Tag Archives: chalk art

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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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The Importance of Celebrating Others

Nobody wants to be around people who just tolerate them.

Everbody loves to be around people who celebrate them.

Leadership is a skill which can be learned and taught, and one of the most important lessons is celebrating the success of others.

It’s a refreshing change in a “Me First” world: First and foremost, celebrating others is not only the right thing to do, it places those who practice this unique and powerful craft at the top 1% of people others want to be around. It’s easy to celebrate others and it doesn’t have to cost anything. In an age where “selfies” are the mainstream of social media, celebrating others is a refreshing change of pace. People are enchanted by those who place others above themselves. The greats practice celebrating others. Oprah, Ellen, Jimmy Fallon are all quick to congratulate and share the success of those they are around. We love it! We love seeing others genuinely happy about the success of others.Click to Read More

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Shoot for the Moon

KCMoonshot

Moon Landing: July 20, 1969. This marvelous accomplishment of human exploration encourages all of us to take one small step toward some big goal today. Today. A reminder that anything is possible. 

Still doubting yourself? Consider this, you have more resources in your hand right now and at your disposal, than NASA did then, and I imagine your goal is somewhat less challenging than a moonshot. Get after it.

Here’s How to Launch Your Dream:

  • Define The Mission: What is it that you want to accomplish? What is your vision? Keep it short. Write it down. I recommend writing a sentence or two about what you want to accomplish and what it will mean to you and others if you succeed. Set a completion date. Don’t alter it. Keep moving forward. 

  • Outline the Plan: Define what steps need to be accomplished and by when. Outline all the resources you have at your disposal. Do everything you can not to create a list of resources you need as this is a trap and will delay you from your goal.
  • Build Your Team: Figure out who you have at your disposal that can help you. Reach out to them in a very brief email or phone call.  Explain what you want to do and ask them for their small contribution. 
  • Fuel Up: You need some rocket fuel. Become absolutely decided in this venture and create emotional leverage of what accomplishing this will mean for you and others. Don’t make this a hobby, make this a destination that you will travel to with daily intention and work.  Gather whatever you can immediately and begin knowing you will finish. 
  • Countdown: Have your date to be completed firmly established. Nothing will stand in the way of the launch. There will be no delays or setbacks. You need no funds or resources. Move forward. If you can set a countdown timer on your phone so you know the due date.  I have a countdown app for this. Work every single day regardless of location or circumstance. 
  • Launch: Begin the work. Work every day. Do not stop. Whatever you have when the due date is finished, ship and announce it. Publish, post, share, whatever you can when you hit your deadline. Be proud of your progress. 
  • Celebrate: You really must celebrate what you have accomplished. Do something for yourself with someone you love to celebrate the accomplishment. 
  • Reflect: You need time to think about all that went well, what didn’t, and all you learned. Apply these lessons to your next project. 
  • Set a new Goal: Do it all again. Begin a new project. 

 

Kelly Croy is a professional speaker and speed artist.

 

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

 

with his art and words. 

 

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

 

www.KellyCroy.com

 

1-800-831-4825


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The Perfect Day

KCBen

What would your perfect day look like? What would it need to include?

It’s fun to think about a perfect day, but of course, we realize, a perfect day isn’t really possible. Still, how great would it be if your day included most of these qualities you listed? Half? Some?  It would still be an incredible day, right?

I wonder how many of us aren’t even hitting one of these per day?  Why is that?  I’m guessing it’s because we didn’t make time for it and plan it into our day. Sure, conflicts come up and there can always be urgent tasks to finish, but planning some of what we love will brighten anyone’s day. Right?  Let’s remember to schedule blocks of time for some of the activities we enjoy doing along with all those pesky to-do items from our daily rat race.

We cannot have a great day if we don’t even know what it would look like, right? Let’s plan for it.

What does your day look like now? What do you need to start including?

I had the good fortune a few year’s back of asking David Blaine any one question I wanted, so I chose, “What is the most influential book you have ever read?” His answer to me? The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.  I did a quick search on iBooks and found it was a free book.  I downloaded it and began reading.  What a treasure trove of applicable life lessons.

Benjamin Franklin tried to live a perfect day and deduced that while it wasn’t possible, we can do much to improve our day.

