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07/29/2024

What will you do as the leader to harmonize the mission and organization?

Welcome to Monday Motivation! I'm Tom Connally, your local Leadership Coach.

A few years ago, a friend was researching leadership in extreme circumstances and asked me for an interview with him and a UVA PHD colleague. He knew I'd led various organizations in combat and peacetime, overseas and in extreme climates. It was a great conversation that caused me to evaluate my leadership skills and was a significant impetus for becoming a coach. We spoke mainly about Iceland, Okinawa, and OIF. I concluded that an effective organization harmonizes three factors: Mission, organization, and the leader.

The mission must be clear, and everyone must understand their role in it. This is a significant challenge in every organization, where cannoneers, riflemen, salesmen, or operators may have very different tasks than mechanics, truck drivers, administrators, or bookkeepers. That's just about every organization. You can see this in every organization's disdain for higher headquarters. Proximity to the work matters.

The organization must be structured with trained and qualified people to accomplish the mission. To use a well-worn but valid statement, you must have the right people in the right seats on the bus. A toy company will not make lawnmowers as good as a lawnmower company.

Leaders must be competent in leadership and their industry and understand their role. I never got to be the leader I wanted to be in the twenty-plus organizations I led; I had to be the leader the organization needed to harmonize the mission and organization. Every organization is a living organism with habits, routines, cultures, and internal and external challenges, and the leader must figure out how to accomplish the mission effectively.

The challenges were unique: In Iceland, it was a shifting mission, inexperienced Marines, and an ineffective structure. In Okinawa, it was a poorly defined mission set, the absence of experienced senior leaders, and some bad habits. In OIF, it was a diverse mission set, ad hoc organization, geographic dispersion, and a hostile enemy. These challenges were overcome by exceptional Marines and leaders who learned to be what the organization and mission needed.

What are your challenges? What will you do to lead the organization in accomplishing its mission? Will you be the leader your people need?

To become a better leader or improve your performance, sign up for my newsletter or set an appointment at the link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

07/15/2024

In my 62 years and 35 years of personal development and leadership, my most significant personal and coaching challenge is spiritual growth. It is also the easiest and the most dangerous to ignore. Most clients wouldn't raise the issue if I ignored it, but most of those discussions are illuminating. Since I always start with values and unifying principles, faith, and God often are at the forefront. Perhaps the topic is most challenging because spiritual goals like peace and purpose aren't easily defined, and getting into heaven seems a monumental endeavor. This is where I remind you that I'm neither a priest nor a theologian. The truth is the hard part is fighting through 34 years of being told that talking about my faith was proselytizing, but as an Orthodox Christian, spiritual growth means moving closer to God, or theosis. We will never become God, so the objective is our purpose, theosis. That process is the same for monastics and lay persons: prayer, fasting, services, liturgy, confession, Holy Communion, and ascetic struggle following scripture and Holy Tradition. One of the things I love about Orthodoxy is the 2000 years of spiritual guidance. It took me 20 years of struggle and searching to find the original Church, part of my theosis, which continues within the Orthodox Church, and the resources to learn and understand what I believe.

Most of you aren't Orthodox, and some observe spirituality outside of an organized faith. This is a much more challenging situation as you must define what you believe, question it, find support for it, and then follow that belief. Is that effort spiritual or philosophical? I don't know, but I know that good philosophy, good science, and good theology are not mutually exclusive. I also know that as a leader, you better understand what you believe because you will be tested regularly, and incongruity of values and performance creates significant mental stress.

Do I care? Yes, I'd like you all to be Orthodox, but this is America, and you can believe what you want. However, you have to do the work to live what you believe, and you will be held accountable. So, take your highest belief this week, write a paragraph about what it means, and then set one goal that helps you live that belief. And start!

To become a better leader, or if you need help with your goals, sign up for my newsletter or set up an appointment at the link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

07/08/2024

When discussing goals, I use Seven Buckets or general areas of life. One of those buckets is money and investment, two topics subject to much myth and misunderstandings, not the least of which is the erroneous quoting of Saint Paul that "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." Money is a necessity, but it is only an enabling tool. That is a critical philosophy. Money isn't the objective. It is the enabler. Chris Janson sings, "I know everybody says money can't buy happiness, But it could buy me a boat. It could buy me a truck to pull it. It could buy me a Yeti 110 iced down with some silver bullets." He's right, especially if that's your goal.

