Tag Archives: performance artist

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Leaders Never Blind Side

Leaders never blind side others.

right-way-wrong-way2.jpgA blind side is a cowardly attack that demonstrates an incapacity to communicate and an inability to make leadership decisions. It is an act committed out of fear, jealously, and anger. A blind side is a poor attempt to hide the inability to lead.

Those who choose the blind side willingly forgo the path of a leader. They would rather sneak behind-the-scenes, than sit down and have a discussion. They would rather plot, than plan. The higher the level of office, rank, title, or position, the more detrimental the act.

The world recognizes a blind side for what it is, wrong. Our history has been littered with them: the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and the devastating destruction of The World Trade Towers in 2001 are known to all. Within the corporate world, the notorious ousting of Steve Jobs at Apple in 1985 has redefined leadership decisions and highlighted a return to ethical standards within the board room.  The facade of leadership behind these infamous blind sides are viewed with contempt and outrage by the world and history, and in time each wrong righted or avenged. Every. Single. Time.

A true leader can craft a thousand proposals to handle a situation, but a blind side is never one of them. A leader addresses challenges with communication, and a well-planned response. A leader creates options. A leader presides with dignity and honor.  A leader offers counsel, an assessment, or intervention. A leader demonstrates innovation.  A blind side is none of these.

Leaders are defined by their actions. What does a blind side convey? Not the qualities of leadership.  A blind side affirms a weakness in character, a desire to harm, belittle, and embarrass. A blind side is wrong.

Only low-brow reality television offers a nod to the immaturity of a well-played blind side. There is no place for it among leaders. It is indefensible.

As a speaker and writer I identify and highlight six essential elements of leadership: attitude, wisdom, communication, tenacity, vision, and authenticity. A blind side negates them all. Yes, each and every one. I cannot be clearer: forbid it from your management and leadership staff. Admonish and shun those who use it. Anyone and everyone with any common sense will no longer trust a leader who blind sides. No defense, scenario, or lie can be crafted well enough to convince others of its necessity.  Others will forever question, “How long will it be before he blind sides me?” Trust quickly fades, everyone questions the act, everyone watches their back, and a dark shadow of shame is cast on the organization.

Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should.

A leader never blindsides.

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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Nothing More Important Than The Return

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Nothing is more important than the return.  Nothing.

There is a wonderful Japanese proverb that captures the importance of ‘the return’ quite simply: “Fall down seven times, get up eight.”

Going for a run is easily accomplished. Waking up the next day sore and tired and choosing to run again is a bit more of a challenge. The return. 

Sitting down and pounding the first several hundred words to a novel is simple. Sitting down day after day until it’s finished is a rarity. The return. 

Dieting for one day is fairly easy. Maintaing the diet long enough to see the results you want is an effort. The return. 

Returning is the key to success. The more often you return the better the results, and the more quickly they’ll be obtained.

Starting is essential. Start small. But returning regularly is the key. Focus on the return. It will pay off.

Returning also sends a message, “I’m serious about what I want to accomplish.” It lets everyone know you have just stepped away from dabbling and hobbies. It also sends a message to others about your character and mindset. People who return are the leaders, the visionaries, the few who accomplish much.

Making a return at any task or goal builds momentum and carries over to other ventures.

Where do you need to return?

It won’t be easy to return, especially if it’s been awhile, but it will be worth it.

Nothing is more important than the return.  Nothing.

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and keynote speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

including corporations, schools, churches, conferences,

and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

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You’re Blowing It!

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You’re Blowing it!

It’s not procrastination. That sounds too sophisticated.

You’re not stalling. That’s just too nice.

You’re blowing it! You are about to miss a once in a lifetime opportunity because you are more interested in reading your Twitter Feed or updating your current Facebook status.

Life is short and we all have goals and dreams. We work toward them or we don’t. When we don’t achieve our dreams we make excuses and cover up our inaction with niceties. We act like we will eventually get there and that everything is going to be fine.

Well, what if you’re wrong? Live your life without regrets and get your dreams on the production line.

