A man and his wife were taking a lazy Sunday afternoon drive through the country enjoying the sights, sounds, and smells of the rural community. As they slowly navigated the narrow two-lane road, large hardwood trees reached for the sky and offered shade from the hot sun above, broad pastures and farmland extended as far as the eye could see, and picturesque oak barns dotted the landscape.

On the side of one of the barns, a series of targets was painted. There must have been a couple of dozen little red, yellow, and blue targets. In the center of each one was an arrow, a perfect bullseye. There were no other holes in the target; just one solitary bullseye.

The man slowed their car to get a better look. “That’s remarkable,” the man said to his wife.

“Maybe he was in the Olympics,” she replied.

Just then a little boy, perhaps eight or nine years old, opened the door of the white farmhouse nearby. He waved from the porch.

Curious, the man pulled into to gravel driveway and stopped the car.

“That’s some shooting,” the man said nodding toward the barn.

“Eh, it’s nothing really,” the boy demurred.

Thinking the boy jealous of his older brother, the man said “Well, I guess whoever shot those arrows must be pretty pleased with it.”

“Not especially,” the boy replied.

“Why would you say,” the wife asked.

“Those are my arrows,” the boy shrugged.

The man and wife glanced at one another. “Yours,” the both said skeptically.

“Sure. Want to see me shoot another one?”

Before they could answer, the boy disappeared into his house and returned a moment later with a bow, an arrow, a paint brush, and three small cans of paint – one red, one blue, and one yellow. They followed the boy to the barn.

The boy set his gear down about fifty feet from the barn, picked up his bow and notched an arrow. In one fluid motion, he slowly raised the bow, pulled the string back, and steadied his aim. A moment later the arrow released into the air and stuck with a dull thud into the side of the barn.

The boy carefully laid the bow down, picked up the paintbrush and paint cans, walked to the barn, and started painting a target around the arrow.

To Succeed, You Must Define Success

Unfortunately, many people are like the little boy in the story. They attempt to define success after the fact. They go through business or life somewhat aimlessly, being carried by the wind and whichever way it happens to be blowing at the moment. Then they try to make the best of it afterward, telling themselves and others that this is what they really wanted all along.

As leaders, our teams at work and our families at home, depend on us. It is our responsibility to define what success looks like. What is strategically important to us? Where should we spend our time and our resources? Where do we see ourselves in the future? More importantly, at our core, who are we and how do we see ourselves.

Tactically, what do we want to accomplish in the next week, in the next three months, in the next three years? How will we know that we’re making progress toward that goal? How will we know when we’ve achieved it?

Leaders must earn their leadership every day. Part of that is painting a vibrant picture of what success looks like and then creating an environment to accomplish it.

Are you earning your leadership?

The post What Is Success? appeared first on The SERO Group.

Sitting on a log beside the trail, I took off my pack and reached for my water bottle. I estimated that I had an hour before the final remnants of the day gave way to darkness. It was just enough time for a short break before setting up camp, walking 0.2 of a mile down a blue-blazed trail for water, and cooking dinner. I would need a restful night of sleep and recuperation before tackling the steep rocky terrain of Tray in the morning.

It had been a good day. I had hiked over thirteen miles and had scaled two notable mountains, Blue Mountain and Rocky Mountain, since leaving Low Gap shelter that morning. The descent into Indian Grave Gap and back up to this campsite at the old Cheese Factory had taxed me. Satisfied with today’s progress, I was ready for a meal and a hammock. I had accomplished a lot and it had prepped me for a good tomorrow.

“Joe!”

I turned to see a hiking buddy that I’d met just a couple of days before. We had camped together the prior night but had gotten separated early in the day. He dropped his pack and took a seat on a log opposite me.

Pointing toward to the blue blazed trail, he asked, “Is there water?”

“I don’t know. I just got here 5 minutes ago,” I replied.

“Are you stopping here,” he asked.

“Yep. This was my goal for the day,”

“You know,” he said with a grin, “we’re only a short way from the top of Tray.”

“Yeah but it’s a long way up,” I countered.

“Wouldn’t it be great to wake up in the morning and see the sun rise from up there? Just imagine the beauty.” His grin widened.

Ever the pragmatist, I began voicing the reasons why that was a bad idea. It would certainly get dark before we made it to the top and, although I like night hiking, this wouldn’t be the ideal path for it. What if we ran out of energy and couldn’t find a place to camp along the steep trail? What if there was no water up there? What if, what if, what if. My list continued.

He listened patiently.

“All that’s true,” he said, “but just imagine how great it could be.”

We locked eyes for a brief moment, our steely gazes challenging and spurring each other.

“Let’s do it,” I said.

AT LESSON #6: Dreaming Big is Contagious

It was midnight before we summited Tray Mountain. The hike was arduous and we had to rest often along the way. But every step forward, every foot of elevation change, was well worth the effort.

When we reached the top of the mountain, the “Green Tunnel” opened up. On that moonless night with no man-made light pollution for miles, countless heavenly bodies dotted the black velvet sky. There were more stars than I’ve seen. It was an incredible sight that words cannot adequately describe. We stood in awe as we took in this view of creation and its majesty.

When the sun rose the next morning, we were once again treated with an equally incredible, yet very different, view. The sun peaked just above the distant mountains, its light streaming down and slowly bringing color to the grey world below.

That night and the following morning were among the most enjoyable highlights on my trip. I was exhausted, but I felt a great sense of accomplishment. Sitting here typing this, I am so very glad that I didn’t miss that experience. I’m thankful to my fellow traveler for spurring me on and challenging me to do more than I had planned, to achieve a higher standard than I had set for myself. The reward was worth it.

At work, at home, and in life, we can help one another achieve more. We can encourage each other to dream big, to not count the obstacles in our way but to set our sights on the goal. We can even take the journey with our colleagues.

Opportunities abound all around us. Just look for them.

The post AT Lesson #6: Dreaming Big is Contagious appeared first on The SERO Group.

Your team is looking to you for guidance. Of course, they are looking for direction for toward their goals and objectives for the quarter or year. But they are also looking for guidance in behavior, in how you work with others and how you handle stressful situations.

Do you treat each member of your team with respect? Or do they feel like a just another disposable cog in your machine?

Do you pave the way for your team’s success? Or are your actions and words inconsistent?

Are you a stabilizing and encouraging voice during stressful times? Or, does each day bring a new and unpredictable you?

Do you celebrate their successes? Or are you always looking for faults with a cynical and suspicious eye?

Do you support your team? Or do you expect the loyalty to flow one way only?

Remember, your team is mirroring the example you set. Model the behavior you want to see in your team.

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