Educators are some of the most intellectual people in our society who possess a unique skill set that could translate across any industry. They are master communicators who practice negotiation every day with students and adults. Most teachers are lifelong learners who take great pride in their professional development, which expands to a number of educational spectrums, including technology. Educators are givers who selflessly sacrifice their time and energy to bring unending value to those they serve. Teachers deserve the opportunity to monetize their intellectual property and skills. Supporting teachers’ growth and income is vital and can be achieved by creating a masterclass culture in schools.

Maximize Talents

Educational reform is always a hot topic, and we seek to implement the best solution for every family across the country. On the ground level, it starts with the educational leaders within every school. These people must cultivate creative ideas that allow teachers to maximize their talents in and outside the classroom. The education profession no longer has time to wait on the government for pay raises. They are welcome, but the financial climate is too volatile to wait patiently. We must be proactive in our approach. As we wait for politicians to make decisions, more days go by when teachers are not appropriately compensated for their expertise.

To maximize the potential of educators, we must promote and reward professional development. As teachers implement their newfound skills, they should showcase them to students, other teachers, and the community. This does three things:

1. Brings validity to the students, where they can visually see and hear the level of professionalism that each teacher brings to the classroom.
2. It allows colleagues to learn from others and validate their efforts to maximize their potential as educators. It is an evaluation system in itself.
3. It communicates to the community that there is a continual effort from each teacher and reinforces professionalism and attempted growth.

Those who win in business control their message the best. The businesses and entrepreneurs who are able to market and communicate the direction of their company gain trust and establish loyal customers. Education is no different. Teachers and Educational Leaders who are able to articulate and effectively communicate with stakeholders create learning climates that all want to be part of.

Teachers need to feel empowered to do their work. In the book “The New Classroom Instruction That Works” (Goodwin & Rouleau, 2022), they make a strong argument for the need to create curiosity in the classroom for students. To spark initiative and influence, educators need the freedom to be curious and innovate as well. To stimulate and sustain these efforts, teachers and leaders need the freedom to promote their practices and take on an entrepreneurial spirit.

Another piece of the pie is time. Educators need the time to reflect and create. As one educational leader points out, “If you want the performer to sing and dance, they must practice the dance.” To propel great experiences in the classroom, we must leverage moments for teachers to practice their craft. They need time to assess their lessons and adjust. Teachers need more time to collaborate and observe each other to provide meaningful feedback. While doing this, there is a need to ruthlessly eliminate the stigma that peer evaluation is bad. We must create environments where this is welcome and encouraged by everyone, with two goals in mind.

1. To maximize the learning for students and staff.
2. To provide additional opportunities for educators to learn and monetize their expertise.

There are hundreds of educational guides on effective teaching. All have their place in one corner or another. Every classroom is different, and each teacher must discover what works for them. There are data-driven strategies that do work. One is the Kagan Teaching Strategies. I’ve seen this in many classrooms and love the functionality of its structure for most teachers. I don’t see many books that discuss how teachers can monetize their expertise and promote learning outside of their classroom. We, as educators, need to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.

Open the Door for Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship

• Entrepreneur – According to Stanford Online, “At its most basic level, entrepreneurship refers to an individual or a small group of partners who strike out on an original path to create a new business. An aspiring entrepreneur actively seeks a particular business venture, and it is the entrepreneur who assumes the greatest amount of risk associated with the project. As such, this person also stands to benefit most if the project is a success.” (Stanford University, n.d.)
• Intrapreneurship – Stanford Online describes it like, “Employees are encouraged to think like entrepreneurs, cultivating an original perspective that may result in a new idea for the company. These workers may be given extra latitude, but the enterprise still holds authority over the project and absorbs any risk associated with it. Entrepreneurs benefit every sector, from large corporations to small businesses.
• Both approaches can exist in the educational space. It should be encouraged among all school leaders, and resources should be provided to create a climate that allows both to exist.

Teach teachers how to monetize their craft beyond their classroom. Create support systems and learning opportunities in content creation. Every school should have a videographer who, by request, captures lessons taught with high-quality cameras. Teachers should wear microphones that record their teachings. There should be a Team of Professionals and students who edit and make cutups of teachings repurposed for outside consumption that sit behind a paywall. Photography and videography teams like Black Box Media of Central Kentucky would be an interesting option to capture teaching and creativity. Media platforms would need incentives to provide their services. There could be some form of royalty agreement between them and the teacher. The school district could financially support the teacher through state and federal technology funding. Every purchased download would be directly deposited into the specific teacher’s bank account, and media royalties will be paid accordingly for their support.

