Brad Pitt’s Timeless Lesson for Leaders

Blog 17Here’s some Bronze Age wisdom for our modern era. You are vulnerable. There, I said it! You are vulnerable! I am vulnerable. We must all be careful! Like the famous Greek warrior, Achilles, played by Brad Pitt in the epic war film “Troy,” all of us have a soft spot. We have an underbelly. The unsinkable Titanic did. We all have chinks in our armor. Or as the timeless tale goes, we all have an “Achilles Heel”—a liability, a susceptibility, a vulnerability.

When this vulnerable heel of ours is tempted, provoked, attacked, and pierced with arrows, our tragic flaw runs the risk of becoming our fatal flaw. So what is workplace warrior to do? Here are 3 Heel-Guard Tips:

(1) Own It! Achilles has a weakness. Brad Pitt has a defect. I have a host of handicaps. You have your own frailties, failings, and flaws. What vulnerable areas do you have that could compromise and damage your business? Whatever they are, own it, embrace it, and take responsibility for it.

(2) Plan for It! In the movie Troy, Achilles says, “I want what all men want. I just wanted more.” We must plan for our fallen longings and our carnal natures to arise. We must be on guard against our own lack of contentment and ingratitude. Heads up, our selfishness often arises when we are overly hungry, tired, and depleted. Plan a strategy to head off your own destructive dynamics. Cover your heel! Guard your heart. Plan. Strategize. Activate!

(3) Get Help! We all know despite how strong, valiant and mighty Achilles was, he was not invincible. Either are we. Despite all our personal and professional good, we all have areas we could use assistance. Avoid the perils and pitfalls of having one area of your life undermine all the other good you have to offer. Look to other noble Spartans for help.

You’re a good Greek warrior. Troy has met its match. But all your riches, glory, and fame are threatened when you take unprotected risks. Fight on, but watch your heel. And consider Brad Pitt’s great lesson for leaders. You are vulnerable. Be careful. Don’t war alone. And perhaps consider a Life Coach to have your back.



The #1 CEO Killer

Blog 16
They say “it’s lonely at the top.” Many of us have no idea. Blinded by our envy, our fantasies, and our grandiose visions of success, fame, power, and office, we imagine the bliss of being a top-dog.

But leadership involves loneliness. Despite the teams and trustees, boards and assistants, leaders are, by nature of their position, set apart (meaning they are by themselves). Despite a constellation of colleagues around them, they often feel like an isolated universe unto themselves. Despite all the handshaking and hellos, all the social media “likes”, and all the networking they navigate, leaders are, by definition, without equal (meaning without company).

Like a castaway on the ocean, leaders are surrounded by water, but have nothing to drink. They are surrounded by people, yet feel utterly alone. This remoteness, this alienation, this solitariness is the number one killer of all CEOs, business owners, and sole proprietors. Despite their amazing gifts, talents, abilities, and skills, leaders suffer from a built-in business barrenness. Their professional seclusion and positional exile often lead to quiet heartache, low-grade depression, and suppressed despair.

What’s a CEO to do? As a leader it’s hard to know who to talk to, who to trust, who

to confide in. There are things that don’t seem helpful to process with a spouse, an employee, or a close associate. It feels like no one understands. And truth be told, most don’t understand. Consequently, the temptation is to downplay the detachment, suck it up, and pretend everything is good enough. Just press on. La la la. Ignore the wheels wobbling. Drive without oil. And cross your fingers. Until it all blows up!

I understand. I know firsthand the brutal bleakness of leading. I know about the criticisms, the betrayals, and the stab wounds in the back to prove it (but that’s another story). I also unfortunately know how to sabotage my own career and calling. Don’t go there. Quit grinding it out alone. Refuse to let yourself get so depleted stupid stuff happens. A personal and private Life Coach can make a practical difference. It has for me! It can for you!

Loneliness leads to terrible things. Get your strength back. Restore your confidence. Reinvest in your own well-being. Loneliness is the #1 killer of leaders. Get a coach in your corner, a wingman on your flank, a spotter to back you, a comrade to do battle with. Defeat loneliness. Partner with a coach!



