How to Grow in Wisdom as a Leader | Increase Ep. 1 with Brian Mills

0:00 [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to Increase, Wisdom, Influence, Connection, the 252 Leadership podcast. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Brian Mills, and I believe leadership begins with growth. [SPEAKER_00]: Inspired by Luke 252, we're going to have practical conversations about increasing in wisdom, increasing our influence, and increasing our connections with those that are around us. [SPEAKER_00]: So let's learn, grow, and lead better together. [SPEAKER_00]: Welcome to Increase. [SPEAKER_00]: So what is the 252 leadership on? [SPEAKER_00]: The Bible tells us in Luke 252 that Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, that is influenced and in favor with God and man, that is connections that actually make an impact and a difference.

0:51 [SPEAKER_00]: You know, I've used this model to build large successful Fortune 250 organizations. [SPEAKER_00]: I've used it to build little small regional and local businesses and teams. [SPEAKER_00]: I've used it for political campaigns to unseat entrenched incumbents. [SPEAKER_00]: I've used it to help nonprofits and service organizations be able to grow and have greater impacts. [SPEAKER_00]: I've used this model to help individuals increase and achieve the things that they want to accomplish. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, the increased model is simply this wisdom.

1:35 [SPEAKER_00]: That's growing in what you know, influence, growing in how you lead, connection, grow who you reach. [SPEAKER_00]: and then impact. [SPEAKER_00]: That's growing in the difference that we make. [SPEAKER_00]: Let's break this down. [SPEAKER_00]: First, let's talk about wisdom. [SPEAKER_00]: Growing in what you know. [SPEAKER_00]: Most people focus on these two areas. [SPEAKER_00]: Knowledge. [SPEAKER_00]: and intelligence. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, knowledge is just that accumulation of facts and information and data. [SPEAKER_00]: Intelligence is your capacity to analyze that information to think logically.

2:18 [SPEAKER_00]: And sometimes process abstract ideas in order that you can do things with the knowledge that you've gained. [SPEAKER_00]: But most importantly, we want to increase in wisdom. [SPEAKER_00]: Wisdom goes beyond knowledge and intelligence. [SPEAKER_00]: It is knowing how to and when to apply this information in a way that will truly [SPEAKER_00]: bring increased to yourself and others. [SPEAKER_00]: Today, we have so much access to information and knowledge. [SPEAKER_00]: We even have AI trying to tell us what to do and provide us data and information. [SPEAKER_00]: However, the issue that is really facing so many people today is the lack of context.

3:03 [SPEAKER_00]: How do we use this data and all this information? [SPEAKER_00]: Well, wisdom brings context and clarity. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, knowledge a lot of times can just bring confusion, distraction, and many times delayed implementation of things that we need to do. [SPEAKER_00]: What are things that wisdom's going to bring? [SPEAKER_00]: First it's going to bring clarity. [SPEAKER_00]: It'll help you see what I call the tip of the spear. [SPEAKER_00]: what we actually want to focus on. [SPEAKER_00]: We sometimes will spend so much time on things that aren't producing the objective that we need to do.

3:44 [SPEAKER_00]: Here's kind of an example. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, let's say I'm a deer hunter and I have a field out here and there's like 10, 15 deer in this field. [SPEAKER_00]: Knowledge is what tells me, okay, [SPEAKER_00]: What tools do I need? [SPEAKER_00]: I need this rifle. [SPEAKER_00]: I need this scope. [SPEAKER_00]: I need these things. [SPEAKER_00]: What do I need to attract the deer? [SPEAKER_00]: Intelligence is how I'm going to use those tools. [SPEAKER_00]: That I have the ability to use that rifle, to use the tools I have. [SPEAKER_00]: But wisdom is knowing which deer [SPEAKER_00]: that I need to shoot, that's going to accomplish what I set out to do.

4:30 [SPEAKER_00]: Hopefully I didn't just go out and say, I just want to kill a deer today. [SPEAKER_00]: Hopefully I had a goal that I wanted to get a certain size deer or a certain type of deer. [SPEAKER_00]: And that's what wisdom gives me the ability to put out those distractions and how do I use those tools to actually accomplish the thing that's going to get me closer to my goal and objective that I've set out to do. [SPEAKER_00]: The other thing that wisdom will do is it helps you see potential in people. [SPEAKER_00]: To help you see the people that are going to be the right people for you to invest in, the people that you'll have the greatest impact in.

