This week I asked myself, “Do I truly understand what real support means to me?”

After coaching thousands of executives, I can say that many leaders have a blind spot when it comes to real support that helps to grow their company. When C-Suite leaders receive real support, there is a tendency to put their back up and get defensive or angry. Why? Because someone is pointing out a gap or issue in your company and you feel responsible; you feel criticized.

I recently had a situation where one of my teammates challenged me with an idea to support moving the company forward and I got triggered and heard, “You’re not doing well enough”. What my teammate really said was “I am trying to support you in making Awesome Journey the World-Class company you and I want to create.” I was unable to hear real support in that moment.

What does real support look like to me?

I allow my team to:

1. Challenge and question me
2. Hold me accountable to my promises and agreements I have made
3. Be a sounding board to my ideas and challenges
4. Give me feedback and embracing it
5. Teach me
6. Serve me – give me their time to execute projects with their expertise
7. Care about me

The new question that I am pondering is – “How much support am I allowing into my world to support me in being a Powerful Leader of a Great Company?”

My Learning from this week: “Letting Go to Let Come!”

Over the past few months I have been receiving a lot of feedback from many people about my Leadership Blog. Thank you to everyone who reads it – I always welcome feedback!

I have come to realize there is a strong desire to hear about my personal experiences and insights as a C-Suite leader and an Executive Leadership Coach. This week I would like to speak to a key insight and learning I had about being a quality leader to my team at Awesome Journey.

I recently attended a Deloitte event honouring companies nominated for Top 50 Best Managed Companies in Canada. One of the keynote speakers talked about “Being Courageous as a CEO”. A comment she made that really stuck with me was, “80% of CEOs of Private Companies in Canada are struggling with growing their business.” After working with so many C-Suite leaders who struggle with strong leadership, this statistic did not surprise me, but I did reflect on why the C-Suite struggles with leadership and company growth.

I concluded that the reason why 80% of CEOs of Private Companies are struggling with growth is because they don’t see their own blind spots that impact the business from growing. As a C-Suite leader, it is natural and easy to look externally to solve problems, and much harder to look internally.

Courageous Leaders are willing to look at themselves and ask a transformational question – “What do I need to “Let Go” of for the company to move forward?”

Letting Go of Listening to Fix and Embracing Listening to Connect

As I become more intentional about Listening to Connect with my teammates and my clients, I truly hear what they CARE about, and I support them with what they CARE about by holding them accountable. “Listening to Fix” keeps everyone stuck in the problem vs “Listening to Connect” to create action.

Letting Go of Control and Embracing Trust

I trust my teammates to execute on their promises by “Coordinating Action” with them and clearly communicating requests through intentional conversations. My team is working together and creating action to build and sustain the company. All I needed to do was make a clear request for support, receive a promise to my request (have a clear agreement), and put the completion date in my calendar to ensure accountability from my teammate to deliver on our agreement.

When we make clear requests, and receive promises from each other, we have clear agreements which build a relationship of trust. The need for control disappears and action begins.

Letting Go of the Story that “I am too busy” and Embracing Being Intentional with my Time

When I don’t design intentional conversations, I give my valuable time away to issues and minutia that do not generate action to a future possibility – I waste my time!

A key practice of greatness that I have been practicing this week is “The Power of a Pause”. Before I make a promise to someone’s request, I ask myself:

• Is their request clear?
• Do I have the time to honour this person’s request?
• Am I the best person to execute their request?

I am being much more intentional about who and what gets my valuable time. The result is that I am more productive and do not feel drained at the end of the day.

With the support of my business/leadership coach and my amazing team, I have become more confident in exercising the principle of “Letting Go and Letting Come”, which has provided me with the freedom to create future possibilities for our clients and the company.

My Learning Challenge:

Take 10 minutes to sit quietly and breathe. At the end of the 10 minutes, ask yourself, “What is one thing I will “Let Go of”? Listen to what comes into your mind, and act on it!

Great Leaders are disruptors of the “Status Quo”.

They are disciplined at listening to emerging futures and bringing those ideas to the present. Great disruptive leaders recognize trends that will impact their business and then ask themselves, “How can we leverage this opportunity to support the future success of our business?”

Uber, Airbnb and Netflix have shown how to successfully leverage new possibilities and effectively disrupt industries that were not recognizing the emerging future.