Here is a peek at Ben’s schedule from 1750:

KCBFDay

I look at his day and I find some great advice that we can apply:

1) Begin Your Day With an Empowering Question: Franklin asks “What good shall I do this day?”  What questions are you asking yourself and are they empowering you? Create some great questions to help you get yourself moving in the direction you want.

2) Work is for Work: Franklin clearly establishes the need to focus and finish work while at work. He doesn’t bring anything home. Make the best use of your time when at work. Don’t bring work home. What a great philosophy. Make time for work and knock it out of the park, and when quitin’ time hits, well… enjoy yourself.

3) Make Time for Yourself: Franklin made time for himself each day. He balanced this in with his chores and work. He made time for himself. Too often I find if we don’t schedule what is meaningful it just doesn’t happen. To live without a schedule means leaving things to chance and that’s when we either don’t make time for things we enjoy, or we lose hours wandering the internet meaninglessly or watching way too much TV. Make time for yourself and balance it in your day.

4) Everything Has it’s Place: Rather than a huge spring cleaning, Franklin builds in time for organizing what he has. I will take the liberty to assume Franklin is somewhat of a minimalist and avoids clutter. Sure these could be chores around the house as well, but if so, it is not the all-encompassing chores many of us bury ourselves in each day.

5) Make Time for Reflection: I really like how Franklin ends his day in reflection, asking himself what good he has done. I think each of us needs to reflect at the end of the day and examine how we spent it. We should ask ourselves what we should keep doing, start doing, and stop doing. Reflection is key.

6) Rest is Important: For many, a good night’s sleep is negotiable, but not for Ben. he made it a priority and accounted for it. Rest is important to those who want to make the most of life. He didn’t over sleep. He kept to a schedule. He made sleep of equal importance in his day as all of his other activities.

7) Wake Early: We can see the Franklin woke up early and that this was important to him. When you look at his life it is amazing what all he accomplished. Waking early was clearly a key to his success.

Make your day great!

Kelly Croy is a professional speaker and artist.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

with his art and words. 

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.KellyCroy.com

1-800-831-4825

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Whistle While You Work: Leaders Make it fun!

Chop crop

Whistle While You Work

Your level of self-motivation and passion will directly impact and influence those you lead. Yep! That’s your attitude. Attitude is one of the six essential qualities of a leader.

How many times have you said, “I can’t do that!” or worse, “I don’t want to do that!”? There are a lot of unpleasant jobs that need to be done in every area of our life. We have a choice.  We can choose to do them with a negative attitude or a positive attitude.  It really is that simple. Having a good attitude ensures the job will be done well and the time will move quickly.  All will benefit from a good attitude.

I have worked for some leaders that really thought there were certain jobs beneath them to do.  They saw themselves as sitting high on a throne ordering others to do the dirty work. I have had other leaders jump right in with me to help get the job done.  Guess which one I admired more and had more loyalty?  Guess which one I want to follow? It’s not the one yelling at me to do it, it’s the one working with me to get the job done.

We we can either work for bosses or we work we can work with leaders.  We have to do what our boss says, and we want to do what a leader says. Big difference, and it’s all in the attitude.

I remember when I was young I had to do a lot of jobs that just seemed absolutely horrible.  On one such occasion my father brought home a huge load of wood that needed to be sawed and split for our wood-burning stove. The pile of wood looked like a mountain.  There was no way I could do it alone.  My dad explained to me how the job would build character and muscle.  He told me how we could save money heating the house with the wood.  Nothing he said, however, changed my attitude. This job was beneath me, in my mind, and something that I wanted no part of at all.

All of my friends that weekend were watching the big ball game and here I was stuck behind the house on a freezing-cold day cutting and sorting wood.  I had the worst attitude in the world.  My dad had other work to do and I was left alone.

Lucky for me my brother surprised us with a visit home.  He found me in the back yard mumbling about the work I had to do.  I was doing it slowly and poorly.  In just a few seconds my brother had turned the entire chore into a fun game.  He had a wonderful knack for doing that.  He was a true leader.  We put the ball game on the radio and made a contest out of the work. I remember my brother making up this silly song parody on “The Devil Came Down to Georgia” about our job.  In my brother’s version it was our hometown, not Georgia and the contest wasn’t fiddling, it was…splitting wood. I laughed so hard my side hurt. The job was completed in no time at all, I enjoyed it, and I did a good job.  Dad was happy. I learned a valuable lesson that day.

