Tag Archives: self-improvement

Are You Still Putting Out Fires.

brian smith-pld, Coaching, Entrepreneurship, Leadership Development, Management, Management Training, Mentorship, Personal Development, Professional development, Reformed Control Freak, Self-Help, small business owner, Soft-Skills Training, Teacher, Uncategorized • Tags: , , , ,

Do you know me? I’m looking over your shoulder, waiting for you to make a mistake so I can point out everything you’ve done wrong. My way is always the best. I need to be in charge and want everyone to know about it. I’m the classic control freak. I am robbing you of your opportunity to grow because I haven’t learned how to give up control to get control. I haven’t learned how to delegate. Does this sound familiar? Are you still putting out fires?

Worth Remembering – ‘In the digital age, you need to make knowledge workers out of every employee possible. ‘ – Bill Gates.

To stop putting out fires, you must ignore the urge to micro-manage everyone because the reality is you can’t control everything all of the time. It’s bigger than you. You physically can’t be in all places at once. You can’t be looking over everyone’s shoulder all the time at the same time. You must learn to trust the people around you and make knowledgeable workers by delegating some of your responsibilities to those on your team.

Worth Remembering – ‘Big things and little things are a leader’s job. Middle management can be delegated.’ – Konosuke Matsushita.

Delegation 101. Eight easy steps to effective delegation.

Step One – Decide what you want to delegate. You must be clear about the task and ensure they have all the tools they will need to complete it.

Step Two – Decide who is capable and, most importantly, who is willing to take on more responsibility.

Step Three – Create a teachable moment. First, demonstrate the task, then have them perform it, and once they have completed the task satisfactorily, leave them alone.

Step Four – Ask open-ended questions to ensure learning has taken place. You need to make sure they know what needs to be done and why.

Step Five – Follow up, follow up and then follow up some more. Make it a point to check in on them now and again to make sure things are still on track.

Step Six – Keep the lines of communication open. Let them know you are here to help them if and when they want it.

Step Seven—Hold them accountable for the results. Standards and quality are not open for debate, but how they accomplish them can be. It doesn’t have to be just your way.

Step Eight – Recognize what has been accomplished and praise their performance.

You don’t appreciate it when someone is looking over your shoulder, watching your every move, and second-guessing every decision you make, so don’t do the same to them. Stop micro-managing. Are you still putting out fires?

Copyright 2025. Brian Smith – Power Link Dynamics. Not to be reproduced without permission. Are you searching for a keynote speaker for your next evernt, planning a webinare or a training session at your location. Contact Brian. He specializes in soft skills training and leadership development. Brian will customize a presentation that is right for you and your organization.

But We’ve Always Done It This Way Isn’t An Option

brian smith-pld, Coaching, Competitive Advantage, Entrepreneurship, Leadership Development, Management, Management Training, Mentorship, Personal Development, Professional development, Reformed Control Freak, Self-Help, Teacher, Uncategorized • Tags: , , , ,

But we’ve always done it this way. How many times have you heard someone say that famous line? You’ve properly heard it so many times that you’ve lost count. Just because you’ve always done it that way – doesn’t necessarily mean you should keep doing it that way. In today’s fast-paced business environment, you’ll be left behind if you don’t keep pace with all those changes swirling around you. Change is constant – how you and your team adapt is optional. You need to get on board so you don’t get left behind when the train leaves the station.

Worth Remembering – The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new. – Socrates.

If you could implement changes, what would you want to stop doing, keep doing or start doing?

Stop Doing – When was the last time you reviewed your processes. Why do you do what you do, and how do you do it. Are they value-added or no longer serving you? Ask everyone on your team and solicit their input.

Keep Doing – When was the last time you reviewed your processes to ensure that what you are doing is still getting the results worth getting. Are they value-added or no longer serving you? Ask everyone on your team and solicit their input.

Start Doing – When was the last time you reviewed your processes to find a better, more efficient, cost-effective way of doing what you’re doing. Are there new technologies that other organizations use that add value and will serve you better? In my college professor days, I called those best practices.

Worth Remembering – An organization’s ability to learn and rapidly translate that learning into action is the ultimate competitive advantage. – Jack Welch.

The business environment is constantly changing. Technology is changing. Team members change. Management changes. Leadership changes. Ownership changes and organizations need to change, too. The problem isn’t change because change will happen with or without you. The problem is our inability to cope with those changes. You and your team must adapt and change with the times. You must get on board, or you will be left at the station when the train pulls away. But we’ve always done it this way isn’t an option.

Copyright 2024. Brian Smith – Power Link Dynamics. Brian Smith wrote this article without AI assistance. Not to be reproduced without permission.

Call To Action – We all manage change differently. Inquire about our DISC Strategies training program to help yourself or your team adapt to the change. Contact Brian to learn how.

The Secret To Your Success in 2024 is Between Your Ears

brian smith-pld, Coaching, Entrepreneurship, Leadership Development, Management, Management Training, Mentorship, New Year's Resolutions, Personal Development, Professional development, Reformed Control Freak, Self-Help, Soft-Skills Training, Teacher, Uncategorized • Tags: , , , ,

Think it, act it, and you’ll eventually accomplish your goal through patience, hard work, persistence, and implementing the right plan. The secret to your success in 2024 is between your ears. However, just dreaming about it isn’t good enough. You have to do something about it. Your success is a planned event – wishing and hoping won’t make it so. You have to go out and physically apply yourself. That’s the difference between those who are successful and the not-so-successful ones. Successful people are consumed by it. Successful people love what they do and can’t see themselves doing anything else. They are on a mission and are prepared to do whatever they need to do to make it happen. Successful people have a game plan: get off the couch and go after it.

‘The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary.’ – Vince Lombardi.

What would you rather be doing with your life or your career than what you are doing right now? What does your ideal job look like if you are considering changing jobs. If you want to go into business for yourself, what kind of business do you want to get into? If you aspire to take on a management or leadership role in your organization, what role would that be. Please write it down. Success only happens with a detailed plan. What has to fall into place for you to achieve your goals in 2024? Break your plans down into small incremental steps. What needs to happen – and by when? Including a timeline will help keep you on track. Be sure to add a completion date to create a sense of urgency.

‘We first make our habits, then our habits make us.’ -John Dryden.

When you change the habit, you change the result. We are adults, and we can develop a new habit. Just stop doing one thing and replace it with another; if you do it 30 days a row, you will have developed a new habit. The neat thing about habits is that you do them without thinking about them. You do them automatically. A good habit gets a good result, just like a bad one gives you a bad result. What new habits will you need to develop to go into business for yourself, take on that management or leadership role, start that new job, or change careers. Do you need to enhance your soft skills and learn to be patient, open-minded or a better communicator and listener. Will you need to learn how to build collaborative teams, solve problems, resolve conflicts or manage your time more effectively.

‘Live life on your terms. Term one is to decide how you want to live.’ – Bazzi.

Once you’ve made up your mind about what you want and how to go about getting it, everything will eventually fall into place. However, keep in mind that your success is never a given. You need to be 100 percent committed. You need to be all in. You must decide what you are willing to stop doing – keep doing – and start doing to achieve your goals. Remember – the secret to your success in 2024 is between your ears.

Copyright 2024. Brian Smith – Power Link Dynamics. Written in Brian’s own words without AI assistance. Are you searching for a workplace training provider – planning a lunch-n-learn – or looking for a keynote speaker. To learn more about Brian and what he can do for you or your organization visit, – https;//briansmithpld.com.