Are You A Good Communicator?

 

Personal development covers a vast range of skills; depending on your goals, the skills you need to develop will differ from person to person. 

Developing communication and interpersonal skills is one area of personal development that most of us can benefit from. 

Our ability to speak, write, and listen all relate to communication skills. The way we communicate is how we understand what others are saying and feeling and how we convey our ideas and feelings. A lot goes into how we communicate, for example, our tone and ability to speak clearly and confidently.

Interpersonal skills are verbal and nonverbal behaviors and reactions we express when we are interacting with other people. These skills are also known as ‘people skills’ and measure one’s ability to build relationships and make impressions on others in social situations.

Some examples of interpersonal skills include:
Active listening
Teamwork
Responsibility
Dependability
Leadership
Motivation
Flexibility
Patience
Empathy

How we communicate has a significant impact on our interpersonal relationships. Ready to learn more about your interpersonal skills? Check out the self-assessment in the next section!

The following self-assessment questionnaire is designed to examine your listening skills, verbal communication, emotional intelligence, and ability to work in groups and teams.

Check it out at https://bit.ly/3o3brWx.

We are motivated to educate as many people as possible which is why we host many events. From in-person educational experiences to virtual webinars and even parties to celebrate our clients, we encourage everyone to get involved with all of our offerings. 

LMDC
Call Us Here: 17159534844
Check Out Our Website: www.lmdc.us

Kind regards, Dane Deutsch | LMDC Academy Speaker / Coach / Teacher / Author / Veteran "We Coach & Teach Leadership with Character Values First" WK (715) 953-4844 | FAX (715) 953-4890  |  www.Imdc.us 32 S. Main St, Rice Lake, WI. 54868 dane.deutsch@Imdc.us "Character is the Foundation of Leadership" - John C. Maxwell (from Developing the Leader Within You 2.0)

Developing a Personal Vision

 

Dear Andrew,

The first step in personal development is creating a plan. Once you have a clear idea of what you’re working toward and why you want to do it, you will have the motivation to improve.  

Now, let’s talk about success. 

Each person's definition of success may differ, so we should be careful not to compare our achievements to others. 

There are many ways to define and measure success; success will look different across different areas of your life. When determining your meaning of success, try using various distinctions to guide your process. For example, you will likely have different defining terms for career success than relationship success. Keep this in mind when creating your vision. 

It may be helpful to look to others who inspire you. Is there anyone in your life who has personally influenced how you perceive success or what you want to achieve in life? Is there a public or historical figure you may wish to emulate somehow?

When looking to others, make sure to think about why you find these people influential or inspiring.

Once you have a broad image of what success means to you, think about what sort of life you want, how you want to live, and what you want to achieve.

It’s one thing to have a broad idea of what you want your future to look like; it’s another to clarify your vision and accomplish your goals.

Here are a few steps to help you get from vision to goal.

Start by thinking long-term. Where do you see yourself in 5-10 years? Be precise and aim for three to five bullet points in each aspect of your life.

Next, determine action steps for achieving your long-term vision. Answer what will need to be done so that in five years, you’re where you want to be. This process will help you create interim steps for getting from point A to point B. 

The third step simply builds on step two. Break down your timeline even further. Define what needs to be done in three months, six months, a year, etc., to reach your five-year vision. 

Once steps one through three are complete, you should have three time-bound action steps. Finally, your vision will be transformed into goals.

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LMDC
Call Us Here: 17159534844
Check Out Our Website: www.lmdc.us

Kind Regards, Dane Deutsch Coach / Speaker / Trainer / Author LMDC  |  (715) 953-4844  |  (715) 953-4890  |  dane.deutsch@lmdc.us www.lmdc.us  |  32 S. Main St., Rice Lake, WI. 54868 "Leadership is Influence, nothing more, nothing less!" - John C. Maxwell

No Fear of Failure Chalk Talk

(Click on the image to watch Chalk Talk Video Clip)

[00:00:00] Dane: So you're making all those little, um, remarks in your mind about how you can actually build on that thing that you just screwed up on, or messed up on, or didn't, made a mistake, weren't successful at, right? If we're negative and judgmental about ourselves, we can't grow. In any sport, even in other things in life, like your schoolwork.

[00:00:22] Dane: So you have to give yourself room to move and feel free in failure, right? If we fail once, we might do that skill for a kip a hundred times. We miss it every time. Finally on 101, boom, we got it! Right? That's the exciting part. We know we're going to eventually get it.

Trike On!

Coach Dane

 

Character = Foundation of Leadership

In my morning devotion today, John Maxwell quotes Proverbs 16:12 - "Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds; sound leadership has a moral foundation."

We all have a goal to grow, develop and mature in life.  What we saw, understood, or experienced yesterday may not be how we see, understand, or experience the same event today, tomorrow, or in the future.  That is because we will have grown, developed, or matured in some way that makes us a little different today than yesterday.  Our lens may have changed in a certain way, so our perspective in life or on that event is different today than yesterday.

That happens when authors republish their books years later under new versions.  They have grown, developed, and matured in life, so they are certainly not the same person they were when they wrote the first version of their book.

I have watched that happen with many of John Maxwell's books that he has written.  I want to share a significant change when John wrote his version 2.0 of Developing the Leader Within You.

By the way, I have seen this same thing happen to Zig Ziglar, Stephen Covey, and many others who, in their "Third Age" of life, appeared to focus on the relevance and importance Character, Values, and Ethics play in our lives.  John Maxwell is no different.  BTW...I am also a certified Zig Ziglar Legacy Coach.