Masterclass is an online educational platform performed by established experts/celebrities in their particular field. According to Skillgrowthpro.com, the instructors are reportedly paid $100,000 upfront and 30% of the revenue generated by their content. Every school can create its own version of Masterclass that is accessible anytime. Students enrolled in certain schools can access the teaching archive across all teachers. The public can access the content through Patreon, which allows creators to receive funding from their fans for their work. The opportunity for content creation is only limited by a lack of imagination and creation time.

I coached high school sports for many years, and along the way, we captured most practices and every game with video. The sports video and analytics company Hudl thrust its way onto the scene in 2006 and quickly cornered the market. Their product made it easy for coaches to video their team’s performance and use it as a teaching tool. Hudl also allows all athletes to promote their talents to college recruiters and, in today’s sports market, earn NIL money for themselves.

Like practice and game fields, classrooms should be outfitted with video and analytics. The classroom video could be toggled on and off by the teacher, where they could determine what to capture and when. Classroom video would also be a poor behavior deterrent, where everyone knows that all moments are captured. This would create accountability within the students. On a practice field, the film would quickly identify who was loafing on any given play. No one wanted to be caught and called on their lack of effort in team meetings the next day. The film doesn’t lie!

Considerations

This masterclass approach is not for every teacher. Leadership must understand this and be mindful of the needs of each individual. Many teachers won’t like a camera capturing their lessons. It may create uneasiness and anxiety that classrooms don’t need. Schools must also be mindful of capturing students on film. There must be safeguards in place to ensure privacy is not compromised.

One terrific outcome of this approach is students learning and observing firsthand how to create branding for themselves. It can spark interest in how to capture their expertise and promote themselves. These things are transferable to later job searches and even sports recruitment. They can see what a responsible and organized moment capturing looks like.

To push education forward, outside-the-box ideas must be tried, and educators must have the freedom to create. Education is a competitive world. Public educators are now competing against online and at-home platforms, charter, and private schools. There are more avenues to receive an education than ever before. To retain professional educators, we must identify ways to monetize their talents and inspire them to stay. Push for creation and help teachers realize their value where they’re at.

Youniversalife Leadership and Educational Content

In an effort to educate beyond the school building, I have an extensive collection of leadership and coaching content at the Youniversalife Archive. Check it out and keep moving forward!

Also, if you have questions or want to strike up a conversation regarding education and leadership, leave a comment in the section below. You can also follow Youniversalife on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Direct message me on those platforms, and we can connect. Take care!

Quick Note

These are my own thoughts and are completely separate from my duties as an educator at Madison County Schools.

References

Goodwin, B., & Rouleau, K. (2022). The new classroom instruction that works: The best research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. ASCD.

Stanford University. (n.d.). What is entrepreneurship? Stanford Online. Retrieved November 21, 2024, from https://online.stanford.edu/what-is-entrepreneurship#:~:text=At%20its%20most%20basic%20level,large%20corporations%20to%20small%20businesses

The post Creating a Masterclass Culture in Schools appeared first on YL.

Pursuit of Passion

Although I am not a hunter and do not run ultra-marathons, I take many lessons from Cam Hanes’ examples. I believe we are a product of the extracted actions of others. I am always examining the behaviors to see what I can apply in my own life. In the case of Cameron Hanes, I admire his persistent pursuit of passion. He never wavers from his soulful desire to hunt. He knows he must train to increase his probability of success in the wild. The wild is unforgiving, and Cam must always stay razor-sharp.

For decades, no one knew who Cameron Hanes was. His countless reps have improved him in all areas of life and helped him ascend to the top and gain respect among the elite, not only in the hunting community but also among countless others who draw inspiration from his work. You don’t hang with Joe Rogan or David Goggins, run stride for stride with Lance Armstrong, or work out with UFC Champion Colby Covington if you are a toe dipper. This man has kept hammering for decades and has earned the honor and reputation as the world’s best in his niche.

My career pursuits have always been about my passions. My love for sports and competition drove me to become a Physical Education teacher. I get to have fun every day and incorporate play into the lives of my students. I have coached football for almost 15 years. Most people only watch it on Saturdays and Sundays. I lived the game for half my life, teaching players how to compete and confidently contribute to their community. This helped me strategically build a leadership and performance platform, my true passion today.

