LD Guy from MN

LEADER - E is for Encourage

2009-12-20T15:41:00.000-08:00

It has been a while since I have posted. Hope to get back into the rhythm now.

I began a series in which I plan to look at each of the letters in the word LEADER and connect to an attribute leader's possess. Today's posting will focus on E = Encourage.

One of the significant elements of leadership is encouragement. When times are tough or when there are challenges ahead encouragement can be a way of keeping forward momentum.

So how does one encourage others? Let's look at a definition of encourage from dictionary.com to get a clue - Encourage: to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence. So one key element of encourage is 'inspire' and a component of inspire is 'influence'. A part of encouraging then is to influence someone in a positive way so that they can keep moving forward. Moving forward can be keeping on the same course or moving in a new direction. The key here is appropriate action for the situation at hand.

The others components of the definition of Encourage highlighted here are: courage, spirit, and confidence. Sometimes to move from 'where we are today' to 'where we need to be' requires courage and coupled with this is whether or not we can do so confidently. This is where encouragement from someone can instill in us the confidence we need. By knowing the person and knowing what challenges them we can be there to help motivate them to go beyond the barriers they encounter to achieve the success and fulfillment desired.

So may I Encourage you to Encourage others. It can make a difference!

Next posting: A … Advise

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

LEADER - L is for Listen

2009-11-27T19:59:00.000-08:00

LEADER

I am going to change my format for the next several blog postings and take a look at the word: LEADER. I want to look at each of the letters in the word LEADER and connect to an attribute leader's possess.

L … Listen
E … Encourage
A … Advise
D … Decide
E … Empower
R … Respond

Today, I will comment about the importance of Listening as it relates to leadership. One of the key traits impactful leaders have is their ability to LISTEN. Through listening a leader can learn and discover many things. Active listening also conveys you are interested and care about what is being shared with you. This helps people recognize recognize their input is valued and will encourage them to keep the flow of information and ideas intact.

In Wikipedia there is some useful information about 'active listening':

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_listening

The Wikipedia entry provides a summary of tactics and indicates some sample situations where 'active listening' can effectively be used.

One of my favorite ways to focus on listening is via the asking of questions. Questions can shift the focus of the conversation to the person being asked the question. Listening is a key tactic to indicate you care about what is being shared as the person answers the question and as they continue to expand the conversation in new areas.

Consider the value of listening and what it means to you as a leader. Leaders listen & learn and through this position their group/organization to be on the path of success.

Next posting: E … Encourage

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

STEPS

2009-11-21T19:06:00.000-08:00

STEPS: Share … Thoughts … 2 … Engage … People's … Spirit.

Lately a theme that has been occupying my thoughts is 'taking steps". So much of our lives involve taking steps … moving in the direction that we want to go. 'Steps' also can refer to segments in a process. Step 1 is the start of the process … Step 2 is the 'next' step etc. So many elements of how we experience life involve 'STEPS'.

Today I want to reflect on STEPS as being a way we can SHARE our THOUGHTS so that we ENGAGE PEOPLE'S SPIRIT. That are many ways we can motivate people. We can do so through our actions and we can do so through our words. When we on intentionally SHARE our THOUGHTS with others with the intent to inspire, it can be a way we can ENGAGE their SPIRIT. Sharing a 'vision' with others in a way that they can see themselves being part oh how that vision can be achieved is one way we can potentiality connect with them and see them become engaged.

Do you see the value of taking STEPS? Will 'stepping up' to tackle an important challenge be a way you can engage yourself and others in accomplishing something of significance? Think about taking some STEPS and see what happens …

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

OPEN

2009-10-31T09:59:00.000-07:00

OPEN: Opportunities … 4 … People … 2 … Encourage … Newcomers

I am a relatively shy person by nature so I am discovering writing is a way for me to connect with people in a whole new way. When I am in a public setting, especially if it is new situation for me, I find it a bit of a challenge to take the first step and introduce myself. For me being a newcomer is hard. I know, however, that if I remain on the sidelines, then that is likely where I will stay. So are there ways to make that "first step" easier?

