Copyright © 2013 by Mac Anderson Published by Simple Truths, LLC. 1952 McDowell Road, Suite 300, Naperville, Illinois 60563 Simple Truths is a registered trademark. Printed and bound in the United States of America. ISBN 978-1-60810-195-5 www.simpletruths.com Toll Free 800-900-3427 Book Design: Brian Frantz
All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means—except for brief quotations in printed reviews—without the prior written permission of the publisher. 01 WOZ 12
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Table of Contents: Stepping Up
The 10 Take-Aways Forward by Mac Anderson Introduction: Stepping Up Take Ownership Take Notes Take a Good Look in the Mirror Take Time Take Measure Take Advice Take a Chance Take Action Take Another Look Take a Knee Step Up or Step Aside
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Foreword By Mac Anderson
I got the call about a year ago. It was from author John Murphy, who said, “Mac, I’ve got a good idea for a book.” Well, here’s the deal. When John has an idea, I’ve learned…it’s almost always good. In the last 25 years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting and working with many authors. Some, in fact, have been #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. However, John Murphy has developed the art of saying “more” with “less” than any author I’ve ever known. So many times I’ve said, “It’s not what you say, but how you say it that turns the switch from ‘off’ to ‘on.’ John’s writing style is clear, concise and engaging. He asks questions to make you think and makes his point in a way that makes the reader say, “Wow. I never thought of it quite that way!” John has written three best-sellers for Simple Truths:
• Pulling Together…10 Rules for High Performance Teamwork • Leading with Passion…10 Essentials for Inspiring Others • The How of Wow...Secrets to World Class Service
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He and I also collaborated on another book that has struck a chord with our readers… Habits Die Hard. I’m now honored to publish his latest book, Stepping Up…10 Takeaways for Advancing Your Career. If you’re totally pleased with the success you’ve had in your career and in life, you can stop reading now. If, however, you’d like to “step up” and tap into your true potential, this book is for you. I challenge you to read and re-read John’s advice for making your career and your life all it can be. His engaging book will show you how to respond to the abundance that is all around us. And one more thing, share it with a friend or co-worker. They might just be ready to “step up!” In Stepping Up and its ten take-away lessons, John has packaged everything you need to accelerate success in your career…in your life. As John would say, it's time to Step Up or Step Aside! All the Best,
Mac Anderson Founder, Simple Truths
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I INTRODUCTION “I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
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INTRODUCTION
Listen carefully to successful people all over the world and they will tell you one thing. Opportunity quietly surrounds you. Information and knowledge are within your reach. Prosperity is silently knocking at your door. Victory mysteriously awaits you. Subtle and elusive as it may seem, there is no scarcity of success. It is available to all of us. The only real problem is how we choose to respond to the unlimited abundance that is ours for the taking.
Do we accept it or reject it? Do we allow it or resist it? Do we demand it or dismiss it? Do we take it in or turn it away?
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Stop and ask yourself: How do you see the world? How do you see yourself in the world? How do you see your relationship with the world? Do you see the opportunity? Do you believe it is yours for the taking? Do you feel worthy of success? Do you feel deserving? Are you asking for it? Are you looking for it? Are you listening for it? Are you open to it? Are you allowing it to manifest in your life and your presence, or have you convinced yourself that you do not qualify for one reason or another? Are you seizing the opportunity to advance yourself and the world in a mutually beneficial way or are you putting it off for another day? Are you expecting success or suspecting it? Are you even aware the choice is up to you? 8
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INTRODUCTION
I am fortunate to work with many successful executives, professionals, military leaders, authors, consultants, teachers, parents, coaches and athletes around the world, and a term I hear more and more frequently is “Step Up.” From North America to China to Brazil to countries all over Europe, the mantra is the same. We need people to step up. We believe in them. We see the potential. We know they can do better. We want them to succeed. We just need to see them take charge and step up. In other cases, proactive people are advancing themselves without being asked or encouraged. They just do it, often surprising the people around them. They use the ten “takeaways” described in this book to tap into their true potential. This illustrates that we do not need permission to step up. We do not need to be told to do it, or even asked. We can apply these take-aways to our personal and professional lives wherever and whenever we want.
The key is to know that we can step up and then to know how! 9
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The purpose of this book is to explain how to step up and accelerate success.
Why wait? Why not seize the moment? Why not get started immediately? Why make excuses that limit us? Why rationalize our undesirable results and restrict ourselves?
This book is not about self-imposed resistance to change. It is about flow. It is about energy. It is about movement and motivation, insight and inspiration. It is about “taking away� lessons learned from the best of the best, people who in many cases overcame tremendous odds to reach levels of performance and prosperity that many only dream of. Take these tips and use them to elevate your life. 10
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INTRODUCTION
Use this book and these take-aways to:
Take ownership and responsibility for your outcomes
Take a good, honest look in the mirror
Take time to reflect on who you are and what you are capable of
Take measure of your current state—the good, the bad and the ugly!
Take advice from wise counsel
Take a chance
Take action
Take another look at your life and your results
Take a knee and give thanks for what you are and what you have
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#1 TAKE OWNERSHIP
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TAKE OWNERSHIP
~ Robert Frost
TA K E AWAY # 1
“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.”
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Peak performance requires mental, physical and emotional ownership. Mind, body and soul must be focused, aligned and passionate about stepping up and delivering results. There is no room in this equation for procrastination, doubt, excuses, blame, denial or resistance.
