Orrin Woodward of Team - Showin' Up
One of the most valuable lessons I learned from Orrin Woodward is that you need to be intentional about success. Success is not just gong to reach out and grab you. You must pursue it, and that pursuit translates into a focus on personal growth.

Growth is not automatic. Paul Harvey said it like this: "You can tell you're on the road to success; it's uphill all the way." You can't coast uphill.

I think it was Earl Nightengale who said, "If you'll spend one hour a day, every day for five years on a given subject, within five years you'll become an expert on that subject."

Because of Orrin's influence (which in large measure was based on his example), I made a decision several years ago to set aside one hour per day for personal growth. Seven years later, I find that the more I learn and grow, the more precious that hour has become.

As a kid, were you ever told you could get whatever you want? Well, it's true. Although I remember thinking that there were only "some" people - the lucky ones or the privileged ones, the "special ones" that could get what they want.

Here's what I discovered. The ones who get what they want, are the ones who show up to get it.

Orrin showed up. I showed up. A lot of people decided to show up. What about you? You gonna show up?

Leading By Learning
I recently read an article in which a leader said,"If I have an art form of leadership, it is to make as many mistakes as quickly as I can in order to learn."

Real leaders like Orrin Woodward don't view failure as something irrevocably negative. They feel free to press on and try something new. They believe that something useful can be learned and try something more likely to work.

The people I know who try so hard to avoid failure (and sadly, it is the majority) rob themselves of the opportunity to grow. What a pity!

Leadership requires bravery. Thanks Orrin, for being brave enough to make a lot of mistakes quickly and intelligent enough to learn from every one of them.

Orrin Woodward - an example of Honorable Leadership
The following question is taken from a powerpoint slide presentation made at the West Point Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic: "Leadership, Character and Values - what can make us stray from these?"

Easy answer that anyone who is brave enough to be honest, already knows. We take the easier wrong because we lack the courage to do the harder right. Then, we rationalize (make excuses for) our behavior.

As the great bard said, "What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive." I might add the word "ourselves" to the end of the quote.

One of the reasons Orrin Woodward has achieved great success is that he has long realized that rationalization is the enemy of honorable leadership and has made a habit of choosing the harder right.

Orrin leads from the high ground of honor - doing the right thing even when it's difficult. A good habit to have. Might I suggest that this country will be in much better shape when more men find the courage to do likewise.

The Courage to Conduct
Saw a quote the other day that reminded me of Orrin Woodward. "A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the crowd."

A few years ago, Orrin had to turn his back on a large crowd of people to lead the orchestra called the Team.

I for one will be eternally grateful to Orrin for that singular act of courage, and for the many, many more that followed.

Orrin Woodward's new DVD
The eagerly anticipated DVD "Lung Busters" has been released. Orrin shares his thoughts on limiting beliefs in the humorous rendition of his self talk while swimming lung busters. Orrin has a unique style of driving home points through humor and stories that has catapulted him to the top of the leadership field. Anyone serious about developing as a leader should have a copy of this DVD in their leadership library. Pick up a copy through your local Team representative.

Leading the Consumer Rebellion
The first book released by community building superstars Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady called Leading the Consumer Rebellion has sold over 125,000 copies. The book is now being translated into Spanish. The book describes the emerging trends that make building communities the elite business opportunity of the 21st century. Orrin and Chris's second book called Launching the Leadership Revolution is selling at a record setting pace and is sure to be a best seller as well. Orrin and Chris are humbled by the excitement generated around these two business books and would like to thank all their friends who believed in them when others said it couldn't be done.

Orrin and Laurie Woodward
When Orrin Woodward and his wife Laurie were invited to look at a business idea, they were looking for an opportunity to bring Laurie home to be a full-time mom. Orrin and Laurie were both so busy though. Orrin Woodward was a Senior Engineer at the time, had four patents and a National Benchmarking award to his credit, and was pursuing his MBA, and Laurie Woodward was working as an accountant.

At the time, Orrin Woodward was not necessarily focused on any particular business sector, and didn’t know much about network marketing. In fact, what Orrin Woodward did know about network marketing, though limited, didn’t leave him too excited. However, after attending a major function, Orrin captured a big vision. And by plugging into the available training system, Orrin and Laurie Woodward have gone on to be the leaders of one of the fastest growing teams in the industry.

Orrin and Laurie Woodward began operating their business on a full time basis (Orrin at age 31 and Laurie at age 26) and enjoy being available full time for their four children. Orrin and Laurie Woodward have since been successfully reaching goal after goal. And due to their success at team-building, Orrin and Laurie Woodward have been invited to speak on three continents – inspiring and teaching tens of thousands of people.

Orrin and Laurie were one of the Top 25 business builders in the nation for nine consecutive quarters and they were the first of the Team to win the Top Gun Award at the national level. The Woodwards remain focused on continuing to build their business organization because Orrin and Laurie feel a responsibility to influence people’s lives in a positive direction.

To learn more about Orrin Woodward, Laurie Woodward, their business, and their Team, please visit the Team Web site here.

