Egoless Clarity [A Tyro's Mindset]

Are you good at what you do? Chances are, unless you are completely new at what you are doing you have gotten good, perhaps you have even became an expert in your field. In one recent conversation with a client, he told me that after an average of 2 months most of his sales guys are 'great' at what they do and at that point are creating their own desired income. He says that it only takes a little time to learn their clients, their computer system and organizational expectations. Typically in my professional past experiences, I would say it was a 2-6 month time frame before I felt comfortable and in some cases good at what I was doing. Of course if there was previous experience in that industry then that 2-6 months could be mere weeks.

On one hand it is good… it's even great when a leader gets good at what they do or who they are. However, this can have an equal and opposite reaction that may not be beneficial to their personal leadership or their organization. When new directions and decisions need to be made the expert may be blind to new possibilities because they are an expert at what they have done. Notice the use of 'have done' as past tense. This can be the biggest setback for many seasoned veteran leaders as well as the novice leader due to the 'book knowledge' and previous wins that he has championed into his portfolio as another point on the scoreboard.

Often times the expert leader is bound to the the previous successes, she is bound to the past, and many times not open to the new and different ideas; the (un)tried.

Do you have an expert mind? Are you limited to the small closed world of an expert? Are you buckled down from the less concrete world of spacial creativity? Perhaps you need to think like a 'tyro', a beginner in learning. Tyro's have that child-like outlook on things. A child looks at a problem and thinks that some markers, mud, and G.I. Joes will fix it. They don't always think rationally. Think about a new hire, some young fresh college kid who has no experience. If you were to ask him an executive question that is too much for him to entertain you may get an answer that is not the status quo. Remember as an expert you might find yourself where the status quo only makes sense because that is what has always worked, so why shouldn't it now? Could the perception of his sub-par status quo thought actually be a new viable option, something (un)tried?

Here is the complication; your expert mind says, "this can't be done" or " this shouldn't be done." This is not beneficial to any situation. However when you begin to think like a tyro your beginner mind says, "How can this be done?" or "I wonder if this can be done?" What might you need to change in order to get your mind youth-enized? How might you get your thoughts in control so that you can think like a young tyro, a fresh college kid, child-like mindset, with new ideas and perspectives, yet maintain balance keeping your measurables and goals in perspective? Will your ego stand in the way, the ego that tells others that your success comes form your knowledge and your knowledge comes from your experience? Our ego treats us like a crooked accountant that shows a modest profit while lining his own pockets with wealth. This ego says, "because of who I am and what I have done proves that my ideas are superior." The need here is an egoless clarity.

Disciplined To Be The Best

Jim Collins says in his book, Good to Great,

Everyone would like to be the best, but most organizations lack the discipline to figure out with egoless clarity what they can be the best at and the will to do whatever it takes to turn the potential into reality.

If you have heard me speak or heard my life story you have heard the words resonate from my lips.... "Potential." I am often teased for the over-useage of that word in my vocabulary. However lacking to recognize potential can paralyze so many people from growth and excellence. What results is mediocrity and stagnation. Neither of those are traits that draws followers, they operate as repellents. A life without discipline equals a life of unatained potential. That life can also be represented by your church/ministry/business/organization.

Jim Collins calls out two areas for discipline. An egoless clarity and the will or determination, both of these to become the BEST. I have learned that many people are afraid of being the best. Not because it is unattainable but because of the dedication and discipline that it takes. Many times it is easier to wait for the other guy to plow through the land and pave the road then glide down it picking up hints and resources.

EGOLESS CLARITY to be the BEST.
It is not wrong to figure out what you can be the best at. Make sure to also figure out what you cannot be the best at. Simplify your goals. Don't wave those goals in others faces, remember this is egoless. Jeanne Mayo teaches that many times God gives vision that needs to be shelved until the proper time. There are vision destroyers. Guys who have self-esteem issues and will doubt you and in your heart that vision may be destroyed. Shelve it and trust that God in His proper time will unveil it.

WILL TO DO WHATEVER IT TAKES
This doesn't mean we try until there is a roadblock. Bud Leikvoll, an instructor at Western Bible College explains roadblocks and attacks of Satan as this. "It is either a stepping stone or stumbling block." It will either make you weaker or stronger. There has to be a tenacity and drive that makes you so relentless that nothing will stand in your way.

We need to stop giving reasons for bureaucracy to exist and be disciplined in our lives. Many times the reason for a micro-manger leaders is because either they lacked discipline and are overcompensating or they had someone fail them due to lack of discipline. Change the rules or change the game.