5:11 [SPEAKER_00]: It helps you to see who your true client is. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, what areas of increase will have the greatest impact? [SPEAKER_00]: So many times we don't really understand. [SPEAKER_00]: who are product, who are services, or who we personally can benefit the most. [SPEAKER_00]: Wisdom will help us see that so that we can focus our resources, focus our energies, focus our time, and the areas that are going to have the greatest increase in greatest impact. [SPEAKER_00]: Wisdom's gonna help us make the proper connections. [SPEAKER_00]: The people that are gonna help us be able to achieve what we need to achieve, but also the people that we can put the greatest investment in and help them achieve.

5:58 [SPEAKER_00]: Wisdom's gonna help us avoid some pot holes and failures. [SPEAKER_00]: I tell you, I've made a lot of mistakes. [SPEAKER_00]: I've told people probably the best book that I could write. [SPEAKER_00]: is what not to do. [SPEAKER_00]: And as long as you didn't do those things, you'll probably be one of the most successful people out there, whether it's a parent, a father, a business man, a leader, whatever. [SPEAKER_00]: And so wisdom is being able to sometimes see those hot holes before they happen or be able to find people that can help you avoid those hot holes. [SPEAKER_00]: And wisdom also helps you maximize failure. [SPEAKER_00]: It helps you turn those difficulties, those things that didn't go the way you thought, and it helps you turn them into increase.

6:41 [SPEAKER_00]: But here's the biggest thing wisdom does. [SPEAKER_00]: True wisdom seeks assistance and seeks help. [SPEAKER_00]: Most of us don't know everything. [SPEAKER_00]: Being humble doesn't mean that we talk about, you know, the Bible tells us the humble people are gonna inherit. [SPEAKER_00]: Humble people are gonna be the most successful. [SPEAKER_00]: And it doesn't mean that I talk slowly of myself. [SPEAKER_00]: What humble means is that I know I need help, and that I'm teachable and I'm coachable. [SPEAKER_00]: And I'm willing to let others speak into my life, but it's important to make sure wisdom's going to tell us who those people are that need to speak into our life. [SPEAKER_00]: Sometimes most people, you know, we need somebody that really values us.

7:25 [SPEAKER_00]: sees the value in us, sees our potential, will be honest and invest in helping us be the best that we can be. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, so many times people seek out who is the very best in what their industry is. [SPEAKER_00]: And a lot of times that's not going to help you because all they know [SPEAKER_00]: is what they know and how they did it. [SPEAKER_00]: And all they're going to try to do is turn you into a mini them. [SPEAKER_00]: You need to be the best that you can be. [SPEAKER_00]: Most of the time you're not gonna be happy, you're not gonna be as successful trying to duplicate someone else. [SPEAKER_00]: You need someone that can show you how you can take the different tools so that you can be the best person that you can be.

8:13 [SPEAKER_00]: That way you become genuine and you can truly help others and you can truly be a leader. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, one of my favorite examples that maybe dates my age going back into the 80s but I was a big royal fan [SPEAKER_00]: And you know what, George Brett, he could have went out and said, let me find the best hitter in baseball to help me become the best hitter in baseball. [SPEAKER_00]: But there was a man named Charlie Low that approached George Brett and said, I could make you the best hitter in baseball. [SPEAKER_00]: I believe you could be the best hitter in baseball. [SPEAKER_00]: Charlie Low wasn't a great baseball hitter. [SPEAKER_00]: But George Brett knew he couldn't do this on his own.

8:57 [SPEAKER_00]: and his wisdom connected him with Charlie Lau. [SPEAKER_00]: And Charlie Lau made George bread, the best hitter and baseball. [SPEAKER_00]: But you know what it also did? [SPEAKER_00]: Is it made the Royals, one of the best teams of that air? [SPEAKER_00]: That's the influence that Charlie Lau had, not just on George bread, but it built the Royals into a championship team. [SPEAKER_00]: into a community that rallied around the royals, it built other businesses and organizations that made money and were very successful and were able to increase all because George Brett had the wisdom to listen to someone like Charlie Lau.