One way for us all to move forward is to be OPEN. Can we be on the lookout for OPPORTUNITIES for helping PEOPLE (including ourselves) to ENCOURAGE someone who is a NEWCOMER? As we recognize the value of connecting with people can we be proactive in how we help others connect and "feel part of the group"? When we "welcome someone in" it is so much easier for them to move forward from that starting point. So the challenge for me is to be the "welcomer" and help get the relationship started.

Are you OPEN to helping the NEWCOMER? Can you be the person for them who is willing to take the "first step"? Think of the conversations and learnings that await when we have an OPEN mindset.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

HONOR

2009-10-28T19:25:00.000-07:00

HONOR: Highlighting … Others … 2 … Nurture … Ongoing … Rejuvenation

One of the cool things people can do for someone is to honor them. Oftentimes we honor someone if they have done something extraordinary. We may honor someone for something they have done once (e.g. saved a life) or something they have done on a daily basis (e.g. a beloved teacher). When we honor someone it is a way we can show appreciation.

Perhaps another way we can think about how we can HONOR someone is to look at it as a way we can re-energize and empower them. Think about HONOR as a way of HIGHLIGHTING OTHERS in order to NURTURE their ONGOING REJUVENATION. When we call out (i.e. highlight) the great accomplishments or efforts of others it can be a way of nurturing their continuation of these activities and in the process re-energize or rejuvenate them in an ongoing fashion. Sometimes a word of appreciation can go a long way because it shows people noticed and cared.

Can you think of someone you would like to HONOR? Has it been an HONOR to know them? Think of the message we can convey when we take time to HONOR someone today!

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

START

2009-10-25T20:49:00.001-07:00

START: Show … That … "Arriving" … Requires … Taking-off.

To get started on a "journey" requires you to go from where you are today and begin "taking steps" in the direction you want to go. You have to leave the familiarity of the "current state" to head towards your destination.

So one way to START is to SHOW THAT ARRIVING at your destination REQUIRES you TAKING-OFF from "where you are" in order to "land" or "end" where you want to go. You can't get to a new place if you are unwilling to leave where you are now. The familiar can be enticing; it may seem safer to just stay where you are today. If, however, we look to travel to "new places" in our lives the bottom line is that we have to be able to leave so that we can arrive at our port of call.

So, do you know how to START? Will a fresh START make a difference in your life? The journey requires taking steps … I hope you have fun along the way.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

LEAP

2009-10-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

LEAP: Leave … Existing … 2 … Achieve … Purpose.

When I think of "leap" my mind conjures up the image of standing on one side of a chasm and looking at jumping across to the other side. The "chasm" can be a representation of what stands between us moving from where we are today to where we need to be. So the question is: "How do we embrace the leap we need to take?"

Part of what helps us take a LEAP is to look at the benefits of leaping. If we view the LEAP as an opportunity to LEAVE the EXISTING in order to ACHIEVE a specific PURPOSE we can be more motivated to "jump". What perhaps is the most intimidating is when we LEAP into the unknown. However, if we a have PURPOSE in mind that helps us ACHIEVE our goal, then our willingness to LEAVE our EXISTING situation is increased. So the key to "leaping" is to have a goal you are seeking to accomplish. You might see this as a way of connecting to the axiom: "look before you leap".

Are you ready to take a LEAP?

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

ACT

2009-10-23T21:04:00.000-07:00

ACT: Activists … Choose … Today

Dictionary.com lists as a definition for Activist …"an especially active, vigorous advocate of a cause". This started me thinking: Am I an Activist for anything? Is there a cause I am passionate about? There certainly is no shortage of causes that are important. Rather than focusing on any single cause I want to instead comment briefly on the "active" part of an Activist.

When I think of ACT I connect it with … ACTIVISTS CHOOSE TODAY. In other words, now is the time to ACT. Not everything can be done in a single day, but there are a lot of important things that can be done if we open ourselves to what is possible. It is easy to put things off until tomorrow in the hectic world of today. But do we recognize the good we can accomplish each day? So I am challenging myself to examine what I can do "Today". Today is a gift we have been given and I need to explore how I can make the day the best it can be for myself, my family and for others.