I have been a coach, teacher, and speaker for John since 2002, when his company was in Atlanta, GA.  I was only certified to teach and speak on his book, Developing The Leader Within You.

That is likely why this change I will share with you jumped right out when I read his version 2.0.  It was not simply printed on a page but signaled and communicated a fundamental change in John and how he was now looking at Character....as the Foundation of Leadership.

In John's book, Developing the Leader Within You 2.0 (DTLWY), I noticed a very important change in John's title to Chapter #3.  In his version 1.0 of DTLWY, he titled the Chapter, Integrity and used the subtitle: The Most Important Ingredient of Leadership.

In DTLWY 2.0, John changed the title to Character, and the subtitle was: The Foundation of Leadership.

To most people, they may have never noticed the change.  Why do you think John made the subtle change?

My answer is that it wasn't so subtle.  This was monumental!

Character is the Foundation of Leadership.  I often write, speak, teach, and coach on this topic.

Leadership seems to be a "sexy" topic, which is safe to discuss.  Character, on the other hand, is not as "sexy" or safe to discuss, and maybe that is because it can cause a lot of Discussion Stopper conversations and often makes people feel uneasy, anxious, or even guilty.

So, unfortunately, most people shy away from discussing Character, Values or Ethics.  

That is too bad since if they don't talk about it and share it outwardly with others, then those same people most likely do not talk to themselves about Character or values either.

We are the most important person we lead and therefore influence in life. If Character is the Foundation of Leadership, then we definitely need to lead ourselves first by talking and discussing Character internally so we can Lead with Character first and truly grow as authentic and genuine Leaders.

If John Maxwell, as he writes in his book DTLWY 2.0, believes that Character is the Foundation of Leadership, then shouldn't we all be focused more on the Character and Values that drive great leaders?

How about you?  When did you last think about the importance of Character or Values?

Especially today so much is pulling us away from what matters most in life.  Make Character Count!

Want to learn more about Character and how it shapes you and me as leaders?  

Would you like to know how to Lead with Character First?  You can!  

It is always possible to start leading and living better by focusing on Leading with Character First.

I wrote about this in my book titled, The Tricycle Effect.  It is on Amazon, and you can pick up a copy in ebook, paperback, or audio.  You can also read the Foreword (by Lee Ellis, a USAF Colonel, and Vietnam POW) and Chapter 1 for FREE.

Start your Character journey to developing as a strong, mature, well-balanced 360-degree leader today!

Trike On!

Dane

Character Coach

Which is most Important: Strategy, Culture or Character?

So, which is it?  Which is most important:  Strategy, Culture, or Character?

Recently, a friend and I discussed the importance of character and how it impacted the business environment and culture.  

He asked me, "How and why would I add character to business?"

How would you answer that question?  

I gave my friend an immediate answer, but as I thought a lot more about the answer to that question after the call, it became increasingly clear that there had to be more to the answer than a simple one-liner.

So, to really answer the question, here are a few of my thoughts:

• 
  In my book, The Tricycle Effect (website), the balanced Competence Skills Wheels (in the back of the Trike) Lead to Success:  Adding Value to Self.  Most businesses focus on Profits over People. 

• In The Tricycle Effect (Doodly Video on YouTube), the Character Skills Wheel (in the front of the Trike) leads to Significance: Adding Value to Others.  Most businesses should be focused on adding value to their People and then Profits will come. 

• Throughout history, every story ever told includes at least one ethical character theme and Characters that act out a particular character skill:  Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Fairness, Caring, Loyalty, etc. 

• Turns out that character and acting with good character are quantifiable in the business world and can be measured.  In other words, there is a Return on Character….and statistics show a direct correlation between C-Level execs and their ability to lead (influence) their teams/companies to success with positive cash flow and healthy culture, including longevity, by leading with character.  Simply said, leaders who focus on leading and building relationships with Character in their companies make more money and have fewer costs/expenses to run and operate the company (i.e.-turnover, etc.). BUT…very few companies know this or live this, and even fewer think about character as a skill they need to grow personally and professionally.  

• Even great leaders believe that Character is the most important skill.  Leaders such as:  

• Military Leader - General Schwartzkopf said,  "Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character. But if you must be without one, be without the strategy."

• Business Leader - Warren Buffet said, “Somebody once said that in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you. You think about it; it’s true. If you hire somebody without [integrity], you really want them to be dumb and lazy.”
• Spiritual Leader - Billy Graham said, "Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost; when health is lost, something is lost; when character is lost, all is lost.’"

• "There is Power in Character!  Christ was the greatest example.  It was Christ’s Character that was powerful… the Character of Christ!  Leading with Character First is transformative!  Most people don't know why Christ sat down at the right hand of God the Father.  That answer alone defines true transformation.  Hint:  The answer is the same reason a Father puts his bride/daughter on his right side as they walk down the aisle to the altar as he gives her away to the groom to be married.

• Many C-Level Executives hire Business Coaches, Life Coaches, Health Coaches, Executive Coaches, Golf & Sport Coaches, Yoga Coaches, Pickle Ball Coaches, and just about every other kind of coach, but very few if any have a CHARACTER COACH!  How about you?  Ready for your very own Character Coach?

I could add many more concepts to this list, but those seven concepts seemed to bring out the CLEAR importance of "leading with character first in life," even within a business environment.

Hope you are "leading with character first in life and business!"

Trike On!

Dane

Character Coach - Chat with Coach Dane Today!

(P.S.-Want to know more about growing your Character, The Tricycle Effect, and developing the Culture of Character Skills in your business?  Reach out to me, and let's start growing the Character Skills for you and your Business today!)