Just Do It…Nike’s famous slogan is a great thought, but it does not go far enough. Like many similar thoughts it can end with thoughts [good intentions] but no results.

What’s wrong with good intentions, and why would the road to hell be paved with them?

Consider the following riddle…

Three frogs were on a log and one decided it would jump off.  How many frogs were left on the log?

If your answer is two, chances are you are less effective in your endeavors than you could be.

The correct answer is three. Just because a frog decides to jump off does not mean that it follows through and actually jumps. Too many people have good ideas and make good choices, but do not add necessary action in order to effect change.

Good intentions are an important initial step, but good intentions without action are meaningless. What’s worse is that good intentions can lead to a false sense of accomplishment. Otherwise why would so many overweight and out of shape people wear t-shirts bearing Just Do It while they sit on the couch and watch sports on TV. Instead, they should be out there Just Doing It!

Intentionality is about action. Little actions, which are as easy to do as they are not to do. But because of inertia they tend not to get done. The principle of inertia says that a body in motion tends to stay in motion and a body at rest tends to stay at rest.

People who practice intentionality start with good intentions, but are resolved to take little steps knowing that little actions lead to big change over time. 

Consider the story of the penny (read it at MyPennyStory.com) that becomes a billion pennies in just 30 days.

The practice of intentionality involves:

• A philosophy aligned with desired results
• A plan that can achieve the desired results
• A resolve that overcomes inertia and takes little steps in line with the plan

When I turned 50 I discovered intentionality and it not only enabled me to lose 50 lbs but has helped me to keep the weight off for seven years. Intentionality is not a diet, but a lifestyle. A commitment to action. Little actions each day, like taking the stairs instead of escalators and elevators.

Almost anything can be achieved through a practice of intentionality.

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.

Steve Jobs once said, “if you really look closely, most overnight successes took a long time.”

Most people are impatient for results and expect change overnight. Sustainable change, however, typically involves a perpetual cycle of idea…plan…action…reflect…feedback…tweak to create incremental improvement over time.

Each New Year brings opportunity to reflect, gain perspective, and make simple, and often subtle, changes that allow us, and the organizations we lead, to climb out of detrimental ruts and adopt new ideas to build thrive environments.

Research shows that on average US workers are only 48% engaged in their work, whereas employees in thrive environments are up to twice as engaged. 

With employee compensation often being the largest overall expense item, finding ways to increase employee engagement can result in huge savings.

Consider a story told by Simon Sinek about a barista named Noah who works at a coffee stand in the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas. Sinek tells how he was so impressed with Noah’s positive and engaging demeanor that he gave him a 100% tip. 

As Sinek got his coffee he asked Noah if he likes his job. Without hesitation Noah said he loves his job. When asked what the Four Seasons Hotel does to cause him to say he loves his job Noah replies that all day long managers, all managers—not just his own manager, walk by the coffee stand and say hello, ask if there is anything he needs, and how they can be helpful to him.

Noah quickly adds that he also works part-time at Caesar’s Palace where the managers micro-manage and look for things that staff are doing wrong. He shares that at Caesar’s Palace staff keep their heads down and try to get through the day so they can collect their paychecks.

Same guy…different environments…huge differences in employee [and customer] engagement!

So what is the biggest determinant of a thrive environment? The answer is simple: leaders who care. 

Too many managers and bosses say they are leaders and that they care, but their teams and customers don’t reflect this assertion. Creating a thrive environment requires true selfless servant-leadership and a real attitude of care, which puts the interests of others above your own.

Implementing a thrive environment takes conviction, clarity, courage, consistency, intentionality, and time. 

These Herbisms are intended to provide weekly practical insights into how to become a better and more caring leader. Read each Herbism and find ways to incorporate the principles and concepts into your daily efforts that week. If you do, with humility, others will see incremental change in your behavior and respond accordingly.

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.

Stephen Covey’s 4^th Habit, from his iconic book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, is about thinking Win-Win, which he suggests is the best way to work with others to achieve optimal results.

According to the Franklin Covey Institute (https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/habit-4.html):

Think Win-Win isn’t about being nice, nor is it a quick-fix technique. It is a character-based code for human interaction and collaboration. 

