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 . . . November 8, 1924 – April 30, 2017 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. 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 ©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.A tribute to my father and inspiration: Vic Pisano, Sr.
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✏ 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. 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. 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 ©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.
The second step is action.”Venture + Lead + Prosper
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✏ Some People Have a Problem for Every Solution
Note: This post — our most popular blog of all time — was first published on September 9, 2018. We’re reposting it for #FlashbackFebruary to reach all the wonderful followers who’ve joined the Charge Up family since then . . . Remember when negativity was only reserved for certain math concepts or when talking about the temperatures in Alaska? How times have changed . . . People are bombarded by negativity all over social media, rather than all the good around them. As a result, they become obsessed with negativity. Instead of trying to find balance in our lives, stress and a growing sense of entitlement have given us the authority to be an “expert” on everything, and an unquenchable need to voice our positions from behind a keyboard. We have lost sight of gratitude. “Negative people need drama like oxygen. Think of it this way: our mind can only think one thought at a time, so changing the negative into a positive eliminates the negative. If we focus on the positive, we have the ability to be more creative, productive, engaging and respected. Practice this every day, and the results will be incredibly rewarding. What about negative people? You’re either a part of the problem or the solution. If all you do is complain and have a negative aura about you, eventually you will notice that the only people who listen to you anymore are those that enjoy complaining too. You have a choice, either continue complaining or show the courage to do something about it. Be the change, apply the energy you spend being negative toward something constructive. “Some People Really Suck — AVOID THEM!” Here are 5 things you can practice daily to change the negative into a positive:
Watch your thoughts, they become words. Life is too short — focus on doing the right thing and make a POSITIVE impact on somebody today! VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER 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 ©2018/2020 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: ©2018/2020 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.
Stay positive; it will take their breath away.”
– MJ Korvan
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
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✏ 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 — 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 ©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.
while we we’re waiting.”
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✏ The Gift That Keeps on Giving
November 8, 1924 – April 30, 2017 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. 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 ©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.A tribute to my father and inspiration: Vic Pisano, Sr.
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✏ The Thrill of Victory, the Agony Between the Feet
Does the fear of failure ever stand in your way of achieving your goals? Have you learned to bounce back and persevere? If your answer is “not really,” I have a story for you… It was October 26, 1986, and over 55,000 people were packed into Shea Stadium for the 83rd World Series. The Boston Red Sox held a 3-game to 2 advantage in the best of 7 series over the New York Mets. Win this game, and the 68-year old “Curse of the Bambino” would be erased from the memory of every Sox fans in what would later rank as one of the greatest World Series of all time. After the top of the tenth inning and with over 22 million viewers tuned in, NBC had started to set up in the visiting Red Sox clubhouse to film the postgame celebration and the exchange of the Commissioner’s Trophy. The champagne was on ice, and Bob Costas was set to preside over the ceremony. After the second out in the tenth, the scoreboard operator in Shea Stadium accidentally posted “Congratulations Boston Red Sox, 1986 World Series Champions”. It was meant with a roar of boos and was immediately removed. “The game ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” With the winning run at second base, the Mets had two outs and a 3-2 count on Mookie Wilson. Wilson hit a little roller down the first base line, a routine play for any novice, much less an MLB 1st baseman — but it was anything but routine that night. It went past his glove, between his legs and faded just enough outside the baseline to bring Kevin Mitchell, the tying run at 3rd, and Ray Knight, the winning run at 2nd, in to score and in dramatic fashion, win the game for the Mets, 6-5. The New York Mets would go on to win the series after a 10-9 victory over the Red Sox in game 7 and were crowned the 1986 World Series Champions. in its wake, one name was immediately and indelibly etched in the lore of Red Sox baseball: Bill Buckner. If you’re a Red Sox fan, you’ve probably brought his name up a few times with your therapist. Buckner was the first baseman in that game. This guy didn’t ride the pine either; Buckner spent twenty-two years in the majors, had over 2,700 hits with 9,397 plate appearances, over 100 RBI’s, a .289 batting average in a span of over 3,500 career games. In 1986, he was 