I’m currently reading John Maxwell’s new book, The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth. One of those laws is: “Growth doesn’t just happen.”
One of the points that John makes is that you have to be intentional and willing to invest in your growth. (With both your time and with your finances.) He tells a story of wanting to take an expensive leadership development course early in his career and having to save for months in order to do so.
[Tweet “It’s hard to improve when you have no one but yourself to follow. John Maxwell”]
His point reminded me of something a former employee said to me years after we worked together. He said that he has never worked for anyone else that has been so invested growing themselves and others. The beauty of the comment is that even when the budget for training dried up and blew away, the people I served still received great training.
Below are five tips for fueling your fire and theirs on a really tight budget…
Every time I read this quote from Patrick Lencioni every cell in my body wants to stand up and cheer!
“I am convinced that once organizational health is properly understood and placed into the right context it will surpass all other disciplines in business as the greatest opportunity for improvement and competitive advantage. Really.”
I can tell you true stories for hours that emphasize why the truth in that quote sparks such passion! Here’s one of them…
John was offered a position with another company. He accepted the position, signed a new lease and relocated to take the job.
In his first week, some of his new co-workers take him out to eat. Before the meal ends they tell him that they need to warn him about one particular person that he will work closely with. They go on to share that anyone who has ever been hired in a position similar to his, has consistently been bullied out of the organization by this person.
A few days later John has lunch with someone in the community that he has known for a few years, but does not know well. This man advises John that he should not trust ANYONE in the organization that he is now employed with.
There are two ingredients in successful organizations: Smart & Healthy.
It is almost impossible to build a competitive advantage
based on knowledge because it is too easy to copy.
Very few organizations are healthy enough to tap into the knowledge that is there.
~ Patrick Lencioni
The truth in this quote is so powerful that I can’t stop thinking about it.
How many organizations do you know that are desperately seeking solutions and yet continually ignore the wisdom of their customers, their employees and the opportunities within their own culture?
As a Hiring Manager, a former Career Services Director, and a former Recruiter – I’ve coached thousands of teens, college graduates and adults through the struggle to choose between opportunities and their comfort zones.
And as someone that has relocated multiple times within the U.S., and then to a land that I once feared… I know both the struggle and the growth that come from living outside of our familiar bubbles.
Beyond Your Bubble
A 2-hour workshop that leverages stories from Saudi Arabia while emphasizing critical life skills that your students need. Young men and women will acquire current information about another culture while learning to embrace discomfort, think critically, problem solve and become more compassionate. 
Chery gave one of the most interesting presentations I have ever heard. Our students were fixated on Chery’s words! They knew that this was REAL life; someone who had truly experienced veering out of their own comfort zone by encountering life in another country. She communicated with the kids in such a manner that they were genuinely engaged. As a teacher, I was so impressed with Chery’s dedication and passion. It is evident that she has a genuine care and compassion for people, especially our youth. Chery is very personable and her compassion shines through. Her kind and supportive approach drew the students out of their own comfort zone, seeking answers to questions they had.-Bev Frank
Geography Teacher, Beulah, ND
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I was facilitating a workshop for students. The goal was to help everyone identify the bubbles they live in, and to encourage them to strategically pop those bubbles.
I asked questions that encouraged laughter:
- What is the craziest food you have ever eaten? Answers varied from peas to snake… (Yes for some of us, eating vegetables is crazy!)
Then questions that would help them think about their courage:
