In the military there is an acronym called GYST, which is used to reprimand soldiers who do not follow procedure.  

GYST is used when a soldier screws up. Bed’s not made properly. Uniform is scruffy. Last place in the fitness test. Bad score in war games.

What does GYST stand for?  GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER!  

Whatever the screw up, the leader shouting an order or directive will say something like, “SOLDIER, GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER!”

And in response, the soldier will do as directed.

GYST in the world

GYST has made its way from the military to civilian life. Meaning? It’s used as a reprimand to get our personal shit together. 

What is GYST really about? Strategic Performance.

Ultimately, Strategic Performance is about planning and skillfully executing strategy to your personal life.

The 7 Ladders

To measure and manage performance, we use the metaphor of climbing the success ladder. For example, there is a career ladder which some people use to establish and monitor their career, or the financial ladder which is used to strategise and improve one’s finances. Reaching the top of the ladder means we’ve reached our goal and our strategy has paid off.

Career and financial ladders are very important, but when it comes to improving overall work-life performance there are actually 7 key ladders we need to climb.  These ladders represent the seven areas of our lives that have the greatest impact on work-life satisfaction.  We call them the 7 Ladders of Leadership.

As shown, the 7 ladders of Leadership are:

1. Leadership Skill Set Competence
2. Relationship Wealth
3. Home success
4. Career/Business Excellence
5. 5 Mode Health and Fitness
6. Financial Growth
7. Pay it Forward

Many people perform well in 3-4 of these ladders.  For instance, some CEOs achieve outstanding success in the careers…but their home lives are in tatters. Others may be doing well financially…but they’ve neglected their physical and mental health in the process.

The fact is, very few achieve high success in all 7 Ladders.  These are the top 1%.

What about you?  What is your 7 Ladders score?

If you want to be better at climbing the 7 Ladders of Leadership, then what you need is the 7 Ladders Coaching Program.

What is 7 Ladders Leadership Coaching?

The 7 Ladders Leadership Coaching program is a one-to-one coaching service for CEOS, business owners and senior business leaders.  And its purpose?  To help clients get all their shit together.

Here’s how.

As the 7 Ladders model illustrates, the foundation to getting your shit together is strategic performance.  This is where we coach you the principles, practices and applied science of strategic performance.

Next, the central ladder in the model is leadership skill set competence.  Therefore the core skill focus of the 7 Ladders program is developing the leadership skill set.

What is the leadership skill set?  It is a cluster of six skills that underpin work and personal success, as shown here.

As revealed, the 6 skill clusters in the leadership skill set are:

1. Mindset performance
2. Technical skills
3. Physical fitness
4. Strategic communication skills
5. Relationship wealth skills
6. Strategic management skills

In the 7 Ladders program these skills are developed and then applied to the other six ladders in the 7 Ladders model.

Here’s how to excel at the 7 Ladders

So again, what is your 7 Ladders score?  In other words, how well are you performing in the 7 Ladders of Leadership?

What is your Leadership Skill Set scorecard?  Your mindset performance?  Your technical skills?  Your strategic communication skills?  Your relationship wealth skills?  Your physical health and fitness?  Your strategic management abilities?

Do you truly have all your shit together?

If you are serious about improving your 7 Ladders of Leadership, then you need the 7 Ladders Leadership Coaching program.

To learn more, request our Leadership Skill Set strategy briefing.

Strategy briefings are part education sessions and part consultations that go deeper into a subject. They are 45-75 minutes long, depending on your questions and feedback. Best of all, they can be held via group video call or in-person.

The Leadership Skill Set strategy briefing is available to you and members of your leadership team. 

Importantly, strategy briefings are free.

Once again, learn more about the Leadership Skill Set by requesting your free Leadership Skill Set strategy briefing.  It is a great introduction to personal leadership and 7 Ladders.

Ben M. Bartlett will help you to excel at the 7 Ladders.  For more information on the 7 Ladders coaching program, and to organise your Leadership Skill Set Strategy Briefing, email ben (at) benmbartlett.com

And complete the form below to get your subscription to the Strategic Lessons Newsletter .