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12 Holiday Morsels to Strengthen Your Business

Yes, the holidays are here and already the list of things to do continues to grow – completing the annual budget, planning parties, visiting with friends, figuring out what to get who for when … and so it goes.

Yet, my spirit remains strong, so I’ve prepared a menu of 12 holiday treats that I hope will slide down like Amaretto eggnog in front of a winter fire.

I’ve even scoured some of my earlier columns to find the most delectable morsels.

“In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is.” — Yogi Berra

So, here’s a smorgasbord of lessons learned – a few appetizers, a choice of entrees, a little dessert – from executives of both extraordinary capability and numbing incompetence  — that should grace your executive table for 2015.

1.     It’s never about you.

It’s always about them. Customers, employees, suppliers … family, friends, colleagues.

Be clear about it and thrive.

Get it backwards?

Fail.

2.     If you don’t think you’ll ever have a management succession problem, you already have one.

Keep reading. There are 12 days. Remember?

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As a Leader, are you an Architect or just a Handyman?

Table Setting with nails and tools MODIFIED

You need to develop a Delegation Mindset!

Yes, it’s sad but true.

If you’re a leader and you don’t develop a delegation mindset, you’ll never get enough done to extend your influence or grow in your organization.

Most importantly, you’ll be unable to accomplish the things that only YOU can do.

Do you really have a chance if you don’t delegate?

When you look over your shoulder, you probably see the flood waters rising behind … and somewhere deep in your subconscious, you’re reminded that you need help.

It’s dawning on you that as you seek and take on more responsibility, you’ll only have more to do … not less … and you’re going to drown if you can’t get some help.

Then, you start to notice there is a lot of potential help nearby … others are tapping into that talent pool … but you aren’t taking advantage of those resources.

What about only what YOU can do?

You also know that if you don’t make time for the things that only you can do, they won’t get done … by anyone … ever. Continue reading to get the Delegation Principles checklist

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Does anyone know WHY you’re in business? Wanna tell ‘em?

http://youtu.be/qp0HIF3SfI4

Simon Sinek is one of the speakers at Leadercast 2014 taking place on ONE DAY ONLY on Friday, May 9.

His TED talk, “How Leaders Inspire Action” is the 3rd most watched video on TED with over 16.5 million views. His latest book, Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t, was just published.

Real Leaders Love this Message

I have shown this video to CEOs and business leaders over the last 3 years, and each of them has responded with great enthusiasm to what Simon calls the “world’s simplest idea”.

He uses what he calls the golden circle, which becomes a powerful model for how leaders inspire action when they ask the question “Why?” His examples include Apple, Martin Luther King, and the Wright brothers.

Don’t miss Leadercast 2014 ONLY on Friday, May 9

Take a look at this video and see if it doesn’t stir your imagination about what you can do to inspire action in your company.

It’s one more reason why you shouldn’t miss Leadercast – San Francisco Bay Area on May 9. The Early Bird Specials expire this Friday, April 18 … so make you sure you don’t miss the opportunity to attend this unique, exclusive and inspiring event.

Question: What will you take away from this video that you can put to work in your business?

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Be a Leader Worth Following: Leadercast 2014

SF Bay Area Image of Video
Every year for the last 12 years, Leadercast has organized a ONE DAY ONLY event focused on Leadership. This year, you can join over 120,000 leaders from around the world at this exclusive event.

The theme varies every year. Last year, it was “Simply Lead”. This year, it is “Beyond You”.

“Our jobs ask much of us. And so do our lives. Employees, families, our boss. We have every reason to focus on our own success.

And yet, leadership calls us to more.

Leadership is beyond the confines of our daily tasks. Beyond the borders of our roles and responsibilities. Leadership asks us to look beyond the everyday and consider the larger community around us – our employees, colleagues, neighbors, and cities. We are asked to look not only inward, but also outward. Beyond ourselves.”

Another Great Roster of Speakers

This year’s speakers offer an exceptional array of experience, talent and insights … from Malcolm Gladwell to Bill McDermott, CEO of SAP, a $17 Billion Revenue company … and to Dr. Henry Cloud and Andy Stanley, two of the most heralded speakers from previous Leadercast events with more than 20 books to their credit. Learn more about the great lineup of speakers

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The 7 Qualities You Need to Get Your Company on the Medal Stand

What does it take to get on the Medal Stand and out of the Grandstands?

