Talent is Never Enough - by Amy Burkett

Guest blog post from Amy Burkett/PBS39 Station Manager - AmyBurkett@johnmaxwellgroup.com

We've all known people who've had a ton of talent but just couldn't seem to find a way to be successful.  I always find that to be such a heartbreaking thing.  We often think of it with young people.  Maybe it's your son or daughter who shows such promise in sports, music or academics yet they just don't have the work ethic yet to capitalize on their potential.

Just because we're adults doesn't mean we're exempt from missing the opportunity to be all we were created to be.  That's a real issue for all of us.  I think it's tough for we middle-aged business people.  These days we're all doing more with less, working harder to balance the challenges of work and our families.  We're all trying to determine when we should lay our professional goals down, because life is good enough.  Well, I hope this is a little shot in the arm.  If we're still breathing, there's still time to make our dreams come true.

One of  New York Times best-selling author John Maxwell's books is titled, Talent is Never Enough and here are some tips that can help us all reach our potential.

1. Passion energizes your talent.  If you still don't love what you do, do something else.
2. Initiative activates your talent.  I can't tell you how many times I've watched professionals just sit back and expect their dreams to fall into their laps without any effort on their part.  It doesn't work that way my friends.
3. Focus directs your talent.  We are all bombarded daily with a myriad of things clawing for our attention.  Will you have the determination to cut through the clutter and focus on the things that make the biggest impact?
4. Preparation positions your talent.  Maybe college was a long time ago.  What are you doing to continue to grow yourself and your business.
5. Perseverance sustains your talent.  Life is tough, get over it and push on toward your goal.  Quitters never make it across the finish line.  Do you want to allow your challenges to make you bitter or better.  I recommend better.
6. Courage tests your talent.  Do you have the courage to stand up and do what's right, even when everyone else says, "oh come on, no one will ever know."
7. Teachability expands your talent.  How many know-it-all executives do you know? We need to work very hard to be life-long learners.
8. Character protects your talents.  My friends, in my opinion, we seem to have a character crisis in our businesses.  Many people say there is so many grey issues in business.  I'm of the belief that the world is more black and white...right and wrong than many of us are willing to admit. I say life is grey for those who lack vision, values and the character to stand up for them.
9.  Responsibility strengthens your talent.  How many times have you seen a business leader create cover for their choices?  Or here's another way to think about it.  Sometimes leaders abdicate responsibility because it allows them to stay in power.  The fact is that type of leadership doesn't strengthen talent.
10. Teamwork multiplies your talent. I believe one is too small a number to achieve greatness.   We've all heard the saying, together everyone achieves more.  Well, I've lived it and can assure you if you have any doubts, it's true.

So, why do I share these?  Well, they're principles I live by and ones that have helped me go to the next level.   Many of you may have seen the news that after 14 years, I'm leaving PBS39.  Trust me this was the toughest decision of my life.  I love this station and this community more than I can express.  However, I've had a dream to lead a television station for over a decade and I've been tenaciously developing the necessary skills to be able to do it.  I couldn't sit back and live my comfortable life and let my dream drift away.  I felt compelled, pushed and pulled to chase it.  I'm extremely grateful to have been selected as the new general manager of PBS Charlotte WTVI so this will be my last blog written from Pennsylvania. After I get settled in North Carolina, I'll start them up again.  You'll be able to find them at my Facebook fan page.  I'm sure I'll continue to learn many leadership lessons there and I look forward to sharing them with you. Hey, if you're ever in Charlotte, please look me up!

Amy is an Emmy Award winning producer who's passionate about developing people.  She is a John Maxwell certified leadership trainer, speaker and coach.  Like me on Facebook at Amy Burkett Sucess Seekers, 610.814.0610 Amyburkett@johnmaxwellgroup.com.

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The Action Alphabet

Guest blog post from Amy Burkett/PBS39 Station Manager -AmyBurkett@johnmaxwellgroup.com

So you feel like you're stuck in a rut.  It happens to all of us.  Maybe it's your business that's grown for years and now seems like it's stuck in park.  Or maybe you're having trouble getting to that next career goal.  Trust me friends we all go through these times of professionally stalling.  I admit I'm not a fan.  I'm more of a put the pedal to the metal scream forward kind of gal.  But like you, things don't always happen the way I'd like them to everyday.  Here's what I do when I feel stuck.  I seek out a new leadership book so I can get some help to find a way to move forward.

