Orchestrating Success

By Hugh BallouBusiness Entrepreneurship Management

Orchestrating Success episodes

September 17, 2018 OS 111: Leaders, Set Your Standard of Excellence
Leaders, Set Your Standard of Excellence
You must have control of the authorship of your own destiny. The pen that writes your life story must be held in your own hand. - Irene C. Kassorla
One of the most common problems I encounter, when working with leaders to build results and create effective teams, is described in the statement, "My people just don't do what I need them to do." I suggest that this problem comes from the leader, not from the team. Leadership is defining the desired outcomes, and then making those outcomes become reality. Leadership is a skill and a system.
When a leader defines the vision and then sets specific goals to achieve that vision, it's important to leave a place for team members to create their strategies for their work. It is limiting for team members when a leader not only defines the outcomes, but also defines all the steps to get there.
You have a worthy vision and have created powerful goals that will drive processes toward achieving that vision. Create systems where team members can create the steps to success - the action plan. Once each team member can contribute a process step, they move from being interested in the vision to owning the vision.
When developing the action plan, encourage the team to define the standards of excellence - the critical success factors. Define what success looks like and how it will be measured.
If you create a sloppy procedure for this process, then you are creating a less-than-excellent organization. Inspire excellence. Define the goal, move forward by creating a process to define all the steps to achieve that goal, put the steps into a sequence, and then let the team members divide up the responsibility for managing those process steps. Be focused in your process. Allow each member to contribute. Assign responsibilities and deadlines. Shift the accountability from you, the leader, to the team, in a culture of peer-to-peer accountability.
The biggest killer of excellence is the boring, unproductive meeting! Rehearse excellence by creating effective systems. Effective meetings empower and encourage high functioning in team performance. The finest musical ensembles rehearse for every performance. Change the misquoted phrase, "Practice makes perfect," to the correct quote, "Perfect practice makes perfect performance." Rehearse for success. Build the DNA of high performance into every system in the organization you lead.
TIP: Plan the outcomes at the planning meeting. Plan the process to get to the outcomes. Define the process and outcomes at the beginning of the meeting. Keep the group on task. Excellence in planning leads to excellent results.
Hugh BallouThe Transformational Leadership Strategist
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(c) 2018 Hugh Ballou. All rights reserved.

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9 min
July 05, 2018 OS 110: Running and Leadership - Accountability
Hidden Goals Don't Work
5th of 5
(http://transformationalstrategist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Running-400.jpg)
Set your goal.

Share your goal.

Accountability is energy.
We think that being accountable to someone might bring us criticism if we fail. We don't want to look bad. We don't want anyone to judge us poorly.
When we set a goal and share that goal with someone, it might be frightening. What if the person laughs at our goal? This is a statement of our intentions. This is typically a bold statement of accomplishment. How will we feel if we get push-back from someone we respect and someone we want to see us in a favorable light?
There are two sides to accountability:
* We commit to someone and become vulnerable to that person. If we fall short of our stated goal, then we risk criticism. This is the risk side of accountability that motivates us to succeed.
* We commit to someone and they become our partner in accomplishing our plan. We don't need to ask. We can't expect this cooperation. They know what we intend, so they know how to provide support.
Accountability is a major component to leadership success.
Accountability is a major component to running success.
No person can help me reach my running goals.
Everyone can help me reach my business and life goals.
Write your goals. Share your goals. Start taking action immediately. Keep a journal. Share your success.
Let the world bring you energy.
Celebrate!
(My running goal for this month is 40 miles - posted on my social sites.)

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6 min
June 26, 2018 OS 109: Running and Leadership - Focus
Focus on the Outcome
4th of 5
Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.
- Thomas Edison

You want to quit.
Focus on success.
Do not quit.
This simple concept is very difficult.
Along the trail, there are many opportunities to quit - don't quit.
On the pathway to success, there are many opportunities to quit - don't quit.
Focus on the benefit, and not on the problem.

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9 min
June 25, 2018 OS 108: Running and Leadership - Getting Fit
If I miss a day of practice, I know it. If I miss two days, my manager knows it. If I miss three days, my audience knows it. - André Previn

Running to Be Fit
3rd of 5

The first rule is to set your goal. Then begin at once preparing for success.
Rehearse for success in everything you do - you are forming good habits that will influence your success and your life.
I set my goal on finishing a half marathon. My mind believes it. My body is not capable of achieving it, so I must train daily to be able to succeed.
Goals are worthless without an plan of action. Actions are consistent activities moving toward your goal. Fitness happens one day at a time over time.
Start now. Don't give up until you succeed. What you become on the way to achieving the goal is better than the goal itself.
Start now.

