5 Retired Generals Psychology/Sociology of Leading 2019 / 193 Pages
Table of Contents/Organization
Part 1 - Commitment Part 2 - Courage Part 3 - Competence Part 4 - Compassion Part 5 - Character
Stand-Out Lines
Page 31: "Committed leaders pledge themselves to the tasks at hand every day." Page 54: "...your organization must view you as someone unfazed by precarious situations." Page 82: "I sought out senior pilots and tacticians in the squadron who were willing to spend time with me so I could learn from their experiences." Page 131: "Compassionate leaders recognize that everyone struggles with life at one time or another, then they do all they can to assist." Page 177: "Leaders with character stand up for their team members."
My Opinion
A book to be read by those wondering, "What's it like to go to sleep at night knowing that thousands of people know you're their leader?" So, grab a pen, get comfortable, open your notebook, and maybe even pour a favorite (morning OR evening) beverage. Then, settle in for story time.
5 retired General Officers, 5 thematic chapters, and 5 stories each...we all know we can learn through the experience of others, and these men make it easier than ever. In fact, if you're reading this book, I recommend you START by skipping to the end of each chapter to review the bullet points that conclude each story. Put the book down - maybe for a week or two - and then come back after you've had a chance to think about the main points of each chapter. After this reflection, read their stories. Ask yourself, "What do these stories mean to ME? How do these kinds of situations appear or play out in MY life?"
My recommendation (based on what I know now having read this book) is to pick one GO at a time and read his stories chapter by chapter. I, of course, have some favorite stories of my own from this book, but I'll leave it to you to go and find yours.
This month (Monday, August 7th and Monday, August 14th), Get Momentum member Stephen Collins (living in Canberra, Australia) is leading 1-hour long Emotional Intelligence Mastermind sessions through an online, global meeting room.
Emotional Intelligence is the POWER that helps you be a more effective leader.
When you learn the skills of team building and collaboration, everything is better.
How well do you work together?
And, what could happen if you deliberately focused on building a higher performing team? Of course, your workplace would be a better place to work; projects would get done faster, and often better. But what about home? Wouldn't it be nice if you were on the same page more often with your spouse...your kinds? And, what about in your community? Are you a volunteer in an organization that could use these skills of Emotional Intelligence.
Are you still wondering if you need to attend this Mastermind session?
Here’s my challenge to you: Open your Momentum Journal, and write a page or two to answer this question:
Would you like to empower others, increase your productivity and trust those you work with do their best every day?
By the way, according to research the benefits of YOU learning Emotional Intelligence include:
You will communicate better,
You can reduce anxiety and stress,
You will know how to defuse conflicts,
You can improve relationships,
You’ll have more empathy with others, and
You can more effectively overcome life's challenges.
If this sounds like something you’d like to participate in, just click below to add the event to your calendar:
(Click Here to take the #Wellness Self-Assessment.)
"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise." - Benjamin Franklin, Inventor
Last month, we spent 4 days at Canyon Ranch, a health and fitness resort in Tucson, Arizona.
Why We Focus On Our Health
No, we’re not sick, our pants aren’t getting smaller and we feel very healthy.
We invested 4 days and nearly $8,000 on ourselves for two reasons:
It was time for us to re-set. Over four days of meetings with doctors, workouts with coaches and lectures by experts we collected and coordinated information I know we will use for the rest of our lives!
To practice being students, learning about the same topics you’re going to study and practice this month as you complete the Course Work for The Wellness Advantage.
I wish I could have stayed to do more “research”!
We attended lectures ranging from “How to exercise when you’re a Road Warrior (traveling all the time)” to “Wake up call: Sleep for good health.”
The biggest take-away I got was to BE PROACTIVE in my health.
During the Group Coaching Call this week, we’ll discuss some of the health facts we learned along the way, review the optimal sleep eco-system and share some road warrior travel tips for better nutrition, sleep & movement!
Let’s talk this Thursday...
9AM Pacific
10AM Mountain
11AM Central
12PM Eastern
5PM in the UK
9PM in Dubai
The Group Coaching Calls are your chance to connect in, ask specific questions and even share a win you’ve had!
"A life coach does for the rest of your life what a personal trainer does for your health and fitness." - Elaine MacDonald, Harvard Business school
When members like you have this kind of accountability support, you're able to move projects forward, faster.
Recently, several Get Momentum members met at a local Alabama coffee shop for a session to discuss their goals for next year.
You can start this holiday season with powerful conversations with important people who have impacted you -- these conversations have the ability to change your life and the way you work.
Your momentum - in life and at work - will grow based on the "team of people" you have around you.
First, think about where you will you be this holiday season. Over the next few weeks,
Who will you see?
Who will you video-conference?
Who will you hear from?
Who will you call?
I'll be in Washington, DC and Portland, Oregon next week before I visit my family in Northern California.
Trust me, I know how much extra work it takes to reach out and schedule time with influential people.
The success of my company and the quality of my life is a result of reaching out, making invitations, making the effort to meet with important people.
Now, I've already made calls to invite some influential people (I call them mentors) for meals and what I know will be a great conversation.
