Professionally Offensive

Being outdoors brings more than just sunshine and fresh air, but is the canvas for building Grit & Grace.  The mountains are especially good at developing a strong  spirit and mental foundation for the storms and winds we can encounter in life.  The Mountain resembles many things that we encounter in our personal and professional endeavors, an environment or seemingly immovable force that can prove difficult to navigate.  What you find with seasoned mountaineers is that they don't force the mountain to do anything- They work with it, not against it.  The Mountain and the Market are going to be what it "is", it is our job to appreciate that and adapt to it.  The better we are to build a mindset that is flexible through the storms, the better we are able to build grace for the situation and ourselves.  In turn, we develop a grit that can help us overcome anything we face.  Mountains (metaphorically and actually) are a great way to build grit and harness grace- So get out there.

Allen West, LTC Army Retired and Former Congressman, has lived his entire life in the service of this nation.  Allen's father and brother had served, and his mother worked supporting the United States Marine Corps- He knew he was going into the "Family Business".  Allen grew up hearing stories about his father’s service during WWII and how people came together to stand against incredible odds.  Understanding that serving one’s nation is not only a privilege but a duty, has been a guiding principle throughout his life.  Allen was the first officer in his family, which allowed him to gain a different perspective on Leadership and serving in airborne units further solidified the importance of leading from the front and taking care of your people.  He also talks about the incredible examples of Leadership he was able to observe and how much of that wisdom shaped his Leadership style.  These Leaders taught Allen the importance of training hard and maintaining standards- Because this will ultimately translate to saving lives.  Once in combat, Allen shares that you discover what it takes to Lead with confidence and be able to prepare your Team for the unexpected.   After his time in the Army, Allen took those lessons learned in uniform with him, when he went to go serve in the House of Representatives.  Serving in Congress was a different environment from the military but one that Allen was determined to do his best in.  Despite political headwinds, Allen says that keeping one's integrity, even at personal sacrifice, was a non-negotiable.  Allen continues to encourage Veterans to serve in public office, simply because of their mindset.  Focus on mission, putting others before oneself and working as a Team to accomplish something are all attributes that make Veterans incredible public servants.  Whether it's helping small businesses communicate better with their employees or developing new policy, serving others is the core principle of Leadership.  Allen believes there's no such thing a small issues and that helping your community one issue at a time can make all the difference.  This session is full of war stories, Leader lessons and stories about Service.

Joseph Sommer, President & Founder of Whitestone Branding, has successfully run a decade-old company that elevates workplaces everywhere.  His “swag” company is more than just fidget spinners and water bottles- He believes that it’s about the “return on experience” and not the product that ultimately helps a company add meaningful value to their employees and clients.  Joseph shares lessons learned from what it took to break through $1M revenue mark to eventually growing his company many multiples beyond that.  The two key things that stunt most companies and founders is their lack of a plan and investment in being a Leader.  Joseph says that even though it seems obvious, many companies don’t have a plan and are just going through the motions.  Once he was able to identify their north star and articulate it to his Team, momentum began to build- The goals they had established to achieve $10M in revenue, was knocked down much sooner.  Joseph says that his ability to become a “Leader” was paramount to growth.  Before that, he was just a founder who was a really good sales person and relied on his drive to get everything done.  Looking back, he realized that wearing all those hats was not a badge of honor, but silly.  He also realized that you can’t have folks doing too many different things, because it ultimately distracts them from being really good at their critical function.  If you don’t have a Team, get one quick, specify their responsibilities and delegate.  Where Whitestone is headed next will require technology and new muscles they have not had before, but Joseph shares that self-awareness is crucial to knowing what to get better at and excited for the road ahead.

We are all rounding out the year and focused on sales, strategy and next year's objectives.  As you are focused on these corporate items, don't forget that many employees are thinking about leaving your company after the holidays.  Some of this is the natural course of things, but much of it is due to a lack of communication.  Huddling with your Team is critical at all times, but especially in Q4.  Lots of new goals and strategies are in the works, but does your Team have any clue as to what they will be expected to do next year?  Many of us wait until the plan is 100%, but what that leaves at risk is employees making a mis-informed decision about their future value and an opportunity to better inform your strategy planning.  70% plan is good enough, trust your people to execute the rest.  When employees are kept in the dark until the last moment, they begin to wonder if this company is where to best deliver their value is, leading to them looking elsewhere for purpose.  When Leaders wait until the last minute to publish objectives, you create goals that are not informed with what is achievable on the ground.  Give yourself to the opportunity to build the best plan with your Team's input and the opportunity to retain the human capital needed to accomplish these goals.  Plus, it's just good culture.

