November 11, 2016 by

Did You Go Out And Vote?

Did you go out and vote?This week Tuesday was Election Day in the USA and today (Friday) is Veteran’s Day. How fitting. I do not take for granted my right to vote. On Tuesday, without knowing who would be the winner in each race on my ballot in Connecticut I voted.

It is a duty to vote.

It is part of our freedom, a freedom no one should ever take for granted. The act of voting is a tribute to all of those who have fought and continue to protect our freedom and our continued ability to cast our votes.

“…if the citizens neglect their Duty and place unprincipled people in office, the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made, not for the public good so much as for selfish or local purposes; corrupt or incompetent people will be appointed to execute the Laws; the public revenues will be squandered on unworthy people; and the rights of the citizen will be violated or disregarded.” -Noah Webster ( edited slightly utilizing ‘people’ vs. ‘men’ )

Consider those who serve to protect each of us to preserve our freedom. Every four years their Commander In Chief is up for re-election. The person who ultimately leads them. Each election period they are permitted to cast their vote – AND – no matter who wins the election – this person is their Commander In Chief for the next four years – PERIOD.

The astounding fact is – and remember during a Presidential Election there is a higher turnout of voters than in other election years – approximately 50 to 55% of the voting eligible population goes out and votes! This translates to approximately 45 to 50% who do not vote!

Consider Veteran’s Day folks – a day to remember and thank all who have served and continue to serve. Yes, thank each of them for their service. Say a prayer for those in areas of danger and for all of their families. Think about the fact that none of the people who have chosen to serve are for war – they are for freedom and everything that comes with securing our freedom.

The right to speak your mind may be the one which we hear about the most. How did going out to vote become minimized? If there is one thing each person is able to do it is to work together to make going out to vote as important to everyone as our freedom of speech.

This is the way we are able to vote for leaders who will point our nation in the right direction. We hope to elect leaders who will make the right choice in everything that is placed in front of them. We seek to vote for leaders who have high integrity and character.

We want to have leaders who will respect and uphold the Constitution and everything it represents which the founding fathers fought bravely to craft and pass on to all of us. Understand the choices on your ballot in your geographical region and go out and vote.

This great opportunity is typically a one time of year activity. It is our duty to vote.

Mitch Tublin runs a specialized consulting company where coaching, training and speaking services are available for companies and individuals.

Listen to Mitch’s recent radio interview by Doug Llewelyn from The People’s Court 

 

Filed Under: Accountability, Achieve Goals, Leadership, Self Improvement Tagged With: , , , , , ,
September 23, 2016 by

Is It A Banking Problem or a Culture and Leadership Problem?

Is It A Banking Problem or a Culture and Leadership Problem?One of the high profile business stories this week is about Wells Fargo. CEO John Stumpf was called to Washington D.C. to be heard and then flogged by the politicians. Rather than review the entire situation which is widely available for your review online and at CNBC here is a quick and dirty review.
People who worked at Wells Fargo were reportedly for years creating fake accounts for a variety of bank products utilizing the identity of real banking customers. From my reading and listening it does not appear any of the customers funds were stolen, however, this remains a serious issue as credit report impacts, identity theft and more may have been the result of some of these activities.

At this time over 5,300 people have been let go from Wells Fargo. On CNBC it was stated that none of the people who were let go were anyone we would know or hear about, however, it is possible some were branch managers. One of the quotes from CEO John Stumpf was that this was an issue created by the behavior of low level employees. As a side note the person in charge of the entire unit is leaving the company along with a bonus in the high millions. Feel free to check out the various stories if you are interested in the reported details as more information is released and the stories to date are verified.

The bottom line is this about culture and leadership. Stop there – end of story.

In fact here is a challenge, if there is a person in the Wells Fargo organization with a budget contact me. We will speak or meet and begin a program for your team, division, Branch(s), organization which will return value almost immediately. Everything right now being thrown out there by your internal trainers and PR folks is about CYA.

What we will work on is values based leadership. In essence this is the missing element.

Everyone in the organization was / is graded by numbers and statistics. Let’s face the facts from day one were all 5,300 people who were let go people who had criminal intent on their mind when they began their careers at Wells Fargo? Up until a week ago the majority of these folks were upstanding citizens in their communities. These folks did their 9 to 5 and were doing what they thought they needed to do to get by.

They were and their managers were incentivized by the system set up by Wells Fargo – the culture. This is the culture potentially prevalent in numerous banking institutions.

What if instead the metrics measured the value of a new customer? A customer who had a business and two children and has been married for five years. What is the value of getting to know this customer where the bank is writing the mortgage and maybe a home equity loan, providing credit cards, debit cards, college loans, car loans, insurance and potentially investment accounts?

What is the lifetime value of a customer who knows your name and has your cell phone number just in case they need something?

A leader does not have to be a CEO or a C anything. A leader is a person who knows when to lead. When it is time to take action. Now is that time at Wells Fargo. Consider the small snowball which is rolled down the mountain and it picks up speed on the way down and becomes a huge round ball of snow. This is the type of momentum and culture change we will start by beginning with you and your team right now at Wells Fargo.

