2. Week One - Purpose
The Cheshire Cat said it best, “If you don’t know where
you’re going, any road will get you there.”
True leaders have a well-defined sense of purpose,
both in terms of where they are going and in that they
find their work personally meaningful.
Week One is all about defining where you want to go
and why doing so will matter to you deeply.!
Fact: In his study of exceptional people in “Outliers”, Malcolm
Gladwell found that high-achievers consistently considered
their work personally meaningful. In fact, this sense of purpose
was what allowed them to spend the long hours necessary to
be the best at their craft.!
Quote: “People who find their lives meaningful usually
have a goal that is challenging enough to take up all
of their energies, a goal that can give significance
to their lives.”
- Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
3. Day One - My To-Do List
Make a list of all of your long-term goals; everything on
your big picture To Do List. Since this is a leadership
challenge, be sure only to include goals that will require
the support, participation or buy-in of others.
4. Day Two - My Mission
Create a personal mission statement by answering the
question, “Why Do I Exist?” Once you have answered
that question, create a mission statement of less than
eight words and commit it to memory. In addition, keep
a written version of the statement in a place where you
will see it frequently.
5. Day Three - My Vision
Create a personal vision statement of less than ten
words by filling in the sentence, “Before I die I will...”
or “I hope someday to be thought of as...”
Consider who you want to be and what you want to
accomplish, either personally or professionally, and
commit this to memory. Additionally, put your vision
statement in writing and display it in a place of
prominence.
6. Day Four - My Values
Make a list of your personal values; the things that
you hold so true that you would never violate them
for personal gain or expediency. Once you have
created the list, choose the 3 to 6 values you find
most enduring. Write them down alongside your
personal mission and vision statements and commit
them to memory.
7. Day Five - My Goals
Review your list of goals from Day One alongside your
personal statements of Mission, Vision, and Values.
Choose the goal that you feel best embodies your
personal statements, but don’t worry about the ones
you did not choose. There will be ample time to reach
all of your goals if you focus and stay true to the
RevolYOUtion methodology. Once you have chosen
your goal, make sure that it is S.M.A.R.T. – specific,
measurable, aligned, realistic, and timely.
You will learn more about S.M.A.R.T. goals during
tomorrow’s challenge.
8. Day Six - Is My Goal S.M.A.R.T.?
Specific
A vague goal would be: “I will be a good leader.”
A specific goal might be: “I will improve my leadership
skills by developing my emotional intelligence.”
Measurable
Are there specific metrics in place to let you know
that you’ve crossed the finish line?
Aligned
Is the goal you have chosen personally meaningful to you?
Realistic
Are you capable of succeeding at your chosen goal?
Timely
The goal should exist within a time frame
– 30 days in this case.
9. Week Two - People
Leadership is most succinctly defined as “the ability to
influencea group of people to work toward a common
goal.” Leadership is fundamentally relational, and while
someone with poor people skills may be exceptional,
they cannot accurately be called a leader. In Week One,
you determined where you are going.
Week Two will focus on strengthening your ability to
develop the relationships that will get you there.
Fact: Emotional intelligence, or the ability to identify and
control emotions in yourself and others, was found to be
twice as predictive of exceptional performance as
technical expertise in a Harvard Study.
Quote: “If your actions inspire others to dream more,
learn more, do more and become more, you are a
leader.”
– John Quincy Adams
10. Day Seven - Self-Awareness
Make a list of five adjectives that describe your
greatest strengths and five for your most significant
developmental opportunities. Now, ask your friends
to complete the same exercise on your behalf.
Adjectives that your friends selected that you did
not may be personal “blind spots” that can inhibit
your ability to lead. Now that you are aware of these
blind spots, what can you do to ensure they do not
diminish your potential?
11. Day Eight - Active Listening
Practice your active listening skills today by freeing
yourself of distractions and focusing deeply on what
is being said. Ensure that your phone and computer
monitor are off and that you are free of whatever
technology might distract you from full engagement.
As you listen, focus deeply on what is being said, and
resist the urge to formulate a counter-argument or
response as the person communicating is still speaking.
As the day progresses, notice the depth of engagement
today as you actively listen versus times when you are
distracted by technology or the noise in your own head.
12. Day Nine - Reading Others
Take at least 30 minutes today to “people watch” in a
park, mall, or airport. Notice the people around you;
their mannerisms, their dress, their body language, and
their tone. Now make hypotheses based on what you
have observed. What motivates them? How might you
effectively communicate with them? What are their
fearsand dreams? As you learn to thoughtfully observe
others and tailor your interpersonal approach to meet
their unique needs, you will find yourself with increased
influence as a leader.
13. Day Ten - Empathy
Think of someone with whom you share an opposing
viewpoint. Approach that person and express an
interest in deepening your understanding of where
they are coming from. Ask them to express their reasons
for espousing this viewpoint and use follow up questions
to deepen your understanding. At no point should you
share your own views or seek to convince them to your
way of thinking. Do all that is in your power to understand
without needing to be understood. The challenge is
complete when you have experienced empathy for
their viewpoint and can understand how they have
arrived at their worldview (without necessarily needing
to agree).
