So here is the original text of what I read. I am not entirely sure of whom the author is but we will give credit to the YMCA.

To be a real athlete you have to play for a buddy.

Help the friend who fails.

Cheer for the winner.

Be kind to those who lose.

Because a real athlete knows being a good sport makes you a winner.

Here is my spin as it relates to the essence of teamwork:

To be a real team member you have to be it in for the team

Help and encourage the team member who flounders

Recognize and celebrate each team member’s strengths

 Be humble, Be Kind, Be Honorable in light of others’ failures

Because a true team member knows, they only succeed, when the team succeeds.

So, I hope you consider what you can do to really bring to life the essence of teamwork, whether it is at work, home, play, community, church, or life in general. When we are able to bring forth our true strengths for the benefit of others, and help others do the same, we all win!

Paul Martinez – President – Dynamic Solutions, USA, LLC                                         www.ru-dynamicallydriven.com

I also noted that this sense of joy that is common to all living things also serves as a tie that binds. Think of any happy occasion in your life and I’ll bet you, that you can instantly recall those that shared it with you and that they can recall it as well.  Joy brings a sense of connection that is unparalleled to any other sensation. And as such, it also evokes a feeling that anything is possible when we are feeling great, individually and even more so, collectively.

So with this in mind….as a LEADER…you need not ever delay JOY!

Do you remember the first time you heard the phrase “catch them doing something right”? Meaning as leaders, we should always be seeking opportunities to recognize all the things our people are doing great, correct, accurately, above and beyond your expectations, etc. Catching them doing the right thing deserves routine praise and recognition. Yes routine, because   we all want to know that what we are doing adds value to the organizational goals and objectives. Many employees will tell you, that they honestly don’t know if they do or don’t contribute as expected and as such, can only assume “no news is good news”. In this same vein, why do most employees quiver at the thought of their direct supervisor seeking them out for a quick feedback session? It is probably because this interaction, more often than not, means not so great news, and certainly little or no recognition of a job well done.

Check out this disengagement study that was done by the Saratoga Institute  

The ten most frequently mentioned issues that employees say companies do poorly are: 

1.  
   1. Lack of career growth
   2. Poor management
   3. Poor communication
   4. Pay: paid under-market
   5. Lack of recognition
   6. Poor senior leadership
   7. Lack of training
   8. Excessive workload
   9. Lack of tools and resources
   10. Lack of teamwork

You will notice number five is lack of recognition, but the second and third that precede it play directly into why number five exist to begin with.

So let’s go back to the beginning of this blog….every living creature has an affinity for joy in their lives. With joy comes a feeling that all things are possible, this is magnified when more than one person feels that sense of joy. Within a work environment this feeling of joy comes about from knowing what we do is recognized by those who lead us as a “job well done”.   When one feels validated and appreciated, there is a good chance that person will be more engaged in doing the best job possible for their direct manager and indirectly for the overall organization. This becomes even more plausible if the employee knows and understands and receives validation and recognition for the good job they do in direct support of the companies, mission, vision, core values, goals and objectives.

We all want to know that we are on the right track and actively contributing to the success of our respective organizations. When that validation and recognition is delivered by our boss in a sincere and consistent manner, the impact is felt at a greater level. Most people don’t need validation and recognition all the time, but would appreciate it from time to time. And if you as the leader can make it a moment of JOY, where a sense of fun is derived and all experience it in a meaningful way, your effort will be all the more impactful.

Joy, Laughter, a Sense of Fun, Recognition, are all feelings that are critical to our well being and effectiveness. What will you do……..to never again DELAY JOY!

Paul Martinez - Dynamic Solutions USA, LLC

Description:  The Compass - Peak Performance Series is an open forum workshop series designed to provide leaders of all capacities and experience levels with an opportunity to gain or sharpen vital skills and knowledge. As a participant you will significantly increase your personal effectiveness and ability to successfully lead others. You will develop habits of success that will make you a more capable person as well as a more valuable member of your organization. You will also be provided an opportunity to network with business leaders in the Colorado Springs area.