17 years into his career. However, all of that meant nothing. October 26, 1986, means everything. “Baseball is ninety percent mental and the other half is physical.” Let’s go back to failure. It would have been easy for Buckner to end his career following that season; he was ridiculed and the target of every sports journalist and Red Sox fan across the country during the off-season, even receiving death threats. It was more than enough to make any man crumble, even an experienced professional athlete. But amazingly enough, Buckner somehow went on to play another five successful seasons following the debacle of 1986. In an Associated Press interview in 2005, Buckner revealed his secret to moving on. “I think a lot of people would have really let it bother them,” he mused. “Or you could use it in a positive manner. I’m a positive person.” There are those who have the courage and fortitude to allow failure to serve as inspiration as opposed to being discouraged. Failure is a constant in the process of success. Failure is an opportunity to: – Commit to improvement – Evaluate and if necessary, redirect your focus – Look within and become more self-aware – Review your plan – Find motivation – Seek trusted mentorship The off-season that followed the 1986 World Series was dedicated to improvement for Buckner, despite his critics. That was not how he was going to leave the game. He took it in stride and did not allow it to become a distraction as he prepared for the following season. To this day, when Buckner is interviewed, they always ask him about that play back in October of 1986. After 30 years, one has the right to get frustrated and possibly display anger in their response. After all, there have been many mistakes in sports since his. Not Bill Buckner. He answers every question with respect, dignity and an authentic tone that continues to teach others how failure doesn’t define you — how you respond to it does. He had an amazing MLB career, and he is now a successful businessman who is very involved with his community. One can’t be an innovator without risk. How can you have an entrepreneurial spirit with doubt? Where will the breakthrough come from if you have a negative mindset? BE BOLD! BE COURAGEOUS! FAIL! GET BACK UP! SUCCEED! “You can observe a lot by watching.” Today is the day that you commit to not allow fear to detour or distract you from the greatness you can achieve. Instill a mindset of positivity, discipline, passion, and perseverance in everything you do. If it’s your passion, nothing can stand in your way. Just ask Bill Buckner. “Baseball’s what I do.” Go do great things today and make a difference. VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER Humbled to lead, #ChargeUp #venture #lead #prosper #inspire #gratitude #action #leadership #failure #failforward #leaderwithin #courage #compassion #BeThe1 #mentor #journey #moveforward #adversity #reflect #YouAreReady 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.
– Yogi Berra
– Yogi Berra
– Yogi Berra
– Bill Buckner
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?
✏ Change: Old Ways Won’t Open New Doors
It’s 1856, and I need to find out the address for an event tomorrow night. Bad news — it would take the rider from Pony Express about 10-12 days to deliver that information via a letter from St. Joseph, Missouri, to me here in San Antonio, Texas. Fast forward to 2018. I need to find out the address for an event tomorrow night. In the time it took to type that, I had an answer. It’s 1856, and I need to order a gift for an event tomorrow night. Bad news, it would take the Overland Mail Company approximately 24 days via stagecoach to get it from St. Joseph, Missouri, to me here in San Antonio, Texas. Fast forward to 2018. I just ordered it on Amazon this morning; it should be here before 8:00pm tonight. “The times they are a changing.” What was fiction yesterday will be fact tomorrow. That’s why it is imperative that you create a consistent mindset to not only learn to adapt to change, but find the change in your business before your competition does. The excuse “I can’t keep up…” doesn’t work anymore. You either find a way, or you will lose the game. CHANGE. IS. A. CONSTANT. Change is the only thing that allows you to win in the long term, so you have to get comfortable with it. It’s a constant — even more so now than just a few years ago. Remember, the vast majority of people don’t like change, so in turn, they tend to adapt slower. If you are on your game, you’re already winning. I remember watching “The Jetsons” in the early 1970’s and was amazed at what the future would look like. They had these TV screens that would enable them to talk to their friends live! Hello, Facetime. Or what about Dick Tracy, he basically invented the Apple Watch back in 1965! Everything you need to create or adapt to change is simply a “click” away thanks to technology, so you don’t have an excuse. We live in such incredible times; we have the ability to make an impact and be the pioneer of change. It will put new demands on us and our lives, but if you learn to accept it, it can be a great ride. Great leaders never stop changing; that is what separates them from the rest. They have: Change will require you to become more of a critical thinker. You will need to constantly find new sources of inspiration, not only in your field, but in others — because ideas are everywhere! LIFE BEGINS AT THE END OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE For those of you who despair change, though, I’ll throw you a bone. Here are 10 things that will never change:
If you are still struggling with change after reading this, I have one final piece of advice for you . . . There’s an app for that! ☺ 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 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.