So, the goals in this bucket are oriented toward supporting other goals around the following questions: How much money do I need? How do I keep what I have? How should I spend wisely? There are many others, but the critical question is, "How do I want to live? Within that are the questions that come from your vision and mission. What do I want to accomplish? What assets and resources do I need to achieve those goals?

Financial Freedom is the ability to sustain your needs and goals through the income of your assets. It requires knowledge, a network, and action. The amount you need is up to you and how you want to live, and you may be surprised that you don't have to be a millionaire. Accumulate assets that will continue to grow in value and provide you income. Yes, you can be the millionaire next door. Robert Kiyosaki's book "Rich Dad Poor Dad" is a great start, but there are many great books.

So, this week, write down three or four financial goals and start figuring out what you need to know, who you need to know, and what actions you need to take to attain them. If you're a Veteran, First Responder, or Family of either, look at the second link below for the Veterans for FinancialFreedom.org

To become a better leader, sign up for my newsletter or set an appointment at the first link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

https://veteransforfinancialfreedom.org

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

07/01/2024

This Thursday will be the 4th of July and the 248th Anniversary of America's Independence! Happy Birthday, America! We should celebrate this day and all the outstanding accomplishments of our Republic over the past 247 years.
We beat the greatest empire in the world to gain our independence. We are the undisputed two-time World War Champions and rebuilt Europe. We won the Cold War and saved millions of people. We've built the most robust economy and excellent military the world has ever seen, an umbrella under which much of the world thrives.

The greatest of our achievements, however, is the creation of a Nation based on principles of which Jefferson wrote in the Declaration: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed."

On these principles, our Constitution and all else are founded. America is "the last best hope of mankind" because of this first great achievement. That means we must remember Benjamin Franklin's response to the question of what form of government had been decided, "A Republic if you can keep it." It takes work and an involved citizenry to maintain a Republic. So, on this 248th birthday of our Republic, celebrate and then be the American who lives the principles for which so many have sacrificed.

Happy Birthday, America, and may God grant the United States many more blessed years!

To become a better leader, sign up for my newsletter or set up an appointment at the link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

06/24/2024

Would you like to be smarter, run faster, make more money, love better, help more people, or lead better? You have to change something and make one of four choices: to do something of an advantage, to keep doing something of an advantage, to reduce something disadvantageous, or to quit doing something disadvantageous. To be better at anything, we have to grow; to grow, we have to take on a challenge. If you want to be stronger, you have to challenge the muscles; to be smarter, you have to study; to be better in any area of life, you have to challenge yourself. Those challenges have to be significant, even hard. If your goal is to get out of bed every day, you will until you don't, then won't, and then can't. The Stoic Philosopher Seneca wrote, "It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult," and there are many more, but we must move forward, or we are sliding backward, getting stronger or weaker, learning or losing our capability even to think.

So we look at the areas of our lives, what we do well or not, and what motivates us. We create a vision of who we want to be, where we want to go, and how we want to live. Then, we consider why, which becomes our mission and purpose, and we set challenging goals to guide us on how and when to take on those challenges to grow. We dare boldly, and if we fail, we persevere. You are the Man in the Arena; dare boldly!

To become a better leader or improve your performance, sign up for my newsletter or set an appointment at the link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

06/17/2024

I have been seriously writing goals and coaching people in the Marines and my business for 35 years, and the first two things that fall off the daily action list are health and fitness. We wake up late, grab a coffee on the go and a power bar, miss our workout, and try to make up the time. We're behind when we get to work, aren't we always, and by the time lunch rolls around, we reach for the lunch we didn't have time to pack. So, we order out or grab another power bar and a double espresso macchiato, and in our minds, we say, "But I skipped lunch." If we make it through the afternoon without dozing but don't start me on the need for adequate sleep, the quality of our work product suffers because our hormones are completely out of Wack. We start the commute home exhausted, which is just as dangerous as driving drunk, and we are HANGRY when we meet our family on the other side of the front door. There have been more than a few periods in my life when this was the daily routine. Hopefully, you'll catch it before you experience negative cascading results throughout your life.

