The Chris LoCurto Show

Have you ever played the “victim-card”? I’m sure that we all have at one time or another. Why? We’ve all been duped into believing some of the Lies Victims Tell Themselves. Here’s the deal, we all struggle with untrue recorded memos in our heads, whether about ourselves or other people, and those recordings are often set to repeat on endless loops. These untruths, or lies, that we tell ourselves usually manifest in two distinct ways: encouraging us to act as innocent victims or evil villains. Acting out, in either way, can be really unhealthy!On today’s episode, we’re going to take some time to examine our lives and make sure that we’re living authentically by learning to interrupt these distorted thought patterns. So, what’s the first step? We’ve got to recognize the lies holding us back from embracing the good life we’re meant to live! I’m sure you’re acquainted with at least a few of these:I’m not good enoughI’ll never measure upEveryone’s against meIt’s not (ever) my fault!My life is just a messLife is out of controlDo any of those sound familiar? The “victim-mentality” lens colors everything we see, every event and interaction, as something that’s happening “to us” - and not for our good.But, what happens when we wake up from victimhood? What happens when we discover that we are actually in control of our own thoughts, feelings, words and actions?Find out on today’s episode!Grace and peace, Chris

Have you ever played the “victim-card”? I’m sure that we all have at one time or another. Why? We’ve all been duped into believing some of the Lies Victims Tell Themselves. Here’s the deal, we all struggle with untrue recorded memos in our heads, whether about ourselves or other people, and those recordings are often set to repeat on endless loops. These untruths, or lies, that we tell ourselves usually manifest in two distinct ways: encouraging us to act as innocent victims or evil villains. Acting out, in either way, can be really unhealthy!On today’s episode, we’re going to take some time to examine our lives and make sure that we’re living authentically by learning to interrupt these distorted thought patterns. So, what’s the first step? We’ve got to recognize the lies holding us back from embracing the good life we’re meant to live! I’m sure you’re acquainted with at least a few of these:I’m not good enoughI’ll never measure upEveryone’s against meIt’s not (ever) my fault!My life is just a messLife is out of controlDo any of those sound familiar? The “victim-mentality” lens colors everything we see, every event and interaction, as something that’s happening “to us” - and not for our good.But, what happens when we wake up from victimhood? What happens when we discover that we are actually in control of our own thoughts, feelings, words and actions?Find out on today’s episode!Grace and peace, Chris

Ever get that sneaking suspicion that not everyone on the team is fully onboard with where you’re going as a company? It’s more common than you might think!Getting others to buy-in to your vision is a challenge, but it’s not impossible and it can be highly rewarding! Can you imagine what it would be like for your team to become fully engaged?There’s nothing like having your entire company owning the vision and running with it!Imagine the possibilities! But that’s not where most business owners are. Sadly, most struggle to “convince” their teams of the destination and the best way to get there. That’s what we want to discuss today. In this episode, Brian and Joel take a stab at what it takes to develop a culture of community and commitment around the goals you’ve set.Here’s the deal: if your team can’t see how they’re connected to the vision, they’ll be reluctant to own their part in it. It won’t make sense to them. And they won’t be able to help you achieve it.But, if they’re connected, committed, and cooperative then the sky’s the limit! Don’t miss this episode!Chris

No matter what industry your business is in, you’ve likely got customers or clients that you have to interact with. But, how do you know if you’re really connecting with them?Do you know their needs, wants, or desires? Sure, maybe you do your fair share of market research, but do you have a connection with your clients that goes beyond the statistics? Have you developed a relationship, as much as possible in your field, that helps you intuitively anticipate their needs, even their motives, for buying your products or hiring your services?For some business owners, a client can become little more than a number; a means to a profitable end. Well, hopefully profitable. But, in our experience, this approach backfires!If you’ve ever found yourself seeing clients this way, then it probably wasn’t too long before you discovered that the ends don’t justify the means, at least not in the long run. Your relationship with your customer is the primary lifeline you have to a healthy and profitable future. Here’s the deal: no matter what business you have, what product or service that you offer, “You are in the people business”, first and foremost. So, how do you create a culture of consistent care for clients in your business? And how can you effectively communicate that care - through your team - to your customers?On today’s episode, Joel and Brian take a deep dive into the motivation and methodology behind developing a stronger connection with your customer. Don’t miss this episode!Chris

You probably use some kind of Job Description in your recruiting and hiring processes, right? But, what are you using in order to keep your team members on track once they're on board? Maybe you’ve had your folks ask questions like: “Am I doing a good job”, “Am I doing the right things”, or “What would you want me to do differently”? These are great questions!But what they indicate is that your process is missing something important. Enter KRAs.Maintaining excellence, holding folks accountable to goals, and coaching them towards higher performance requires something more than just task lists and project assignments.That’s why we talk so much about KRAs, or Key Result Areas. In fact, we do tons of coaching and training along this line in order to help leaders discover the benefits of this tool.So, from time to time, we like to revisit this topic and tease out different aspects that we haven’t covered before, as well as help people to see what they’re missing out on.KRAs, which are sometimes referred to as Key Responsibility Areas, are a huge asset to leaders wanting to create a high performance culture on their teams. But not only that!While KRAs help define goals, they also provide the means to measure them. Remember, goals must be actionable, obtainable, and also quantifiable. That’s where Job Descriptions fail.Joined once again in the studio by Brian, we take a look at some of our own client’s questions and comments about using KRAs on their teams. We also address this question head-on, Why Can’t I Just Use A Job Description?What we discover may surprise you! Especially as we dig into the benefits that leaders receive from having to think through the vision and goals for each team member’s role. Enjoy today’s episode!Chris