Are you up for the challenge? For once lead from the front and not from a spreadsheet.

Contact Mitch Tublin

This is a blog. A weekly Award Winning blog written for over six years each week by Mitch Tublin, Feel free to subscribe here. It is not meant to be or advertised to be reporting the news. Everything is based upon my opinion or my understanding. Hope that works for you and keeps you interested. You are always free to comment in the comments area. Your readership is appreciated. Let others know about “Navigating Your Course for Success” so we grow our community. Smooth Sailing.

Filed Under: Business Strategy, Business Structure, Leadership Tagged With: , , , , ,
August 12, 2016 by

Going for Gold – Part One

Who is Going For Gold today?

Going for GoldIs anyone watching or at least checking in on the RIO 2016 Olympic Games at various times each day? This is definitely the topic of conversation in person, at the pub, at home and definitely online.

NBC Universal has more options available for streaming or watching events on TV at all different times than in any previous Olympic broadcast. It seems like the hours of coverage are non-stop.

While enjoying the competitions and the Rio De Janeiro scenery and the various story lines do you ever consider what business lessons are available from the Olympics that you are able to bring into your company?

Let’s take a look at the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team. This week it is clear these women, calling themselves the Final Five, are setting margins of victory as they secure their Gold Medals that are historic in the sport of Women’s Gymnastics.

Let’s go back to the early 2000’s. The U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team was in turmoil.

The various personal coaches were squabbling with each other. Each gymnast and their entourage were certain there was an ‘I’ for them in the U.S. Team. The concept of a consistent process or system for everyone to follow was nonexistent.

In case you never heard this from a coach – “There is no “I” in “Team”.

Now enters Martha Karolyi who is given the title, support and the freedom to create what it would take to make the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team a great one once again.

Begin with this in mind, she had a vision of where she wanted this program to go. She knew what had to happen for this vision to take place. The road was not a paved highway right to her goal. There were obstacles, naysayers and people who did try over the years to bring her down. It’s a funny thing how success repeated over and over will quiet down your critics.

Here is how Karolyi started out. She met with all of the gymnasts and set their expectations. Like clockwork everyone was being held accountable each month at training camps specifically set up to check in and see where everyone was and were they in fact showing progress or not. By itself this was major progress. The other benefit is the gymnasts began to develop into a team through the chemistry created by spending the time together each month at the training facilities. Then the barriers fell away between the coaches and their individual issues with each other as they saw what was taking place.

In one year the results were seen in competition after competition as the team won medals consistently. The U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team in London in 2012 was Going For Gold and did so in great style. This Final Five U.S. Women’s Gymnastic Team in RIO2016 has taken Martha Karolyi’s vision to a whole new level.

Do you see one or more items you might be able to bring into your organization from this story?

  • set expectations
  • create accountability
  • communicate
  • form a process and a system
  • have the control and the support of the top people to do what needs to be done
  • mold a culture in your image
  • what else?

Are you interested in having Mitch come into your organization and work with you and your team as you are all Going For Gold? –> CLICK HERE <–

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified coach, trainer and speaker based in Stamford, CT.

Filed Under: Accountability, Achieve Goals, Business Planning, Business Strategy, Inspiration, Leadership Tagged With: , , , , , ,
August 5, 2016 by

You Are Now The Person In Charge

Leadership - You Are Now The Person In ChargeYou are now the person in charge. You might be in charge of a few people or hundreds of people. You may work in a small start up company or a large Fortune 500 Company. You may be the new leader of the entire business or a part of the business.

In all of these cases you have some thinking to do – and quickly.

Similar to your first impression on an interview or a sales call, there is a very brief period of time where you have the opportunity to set the tone of how you will be viewed. Try as much as you want to change this initial opinion around to another viewpoint, but you will have a very difficult time.

Numerous experts have said you essentially have ninety (90) days to set the tone of who you are all about in this new role. My viewpoint is more like thirty (30) days, if that.

This is why, more than ever, you have to be willing, ready and able to always learn and grow. When the opportunity presents itself you have to be ready, there will not be time to get ready, you must already be ready. Yes, continue to learn and grow – be ready.

Here are three tips to smooth out your navigation of the transition to leadership:

First: Recognize how others view who you are – meaning – if you are new to this organization are you open to acknowledging you do not know things or do you come across as if you know it all? If you are from within the organization will there be an assumption that you are going to be the same person you have always been? Who is…?

Second: Know yourself, really understand and recognize your own strengths and weaknesses. Build upon and work with your strengths and hire in – promote and lean in with others who have your weaknesses as their strengths. All areas of this process will be greatly enhanced by working with an experienced executive coach. This specific item, second on this list, is quite possibly the most difficult to undertake on your own.

Third: Odds are you had a specialty – maybe you were a leader on the Sales Team for years, or have worked your way up through the ranks of accounting and have been a CFO, or you have a technical background. In any of these cases now you must avoid being that expert now and permit your replacement to handle their area, and you learn more about the other areas of the business which you may not have spent as much time on before. There is an expectation that a leader is well versed and well rounded.