Location: Antlers Hilton 4 South Cascade, Colorado Springs, CO  80903

Date: May 18th, 2010

Time: 8:32 – 12:59

Lunch and parking provided 

Session Topic:  Emotional Intelligence

Personal and professional integrity does not happen by accident. It is shaped by the events and circumstances of our lives. Each moment of our life provides an opportunity to expand our vision and assume full responsibility for living, growing and contributing.

In this session you will:

o    Learn the process of self-mastery.

o    Discover the flaw inherent in common symbols of success.

o    Develop a new definition of success based upon your personal paradigm.

o    Unleash the power of your personal paradigm.

o    Understand the four different paradigms from which people live.

o    Learn the core beliefs of each paradigm.

Registration Deadline – May 14, 2010

Price:  1-11 tickets, $195.00 each, 12-23 tickets, $145.00 each, 24+ tickets $95.00 each, or consider enrolling in the entire Compass: Peak Performance Series for $1595.00.

Note: The Compass – Peak Performance Series can be customized to address particular gaps or interests.

For more information or to register please go to: www.ru-dynamicallydriven.com or contact Paul at (719) 351-7356 or Paul@ru-dynamicallydriven.com

·         Nolan’s father Derek played on the championship team for Louisville in 1980.   

·         Derek went on to play for 9 seasons in the NBA

·         Derek retired, when Nolan was 2, in part due to a knee injury, but his primary motive was spend time with his son and daughter.

·         Derek was asked to be the assistant for the Washington Wizards team.

·         Derek initially hesitated as time with his family was important to him.

·         Derek accepted the assistant position and Nolan was able to hang around the team and be present in practice and at games.

·          When Nolan was 8, the family went on a cruise. The story featured a key moment in Nolan’s young life. He was upset with something that happened in a pick-up game and threw the basket ball overboard. His father pulled Nolan aside and told him, if he was going to play the game, he needed to have the right attitude.

·         On that cruise Derek had an apparent heart attack and died.

·         The players of the Wizards took young Nolan under their wings and made every effort to keep him focused in a positive direction.

·         One team mate of Derek – Johnny Dawkins – became Uncle Johnny to Nolan and played a key role in his development as person and player.

·         Johnny went on to coach at Duke and kept track of Nolan

·         After high school- Nolan opted to play at Duke

·         Johnny left Duke to take a head coaching position, which left speculation of Nolan following suit.  From what I gathered, Nolan had still not come into his own as a player and with Johnny gone, there was concern.

·         KEY POINT – Nolan had to make a decision of whether to stay or go and had to wrestle with the question: WHO IS GOING TO HELP ME NOW?

·         HIS ANSWER:  HE WAS GOING TO HELP HIMSELF!

At this point, Nolan had all he needed in his life to strive for and reach his true potential.  He decided to take full and complete ownership of who he was, his talents, skills, and abilities. He had to reach down deep and come to the realization that no-one could offer up any more guidance in terms of him realizing he had an amazing skill set and abilities that had been nurtured and encouraged by his father, his family, his father’s former team mates, Uncle Johnny, and all the others coaches and supporters along his journey.  He now had to BELIEVE in himself, in his purpose, in his goals and dreams, and make them come to reality.  Well obviously this past Monday, was a capstone of one of his journeys in life.  I’m sure he will have many more, especially, since he has fully taken ownership of Nolan Smith!

                So what does Nolan’s story reveal about leadership? 

I used to work for a man that talked about Skill versus Will. As a leader you have an obligation to your subordinates to provide them with the tools and abilities – SKILL – to get the job done, as well as creating the vision, motivating, inspiring, encouraging, coaching, removing obstacles, and constantly surveying the landscape for potential road blocks or pitfalls. But what you can’t do for your people is give them the – WILL - to perform to the best of their abilities on a consistent basis. You can’t force anyone to live up to their full potential.  We can however, be candid and clear about our expectations and whether our subordinates are meeting them, as well as pointing out based on your experience and expertise, that they have a greater amount of potential than is being displayed. To that end, we must have regular sincere and meaningful dialogue that gets to the heart of them being true to their talents, skills and abilities, and ultimately, themselves. Because quite frankly, that is why you brought them onto your team, to fill a need in the organization has, which they should be able to perform in excess of your expectations, assuming they are fully engaged and willing to give their best effort.  Bottom line – we need to have the discussion that makes it clear, you believe in their skills, talents, and abilities.  You commit to doing your part, but ultimately they have to decide, choose, and commit to doing their part – Be a Nolan Smith!