Most of us learn to base our self-worth on comparisons and competition. We think about succeeding in terms of someone else failing–that is, if I win, you lose; or if you win, I lose. Life becomes a zero-sum game. There is only so much pie to go around, and if you get a big piece, there is less for me; it’s not fair, and I’m going to make sure you don’t get anymore. We all play the game, but how much fun is it really? 

Covey says, “in the long run, if it isn’t a win for both of us, we both lose. That’s why win-win is the only real alternative in interdependent realities.”

Win-win sees life as a cooperative arena, not a competitive one. Win-win is a frame of mind and heart that constantly seeks mutual benefit in all human interactions. Win-win means agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial and satisfying. We both get to eat the pie, and it tastes pretty darn good! 

A person or organization that approaches conflicts with a win-win attitude possesses three vital character traits:

1. Integrity: sticking with your true feelings, values, and commitments
2. Maturity: expressing your ideas and feelings with courage and consideration for the ideas and feelings of others
3. Abundance Mentality: believing there is plenty for everyone

To go for win-win, you not only have to be empathic, but you also have to be confident. You not only have to be considerate and sensitive, you also have to be brave. To do that, to achieve that balance between courage and consideration, is the essence of real maturity and is fundamental to win-win.

Great Leaders seek win-win and the following video provides an example of how they do that as leaders and not as bosses or managers:

Leaders must resist the urge of doing the work themselves and resist the urge to micromanage. The goal is not just to get the work done, but to develop the character of the team.

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.

When I hit a bad shot in golf, which I often do, it is not uncommon for me to say, “what a dumb game!” But then I remind myself that golf is less of a game and more a metaphor for life:

• Golf is more of a process and to do well you need to trust your swing and trust the process. 
• Don’t play golf to relax. Rather you need to relax to play golf.
• You can’t steer the ball.
• It’s a game of fractions. A little bit off in execution has a dramatic effect on results.
• The more you force it, the worse you seem to play.
• If you are a golfer you no doubt have many you can add to this list.

What about business and life? Are they games?

Much depends on how you define “game.”

Game is usually defined in terms of sports, amusement activities, or contests, but the Merriam-Webster definition that correlates best with the message here is: “a procedure or strategy for gaining an end.”

Simon Sinek provides thought provoking perspective in his book The Infinite Game. He comes to the conclusion that most business people do not know what game they are in [but would benefit greatly if they did] and explains that ultimately there are two games, which exist and prevail in the business world. 

The first, the Finite Game, involves known players, fixed rules, and an agreed upon [finite] objective—to win. 

To demonstrate he suggests that baseball is a finite game. There are two teams, the rules are clear, and the objective is to score more runs than the other team. A team that is outscored at the end of nine innings cannot suggest that they are actually the better team and all they need is a few additional innings to prove it. Everybody understands that is not how baseball works—the game is over if one team has more runs than the other after nine innings.

The second, the Infinite Game, involves known and unknown players, the rules are changeable, and the objective is to keep the game going. It is not about winning as much as perpetuating the game and getting incrementally better over time.

Marriage is an infinite game. It is not about spouses competing with each other, but rather working together to have a strong and sustainable relationship.

Games are stable when finite players are pitted against finite players (a contest to determine a winner and a loser) or infinite players are pitted against infinite players (where there are no winners or losers). Conflict arises, however, and the game breaks down, when the two types of games are comingled. 

So, is business a finite or infinite game? Unfortunately, since most business people are not clear about what game they are in, they are surprised when their finite mindset players do not work well with their infinite mindset players. 

Finite players do what they believe is necessary to win—to make the sale, to maximize short term profits, to negotiate the lowest cost, etc.

Infinite players on the other hand are focused on long-term and keeping the game going—customers for life, sustainable profits, win-win negotiations, getting incrementally better, etc.

While I’m sure there are finite aspects to every business, the most successful organizations seem to play by infinite principles. 

Watch Simon Sinek’s presentation of the Infinite Game in the following video and see if it doesn’t change the way you look at how you are doing business [and other aspects of life].

Great leaders are clear about what game they are in and it changes how and why they do what they do.

Herb Mast is a Leadership Coach and Employee Engagement Specialist. Learn how he can assist you in implementing the principles and concepts presented here.