– Bob Dylan
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, 80s-Hits Style: Part 2
Welcome to Part Two of our journey back in time, crafting some leadership lessons for today from some of yesterday’s best music. (Catch up on Part 1 here if you missed it). Without further ado, I’d like to offer my second top-9 picks and translations: (1988 – Public Enemy) “…Caught you lookin’ for the same thing The competition for attention is at an all-time high, but are you all bark and no bite? What traits and skills do you possess as a leader that sets you apart from the rest? The bold, courageous and inspired leave their mark and live up to the hype. Be that leader that others want to follow. (1989 – De La Soul) “…Mirror, mirror on the wall Unfortunately, there are leaders who refuse to adapt to change and continue to operate in a selfish manner. They are a boss, not a leader. Their goals are self-centered, and they have no regard or gratitude for those that they have the privilege to lead. Learn to empower others and teach them to lead. The return far outweighs the effort. (1987 – U2) “…Through the storm, we reach the shore Although Bono told the world he couldn’t live with or without you, companies have the advantage in the today’s marketplace to choose from so many qualified leadership candidates. They can and will live without you — or at least most of you. You’re responsible for your own success; it’s a daily task that requires effort. Be that leader they can’t live without. (1985 – Talking Heads) “…We’re on a road to nowhere You took the position for the title and the money, and now you’re stuck in a dead-end job watching your friends succeed because they didn’t take shortcuts. They took the longer path with their eye on the long-term prize as opposed to the short-term gain. But remember: it’s never too late to reinvent yourself. (1980 – The Pretenders) “…Got brass in pocket The gold at the end of the rainbow is just a myth, but you can still enjoy the rainbow. Work hard, pay your dues and be patient. Find a mentor and listen and learn. Look for opportunities to grow. Be thankful for the chances you are given to contribute. In time, your financial goals will take care of themselves. (1987 – Eric B. & Rakim) “…I came to overcome before I’m gone You have chance to leave a legacy by being a good leader, maybe even a great leader; don’t take it lightly. Inspire, motivate, sacrifice, provide a clear vision that others respect and together you can make a difference. Lead with respect and gratitude, because the ones you are leading are watching your example. (1986 – Bon Jovi) “…We’ve got to hold on to what we’ve got The weak and unprepared depend upon luck. The strong and organized create their own luck, but it’s not called luck. It’s defined as hard work and sacrifice. You will only get what you are willing to put in. Don’t hope for it, earn it. I been everywhere, still, I’m standing tall. I’ve seen a million faces, and I’ve rocked them all. (Sorry, couldn’t resist!) (1984 – Bruce Springsteen) “…Oh, I’m on fire Woo ooh ooh There is no better feeling than to watch a plan come together as a leader. To see each member of the team fulfill their contribution to the overall objective and succeed. It is what you work for, it is why you chose to lead. Take every small win you can and let it be the fire that motivates you. (1981 – Squeeze) “…I bought a toothbrush, some toothpaste The short cut is always tempting, however, to win the race, you have to be willing to invest your efforts on the long-term. There will be times you just want the easier way, but don’t jeopardize all that you’ve earned because of a moment of mediocrity. Stay focused and stick to the plan. Leadership is a privilege. Did I say privilege? Bonus round! The Fixx (1983): “Privilege” “…Privilege you have the right Go do great things today and make a difference. #chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #flashback #the80s #lead #process #failure #success #moveforward #change #venture #lead #prosper #empower #motivate #inspire #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #ambition #action #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.Word Up – Everybody Wants to Rule the World
It’s a new thing, check out this I bring
Uh Oh the roll below the level
‘Cause I’m livin’ low next to the bass, c’mon
Turn up the radio…”
Tell me, mirror, what is wrong?