I've even started compiling Agendas for each person; this way I remember the stories I want to share and the questions I'd like to ask them. (Something we talk about in the "Productivity Through Technology" unit of Get Momentum. Click here to find out more about that...)
Agendas aren't just for boardroom meetings anymore.
Have you ever remembered a story after the fact and said to yourself, "Oh, I mean to tell her about..."
If you're going to be anywhere different in a year or two from where you are right now... it's going to be because of who you reached out to and what you shared.
Before you finish your day today, schedule time with AT LEAST ONE important person in your life. With a little notice, they will make time for you; I just know it.
With all the busyness of the holidays, it's easy to put this off.
Open up your calendar, pick a few days, and send invitations to people you'd like to sit down with; especially that person you consider a mentor.
This is important. You are important.
Talking about your 2016 experiences and sharing your 2017 goals is important.
NOW is the time to make things happen.
And, when you have the chance to sit and talk with your mentors, make the most of it!
Steps BEFORE you talk with your mentor:
Write down (at least) 20 accomplishments (big or little) you experienced throughout the past 12 months.
Identify the specific themes to those achievements (who was involved, where you were, etc?)
Consider what you could have done to experience even MORE success.
Identify one (or a maximum of two) question you'd like to ask your mentor.
The key to productive conversations is to clearly define what you want from having that conversation.
Be ready for the question, "How can I help you?"
SIDE NOTE: I observe people as they spend so much time talking about how bad things are, often describing in great detail all the things they don't want to happen. When this occurs, they miss the rare opportunity to focus on building a life of momentum. Be smart. Focus on what you DO want.
ADVANCED SKILL: When you have time to talk with an experienced advisor, talk about what you DO want! I often start my mentor conversations by sharing with them my responses to the prompts above, and then I tell them the question I'm wrestling with. Time and time again, this works.
I walk away inspired and informed, always with a plan of what to do next.
Have you ever done something because it’s the right thing to do, not knowing if anyone would notice? Here’s what someone said recently:
“Jason and Jodi really care for each member ~ I don’t feel like just a “customer” in their program.”
This is our intention, whether we work with our clients in person, on the phone, or virtually (as I did last summer in Menorca!)
We recently published a 4-part seminar series titled: Get Momentum: Move Beyond “Stuck” to Finally Achieve Your Dreams.
You could have learned:
the #1 thing to do when you earn a promotion.
to manage time better in the morning to get more done.
the ONLY reason people miscommunicate (and argue!).
that Get Momentum teaches you to live your best life.
Last week a Get Momentum member from Michigan told Jodi, “I’ve saved thousands of dollars this year alone by delegating work more clearly to my staff.”
And just yesterday, Jason spoke with a member in the Middle East who is practicing what he learned in video #2. He has arrived home in time for dinner with his family more times this week than the entire month before!
Did you watch those videos and make a change?
Are you using that “time management” technique?
Is your communication more clear and deliberate?
Are you ready to take what you do to the next level?
Don’t stop at the 4th video. Keep the momentum going. You are capable of SO MUCH MORE, and we can coach you to be better!
Eliminate the “distractions of unproductive days”, and
Get more of the most important things done.
You’re not done. You’re not tapped out. You haven’t reached your peak.
More is possible. Momentum is possible.
It’s time to work with coaches who know you, what you need to do AND to join a community that holds you accountable to the promise you made to yourself.
Read what Fabien Modoux - a long-time Get Momentum member in New York City - said about how the Get Momentum Academy has helped him be a better leader:
I’ve been a part of another online leadership training program in the past, but the Get Momentum Academy is the best I’ve experienced. The monthly themed content is very valuable and relevant to my day-to-day life, but the greatest benefit for me has been the accessibility to Jason and Jodi and the other Get Momentum members.
Jason and Jodi really care for each member - I don’t feel like just a “customer” in their program.
They respond quickly to needs and requests and Jason has gone out of his way to introduce me to an alumni member to help with one of my specific needs. That alumnus generously connected with me pro bono as a great kindness.
The online forum has provided several opportunities for me to connect “in real life” with members to collaborate on ideas and offer accountability to move toward our respective goals.
I can’t recommend the Get Momentum Academy more highly. I hope you’ll consider joining and will look forward to connecting with you if you do!
Don’t put off for one more day what you can start RIGHT NOW!
Take a look, out into the future is some date, some event, some thing that you're getting closer and closer to every day. What is it? A work thing? A life thing? A career thing? A family thing?
Too often you say, "I just need to do it." Too often, you schedule something only to give up your dedication to something you think is more important.
Look, maybe in the moment it IS more important. But, moments are fleeting. Results are not.
I've got an idea for you. Call someone who know who'll listen to you. Tell them what you're working on, and listen to their advice.
Oh, and if you're a http://www.GetMomentum.com member, send me an update. I'd love to hear from you!
I got 17 emails from people asking what the bonuses are when they order Get Momentum, How To Start When You're Stuck.
So I thought I'd send you a note, to give you the whole story, right here:
1. Get Momentum Starter Kit ($60 value) A 20+ page workbook pdf that will help you finally start the project that's stuck.