I’ve recently built my first official small business, Youniversalife Lawn Care. I’ve always enjoyed working outdoors in my yard. There is always a gratifying sense of accomplishment after completing my yard work. I wanted to extend this a step further by investing in an industrial-grade SCAG mower and acquiring my first mowing clients. I mow over 20 properties that bring monthly income for my family. It’s a few extra hours of work a week. Although it is defined as work, it is also a joyous business. I like learning the ins and outs of an effective business. I love sweating in the heat while riding a 37-horsepower mower, zipping across landscapes. Instead of spending hours in the gym every week, I carry a weed eater and leaf blower. I wear noise-canceling headphones and play podcasts that teach me anything I want. I’ll listen to new music when I grow tired of informative conversation.

Most of what I’ve learned about business has come from working on a mower. I have effectively married personal development with work, doing them simultaneously and earning a side income. Teaching Physical Education allows me to incorporate movement, exercise, and play into my daily routine. I double-dip my professional life with physical, emotional, and social health. My Youniversalife Leadership & Performance is also an extension of this. Teaching PE gives me the freedom to stretch my curriculum. I uniquely get to create content for my students that helps them achieve success through leadership and performance development. These concepts fall under the overall wellness umbrella. I have strategically aligned my passions with my work to create a giving and expanding lifestyle.

Work-Life-Youniverse

Some people wish to keep their professional life separate from their personal life. I would argue that one should support the other. They should work together, compoundly build, and create a better version of you. I do not want to work a job where I obsessively wait for the weekend escape. It’s my goal to continually work and strategize how to align the two better daily. I call this my “Work-Life-Youniverse.”

When I expand my Youniversalife Lawn Care business, I will draw from the leadership and performance knowledge I have acquired. I understand the nuances of relationship building and how to motivate individuals to perform at a high level. When they don’t perform, I know how to help them become productive employees for the company. I am well-versed in conflict resolution and how to navigate crises quickly. I have been developing these characteristics by no accident.

How can you implement the Work-Life-Youniverse strategy?

Step 1

Identify your passion that brings you great joy and fulfillment that can potentially be monetized with good strategy:

• Physical Fitness
• Nutrition
• Budgeting
• Writing
• Investment Strategy
• Landscaping
• Welding
• Carpentry
• Coaching
• Music

The possibilities are endless with enough creativity and willingness to work consistently.

Step 2

Pursue a career that brings value across several fronts

• Income
• Professional Development
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Acquired Equity in Your Company / Workplace
• Childcare
• Health Insurance
• Corporate Gym Membership / Wellness Incentive Program
• Paid Creation Time / Incentives for Creating Solutions and Products
• Helping Others

Step 3

Create a business plan that binds your passion and primary career together. The time margin that exists in your career provides room for your passion. A business plan is a roadmap for its operation. The final destination may not be known, but the initial steps can be strategized. Identify the initial components that must exist to get it off the ground. When these steps are completed, additional steps begin to come into focus. Taking action is the most important piece of the journey.

Today’s business climate is ripe with opportunity. The e-commerce industry alone has opened avenues for opportunity that didn’t exist 10 years ago. Shopify is an e-commerce sales platform that allows anyone to create a shop, create products, drop-ship, or even sell print-on-demand items. Once your business plan is established and you build your brand identity, you are immediately ready to create and sell online. Create your brand digital designs with Canva or Photoshop and transfer them to products in your online store. Market your brand and designs on your personal social media, and BOOM, you’re now operating your first business. You may sell 2 products in year 1, but that’s passive income that didn’t exist before and requires little attention after establishing the store and brand.

Expanding Your Brand Across Multiple Industries of Passion

When you create a business plan and name for your business/platform, do it to expand the brand across multiple industries of passion. Do not box your brand in with a niche specific name. Research names that are available for use online. Find out if there is already a domain name or website online. When creating a website, effective keyword research is vital. You must determine what others search for through Google and other search engines. Do not neglect this step because it can expedite your growth.

Forward-thinking is a key strategy for success. You must always think 5 steps ahead and forecast what will come. There may be blindspots along the way, but you shouldn’t be naive to opportunity. Successful businessman Patrick Bet-David discusses the next 5 moves in his book Your Next Five Moves. I love his take on how alignment is the key to fulfillment. He suggests that we keep these four points in mind:

• Your vision must align with the ideal future self.
• Your choices must align with your vision.
• Your effort level must match the magnitude of your vision.
• Your values and principles must be the support pillars of your behaviors.

