Taking Charge and the First 100 Days

When placed in command – take charge.
-- General H. Norman Schwarzkopf

In the last several posts we have been examining what it means to take charge, to take command, to assume the role of a leader. Now on the President's 100th day in office, perhaps we can look at how effectively he has assumed his new position. None of this will consider the politics of the person or his decisions. Please, please – do not interpret anything I highlight here as either support for or against the politics of the President. In fact, if I am successful, you won’t know which way I lean! Rather, let’s use this forum to highlight how President Barrack Obama measures up in terms of leadership in the first 100 days and whether he has effectively taken command according to the main elements that we have discussed in this series of posts.

-- Leaders take command prior to taking command. President Obama certainly did his homework. He engaged in listening tours across the country to identify issues important to the voters. He is a quick study and he leveraged his time during the campaign and the transition into office ensuring that he was ready to assume his job at full stride.

-- Leaders follow the Jim Collins (Good to Great) philosophy of “First Who.” Despite the President’s efforts, he would likely admit to a mixed record here. Many of his selections were not adequately evaluated before nomination. Several key positions remain unfilled and have hamstrung his early actions (i.e. lack of Treasury appointees during this financial crisis and unfilled Health and Human Services positions during this influenza outbreak). Nothing matters more in the initial stages of command than evaluating one’s team and putting the right people in the right seat of the “full speed ahead” bus.

-- Leaders lead through the budget. President Obama has left no question about who is in charge with regard to the budget. He has put his mark on every element of the finances of the nation through both the stimulus and his first budget for Fiscal Year 2010. He is including those elements that he thinks important as areas of investment and is de-emphasizing those with which he disagrees.

-- Leaders develop and communicate big ideas and a strategic vision. President Obama has stayed on message from Day 1. He communicates with regularity and discipline about those things that he has identified as important, especially regarding his top priority – the economy. He has promoted big ideas for health care, energy independence, and foreign relations. He is pushing hard, thinking big, and delivering a consistent message at every opportunity.

-- Leaders make decisions, build trust, and get early wins. Leaders must understand this critical sequence. They know that they are ultimately on the blame line. They make decisions. The buck stops with them. Effective decision making comes from the two-way street of trust. And trust is enabled early from early wins, early decisions that demonstrate credibility, competence, and confidence in one other. President Obama has jumped right into the decision making arena. He has offered up the stimulus bill, proposed his first budget, begun a transition in Iraq and Afghanistan, and signed several executive rules. With some good fortune and some well trained Navy Seals, he won his first tactical engagement with some bonehead pirates off the coast of Somalia. And while most of his early decisions won’t play out for months or even years, he has certainly been confident in his decision making, has owned up to his failures, and has been favored by some good early luck! And if early polls are an indication, the American sentiment clearly favors his early moves.

-- Leaders own the ship from Day 1. Far be it from me to offer up advice to the Commander in Chief! But this is another area in which the record suggests an alternate approach. Taking command means no blaming predecessors, no excuses. Doing so can be a very slippery slope. The most credible position is to step up and own the ship. It’s not about who caused the problems but who will fix them!

-- Leaders keep balance. Leadership is a marathon, not a sprint. The jury is still out on whether the President can sustain his current pace. It remains to be seen how much change the system can handle. It is still unknown how much the decisions of today will cost tomorrow. World-wide travel, constant campaigning, regular press conferences are difficult to sustain. The good news -- the man is still exercising, finds time to be with his family, and maintains a good sense of humor. Each will be required to help keep up the pace he has set so far.

It is a well known fact of leadership that the higher we climb up the ladder of success, the more we show our butts! “Take charge” leaders’ actions will be examined under a microscope – from the beginning. That certainly has been the case for the President. In fact, there is likely no bigger a microscope than the one under which he has been since the day he assumed command. Has he taken charge? Well, you can judge for yourself. An unbiased, non-political read of the situation certainly suggests that he is an effective leader (or at least a devoted adherent of the Leader Business principles on “Taking Charge!”).

More importantly, for those of us in leadership positions, we should all ask if we have effectively assumed command. If we’re in charge…we should be in charge! Our troops are counting on us. Taking charge is…Leader Business!