You need help? Great. We can do that. We can find you the resources you need. (And you won’t.) We’ll locate any needed backers. (You don’t really need that either.) And we will guide you around every other excuse you are prepared to make. (And you will.) But, we cannot tell you what your dream is, and ask you to get started.  That little bit of magic is the fuel for the entire dream.

Throw perfection out the window and aim for progress. Dream big but when creating settle for completion. You can always work on a part two later. ‘Finished’ is a beautiful word.

Look in the mirror. Are you blowing it or are you getting started?

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and keynote speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

including corporations, schools, churches, conferences,

and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

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Journal Activity for the Start of a New Year or New Venture: Mini Post

Journal Assignment for the start of a new year or venture:

Shoot for about a page or whatever works. Don’t concern yourself with spelling, grammar, or what others might think. Just get it done.

Today is  a three-parter:

1) Make a list of your goals and resolutions for the new year or new venture.  This is a list. Think finances, health, professional, spiritual, family, home, personal, mental, etc.

2) Write a short paragraph describing the person you want to be a full year from now, or at the completion of your venture. What do you look like? What are you wearing? What accomplishments are you most proud of? Where are you? Where have you been? How do you feel? Who have you helped?

3) Pick the BIG three areas you will focus on every day. Here are mine 1) Working Out 2) Writing/Publishing my first book 3) Locating new audiences for my art and words.  What are your BIG three?

That’s it.

The start of a new year or new venture is a indeed a magical time full of possibilities.

Find the time and get it done. Now.

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

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What Makes a Good Journal? My thoughts.

I was recently asked about what makes a good journal entry.

Here are my thoughts:

  1. Always include the date.
  2. Journal entries should be short.
  3. You should write frequently, routinely, and almost daily.
  4. Do NOT focus on spelling, grammar, or what others might think.
  5. Share your successes, failures, concerns, celebrations, defeats, dreams, goals, wishes, accomplishments, plans for world domination, and whatever else may be on your mind.
  6. If it is important enough to be written on any scrap of paper it is good enough for your journal
  7. Go ahead and tape concert tickets in there or newspaper clippings, or whatever you feel is appropriate.
  8. Your journal is where you keep your dreams.
  9. Offer a reward in the front of your journal if found; mine is dinner at your favorite restaurant.
  10. Keep your journal private.

I started writing in a spiral notebook like students used and have now graduated to a leather Moleskine.

(If this post interested you, please look for my upcoming mini-posts of journal activities scattered throughout the  year. I have created a ‘journal’ category for easy spotting.)

A good journal is simply, what works for you!

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation including corporations, schools, churches, conferences, and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

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One more… One less…

One finger

Run one more mile.

Eat one less donut.

Call your mom one more time each month.

Stay off Facebook one entire day.

Write one more page.

Buy one less extra.

It all comes down to one more or one less to make a significant difference.  Use some consistency each day, each week, each month, and you will really see progress.

Resolutions don’t have to be huge they need to be consistent. Simple actions compounded can create some dramatic changes.

Imagine weighing twelve pounds less than you do right now this time next year. All it would take is a pound a month and some consistency. The same principles can be applied to your finances, projects, goals, and dreams.

Good luck.

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and keynote speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

including corporations, schools, churches, conferences,

and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825


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When Leaders Make Mistakes!

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Leaders make decisions. It’s what they do.

Each and every time a leader makes a decision they are impacting a life.

Apply the ‘Domino’ or ‘Butterfly’ effect and the number of lives impacted by a leader’s single decision is sometimes mesmerizing.

That is why leaders need to: respond rather than react, seek wisdom, listen to counsel, and reflect frequently.

Once a decision is made, however, it is not final. Leaders must be decisive and firm, but when a poor decision is made, and it happens, it is a leader’s duty to make it right.

I firmly believe that leaders must take the motto “We’ll make it right!” to heart; it’s never too late to right a wrong.

In an earlier post, I  discussed the three steps on how to make an apology.  Apologies can at times cause more harm than good if attempted poorly. Step three of the apology, taught to me by the late Dr. Randy Pausch, is of the utmost importance.  Step three is all about making things right.