How would you rate yourself as a communicator on a scale of 1 to 10?Most of the time, leaders and their teams think they’re doing just fine. However, most are seriously mistaken!After a careful assessment of team dynamics and interpersonal communication among leaders and team members, we discover time after time that quality communication is missing.High levels of quality communication can be your team’s greatest asset, while the lack of this kind of communication - at high levels - can absolutely be your greatest liability. There’s just no way around it. The number #1 issue that we see holding leaders and teams back from greater unity and greater growth is a LACK of high quantities of high quality communication. There are several reasons that leaders tend to get held back in this area: things like fear, anxiety, stress, poor processes and time management being among the top contenders. Communication, we discover, is also a risky business. There are so many things that can go wrong, including losing face as a leader or followers getting offended. So, how do we manage the Risks and Rewards of communication?On today’s show, we’re going to take a deeper look at communication, and try to solve this dilemma for leaders and team members alike. It’s worth the effort, I promise you.Greater unity, growth, and job satisfaction are just some of the rewards waiting for you!I hope you enjoy this episode!Grace and peace,Chris

How do you know if your coping skills are actually helping you in life or holding you back?There are different kinds of coping skills or strategies. For example, some focus on emotions, some on problems, some help us to disconnect from stressful circumstances, and others are basically social or religious support systems. And these things aren’t bad, I mean, they might actually help you to get you through a crisis or two… but are they a good long-term strategy? Well, not if they don’t address the problem! While they might help us to feel better in the short run, masking our real feelings and emotions does little to empower us to understand what’s happening (and why) in the long run.Think about it. Counting to ten, taking a walk in a park, stopping a moment to pray, and even cleaning or organizing a messy room may help us avoid lashing out in anger or breaking down in tears. But if that’s all we’re doing, then we’re not actually dealing with the underlying cause.On today’s episode, I sit down with Brian as he asks the question, “Why can’t I just cope?” An honest question, especially when so many people are feeling triggered and traumatized.Coping is like wearing designer eyeglasses, instead of getting the corrective surgery you need. It may feel cool or attract some attention, but if it doesn’t actually fix the problem, then it’ll keep manifesting and get worse over time, leading you to use other coping skills or even vices. Hope you enjoy this important episode!Grace and peace,Chris

You were created to grow, thrive, and flourish. You weren’t created to barely get by, wander aimlessly through life, or just maintain the status quo. In fact, that’s contrary to your very design!In fact, when we’re not doing what we’re created to do, fulfilling our God-given purpose and growing into what He created us to be, then we’ll have a hard time enjoying life to its fullest.Viktor Frankl said, When a person can't find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure. But, that pleasure is often temporary, and serves only to distract us from purpose.But things like joy, fulfillment, and growth are not necessarily easy to find. In fact, obtaining a deep sense of purpose takes time: it takes deliberate effort and developmental growth.Today, we want to dig into the soil of one of your core needs: to grow, thrive, and flourish as God created you to. And the story of our growth as human beings began in a garden, long ago.In that garden, God gave Adam and Eve work to do, things to enjoy, as well as things to avoid. Gardens are messy and take time to cultivate, but there are rich rewards for those who do it!John Maxwell says, Growth is the only guarantee that tomorrow is going to get better. We can probably say this too: if we choose not to grow, then we’re guaranteed nothing will get better!So, join me in doing the hard work of developing your personal growth mindset!Enjoy today’s episode,Chris

Should I stay or should I go? That can be a loaded question when it comes to employment.It’s no secret, transitions are stressful, especially when looking to change jobs. And, knowing how to leave a dead-end job, the right way and at the right time, can be a real challenge.Statistically, this is one of the most pressing questions in today’s workplace. However, with so many jobs available, how do you know when to make a change or even if you should?Where I live, in Middle Tennessee, there are wanted signs everywhere I look. And, I don't mean a search for on-the-run criminals, haha! I’m talking about employers ready to hire workers!On the podcast today, I want to walk you through a process of assessment of yourself, as well as your situation, in order to accurately discern if you’re ready for this kind of transition.You don’t have to stay stuck in a role or at a company where you don’t fit, and now may be the perfect time to prepare yourself for what’s coming up next in life. Let’s get to work!Enjoy today’s episode, Chris

Today we’re learning why character counts, and why it gets discounted so quickly. In modern culture, character is one of the last virtues to get noticed, even though it's responsible for the rise (and fall) of many. From preachers to politicians to parents and business CEOs, character matters.Without character you won’t last, but that’s not to say that it’s the easier path. Far from it. The road to character is an upward climb; it’s the narrower path, the one less traveled. And yet, it’s the surest way to longevity and, quite frankly, sanity in a world gone mad.Character is like the DNA coding of your unique soul. Your mind, will, and emotions are all responsible for contributing to and creating the components of your character.Around here, we like to say that character is who you are when no one else is looking. And while that’s true, it also bleeds into everything else that you say and do, regardless of who’s around. Whether you know that someone’s watching you or not, your character is hard at work.Character is who you are - the real you - deep down to your core. It’s arguably the most important asset in your life. It’s a treasure to be guarded and a garden to be cultivated.Your character determines how you are likely to speak, act, and behave …And those words, attitudes, and actions ultimately determine the results you get out of life. Character largely determines and becomes part of your destiny. So, let’s dive into why character counts, why it gets discounted, and what you can do about it!I hope you enjoy this episode!Grace and peace,Chris