From an individual point of view – the story resonates from the perspective of owning self. Being true to who you are, tapping into your purpose, your core beliefs, and values. The reality is the best parent, friend, support system, boss, leader, can only take you so far in life; they can encourage, support,  motivate, inspire, coach, and articulate their vision for your potential, but only you can manifest your true potential based on what you know and believe about yourself. For Nolan, this realization hit him, when his mentor, coach, and uncle made a choice to move on and at that moment, when he decided to own his true self, he marked the beginning of a fabulous future.

So leaders, you are often in the role of having to bring this fact to light for your followers and in doing so, you go beyond helping a follower to excel and often times ignite the spark necessary to develop a future leader.

On a special note – I want to say; Mom and Sister were amazing figures in this story  and the love the family had for each other was tremendously heart- warming.  

Paul Martinez - President - Dynamic Solutions

Description:  The Compass - Peak Performance Series is an open forum workshop series designed to provide leaders of all capacities and experience levels with an opportunity to gain or sharpen vital skills and knowledge. As a participant you will significantly increase your personal effectiveness and ability to successfully lead others. You will develop habits of success that will make you a more capable person as well as a more valuable member of your organization. You will also be provided an opportunity to network with business leaders in the Colorado Springs area.

Location: Antlers Hilton 4 South Cascade, Colorado Springs, CO  80903

Time: 8:32 – 12:59

Lunch and parking provided 

Session Topic:  Powers of Persuasion

Registration Deadline – April  9, 2010

7 POWERS OF PERSUASION

We know definitively that the brain is hard-wired to take mental shortcuts whenever we make choices. Internal mechanisms help us quickly assimilate information and take correct steps. Those who understand how these mechanisms work have enormous power to help others make easy, quick decisions. Whether you are “selling” to your boss, your employees, your customer, or in your personal life, the power to persuade is key.

In this session you will:

• Define persuasion
• Know the right - and wrong - ways to persuade.
• Understand how the brain processes logic and emotion.
• Use logic and emotion at appropriate times.
• Determine whether your “clients” are thinking analytically or automatically.
• Apply the most persuasive appeal in every presentation.
• Do the mental “heavy lifting” so your partner* doesn’t have to.
• Persuade by helping your partner* make easy decisions.

*Partner in this case being anyone you are trying to persuade.

Price:  1-11 tickets, $195.00 each, 12-23 tickets, $145.00 each, 24+ tickets $95.00 each, or consider enrolling in the entire Compass: Peak Performance Series for $1595.00.

Note: The Compass – Peak Performance Series can be customized to address particular gaps or interests.

For more information or to register please go to: www.ru-dynamicallydriven.com or contact Paul at (719) 351-7356 or Paul@ru-dynamicallydriven.com

Dynamic Solutions USA, LLC a strategic partner of 360 Solutions LLC, presents: Compass – Peak Performance Series

Description: The Compass - Peak Performance Series is an open forum workshop series designed to provide leaders of all capacities and experience levels with an opportunity to gain or sharpen vital skills and knowledge. As a participant you will significantly increase your personal effectiveness and ability to successfully lead others. You will develop habits of success that will make you a more capable person as well as a more valuable member of your organization. You will also be provided an opportunity to network with business leaders in the Colorado Springs area.

Location: Antlers Hilton 4 South Cascade, Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Time: 8:32 – 12:59

Lunch and parking provided

Session Topic: The Trust Factor

When trust is absent, relationships are characterized by an adversarial attitude, me vs. you; us vs. them. Rather than goodwill, there are deep and hidden animosities. Respect is lost and our performance is compromised as our energies go into manipulation and protection; rather than working together towards a shared vision.