This framework allows you to plan for the future and identify markets where you can win the game. Or take it from another successful entrepreneur Alex Hormozi, who takes a deep dive into how to make your passion a business reality in an Interview with Chris Williamson. He emphasizes identifying the things you don’t want to do or be and relentlessly moving in the opposite direction. This identified course of action leads you to potential business ideas.

Wrap Up

Not all passions and interests should be monetized. An argument could be made that life requires time for leisure, and we shouldn’t mix it with monetization. Codie Sanchez discusses this debate with guest Ali Abdaal on her BigDeal Podcast . They both have mixed feelings on the subject but agree that if the concept fits your lifestyle and you find joy, pursue it. When the pursuit becomes a grind, we should distance ourselves from monetizing our feel-good passions.

Find what fits you and be curious. If you’ve found this post interesting, continue reading the Youniversalife Archive and listening to the Youniversalife Podcast. Thank you for your support, and remember to Keep Moving Forward.

The post Lessons from Cameron Hanes: Taking Action for Success appeared first on YL.

Great scouts have a unique ability to read people, where they look for specific and uncommon behaviors. Uncommon behavior comes in many forms. We seek world-changers, people actively pursuing a better life for themselves and those around them. They are continually attempting to bring value to their space. This value steadily increases and radiates contagious energy. They are not moved by the world but by a higher power. They are students of life.  

Let’s face it; we are all people watchers. It is in human nature to read and learn from others. Watching others interact from afar and see how they move through the day-to-day is fascinating. We all wish to comprehend people. If we’re to build our organization, there are key scouting categories we look at:    

Scouting categories

• Personality
• Humor
• Emotional Intelligence
• Steadfastness
• Voice
• Embrace the weird

Within each category, a personal DNA exists. This DNA can be transmitted to others. It is contagious. We instinctively take on some of their mannerisms when interacting with someone for an extended period. We take on other’s sub-identities. We pick up on traits and apply them to our lives. Our lives are constructed through these interactions. By placing this into perspective, we must recognize the importance of being around positive influencers.  

In the book 1776 by ‎David McCullough, he examines the unique qualities of General George Washington during the Revolutionary War. He explains how Washington was in constant search for world changers. He knew the importance of placing influential men around him to support the cause, eventually leading to freedom. McCullough describes the quality of each man. One man he continually called on and respected was Henry Knox. He was an extraordinary man who was a bookseller before the war. Washington recognized his passion and placed his trust in him. Henry and his men moved 59 artillery pieces from Fort Ticonderoga, 300 miles over treacherous terrain, to Boston. A job that seemed impossible was accomplished by world-changers and later helped win the war. 

Seek out the best! Allow them to infiltrate your life and influence your behaviors. Write a list of qualities that you wish to possess. These are foundational elements that can be built. Be the scout that brings you life’s championships. You should always seek to build your winning team.

Wrap Up

If you’ve found this article helpful, slide over to the Youniversalife Archive, where you’ll find extensive leadership help. You can also check out the Influences Page, which lists literature and podcasts that shape my winning team.

The post Building Your Winning Team appeared first on YL.

Our bodies release dopamine when we play, allowing us to experience joy and happiness. Huberman has noted that non-competitive play is the best way to experience this. It takes away the stressor of competing to win. Competition is good, but if you want to experience joy and happiness in the moment, play for the fun. Become creative in your adventures and tap the imaginative spirit. 

I see joy firsthand when I teach Physical Education. I observe my students smiling and socializing more when play is fun and creative. Many students retract and lose this experience when I add a competitive component. It becomes something different altogether for them. Tension and stress enter the room with the overwhelming desire to win. A friendly game of Pickleball, where students learn and discover their capabilities, becomes tiresome for many when we add a true competitive element.

Competition is essential for personal and team development, but if the objective is to have fun, limit the competitive piece and allow yourself to relax. Be conscious of how casual games affect your emotional state compared to competitive games. Practice transitioning back and forth between the two, where you find balance. This will produce less burnout, and happiness will flourish.  

Coaches and teachers should understand the importance of balancing casual play and competition. This promotes an environment of creativity and exploration. With play, the opportunity to discover new strategies and techniques will be unlimited. Playful moments also allow leadership to surface. People are more willing to communicate in relaxed environments. This offers an excellent opportunity for coaches and teachers to identify the inspirational leaders in the room.

