2012 January

Cordia Harrington’s Playbook For Success

Today’s post is The Producer’s Point of View from our EntreLeadership Podcast producer Chris Mefford of my interview with Cordia Harrington.

Have you ever found yourself going through the motions, wishing someone would just define how to win at life, business or relationships? So many times in our lives, we’re told to be winners, be successful, be better, be something awesome. But no one ever says, “Here’s the recipe for winning, here’s how you do it.” This is possibly why so many of us fail to actually make our move to greatness.

One of the cool things I get to do every week, besides work with Chris LoCurto, is produce the EntreLeadership Podcast. I get to sit in the room and listen as some of the most successful, smartest and innovative business leaders in America explain how to win at life, business and relationships. They share their playbooks. As they speak, not only do I listen but I also write down their answers. I thought some of you might appreciate hearing a few of the highlights from these interviews.

Cordia Harrington

Yesterday, we talked with Cordia Harrington, CEO of the Tennessee Bun Company. Her business made more than $60 million last year.  She is easily one of my favorite leaders who we’ve interviewed.

Cordia’s story about the McDonald’s franchise she bought and how she took it from one of the worst to one of the top 50 is worth a listen. It’s both entertaining and amazing.  President George W. Bush said of her, “Risk-takers like Cordia create jobs and opportunities for their fellow citizens and show the world the power of the American dream.”

Here are just a few of the highlights on being a leader from Cordia:

• We asked her about her mantra of “no is not an option!”  She was clear that “you must have the courage to be persistent and resourceful.”  I love this attitude. Often, as leaders, we can be persistent but not resourceful.  Thinking outside the box is as necessary as never giving up. To Cordia, they go hand in hand.

• We also discussed some of the challenges that come with being a woman leader. Specifically, how do you handle dealing with male counterparts who have trouble giving a level of equality or respect in the conference room? Cordia said she learned to “be prepared, be the best and be prepared to be the best.” It can take time, but soon everyone will respect you and what you bring to the table.

• When we asked her what types of things do you do to continually develop your leadership skills, she said exactly what many other leaders we’ve talked to say. “Surround yourself with sharp people and those willing to keep you straight and speak up and into your life. Read a book once a month with your leadership team.”

• Cordia said the No. 1 key to being a successful leader is “coaching your team on how to solve problems, not simply doing it for them.”  She encourages her team to develop goals that are bigger than they think they can achieve.

• Finally, when asked what advice she would give to a young leader getting started today—guidance she wished someone would have given to her—she had three points:

1. Understand that problems are a training ground. You learn more from the trials you live through than any book you could read or class you take.
2. Get involved with your peers. Working with your equals can help you grow faster.
3. It truly is better to give than to receive.

And I think that’s a good way to start the new year. It truly is better to give than to receive.

Questions: How does Cordia’s story inspire you? What do you feel you can go out and accomplish? 

Everyone Can Be A Winner, Even When They Lose

In the last few weeks, I’ve been on the road more than I’ve been at home. So I was really looking forward to coming back to Nashville on Sunday and spending time resting. But in the spirit of full disclosure, I was also excited about watching the NFL conference championships.

I love pro football, especially at this time of year when it’s all coming down to the wire. And while my favorite game was my Niners playing the Giants, I wanted to discuss something that happened with the other game that day. As I sat down to watch the Patriots/Ravens game, I started thinking about the teamwork it takes to get to this level.

The best example for the Patriots came in the second quarter. That’s when Patriots running back Benjarvus Green-Ellis ran it in for a touchdown. To celebrate the score, Benjarvus jumped up and down and began pointing at a patch on his chest. It wasn’t a personal victory dance or even a “look-how-great-I-am” shuffle. Instead, it was in honor of Patriot owner Robert Kraft’s wife, who died just before the season began.

Each player wore Myra Kraft’s initials on their jersey to celebrate the woman who had been married to the team’s owner for nearly 50 years. They dedicated the season to her and had even given Kraft a painting of his wife for Christmas. Benjarvus and the team were honoring her the best way they knew how—with touchdowns.

