Look Forward … Think Disruptively

The best way to grow and create a successful future is for you to take an active part in guiding it. It is healthy for you to continually evaluate what you are doing and the results you are getting. Regardless if you are in a slump or things are going well, challenge yourself and ask, ‘How can I guide a change that will help me improve?’

Try thinking disruptively. That may sound odd, but thinking disruptively helps you challenge the status quo. Don’t confuse thinking disruptively with acting disruptively. They are not the same.

Thinking disruptively is taking a sincere look inside what you are currently doing. Ask yourself ‘What would happen if?’ That simple question exposes possibilities. If you look at some traditional industries, you will find many of the current leaders in those industries were not even considered to be in the business in which they now flourish. Uber and Lyft are huge transportation companies that do not own vehicles. Airbnb is a leader in the hospitality sector and they do not own hotels. Facebook is a media leader that does not utilize any traditional media outlets. Before those new leading companies began, someone had to think disruptively and ask, ‘What would happen if?’

After you think disruptively, then you can examine the possibilities to lead the change required to move forward. Look around. Listen. Think. Ask. You will discover that there are possibilities to improve relationships, processes, behaviors, if you pay attention. When you are actively guiding change, you will find that you have improvement opportunities surrounding you. Then you will be able to develop some viable options to consider changing.

Every great idea for improvement has come from someone just like you. Every one. Think disruptively, examine the possibilities, and then take actions that will help you improve.

Here are a few points to ponder as you move from fighting change to guiding change:

  1. Are you guiding positive change by asking “what if?”
  2. The next move is always yours.
  3. You have to exit the comfortable before you can enter into something greater.

Based on the book LeaderShift … Making leadership everyone’s business.

Subscribe to David’s blog here: https://davidcottrellblog.wordpress.com/

Lead Where You Are

Once there was a farmer who was searching for someone to help him take care of his farm. Three qualified and experienced ranch hands applied for the job. He asked all three the same question: ‘Tell me, how long can you work with a stone in your shoe?’

The first person answered: ‘Half a day!’ The farmer thanked him and sent him on his way.  “The farmer asked the second person and he proudly replied, ‘All day long!’ The farmer sent the second helper on his way.

The third man was asked, ‘How long can you work with a stone in your shoe?’ Without hesitating, he replied ‘Not a minute. As soon as I get a stone in my shoe, I take it out.’ The farmer hired him on the spot.

The third worker was not waiting for a better time, or for someone else to take care of his problem. He was not willing to suffer with it for even a minute. The farmer knew that the worker could be depended upon to take charge, solve problems, and create a more comfortable and productive day.

Maybe it is time to shift from waiting to be led to leading where you are. If you have any ‘stone in your shoe,’ take charge and get rid of the stone. Many people who work days and sometimes years with stones in their shoes, stones such as inaccurate information, confusing direction, contradictions, or simply their ideas being ignored. The stones rub and rub and rub. For a while, they irritate you. Then, they create a callous on your foot, and you may not even remember that there is a stone in your shoe. You are still receiving bad information, confused, torn by contradictions, or ignored, but you rationalize the situation with ‘This is just the way it is.’

I have also seen people wait until they have more than one stone in their shoe before getting rid of their first stone. They wait until there are multiple problems and then present a list of problems to fix all at once. That is pretty absurd. Don’t wait. Take the stone out as soon as it gets in your shoe; even the little ones could become a crisis while you are waiting for the right time to get rid of them. That does not help anyone. When you have a stone irritating you, address the issue right away so you can begin moving forward.

Here are a few points to ponder as you coach your team to lead where they are:

  1. When someone on your team has a “rock in their shoes” do they have the permission and the authority to remove it?
  2. Does your team know they can lead their own performance?
  3. Have you created a “lead where you are” environment for your team?

Based on the book LeaderShift … Making leadership everyone’s business.

Subscribe to David’s blog here: https://davidcottrellblog.wordpress.com/


It is not fair when things are not fair. Don’t you hate it when things are going along smoothly, and “Unfair” arrives and consumes your thoughts, actions, and enthusiasm. It tests your ability to move forward. “Unfair” is not fair, so why does it show up? I don’t know, but you have a choice when “Unfair” arrives – fight the change or guide the change.

In a recent meeting, the topic of adversity was discussed. Within that group, people had faced a major crisis that was unfair.  Major events like cancer, suicide, divorce, loss of children, drug abuse, loss of spouse, significant health issues, loss of jobs, and bankruptcy. Remarkably, every person agreed that overcoming their unfair adversity was a critical turning point toward their future success. Think about that. “Unfair” guided them toward success. Regardless of how or why “Unfair” arrived, those successful people took action, attacked, and learned from the event that “Unfair” struck them. In fact, “Unfair” polished them up to become better people.