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6 min
June 25, 2018 OS 108: Running and Leadership - Getting Fit
If I miss a day of practice, I know it. If I miss two days, my manager knows it. If I miss three days, my audience knows it. - André Previn

Running to Be Fit
3rd of 5

The first rule is to set your goal. Then begin at once preparing for success.
Rehearse for success in everything you do - you are forming good habits that will influence your success and your life.
I set my goal on finishing a half marathon. My mind believes it. My body is not capable of achieving it, so I must train daily to be able to succeed.
Goals are worthless without an plan of action. Actions are consistent activities moving toward your goal. Fitness happens one day at a time over time.
Start now. Don't give up until you succeed. What you become on the way to achieving the goal is better than the goal itself.
Start now.
5 min
June 22, 2018 OS 106: Running and Leadership - Goals
Setting Goals is the Key to Success
2nd of 5
(https://hughballou.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Running-360-Goals-300x180.jpeg)
At the root of all success is a vision and intention. We must learn to set achievable goals.
I lead teams.
I lead meetings.
I teach leaders to lead.
I can see the end result, because I have defined it clearly.
I set a goal to be in shape. I have expressed the goal in terms of running a certain distance in a certain amount of time. I can't accomplish that goal without the following:
* The belief that I will succeed...
* A description of what it looks like when I have succeeded...
* A long-term vision...
* Short-term goals...
* A weekly schedule...
* A daily plan of action...
That works for my work, as well as for my running.
What about your work?
What about your life?
Goals are SMART!
S = Specific
M = Measurable
A = Accountable
R = Realistic
T = Timed
Note to the frantic and weary: The "A" for accountable provides the traction that makes goals work. Check out my Podcast 32: Setting Powerful Goals That Work (https://hughballou.com/podcast-32-leadership-skills-setting-powerful-goals-that-work/)
Hugh Ballou
The Transformational Leadership Strategist TM
Subscribe to The Transformational Leadership Strategist by Email (http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=TheTransformationalStrategist&loc=en_US)
(c) 2018 Hugh Ballou. All rights reserved.

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5 min
June 21, 2018 OS 106: Running and Leadership - Commitment
Commitment is everything. I decided to begin training for a 5K road race when I was 48 years old. I had trouble running from one driveway to the next one. This was a major change in my life, however, I was committed to succeed.
Two years later, I had finished over 50 5K races and was training for a half marathon.
My commitment was to, #1 not finish last, and #2 to finish without stopping. I accomplished that goal with every race. I am really bad at this, however, running is a discipline in my life that is important. When I run, I feel better, have more energy, and get more accomplished each day. Running is also my quiet time when I can think and work out problems.
Yesterday, while running, I decided to relaunch this series about the connection between running and leadership. For the next 5 days, I will post 5 blogs with ideas for leadership.
First, you do not need to have a big team to feel that you are a leader. My simple qualifying points to be considered a leader are as follows:
You are a leader if...
* ...you get things done
* ...you know how things get done
* ...you influence other people
Here are some thoughts that work for running (or any type of exercise) and leadership.
* Commit to a goal, make a schedule and follow it
* Follow the plan, even on days when you don't want to
* Starting is the key to finishing, but not the whole answer - you have to finish
* Don't quit - you can make it
* You don't have to be first
* If you keep it up, eventually you will get a second wind and finish with a flare
* When you finish, the sense of accomplishment will empower your day
* Set your own pace and don't let others tell you that it's not good
When I ran my last half marathon, I was almost 65, so I came up with the list below about being an older runner. Being older is no longer an excuse to not try.
You can tell that you are an older runner when:
* In the first mile, your body tells you that you should be home in bed.
* Your excuse for not being in the lead of the race is that being behind the pace car will make you feel “exhausted.”
* In the second mile, your body tells you that you should be home in bed.
* You think you won the race, because you ran longer than anyone else.
* In the sixth mile, your body tells you that you should be home in bed.
* The race walkers pass you by, saying “Good job, sir.” (sir is the clue)
* A runner passes by, saying that he would be running faster, except for the knee transplants.
* In the eighth mile, your body tells you that you should be home in bed.
* Your running doesn’t really make you live longer – it just makes life seem longer.
* Everyone shouts your name, cheering you on, and you think it’s because you are famous in your old age – until you realize that your name is printed on your racing bib.
* It’s the cheapest form of entertainment you can think of.
* You run because it’s your only chance to hear heavy breathing again.
* In the last mile of the race, your body tells you that you should be home in bed.
Many of the excuses I hear for not trying are dumber than the list above, but people tell them to me as if the reasons make good sense.
What's your reason for not trying?

