Abbas Raza’s Post

Great to see Joe Root dogging it out to score a century in India. I'm no fan of Baz Ball - whilst I agree it can provide brilliant entertainment and empower the players, the non-strategic, laissez-faire approach is no way to play if you want to win games consistently. It's the same in business - would you just leave your employees to get on with whatever they fancy with no accountability or direction? Staff can still exert their individuality and play to their strengths when they have clear targets and plans in place to achieve them. A well-designed strategy is empowering, not stifling. You'll find most people want a level of direction and accountability, and your best employees will thrive on it! Do you agree? #team #culture #performance

Specialist or generalist: which one are you? As a leader, what do you value most in the workplace? And what path would you recommend for your children (if you have any)? This has been top of mind for me as the uber-talented #Olympians make an absolute spectacle of the best kind on my TV screen every night. So, for our #MasterMind topic this week, we decided to dissect #roles and #responsibilities, as any corporate-trained #leader would do. The contrast between #USA #gymnasts Simone Biles and Stephen Nedoroscik is stark. Both are critical to their team's #medal wins, but in different ways. Simone: She's a rock star in every discipline and pulls the #team along with her to elevate performance across the board. She's a #generalist, although I'll admit most generalists don't perform at her level across the board. Stephen: You may call him a one-hit wonder, but that one hit cements the whole team's standing. He goes deep on pommel horse #skills to get it perfect, and he's clutch in the moment of truth securing the #Bronze for #TeamUSA. In the #workplace, the classic debate is which one is best for a #leaderhsip role. I just spoke with an insurer who's searching for a leader and struggling with the decision to select an #insurance #expert or a market generalist. I said, "do you want to operate better or grow more?" Pick one and then supplement with the other reporting to the new #leader. Oftentimes we think plucking an expert to #lead in a generalist role gives us the best of both worlds. In my experience, an expert may not bring a broad enough lens, or they may thrive on the #execution rather than the team #win. I've seen it many times with top #salespeople. Management appoints its most influential or best performing salesperson to lead the sales team. And while they may have the #leadership chops, often they miss the hunt and step back into their #sales role. I built my #career as a generalist. It was the right path for me that helped me learn into many facets of running and growing a business. I'm certain the #opportunities I earned would not have come if I chose to be an expert in a single marketing discipline. At the same time, my run wasn't without having to prove my mettle in a variety of individual #disciplines, like Simone does to perfection. Where are you on the scale? How has it helped or held back your advancement? And what would you recommend to young people entering the workforce? Help students, workers, and decisionmakers strike the right balance. And take a moment to watch Stephen's incredible pommel horse #performance, including the intense #focus he has leading up to the event. Tagging my MasterMind crew: Jeffrey Mard Nora DiNuzzo Lee R. Roth Jesse Judelman Joshua H. Pat Lore Peter Urbain David Nace Brett Colbert

Powerlifting has a significant side effect 😯- it fosters a resilient leadership mindset 💪. Yesterday, a coaching client asked about my recent powerlifting competition. He was particularly curious about what competing does for me personally and professionally. I shared that powerlifting was a microcosm of life for me. This sport helps me live life better through the many mindset changes afforded through training and competing, such as: 1️⃣ Grand and sporadic bursts of high activity fall short compared to sustainable consistency. Doing what works (it may seem basic and boring) day after day generates success. 2️⃣ Judging wastes energy and causes one to lose focus. When I walk out with a weight that "should" feel lighter, I often get in my head. I then start to wonder what's wrong. I begin to believe that training will not go well. Instead, I am training myself to preserve energy and accept that "heavy is heavy—so what?" Just focus and execute intentionally and effortfully. 3️⃣ Linear progression works! The premise is that you get better a little at a time. I remind myself that in anything that I do, even if I just improve by 1%, over time, that will add up. 📈 Linear progression is not perfectly linear. I have also learned that when I regress if I recover and try again, that is when I see the biggest jumps in strengths. Recovery and progress are inextricably linked. 🛌 4️⃣ If you want mastery in anything, you must love the process more than the wins. I have learned to fall in love with the process of training and competing. Embracing process over outcome gives me patient tenacity. It is nice to win (I have placed at every meet so far). I also qualified for World's at this meet🌍. But if I only aimed to win, I would need motivation to go to the gym. Instead, I can leverage joyful discipline to train as scheduled. Motivation is fleeting - joyful discipline is nearly inexhaustible. ❓ What physical activity do you engage in that has the surprising side effect of improving your personal and professional life? #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #mindset #fitness

