Defining success by what you don’t do is a really fast way to get to nowhere. Let me explain. Often we are tempted to define our level of personal success be reciting a list of things that we do, but what we are really doing is just putting a positive spin on the negatives. For example you do show up to work on time, you do make sure you meet your deadlines, and you do make sure you are prepared for the board meetings you are in charge of running. You are actually saying, you don’t come to work late, you’re not past your deadlines, and you don’t show up to board meetings unprepared.

Defining your level of success, growth, and leadership by firing off a list of personal “Do Not’s” is a sure way to make sure that you never make a lasting impact. It’s a sure way to never exceed expectations or leave a memorable WOW factor with someone. So instead of just not coming to the board meeting unprepared, why not approach it with an attitude of wanting to exceed expectations and ensure you make a lasting impression on those around you?

By Brant Bullard

In today’s world, banks and borrowers face many unprecedented challenges. More than ever before, banks are under tremendous regulatory pressure for asset/loan quality and borrowers are being required to produce timely financial reporting that meets or exceeds loan agreement covenants.  Sound familiar? It’s not just enough to make your payments on time; now many borrowers are confronted with comprehending and understanding something called Global Cash Flow!

Several years ago, banks began using Global Cash Flow as a method to underwrite loans; however, in today’s lending environment, Global Cash Flow Analysis has become the standard for all small business bank lending.

A few years ago, to avoid double taxation of earnings as C-Corps, most small businesses started electing to operate as “S-Corporation, Partnership, or Limited Liability Companies”—all of which “pass through” the business profits to the personal tax returns of the owners. Therefore, in most common small business settings in today’s world there are no business entity taxes to consider.  Since business and personal cash flow are required to pay the taxes, a combined Global Analysis is needed to avoid distortions and to produce a clear understanding of Global Cash Flow (we will call this the “Big Picture”).  In a nutshell, this “Big Picture” is a true reflection of the cash generating capability of a business, its ability to repay debt (i.e. Debt Service Coverage), and how cash is distributed to the owners and applied to their respective debt obligations and tax liabilities. Debt Service Coverage Ratios are common in most loan agreements and Global Cash Flow is a key component to this calculation.

So is Global Cash Flow really worth knowing, even if you are one of the lucky ones who doesn’t borrow money? As a small business owner, having a clear understanding of the “Big Picture” is a great tool in managing the finances of a company, assessing growth capacity or a potential acquisition, or perhaps helping determine the value of the cash flow stream in terms of an exit or sale strategy.  If nothing else, having a thorough understanding of your company’s cash flow will enhance your creditability with the existing or a potential new banking relationship.

We here at GiANT have created a methodology to help owners of small businesses create a template to identify and monitor the “Big Picture.” Please contact GiANT if the “Big Picture” is something you would like to know more about.

By Dan Bales

For me, this is a season of big thinking. Bold thinking. Thinking that takes our organization places that we have never before dreamed. Truly, I am thinking bigger than I ever have before about our events, our reach, our impact and our growth.

Seems like an odd time to some of you, I know. I mean, we are in the worst recession in our recent history. There are more businesses going out of business and more people become unemployed.

That is precisely why I am thinking bigger than ever before. This is the time for offense. I suppose I would rather die trying to grow and influence then die defending something in a defensive posture.

So how do you get bigger? How do you grow in a time like this? How do you think big when everyone around you has their head in the sand?

In the words of Truett Cathy, “You get bigger by becoming better.” Or in other words to get Big, get Better.

Now, how can you get better? You can think better and you can make your products or services better. This is the time to work on getter better. Practice, think, innovate. I know you don’t have enough money to do all of that, but you can certainly start with a few. It starts with you. Can you, as a leader, get better? Chances are, yes you can. Can your team get better? Your processes? How about your website or marketing materials?

You don’t always have to spend money in order to get better, either. You can improve little things. It starts with your mindset. If you want to get bigger, you must get better. That is as simple and powerful as it gets.

By Jeremie Kubicek

GiANT Perspectives

What course is your life taking? Have you thought about that in awhile? How do you determine the course of your life?

For some, their family business has dictated their course. For others, their education level determines their steps. Some of us are so entrepreneurial that we have no idea. I would like to challenge us with a big thought of what actually determines the course of your life.

It is not family heritage, nor is it educational status, nor business success. Rather, it is your heart. That sounds a bit soft doesn’t it? What I mean is that our head knowledge often helps us accomplish much in our life, but it is our heart wisdom that keeps us on course or not.

Here is how King Solomon says it:
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
Want some examples?

National Leaders: Watch the latest political figure discuss their affair with one of their staffers. When you hear “I sinned against God, my family and myself,” they are really saying I didn’t guard my heart.

Family Members: When you find out that one of the members in your family or extended family has fallen prey to some addiction, you can be sure that they did not guard the doors to their heart.

