Performance Leadership: inspiring growth in others

By Todd D. Long

Every leader is responsible for coaching and motivating others toward confidence and the development of new skill sets. Yet, many leaders lack the ability to do this well. Here is your answer - Performance Leadership - Inspiring Growth in Others. This book will provide you with the knowledge and skills to deve

• Language: English
• Publisher: Leadership Innovations
• Release date: Oct 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781087987774

Todd D. Long

Todd Long is President of Leadership Innovations; a business he started in 2010 to inspire people to be more confident and mindful leaders. He...•Believes in the power of collaboration.•Inspires with a steady confidence.•Holds tightly to his faith and virtues.He has served tens of thousands of people around the world over the past 25 years, building confident leaders and healthy teams. He utilizes interactive learning that challenges people to think deeper and grow as leaders. Todd is a leadership adviser, facilitator, speaker, author, and coach. He is a husband, father of five, piano player, ukulele enthusiast, song writer, motorcyclist, and faith builder.

Book preview

Introduction

Hang-On – The New Task

Sweat dripped off my forehead, and my legs shook uncontrollably. The beating of my heart pounded through my chest as I struggled to breathe. I clung to the tree thirty-five feet off the stable ground wondering why I said yes to this new opportunity. It was late spring, and I had been extended the invitation to learn how to lead groups on an outdoor high-challenge course experience in a wooded area in Kansas City, Missouri. For the past year, as a part-time job during graduate school, I had been leading groups of all ages through low or near-the-ground challenge course experiences teaching lessons of teamwork, leadership, and confidence. Now, the moment had arrived to move up in the organization – literally.

Consideration

Looking back, I remember walking near the high course for over a year hoping at some point I would get the chance to learn how to do this new task. Michael, my manager, finally approached me and asked if I would like the opportunity. I had been considering learning the skills and knowledge of doing this task for several months, so I answered Absolutely! I was excited and eager to get started even though I had limited knowledge and skills. Michael encouraged me by saying I was the right person for this task, and he could see me performing it well.

Practice

Now, I clung to a tree with a death grip pushing myself to overcome my fears. My youthful naivety had not considered the extreme emotions that now overwhelmed me. My ability to do this task was low because I lacked the skills and knowledge, so climbing with equipment was taking me longer than I had anticipated. Michael was there the entire time listening to my concerns from the ground, encouraging me along the way, and reminding me of what I had learned on the ground.

About an hour before, I had started learning the skills and knowledge needed to do the task of setting up and taking down the high challenge course. Michael instructed and showed me the first set of skills. He had broken down the overall task into core skills and knowledge. I had learned to create a Swiss seat harness out of a 12-foot piece of climbing rope, been instructed on the use of lobster claws (safety ropes) and shown how to put a helmet on properly. Additionally, I was instructed how to set up the pulley system on the top cable and run the climbing rope through it back down to the ground. I had learned the skills to ascend the tree using the preset staples embedded in the tree and attaching my two lobster claws one-at-a-time so I was always attached to a secure point in case I fell. Why was I doing this? It was to give people a life changing experience of climbing across wires and logs at thirty-five feet off the ground to learn personal and team leadership skills. After what seemed an eternity with the encouragement and instruction from Michael, I had ascended to the top of the tree, attached the pulley system to the upper cable, and run the 100-foot belay rope through the pulley. I slowly descended the tree using the techniques I had learned on my way up by attaching my safety ropes one at a time. Once my feet touched the ground, I was overwhelmed with relief, gratitude, pain, exhaustion, and a little pride. Michael was there to give me a high-five, praise, and huge smile.

Throughout the next several weeks, I had the opportunity to work alongside Michael and other colleagues on this high challenge course. Over time, with Michael’s leadership skills: asking great questions, listening well, instructing, showing, observing, praising, and encouraging I was able to learn this task. My abilities improved. I could create the Swiss seat harness more efficiently, climb with the lobster claws with ease, and set up the pulley system and rope in the proper manner. I had come to the point I could do this task on my own with less help from Michael.

Self-Sufficient

I had worked the high course several times throughout the summer. I felt at ease setting up and taking down the course. On an extremely hot day in July, my co-worker Geri and I had led about 70 kids through the high course experience for a full day. We had been working outside in 90 to 100-degree temperatures for about eight hours. It was time to take down the course. I grabbed my helmet, put on my safety ropes, and climbed up the tree to take down the pulley system. I was about 25 feet off the ground when Geri called up to me, Todd, you need to clip in your lobster claws. My heart stopped. Fear and gratitude struck me as I realized I had not attached my safety ropes to the staples in the tree. I immediately clipped in my safety ropes and said thank you to Geri and God. Catastrophe was averted. In that moment, I learned a huge lesson. Even though I was self-sufficient to set up and take down the course, I still had more to learn and needed help. Geri was my coach that day. We talked through the event afterwards. She asked great questions, listened well, and helped me think through the experience so I could learn from it.

Excel

Summer faded into fall and use of the high course decreased. I enjoyed a few more opportunities to set up and take down the course, but my days of leading groups on the challenge course were coming to an end. When I reflected on my ability to perform this task, I felt I could do it well: I was self-sufficient. I could complete the work on my own without much assistance. Given more time and practice, I could have excelled at it, but my career path took me in a different direction. Fast forward ten years, when I was hired to direct one of the largest outdoor challenge courses in the Midwest. At the time, it was my dream job. There were three incredible high-course structures, each requiring a different set of skills and knowledge to set up; I had much to learn. I brought with me what I had learned earlier in my career, but I was not as sharp and there were several new skills I needed. With Stephen now as my leader, I quickly moved through the phases of learning how to set up the different courses. I was passionate about the work and motivated by a strong desire to do my best. Eventually, I was able to excel at this task. I could set up the course efficiently and accurately to near perfection almost without thinking.

The Purpose for Writing this Book

The hero of my high ropes course learning experience is not me. There are three heroes in my story: Michael, Geri, and Stephen. Imagine if I had not had these three people in my life to help me learn. It would have been a disaster. Imagine if they had the responsibility but did not have the desire or ability to help me learn. That would have been frustrating, and I may have either given up or developed improper skills. Poor skills in setting up a high challenge course would put people’s lives in danger.

However, these three leaders possessed both the heart and skills to