em·pow·er əmˈpou(ə)r/ verb – Give (someone) the authority or power to do something – Make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights What is your Friday routine like at the office? If it’s like most companies, production and creativity are most likely subject to distraction by the fifty-two-free mini-vacations called “weekends”. C’mon . . .TGIF! But let’s focus on one company. Here, every Friday includes a weekly, scheduled, all-hands meeting that can last a couple of hours — where employees ask questions directly to the company’s top leaders and other executives about any number of company issues. It bears no resemblance to your standard conference call: it has no set agenda, it isn’t a monologue and the staff looks forward to it. At this point, you are most likely picturing some new, upstart small company, or at most a mid-sized corporation. And if you think in terms of production, the thought of wasting two hours on a call based on Q&A seems counterproductive. So, who in their right mind would operate this way? If you guessed Google, you are correct. According to Larry Page, CEO and Co-Founder of Google, “It’s important that the company be a family, that people feel that they’re part of the company and that the company is like a family to them. When you treat people that way, you get better productivity.” You know what the result is for this type of corporate culture? Success. First, let’s talk about “corporate culture”, which has become an overused buzzword with companies over the last decade. Corporate culture is all about the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company’s employees and management interact and execute business. Often, corporate culture is implied, not necessarily defined, and will develop organically over time from the cumulative traits of senior leadership and key staff. Too many start-ups talk about their corporate culture when in fact developing a culture takes years, consistent leadership, successful growth and key contributors within who buy-in to your long-term goals. Now, let’s discuss empowerment. First and foremost, I believe that true empowerment is essential to a company’s advancement of their corporate culture. In other words, you can’t have one without the other. Empowerment does not happen by accident — that’s why I refer to it as “the culture of empowerment”. Empowerment is a developed core value, exhibited within a company’s mission statement and a critical training component at all levels. It is the ongoing process of providing the tools, training, resources, encouragement and motivation your employees need to perform at an optimum level. Empowerment is the equivalent to trained creative freedom. Empowering your employees is trust. If you can’t trust them to make decisions on their own, then why are they in that position? Empowerment allows a team member to feel part of something bigger, where they can make a direct contribution each day. The consequences of successful empowerment lead to numerous benefits that have an impact on the bottom line. People feel valued, they develop a sense of pride and ownership in their work, and they are loyal and committed. Not only does it occur internally, but it will manifest itself externally to your clients, with the outcome a higher degree of customer loyalty. Seems simple, right – a culture of empowerment? The challenge for some leaders is that they confuse empowerment with delegation. If you are assigning mundane tasks without consistent and energetic dialogue that provides direction, and clearly defined benchmarks to discuss progress, you are not empowering your employee. Empowerment requires you to become a mentor in the process of growth and development. It is your job as a leader within your organization to pay it forward, work toward identifying the right people to think outside their comfort zone and make decisions. There are key team members amongst us that simply lack inspiration, by no fault of their own. Those who thrive on challenge and are looking to discover their strengths are desperate for mentorship. If we are going to preach patience as a virtue in the development of the leadership process, then we must take accountability in that journey and do these five things: 1) Take careful consideration in who you mentor; it is critical in the process that you empower the right people. 2) Provide them with every resource necessary to act independently in decision-making. 3) Create an environment that inspires growth/development that will motivate employees to want to contribute. 5) Trust your team and empower them to make decisions. If you are looking for long-term success, you cannot continue to rely upon only your ideas, methodology and execution. To win in the long term, you must execute the culture of empowerment for those who work around you. Humbled to lead, #chargeup #chargeuptoday #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #strongleader #patience #leadershipjourney #resilience #failure #success #moveforward #adversity #areyouready #leadandfollow #mentorship #mentor #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower #buildforsuccess RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE ©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.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 Leader Within
How many times have you gazed toward the dusky sky and witnessed a flock of birds in full flight, preparing to roost for the night? It’s an amazing spectacle: hundreds of birds all moving in unison, creating a dynamic cloud moving through the sky. People often wonder — which bird leads?How do they all move with such structure, trust in the course, and respect the leader who guides them? Researchers have found that it’s not a single bird, but actually a few birds that clump closely together, and direct the others. Once those lead birds set the course, the message spreads fast. Interestingly, there is no designated leader; instead, the birds take turns. Like all the birds in a flock, each of us has the ability to lead. Unfortunately, though, many people subscribe to the myth that a leader is an assigned role, given through a label or title. Too often, we assume that leadership is “singular” in definition, meaning only one person, rather than a “group of birds”, can set the course. The truth is that leadership is not a position or title; it’s the culmination of action and example. To lead is a gift we all have deep inside ourselves. It takes self-evaluation, the discipline to learn and the courage to discover it. Most importantly, it takes patience. Leadership is a risky journey that does not allow one to rush the process. Simply put, becoming a leader is a marathon, not a sprint. To be bold and courageous takes experience, and experience requires time. To lead, you must be willing to risk; it’s the only guaranteed step you can take toward success. It is the foundation for which all other forward-moving actions will occur. Once you choose to take the risk, you are committed. The most prevalent barrier discouraging those who desire to become leaders is the fear of failure. If you change your mindset and face that fear, you have the power to change your entire life. Let clear thinking, constructive input, perspective, confidence and integrity be your compass on your journey toward success. Yes, you will most likely experience some form of failure or challenge along the way, but just know that failure is success at an early stage — if you learn and apply the lesson to your growth as a leader. You will find that your core principles will guide you toward prosperity. With each opportunity that you earn the chance to lead, the leader within will shine, and your character will be defined. Humbled to lead, #chargeup #chargeuptoday #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #strongleader #patience #leadershipjourney #resilience #failure #success #moveforward #areyouready #leadandfollow #mentorship #mentor #payitforward RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE ©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.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?