Who is Your Lifeguard?

Blog 15I have many coaches, but my Life Coach is my lifeguard. In the early years, my Cub Scout Leader, Choir Director, ASB Advisor, and Football Coach all made meaningful deposits in my growth bank. At UCLA, my Academic Advisor, Fraternity Big Brother, Weightlifting Coach, and Spiritual Discipler all helped me to make direction-setting decisions.

Coaches have gotten me through the demands of adulthood. My dissertation advisor got me through my Ph.D. program. My pastor got me through my dating years. My NCAA mentors got me through reffing camps, tests, games, and the nerves of officiating March Madness.

Coaches (of all kinds) help me in areas I’m not very good. I have a financial advisor, a tax man, a car mechanic, a plumber, an air conditioning guy, and a barber. Coaches also help me in areas I’d rather not spend my time; I now have a gardener, pool man, a pest control guy. I’m now contemplating paying someone to hang the Christmas lights for me this year (ha). But best of all, coaches help me to live well. I have a doctor, chiropractor, dentist, and orthodontist to keep my body and my teeth healthy and properly aligned.

And of course, I have my own Life Coach. Call him a counselor, consultant, therapist, or shrink, I have someone I meet with weekly who is committed to keeping my heart, mind, and soul healthy and aligned. Someone who keeps me thriving personally, professionally, and relationally.

I know firsthand the consequences of not having a close trusted Life Coach to keep me focused, on track, and accountable. I know the fallout of getting too isolated, trying to gut it out alone, not wanting to appear weak, biting the bullet, losing perspective, eventually losing my way, and then undermining my own life. Never again. A Life Coach is a lifeguard. Who’s your lifeguard?


Every Leader’s Secret Struggle

Blog 14Everyone struggles. But leaders struggle in a uniquely painful way. All of us have gaps, insecurities, weaknesses, and blind spots. All of us know there are areas we are not skilled, proficient, or competent. But in general, most of us celebrate the select gifts, talents, and skills that we do have, and it is “enough.” We have enough schooling, enough training, and enough ability to live full meaningful lives. But not leaders.

 Leaders are in the spotlight. Leaders are idealized, scrutinized, and criticized. Consequently, leaders don’t like looking at or sharing their insecurities. I know I don’t. No surprise then, that leaders struggle with “Not Enough!”

 I’m not talking about… not enough staff, not enough business, or not enough profits (though those matters can be stressful for CEOs and business owners). Leaders secretly struggle with not being educated enough, not knowing enough, and not being insightful enough. No matter how much they seem to read, seminar, network, or labor, it’s “Not Enough!” They have books, credentials, academic degrees, and experience, yet something quietly haunts them inside. Something deep down nags at them, saying, “you don’t know what you’re doing; you’re a fake; you will be found out; you are not enough.”

To counter this secret buried terror, most Head Kahunas, Chief Poohbahs, and Big Cheese Executives typically do what they do best; they double down. They put their head down, bite the bullet, and do more of the same thing—expending more hours, on more work, with more investment. But the “Not Enough” blahs remain. Workplace warriors don’t like to complain, to pander to feelings, or to confess their angst to others—especially employees and colleagues.

 So, what’s a leader to do?

(1) Realize the “Not Enough” blues are universal. Every honest, human leader has them from time to time.

(2) Share your “Not Enough” guilt with close family and friends who are happy to share with you all the ways you are more than enough.

(3) Consider partnering with a Success Life Coach who not only understands and empathizes with your experience, but who can help you (with professional experience, tools, resources, and analytics) to enjoy your unique personality profile, your customized strength map, your personalized success matrix, and (perhaps most importantly) your intrinsic “Enoughness!”



Leading Warriors have Armor-Bearers!

