change Archives - Charge Up Today

Gratitude: The Attitude to Start Your Day ✏

For most of us, regardless of what time our day starts, after we turn off the alarm our minds begin to process all of the necessary tasks for that particular day. It’s very similar to that of a car engine warming up. Gratitude.

You visualize what the priorities are, what you are behind on, the meetings planned for the day, the emails you still need to reply to, the phone calls you need to return, not to mention the projects you have put off at home. All of this hits you before the shower water even gets hot!

You want to change that routine of stress? There is a recourse to this habit; one that doesn’t take a book, a course, or even a 10-step program. It’s as simple as one word – GRATITUDE. Imagine changing your routine and starting each day with a commitment to only 5 minutes of thinking about the things you are grateful for.

“Gratitude is the single most important ingredient
to living a successful and fulfilled life.”
– Jack Canfield

To be genuinely grateful, one must have a high quality of thankfulness. All I have to say to you is look around — there is so much to be thankful for. Unfortunately we stay stuck either in the high gears of life, or downshifting to catch up. Why not stay in first gear and just coast for a few minutes, and come to the realization that YOU are in an incredibly rewarding role as a leader? YOU get to make a difference in the lives of people you lead every day. You have been provided a privilege, one that you should never take for granted.

Commit to five minutes in your morning routine to simply identify five things that you are grateful for at that particular time. It will be easy for a few weeks, but I challenge you not to repeat yourself. Granted, being thankful for things like an incredible partner, healthy and loving children, and a supportive network of family and friends will always be on this list. But the real thought will come once you get outside that box. That’s why I used the word “commit” when I suggested changing your morning routine.

“Gratitude changes everything . . .”

I personally have a list where I write these things down; I call it my “gratitude catalog”. It’s amazing what looking at a word document filled with line after line of months’ worth of gratitude entries can do to shift one’s perspective. If you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, if you know you’re about to enter a day filled with pressure and high expectations, being able to remind yourself that the blessings of life surround you immediately changes your mindset. It’s just in our DNA – see positive, think positive, act positive.

30 things you can choose to be grateful for now:

* excluding partner, children, family and friends . . .

Waking up (the obvious first!)
Past, present and future (your life)
Education
Mentors
Good health
Career
Ability to make choices
Lessons learned
Each day is a new chance to begin again
Freedom
The ability to go anywhere at anytime
Laughter
Love
Tears
Forgiveness
Having a passion
The generosity of others
Respect
Weekends
Values
Memories
Music
Nature
The small pleasures of life all around us
The Internet
The setbacks that make a person stronger
Volunteering
Pets
Good conversations
YOU

Sometimes it’s tough to find the find the bright side of things because of the enormous amount of challenges we face each day. However, remember that no matter how bad your situation may seem, there are more things to be grateful for in life than there are problems. Realize how amazing your life is — and start with YOU!

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #success #moveforward #patience #attitude #gratitude #commit #fiveminutes #gratitudeissuccess

RECEIVE MY FREE MONTHLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2020 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2020 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

More . . .

✏ Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes

One of our most popular blog posts of all time, we’ve brought this one back for a much-deserved republication. Enjoy!

The amount of negativity all around us is no longer empowering us as a society, but instead, it is slowly crippling us in a time where we need to find and acknowledge the progress, gratitude and appreciation for life to set the example for the next generation.

Too many words, not enough action.

Too many problems, a lack of solutions.

Too much blame, a disregard for accountability.

Too much assumption, a loss of fact.

Let me emphasize, this is not a political post. Nor do I want it to be misinterpreted as one. This is about self-awareness: an introspection of our own character and how we rationalize both our internal and external awareness in the environment we are in.

Simply put, it is about our decisions.

“Remember, a negative multiplied by a negative is only positive in math — not the real world.

– Eric Thomas, Motivational Coach

All of us need to take the time to reevaluate our priorities, values and purpose, to ask yourself, “Am I living up to my own standards each and every day?”. As adults, each of us — regardless of race, creed, socio-economic stature, education or persuasion — are providing the ground work for a new generation of young adults who will play a critical role in our future development in society.

Do you sincerely believe that our focus is on providing a balance of both positive and negative to teach our children that there is good and bad in the world, but to also elicit the actions of problem solving and healthy, productive discussions to find unity and make an impact on the world?

Our brain is bombarded with negative influences everywhere, especially from the highest influencer, visual data. It is now estimated that upward of 90% of the news, both newspaper and television, is negative content. A 2016 review of all social media channels discovered that on average, 62% of posts and/or comments are negative-biased (statista.com).

We have developed a negativity bias in our cognitive system over time that creates “mental shortcuts” that push us toward the negative in a situation rather than actually processing it, thinking about it, using critical thought and providing an honest opinion. What influences us the most to make these shortcuts? Other people’s opinions.

It doesn’t take science to prove that we tend to lean toward the side of popular opinion as opposed to sticking with our independent belief because we fear being the outcast, or not part of the majority. Over time, we have lost our ability to generate free and independent thought because what was once a simple discussion with others can immediately lead to a heated, emotional debate regardless of topic. Why are we so quick to attack? When did we lose the ability to listen and discover through others’ knowledge? The fireside chat has turned into protests, violence, extreme threats on social media and a focus by news outlets to intensify the situation by making light of it at every chance they get.

But if you want science to back up my position . . .

According to Dr. Daniel Kahneman, 2002 Nobel Laureate and best-selling author of “Thinking, Fast and Slow”, people tend to take a benchmark and react to it. It actually takes effort to make an individual act and think rationally to find the support for independent thought processes. His empirical findings challenge the assumption of human rationality prevailing in modern economic theory; however, his research, results and principles are largely used by behavioral psychologists today.

“Life is a reflection of what you think. If your thoughts are negative, the world you see will be the same.”