9:47 [SPEAKER_00]: It wasn't the best hitter in baseball, but somebody that could make George Brett the best hitter in baseball. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, that's my objective. [SPEAKER_00]: I've accomplished a lot of things in my life. [SPEAKER_00]: I've literally been top sales leader and big national organizations. [SPEAKER_00]: I've won political campaigns. [SPEAKER_00]: And nobody said I could win. [SPEAKER_00]: I've taken teams that people said, it's like picking the last guy on the kickball team and turn those into a winning organization, winning team. [SPEAKER_00]: But you know what, I'm not the best at everything. [SPEAKER_00]: is I can see things in people many times that other people can't see.

10:31 [SPEAKER_00]: I truly can believe in people and I can help you to increase in whatever area that you want to increase. [SPEAKER_00]: Much like Charlie Lau did for George Brett. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, if you want something, some of you that are younger and you want something a little bit more local, look at Alex Smith and Patrick Mahomes. [SPEAKER_00]: Here's Patrick Mahomes who is a top draft pick that everybody said the chiefs were going to build their future around. [SPEAKER_00]: But he had the wisdom to reach out to Alex Smith. [SPEAKER_00]: He still had a goal to get the chiefs to the playoffs. [SPEAKER_00]: But he took time because he knew the future of Kansas City.

11:14 [SPEAKER_00]: and the can't say cheese was him investing in Patrick Mahomes and because Patrick Mahomes was coachable and teachable. [SPEAKER_00]: and Alex Smith was willing to make Patrick Mahomes the best quarterback that he could be. [SPEAKER_00]: Instead of just focusing on being the best quarterback, Alex Smith could be Kansas City that chiefs have been able to experience something that they hadn't experienced for many, many years. [SPEAKER_00]: Andy Reed is the coach of the chiefs. [SPEAKER_00]: A lot of people said he didn't have the potential to be a great coach, but Andy Reed has the potential and what he does so well is he sees things in people that other people don't see.

12:03 [SPEAKER_00]: He's able to get people to do things that they didn't think they could do. [SPEAKER_00]: That's what wisdom is all about. [SPEAKER_00]: That's what 252 leadership is all about. [SPEAKER_00]: It's helping you grow. [SPEAKER_00]: in that wisdom and increase in wisdom and increase daily so that you can accomplish the things that you need to accomplish. [SPEAKER_00]: You know, the focus very seldom are the best coaches are the most successful. [SPEAKER_00]: because again, they're focusing on making you like them. [SPEAKER_00]: The best coaches are the ones that want to help you be the best you can be.

12:44 [SPEAKER_00]: John Maxwell, I'm an executive director with the Maxwell leadership group. [SPEAKER_00]: And John Maxwell, who is the leadership guru. [SPEAKER_00]: It's written more leadership books, more bestsellers, the highest paid speaker in the country. [SPEAKER_00]: The John Maxwell tells us daily. [SPEAKER_00]: says, Brian, I don't want you to be another job Maxwell. [SPEAKER_00]: I want you to be the best Brian Mills that you can be. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to give you the tools. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to give you resources. [SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to do everything I can, but the only way Brian Mills can make an impact on others. [SPEAKER_00]: is I have to be real and I have to be the best me and be genuine so that I can help you be the best at what you do.

13:30 [SPEAKER_00]: So let me work with you and help you increase in wisdom. [SPEAKER_00]: on a daily basis. [SPEAKER_00]: Thanks for joining me today on increase. [SPEAKER_00]: Wisdom influence connection. [SPEAKER_00]: Before you go, ask yourself these three questions. [SPEAKER_00]: What wisdom did I gain? [SPEAKER_00]: How will I use my influence? [SPEAKER_00]: What connections can I strengthen? [SPEAKER_00]: Remember, leadership is not just about a position or [SPEAKER_00]: influence and the difference you make in others. [SPEAKER_00]: Keep learning, keep connecting, and keep increasing. [SPEAKER_00]: It starts now by hitting the subscribe button.

14:13 [SPEAKER_00]: I'm Brian Mills, 252 leadership, and until the next time, keep increasing the leader within you.