facts. They just give their opinion wanting us to believe that somehow they - "know what's best".

If you would like more information on the fascinating subject of egotism I recommend you check out chapter 3 and 8 in my book The Enemies of Excellence. There is also an Ego Evaluation online at coachgreg.com under "Tools" that can help you determine your level of egotism.

In an honest moment all of us would agree: "we need each-other". We are safer and have our greatest moments of success and contribution when we collaborate with others. We were not created to exist in a vacuum. There's no oxygen in a vacuum and life does not survive there.

Don't swim away when people are trying to help you.

Instead of swimming away in the wrong direction - here are a few tips to avoid isolation and ensure your integrated in key relationships.

ELIMINATE ISOLATION

Check you heart. Proverbs warns us to: "guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it". Invest a few reflective moments in your day to check your heart. Confront arrogance and anger. Pray for humility, compassion, kindness and forgiveness. You will be amazed at how positive people will respond to you and how much you will connect in critical relationships.

Listen. Are you really hearing what people are saying or have you formed an opinion before they finish speaking? Can you finish this phrase: "so what I'm hearing you say...". If you cannot repeat back to a person what they have just said to you - your not listening. Your missing allot of valuable information - locked in your own thoughts. Unlock a whole new world of understanding and connection to the trusted advisors and key relationships in your life. You will grow substantially and reach levels of success you have not experienced.

Learn. Go to your family, advisors, colleagues and team members - to learn from them. We don't know it all - in fact we really don't know that much compared to what there is to know. I have found in my life that I can learn something from everyone.

If your isolated - swim back to shore. Let those around you, help you. Receive the sound advise in this article and build rich rewarding relationships.

To your excellence,

Coach Greg

into dangerous water. - many never return.

The Ripple Effect

Thu, 08 Sep 2011 04:42:00 GMT

One small action can create dynamic change!

The morning was crisp quiet and breathtaking. There's nothing like waking up next to a high mountain lake. The air is so fresh and the reflective qualities of the water are quite unique. Check out this view of South Sister from Moraine Lake in the beautiful Cascade Mountain Range of Oregon.

After breakfast my son David and I went down to the lake to refresh our water supply before we headed to the South Sister Summit with our wives. As David placed the water purifier in the water I was reminded of the Ripple Effect.

The Ripple Effect - is when you upset a perfectly still body of water with an action - the energy of the action moves through-out the entire body of water. If you look closely at this next picture you can see how the ripples are moving and changing the perfectly clear reflective image of the mountain as they pass through the lake.

Consider how the Ripple Effect works in our lives. If we set in motion a certain decision or action it ripples through our life - with positive and negative impact.

Check out this example:

If I come home from a stressful day and snap at my wife and kids. The negative ripple effect is released and it changes the attitude of everyone in the home. My children anticipating my arrival are now offended and hurt which impacts their ability to complete their homework, how they treat each-other and even how they sleep. My wife is offended and her mood shifts from soft and affectionate to cold and collected. The dinner table that usually contains lively interaction and sharing of each-others day is now quiet and somber. What a bummer! It could have been different.

What if I had stopped on the way home at a park and walked for 15 minutes unloading the stress of my day. Praying as I walk asking for divine assistance to refresh so I can bring strength rather than offend my family. I jump in the car and head home with a refreshed perspective and a renewed mission to "lift-up" everyone at home. I hit the door and grab my Bride and give her a big kiss and hug - telling her how much I appreciate her and her beauty. I wrestle with the kids and pet the dog. Imagine now the Ripple Effect in my home?

Whether we recognize it or not the Ripple Effect is happening right now! How about the ripples your releasing at your place of work - in your friendships with extended family. There are ripple effects even in our own thinking. We let wrong thoughts exist and they ripple across our mind and rob us of joy and creativity.

Here are some tips to use the Ripple Effect to your advantage.

Be proactive and not reactive in your life and leadership decisions. Consider Proverbs 21:5 "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." The old saying is true; "haste leads to waste" and in my experience some pretty turbulent waters. Slow down and consider your steps and the Ripple Effect.

Use the Ripple Effect to your advantage. Consider each day what positive ripples you can create in your personal and professional life. It's fun and quite effective.

