Sleepless Nights, Productive Nights

As you probably already know, I am moving my blog to my new site, www.Sieverkropp.com

Today I posted a new post, "Sleepless Nights, Productive Nights" on that site.  Here is a preview,

"As many of you may know–and some may not–my wife and I welcomed our second child (and first son) Cash Ryan Sieverkropp into the world on November 26th, 2012. We are delighted to have him, and as biased as this may sound, he is honestly the best looking kid around!
Of course, as any parent will understand, this has thrown a 7lb 5oz monkey wrench into our family’s schedule..."
 

Continue reading at http://sieverkropp.com/2012/12/sleepless-nights-productive-nights/

Do You Respect Your Mentor?

Full Disclosure:

I have only been meeting with a mentor for about 3 months, on a monthly basis.  I am not an expert mentor, nor an expert mentee. 

My purpose in the following post is simply to share with you some suggestions and ideas that I am trying to implement into my relationship with my mentor that I believe will make it more beneficial--and I hope you can take some of the suggestions and utilize them as you will!

Stuck!

To begin, let me share with you why I decided to have a mentor.  This past year I have felt stuck.  I dont mean just stuck, I mean STUCK!!!!! And to be sure that you and I are on the same page with that, I'm talking good ol' country boy, mud boggin', burried to the axles, wheels spinnin', mud flyin' everywhere, STUCK!! Got the picture now?  If not, here's one for ya:

 

Photo courtesy of margaretkilljoy, Some Rights Reserved

 

 

Stuck.  Now you get it, right? Anyways, I felt stuck and kept thinking that I needed to find a mentor.  Someone smarter than me, more successful than me, better looking than me (well, I could at least shoot for the first two!). 

 

The final push was a blog post by Mr. Chris LoCurto posted about the same time titled, "Why You Need A Mentor". 

 

Now, maybe it's just me, but sometimes I feel like God is just hiding around the corner with a two-by-four, waiting for me to walk by; and when I do... 

 

WHACK!!!!!

Upside the head. 

 

That's kinda how I felt when I read his blog post.  That post seemed to be God saying "You need to get a mentor Ding Dong!" (I'm dense enough I don't think its too far of a stretch to think God may just call me a "ding dong" at times...) 

 

So I sent a text to a friend of mine that I'd been wanting to ask to be my mentor and asked if he'd be willing to sit down with me regularly and share with me some of his vast knowledge.  He readily agreed.  And THAT is how I began my mentoring relationship. 

 

Making the most of Mentoring

One thing that I believe is very important is to respect your mentor's time.  They are doing you a HUGE favor by being willing to meet with and counsel you. 

 

For this reason, here are a few things that I have tried to do, and am trying to implement, to make the most out of the time with my mentor. 

 

1.    Time limit

Dont let your mentoring sessions drag on like a freakin' Major League baseball game (I'm not a baseball fan, I'd rather endure Chinese water torture while laying on a bed of cacti in my skivvies than watch a baseball game!). In my (amateur) opinion 60 minutes is long enough for a mentoring session, maybe 90.  Have a time in mind and ask your mentor if that is acceptable.  Then when you are there STICK TO IT!!! Your mentor is busy with their own life, don't take all their time or they will dread meeting with you.     

 

2.    Come prepared with Questions 

Don't try to "wing" your mentoring session.  If his knowledge, expertise and insight are valuable enough for you to want to learn from him, his time is too valuable to be wasted in a conversation that has no focus or direction.  Come with 3-4 questions that you want answered, it'll assure that the time is not wasted.

 

3.    Share your goals

A week before our first mentoring session, I emailed a list of goals I'd set for myself to my mentor to review.  We discussed them at that first session.  Sharing your goals gives your mentor insight into where you desire to go.  This will allow your mentor to help you work towards and achieve those goals.  It also shows the level of trust and respect you have for him as your mentor that you are willing to share your personal goals. 

 

 

4.   Ask for an assignment

Ask your mentor what she would recommend you do between now and your next meeting to incorporate the things you talked about into your life.  This shows that you have a desire to change and grow, and that you take seriously the counsel that she is giving you.

 

5.   Return and report

When you come to your next meeting report how you have done on the things you discussed the time before.  Discuss how you did on the assignments you accepted, what went well, what you could improve.  Ask follow up questions to clarify principles you discussed.  Being ready and willing to report on your successes and failures is evidence of your desire to learn and grow.

