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Simplifying the Complexities of Your Leadership Journey
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Monday Sep 27, 2021
Monday Sep 27, 2021
Episode 42: Leaders Get Out of the Way
“Empowered people aren't concerned about competing with anyone, they are busy empowering others. ”I don’t know about you, but that’s the kind of team that I want to build. Peter Shephard
1. Make Others Feel Heard
Good leadership is about not doing everything yourself, but bringing people alongside you. And the way that you do that is to make people heard.
The way that we structure input for our people is really important: how you disseminate information to people, how people get that information to one another, and also to you.
The bottom line is that you give your people a platform to be heard, and more than that, understood. When you take ownership of the process, they will take ownership of their work.
2. Make Respect the Norm
I think this is where a lot of leaders miss it.
- They don’t respect others,
- They refuse to model respect to the people that look to them
These are the people who are obtuse and cannot see their own mistakes.
You never want your people to be in survival mode.
You have to give respect to get respect.
Start giving people the respect that they deserve. Even if sometimes they don’t seem like they do. Give them a chance. Help them to be people who are respectable.
When you model respect to those who report to you just watch, they will begin to show you respect as well.
Practical ways to show respect:
- Make eye contact with people.
- Smile
3. Make Delegation Standard Practice
Every great leader needs to learn how to delegate.
The goal here is to be the kind of leader who can delegate tasks to others without letting stuff spin out of control, and at the same time not allowing mistakes to creep into the process.
Find the people with the specific skill sets to do the things that need to be done.
Once you find people with a specific skill set to do tasks, get out of their way and let them do it. Don’t be a micromanager.
When you delegate, you give both freedom and empowerment to your employees.
When we delegate, employees get the sense that they are being trusted, and will feel encouraged. When we feel encouraged, we naturally want to encourage others.
MO’s Final Thoughts
You have to embrace these three pieces of the puzzle. It doesn’t matter if you are a natural leader or a learned leader. What matters is that you empower other people to do what they do well, and do it for the team.
- What are some of the ways that you can go to the office this week and empower others?
- What are the areas in your own life that you need to work on so that you can delegate properly to others and let them feel empowered, as they should be?
That’s your task for this week. Take these steps, get out of the way, and watch your employees do great things.
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Monday Sep 20, 2021
Monday Sep 20, 2021
Episode 41: Be a Person of Action
“There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.” - John F. Kennedy
1. Have Necessary Conversations
Leaders are always about having conversations. If you do not want to talk to people then you are probably in the wrong business.
You want to be intentional in these important and necessary conversations.
Are there conflicts that need to be addressed?
Sometimes conflicts can't be solved with one conversation.
It’s never the wrong thing to apologize.
You want to be a person who is not afraid of conflict, but one who hits it head-on. And the reason for this, is that it builds your conflict management skills.
QUESTION: What is the one conversation that you need to have today?
When you are transparent with your people and help them understand that you are going to have conversations when they need to be had, it will raise the stakes.
2. Communicate the Importance of People
People are everything.
People are not just part of your business, people ARE your business.
“People are definitely a company’s greatest asset. It doesn’t make any difference whether the product is cars or cosmetics. A company is only as good as the people it keeps.” - Mary Kay Ash
QUESTION: Do you treat people this way or are people just another cog in the machine where you work?
You have to figure out the value of every person in your sphere of influence.
You can get a lot of things wrong and business, but don't get the people part wrong.
3. Align the Team
As a leader you are always crafting and honing your vision.
QUESTION: Do you feel like you are in the right seat where you work?
Whether you are in charge of a ton of people that make culture shifting decisions, or you have just a couple of people who look to you, it's still as important to make sure that you will line them with the vision and mission of your company.
“The secret of success lies not in doing your own work, but in recognizing the right man to do it.” - Dale Carnegie
You have to help your people understand that they have power within the company.
Lending a listening ear will definitely help you understand them more.
The best way to align your team is to be honest.
Help the team be people who help each other.
Closing Thoughts
These are all actions that need to be taken now. Your company and people need a win. The time is always now. If you wait, it affects the effectiveness of your team negatively in the long haul.
Ask yourself:
- What is the one most important conversation that you have to have today?
- Are you really putting people first?
- Are you focused on bringing the team together?