✏ Leadership Lessons by Mr. Myagi
You know you’re old when you open with a reference from the 1984 classic, “The Karate Kid”. Who remembers Mr. Miyagi befriending the new kid in the apartment complex, Daniel? Those famous lines: “wax on, wax off”, “sand the floor” and “paint the fence”. A frustrated Daniel just wanted to learn karate as fast as he could in an effort to defend himself against the Cobra Kai. Instead, he was taught lessons by the master of patience and intent. Expecting nothing in return — with the exception of a free waxed car, a sanded deck and a freshly painted fence — Mr. Miyagi contributed to Daniel-san being a champion. Ok, so that’s Hollywood and you knew it would be a great ending. Here’s the reality: We need more Mr. Miyagis in the world today. We need “masters” willing to step up and mentor those who strive to succeed. We are at a critical point where we need more existing leaders inspiring aspiring leaders if we hope to build a stronger next generation of leaders. “Masters”? Are you looking at me? How many people can one person positively affect through successful leadership and mentoring? Let me give you an example based on the National Football League. Head Coach Bill Walsh (coached from 1960 – 1994), who made a name for himself with the San Francisco 49ers by winning three Super Bowls, has a monstrous coaching tree of 15 former assistants who all went on to be Hall of Fame coaches in their own right. Their successes pointed back to the way Walsh led. Do you think he planned to be a mentor? Or just be a great coach who shared his knowledge with those who worked with him? It simply takes a willingness to pass on lessons It’s all about gratitude: a thankfulness for what you have achieved and the success that has come with it. It goes beyond what is expected at work. It is a one-on-one relationship to guide another who will make an impact. Think back to all of the hands on your back that pushed you along the way at any given time during your journey. How about the ones who reached out from in front to pull you up? If we don’t guide the next generation, who will? If integrity is important to you, then passing along your wisdom will be second nature. How many times have you uttered the words “if I only knew then what I know now…”? Give somebody that gift. Now, let me be clear — all those who are on the path to leadership need to experience failure, challenges, adversity and doubt. We all must face our fears: mediocrity, loneliness (leading can be truly lonely at times), and fatigue. But what if you could contribute to the lesson? Imagine mentoring others simply through “guided discovery” to set them apart. Imagine those you mentor five, ten, even 20 years later. Think about the lives they may be able to change as a result of your willingness and encouragement to help someone grow. The possibilities are endless. They will not forget your role, and they, in turn, will feel a desire to pay it forward. THIS is how we change the world — one great leader at a time. As professionals, leaders and good people, we owe it to others and ourselves to give back a portion of the rewards we have been blessed with. What better way to show your gratitude than to be the person who doesn’t allow somebody to quit right before a breakthrough was about to occur. If you have been blessed with fortitude and talent, You surround yourself with like-minded people for a reason. They make you better at everything you do – family, work, friendships. Bring new people into your circle, and let them discover your amazing stories of struggle and success. Give them a perspective that no class, book, seminar or training could provide. You were constantly in a state of self-awareness evaluating and learning as you developed the skills necessary to become an effective leader, and that’s where they are now. You learned to embrace failure and make it a tool for success. You learned the unselfish art of passing along the attention that success brings to your team rather than to yourself. You learned to lead by example, which earned you trust and respect. Now it’s time to share that learning. Don’t waste the opportunity to assist another in their quest. Maybe it’s somebody who works for you, in whom you see a passion and drive that reminds you of yourself. Or perhaps you have a friend who is aspiring to lead – do the same unto them that was done to you. Reach out and mentor somebody deserving without expecting anything in return. The rewards you reap later in life will far outweigh anything you invest right now. Motivate. Inspire. Mentor. LEAVE IT BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT! Thank you, sensei. Humbled to lead, #chargeup #chargeuptoday #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #strongleader #patience #leadershipjourney #resilience #failure #success #moveforward #areyouready #leadandfollow #sensei #karatekid #mentorship #mentor #payitforward #danielsan #mrmiyagi #cobrakai #waxonwaxoff RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE ©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.
