Leadership Weekly

Facing Yourself

Frontline Leadership — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:41:12 +0000

In life you’re always going to be face with challenges. Some BIG and some small. There are some that have been on the backburner. The longer they are there and not dealt with, the more damage it can do to all parties involved, including yourself. It is easy to address other people’s problems and say what they should do, but when it comes to dealing with something that has been bothering you for some time, it can be a little difficult. We may wonder: What will the consequences be? Will I hurt someone’s feelings? What if things don’t go right? What if it backfires?

Here are some other questions for you to think about. What if it corrects the problem? What if things get better? What if it lifts a burden off of you? The reality of it is that you will never know until you face it yourself. You will never know or can expect any outcome until there is some input.

What keeps us from facing ourselves? Fear. Fear of facing the very thing that you have been dreading. Yourself. Facing yourself requires courage. Facing yourself will require the responsibility of dealing with the consequences.

3 Keys

You can’t let fear stop you from doing what you feel needs to be done.

Don’t be afraid of making mistakes. We all make them.

The consequences of not acting can be more damaging.

For more information on Kevin L. Parker and Frontline Leadership Training and Development Services, please visit www.frontlineleadersedge.com Kevin Parker can be contacted for speaking engagements or workshops at 248.386.0163

Redine Yourself

Frontline Leadership — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 02:32:22 +0000

Redefine Yourself

“People who cannot invent and reinvent themselves must be content with borrowed postures, secondhand ideas, fitting in instead of standing out.”

-Warren G. Bennis quotes

To redefine means to give a new or different definition to. Meaning that there comes a time in our lives where we must give new meaning to our lives, or families or our businesses to redefine our destiny.

We can take two different perspectives in life. We can (1) take a look at where we are and decide this is where we would like to stay or we can (2) look at where we want to go and start moving in that direction. Despite all of the obstacles and challenges that may come your way, you cannot let your current situation define you. You must create a positive outlook on life. You positive outlook will help shape and make a positive outcome.

To redefine yourself, it may require you to do something you have not done before. You may have to go back to school or learn a new skill. You may have to start from scratch. It will not be easy, but it will be worth it.

Redefine:

• give a new or different definition to

• to transform

• to reexamine or reevaluate especially with a view to change

• define something again or give something a new meaning

What Does It Take?

Transformation – to change in form, appearance, or structure; metamorphose; to change in condition, nature, or character; convert

Transition – movement, passage, or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc., to another;

So what else does It Take?

Vision
Courage
Goals
Commitment
Focus
Resilience

What are the benefits?

Gives you the competitive edge
Gives you a new perspective
Puts you in the position to succeed
Allows you to focus on what could be

Are you ready to reinvent and redefine yourself today?

Let the Journey Begin

Frontline Leadership — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 02:57:32 +0000

It is very hard to steer when there is nothing in motion. – Kevin Parker

You have heard the phrase “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time” or “How do you build a house? One brick at a time” or “How do you travel 1000 miles? One step at a time” While these sayings are true, it is sometimes difficult getting off the starting blocks. It is sometimes very difficult trying to put your vision in motion. We use excuses. We blame ourselves and others. We let our past be the weight that hold us down and back. We let fear grip us to the point of no action at all.

Here are some principles you will need to begin your journey.

Self confidence is very important when beginning your journey. You may not have all the answers or details, but you are certain that this is the path you will take.

Keep positive people in your corner. You may have to make your inner circle very small. You need to have people that believe in you. You must realize that once you publically announce something, you become a target for criticism. Having people that will cheer you on will become very important to your success.

Faith – You will have to shake off discouragement and discontent and believe that you will be successful no matter how difficult the journey may be.

So go ahead and fill out that application, write that book, start your business, enroll in school, change your career, buy that engagement ring, etc… Just go for it.