I trust you have been enjoying this series of Strength. I would love to hear your comments - especially as you put into practice the practical advise in these blog entries.

Make it an incredible week,

Coach Greg

The Secret of Strength

Fri, 05 Aug 2011 19:42:00 GMT

Several years ago I traveled with a friend to Kenya. We had two goals:

Climb Mt.Kenya.
Discover how we could help Pastors in Kenya.

It's along trip to Africa from Oregon. After what seemed a life time of travel we arrived in Nyrobi only to discover our expedition gear was left in London because the British decided they needed to shed some weight for the long flight to Africa. We stayed in the capital city for two extra days while our gear caught up to us.

Little did we know that the extra days would play a critical role in us conquering the Summit. The loss of two days meant less time to acclimatize - leaving us vulnerable to altitude sickness. Something you don't want to experience - believe me! It hurts! What I experienced starting at 14,000 was something I hope never to repeat.

Pulmonary endema or altitude sickness starts as a splitting headache that moves to flu like symptoms with increasing disorientation. A dangerous combination when your trying to summit a peak. It was like I hit an invisible wall and we still had over 2,800 feet to climb as well as navigate a glacier.

That night as we went on our acclimatization hike and climbed higher the symptoms increased. My friend David and I had a talk that night with our guide. Should I turn around and head back down - which is what is recommended to do to relieve the symptoms of endema or employ a different tactic? I didn't invest a great deal of money, training and time to turn-back - so the guide prescribed a plan:

Get more oxygen to the brain. It's usually the lack of oxygen at high altitudes that cause altitude sickness. Since we did not have an oxygen bottle laying around we increased the fluids in my body so it could carry and process more oxygen. This helped!
Get allot of rest. I jumped in my bag and did my best to sleep before we headed for the summit at 1:30am.
Go slowly and check your footing. This would prove to be extremely difficult for me. I want to go hard and hit the summit in record time. Not this trip.

We added one more step - pray! My good friend David prayed and prayed for me that night and all the way to the summit. In the morning we hit the summit and I felt great. A miracle really.

So what is the secret to strength - intentional action! If I had not followed the guides plan and prayed do you think I would have reached the summit. Never! Strength in our life and leadership requires that we be intentional to build it and utilize it. Without intentional action we fall prey to the tyranny of the urgent - who always leads us to places of weariness and weakness.

This month we will discuss the best practices to build and utilize greater spiritual, emotional, relational and physical strength. We will explore excellent best practices in these four critical areas of our life. We will be stronger only if we build upon the foundation of strength: intentional action.

So here's a few intentional action steps to consider:

Get some air - engage in an activity each day this week that helps you clear your mind and be replenished.
Get some rest - take some power-naps this week and ensure your daily sleep is adequate.
Slow your pace - slow down and plan more intentional actions in your day. Your achievement and strength will increase dramatically.

To your excellence,

Coach Greg

Need Lift in Your Life?

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 16:44:00 GMT

We woke up this morning with a funny swooshing sound outside. Dianna and I ran to the window and there they were - beautiful balloons. The balloons make a distinct swooshing sound when the pilot hits the burners to make more hot air.

Every July Balloons Over Bend wakes up the community with multi-colored mesmerizing monsters. Check out this beauty.

As we watched the silent creatures float by I thought about how fun it must be to rise above the city and capture the breathtaking morning view of the Cascade mountains on a crystal clear day. Follow the Deschutes river in your flight pattern waving to the little people on the ground who can't experience your enhanced perspective. Rising above the cares and concerns of life capturing a rare moment of beauty and peace in our busy modern world.

The feeling of lift must bring a wonderful sense of freedom. I thought more about how important it is to have lift in our life. We can keep our feet to firmly planted on the ground - stuck in situations that deflate us.

I find in my own life and the lives of the leaders I coach - a strange phenomenon. When we're stuck in situations that are deflating our attitude and ability to move forward - we stay there. Why? We think if we just work longer and harder we will someday get some lift out of the situation. Probably not! For example let's just say you have a staff member who continues to cause problems with other team members. Of course you have talked with them and pointed out the obvious challenges they are creating with some clear solutions - but they refuse to change. Will more time and harder work with the person improve the situation. No!

In fact you will begin to loose valuable team members because you failed to act. So what's the answer? Change the situation before you loose your lift and hit the ground.