Ourselves: Think of the one failure in your character over the past few months. If you had guarded your heart, would that have happened?

The success or failure of your heart will direct the course of your life. When one of us gives into things that are truly against us, like adultery or addiction, it will lead our lives in a different direction that we most likely won’t want.

The perspective for us today is the importance to guard the wisdom we have and want even more wisdom to guard our lives from the subtle, yet tricky, sins around us. Every leader that has fallen has not guarded their hearts. It’s time for all of us to guard them well so that our course of life benefits everyone around us including ourselves.

By Jeremie Kubicek

GiANT Perspectives

Too many people in life become a prisoner of their own circumstances. I’ve seen many financially successful people that “love their position, but hate their job.”

I’ve seen many low, middle and upper income people that are extremely happy, balanced by many people that are “handcuffed” to a life they really don’t like.

One should NEVER let themselves become a prisoner of their own circumstances. Always OWN your destiny. If you don’t like where you are, trust me, if you’ll take charge you CAN make a change.

If you’re stuck, here are a few thoughts to help you:

1. If you make a change, you WILL land on your feet.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice and help. Too many people are too proud to do so. Don’t be that way.
3. Don’t be a victim of “paralysis by analysis.” Life is meant to be lived. Even if you don’t have the perfect answer, aggressively pursue what’s in your heart.

To be a great leader, you must start with yourself. Taking chances is all part of great leadership. Life never comes with the perfect plan. As Patton once said, “A good plan violently executed now is better than a perfect plan executed next week”.

Pursue the life you want, not live the life you don’t.

By David Woods

Peter Senge’s Fifth Discipline was published 20 years ago, but many of the concepts are still helpful today. He describes how “small changes can produce big results – but the areas of highest leverage are often the least obvious.” His illustration of the concept of leverage, borrowed from the philosopher-engineer Buckminster Fuller, is powerful. He describes how the “trim tab” on a ship, the “rudder on the rudder,” creates a pressure differential that makes it easier to turn the main rudder and therefore turn even the largest oil tanker. Airplane wings operate on the same principle.

Like the “trim tab” there are elements in our organizations that can help us make important changes more easily. Reacting habitually to the circumstances we find ourselves in, or vigorously attacking the obvious issues, can feel like trying to put on a hubcap with one hand: pushing one side into place makes the opposite side pop back out. Our team completes lots of activities (and put out lots of fires), but meaningful progress seems to evade us. As leaders we need to look holistically at the system and try to discern what the leverage points are that can serve as our ship’s trim tab. Often the trim tab levers are hidden from our day-to-day view; we need to take the time to quietly question, observe, think and reflect. What is your organization’s trim tab? What relatively small step can you take that will produce an out-sized result? What apparently minor adjustment can you make that will alter your course for the better?

By Andrew Ranson

After listening to dozens of leaders discuss survival over the past year it is imperative for every leader to dust off their mission and recast their vision… not only for your team, but, more importantly, for you.

Let me remind you, mission is about purpose. Vision is about direction.

At GiANT our mission is to awaken leaders by inspiring and challenging them to live leadership.

Our vision is to be the premier leader development company. We are on track to be the leader in growing leaders.

I have realized that our organization has confused the two a bit. Mission is our purpose. Vision is where we are going.

Dust off your mission. Remind the team. Recast the vision. Make it as clear as possible.

A great resource is Andy Stanley’s, Making Vision Stick. This great book will help you clarify your vision and communicate clearly to your team.

By Jeremie Kubicek

GiANT Perspectives

A liberator is one that sets people free from bondage or oppression. They are typically great followers more than self-proclaimed leaders. These liberating leaders have affected and will affect people for centuries.

1. Jesus Christ – While Jesus is a non-traditional leader in a Western worldview, he is the best liberator in the history of mankind. His life continues to liberate the souls of men and women. No one has, nor ever will impact the world as much as Jesus.

2. Moses – This historic leader led people who didn’t want to be led into the nation of Israel. He liberated the people from Egypt with great humility and wisdom. He shows how great following leads to great leading.

3. George Washington – This American general and president represents the will and character of American leadership. He liberated the colonists from the tyranny of England and established the new nation.

4. Abraham Lincoln – One president maintained unity in the midst of civil war and led the liberation of the slaves to become Americans.

5. Ghandi – This Indian leader related to his people and led with ultimate humility and a complete lack of greed.

6. Martin Luther King – This man’s influence continues to impact people around the world. His influence continues to inspire Americans, most recently in the U.S. election of President Obama.

7. Winston Churchill – This amazing British prime minister held England and the Allied forces together against the evil Nazi empire, which ultimately led to the liberation of Europe with the help of the U.S. forces and other leaders such as General Eisenhower and General Bradley.

