Chris Widener's Ezine
June 4, 2008
Issue 88

Welcome!

As we usher in the month of June, that means summer is here and we are half way through the year -- so putting it in sporting terms: It's Halftime!

In a sporting event, the players are given a break at the half in order to refresh themselves, look at how they played in the first half, and set strategy for the second half. So as you approach halftime, here are some thoughts. Do you have a vacation planned in the next two months that will give you the needed break and refreshment? If not, schedule one this week! How did you "play" in the first half of this year? Have you met your goals that you established at the beginning of the year? Here are a few ideas to evaluate where you are at with your goals as you approach the halfway mark.

Take some time to sit down alone and review your goals. How many are you on mark to make? How many have you not even begun on? How many have you achieved?

For those you haven't even begun, my suggestion would be to reset your goal at 10 percent of the original goal. Obviously this goal hasn't been a priority, for whatever reason, and most likely won't suddenly become so. But you can make some ground. Set a small increase for the remaining six months and get ahead a little in these areas.

For the goals you are on pace to achieve, try to stretch about 10 percent. So, to give it a numerical value, if your original goal was 10 and you have already reached 5 after halfway, stretch yourself to try to achieve 11 by the end of the year. This will give you a good reason to kick into high gear as the year progresses.

For those goals you are on pace to break strongly through, try an increase of 50 percent.

And finally, for the goals you have already reached, try to set the new goal at 100 percent of the original goal.

In all of these remember that it is better to try hard, and even fail at a higher goal, than to take the easy route and attain nothing at all!

Best of luck as you re-evaluate your goals!

P.S. Today's issue is going out to 104,037 subscribers. If you've gained value from what you read in my Ezine, then I would like to thank you in advance for forwarding this issue to friends, family and associates!

In This Issue.......

1. Charting Your Course to Success Article
2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary
3. The Last Word...
4. Trust and Teamwork...
5. More Information

1. Charting Your Course to Success Article

Secrets of Successful Teams by Chris Widener

To be a success is not always to be a success individually. In fact, most of the time we achieve our successes as part of a team.

We are all part of teams. Our family is a team. Our place of work is a team. The community groups we belong to are teams. Sometimes we are the team leader or "coach," while other times we fulfill the role of follower, or "player." It is so important then for us to understand teams and how they work, especially those who achieve success - the achievement of their desired goal.

In my life I have been on some successful teams, and some not so successful teams. This includes both athletically as well as professionally. When I was growing up, I worked for seven years with the Seattle Supersonics, our local National Basketball Association team. They were at times unsuccessful, and, in 1979, my second year working there, the most successful team in the league, winning the World Championship. I have been able to see firsthand what makes the difference between the unsuccessful teams and the successful ones.

Here are some principles that I know, when implemented on a regular basis, can turn any lackluster team into an outstanding one! These principles can be applied to your family, your business, your organization, and yes, your sports team.

Communication/Leader
The leader needs to communicate the vision. If they are setting the pace, they need to let people know where they are going so that the team can follow. The coach always does a pre-game talk, laying out the vision.

The leader communicates the vision frequently, so as to always be updating the team as to where they are at and what changes need to be made. The coach doesn't relegate the direction he gives to the pre-game, he coaches and communicates all the way through the game.

Team
Watch a good basketball team. They are talking to each other all of the time. Helping one another out, encouraging one another, praising one another, and telling each other how they can make changes so the same mistakes aren't made again. The same is true of successful teams in the professional world and in life in general.

Excellence
The truly great teams are teams that are committed to excellence. In everything they do, their goal is to achieve at the highest level. And this commitment is held throughout the team and at every level. A successful team cannot have members who are not committed to excellence because in the end they will become the weak link.

Followership
If you want a fascinating read, pick up The Power of Followership, by Robert Kelley. The author basically makes the point that the secret to getting things done lies not only in great leadership, but in how well the rest of the people, 99% of the team, follows the leadership. Good teams are filled with people who are committed to following and getting the job done.