If you’ve enjoyed learning about play and how it is incorporated in leadership, take a peek at the YL Archive for additional leadership tools.

The post Implementing “Play” for Success appeared first on YL.

Pursuit

Teachers and leaders are champions for kids when we pursue them and build trust. Educators unpack student gifts through conversation. This can be a friendly greeting in the hallway, a deep discussion in class on various topics, or a post-class status report with individuals. Seek to deepen conversation through open-ended questions. Students are humans who like to be heard and allowed to tell their stories. These stories often unpack student gifts. These gifts should then be brought to light. 

Reveal their Gifts

Many students are quick to dismiss their talents. They have blinders to their developed gifts and do not continually cultivate them. They do not know what or how to release their gifts to the world for us all to experience and benefit from. It’s the educator’s job to help students to learn to fly. Give them the eyes and wings to take off. Show them how to build confidence and take another step forward. Make them believers in themselves.

Relationship Building

Students are worth the time and energy it takes to establish relationships. Relationships drive a positive culture and make any institution successful. Relationships through family, friends, school, and community build environments where we want to exist and contribute to.

Relationship building transcends all leadership. It is not limited to the educational setting. It rings true in business, family, and community. Do not underestimate the power of asking questions to extract life stories from individuals. It allows leaders to determine where gifts reside. Gifts that can enter the world and bring great value to us all.

Key Takeaways

• Take the time to search out students.
• Teachers and leaders are champions for kids when we pursue them and build trust.
• It’s the educator’s job to help students to learn to fly. Give them the eyes and wings to take off.
• Relationship building transcends all leadership.

If you found How to Be a Champion for Students helpful, check out the youniversalife archive for additional leadership content and how to implement strategies into your area of influence.

The post How to Be a Champion for Students appeared first on YL.

Youniversally, we all have a deep desire to expand and learn more. Leaders utilize this craving to help others discover their innate abilities. They do this by giving ownership of tasks and equipping their team for success. Great school principals rely on department heads to design curriculums that impact students. They provide data and research-based protocols that will allow teachers to design an effective plan. Great coaches assign leaders within the team and provide them with leadership training. Leaders only give a person a boat with a paddle. They set their team’s course and provide solid instruction to increase the chance of success. There is a purposeful effort to empower growth with actionable resources.

Giving Support & Resources for Idea Generation and Prototyping

Great leaders empower people. They create an innovative culture by providing their team members with development opportunities in the form of support & resources. Leaders pinpoint useful material that feeds the growth of others. 

• Books
• Articles
• Blogs
• Virtual classes
• Clinics
• etc. 
• Anything that improves performance through implementation.

When team members are supported, they feel encouraged to take action. The creative spirit awakens, and ideas begin to pore out.

Coaching Clinics

Glazier Clinic was the first professional clinic I attended. My Head Coach provided his staff a chance to attend the yearly meeting of coaches in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was an opportunity to immerse myself in the culture of football. It allowed me to meet the professionals in their element. I was able to see what great coaching looked like. These men took their craft seriously and made a continual effort to develop. From young twenty-somethings like me to old grey-haired veterans with seasoned raspy voices, coaches came from everywhere.

Idea Generation & Prototyping

With the proper resources and support, idea generation and prototyping are birthed. When team members are supported, they feel encouraged to take action. The creative spirit awakens, and ideas begin to pore out. Great leaders can teach their people how to harness this activity. The organization of thoughts followed by the implementation is critical. This is prototyping at work, designing products, tools, and strategies, and putting them into the world. If you’ve watched Shark Tank, you’ve seen the creative spirit in action. I love the process entrepreneurs go through to achieve success. The thousands of hours in development for their moment of success. They embrace the process and do not differentiate Work-Life-Play. Great Leaders lead their people down this path of discovery.

Take Action

Performance through implementation is essential. If the provided material is operational, it can save time and money. Players, employees, and team members must practice what they’ve learned. An awareness of the potential return on investment (ROI) is vital. Leaders need to ask themselves: 

• Is what I’m providing actionable? 
• Does the material lead to idea generation?
• Does it feed a creative workplace?
• Will my people apply these concepts?

If the potential ROI is high, suggesting such material is critical to developing team members. If the ROI is low, do not suggest it and continue searching for actionable items to provide.