If your loosing lift in your life or leadership here's a recommendation:

1. Get to a quiet place and write down what is causing you to deflate in a difficult situation.

2. Determine what needs to change in your situation to gain more lift. Unless we change a situation we will not be able to get different results.

3. Create simple action steps schedule them in your calendar and complete them this week. Watch your life take flight!

We may not have a beautiful big balloon that can help us rise above it all but we do have the ability to change the areas in our life that are deflating us - if we act! Let's be leaders that take flight and soar above difficult situations because we're willing to face them and change them.

I am excited to head into a new series in the month of August on: Strength. How to build it and utilize it in our life and with the people we lead. If your want more information click on the "Learn more" in the main banner at the top of the home page. I want to encourage you to subscribe to Coach Greg (go to the top of the home page and select "subscribe") so you can receive valuable insights directly to your inbox each week. You will be inspired and equipped to be more effective in your life and leadership.

To your excellence,

Coach Greg

Why Great Leaders Need A Coach (Part Two)

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 23:10:00 GMT

"A wise man is full of strength, and a man of knowledge enhances his might." Proverbs 24:5

Let’s get back to our story of Moses and Jethro. Jethro cared about his son-in-law, daughter, grandkids and his people. He came to Moses not only to re-unite his family but also improve his leadership. He came as a trusted advisor to help. That’s the second value of coaching and why it is so effective.

TWO: Coaching Provides a Trusted Advisor - A good coach is a trusted advisor who understands your background, behavior style, challenges and opportunities. He or she gets to know you: your family team and culture – so they can give you maximum value in the coaching relationship.

Jethro was a trusted advisor who displayed a great amount of self-control and maturity in responding to his son-in-law. He was most likely angry with Moses for the pain he saw in his daughter and grandkids. Moses was a distracted dad and husband who sent his family away because he was “too busy with work”. As challenged as Jethro was with his son-in-law he looked beyond his feelings to see how Moses could change, improve his situation and emerge a better leader.

Jethro did what good coaches do – he observed Moses in his active leadership role. The next day as Jethro observed Moses - clarity came rushing forward. Jethro saw that Moses was alone. He had not developed a team around him to help him – carry the load. As you know this is our most critical function as leaders. With a team of people who have the right gift mix and dedication we can achieve greatness. Without it we are limited and unable to get much traction. Jethro decided to act and help Moses see what he could not see. He wanted him to grow in his potential and with some simple steps - success was about to be secured. Listen now to Jethro as he confronts Moses and coaches him through a paradigm change.

The Confrontation:

“The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they stood around him from morning till evening. When his Father–in-law saw all that Moses was doing for the people, he said, “What is this you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning till evening?” (That’s a great coaching question.)

“Moses answered him, “Because the people come to me to see God’s will.” (Really?)

“Moses’ father–in-law replied, “What you are doing is not good. (We need this honest feedback) You and these people who come to you will only wear themselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. (Can you take this council?)

Jethro was bold and brought about dynamic change. But he didn’t just confront he did what great coaches do – he provided a practical path to resolve the problem. This is coaching’s greatest benefit – a sound solution.

THREE: Coaching Provides Sound Solutions: Moses was a great leader but he needed to change his approach. He needed the outside insight of a trusted advisor to see how to do things differently and get better results. Jethro provided great council and a practical solution that resulted in amazing change and advancement in the life of Moses, his family and the people he led. Listen to it now.

The Council:

“Listen to me now and I will give you some sound advice…

Teach them his decrees and instructions and show them the way they are to live and how they are to behave. But select capable men form all the people – men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain – appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you…”

Fortunately for Moses, his family and the Israelites he listened to his Coach and implemented his sound advice. Why did Moses listen – because he trusted Jethro and trust is critical to great coaching. A coaching relationship based on trust provides an environment of freedom to explore thinking, evaluate situations and strategize solutions. It’s why coaching works!

Many leaders have said this is what they appreciate the most about coaching. It’s a consistent safe environment that lets you explore new possibilities with someone outside the context and challenges of your culture.

