iLead2Serve

Pointing Out My Blunder(s)

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000

I blog each day. Every now and then, I make mistakes—a grammatical error here or a misspelled word there. Consistently, the analytical preference readers will point out my blunder(s).

If you have an employee (or it might be you) who has a preference for analytical thinking, their characteristics are:

• Logical and rational
• Objective and factual
• Clear thinker(s)

I have nicknamed them the “Error Police.” I do not mean this in a negative way. They are skeptical by nature but a very integral part of the team. They will protect you from embarrassing situations when you overlook the obvious.

I hope I have not ruined my credibility with the people in blue (analytical thinking preference color). I do not mean any harm, and neither do they. I certainly lean on the analytical preference thinkers in my life.

The Heart of Everything We Do

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:30:00 +0000

Some of you reading this blog have never been to a servant leadership workshop, while others have never been to an Emergenetics workshop.

What I am trying to do is bridge the gap between servant leadership and Emergenetics. Both are essential to leadership. You can’t have one without the other.

I believe servant leadership will change the world. Servant leadership is a philosophy. It is a way of life. It is what you do, how you think, how you behave, and who you are. Servant leadership is a commitment—a call to action.

Emergenetics is a sub-component but necessary part of servant leadership. It is the self-awareness quality (the most important) of servant leadership. There is no way humanly possible for you to be an effective leader if you do not understand yourself, first.

There is a reason why some organizations are average, some are good, and few are great. It boils down to leadership.

I write a lot about Emergenetics. But don’t forget about servant leadership. It is at the heart of everything we do.

3 Steps To Staying Focused

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Welcome to Motivation Monday.

If you are like me, when you get into the office each day, you have scores of emails in your inbox, numerous phone calls to make, and countless projects on your To Do List. How do we do it all and maintain a high level of productivity and customer service?

During the past two weeks, I learned a major lesson in trying to do too much (and in a short amount of time). I broke so many of my personal rules. For the most part, I am an extremely organized (structure is thinking preference of mine) person.

The following are my guidelines for staying focused. Keep in mind, this works great if you are a project manager. It also works well if you are a Concrete Thinker (person who likes details and structure).

1. Put a daily cap on your To Do List. There is only so much you can accomplish in a given day. An increase to your To Do List may very well lead to a decrease in your productivity.

2. Learn to say no. You can't be all things to all people. For some of you, this might be a challenge and it is understandable. We talk about this in Emergenetics. However, at some point, you must focus on your priorities. After all, you are ultimately the one who will be held accountable.

3. What's Important Now or WIN? Keeping your focus is all about the process. Items on your To Do List can easily become urgent and get out of control. You certainly don’t want that, so prioritize your work. You also don’t want to look ahead to when the project will be finished. Rome wasn’t built in a day and the man on the mountain didn’t’ crawl there, so conquer one step at a time by taking it one step at a time.

I hope this helps. I would like to know what think. Send me an email.

P.S. I realize not all of you keep To Do Lists. :)

Have a great week!

Thought for the Day

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 15:16:00 +0000

"You will find yourself in service to your fellow man, your country, and your God." - Mahatma Gandhi

Daniel Pink To Be Oprah's Super Soul Sunday

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 13:43:00 +0000

Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, will be on Oprah's Super Soul Sunday (OWN Network) tomorrow, Sunday, at 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Although we exist in a left brain world, Pink says we now live in the Conceptual Age. So, if you have a preference for right brain thinking, the future is yours.

Getting in Some R&R

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

As I wrote earlier this week, I have been on a quest to innovate. I believe I have been successful.

It has been a fun journey that will continue (Sunday night or Monday morning). However, right now, my mind needs a break.

I am not going to read anything work-related this weekend. I really don’t want anything to spark my imagination that will cause me to work…lol.

I will rent a couple of movies, watch basketball, and just chill.

The last two weeks have been incredible. In a seven day span, I presented four workshops and one keynote speech. Each event was spectacular in its own way.

I am looking forward to getting in some rest and relaxation this weekend. Next week I will begin preparation for a host of activities scheduled for March.

What Were We Arguing About?

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Playing Nice in the Sandbox

"Communication is the activity of conveying information. Communication has been derived from the Latin word "communis", meaning to share."

However, it is not always easy to converse with another person. Research shows we spend 42% of our time in conflict or trying to resolve conflict.

The four danger signs of communication are: Escalation, Invalidation, Negative Interpretations, and Withdrawal.

Today I want to focus on the 3 Types of Escalation. They are:

1. Verbal - back and forth of negative comments

2. Emotional - Relating intensity and tension

3. Content - saying increasingly hurtful things

Have you ever gotten into a disagreement with someone and it turned into a heated argument and you had to ask the question: Are we arguing about what we started arguing about?