It can be a tendency for managers to micro-manage their employees and many of them don’t know they're doing it.  The main reason for this is an underlying issue- Lack of trust.  Managers lack trust in themselves and their people, which manifests into a toxic work environment.  Micro-managing originates from a managers insecurity about their ability to create a foundation and environment for their people to thrive.  Lack of training, clear communication and leeway to make mistakes all contributes to the suffocation of a Team's will to win.  When Leaders spend the time to communicate, train and inspire their people, they develop a trust that allows them to walk away from a given task knowing that their Teammates will find a way to be successful.  Unfortunately, many training and development budgets are the first areas to be cut during a financial planning cycle, because it doesn’t clearly ROI.  Joseph shares how elite Teams are able to prepare their Teammates through rigorous training, clear expectations and giving space to make mistakes.  Small mistakes now, equal big wins later.  Joseph also shares that contrary to what the movies depict, there usually isn’t much chatter on the radio, when it comes to military operations.  Great Leaders give their people on the ground trust and space to execute the objectives they were asked to accomplish- Not hover over them.  The mark of great Leaders is their ability to create an environment of trust and step back and let their people get to work.

Dr. Fab Mancini, Healthy Living Expert, World-Class Chiropractor, Best Selling Author and President Emeritus of Parker University shares his journey from immigrants roots to mainstream impact.  His parents decision to move their family from Colombia to the United States set the tone for the opportunity Fab was ultimately able to experience, but this was not achieved with ease.  From being held back in a new school to being threaten with his own life, these were the building blocks that ultimately led to Fab's outlook on life.  Fab shares that most of us live in the past or the future, but rarely do we take advantage of the present.  Moving with purpose and living with a sense of urgency will allow you to reach sustained happiness.  Fab also talks about his journey from being the CEO of a successful chiropractic practice to taking a chance on running a struggling university.  Many folks advised against this decision to move to education, but the idea of being uncomfortable was what Fab hung on to: Discomfort = Growth.  Fab shares that treating people with dignity is what allowed Parker University to experience immense success under his Leadership.  Fab was able to bring the university from extreme debt to hyper-profitability.  After over a decade serving as the university's President, Fab felt the need to reinvent himself again.  From there he went on to produce best-selling books, become an acclaimed media personality and serve as an advisor to many business Leaders.  Fab shares that most people are afraid of trying something new because they are apprehensive about failure or don't believe they are qualified for the next chapter.  He believes that you never start from zero, but the your prior learnings can be an incredible foundation for future success.  Fab talks about the ideas that so many of us have and how they are a gift from God.  When you have an idea, that means you are ready.  If you encounter headwinds on your journey to pursuing your idea and you find that you don't believe in yourself, Fab is convinced that using the belief of others is a great way to gather momentum.    You can follow Fab at www.drfabmancini.com and explore ways he is continuing to help Leaders and Entrepreneurs live more fulfilling lives.

Leading is about knowing, being and understanding your people.  In a start-up or on a small Team, it is much easier and natural to understand how everyone is doing and where sentiments are with the objectives you are trying to achieve.  As we grow, we become fancier and more sophisticated in how we attempt to garner this information.  Professionals who are the best in their industry, craft and sport have a mastery of the fundamentals- They focus on the foundation of their craft and get really good at it.  This is imperative when running a business, especially when it comes to the basics of communication and gathering information.  Joseph talks about some simple fundamentals that keep you sharp as a Leader and help you understand what's happening on the front lines.  There is a time and a place for town halls and more complex evaluations, but the best Leaders are the ones who never forget where they come from and realize that the information they receive casually and at random, can be the most valuable. Your people will also appreciate the act of “Giving A Hoot”.  Yes, we are busy running a company, but what we don’t realize is how our Team's perception of their Leader may be non-existent because they never see that Leader.  The next time you have a few minutes open on our calendar- Go walk around and talk to your people.

