How can you plant positive mindsets in your leaders? Just as with any landscaped environment, you begin by keeping the weeds out! Negativity and laziness are examples of two of the most nutrient-depleting weeds in any work environment. As the leader, you can plant and maintain a workplace that thrives on being positive and adaptable, or you can let the weeds deplete it. Many experts say you can keep the weeds out. In the book, Change...
Johnny was promoted to supervisor and within a few days, he noticed he was anxious and feeling sick. After a few days, he realized he had internalized the pressures from the deadlines, work demands and the new challenges of leadership. The expectations that come with being a leader can be high, especially when it comes to creating high-end results. In the book Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALs Lead and Win by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin, they share...
Recently, in Orlando, Florida, I spoke to a group of landscape business leaders about cultivating their crews’ leadership skills. In the talk, I spoke about “The Racehorse Theory.” If you invested $100,000 in a horse for racing because you knew this horse had the potential to earn you one million dollars in a year, how would you handle that horse? Would you allow the racehorse to just graze in the pasture to eat briars, weeds or whatever...
In my mastermind group, Dan Miller, author and creator of the 48 Days to Work You Love, presented this question as a response to use when anyone runs into a problem we didn’t expect. He said, “What does this make possible?” Initially, I tend to think problems are bad when it comes to leadership scenarios, but have you ever considered that problems might actually be useful? Dan’s question, “What does this make possible?” helped me see problems...
Did you know that 90 percent of all teams are influenced by one specific type of communication? Curious about what it could be? Well, the answer is leading by example. Most people forget about this in the heat of the moment, and some don’t even consider it a type of communication. But your attitude and how it translates to your team will affect the overall culture of your workplace. When leading by example, keep in mind that a...
When finding out what it takes to be a leader, don't forget to take into account the 4 L's of great leadership. Believe it or not, the 4 L’s are all about communication. But what are they exactly? Listen. To be an inspiring and motivational leader, you need to be a great listener at key times. One of the main things I’ve learned over the years is how important it is to spend one-on-one time with my...