Leading the Consumer Rebellion
The first book released by community building superstars Orrin Woodward and Chris Brady called Leading the Consumer Rebellion has sold over 125,000 copies. The book is now being translated into Spanish. The book describes the emerging trends that make building communities the elite business opportunity of the 21st century. Orrin and Chris's second book called Launching the Leadership Revolution is selling at a record setting pace and is sure to be a best seller as well. Orrin and Chris are humbled by the excitement generated around these two business books and would like to thank all their friends who believed in them when others said it couldn't be done.

Jeff Granger Launching the Leadership Revolution
The Launching A Leadership Revolution (LLR) staff caught up with top achiever Jeff Granger. Jeff and his lovely wife Barb have built a massive business with thousands of business owners. Jeff & Barb left their respective fields of work and now build their business full-time. Jeff went full-time in the business after leaving his corporation as the number one sales representative. Barb left her position as an administrative assistant.

LLR: Jeff, what did you see in this business originally?

Jeff Granger: Well, at first, not much. We had bought into a franchise venture several years before the Team business and were disappointed by the lack of support from our franchisors. We built the franchise to the point of going full-time, only to have it fall apart when the franchisor changed some rules. Barb and I assumed all of the bills and were left on the verge of bankruptcy. When I heard that Barb was excited about a new business I was skeptical, to say the least.

LLR: You mean Barb actually started building the business without you?

Jeff Granger: Exactly, Barb had 25-plus people on the team before I went to my first meeting. She kept talking about Orrin and Laurie Woodward and saying I had to meet them. Finally, Barb set up a meeting at our house and Orrin came over to show the plan. I was so fearful of dreaming again that I didn't even attend the meeting at my own house. I could tell Barb was excited, but after getting our hopes up in the last business, I knew it would be tough to dream again.

LLR: What helped you break through your fears and dream again?

Jeff Granger: I watched Orrin. I was waiting for him to say something that he would not follow through with. I've had my full share of people without integrity and I was not getting back into any business, unless I could vouch for their integrity. Barb’s sister was having a meeting and she called to tell Orrin not to come. She said no one was able to make it that night, but Orrin said he was coming anyway. When I heard he was driving over an hour to do a meeting when no one would be there, I decided to go and talk with him. Orrin showed me how the Team system worked and I got excited. I liked studying the numbers and when I studied the power player system, I knew it would work.

LLR: Did your business explode after you and Barb started working together?

Jeff Granger: Hardly. There were many things that I had to change in order to build this business. The first is I had to start believing in myself again. The second is I had to start believing in others again, and the third is I had to learn to take mentorship. It was an 18 month process of getting these things worked out before my business actually took off. So many people expect to be a diamond in 12 months that they don’t take the time to learn the fundamentals. I thought if it took me 5 years it would still be way better than my next-best plan. I will put this business against anybody’s 5 year plan. In 5 years you can literally change your financial standing. Barb and I went from being on the verge of bankruptcy to becoming job optional. We accumulated a six-figure debt-load from our last business that is rapidly being paid off and all of this is due to the success we have had in our Team business.

LLR: What would you say is the key to the Team’s success?

Jeff Granger: The Team has been blessed with strong character-based leadership. Starting with Orrin & Laurie, Chris & Terri, Tim & Amy, to Larry & Marsie, this Team backs up their words with actions. Coming from another environment where this was not the case, I clearly see the difference. There is no leadership without character and that is why I am sold-out to this team. Dwight Eisenhower once said,“In order to be a leader a man must have followers. And to have followers, a man must have their confidence. Hence, the supreme quality of a leader is unquestionable integrity. Without it, no real success is possible… If a man’s associates find him guilty of being a phony, if they find that he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and actions must square with each other. The first great need, therefore, is integrity and high purpose.”I have worked with Orrin Woodward for the past five years and I know of no better description of his leadership style than the above quote. Orrin has taught and continues to teach unquestioned integrity as the key to leadership. I have followed Orrin because he has proven his character over time with me. My goal is to serve others with the integrity and love that the Team leaders have shown to me.

LLR: That is great stuff Jeff. One final question, why do people attack the very notion of character based leadership?

Jeff Granger: That is a excellent question. We live in an age of moral relativism. I believe we will never produce great leaders until we stop denying that morality is important. Morality is things like virtue, honesty, and integrity. Where there is no virtue there is no leadership, no inspiration and no vision. No one will follow for long someone they do not trust. I knew the Team had leadership, inspiration and vision and by meeting the Team leaders, I met the men with the morality backing it up. Find a mentor that you can trust and follow his guidance. That advice has paid off extremely well in my life.

LLR: Jeff thanks for your time today.

An Orrin Woodward Quote: from Chris Brady
My Favorite Orrin Woodward Quote:

Team co-founder Orrin Woodward has a lot of accolades in his impressive business career. Among others, one major claim to fame is the tremendous one-liners he has coined. My favorite is:

"If you're too big to follow you're too small to lead."