14. Day Eleven - Make it Personal
Take the ten people with whom you work most closely
and write each of their names on the top of an index
card. Beneath their name, write the name of their
spouse or partner, the names of any children, as well
as a list of any personal hobbies or interests of theirs.
Review these cards regularly, and make a point to
inquire about personal interests and loved ones from
time to time. Taking a personal interest in those with
whom you work will boost morale and increase team
cohesion.
15. Day Twelve - Thank You
True leaders understand that, whatever their talents
may be, they cannot do it alone. Take time today to
thank those who have helped you along the way.
Make a list of the ten people that have been most
central to your success thus far and write each of
them a hand-written (no emails!) thank you letter.
Don’t forget to be specific and cite actual instances
in which they have been a support.
16. Week Three - Proficiency
You have now charted your course and begun to rally
the troops in support of your mission. Week Three will
focus on developing proficiency or skill in your area
of focus. Communication can be powerful, but
exceptional people “walk the talk” and let their
expertise inspire others to follow their lead. Take this
week to hone your craft, understanding that nothing
is as influential as the example of a skilled craftsperson.
Fact: 42% of college graduates never read
another book post-graduation.
Quote: “Force has no place where there is
need of skill.”
- Herodotus
17. Day Thirteen - Be Curious
Skilled leaders are intellectually curious and always
alert to opportunities. Reflect back on your chosen
goal from Week One and seek out a variety of sources
to deepen your knowledge in this content area. Find
one blog post, one academic journal article, one
audio lecture, as well as a video presentation that will
enhance your understanding. Now, choose your favorite
of the four and share it with others with similar interests.
Congratulations! You have just taken the first step toward
thought leadership!
18. Day Fourteen - Choose a Mentor
The word mentor literally means “wise advisor” and is
taken from Homer’s Odyssey where the character
Mentor served as a trusted friend to the story’s
protagonist. By the end of the day, select a mentor
who is wise in your chosen area of focus. When
approaching your mentor, please list specific reasons
why you chose them and why you feel as though you
could benefit from their experience and wisdom.
Schedule mentorship meetings at least once a quarter
– you’ll be amazed at how much you will grow!
19. Day Fifteen - Reward Yourself
People who excel at self-development and skill
acquisition are able to do so because they make
the process enjoyable. At the halfway point of the
leadership challenge, cultivate this enjoyment of the
process by rewarding yourself today. The only rule is
that this reward must be something out of the ordinary
and qualify as a special treat.
20. Day Sixteen - Prioritize
Make your to-do list for the day (as I hope you’re
doing every day). Now break your daily tasks out
into three categories – Essential, Important, and
Non-Essential – as they pertain to the goal you chose
in Week One. Practice doing essential things first,
rather than prioritizing in terms of ease or immediacy.
Getting in the habit of aligning work with larger goals
will keep you from always “putting out fires.”
21. Day Seventeen - Practice
Malcolm Gladwell’s examination of outliers taught
us that roughly 10,000 hours of practice are needed
to achieve virtuoso status at a given skill. Take ninety
minutes today to practice and develop the skills
necessary to reach the goal you chose in Week One.
Given that you’re likely a very busy person, this may
require you to wake up a little earlier or stay up a little
later. No guts no glory!
22. Day Eighteen - Teach Others
Once you have mastered a skill it only makes sense
that you would share that knowledge with others. To
do so, contact a local school, library, civic or
professional organization and offer to share your
expertise in a formal setting, free of charge. Teaching
always unearths gaps in your own understanding and
allows you to see the problem in a new light through
the eyes of your pupils.
23. Week Four - Persuasion
Whether they are getting buy-in around an idea, selling
a product or service, or trying to move the organization
in the direction of a new goal, leaders are frequently
called on to be persuasive. Luckily, there is a great deal
of research on what people find influential, with much
of the best science coming from the lab of Dr. Robert
Cialdini. Week four will revolve around Cialidini’s
“Six Weapons of Influence”, the six factors consistently
found to undergird successful persuasive efforts.
Fact: We are more likely to be persuaded by people
who admit to having made mistakes. It seems as though
we have an intuitive sense that no one is perfect and that
we trust others who cop to having made mistakes in the past.
People tend to operate under the assumption that, if it seems
too good to be true, it probably is.
Quote: “Leadership: The art of getting someone else to do
something you want done because he wants to do it.”
– Dwight D. Eisenhower
24. Day Nineteen - Reciprocation
It is a simple truth that kindness begets kindness. The
road to influence is lined with acts of selfless service
and while service should not be done for this reason,
it is a truth about humans that we tend to want to repay
favors. Take a moment today to perform a charitable
act, be it buying lunch, paying a compliment, or simply
sharing an article that reminds you of that person.
25. Day Twenty - Commitment
When someone makes even a small commitment, they
are prone to continue to act in ways that are consistent
with that commitment. Take the large goal you chose
in Week One, and divide it into a series of small goals
that are steps along the way. Now, commit at least
one of your co-workers to assist you in achieving one
of these small goals and thank them for their commitment
to helping you achieve this larger goal. While people
may be loathe to bite off the whole vision, committing
them to smaller goals can help motivate them through
small wins and a desire to finish what they have started.