Can it be my de la clothes
Or is it just my de la song?..”
You give it all but I want more
And I’m waiting for you…”
Come on inside
Taking that ride to nowhere
We’ll take that ride
I’m feeling okay this morning
And you know
We’re on the road to paradise
Here we go, here we go…”
Got bottle I’m gonna use it
Intention I feel inventive
Gonna make you, make you, make you notice…”
By showing and proving and letting knowledge be born
Then after that I live forever. You disagree?
You say never? Then follow me.
From century to century, you’ll remember me
In history, not a mystery or a memory . . .”
It doesn’t make a difference if we make it or not
We’ve got each other and that’s a lot for love
We’ll give it a shot…”
Oh, I’m on fire
Oh, I’m on fire
Woo ooh ooh
Ooh ooh ooh
Woo ooh ooh
Woo ooh ooh…”
A flannel for my face
Pajamas, a hairbrush
New shoes and a case
I said to my reflection
“Let’s get out of this place…”
If you’re on the frequency, yeah
If you’re on the frequency, ooh yeah
So when you say that
There’s always something else to do.
There must be one thing you can try.
There’s always something else to do . . .”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, 80s-Hits Style: Part 1
A REAL LEADER FACES THE MUSIC EVEN WHEN HE DOESN’T LIKE THE TUNE This blog will achieve either one of two things. You’ll either feel nostalgic or confused. As for me, the latter . . . Oh the 80’s! Who can forget the Rubik’s cube, doing the moonwalk, Blockbuster Video, the Walkman and relating to every John Hughes movie ever made. We lived without mobile phones, computers and the internet — and as crazy as it sounds, we survived! The best part of the 80’s? The music. The following is the first half of my take on 18 Top Hits of the 80’s,and how they would apply to leadership today: (1985 – Tears for Fears) “…Welcome to your life The era of entitlement; the myth that all you need is a college degree and a dream to become an entrepreneur with ambitions of quick cash, fast cars, your house featured on Cribs and your very own G6 at the airport. The millennials of today are ready to rule the world now, even if they often lack creativity, ambition and hard work. (1981 – Journey) “…Working hard to get my fill Some things just don’t change, and this is one of them. Roll your sleeves up, put in the work, and pay your dues to earn success. Be patient, set goals and find your purpose. It’s all possible, as long as you “Don’t Stop Believin’” in yourself. And don’t forget to go on and on and on…. (1982 – Queen & David Bowie) “…Pressure pushing down on me The pressures and stress of leadership is not for everyone. Being able to stay on course requires tremendous discipline. Handling pressure is the mark of a good leader, it only comes to those who earn it. Remember: pressure can make a pipe burst, but it can also create a diamond. (1982 – The Clash) “…Should I stay or should I go now? Thanks to LinkedIn, an over-saturated market of recruiters, and instant resume submissions on company websites, we tend to believe the grass is greener on the other side and it will test your loyalty. On the other hand, some people aren’t loyal to you. They are loyal to their needs for you. Once their needs change, so does their loyalty. (1982 – Duran Duran) “…Dark in the city night is a wire For the aspiring leader, this one is for you. Come out of the gate with a relentless pursuit to listen, learn and grow. Develop your skills, earn trust and put in the work to be noticed. Only the strong survive, but you have to be hungry and want it more than the next. Do do do do do do do do dodo dodo… (1989 – Public Enemy) “…Now that you’ve realized the pride’s arrived Social media has created a platform for the masses to create micro revolutions for change. No longer do you need funding, large memberships or specific agendas. With 280 characters, you have the right to speak your mind and challenge traditional thought. (1983 – The Fixx) “…The deception with tact, just what are you trying to say? In our quest to become successful, effective leaders, we begin to notice a pattern based on the harder we work, the bigger the reward. Our self-awareness and ability to identify our strengths allows for us to find our niche and make an impact. Success is made up of the small steps forward, knowing that each will lead us toward our goals. (1981 – Loverboy) “…Everyone’s watching, to see what you will do In the 80’s we were working for the weekend, but these days, we are actually working all weekend just to stay ahead in this faced paced world. Trying to find balance can be a challenge for anyone trying to get ahead, but just put your bandanna on and forge ahead! (1985 – Simple Minds) “…Will you recognize me? What have you done for me lately? That is the battle cry for most companies and people in a leadership position. There is no resting on your laurels or growing stagnant. Constant advancement of skills, ability and contribution are what keep you top-of-mind with upper management. Take a break and you just may be forgotten. Strive to stand out. Go do great things today and make a difference. #chargeup #lessonsinleadership #leadership #flashback #the80s #lead #process #failure #success #moveforward #change #venture #lead #prosper #empower #motivate #inspire #gratitude #integrity #starttoday #ambition #action #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.With that, it’s time for a little leadership sing-along by Charge Up . . .