Are there things that would be important for you to ACT on today? If you ACT what will be the impact? Think of the possibilities … think of the difference taking "action" can have on the world around you.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

IDEA

2009-10-22T03:49:00.000-07:00

IDEA: Innovative … Design … (that) … Empowers … Action.

Ideas, Ideas, Ideas … I love ideas. I enjoy coming up with new ideas. I relish hearing the ideas of others. Perhaps at the heart of this is that I like the idea of "new", the idea of "novel", and the idea of "original". My love of "ideas" is one of the reasons I enjoy connecting with people on Twitter.

One way of thinking about an IDEA is to view it as an INNOVATIVE DESIGN that EMPOWERS ACTION. Ideas are at the center of innovation. Ideas are at the core of doing or designing something new. An IDEA really becomes powerful when it EMPOWERS or inspires ACTION. It can be discouraging if an IDEA never makes it off the "drawing board". An IDEA that is acted upon, however" can engage and EMPOWER you and others.

Do you have an IDEA that you want to explore? Do have an IDEA of what to do next? What is your big IDEA? Think about translating your ideas into action and seeing what happens. Think about the possibilities … think about the impact.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

TIME

2009-10-20T19:27:00.000-07:00

TIME: Today … Include … Moments … of … Encouragement

It seems one of the topics I "talk" about on a regular basis is "time". I might mention … Where does the time go? … or … If only I had enough time. … or … When would be a good time for us to talk about this? Each of us deals with the same time paradigm … 24 hours a day … 60 minutes in an hour … etc. So how do we make the best use of our time?

If we think about TIME in the context of TODAY being a time where I can INCLUDE MOMENTS of ENCOURAGEMENT this could prove to be a good use of our TIME. I have discovered for myself that time spent encouraging others virtually always reaps rewards. A caveat is that the encouragement needs to be authentic for it to have more than just a short term impact.

Encouraging others can lift their spirits. It can empower them to go beyond where they are today and to reach for new heights. It is simply encouraging to see the influence encouragement can have on people's lives.

So do you have a little TIME to spare? Can you make TIME today to encourage others? TIME's awaiting …

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

ASK

2009-10-19T19:37:00.000-07:00

ASK: Always … Seek … Knowledge

I have had the great fortune over the years to be able to obtain a good education. I graduated from High School, College, and Graduate School … ultimately obtaining a Ph.D. in Chemistry (over 20 years ago). One of the first stops in my career was teaching Chemistry. Something I was able to do for almost a decade. I mention this because I have spent the majority of my life exploring the "concept" of ASK. It has been a "way of life" for me to ALWAYS SEEK KNOWLEDGE.

How does one ALWAYS SEEK KNOWLEDGE? I would suggest at the heart of this is the desire to be someone who asks questions. Asking questions is a key way of seeking knowledge. Questions are the cornerstones of discovery. Questions are also a key way of promoting dialogue. Through dialogue collaboration becomes empowered and the results that flow from collaboration can prove to be amazing.

Do you ASK questions to discover new things? Are you willing to ASK yourself "what can I do to help others"? What would you like to ASK?

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

HOPE

2009-10-18T20:08:00.000-07:00

HOPE: Helping … Others … by … Providing … Encouragement

Hope is powerful. Hope can get people through difficult times as they look ahead to brighter days. Hope relies on us trusting that what we believe in is possible.

HOPE can be something that we share with others. By HELPING OTHERS to see that "it is possible" we can instill HOPE. PROVIDING ENCOURAGEMENT is a tangible way we can help others to have HOPE. When we have HOPE it will empower us to move forward and achieve marvelous things.

Is HOPE at work in your life? Can you be a source of HOPE? Do you see the difference it can make in your life? … in other people's lives? I HOPE so.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

SKILL

2009-10-18T05:30:00.000-07:00

SKILL: Sharing … Knowledge … 2 … Inspire … Life-long … Learning

Dictionary.com lists as one of its definitions for skill: "the ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc., to do something well". Each of us has skills that we, and others, can point to that stand out. You may be a skilled artist, or a great teacher, or a terrific listener, or a marvelous dancer, etc. We get better at our skills because we practice and "put into practice" these abilities.