26. Day Twenty One - Social Proof
Let’s face it, humans are herd animals and are
influenced by what others are doing. Determine
a person whose behavior you would like to influence
en route to meeting your goal. Now create a narrative
where a person similar to the person you are trying to
influence engaged in a behavior like the one you are
trying to influence, with positive results. Share this story
as a means to motivate them and help them understand
how taking the same steps might result in similar rewards.
27. Day Twenty Two - Liking
Choose three people that, if you could positively
influence them, would greatly impact your efficacy
as a leader. Write down each of their names and
underneath write a list of at least five things you share
in common with that individual. You might share values,
a political worldview, a commitment to volunteerism,
or even an affinity for the same sports team. Once you
have populated this list, be sure to weave these shared
interests into future conversations. A large body of
research shows that we do business with people that
we like, and that we like people who are a lot like us!
28. Day Twenty Three - Authority
9 out of 10 doctors agree that people are influenced
by appeals to authority. Rather than tout your own
expertise, which can be off-putting, take today to
build up someone with whom you work. One way to
do this would be to introduce them to someone in
your own network that they might benefit from meeting.
When making the introduction, take a moment to brag
on some of their accomplishments and areas of deep
expertise. Remember, what goes around comes around
and you’re likely to receive similar treatment at some
point down the road.
29. Day Twenty Four - Scarcity
Why are diamonds so valuable? The confluence of
events that must occur to produce a diamond make
it exceedingly rare, which drives up the price. Consider
whatever it is that you are hoping to influence. What
makes what you are trying to do special? Why is it
unique? What does your approach offer that no one
else can lay claim to? If you can convince others that
they are face-to-face with a scarce opportunity, you
will be well on your way to persuading them to act in
the desired manner.
30. Week Five - Perserverance
All too often, talented people fail to meet their goals
because they have not yet learned to endure to the
end. Real leaders persevere against all odds and
develop the stamina necessary to see their projects
through to completion. Indeed, a leader’s ability to
persevere sets the ceiling on his or her own development.
As you approach the final six days of the Revolyoution
challenge, take care to internalize the lessons of
perseverance and finish strong!
Fact: Surveys suggest that a scant 8% of Americans
achieve their New Years Resolutions.
Quote: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence,
therefore, is not an act, but a habit.”
- Aristotle
31. Day Twenty Five - Delegating
People who make it to the top do so with a great
deal of help from those around them. What is one
thing that you are hanging on to at work that would
be more appropriately delegated to someone else?
Find that one task and make the handoff, remembering
to delegate in terms of aligning work tasks with personal
strengths rather than getting rid of less preferred
responsibilities. Real delegation is about giving people
tasks at which they will excel, not the old “poop rolls
downhill mentality.”
32. Day Twenty Six - Enjoy the Journey
Most things worth doing take both time and effort.
Given that this is the case, learning to enjoy the journey
is an excellent way to ensure focused effort over time.
Take one minute out of every waking hour today to
be mindful of how good life is. During this one-minute
time out, take a deep breath and reflect on something
positive in your life.
33. Day Twenty Seven - Practice Patience
All too often, we switch gears or lose focus in our
business or personal lives, just as we are about to
achieve breakthrough success. Review your to-do list
for the day and identify the potential triggers that
might cause you to lose patience in the next 24 hours.
Having recognized these sticking points up front,
make patience your goal during each of these
encounters. At the close of the day, rate your level of
patience from 1 to 10 for each of the identified triggers.
You might just be surprised how patience can be
improved simply by anticipating the lack thereof.
34. Day Twenty Eight - Simplify
Gifted leaders cultivate laser focus by continually
reexamining and decluttering their lives. Consider
your own life – what is one thing you are hanging on
to that is weighing you down? Is it a past, toxic
relationship? Is it a faulty, negative belief about yourself?
Is it credit card debt? Whatever is holding you back,
take action today to unencumber yourself on the way
to reaching your true potential.
35. Day Twenty Nine - Visualize Success
Everyone knows that star athletes visualize success,
but this skill is just as applicable to those of us working
to improve our leadership performance. Close your
eyes and imagine that you have now reached the
goal you determined to work on in Week One. How
do you feel? In what ways has your life improved?
How are you better positioned to respond to future
challenges? As you begin to imagine success, you
will become re-energized and find the strength you
need to continually move in the direction of your dreams.
36. Day Thirty - Celebrate!
Celebrating success is a vastly underutilized and poorly
understood leadership principle. It is a simple truth
that people persist in doing things that they find
pleasurable and personally rewarding. Leaders who
push for results without pausing to celebrate success
will find themselves fatigued and incapable of sustaining
their performance over the long haul. You have worked
hard for one month to improve your life and the lives
of those you lead, so celebrate! Take time to recognize
how far you’ve come and how much you’ve learned,
and celebrate accordingly. Doing so will increase your
desire, and that of your team, to tackle whatever
challenges will come next.
