Each of us has a superpower – it is your unique talent, an ability no one else in your company routinely exhibits, that one thing that always makes your brain dance. What I find interesting is the number of people who have not identified or downplay their superpower.

So, how do you know what your superpower is? I’m glad you asked! Here are five ways to do so:

1. Question what you’ve always done well. We all come with batteries included. Believe it or not, you have had this superpower since you were a little kid. You may have exhibited it in different ways throughout your life, but it has always been there.
   
2. Examine how you interact in new environments. You automatically bring your superpower to every situation, every activity. There is a theme to how you participate in the opportunities and activities you seek out – your superpower is evident in each of them.
   
3. Ask yourself — what comes naturally to me? You may not think of your superpower as all that distinctive because it just happens – there is no conscious thought behind it. Your superpower may feel dull to you; however, when you recognize it, you will understand what drives you.
   
4. Consider what people count on you to do. Everyone else recognizes your superpower and they seek you out because of it. They are naturally drawn to you. Think about what people regularly ask you to do.
   
5. Think about what you love. You love to use your superpower no matter where you are. It shows up in your personal life, your professional life, and all your relationships. 

Once you recognize your superpower, you can strengthen it by using it to become the best version of you. Your superpower is you – celebrate it and wear that cape proudly!

Interested in how to harness your natural talents and interests to advance your organization’s success? My superpower is asking the right questions at the right time. Fill out the consult form below to get in touch for a free consultation — your best self is waiting on the other side. 

Visionaries wake us up. They have 12 ideas a day, generally before most of us get up in the morning. They bring us new ways of doing things – new ways of looking at things.

They challenge us to think differently. If they hear someone say, “we’ve always done it that way”, I guarantee you they will change how we do things. They challenge the status quo.

We need visionaries in our world. They see the big picture and have a pulse on the organization’s industry and ideal customer. Visionaries connect the dots because they can visualize relationships between concepts, between the organization’s departments, and among the projects the organization pursues.

Visionaries act on the present to make that future a reality. Isn’t that what we all want? So, if you have a visionary in your organization, celebrate what they bring to the table. And if you do not have a person who stands out as a visionary, no worries.

There is a bit of visionary in all of us. You can embody the mind of the visionary by taking the time to ponder the need for change in a given situation and questioning why things shouldn’t or couldn’t be better.

Be curious about unmet needs within your organization, unfulfilled potential in a team member, or unrealized aspirations. Don’t settle for the status quo. You owe it to your organization, the entire team, and your customers to do otherwise.

Interested in learning more about the tools and strategies needed for embodying the visionary mindset? I can help. Contact me for a free 15-minute consultation and to learn how to instill your organization with limitless potential.

Who, me?! What?!! Me?!! Yes, you.

I have been helping entrepreneurial leadership teams implement EOS® since 2013, after running my last company on EOS® for five years. During those years I noticed that leadership teams often think about why their business exists in grandiose words.

We default to describing our organizations in terms such as “new” or “improved”, or espouse platitudes like “our business is different”. 

Today we have more of everything available to us. More services. More products. That leads us to look very similar to the organization down the street, across town, or three states away. We get stuck on a competitive treadmill, running a race to nowhere.

I don’t say this to criticize anyone. I say this to recognize that we are all human; hence, comparisons are natural and easy to make. That said, I ask you to consider if why you are in business is changing the world, regardless of where that change takes place. Please allow me to offer an example.

I spent a great deal of time planning PureDirection, and asking myself a myriad of questions. I “think on paper” and am constantly reflecting; consequently, I describe my answers to questions of purpose in great detail. Often, I found myself wondering when I would measure up to the accomplishments of EOS Implementers™ who had built large practices, who were publicly recognized for their skills, and who had published books.

One day I had an “aha” moment after questioning who and what my service is for. I realized my Core Focus™ is simply “to help entrepreneurial leadership teams create a bigger, better future than the one they have today.” That straightforward realization was incredibly liberating. I no longer compared myself to my colleagues. I recognized I didn’t need to impress anybody, and that I alone am in control of my why. Understanding my purpose and impact helped me to realize that I change the world every day in ways I never imagined possible.