I'd like to explore skills in the parallel context of transferring skills to others. So one aspect of SKILL is SHARING … sharing our KNOWLEDGE, sharing our experiences, sharing our perspective on how to become good at something. The goal of this type of SHARING can be to INSPIRE ourselves and others. For example, an artist can show others some of the techniques they use to capture the world around them that can encourage others to take up a paintbrush and create pictures themselves. Perhaps the ultimate goal for SKILL transfer is to INSPIRE LIFE-LONG LEARNING for ourselves and for others. There is the opportunity to get better at a SKILL through practice and through practice we can achieve higher levels of mastery. With this as our goal, LEARNING about the skill can truly be a LIFE-LONG pursuit.

Are there opportunities for you to share a SKILL with someone? Perhaps they will be inspired to pursue the SKILL and become an admired practitioner. Opportunities await.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

GROW

2009-10-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

GROW: Give … Respect … 2 … Others … & … Win.

"Growing" and "Growth" are key topics in the world today. Business are seeking to position themselves to grow in the "new economy". Growth also is of significance on a personal level. When I was young one of the things I would think about is what would I do when I "grow up". As I have gotten older my thinking about what it means to GROW has evolved. As I seek to GROW I now connect it with GIVE … give RESPECT, give hope, give insights, etc. One thing about giving RESPECT is that when we do this for OTHERS a tangible outcome is that we all WIN when it comes to areas such as collaboration, contribution, engagement, etc. So by being able to focus on GROW a winning situation can arise.

So are you ready to GROW? Can you help others to GROW? Think of the possibilities … think of the impact.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

BEST

2009-10-15T19:24:00.000-07:00

BEST: Becoming … Energized … & … Striving … 4 … Transformation

I remember growing up and being told by parents that what they wanted me to do was "to do my Best". I therefore have been fascinated with the concept of "Best" for a long time. BEST starts out by focusing on BECOMING … moving from the "is" to the "what we want to be". This process is aided by us being ENERGIZED. The end result is accomplished by STRIVING for TRANSFORMATION. The transformation is the result of the change we are seeking to bring about. So when we explore the concept of BEST we pursue this through transformation resulting in a degree of "excellence" that can be seen by ourselves and others.

Will you embrace the idea of BEST? Do you want to be known for giving it your BEST? By being at your BEST will it bring forth transformation in your life?

I wish you all the BEST!

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

DRIVE

2009-10-14T20:08:00.000-07:00

DRIVE: Daily … Reconnect … (with) … Inspiring … Visions … (that) … Empower.

Driving … quite a few people drive on a daily basis. It helps us get from where we are now to where we need to be. So is the case with DRIVE. If we look to DAILY RECONNECT with an INSPIRING VISION that EMPOWERS this can also help us get from where we are today to where we want to go in the future. The challenge is keeping the vision in front of us on a regular basis. When we lose sight of the vision we can get lost, just like when we are driving in a new city without a map. So staying connected to our vision is important. The other piece is having a vision that inspires us. When we are inspired that can translate into us recognizing we can do some pretty marvelous things. Having an inspiring vision, however, is no guarantee of empowerment, but it is almost impossible to feel empowered if the vision is "flat".

So do you like to DRIVE? Do you have a vision of where you want to go? Why not go for a spin and see what awaits.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

VALUE

2009-10-13T19:21:00.000-07:00

VALUE: Voice … Accolades … (that) … Laud … Uplift … & … Encourage.

I value VALUE. Especially in the world today, the concept of VALUE is important. One way you can express VALUE is through the relationships you have with others. We can give VALUE a VOICE through appreciating others for who they are, what they believe, and what they do in service for others. By bringing forth ACCOLADES that LAUD, UPLIFT and ENCOURAGE as we acknowledge the wonder of our friends, family, and colleagues we can see the positive impact this has on the lives of others.