One Step at a Time by Joseph Morris

In the morning with the journey all before us on the road,
It takes courage to begin, that is sure;
For the first step is the hardest, and we always think the load
May be greater than we’ve power to endure.
When the first mile lies behind us we can say, “Now that is done,
And the second and the third will soon be past.”
So we trudge on through the noontime, and the setting of the sun
Finds us coming to our stopping-place at last.

When a man would climb a mountain he’s appalled to see the length
Of the slope that reaches up into the sky;
But he starts, and with the climbing he will find he’s gained the strength
To attain the very top, however high.
For the climbing of a mountain takes but one step at a time–
Who has courage to do that will reach the goal;

Vision – Do You Have One?

Frontline Leadership — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 03:09:04 +0000

Vision – Do You Have One?

People will always say to write the vision down. But really, what is vision? Vision is not a dream. Vision is not something that you just desire to do. Vision is a picture of something that could be and should be. Vision is something that is birth from a discontent and movement is made by that discontentment.

Mother Theresa’s world organization did not start with a world vision and mission statement. It started from a discontent. Her discontent was seeing people hungry, naked, homeless, sick, unloved, and uncared for throughout society. She had little help. She had little support. It did not stop her. She began what was on the inside of her. No one else could see it. She had the passion for it. She had the motivation to keep going when things were bleak or uncertain.

What do you see? I did not ask you what do you want to become or how much money you want in your bank account? That is not vision. Remember we all are going somewhere. How many will get there on purpose?

“A clear vision, along with the courage to follow through, dramatically increases the chances of coming to the end of your life, looking back with a deep abiding satisfaction, and thinking, I did it. I finished well. My life counted” – Andy Stanley

Here are some very important principles regarding vision from the book Visioneering by Andy Stanley.

A vision rarely requires immediate action. It always requires patience.
Vision always precedes preparation.
Engineering your vision is a process. Sometimes a painful process.
Don’t expect others to take greater risk or make greater sacrifices than you have.
Visions require constant attention.
Maintaining a vision requires bold leadership.

All men dream: but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.
— T.E. Lawrence

Moving On When Life Has You Stuck

Frontline Leadership — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 01:11:53 +0000

There’s a term used in chess to describe when one player can no longer move anywhere – Stalemate. Here’s a definition of stalemate: any position or situation in which no action can be taken or progress made; a deadlock. Sometimes in our lives, we can be in a stalemate. We want to move forward, we want action to take place, but nothing seems to be happening. Marriages, Careers, Families, Friendships, Relationships, Situations or Life in General can seem stagnant; have little or no movement at all. We have all been there before. It’s like being in a traffic jam. We’re trying to get somewhere and can’t go anywhere. Life seems motionless.

When we get to a point that no progress is happening, we can’t sit and do nothing. We must develop a strategy and do something to make movement in that area that seems stuck. This will be the key to our success. A plan without action is just a plan. Once action is applied to that plan, we can see the potential and possibilities of victory.

There is a story in the Bible that gives us wisdom on how to overcome when we are stuck in situations. Read 2 Kings 7:3-20. I will summarize this story for you. There were four lepers that found themselves in a stalemate. They were in a situation that looked hopeless. Somehow, they reached a conclusion and asked themselves this question “Why stay here until we die?”

They just didn’t accept their situation and decided to do something about it. In other words, they created movement and motion. As a result of not accepting things as they were and following up with action, they saved themselves and others. Their hopeless situation was now a victorious one. What looked like defeat turned in to a winning moment. We serve a God that can turn any situation around. It’s not a matter of if God can turn our situation around; it’s a matter if we are going to do the things that are necessary to involve God’s participation.

Power Points to Move On When Life Has You Stuck:

Never accept your circumstance
Decide that you are going to do something about it
See yourself victorious before you begin
Create a game-plan and strategy for victory
Stick to the game-plan, even when obstacles come
Don’t give up
Celebrate when victory happens

Forward this blog link to someone that can be encouraged. For more information on Kevin L. Parker and Frontline Leadership Training and Development Services, please visit www.frontlineleadersedge.com Kevin Parker can be contacted for speaking engagements or workshops at 248.386.0163