Here are two great examples of disruptive leadership currently emerging:

Budweiser Driverless Truck

Budweiser is taking a proactive role in the future of Driverless Trucks by developing a prototype “Driverless Truck”, then asking themselves how this technology will impact their business with drivers, insurance premiums, brand image, service to clients, road safety, and internal systems to support quality deliveries.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb0Kzb3haK8

“Building Global Community” (Mark Zuckerberg – Facebook)

After reading Mark Zuckerberg’s article published Feb 18, 2017, what I see is Mark being a disruptive leader by having the courage to ask the world a transformational question – “Are we building the world we all want?”

I do not see him slamming President Trump or other world leaders, but staying focused on asking each of us a transformational question – “Are we building a world we all want?”

Building a Global Community

Learning Journey Question:

What trends do you see that will have an impact on your business and how can you and your Leadership Team see the trend as an opportunity to move your business into the future in sustainable ways?

Great leaders are clear about what they CARE about. Whether it’s building a high-performance culture, building solid partnerships or expanding their business, they are crystal clear on it. Once they have clarity about what they care about, they wrap QUALITY communication, processes, time, and relationships around those things to create EXCELLENCE!

CARE + QUALITY = EXCELLENCE!

A great example of a Leader who is embracing the Mindset of Excellence as a “Way of Being” to build to a successful business is David Crosby the founder and CEO of Rosso Coffee.

David is a passionate entrepreneur who stepped out into the world of business at 22 years old and started Rosso Coffee in Calgary. Ten years later he and his brother Cole have 6 locations and one more opening in April 2017 along with a solid wholesale roasting division that are supporting their current growth plan with a future full of possibilities.

David & Cole are building a thriving business based upon the “Mindset of Excellence” with two primary components:

1. They CARE about building and sustaining a High-Performance Culture that is built on three core values:

• Community
• Legendary Service
• Continuous Improvement

2. They CARE about building Partners with key suppliers.

David & Cole made a conscious choice to buy direct from local coffee grower in Guatemala, Costa Rica & Columbia.

Why? Because they CARE about building Partnerships with their key suppliers. To them partnership means:

• Collaboration – building win-win agreements
• Supporting local farmers and their communities allows greater sustainability for all stakeholder in their value chain
• Alignment to a common mission

David & Cole are focused on wrapping quality communication, processes, relationships, and quality service around what they CARE about to create EXCELLENCE in their business.

If you want to take your business to a new level of success embrace the “Mindset of Excellence”:

1. What do you CARE about in your business?
2. What does QUALITY look like in your business for it to thrive?

Learning Challenge:

In your next Executive Leadership Team meeting, ask your leadership team what they CARE about to build a thriving business and then listen.

From our experience at Awesome Journey, thriving companies CARE about the following things:

1. Building and sustaining a high-performance culture
2. Staff being successful
3. Strategic plan that is well defined and measurable
4. Clients
5. Quality products and services
6. Stakeholders
7. Financial health of the business

After 20 years of working with and supporting C-Suite Leaders, my team and I have come to recognize that one of the most distinctive qualities of high functioning C-Suite Leaders is that they are “Purpose-Driven”.

What does being a “Purpose-Driven” leader mean?

“Purpose-Driven” leaders are very clear on their “Why”. They know why they exist and why their organizations exist.

They get out of bed every day with clarity, energy and commitment to make an impact in the world with their life.

What is your “Why”?

Explore and discover your “Why” statement (your purpose/your mission/your commitment) with these 3 awesome videos:

Michael Jr – Know Your Why

Simon Sinek – Start With Why

Rick Warren – A Life of Purpose

Learning Challenge:

For the next 7 days listen to what the universe shows you about what your purpose is and then finish this sentence:

I am deeply passionate about …

Or

I am committed to ….

Our Promise to You:

When you make the commitment to really discover your WHY, you will have a major break through in your life allowing you to experience greater abundance, peace and joy!

Powerful leaders are aware of their influence and utilize this influence to affect positive social change.

I grew up in Port Perry, Ontario with a person who is using his leadership influence to support an important social cause that is impacting many Canadians. I wanted to take a moment and reflect with gratitude on George Cope who is the CEO of Bell Canada.

Growing up I knew George Cope from a short distance as I was best friends with his sister Kira Cope in High School and University. As a High School student, George Cope was a key leader on our senior boys High School basketball team. He used his leadership skills to put Port Perry on the map as a serious league contender in our region.

