B = Believe

(Our premise:  If plan A fails, you still have 25 other letters.  Welcome to this 25-part series.)

Believe

Belief is huge.  It is the cornerstone of every great and worthy idea mankind has ever put forth. 

Let’s start with this well-known poem

The Man Who Thinks He Can

If you think you are beaten, you are;

If you think you dare not, you don’t.

If you’d like to win, but think you can’t

It’s almost a cinch you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’ve lost,

For out in the world we find

Success begins with a fellow’s will;

It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you’re outclassed, you are;

You’ve got to think high to rise.

You’ve got to be sure of yourself before

You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go

To the stronger or faster man,

But soon or late the man who wins

Is the one who thinks he can.

~Walter D. Wintle

Belief is all about mental preparedness and the belief factor when it comes to facing any endeavor. 

Belief Synonyms

 Faith

  Conviction

   Principle

    Idea

     Confidence

      Trust

       Certainty

        Credence

When we examine this string of synonyms we see strong words.  These are words that by their very nature pop with the idea of power and victory. 

Victory!  That is the word that works.  When we claim victory, we have won regardless of the scoreboard, and belief comes before any victory.

Belief begins to happen when the seed of an idea explodes within us and causes us to see the possibilities lying in the acorn, or we see a pile of stones and can dream of the great cathedral they will someday become.

The questions to ask of yourself as you think about your

dreams are these:

~Do I believe in me?

~Do I believe in my idea?

~Do I believe I have what it takes to bring this about or can I find those who can help me bring this about?

~Am I willing to commit to my dream, believe in it, shape and reshape it, and nurture it until one fine day it becomes a reality?

If your answers are 100% in the affirmative, then you have a strong belief factor. 

Now, go and make your dream a reality.

Go and create tomorrow.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

The Investment Question

Making good investments is a critical life principle, and we’re not talking about money.  We’re talking about investing in others. 

Here’s a quote for us:

“Are we willing 

to invest 

in others?”

~John C. Maxwell

When I think back to those who have invested in me, I remember how, in good ways, my life is marked by their influence. 

I've learned these traits from those individuals.

-Love for people

-Respect for the decency of others

-Difference in management and leadership

-Critical people skills

-People matter more than money

-Eye contact

-Remembering names

-Critical listening skills

… and the list goes on.

What have you learned from others?

Better question … what kinds of investments are you making in others?

We are leaving our legacy.  How does it look?

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Imagination #10

Imagination

Today we conclude our ten-part series on Leadership Characteristics based on a Harvey McKay weekly blog.

The research for these ten words came from a four-year series of executive seminars conducted by Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group/Learning systems.  This list first appeared in Management Review Magazine).  These thoughts are my own creation.

Leadership Trait #10

Imagination

When we think of imagination perhaps we think of men like Walt Disney.  He is famous for a few quotes on imagination, and one of his best is this:

“If you can dream it you can do it.”

~Walt Disney

Where would we be without imagination?  Where indeed.  Take a look in any direction and you will see the results of someone’s imagination that came to pass.

Here’s another thought to spur us on.

“Logic will get us from A to Z.

Imagination will get you everywhere else.”

~Albert Einstein

If you lead, your bags should be packed with a healthy respect for imagination.  If you are the imaginative type, set yourself free and picture what ought to be, what might be and what can be.

If you are lacking in the imagination factor, I hope you develop the good sense to bring around you some dreamers and imaginers and then free them to do your dreaming for you. 

I am a big fan of what I call “Imagination Day.”  This is the one or two times per year when you pull together your team for some imaginative thinking. 

John C. Maxwell encourages us to set aside thinking time every week, every month and a few days each year.  I love the concept of “time to think and imagine.”

A new trend in management is to encourage collaborative thinking among differing divisions by strategically placing employees in close proximity in the workplace.  Some organizations even go to the extreme of allowing employees to work on projects outside their normal job description for a small segment of their day as long as they share what they are doing and any results they discover. 

Can you imagine the connections your team will make in an open sharing of their collective imaginations? 

You just may open all kinds of opportunities that could lead to placing your company on the cutting edge of innovation and transformation.

As we wrap up, let me leave you with two more thoughts.

“Imagination is everything.  It is the

preview of life’s coming attractions.”

~Albert Einstein

One of my most-read blogs (Sept 15, 2011) is based on this quote.

Let's Go Invent Tomorrow

~Steve Jobs

And the path to take is through imagination.