Take Charge (Part IV)

When placed in command – take charge.
-- General H. Norman Schwarzkopf

In this series of posts we have been examining what it means to take charge, to take command, to assume the role of a leader. As we approach the President's 100th day in command, I hope you are able to stop for a second and think about your own transition into your current position and whether you (or the Commander in Chief) have effectively taken charge. In the last post, we looked at what it means to take command. We’ll close with a few final thoughts on how to be successful as a new leader.

Get early wins. Communicate a message to the organization that highlights success yet humbly promotes your proposed agenda. Celebrate with vigor. Champion those who “get it.” Help your team see the greatness you envision through each small victory.

Rudolph Giuliani targeted the “squeegee guys” early during his tenure as New York City mayor. Success in eliminating the relatively small nuisance caused by the actions of that group of unwanted window washers sent an early message that change was possible. The people of New York, the new Giuliani administration, and the “squeegee guys” saw very quickly that this “take charge” mayor had bold plans for the city.

In Detroit, I watched the local news on the evening on which I had taken command of the Corps of Engineers district there. I was shocked to see them blast my organization for allowing a bunch of rebels to party on some island that we “owned” on the Great Lakes. First I was surprised to learn that we actually owned an island! I also learned quickly that this was an important issue to many stakeholders, important enough to be the lead story on the local news, and that I should probably get involved.

It became an early opportunity for my subordinate staff to see how I would operate. I assembled my key leaders, assessed the situation, solicited recommendations, and made a decision. I worked with my public affairs staff to develop a communication plan and contacted local officials to let them know what we were doing. And when we were done, we conducted an After Action Review to see what we could learn from this event. It was an early opportunity to leverage what I had learned in military leadership (far removed from anything having to do with island parties) and to show some level of competence to my new team. It certainly helped my confidence and, I believe, gave my subordinates some confidence in their new leader. I put that in the early win category.

When taking command, leaders must understand from DAY ONE that it is your ship! You have responsibility for the good, the bad, and the ugly. You cannot take credit for successes and blame all shortcomings on your predecessor. You own it all!

Don’t trash your predecessor and his/her accomplishments. Balance professional courtesies with the need to move out on your own path. Don’t lose your team by minimizing all the things they may have done before you arrived. Major course corrections can be misinterpreted as a lack of confidence in the team and their skills. Exercise caution to not portray your new organization as completely broken. If change is required, ensure you have adequately framed, and communicated, the problem. Talk about what “we” need to do to be successful in the current operating environment, versus what “they” must do to address past failures.

Keep your balance. Remember that most leadership opportunities are a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t try to solve all the problems in the first day. Ensure that your personal priorities are consistent and that you initiate a sustainable battle rhythm from the very first day.

Don’t pretend to know everything. You don’t. Solicit input to shape your decision-making and be humble enough to ask for help.

The principal task for new “take charge” leaders is to build trust with their team. Understand that your subordinates will not care what you know until they know that you care. Your early actions will set the tone for the culture you wish to establish. Be positive. Listen, build consensus, and communicate with passion and persistence.

It is a well known fact of leadership that the higher we climb, the more we show our butts! “Take charge” leaders’ actions will be examined under a microscope – from the beginning. Be prepared. Do your homework. Then jump in and start leading. Get a few early wins. Fix what is broken. Make decisions. Shape your organization consistent with your vision. Communicate with passion. You’re in charge. So…be in charge! Your new troops are counting on you. That’s why taking charge is…Leader Business!

Join us on Wednesday for a look at the President’s 100th day and a brief analysis of how he has done in taking command!

Image courtesy of www.wowenergy.wordpress.com

Take Charge (Part III)

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.
- Mark Twain

In this series of posts we are taking a look at what it means to take charge, to take command, to assume the role of a leader. As we approach the President's 100th day in command, I hope you are able to stop for a second and think about your own transition into your current position and whether you (or the Commander in Chief) have effectively taken charge. In the last post, we looked at actions prior to assuming a new position. Now it's time to...take command.

