My Leadership Journey: The Concordia MBA (Part 6)

I cannot believe how fast this entire experience is flying by. There is only four weeks left in my second semester of the Concordia MBA program. I will then be one-third of the way done with grad school! This past Tuesday, March 26th I began my first leadership class! Working in the leadership development industry, I have been anxiously awaiting to begin this course. I love learning more about how I can develop myself into a more effective leader.

We began the class by taking a Strength Finder assessment to determine what our top five strengths were. I was classified as an: Achiever, Includer, Woo, Strategic, and Learner. I found it fascinating that after I read about what each of these strengths meant, that I immediately began looking at all of the ways I would put myself into each of these categories.

I know I love to push myself to the limits and accomplish things I never believed possible. I like to constantly keep learning, and I love to bring people together. Soon after taking this test I read my strengths to one of my good friends, and the first thing she said was Woo fits you perfectly; this was interesting that she picked this strength out of the five. In my self-ranking system I put this one at the bottom. It is always important to get the input of others because usually they are more honest with you than you are honest with yourself. I plan to get feedback on my Strengths Finder report from other people close to me to get their opinion. 

During class on Tuesday, it was exciting hearing how my fellow cohorts viewed me, and the characteristics that they believed I portrayed that fit me into these categories of strengths. Not only was it reaffirming to hear positive things about myself, but this gave me even more encouragement to keep pushing forward. I am excited to continue learning about myself, and finding out more about what makes me unique. I am excited to continue my path to develop into a leader who makes a difference!

Weekly Motivational Minute: The Power of Affirmations

Every week, an SOS Leadership partner or friend shares a motivational minute about a different leadership topic. This week, Billy Moyer talks about, "The Power of Affirmations."

Jump out of an Airplane? Go For It!

When I was 15 years old I got to witness my brother and sister go skydiving. I thought it was so awesome! And of course, I wanted to be just like my older siblings so I added going skydiving to my dream list! On my 18th birthday, my brother and sister helped me accomplish that dream as we all went skydiving together.

Billy skydiving on his 18th Birthday.

The most interesting thing about me going skydiving is that I have always had a fear of heights. But I also have always loved facing my fears and doing things that might not be comfortable. Skydiving definitely made me uncomfortable. I remember shaking I was so scared. I remember the walk to the airplane and I remember taking off. At about 2000 feet I said to my sister, "are we about ready to jump?" She informed me we had about 10,000 more feet to go! There was no going back for me. We got to 12,000 feet and I said to myself a phrase that has always been my personal motto: "Go For It!" And I did! I jumped and it was exhilarating. The free-fall was the best part. The parachute opened and it was smooth sailing from there. I had accomplished something on my dream list. After that, I decided I probably would not do that again.

Billy Moyer and Amber Fogarty after skydiving!

Fast forward eight years or so to this past Saturday when once again my sister and I took the plunge and went skydiving. I really don't know why I felt the urge to do it again, but I think really it was about again testing my limits. Life has changed a lot for me since 18 and I think that is what made me want to do it.

The lead up to the jump was not scary at all like it was the first time. The plane ride was fine. But before we jumped, I still had to tell myself to "Go For It!" And once again, I went for it and the jump was awesome. I am not sure I will ever do it again because it still is something scary for me, but I also know that there is nothing that I cannot do. I am not afraid!

What are you afraid of? Make a commitment today to face that fear and "Go For It!" Life is short and we should not waste it in fear. We should always try new things and test our limits. That is how we become the best versions of ourselves. You do not have to jump out of an airplane to face your fear. You could simply try a new food. Travel to a new place. Make a new friend. Just do something that gets you out of your comfort zone. If you do what you have always done, you will be who you have always been. But if you change. If you get out of your comfort zone, you can become spectacular!

Whatever new or scary thing you want to try I encourage you to Go For It! I hope you will develop your own dream list with all the things you want to do in your life no matter how realistic those things are. If you do not have dreams, you do not have anything. Now is the time to dream big, to try something new, to become the best version of yourself! Now is the time to "Go For It!"

Lead Like You!

What does leadership mean to you? How do you define it? Do you have an understanding of your unique leadership style? What does it mean to lead like you? 

You ARE a leader, whether you recognize it or not. And you have a choice TODAY about whether or not you're going to lead. You'll have the same choice tomorrow and the next day. So ask yourself: Are you answering the call to leadership in your life today? If not, what's stopping you?

Everyone is called to leadership. I believe this with every fiber of my being, and I feel very strongly that every person has opportunities to lead on a daily basis. There is a leader within you.

• No one is exempt from leadership. Each of you is called to lead in your own unique way.
• You have a choice every day about how you will answer your call to leadership. You can keep pushing snooze, waiting for someone else to lead. Or you can wake up and lead in a way that is uniquely ours.
• Fear often keeps us from leading. As Brene Brown taught me, "We can be afraid and brave in the exact same moment. That's where courage comes from." Don't allow fear to hold you back from making the choice to be a leader who makes a difference.

Time for you to sound off. Tell me what it means to Lead Like You!