Give Praise to Your Team

Once the team member has the support and resources they need, they enter the prototyping stage, creating actionable products that create value for the team and the public. Encourage your team to bring you ideas. Strive to create an environment where everyone thinks big and innovates. Get excited when someone approaches you with new ideas. Help them bring the concepts to life with energy, supportive ideas, and additional resources. Leaders should verbally reward their people through praise in private and public settings. Meetings are a great place to speak about people who generate ideas. If you choose to implement an idea, speak to the group about who created it and praise them openly.

The Landing

These leadership tools greatly impact development across the board. For more leadership tools, literature, and podcasts, check out the Youniversalife Archive. There is a treasure trove of information that inspires leadership qualities. Remember, leadership is developed with directed intention. 

If you’ve enjoyed this post, please share it with family and friends. Post it on your social media. You can also leave a review on Spotify and Apple Podcast for the Youniversalife Podcast.

Keep Moving Forward!

The post Equipping Teams for Success appeared first on YL.

In the latest YL episode (Confidence Part 2), I discuss how to embrace your weirdness & that of others that leads to healthy confidence.

Weird is Good

• Embrace our weirdness.
• Take inventory of what we do that is unique.
  • Be detailed
  • Weird should not get labeled personally as a stigma, but a strength.
• Weird usually brings new ideas and creativity to the world.
• Things that remain the same or fit the mold don’t move the world forward.
• A band you like that eventually everyone falls for.

Those that shame “weird” actions, often times lack confidence and creativity

• They don’t want change and have significant interest in things remaining the same.
• How the world currently works for them.
• They may be threatened by change

To Embrace the Weird, We Must Build Our Confidence

• It increases as a result of our experiences.
• Stepping into the void and practicing
• Achieving mini wins & milestones
• Progress is progress

Those that have joy & those who struggle to find it

The Joy-us

• The Joyus find the process to be life giving
• They reflect back on the journey
• They are grateful for each experience
• They feel as if they have lived and are grateful for it
• Hardship is part of it (I’m Still Standing by Elton John)
• This approach helps confidence to row and manifest
• They know that the hard times are part of the overall equation that ultimately creaes the next better version of them.
• Lean into courage. I will go. I will move forward. Send me mentality

The Strugglers 

• Those who struggle to find joy only concentrate on the end product.
• Good will only come if I am able to complete it.
• The process is viewed as a struggle and their is a narrow view of its actual harvest 
• True healthy confidence is hard to obtain with this state of mind
• Hard to establish consistency because the confidence is always being undermined by the hardships.

Can You Be Both?

• Some aspects of my life I’m in the Joy-us state of mind. Some areas I struggle
• It is a battle between the light and darkness.
• I fight for the light. I fight for life.

Lean into the Joy-us and establish internal and external triggers that return you to it when struggling.

The Joy-us Athlete

• What does it look like to be a joyus athlete?
  • Find a role an embrace it
    • Stop comparing your role to those that are further down the road than you.
    • Small seat at the table

Confidence is not knowing you have the ability to do something, but know you will try to do it.

Rob Bell

Check out additional content at Youniversalife.com.

Before listening to Confidence Part 2, be sure to listen to Confidence Part 1 to set the stage for understanding.

The best way you can support the show is to follow us on Spotify and Apply Podcast and leave a review. You can also share Youniversalife content on most Social Media Platforms. 
You can also purchase Youniversalife Merchandise at the Youniversalife Shop.

The post Ep. 15: Confidence Part 2 appeared first on YL.

Who is responsible for the culture of a space?

• Anyone who makes decisions that dictates the direction of an establishment.
  • High Command
  • Principals
  • Teachers
  • Coaches
  • Fathers / Mothers
  • Friends
  • Community Leaders

Core Values

These leaders must stand for something. They must be passionate about certain ideals that cultivate a successful domain. The core values stem from upbringing, life experience, family, and social circles. Great leaders are students of life and continually seek knowledge that shapes their interpersonal well-being. Stagnant leaders are those who are satisfied with their current state. Leaders with terrific core values draw near like-minded individuals with similar belief systems. The culture manager attracts and hires talented individuals moving in the same direction.   

Mission and Vision

Core values influence the Culture Manager’s mission and vision. These two statements are guiding lights to the organization—true intentions, which significantly impact building culture.