George took his passion for leadership into the business world where today he is the CEO of Bell Canada. Both George and Kira know firsthand the impact Mental Health can have on a family because they grew up with a wonderful mother (who I loved dearly) who struggled with bouts of depression. George has taken his experiences with Mental Health Issues and used his leadership influence to work with the executive team at Bell Canada and make a $50 million commitment to support Mental Health Issues by increasing awareness and encouraging dialogue through Bell Canada “Let’s Talk” campaign.

The “Let’s Talk” campaign has been “increasing engagement in the mental health movement across Canada with increasing awareness, acceptance and action. More than 4 in 5 Canadians, and 9 out of 10 young people believe Canada has made significant progress in mental health in the 5 years since the launch of Bell Let’s Talk.” (Bell 2015 Corporate Responsibility Report)

I want to thank George for being a Powerful Leader by Being Intentional, Courageous, and Responsible to use your influence to support conversations to drive social change around Mental Heath!

Leadership Challenge:

How can you use your Leadership Influence to support a cause or to champion a cause to make our communities we live and work in a better place for all?

One of the qualities that separates great leaders from good leaders is their commitment to being a True Professional.

What is a True Professional? Does it only revolve around a designation such as a Doctor, Dentist, Lawyer or Accountant? Back in the 90s when I was graduating from the University of Calgary with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Geology, I thought that the definition of being a True Professional was possessing a professional designation. Upon graduation, when I was handed my “Iron Cross” ring that symbolized my Geologist status, I was so proud to be able to call myself a True Professional. I landed a job as a Geologist right out of school, but due to an economic downturn I was let go and found myself taking a sales job for a Reservoir Consulting Firm. Simply because I was no longer working in my area of expertise as a Geologist with the professional designation status, I thought I was no longer a True Professional.

This line of thinking got me questioning what a True Professional really is?

Being a True Professional is not in a designation, it is a Mindset!

A True Professional is a master of details in 4 key areas:

1. Image: The way you dress and show up for work each day (professional and polished) shows people you are committed to paying attention to the details.

2. Conduct: You conduct yourself with accountability, you have respect for all, and you have an abundance mindset (see possibilities rather than limitations).

3. Expertise:

• You have proven processes you follow to create consistent, reliable & quality results
• You ask quality questions
• Surround yourself with other experts
• You are a student of your profession
• Comfortable saying ‘I don’t know’
• Trusted advisor to your clients

4. Execution: You are respected by others for your commitment to being a person who honours their word and therefore is know for being a person who delivers quality results consistently.

STEP Energy Services is an example of True Professionals. Everyone in the company (office and field) is called a Professional and everyone takes their title very seriously, and has respect for each person and the tremendous skills they bring to the team. When everyone in the company is holding their colleagues accountable for being a master of the details in their role, the overall result is that the client gets an extraordinary product, service and experience!

As a leader, one of the fastest ways to differentiate your organization in the marketplace is by making a commitment to train all your people in the Mindset of being a True Professional.

Being a True Professional will endear loyal clients and make a significant difference in the culture and bottom line of the company – just ask the CEO of STEP Energy Services.

Learning Challenge:

Where can you step up your commitment to being a True Professional in the next 7 days – Image, Conduct, Expertise or Execution?

Great leaders differentiate themselves through disciplined practices. They are committed to living, breathing and acting out their practices of greatness, on a regular (daily or weekly) basis to support their performance and achieve extraordinary results.

6 Key “Practices of Greatness”

1. Meditation/Deep Breathing

Great leaders understand the importance of having quality mental-focus time everyday. Handling complexity, ambiguity and constant change requires a clear mind to make decisions. Great leaders see and experience the value of 10 to 30 minutes of daily meditation. The act of meditation supports creating mental clarity!

Check out this 5 minute YouTube video on Deep Breathing

2. Pause

Great leaders are aware of their emotional triggers. To avoid being controlled by their triggers they develop mental practices to manage those temporary moments of weakness. The Power of a Pause is simple, when you get emotionally triggered by someone, ask yourself this question, “Is this a Threat or Opportunity?”

When you pause for that moment and breathe you will be able to see the experience you are in is an opportunity to:

• Listen
• Ask questions
• Ask for support 

3. Learning

Great leaders believe in constant learning so they build the capacity (space) directly into their daily and weekly calendars. They schedule time for learning.

