Lost in a world of words and coffee…
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,
I had the pleasure of speaking with author and speaker, Greg Bennick, a dynamic and insightful professional speaker and author of “Reclaim the Moment: Seven Strategies to Build a Better Now.” Our conversation was packed with valuable insights, but three key takeaways stood out that can significantly impact both your personal and professional lives.
- Keep Your Eyes on the Knife – Greg shared a powerful metaphor about juggling that resonated deeply. Imagine juggling two beanbags and one knife. Your focus should invariably be on the knife, as it is the most mission-critical task. This metaphor perfectly encapsulates the importance of prioritizing what’s most crucial in your life and work. “What’s the mission-critical task at hand?” Greg asked. It’s about identifying and focusing relentlessly on what truly matters, ensuring that even if lesser priorities slip, the vital ones stay managed.
- Believe in the Possibility of Kindness – In the midst of today’s fast-paced world, cultivating kindness can often feel like a secondary goal. However, Greg emphasized the transformative power of kindness. It opens opportunities for genuine connections, enabling a collaborative environment. By believing in the possibility of kindness, we can build meaningful relationships, both in and out of the workplace. Kindness is not just a soft skill; it’s a foundational element for strong and impactful leadership.
- Reclaim the Moment – The core idea (and title) of Greg’s book, “Reclaim the Moment,” is about grounding ourselves in the present. Greg highlighted the necessity of reclaiming our moments to truly engage with the world around us. This means shutting off distractions and focusing on the tasks and people immediately before us. One of the techniques I use is to set a timer for 47 minutes and turn off all other distractions to focus on a key task that I refer to as the 47 Most Productive Minutes in a Leader’s Day. Want a copy of this tool? Comment on the post or DM me with “47 Minutes” and I will be sure to get you a copy.
Greg Bennick’s insights provide a roadmap for more focused and kind interactions in our daily lives. Whether you’re tackling complex projects or seeking to win at both business and life, keeping your eyes on mission-critical tasks, fostering kindness, and reclaiming the moment can be game-changers.
You can also catch the entire conversation I had with Greg here. While you are there, go ahead and subscribe to my YouTube page so that you can receive new episodes when they come out each week.
Are you aware that The Champions Brew explores various topics that I frequently coach and consult on with other leaders and organizations? If you or someone you know is seeking to elevate their business or personal life from underperforming to uncommon, I would love to connect with you and discuss 1:1 or group coaching, as well as performance consulting. In fact, click the following link to schedule a FREE CALL to explore how coaching could benefit you and your team. Let’s work together to unleash your full potential and achieve your goals
- Love Always – “Leadership is influence…Nothing more… Nothing less.” – John Maxwell
This quote resonated deeply after attending a recent leadership conference at church. Over 150 people were there from my local campus and over 2,000 attended statewide. I left encouraged and inspired. One of the segments was a roundtable discussion on Influence that highlighted four key strategies on to help ‘Be’ more influential :
- Be Imitable: Leaders are role models. Who are you surrounding yourself with? Your choices in books, podcasts, social media, and relationships shape your leadership style.
- Be Invitational: Share your knowledge and experiences. Invite others to learn alongside you. Leadership isn’t a solo endeavor; it’s about equipping and growing others.
- Be Intentional: Plan your day with intentionality. Consider how you can be more invitational in your interactions. Focus on meeting people’s needs rather than simply going through the motions. One of the leaders shared a technique he used each day where he prints his calendar out for the day, reviews who he will be meeting with, and answers the question of how could he be ‘invitational’ in that meeting? What does that person or team need?
- Be Inspirational: An inspiring life demands explanation. People are drawn to those who radiate positivity and purpose. Your actions speak louder than words. People are going to be curious. They are going to ask you why you are always so positive. Your Inspiration is rooted in the degree that you believe things and your behaviors model what is important to you.
By embodying these four “I’s,” you can and will improve your ability to influence and lead others.
- Read More – All great leaders read. – There, I said it. I came across a blog post recently from Mark Cole, CEO of Maxwell Leadership. Let me say this first. How would you like to be the CEO who comes in to replace the most successful leadership author of the last 25 years and possibly of all time in John Maxwell? Talk about walking on the shoulders of a giant. I know that Mark has learned a thing or two from John, including the value of reading. His article on the topic of Leaders are Readers was impactful for me below is my summary of the article:
All Great Leaders Read
Did you know that the average American reads only one book a year? Compare that to the CEOs who devour four to five books a month.
Historical figures like Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln were voracious readers, attributing much of their success to their love of books.
The bottom line: If you’re a leader and not an avid reader, you’re behind.
Why is reading so crucial for leaders?
- Personal Development: Reading is a powerful tool for acquiring knowledge, developing new skills, and refining existing competencies. It’s like a continuous education program tailored to your interests.
- Learning and Growth: Leaders must maintain a growth mindset. Reading is essential for staying informed, expanding your horizons, and challenging your thinking.
- Desire and Passion: The most successful leaders are driven by a desire to learn. They see reading as an investment in themselves and their future.
So, what should you be reading?
I think the key is to choose books that align with your goals and interests. Whether it’s leadership, business, personal development, or fiction, there’s a book out there that can enrich your life and career.
Are you ready to commit to becoming a more avid reader? Share your favorite books and reading tips in the comments. And do you want to read the entire post from Mark? Click here
Quote of the week:
“The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who’ll get me a book I ain’t read.” – Abraham Lincoln
What You Need to Do:
Call to Action: Can you become more imitable, invitational, intentional, and inspirational? What is one area you can work on this week to increase your Influence?
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!!
