I took piano lessons for more than a decade while growing up.  Mom was trying to develop we four children with more than just a solid work ethic.  Friday after school we’d drive down to Ms. Ruth Fossum’s home to play what we practiced.  We had a paper sheet where I was to record time spent turning notes to music each day but it became an exercise in rounding up…and it showed every Friday afternoon.

The sweet, skeptical review of the practice sheet and the non-verbal noises of “hmmmm and ahhhhh”, combined with “OK, let’s get started, shall we?” were all indicators of what I was about to lay down in Ms. Fossum’s studio.

It is no different today.  I haven’t played the piano for over 30 years but I gained an extreme appreciation for music.

•”Mastering music is more than learning technical skills. Practicing is about quality, not quantity. Some days I practice for hours; other days it will be just a few minutes.”  Yo-Yo Ma

•Dale Carnegie said “Practice makes permanent”

•Walter Bond, former NBA basketball player and inspirational speaker says, as we look at our professions and compare them to professional athletes, we are all expected to get bigger, stronger, faster each season.  That only happens with practice.

Practice only happens after we recognize we need to get better.  We usually only recognize we need to get better after we get beat; lose a project or client, have a bad financial performance year (or two) or maybe getting fired.

What does practice look like for a leader?

•How about getting quality feedback through a coach?

•How about rehearsing a speech in front of a mirror?

•Have you recorded (audio or video) yourself then watched it?

•I’ve heard karaoke is a good test for public speaking confidence.  Hint: Maybe buy a home version first and practice until you can carry a tune.  It’s hard to learn a lesson while you’re getting laughed off stage.

Have a blessed weekend!