Erik Weihenmayer is one of the most amazing people in our lifetime. He is a mountain climber who has climbed the highest peak on every continent. You may think that is impressive but not a big deal. You may rationalize that anyone who has the time and money could accomplish that feat … although very few have. The big deal is that Erik is blind. His vision was gone at age 13. If anyone could bow to “Unfair” and justify feeling sorry for himself, Erik could. But he doesn’t. He says, ‘What is within you is stronger than what is in your way.’ That is a great lesson from someone who faces “Unfair” every day.

Spending your energy complaining, justifying, and blaming others changes nothing and allows “Unfair” to take over your life. A tendency while facing “Unfair” is to shift into neutral and stop moving forward – a power that “Unfair” can have over you. You become paralyzed and fight the reality of the change instead of facing and guiding the change toward a positive direction. Regardless of how bleak your situation appears, you can keep moving.

Years ago, I heard someone say, ‘Something can be done, and there is something I can do.’ Something can be done; whatever hole you are in is not permanent, something can be done right now. And, there is something you can do; the next move is always yours.

Life is not fair, so don’t expect it to be. It doesn’t do any good to blame a bad economy, bad boss, bad luck, or poor choices. “Unfair” is temporary. The next move is yours to take. You can navigate a positive path through it and move forward with your life.

Here are a few points to ponder as you shift from fighting change to guiding change:

  1. What will your response be when “Unfair” hits you?
  2. No matter how bleak your situation may seem, the next move is yours.
  3. Are there people in your circle who could use some encouragement from you right now? Encouragement could be your best gift of the day.

Based on the book LeaderShift … Making leadership everyone’s business.

Subscribe to David’s blog here: https://davidcottrellblog.wordpress.com/

Oh, those millennials


That quote accurately describes today’s millennials, doesn’t it? What is wrong with them… why don’t they grow up … spoiled rotten … high maintenance …selfish … are some common attacks on today’s youth. Of course, there are some millennial goof balls, but have you seen some of the ‘mature’ people on the news?  There are plenty of goofballs representing every generation, but the most popular ride is to jump on the millennial bash wagon.

Regardless of age, we are all more similar than dissimilar.  We are real people who have the same basic fears, hopes and desires even though we have different talents.  Of course, the Boomers may never completely catch up on the millennial’s technology savvy, and the millennials do not have the callous hands of experience yet.  So, there will always be some talent gaps but we share many of the same basic needs.

Why don’t we quit bashing and reach out a hand?  We could help each other.

Oh, by the way.  The quote at the beginning of this blog was from Socrates describing the youth of his day in 469 to 399 B.C.  Ummmm.

Fake News

Were those two words ever mentioned together until a year or so ago? Some fake news has probably always existed, but it seems that every news story today is considered fake until proven true. How do you know what to believe?

Discerning fake news (fiction) from truth has been one of leadership’s greatest challenge since Moses. Politics – imagine that -, power, pride, and personal agendas are notorious for blocking the truth from being told within an organization. Even a sincere, intense, passionate desire to want something else to be the truth prevents the truth from being exposed.

The first shift recommended in the new book LeaderShift is the conscious need to shift from fiction to truth.  You will probably receive about 35,000 messages today. Some are indirect messages but every one of those messages are targeted to influence your thinking and actions.  Unfortunately, many – maybe even a majority of those messages – will contain less than the full truth.

How can you tell truth from fiction inside your organization?  Are the truth and “hoped for truth” lines blurred? More importantly, do the messages you send and the words you speak contain the full truth – no matter what?

Here are a few points to ponder as you coach your team to shift to total truth:

  1. Truth is faster, eliminates rework, and results in more profit.
  2. Without truth, there is no trust. Without trust soon you will have no one to lead.
  3. Bad news seldom improves with age. The ultimate pain of a “slow reveal”  is greater than the pain of swallowing your pride and allowing others the opportunity to help you address any issue you may be facing.
  4. Are you rewarding fiction by looking for only what you want to see and hearing only what you want to hear?

Based on the book LeaderShift … Making leadership everyone’s business.

LeaderShift … Making Leadership Everyone’s Business

Today my friend and colleague Ken Carnes and I launch our latest book: LeaderShift …. Making Leadership Everyone’s Business. LeaderShift is brief – you can read it in about 75 minutes – and engaging. It is an inspirational story that allows you to eaves drop on a conversation regarding many of the challenges that you frequently face.

Our hope is that the book will inspire you shift your thinking, begin implementing some new ideas, and help you propel your team to achieve the results that you want.

Check it out at CornerStoneLeadership or Amazon. It will be worth your time and investment.