Category Archives: success

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FFP 035: Leading in a Time of Crisis

“Adversity does not build character, it reveals it.” Wise words by American novelist, James Lane Allen, and words each of us should reflect on deeply during this COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, more than any other time in our lifetime, we need leadership. We not only need leadership; we need more leaders. We need more people to stand up, speak up, and take action.

This episode of The Future Focused Podcast is a live recording of a Facebook Live presentation I did earlier in the week. I focus on how to lead in a time of crisis. I review the six core elements of leadership as they apply to a crisis. I reflect on the importance of both our circle of focus and mindfulness. I offer my advice on how to lead yourself, your home, your business, and your community.

This recording has already made an impact when it went live. The comments I received immediately told me I needed to share it out in podcast form, so people could listen while they drive, do chores, and workout.

Thank you for taking the time to listen. Thank you for being a leader. I hope you will share this out and reach out to me.

Stay safe and healthy friends.

You are a leader. This is our time. Our best days are ahead of us, not behind us.

Kelly

Thank you for listening to this episode of The Future Focused Podcast.

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 148 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

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The Importance of Fiction. Especially Now!

The importance of fiction. I’ve met some people in my life who have told me that they don’t read fiction; that they find no value in it. Well, let me tell you a couple of reasons why you should be reading a novel right now.

First of all, everyone needs a story bouncing around in their head. If you don’t feed yourself a story in the form of a novel, your brain will create a story of its own. Do you know what stories your brain likes to create? It loves to create stories that are dark and void of hope. So feed your brain a story.

Second, fiction inspires mankind to attempt things that aren’t considered possible. Fiction pushes the envelope. Fiction motivates, inspires and sparks innovation. One of my favorite quotes of Jules Verne is, “What one man can dream, another can achieve.” Scientists and engineers know how to make things, but it’s the writers who dream up what needs to be made.

Last, a novel is a perfect diversion because it cannot be consumed in one sitting. Unlike movies, television and other forms of media, novels take time. In between those moments of ingesting brilliantly crafted phrasings from a wordsmith, we, the reader, think. What do we think about? Solutions! Choices! Possibilities! What is our hero or heroine going to do? How will they get out of this situation? What if they do x? What if they choose y? What about z? Our brains love to figure things out, and quite frankly… they need the practice. From time to time my brain thinks about some stories I read decades ago and wonders, “What if they had done this instead?”

So, pick up a novel. Take your time. I think the perfect read at this exact moment is Andy Weir’s The Martian, but truly any novel will do. I use to consume Tom Clancy novels like Doritos while others scolded me and waved the classics at me. It doesn’t matter. Find a good story. Entertain yourself. Work your brain. Mark Twain brilliantly pointed out, “The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.”

I was blessed to grow up in a house with lots of books, paper, and writing utensils. Always keep a good book near. Most don’t.

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 148 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

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FFP 034: Innovation’s Greatest Challenge

Leaders are Innovators! What is innovation? How to Overcome Innovation's Greatest Challenge!

This episode of The Future Focused Podcast was recorded before most COVID-19 restrictions. I have been unable to post it due to work and family obligations from the COVID-19 pandemic. I am excited to share it with you now. I believe it is timely, but the intro oddly does not reference the current state of our global situation well.

This episode of The Future Focused Podcast is all about innovation. Innovation is a buzz word that quite often gets misused or tossed around without people fully understanding it. The purpose of this episode is to define what innovation really is, how it plays an important role in leadership, and I’ll identify innovation’s greatest challenge. By the end of the episode, you will fully understand what innovation is and will be excited to make it a part of your leadership style.

People admire innovators. People want to hire innovators. People want to become innovators.

Listen to this episode and learn what true innovation is, why it escapes so many, and what a leader can do to make innovation part of their organization’s culture.

Thank you for listening to this episode of The Future Focused Podcast.

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 148 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

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FFP 033: Leadership Agility

How agile are you as a leader? It’s important to know.

There are a lot of important leadership traits leaders need, but how is your leadership agility? Our current time and our future as a leader is demanding that leadership inside the home, community and within any organization be agile. Not sure what leadership agility is? You’re not only going to find out in this episode, but you’re also going to learn how to summon it and apply to get ahead.

One observation that I repeatedly reflect on as leaders share their goals, challenges, and success, is their necessity to be able to move from one challenge to another quickly and make solid leadership decisions. All shared the enormous variety of issues and responsibilities that a leader must tackle daily.

