In its most simple translation, leadership is influence. We earn trust and respect, and others value our words and actions. However, when we make risky choices for our benefit — as opposed to that of the greater good — we risk everything if exposed. Now don’t get me wrong; there will be those who may not be aware of what is happening, but in that case, you are being deceiving. However, it is those who have come to respect you as a person and a leader that are most affected. They know the “true you” and watch a situation unfold and see the forest through the trees.

Your integrity and character are built over years of establishing your core values and non-negotiables. Those values are a result of your upbringing, experience, wisdom, influence, mentorship and education over time. Once you understand the importance of what your desire your character to be, you create your non-negotiables — those specific value traits that under no circumstance would you be willing to jeopardize.

You may have a core value of integrity, but through experience and wisdom, you focus on the traits that make up your version of your character; those things that that make up our individual values. For example, integrity to me includes honesty and fairness. But when I put it under a microscope, I add gratitude; not allowing my ego to be the enemy, and not to deceive others. That is where I draw the line with my non-negotiables.

I was taught that our core values serve as a moral compass throughout our life. With strong core values comes a disciplined charted course of personal success. Even if we sway off a bit, our moral compass will pull us back and navigate us toward our goals and personal fulfillment. I look at a moral compass the same as a directional compass. All it takes is for the calibration to be inaccurate for you to go astray to the point that you can’t find the path you began with.

But be careful with falling into a routine and not adapting to change. Once we get comfortable on our our path, a step off course may seem acceptable. However, the more steps you take in the wrong direction, the more you lose focus on your purpose, and you risk compromising the investment you have made in becoming the best version of yourself. You may spend years building your reputation, but it takes far less time to wipe it out than it does to construct it. How strong is your mindset to recognize “the grey,” that area that you need to be most self-aware when making a decision. Are you confident enough in yourself to make the unpopular decision based on your values and non-negotiables? Do you believe in the legacy you want to leave behind? Sometimes it’s lonely standing up for what you know is right, but in the end, it is what distinguishes those who truly have the courage to lead.

Those who just accept their decisions rather than think them through may defend their actions in front of others, but question themselves alone. That is a signal that they are straying off course. That is a cue to become more self-aware and talk to your inner circle — those people who can identify blind spots in your journey and help you discover the true answer. It takes a tremendous amount of humility to be honest with ourselves. We must abandon our ego and personal gain to see the process in a clear perspective. But the reward of that process is true growth and character. To say, “I erred in judgement,” overshadows any previous action or words spoken prior. It influences those who follow your example to know that we all make bad decisions at times, but it is how quickly we can recognize the act and correct our course.

Is your moral compass aligned with the journey you have committed to, or does it need to be recalibrated? All of us need an adjustment from time to time. That’s the beauty of life — we grow one step at a time.

Go do great things today and make a difference.

Most things can be simple; however, we sometimes over-complicate them. It’s human nature to overthink situations to convince ourselves that the outcome will be perfect. The time we invest questioning every scenario when we know that our initial gut feeling is the one to go with, can be maddening. Even with things that are inevitable, we tend to waste time questioning it instead of just moving on.

What if we break it down change into its most basic form? The simplification looks like this:

Believe it or not, this can be the most challenging part of putting an action plan together to push forward and create a breakthrough. For the most part, filling in that first line regarding change is not that complicated. We know what needs to change, but what is critical here is to ensure that the specific change, in the present state we are in, is as specific as possible. Too broad and you risk not meeting your goal.

What we want to accomplish will require thought, reasoning, and reality.  Let’s break that down:

Thought: If we commit to change, we have to identify the specific change we expect to occur. This outcome becomes the piece that we are accountable and responsible for. The more time we dedicate to thinking this through, the more efficient and effective our plan of action can be.

Reasoning: With a solid desired change, dedicated thought to our plan, we begin to chart our course with an evaluation of the reasoning toward our goals. This is otherwise known as “the process”. Begin to visualize the direction required and work toward identifying the barriers you may encounter.

Reality: The desired outcome needs to be realistic, while at the same time challenging, in order to achieve growth and reach your goals. If your desired outcome is too much of a stretch goal, you are setting yourself up for failure. By creating a reality that pushes us outside our comfort zone, we appreciate the process even more so.

Too simple, won’t work, right?