Why do great leaders need a coach – because they:

Want to achieve their calling.
Want to advance their skills disciplines and knowledge.
Want to remove inefficient or ineffective habits or practices that are undermining their life and leadership.
Want to become better people who enjoy life and loved ones.
Want to know they are doing all they can to be the best they can be.
Want outside insight and an experienced trusted advisor who can strategize with them – so they can excel. No matter what level of leader you’re at today – consider advancing your excellence.

So before you go here’s an action plan:

Action Plan

(1). In a time of reflection answer the following questions;

How do I want to grow in my personal life?
How do I want to grow in my leadership?
What are my goals for the year?
How does my team need to change to maximize our efforts?
What are the obstacles that are blocking my growth?

(2). Contact a coach and review your questions with them to consider if the time is right to secure their services. You will discover as I have that it will greatly benefit your life.

Final Thoughts

Thank you for the opportunity to share these insights. I want you to know our leadership matters and we need each-other. Without great colleagues and coaches we are susceptible to an enemy that can destroy us. Proverbs 18:1 warns us of the danger in being isolated.

“Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment.”

We need to be connected in community. It’s when were not connected that we seek our “own desire” and “break out against all sound judgment”. We have lost too many great comrades – let’s turn it around. There is great strength when we join together and support each other – when we invest the time to maintain friendship and collegiate connection.

I encourage you to build a core group of colleagues in your life. You will discover greater joy in your service and the strength to carry on.

To your excellence,

Coach Greg

Why Great Leaders Need A Coach (Part One: Outside Insight)

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:14:00 GMT

"Every prudent man acts with knowledge, But a fool displays folly."

Proverbs 13:16

Moses was a mess. He worked 10 to 12 hours a day and never seemed to catch-up. The people he led were frustrated. He teetered on the edge of burnout with no relief in sight. He felt separated and estranged from his wife and kids. He didn’t invest any time in developing his skills – he just rushed from task to task. Sound familiar?

In my service to Ministry Leaders over the last decade the challenge they face in full time ministry is: “getting it all done and keeping it all together”. Ministry leaders are forced to wear many hats – preach, lead teams, provide pastoral care, raise money, strategic plan, relate to Elders and deal with constant crisis. It is by many people’s definition: one of the most demanding jobs on planet earth.

With the task of trying to “get it all done” – ministry leaders end up struggling to “keep it together”. They struggle with maintaining health and intimacy with their spouse as well as connection to their children. They: “overwork and under nourish”. It’s so easy to do – I have done it and paid the price of burnout.

While were running the race to “get it all done” we also miss opportunities to advance our skills, disciplines and knowledge. We fail to expand our potential and cap our growth.

There is a better way! This is where coaching can help. A coach will ensure you extract the mediocrity from your life and move to greater excellence. A coach brings many benefits to your life and leadership that you cannot provide on your own. They increase your courage to confront the areas of your life that need change – then they help you change.

Let’s take a closer look at Moses and Jethro in Exodus 18 and see what we can learn from their coaching experience to apply to our life and leadership. As we examine this case study begin to envision:

How I can change my approach to ministry to lighten my load and increase my effectiveness.
The council Jethro is giving to Moses.
The action steps I can take to move away from mediocrity onto greater excellence.
The three reasons coaching works well.

Moses is on a mission from God to manage the Israelites – and it’s a demanding job. You know how it goes – people are complaining about their neighbors, living conditions, questions of the future, problems at home, at work – and on and on it goes. He’s doing the best he can but its not working! Moses like most of us at times in our life cannot see how to do it differently – if he could he would.

Jethro, his father in law, enters the picture. He’s got some outside insight that can greatly benefit Moses in his personal and professional life. This brings us to our first reason why great leaders need a coach and why coaching works so well;

ONE: Coaching Provides Outside Insight – A coach can see what you can’t see. They have the power of observation working for them and you. As they observe your behavior and ask clarifying questions – solutions emerge. They will also see new ways to improve performance and advance skills and disciplines. They add depth and greater discernment to decisions. When you have a coach - you have an informed advocate who invests their experience and expertise in helping you think and act more effectively.

Imagine for a moment how empowering it would be to have a coach in your life? You have someone who:

Understands ministry and it’s many challenges.
Provides a safe place to land – where you can download and discover solutions.
Provides accountability – helping you grow your character and righteousness as well as implement your goals.
Brings fresh perspectives – expanding your thinking.
Challenges you’re thinking – so you arrive at better decisions.

