Tag: Fox

Pants On The Ground

It’s time for a complete 180 degree turn from the jungle jeff “seriousness”. It’s time for complete nonsense and a laugh or two. You good with that?

Who doesn’t like to laugh?  Humans were born with certain predispositions. Laughing is near the top of everyone’s list.

Love or hate American Idol, it doesn’t matter to me.  I love it for a few compelling reasons, which aren’t listed here. And what started my loyalty to the show was Simon Cowell’s “brutal honesty”.

If for no other reason, we tuned in week after week to watch him be honest.  It was a time when I really needed a role model for “brutal honesty”.  Was desperate for it myself and didn’t know how to get it.

So, by watching Simon, we got to see the power – the magic – of brutal honesty.

I actually saw watching American Idol as leadership training. Most others saw it as entertainment.

Brutal honest is essential for world-class results.  You could see in the contestant’s eyes, and their body language that Simon’s feedback was the most important of all.

Even if it hurt.

These people were trying to be the best in the world.  The next ‘common person’ to sell millions of songs. Millions. Can you comprehend that?

Simon would say what everyone else was thinking but no one had the guts to say. This intrigued me. This motivated me. It also made me laugh.

Usually 50% At Best

Trust. Distrust.

Like.  Dislike.

Do you trust your leader?  Do you like your leader?

Take President Barack Obama, or any President for that matter.  Usually, at best, a President receives between 50-60% of the popular vote.  More or less half. Stay with me here.

What this means is the other half don’t like and don’t trust the President, relatively speaking.

And it’s the same in large organizations and small businesses. Seriously, it is.

Why do we try so hard to be liked, when in reality, the best we can ever hope for is about half.

Take Simon Cowell, from American Idol (yes, many of you hate Simon and the show), while many people do not like him, everyone trusts that he will tell the truth.

And the reason we know Simon will always tell the truth, is because he always does. Sounds simple, but Simon is consistent to a fault. He’s honest even if it’s “bad news”.

And yet, he’s crystal clear about his mission – select the very best singer. Period. Determine the “Gold Medal” winner. Select the next American Idol.

Most don’t like him. Most absolutely trust him.

If trust is the most important leadership characteristic, who gives a flip about being liked?

Disney Meetings and Tiger Woods?

Disney meetings and Tiger Woods?  Is there some commonality?  Maybe.

Two days ago, Tiger made a dramatic comeback, here in Orlando, at the Bay Hill golf course.  I don’t recall the tournament’s name.  It was his sixth win at this particular tournament.

But, no one was certain he could win, yet.  Was he ready?  Was he strong enough?  Does he still have “it”?  Did the 9.5 months of being away from golf, leave him worse off, or better off?

Last June, I believe, he had a major setback, which required reconstructive surgury, etc.

Well, on Sunday he was, at least when I turned on the TV, at least five strokes behind the leader.

On the final round, he methodically made up the difference, and, on the final stroke, won the tournament.

Last May, just before he flew to California to win the US Open (and destroyed his knee and leg), I spoke to him at the local gym we both go to.

I asked him, “Tiger, if you had one piece of advice to give to anyone wanting to be world-class, what would it be“?

You know what he told me?

“Out work ’em“!

I was surprised by his simple answer.  And you know what else?   He didn’t hesitate for a nano-second on his answer, “Out work ’em“!

Caught off guard, I responded instinctively, “You mean like morning, noon and night“?

He said, “Yes“!

So please, let me ask you, “What are you doing, this morning, this afternoon, and tonight, to be world-class“?

What a great time to regroup.  Everyone is doing that, you know.  Trying to figure out a plan for this quarter and the next, etc.   The people and organizations that come through this year ahead of the others?

The ones who are willing to “out work their competition“!

Need a place to start?  That leads me to here……..

Have been meaning to share this with you.  If you are doing something important this year, or are planning something important, Disney has some special offers, if you were to make those plans before June 30.  The link below summarizes it all.

www.successmtgs.com/mimegasite/special_offers/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003949430

As always, there is no pressure for you to do anything.

Pressure from your competition?  Of course.  Always will be.  Especially now.  It’s just a fact of life, isn’t it?  I wish it wasn’t so.  Life would be easier.  Wait, I’ve drifted off to Fantasy Land.  Sorry.  🙂

Make today a GREAT day.  Do something GREAT, because if you don’t, who will?   Do you think your competition is taking the day off?

Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

Camping?

Camping in the middle of the week?

Yep.  About 80 of us.

First through fifth graders and about 18 adults, more or less.  At Wekiwa Springs State Park.  It was an awesome opportunity to be a chaperon and be visible in my son’s life.

So, we left school at 9AM yesterday, and returned late this afternoon.

Then, after a few other commitments, we finally got home in time to watch most of American Idol.

Have you ever spent 36 hours where you experienced so much good, that when you took a moment to catch your breath, you realized more cool things happened in those 36 hours than you thought was possible.

And the really cool thing?

It was largely spontaneous.

And guess what?

The spontaneity?  By Design.

A dream is a wish your heart makes.  Good night, and, sweet dreams.  Carpe PM, jungle jeff 🙂

Danny and Adam are C-Level potentials

Danny and Adam have passion.

How do you know?

All you have to do is watch and listen. That’s what I did last night with my family. Watched and listened.

What does this have to do with you?

Everything!

Please, let me say it one more time, and this time I’ll shout it, “EVERYTHING!”

Thirteen finalists. One will become the next American Idol and sell millions of “records” (downloads). It’s like winning an Olympic gold medal, sort of.

Two stood out far and away the most passionate. Singing and performing are in their heart and soul! Like an unstoppable force of nature – a tornado, a hurricane, a tsunami. Unstoppable, and all-powerful.

This makes me wonder what it takes to be world-class.

To be a world-class leader, speaker, father, follower, friend, visionary, athlete, singer….

“Dude“, I say to myself, “do you inspire yourself so much that others want to be a part of it”?

I feel good about my progress toward the “yes” answer.

Do you?

Please know, as I always say, there is no judgement here on whether or not someone is good or not good. What’s being played out here, are the challenges I set before myself. And so, I’m inviting you to set these challenges before yourself. But only if you have the desire to be excellent. Okay?

(And you know what else? If you’re not sure where you fall in this environment, then I gently invite you to follow along at a distance comfortable to your situation. And, when and if you’re ready, or not ready, you can decide to be in, or to be out. It’s absolutely your choice.)

Excellent and world-class are the highest levels of difficulty, and I often confront the question, “Why are you concerned about it”? My inner voice says, “You must make great sacrifices to be excellent and world-class”.

Yes!

And, you make great sacrifices when you don’t push yourself to be all you can be, so that you can offer others all you can offer them.

This is called regret. And I believe it is much worse than sacrifice.

That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it!

Make it a GREAT, PASSIONATE day, because if you don’t, who will? Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