– Leon Brown, MLB player

Time for me to be part of the solution, not part of the problem. Here are five ways to make positive changes in your life today that will leave a lasting impression on others, as well as make you a happier person.

POSITIVE MINDSET

Surround yourself with positive people. Make sure those in your life are positive, supportive people you can depend on to give helpful advice and feedback. Negative people may increase your stress level and make you doubt your ability to manage stress in healthy ways. Practice positive self-talk. All of these things will contribute to you having a positive and productive mindset.

DON’T DO IT

You know what I mean — you just need to think about it! Don’t post on social media when you’re angry, don’t respond unless you grandmother would approve of every word you use, don’t have an opinion unless you have the knowledge and facts to back it up. Show respect and avoid the fight. Only participate if you can clearly see the intent and purpose is for a positive change. It’s one thing to post a sarcastic retort on something you disagree with; it’s another thing to have an intelligent debate while disagreeing.

VOLUNTEER

Think of it like this, “Pay it Forward” and focus on what YOU can do to make a difference. Once you get the motivation to do it, you will see the immediate benefits, and a true leader will find the purpose in getting more invested in the mission. One person can make an incredible difference. Giving and gratitude go hand in hand. The more you practice it, the better you will get at it. I challenge you to take the first step, then pass it on and grow the efforts.

MENTOR

When I say be a mentor, I mean take an active role in discovering what you are passionate about and go inspire others. You can find these opportunities all around you, through schools, community-based mentor programs, your church, YMCA, etc. Regardless of where you choose, mentor a young person who needs direction in their life. Teach them about life, integrity, leadership and the character and skills necessary to succeed. For some of these kids, you may be the only positive figure in their life. You can make a difference.

GRATITUDE JOURNAL

For some, this may seem uncomfortable, but it is no different than journaling. I am a huge proponent of journaling; it allows me to put my thoughts, ideas, concerns, frustrations and questions on paper. And when I write things down, I am more likely to act upon them. A component of my journaling that I learned from my father was to remember what you grateful for each day. For years, I have made it a habit to write five things down each day that I am grateful for. We all have general ones such as health, family and friends, but look deeper and put thought into it. If I can recognize the things I am grateful for before I go to bed, the odds of me waking up with the right attitude increase.

Don’t talk. Act.

Don’t say. Show.

Don’t promise. Prove.

Make a difference today.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #motivate #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2018 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2018 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

More . . .

✏ In Memoriam: The Gift That Keeps on Giving

Note: this tribute blog originally appeared in November 2018. In honor of the 3rd anniversary of Vic, Sr’s passing, we are resharing it today. Everything Charge Up has become is because of who he was . . .

A tribute to my father and inspiration: Vic Pisano, Sr.

November 8, 1924 – April 30, 2017

Vic Pisano, Sr.

Today is for you, Dad! Happy Birthday…

For as long as I can remember, my father always enjoyed his birthday. He would talk about it weeks in advance to remind us, expressing the importance that we go all out and buy him very nice gifts and celebrate at a fancy restaurant. He said we owed him for all the birthdays he spoiled us as kids.

The reality was he didn’t care about the gifts or the fancy restaurant; he was happy with anything as long as it was with family. That was kind of man my father was; family always came first.

Simply put, Vic was an amazing man.

He was what some would call “old-fashioned”, and was a friend to everyone he met. He believed in a handshake and a man’s word. He worked hard, earned his success and helped those in need. He was strong in his faith and knew he would celebrate the day when the Lord took him. He was brave, courageous and full of humility. If he called you friend, you could count on him.

Simply put, Vic was an amazing man.

There were so many lessons he taught us, but what always came first was the importance of family. I have so many distinct memories of my life spent with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. So many of those people from my childhood have passed, but the memories are so vivid. As a child, we spent every Sunday having lunch with my grandparents and the extended family would come in and out of their home as if it were an open house.

There was always a table full of food, wine, beautiful stories, and laughter. When my grandparents passed away, we were fortunate that my father, uncle, and aunt, inherited their love for family by carrying on the traditions of spending every Sunday together as a family, which I now do with my own children.

The saddest thing about losing my father is that he died on a Sunday. I didn’t get to sit at a table full of food, wine, beautiful stories, and smiles. That Sunday would be so different from all of the others. And though it breaks my heart that I didn’t get one last Sunday to tell him I loved him, I know that his Sunday dinner that day was the most incredible and beautiful one of all, more than he or us could ever imagine.

I imagine his first Sunday in heaven was filled with family and friends from years past with tables filled with food, wine, wonderful stories, and smiles. There were hugs, kisses and more love at his dinner table than we as a family could ever provide because he was at the Lord’s table.

I know he looked down on us as we mourned, but in my heart, I felt as if he was telling each one of his children…it’s your turn to carry on. He had taught us so many lessons over the years, and God had the confidence in us that we were prepared and ready to live life without him.

Now that I have accepted the role of continuing the traditions that my dad, my grandparents, and generations before them had celebrated, it’s my turn to teach my own children how important family is. It’s my turn to honor him.

“A father should be his son’s first hero . . .”

Moving forward…

Following his sudden death on April 30, 2017, it was an incredibly challenging period in my life. I knew I needed to work through the grief I was experiencing. And I know it’s precisely what he would have told me. When his birthday rolled around six months later, we decided to celebrate by having a party. He wouldn’t be there physically, but I knew his spirit would be everywhere.

We asked every guest to write their favorite memory of Vic so we could read them aloud to celebrate his life.

What a great party it was! Smiles everywhere, good food, good wine, love, and laughter; all those Sunday nights were. And yes, his spirit was everywhere. It was a beautiful tribute to a man who always put others before himself, and he was loved beyond measure. You could hear it in the words, voices and body language of each person who spoke.

Vic’s birthday celebration on November 8, 2017.
Pictured: The Monday Coffee Club

That evening, I came to the realization that each beautiful, unique and inspiring story needed to be shared. It would be my honor to carry his legacy forward and dedicate myself to become the man he was.