2.Get Momentum Video ($100 value) In this 27-minute presentation, I share 3 ways you can get started in the next 24 hours. Not only can you watch the video, you can download and listen to the mp3 file.
3. The Productive Leader Video ($100 value)
In this 50-minute keynote presentation, I introduce the key productivity lessons to inspire you and guide you toward momentum. Again, you can download the mp3 audio file.
4. Meeting Agenda PDF ($100 value) I have a list of questions you can use to more completely prepare for time-saving and more productive meetings. Use this template as you move through your project.
We work on the honor system.
So if you've bought the book, all you need to do is enter your name and email on the Bonus page, and we'll send you right to the bonuses.
Instantly.
No need to show a receipt or confirmation number... I trust you.
Thank you for your support and encouragement on this ride!
“So busy” you reply; all you can think of is how much pressure you’re under.
Another typical day in the life of getting things done.
Have you ended a day recently where everything on your to-do list didn’t get finished? When our day-to-day productivity depends on teamwork, collaboration and group-effort, it’s important to remember the importance of “influence.”
Yes, you have a lot to do. Maybe you even think there’s TOO much you have to do; and, as a result, you’re NOT going to be able to get to everything you think is important. Furthermore, you’ve probably convinced yourself you don’t have enough time. But that’s not the problem…
It is possible to work smarter and achieve more. This is especially true when you’re working with a group of people also interested in getting important things done.
You can start a day with a plan to be more productive and achieve success by using just a few tactics to get more done. The good news, it’s easy to get started. The bad news, the moment you start working your “ecosystem” is stacked against you!
Every day, there are people around you who are going to help you stay focused on your goal OR pull you out of focus.
When you’re always “busy” and running in “response mode,” it’s easy to get frustrated.
How does your network influence you?
A client is dealing with something you can’t imagine;
a coworker is not responding to you;
a vendor is under unseen pressure; or
a friend just got hit with some life challenge.
Through the day-to-day life we all lead, it’s easy to forget that other people are just as busy - or even busier - than we are! If getting things done for you requires cooperation and teamwork with others, it helps if you practice perspective.
Thinking from this angle will help you save time, save money and make it easier to get more of the right things done. When you change your mind, you can change how productive you feel. And, the better you feel, the easier it is to get more done. Momentum is circular that way.
3 ways to change how your network influences your productivity:
1. Think in a place you won’t be interrupted for 30 minutes.
Reserve a conference room, or find a quiet(er) corner of a cafe. Go there with a pen and a journal to think deeply about a big, long-term project. You’ll get more quality work done in a shorter amount of time if you protect yourself from interruptions by (1) other people, (2) your own workspace and (3) your technology.
There are two reasons to do this:
(A) you just may be interrupted fewer times during that work session, and (B) you just might interrupt those you work around a bit less!
One of the most significant impediments to getting things done during the day is the constant “task-switching” people have to do going from one interruption to the next.
2. Meet a mentor and talk about what’s real.
A coach, a therapist, a sponsor…you need someone you can talk to in confidence. Hearing another point of view on your problems can give you a fresh perspective, relieve some stress and produce new solutions. Also, when you take the time to think through your situation(s) from another perspective, you’ll realize that there are ways to see how OTHER people are managing their unique issues.
Of all ways to take on the “other” perspective, this can often be the fastest and most impactful one there is. When we get to share what we’re thinking, and then have that reflected back AND processed by someone who knows us well, we can see more than we had seen before.
It’s all routine: how, where, and when we think. So, change it up. Write the name of a project on a note card, get a pen, and go for a 15-minute walk outside. When you get 5 minutes away, stop and write down what you’ve thought of about the project. Then, return to your desk. Changing your location changes your perspective.
Stimulating your brain with a fresh supply of oxygen can give you the creative boost to notice what was right there, but just needed a “perspective check-in” to access.
Of course you’re busy. Change things up and get ideas to work smarter and better. Now that’s a way to create momentum.
Get started and keeping moving to get your most important things done, feel more productive and work better together.
Within an hour, a max of 4, you're going to see someone.
Anyone. A coworker. A friend. A family member. A lover.
Do you ever wonder why?
As in: "Why am I hanging out with these people?"
This is a picture we asked the barista at Rustic Bakery in Novato, CA to take at our #CoffeeChat event on Halloween morning, 2015.
Sitting in the midst of greatness, surrounded by family, new acquaintances and old friends, it's obvious to me...
We come together because we can help each other.
That's the bottom line. You...you're here to be awesome. The people around you, they are here for one of two reasons:
1. To drag you down. To pull on you, to make it hard for you to be everything you can be.
(Notice: I don't say DO ... I say be. And I mean it. We need you. We need you to BE the you that you were out here to be. Once you know what that is - once you align with the "superpower that is you" - magic happens. YOU show up. And...we need that.)
2. There is another type of person in your network, your community, your team, your family and your friends.
"They" represent the ones that say:
Go.
You got this.
What do you need?
Your relationships, they'll take you to the next level if you'll do just two things:
1. Share from your heart. What do you want to be known for?
2. Ask for assistance. Clearly, exactly, specifically. Let people know what you're working on and...
