44: The Secrets of Orchestrating Success with Hugh Ballou

In this episode, Dave is excited to welcome Hugh Ballou. Hugh is an incredibly interesting guy. He is an award winning conductor that has become a highly sought after Motivational Speaker, Leadership Trainer, and Author.

Hugh teaches leaders around the globe how to build synergy with teams and how to build effective processes that bring success to any organization, He teaches business executives how an orchestra conductor brings out the best skill of the players that have been hired.

He works with organizations throughout the globe, has written 5 books on Transformative Leadership, and is the host of the Orchestrating Success podcast.

This is a little different show in that Hugh and Dave also recorded this live online, so make sure to not only listen here, but check out the show notes to watch the live broadcast.

www.​HughBallou.com

www.Hughballoupodcast.com

www.HughBalloublog.com

Hugh spent his career as a musical conductor working from small to large megachurches and working with top orchestras for almost 40 years. Hugh is an entrepreneur many times over having had many businesses including a small camera store he bought in Florida that was barely surviving and made it into a multi-million dollar enterprise. Hugh talks about what he calls “pull leadership” and how being a conductor is not being a dictator, but being an influence that helps people to perform at a higher level.

How do the principles of conducting an orchestra translate and relate to creating a successful business?

• You must have a clear vision of where you are going and a written plan (strategy) to get there
• The conductor can’t play the instruments, but can only train people and pull them to raise the bar on their own performance. Leading a business requires the same actions. As a leader, you must be willing to train and pull people to raise the bar.

What are things that leaders can do to help people raise their bar?

If you want to transform your results and your team, you begin by transforming yourself. Leadership is about identifying your gaps – what you are and aren’t good at. Attention to detail is critical. Leaders shape the culture, but must have a clear vision to do so.

At the 10 min mark, Hugh discusses his 4 Leadership Principles in detail and how to execute them:

1. Foundation – Where you are going
2. Relationships – Who you are working with (Hire the best people)
3. Systems - Rehearse for success
4. Balance - Strategic rest/making it all work

"How we do anything is how we do everything”

You must be transparent and be willing to be vulnerable. Being vulnerable and transparent is misinterpreted as a weakness. People will know when you are not authentic.

At the 20 minute mark, Hugh talks about the traits of Transformational Leadership.

At the 25 minute mark, Hugh talks about challenges he’s had to overcome as an entrepreneur and the principles used in doing so.

• “None of us is as smart as all of us”
• Compromise is lose-lose, Consensus is win-win
• It is a simple as believing in self, having a system, and then building the relationships.
• In order to succeed, you not only need an idea, you must do something about it, regardless of what people say. Act
• Many people look outside themselves for the answer when the answer is already there within in them. ​

Leadership comes down to 3 things:

• Leaders get things done
• Leaders understand how to get things done
• Leaders influence other people and help them unlock their potential

FOCUS = Free of Clutter and Unnecessary Stuff

Best Quote: "The Ballou Principle: 10% is what you know. 90% is what you don’t know that you don’t know. 90% of the iceberg is underwater that holds up the 10%. Stay humble and keep working on your 90%.”

Hugh's Misfit 3

1. Understand why what you are doing or your vision is important. Spend time on this. Focus on the why before the what.
2. Be able to articulate this why and vision carefully. What does it look like? What is the impact it will have when fully developed? We must think of ROI (return on investment), but we must also think of ROL (return on life). Is what you are providing going to make a lasting impact on other people’s lives?
3. Hire a coach. You must be aware that you there is more you can learn and be guided on. The most dangerous leader is one who thinks they know it all. Look at that 90% that you don’t know.