This is how CHARGE UP came to be . . .

“The gifts that keep on giving are those of his legacy.”

This is the vessel to move from grief to gratitude every day, to celebrate his legacy, and most important, to pay it forward and make an impact in people’s lives the same way he did for more than 80 years. Venture, Lead, Prosper…those are his initials.

If you didn’t have the privilege of knowing my father, I’d like you to learn at least one more thing about him. I can think of no better way to end this than with laughter…

Vic always made family and friends laugh over the years because of a knack he had for what we called “Vic’isms,” and when corrected, he would respond, “Whatever, same thing!”. He would take a word, phrase or sentence, say it wrong, and truly make it his own. Eventually, we needed a journal to keep up, so the “Vic-tionary” was created!

With that, I would like to present you some of my favorites on this special day:

When he called my sister-in-law from the hospital when my wife was giving birth to our second child, Catherine, he told her, “they are going to seduce the baby!” He meant to say “induce” the baby.

His response: WHATEVER, SAME THING…

He once told us all that he was going to be remodeling his home and would be putting “Gerber” carpet in. He meant to say “Berber carpet.”

His response: WHATEVER, SAME THING…

We complimented his shirt at a family gathering, and he proudly told us that it was from “Banana Republican.” He meant to say “Banana Republic.”

His response: WHATEVER, SAME THING…

He was describing a scene of an accident that he passed and told us that he thought it was severe because the police officer was giving the man “UPS.” He meant to say CPR.

His response: WHATEVER, SAME THING…

While preparing a meal, he told us that we should be using a “SEGREGATED” knife. He meant to say “serrated.”

His response: WHATEVER, SAME THING…

“My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived and I watched him do it.”

I sincerely appreciate you allowing me the platform to dedicate this to my father.

Charge Up, Dad!

I hope you are proud; we love and miss you every day…

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Blessed to carry on his legacy,

#ChargeUp #venture #lead #prosper #legacy #inspiration #gratitude #love #Dad #HappyBirthday

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

More . . .

✏ Your Actions Must Match Your Ambition

As a #ThrowbackThursday treat, we invite all our new fans — as well as our long-time loyalists — to enjoy this encore publication of one of Charge Up’s Top 5 most-popular blogs of all time!

Leadership, like life, is largely a matter of paying attention. It’s the small steps, not the big ones, that matter most. The key is to always move forward. If you have ambition, these steps will add up to success only if you have the actions to match. That’s where the work comes in.

Are you still paying attention?

“Ambition is the first step to success.
The second step is action.”

There are plenty of people with incredible ideas and dreams of success. The problem is, they’re all bark and no bite. The majority don’t act upon their ambitions, because it takes work — and a lot of it. Success is the result of blood, sweat and tears.

It’s the action that separates the weak from the strong. And successful leadership isn’t for the weak. It’s not for those who have insufficient ability and stamina to drive through the adversity of the long journey.Those folks are blinded by the quick win, who are constantly looking for shortcuts to success. They are also lacking in the most important trait of all, patience. Without patience, you don’t gain experience. Without experience, you only have ideas. And ideas without action will never become reality.

The Art Lies in the Execution

This is where qualities such as courage, bravado and vulnerability come into play. What are you willing to sacrifice to achieve your ambition? Do you understand the risks involved? Your actions may not be popular in the moment, but you must have the confidence to stick to a well-crafted plan.

Being a strategic thinker will aid you in your quest. Thinking things through and evaluating all possibilities will solidify your actions. Entrusting the right people and empowering those with the necessary skills will also increase the odds of success.

Beware Though — You Will Fail

Those with ambition are willing to fail. They see the lessons within, and will keep trying until they find the solution. They are relentless in their pursuit, and their actions speak louder than words. Others see this, and are motivated to jump in and assist. Teamwork has now come into play — and a leader is born.

Leaders are drawn to leaders. We are a product of who we interact with. If we surround ourselves with ambitious people, it inspires us to go further. And when we recognize the opportunity to contribute to someone else’s success, without regard to our own egos, big things can happen. Either way, allow yourself to eliminate the fear of failure, and the distractions of barriers to reach your end goal. That said, it’s okay to show vulnerability and be human.

Leadership can be lonely at times, but when your actions provide the example and you earn the trust and confidence of the team, respect from your team will be the reward.

Take another step forward; just make sure you are paying attention.

Venture + Lead + Prosper

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #fail #learnfromfailure #bounceback #failure #success #moveforward #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #empower #motivate #inspire #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty #ambition #action #stepforward

RECEIVE MY FREE MONTHLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

SEE A SAMPLE

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2020 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2020 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry). Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

More . . .

✏ Grow Like the Bamboo

GROWTH.

It is something we all strive to achieve. We look for growth in so many areas of our life: personal, spiritual, relationship, and career. I tend to be realistic when discussing growth because the speed of technology has put us in a position where we lack the skills to develop our sense of patience and no longer respect the process. We live in a society of instant gratification; however, some things can’t be rushed. Success is like Rome — it wasn’t built in a day. Nor was it ever intended to be.

“Patience is not simply the ability to wait – it’s how we behave
while we we’re waiting.”

— Joyce Meyer

When I talk about success, I am talking about achieving your purpose. It goes back to growth, finding your true meaning in life whether personal, spiritual, relationship or career and building it to prosper, as well as sustain adversity. Real growth will require work. It will demand the best out of you every day. You will be responsible for your own integrity, morals, values, and perseverance to establish as a foundation for a fulfilled growth to actually occur. Once this is formed, your individual character is displayed. It is done so because what we believe and is passionate about “inward” will be displayed “outward,” and that is why others can sense the type of person we are from our words and actions.