Next week we will continue our case study of Moses and discover how his coach Jethro brought excellent value to his life and leadership. I want to encourage you to "subscribe" to this site so you can have my latest post delivered to your e-mail. Encourage your team to subscribe as well so your whole team can benefit.

To your excellence,

Coach Greg

How Courage Can Conquer Crisis

Wed, 22 Jun 2011 22:32:00 GMT

Only those leaders who act boldly in times of crisis and change are willingly followed - Jim Kouzes

We are facing turbulent times. From wars to economic challenge and natural disasters - our world is in crisis.

Consider the state of Alabama - 42 of 75 counties are declared a federal disaster area. The cities of Huckleburg, Field Campbell and Mount Hope are devastated when a mile wide category 5 tornado touched ground and destroyed everything in its path for 75 miles. The precious people who survived this catastrophe are doing their best to survive the shock of losing their homes, loved ones, churches (as pictured above), schools and place of employment. In Huckleburg Alabama the Wrangler Jean plant is gone and so are the jobs that supported the local workers. How would you feel if everything in your life was loaded into a dump truck and hauled off or worse yet your entire home is gone and all that that remains is the dirt it stood on.

According to Sammy Gilbreath the President of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions who with his staff serve 3200 congregations - "people are in shock". It's hard to move forward when your "emotionally fragile and can't make sense of what happened". Sammy and his team have courageously been serving long hours in this tornado torn zone with over 900 twisters reported in May.

So how do we help people living in devastation:

1. Come alongside local leaders in these devastated areas and care for them - speaking hope in a hopeless situation.

2. Send Donations to the Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Fund - who ensures 100% of what is given gets to work helping people.

3. Give them courage - the most critical component in a time of crisis is courage. Courage can sustain us in the crisis and provide the solutions we need to recover. Without it we all - can crumble under the weight of challenging circumstances.

How do you build courage:

1. Look up in faith and not down at your circumstances - take the Apostle Paul's advice: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

2. Determine to be bold and courageous - in every challenging situation. It is amazing how we can perform in a time of crisis when we determine to lead and be apart of the solution and not add to the problem.

3. Reach out to others and collaborate in meeting the challenges before you - be creative in problem solving, utilizing the collective wisdom in a group.

3. Look beyond the disaster to a new desired future - envision what can be beyond what you see.

Let's be leaders like Sammy and his team of courageous leaders. Let's lift those around us and practice courage in times of crisis.

Thank you for reading this post. Would you like to receive my new posts automatically. Please take a moment and click the "subscribe" button at the top of the site and receive valuable content each week to enrich your life and leadership.

To you excellence,

Coach Greg

Achieve More by Doing Less

Fri, 13 May 2011 19:05:00 GMT

"The secret of concentration is elimination" - Dr. Howard Hendrick's

It's natural for leaders to try and do too much - and doing too much is what limits effectiveness. The two best kept secrets of great leadership are;

1. The less you do, the more you accomplish.

2. The less you do, the more you enable others to accomplish.

I have a narrow set of leadership skills. I like to create good content, communicate it and coach others to succeed. That's it! I like to lead an organization and not manage its many moving parts. That's why I have exceptional team members who specialize in my weaknesses. I do what I do best and so they can do what they do best. Simple in concept but very hard to achieve.

SECRET ONE: Consider our first secret: "the less you do the more you accomplish". As long as I lead by creating good content, communicating and coaching primary leaders - I accomplish more. But if I go outside of my gift mix, I accomplish less. In my coaching practice I have found this is the number one challenge to doing less and achieving more. Leaders feel guilty if they are only doing what there most gifted to do. It's seems too good to be true- and yet this is the only way to do less and accomplish more. When we stay in our gift mix we also open the door for others to succeed. Which leads us to our second best kept secret.

SECRET TWO: When I do what I am best at - I open a door for others to do the same. We must understand that when we step away from what we do best we diminish our effectiveness and the effectiveness of every other leader in the organization. Let them lead! Let your team have full expression of their gifts and everyone wins. More will be accomplished with greater passion and fulfillment. People will feel accomplished in their work and reach new heights of personal growth and advancement.

