“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill
Happy Friday, Brew Nation!
Grab your favorite coffee cup and get ready to embark on a transformative journey. The Champions Brew Newsletter is here to invigorate your mornings and ignite your drive for personal growth and impact! Fuel your mornings with motivation and purpose. As you savor your first cup of the day, let the Champions Brew infuse you with the insights and strategies you need to make each day a stepping stone towards your aspirations. Let’s Go!
- Uncommon Leader Insights – In the latest episode of The Uncommon Leader Podcast, I had the pleasure of engaging with Kyle McDowell, who shared profound insights on leadership transformation and the pursuit of a culture of excellence. Here are my three key takeaways from our conversation:
- Leaders Embrace the “We” Mindset – Kyle’s leadership journey underscores the importance of shifting from “me” to “we.” He believes true leadership is rooted in collective effort rather than individual authority. By focusing on team synergy and accountability, Kyle developed ten principles that became the foundation for transformative leadership, both in his organizations and in his book, “Begin with We.” He challenges us to cultivate environments where personal and professional goals align, fostering a sense of unity and purpose within teams.
- Leaders Exemplify Consistency Over Perfection – Leadership is less about perfection and more about consistent action, even when it feels challenging. Kyle’s principles, such as doing the right thing always and embracing challenges, exemplify this belief. He shared stories, like the one about a skeptical team member who later became a staunch supporter and contributor to his book. This evolution exemplifies how consistent discipline, even in the face of doubt and resistance, can lead to remarkable growth and performance.
- Leaders Encourage a Culture of Excellence – Kyle offers a refreshing perspective on organizational culture, emphasizing it as the “daily energy, vibe, and atmosphere within a workplace”. He stresses the inadequacy of top-down cultural initiatives and advocates for a two-way street in leadership, where leaders are both accountable to their principles and receptive to feedback. Kyle’s approach resulted in significant transformations, not through authority, but through the foundational belief in collective success and mutual respect.
As you reflect on these insights, consider where you stand in your leadership journey. Are you fostering a “we” mindset, maintaining consistency over perfection, and genuinely cultivating a culture of excellence? The path to becoming an uncommon leader begins with embracing these principles and striving to make them an integral part of your daily leadership practice.
I encourage you all to listen to the fantastic episode and consider how these takeaways can influence your own approach to building a culture of excellence.
Being successful as a leader requires intentional leadership habits. That’s why I developed the Ideal Week template – a tool that helps me identify areas for success and allocate the necessary time. It guides you through planning your ideal week, ensuring you dedicate time to the activities that bring you closer to your goals.
Want to give it a try? Subscribe to my YouTube channel (click here) and take a screenshot that confirms you are subscribed. Email the screenshot to [email protected] and I’ll send you a copy of the Ideal Week template complete with a sample to get you started!
- Be Intentional – As leaders, we often find ourselves juggling countless responsibilities. The constant demands on our time can leave us feeling overwhelmed and unproductive. Leader Standard Work is a powerful tool to help you regain control and achieve greater efficiency. It is an intentional approach to identifying, prioritizing, and executing essential daily, weekly and monthly tasks you must complete to be successful at work and home.
What are the steps to implement your Leader Standard Work?
- Identify Key Tasks: Pinpoint the core activities that drive your role using categories like Strategic, Tactical and Personal Development time as well as life disciplines for your health, faith, and family time.
- Visualize Your Workload: Use a tool to visually manage. That could be a dry erase board, worksheet, computer calendar, task management app like Strides to plan your schedule.
- Eliminate Non-Essential Tasks: Deselect, Defer, Delegate, or Deconstruct unnecessary tasks.
- Review and Adjust: Regularly assess, at least monthly, your progress and make necessary adjustments.
Remember, effective leadership isn’t about busyness, but about focus and productivity. By implementing Leader Standard Work, you can achieve more with less stress.
Want to take your leadership to the next level? Let’s discuss how you can implement Leader Standard Work in your specific context. Schedule a free consultation today to explore your unique needs and goals. Go to my website and click on Schedule a Free Call Button above.
- Read More & Build Faith– Over the next several weeks, I will be going through a new book I am reading, Jesus the High Road Leader, by John Maxwell and Chris Hodges. While faith plays a central role in this book, I believe that the leadership principles it explores are timeless and applicable to everyone, regardless of religious beliefs. Last week, I wrote about Behavior #1, Jesus Valued All People. Let’s keep going!
Behavior #2 – Jesus Gave More Than He Took
Giving more than you take is at the core of taking the high road leadership.
Biblical example: In John 13, we witness a profound act of selfless giving: Jesus, the Son of God, washes the feet of His disciples. This powerful act underscores the principle of giving more than you take. By humbling himself and serving others, Jesus demonstrated the true essence of high road leadership. This act offers valuable lessons for leaders to implement today:
- Prioritize Others: A true leader puts the needs of others before their own. By prioritizing the well-being and success of their team, leaders foster loyalty and create a positive work environment.
- Lead by Example: Actions speak louder than words. By exemplifying the behavior they expect from others, leaders inspire and motivate their teams.
- Give Joyfully: When leaders give generously of their time, talents, and resources, they create a ripple effect of positivity. This inspires others to follow suit and contribute to the greater good.
By embracing the principle of giving more than you take, leaders can create a lasting impact and leave a legacy of service and compassion. When we give, we give to the Lord and have the privilege of reflecting who God is – the ultimate giver – one who gave his only son so that if we believed, we may have eternal life (John 3:16). That is what Jesus expects us to do and this is what we should strive to do every day.
- Quote of the week:
“Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” – Philippians 4:9 NIV
What You Need to Do:
Call to Action: Pick one of these areas & put take one action in that area to move toward being a more Uncommon Leader:
- Prioritize Self-Care: Schedule time for rest, relaxation, and activities that rejuvenate you.
- Cultivate Positive Relationships: Nurture your connections with others and build a strong support network. Write one note to someone who has encouraged or inspired you
Let me know which one you picked!
It’s an honor to be your trusted “Friday Coffee Guy”. Each week, I’m excited to provide yet another round of curated content that I’ve been reading, listening to, watching, or thinking over. The purpose of the Champions Brew is to inspire, equip and encourage you to become the uncommon leader you were designed to be. I am so grateful for your decision to invest a few moments with me! I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition of Champions Brew. If you did, I would appreciate it if you would share it with someone who might enjoy it as well and ask them to subscribe! I will make sure they automatically get this email every week.
Until next time, Go and Grow Champions!
P.S. – Are you a podcast fan? Maybe the Uncommon Leader podcast is for you. Are you interested in being a guest on the Uncommon Leader Podcast? Do you have a story to tell? Email me [email protected] and let’s have a chat and set something up!!
