Brian Smith-PLD - Confessions of a Reformed Control Freak

Ken Blanchard. in his book. The One Minute Manager said communication us the breakfast of champions. He was right. I can't think of a more valuable skill for team members, supervisors. managers or leaders than the ability to communicate effectively up. down and across the organization. Communication is everything. If the other person doesn't receive your message the way you intended - then whatever you said will mean absolutely nothing. Listen to my latest Confessions of a Reformed Control Freak Podcast to learn the secret to communicating with others regardless of gender or generation

Trust me, the workplace has changed, and if you don't adapt to those changes you will be left behind. I recognize that not everyone is born a great manager, or has the skills needed to lead others. But I do believe that given the right set of circumstances and an environment conducive to learning, you can become the leader your team needs. Listen to my latest podcast to learn about the four skills you must master.

Trust doesn't grow in the shadow of doubt. Trust blooms in the light of consistency. It is never a given. Managers and leaders must earn it. Trust is built on human connection. Listen to my latest Confessions of a Reformed Control Freak and implement the 3-Rs that lead to Trust.

I've made my fair share of mistakes at one time or another in my 40-plus years of managing and leading others. We aren't born knowing how to manage and lead others effectively. but we can learn how. Here's my ten-step blueprint for emerging leaders.

Leaders all face tight deadlines, limited resources, competing priorities, and unexpected changes. That part of a leaders work is unavoidable. However. how leaders respond to those challenges is optional. There's a clear difference between leaders who bring excuses and leaders who bring solutions. Excuses are easy. they are a dime a dozen and never solve anything. Solutions focus on how to get past those obstacles and move forward. Great leadership is not about waiting for conditions to be perfect before acting. Great leadership is about moving forward despite some unknowns. We aren't born knowing how to lead others, but we can learn. Listen to my latest Confessions of a Reformed Control Freak Podcast and find out.

Managers and leaders need to learn to manage their time and their team's time so they have the time to do those things that only they should be doing. They will burn themselves out if they continue doing their job and everyone else's. If you are doing someone else's job you will never have enough time to do your own. You have to learn to give up control to get control. You need to get it off your plate and put it on there's. You need to delegate some of your responsibilities to others on your team and resist the urge to micro-manage them. Listen to my latest podcast to learn the seven steps to effective delegation.

I was your typical A-type personality, and you can guess what some people thought the A meant. I was a control freak. It had to be my way - or no way at all. I let everyone know who was in charge. When I said jump, you were only allowed to ask. "How high?" I was the "Imtiminator". Does this sound familiar? Do you know of anyone who still manages or leads others this way? If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail. Times are changing. What you need to decide now is: will the management style that got you here be the same style that will get you and your management team to where you need to go? I recognized that I had to change, and you can change too. Listen to my latest episode of Confessions of a Reformed Control Freak Podcast to find out how.

Not everyone wants to lead, but everyone gets to decide who they want to follow. Think of a leader that you admire. What is it about their leadership style that resonates with you? If you had to describe it, what words would come to mind? Words like patience, honesty, open-mindedness, integrity, empathy or trustworthiness. We are not born knowing how to manage and lead others effectively. It is an acquired skill. Almost everything comes down to relationships. The time it takes to master something depends on the intensity of your focus. Let's get FOCUSED on leadership. 

Have you ever asked yourself where common sense comes from? Are we born with it? If we aren't born with it, how do we get it? If something makes perfect sense to you, shouldn't it make perfect sense to everyone else? Common sense is defined as sound prudent judgement based on a simple perception of the situation or facts. Common sense suggests an average degree of ability without sophistication or special knowledge. It's time to revisit Common sense.

There are only two things that are in your control. You control your effort and your attitude 100 percent of the time. You get to decide how much effort you put into accomplishing your goals and how you choose to react when things don't go according to your plans. You control the narrative. I leave you with one final thought by Charles Swindell as we head into 2026. Thanks for being part of my 2025.