  

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Straightforward #9

Leadership Trait #9

September 12, 2013

We continue our ten-part series on Leadership Characteristics based on a Harvey McKay weekly blog.

The research for these ten words came from a four-year series of executive seminars conducted by Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group/Learning systems.  This list first appeared in Management Review Magazine).  These thoughts are my own creation.

Leadership Trait #9

Straightforward

To talk about a straightforward leader, we have to break down this word into two words – “straight” and “forward”.

“Straight” implies:

  Directly

    Without delay

      Immediately

        At once

          Instantly

            Right away

              Straight away

Can you name a few leaders from your past that have shown these characteristics?  I surely can. 

Some leaders pride themselves on delay tactics.  How long can we put off spending, investing, paying our debt, and the list goes on. 

I think this list also gives us a glimpse of a leader of integrity.  When leadership is needed, this kind of leader responds in a timely manner.  He or she is considered a “straight shooter.”

Our second word – “Forward”, implies motion. 

  Onward

    Ahead

      Frontward

        To the fore

          Advance

            Promote

              Further

                Accelerate

Every one of these synonyms is an action word.  They picture a leader who is in charge, and leading the charge.  He/she is taking the battle to the enemy, or facing and tackling the obstacles in the way. 

Sort of sounds like the kind of leader I would enjoy serving with.

You too?

I think this quote caps our thoughts today.

“Iron rusts from disuse;

water loses its purity

from stagnation;

even so does inaction

sap the vigor of the mind.”

~Leonardo da Vinci

Do you lead?  After weighing all of the sides, action is called for.  Don’t rot on the vine.  Don’t go stagnant. 

DO!

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Courageous #8

Leadership Characteristic Trait #8

We continue our ten part series on Leadership Characteristics based on a Harvey McKay weekly blog.

The research for these ten words came from a four-year series of executive seminars conducted by Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group/Learning systems.  This list first appeared in Management Review Magazine).  These thoughts are my own creation.

Leadership Trait #8

Courageous

Do you want a picture of a leader who shows great courage?  Allow me to borrow from Brene Brown’s book Daring Greatly.

“The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again.

“If he fails, at least he fails daring greatly.”

Courage does not mean that we will always win, but it does mean that we will always dare greatly. 

A courageous leader? 

One who is bold, daring, gutsy, and audacious.

Let’s dig deeper.  My friend Kevin Hall talks about this concept with new language.  He uses the word …

SAPERE VEDERE

(sah-PARE-ay veh-DARE-ay)

What Kevin means is this:  “You must learn to see beyond the clouds.  Believing is seeing.”

And he continues:  “People with Sapere vedere say “I’ll see that bridge before I cross it.”

~Kevin Hall

Aspire

A leader with courage never allows his/her eyes to determine what the heart believes. 

It comes down to this:  It is insight – not eyesight.  And a leader of stellar qualities has INSIGHT!

Kevin takes us home with this thought:  “Visualization is the first key to a successful future.” 

Got courage?

Dare to see what can’t yet be seen.

Love this idea from Mr. Thoreau.

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams.”

~Henry David Thoreau

Having the guts to act on insight takes great courage.  And sometimes, that is all we have to go on.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Broad-Minded #7

Leadership Trait #7

We continue our ten part series on Leadership Characteristics based on a Harvey McKay weekly blog.

The research for these ten words came from a four-year series of executive seminars conducted by Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group/Learning systems.  This list first appeared in Management Review Magazine).  These thoughts are my own creation.

Leadership Trait #7

Broad-Minded

The opposite of “broad” is “narrow”. 

Narrow is another way of saying “tunnel vision”.  Who likes tunnel vision?  Tunnel vision is locked on the immediate; the small pin-point of light that looks like it may be a train coming at you rather than a way out. 

I like these synonyms for “broad”.

     Wide-ranging

          Extensive

               Expansive

                    Open

An expansive view is unrestrained, unreserved and extensive. 

That’s the kind of leader I want to follow – one who can see the possibilities in the tiny acorn or the giant sky-scraper in a pile of stones. 

Are you a leader?

Are you broad-minded? 

Is your vision expansive?

How does one become a broad-minded leader?  Great question.  Consider these ideas.

~Rub elbows with someone more broadminded than you.

~Find a broad-minded mentor.

~Read some excellent books by reputable authors who stretch you with new thoughts and ideas.

~Read trade journals from other industries than your own just for the mind-expanding experience of seeing how others think in their world. 

~Find a common thread that can take those ideas to your world.

~Spend some quality time alone with your thoughts and leave the limiting beliefs at home.