Understanding Roles
Pardon the Chicago Bulls analogy, but it is so clear. When the game was on the line, with only one shot left, everyone, the coaches, the players, the 20,000 people watching in the stadium, and millions watching on TV, knew who would shoot the last shot. That was Michael Jordan's role.

Every team works best when the members of the team have clearly defined and understood roles. Some do one thing, others do another. One isn't better or more important than the other, just different. When teams operate out of their strengths and their roles, they win.

Strengths and Weaknesses
This brings me to strengths and weaknesses. Every team member has strengths and weaknesses. The successful teams are those who on a regular and consistent basis enable the members to operate out of their strengths and not out of their weaknesses. And what is one person's strengths will cover another's weakness. This is teamwork, enabling all of the bases to be covered.

Fun
The team that plays together stays together. Is your team all work and no play? If you're smart, that will change. Get your team out of the office once a month and go have some fun. Enjoy one another. Enjoy life. It will bring a sense of bonding that can't be made even in "winning."

Common Goals and Vision
I have found that these need to have three aspects. Short, simple and clear. Can you say it in less than 30 seconds? Is it simple? Can you and others understand it? Does the team all know what they are working together for?

Appreciation
All through the "game," successful teams appreciate one another and show it in a variety of ways. The coach shows it to the players, the players show it to the coach, and the players show it to one another.

Here is a "Successful Teams" Checklist for you to evaluate with.

* Is there communication between coach and players and from player to player?

* Is your team committed to excellence?

* Do those on the team know what it means to follow?

* Does everyone on my team know their specific role?

* Do the individuals on our team regularly operate out of their strengths as opposed to their weaknesses?

* Does our team take a break from time to time to just have fun together?

* Do we understand our common goals and vision? Can we all state it (them)?

* Is there a sense of and communication of genuine appreciation among my team?
 
Here's to building strong teams and teamwork!
Chris Widener

In just about every area of life that involves people, including sports, business and family, you realize the importance of trust and teamwork. There are countless stories of teams without necessarily the greatest talent, who end up winning the championship. Or businesses that don't have near the capital of their competitors, yet outperforming those same competitors. One of the most obvious areas that trust and teamwork come into play is in the military, particularly with fighter pilots, who have to fly at fast speeds while in formation. This requires 100% trust and teamwork. And when it is done right, it is a thing of beauty. What if we could bring those same principles into our businesses, organizations and homes?

Rob "Waldo" Waldman. Waldo is a former Air Force fighter pilot with over 2650 flight hours and 65 real-world combat missions. He uses the experience of real-world combat to relate to sales and management execution. Waldo has his MBA and spent a number of years in the software, and mergers and acquisitions business. He has earned achievements such as Instructive Pilot of the Year, Top Gun, and Top Flight Lead.

Well, I had the opportunity to not only meet, but also interview Waldo. This DVD is a must for any leader or really anyone who needs and wants to get better results with the people they work (or live) with. To purchase this program on DVD and bonus CD for a special price of only $27 (retail $97, go to http://mfs.yoursuccessstore.com today or call 877-929-0439 (Also buy as part of special 10-Pack collection and SAVE even more!)

2. Made for Success Quote and Commentary

"Half the failures in life arise from pulling in one's horse as he is leaping." -- A. W. Hare

Chris' Commentary:
There is a time to be cautious. It is before you make your move. Be cautious as you are deciding about what to do. Look it over carefully. Think wisely. But when you decide to go for it - GO FOR IT! Too many people second guess themselves as they are actually making the attempt, even after they have second guessed themselves, and even third and fourth guessed themselves during the decision making process. When you make the decision to jump, jump. The time for thinking about the pros and cons is g-o-n-e!

Action Point: Are you still deciding? That's good. Think it through. Are you in the middle? Then stop trying to decide! You already have a decision - now you need to give it all you have, full force. Let it fly - don't hold back. Because holding back will cause you to fall flat on your face, and we don't want that. Make a commitment today to go full force on those things you have already committed to.