Upon assuming any new position, new leaders (and old leaders in new jobs) should embark on their respective “listening tours” as soon as possible. Learn the business. Understand the organization and its critical assets, especially its people.

Meet your new team in their work environment. Don’t make them come to your office – meet them where they work. Assess their facilities and work stations. Allow them to take you on a “show and tell” and introduce you to their respective teams.

Measure the culture while you assess the attitudes and aptitudes of your subordinates. Compare your findings to your initial assessment. Identify those things that are right (and should be praised) and those that are wrong or inconsistent with your intended vision for the organization. Ask questions. Look for trends. Identify Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and pockets of excellence. Identify top talent. Take time to walk around – and listen.

Navy Captain D. Michael Abrashoff (It's Your Ship; Get Your Ship Together) encourages leaders to take command by first seeing the ship “through the eyes of the crew...Only then can you find out what’s really wrong and, in so doing, help the sailors empower themselves to fix it.”

Southwest Airline founder and current Chairman of the Board Herb Kelleher is arguably still on his “listening tour.” Few leaders better exemplify the example of meeting subordinates where they work, in their respective environments. Herb understood the demands of every job in the company because, at one time or another, he has performed them himself. Check on the mechanics pulling the midnight shift and you were likely to find Herb right there with them, turning a wrench. Look to your right while on a Southwest Airlines flight and he may be sitting next to you asking fellow passengers about their flight experience. He built a great company by knowing every aspect of his organization, by listening to his employees and putting them first, and by “taking charge” in building and leading an organization consistent with his vision.

Start your understanding of your new position by working outward from the organizational “center of gravity.” Be sure you understand your main product and the principal contributors to the unit mission before diving in to other areas. Visit your top salesman, your best performing store, or your main project – first. Prioritize your first efforts consistent with the importance of those efforts to your organizational bottom line.

Make it an initial priority to understand emergency measures for your new position. Know your role within organizational contingency plans, emergency notification and evacuation procedures, and disaster response as soon as able. Crisis situations won’t wait until you are fully prepared. Don’t get caught short.

Identify and meet with key customers and constituencies. Ask what your organization does well and what it does not do well. Look at internal and external groupings that can expand your understanding of your new team and its strengths and weaknesses. Begin to test your vision while measuring the key assumptions upon which it was built.

Leaders understand the difference between ill-informed, hasty decisions and bold, swift, visionary action. “Take charge” leaders seek every opportunity to put their mark on the following:

-- Strategic Plan. Invest in a process that identifies short and long term goals, aligns the ends, ways and means of the organization, identifies and mitigates risk, and assigns priorities among competing organizational demands. If the strategy you inherit is not consistent with the culture and end state you seek, change it. Take deliberate actions to engage your team in a process that provides a road map for success.

-- Budget. Nothing gets people’s attention like money. Leader’s who scrub the balance sheet and align investments with the strategic plan will make an immediate, organization-wide impact. Failure to do so may result in unmet expectations or mission failure. If you are not in charge of your budget…you are not in charge!

-- Organizational charts. Ensure that the team reflects the culture you seek. If you want it “flat,” make it flat. If you need to centralize (or decentralize) control or reorient reporting requirements, make the changes. Build the team capable of accomplishing the goals and objectives identified in your strategic plan.

-- People. Leaders, according to author Jim Collins (Good to Great), not only get the bus moving in the right direction, they are uniquely responsible for getting the right people in the right seat on the bus. Watch for those trying to wait you out. Pull the trigger if required. Follow Collins’ Practical Disciplines for “rigor” with regard to personnel actions:

-- Practical Discipline #1: When in doubt, don’t hire – keep looking.
-- Practical Discipline #2: When you know you need to make a people change, act.
-- Practical Discipline #3: Put your best people on your biggest opportunities, not your biggest problems.

-- Identify and communicate your Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs). Give your new teammates a sense of the passion and vision you have for the team. Help them see the greatness you envision while providing those “stretch goals” that will signal the mark you hope to make on the organization and those whom you serve. Think big. Be bold.