8. FDR – Franklin Roosevelt faced some of the harshest circumstances in U.S. history – the depression and WWII. His leadership liberated America to become a world leader and pull the people out of the malaise.

9. Ronald Reagan – His presidency is best known for his leadership and liberation of totalitarianism in our world. His leadership best describes the desire of American’s to truly liberate companies from bad leaders for the prosperity of the people and the world.

10. King David – A giant named Goliath held a people hostage until a little boy with five stones and a heart and mind of faith entered the battle field. From that moment on, he liberated his people and led them effectively. He is a great leader for all times.

By Jeremie Kubicek

GiANT Perspectives

When was the last time you laughed? I mean really laughed?

I thought long and hard about this recently and realized that it had been over three months. Serious. That is crazy. You see, I grew up with a comedic mind – constantly coming up with funny incidents. I am a laugher or at least I was.

Be careful not to allow the tension of leadership to outweigh the thrill of leadership. Laughter must have a place in your life in some form or fashion. The pressure of leadership can kill. It can dull you into a drone of premeditated responses and choreographed behaviors.

Laugh again. Let’s stop taking ourselves so serious.

• Turn on some music – live a bit and turn it up loud.
• Buy a funny (and clean) comedy CD – Brad Stine, Brian Reagan or an old classic (I just thought about Jerry Clower – now that is funny).
• Find a cartoon you enjoy. I grew up on the Far Side and Herman – that might explain a lot right there.
• Look for funny things. For years I had amazingly funny things happen to me on my business trips. I would then get with a couple of close friends and download them with humorous detail. Things like Lucky the strangely-named car salesman. Or the time I had to sleep in the same room with a bunch of german students when stuck in Chicago. You should have seen me trying to talk to these guys in German at two in the morning!

Go ahead, loosen up the collar. Drink in life a bit. Thank God for what he has given you and start to laugh. Joy, my friends, is amazing and short on supply in this constant dismal media drain we are experiencing. Laugh at yourself.

By Jeremie Kubicek

GiANT Perspectives

When you hear ‘bottom line,’ you most often think of financial statements. That is true when you think of the bottom line as the net income after all cost of goods sold, SG&A, operating expenses, etc. Some might look at EBITDA or net profit or some other formula they have created over the years.

Yet, there is another bottom line that is much more important. It is your personal bottom line. Haven’t heard of that? We all have one. Every one of us has a bottom line that we rarely review. Most of us just look at the inflows, but never look at the things that take away from what comes into our lives.

The real bottom line is simply this: what is the faith and hope that is left over once the cares of the world, the delight in riches and desire for other things are taken out. The real bottom line is what you are once the world takes a big chunk out of you.

The traditional life formula might look like this:

Positive Circumstantial Inflow (new job, salary, promotion, accolades, weekend plans, for some – faith)

Minus

Cost of Living (actual dollars to live lifestyle – vehicles, homes, trips, etc.)

Minus

Personal Cost of Opportunity (the real human cost of lifestyle and position – time, cost of relationships, etc.)

Equals

Net Living Gained (what is left over, hope, faith, trust)

Our society normally focuses solely on inflow (what we can get). We rarely count the cost of our chosen lifestyle (that is why we are in the financial malaise we are currently experiencing). We almost never count the personal cost of opportunity (that is where divorce comes from, in my opinion – no one understands what the job or promotion does to marriages or kids). If faith or hope makes it through the formula, you end up with perseverance and character. If not, people normally end up with divorce and or distant marriages, etc.

Think about it. Take your current inflow opportunities (salary, position, etc.). What is the cost of living of living that lifestyle you think is required of that opportunity? Subtract that. Now, what is the personal cost of opportunity (what does the boss or company expect – travel, time at the office, morals, etc.). Subtract that from the inflow line as well.

What is your Net Living Ratio? Is there any room left for your family or for you? Have you lost yourself in the process? Where is your hope and faith? Is it in the opportunity or is it in something bigger?

The current loss of confidence in our society is primarily because we have put our hope in sources of inflow. When they stall or recede or are depressed it causes the vast global society to shrink back and to become depressed. We have put our hope in the wrong things.

Think about it… In the good times our society puts hope into revenues (how much you make, status, position, etc.). In the bad times we moan and complain because we don’t see the increase of opportunity because those revenues are not there. Our focus is on the top line inflow as a society. That is circumstantial living. We allow what happens at the top to affect our whole livelihood.

Faith is built on bottom line wisdom. Hope is still found when all expenses have been taken out. It is about Net Living, not top line only. Take some time and evaluate your life portfolio. How solid are you? Is your cost of living more in line with reality? Have you re-prioritized your personal life? Or are you spiraling down with a world focused on the wrong things. These are the discussions that will make you more whole in time.

Live Full and Live Free.

By Jeremie Kubicek

GiANT Perspectives

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