There is a parable about the Chinese Bamboo Tree that explains the lessons of growth through patience, faith, and perseverance. No different than any other plant, the Chinese Bamboo Tree requires the perfect conditions: water, fertile soil, and sun. What is distinctly different, however, is after one year, there is no sprouting. The second year passes, and there is still no visible activity. The third year looks no different than the first two. The fourth year arrives, and the farmer sees nothing. One would expect despair, frustration, or anger. But to grow the Chinese Bamboo Tree, one must be patient, because it is in the fifth year that the miracle of growth begins, and in a radical way.

The farmer has nurtured this plant for four years, investing time, resources, money and most of all, patience, in not rushing the outcome, but rather respecting the process. The rewards are amazing. The Chinese Bamboo Tree will grow up to 80 feet in just six weeks! Numerous culms, or small hollow shoots, will grow in an entire field. Four years of being stagnant only to flourish in the fifth year? How is that possible?

We tend to judge growth by what is visible and tangible, but does all growth show outwardly? We may spend years developing a skill that is not necessarily one that is required in our current environment, but we are building ourselves up for success in the future. Think about things like integrity, character, knowledge, faith, perseverance, gratitude — all of these are traits that require the same nurturing process of the Chinese Bamboo Tree. That tree didn’t lie dormant for four years. Below the soil was an explosion of roots growing wide and deep, capable of supporting its outward growth once it sprouts.

“Without patience, we will learn less in life. We will see less. We will feel less. We will hear less. Ironically, rush and more usually mean less.”

— Mother Theresa

The lesson lies in patience. When are you building your dreams, goals, and purpose, you must have the patience to overcome the adversity, barriers, fear, and doubt that will accompany the process. The Chinese Bamboo Tree requires a stable base of roots to sustain its height and weight; imagine if it did grow after just one year. The first strong wind of the season would destroy the entire crop. The same goes for each of us as we build our character. We can look for shortcuts and excuses to portray a person who is prepared, but unable to sustain the confidence that they start with. Or, we can trust the process, stay in the present, develop ourselves and grow through experience and lessons learned to and establish our own roots. Remember, what we establish inwardly will be exposed outwardly. If you live by the mantra, “Fake it until you make it”, I have bad news for you — you will never make it.

Personal growth is not natural; it takes time, focus and a commitment to better ourselves. It is a slow process — in some cases, we won’t see the results immediately, but anything earned is worth it in the long run. If you are willing to be patient and persistent, I assure you the reward will far outweigh the investment. Too often people allow “the process” to frustrate them to the point that they want to move on to where “the grass is greener.” Whether it is a relationship, a job, a team, or school, if we don’t get what we want now, then it’s on to the next.

“Patience is not passive waiting. Patience is active acceptance of the process required to attain your goals and dreams.”

— Ray Davis

Success is easily defined – it is a series of small steps forward. It isn’t leaps and bounds. If you are committed to this process of growth, and if you respect the investment of time and patience, you will develop leadership qualities which will be displayed and reinforced by your confidence, character, and understanding of what it takes to be successful.

Growth is not associated with luck. Growth is an outcome of becoming comfortable stepping outside your comfort zone with a passion and zest to be the best you possible.

Do great things today and make a difference.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #motivate #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humility

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

More . . .

✏ Lead by Permission

Leadership is a privilege. Successful leaders view their role as an honor given to them by their employees, and their employees want to work for them because they’re great leaders — not because they are in a position of authority. The most common reason we follow a leader is because of who they are; they are the ones who have inspired or empowered us, they have a sense of purpose – and it’s our sense of purpose that keeps us solid. They have been given “permission to lead” and they take that responsibility very seriously. It is that atmosphere of collaboration and continuity that drives the team to success. To not allow ego into the equation takes a tremendous amount of humility and self-confidence. Outstanding leaders know that their integrity, character and passion will define their legacy and earn them respect.

Here are a few principles that define those that “Lead by Permission”:

Be a leader, not a boss
They have a humble disposition, they don’t ever believe that success is inevitable
They solicit feedback knowing it will make them better
They encourage the team to take initiative and collaborate
They celebrate others’ accomplishments over their own
They practice patience, have self-control and have more gratitude than most
They have clear perspective
They are self-aware, they look at the whole picture and both sides of the issue
They are empathetic
They boost productivity by delivering an honest message that brings the team together to accomplish a common objective
They are committed to creating an environment where people love to work
They have a desire to play a key role in empowering others and trust them to make decisions
They know how to diffuse difficult situations with grace and empathy
They listen more, and listen without interruption, objections, or defensiveness
They are clear with their expectations
They consistently solicit the sound advice and wisdom of others

The decision on how to lead is entirely up to you. Finding the balance between achieving your goals and creating a positive environment of integrity, character and collaborative effort can mean the difference in success or futility. Understanding that you won’t reach the summit without a team of experts is critical when determining why you need to be a leader, and not a boss.

Be humbled to lead . . .

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #motivate #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

©2019 Victor Pisano/Charge Up. All rights reserved. You are free to use portions of this publication, provided the following credit is listed at the bottom: ©2018 Victor Pisano/Charge Up, is a media-based entity that provides intriguing, innovative and distinctive content, engaging its readers with real-world challenges and solutions while embracing obstacles and the value that failure can provide. While that sounds serious, we promise you will both learn AND laugh (and sometimes cry).Contact Charge Up at victor@chargeuptoday.com or visit our website at www.chargeuptoday.com.

More . . .

✏ This Is Not a Drill

Leadership isn’t always a bed of roses.

There’s another side of leadership that will contribute to how you earn your stripes, and that’s through crisis management. It’s in these situations where everything you’ve worked for — the years you’ve trained and developed your skill sets and empowered those under your guidance — will face the test of adversity.

How will you react?

Like a deer in the headlights? Frightened, confused, no idea where to turn?

That’s not you.

Many leaders live for this moment: challenge is their oxygen they crave. These are the situations where they will naturally shine and demonstrate not only to the company they represent, but the team they lead, why they carry the responsibility of leadership.