Bringing Trusted Allies on Board

Leaders will surround themself with professionals. They are in constant search of those who are emotionally intelligent, communicate well, and relate to others. These individuals make great team members and are culture builders. They value the leader’s direction, support them, and push to deliver their message effectively. To build culture, leaders can not afford poor recruitment.

The professionals must outweigh the amateurs. An organization will effectively function if most people have a team-first mindset. Leaders make little room for egocentric team members. Their alternate agendas stain the culture and stifle performance.     

Living Out the Mission and Vision

To build high functioning culture, leaders must live out their core values. There must be a continual dialogue about the mission and vision with built-in status growth reports. Culture Builders are seen and felt within a space. They always have the pulse of the environment, where they know their people beyond the surface. They take great interest in bringing opportunity to others and seek to understand their professional desires. This approach encourages others to pursue professional development and stimulates an extraordinary culture.

Want More Leadership

Head over to the Youniversalife Archive to receive additional Leadership Skills. Leadership is acquired through diligent study and implementation. I aim to be more of a practitioner and perform the skills I acquire through research. Where do you go for your Leadership Development?

Rich Roll is my current favorite source for information about leadership, movement, and life. Check out his website and awesome podcast for great content to further your understanding.

Don’t forget to subscribe and join the YL Newsletter at the bottom of the page. Also, share with friends and close allies.

Keep Moving Forward!

The post The Culture Manager appeared first on YL.

Great Leaders are Great Teachers

Mentors

A mentor is an experienced and trusted advisor. When we come from a place of experience and have established trust, correction is received openly. A calm and collected teacher successfully passes more knowledge than emotionally triggered ones. They can make consistent deposits into their people.

Hard Leadership

The hard correction will inevitably come as a leader. If we teach along the way and make deposits, it will be easier to make a leadership withdrawal. We may raise our voices out of frustration. Complex tasks may need to be completed on short notice. We may make a mistake that needs the forgiveness of others. In these moments, those who have taught from a good heart will receive far more grace than those who lead with an iron fist.

Key Takeaways

• Great Leaders are Great Teachers
• A calm and collected teacher successfully passes more knowledge than emotionally triggered ones.
• Check out other Leadership and Performance content at Youniversalife Archive
• Photo by Riccardo Annandale on Unsplash

The post Discover How Great Leaders are Great Teachers appeared first on YL.

When a team member is achieving success and performing at a high level, acknowledge them ASAP. Be specific and tell them:

Job well done! Keep moving forward!

Deposit & Withdraw Leadership System

Leadership is like a bank. The objective is to create abundance for rainy days. To create peace of mind and clarity, we save our money. To create influential culture and buy-in, we must build relationships. People must know you care for them. By genuinely providing value to their lives, you create leadership capital. When issues arise, leaders can make withdraws. Dependent on how much leadership capital exists, people will be excited to take action or unwilling to move.

Leif Babin of Echelon Front first wrote about this concept. He breaks this down into greater detail for you. Leif’s explanation is on point and transfers exceptionally well to any setting. He elaborates on how leaders give influential feedback and inspire performance. Go to the link and read for yourself.

Words that Encourage Team Members to Perform at a High Level

Do not underestimate the power of encouragement. Remind individuals of specific tasks they are performing well. The more detailed the acknowledgment, the better. Say:

Hey, I see you are _________.  This is outstanding! Keep doing that!

The feedback needs to be timely. Do not self-sabotage and think the person will not receive the note well. Overcome the Inner Resistance that keeps you from sharing. Steven Pressfield talks about this in great detail in The War of Art. He speaks from the perspective of creation. The concept of Resistance holds true in passing along compliments.

When you deliver words of encouragement, it becomes contagious within the team. The team members begin to pay it forward subconsciously. We all want to walk into a workspace, locker room, or home that builds each other up. Leave little room for hassling others. The bickering & hounding undermines culture and progressively erodes it.

Hassling in the home and locker room creates uneasiness. There’s no sense of calm and always an undercurrent of negative energy. No one can be at peace and find rest in these environments. These places should be places of retreat from the difficulties of the world. They are safe havens that ready the mind, body, and soul for the forces that attack us on the playing field, at work, and in public.

Top Take Aways

• Leadership is like a bank. The objective is to create abundance for rainy days.
• Do not underestimate the power of encouragement.
• Influential feedback needs to be timely.
• When you deliver words of encouragement, it becomes contagious within the team.
• Check out how great leaders create User-Friendly Collaboration Spaces and other leadership tips at Youniversalife.com

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