Take-away #1 translates into: Take charge. Raise your hand. Volunteer. Visualize success. Focus. Make a commitment. Be responsible. Set an example. Make something happen. Connect the dots. See it through. Get it done. Be accountable. 14
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TAKE OWNERSHIP
Many of my clients struggle with taking ownership. Organizationally, culturally and individually, there is often a tendency to shift responsibility, deny accountability, rationalize waste and point the finger. I see it all the time. It exists in business, government, education and health care. It is as if the senior leadership is inviting people to take a risk and step up, but relatively few proactively accept the call, including many people already in positions of management and leadership! It seems they would rather play it safe, standing on the sidelines instead of getting into the game.
These are questions every leader must contemplate because without a true sense of ownership, the organization is paralyzed. Fear and blame are disempowering energies. Ignorance and ego are limiting factors. We need ownership to overcome these self-imposed constraints. Successful people know this and do something about it.
TA K E AWAY # 1
What is holding them back? Is it fear, insecurity, doubt or disbelief? Is it ignorance, pride or ego?
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When I was in high school, I experienced a devastating accident. I was working on a lawn crew and I cut my foot severely with a lawn mower. Six days in the hospital and ten hours of surgery later, I was told by an award-winning, internationallyrenowned surgeon that I would never play football again—a passion of mine at the time—and that I would be lucky to walk again without limping. I wept with grief and remorse. At age 17, what was I to do now? The year was 1977 and in those days lawn mowers did not have many of the safety features they have today. Perhaps I could argue that it was the lawn mower manufacturer’s fault? In a very litigious society, there are certainly many who might agree. Maybe it was the homeowner’s fault? After all, she asked me to cut down a stretch of tall field grass along the side of her house. This was not part of our original deal and the tall grass was full of rocks, one of which I tripped over. Maybe I could blame the rock? Or maybe I could blame the surgeon or the work schedule or my shoes or the stars?
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This road made all the difference.
TAKE OWNERSHIP
Truth be told, I owned it. It was my foot, my doing, my life. It was my choice to play victim or champion. I stood at a mystical fork in the road called life and I had to decide which way to go. I chose ownership. I opted to take charge and be responsible for moving forward in a positive way, not wallowing in grief over something I could not undo.
“The instinct of ownership is fundamental in man’s nature” ~ William James
TA K E AWAY # 1
Three years later, I was playing football for the University of Notre Dame, tapping a sign on Saturdays that reads, “Play like a champion today.”
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Checklist for Success:
I take charge.
I visualize success and see myself accomplishing great things.
I make a commitment and keep my word.
I am part of the solution, not the problem.
I find ways to connect the dots and pull people together.
I see things through and get things done.
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TAKE OWNERSHIP TA K E AWAY # 1 19
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#2 TAKE NOTES
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TAKE NOTES
~ General H. Norman Schwarzkopf
TA K E AWAY # 2
“It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.”
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I am always intrigued with how resistant some people are to new ideas, new insights, new information and new discoveries.
Why go through life with the brakes on? Why attempt to move forward by looking through a rear-view mirror? Why resist growth? Why put energy into protecting flawed assumptions of the past when new evidence reveals they are no longer valid? Why not listen to progress and take notes from people who are masterful at that which we desire?
Socrates once said, “We have two ears and one mouth. We should use them proportionately.� I love this comment because it reveals a very empowering and simple truth. We are wise to listen. We are wise to ask questions. We are wise to seek understanding. 22
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TAKE NOTES
When we approach life with an open and curious mind, we learn at a much faster pace. Life then shows itself as the true adventure that it is. It is a journey of creation, exploration and uncertainty. It is an experience of experimentation, growth and learning. It is an opportunity to prosper and help others prosper. It is a time to generate and be generous.
I took note when I rested in the hospital recovering from my foot injury. My grandfather sent me a book titled, On Courage. One of the featured stories in the book was about Rocky Bleier, a four-time Super Bowl winner who overcame very serious injuries from the war in Vietnam. As it turned out, Rocky put “mind over matter� and did what the doctors said he could not do. He returned to playing football and went on to be a starting running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Make no mistake, these were notes I paid very close attention to.
TA K E AWAY # 2
Taking notes means paying attention with an open, non-judgmental mind. It means temporarily suspending analysis, criticism and disbelief while seeking true understanding and awareness.
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What notes are you taking in life and where are you getting them? Are you asking the right questions of the right people? Are you doing your homework? Are you keeping an open mind? Are you preparing yourself for the next step up? Are you tapping into the abundant resources all around you for ideas and insights on how to improve your life? What new tools, techniques or practices have you identified that will accelerate your success? What are you doing with these tools? 24
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What a difference a few good books and role models can make!
TA K E AWAY # 2
to the habits of others as well, especially the people who are demonstrating the behavior and results you seek. Interview them if you get the chance. Read their stories. Listen to their secrets. Embrace their examples. I will never forget the day I was scheduled to work with General H. Norman Schwarzkopf, the military leader in charge of Desert Storm. To prepare for the meeting and the day I would spend traveling with him, I read his entire 530-page autobiography. It made for a very meaningful conversation on leadership and a few important “take aways� I will never forget. I now keep this autographed book on the same shelf as the book On Courage, subsequently signed by Rocky.
TAKE NOTES
We are all creatures of habit. Take note of your habits and examine your tendencies carefully. Pay attention
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Checklist for Success:
I listen with an open mind.
I see all interactions with people as an opportunity to learn.
I pay attention to the attitudes and behaviors of successful people.
I seek advice from wise people.
I do not take constructive criticism personally.
I invite “push back� and alternative points of view.
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TAKE NOTES TA K E AWAY # 2 27
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Weho pet ha ty o ue nj o y e d r e a di ngt hi sf r e eo nl i nepr e v i e w. Y o uc a npur c ha s et he c o mpl e t eb o o ka ta nyt i me b yv i s i t i ngusa t : www. s i mpl e t r ut hs . c o m