A friend of mine expressed amazement in how military leaders can comfortably jump into a new job and know what to do. This is, for better or worse, a position I have found myself in every two years thanks to the way the Army does its assignments. So I know we get a lot of repetitions to help improve this skill. What works for me is to first spend a lot of time listening to others. Many of them have great ideas for how to be successful but need help with implementation. I let them know that I am passionate about excellence and that I am willing to take risks and try new things. I look for gaps – in processes, systems, organizations - and fill them. I ask a TON of questions. And then I jump in, making my mark on people, organizational structure, and budgets. I give them my vision and produce a strategic plan that aligns the team with the culture and endstate that we can all embrace. Most importantly, I do my best to lead with passion and energy -- from DAY 1.

That's what taking command is all about. And that's...Leader Business.

Image courtesy of www.keepingkidsfirst.wordpress.com

Take Charge (Part II)

In this series of posts we are taking a look at what it means to take charge, to take command, to assume the role of a leader. As we approach the President's 100th day in command, I hope you are able to stop for a second and think about your own transition into your current position and whether you (or the Commander in Chief) have effectively taken charge.

Before taking charge

Rushing head first into any leadership role without having done your homework is a recipe for embarrassment and mission failure. Understand the environment in which you will operate. Look internally and examine the functions of the current organization. Assess existing strengths and weaknesses. Look externally to understand current and future trends and organizational opportunities and threats. Understand the financial underpinnings of the company. Know where you fit in the larger corporate picture.

Take time to think. Capture your initial findings and arrange a list of questions you might wish to explore upon commencing your new position. Prepare an initial set of goals and objectives based on your research and understanding of the operational environment. Think about your vision for your position, for your team, and for those you will serve. Be ready to hit the ground running!

Prior to assumption of any new position, leaders should prepare or update their leadership philosophy. Deliberate efforts to capture, in writing, issues that describe one’s approach to leading others will help eliminate uncertainty with future charges and proactively describe the likes and dislikes of their new boss. Just as importantly, evaluating one’s existing leadership philosophy serves as an opportunity to reconsider the culture and leadership climate you seek to create in the new assignment.

As soon as possible, meet with the higher headquarters boss and their key staff members. Clearly identify your superior’s expectations, goals and objectives, performance criteria, and reporting requirements. Identify a time to report back (often 90 – 120 days) with initial perceptions, major organizational or operational changes, and needs for assistance.

As an incoming leader I always wanted to ensure I understood my superior’s FARs (Flat Ass Rules) and their CCIR (Commander’s Critical Information Requirements). The former are those absolutes that I had better obey (and needed to understand quickly before I would violate them unknowingly). The latter are “wake up the boss” reporting requirements. There must be no doubt about those issues that the higher commander wants to know immediately – and those general categories of potential issues which require approval or notification before action. I have always found that empowerment comes from clearly knowing the left and right limits in which I have the freedom to operate. I similarly wanted to develop these lists that I could share with my own teammates.

Consider media and public speaking training. Even if you are an “old pro,” leverage the occasion of a new assignment to take your skills to the next level. You must be prepared to stand before new employees, customer or consumer groups, board members, or stock holders (groups whose members may not agree with your positions) and articulate your observations, concerns, and vision for the future. Get a coach if you need one.

Before assuming command, develop your “30-second commercial.” Be prepared to describe, in a concise “elevator speech,” who you are and what you do. Those opportunities to deliver your pitch will present themselves on your first day. Don’t let a lack of preparation cause you to lose a new customer or a future business relationship. Be ready!

This is the prep work that get's you ready to take command. Before any test, it always makes sense to do your homework. Especially when the test involves testing your ability to lead a team. We get graded from DAY 1. That's Leader Business.

Take Charge (Part I)

When placed in command – take charge.
-- General H. Norman Schwarzkopf

I have taken command of five units: my first job as platoon leader at Fort Hood, Texas; company command in Nuremberg, Germany; Army Corps of Engineers district command in Detroit and Los Angeles; and the leadership of my training team – the Sidewinders - at the National Training Center. The very act of taking over a new position, no matter how many times I have done so, is a humbling, sweaty-palms experience.

