How to Overcome the Temptations of Successful Organizations When “GOOD” Isn’t Enough 6

The enemy of great is good! WHY? One reason some leaders never become great is because they get good and they stop. They stop growing, learning, risking and changing. They use their track record of prior successes as evidence they’ve arrived. They start believing their own press, and start writing it down, and build a manual to document the formula. This mentally shifts their growth to maintenance mindset, and trades in innovation for optimization. Remedy: We will cover the six most common and devastating temptations of successful organizations. The key to over coming these obstacles is awareness. If your can recognize them, you can take action to overcome them.

TEMPTATION #1 SOME LEADERS STOP WORKING ON THEMSELVES. Why? They think they got it all figured out. They think they got it all figured out. They continue to work hard on what they do but stop working on themselves. They continue to work hard on what they do but stop working on themselves. They use their experience and their track record as a license to never read another book or attend a course in their field. They use their experience and their track record as a license to never read another book or attend a course in their field.Remedy: Continue a personal growth program where you deliberately upgrade your skills. This must be a discipline. Continue a personal growth program where you deliberately upgrade your skills. This must be a discipline. As you grow you have credibility As you grow you have credibility

TEMPTATION #2 SOME LEADERS STOP THINKING BIG. Why? When a team gets on a roll, some leaders get spooked and start to play it safe. They stop playing to win and instead play to lose. They once thought big and new, they now think incrementally. They spend more time maintaining than stretching. Remedy: Never break your momentum by resting, reflecting or celebrating too long, because momentum is much easier to steer than to start. Stretch your thinking and disturb the comfort of your routine by visiting others who are doing better than you.

TEMPTATION #2 cont. REMEDY: Have a creative awareness that you can do better; that you can do more to work harder. Invest exhaustively in your team. Run as if TNI is going out of business. That keeps you in attack mode and prevents you from sinking into a rut. Set goals that stretch your team, these goals have to force change, big decisions and bold action: A.K.A discomfort. If you are hitting goals with your usual approach, your goals are too small. SOME LEADERS STOP THINKING BIG.

TEMPTATION #3 SOME LEADERS STOP LEADING FROM THE FRONT Why? When business is great and advancing, it feels like everything is under control. Some leaders hit the remote control button and leave the trenches for their teams. They preside and administer, but no longer lead. Remedy: Stay in the trenches. By doing: Attend ALL the presentations and trainings. Your presence makes a very positive difference STAY IN PHASE ONE, prospecting and sponsoring.

TEMPTATION #3 cont. SOME LEADERS STOP LEADING FROM THE FRONT Remedy: Conduct one-on-one trainings with developing leaders. Build relationships with your team (i.e. learn their names, wife’s name, kid’s names) Make yourself available for questions, ideas, and challenges. ALWAYS communicate vision, ethics, and values consistently.

Temptation #4 SOME LEADERS STOP DEVELOPING OTHERS Why? Some leaders look at their results, stare in the mirror, pound their chest and convince themselves it’s all because of them. They don’t want to delegate, share power, push decision making down, or develop an inner circle. They adopt a lone ranger mindset, and assume more and more responsibility rather than developing a leadership team to share the load. Remedy: Commit to building a team by consistent training and coaching of your team. Push power and decision making down so your team becomes less dependent on you. Develop leaders at all positions to broaden your capacity and build competence that multiples your own leadership and effectiveness.

TEMPTATION #5 SOME LEADERS STOP HOLDING OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE Why? Their results are satisfactory and there's no immediate crisis, so why should they rock the boat boat by getting in people’s face and applying pressure to perform? Remedy: Raise or redefine clear performance expectations so people become more focused and feel a positive pressure to perform. This creates a benchmark for accountability Give fast, consistent and honest feedback on performance to keep people out of a gray area Reward above-average performance loudly, tangibly and publicly, at the same time as you establish consequences for those failing to get results. Always recruit (phase 1) to build a reserve of talent that reduces you being held hostage by having a team of under performers.

TEMPTATION #6 MOST LEADERS BEGIN TO ABANDON THE BASICS WHY? The natural tendency when you’re doing well is to let up, people start getting away from from the disciplines and decisions that made them successful in the first place! Remedy: Sweat the small stuff. Contrary to that popular book, I suggest you sweat the “small stuff” in your business. Stick to the basics, the other before mention five temptations and the tendency to let up and abandon your focus because there is no visible crisis. “Master the Basics” should become your mantra. Here are 4 key words to mastering the basics: DAY IN, DAY OUT. Press the issue on good days and bad days alike.