Blog 13You’re a leading warrior! Who’s your armor-bearer? Did you know these revered protective shield-bearers date back to the ancient days of Pharaohs in Egypt? History testifies that for thousands of years all leading men had a trusted private attendant. More than just a bodyguard, these side-kick soldiers were life-guards and hope-guards. In a hostile world, armor-bearers had the awesome responsibility of securing the safety and success of their commanding officer. It’s sad to note that so many modern market-men are pining at business and at life alone. They lug, by themselves, all the stress, weight, and pressures of corporate warfare. Today, a 21st century Life Coach offers the benefits of a 1st century armor-bearer.

So traditional and commonplace was the armor-bearer, that the Bible even records several of these important battle-tested servants in Scripture. These loyal military companions are affirmed for carrying the large shield, along with other weapons and supplies, for a king (1 Samuel 31:4), a commander-in-chief (2 Samuel 23:37), a captain (1 Samuel 14:7) and a champion (1 Samuel 17:7). Men like Abimelech (Judges 9:54), Saul (1 Samuel 16:21), Jonathan (1 Samuel 14:6-17), and Joab (2 Samuel 18:15) all had armor-bearers.

You’re a leading warrior, a corporate king, an entrepreneurial general! Again I ask; who’s your armor-bearer? Who’s your trusted Life Coach? Who’s helping you with availability and assistance, strength and security—particularly in times of danger? And we certainly live in dangerous times, competitive times, changing times. Perhaps it’s time to let someone else do some of the heavy lifting and dirty work with you. Perhaps it’s time to consider enjoying the personal and professional support a gifted Life Coach can bring.

I wish you well, warrior. Fight on, inspiring executive. But remember, you don’t have to fight and build a business alone. Historically, all leading warriors had an armor-bearer. I do. I hope you do too.



Increase Productivity 70% and Functioning 80% with a Coach

Blog 12Want some good news? Here it is: When all else fails, you can get your numbers up with a coach. The research from Human Capital Institute (HCI) and International Coach Federation (ICF) cements the idea that having a coach and cultivating a strong coaching culture is fantastic for business. According to the study, coaches significantly increase company success. Check out these numbers:
  • 67% faster on-boarding
  • 70% increased productivity
  • 71% faster leadership development
  • 79% higher employee engagement
  • 81% improved team functioning

We all want increased on-boarding, productivity, development, engagement, functioning, along with the fantastic byproduct of increased benefits and profits. Consider using a Life Coach for yourself personally and for your enterprise professionally.



Every Top Gun Needs a Wingman

Blog 10As an executive, entrepreneur, and business leader, why fly alone into battle when you can have a wingman guarding your flank? A Life Coach is a wingman–a pilot whose aircraft is positioned behind and outside your leading aircraft in a formation. A competent experienced Life Coach is a military pilot himself with the

primary purpose of protecting you (personally and professionally) by “watching your back.”

Even veteran aviators confess solo missions get tedious and tiring. Business battles are better fought together. In war, the wingman’s primarily responsibility is to remain close to the leader—serving and supporting the aerial ace. A Life Coach wingman adds so much:

  • Added element of mutual support and camaraderie in combat
  • Added perspective, insight, and situational awareness
  • Added defensive protection and rebuffing of enemy ideas and personalities
  • Added offensive capability with increased firepower to hit targeted goals, deadlines, and dreams
  • Added ability to employ more complex and dynamic tactics for long-term sustainable victories

You’re a Top Gun. Every Marketplace Maverick, including you, can expect people to take shots at them. Stay on top with good health, family and friend, and the backing of your own private wingman. Consider a Life Coach today.



Help For Getting Through “Sticking Points”

Blog 11Ever get stuck? It’s no fun. Especially when you have 275 pounds crushing your chest. Never again. Get a spotter! Athletes know having a spotter is a crucial component in weightlifting resistance training. It’s also vital in managing the weight of career, finances, stress, and relationships. A spotter brings the benefits of increased safety, motivation, gains, and confidence–in the gym, in work, and in life.

Best of all, a barbell spotter helps an ambitious sportsman get through the “sticking point” of the lift—which usually occurs about halfway through the forceful exertion of lifting a weight. Failure to get support through this vulnerable impasse is dangerous. For workplace warriors, eager to attempt weighty matters, a spotter is essential, nonnegotiable, and a must.