What seemed like an agonizing job ended up being one of the most memorable weekends with my brother.  We traded stories, laughed, and had a good time. I learned a lot about leadership that weekend.  Many hands really does lighten the load, and a good attitude makes the work go by faster.  You really do better work with a great attitude too.

My brother did not have to help me, but by doing so he showed me the importance of the job and how to do it right. My brother still leads that way, and so do I. As the general manager of a prominent hotel, he had over twenty managers to do any job needed, but time after time, I have witnessed my brother leading from the front and doing even the most menial job himself. He always has a great attitude and that sets the tone for everyone that works for him.

My dad was right too.  All winter long when we heated that house I felt proud of cutting all the wood.  My dad usually complained about the bills in the house, but that winter every time a heating bill arrived, he sang my praises to everyone in the family about how my hard work saved the family money. It was one of the first times I really felt like a man in our family.

Doing a job well is only half of the job.  You have to do it with a great attitude.

Kelly Croy is a professional speaker and artist.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

with his art and words. 

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

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How to Make Recognition Work!

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Recognition is an important part of leadership. It can do wonders for your corporation, school or family. When recognition is implemented correctly it can increase retention, decrease absence, raise production, improve quality, change attitudes, and in general create a momentum of success and positive energy.

It has been wisely stated that a great leader humbly accepts the failures of his organization as his own, and passes any praise and success on as the accomplishments of his colleagues. In addition,  I have always been reminded that a great leader criticizes in private and praises in public. Clearly, recognition is an essential act of leadership. Clearly recognition is important, but so many organizations get it wrong. Many in leadership positions just don’t know how to effectively implement a recognition program, acknowledge someone for their efforts, or how to reward employees.

It’s all about making it personal. 

Leaders have a responsibility to recognize the accomplishments of those within their organization. It is one of the most important duties of a leader. When it is handled well, it really is beautiful and people talk about it for a long time. When it is handled poorly, it is ugly, and people talk about that a long time too. More important is the impact both have on the people that make the magic happen within your organization.

How to Make Recognition Work!

Recognition is powerful. I believe, however, very few organizations get this right. While it is never a bad time to recognize the good works of others, there are some ideas to consider:

  • Let people know exactly what you want. If they know what you want they can work toward the goal. Don’t leave people guessing. Be direct. These are the results we reward.
  • Recognition should be meaningful. Everyone knows when someone deserves the recognition. Don’t reward people because it’s their turn. That’s a step backward. Don’t be afraid to recognize individuals. Sure teams need recognition, but individual recognition is the most powerful form possible.
  • Great recognition is most often inexpensive or free.  Everyone wants to hear praise. Write them a note. Send them a gift card. Tell others the story of why they were recognized.
  • Recognition shouldn’t be predictable. Mix it up. Keep everyone guessing and surprised.
  • Great recognition is memorable. When you tell their story, mention them by name, and make them feel deserving; they’ll remember it. You don’t need to send them to Hawaii. Unless of course, you can.
  • Don’t be afraid to reward the same person more than once, or in a row. Make it personal. You’re not just rewarding people, you’re rewarding the action you want replicated.
  • Encourage others to create their own recognition programs and awards. Let others partake in meaningful recognition. Encourage it. Support it. Participate.

One of my favorite presentations is when I am asked to share my art and words at an award’s banquet or recognition dinner. I love participating in the recognition of others and retelling an amazing story of achievement.  I can see it in the eyes of the recipient when I shake their hand and present them with a piece of customized art. They didn’t even know how awesome they were because they were just doing their best and giving their all. Now someone is telling an amazing story of accomplishment, and it’s about them! You can also tell they will pay forward whatever recognition they received, ten fold. They w will continue with even greater tenacity to innovate and make a difference.  They matter… therefore recognition matters.

Kelly Croy is a professional speaker and artist.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

with his art and words. 

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825


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Book Review: The Encore Effect by Mark Sanborn

Encore Effect 225

I just finished Mark Sanborn’s book The Encore Effect: How to Achieve Remarkable Performance in Anything You Do. I highly recommend it to you, regardless of your occupation, because we should all be striving to improve, and The Encore Effect delivers.

Mark Sanborn is an amazing speaker, and his National Bestseller The Fred Factor is one of my favorite reads. I was excited to read The Encore Effect because I knew it would assist me on my quest to become a great speaker and performer, but like all good books, the lessons I learned applied to every aspect of my life. The Encore Effect improved not only my speaking, but helped be a better father, husband, educator, and artist. I highly recommend it not only for you, but for your entire team.