3. The Last Word...

This week's Last Word comes from Waldo Waldman. Last year I was privileged to interview Waldo on my Made for Success TV show and got to know him a little better. Wow, what a great human being! Waldo's message is simple — whether achieving victory as a fighter pilot, in business, or in life, the same qualities that ensure success apply: focus, discipline, integrity, teamwork, leadership, overcoming your fears, and maintaining a commitment to excellence. He believes that the key to winning lies with your wingmen — the men and women in your life who help you to overcome obstacles, adapt to change, and achieve success. In business and life, you should never fly solo! Enjoy! -- CW

COMMIT COMMIT! Where Discipline Meets Action by Waldo Waldman

December 21st, 1998 – a brisk winter day in Saudi Arabia. I was stationed on my first combat deployment, flying missions enforcing the Iraqi southern no-fly zone.

I was scheduled to take off on only the fourth combat sortie of my career, inexperienced and quite nervous. It was a mission I'll never forget.

I was flying that day with my flight lead Lt Col "Hos" Hyatt, the commander of the 79th Fighter Squadron Tigers. Our "2 ship" of F-16's were charged with "sanitizing" the airspace of any enemy aircraft that might be crossing the restricted area. It could have been a routine patrol – or not.

Suddenly, our radios blared with an urgent call from the radar ground controller, "Viper flight, you've got a MIG-23 150 miles off your nose headed south…hostile, hostile!"

This meant the MIG had crossed the no fly zone and was headed towards us and the fuel tankers we were in charge of protecting. A split second later, my headset erupted with a call from Hos.

"Viper flight, COMMIT, COMMIT!"

Almost unconsciously, I pushed up my throttle to afterburner and started to climb as I struggled to stay in perfect formation with Hos. There was no turning back. We were going after that MIG.

With those two words, "Commit, Commit," my destiny was set in motion that day. No time to think – there was simply time to react. I was trained for that moment and my instantaneous choice was really quite clear: it was time to "commit."

My heart raced. The intensity was beyond words. Quite frankly, there was a part of me that asked, "Am I ready to do this? Will I get shot at? What if my engine fails?"

In the moment, doubt crept in.

But deep down, I knew I was ready and I was mentally and emotionally prepared. Otherwise I had no business being in that jet. Aborting that mission was not an option – period. I had a job to do. All of my military training boiled down to this one moment and I simply had to trust my wingman, stay in position, and execute the briefed plan. It was time to act.

That moment may have come in the extreme of combat, but it was really no different than the "call to duty" we all face in everyday life and business.

Do you have the discipline and training to commit to action in your life - to "push it up" and go after your target with confidence? Perhaps it's the challenge of raising a family, a new job opportunity, going for a promotion, embarking on a fitness regimen or a "serious" diet, or the trust and rigors that come from a relationship. The actions you take once you commit will determine the quality of your outcome.

If you're not ready to commit, no problem. Perhaps it's not the right time, or you just need more time.

But, if you really are committed to take action in your life, then you better have the discipline to do what it takes to commit with confidence and a foster that level of trust others can count on.

True commitment only exists when it is aligned with action. Action that is based on disciplined preparation, laser sharp focus, and most of all – courage, the sort of courage that says even though you may get "shot at" – you will carry on regardless! This is the reality of flying fighters in combat, and it is also the reality of leading a life of passion that is based on commitment and action.

Bottom line, before you commit to anything, you have to risk getting "shot at." You have to be willing to work and sacrifice. Let's face it, it's not easy to commit. If it were, everybody would be doing it!

My good friend Dirk Jones does 110 push ups every morning and he's in the gym more than I am. Dirk is 73. He's committed to staying fit and takes action to do so every day.