On the other side of the field, teamwork shown just as brightly. For the Ravens, it happened at the end of the game. Actually … maybe even later. Kicker Billy Cundiff was being interviewed by a reporter from USA Today about the field goal he whiffed to lose the game. He didn’t give any excuses or blame his fellow players. Cundiff said he simply missed the kick. And the biggest disappointment for this seven-year veteran? “Letting my teammates down,” he said.

The late great football coach Vince Lombardi once said, “People who work together will win, whether it be against complex football defenses, or the problems of modern society.” That certainly was the case on Sunday—only both teams won, no matter the score. And the same holds true for you. When your people come together, working toward the greater good, magic will happen and everyone wins. It doesn’t get better than that.

I Plan To Do That

Here is a great post by Joel Fortner. Not only is he one of the top commenters on ChrisLoCurto.com, but he’s also a great blogger. You can guest post as well! Read how to here.

Do you know how I can tell that I will actually do the thing I’m talking about? By the words I use. In particular, by the verbs I choose. Why? Because the words we use are indicators of our true intentions at the time.

For example, you’re at a party talking with someone. They finish telling you about their new business and you say, “I plan to do that some time.” It’s not going to happen. If you are reading a book about the power of goal setting, and you think, I should do that,  you won’t.

In my experience, “planning to,” “I should” and “I may” are a far cry from “I will” or “I’m going to.” The latter expressions indicate action. They’re words of commitment. They’re words we use when we’ve emotionally decided to act. Yes, emotionally.

The Bible says, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart.” (NKJV) Do you get that? From the heart. Anytime we decide to tackle something important, it’s emotional. We put our heart on the line.

I often tell the story of when I decided to get out of debt. My wife and I were dating, and I was standing in her kitchen, stressed out. We were chatting about money, which was quite common considering she worked for Dave Ramsey at the time. During our talk, I remember thinking for probably the ninety-sixth time, Where is all of my money going? And I got mad!

After years of making dumb financial decisions, including financing a BMW I couldn’t afford followed by financing my dog, I finally got emotional enough to do something about it. I immediately canceled my credit cards, cut them up, roughed out a budget and wound up making 18 months’ worth of car payments in five months.

On that day in her kitchen, I sidelined thought and put my heart in the game. I traded in “should” for “will.”

The words we use are powerful. I never would have paid off the car early by “planning to” do it. This year, I encourage you to tackle your goals from the heart. If necessary, get mad. Use words that build the bond between you and whatever it is you want to achieve. Make this year the year of “will.”

Question: Has changing the way you talk about something changed the result?

Commissions and Commercialism: How One Artist Views Custom Work

Here is a guest post by Jana Botkin. Jana is one of the top commenters on ChrisLoCurto.com. You can guest post as well! Read how to here.

People always want to know how I’m able to do commissioned artwork, which is a work produced in response to an order.

“Aren’t you selling out to commercialism?” they ask. Actually … no. There is a misconception that artists are too sensitive to have others direct their work. I am happy to draw for people. It brings joy into their lives to create a personal piece of art, and it is a pleasure to be part of the process.

Sometimes, I wonder why someone wants a drawing or painting when the scene has been recorded in a photo. Occasionally, I even ask customers that very question. Often, the answer is that they simply prefer a graphite drawing to a photo.

But I believe there is a deeper reason. The nitty-gritty truth is that real life is messy. I get to clean it up with my pencil—a much more satisfying tool than a vacuum. I prune trees, move rocks, cause shrubs to grow, eliminate trashcans and power poles, soften age lines, move hair out of people’s eyes, smooth wrinkles out of clothing and even scoot siblings closer together.

These tricks present the best of what we remember about life, and sometimes just portray what we wish were the truth. I am serving the customer by illustrating their dream of reality or freezing one of their best memories in a frame.

