Word of The Year – 2024

Introducing the Legacy Builder Series It’s a typical weekday night. The clock says 4:45pm and I am hustling in the kitchen. The oven is cranked up to 400°F ready to roast tonight’s cauliflower, though it’s not yet cut. The water on the stove is boiling, sending steam to the ceiling while the rinsed rice sits neglected next to the sink. I’m dicing raw chicken on the cutting board as fast as humanly possible when my two older sons walk in the door, now home from school, squabbling over a basketball. My youngest son, who just awoke from his afternoon nap, tugs on my sweater and with bleary eyes says, “Mom, I want to help you cook dinner.”   The world freezes around me. I see the two choices I have. On one hand, I can curtly respond with a harsh, “No” which would be understandable considering the situation around me. On the other hand, I can slow down, pause the chaos, and take a moment to teach my son how to chop the cauliflower, helping him work on an important life skill while also including him in the daily tasks of the household.   I wish I could say that I always choose the latter, but sometimes I don’t.   This leads to the question, what kind of impact am I making? Sometimes I make an impact by just getting dinner on the table for my family and that’s okay. But on the golden occasions, when I do choose the latter, I’m making a greater impact by teaching, training, and leading my children while making dinner.   The Legacy Builder series is about recognizing the opportunities we have to make that greater impact. Whether it’s at work or in the home, we are influencing other people’s lives. As leaders, we are watched by those we are tasked to lead. As Patrick says, “more things are caught than taught.”   So how do we do it? How do we become Legacy Builders who leave lasting impressions on people’s lives? How do we make that greater impact?   Recognize the Opportunities It would be nice if the opportunities arose when we were twiddling our thumbs, waiting for one to come about. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case. Often, they come up at inconvenient times, in the form of that co-worker knocking on our door as we’re banging away on an overdue report, or that old acquaintance who stops us while we’re hustling through the aisles of Walmart. The key is slowing down, setting aside our agenda, and giving time and attention to others, especially when it’s not convenient for us.   Speak and Act with Intention Our words and actions matter. Even if an action seems small, it can have a lasting impression if there is heart behind it. For example, striking up conversation with janitorial staff just as we would with other co-workers, means that we value all people for who they are and not just for the work they do or position they hold. Listening well to others and asking insightful questions leads to connection and understanding. We can share our insights of course, but engaging in dialogue more often than monologuing leaves room for others to share their ideas and insights.   Turn Struggles into Lessons No one is exempt from trials and failures. We know that means us as well. Yes, they’re challenging, but they can also be learning opportunities. If we are willing to be vulnerable and honest with those we lead, we can potentially encourage them through their trials and failures with the things that we have learned from our own. This builds trust and strong relationships.   Leaving a lasting impact by leading with empathy, compassion, perseverance. and patience is not easy. It also doesn’t happen overnight. It takes practice. It takes failing sometimes and then apologizing and trying again. It takes hard work to grow as a person and a leader in a way that encourages others. The big thing is to keep trying, don’t give up.   In the coming weeks, we’ll continue to post about becoming a Legacy Builder but if you ever have questions and want to reach out, don’t hesitate. At Impact of Leadership, we’re creating a community of people who don’t do life alone.   Author: Ashley Buenger 

This weekend I had the opportunity to be part of my wife’s family reunion. The South came to Wisconsin for a wonderful weekend of food, fellowship, and paintball. Yep! The family that shoots each other stays together. No that is not how the expression goes but it worked for us. I learned several things while playing paintball this weekend. First, I am terrible at it. Second, it requires a lot more skill than just shooting paintballs out of your gun. You must be strategic, plan your moves carefully and execution will depend on your tools, or you will not be successful. OMG, that is just like running a business!   STRATEGY Each team is placed at opposite sides. You have a team of 5-10 people. The ref starts the clock and you have an opportunity to shoot each other. The team with the most players still playing when the time is up wins. I was with several teams for six matches, and I saw a lot. There are some players that have tons of experience, and you have guys like me that have no idea what they are doing. How do you work as a team with a wide variety of experience? The team does their own thing individually or you work together. No one is a captain, but I saw leaders show up. I was standing in the back middle when a guy I had never met, who knows with masks on, asked if I would want to stay back and he would move forward. We worked out a system, so we knew who was going to what role and understand where each player was going. I saw others do their own individual plan. That worked out till everyone got taken out and they were left alone. The odds of five players vs. one is not a good strategy. The game was stopped to show mercy to that one player. I learned that the team that works together with a plan is the one that will win!     PLANNING YOUR MOVES My youngest son was able to play paintball for the first time. My wife’s nephew, Taylor, is a paintball warrior, so he offered to take my son under his watch. It was so cool to watch Taylor protect my son and teach him how to stay low, shoot carefully and told him when to move forward or stay back. My son trusted his cousin instantly because he knew he was in a situation that required a guide. Our employees need to be able to trust its leaders especially when they don’t know what the next move should be. A good leader communicates well and often. My nephew could have let my son alone to do his own agenda, but he didn’t. They moved together and were in sync. Clear instructions were given before execution was made. That is how business should be when we are leading teams or one person. Don’t give up the plan and do your own thing. My son was left alone when my nephew got hit with the paintball, but he didn’t panic. He knew what to do because he had been taught with clear direction. That was so cool to watch my son grow in that moment and find success without letting fear take him out.       EXECUTION “Everyone has a plan till they get punched in the mouth (Mike Tyson).” I had a strategy, planned my moves, and failed on my execution during my paintball battles. Yep, I can honestly say that I failed before I even started by wearing the wrong pants. They were too big which caused me to not be able to move quickly. I was done before I even got started. Next time, if there is one, I will be wearing the right clothes. The other issue was my gun did not work properly. As my dad always said, “It is not your fault but it is your problem!” I tried to shoot but nothing came out. The gun was jammed and would not shoot the paintballs. I didn’t realize that till after the game was over. Do you ever wonder in business why your efforts are not making results happen? Maybe you have the wrong tools like me?! Take time to examine your results and be sure to ask questions on why you are not getting the results you want. “Hope is not a strategy, and no one drifts into excellence (Steve Scherer).”   In conclusion, I am so glad my wife’s nephew planned this family affair for us. We hope to keep the tradition going. Not sure if it fits for your family but what if? I promise one thing for sure; you will enjoy shooting your family legally. 😊     NEED MORE? Connect with us on YouTube and LinkedIn for more fun and engaging free content.   Visit our sponsor, CCB Technology, to get your IT fixed.