The Encore Effect highlights five areas for remarkable results: passion, preparation, practice, performance, and polish. In-depth explanations and engaging stories are aligned with
each of the five points to hammer the lesson home in a fun and memorable way . This book really helped me reflect on some areas I really needed to improve on to raise my game and improve my life and career.

At 130 pages it makes a perfect traveling companion, and is loaded with take aways.  I’m adding The Encore Effect to my required reading list for those I mentor and coach, as well as my family. Everyone wants to raise their game, but not everyone knows how. The Encore Effect will offer you the edge you seek. Read and apply.

I encourage you to consider booking Mark Sanborn as a speaker for your next event, sign-up for his newsletter, or follow him on Twitter. He is an incredible guy, with some great advice.

To learn more about The Encore Effect visit Mark’s website: http://www.encoreeffect.com 

 

Always forward,

Kelly

Order Kelly’s books, Along Came a Leader and Unthink Before Bed: A Children’s Book on Mindfulness for your personal library.

Educator, Author, Keynote Speaker
Twitter: @kellycroy
Instagram: @kcroy
Website: kellycroy.com and wirededucator.com
Podcast: The Wired Educator Podcast
and of course: Facebook.

Sign-up for Kelly’s newsletter here.

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Six Questions to Ask When Setting a Goal

10Questions

What Makes a Good Goal? 

Some people seem to achieve goals regularly and are continually climbing their way toward a better life. Still, others fail repeatedly and seem stuck in a rut.

A good goal is structured and planned in a way to be more likely achieved.

Achieving goals isn’t a matter of chance, there is a methodology anyone can apply to get better results.

Here Are Six Questions to Ask Yourself When Setting Goals:

1. Can I measure it?

Your goals need to be precise and positively worded. You goals need to be set just above your comfort level and just below your frustration level.  Don’t set a goal like, “I want to lose weight.”  Be specific, “I want to lose five pounds by Steve’s wedding.” Your precision has something to measure and a due date. Focus on what you want, and use words to compel you toward the desired result.

It may be obvious, but a good goal is something you cannot currently do. You might dismiss a goal because you think it is too easy, but if you can’t do it, then it is a good goal.

2. Is it the correct size?

You goal needs to be big enough to matter, but small enough to be completed in a reasonable time.  It’s better to set three five pound weight loss goals than to set one goal of fifteen pounds. By losing the first five and meeting your goal you set off emotions and brain chemistry like dominos.  You begin programming your brain for success.  Think bite-sized goals and bust them out. Big goals are resolutions; they’re the meals. Goals are the individual bites of that big meal.

You cannot measure your goal against someone else’s goal.  If you want to run a 5K in under 30 minutes and your friend is training for a marathon, you still need to be proud of your goal.

3. When will I finish?

You need to set a deadline for your goal.  I use a countdown time app on my iPhone or type it into my calendar.  I can see how many days, hours, and minutes until my next 5K or word count on my book.  Goals need deadlines.  Without them, they will remain dreams.  Set a target completion date.

4. How will I keep myself accountable?

Goals need to be written.  I would start by keeping a journal and check back often. You need to lineup what resources you have at your disposal and that includes people that can keep you accountable.  Some people I know have found success ‘checking in’ on social media sites like twitter and Facebook.  Posting pictures and short entires of their progress.  Find creative ways to keep yourself accountable.

5. Does it interest me?

You aren’t going to finish anything unless you feel strongly about it.  Create some leverage and ask yourself what would happen if you don’t complete it, and what would happen if you did.  Inspire yourself. Remind yourself why you want this. Get into it.

6. What will it cost?

A good goal is one that will improve your life and those around you.

When setting a goal you must look ahead and see how it will impact those around you. All goals cost something whether it be time or money.

Will this goal help your family? Will it negatively impact your finances? Will it improve or hinder your relationship with your family?

This is, after all, your goal. You cannot rely on the actions of others to achieve your goal. You cannot rely on your finances. (I know some who allow themselves to buy things and call it a goal.  That’s not a goal, that’s a want.)  Be prepared to invest time in achieving your goal, but know what the costs are and use good judgement.

What questions do you believe are important to ask when setting goals? Leave a comment.