Here is an example:

• What is causing me to be disorganized?
• Do I have control over it?
• What is not working?
• What could I change about myself?

We don’t need pages of notes and analytics to support our goals in every situation. By applying simplification to create a base for the decisions that you make, you will be able to allocate that time for the more critical decisions in your life which require more research and evaluation.

Go do great things today and make a difference.

“Some can, some can’t.”

— Ahmad Rashad, sportscaster, speaking to Michael Jordon before the 1997 Finals
Excerpt from Episode #9 of the ESPN Documentary, “The Last Dance”

I love my San Antonio Spurs, but watching Michael Jordan be drafted from North Carolina to the Chicago made me a Bulls fan. I was a fan of North Carolina, but then again, who wasn’t? The Tarheels played a different kind of basketball, standing out from the rest by their attention to detail and discipline, and Jordan fit that system perfectly. He was a Bull from 1984, until his last championship in 2003, and there wasn’t a better professional sports franchise to that point in time. That team escalated the NBA to new heights.

Due to the pandemic of COVID-19, a multi-part docuseries was released early by ESPN in mid-April, which soon became on the most viewed documentaries ever. It was a series about Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls during his last season called The Last Dance, which gave unprecedented access to a camera crew to follow Michael and the Bulls in what would end a dynasty for Chicago. Millions were glued to their televisions. With no sports being played, no need to switch channels to check scores of other games, MJ had an exclusive.

I want to focus on a line that Ahmad Rashad, a close friend of Jordan’s, as well as an NBA analyst, uttered prior to a finals game against the Utah Jazz. In a room with Jordan and his personal security staff, Rashad told Michael, “Some can, some can’t.”

If you were casually watching, you may have missed it. However, those four words absolutely define the epitome of Michael Jordan. He was on the “CAN” side of that quote — and not may CAN do what he did. His approach as an athlete would eclipse the way any sports psychologist could teach “mindset.” The man was in a class of his own.

To be a champion requires an incredible amount of focus and investment into your craft. Imagine playing on average, 39 minutes a game of a brutal 82 game season. Players don’t do that anymore. Maybe it’s because they’re smarter and are working toward having longer careers, but remember, Jordan played 15 seasons, with a Minor League Baseball season thrown in there as well (1993-1994).

Jordan had visualized every situation of the game, be it his position, as well as the other four on the court. Not only had prepared himself through outrageous skill training, but his mental game was levels above what would be considered a great athlete in any sport. When Ahmad Rashad said, “Some can, some can’t,” he was referring to the pressure that is attached to the finals. In other words, some can step up, and others can’t.

That was the competitive edge that Jordan had on any opponent. He didn’t need to be told to step up his game. In fact, he would find things, some not even worthy of affecting most, just to push him. For example, following a win against the Bulls, LaBradford Smith from the then Washington Bullets, walked over to Jordan and said, “good game.”  Jordan’s Bulls had just lost, and this player that nobody knew just had a career night.  Jordan took it personally, and the next night, playing those same Bullets in Chicago, Jordan lit Smith up. His motivation?  “Good game…”

At the professional level today, athletes that have tremendous skills obviously stand out. But the fact is, only the elite of the elite make those rosters. I firmly believe it is a combination of the intangibles that take an athlete from good to great, and mindset is at the top of my list. When you have the ability to become so finite in your approach, and play in the moment with a Plan A, B or C for every diagrammed play, you gain a tremendous competitive advantage. You become a player that CAN. Those that don’t have the patience, trust in the process, or will power to push themselves, become the CAN’T.

This is one of the most intriguing quotes that captured the essence and mindset of the champion Michael Jordan was:

Go do great things today and make a difference.

Not just the class of 2020, but the class act of 2020 . . .

“To be alive at all is to have scars.”

— John Steinbeck, The Winter of Our Discontent

Whenever I hear the line, “How much does a dream cost?”, it takes me back to high school English class and reading the classic, Of Mice and Men, by John Steinbeck. As George and Lennie pool their money to buy a ten-acre farm in California, they realize that without each other, this dream wouldn’t be possible. Steinbeck hits on themes of support, friendship as a bond, and how lucky we are as individuals to have people who believe in our dreams, because the world can be a lonely place.