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10 min
May 06, 2018 OS 105: Tradition vs Change
I have been traveling around the country presenting Nonprofit Leadership Excellence Workshops (http://synervisionfoundation.org/summit/workshop/). In many instances, I’m asked what to do when a board, or members in general, are resistant to change. The phrase, “We’ve never done it that way before!” is often repeated.
Change is a fearful thought if other changes in life are too stressful. Change is not an option when there is no understanding of the value of the change. Change for the sake of change is a generator of confusion.
However, the only constant in life is that there is change. We are all getting older every day. We change without even trying.
Having said those things about change, let me point out that understanding history and tradition are important to the continuity of work within any organization. When working with lay leaders in the church, I find that many of them are not aware of the denominational traditions and theology that have shaped our worship, our programs, and our work in the community. We are informed by learning about the past. We don’t, however, need to live in the past.
It is the leader’s duty and delight to observe what’s happening and how it happens, and to respond in a thoughtful way by engaging members in conversation about desired results. Have we defined the desired outcomes from our work and programs, or are we just running on autopilot without thinking about what or why?
In Seth Godin's blog post, “Because it has always been this way, (http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2015/07/because-it-has-always-been-this-way.html)" he points out that making a change means that we are responsible for the results. I’d like to point out that if we don’t make a change, we are likewise responsible for the results as the leader.
Not making a decision is a choice.
Leaders ask good questions and listen carefully to the answers. Here are some to ask yourself and your team:
* Are we (Am I) bound by tradition?
* What are the consequences of staying with the status quo?
* What are the different results we desire and what changes will lead us in the appropriate direction?
* What are the risks on both sides - making a change and not making any change?
Sleep on the answers.
Hugh Ballou
The Transformational Leadership Strategist TM
Subscribe to The Transformational Leadership Strategist by Email (http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=TheTransformationalStrategist&loc=en_US)
(c) 2018 Hugh Ballou. All rights reserved.

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9 min
May 01, 2018 OS 104: Script Vs. Story
Reverse Paradigms - Script vs. Story

(https://hughballou.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/CEO-Space-International-300x238.png)CEO Space SNAP: Super Networking Accelerated Potential
The SNAP is a great networking tool created by Berny Dohrman and Bob Proctor 25 years ago to empower people to connect with more people in less time. It's basically a modified elevator speech, in that it's short, precise, to the point, and powerful. Within the highly refined and specific culture of CEO Space, it's a way for other participants to know how to help you, refer you, or respond in some other way to filling the gaps in your process of developing your enterprise.
Presenting the SNAP is also rehearsal. It's an opportunity to rehearse a presentation over and over and test the response in real time. The desired response is for others to give you a "See Me" card with their contact information and a note on how they can help with your request.
The system is good, although the skill of the participants is not always consistent.
A SNAP is a presentation. Leaders are influencers. Presenting is influence. We influence others to respond to our call-to-action. We MUST define WHAT we want people to do with highly specific and compelling language.
The basic flaw is that we recite a script rather than tell a story. People respond to a story if they see themselves as involved in the story or its emotion.
Storytelling is an art as well as a skill. The skill improves with rehearsal. The story improves with the artistry of presentation.
A leader is first and foremost a person of influence. We must first define the following in order to be a successful influencer:
Who We Want to Influence: Define your target market or you risk not having any market. El Mondo is everybody which equates to nobody. Pick your niche and pitch that niche.
What We Want Them To Do: The weakest part of the SNAPs that I hear is the call-to-action. We MUST tell the listener what we want them to do. It's that simple, however simple is complex to create. Have your coach help with this one.
Why They Should Care: As Simon Sinek shares in his book, Start with Why, nobody will care about the what until they know why. This is a critical paradigm to master and, again, a complex one to create.Our Passion: Be in touch with your passion for what you are presenting. Keep the image of your passion in your spirit and it will be present in your story. Words don't fully influence without injection of your passion.
The Relationship: Communication is facilitated by relationship. Be aware that you have and are in relationship with the person to whom you are presenting. If you don't care about them, then why should they care about you?
If you aren't getting the desired response, then look at yourself. Are you reciting an ineffective script or are you skillfully presenting by using the artistry of storytelling?
By the way, the best stories are short.
Hugh Ballou
The Transformational Leadership Strategist TM
Subscribe to The Transformational Leadership Strategist by Email (http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=TheTransformationalStrategist&loc=en_US)
(c) 2018 Hugh Ballou. All rights reserved.

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10 min
April 17, 2018 OS 103: Changing Self vs Changing Others
I constantly hear leaders complaining about others in the culture that they lead and focusing on how to change the behaviors of others in order to change the outcomes.
The leadership methodologies that I support and champion are Transformational Leadership and Bowen Family Systems. The synergy in those two separate methodologies is about the leader changing self.
In Bowen Systems, when the leader changes, others in the culture respond.
In Transformational Leadership, the leader sets the bar and models what they want to see in others.
When the musical conductor does not get the intended results, he or she looks into the mirror for the answer. If the orchestra or choir respects the conductor, then they perform as the conductor intends. If the conductor is not respected, the ensemble performs exactly as the conductor directs.
In the military, if the platoon does not respect the platoon leader, that leader is likely to get shot in the back in combat.
How many leaders in organizations get shot in the back on a regular basis…and they don’t even realize that it’s happened?
The first priority for the Transformational Leader is to transform themselves. Organizational transformation then follows.
By the way, it's time to start that transformation if it’s not already underway.

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5 min

About Orchestrating Success

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Converting Passion to Profit is a podcast by Hugh Ballou, The Transformational Leadership Strategist teaching leaders to convert their ideas into income. Each session is packed with practical concepts…

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