Don’t Rest on Last Year’s Laurels

Hey GLC followers!

2018 is coming to an end, and no doubt many of you are asking yourselves: “Where did the year go?”

I know I am, and whenever I do, I can quickly answer that question each time I see a copy of the book, The Leadership Killer: Reclaiming Humility in an Age of Arrogance. What a fun and awesome year it’s been writing, editing, strategizing, and finally releasing the book for the public to enjoy reading! Thanks to all who purchased a copy, and for those who haven’t, it’s not too late to order a few books for last minute Christmas presents!

In November, I had the great pleasure to speak for a fifth time to a different division of The Walsh Group, a multi-billion dollar construction company headquartered in Chicago. Like my previous presentations with Walsh, I loved sharing some “sea stories” with the audience on motivation and leading high performing teams.

Whether you’re sitting in a boardroom, on the battlefield, or on a playing field, you have to continuously evaluate and accordingly adjust your organization’s goals, mission, vision, and daily operations…even if you’re kicking butt!

This respective division at Walsh is one of their top performers, and in 2018, they had another banner year. It was a lot of fun to be part of the dinner the night before the talk, where they promoted a large group of unknowing middle managers/supervisors for their outstanding performance during the year! Walsh takes great pride in taking care of the members of their “family,” and it’s this recognition of loyalty and performance by Walsh that keeps me coming back to Chicago to speak whenever they ask!

The next morning, the division vice-president praised his managers for their great work, continuously highlighting the successes that made 2018 their top performing year in company history! My talk, scheduled promptly after lunch, served as a reminder to the group that 2018 was over, and challenged the audience to keep charging as they head into 2019!

My main message to the group was that after 29 years of leading super Type A special operators, and swimming with and coaching world class level swimmers, I learned that good leaders and coaches continuously challenge their top performing individuals, otherwise they will get bored very quickly and their performance will ultimately decline.

I learned that good leaders and coaches continuously challenge their top performing individuals, otherwise they will get bored very quickly and their performance will ultimately decline.

Coach’s tip(s) for this month: Resist the urge to rest on past successes.

Whether you’re sitting in a boardroom, on the battlefield, or on a playing field, you have to continuously evaluate and accordingly adjust your organization’s goals, mission, vision, and daily operations…even if you’re kicking butt! Why? Because your competition is doing anything and everything in their power to knock you off your pedestal.

Don’t get complacent in 2019! Stay aggressive and focused on the bigger picture!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

You Might Also Like…

Lead With Care

Lead With Care

Do you care about me? This is what people want to know when they work for you. They may not say it directly, but it is the core question that defines the relationship between you and the people you lead. When people believe the answer is “yes,” they will be more...

Prepare for Risk

Prepare for Risk

A high diver does not simply climb up and hurl himself off a 100-foot ladder without a great deal of preparation. Likewise, when facing a giant leap in your own life, there are steps you can take to prepare for risk. The 4 Principles to Prepare for Risk Find your...

The Three Bills

The Three Bills

Now that I’m in my sixties, I find myself reflecting on the strange journey of my life. If I zoom out, it seems to have moved through three major phases: The Good Bill, The Bad Bill, and the Better Bill. Bill #1 I grew up in a lower-middle-class household in an...