Yes, your whole life! God gave us our bodies to be the vehicle for everything else, and everything else is affected by what we do or fail to do to our bodies. BUT, But, but it takes a conscious effort. It takes a Unifying Principle to live a healthy life and to have goals to get healthy and stay healthy. Those goals must be detailed and evolve into routines and habits. Here are four to start:
Give up sugar. That means checking all your food for added sugar; if it's listed as an ingredient, don't buy it or replace it with a chemical alternative. It only takes four days to withdraw from sugar, but day four won't be fun. Everything natural will taste better, inflammation will decrease, and you'll feel better.

Drink filtered water. Get a filter, not bottled water; your body doesn't need chlorine or BPAs from plastic.

Prepare your lunch the night before. While you're at it, prepare your breakfast too. It will keep you from eating crap and save you time at work. You won't come home hangry, and you won't eat sugar.
Move. Do something physical every day. Play with the kids, climb stairs, do heavy deadlifts, anything but something. Strength training is excellent, especially after 40.

Set detailed goals so you can accomplish them daily. You'll lose weight, look, feel, perform, and lead better!

To become a better leader, or if you need help with your goals, sign up for my newsletter or set up an appointment at the link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

06/10/2024

This Friday, we celebrate Flag Day, and on Sunday, Father's Day. Toby Keith tied it all together for me the other day in his song Made in America when he sang:

"My old Man's that old Man, spent his life livin' off the land, dirty hands and a clean soul. It breaks his heart seein' foreign cars filled with fuel that isn't ours, and wearin' cotton we didn't grow. He's got the Red, White, and Blue flyin high on the farm. Semper Fi tattooed on his left arm, spend a little more at the store for a tag in the back that says USA. He won't buy nothin' that he can't fix with WD-40 and a Craftsman wrench. He ain't prejudiced; he's just Made in America."

While my Dad wasn't a farmer, we had a flagpole in the front yard; one of his several tattoos said USN, and he fought on Peleliu in WWII with the Marines, but most importantly, he was "Dad." He always had a project at home, Church, or with a neighbor and enjoyed a good day of labor. He stepped up to lead Scout Troops and baseball teams when no one else would. During the Bicentennial, he rigged our six-halyard flagpole with the flags of the Revolution and made sure I understood what each flag meant. He loved Mom with a passion few will ever know, and it broke his heart when she died at 47. He loved kids; they loved him, and all the babies would fall asleep in his arms. He was tough as nails, had a grip like a vice, was a great storyteller and writer, and was the most intelligent Man I've ever known. He was a Christian, Patriot, leader, and husband. He walked the talk and held the line. He was Dad.

So this week, think about what you learned from your Dad and what you're teaching your kids. Then give your Dad a call on the phone or in prayer and say "Thanks."

To become a better leader, sign up for my newsletter or set an appointment at the link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

06/03/2024

Only three percent of people write goals; if you have written goals, you are 42 percent more likely to achieve them. However, there are thousands of studies on goal setting and achievement. Some even say setting significantly challenging goals and failing can damage your motivation. No kidding; failure hurts, so get back up and attack!

Part of the key to motivation and goal setting is making them personally important. Goals must come from your values, vision, mission, and purpose. Who am I? What do I believe? What impact do I want to make? Who do I want to serve? How do I want to get there, and when? These are critical questions in figuring out your goals. The seven buckets I use are guides: spiritual development, physical development and health, career and business, money and investment, social and community, family and relationships, and personal growth and education.

None of us are balanced, but we all need a strong foundation in spirit, mind, and body to align our performance and values. Leaders tend to be generalists who apply their talents in communication, vision, critical thinking, and integrity to guide organizations, but they, too, have particular talents. Stoics would say that makes perfect sense.

This week, ask yourself these questions, and you may have some goals worth writing down.

To become a better leader, sign up for my newsletter or set up an appointment at the link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

05/30/2024

This week Jackson Trull tells a great story in the history of art.
"A great artist never stops learning and growing".

05/27/2024

It's Memorial Day, and many of you won't see this until tomorrow, and that's fine. It also means I'm not wrapped up in keeping this short so you can make it to the barbecue. So, let's talk about why it's important to remember our fallen warriors.

