All posts tagged leaderskilz

Last week I had the opportunity to attend the Chick-fil-A Leadercast here in Northwest Arkansas hosted by WorkMatters.

I listened to several amazing speakers with great insights to take back to real life (and they even played an episode of LeaderSkilz – Ha!). If I truly implemented 5% of the great ideas I heard, my life and leadership would improve significantly. The challenge is, like so many inspirational conferences, we leave all charged up and never look at our notes again (you know, the ones you feverishly wrote in the back page of the program, swearing that you would review them every day of your life!). Blogging about stuff like this helps me remember what I learned. How do you keep things top of mind?

Jim Collins
Collins did a talk based on his most recent book, How the Mighty Fall: And Why Some Companies Never Give In. He took us through the five phases companies experience as they go from great to dead.

1. Hubris born of success
2. Undisciplined pursuit of more
3. Denial of risk and peril
4. Grasping for salvation
5. Capitulation to irrelevance or death

It was fascinating to hear him describe so simply how some of the greatest companies fall into this death spiral. However, the more inspirational part of his talk was how to avoid becoming one of the fallen. Here’s what he had to say:

1. Build a pocket of greatness, no matter where you are or what you’re doing
2. Do your diagnostics
3. Build a personal board of directors
4. Create pockets of quiet (no gadgets or disruptions)
5. Double your questions to statements ratio
6. Start a stop doing list
7. Experiment with removing titles (you do not have a job, you have responsibilities)
8. Articulate your core values
9. Marry your values with BHAGS (Big Hairy Audacious Goals)
10. Make yourself useful. Don’t worry about success. -Peter Drucker

Mark Sanborn
Mark Sanborn talked about the importance of story. He said, ”Leaders don’t just tell a better story, they make the story better.”

He also talked about how we can help shape others’ stories. He calls it CRAFT.

CRAFT
Catch their story (you have to slow down)
Respond
Ask questions
Feel (listen with your heart)
Tell your story

Three things shape your story:
People
Ideas
Experiences

Steve Uzzell – Photographer (his work is amazing!)
“Chance favors the prepared mind”
“You will become known for the problems you solve.”

This is just a tiny sample of the great ideas shared that day. If you were there and you’re reading this, what stuck with you?