Question: “What are you committed to learning over the next 30 days to make yourself a better leader to those you support?” 

4. Deep Listening

Great leaders are masters of deep listening. One of the practices that deep listeners are committed to is preparing themselves for every conversation by asking this question:

“What is my intention in this conversation?”

• I will connect with the other person(s) and listen for what the other person(s) cares about
• I will let go of listening to protect my position of authority
• I will fix the situation!

Here is a great article to support your learning in becoming a Deep Listener.

5. Action

Great leaders are excellent at coordinating action, through others by making clear requests to others.

A clear request has 4 components:

• A clear communicator
• A committed listener
• A defined timeline or deadline
• A clear set of conditions for satisfaction

Want to create BIG action with yourself and others? Practice making unreasonable requests (requests that are above current expectations).

6. Being Curious

Great leaders are excellent possibility thinkers. Being curious will support your ability to be an excellent possibility thinker because, you will naturally ask yourself and others disruptive questions.

A great example is when you are frustrated with your team’s performance and instead of asking, “Why happened, what went wrong, and who is accountable for the mistake?” ask, “What is missing? What is the gap to be filled, for the performance to be successful?  

Remember there is something missing when a performance doesn’t match the results you were expecting. 

The 4 components that could be missing are:

• Courageous Conversation (with myself or with others)
• Skill (ability)
• Commitment (dedication)
• Support Structure (people, processes/systems, practices, tools)

Learning Challenge:

Pick one Practice of Greatness and implement it this week and send me your insights from living the practice after 2 weeks.

One of the amazing qualities that every great leader has is their ability to see a moment as an opportunity to create a positive impact, where as most people would see the moment as a crisis and do nothing.

As you watch the following video of Maurice (Mo) Cheeks, ask yourself the following question – “What would I have done?” Stepped Up and Supported the young woman or remained silent?

Mo Cheeks National Anthem

At Awesome Journey, we coach people to become “Authentically Powerful Leaders” who can “Seize the Moment”. Whether in a team meeting, a one-on-one conversation with a colleague, or taking a call from an upset client, great leaders “Seize the Moment” and make a positive impact for all by applying the following four practices:

1. Be Mindful – present to the moment without judgement
2. Be Compassionate – support another person while they are suffering without making them feel small, judged or wrong
3. Be Courageous – take a risk even when you are scared
4. Be Self-Aware – trust your intuition and act on its prompting’s in the moment!

In the video, Mo Cheeks demonstrates the four practices and showed the world he is an “Authentically Powerful Leader!”

Your Weekly Learning Journey:

1. Self-Reflection Question:

“Where in the past did you miss an opportunity to Step Up and Speak Up to make an impact to support others?”

2. Empowering Question:

“Which practice will you commit to that will allow you to see and hear “Moments to Support” others causing you to have the courage to Step Up and Speak Up?”

5 Key Questions to Assess the Clarity and Strength of Your Strategic Growth Plan:

1. What is your company’s “Competitive Advantage?”

Is the whole organization able to articulate it to the marketplace consistently and powerfully to create action?

2. Is your company’s culture a key component to your company’s “Competitive Advantage”?

3. What is missing in your organization to be able to achieve the company’s strategic goals consistently?

• A conversation with self or others (feedback and communication)
• A skill (inability to do the tasks necessary)
• A commitment (resistance to taking action)
• A support structure
  • People
  • Processes
  • Practices
  • Tools

4. What is the volume and quality of information that you are receiving from your company’s “Listening Strategy”?

A well designed and intentional “Listening Strategy” allows your organization to capture quality insights from your clients, prospective clients and non-clients in three areas of interest to your organization:

CARE – What do your clients care about?

CONCERNS – What are your clients worried about?

COMPLAINTS – What are your clients frustrated by?

5. Is Your Executive Leadership Team bringing game changing ideas/value or identifying key trends to follow in support of the growth plan?

If you and your Executive Leadership Team (ELT) can’t answer these 5 questions above with complete clarity and confidence, then click on the two links below to start the process of building a Strategic Growth Plan you and your ELT can execute in 2017.

Great Leaders Have a Strategic Business Model

Creating a Culture of Deep Listening

Have questions or need some direction?

Contact me at darrell@awesomejourney.ca to start building your strategic plan!

Darrell Nimchuk, Director of Strategic Planning