Commercialism is defined as “derogatory practices and attitudes that are concerned with the making of profit at the expense of quality.” That’s not in any way what I do. Like Dave and his team, I offer hope. And that, whether free or for a fee, never goes out of style.

Three Words That Can Make Your 2012

Here is a guest post by Louise Thaxton. Louise is one of the top commenters on ChrisLoCurto.com. You can guest post as well! Read how to here.

Got Goals for 2012?  Let ‘Three Words’ Be Your GPS

Many people take the first few weeks of the year to review and revise their personal and business goals for the next 12 months.  This year, I plan to use an alternative method suggested by Chris Brogan.

Chris is the New York Times best-selling co-author of  Trust Agents and a monthly columnist for Entrepreneur magazine. On a recent blog post, he shared an idea that he calls “My Three Words.”   Each year, he chooses three words and then allows them to serve as a compass for his goals and plans. You can read his three words for 2012 HERE.

Why not give it a try?  Choose a trio of words, and then allow  them to guide you throughout this year, much like you use your GPS to direct your road trips.  They will be the starting point for any new venture or goal you set for 2012.  This method should bring much greater clarity and focus to your business or life plan.

I have accepted this challenge and here are my Three Words for 2012:

Margin – Imagine reading a book without margins!  It would be unsettling to say the least. This year, I want to widen the margins in my life. One of my biggest challenges is over commitment. I always think I can do it all.  But the truth is—I can’t!  I want to live 2012 with my default answer being NO instead of YES.

Does this mean that I will ultimately say NO to everything?   NO!  It just means that before I automatically say YES and over commit, which is my propensity, I will first evaluate the “opportunity” or the “obligation” to see if it aligns with my goals for the year.

When I say YES to someone else’s request, I could potentially be saying NO to an important goal that I have set.  Before obligating my time and resources, I vow to ask myself the following questions.

Will saying YES contribute to the achievement of my goals for this year?

If I say YES to this request, to what must I say NO?

If I say YES to BOTH requests, will I still have MARGIN?

Of course, we all have emergencies and life dramas that arise and trump the NO answer.  Should one of my family or friends be in the emergency room with a life-threatening situation, margin is not a consideration.

 Discipline – The famous business philosopher, Jim Rohn, said:  “We must all suffer from one of two pains. The pain of discipline or the pain of regret. The difference is that discipline weighs ounces while regret weighs tons.”

One of the definitions of discipline is “an activity or regime that develops or improves a skill.” Another is “to bring to a state of order and obedience by training and control.”  Both work for me. There are numerous areas of my life that need to be developed and improved, but it will require discipline on my part.

There are also areas of my life that need order and control. One is exercise.  It is at this time of year that many are thinking about getting into shape.  We’ll join the gym, purchase the exercise DVD or the latest book on exercise. But it requires discipline to maintain an exercise program throughout the year—no matter how many goals we set.

Write – My first two words for the year are actually tied to this third one.  I must make sure there is margin in my life to have the time to write. And when the time is available, I must implement the discipline to do it. And even when I am uninspired and suffering from writer’s block, I must write.

This word or directive—WRITE—is at the core of several of my goals, dreams and projects for 2012. I want to:

• WRITE a book.
• WRITE a monthly column for a national publication.
• WRITE an industry blog site.
• WRITE in my personal journal.
• WRITE words of encouragement to those I mentor and lead.

Remember that your three words are not your goals. They are the compass or GPS for your goals. These are the words that will lead, guide and inspire you for the entire year.

As an example, one of my personal goals is to attend at least two of my grandchildren’s sporting events each month. I have 16 grandkids and most are involved in sports, so it’s not an easy task. To keep this goal, I’ll reflect on the word MARGIN and make the necessary adjustments in other areas of my business or personal life. Otherwise, the pages of my life will be as chaotic as a margin-less book.

Questions: What will be the three words that take you deeper than merely setting goals or writing a business plan?  How will those three words inspire your goals, dreams and plans for this next year?