Jessica Long. One of the most decorated Paralympic athletes in history.

She’s won 17 Olympic medals. 12 of them are gold.

She holds 13 world records.

She’s been Sports Woman of the Year twice.

She’s obviously a remarkable swimmer.

She did all of it after having the lower part of both legs amputated when she was 18 months old.

Jessica Long’s drive, devotion and discipline are unquestioned.   Her determination is boundless. (NBC produced an in-depth look at her life you can find here.)

Is all of that enough? If you had each of those characteristics in immeasurable quantity, would it be enough to make you an Olympian?

Is drive, devotion and discipline enough?

Probably not.

Keep reading and download the 7 Olympic Qualities checklist …

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You can certainly sing this! The 12 Pains of Christmas

The holidays are here and we’re still trying to figure out how we’re going to get it all done.

So, instead of asking you to work at something – anything – I’ve decided to give you a gift of holiday music.

Elmo did it, so did Ren & Stimpy, Winnie the Pooh, Shrek, the Muppets … so with animated competition like this, what can go wrong with my first effort at song-writing?

“There is a remarkable breakdown of taste and intelligence at Christmastime.  Mature, responsible grown men wear neckties made of holly leaves and drink alcoholic beverages with raw egg yolks and cottage cheese in them.” — P.J. O’Rourke

Yeah, I know, don’t quit your day job.

So, feel free to sing along to the tune of the 12 Days of Christmas. Key of D Sharp, please.

All together now:

The first thing in business that’s such a pain to me… is the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The second thing in business that’s such a pain to me … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The third thing in business that’s such a pain to me … meetings, meetings, meetings … stuff a-cumm-u-lating … and the never-ending stinking eee-mail.

The fourth thing in business that’s such a pain to me … Keep going … there’s more pain coming …

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The Most Powerful Leadership Lesson You Can Learn from Detroit’s Bankruptcy

The Single Most Powerful Lesson You (Leaders?) Can Learn from Detroit's BankruptcyNOW is the time for tough decisions?

“Now is the time for tough decisions,” said Michigan’s governor, Rick Snyder, on the occasion of Detroit’s bankruptcy filing.

Did he say “NOW is the time for tough decisions”?

Maybe for the weak-kneed, lily-livered city fathers who’ve been putting lipstick on this pig for years, but “NOW” was a very long time ago for Detroit. (This isn’t elistist babble, either. I was born in Detroit and raised in the great State of Michigan.)

Let’s come at this from a different perspective

But, it isn’t our place to examine the state of the American city and the financial woes that are afflicting all of our governmental entities.

It is our business, however, to examine the leadership and decision-making process that brought Detroit to this fateful day.

Can’t Make the Tough Decision? Leave the Kitchen!

How many times have you … and me, too … deferred a difficult decision because we desperately held on to an easer choice even though we knew we were only delaying the inevitable?

This is the Achilles’ heel of almost every business leader I know.

I’ve written about this dilemma on many occasions … and from many perspectives. Why don’t leaders deal with issues as they “show up” rather than when they “blow up. Why do we hesitate to make the tough calls and do the right thing?

Isn’t that why we’re earning the big bucks?

5 Warning Signs that Tough Decisions Aren’t Being Made Read the Full Article to Learn the 5 Warning Signs

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Top 5 Reasons You Will Love the Exkalibur.com Transformation

The Transformed Leadership Web Site at Exkalibur.com

This is one happy visitor!

Practical Strategies to Help Leaders Get Real Results

In truth, I realize you really don’t care that we transformed our web site.

You shouldn’t.

You should only care if you can find what you want when you want it.

I only care about what will really help YOU!

Yeah, I know that’s easy to say and you probably hear it from almost everyone.

But, think about it. I don’t need to visit my own website to find articles I’ve already written … and probably no one knows my website more intimately than I do. And, with the administrative dashboard, I can find virtually anything I want, anytime.

So, this really is only about you and I hope we’ve been successful at creating a rich and appealing experience … to help you find what you’re looking for … and to discover new and valuable materials you didn’t know we had.

We worked hard so that Exkalibur can become an even more valuable and trusted resource for you … just as you work hard to become a more effective leader and build a successful business.

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value. ~ Albert Einstein

Practical Strategies to Help Leaders Get Real Results

You might have noticed that we also changed our tagline. Check out the Top 5 Changes …

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