Back in 2008 I hit a pretty big career speed bump and thank heavens a dear friend gave me Robert Schuller's book, TOUGH TIMES NEVER LAST, BUT TOUGH PEOPLE DO!  Seriously, I couldn't put it down.  Every page was better than the last and I felt encouraged...better yet it gave me some concrete tips on things only I could do to make life better and achieve my dream.  I'd like to share a few letters and tips from Schuller's ACTION ALPHABET with you.

•  A-Affirm that you can do it. You CAN find a job.  You CAN change careers.  You CAN succeed and YOU deserve to succeed.
• B-Believe that somehow, some time, somewhere through someone's help you CAN achieve your heart's highest goal.
• C-Commit yourself to a dream.  Nothing holds people back more than the fear of failure. Go back to school, take a course, do whatever it takes to succeed.
• D-Dare to try.  If you don't dare to take a risk, you'll never get ahead.  You'll never solve your problems.
• E-Educate yourself.  Don't be tempted to take shortcuts, to avoid the hard years.  The training may be hard but those who are too lazy to learn, weaken their chances for success because knowledge is power.
• F-Find the talent, the possibilities, the time, the money and the way.
• G- A Giving attitude is the secret to successful living!  When you have the attitude of "I want what I want when I want it," people can tell and they are repelled.

I know there are 26 letters in the alphabet, but I only had space for seven.  Putting these seven into action will help you a lot toward moving your career and business forward.  This may be the help you need to shift out of neutral into drive.  VROOM VROOM...I think I hear you speeding forward already.

Amy is an Emmy Award winning producer who's passionate about developing people.  She is a John Maxwell certified leadership trainer, speaker and coach.  Like me on Facebook at Amy Burkett Sucess Seekers, 610.814.0610 Amyburkett@johnmaxwellgroup.com.

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What's in Your Leadership Toolbox?

Guest blog post from Amy Burkett/PBS39 Station Manager -AmyBurkett@johnmaxwellgroup.com

First,  I must admit I am not handy.  I can't fix anything broken around the house.  I don't use power tools.  I don't own a tool belt or a toolbox.  However, when it comes to leadership, I've packed that imaginary toolbox full of all the knowledge I've learned from my experiences in leadership, reading great books, attending incredible seminars and living a life committed to professional development.

It's shocking to me, but research shows about two-thirds of people won't read a book after they graduate.  I find that heart-breaking and can't understand why people don't enjoy learning.  I'm committed to being a life-long learner.  I suspect years of working for PBS had something to do with that.  I've been encouraged through that programming to grow personally.  Then, I have to ask, "What good is knowledge if you keep it to yourself?"  My quest to improve my own leadership lead me to want to share what I've learned with others.

Ask my husband what it's like to be with me when I'm reading a new book.  He'll tell you he doesn't have to read it, because I stop every couple of pages to share what I just learned.  Ask my friend Kim what it's like to sit on the beach with me while I'm reading what I consider to be a gripping new leadership book?  Better yet...don't ask them.  I realize my excitement may make me a bit of a geek, but over time I've learned I was created to share what I've learned with others.

So here are 10 of the greatest things a leader can put in their toolbox.  I didn't create them.  They come from leadership guru and NY Times bestselling author John Maxwell.  He's written over 70 books and I've probably read over 25 of them.

1. The leader's greatest victory---VICTORY OVER SELF! Followers tend to think of themselves first, while leaders put others ahead of themselves.
2. The Leader's Greatest Asset---CONFIDENCE! This is the cornerstone of successful leadership.
3. The Leader's Greatest Weight---  FINAL RESPONSIBILITY! Leaders don't play the blame game. They take responsibility.
4. The Leader's Greatest Discipline---TAKING TIME TO THINK! Our lives today are a result of yesterday's thinking.
5. The Leader's Greatest Handicap---PRIDE! Prideful leaders push others aside to seize the spotlight. 
6. The Leader's Greatest Opportunity---TODAY! Yesterday's gone and none of us are promised tomorrow so we need to take advantage of today.
7. The Leader's Greatest Mistake---PUTTING SELF BEFORE OTHERS! If you want to be an ineffective leader than go ahead and be self-absorbed.
8. The Leader's Greatest Prayer---WISDOM! Wisdom is worth more to you than all the gold in the world.
9. The Leader's Greatest Loss---HOPE! Hope keeps us going in the tough times.
10. The Leader's Greatest Joy---ADDING VALUE TO OTHERS!  Trophies eventually collect dust. But adding value to others never gets old.