Lead Like Rocky Balboa

In 1976 America was introduced to one of the greatest underdog stories of all-time. Rocky (1976) was a story of a down-on-his-luck, small-time boxer from Philadelphia, who gets the shot of a life-time when given the chance to fight Apollo Creed for the World Heavyweight Championship. In the fight, Rocky shows that he has the heart of champion by going the distance (15 rounds) with Creed. This underdog story was told again in Rocky II (1979), Rocky III (1982), Rocky IV (1985), and finally in Rocky V (1990). Each movie won the hearts of viewers because of the toughness heart of the main character, Rocky Balboa.

Rocky was not just a boxer, and he was not just a character in a movie. He became a symbol of success, failure, winning, losing, fortitude, and stamina. Most of all, I think he became a symbol of leadership. Sylvester Stallone did the world a favor in 2006 when he released the sixth and final movie, Rocky Balboa. In this installment, Rocky is living a normal middle class life in Philadelphia. He has lost his beloved wife, and is struggling to find his purpose in the world. He had always been a fighter, and once a fighter is told he cannot fight anymore, he has trouble moving on. Rocky gets another chance to fight when he is challenged by the current unpopular champion, Mason Dixon (Antonio Tarver) who is having an identity crisis of his own. Rocky makes the most of his opportunity once again and proves that the last thing to age is ones heart.

This movie or any of the Rocky movies might not come to mind when thinking about films about leadership. It is simply about an underdog boxer to most people. But that is not really what it is about. It is a story about a leader who cares more about others than himself. A leader who struggles just like everyone struggles, but in the end he does what he needs to do to be successful and to be an effective leader.
            
Rocky is a leader for many reasons, some of which may not be apparent to those who have only seen the movie once. Rocky came from a poor family and then he became wealthy from his boxing career. He then lost that wealth and as stated before is living a middle-class life in the last movie. He is a very empathetic person and that is especially evident in the film. Rocky runs his own restaurant and everyday he feeds a man whom he knew from his early fighting days. They do not go into this much in the movie, but it is one way Rocky serves. The man whom he feeds is a very religious man and even accompanies him to his fight, where he prays with Rocky before the fight. Rocky saw something special in this man, which is something only a true servant-leader can do. 
            
Rocky also proves to be a great leader in his relationship with his son, which is a big part of the films story-line  His son Robert is having a tough time living in his father’s shadow. Because of this he begins to resent his father and even blames him for his lack of success. But Rocky does not accept his son’s attitude. He sees something special in him, just like he did in his old boxing friend. He believes his son is capable of so much more than he ever was capable of, and he is committed to making sure he keeps growing and moving forward. 

Rocky shows his commitment to the growth of people in his relationship with his son and also with his old friend. It is also clear in the way he treats his brother-in-law Paulie (Burt Young), the female character Marie and her son. In a conversation with his son he says, “It ain't about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” He wants the other people in his life to learn from his never give up attitude and use that to make a difference in the world. But to do this they must be willing to take risks and take the hits as Rocky says. Many times we avoid taking risks because of fear of failure, worry, doubt, and other forms of negative thinking.
            
Rocky Balboa may not be an obvious choice when thinking about an effective leader, but I truly believe that the Rocky Movie Series could become a leadership program. There are so many examples that one could follow from the movies, and from the life of Rocky. The story is about a man who believes in himself, and believes in other people. Is that not really one of the biggest things we look for in leaders? Everyone needs something to believe in and someone to believe in them. With those two things anything can be accomplished. Rocky gives people something to believe in, that being his faith and his heart. He also believes in others (Adrian, Paulie, Marie, his son, etc.). His belief in others can be seen in the way he treats them. Leaders treat people in a way that boosts their self-confidence, allowing them to achieve more than they may have have though possible.

One of the songs in the Rocky movies was “No easy way out!” by Robert Tepper. The lyrics state that “there’s no easy way out, there’s no shortcut home.” Leadership is a lot like that. There is no easy way out. It takes determination as a leader to get back up and fight for what you believe is right. Leadership is about making the right decision everyday regardless of popularity and circumstance. Leadership is a slow moving train. There’s no shortcut. Often times we look for the path of least resistance, but a true leader charges toward the path of most resistance and along the way he serves others and treats them the right way. This is sometimes hard, sometimes complicated, but there is no easy way out. We all must become the leaders that God is calling us to be, and if we need a good model to follow, why not look in an unlikely place, like a Rocky movie perhaps.

Invest in Yourself, it’s Worth it!

“Investing in yourself is the most valuable investment you will ever make. You will grow as a leader, which will in turn allow you to empower other leaders and equip them to lead at a higher level.” 

– Amber Fogarty, SOS Leadership Partner

I have to admit that I am probably like most people; I am sitting here just now realizing that one fourth of 2013 has already flown by, and I still have many of my goals left to accomplish. In December of 2012 I set a range of both professional and personal goals. As I was reviewing my top 10 goals list, I realized that I have only accomplished two of the 10 thus far. Oddly enough, the two I accomplished were my 9^th and 10^th ranked goals.