 

6.   Show gratitude

If you meet at a restaurant and have lunch or breakfast, pick up the tab.  Shoot your mentor a text or email afterwards thanking them for their time and insight.  I wrote a letter to Jason's wife and kids.  In the letter I told them that I wanted them to know what a great guy their husband and father was.  I told them that I knew they must make alot of sacrifices with as busy as he is, and that I, for one, was grateful to them for their sacrifice so he could spend a little time with me every month.  I got a text the next week saying thanks for the letter and that it had brought him to tears.  Gratitude goes a long ways.

 

 

What it comes down to...

Making the most out of the time you have with your mentor really comes down to one thing.  Respect and appreciate your mentor and their time.  If you will do these six things, you will get more out of your mentoring sessions, your mentor will be more engaged in mentoring you, and both of you will grow and develop in ways that would not be possible without your relationship. 

 

I hope implementing these suggestions will help you.  I am looking forward to implementing them in my own life with my mentor. 

 

If you don't have a mentor that you are meeting with regularly, I would strongly recommend finding one!  Read "Why You Need A Mentor" if you still aren't convinced of the importance of such a relationship. 

 

 

 

Question: What do you do to make the most of the time you spend with your mentor(s)?

 

 

Thanks for taking the time to peruse this blog! If you've found this information timely and beneficial, please share it with others!

 

 

 

Twitter: @Skropp2



Gathering Your Thoughts When You Have No Idea

Cool Ideas

 If you're like me, you get some way cool ideas on a fairly frequent basis...
 
What!!? You don't?
 
Ooohhh, let me guess,

 

You're one of THOSE people that thinks that everyone around them gets awesome ideas but you never do?
 
I used to think I didn't either. But do you know what I've found?

 

We ALL get them, but most of the time, we choose to dismiss them before we consciously realize we had one! 
 

Dismissing Ideas

 

Why do we dismiss them?  

I don't know, it's kind of silly, in all honesty.

If we listened to all the ideas we had and acted on one or two, you and I would've probably ran into Chris a couple months ago on some remote Caribbean beach just down from where we anchored our yacht! (If that's your thing...my point: we could be wealthy!)
 
Having great ideas is vital in business, leadership, and personal life.
 
I believe that you're smart. I believe you have a unique perspective of the world and that with your perspective and skills you could improve the lives of countless people! Your ideas are valuable! And they are right there in YOUR BRAIN!!
 

So how do we capture these ideas?

 
1. Be Aware: Pay attention to what you're thinking. Some of your best ideas will come when you are supposedly "not thinking". Proactively ask yourself what you are thinking about.
 
2. Write it Down. Committing your ideas to paper conveys to God (and your subconscious) that you value those ideas. When I show my wife I value her cooking, I typically get to enjoy MORE great food. The same applies here: Assign value to your ideas and you'll begin to receive and recognize more fantastic ideas!
 
3. Sundown Rule. Before the sun goes down the next day, share your idea with someone. Your spouse, children, close friend, mentor--someone! Articulating your idea out loud will clarify your idea and spark other related ideas in your mind and from those with whom you share them.

4. Come back to them. Keep all your ideas (good, bad, or ugly) in a note book or on 3x5 cards. Go back and review each idea once every couple weeks or each month. Some time may give you added perspective on an idea.
 
5. Act! You may have no idea how to bring your idea to fruition, but don't let that stop you! Take a cue from Andy Andrews. Andy says if he doesn't know what to do he asks himself this question:

"I know you don't know what to do, but if you DID know what to do, what would you do RIGHT NOW? (emphasis added)

Then make plans to do that one thing with your idea right away. Research the idea. Write a blog post about it. Do a brainstorming session. Seek further counsel.
 
YOU are intelligent. YOU have great ideas. You just need to convince yourself of as much!
 

 

Question: What do you do to recognize and develop new ideas each day?

Thanks for taking the time to read my ramblings! Please pass them along to your friends, family and associates if you find them valuable!



Twitter: @Skropp2

 

What Do Tractors Have to do With Leadership?

What Do Tractors Have to do With Leadership?

A lot if you're Joe Scarlett.