As a leader you have the ability to right a wrong, and you have the responsibility.

When I am about to do business with someone, and they tell me that they will make it right if things don’t work out the way they promised, that reassures me.  It’s even better if they have a proven track record showing that they make things right.  No product, no company, no service, and no leader, is going to be right 100% of the time.  It’s impossible. So, what are you going to do as a leader when a mistake is made?  Well, the answer to that will speak volumes of your leadership style, and volumes about you as a person.

Apple is admired by me and millions of others, but even their competitors recognize that they make things right when there is a problem. Apple has won repeated awards for customer service. They correct the wrong, replace the defect, ship the replacement, or extend the agreement.

I’m amazed at how many companies don’t do this. They simply continue on and ignore the mistake. I have even had customer service calls where they admit there really is a mistake, but refuse to correct it.  Wow!  What exactly does that say about you as a person, your corporation, or your leadership?  Make it right!

Some leaders will argue that it is too costly to make it right; I’d argue the opposite. Nothing is more expensive than letting a wrong continue. I mean that both metaphorically and financially. You will lose your authenticity as a leader, lose respect, lose support, lose money, and just plain lose.

We’ll Make it Right!  Don’t just say it, do it.

Recently NetFlix, the world’s largest online DVD service changed it’s user agreement. It failed miserably. They finally admitted they made a mistake, but… they did nothing to make it right. They could have flipped a switch and offered a free video, and given something, but they chose to do nothing and it is not working for them at all.  Take a look at their stock.  When will things change for NetFlix? When they make it right.

Making a bad decision is forgivable and easy to recover from; in fact it adds to your authenticity. No one should expect perfection from a leader.  We want leaders who fix the wrongs and aim for progress.  We do not want someone that ignores a wrong, or covers it up.

A friend of mine told me a story about how a board member ‘let go’ an employee.  The board member said he had always regretted that decision.  My friend, a leader, said… (you guessed it) make it right.  They did and all involved were happy for it; its never too late. Never.

Let people know that you are going to work hard to earn back their confidence and make certain this doesn’t happen again. Make your critics part of your team, because making things right makes them the beta testers. When you follow through, they will sing your praises even louder. Don’t however, just give people lip-service. You must work hard to maintain your integrity and authenticity. You are never, ever too big or important to call a client or customer yourself.  (Don’t pass a call on to others.) In fact, making the call in person to correct a problem is the way to go.

In some situations you cannot win a customer or an employee back, but you should try. If you have made a sincere attempt to make things right, and they aren’t accepting your sincere and fair request, then it is time to move on. Leaders must know and repeat to themselves every day, “I can’t control what others think or believe, but I can work hard to make myself and situations better.” Do your best and move forward. Don’t burn bridges; just do the next best action.

I have seen too many leaders actually believe they should not go back and correct a wrong. I write this for the them, and our future leaders.

Always make it right.

Kelly Croy is a chalk artist and professional speaker.

He has entertained and amazed audiences across the nation

including corporations, schools, churches, conferences,

and anywhere people come together to be entertained and inspired.

Please consider booking Kelly for your next event.

www.kellycroy.com

1-800-831-4825

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Would Steve Jobs Consider You a Bozo?

This is the biography of Steve Jobs that I read.

The world is filled with admirers of Steve Jobs, and rightfully so. The man was an incredible visionary, innovator, speaker, businessman, leader, and communicator. His impact has left little untouched.  One overlooked talent though, was his use of simple language to convey his passion for a product or service. How many times did we hear him say, “insanely great, phenomenal, awesome, revolutionary, amazing, and of course magical?”

His word choice was in sync with his passion for minimalism in design and the simple elegance of his presentation. Uncomplicated. Straightforward. Direct. Powerful. The advertisements, stores, packaging, and even his dress embodied this motif.

He chose simple words, but words powerful in their connotations. They were chosen with care. They were delivered with passion. They told a story.

My favorite term Jobs used was when he called someone or their idea a Bozo.

Bozo was a term Steve would use to describe someone that just didn’t get it. Click to Read More