 

As I went back and looked at my other eight goals I also reviewed what I wrote down as a reason for making each of these items a goal. For six of the eight goals my reasoning was simple, to become a better me. I am a young professional who is still trying to find my way, which is the most exciting part of it all. I realize how important it is to keep growing, to keep learning, and to keep investing in myself. If SOS Leadership has taught me one thing, it is that it is never to late to accomplish your goals.

I re-worked the deadlines and tweaked some of my eight goals that I have left on my list to accomplish this year. I know I will accomplish these goals because: I want to become the best version of myself, I want to be leader who makes a difference, and I want to equip other leaders to lead at a higher level. I can do all this by setting goals and accomplishing those goals. In 2013 I choose to invest in myself!

SOS Leadership Motivational Minutes

Have you had the opportunity to check out all of the SOS Leadership Motivational Minutes? It has been about six months since SOS Leadership started posting these weekly thoughts of inspiration. In case you have missed any, click here to view all the past videos! SOS Leadership would like to rewind and re-share our first ever Motivational Minute with you, where SOS co-founder, Billy Moyer talks about the problem with goal setting!

Leadership & Growing Slowly

"Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still." - Chinese Proverb 

Sometimes people believe the myth that leaders always have it together. Clearly, we don't. Every single human being, even the leaders we most respect and admire, go through rough patches. It's part of the journey. 

I struggle a lot with this reality because I want to be the best version of myself. I've set an unrealistic expectation that this is possible 24/7. Yesterday I attended a panel discussion with a bunch of amazing Mom Bloggers, and one of the things they shared is that a lot of blogs are only showing someone's "highlight reel." I immediately remembered Steven Furtick's quote:

“The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes with everyone else’s highlight reel.” 

There's nothing like reading a few blogs, scrolling through Facebook, or checking out Pinterest to get you thinking about everything you're not doing that you could be doing. And once you start going down that road, it can sometimes result in an all-out pity party. 

Even the greatest leaders have pity parties from time to time. But I'm convinced that leaders REFUSE to engage in the "woe is me" stuff for very long. They keep moving forward. Why? Because the best leaders recognize the value of growing slowly, but they deeply fear standing still.

Every day we have opportunities to learn and grow. Do you recognize these opportunities? Do you embrace them? Are you grateful for what you're learning and how you're growing, even when it's slow going? 

Leaders choose to learn. Leaders choose to grow. Do you?

Motivational Minute: "Make a Change!"

Every week, an SOS Leadership partner or friend shares a motivational minute about a different leadership topic. This week, Billy Moyer encourages us to "Make a Change!"

Who Says You Have to be Perfect?

Today's blog comes from the newsletter of Jordana Jaffe.  Jordana created Embarkability to empower and teach amazing women how to start and grow their own successful service-based businesses. She teaches her clients how to attract their own ideal clients, create their ideal schedules, and generate their ideal incomes.

It's so funny because so much of the time, we think we're so different from each other. We think "it's just me" and that what we're experiencing is completely unique to us. The crazy thing is that that's the farthest thing from the truth. There are days when I speak to my clients and one after the other, they all say the same thing. Of course, everyone has a different story and a different background, but their thoughts and fears are the same.

One of the most common fears that I hear is this idea of having to be perfect. Ever heard of perfection paralysis? It's when you dwell on something so much because you want it to be completely perfect, but as a result, you don't get very far. Success doesn't come from perfection - it comes from progress.

I'm going to repeat that - because I think it merits repeating - success comes from progress, not perfection. All of us (myself included) feel, at one point or another, scared of what other people may think - whether colleagues, family, friends, or clients. So you dwell and dwell and dwell some more. Not much gets accomplished though aside from feeling frustrated that you have yet to get it (whatever it may be) "just perfect."

Here's the thing - you probably won't ever feel like anything is completely perfect. You're chasing a dream here. And more importantly, having it be "perfect" or even close to perfect in your eyes will probably not make so much of a difference to everyone else.

If all of the successful people waited for things to be perfect until they moved forward, we might still be living in the ice age.

All of this said, a few key points to keep in mind...

1. Think about the people who you admire the most. Do you think they are perfect? Ask them if they've ever messed up, or if they've ever pressed send before they thought everything was perfect and ready to go. I'm betting that if they're honest with you, they'll admit that not only have they messed up LOTS of times, but it's because they've allowed themselves to mess up that they're as successful as they are today.

2. Think about why you admire these people. Do you admire them because they're perfect or because they're making so much progress in their lives? In all likelihood, if you felt like these people were perfect, you probably wouldn't admire them as much. It's often when people succeed, but still present themselves as human, vulnerable and flawed that we really look up to them.

3. Choose progress over perfection. Moving forward, ask yourself, is this good enough or how have I made progress? Eliminate the words "perfect" and "perfection" from your vocabulary. Replace it with progress. Remember, done is always better than perfect.

Make it a progress-filled week! 

To learn more about Jordana Jaffe make sure to visit her website!