Here's how to ensure your achieving more by doing less:

1. Reduce your job description to one page with the primary roles and responsibilities that match your gift mix.

2. Make a list of items to eliminate or delegate to a more qualified team member.

3. Ask your team members to do the same.

4. Determine in team discussion how to re-assign areas that don't match people's gifting.

Enjoy your work and get more done by doing less!

When Character Counts!

Sat, 14 May 2011 21:11:00 GMT

There is opportunity in every challenge!

It's finally Spring in Central Oregon. Dianna and I attacked the winter waste in our yard to get the water on and the greenery going. I then headed to the landfill with our yard debris when the lights of a big truck started flashing at me - warning me that something was definitely wrong. I looked in my right side mirror to discover black smoke coming from the trailer. I quickly pulled over to the side of the road and jumped out of the car to discover the right tire was not just flat but totally destroyed. Bummer! The landfill closes in 30 minutes and I don't have a jack or spare for my trailer. I'm in a bad spot. I am out of town, away from any development where I might find someone to help me.

Before I have time to consider my options a car pulls up behind me and two guys jump out and offer to get me a spare and jack. Wow! This is amazing. These guys don't know me and yet they are willing to take time to help me as well as give me their spare. The guys ask me to move forward because my car and trailer are blocking the dirt road that connects to their trailer park. As the guys drive their family to their trailer and get the spare I am amazed at their kindness.

By all appearances they live in a dangerous place. You would assume the people that live there are challenging and could have questionable character. Their trailer park sits next to the railroad tracks not connected to any other development. The trailers are very old and failing, there held together with scraps of wood and wire. There is not a tree or bush anywhere, only dirt. These men live in a poor area but they are rich in character.

The guys quickly came back and helped me get the spare on and on my way. I thanked the guys and gave them a gift for helping me. Later that day I drove up the long dusty dirt road to Brian's pink trailer, gave him his spare and thanked him again for helping me. He said - "its not really a problem, I like to help".

As I shook the hand of my new friend from across the tracks I was vividly reminded of how important character is in life and leadership. Brian possessed three important character traits that are extremely helpful in conquering the challenges we face.

He was;

1. Aware - It was obvious I had a need - I was parked in front of his driveway but Brian before he even got out of his car was keenly aware that I was not sure what to do and that I probably did not have the resources to address my need.

2. Generous - Brian graciously offered his time, effort and limited resources to help me. He could have just asked me to move out of the way and go on his way. He possessed great character because he saw a need and stepped forward to meet it.

3. Resourceful - Brian didn't have a spare and jack with him in his car but he knew where he could get one. This was impressive for a guy who obviously doesn't have allot of extra resources.

People look to us each day to be like Brian. To be aware of who they are and what they are facing - to accurately read situations and anticipate what is needed. The need us to be generous and treat them as we want to be treated - after all things do blow-up in life and it sure is nice when people want to help us rather than judge us. And they need us to be resourceful in helping them address the challenges as well as opportunities they face.

Let's lead like Brian and be leaders who conquer the challenges in life with exceptional character.

Service Masters

Sat, 14 May 2011 21:11:00 GMT

It's better to serve then be served.

I was in Windsor Canada last week speaking at a leadership conference and experienced a level of personal service that was quite compelling. This picture is with a Windsor leader who took time off work to drive our team back and forth to the hotel and checked with us often to ensure we had everything we needed to succeed. The staff at Windsor Christian used phrases like:

Good Morning! Can I take care of that for you?
Is there anything else I can do to assist you?
Here’s what I can do to address that problem?

It wasn't what they were saying that impressed me or how well they served our team - it was how much service was apart of them. There service was sincere and came from their heart - they were called to it and loved it! It was so refreshing and compelling that you couldn't help but get caught up in it. What was even more impressive is every staff member from the kitchen staff to the media production; to hospitality to the camera crew they all exemplified exceptional service. They were Service Masters!

While we were at Windsor I realized that exceptional service has many benefits. Because their team served us so well we were able to serve them with greater energy, expertise and results. The service production team provided everything I needed for my talks that gave me a greater sense of freedom and energy to deliver better quality keynotes. Their team took care of selling our resources which provided the opportunity for us to focus more on connecting and coaching leaders.