There’s no turning back
Even while we sleep
We will find you acting on your best behavior
Turn your back on Mother Nature
Everybody wants to rule the world…”
Everybody wants a thrill
Payin’ anything to roll the dice
Just one more time
Some will win, some will lose
Some were born to sing the blues
Oh, the movie never ends
It goes on and on and on and on . . .”
Pressing down on you no man ask for
Under pressure that brings a building down
Splits a family in two
Puts people on streets…”
If I go, there will be trouble
And if I stay it will be double
So come on and let me know…”
Steam in the subway earth is afire
Do do do do do do do dodo dododo dodo…”
We got to pump the stuff to make us tough
From the heart
It’s a start, a work of art
To revolutionize make a change nothing’s strange
People, people we are the same
No we’re not the same
‘Cause we don’t know the game
What we need is awareness, we can’t get careless…”
You’ve got a blank face, which irritates
Communicate, pull out your party piece
You see dimensions in two
State your case with black or white
But when one little cross leads to shots, grit your teeth
You run for cover so discreet…”
Everyone’s looking at you, oh
Everyone’s wondering, will you come out tonight
Everyone’s trying to get it right, get it right…”
Call my name or walk on by
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling
Down, down, down, down…”One thing really does lead to another — make sure you bust a move next week and check out the second half of this post.
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 Firm Handshake
Attention, young adults… Believe it or not, there was a time when you judged a person’s character simply by their handshake. I distinctly remember that while growing up, my father would give me lessons on the proper way to shake someone’s hand. And not just the handshake itself; he would start with how to approach a person when doing so. You walked toward them, extending your hand with a welcoming posture, a smile on your face, and you began your initial comment even before you grip their hand. He probably made me do it 20 times, and it makes me smile just thinking about it. We would practice that for years, little impromptu crash courses to make sure I never lost that skill. When I had the honor to work for him, there were countless times after a meeting when he would comment to me about the other person’s handshake. And, he would trust my opinion as well. If it was firm and they held it for a few seconds while looking you in the directly in the eyes, he believed that was a person you could trust. He said to be cautious of someone with sweaty palms, a weak grip and no eye contact; that they’re probably not to be trusted. I cherish those times now that he is gone. My father was a man of his word; if he shook your hand and said he would do something, come hell or high water, you could count on it. “A handshake is an email you send with your body.” Today, we do business across continents without even so much as a handshake, but rather a screen-to-screen discussion where we are forced to gain as much business knowledge as possible, as well as character of the person on the other end, without any in-person interaction. Sure, there are other signals that we can look for, but give me the choice between a phone call and a face-to-face meeting, and I will ALWAYS choose the latter. There is something about the human connection that strengthens the character of leadership within us all. You can never replace the personal greeting; the initial small talk which leads to future trust. The dialogue that, over time, earns you the right to negotiate, but more importantly, provides you the opportunity to sense verbal and non-verbal cues. To look a person in the eye, have disagreements, share in solutions and celebrate the success of an agreement. And how do you solidify your agreement? Through a handshake. Meeting people face-to-face is critical to be successful. Social media, emails, texts or even a WebEx should never be a replacement for the human connection. If there are costs associated with making one, that is price of doing business. If you want to distinguish yourself from your competitor, form a true, personal relationship with that client. The easiest and most successful way to earn the trust of another person is to sit across a table from them and be yourself. Don’t fake it, be authentic. Don’t pretend to know everything, be humble. And most of all, listen more than you talk. VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER 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.