Healthy relationships escalate less...and exit the pattern more quickly.

Define Your Destiny on MP3 is NOW Available for Download!

This Can Change Your Life and Those Around You

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:53:00 +0000

Innovation

“We now live in the Conceptual Age,” says Daniel Pink, author of the book, A Whole New Mind.

In an article written in the Charleston Regional Business Journal, David Rawle writes, “ Pink’s overarching thesis is that we moved from the Industrial Age to the Information—now to the Conceptual Age. “The future, according to Pink, “belongs to a very different kind of person with a very different kind of mind—creators and empathizers, pattern recognizers, and meaning makers.”

In other words, innovation can change your life and the lives of those in your sphere of influence.

I am a Concrete Thinker, which means that I have a strong preference for Structural and Social Thinking.

I am 3% Conceptual. Twenty-three percent or greater is a strength. Therefore, ideas have never come freely to me, until now.

Over the last six months, I have been on a quest to be more innovative. I have studied some of the most creative people on the planet—Steven Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, and not to mention the countless co-workers and friends that I know who have a preference for Conceptual Thinking.

If you are ready to be more innovative, I encourage you to read the article, Spur Your Brain to Innovate, in Inc.com by Dr. Geil Browning, Founder, Emergenetics international.

Do Your Employees Like You?

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

According to a 2010 Spherion Staffing Services Snapshop survey, “…found that more than one-third of workers (34 percent) say they are somewhat or very dissatisfied with their relationship with their boss.”

“I didn’t know whether my employees liked me for me or not. Did they like because I tried to be a genuinely nice and kind human being? Or did they like me because I had CEO stamped across my chest,” says Bill Turner, Founding Member, Pastoral Institute.

Just because you are the leader doesn’t mean your employees like you. When you tell a joke and they laugh, they might be doing so out of fear.

Your Work: Do You Love It?

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

According to a 2010 Monster.com survey, 65% of the respondents did not like their work.

I am fortunate. I love my work. I do not mind telling you because I vividly remember not liking my career as an underwriter.

"Nobody can be successful unless he loves his work," said David Sarnoff, CEO of RCA.

In order to reach the level of success (intrinsically as well as extrinsically) you desire, it helps if you love the work that you do.

Who Am I To Judge?

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Who am I to judge whether a person is a servant leader? It is not up to me.

It seems condescending for me to even be involved in such a conversation.

“When you judge another, you are not defining them, you are defining yourself,” says Wayne Dyer.

For me to judge another, speaks more of my character than the person I am talking about.

I Received Poor Service This Week

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

This week I received and noticed some poor service from various outlets in the service industry.

Now, before I go any further, I must tell you that I live in a small town, so I will not divulge the names of these institutions.

I frequent each of these establishments just about every day.

This is what I witnessed.

First, at one institution, the leader was outside every day. And every day I saw the same trash by his business sign. He and another one of his lieutenants were within 15 feet of the trash. And they never picked it up.

Second, earlier this week I rented a car online. When I arrived at the store, the car was not ready. It took an extra 30 minutes before the vehicle was made available to me. This really set me back on my travel time (Right-Brainers stop laughing).

Finally, every morning I drove by a certain fast food restaurant and ordered a drink. And each morning the drink stains were dripping down the side of my cup. And each morning I had to ask the lady in the drive-thru window to please wipe my cup.

You know, in America, we complain so much about jobs being moved to other countries. However, we need to take care of the little things that make a difference in the quality of service with the jobs that are already here.

Poor service reflects poor leadership.

The Method to My Posts

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

I hope you are enjoying iLead2Serve. I want you to know that there is a method to my daily posts.

The three main aspects of our Servant Leadership Training and Development Program are: Servant Leadership, Emergenetics, and Playing Nice in the Sandbox.

Emergenetics comes first. It is the self-awareness part of the program. You can't begin to understand others until your first understand yourself.

Playing Nice in the Sandbox is the ultimate communication aspect of the program. Having the ability to communicate effectively with others is a central theme to servant leadership.

Finally, it is time put everything you know into action. You begin with an Introduction to Servant Leadership. Servant Leadership is a way of life. It is an understanding of yourself and the people in your sphere of influence.

Therefore, when I post every day, I do so by giving you a taste of everything. In my own structured way, this is what you receive each week:

Monday - Define Your Destiny. I developed this speech more than 20 years ago. We all need motivation, so I try and give you some motivation to get you started for the week.

Tuesday - Servant Leadership

Wednesday - Emergenetics

Thursday - Playing Nice

Friday - Friday might be devoted to anything--commentary, news, events, or the week in review. The same holds true for Saturday.

Sunday - If I don't rest, I might post something in the line of spirituality.

So, there you have it. Again, I hope you enjoy!