In most cultures and religions, the dead are remembered, and in most, great warriors are celebrated and studied, but America remembers all of her battle-fallen on Memorial Day. The official history starts with the Civil War, where all the 620,000 soldiers killed were Americans, and few families were without loss. These days, most Americans don't know a single American killed in battle, thank God. Most of our politicians don't know a Gold Star Family and only 18% of Congress have served. While remembering our fallen warriors provides lessons in courage, patriotism, selflessness, and sacrifice, the Holy Day of Memorial Day reminds our government, politicians, and military leaders that the Mothers of America have entrusted them with the precious lives of their sons and daughters.

Memorial Day is not just a reminder but a measure of accountability for all Americans that there is work that needs doing. As President Lincoln said, "that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." That means more than voting and politics. Politics is only part of the solution. President John Adams said, "Our constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other". Thus, character is our foundation, starting at home, in our Churches, schools, youth sports teams, Scouts, and community groups. These are the places where the principles of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are learned and connected to integrity, honor, diligence, industry, and the proposition that all men are created equal.

So raise the flag, half staff until noon, have a barbecue, pause at 3 pm for a moment of prayer, and say the name of at least one fallen patriot. If you don't know any, I know a few: Chance Phelps, Scott Pruitt, Zach Kolda, Jesse Strong, Megan McClung, and Domingo Arroyo. Here's a prayer if you need one: O Lord, I commend the souls of your servants (their names) and beseech you to grant them rest in the place of thy rest, where all thy blessed Saints repose, and where the light of thy countenance shineth forever. And we ask thee to grant that we may live our lives worthy of their sacrifice and entry into thy heavenly Kingdom. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen
Now, start the work of building a life of character worthy of the blood of patriots; may their memory be eternal.

To become a better leader or improve your performance, sign up for my newsletter or set an appointment at the link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

05/20/2024

Toby Keith sang, "American girls and American guys; We'll always stand up and salute, We'll always recognize When we see Old Glory flying, There's a lot of men dead, So we can sleep in peace at night when we lay down our head." I'm thoroughly convinced the majority of Americans still feel this way and recognize that America is great because America is good.

Memorial Day has become the beginning of summer, and many will celebrate with barbecues and picnics. Still, President Lincoln had it right at Gettysburg when he said, "But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

So, I implore you to set an example for our children next Monday: raise our flag, say a prayer, make a toast, and take a minute to remember the over 1.1 million service members who have died in battle since the founding of the Republic. May their memory be eternal!

To become a better leader, or if you need help with organization, sign up for my newsletter or set up an appointment at the link below:
https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

05/13/2024

I have a leadership principle to learn something and teach something daily primarily because, as leaders, we must continue to grow, and learning fosters growth. Stoic philosopher Seneca once said, 'While we teach, we learn," and Nobel laureate physicist Robert Oppenheimer believed that "There is no better way to learn than to teach." Learning, however, tends to get left off our daily action list with all the day's projects. Some coaches endorse a 0500 morning power hour for reading and reflection. I don't know about you, but I've never liked a 0500 morning, and there is only so much you can get done in that hour or two. The key is prioritizing learning, so schedule it and create learning habits. If you listen to audiobooks in your car, you can accumulate a master's degree knowledge in a year. Many online courses are free or at a meager cost, and if the information is directly related to your occupation, it may be tax deductible. I listen to audiobooks while I work in my yard.

The bottom line is that we must learn to grow, and self-study directly contributes to professional and financial success. So make learning a principle, and if you really want to be good, share what you've learned with your people.
To become a better leader, sign up for my newsletter or set an appointment at the link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

05/06/2024

This Sunday is Mother's Day, so you still have a few days to get a card, flowers, and reservations at Mom's favorite spot. If you're a Dad, that means your Mom and your wife. Make it a point to call if you can't be together. Our lives have special relationships, and our Moms are at the top of that list. Without Mom, we don't exist, and then I'm betting there are multiple times Mom saved your life as you grew up. If you don't have time for your Mom, you probably aren't making time for the other notable relationships in your life.

We weren't created to be loners. In the Orthodox Church, we believe that God created mankind to live in communion with the Holy Trinity and in His image with body, soul, and the grace of the Holy Spirit. We need relationships with other people, too, which requires time and energy investment. Even on the cross, Jesus ensured that John cared for his mother.