In this session you will learn to:

• The definition and key elements of trust.
• The consequences of high and low trust in organizations and how to achieve win-win relationships.
• To understand the importance of being trustworthy in building trust and rate your trustworthiness.
• To set personal goals for improving trust.

Registration Deadline – March 12, 2010

Price: 1-11 tickets, $295.00 each, 12-23 tickets, $245.00 each, 24+ tickets $195.00 each, or consider enrolling in the entire Compass: Peak Performance Series for $2195.00.

Note: The Compass – Peak Performance Series can be customized to address particular gaps or interests.

For more information or to register please go to: www.ru-dynamicallydriven.com or contact Paul at (719) 351-7356 or Paul@ru-dynamicallydriven.com

            I wasn’t always able to go that speed and distance without getting seriously winded and enduring some serious pain in my quads, hamstrings, forearms, calf muscles and shins. It took me a good year before I could endure it at that level without feeling like my lungs were going to burst. But now has come the time to continue to push myself to the next level; which may be maintaining the same speed with a consistent 35 degree incline and beyond.

All this serves as a reminder that if I CHOOSE, I can get better at anything I do physically, emotionally, mentally or spiritually.  I have the ability within myself to push myself to the proverbial edge; knowing that if I continue to push myself in all areas of my life, I GROW. In the end, isn’t that what it’s all about, being the best you can be while on the planet.  My father passed away last year in late July and I saw in him an individual who even days before he passed, had a passion for being better and more than what he was the day before. He had a sincere belief in striving to do your best every day of your life. I know part of what drives me to be the best I can be is the reality that with the little he had in terms of formal education, he became a man resolute to be all he could be and never gave up on the notion that it was up to him to make that happen. He never blamed his station in life or his circumstances for not accomplishing what he sought to achieve.

            The irony is that there is no other way to make growth happen is there? Think of anyone who you see as being at the top of their game.  I would be willing to bet that they have to endure and push themselves on a daily, weekly, monthly, annual basis to ensure they remain at the top of their game. It certainly does not happen all by itself. Granted there are those who have incredible natural talent, but I would argue even they benefit from a good coach to expose blind spots or to gain experience, which serves to elevate their natural abilities to a whole new level. From there, it is up to them to hone and develop their talents to THEIR desired level.

            One time I was at a movie theatre with my daughter watching the pre-movie commercials and announcements, when a commercial featuring Dana Kilpatrick came on. Dana stated she is “constantly on the brink of crashing, because that is the fastest.” Her mindset for getting better was to push herself to the edge, get comfortable, then push herself again.  I love it….

            The same pushing of self applies to whatever you have dedicated your professional life to.  There will be times when you burn yourself out or you crash in a bad way. But I would rather burn out doing what I love or crash from time to time, knowing that I gave it my best and I took steps to  “ stretch and grow” in my talents and abilities.  If I don’t push myself, who will? If you don’t push yourself and seek all the best that lies within you, who will?

Exactly: no one.

 It’s not that people don’t care and don’t want to see you or me succeed. I certainly have a lot of family and friends who encourage me to do my best, but the stark and frank reality is that until I decide and you decide to go forward and step out of our comfort zone and turn up the speed and degrees of incline in your life, understand how you can add value to all you do, dedicate yourself to being a life-long learner, and bottom line make yourself  better in every way possible; you and  I will fail to stretch and in turn, not likely grow.

            So this year, make a commitment in all areas of your life: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually to STRETCH AND GROW!  

1.      Commit to being the best you to the benefit of your family, community, and country.

2.      Actively seek to give back of your time, talent and treasure to the benefit of others while asking for nothing in return.

3.      Commit to being a life-long learner.

4.      Be present – in all that you do, every day of your life, make each day and moment count.

5.      Take nothing for granted, especially your liberties and all that it affords you.

6.      Despite the challenges that life will bring – keep fighting the good fight and live your life with faith, hope, love, enthusiasm, joy, integrity, peace, wisdom, knowledge and understanding.

7.      Encourage those you work with, live with, & play with and lend assistance when/where you can.

8.      Let go of excuses and get busy making your dreams/goals come true.

9.      Thank a troop for all they do!

10.  Give thanks and support to a military family.

God Bless America!