I recently spoke to people from an amazing retail management company named Jones Lang LaSalle. Last year, a severe tornado ripped through one of their properties in Memphis – the Hickory Ridge Mall. Petrified, one of the employees refused to evacuate the building. But Pat Jacobs, the mall's GM, stayed behind and risked his life to make sure she was safe. Another wingman named Barry Woods drove eight hours and spent three weeks with his co-workers to help them recover from the disaster.

Barry and Pat were committed to serving their wingmen at JLL. They took action and it made a deep difference for their company.

So, here's the wingtip: The ability to face our fears, harness courage, and commit to action when the stakes are high is made a lot easier when we act in service to others. More importantly, when we have a trusted partner on our wing backing us up, it gives us courage to press on.

Hos was on my wing. Who is on yours?

PUSH IT UP!®
Waldo
 

In just about every area of life that involves people, including sports, business and family, you realize the importance of trust and teamwork. There are countless stories of teams without necessarily the greatest talent, who end up winning the championship. Or businesses that don´t have near the capital of their competitors, yet outperforming those same competitors. One of the most obvious areas that trust and teamwork come into play is in the military, particularly with fighter pilots, who have to fly at fast speeds while in formation. This requires 100% trust and teamwork. And when it is done right, it is a thing of beauty. What if we could bring those same principles into our businesses, organizations and homes?

Rob "Waldo" Waldman. Waldo is a former Air Force fighter pilot with over 2650 flight hours and 65 real-world combat missions. He uses the experience of real-world combat to relate to sales and management execution. Waldo has his MBA and spent a number of years in the software, and mergers and acquisitions business. He has earned achievements such as Instructive Pilot of the Year, Top Gun, and Top Flight Lead.

Well, I had the opportunity to not only meet, but also interview Waldo. This DVD is a must for any leader or really anyone who needs and wants to get better results with the people they work (or live) with. To purchase this program on DVD and bonus CD for a special price of only $27 (retail $97, go to http://mfs.yoursuccessstore.com today or call 877-929-0439 (Also buy as part of special 10-Pack collection and SAVE even more!)

4. Trust and Teamwork...

In just about every area of life that involves people, including sports, business and family, you realize the importance of trust and teamwork. There are countless stories of teams without necessarily the greatest talent, who end up winning the championship. Or businesses that don´t have near the capital of their competitors, yet outperforming those same competitors.

One of the most obvious areas that trust and teamwork come into play is in the military, particularly with fighter pilots, who have to fly at fast speeds while in formation. This requires 100% trust and teamwork. And when it is done right, it is a thing of beauty.

What if we could bring those same principles into our businesses, organizations and homes?

I had the opportunity to not only meet, but also interview such a fighter pilot - Rob "Waldo" Waldman. Waldo is a former Air Force fighter pilot with over 2650 flight hours and 65 real-world combat missions. He uses the experience of real-world combat to relate to sales and management execution. Waldo has his MBA and spent a number of years in the software, and mergers and acquisitions business. He has earned achievements such as Instructive Pilot of the Year, Top Gun, and Top Flight Lead.

Here are just a few of the things Rob shares from his exciting experiences while serving in the Air Force…

How to perform with virtually flawless precision when you need to.
How to overcome any fear.
How to get different departments of a company to work together, watch each other's back, and help each other out when there's a need. (Too much time and money goes to waste simply because departments within the same company don't work together. Reduce this problem, and watch your company thrive like never before!)
How to prepare for the unexpected and what to do when it happens.
Why most people clamp up during a meeting, and the secret to getting everyone to share their best ideas and speak up – freely and without hesitation. (You'll be surprised (actually, shocked!) to find how many good ideas go down the drain simply because so few companies practice this secret…)
What you need to do to create more "wins" in your life.
And much, much more
This program is a must for any leader or really anyone who needs and wants to get better results with the people they work (or live) with.

To purchase this program on DVD and bonus CD for a special price of only $27 (retail $97, go to http://mfs.yoursuccessstore.com today or call 877-929-0439.

Also buy as part of special 10-Pack collection and SAVE even more!

5. More Information

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