“Great teams have great depth.” John C. Maxwell

Leaders tend to focus on their top performers, their starter players. And for good reason! It’s important to focus 80% of your time on the top 20% of performers to maximize your team’s results.

You see this often in larger companies and businesses. They conduct training on increasing performance and larger leadership ideas with their top people and their leadership team, while the bench players of the team get training on compliance issues.

But what if one of your top performers leaves the team? Do you have a plan to replace them?

If you don’t focus on your bench players and develop them, you could find yourself hurting.

Here are a few thoughts to consider…

• Who steps up in times of need and fills in during short term projects?
• Who stays after and goes over and above their job duties?
• Who seems the most curious about what happens in and with the team?
• Who volunteers to do extra work and/or learn...

"We don’t learn from our experience- we learn from reflecting on our experience." John Dewey

As a preschool teacher, I learned quickly that going on that field trip to the farm wasn’t the learning opportunity I thought it was. The trip was the experience, but not the learning. The real learning came when we got together as a group and discussed what we saw, heard, felt, smelt, and tasted. The debrief.

I took that new knowledge into my new role as a professional development trainer and speaker and learned how to do many kinds of debriefs. I realized the teaching/speaking part wasn’t as necessary as the debrief after!

"Reflective thinking turns experience into insight." John C. Maxwell

As I moved along in my career and became a coach/consultant for leaders, I had the pleasure and honor of attending and influencing many meetings, the good, the bad, and the ugly. One thing I learned was that not all meetings are created equal.

The teams who consistently used debriefs...

"Predictability, dependability, and consistency: these three qualities ensure that our leadership is reliable and motivates people to place their confidence in us. Our effectiveness as leaders is built on trust." Gayle Beebe

Consistency isn’t a fun thing to do or talk about- it isn’t sexy like transformation and leadership! However, when you truly understand the power behind consistency, especially compounding consistency, then you can begin to enact real change in the world.

• How are you consistent as an employee? Does your boss see you doing your tasks on a consistent basis? Can she/he count on your predictability? Or do you bring drama wherever you go?
• How consistent are you as an employer? Do your people see you as dependable? Do you do what you say you’re going to do? When do you not do what you promise and why?
• Are you consistent as a volunteer? Do your team leaders feel that you are steady and trusted or that you’re going to ‘flake out’ on...

Last chance to sign up for the Self-Image Mastery course! We open today and you’ll never hear me talk about it again.

“When there is no choice, there’s no fear.” Byron Katie

I read this statement this morning and, honestly, it had me doing some mental gymnastics…

At first, I thought when I have no choice, I don’t like it! Some people, when they have no choice, tend to turn into a victim/hostage, some people will fight to the death like a wounded animal, and others will accept it and move on. And, out of all of those options, you still have a choice. So, what to do with this statement?

As I thought about it more, I realized there are many times when I don’t have a choice about something and I move forward. For example:

• When there’s a pandemic that forces you to stay at home
• When your son, a week into a pandemic, chops his knee while cutting firewood and you can’t stay at the hospital with him
• When you lost 3 friends in 6 hours...

“Let us not refuse the help, happiness, and joy that others may bring us, or that we can give to others.” Maxwell Maltz

The Law of Reciprocity says if you give something to someone, they will be inclined to give you something back. So, what id we all chose to give help, happiness, and joy? What would our world look like? And how do you do that with difficult and challenging people?

I experienced that this week! I interacted with a challenging person. She wasn’t trying to give me help, happiness, or joy. She was operating out of her own fear and belief in her process, and unable to take in a new idea. Know anyone like that?

My overall motivation in life is to help people see their own awesomeness and to grow. When someone chooses to discount both of those things, they won't’ last long around me!

I didn’t need to be defensive or criticize or change what I was doing for her. I am secure in who I am as a person. However, I DID need to show help, happiness,...

A few weeks ago, my daughter had a difficult time when getting ready to go to the doctor. No amount of assuring her helped. Until the doctor told her she would not be poked with a needle. Immediately she calmed down and became herself again. That got me thinking… what was the issue?

Her imagination ran wild with all the negative possibilities ahead of her!

But don’t’ we do the same? I know I do!

• I put off writing that paper for school because I might receive negative feedback
• I work myself up with anxiety thinking I might have to have a difficult conversation
• I ignore opportunities to put in proposals at work because I ‘might’ not be accepted.

What about you? How does your imagination run wild sometimes? How can we stop that?

Well, I could write you a whole dissertation on how to use your imagination for moving forward, OR, you could join us in the Self-Image Mastery course starting on 7/20 and I’ll teach you all my tricks! 

“A person’s heart is more clearly seen by what they’re willing to embrace without offense, then by their expression of faith only in what they already understand.” Bill Johnson

“Only a secure leader gives his power away.” John Maxell

You might be saying, “How in the world do these two quotes relate, Michelle?” Well, I’ve noticed several leaders in my life showing how insecure they are by not being at least a bit willing to consider a new idea.

Many leaders seem to think they need to stand on their own understanding, beliefs, and rationale and that makes them a good leader.

In reality, that makes you an inflexible leader.

Your people need someone who can consider new ideas and make a decision about whether those ideas help or hinder your forward progress. If you are not doing that, if you’re just standing on what you’ve always thought in the past, it might be time to pass the torch!

Join us for the Self-Image Mastery...

Are you stuck in analysis paralysis? Unsure what to do because you don’t know HOW to do something?

Emerson said, “You must not wait until you have proof- you must act as if it is there and it will come through. DO THE THING and you will have the power.” (emphasis added)

Whether you’re trying to grow a speaking business, get that new job, teach an online course, or a baby learning to walk, the same principles apply. You have to start, fail, continue, and learn the HOW as you go. There’s no other way.

Just ask yourself, “What’s the next best step?” Start doing that and you’ll be amazed at your progress!

You know what to do – trust yourself!

Join us for the Self-Image Mastery course! 

“Always think of what you have to do as easy and it will become so.” Emile Coue

A coach of mine asked me this question, “What if it didn’t have to be difficult?”

That one questions totally changed my world!

• What if writing a dissertation didn’t have to be difficult?
• What if building an online business didn’t have to be difficult?
• What if parenting teenagers didn’t have to be difficult?
• What if having difficult conversations didn’t have to be difficult?

You see, I’ve found that whenever I ask that question it takes out the feelings and emotions that often get in my way. It helps me forward. In a way it completely discounts the hurdles and helps your brain see a clear path. It definitely opens up your brain to more possibilities and choices.

One question has massive power!

So what if you could have access to 10 questions that might do the same? Would you sit and listen for those 10 questions? Would you find the gold in your...

“The power of our imagination makes us infinite.” John Muir

Leaders are responsible to share the vision with their people. To do this, one must use their imagination. John Maxwell says, “anyone can steer the ship, but it takes a leader to chart the course.”

How do YOU use your imagination?

I’ve helped hundreds of coaching clients use their imagination to:

• Create the ideal team and job craft to maximize performance,
• Dream of their ideal customer service plan to serve in the highest way possible, and
• Intentionally plan for their legacy to remain after they are gone.

What about you? How do you use your imagination? Do you ever help support your people with the use of their imagination? Simple ways to do that include:

• Help them imagine various solutions to a problem
• Imagine a rough interaction or crucial conversation going how they want it to go before it happens
• Think about the next job they want with the company and how to develop their skills to get...