Springfield, TN Rotary Club Program 3-3-2010

1. Springfield, TN Rotary Club 3-3-2010 Program Presented by Philip Shoults

2. On December 25th, 2007, a movie was released, produced by Rob Reiner and starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman as "Two terminally ill men who escape from a cancer ward and head off on a road trip with a wish list of to-dos before they die.” At the heart of this movie is a list of 20 things that Freeman and Nicholson want to do before they “Kick The Bucket” thus making extremely popular the phrase “THE BUCKET LIST”. For months after the movie release, talk shows and TV shows across America were buzzing,soliciting and creating their own “bucket lists” of things people wanted to do or see before they died. Many lists were quite impressive. 2 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

3. A New Kind of Bucket List I believe as Rotarians, we should have our own Bucket List of sorts that help us live the Rotary Motto and daily, properly discern the 4-Way Test in everything we do. But the list that I will suggest is not one for self-indulgence, but one that resembles what an effective Servant Leader would desire.... It is not a list of TO-DOS But a list TO STOP DOING! 3 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

4. Servant Leader’s Bucket List The Servant Leader’s Bucket List presented here was developed from a session I attended several years ago with Author Dr. Marshall Goldsmith, who wrote: What Got You Here Won’t Get You There. The book made the New York Times Best Selling list, was a Wall Street Journal #1 Business Book and also won the Harold Longman Award for Best Business Book of the Year. I still consider myself as a student of the list, and of course, one of the best ways to learn or keep learning... is to teach and share! The list contains 10 behaviors to STOP DOING, in order to become more effective in serving & leading others. 4 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

5. Servant Leader’s Bucket List End the Practice of Not listening: This is the most passive-aggressive form of disrespect. Listening is the one skill that every leader needs more than any other, yet most leaders NEVER take a formal class or enroll in coursework designed specifically to enhance and improve listening skills. A recent poll of CEO’s found that 90% of all CEO’s believe they are above average, when it comes to listening skills. 5 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

6. Servant Leader’s Bucket List STOP Adding too much value: This is the desire to add our two cents to every discussion. No matter the circumstance, we always have to have “the last word” or, in many cases, “sprinkle our blessing on the conversation” by enhancing someone’s contribution or thought with our own, believing were adding value.... but were not. 6 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

7. Servant Leader’s Bucket List STOP Telling the world how smart you are: The need to show people we’re smarter than they think we are. Much like adding too much value, most people already know you’re smart, now you’re just becoming more annoying by having to tell everyone, all the time. It sounds like this.... “well that is a good idea/story/example but did I ever tell you about the time we.....” or “that’s fine but let me tell you how I would do that...” 7 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

8. Servant Leader’s Bucket List QUIT Starting sentences with “No,” “But,” or “However”: The overuse of these negative qualifiers is destructive. They just secretly say to everyone, “I’m right. You’re wrong.” Probably the behavior/habit that is hardest to recognize at first, but when your awareness is raised about the issue.... it becomes very convicting each time you hear yourself. See if this sounds familiar, “I am sorry that I said that, BUT.....” or “That’s a great idea HOWEVER.....” 8 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

9. Servant Leader’s Bucket List STOP Winning too much: The need to win at all costs and in all situations—when it matters, when it doesn’t, and when it’s totally beside the point. This advice is really aimed at all the Type “A-s”, weather you’re a recovering Type-A or not. 9 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

10. Servant Leader’s Bucket List STOP Passing judgment: The need to rate others and impose our standards on them. Our opportunity is to HELP MORE and JUDGE LESS. 10 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

11. Servant Leader’s Bucket List STOP Asking for input then expressing your opinion: This sends the message that we did not want input to begin with. It sounds like “what suggestions does this group have for ______, ........because I think we should do _________.” 11 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

12. Servant Leader’s Bucket List STOP Making destructive comments: These are the needless wise cracks and cutting remarks that we think make us sound witty. In fact they don’t make us sound witty at all. They cheapen the conversation and let other people know that we cannot be taken seriously, reinforcing to others that our views are often tainted by the stains of sarcasms and prejudice. 12 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

13. Servant Leader’s Bucket List STOP Making excuses: This is displayed as the need to reposition our annoying behavior as a permanent fixture so people excuse us for it. Remember the saying “.... that’s just Barry being Barry” or “.... that’s just Manny being Manny”? Annoying wasn’t it? It applies for anyone. 13 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

14. Servant Leader’s Bucket List AND FINALLY, STOP Failing to express regret & gratitude: Failing to express regret is the inability to take responsibility for our actions, admit we’re wrong, or recognize how our actions affect others. Failing to express gratitude is the most basic form of bad manners. Saying “I am sorry” and “thank you” is easy, it’s free and pays incredible dividends, now and in the future. 14 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

15. Conclusion Making an individual effort to improve in any of the behaviors mentioned in the Servant leader’s Bucket List takes an intentional effort and is best accomplished with setting a goal to change the behavior and then monitoring the change with designated peer accountability. To make the positive changes, let a select group of people know that your trying to change one or two of the specific behaviors and tell them why it is important that you change. Routinely ask them how your making progress against your goal and thank them for helping you improve! 15 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness

16. Service Above Self Is it Truth? Is it Fair to all concerned? Will it build Goodwill and Better Friendships? Will it be beneficial to all Concerned? THANK YOU 16 Strategy Consultants for Success: Business, Organizational and Operating Effectiveness