Key Leader Resources:

Interview Scripts:

The Key is to have a CONVERSATION! God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth. this means while we do keep control of the conversation, we listen twice as much as we speak.

We have found the principles behind the questions asked in these scripts work well when having a “warm market” recruiting conversation, too!

1st Interview Script

2nd Interview Script

80%
Assurity

Value Your Time:

No one will value your time more than you do.
Early on in your career, it’s especially tempting to make time for anyone and everyone. While we, as leaders are called to be here for our people, we are not called to be their doormats.

If you give your energy to anyone who asks, you may find you don’t have anything to give when it really counts!

Busy vs. Hard Work
Busy work makes us feel good about ourselves in the moment.
Hard work makes us feel good about ourselves tomorrow.

Busy work is reactionary.
Hard Work is proactive and intentional.

Busy work is filling time so we can say we’re doing something (traditional work trains us to do this).
Hard work recognizes leaders aren’t compensated by what we do, but who we are.

When we become the right person, the right activity follows.

I believe it’s better to stare at blank wall until you figure out how to solve a major problem facing your business or have a meaningful conversation with a key business partner than to ‘stay busy’ constantly check your email, texting your agents and other busy work.

It is better to save your energy for team members who haven’t arrived yet, than to waste it on people who don’t value it.

Busy and Hard Work Examples:
Busy work is calling someone on your team because you have “nothing better to do”
Hard work is writing a job post from scratch.

Busy work is spending an extra 10 or 20 minutes on an interview that isn’t promising.
Hard work is ending the interview on time so you can read a book.

Busy work is checking your email every 5-10 minutes.
Hard work is shutting your electronics off for 10 minutes and allowing your mind to wander, dream, breathe!

Let Your Agents Starve:

Maybe not literally. Certainly not vindictively. However, every leader reaches a point when they need to push their leaders out of the ‘nest’.

Over the years I’ve seen a few primary reasons we don’t help our people move on in a healthy way. (I may or may not be speaking from experience 😉
1- A leader’s identity is wrapped up in their people’s dependance on them.
2- As a leader, we care deeply about our people and don’t want to see them hurt themselves.
3- We, as a leader, haven’t grown our vision large enough to see where we’re going once our people ‘grow up’ and don’t know how to operate.

Identity:
When our identity is tied to our people’s dependence, I’ve found it’s either due to ignorance or ego. Perhaps you were mentored by a weak ego-centric leader and this is all you’ve ever earned. Ignorance is more easily fixed because it’s about head knowledge. I’m not saying breaking old habits and practicing new ones is easy. I am saying it’s simple.

Ego on the other hand, is a matter of the heart.
Speaking 100% from personal experience, it can be painful to work through.

When we are seeking the recognition and accolades of those we’re supposed to serve, we enter a dysfunctional relationship. Everyone’s ability to grow becomes capped and intertwined like a negative feedback loop.

Leaders lead from the front. Leaders serve.
And our identity must always come from beyond those we seek to serve.

Pain:
If a baby chick doesn’t have to fight for it’s right to live as it breaks through it’s shell, the results can literally be fatal. Weak lungs, poor immune system, etc.

The same is true in leadership.

Strong leaders become strong through solid mentoring… and adversity.

I believe being a compassionate leader requires more strength than not.
When executed properly, having proper boundaries and doling out ‘tough love’ can be the most compassionate thing we can do for our people.

If you’re wondering what the right action is, I’ve found answering this question will help keep you out of the ditches:
Am I doing the right thing (setting my people up to grow) for the right reason (I want to see them succeed)?

I work to grow myself until I can answer yes to both.

Remember, weak eggs make weak chickens.

Vision:
I believe every leader has found themselves in a place where they purposely or unconsciously start stunting the growth of their people because they don’t know what to do beyond the point they have journeyed.

On one hand, this is a situation where we as leaders need to pause and celebrate. You have filled your space and become successful in your execution of the current dream and vision.

Enough celebrating though. Because the hard work of creating a larger vision is the only remedy!

Regardless of the reason for our organization being in the state it is, two things are certain.
One: We are the problem
Two: We are the solution

And this is truly good news!

Doing or Being:
So often as a leader, we think we must ‘do’ something or we are not leading.