My final observation is that Windsor Christian's exceptional service came from its founders. When you meet Pastor Rick and Cathy you understand why so many people on their staff have the heart and soul of service. They caught the call to be Service Masters from their leaders - it's just who they are!

I left Windsor challenged. I want to exemplify their award winning personal service in my own life and leadership. How about you?

Masculinity Matters

Sat, 14 May 2011 21:12:00 GMT

Unlock the gridlock in relationships

I called a friend recently who shared his marriage was in trouble. After we talked for awhile, it was clear that he wanted to take action but wasn’t quite sure what to do. It is extremely unnerving for men when they’re not sure what to do next. Men are at their best when they initiate action. Men are built to move! If you don’t believe me take care of some young boys for a weekend; you’ll be begging to go back to work.

My friend’s frustration was that he had tried counseling, and though it was helpful, it was not bringing them together. As he continued to share his frustration he was searching for the right action. He wanted to discover what he needed to do to unlock the gridlock in their marriage.

I asked him a question; “what do you want in your marriage? He began to share an amazing vision of his marriage and family. He spoke of love, joy, laughter and special times together. I asked him some more questions; “Have you shared your vision with your spouse and discovered her vision for marriage and family”? “What do you together believe are the challenges that are blocking your marriage vision becoming a reality”? He was excited about the talking points we had discussed and went home early to have a heart to heart time with his spouse.

Before we ended our call we talked about the condition of his heart. I wanted my friend to avoid a mistake. He clearly was frustrated with his spouse, and I knew if he brought that frustration to his conversation this afternoon it was over before it got started. Frustration easily moves to anger and anger as James says “does not achieve the righteous life that God desires”. Frankly, anger never works in relationships. I brought anger in my marriage and it nearly destroyed it.

We discussed the power of leading with love. Love shows honor and builds bridges where there are none. In fact, love comes with a promise: “it never fails.” When men lead with love, something powerful occurs. Initiating love in a painful situation is one of man’s most masculine moments. But it’s not easy. In order to lead with love you must practice humility and empty yourself of pride and prejudice.

The first day of leading with love was tough. My friend’s spouse began to open up and share core challenges in their relationship. We connected again and I encouraged him to; “put service before self”. Yes that is tough; but he did it! He determined to serve his spouse by praying with her and praying for areas of her life.

I got a call the other night from my friend giving me an encouraging update saying; “I wanted you to know its working.” That was sweet music to my ears. I was so encouraged by his courageous and bold action. Imagine if you and I took more initiative to lead with love?

The Truth About Pain

Sat, 14 May 2011 21:13:00 GMT

Just part of being human, or something more?

James the brother of Jesus says that we should consider pain a joyful experience. Listen to these challenging words in James 1:2-4 ESV

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness has its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing”.

Counting our painful experiences as joyful seems a bit absurd until you understand pains unique purpose. Pain comes in many packages. It can physical, emotional or relational. Painful experiences can strike at any moment. Last year during a race I had an accident and four tendons in my right hand were severed as a fellow ski racer ran into me. One moment I was skiing down the hill the next moment my son is rushing me to the ER; my hand wrapped in a towel bleeding.

Frustration mounted as I tried to use my hand, but it just wouldn’t work. I kept telling my mind to move the fingers but they just sat there motionless. I wondered; “would it ever be normal again”. It was a grueling day of waiting in ER for a surgeon with a continual struggle to stop the bleeding. Finally after ten hours of waiting, the ER doctor located a trauma surgeon who was willing to come in and repair my damaged hand. During our pre-op counsel he assured us that extension tendons heal well, once their reconnected in a few hours. I was very thankful for this amazing surgeon who was willing to come in on his day off and help me.

Eleven months later after 6 months of physical therapy and God’s miraculous healing I have a hand that works. It really is a miracle to type this post right now because months ago that was not possible.

Where’s the “joy” in this experience? It’s not in the pain itself but rather the unique growth experience pain provides. When James says: “count it all joy…when you meet trials of various kinds” he is saying the purpose of painful experiences is to produce spiritual maturity and that’s what brings the joy.