Why People Leave Companies

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

#1) Their Supervisor. You probably never see your CEO or president every day. But you do see your supervisor daily. The supervisor is the most important leader in the life of the organization.

#2) Not being personally developed. Ray Kroc, Founder, McDonald's, once asked, "Are you green and growing or are you ripe and rotting." The only person who can answer this question is you.

#) Haven't had praise in the last 7 days. For some people, a pat on the back is all it takes. However, it is sad when some bosses have the mindset of, "If my name is not going to be in the newspaper, your name is not going to be in the newspaper."

Left Brain - Right Brain: Which Side Do You Prefer?

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Give the Gift of Forgiveness

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

The verb, forgive, is defined as, "Stop feeling angry or resentful toward (someone) for an offense, flaw, or mistake."

Forgiveness is a skill, and it is one of the most important traits a leader can and should develop.

People are going to make mistakes and disappoint you. Don't hold grudges--inside or outside of the office.

I am not talking about terrible attrocities. I realize that takes time. I am talking about the petty mess that I witness. The stuff that is so meaningless that it just doesn't make sense.

Many of you are sending flowers to that special someone today. That someone who knows you already love them. And for your good deed you will receive love for a day (maybe longer).

But if you really want to make a difference in this world, give the gift of forgiveness. It will last a lifetime.

Step One To All Achievement

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Author, Napoleon Hill (1883-1970), once wrote that "DESIRE is step one to all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire that transcends everything."

So, whatever you want out of life, I have one question for you: How bad do you want it?

What Are You Thinking About Today?

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:44:00 +0000

I ask you again. What are you thinking about today?

In Command of Your Own Awareness

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 15:45:00 +0000

It is important to be in command of your own awareness, in case you are overcome by the power of pessimism by those who surround you.

Effective Leadership Training at the Columbus Consolidated Government

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

On Wednesday of this week, I had the privilege of presenting the workshop, Effective Leadership, at the Columbus Consolidated Government in Columbus, Georgia.

The four-hour seminar was one of a series of training classes for managers, supervisors, and front line employees.

I had a blast!

Define Your Destiny on MP3 is NOW Available for Download!

Is This True for You?

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Our Playing Nice in the Sandbox workshop is the premier relationship program on the market. We hold in-depth discussions about relationships throughout the training.

I believe the quote in the picture. When I was promoted to assistant vice president while working at Synovus, every relationship that I was involved in was clicking on all cylinders.

What about you? Can you trace your successes and failures to the relationships in your life?

Leadership: The Skill of Influence

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

Leadership can go either way. However, the question is: Which one makes your world a better place?

Define Your Destiny on MP3 is NOW Available for Download!

2012: The Year of You!

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:01:00 +0000

Part 1 of this month’s Define Your Destiny Series

In some corners of the servant leadership world, it is not acceptable to talk about the “self.” After all, humility is one of the ten qualities of a servant leader, so talking about “me” or “I” or “my” is just too effacing.

But in 2012 I want to change that. I want to talk about You! When someone asks, “What are you up to these days?” I want you to answer, “I’m working on me.”

“Everything begins and ends with leadership,” says noted author and speaker, John Maxwell. Who is leadership? You are. Bestselling author, Jim Hunter, describes leadership as “the skill of influence.” You have a level of influence with at least one person on this earth. Therefore, you are a leader.

I am firm believer that we have a leadership void in many organizations and one reason why is many leaders do not know who they are. They simply don’t spend time sharpening their own ax.

That is why in 2012, I want you to work on you and assist you on taking “you” to the next level.

To help you get started, I want to begin by asking you a question that I first heard posed at a conference last fall.

Your emerging self: What other interests and talents do you have that you are passionate about but you have not yet fully developed? What are some ideas you want to try out or focus on in the next stage of your journey?

Note: If you are reading this post via receipt of email, please log on to www.iLead2Serve.com and check out our new site.

I hope you enjoy!

Define Your Destiny is NOW Available for Download!

3 Things I Admire About the Conceptual Thinker

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:45:00 +0000

1. Coupled with the Analytical Thinking preference, they are excellent strategic planners.

2. They are an excellent catalyst for innovation and change.

3. Great asset to my green or preference for Structural Thinking. My preference for Conceptual Thinking is 3% and 23% is a strength. Keep in mind, "they" give you 2%, so anytime I am in their presence, I feel (red) it is a privilege.

Ideas on Display During Tonight's Super Bowl

kelvinredd@gmail.com — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 19:56:00 +0000

Ideas will be on full display during tonight's Super Bowl—ideas in the form of commercials. What new commercials will we see this year? What new ideas have been spawned? What new ideas will be spawned? What will you see that is new and simply fascinating?

For those of you who do not readily have access to ideas, meaning the preference for Conceptual Thinking, keep your pen and paper handy. You never know what you might discover. That is what I am going to do.