Given that many people are finding themselves in transition with new jobs and new leadership opportunities, I thought it would be appropriate to have a discussion about what it means to take command. I also know that our own President is still in his first 100 days and is working his way through what it means to take command as well. So what better time to start a series on the actions associated with assuming a new leadership position.

In the Army, we assume new leadership positions through a formal ceremony – the change of command. The troops line up neatly on the parade field, each unit led by its respective commander. Beside each commander is the guidon bearer, proudly carrying the unit’s colors that signify its official designation and role within the command.

The ceremony is completed when the higher headquarters commander takes the colors, officially relinquishing the outgoing leader of his responsibilities, and passes them to the incoming commander. This military tradition brings formal closure to the tenure of the old commander and signals the transfer of the burdens of command to the new leader. The new commander has full authority and the immediate loyalty and obedience of his unit.

But what I have learned is that the change of command ceremony is only the beginning. What follows is the hard part – to earn the trust and confidence of my team; to step out and be a leader; to take command of my troops and lead them into battle.

For most of us, a new job, assignment, or position does not come with this level of fanfare. Nor can we likely expect the degree of immediate loyalty that disciplined military units bestow upon a new commander. In most cases the assumption of new duties and responsibilities is hard work and includes a corresponding set of required actions, prior to taking command and once in the new position, that enable one to truly take charge.

Others among us may discover that while already in a leadership position, they have never really taken charge. Perhaps they need a leadership “do over.” Further delay only amplifies the failure to have done so. So I say -- there is no time like the present to take command of your team.

Finally, still others may find themselves thrust into leadership duties which demand immediate action. The time available for deliberation and preparation is minimal – yet the activities involved with taking charge are the same. Grab the bull by the horns and get going.

Would you join me over the next several posts taking a look at what it means to take charge, to take command, to assume the role of a leader? Could you stop for a second and think about your transition into your current position or even that of the President in his first 100 days and whether you (or the Commander in Chief) has effectively taken charge. This series will spend time doing just that and I hope you will join me in this discussion.

You see, I have always found that there are three types of people in leadership positions: those who make things happen; those who let things happen; and those who wonder what happened. The world needs more people who will take charge and make things happen!

When in charge, take charge. And taking charge is…Leader Business!

Selfless Service

Selfless Service can be defined as service which is performed without any expectation of result or award for the person performing it. The Army thought enough of this characteristic to make it one of its 7 core values:

Selfless Service: Put the welfare of the Nation, the Army and your subordinates before your own. Selfless service is larger than just one person. In serving your country, you are doing your duty loyally without thought of recognition or gain. The basic building block of selfless service is the commitment of each team member to go a little further, endure a little longer, and look a little closer to see how he or she can add to the effort.

I like to think of it this way: Selfless service is not thinking less of yourself but thinking of yourself less.

Leaders can always have confidence in their skills and abilities. They are comfortable in their own skin and know where they fit on the team. But their actions are not driven by concern for self. They don't act based on how it will impact on their own careers or if it will make people like them. They don't worry about individual statistics. They act in the best interest of the TEAM. They put others before themselves.

So how do you measure up? Do you put others first? Do you measure your actions based on how it will make you look or what it will do for your own promotion potential? Do you serve yourself or others?

The Army believes that a team of selfless servants can go further, endure longer, and become an "Army of One!" Any organization of people like this, led by leaders who embrace this concept, cannot be stopped. Selfless service is...Leader Business.

Wrong Impressions

Sometimes, our first impressions can be wrong. By a country mile. Sometimes we let things like appearance cause us to miss out on real talent. Too often, we favor the outside beauty and ignore the beauty on the inside.

One example of this is Susan Boyle, a singer on Britain's Got Talent. If you have 7 minutes, watch this video and see if it causes you to take inventory of your own biases. Most of us would never associate Susan with amazing talent. In many cases, she would never get in the door. And as you can see, that would be a loss indeed.

Have you ever been guilty of letting your first impression cause you to miss out on something special? Let's not ignore the greatness that lives INSIDE of all of us. That's Leader Business.