I encourage you to get crystal clear about why your organization exists, and recognize how your business is changing the world. 

And then learn to say “no” to everything that does not represent your why. 

Your insight and manifestation of your organization’s why will inspire and attract people. It will help you define the right people for all the right seats in your organization. Your why will attract the right customers to your organization. It has nothing to do with the product or service you provide, it has to do with how you choose to transform. Simply stated, go change the world. 

Do you want to uncover the aim behind your organization’s work and create an intentional plan to produce a better future for you and your team? Interested in refining your purpose and understanding how you can change the world? Please use the consult form below to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with me. Let’s start a conversation about what you want, and how to get there.

The past couple of months have been busy facilitating 2-day Annual Planning Sessions with client Leadership Teams. The teams review the previous year, as well as the previous quarter, to measure the progress they made achieving their 1- Year Plan and their quarterly Rocks.

I routinely ask the teams to identify what they did well, what they could have done better, and what they learned. That discussion often leads to questions about how to define success. And the answers to that question are as varied as the Core Focus™, also known as their “why”, of all the organizations with which I have the honor of working.

How do you define success? Though everyone’s definition is different, the author Carl Holmes wrote an essay that I believe is a great description of success, both personal and professional. So today, I share his words with you:

AND THEN SOME . . . these three little words are the secret to success. They are the difference between average people and top people in most companies. The top people always do what is expected . . . and then some.

They are thoughtful of others; they are considerate and kind . . . and then some.

They meet their responsibilities fairly and squarely . . . and then some.

They are good friends and helpful neighbors . . . and then some.

They can be counted on in an emergency . . . and then some.

I am thankful for people like this, for they make the world a better place.

Their spirit of service is summed up in these three little words . . . and then some.

I have heard my Leadership Teams use all these words to define what success means for them both professionally and personally . . . and then some. 

Are you and your team working on how to make your definition of success clearer? Are you striving for ways to go above and beyond for your business and for your clients? If you answered yes to either of these questions, please use the consult form below to schedule a free, 15-minute phone consultation with me. I am passionate about helping people like you analyze their organization, strategy, and leadership to garner the greatest success possible. Let’s start a conversation and get you a little closer to “and then some.” 

“Urgent things shout . . . important things whisper. Listen to the whispers.” Though I do not know whom to attribute this quote, this powerful sentiment has rung true throughout my lifetime.

It is easy to focus on the urgent in our businesses and in our personal lives. The urgent is standing right in front of us, demanding attention, poking us in the shoulder if we momentarily avert our gaze.

Addressing the urgent things in our business feels productive. There are times when you could make the case that solving the issue that shouts at you loudest is productive. But I doubt you can make that case every time something urgent pops up. More importantly, if you find yourself constantly choosing the potential for productivity as your purpose for solving an issue, some deeper issues will likely stay hidden underneath.

I can make the case that productivity isn’t about getting more done; it’s about what you get done. 

Listening to the whispers helps us become fully aware of what is happening around us – what opportunities are gently knocking on our door – what issues we can solve that would get us closer to our vision. Perhaps there is a potential target market client anxious for you to reply to their email. Or maybe you’ve hit the ceiling on a certain issue, and the solution lies in your ability to simplify. 

How can we lean into the whispers? Here are three tips for your consideration:

1. Get some perspective. Ensure your leadership team “climbs the tree” periodically. Taking the 30,000-foot view of your organization’s strategy will help you see if you are still on course or if you are overlooking opportunities. 
2. Clarify roles within the organization so decisions are made by the people closest to the issue. 
3. Confirm there is alignment throughout your organization. Alignment creates clarity so there is less room possible for confusion.

Our world today often contains so much volume. What gets drowned out is what’s truly important. My challenge to you is to shut your door, turn off your technology, and just listen… you might just hear the important things.

Interested in investing more energy in your whispers? Please use the consult form below to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with me. The most productive change starts with a simple conversation — let’s talk about how I can help you take time to slow down and listen to the whispers. Your business just may grow as a result.