Photo Courtesy of www.joescarlett.com 

Mr. Scarlett is the retired CEO of Tractor Supply Company and founder of th Scarlett Leadership Institute. Recently Mr. Scarlett was interviewed by Chris LoCurto for Dave Ramsey's EntreLeaderhip podcast. I would strongly recommend listening to the whole interview. You can find it, along with a bonus interview with Mr. Scarlett here.

I could write 5 blog posts on the information in the interview, and I just may. But for today I want to share the 5 things Mr. Scarlett advised aspiring leaders to do to prepare for leadership.

Prepare for Leadership

1. Set Clear direction

"Do the people that work for me, do they clearly know where we are going?" 

 Know where you're going, know where your organization is going. Be able to convey that direction to your team members.

2. Delegate

"If you're micromanaging, forget about it, I'm not gonna promote you."

Mr. Scarlett spent a lot of time on delegation. He said the ability to delegate is one of the most essential skills of a leader. If you can't delegate your success is limited to only what you can personally do.

3. Humility

"Do you have a big ego? If you really think you're great, you can stay where you are!"

Being humble is an critical to being a great leader. 

4. Communication

"The further up the ladder you get, the more important communication becomes."

Always be honing your communication skills, verbal, written etc. know how I give a speech, write a report, pitch an idea to the Board of Directors, etc.

5. Be a cheerleader

"Be the first one to recognize performance."

Be a positive uplifting influence. Be the first to praise and encourage. Celebrate success. Smile

This was just one small portion of a fantastic interview. Again, click here to listen in its entirety.



Question: What are you doing today to prepare for greater leadership opportunities?



If you just LOVE these posts (or even moderately like them) please pass them along to friends, family and colleagues!

Twitter: @Skropp2

The Path to the Future Goes Through the Present...

Be Present

Last week I was out of town for work and bored out of my mind in the hotel room. I decided to take a walk at at like 9pm. As I walked, I started having a conversation with Heavenly Father (admittedly I did most of the talking…at least that I actually heard.).

Photo via flickr.com 

Courtesy of ToastedWoobie, Some Rights Reserved

  I began asking questions such as,

What is expected of me?
                                               What am I suppose to be learning? 
                                                                                                       Where am I going in my life? 
                  What am I suppose to be doing? 
                                                                                What do I have to do to be successful?

Who Better To Ask

Those are pretty strong questions, and I have been searching for the answers to those questions for quite some time.  And who better to ask than my Father in Heaven?

As I was having this conversation I received an answer.  No, I didn’t see an angel, hear a sound, or receive a scroll.  I did however have a still, small voice speak to my mind and my heart (1 Kings 19:11-12).  I had a scripture from the Book of Mormon come to mind, as well as two words.  Here’s the scripture:

“O that I were an angel and could have the wish of mine heart…But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me.” Alma 29:1,3

The two words were “Be Present”

The Answer

And there was the answer to all my questions.  I needed to, first, be content with where I was and what I have been given and blessed with in my life.  And second, I needed to be present.

What do I mean?

What do I mean by “Be present”? 

I mean that I needed to avoid being so discontent with my life, my job, my pay, etc that I couldn’t recognize and enjoy the vast blessings that are in front of me daily.  I couldn’t get obsessed with thoughts like

“If only I was older…”
                                               “If only I wasn’t so busy…”
                                                                                         “If only I had this or that job…”
                        "If only I made this much money…”

What I'm NOT Saying

Now at this point, let me be clear as to what I am NOT saying.  I am NOT saying that we shouldn’t plan and set goals.  And I am NOT saying that we shouldn't try to better ourselves and our position in life. 

However, by being too focused on our discontentment, we experience several unintended consequences.

Consequences

When we are focused on our discontent we can experience four consequences:

1.      We can miss out on valuable lessons that we could learn and that would greatly benefit our growth, progression, and success in our personal and professional lives.

2.      We will often overlook opportunities to serve and bless those around us…including our families and close friends because we are only worried about what we don’t have.

3.      If we are too preoccupied with where we are not at in life, discouragement and frustration will overtake our thoughts, causing stress, anger, depression and all sorts of not fun feelings!

4.      Focusing on our discontent can lead to envy and covetousness.  We will look at everyone more successful than us with disdain and jealousy.  This will not help us become more success, rather it will hinder our success.

How can we “Be Present” in our lives?