There is much work to do and these three tips are provided to put some wind in your sails. Contact Mitch to bring this entire transition to a new level for you and your organization.

Mitch Tublin is an advanced certified executive coach, trainer and speaker who adds value to a client base which spans the globe. He is based in Stamford, CT.

Filed Under: Career Transition, Leadership Tagged With: , , , , ,
February 11, 2016 by

Where Do You Have An Impact?

Where do you have an impact? By design in your life, in your choices, your actions, your behavior – do you ever consider “where do I have an impact?”

Take a moment and list these – yes right now – write them down either print this out and write them here or take out a notebook or open a new place on your device and take notes.

“Where Do I Have An Impact?” What if we now switch this around and ask instead, “Where Do I Intentionally Want To Have An Impact?”

John C. Maxwell and Mitch Tublin in ParaguayThis last week myself and 250 other John Maxwell Team Certified Trainers, Coaches and Speakers returned from spending a week in Paraguay. Our goal was to train 10,000 people to become facilitators and in the classic train the trainer format continue on with at least four other people. Then have them continue on with four people. Four people as a minimum number.

Paraguay has a similar issue to other Nations in South America and Latin America with deep roots in corruption and the aspects which go along with these lines. Paraguay has it’s own unique issues from a devastating war which wiped generations of men off the map plus land and control in the region loss as well. With this being said there is a generation of young people who are striving for and hunger for a new start. A new way of life – without corruption. Where values based leadership is the driving force throughout all of society within Paraguay.

Each of us knew the following each and every day once we arrived in our staging/breakfast room at 5 AM: You are going some where, with some one, at some time, to do some thing with people. With people who want to make a difference at a time – at a time to make a difference.

That is all we knew! It did not take me long to realize the impact on the people. A session might begin with some disbelief or someone wondering how such a huge undertaking is even possible? By the end of the session upon realizing that if each person did one small thing, did their part, added all up, a huge movement would be taking place. With tears in their eyes as the session closed, with selfies being taken, hugs and kisses being given freely it was clear the seeds of transformation were planted.

La Transformacion esta en mi!

This is the line used and it appeared on materials, jerseys, handouts, gear and in the Presentation itself as a team building and bonding shout out together.

The Transformation Starts With Me!

Even writing this out now chills run through my body with such joy for the people of Paraguay as they begin this journey. There is no way we met by accident. This Movement and each one of us who volunteered to Intentionally Impact People in Paraguay to bring values based leadership and Transformation to their culture and society this did not happen by accident.

Is it time for you to act intentionally in your life? Are you ready to break the daily ritual and instead make an impact with meaning?

CLICK HERE IF YOU ARE READY!

Mitch Tublin is based in Stamford, CT. He is an advanced certified executive and personal coach, trainer and speaker on topics such as leadership, effective communication and emotional intelligence. Contact Mitch here.

Filed Under: Coach Mentor, Inspiration, Leadership, Self Improvement Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
May 8, 2015 by

Mothers Lead The Way Every Single Day

Mother's Lead The Way Every Single DayThere is no discussion, no question and hopefully no issue that each of us has a Mother. If she has passed on it is my sincere hope you have fond and loving memories of her. If your Mother is alive today my wish for you is that you are able to give her a warm hug and kiss and tell her how much she means to you and that you love her dearly.

The love of a Mother for her children is never questioned. There is an assumption based upon actions, that a Mother would do almost anything for her children. The majority of children, at some point, do recognize this devotion by their Mom to them. A child will stand up for and protect their Mother. When a Mother is in need the child will give up almost anything to be there and to help out.

One story which comes to mind is about Kevin Ollie who became the UCONN Men’s Basketball Coach following in the footsteps of the Hall Of Fame Coach Jim Calhoun.

In 2014 when the UCONN Men’s Basketball Team ultimately won the NCAA Championship, Kevin Ollie’s Mom was battling Stage Two Breast Cancer and later diagnosed with lung cancer as well. Her initial reaction was to not let Kevin know the full story as ‘he already had enough on his plate’. It did not take Kevin long to learn the whole story.

He became very involved in his Mom’s treatment and care while his team was in the midst of a magical season. Together their faith and prayer became a continued aspect of their time together as it always had been. Kevin grew up in Los Angeles where it would have been easy for him to have been taken in by another choice or two which would have lead him down a different path than he is on right now. It was Dorothy, his Mom, who kept him on the straight and narrow to guide him and keep him focused on what he needed to focus on.

As we pay tribute to our Mothers let us all remember who taught us our first real lesson in Leadership. A lesson we all would do well to keep at the top of our minds.

John C. Maxwell says, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. ” Thank you to all the Moms who are our first exposure to True Leadership.

Mitch Tublin is a business consultant, executive coach and professional speaker who resides in Stamford, CT.

Interested in a workshop or seminar in your workplace on Leadership Development? >> Contact Mitch Here <<

Filed Under: Leadership, Relationships Tagged With: , , , , ,
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