Pivot, adapt, survive…. https://lnkd.in/gyYKKuWi Nothing changes, if nothing changes so if you’re in business be nimble, be humble, embrace change and don’t be scared to lead…if you just sit around and wait to follow others lead you may find yourself left behind… #firstinbestdressed #survivalofthefittest #businesstips #adapt #change #innovate

We recently sat down with David Robertson, ChPC, High Performance Pursuit Advisor at Own The Podium, to delve into the world of high-performance coaching. Own the Podium is dedicated to understanding the factors that lead to peak performances in both Olympic and Paralympic sports worldwide. Read more about David's critical role in shaping coaches' potential, and how DISC Profiling is being utilized in the transformative journey towards Paris 2024, by visiting the link here 👉https://lnkd.in/gXSjUdDq #HighPerformanceCoaching #Paris2024 #UnlockYourPotential

Three Step Model of Change: 1.Unfreeze - 2.Moving - 3. Freeze The last few days of the Olympics continued with more iconic moments. The DJ's intervention to play John Lennon's "Imagine", to diffuse tension in the Gold Medal Match between Brazil and Canada was genius, and the players reaction was heart warming. In my work of facilitation, team development, and evolving organisational culture it reminded me of Kurt Lewin's Field Theory where he believes that individual behaviour is a function of the group environment or 'field', consequently changes in behaviour will stem from changes in the forces within the field. Lewin's Three Step Model of Unfreezing, Movement, Refreezing is highly related to Field Theory. The DJ's intervention created that Unfreeze (destabilising status quo, prepare for change), Movement (creating the motivation to learn, change, set new way of working) and then Unfreezing (stabilise the new equilibrium to secure new behaviours and new change) . In the moment we all have choices and ideas about what we can do to change the narrative whether we are experienced facilitators / OD practitioners or not. #culture #organisationaldevelopment #facilitation #teamwork

🏐 Volleyball: Together to Success - On and Off the Field! 🏆 Whether you're on the volleyball court or leading a team in business, the key to success is the same: teamwork and social unity. In volleyball, every point scored is a result of the collective effort of all players. It’s about trust, communication, and knowing that someone has your back when things get tough. 🌍 That same mindset can drive incredible success off the court too. In business, collaboration and teamwork aren't just buzzwords—they are the heart of every great achievement. It’s the ability to work together, overcome challenges, and push forward with a shared goal that turns vision into reality. So whether you're setting up for the perfect spike or tackling a project with your team, remember: success isn’t a solo game. It’s a win we all share together. 🙌 #LUBISEDA #startup #Teamwork

