The answer: RADICAL INNOVATION!

Radical innovation is going to be a critical component in a leader’s toolkit in the future, and this does not mean that you “try innovation” over a week-end brainstorming retreat. It happens by disrupting the current environment, challenging old assumptions and even turning the culture upside down so that you can move ahead and start being highly competitive.

Each day I meet leaders, and the first question I ask is “On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being super sticky, how stuck are you?” Most people laugh, and they usually respond by saying “I’m a 20 or a 25!” So, when you are stuck, you have to break up the pattern…turn a table upside down and figure out a way to still use the table as an eating surface, roll out of the bed on the other side, shave with the hand you don’t normally use…do something to be disruptive. This is the same for companies…what would happen if you do the opposite of what you’ve always done? What would you do if you totally destroyed your most profitable item and had to start from scratch? Or, how would an artist, physician or scientist suggest that you change your company?

To keep your company relevant, a culture must foster a sense of psychological safety for employees to not only feel comfortable but be encouraged to challenge the status quo and bring fresh, radical ideas to the table and feel safe that they are not going to be criticized or made to feel silly in the process. Everyone in the company needs to be brought up to speed on the vision and direction of the company, and the leader needs to make a statement that the game is now on…everyone is going to be challenged to think radically, innovate, think strategically and that a part of this is to be open to divergent thinking and to allow open debate to get to the root of the issue. You have to be willing to get very uncomfortable…to laugh nervously and feel the sweat bead up on your brow.

Staying ahead will also call leaders to design an environment that includes a diversity of people…a mix of cultures, ages, ethnicities and religions can bring new, more creative ideas to the table. It will also be very important to add a Chief Knowledge Officer to your staff…someone who has their finger on the pulse of what is going on in the world and how your company fits in and how competitive you are to people who are thousands of miles around the world from you.

Tomorrow is already here. Are you relevant, or are you becoming obsolete? Only you can answer that question!

Inspiring true champions is the essence of Veronica Karaman’s life and the reason why she has become a successful life coach, speaker, teacher, motivator, and author.

At the age of five, Veronica began her golf career and her quest to become a champion. At this early age, as her father placed a putter in her hand, she knew that golf would become her closest friend. She found out later in life that golf would also become her worst enemy when she failed.

Success in golf, achieving all A’s in academics, and striving for perfection, were all things that she worked diligently at accomplishing. She graduated as the valedictorian of her high school and graduate school classes, and won many golf tournaments. However, all the trophies and triumphs were not enough to fill the void and the loneliness in her heart. Her father’s death when she was fifteen only fueled Veronica’s determined pursuit to become a champion.

At the height of her college career as a scholarship athlete at Duke University, she realized that being a champion is not a trophy you achieve, but an identity you realize based on who you are. She also discovered the foundational tools of a true champion are unconditional love, acceptance, dignity of soul, an authentic heart and a warrior spirit.

This discovery over time helped set her free from 17 years of chronic fatigue and the deep emotional damage that occurred when she substituted her need for nurture with a relentless drive for achievement when her father died. The captive freed, the true champion in her came forth. After five years of quitting golf, Veronica experienced her career highlight in golf. After winning the qualifying tournament, Veronica went on to play in the 1989 Women’s U.S. Open.

In addition to being a professional tour player and instructor, for the last 20 years Veronica has mentored and coached students of all ages and abilities to become academic champions, freed to excel with joy.

In 2004, she became a certified life coach through Transformational Leadership Coaching, Inc. Through True Champion Coaching, Veronica combines her background in peak performance and coach training, life experiences, and the revelation of true championship to help other captives become true champions themselves, on the course, in the classroom, and in life.

For more information, visit Veronica Karaman Ministries.

Listen in as we talk about Veronica’s groundbreaking program God’s Way to an A.  

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Monica O’Brien has a great post today on BrazenCareerist on what Gen Y is actually creating in our world, and here is my comment back:

As a Baby Boomer, I have watched my parents (Veterans) work their fingers to the bone, and I have now watched as Gen X went through the Dot Com Boom and Bust. I am the parent of 3 Gen Y’s, and here is what I think.

I believe that Gen Y is here to show us that the complexity we have been so wound up in over the last 20 years is ridiculous. We create death in careers through endless meetings, we stifle creativity, and we have this belief that was worn out ages ago that says “Thou must work your fingers to the bone in order to get ahead.” That is ridiculous, and it’s killing us.

Gen Y knows how to get the job done and get it done efficiently and effectively so that we have time to do what we all want to do…have free time to play and as my son says “chill.” So, let’s start looking at the lessons we can learn from this. There’s a time to work (and yes, this does mean sweating at times), and there’s a time to play…and remember…play time is productive time. We can’t do great work if our brains are fried.  So, from my perspective, Gen Y is showing us a much healthier perspective on how to work, when to work and what’s important in life…which is living!

Is it me, or are all the morning news shows completely devoid of any leadership whatsoever?  Ever since Katie Couric left the Today Show, morning news has fallen to pieces. If there is no political candidate to gossip about, or school shooting to investigate, the morning news is being relegated to cats playing with yo-yos.  With the internet being so prevalent, segment producers appear to just be sitting in their offices just waiting for the latest news to appear in their in-boxes, as opposed to getting out into their communities and finding what is worthy of investigating. When did news become a reporting of the latest and most interesting piece of crap (like this R. Kelly case that has been in the news for NINE YEARS. He had sex with a 14 year old people. Convict him and move on.)? There are real people making a difference in the world everyday. People creating solutions to problems and pain that could nurture and heal the world. Why is the media not paying attention?  And what is the result?  Millions of people suffering because they are not aware of the solutions to their problem, or that anyone is even having the conversation about their needs.  I’m just disgusted this morning.  If I liked plain toast for breakfast every day of my life, the morning news programs would be a wonderful side dish.  Wake up morning producers and go out into the world and find the stories worth reporting on. Stop waiting for people to tell you what to report on and go out into the world and find the news. Being a Leader means taking risks and doing what is right for the benefit of the world.  Oh wait.  the Today Show just started.  There’s a plumbing problem on the space station.  I simply must run off to hear all about it. And even better, a new book is out by Scott McClellan telling us that the Bush White House and Washington are broken.  BECAUSE WE DIDN’T KNOW.  Nothing like reporting the obvious.