This didn’t surprise me because I can still recall a picture of him in Sports Illustrated years ago when he was a rookie sitting in a chair watching film and writing furious notes.

So what can you learn from Peyton?

He has a Purpose. Peyton Manning is a student of the game. He studies other experts in his field in order to be the best quarterback he can be. What is your purpose?

He has laser focus. The ability to be able to focus on what is going to help you achieve your goal is a must in sports, or business.

He takes detailed notes. Manning writes down everything that is said during a meeting. He reviews his notes and then applies what he’s learned from the coaches and other team members. Take good notes during your meetings and seek input from your other team members. Take Action on these items.

He practices fast. You won’t know how to react to things doing it slow. By practicing fast you will catch your mistakes and correct them before you go live. See what works and what doesn’t work before it gets in front of your customers. Practice it like it’s live.

He imagines the Game. It’s not hard for me to close my eyes and see Peyton Manning pointing to the linebacker across the line of scrimmage, barking out a series of calls to various positions, checking off on the play, calling the signal, dropping back and firing a bullet to Eric Decker to score the winning touchdown. Take time to visualize how your next meeting will go.

He is demanding of himself and others. Manning expects everyone to be prepared. Manning not only is hard on himself, he expects others to be prepared and ready to go. Don’t expect less from others than you do yourself.

If you do this you will get better results than you have before.

Although there were nearly two hundred years between the two, the American Revolution and the civil rights movement had many similarities. They both represented uprisings to fight oppression and tyranny. The participants of both risked their safety, their families and everything they owned. Those that took part were courageous and stood up for what they believed in, instead of just accepting what was wrong.

This introspection led me to these self reflections:

> “What would it be like to live in fear for the life of myself and my loved ones?”

> “Would I have the courage to fight against oppression?”

> “Would I still participate if it was for someone else, but not for me?”

> “Would I fight to right a wrong?”

For many of us who have these same questions, its easy to ask ourselves, “Would we…?” However, a more valid question is, “Should we…?” In the lack of true oppression and tyranny, very often we create our own turmoil within the workplace. All too frequently, people are willing to take on a battle that may not be for the right reasons. Before leading a revolution within an organization, people should take a step back and ask these questions. We need to make sure we are fighting for the right reasons, not just because someone else is doing it.

Some simple ways to accomplish a peaceful workplace instead of a revolution are to:

1.Pick Your Battles. Before staging an uproar over every perceived slight, take a moment to honestly appraise the situation. Are you posturing to right a wrong or just to be an agitator? Is this a minor issue that could be resolved with open communication? Issues such as harassment, discrimination and bullying are absolutely worth taking a stand over. Matters such as the type of coffee creamer or the paint colors in the lobby are not.

2.Choose Your Allies Wisely. Before you valiantly charge into the fray on behalf of your colleague, remember that there are always two sides to every story. Base your decisions on facts, not reckless passion. The self-perceived victim very well may have deserved the punishment they received. Also, the level of discipline and the manner in which it was delivered may be very different from the tale you are told.\
3.You Can’t Keep Dying on Your Sword. One only has so many lives to give. If you are the eternal crusader, eventually you will begin to lose credibility. Voicing your opinions, concerns and beliefs in values should be a currency that you spend very wisely. If you rebel over every decision that comes from the top, you will become known as a constant complainer. Although standing for your principles may seem glorious, make sure they are ones that count, rather than the petty kind.

Reflect today on your current work environment. Remember that work doesn’t have to be drudgery and should be enjoyed. On your personal development of leadership, you may have trials. How you handle them will mean the difference between promotions and leadership opportunities, versus staying stuck where you no longer wish to be. This is just one short discussion about the art of being a leader of the many more I hope to have with you. Until next month…

Chief Connecting Officer

On Purpose Leadership introduced Gary Patton as our new Chief Connecting Officer last month. Many of our great clients and friends have welcomed him aboard. Michael  , I would encourage you to reach out to Gary, too. As an Accomplished Business Consultant with experience in sales, management, training, and operations, Gary has worked with 2,000+ businesses to achieve the next level of success.

Is YOUR business ready to take it to the next level?

Gary does this by reviewing company goals, visions, and creating winning marketing strategies that can transition underperforming qualities of a business into a greater reach of prosperity and growth. Give Gary a call today at:  (720) 331-2864.

Every Leader will want to watch this video so they can see how to be a part of this outstanding event!  Don’t miss your chance to be a part of it!  Go to www.leadercastdenver.eventbrite.com to get your tickets today.

Motivational Speakers, Denver, CO

Thank you to thumbtack for providing yet another way for people to find out more about On Purpose Leadership!

Now is your chance to get your own copy of the Compound Effect book and audio program. 

Don’t wait another day to invest in yourself!

As an Accomplished Business Consultant with experience in sales, management, training, and operations, Gary has worked with over 2,000 businesses in several industries to design and implement wireless voice and data solutions.  By reviewing company goals, visions, and marketing strategy he is able to identify new opportunities and turn around underperforming territories to significantly increase market share, revenue, and profitability. 

A believer in continual education, Gary created a Meetup group in April 2011 called “Leaders are Readers” to bring together like minded individuals who want to improve their personal and professional lives through reading and studying books by the best authors in their fields.

Gary has spoken to many groups and organizations and been on several radio shows to talk about The Six Steps that radically changed his life. They are as follows:

*     Change the way you are

*     Eliminate the Negatives in your life

*     Create Good Habits

*     Core Motivation

*     Set Goals

*     Track your results