May 2020 Email Newsletter Huddle

by | Jun 1, 2020 | Entrepreneurship, Leadership, Performance, Success, Uncategorized | 0 comments

Full Time-Out: May 2020

When I used to attend basketball practices on a regular basis, I would always arrive 30-40 minutes before it started to observe. And I quickly learned that I could put every single player into one of two categories:

  1. Those that were waiting for practice to start
  2. Those that were preparing for practice to start

Those that were waiting usually had their shoes untied, were casually sitting in the bleachers playing on their phone, or in an adjacent hallway trying to smooth talk a girl.

Those that were preparing were laced up, getting warmed-up & stretched out, doing some form shooting, or working on mastering a new move. They were already locked in and focused and had a nice sweat going.

So my question to you…

Are you waiting for this pandemic (and social distancing restrictions) to be over?

Or are you preparing for them to be over?

“What you do now sets up what you later. And there is always a later.” – Coach K

Video Breakdown Series

The lessons Dave learned by taking a decade long sabbatical are all lessons we should be learning while we are quarantined at home!

Read

Whether in sports or business, your performance is directly related to how well you can share and receive feedback.

If you are offering feedback, it must come from your heart – with no traces of jealousy, negativity, or cynicism. The unconscious message needs to be, “I care about you and your performance I want to help you improve!”

Please know that honest feedback is more valuable than positive feedback. If you really want to see someone raise their game, you will tell them what they need to hear… not what they want to hear.

The feedback you offer should be motivational or developmental (not constructive) and have the goal of improving performance (and confidence).

Here is a way to present your feedback:

“I saw you do this and I loved it…”
“I saw you do this and I am concerned…”

Another way is to use a Feedback Frame. This will make sure the feedback is received as uplifting and empowering.

Here is how you can use a Feedback Frame”

  1. What’s working is… PRAISE
  2. What I’d like to see more of is… NEED

Aim to provide equal amounts of each!

In the next newsletter (May 30 Second Time-Out) I will share tips on accepting/receiving feedback!

Watch

The world’s top performers and highest achievers – in sports or business – know how vital purposeful preparation is to success. So once again I ask you, are waiting for this pandemic to end or are you preparing for it?

Listen

I recently had the opportunity to huddle up with Penn State Football Coach James Franklin… and the knowledge he dropped was invaluable and has incredibly high utility. Click here to listen.

30 Second Time-Out: May 2020

As the United States slowly attempts to inch back to recovery, state by state and county by county, I hope you and those closest to you have been able to stay healthy and happy. I hope you’ve been able to remain optimistic and poised. I hope you’ve successfully been planning and preparing to create yet another ‘new normal.’

To help support you, I want to check in with you. I want you to heighten your self-awareness, to take some personal inventory, and to reflect on ‘where you are.’

Please grab a notebook, a journal, or a pad of paper and a pen and answer the following questions as truthfully as possible:

  • In the past week I used my strengths when…
  • In the past week I added value to my team/family when…
  • In the past week I did the following tasks I enjoyed…
  • In the past week I felt valued and utilized when…
  • These are my priorities for next week…
  • This is what I may need help with next week…

How do you feel about your answers?

Watch

I recently did a 60-minute Virtual Q&A for an exclusive group of executive coaches.

Here are a few tips I shared that apply to any leader in sports or business.

In the past 3 weeks I’ve delivered virtual presentations with Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, sales teams, and high school & college sports teams. Each was customized and packed with practical, actionable strategies and takeaways.

If your organization is interested – please email me at Alan@AlanSteinJr.com – I would be honored to explore and discuss!

Read

Whether in sports or business, your performance is directly related to how well you can give and accept feedback.

In our last newsletter (May Full Time-Out) I shared a variety of thoughts, tips, and strategies on how to effectively share feedback.

Here are 9 steps to effectively receive, accept, and utilize feedback:

  1. Remain open, humble and receptive to it in every area of your life.
  2. Appreciate it – look at it as a gift!
  3. Discern the validity of the person giving it (are they actually qualified?).
  4. Is it fact or their opinion or perspective? Is their opinion/perspective valid?
  5. Are they really trying to help you? Or are they simply trying to tear you down?
  6. Ask insightful follow up questions for maximum clarity. Go deep.
  7. Depersonalize avoid the temptation to be defensive. Aim to be completely unbiased.
  8. Evaluate the accuracy, relevance and alignment with your own core beliefs.
  9. Use it – whatever it is – I’m way that helps you grow, develop and improve!

Listen

Have you check out Season 3 of the Raise Your Game Show?

In this season I lean on several of the most innovative and impactful leaders I know to garner their wisdom on how to effectively lead during times of adversity, how to remain poised during a crisis, and how to look for and capitalize on new opportunities.

While these Zoom recordings took place during the height of the CoronaVirus pandemic… the tips, strategies, and principles shared are timeless and can be applied to any future challenge. They also has very high utility. The wisdom dropped can (and should) be applied to any line of work, in any industry, and any organization… in sports or business.

In this episode I climb mountains with Alison Levine, an internationally renowned keynote speaker, author and a captain of the first women’s team to ever successfully scale Mount Everest.

Subscribe NOW on all major Podcast platforms.

Overtime: May 2020

In Season 3 of the Raise Your Game Show I lean on several of the most innovative and impactful leaders I know to garner their wisdom on how to effectively lead during times of adversity, how to remain poised during a crisis, and how to look for and capitalize on new opportunities.

While these Zoom recordings took place during the height of the CoronaVirus pandemic… the tips, strategies, and principles shared are timeless and can be applied to any future challenge. They also have very high utility. The wisdom dropped can (and should) be applied to any line of work, in any industry, and any organization… in sports or business.

Season 4 will be released soon!

Subscribe NOW on all major Podcast platforms.

Watch

To all 2020 high school and college graduates: I can’t fathom your disappointment in not being honored with a proper ceremony and celebration, but don’t let that take away from your accomplishment! Your best days are still ahead. Please enjoy this 2020 Virtual Commencement and take heed of the lessons as you navigate your next chapter!

Read

Before he died, a father said to his son; “Here is a watch that your grandfather gave me. It is over a hundred years old. Before I give it to you, go to the jewelry store downtown. Tell them that I want to sell it, and see how much they offer you.”

The son went to the jewelry story, came back to his father, and said; “They offered $150… because it’s so old.”

The father said; “Go to the pawn shop.”

The son went to the pawn shop, came back to his father, and said; “They offered $50 because it’s so worn out.”

The father asked his son to go to the museum and show them the watch.

He went to the museum, came back, and said to his father; “They offered $50,000 because it’s a very rare piece that they want included in their precious antique collections.”

The father said; “I want you to know that the right people in the right place will value you in the right way.

Don’t be surprised – or get frustrated – if you are with the wrong people or in the wrong place and you are not valued.

Those that know your value will appreciate you. Those that don’t… won’t. Make sure you don’t hang with people – or hang out in places – that don’t see your value.”

*This is a slightly edited story from an elementary school principle named Tom Braddock who posted this on LinkedIn.