This ten-minute episode will help you improve as a leader in big ways.

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 148 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

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FFP 032: Basic Beats Sophisticated!

Crush Your Goals! Complete Your List! Get Results!

Are you tired of writing down the same goals every year? Listing the same to-do items on your list every day? Not making gains in the areas of life that mean the most to you? If you really want to make progress, this is the episode for you.

This episode of the Future Focused Podcast to help you level-up your leadership and design a more dynamic life.

We live in a time that can provide us with a vast amount of information instantly on any topic we choose! We can consume vasts amounts of information easily, quickly, readily. It really is an amazing time, but I caution you: Information only goes as far as our commitment to putting it into action. It’s our application of the information that increases productivity and success. That is what this podcast is all about!

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 148 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

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FFP 031: How Far Can Leaders See?

The Importance of Vision in Leadership!

In this episode of The Future Focused Podcast, I highlight the importance of vision in leadership.

Vision is the navigation system for an organization. Vision is the navigation system for a leader. Vision guides what we are to do and lets us know when we are off track.

How well do you know your organization’s vision?

What is the vision for your life?

Of the six core elements of leadership, vision is the element that most quickly distinguishes a leader from a manager.

In this episode, I will discuss not only the importance of vision but how to create a compelling vision. I will also hare the six most important ingredients of a vision.

You will also be given two leadership challenges this week.

This episode of The Future Focused Podcast will help you personally and professionally level-up and live a more dynamic life.  Your investment of twelve minutes in this podcast

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 148 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

 

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FFP 030: Seven Tools for the Leader’s Mind

In this episode of The Future Focused Podcast, I share seven tools for the leader’s mind.

We have tools all over our house. We have tools to cook, tools to make repairs, tools for our electronics, and we even have tools to work on our bodies. All of these tools help us to do things better. We have tools to help us in every place in our lives, but one area that most feel they lack tools is our minds. We need tools to help us think better. Today you’re going to be given seven awesome tools that the legends of leadership utilize to level-up and make a difference.

Our minds are powerful tools when we know how to put them to use. They can solve any problem and help us achieve any goal when we utilize these tools. Without the proper, mental leadership tools our minds can work against us and make us its prisoner. If you are seeing success as a leader you are most likely already applying some of these tools.

Listen here.

I also hope you will sign-up for my newsletter. I am giving away a free tool called The Leadership Matrix. It will allow you to identify where you are strong in leadership, and where you need to improve. To get the tool, all you need to do is sign-up for my newsletter, but this offer expires soon.

This episode will help you become a better leader.

Thank you for taking the time out of your busy week to level-up your leadership and design a dynamic life.

You are awesome!

Kelly

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 148 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram 

 

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Authenticity is Essential for Leaders!

The Future Focused Podcast Episode 29

In this episode of the Future Focused Podcast, I explain why authenticity is essential to leadership and how we can build and keep our authenticity.

When asked what is the most important action a person can take to improve as a leader, I always answer with build trust. The best way to build sustainable trust is through authenticity, and the fastest way to destroy trust is to demonstrate a lack of authenticity.

One of the most important ways we can build trust is by living in authentic life. Authenticity is the glue that holds leadership together without it a leader falls apart.

Show me someone who has failed as a leader at an epic level whether on television, in the newspaper, in politics, or anywhere, and I’ll tell you someone who has a problem with authenticity. They simply lived one way but let others believe they were living another. Once people recognize you are not who you say you are, they will no longer allow themselves to be influenced or led by you.  

I’ve written about the six core elements of leadership and authenticity is the sixth. You could be super strong and all the other five but be weak and authenticity and the rest will crumble. 

You need to know your values. You need to proclaim your values. And most importantly you need to live your values. I find so many people who want to be great leaders and yet they do not do any of these three. They don’t truly know what they value. They don’t let people know what they value. And therefore they can’t what they value. They are all over the place.  Living our values is what other people see and that is how we build trust with them.

This episode will help you become a better leader.

Thank you for taking time out of your busy week to level-up your leadership and design a dynamic life.

You are awesome!

Kelly

Kelly Croy is an author, speaker, and educator. Want to learn more? Send an email. • Sign-up for Kelly’s Newsletter. Listen to Kelly’s other podcast The Wired Educator Podcast with over 148 episodes of interviews and professional development. • Order Kelly’s book, Along Came a Leader for your personal library. • Follow Kelly Croy on Facebook.  • Follow Kelly Croy on Twitter.  •  Follow Kelly Croy on Instagram