Powerlifting has a significant side effect 😯- it fosters a resilient leadership mindset 💪. Yesterday, a coaching client asked about my recent powerlifting competition. He was particularly curious about what competing does for me personally and professionally. I shared that powerlifting was a microcosm of life for me. This sport helps me live life better through the many mindset changes afforded through training and competing, such as: 1️⃣ Grand and sporadic bursts of high activity fall short compared to sustainable consistency. Doing what works (it may seem basic and boring) day after day generates success. 2️⃣ Judging wastes energy and causes one to lose focus. When I walk out with a weight that "should" feel lighter, I often get in my head. I then start to wonder what's wrong. I begin to believe that training will not go well. Instead, I am training myself to preserve energy and accept that "heavy is heavy—so what?" Just focus and execute intentionally and effortfully. 3️⃣ Linear progression works! The premise is that you get better a little at a time. I remind myself that in anything that I do, even if I just improve by 1%, over time, that will add up. 📈 Linear progression is not perfectly linear. I have also learned that when I regress if I recover and try again, that is when I see the biggest jumps in strengths. Recovery and progress are inextricably linked. 🛌 4️⃣ If you want mastery in anything, you must love the process more than the wins. I have learned to fall in love with the process of training and competing. Embracing process over outcome gives me patient tenacity. It is nice to win (I have placed at every meet so far). I also qualified for World's at this meet 🌍. But if I only aimed to win, I would need motivation to go to the gym. Instead, I can leverage joyful discipline to train as scheduled. Motivation is fleeting - joyful discipline is nearly inexhaustible. ❓ What physical activity do you engage in that has the surprising side effect of improving your personal and professional life? #leadership #leadershipdevelopment #mindset #fitness

Lessons from India's World Cup Win: Building a Winning Team Culture India's thrilling World Cup victory on June 29th was a moment of national pride. But beyond the raw emotion, the win offers valuable lessons for anyone leading a team, especially entrepreneurs. The Importance of Valuing Individual Strength: The match itself was a testament to the power of collective effort. Virat Kohli, despite a challenging tournament, and Shivam Dube, often criticized for his batting, rose to the occasion with crucial knocks. This highlights the importance of recognizing individual strengths and weaknesses. There will be days when experienced team members like Kohli might not perform to their full potential or days when new members like Dube take their time to get going, the key is patience and the right attitude for optimum results. The Role of Support & Mentorship: India's win also showcases the power of unwavering support. Despite some players not being in form, the coach and captain displayed unwavering faith in their team. This resonates with the entrepreneurial journey, where team members will inevitably experience ups and downs. As leaders, we must build a culture of trust and support to empower them to perform their best. Practice Consistency: India's ICC Cup drought may have spanned 11 years, but they consistently reached the semi-finals or finals in most of the tournaments. This teaches us that while winning is the ultimate goal, consistency is a crucial ingredient for long-term success. In business, we should aim for steady, sustainable growth, not just short-term wins. A Positive Team Culture: The World Cup win is a culmination of years of building a strong team culture.  As entrepreneurs, fostering a culture that celebrates both individual contributions and collective success is key. This environment encourages healthy competition, continuous learning, and ultimately, a team that thrives in any situation. Let's discuss! What are your thoughts on building a winning team culture? Share your insights in the comments below! #worldcup #t20 #teamindia

https://lnkd.in/gzN4JyqK We've got another one... I thought Kobbie Mainoo was absolutely outstanding last night bossing the midfield against Belgium. We're likely to enter into debates around whether he should go to the Euros or start games because of his age. The maxim 'If you're good enough you're old enough' seems fair enough to me but not everyone will agree. Being a precocious talent presents massive opportunities but maybe problems as well. Whether we're thinking about sport or business. Let's be clear. These people are very rare. But they do exist. People who are just that talented that they are on accelerated management programs or make it into senior management in a really short space of time. How do you create the rights kinds of pathways in a business for people like this... So they can achieve their potential and be retained - because let's face it if they're that good if you don't give them the right kind of pathway someone else will. You'll also have to manage inevitable friction which may occur with people who might be more senior in age but not in their role and level of responsibility in the business. Here are some tips: 1. Identify the talent early 2. Find out what they REALLY want 3. Create a pathway for development with milestones along the way 4. Assign them a coach/mentor 5. Give them influence 6. Let them use their talent to innovate. Putting these things in place will help the individual and the business flourish. For more on this see my article: https://lnkd.in/gtRtFcGF So Mr Southgate let's see Kobbie in the starting 11 in the summer please.