So do you see the value of VALUE? Will focusing on VALUE touch the lives of those around you and make a difference in their world? May I encourage you to "try this on for size" and see what happens.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

TEAM

2009-10-12T19:04:00.000-07:00

TEAM: "Together" … Engaged … (in) … Accomplishing … (the) … Mission

When I think about Teams one of the words that comes to mind is "Together". "Together" represents people working in sync. When "Together" is coupled with Engaged team members working to Accomplish the Mission of the TEAM is when a team hits "pay dirt".

Do all teams have engaged team members which act together to accomplish their mission? Are there pieces that need to be place for a team to behave in this way? This is where the environment and culture that exists can make a big difference. And the leader has a role in creating an environment that fosters success.

So the question at hand is: What can you do as a leader to help your team act as a TEAM?

I welcome hearing your TEAM experiences.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

IDEA

2009-10-11T15:07:00.000-07:00

IDEA: Insight … Developed … (that) … Encourages … Action

I love ideas! Part of the reason why I enjoy thinking up new ideas is because I like asking the question: "Can this be done in a different way?" I also value hearing the creative ideas that others come up with as they experience opportunities at work, at home, and throughout all facets of their lives. Ideas, however, really sing when they have are acted upon. An unused idea is not useless because it may spark another idea, but ideas shine when they get put into play. So an Insight that can be Developed which then Encourages Action is marvelous to behold.

So is there an IDEA you can nurture and bring to life? Marvelous things await.

I welcome hearing your IDEA stories.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

SEED

2009-10-10T20:49:00.000-07:00

SEED: Sow … 2 … Encourage … Everyday … Development

Living in Minnesota I recognize the importance of farming. I also know it takes seeds being planted in order to see crops grow. So a natural extension for me is to look at seeds being important for us to grow as a person and as a leader. Seeds can come in a variety of forms: a word of encouragement, a thought provoking question or idea, an opportunity to try something new, etc. When a seed is planted, watered, and nurtured is can grow and blossom into something amazing. For us then a SEED can be a way we Sow to promote growth and when we Encourage Everyday Development that seed has an even better chance to take root and make a difference.

So can you think about planting a SEED today and see what grows from it.

I welcome hearing your thoughts and experiences via the posting of a comment.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

COACH

2009-10-10T04:42:00.000-07:00

To start out let me say a brief word about the title of this Blog. I work in the Leadership Development department of a corporation in Minnesota. So I chose the title of the blog to reflect that. I am a Leadership Development (LD) Guy from Minnesota (MN). Not very creative, but at least it is unique.

So today's Backronym is:

COACH: Calling … Out … Actions … that … Change … Habits.

When I think about the role of a coach I recognize they are many facets to what they do: listen, encourage, ask questions, provide recommendations, etc. But fundamentally I believe coaches help us bring about change. Sometimes the change is about creating something new and sometimes the change is modifying something we have been doing for a long time (e.g. changing a habit). So a coach can be viewed as a "change agent" for us by helping us to see (i.e. calling out) actions we can look to change to help us grow as a person.

So I would encourage you to think about the word COACH and consider how you can be a coach or how you can be coached by others.

If you have coaching experiences you would like to share I would invite you to write them as a comment to this post.

Signing off for now - LD Guy from MN

LIFE

2009-10-08T20:31:00.000-07:00

LIFE: Live … It … Fully … Everyday.

I like Backronyms. Wikipedia defines a Backronym as a phrase that is constructed "after the fact" from a previously existing word. I also enjoy sharing these Backronyms on Twitter as #BeOriginal tweets (posted via my @ldguymn username).

In this Blog I will share some thoughts that relate to these Backronyms.

So what does it mean to "Live … It … Fully … Everyday". Each day is a gift. It we treat life as a gift it opens the door for amazing things to happen. Seeing life in this way transforms how I think about each day. I want to have the day be a day that is grounded in LOVE, HOPE, JOY and HELPING OTHERS. To me this is living life to the fullest.

May today, tomorrow, and the days to come be full of LIFE.