While leading does require action, doing typically isn’t the issue.

Being is.

Truth be told, if we don’t take time ‘being’, we won’t have anything to give when it’s time for the ‘doing’.

Value Your Time:

No one will value your time more than you do.
Early on in your career, it’s especially tempting to make time for anyone and everyone. While we, as leaders are called to be here for our people, we are not called to be their doormats.

If you give your energy to anyone who asks, you may find you don’t have anything to give when it really counts!

Busy vs. Hard Work
Busy work makes us feel good about ourselves in the moment.
Hard work makes us feel good about ourselves tomorrow.

Busy work is reactionary.
Hard Work is proactive and intentional.

Busy work is filling time so we can say we’re doing something (traditional work trains us to do this).
Hard work recognizes leaders aren’t compensated by what we do, but who we are.

When we become the right person, the right activity follows.

I believe it’s better to stare at blank wall until you figure out how to solve a major problem facing your business or have a meaningful conversation with a key business partner than to ‘stay busy’ constantly check your email, texting your agents and other busy work.

It is better to save your energy for team members who haven’t arrived yet, than to waste it on people who don’t value it.

Busy and Hard Work Examples:
Busy work is calling someone on your team because you have “nothing better to do”
Hard work is writing a job post from scratch.

Busy work is spending an extra 10 or 20 minutes on an interview that isn’t promising.
Hard work is ending the interview on time so you can read a book.

Busy work is checking your email every 5-10 minutes.
Hard work is shutting your electronics off for 10 minutes and allowing your mind to wander, dream, breathe!

Let Your Agents Starve:

Maybe not literally. Certainly not vindictively. However, every leader reaches a point when they need to push their leaders out of the ‘nest’.

Over the years I’ve seen a few primary reasons we don’t help our people move on in a healthy way. (I may or may not be speaking from experience 😉
1- A leader’s identity is wrapped up in their people’s dependance on them.
2- As a leader, we care deeply about our people and don’t want to see them hurt themselves.
3- We, as a leader, haven’t grown our vision large enough to see where we’re going once our people ‘grow up’ and don’t know how to operate.

Identity:
When our identity is tied to our people’s dependence, I’ve found it’s either due to ignorance or ego. Perhaps you were mentored by a weak ego-centric leader and this is all you’ve ever earned. Ignorance is more easily fixed because it’s about head knowledge. I’m not saying breaking old habits and practicing new ones is easy. I am saying it’s simple.

Ego on the other hand, is a matter of the heart.
Speaking 100% from personal experience, it can be painful to work through.

When we are seeking the recognition and accolades of those we’re supposed to serve, we enter a dysfunctional relationship. Everyone’s ability to grow becomes capped and intertwined like a negative feedback loop.

Leaders lead from the front. Leaders serve.
And our identity must always come from beyond those we seek to serve.

Pain:
If a baby chick doesn’t have to fight for it’s right to live as it breaks through it’s shell, the results can literally be fatal. Weak lungs, poor immune system, etc.

The same is true in leadership.

Strong leaders become strong through solid mentorship and adversity.

I believe being a compassionate leader requires more strength than not.
When executed properly, having proper boundaries and doling out ‘tough love’ can be the most compassionate thing we can do for our people.

If youre wonderAnswering this question will keep you out of the ditches:
Am I doing the right thing (setting my people up to grow) for the right reason (I want to see them succeed)?

I work to grow myself until I can answer yes to both.

Remember, weak eggs make weak chickens.

Vision:

I believe every leader has found themselves in a place where they purposly or unconsciously start stunting the growth of their people because they don’t know what to do beyond the point they have journied.

On one hand, this is a situation where we as leaders need to pause and celebrate. You have filled your space and become successful in your execution of the current dream and vision.

Enough celebrating though. Because the hard work of creating a larger vision is the only remedy!

Regarless of the reason for our organization being in the state it is, two things are certain.
One: We are the problem
Two: We are the solution

And this is truly good news!

Doing or Being:
So often as a leader, we think we must ‘do’ something or we are not leading.
While leading does require action, doing typically isn’t the issue.
Being is.
Truth be told, if we don’t take time ‘being’, we won’t have anything to give when it’s time for the ‘doing’.