That last one means the world to me.  I love teaching people how to make great television and how to grow people to meet their potential.  I've had the chance to sow seeds of success in all the freshmen in the Bethlehem Area School District this year and right now I'm teaching two groups of incredible students at Penn State Lehigh Valley and Lafayette College.  I think they know how much I love working with them, but if they didn't, they do now.  Here's another source of  joy for me:  Watching CBS3 in Philadelphia on weekday mornings to see two of my former reporters, Nicole Brewer and Katie Fehlinger.  I gave them both their first jobs.  They had so much talent and ambition.  They just needed a chance to learn, grow and hone their craft.  My heart swells with pride every time I watch them from my comfy couch.

My Friends, it's time to load up your leadership toolbox and keep it handy, so YOU can make a difference in the lives of others.

Amy is an Emmy Award winning producer who's passionate about developing people.  She is a John Maxwell certified leadership trainer, speaker and coach.  Like me on Facebook at Amy Burkett Sucess Seekers, 610.814.0610 Amyburkett@johnmaxwellgroup.com

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Are You Sabotaging Your Success? - Guest Blog Post

Guest blog post from Amy Burkett/PBS39 Station Manager - AmyBurkett@johnmaxwellgroup.com

Why would any of us want to sabotage our success?  The answer, of course, is we don't WANT to but millions do it everyday by giving up.  So, today I'm sharing just one of my secrets to success and that's PERSEVERANCE!!!  That word should be your best friend and I know a lot about pushing through when all your flesh wants to do is throw up the white flag and surrender.  I've spent 23 years in television and have had just about every cruel thing imaginable done to me but today I'm stronger because of all of it.

I'll share FIVE enemies of perseverance but first you need to learn a little about how I've persevered.   My whole life I dreamed of being a television news anchor.  I used to sit on my grandfather's lap and watch the news with Walter Cronkite.  I won my first essay contest in the third grade and was in all the school musicals.  It seemed I was meant to be in television.  I was accepted to Bowling Green State University in my home state of Ohio.  I made it through the first semester just fine and signed up to be a writer for the school's daily newspaper...THE BG NEWS.  I loved it.  THEN, I had to take an entry exam to officially be admitted to the school of journalism.

I don't know about you but tests freaked me out.  I over thought it and stressed myself out so of course you can guess what happened   I failed it.  Not once but four times.  The fifth try was a charm but don't think I didn't cry a river freaking out that my dream of being a television journalist was over before it began.  Here's the kicker.  After I passed, I was called before the journalism review board.  I was convinced they were going to deny admitting me because it took me so long to pass.

Well, I was WRONG again.  They decided to eliminate the test because they no longer believed it determined whether someone would be successful in the field.  Little old me from tiny Uhrichsville, OH made a difference and you can too if you avoid the 5 ENEMIES of PERSEVERANCE as written by NY Times Bestselling Author John Maxwell.

       1.  A lifestyle of giving up.

       2.  A wrong belief that life should be easy.

       3.  A wrong belief that success is a destination.  (It's a journey)

       4.  A lack of resiliency

       5.  A lack of vision

My friends life is tough but our success is worth the effort.  Winston Churchill once said, "Never, ever, ever give up."  Giving up isn't part of any of our DNA.  So my friends I want to encourage you to PERSEVERE.  Push on toward the finish line.  A great boss once told me life is a marathon not a 50 yard dash.  We have to train, push on and PERSEVERE.   It's going to be difficult but YOU CAN DO IT.  Don't settle for being average.  You were created for GREATNESS!

Amy is an Emmy Award winning producer who's passionate about developing people.  She is a John Maxwell certified leadership trainer, speaker and coach.  Like me on Facebook at Amy Burkett Sucess Seekers, 610.814.0610 Amyburkett@johnmaxwellgroup.com

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