Renderings Anew - Design Leadership

Well it has been nearly 4-5 years since I worked at an architectural field and a good 2-3 years since I have done any architecture on the side. I recently picked up a consulting gig for a church in the West Valley to help them with their site development and building project. They are looking at doing a 5-7 year building project consisting of 5-7 buildings, outdoor sporting complex with football/soccer field, gymnasium, and perhaps some other great ideas. They want to do this in about three Phases all spaced 2-3 years apart.

I love working with clients that have great vision yet take a realistic approach. With my architectural background I have no problem designing the dreamsical unrealistic art but the reality is that designing things within budgets, constraints, taking into consideration other architectural design elements within the project's locale, area demographics, etc. can often paralyze clients. When sitting down at a blank piece of paper many people have a tough time conceptualizing their dreams... or facing the reality of what is doable.

I enjoy leadership that can be modest in their approach to the doable, respecting the fundamentals however allowing the 'fun' of creativity and exploration. Those leaders that understand this and 'get it' typically dream bigger, run faster, climb higher and have an unmatched aptitude for success. Their leadership is addictive and permeates those around them.

Are you dreaming today? Are you running faster than those that have held you back? Are you climbing higher? Do you have an unmatched aptitude for success? I hope the answer in the forefront of your mind is a resounding yes! If not, begin... NOW!

Attached are a couple renderings I decided to put up. Comment your thoughts, be advised these are very preliminary.

From Architecture

From Architecture

From Architecture

From Architecture

From Architecture

From Architecture

Within Reason

Your biggest rational fear is those in your network, in your area where you are doing things 'within reason'. If you are a pastor admit it... admit that there is an underlying fear of competition. Then if they are tearing it up and making it work you get jealous and begin to explain how it is not of God and it's not going to succeed. The reason they are winning is because they are unreasonably focusing on their 20%. "Oh, but we don't have 20%." Bull, you do, but you are focusing all your efforts on making the 80% happy and pretty and making sure they are comfortable and have nothing to complain about. IS there a balance? SURE, everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial. You are not benefiting because your focused efforts are in the wrong place.

It is always the unreasonable entity that establishes a new benchmark or new niche. They then get the opportunity to redefine success and redefine what 'within reason' means. It is also the 'within reason' entity that reestablishes the status quo of minimization and mediocrity!

As Seth Godin says,

"I guess the only choice is to be unreasonable."

Selling the Sellable

This guy named Jesse at Buckle introduced himself to me. We talked about professionalism in the market place and taking pride in our job. He told me how once he went to P.F. Changs in Scottsdale and ordered food, a plate that he orders custom, half shrimp and half scallions, however this time it was horrible. He then ordered another plate and it was horrible too, two in a row.

He payed and left and went to the P.F. Changs in Tempe and ordered the same meal. He payed twice to get what he expected, in order to get the best that the restaurant had. He explained to them what happened and they gave him a lot of gift cards because of his efforts and how they were honored in his dedication to them and how he was willing to pay twice for what he wanted.

When he was at Buckle he stood for 15 minutes before anyone helped him then when he asked for help the girl didn't know anything about the products. A few days prior I was at Pac-Sun and they didn't know that a jacket I bought had sleeves that zipped off. The first girl was stunned and asked how did I know the sleeves zipped off, I said, "I looked at it", while I was pointing at it. She yelled to another girl and asked her if she knew that and the other girl was as shocked as the first girl.

People do not have pride in their product, in their jobs. How come?

When I worked in retail as a young guy people would always ask me if I got payed commission because I would push products. I prided myself in becoming an expert at our products. They would be confused that I would push one thing over another and not be getting commission. I told them there are some products we sell that I believe in and some that I don't. Based off their needs, wants, desires, comfort level and money they were willing to spend I would give them the best product that met THEIR needs, not the item that paid me based off my selling skills. It should not take commission selling in order for you to want to know about your products. Just like this picture illustrates, we must make people aware of what we know and want them to know before they are willing to make a decision.
Commission sells vs. non-commission sells changes the attitude and commitment of salesmen. Most people will become experts if they get paid based off their ability to make a sell for a given product. When I was 18 I worked in direct sales for a couple years and my pay was 100% based off my ability to move product. I made $700 in a matter of two days but then could go 2 weeks without anything. In a matter of my first week working there I became an expert in product knowledge of our product. Most people learn the power of product knowledge when their lives and income depend on it.

I am not even talking about methods of selling, how to be a salesman, how to move product or anything, I am simply talking about knowing your product!

So how does this apply to pastors/creatives/leaders? What is your product? What is it that you are pushing? Are you a professional, an expert in your product? If not, why? What is your plan to get someone to be aware of what you believe then move to the decision step?