Michael Gorton, CEO of Recuro Health, 14 x Entrepreneur and Best-Selling Author, has been pioneering the way for healthcare, space and other industries. This serial entrepreneur learned early in his life that he couldn’t and wouldn’t want to succeed on his own and shares how realizing that not being the smartest guy in the room, helped him achieve a competitive advantage. Michael founded a company called Teladoc, what was birthed out of a conversation while climbing Kilimanjaro. It was during that walk up the mountain that he, Byron Brooks and his Teammates realized that healthcare needed to be better and went on to eventually create a quarter-trillion dollar industry that we all use today- Telemedicine. Michael shares that even though their cause was just, the path to change healthcare was far form easy.  From almost being thrown in jail to marching against heavy bureaucratic headwinds, the persistence of he and his Team never faltered.  Michael contributes all the success to his Team's culture of fighting for something that was bigger than them, something they knew would change the world for the better.  Michael dives into the importance of knowing "what's behind you" and what's really on the line.  When you are fighting for something that truly matters and will make the lives of the people you care about better, you find the fuel to push on.  After going public with Teladoc, Michael pursued his next venture, Recuro.  Teladoc served those that were already sick, while Recuro is aimed to identify health issues before they take grip.  In addition to Michael's work in healthcare, he is involved in space, music and giving back.  Early in Michael’s career, his mentors planted the seed of giving back as a way to keep the goodness of business and humans moving forward.  Michael fulfills this everyday with the contributions he makes with aspiring entrepreneurs, the Texas Business Hall of Fame, local community initiatives as well as national endeavors that aim to educate future generations (Back To Space, being one of them).  There's no end in sight for this passionate business builder as he continues to push ahead with Teams aimed to positively change the world. You can follow Michael and the Recuro Team at https://recurohealth.com This episode was in partnership with the Texas Business Hall Of Fame. You can learn more about TBHF by visiting texasbusiness.org

Talking “Presence” with a group of executives & business Leaders at the McCombs School of Business (University of Texas at Austin).  Sometimes the best thing a Leader can do for their Team, is be their oak tree.  Times of chaos, confusion and challenge can bring out panic in our Teams.  Joseph shares his journey of learning from a young age what it meant to have “presence” by watching the courageous way his mother guided their family during her fight against cancer. Years later he would apply what he observed as he was fighting a determined enemy overseas. He also shares that a “Collective Presence” can be incredibly important to the families of your company/Team. When times are falling apart at home, it is not only comforting but confidence inducing to have a Team that you know will be there, even outside of work.  We all have reference points that we can use in our lives to hone in our Leader Presence and as we develop it, we find that it’s about one’s calm that brings action to your organization. In trying times, give your Team space to think clearly and sometimes the best thing we can do is stand fast.

Jason McCann, CEO of Vari, has had a compelling and unique entrepreneurial journey that took him from the hurricanes of Galveston to elevating the way people connect.  Every meaningful moment of his life, stood an example of Leadership that shaped who he is today.  He strongly believes that effectively Leading a company means that you must be the eye of the storm.  When things are uncertain and not going well, your Teammates will look to you for confidence- Be calm and move forward.  In the early days of a start-up, you the Leader, can influence and control how culture is built, but at some point you will outgrow your reach. After diving deep into Vari’s values, with the Chief People Officer at Southwest Airlines, Jason knew that operationalizing culture was going to be critical to his company’s longevity and continued success.  At Vari, it is clear that “People” are at the center of everything- With an entire People Department dedicated to training, developing and inspiring others to ensure the company is elevating their customers, workplaces and communities.  Saying Vari “Invests In People” would be an understatement.  A genuine investment in People has resulted in Jason's Teammates take Vari's mission to levels beyond his imagination, like organizing community events to help those in need, without being prompted by their Leaders.  Jason also talks about the hard lessons learned from COVID and how Vari could have been on the brink of business turmoil.  However, great Teams know how to pivot and ultimately monetize the pain they’re given to turn something like COVID, into something positive.  During one of the most widespread pandemics, Jason and his Team rallied their company to new heights. Their rally call became “Keep Rowing” which meant keeping your head down and pushing forward until you had enough wind at your back to keep momentum. This rally cry not only benefited Vari, but other companies and Teams looking for support.  Jason wholeheartedly believes that in business, it is not just about helping yourself, but sharing what you learn with others (even competitors).  We are all in this together.  In the end, Jason is committed to making the world a better place, transforming how we connect in the workplace and leaving positive ripples beyond one's life.  The best way we can do that as entrepreneurs, is by finding the “Pocket”, enjoying the journey and helping folks along the way.  You can follow Jason and the Vari Team at www.vari.com This episode was in partnership with the Texas Business Hall Of Fame. You can learn more about TBHF and their mission by visiting www.texasbusiness.org