Every relationship is different because every child, spouse, sibling, or friend is different, but they all require time to grow. Make the dang time. Be home for dinner, turn off your phone and the TV, help with the homework, and go to church. You block time for projects at work; block some for your spouse and for your kids. If you have anger poisoning your relationship, don't let the anger demon win; forgive and keep forgiving.

So put your relationships on your schedule this week, and remember to call your Mom; you owe her your life!

To become a better leader, sign up for my newsletter or set up an appointment at the link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

04/29/2024

The National Day of Prayer is an annual day of observance designated by the United States Congress and held on the first Thursday of May, when people are asked "to turn to God in prayer and meditation". The president is required by law to sign a proclamation each year encouraging all Americans to pray on this day.

This year's theme is Faithfulness. The theme verse is Isaiah 25:1 (NIV), which says, "Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago."

I suggest we pray for God's mercy, our families, Country, Service Members, and first responders. In that spirit, here are some of my prayers:

God's Mercy – Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.
My Family—Lord, grant my wife, daughter, son, and daughter-in-law wisdom, grace, and health to be good Christians, citizens, leaders, husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, daughters and sons. Protect them from the wiles of the evil one, strengthen them for every challenge, protect them from every illness or adversity, and grant them success in every endeavor. Grant them courage and strength to do their duty, knowing you've given them all they need.
Country—Lord, grant your blessing to our Country and all our citizens, granting us wisdom, strength, and courage to preserve our freedom, protect our constitution, and defend our Republic. And grant our civil and military authorities wisdom and strength to make just and right decisions so that we may live in peace, prosperity, and liberty.

Military—Lord bless our Marines and our armed forces everywhere. Grant them success in their missions and bring them home unharmed to their loved ones. Send your angels to protect our Marines and police officers, and St. Michael intercede for them as they protect us.

Give Thanks—Thank you, Lord, for your grace and mercy, for health, healing, and strength, for the health, well-being, and success of my wife and children, and for another day to be with them in this life. Thank you, Lord, for a roof over our heads, food on the table, money in our pockets, our health, the opportunity to contribute, and that we live in the greatest Country in the world: The United States of America. O Lord, hear our prayer in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Amen.

To become a better leader, sign up for my newsletter or set an appointment at the link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

04/22/2024

Are you out of gas in mid-afternoon? You're lucky if you are only tired after a long, physically demanding day. Thirty-three percent of Americans are sleep-deprived, so there's a good chance your brain isn't operating at maximum capacity. Your immune system and energy levels are likely compromised. The longer you live in this state, the more likely you will develop a chronic disease because the body keeps score. You may not realize that your decision-making capacity is diminished. I lived for years exhausted, surviving on massive amounts of coffee. Today, coffee and energy drinks full of sugar are the trend. Those things will keep you awake for a while, but in the long term, they don't replace rest and don't improve performance physically or mentally.

Here's what does improve performance, sleep, nutrition, and exercise. No surprise, right? Get seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and everything improves. Sleep is essential, so figure out how to solve that problem. Eat healthy food. You need protein, carbohydrates, and fats, so get them every meal. Any food with more than one ingredient when you buy it is processed and has the potential to have sugars or preservatives, both, or even more non-natural substances that have side effects on your body. Exercise daily! Physical exercise does more for your body than quitting smoking. Exercise stimulates all of your body, including your brain! It relieves stress and strengthens your immune system. Strength training, especially weightlifting, once avoided by many athletes, has been proven to be directly tied to longevity by enhancing the immune system, staving off frailty by improving bone density, and improving metabolic response. Starting at any age, you can reverse many age-related ailments.
Much of this varies with age and requires you to read and research. It's life, it's hard! Get a helmet or hire a coach, but you're responsible for your performance, which starts with your health. So begin today with some new habits: go to bed at 10 pm, cut sugar out, lift weights three days a week and walk 2 miles the other days, and drink two-quart bottles of filtered water. Do that for 21 days and watch your performance improve! If it doesn't, send me a note using the link.
To become a better leader or improve your performance, sign up for my newsletter or set an appointment at the link below:

https://connallyconsulting.com/contact

Remember, "all things are possible through prayer and heavy deadlifts."™

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