No Pressure? No Diamond.

The first thing effective leaders must do is clear themselves of distraction, assess the situation and gather as many facts as possible. They must first determine the real problem, so they can determine the solution. They must define and identify the resources they will need to find a resolution. Additionally, they will form a cross-functional team to solve the problem and ensure that the solution or compromise will be representative of the way their organization does business.

An effective leader will immediately take the emotion out of the equation and focus on what’s important. They rely upon their “why” to guide them — this is why they are a leader in the first place. During this phase, they are setting the example: staying calm, rational and serving as a liaison between what’s best for the client and for the company. They become the model of effective leadership at its best.

It’s a fine line to find compromise in crisis; however, your confidence, mental skills and experience will lead you — trust that. First and foremost, don’t ever allow your integrity to be comprised. It takes years of hard work to establish the foundation of your character and the company’s reputation. You cannot allow a short-term fix to jeopardize a long-term relationship. You also avoid putting people over profit before customers or employees. There will be certain instances where a net gain is not possible; it’s the cost of doing business.

The constant throughout this process will be communication. The best leaders keep the team apprised of any developments, whether positive or negative. They also bring the team together for discussions, and they listen. They don’t interrupt, they don’t immediately answer, they don’t even offer their opinion. They allow the entire team to talk and generate dialogue while they entrust their critical thinking skills to guide the discussion and see what bits and pieces from all involved can produce a positive outcome.

Listening without interruption is an art. Isn’t that why you have empowered those on your team to make decisions?

Commonly referred to as “guided discovery”, the best leaders will guide those that they have empowered, as well as the outside team members involved, to discover the solution on their own. They are not looking for credit or praise, but rather a positive ending. As a result, they will earn more trust and respect, and the entire team becomes better prepared to handle crisis by falling back later upon the lessons learned and skills used to resolve previous crises.

What if a solution cannot be found? You ask yourself if you have exhausted all options, had all of the facts and analytics to make a qualified decision and most importantly, is there a consensus amongst senior leadership that this is the only route to take?

These are the hard decisions. They are also the ones build your character.

“Courage is grace under pressure.”

– Ernest Hemingway

Earn the respect and trust of your company and those you lead.

Be the one who people turn to in tough situations.

Win the moment.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #motivate #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

More . . .

✏ Shortcuts to Success

There are two shortcuts to success:

There are no shortcuts
See #1

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #motivate #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

More . . .

✏ A Champion’s Mindset

My inspiration for the concept of leadership is deeply rooted in my love for sports. Growing up, I had the privilege of playing with and competing against incredible athletes. Most of my life-long friendships came from either the football field or the baseball diamond.

My first mentors were coaches; they were men of integrity and authenticity. They not only had a love for the game, but more so a passion for developing young athletes into men who would one day lead and contribute to society.

It’s been 30 years and I still have relationships with those same coaches who molded my life. That says something about who they are. Men like Coach Padron, Reeves, Robbins, Black, Maldonado, Majek and others.

What they taught me in particular was not only a lesson on the field, but an advantage in life – having a CHAMPION MINDSET.

“A COACH IS SOMEONE WHO TELLS YOU WHAT YOU DON’T WANT TO HEAR, WHO HAS YOU SEE WHAT YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE,
SO YOU CAN BE WHO YOU ALWAYS KNEW YOU COULD BE.”

– Tom Landry, Dallas Cowboys Head Coach 1960-1989

It was an attitude applicable to my abilities, intelligence and potential. It was an influenced set of beliefs that was ingrained into my subconscious every day to create a frame of mind that no barrier was too big, no goal was unachievable and no dream wasn’t worth pursuing.

In essence, what they were doing was creating a winning culture by encouraging an environment of learning where all lessons were directed by a unified passion and dedication to a greater good, as opposed to only self-development. Everything we did as a team was done with pride and humility, and we were all on the same page.

I learned at an early age that failure was a necessary part of the final outcome. It was how I responded that was most important. As a result, the coaches had created an environment of vulnerability where I, along with my teammates, felt comfortable stepping outside of my comfort zone.

Their goals were that we, as a team will:

Believe in the process
Believe in the system
Believe in our teammates
Believe that we control our own destiny

Fast forward to the present, where I continue to apply that same CHAMPION’S MINDSET in everything I do. As a leader, I understand that if I want to have an influence on someone, if I want to bring about change, I have to invest the proper amount of effort, time and sacrifice. My commitment and dedication to each person I lead through action and example will dictate their willingness to adopt the same mindset.

“WHAT YOU ARE THINKING IS WHAT YOU ARE BECOMING.”

– Muhammed Ali, Three-Time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion

For this reason, I know that having a plan of action is critical.

That starts with a PURPOSE – A reasoning for what you want to accomplish, your true existence.

Followed by a VISION – What are my capabilities and those of the team I lead? What is the final objective and goal and what will guide our journey?

What are my VALUES – What are the right things to do that evoke the high standards and integrity that define my character?

Define the STRATEGY – A clear and concise plan of action that defines the path toward the established vision.

Establish the GOALS – The milestones that will mark our progress. They will be S.M.A.R.T. goals:

Specific

Measurable

Achievable

Results focused

Time found

For this plan of action to be effective and successful, you must:

Communicate often
Communicate clearly
Communicate efficiently

ALL WHO HAVE A ROLE MUST HAVE COMPLETE BUY-IN.

We never stop learning, but at the same time, we should always hold tight to the lessons that provided us with the most gain. We all have mentors around us; the challenge is to identify them, communicate with them and listen. The key word there – LISTEN. Be humble, vulnerable and willing to ask questions. Apply their lessons and if you fail, fail forward.

Once you have succeeded, the privilege falls upon you to make the same investment in somebody else to elicit greatness out of them. Mentorship is a pay if forward process. It is the key to ensuring our future leaders have the skills necessary to make an impact.