Remembering Two Great Leaders

April 4th marked the anniversary of the loss of two great leaders. While a few days late, would you take a minute to reflect on these two great Americans and what they accomplished in their short lives and what they still contribute to us even after they are gone?

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. lost his life at the early age of 39 on April 4, 1968. His "I have a dream" speech (watch it here and note...no teleprompters!) still serves as a means by which we can all measure ourselves as leaders:

I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.
I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."
I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood.
I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.
I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day the state of Alabama, whose governor's lips are presently dripping with the words of interposition and nullification, will be transformed into a situation where little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls and walk together as sisters and brothers.
I have a dream today.
I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith with which I return to the South. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to sing with a new meaning, "My country, 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim's pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring."
And if America is to be a great nation this must become true. So let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania!
Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado!
Let freedom ring from the curvaceous peaks of California!
But not only that; let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia!
Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee!
Let freedom ring from every hill and every molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring.
When we let freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, "Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"

A great speech, a great speaker, and a leader who embodied vision and sacrifice. And unfortunately, a superb leader who left us too early to see his vision realized.

Another leader, one whom you likely do not know as well, gave his life on April 4, 2003 at the too young age of 33. SFC Paul Smith was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Bush for his actions in combat in Iraq. Would you read his story here and learn why so many still take pride in the courage and leadership of this great Non-Commissioned Officer?

On April 4th we lost these two great leaders, separated by 35 years, joined by the fact that they left us too early. Fortunately for all of us, their legacy as inspirational leaders, as leaders of passion and courage, lives on with so many of us. That legacy, remembered today for their ability to influence long after they are gone, is what leadership is all about. And that...is Leader Business.

Leadership Carnival

Friends,

This month, my blog post on "Stretching" was selected by Dan McCarthy (Great Leadership) to be a part of his monthly leadership development carnival. I found a number of great posts there by some of my favorite leadership writers -- all of whom are way better writers than me!

Could I ask you to visit his blog and take a look? As they often say at the carnival, there is something for all ages there. I'm used to carnivals with fatty foods and all sorts of other bad things (think deep fat fried twinkies!). Who knew leader development could be such fun -- and good for you! Enjoy the carnival!

Still Stretching

I'm driving my daughter to take the ACT (college prep) exam today. Ugh. I hate those things: the stress, the waiting for the results, the exhaustion when complete. And that's just me the parent. I bet it will be hard for her, too! Ha!

The funny thing is, I think I have declared at least twice in recent memory that I had taken my last standardized test. I'm sure that after the GRE exam for graduate school I thought I was done. I was certain that after taking the Professional Engineer exam I would never take another one of those killer tests. So guess what I did this week? I signed up for another! I will be taking the Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for new construction exam in June.

Ugh. I don't know the first thing about it. I looked at the study guide and I don't recognize any of the topics or sample questions. So why put myself through this? Do I like the pain? Do I not have enough to do already? Am I a glutton for punishment? No, no, and...maybe!

I am trying to push myself. Like so many of you, I think it is important to keep learning new skills, to demonstrate to myself that I have not finished learning, that I can still stretch, that there is still room for improvement (and in my case...a lot of room!). I am not the smartest guy in the room by any measure but...this is a challenge. And I like challenges!

I read a story several years ago about a 90 year old woman who was returning from a lifetime of missionary work. She had labored for decades in remote parts of countries that most of us would never include on our fantasy vacation list and was finally coming home. And at 90+ she certainly was ready. So in the interview they asked her what she intended to do now that she was finally home. Would she ride out her last years in a retirement community, enjoying a well earned break? Not this one! I was floored when I read that she wanted to learn to play the piano, pick up a new language, write a book, and visit some other unheard of countries! She was still growing. Wow!

That is what a lifelong commitment to learning and growing is all about. None of us can ever say we have reached our full potential. And none of us should ever believe that we are no longer going to challenge ourselves to improve, to stretch, to be the best we can be.

So, I'm taking another test. I'm going to study up, learn a new skill, and become a LEED Accredited Professional! I don't know how...but I will!

How about you? What new challenge have you taken on? How are you improving -- personally, professionally, spiritually? We all need the growth that comes from stretching. That's Leader Business.