and share knowledge to be a mentor.
it is not only your gift,
but your responsibility to share it.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?
✏ Pay It Forward Like a Leader
“To move forward, you must give back.” Leadership in and of itself is the ultimate gift. Leadership in duration is a blessing. I am writing this for the leader that has been in the role for ten or more years. If this isn’t you, stay with me anyway. There’s always a lesson, and 10 years from now, you very well may be in this role — might as well prepare now. The unwritten rule for leaders is that since somebody I want to go beyond the obvious; most will relate the “pay it forward” to be a mentor. This is an incredible resource for you to contribute to the success of others, but I want you to think deeper and find the courage and gratitude to go even further in your commitment. 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. Once you reap the reward, pass it on and grow the efforts. “WE RISE BY LIFTING OTHERS . . .” Here are 50 of the Best Workplaces for Giving Back that have committed themselves to adding the pillars of gratitude and charity to their corporate culture. Let them serve as the example and inspiration for other companies to step up in their communities and make a difference. Once you’re ready to commit, trying to figure out the how and where can be a job in and of itself! I have found that Charity Navigator is a great resource to match your skills and interests to the right charity. Founded in 2001, Charity Navigator has become the nation’s largest and most-utilized evaluator of charities. Their mission? To help donors by deploying a team of professional analysts to examine tens of thousands of non-profit financial documents. According to their website, “we have used this knowledge to develop an unbiased, objective, numbers-based rating system to assess over 9,000 of America’s best-known and some lesser-known, but worthy, charities”. I promise you, giving back to others in ways outside of the traditional mentorship role will pay dividends for the rest of your life. The gratitude you will be exposed to will not only change the lives of others, but it will change yours: making you a better person and leader. So go change the world! Humbled to lead, #legacy #hero #chargeup #chargeuptoday #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #strongleader #patience #leadershipjourney #resilience #failure #success #moveforward #adversity #areyouready #leadandfollow #mentorship #mentor #venture #lead #prosper #reflect #inspire #empower RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE ©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.
— Oprah Winfrey
was willing to help you in your journey, it is your responsibility
TO PAY IT FORWARD
— Robert IngersollVenture + 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 Myth of Vertical Leadership
Does advancement always mean moving up? The infamous hierarchal chart, first called the “matrix” was a product of distinguishing the rank in nobility. Its purpose was simply to establish the path to the throne. It was then adopted by the military to determine rank and advancement. It was adopted by politics to diagram leadership from the local, state and national levels. Along the way, this hierarchy (flat, horizontal, chain of command) became a common tool for large companies to display the gaps between titles and the path to the top. No longer would we depend upon a simple introduction or business card — now we needed a published glossy document to identify senior leadership and all of those below them with perfect head shots and titles only an ad agency could come up with. I call this vertical leadership because as the saying goes, “one must climb the ladder to the success.” But is that really necessary? Why does one have to correlate the process of moving up the chain of command with being an effective and successful leader? I know many people without a title who are extremely successful. For example, does the manager, and the manager only, deserve all the credit for the successful, efficient and productive team? Of course not. The results of the team were a result of their hard work and perseverance, as well as the respective managers ability to empower, lead and inspire. With that comes shared credit for the achievements. Why does society pressure those who are extremely successful in a role to move up the proverbial ladder to success? Why do we invest in performance consultants that stress the importance of the pathway for advancement? Why do we push employees to participate in job rotations where WE think they would be successful, without really having an honest dialogue? For example, some will tell you that a successful sales person will lose their passion and the challenge of sales if left in the same role too long. When you find one that has been on top for many years, look to promote them or possibly risk losing them to the competition for lack of advancement. Although I agree to an extent with the logic, I do so with one caveat … are they being promoted on their own free will, or as a result of the pressures of management and job security? In other words, are we really listening to them, both verbally and non-verbally, or are we making assumptions? Each year during reviews at most companies, we ask our employees: “Where do you see yourself a year from now?” Why do these questions have to be so persuasive in their delivery? Those being reviewed have no other option, without putting themselves