Authentically Speaking

15 Nov 2021

Randy Hain Giving Back to Others, What Matters Permalink

Honoring the Impactful People in Our Lives

Randy Hain November 15, 2021

*This is the first blog post in a new series called Upon Reflection.

“There is no greater joy nor greater reward than to make a fundamental difference in someone’s life.” – Sister Mary Rose McGeady, D.C.

Several weeks ago on October 1st, my older son Alex and I visited my dad Steve in Florida on his 83rd birthday and presented him with a very special gift. He knew I had written a new book, but he did not know it was dedicated to him and my mother Sandi who passed away in 2009. He learned about this surprise as he opened his present, a beautifully framed copy of the dedication page from Essential Wisdom for Leaders of Every Generation. My father is not a very emotional man, but this was a teary-eyed moment for him and all of us who had gathered to celebrate his special day.

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19 Jun 2021

Randy Hain Giving Back to Others, What Matters Permalink

We Should All Be More Like Dave

Randy Hain June 19, 2021

I was reflecting today on a recent NBA playoff game I attended in my home city. The arena was packed that night and the atmosphere was electric as 15,000+ fans eagerly awaited the beginning of the game. As I waited for the tip off, I noticed an elderly gentleman and a teenage boy enter the row in front of us as they looked for their seats. The older man introduced himself as Dave to people as he walked by and proudly let everyone know that the young man with him was his youngest grandson Michael.

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18 Apr 2021

Randy Hain Meaningful Life, What Matters Permalink

Embracing Simplicity

Randy Hain April 18, 2021

Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all of the stress, responsibilities and challenges in your daily life? If I am honest with myself, the times I feel most anxious or stressed are usually caused by my lifelong tendency to over-complicate things and an inclination towards “busyness”. I am grateful for the occasional insights I have into ways to address this problem and as I grow older, I recognize the wisdom of something my father often shared with me in my younger days: simplify your life.

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11 Apr 2021

Randy Hain Career Development, Professional Development Permalink

Credibility Matters: Advice for Aspiring Leaders

Randy Hain April 11, 2021

Credibility is important, possibly one of the most important things a professional must possess to grow in their career and be successful. True credibility can’t be bought and nobody should feel they are entitled to it. It has to be earned and it requires self-awareness, hard work, time and patience. Once earned, credibility cannot be taken for granted as it can be lost, damaged or enhanced by our actions every single day. Credibility should matter to everyone, regardless of their age or station in life, but this newest blog post in the Simplify series is written specifically for college students and new business professionals interested in growing their careers and making a positive mark in the business world.

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05 Apr 2021

Randy Hain Leadership, Professional Development Permalink

Avoiding Workaround Traps

Randy Hain April 5, 2021

I think we can all agree that the most direct path between points A and B on a graph is a straight line. I hope we can also agree that most of us would prefer to be as productive, efficient and effective as possible in our daily work. This is obvious, right? But, in my experience, I often see leaders and teams avoid taking the most helpful and direct path when it comes to making decisions, being productive and addressing challenges by engaging in an ongoing series of “workarounds” to get things done. Webster’s Dictionary defines workaround as “a plan or method to circumvent a problem without eliminating it.” This is a common business trap that over-complicates decision-making, slows down execution, contributes to burnout and wastes precious time.

Have you ever fallen into the “workaround trap”?

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27 Mar 2021

Randy Hain Career Development, Leadership, Meaningful Life, Professional Development Permalink

Facing “Veracruz Moments”

Randy Hain March 27, 2021

As you may recall from history, the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes landed in Veracruz, Mexico in 1519 with a small army of 600 men with dreams of conquering the mighty Aztec empire.  Many of his men were afraid and filled with doubts in the face of so daunting a mission, so Cortes made the decision to burn their ships.  With retreat now impossible and no place to go except forward to face their enemy, his men were properly motivated and fully committed to fulfill their mission.

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20 Mar 2021

Randy Hain Business Relationships, Leadership, What Matters Permalink

Authenticity Matters

Randy Hain March 20, 2021

“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have discussed the topic of authenticity with other business professionals for decades, but these conversations over the last few years have migrated from the importance of simply allowing others to see the “real” us to guarded discussions around the increasing anxiety and fear people have in today’s world regarding being open about what they truly think and nervousness about advocating for their beliefs and convictions. In a few very recent discussions with other business leaders, I received blank stares and obvious discomfort when I advocated for being the same person no matter where we were and transparent about our lives with others. Why is authenticity so uncomfortable?

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13 Mar 2021

Randy Hain Meaningful Life Permalink

Are You Successful?

Randy Hain March 13, 2021

I recall a time eight years ago when my then 74-year old father came to our house for a visit, which he typically does two or three times a year (when we are not dealing with a pandemic!). He loves to see his grandsons and we talk to him every week by phone, but because of his health it is sometimes difficult for him to travel from his Florida home to Atlanta. I have occasionally written about my dad over the years and the wise counsel and good example I have always received from him. This particular weekend visit was different because of a powerful lesson he helped me teach one of my children. On the Saturday afternoon of my dad’s visit, my son and I were throwing the football outside while my father was taking a short nap in his room. I can always tell when one of my boys has something on his mind so I probed and asked him if there was anything he wanted to talk about. He responded with, “Dad, remember when we talked about what it means to be successful a few months ago? Is Papa successful?”

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06 Mar 2021

Randy Hain Leadership, Leadership Cmmunication, Professional Development Permalink

Clarity Matters

Randy Hain March 6, 2021

As I sat down to write this latest blog post in the Simplify series, I once again pondered the conversations I have been having with clients and other business leaders over the last few months and was struck by a central theme that seems to be popping up in most of them: the importance of clarity and negative impact the lack of it has on teams and organizations. I think the primary reason this issue is hitting my radar is a key question I am asking some of these leaders to answer:  What were the biggest challenges for you and your team last year, other than the pandemic, that you wish to address more effectively this year? Consistently, I am hearing a desire to improve accountability, increase efficiency, foster greater ownership, improve communication and achieve better overall results. I would suggest the answer to all of these challenges, or the beginning of the answer, can be found by dramatically improving clarity.

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28 Feb 2021

Randy Hain Uncategorized Permalink

Doubling Down on Business Relationships

Randy Hain February 28, 2021

I was reflecting this morning on the numerous conversations I have had with senior business leaders over the last several months.  When I ask questions about challenges they (and their teams) are experiencing at work, I often hear comments like these:

We are not candid.

We don’t really know each other the way we once did.

We don’t have fun anymore.

I feel isolated.

There is a lack of trust on our team.

I am struggling to influence so and so.

We are not aligned the way we should be.

Our team has lost its rhythm.

Cross-silo collaboration is poor or non-existent.

The challenges of working from home for this prolonged period of time is negatively impacting many of us in significant ways.  In my opinion, one of the biggest casualties for the majority of leaders I know is the negative impact on business relationships.

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