Tag Archives: Leadership

Twitter CEO Wants Bolder, More Courageous Decisions

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Photo credit to thetechpanda.com.

Photo credit to thetechpanda.com.

Every year there are one or two commencent speeches that really speak to me. On May 4th, Dick Costolo (CEO at Twitter) spoke to his alma mater – the University of Michigan.

His two main messages were to make bold, courageous decisions and be in the moment. The perspective is greatly appreciated and extremely refreshing. Costolo’s story-telling and humor provide entertainment for this relatively short speech. Take 17 minutes to watch and re-calibrate your life.

 

Side note: I’m going to have to borrow the phrase “the internet in your pants.” Absolutely hilarious.

National Signing Day

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National Signing Day

Many young men will have their lives changed today. The first Wednesday in February is always College Football National Signing Day. Hundreds of athletes have been recruited for months, sometimes years. College coaches have made phone calls, home visits, and on-campus hosting. Until today, no one knows where many of the nation’s highest recruits will end up. The athletes love keeping it a secret!

I remember how I felt on this day exactly 7 years ago. It was a mixture of excitement, nervousness, and pride. I already knew that I would be attending Bucknell University, but there was still a question of whether I was making the right decision for the next 4 years of my life. Throw in my military obligations and the situation only got more complex. As I write this today, I’m proud of my decision and wouldn’t change it for the world.

Enjoy watching National Signing Day today. Embrace the youthful enthusiasm so many of these kids have. Each one of them feels like Superman and is ready to take on the world. I still try to hold on to that feeling……you should too!

PS – GO GATORS!!!

The Sudden Death of An American Hero

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chris kyle

Chris Kyle is one of the baddest men on the planet. He registered over 160 confirmed kills as a SEAL sniper during 5 combat tours to Iraq. He can claim the title of “Deadliest Sniper in US Military History.” After he got out of the military, he wrote American Sniper and it became a NY Times Best Seller. What else do you expect from a man who has excelled at everything he has ever done?

Well we can no longer say he IS one of the baddest men on the planet. After this weekend we must say he “USE TO BE.” After becoming a military veteran activist and helping hundreds get through PTSD, Kyle was killed by a former Marine with PTSD at a Texas shooting range. As a military vet myself, I will never rush to judgement on a veteran suffering from PTSD and I ask that you follow my example. It is impossible to understand what this man is going through and only time will tell.

As for Chris Kyle, he was an American hero who led through his actions. This world would be a better place if we had more men like him. Take some time out of your day to remember those fighting for our freedom overseas. To Chris Kyle and those like him, Thank You!

 

Eric Thomas – Thank God It’s Monday

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Eric Thomas is one of a kind. He understands how to motivate and is a skilled public speaker. This isn’t the first time I have written about him either. In his weekly video blog, ET shared a message that I felt was worth passing along:

Don’t talk about it, be about it!

You must live your core values day in and day out. It’s not a sometime thing, it has to be an all the time thing. If you can live your life by principles, you’ve got a chance. Enjoy!

 

Thank You Ray Lewis

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Ray Lewis is a legend. There is no other way to describe him. He has played in the NFL forRay Lewis 17 years and went to the Pro Bowl 13 times. Possibly being the greatest defensive football player is only half his story.

Ray Lewis is also the heart and soul of the Baltimore Ravens. He has captivated sports fans for over a decade by giving his best effort. His teammates are willing to follow him into a burning fire, while opponents respect and even fear him. His legend has only grown as more people learn of his pre-game speeches and see his signature dance.

There is a fine line between self-promotion and authentic leadership. Few guys are able to walk the line without falling off at some point. Ray Lewis has done it to perfection. When teammates talk about him they say things like “Ray has to be Ray for this city and this team” or “When Ray comes out of the tunnel, we want to skip the coin toss and get right to the game!”

Here is video of Ray Lewis’ last introduction out of the tunnel.

His authenticity is overwhelming. His passion and drive for success is admirable. Yesterday, Ray Lewis came out of the tunnel to do his last dance. I sat and watched like a little child on Christmas. Thank you, Ray. Thank you for everything you stand for and for everything you have accomplished. The game of football and the lives of so many have forever been positively influenced by you. For the next few weeks I just want to enjoy watching Ray….well, be Ray.

 

 

The Competent Are Helpless! (Guest Post by George Junginger)

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Seth-Godin

Seth Godin is an accomplished author and marketing genius.

“In the face of change, the competent are helpless.” – Seth Godin

Seth Godin, who always proves thought provoking to me, wrote this article in 1999 for Fast Company magazine. ( Change Agent – Issue 31 ). This was more than ten years ago and I think his argument made sense then and it makes sense now.

Seth writes:

“Oh, there’s one other thing: As we’ve turned human beings into competent components of the giant network known as American business, we’ve also erected huge barriers to change.

In fact, competence is the enemy of change!

Competent people resist change. Why? Because change threatens to make them less competent. And competent people like being competent. That’s who they are, and sometimes that’s all they’ve got. No wonder they’re not in a hurry to rock the boat.”

People used to say that large, bureaucratic organizations were like slow moving dinosaurs. The argument went that this is why leaner, swifter companies were able to take business away from them – that, in essence, they could anticipate change and adapt to it at a much quicker pace. I still believe this. But I think what ultimately gives them the advantage to behave that way is the culture that fosters the ability to make mistakes, take risks, to in essence, be incompetent.