– Anthony Finucane
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?
✏ Six-Figure Leadership
Amazing how a headline can catch you, right? Unfortunately, this blog isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. If you’re in the game to lead, it’s a long one. Unfortunately, time is not on our side right now. We are facing serious leadership talent gaps. There simply aren’t enough effective and experienced leaders out there to keep up with the innovation and growth of the business sector. The concern is that we are too slow in our actions to proactively address the need to foster leadership from within our organizations. Why do this matter so much? Leadership is the key to maintaining a competitive edge; it is a critical component of creativity, organizational development and productivity. Senior leadership does not devote enough attention to build and empower leaders. Many current leaders lack the skill to build and sustain a healthy corporate culture because they are underqualified. If not addressed, these statistics will pose a threat to the future of leadership and success in business. And without a solid foundation of leadership, we are setting ourselves up to fail. “As we look ahead into the next century, So let’s look at those six-figures I referenced earlier — a half-dozen statistics that aspiring leaders need to understand as they advance in their careers.
Implementation systems take time to develop. Most companies feel as if they have sufficient training programs, but it stops there. There are no developmental procedures in place to follow and train as these leaders expand in tenure. If we know that our employees are going to learn from experience, mentorship and coaching, why don’t we apply the same principle to leadership? Are organizations empowering their employees to feel confident that developmental opportunities are within to promote a high-trust, transparent environment where people do want to advance? Have potential leaders been identified? Are there succession plans for critical roles? What does the road map look like for future leaders and what do they need to accomplish to get there? One company I know has such a proactive culture of growth and promotion that if they are in a role overseeing a department for more than 2 years without moving up, that is a red flag. Implementation systems that set set future leaders up for success take time to develop. It’s vital that we start today to ensure we are properly preparing for tomorrow’s leaders. “Connect the dots between individual roles, Humbled to lead, #chargeup #chargeuptoday #lessonsinleadership #payitforward #leadership #lead #process #strongleader #patience #leadershipjourney #resilience #failure #success #moveforward #areyouready #leadandfollow #sixfigures #millennials #seniorleadership #stateofleadership 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.
leaders will be those who empower others.”
– Bill Gates
We need to start now to ensure we are
properly preparing for future leaders.
and the goals of the organization.
When people see that connection, they get a lot of energy out of work.
They feel the importance, dignity, and meaning in their job.”
– Ken BlanchardThe 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?
✏ Some People Have a Problem for Every Solution
Remember when negativity was only reserved for certain math concepts or when talking about the temperatures in Alaska? How times have changed . . . People are bombarded by negativity all over social media, rather than all the good around them. As a result, they become obsessed with negativity. Instead of trying to find balance in our lives, stress and a growing sense of entitlement have given us the authority to be an “expert” on everything, and an unquenchable need to voice our positions from behind a keyboard. We have lost sight of gratitude. “Negative people need drama like oxygen. Think of it this way: our mind can only think one thought at a time, so changing the negative into a positive eliminates the negative. If we focus on the positive, we have the ability to be more creative, productive, engaging and respected. Practice this every day, and the results will be incredibly rewarding. What about negative people? You’re either a part of the problem or the solution. If all you do is complain and have a negative aura about you, eventually you will notice that the only people who listen to you anymore are those that enjoy complaining too. You have a choice, either continue complaining or show the courage to do something about it. Be the change, apply the energy you spend being negative toward something constructive. “Some People Really Suck — AVOID THEM!” Here are 5 things you can practice daily to change the negative into a positive:
Watch your thoughts, they become words. Life is too short — focus on doing the right thing and make a POSITIVE impact on somebody today! VENTURE + LEAD + PROSPER 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.
Stay positive; it will take their breath away.”
– MJ Korvan
Watch your words; they become actions.
Watch your actions; they become habits.
Watch your habits; they become character.
Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.
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 Culture of Empowerment
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?