A Success Life Coach is a spotter who helps ambitious entrepreneurs push through the “sticking points” of their corporate world. A competent coach can also spot you through those relational sticking points with colleagues, employees, boards, trustees, clients, competitors, and even spouses. And perhaps most importantly, a seasoned Life Coach can spot you through the emotional sticking points of fatigue, stress, depression, and the inherent loneliness of leadership.

You’re a powerlifter in life. You go for it. You take on weighty matters. You tackle big things. And you have the gains to show for it. Keep it up; but be smart. We all risk getting stuck. Get a spotter!  



An Easy Way to Gain an Additional $10,000

Increasing ChartWant to increase your income, your earnings, your profits? Want to add an additional $10,000 to your year’s financial gains? Who doesn’t, right? They say you have to spend money to gain money. Not always, but usually a smart investment does bring predictable and fruitful rewards. Investing in a “Success Life Coach” can certainly do that. For real! Let me explain.

Probably few of us have $10,000 just lying around to pay for anything (a home improvement, a much-needed vacation, or to invest in a legit Life Coach). Not many of us have even a $1,000 of discretionary funds just sitting around. Stay with me. But who wouldn’t find a way to come up with $10,000 (as an example) to invest, if they knew that within a year (or perhaps two) they would not only recover that $10,000 financially, but they would also enjoy all the emotional, mental, social, physical, and relational gains that come with a transformative coaching experience?

Better yet, if you knew that a one-time $10,000 investment (over the next year) would return to you an additional $10,000 (or even $5,000) every year from here on out, would that interest you? Think about it. What a great ROI (Return on Investment). If a coach was able to help you to objectify your work, eliminate waste, monetize your business better, add additional streams of income, and increase your skills, markets, and profits, you could be increasing your gains right away.

In fact, it’s not hard to imagine how a simple investment in an expert Success Life Coach, given our present example, could garner you an amazing $100,000 gain in the next decade alone (not counting the interest it would accrue). Not joshing you. So compelling are these gains, I’d suggest you host a garage sale, set up a lemonade stand, find a sponsor or whatever it takes to secure your coach and to begin your new success story right away.

So let me ask you again, do you want to add an additional $10,000 to your year’s financial gains? Then consider investing in a worthy Success Life Coach. I know you don’t have the money just sitting around to do it. But find a way. Long term, a coach is not an expense. A coach is a wise investment—and your ticket to a prosperous future.

Trust me, the expense of poor choices, bad hires, debilitating depression, failed businesses, ruined relationships, law suits, deteriorating health, divorces, chronic stress, and more (that often could have been avoided with a good coach in your corner) are very, very expensive! Losing your career, your spouse, your kids, or your dreams is ruinous. Avoid these catastrophic expenses and invest in coach today. The gains will return to you again and again and again. The value is there. For more, let’s talk. 



Work & Life Safety Increases with a Coach!

Spotter in redHaving a spotter is a crucial component in weightlifting resistance training. A spotter brings several benefits such as increased safety, motivation, gains, and confidence (in the gym, in work, and in life).

Let’s discuss increased safety for a moment; it is critical. Athletes who train without spotters bench press less weight, see less gains, and put themselves at a much higher risk of serious injury. Don’t get hurt. When a lifter maxes out and pushes themself to failure, the spotter is there to give needed encouragement, assistance, and relief.

Having a physical spotter in the gym is one thing. Having a personal and professional spotter in work and in life is another thing. A Success Life Coach is a spotter who minimizes the high risks and volatility of marketplace mistakes, conflict, and injuries. So much can go wrong on the job. So much can go south at home. Don’t lift it all alone. Increase your safety quotient with a coach! When a business-builder maxes out of ideas and pushes themselves to exhaustion, the coach is there to give needed encouragement, assistance, and relief.

Are you enjoying the safety benefits of a spotter? If not, let’s talk.