For me, it was the sacrifice and willingness of those coaches in my life who contributed in establishing the foundation to my success, confidence and gratitude to pay it forward, and for that, I will forever be grateful.

“A CHAMPION NEEDS MOTIVATION ABOVE AND BEYOND WINNING.”

– Pat Riley, 5-Time NBA Champion Coach, 1997-2003

Make a difference today.

LEADERSHIP IS A PRIVILEGE.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #motivate #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

More . . .

✏ A New Youth Movement in Leadership?

Is there such thing as a fast-track leadership program?

When we talk about leadership, we typically emphasize the “journey”. We highlight words like patience, experience, knowledge, trust, tenure, etc. Leadership is an earned role that comes through respect, and it takes time to earn respect.

However, there are headlines out there that will tell you to the contrary that there is a youth movement taking place amongst the Fortune 500 C-Suite executives. Just look at these young leaders:

Mark Zuckerburg, CEO & Chairman of Facebook, 34 years old
Keith Cozza, CEO & Director of Icahn Enterprises LP, 39 years old
Larry Page, CEO & Director of Alphabet, Inc., 45 years old
Jeffrey Brown, CEO & Director of Ally Financial, 45 years old

It certainly does look like there is a changing of the guard when it comes to the age of CEO right now. Think about all of those dot.com entrepreneurs who made millions before they were even 30 years old. There are stories all over Silicon Valley of overnight CEO successes. The narratives are all the same: you just need some angel investors, a great idea, an IPO and the world is yours . . .

— WE INTERRUPT THIS BLOG FOR A VERY IMPORTANT MESSAGE —

Enter 2007-2008, when the United States experienced a financial crisis termed the “Great Recession”, which was compared to the “Great Depression” of the 1930’s. There is one thing a financial crisis will always teach you about leadership — when there is concern about financial stability, constant scrutiny, a complete lack of accountability, and a loss of trust by the American people, it’s time to bring in the old guard who can handle these situations.

“Be fearful when others are greedy, be greedy when other people are fearful.”

— Warren Buffett

May I introduce you to a few veterans who can fix just about anything who just so happen to be in the Fortune Top 100 CEO’s Listing:

Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, 85 years old
Sheldon G. Anderson, CEO of the Las Vegas Sands, 82 years old
Roger Penske, CEO of the Penske Automotive Group, 79 years old
Allan Miller, CEO and Chairman of Universal Health Services, 77 years old

You may have noticed, but we just took a 180º from the beginning of the blog to this point. It was necessary to prove my position and bring you back to reality: where leadership is developed through a mindset of skills and behaviors that require experience, and experience equals time.

There is no rule that says, “you must be this age to lead”, but there are considerations that come into play in order to maintain the tremendous pace and deal with the immense pressures of being a leader and having accountability for the success of the people under your direction and the profitability of the company.

Are there exceptions to the rule? No doubt there are, there are exceptions to every rule. However, when discussing leadership, don’t follow the “get rich quick method” because you will be the first to fail. If you don’t respect the process, you won’t experience the rewards.

The key is to focus on YOU. What are your aspirations? What are your goals? What are your strengths?

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO ACCOMPLISH, AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO GET THERE?

This is your legacy — create it page by page in tremendous detail and explanation so others can learn from your journey.

To an extent, leadership is like beauty; it’s hard to define, but you
know it when you see it.

If you aspire to be a leader, do it for the right reasons – to inspire and empower others. Leadership is all about giving more than you take. Don’t graduate from college and expect the “golden egg”, start from the bottom and learn every function of the profession you strive to make a difference. No shortcuts, no excuses; put in the hard work and the blue sky can be yours.

As I wrap this up, here are a few facts for you to ponder:

Most CEOs range in age from 47 – 63 years old

(https://www.alvarezandmarsal.com/sites/default/files/files/Age-CEO-CFO-COO.pdf)

The average tenure of a CEO is 9.7 years for Fortune 500 companies

(https://www.creditdonkey.com/ceo-statistics.html)

(https://qz.com/1074326/how-the-average-age-of-ceos-and-cfos-has-changed-since-2012/)

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #motivate #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

More . . .

✏ What Are the Odds?

It seems as if a prerequisite for success these days is to start your business out of your garage.

Those garages were the original corporate headquarters for many familiar businesses including Apple (Steve Jobs), Microsoft (Bill Gates), Amazon (Jeff Bezos), Brownfield Funds (“The Big Short’s” Charlie Geller and Jamie Shipley) and Julio Palmaz (heart stent).

“What Are the Odds” – Trivia?

For an amateur to make a hole in one: 12,000 to 1
Being struck by lightning: 960,000 to 1
To win the Powerball: 292,000,000 to 1

“What Are the Odds” – Business?

Start-up businesses surviving one year: 70 out of 100
Start-up businesses surviving one to five years: 50 out of 100
Start-up businesses surviving up to ten years: 34 out of 100

Which set of odds is most intriguing to you?

For the vast majority of people, trivia is the choice they stick with. However, for the thrill seekers who thrive on betting the house on calculated risks, they see the challenge in being an entrepreneur. Research those who have experienced tremendous entrepreneurial riches over the last 20+ years and see — was it luck or risk?

TAKE EVERY CHANCE.
DROP EVERY FEAR.

Success is not for the weak at heart. It’s a never-ending investment of time, energy, ego and sacrifice. It is a lonely journey, because in most cases, the money is not there to fund a team — you are the team.

We all play the odds in some way, but to what extent are you willing to sacrifice everything you have based off the unwavering confidence you have in yourself?

The speed with which technology propels business today as opposed to just 10 years ago is the difference between millions in profit over a very short period of time for one business, compared to millions lost overnight for another.

However, for the obsessed entrepreneur, the one emotion you don’t want to experience is REGRET. If you’re young enough and have really good mentors, you can, but, if the rear-view mirror is all you focus on, you’re going to have live with it.