in a vulnerable position, than to not be completely truthful. Would it be too far-fetched to believe that there are some people who actually find their current role to be amazing, challenging, rewarding and something that they may want to continue to pursue for years to come? Would that be the wrong answer to their superior if they were asked if they wanted to advance? Would that leader walk away from that discussion, and come to the conclusion that the employee lacks the passion for advancement or take on new challenges? In other words, are they stagnant and in a comfort zone? I have personally seen companies put some of the best sales people into management positions based on their record of achievements — only to watch them crash and burn. The assumption is that because they were successful, they must have the ability to teach others their skills, and empower the team under their leadership to be just like them. But the truth of the matter is this: Not everybody has the skill, nor desire to lead a team. I’m not being disrespectful; it’s just an honest statement. The success of those individuals comes from their ability to lead themselves. They have a gift, and they challenge themselves to grow in their existing role every day. If you really know the people you lead, you should know this, because of the relationship you already have with your key staff. It should not come as a surprise, nor should you have to justify it to upper management. If you don’t know the goals and desires of your staff, you need to be having more conversations with them. Remember this: success doesn’t come from “upward” steps, it comes from small steps forward. Each of those small steps forward will result in amazing things. In other words . . . You don’t have to aim for the clouds Go do great things today and make a difference. Privileged 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 #humility #ambition #action #stepforward #journey #destination #passion #spirit RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE ©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.While necessary, does it establish a realistic and fair representation of how leadership should work?
Is success only achieved vertically?
Why is leadership associated with a title?
What’s my point?
“What are your goals?”
“What career path do you see yourself on?”
if you want to be a successful leader;
just keeping moving forward.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 Roots of Leadership
Is your leadership secure in its roots and healthy enough to withstand any storm? The tallest tree in the world is a sequoia in northern California. It stands at 379 feet tall, which is about 7 stories higher that the Statue of Liberty. The tree is named Hyperion, and is estimated to be over 800 years old. Like any other tree, when it first started to grow, Hyperion was small, and didn’t look much different than any other tree in the forest. But over time, it grew. New wood layers, new tree rings, new growth. It grew, and grew, and grew — until it towered over the forest. It is within this metaphor that I want you to think of leadership. The tree grows DOWN first, and establishes its roots before it can begin its growth pattern upward. This process takes a tremendous amount of time, but it is the only way to ensure that the tree has the power and strength to stand up to even the roughest of wind and storms. We now live in a time where leaders want their tree to grow UP before giving it a chance to establish roots. What tends to happen is that when the first storm hits (we can refer to this as adversity), with heavy winds (more adversity), the tree gets knocked down. How will the tree survive if drought hits? What are the implications if the tree is infected with disease because it doesn’t have the resiliency to fight it off on its own? But look at the tree standing proudly nearby. Absolutely no damage with the exception of a few leaves blown off. Always healthy, regardless of weather. And strong enough to withstand any disease. Why? This tree was planted years ago; nurtured very slowly and fed regularly to ensure a solid root system. Every year, dead branches or clumped growth were trimmed in an effort to keep the tree healthy. Over the years, the tree grew both in diameter and height. This tree was well-maintained. This tree was cultivated to be able to remain upright regardless of the adversity it may face. Now compare those two trees to the way you have invested in your leadership skills, abilities and knowledge. Have you devoted the patience, integrity, and endurance to the process? Are your roots firmly established? Do you know your purpose? Are you – and your team – willing to withstand the storms of adversity and change? Leadership is an internal quality, not an external one. All of your growth will occur “within”. Invest the effort in yourself to build your character and confidence, and as a result . . . Humbled to lead, #chargeup #chargeuptoday #lessonsinleadership #leadership #lead #process #strongleader #patience #leadershipjourney #resilience #failure #success #moveforward #areyouready #leadandfollow #mentorship #mentor #treeroots #venture #learn #prosper #storm #withstandthestorm RECEIVE MY FREE WEEKLY E-BLAST, THE WIRE ©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.“Leadership is the companion of wisdom.”
– Augustine of Hippo (354 AD)
“When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind.”
– Chinese Proverb
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?