Another purpose of painful trials is to test our faith. Testing produces genuine faith and builds greater endurance. Endurance grows because we learn to endure the pain in our life. Pains unique purpose encourages us to embrace the troubles and afflictions life brings maturing us and making us more complete. Painful trials produce character that cannot be found in comfort. It moves us from arrogance to empathy, from being critical of others to caring for them. Pain purifies! It produces a posture of humility; healing our heart of distractions and diseases that distance us from Christ.

Let’s ponder our pain.

What life lessons have you learned from painful experiences in your life?
How has it changed you?
When a painful experience enters your life, how do you address it?

Leading with Vision

Sat, 14 May 2011 21:13:00 GMT

Avatar sinks Titanic in record sales

James Cameron’s latest film Avatar sunk the acclaimed director’s last huge success, Titanic, as the highest-grossing movie worldwide.   Cameron beat himself with his new motion picture, as the sci-fi spectacular racked up a slew of Oscar wins and nominations.   The 1997 production Titanic made $1.843 billion worldwide to prove that it is one the most popular films in the history of Hollywood. Avatar has surpassed the amount by already reaching international ticket sales of $1.859 billion. (Source: PRESS TV www.presstv.ir)

Have you seen it? My son Nate said “Dad come see it with us, it’s awesome!” When you son invites you to a show and agrees to pay $13.50 for you to see it in 3-D, well you do it. I enjoyed my imaginary trip to Pandora. I love a good story and James Cameron has an amazing ability to envision other worlds that captivate your imagination and leave you wanting more when the credits start rolling.

Apparently a lot of people enjoyed Cameron’s cruise through Pandora. At the time I saw Avatar, over 76 other million people had also purchased a ticket and loved it! Some loved it too much. The news media shared reports of people experiencing post-show depression over leaving the unreal reality of Pandora for the unfortunate reality of their own life.

Why were people so deeply touched by Cameron’s creation? Was it the conflict between good and evil with good conquering in the end? Or was it the romance gone wrong then right that touched us the most? It could be the sci-fi escapist capability to mind meld with an ancient creature and fly like a jet fighter.

I think there’s something else. It’s the vision Cameron painted with his digital canvas. He portrayed an imagined reality that millions desired to experience. All of us are attracted to a compelling vision. Vision is captivating and powerful. If cast well it captures our emotions and causes us to think differently. That’s visions greatest value; it compels people to move to it and if called upon dedicate themselves to fulfilling it.

As leaders we need to understand the value of vision and dedicate ourselves to discovering how we can captivate people’s imagination with the compelling visions God has entrusted to us. Compelling and captivating visions require skill and strategy.

Vision Skill
James Cameron’s vision skill is designing his vision before deploying it. Cameron invested years in crafing his vision and story with its content and characters. Here’s an important question to consider: how well designed is your vision? Have you invested enough time in vision design sessions to clearly know what you’re called to achieve and how it will play out in the lives of people.? My mistake over the years has been to deploy a vision and ask people to embrace it before it was fully developed. This does not work. People today are much more vision savvy and they will only dedicate themselves to compelling visions that are well thought, simple, easy to understand with clear results. Then they will commit to them.

Vision is much more than core values and purpose statements. Our visions need:

A vivid description describing in a narrative story what the vision accomplishes in lives when people participate.

A strategy with clear sequential steps to achieving them.

A visual model that illustrates to people your vision concept so they can see it and embrace it more fully. As the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words. Cameron’s Avatar was only a one dimensional story until he and his team designed their blue characters in the Pandora playground.

Vision Strategy
This brings us to the strategy to build a compelling vision that others will embrace. All great visions require time; time to envision, design, redesign, discuss with others, and refine until a masterpiece emerges. Here is the vision strategy process that has worked for hundreds of great visionaries:

Schedule vision engineering time each week in your schedule to review and refine your vision. At first it may be a whole day and as your vision develops further it will move to less time. Vision is not static but rather dynamic and requires continual energy to refine it and refuel it in you so you can re-fire it in others. Involve your team members in vision discussions, mining for their valuable insights as a component of your vision engineering process.

Once your vision is designed well develop a plan to deploy it continually. Use all learning mediums possible including; written, spoken, video, social media.

You have a vision that is God-inspired and we need it! Invest in your vision, design it well and deploy it. Avatar is just a fairy tale but what God has placed on your heart is real and will change the world!

Have faith and move forward,
Coach Greg