Entrepreneurs live off a simple philosophy – NO RISK, NO REWARD.

Successful entrepreneurs spend a tremendous amount of time on the most meticulous details to test every theory against their ideas. They don’t ask themselves “how can it succeed”, but rather, “how can it fail?” They are obsessed with the research, data, analytics and input. They strive to make the impossible possible.

They refine their concepts — sometimes for years — before the first returns ever come to fruition. You see, great things never come from comfort zones; it takes courage, patience and numerous rejections to succeed.

There are plenty of examples of familiar names who lived off ambition as opposed to a paycheck:

Mark Cuban (Dallas Mavericks) was a bartender until the age of 25
Suze Orman (Finance/Stockbroker) was a waitress until the age of 31
Sheldon Adelson (Las Vegas Sands Hotels) sold shampoo until the age of 30
K. Rowling (Harry Potter) was single mom on welfare until the age of 31

Was it luck, or was it the sense of adventure to prove everybody wrong and beat the odds beyond all expectations? The only plan guaranteed to fail is one without taking risks. Great achievements take great risk.

When these folks see the return on their investment, they don’t think in terms of how much money they made. They think of how much more they could have made had they executed it in another way. It’s not that they are greedy; they are perfectionists.

Unless you are willing to push the limits, success will elude you. Success requires action, how else would you measure their achievements? Be bold and have the ambition to turn your dreams into reality. You only live once, why not create the legacy of an anomaly?

Start with cleaning out the garage, though . . .

Leadership is a privilege.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #motivate #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

More . . .

✏ The Power of Empathy

Powerful leadership requires a sincere empathy toward those you lead.

Empathy is not a weakness. Empathy is a strength.

However, there seems to be a disconnect in understanding the differences between “empathy” and “sympathy.” Sympathy is feeling compassion, sorrow, or pity for the hardships that another person encounters, while empathy is putting yourself in the shoes of another.

“Empathy fuels connection; sympathy drives disconnection.”

– Brene´ Brown

Through research, I have learned that a predominant theory is that leaders tend to subscribe to two different routes for leadership. The first is a “task-oriented” style where leaders focus their behaviors on the specifics roles of the job and productivity. The second is “relations-oriented leadership,” where leaders focus on emotional behaviors to create quality relationships, such as listening, loyalty, trust, providing support and encouragement.

The leaders who were authentic and vested in following a relations-oriented leadership style were able to produce more results — and even more impressive — retain their staff for more extended periods of time. Remember, trust and respect are motivators for an employee to stay at a company even when the financial lure may be tempting.

A great employee leaves a bad leader, not a company.

How else can you effectively lead without truly understanding those that you are responsible for? To be a successful leader, it is imperative that you develop the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. This will be your connection to greatness — the switch to ignite empowerment. The trust and respect to earn loyalty.

Far too often, leaders are stubborn and lean toward the old-school management style which states that you should have a clear and distinct separation between those who work for you, and those whom you call friends. You can’t mix the two. “Having friendships with your subordinates will only create problems”, the theory says.

Through experience, observation, discussion, and application, I cannot entirely agree with this. Keeping an arm’s-length distance between yourself and your team will get you nowhere. If you want complete buy-in, loyalty, commitment, and trust, you have to be willing to step outside your comfort zone.

In my opinion, there is no way as a leader that you would have the ability to be able to map another’s thoughts, needs, motivations, feelings, attitudes beliefs and issues without empathy. People don’t want your pity; they are looking for your human side, the connection.

“Leadership is about empathy. It is about having the ability to relate to and connect with people to inspire and empowering their lives.”

– Oprah Winfrey

A sincere and empathetic relationship with your team can be the difference between achieving your objectives and falling short. It can often be the difference between good and great. If viewed as a sacrifice on your part, there may be a need for a self-awareness evaluation to ensure you can be in the role. There is a distinct difference between viewing your team as workers vs. people.

There are 5 Steps of Empathy:

Listen to what the person is saying and watch their body language
Remember a time when you felt the same way.
Imagine how you might think about that situation. Validate the full range of emotions that come up.
Ask how they are feeling. Share with them what you are noticing.
Show you care through your words and actions – if you promise something, follow through

It has become apparent that empathy is an essential trait for 21st-century leadership and beyond. If compassion is not your strong suit as a leader, make it a priority to understand better where others are coming from. Find what inspires and motivates them, learn their triggers and discover their strengths, learn how to connect with them on an individual basis.

Balance it with your leadership style and be prepared to see positive changes occur.

Do great things today and make a difference.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #motivate #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

More . . .

✏ Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes

Too many words, not enough action.

Too many problems, a lack of solutions.

Too much blame, a disregard for accountability.

Too much assumption, a loss of fact.

Simply put, it is about our decisions.

“Remember, a negative multiplied by a negative is only positive in math — not the real world.

– Eric Thomas, Motivational Coach

But if you want science to back up my position . . .

“Life is a reflection of what you think. If your thoughts are negative, the world you see will be the same.”

– Leon Brown, MLB player

POSITIVE MINDSET

DON’T DO IT

VOLUNTEER

MENTOR

GRATITUDE JOURNAL

Don’t talk. Act.

Don’t say. Show.

Don’t promise. Prove.

Make a difference today.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #motivate #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

More . . .

✏ You, Only Better: Self-Improvement for Leaders

The quest for knowledge is a never-ending journey. Anything worthwhile takes time to build. You know the saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”. Just in case you’re wondering: according to historians who took the time to count, it actually took 1,00,491 days. To be an effective leader today, you must make an investment in your personal development and make it a never-ending journey; there is no starting point, nor an end. The more time you spend on developing your skill sets, the more experienced you will become. Even small steps equal great distances over time. In your journey to improve, complacency is the enemy. There is always somebody grinding harder than you looking for an opportunity.