~Go on an idea hunting trip.  Take one or two key players on your team and look for expansive ideas to apply to your business.

Finding ideas is the easy part.  Knowing which ones to apply to your work is the challenge, and a broad-minded leader will develop the skills and people around him/her and help them strategize and apply the ideas best suited for the work at hand.

Being broad-minded doesn't come easy to some, but it is an essential skill for quality leadership.  The world changes on a daily basis.  What worked in the past is often so out of step with the trends today that some of those ideas are laughable.  The broad-minded leader spots those pitfalls and finds better ideas that are applicable for today.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Fair-Minded #6

We continue our ten-part series on Leadership Characteristics based on a Harvey McKay weekly blog.

The research for these ten words came from a four-year series of executive seminars conducted by Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group/Learning systems.  This list first appeared in Management Review Magazine).  These thoughts are my own creation.

Leadership Trait #6

Fair-Minded

Leadership is at best a balancing act.  Bosses demand success and profits, stock holders demand increased earnings, employees demand fair treatment and acceptable working conditions. 

If you've been following this series of blogs, you know how I love to do a word-study based on synonyms. 

When we consider the word “fair-minded”, we find this:

Fair

 Reasonable

  Just

   Sensible

    Rational

     Practical

      Levelheaded

       Evenhanded

        Equitable

That is an impressive list of words.

So, fair-minded leadership is balancing as many of the elements of management as possible in a fair and even way. 

How?

Ah, that is the challenge.  I wish I could give you a hit list of “Ten Ways to be Fair” but that list probably doesn't exist. 

What I do know is that a leader should strive to balance life in the work place for all concerned.  Here are some examples of what “balance” is not.

-Juggling the financial numbers to look “right” yet hiding the true picture

-Placing employees in unjust and unsafe work situations

-Favoring management’s profit over employee success

Out of the string of synonyms listed above, the one word that stands out most to me is the word “equitable”.  

Equitable is huge. 

I heard about a leader in a soft drink company who was trying to gain market share.  He came up with the bright idea of syncing their soft drink machine prices to the temperature outside.  If it was an extremely hot day the prices would soar.  On a cooler day, when the demand was less, the price would drop. 

Fortunately he did not get to stick around very long after that miscue.  That was a glaring example of favoring the company and damning the consumer.  Where is the fair-mindedness in that kind of thinking?

Want to be a fair-minded leader? 

Allow me to close with this thought from the ancient scriptures.  It is advice worth considering.

Whatever is true

 Whatever is noble

  Whatever is right

   Whatever is pure

    Whatever is lovely

     Whatever is admirable

 If anything is excellent or praiseworthy – then think about these things.”

~Philippians 4:8

Now that is equitable thinking. 

I like fair-minded!

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time

Intelligence - #5

Leadership Trait #5

We continue our ten part series on Leadership Characteristics based on a Harvey McKay weekly blog.

The research for these ten words came from a four-year series of executive seminars conducted by Santa Clara University and the Tom Peters Group/Learning systems.  This list first appeared in Management Review Magazine).  These thoughts are my own creation.

Leadership Trait #5

Intelligence

When we break down the word “Intelligence” on the synonym grid, the word we most resonant with is "ASTUTE". 

When we break down the word "ASTUTE", we find –

   “Good judgment

   “Judicious

   “Incisive”

“Astute” and “leadership” seem natural fits.  And leaders don’t get to lead for long unless they show a good sense of good judgment.  Good judgment is needed in everything from personnel issues to product development, marketing and research.  It becomes a delicate balancing act between good business sense and good common sense mixed with one’s ability to choose and lead the right team to accomplish the stated objectives. 

How many different ways can we say “good judgment” when it comes to a leadership quality we desire?

Have you heard this age-old joke?

A management guru was once asked how he got to be so successful. 

His response:  “Good judgment.”

Next question:  “And how did you learn the art of good judgment?”

“Bad judgment.”

It seems to me that intelligence is a learned trait, not an endowed trait.  Yes, some individuals are born with some measure of a greater capacity in brain power, but left untended, it can soon deteriorate. 

The way we improve in any endeavor is to learn from our past.  Hopefully we make enough smart decisions as leaders along the way and learn enough early enough from our bad mistakes so that we can gain a foothold and lead from a position of strength.

That seems to be the essence of intelligent leadership.  The past becomes a road-map to the future, as long as we remember and learn.

Think about that one.

P Michael Biggs

Up-Words Web Site

Offering Hope

Encouragement Inspiration

One Word at a Time