Then comes the classic line, “The only story that really matters is the one about you.” This phrase sums up the importance of taking ownership of your own story. It is also about finding people to be part of your inner circle who believe in your enthusiasm and passion in making an opportunity a reality. All of us need support when we’re moving from good to great.

Each of us should always be setting specific goals to continue our growth and fulfillment. Each day, we should be striving to grow in at least one aspect of our lives. Growth is not just for the young; it is for each and every person who is willing to continue dreaming. The dilemma is that as we get older, we begin to settle into our comfort zone and either slow our pace of growth, or even worse, stand content in where we are. As the saying goes, if you’re not living, then you’re dying. If you’re living your best life, you’re dreaming, learning, and growing, and that’s great definition of fulfillment.

The truth is, setting goals can be the single most important factor in how far we will advance. It is through the process of reaching our dreams that we feel the sense of achievement, skill development, direction, and focus. Those goals need to be challenging, but realistic. Create targets along the journey to conduct self-awareness assessments where you can be vulnerable and honest with yourself.

However, we cannot accomplish our dreams alone. We need a support system for encouragement, advice, honesty, and accountability. Our inner-circle becomes our life-line. Too often, we will fill that circle with unnecessary people who provide negativity, drama, excuses and blame. The weight of their negativity becomes too much to carry. Drop the negativity. Drop the people that bring you down.

Let go of those people in your life and construct an inner circle of like-minded, ambitious people whose oxygen is chasing greatness. Those people will also become your strength when you feel weak, your thoughts when you feel trapped in a corner, and your biggest fans when it is time to celebrate an achievement. If we want to overcome challenges, we must have the courage and vulnerability to ask for help.

Let’s return to the original question posed in the title, “How much does a dream cost?”

The simple answer is that dreams don’t cost a dime, but they demand their due. Once you commit to a dream and establish your goals, the following is the price you’ll pay:

And one last thing.

AN INNER CIRCLE OF LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE

Be courageous, chase greatness in small ways every day and move closer toward your dreams.

You’re worth it.

Go do great things today and make a difference.

The odds are that an experienced leader will face a crisis at some point, especially during these times of a 24-hour news cycle and social media posts that can take an issue from a minor problem to a catastrophe in no time. Crisis management means dealing with what could become a major situation before it occurs. It requires specific skills to identify, assess, understand, and cope with a serious situation.

At that point, developing a set of procedures, roles, responsibilities and communication needs to be in motion. Indecisiveness can expose weaknesses, which is why it is so important to prepare for all scenarios. Crisis management requires a prepared team, but more importantly, a skilled leader to navigate.

Five ways to lead during a crisis:

1. Reinvent Yourself

Based on the situation, you may need to change your leadership style to adapt to the specific needs required. This calls for flexibility and being willing to make tough choices while on the clock. It also requires a sense of vulnerability and making people feel safe. For some leaders, this will mean expanding beyond your typical comfort zone.

2. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

The most successful leaders understand how critical communication can be, especially in a time of crisis. By being transparent and truthful in your briefings, the result is earned trust and respect. Your goal is to gain a connection with those you lead and value them beyond their abilities.

3. Model the Character You Expect From Others

It’s about the three C’s – keep calm, cool, and collected. As a leader, you’re always on stage, which means that your words and body language will set the example for others to follow. Show confidence, perseverance, and patience. Also, be authentic.

4. Leverage Your Team

You have assembled a group of independent thinkers, who each bring unique talents to the table, so take advantage of the strength in numbers. This is the time to tap into your team’s creativity and innovation to make impactful decisions. Empower them to think outside the box and be unafraid to fail. Strong teams welcome the demands of a crisis and thrive in the success of the challenge.

5. Stay Educated

In times of crisis, things change by the minute. As a leader, it is your obligation to stay up-to-date by utilizing all the resources you have to ensure that the business plan you are working from is realistic in the most current environment. Be sure to monitor respected news sources and reliable contacts — don’t act as a result of speculation when you have the chance to be proactive based on the facts.

A crisis can strike at any time, which is why advanced planning is the key to successful outcomes. Don’t be unprepared or think it won’t happen to you. The benefit is once you have gone through a crisis and have documented your plan, you have a template moving forward.

Crisis does not build character — it reveals it. What will your character reveal?

Go do great things today and make a difference.