Most people say that there aren’t enough hours in the day to set aside time for self-improvement, because of all the challenges that barrage us every day. We live in a world where there is an enormous amount of information getting thrown at us through unlimited amounts of outlets to consume. What if you looked at it another way? Let’s think about professional athletes. It may not be an “apples to apples” comparison, but stay with me for just a second. Professional athletes have their season and their off season. During the season, they work to contribute to their teams’ success by playing a role. They dedicate every aspect of their lives – from what they eat to how much they sleep to when they train. Game after game, the physical and mental toll that they go through is unimaginable to most. However, once their season ends, the real season begins – the off season. During this time that they focus on self-improvement. They start with rest and relaxation. They heal themselves mentally and physically. They focus on getting stronger, faster and mentally prepared. They take full advantage of the time to train and perfect their skills. In some cases, they spend up to eight hours a day during the off season, six days a week.

You’re probably saying to yourself, “there is no off season for a leader.” Wrong. We may not have specific months for a regiment of self-development, but we have the same expectations and needs to focus on ourselves. If you don’t have a game plan for your off season as a leader, now is the time. Think about the opportunities you may be overlooking. Start your day earlier. Take advantage of your commute. How much time you spend on social media? Can you empower your team more to boost collaboration? Do you spend too much time on emails and texts when a call can accomplish your objective in less time?

Ok, you’ve found the time. Now, what skills can we work on in our personal development plan?

10 Things You Can Work On in the “Off Season”:

Get inspired. Find something that inspires you and pursue it. Learn all you can, then find where it is applicable to your self-improvement and develop a plan of implementation
Develop a new skill set. If you want to be more powerful in your life, learn more. It’s that simple!
Reflect. Take an honest look at yourself and ask if you are being an effective leader. Be humble, and ask for feedback.
Identify the barriers. What is in your path that may be impeding your progress?
Practice patience. Patience is no longer just a virtue; it is a requirement.
Pay it forward. There is no better way to improve your self worth than through humility and acts of kindness.
Improve you. Take the time to focus on the most important person in this equation – you.
Find a mentor. All around us there are people that not only motivate, but can inspire. Find them and engage.
Learn from your team. Who is around you every day that can provide a scouting report of your skill sets?
Get better. Find ways to improve managing your time, and prioritizing tasks and objectives.

Remember, improvement must be based on practicality. If you really want it, your actions should match your ambitions. Leaders can continuously improve and develop themselves if they have a plan and follow it. The best leaders are always honing their skill sets to become better.

The desire for self-improvement is a sign of a great leader!

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #motivate #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

More . . .

✏ Leadership GPS

Imagine if we all had our own personal “Leadership GPS” to carry with us to navigate every situation. Just a simple visual or voice prompt to guide us to the right decisions. All we would have to do is wake up, turn it on, and start our day.

Back to reality…none of us have a Leadership GPS, and likely won’t for a long while. However, we do have an internal voice — a force within all of us that can guide our decisions.

The question is, are you using it?

“There is a voice that doesn’t use words. Listen.”

– Rumi

GPS PROMPT: WHERE AM I?

Just as when we get in the car and begin to program our destination into the GPS, we also need to do the same to ourselves. It’s called SELF-EVALUATION. You need to be humble enough to know exactly who you are. Identify exactly what you are good at and what you aren’t good at. Capitalize on your strengths, and find the time to build your abilities where you have weakness.

Put your ego aside, be honest, and begin your plan of action to execute.

GPS PROMPT: HOW FAR TO DESTINATION?

You will need a map to navigate this journey and achieve the successful outcome that you are capable of.

Let’s begin the journey; in this case, we will define that “journey” as a major business objective that you are responsible for leading. Just like with a long trip, you wouldn’t go into it without preparation. The same holds true for leadership. You will need a specific plan, with identified roles and responsibilities, analytics, clarification of goals and the definition of success.

Use S.M.A.R.T. goals to create your plan: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time frame.

GPS PROMPT: QUICKEST ROUTE?

We all catch ourselves checking the GPS to see how much longer until we arrive. Applying this concept to leadership is the most concerning to me. Just like in a car, leaders are in a rush to arrive at their destination. Leadership is an earned trust, and anything earned requires time. The journey toward being an effective leader cannot occur without time and EXPERIENCE.

If you rush the process, you have cheated yourself and those who are following you.

GPS PROMPT: TRAFFIC AHEAD?

Translate this to leadership and it’s called ADVERSITY. How will you respond? Most people stay within their comfort zone, relying on the excuse of “this is how we have always done it.” Success is not complicated, but it is difficult. It means you need to have the courage to take risks knowing that you may fail. That is a bold statement, but those who can maneuver around the excuses and/or fear are the ones who succeed in the long run.

The best way to prepare for adversity is to be prepared and have alternate plans. Option A doesn’t always work, so you need to be prepared with Plans B and C along the way.

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as
what you become by achieving your goals.”

– Henry David Thoreau

GPS PROMPT: CHANGE ROUTE?

This ties in with SELF-EVALUATION; are you humble enough to recognize that your plan may not be the best option to get you to the point established as the end goal? Have you earned the respect from those around you for open dialogue? We all are driven to be successful, and as a leader, we understand that the wins and losses fall upon us.

However, change your mindset and the results can be different. If you have empowered others to do what’s right, as opposed to doing what’s easy, you are an effective leader. Listen to those who can offer guidance and solutions, and you will earn just as much respect as if you did it all yourself.

VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER

Humbled to lead,

#chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #patience #change #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #motivate #beyou #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #humilty

RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE

SUBSCRIBE NOW

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

More . . .

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

A tribute to my father and inspiration: Vic Pisano, Sr.

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

Venture + Lead + Prosper

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

The only way we can inspire is to grow our community – would you please share this with family and friends, ask that they subscribe to Charge Up, and follow us on social media?

Recent Posts