Begin Where You Are – Small Steps to Uncommon Impact – Your Champions Brew

“Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”― Dale Carnegie

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 a recent episode of The Uncommon Leader Podcast, Leigh Burgess captivated the listeners with her insights into facing burnout, embracing continuous learning, and taking that bold first step. Here are three key takeaways from our conversation that might resonate with you:
    • To Not Burnout, Pay Attention: Burnout can creep up silently, manifesting in ways we might not immediately recognize. Leigh’s story of hitting a wall and experiencing physical symptoms was a poignant reminder that burnout is not just emotional—it’s profoundly physical too. She highlighted the importance of aligning our actions with our core values and being mindful of the warning signs our bodies give us. Don’t wait for a crisis to make a change. Prioritize self-care and listen to your body before it’s too late.
    • To Learn, Learn Every Day: Leigh emphasized the power of continuous learning as a pillar of personal and professional growth. Whether it’s reading books, engaging with a coach, or taking a moment to reflect, keeping a learner’s mindset is crucial. The challenge often lies in recognizing when we’re stuck in a fixed mindset, repeating the same mistakes. Stay curious and proactive in developing yourself. Learning is not a one-time event; it’s a continuous journey.
    • To Begin, Begin: Begin Where You Are One of the most inspiring parts of our discussion was Leigh’s advice on taking bold steps. Being bold doesn’t always mean making grand gestures; sometimes it’s about the small, significant actions that move us forward. Leigh shared that writing down a plan, no matter how simple, can accelerate our journey towards change. The key is to take the first step, however small it may seem. To begin, begin. Don’t wait for the perfect moment—start now.

I encourage you all to watch & listen to the fantastic episode and consider how these takeaways can influence your own approach to leadership.  

  • Love Always – We’ve all experienced the awkwardness of being called by the wrong name. It’s a simple yet powerful way to make someone feel undervalued. Conversely, when someone remembers our name, it instantly builds rapport and trust.

Legendary NBA player and coach Jerry Lucas, known as “Dr. Memory,” developed a technique to improve memory, including names. His acronym, “SAVE,” provides a practical approach:

Say: Repeat the name three times during conversation.

Ask: Pose a question related to the name or the person.

Visualize: Create a mental image linking the name to a physical feature or personality trait.

End: Conclude the conversation by using the person’s name.

By implementing this technique, you can enhance your interpersonal skills and leave a lasting impression. Remember, a name is more than just a label; it’s a key to building stronger connections.

  • Read More & Build Faith– I am enjoying traveling 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. 

Behavior #7 – Jesus Placed People Above His Agenda

Jesus exemplified the epitome of servant leadership by consistently prioritizing people over personal agendas. Whether it was healing the sick, comforting the grieving, or teaching timeless truths, Jesus consistently chose to serve others. As leaders, we too must prioritize the needs of others, even when it means sacrificing our own desires. By embracing a servant-hearted approach, we can build stronger relationships, inspire our teams, and leave a lasting impact. Remember, an interruption may be an opportunity to make a difference.

Biblical illustration: One of the most dramatic interruptions in Jesus’ ministry occurred when he was teaching in a house filled with people.  In Mark 2:1-5, it says “After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around that he was back home.  A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could get in or out.  He was teaching the Word.  They brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men.  When they couldn’t get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher.  Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic, “Son, I forgive your sins.”  Teaching was very important to Jesus, yet he stopped to heal his paralysis.

Serving others doesn’t mean enabling or coddling. Instead, it involves inspiring and equipping them to reach their full potential. When we view others as valuable, we’re motivated to serve them without judgment or expectation. Remember, true leadership is about lifting others up, not pulling them down.

By prioritizing the needs of others, we not only honor God’s command to love our neighbor but also experience a deeper sense of fulfillment. As we strive to emulate Jesus’ example, let’s commit to putting others first and making a positive impact on the world.

  • Quote of the week:   

“Always remember there are two types of people in the world: those who come in a room and say, ‘Here I am!’ and those that come in and say, Ah, there you are!’  Focusing on others and serving them is a way of letting them know they’re important.”

Call to Action: Is it time to take a small bold step? Are you willing to embrace continuous learning?  What is one thing you can do this week to be more BOLD?

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!!

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To become Champion leader, we have to be on a continuous improvement journey for ourselves and others.  We have to be able to take advantage of the precious seconds that we have each day.  
 
There are things that I come across each week that help me, inspire me, relax me, motivate me, and are sometimes are just funny that I want to share with you so that you can smile more, build faith, think positively, network well, exercise often, eat healthy, and grow daily.
 

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