1.      Be grateful for what you have.  Count your “haves” not your “have nots”

2.      Remember that there is a season and a time to everything (Eccl. 3:1)

3.      Recognize that valuable lessons  can be learned and service given here and now

4.      Be patient

5.      Have faith, in God, in yourself, in your abilities.

There is a balance we must find a balance between pushing towards our future, and not missing our present. 

I know that Heavenly Father was telling me that I need to focus more on what I have rather than what I don’t have. 

He wants us to succeed, He wants us to be happy, but His thoughts and ways are certainly higher than mine (Isa. 55:8-9) and it is not my job to argue with His plans and His timetable. 

We must always be striving to grow, progress and succeed, but the path to the future goes straight through the present, so BE PRESENT!!!

Q: How can you make sure that you don’t overlook the present in your daily life?

If you appreciate these posts please feel free to share them within your social circles!

Twitter: @Skropp2

Left Turn at Albuquerque....

Remember the good old days of cartoons?  Bugs Bunny? Daffy Duck? Elmer Fudd? Wylie Coyote?  Those were the glory days of cartoons!

Anyway, as I was thinking of this post today, something came to my mind...probably one of Bugs Bunny's most well known lines--besides, "ehhh, whats up doc??". 

We all remember watching a Bugs cartoon and seeing a line of dirt flying across the screen as Bugs quickly travelled to wherever it was that that cartoon was going to take place at.  And almost without fail, he'd pop out of his rabbit hole, look around and say, "I KNEW I should've taken that left turn at Albuquerque!"

If you don't remember that, watch this video to remind yourself.  If you have never watched Bugs Bunny, #1 Shame on you #2 you live a horribly sheltered life #3 watch this now!

Now, you may be asking, "What in the world am I suppose to learn from a 50+ year old cartoon character??"

Thanks for asking, I thought you never would! 

I am going to share with you how I feel MY life has gone, and hopefully we can all find some application.

I am 27 years old.  A lot of people would say that I've done alright in my life; and those that say that would be right.  I've got what many would consider a good job.  I've got a beautiful wife, a 3 year old daughter and another child on the way.  I grew up in a great family. 

I have been extremely blessed in my life.  But I am not where I want to be.  I have coasted through life.  I have let life happen to me. Rather than happening to my life. 

What do I mean by that?  I have not had a plan for my life.  I haven't determined where I want to go and set a plan in motion to achieve it.  I have received almost every single job I've had--not because I wanted them--but because they came along, and they got me out of the job I currently had (which more often than not, I had come to resent). 

Now for the analogy.  Bugs is always cruising along in his rabbit hole, going a million miles and hour.  Zigging and zagging across the screen.  When he pops out, he thinks he's made it to his destination.  He looks around and says "wait just a cotton pickin' minute!"--He's no where near where he should be.  When he realizes this, he takes out his trusty map and finds out that he "should've taken that left turn in Albuquerque!"

What can we learn?

Don't get "tunnel vision"
We too can get tunnel vision.  We get cruising along in our rabbit holes and we feel like we're making great progress!  We're "going places!" We're busy, we're getting raises, we're being complimented and encouraged.  But "going places" is only a good thing if you're going where you want to go! It would be better for us to take a break sometimes, pop out of our hole and take a look around to make sure we're going in the right direction.  If we aren't, at least we're closer to Albuquerque so we can get back there and take that left turn!


Know where you want to go
We have got to have a firm idea of where we want to go.  "I want to make lots of money" or "I want to have a really big house" or "I want to have a great family". We've got to be specific.  Specific goals will get us specific results.  Generalized goals will get us frustration and failure. Be specific about what you want and where you're going.

Have a map
Let's give Bugs some credit here, he had a map!  The map is our plan. The best goals in the world are only dreams without a plan to accomplish them.  Dave Ramsey often says that we should "back into" our plans.  Meaning, determine what we want to accomplish then go backwards to determine what needs to be accomplished to get there.  Figure out what you need to do every year, every month, every week, and every day. 


By utilizing these three lessons learned from Bugs Bunny, we can be sure that we'll get where we want to go, and not look up one day and realized we're millions of miles from where we wanted to be and if we'd only paid attention and taken the left turn right there in Albuquerque, we would be where we had hoped to be!

Question: What do you do to make sure that you get where you want to be in life?

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On Twitter: @Skropp2