Welcome back brew nation. I am enthusiastic each week to provide an assembly of material I am reading, listening to, watching, or thinking about that is designed to equip, inspire, encourage and call you to uncommon leadership. I am grateful you choose to spend a few minutes with me!
Did you know that many of the things that I discuss in The Champions Brew are subjects that I coach and consult with other leaders and organizations? If you would be interested in having me discuss 1:1 coaching, or performance consulting to help you to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be, I would love to chat with you. Click this link in the to set up a FREE CALL to discuss how coaching might benefit you and your team.
Here is your weekly sip of what I have been reading, listening to, or watching to equip me to:
- Eat Healthy – This week, I am in Nashville, TN, for a couple days at a personal development workshop. I probably travel somewhere in the neighborhood of 8 to 10 days a month for business. One of the things that is always a challenge when I am traveling is to stay on track from a nutrition standpoint. Here are a few hacks that I use to stay on track from a nutrition standpoint when traveling:
- Bring your own snacks: Pack healthy snacks such as nuts, fruits, and protein bars in your carry-on luggage. This will help you avoid the temptation of unhealthy (and expensive!) snacks at the airport or those tasty Biscoff cookies during the flight. I usually bring one protein bar for each day of the week I will be traveling. My favorite are the Fit Crunch Bars from Robert Irvine.
- Avoid eating out: The best tip I can provide is to avoid eating out at restaurants, it at all possible, and stock up your refrigerator at the grocery store the first night that you travel. This provides a much better likelihood that you will know that nutritional value of the food that you purchase and eat.
- If you do have to eat out, choose wisely: When eating out, choose dishes that are grilled, steamed, or roasted instead of fried or sautéed. Additionally, opt for the fresh vegetable side rather than the French fries (This isn’t just for travel! #stopeatingfrenchfries)
- Stay hydrated: Drinking plenty of water is important for staying healthy and energized while on business travel. Carry a refillable water bottle with you and make sure to drink water regularly throughout the day. Avoid alcohol during travel as well. Not only will you stay hydrated, but you will sleep better, also.
- Don’t eat too late – Travel can lead to late night room service dinners. Try to eat your last meal at least three (3) hours before you go to sleep to help with digestion.
- And, by all means, limit yourself to one Doubletree cookie per stay! Prior to my personal health transformation that started back in 2017, I frequently stayed at Doubletree where they provide you with those delicious, warm, gooey, chocolate chip cookies and I would stop at the front desk each day on my way to bed for one as a nightcap of sorts. But, for goodness’ sake, have at least one!! Life is way too short to strip yourself of that guilty pleasure!!
- Love Forever – This week, Tony Dungy’s devotional put me in my place just a bit: 1 Corinthians 13 is generally referred to as the Love chapter. It is probably read at least half of the weddings that we attend. Verses 4-8 read:
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
That is quite the standard that Paul, the author of 1 Corinthians, has set in terms of treating other people. As a leader(and husband, father and friend for that matter!), the one that probably strikes me the most is “keeping no record of being wronged”. I know I am guilty of violating this and many of these words above. Don’t beat yourself up if you are as well, but recognize where you may fall short and see if you might be able to change one behavior this week to move closer to Paul’s standard.
- Read More – I have committed to reviewing one law per week from John Maxwell’s 25th anniversary edition of the 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. I really hope you are finding these helpful. For me, going back through this read for the third time has been truly enjoyable. This week’s law is:
Law # 20 – The Law of Explosive Growth
To Add Growth, Lead Followers – To Multiply, Lead Leaders
Oh, this is a juicy law! The author shares a story at the start of this chapter about his father being strategic when he was growing up and actually paid him to read books he knew would help him. While I don’t remember my mother paying me to read, I know that she did encourage me to read. Each week, the traveling library, aka the ‘Bookmobile’, would come through the neighborhood. I would go each week to pick out books, but generally they were books about sports, often to mom’s dismay, but at least I was reading. It wasn’t until my young adult years that I became an avid reader of leadership and self-development books. The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership was a catalyst to my personal development and further books that I read by John Maxwell identified the need to not just develop myself, but develop others. When you recruit good leaders, not just followers, to your team, that is when you start to multiply the effectiveness of your organization, thus the Law of Explosive Growth:
If you develop yourself, you can experience personal success.
If you develop a team, your organization can experience growth
If you develop LEADERS, your organization can achieve explosive growth!
Becoming a leader who develops leaders requires an entirely different attitude from simply attracting and leading followers. It takes a different mindset.
To me, the most impactful section of this chapter was the ‘myth’ in some leadership circles that promotes the idea of treating everyone on the team the same because it is the “fair” way to lead. Leaders who develop leaders give rewards, resources and responsibility based on results and behaviors. If you treat people who don’t get results and/or don’t exhibit the values and behaviors you expect the same, you will soon see the high performing leaders start to leave the organization.
The best way for you to reach your potential, improve your team, and help your organization, and make a difference is to attract, develop and lead leaders rather than just followers. THAT is the Law of Explosive Growth.
Quote
“I believe that every right implies a responsibility; every opportunity an obligation; every possession a duty.” – John D. Rockefeller
What You Need to Do:
Call to Action: My call to action this week is simple. If you have gotten this far in the newsletter, than you are finding some value in it. Won’t you do me a favor and help me get it in the hands of more Uncommon leaders like you? If you get the Champions Brew by email, share it with someone else. If you read it on the blog, or on social media, share it with your network and let them know why you like the Champions Brew. Tag me, or copy me on the email. It is my sincere desire that those reading this Champions Brew will model the Law of Explosive Growth. Be a leader that grows other leaders so we can leader math and multiply – Grow Champions!! Thank you!!
If you are reading the Champions Brew for the first time, I hope you enjoyed this week’s edition. If you want to keep receiving it in your inbox each Friday, you can subscribe here!
Until next time, Network Well, Read More, 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!!