George Junginger is an entrepreneur and marketing professional who specializes in niche markets. He resides in Raleigh, NC and has worked extensively with Carolina Challenge and Startup Weekend’s around the country. You can follow him on Twitter @georgeju!

A Generation of Leaders

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Over 2.5 million American soldiers have deployed since September 11, 2001 to Afghanistan and Iraq. These men and women have spent hours in firefights, kept each other alive and helped rebuild countries. Once they have served, they must enter the next phase of their life.

The odds are stacked against each veteran who tries to enter the civilian workforce. In May unemployment among those who served after 2001 was 12.7%. This is very high compared to 8.2% nationally. Not only are these unfavorable odds but the corporate culture is not initially conducive to military veterans either.

Hire Veterans

The military is a large organization that has its own language, morals, ethos and values. Veterans have trouble putting their military experience into civilian terms. What is the military equivalent to “leading a combat movement of 9 soldiers that included a 4 hour firefight and saving a friend’s life, all while ensuring to not injure or kill the non-combatants in the area”? Does that go under customer service experience? Maybe business development? You get the point.

Many corporations, non-profits and veterans are finding that leadership is the most valuable skill acquired in the military. Each leader develops their own style but most take an action oriented, no nonsense approach. The leadership skills of most veterans is developed at different military schools that focus on state-of-the-art leadership curriculums. Some leaders are even created on the battlefield when bullets fly and lives are on the line.

The generation of veterans returning from foreign wars is poised to make a difference in the corporate world. Not only are they great leaders but they are able to work in small teams, take orders well and have great work ethics. As time passes, more vets will gain employment and begin to show the world why they are the best employees. A generation of leaders returning to help progress the country they were willing to die for. Who wouldn’t want these people on their side?

Feel free to link to this article or leave other articles that cover veteran employment in the comments. If you’re a veteran and have job search experiences to share I would love to hear them. Share, comment and converse!

LTC White Addresses Graduating Infantry Class

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Usually I try to come up with some witty analysis of the videos I post. This video speaks for itself. One quote says it all “I will never apologize for being an American!” God Bless the USA

3 Biggest Takeaways From “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries

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I finished Eric Ries’ book “The Lean Startup” today. I had to write this post as soon as I got to my computer because the book has completely changed my view on entrepreneurship and business. It really is that good and I recommend everyone get a copy and get started immediately.

Here are my three biggest takeaways from the book:

1. Get started yesterday and build a MVP

Throughout the book Ries stresses the importance of building a minimum viable product and launching it immediately. Don’t worry about making it “pretty” or obsess over every little feature. Get something that generally works into the hands of users/customers and begin to get feedback from them. This also helps in saving time and money during development.

2. Complete “Build, Measure, Learn” cycle quickly

Every start-up or department within a larger company needs to build a MVP and get it out quickly. Have set metrics (not vanity metrics) to measure the important aspects of the product/service. Internalize and learn the important lessons of the feedback so that you can add them to the next cycle. Ultimately you want to complete this loop as quickly as possible and continue to go through it over and over again. Quick, fast, and in a hurry!

3. Ask 5 Why’s to get to the root of a problem

Most people solve issues by taking a guess at what caused it. By asking “Why?” 5 times you will get to the actual cause. Never do it in a smartass way but always constructively. By doing this, you eliminate the blame game between individuals and departments and find the real cause. No need to solve surface problems if there is a much more deeply rooted issue. Find the issue and resolve it to become more efficient and reliable.

As you can see the book is a wealth of knowledge. I could write about 20 different learning points if I had the time. If you are a business student, entrepreneur, or just generally interested in business I highly recommend the book. Not only is it very informative, but it is easily understandable and well-written. You can purchase the book at http://www.amazon.com/The-Lean-Startup-Entrepreneurs-Continuous/dp/0307887898/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333336443&sr=8-1.

What are your impressions of the book? Have you implemented any of the lessons after reading it? Share your comments below!

 

“I Don’t Know” Is The Wrong Answer

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Remember a time when you wanted to do something but you didn’t have the knowledge to execute the task? This occurs to many people throughout their lives. The common response is something along the lines of “Oh well….I wish I knew how to do that.” But successful people decide to overcome the obstacle and accomplish the task through learning.

These people who do not let a knowledge barrier get in their way are usually the same people who become famous for their accomplishments. Mark Cuban spent every night reading computer software manuals because he figured no one else had the discipline to do it and he would become the most knowledgeable software salesman in the industry. He turned out alright. Bill Gates is notorious for spending so much time reading that he has begun to do it in odd places (even spotted reading and driving!). What I am trying to get at is that “If you don’t know something, go learn it!”

While most people dream of a day when they can pay someone to carry out a task for them without having to try to accomplish it themselves, many will never see this day. About four years ago I decided I was going to begin to take the route least traveled. Each week I pick one subject or area of expertise that I am unknowledgeable in and try to learn as much about it as I can. It can be anything from business to education to science or even sports. This weekly challenge has been step one in my program to acquire knowledge. Step two is to read two different books a month. I must admit that step one is much easier than step two!

The bottom line is that if you don’t know an answer or don’t know how to do something, it is very beneficial to go learn about it. Not only will it help in the current situation but many times you will run into the same issue in the future. In order to apply knowledge you must first gather it. If you can foster a love for learning you will accomplish many things in life. The foundation is crucial, don’t be lazy and wait for someone else. Your future is in your hands, what will you do with it?