Mark Hawk is Senior Director with Legal Shield as an Independent Representative. Mark has been on an unplanned but successful entrepreneurial journey the past several years. He will give some great insight into what he experienced.

"It's all about helping people, that is what drives me and what gets me going." -Mark Hawk

Reflecting on some conversations I have had the past couple of weeks with different business owners, the idea of 'leading with vulnerability' has re-entered my thoughts. As leaders we are required to be truly vulnerable, and we are all leaders. Read the quote above again. Read it slowly. Break it down. To the listener, our vulnerability builds trust, yet at the same time they feel the courage. Through that strength is grown. And to add to these thoughts, with strength comes respect and admiration.

Added benefit...
When we get out of our comfort zone by being vulnerable, we are actually not only adding to the relationship of who we are leading and coaching, we are also allowing ourselves to grow. Admitting things about ourselves is healing, and uplifting. It is scary, however it is a growth factor. You cannot grow if you do not get uncomfortable.

My Vulnerability Story:

When I was in my late twenties I was given the keys to a manufacturing plant to lead. I was technically sound, knew...

As I am about to head out on the farm today I wanted to share something that has been resonating with me all week. This is powerful.

In our roles as leaders and business owners, we each have certain responsibilities. We are responsible for providing value to the clients. We are responsible for bringing together multiple and sometimes opposing personalities. We are responsible to our teammates. We are responsible for the growth and systematization of our business.

What about when something happens that is contrary to what we believe or value? Are we then responsible? Not necessarily. When an outside force, say a customer, does something against our values, we are not responsible. We didn't cause the incident. However, we are “response-able.”

What does it mean to be “response able?” I can tell you, and with many personal examples, that if you have been married for a long while you have had to learn what “response-able” means. To deal with people...

Let's discuss the What, Why and How of Standard Operating Procedures and how they benefit organizations.
What is an SOP (standard operating procedure)? This is defined as: a set of step-by-step instructions compiled by an organization to help workers carry out complex routine operations. SOPs aim to achieve efficiency, quality output, and uniformity of performance, while reducing miscommunication and failure to comply with industry regulations.
1. S stands for Standard - a standard or consistent measurable process is required so it can be repeated. The goal of a standard is to make sure items are handled in the same way, each time, by various people.
2. O stands for Operating - it must be an operational or workable process. In other words, it has a function and can procedure must be understood by those responsible for completing it, and it must be a logical workflow for taking actions.

So in the end an SOP is a set of repeatable, workable actions.

Why use SOP's in business
1. To drive...

I heard something today while traveling in Washington, D.C. that was a great reminder for me. A gentleman spoke about the key and most important balls we juggle in our lives. The balls of work, family, health, spirit, and relationships.

We can all have opinions, and should, about the specific balls in our life. We each must identify what is most important to us, and those things that are most important should receive the most of our attention. However you prioritize these important aspects in your life, the point is the same. One of these balls is rubber. Work is definitely a rubber ball. If we drop it, make a mistake, it can bounce back. We need to treat it as important, however, it can bounce. The other balls are glass. If we drop those they don't bounce, but break.

While our work is important, we cannot forsake our families, health, spirits, or relationships for the sake of the rubber ball. We must take breaks from work and let it bounce while we nurture the glass balls....

One of the things I have learned while experiencing life on this earth is this, the attitude of gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions we can apply. When we are grateful, truly grateful, for what we have right in front of us, it is hard to 'want' more. Being content is a blessing. Mind you we can be content, and yet not be complacent. Those are two different things. Contentment is being joyful in the present. Complacency is not striving for a future.
So how do we start expressing the attitude of gratitude? First, we choose to make gratitude a part of our perception of life and circumstances. We must believe that this perception is a better way to view life. I often advise my children that we typically get what we are looking for in life and our day to day experiences. If we seek what is good and positive, typically that is what we notice. On the flip side, if we embrace negativity and not experiencing the things we want, well, usually that is what we find. Second, we require...