In these difficult days, we at BocaLead and at Boca Raton Community Church believe in loving our neighbor. We believe in connecting and standing up for people of all races, and we stand alongside our brothers and sisters now, in this crucial moment. Even though we are separated by social distancing and other protective measures, our hearts are with you and we are praying for you as we as a nation walk through these days together.

Heart | Smarts | Spine | Soul

 

Over the last few months, we’ve been going through a four-part series about heart, smarts, spine and soul. Today, in the last session before we break for summer, we are talking about soul, which is such an appropriate topic right now.

Resilience

To talk about the topic of “soul,” we’re going to home in on the word, “Resilience,” which means knowing how to cope in spite of setbacks, barriers, or limited resources. Resilience is a measure of how much you want something and how much you are willing and able to overcome obstacles to get it. We have a lot of obstacles and issues ahead of us, but no matter how long the COVID-19 crisis lasts, we are here to navigate the issues that are ahead.

To illustrate the concept of “resilience,” we want to use the story of Lewis and Clark, the explorers who, in the early 1800’s, led the first expedition to cross the western portion of the United States to reach the Pacific Ocean. When they reached the Rocky Mountains, they found an obstacle, and had a choice to make – would they carry the canoes, which they’d used to travel down the Missouri River, over the mountains, or would they leave them behind? History tells us that if not for the help of Sacagawea, a Shoshone woman, in navigating the terrain, and in purchasing horses from the Shoshone people, the Lewis and Clark expedition would not have made it.

What do we learn from this?

 

1. The Things ahead of you are different than those behind you.

Lewis and Clark knew the Appalachian mountains in Virginia – not the Rockies. In the same way, we have to understand what’s facing us in our lives and in business is very different than what is behind us.

2. They were expert water navigators. They knew nothing about mountains.

Lewis and Clark had to leave the canoes behind. Look at your business or nonprofit. What are some “canoes” that you won’t be able to take with you in the days and months ahead?

   

3. You are in the relationship business, whether you know it or not, or whether you like it or not.

Lewis and Clark thought they were in the business of an expedition, but when the crisis came, they were no longer just trying to get to the Pacific Ocean. Now, they had to build relationships with the people around them to get to their goal.

4. When you bring the margins of your business into the center, it breeds creativity (Example: Sacagawea). The answer to your future is here, it just may be in the margins of your business.

Sacagawea was there just to serve a very small purpose in comparison with the other 35 men who were on the expedition, but when she was brought out of the margins, it was she who made the expedition possible. To those of you who are in the margins, keep working. What you do when you are in the margins will affect you when you are in the center. To those of you in the center, look to the margins for those who can help you now. The Sacagaweas of your business will become the helpers of your business. We are already seeing this in action here at BocaLead and at Boca Raton Community Church.

How Do You Develop Soul on Your Team?

(Inspired by the book Fix This Next: Make the Vital Change That Will Level Up Your Business)

We’ve talked about what it means to be resilient, and the part that plays in “soul.” Now, let’s look at some practical steps in developing soul on your team.

                                 

The lower portion of this graph, the sales, profit and order, represent the core part of your business. “Sales” represents the day to day of your operation. Out of the day to day come the results, in this case, “profits”. Then, “order,” means systems, of how you run your business and get the results of your business.

The bottom half represents what you are giving to yourself, and the top half of the graph represents what you are giving to the community - the “impact” and “legacy” of your business or organization on those around you.

In between the two is “transformation” – from getting to giving. This is the message of BocaLead – to give more than you get. Until you get your team to change their focus from the bottom to the top – from inner benefit to outer impact – you will get nowhere and you will fail.

Four Thoughts on How to Promote Transformation in Your Team

 

1. Alignment

The arrangement of all teams and staff (stakeholders) around the same simple process. When you have alignment, you have a meaningful common purpose that the team has helped shape.

2. Clarity

The ability of the process to be communicated and understood by the people. To create clarity, you have to have specific performance goals that flow from the common purpose.

Three Thoughts on Clarity:

 

• Create Clarity
  • Work “in” the business, aka, the day to day
  • Work “on” the business. Ask, what is your goal? What impact and legacy would you like to have?

• Overcommunicate Clarity
  • As the leader of your business or organization, you have to be the “Chief Reminding Officer.” This means continually reminding your team, “this is what we’re doing, and this is where we’re heading.”

• Reinforce Clarity
  • Coordinate all activities, responsibilities and actions with clear objectives.

3. Focus

The commitment to abandon everything that falls outside of the simple process. Focus requires a mix of complementary skills.

4. Movement

The sequential steps in the process that cause people to move to greater areas of commitment. For example, this means your strategies and goals. Creating movement requires a strong commitment to how the work gets done. This is a tough one. There will always be some people who won’t move, even when you create an atmosphere in your office that moves people along. Still, there will be those who want to go back to the old ways, but you can’t let that happen. You have to move forward.

We here at BocaLead know that these are not just simple steps to take. We know they take hard work and dedication. So, before we wrap up this session, we’d like to give you five closing thoughts.

1. Collaborative Behavior

You cannot be the only one making the decisions. Work together, to get the ideas of others in your business or organization. If you only have a team of one or two, then get with your competitors or those in your association discuss ideas.

2. Create a Giving Culture

Be an open source organization, not closed-handed. Now is the time for you to share your new system or way of doing business with others.

3. Pick the Right Team Members

Pre-COVID, you might have had a certain team that no longer applies post COVID. In addition, remember not to ignore the talents and giftings of people on your team. Utilize your employees fully.

4. Support a Strong Sense of Community and Relationship

The days are gone when you could be a lone ranger. Going through this time of crisis is a community event.

5. Develop Opportunities to do the Work of Business

We said this at May’s BocaLead – there are many businesses that are just on pause. Don’t pause. Instead, look at the current situation and create opportunities in your business for people to thrive.

You have people in your organizations who are incredibly talented, but they’re in the margins, being under-utilized. Meet them, get to know them. Understand that they may be your company’s Sacagawea – someone who will get you not just to the mountains, but through them to success.

         

We hope you have a wonderful summer. God bless you as you work, play, worship and raise your families during this time. We will see you again when we resume in September.