Amazon Book Links:
Good to Great, Jim Collins - https://amzn.to/3zimkK1
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Monday Sep 13, 2021
Monday Sep 13, 2021
Leaders Deal with It: Part 2
Recap Part 1:
- Leaders Do Not React, They Respond.
- Leaders Do Not Complicate, They Simplify.
Today’s Episode:
3. Leaders Don’t Dictate, They Relate.
a. Leaders Live Authentically
QUESTION: On a scale of “1 - Authentic” where are you?
Most leaders have the potential to be authentic towards others, but many leaders struggle with how close or friendly they should be with the people who look to them for leadership.
All great leaders serve the people who they lead.
If you want to become a better leader, you should focus on being genuine in your positive thoughts towards them [those you lead]..
People don’t want to follow others who are fake.
QUESTION: Are you a true leader to your people, or just a poser?
Leaders have to earn the influence that they have over their people. And the best way to do this is to serve them and learn more about them every day.
b. Leaders Live Vulnerably
There has to be a level of vulnerability that exists between you and them, if you really want to have influence.
If you want to be effective in pressure situations, people need to know a little bit about you to know how you are going to deal with those situations.
When we share our hopes, our fears, our mistakes, with others, a level of vulnerability will more than likely raise the trust factor between you and your people.
People want to follow somebody that they trust.
Being vulnerable creates a space for leaders to let others into their head.
If you’re having a difficult meeting and you’re not on the same page, it’s ok to step back and say “I’m in a bad mood and can’t cope with this right now, can we try it again tomorrow.” - Brene Brown
Sometimes when you peel back the curtain and let people in, it will give them a little bit more reason to trust you.
By stepping up and being vulnerable you create a space that will allow your organization to get to the next level.
Make it a habit of asking others for their opinion.
MO’s Final Thoughts
It’s important for you to have a clear head and be ready to tackle obstacles. Your people expect you to do it, and you owe it to them. So, remember that when you face these situations to be ready to respond correctly, keep the process simple, and always put relationships first. If you do these, you are already on the right track.
Amazon Book Links:
The Five Levels of Leadership, John Maxwell - https://amzn.to/2WrHYOB
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Monday Sep 06, 2021
Monday Sep 06, 2021
Episode 39: Leaders Deal With It (Part 1)
Nobody wants to work for somebody who is always stressed out and makes everybody else stressed out.
1. Leaders Do Not React, They Respond
“Bad Leaders React, But Here’s What Good Leaders Do.” - Ink Magazine
When people get in bad situations, they look at the bad stuff and steer themselves right into it.
Leaders, you are one of the only people that has the obligation to respond instead of react.
You have to figure out what it means to be calm and show composure.
2. Leaders Do Not Complicate, They Simplify.
“The courage of leadership is giving others the chance to succeed even though you bear the responsibility for getting things done.” - Simon Seniek
QUESTION: Do you empower your employees to generate ideas and come up with solutions for whatever area they are responsible for?
Trusting your employees to get stuff done will keep the process simple.
What is the unfinished business that you have in your life right now?
QUESTION: What are the rules that don’t apply anymore? What are the things that stick around even though they are not relevant to what you are doing? Are there meetings in your schedule that are not helpful?
Efficiency of your organization will rise when you let your employees focus on what is most important, which is productivity.
You have to continually assess and reassess the projects and programs that exist right now.
Anything worth doing is worth evaluating. So, what is the evaluation process at your company?
MO’s Final Thoughts:
You have to focus on keeping things simple. It is your job to bring clarity to all pieces of what your team is responsible for. Your people will thank you for diligence in simplifying their lives.
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Monday Aug 30, 2021
Monday Aug 30, 2021
Episode 38: Courage in Your Decisions
1. Courage Begins With Self
“A leadership position doesn’t give a person courage, but courage can give him a leadership position.” - John Maxwell, The Five Levels of Leadership
Before you can face any test as a leader, you have to be ready to deal with it internally.
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
- Are you willing to make the tough decisions that you are afraid to make?
- Are you willing to let go of everything that is familiar to you and go into new spaces?
- Ask yourself whether or not you are willing to make things right, and not just sweep them under the rug.
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” - Martin Luther King Jr.
Leaders stand when it is most important, and usually when it is least enjoyable. Stand up for your people and they will stand up for you.
2. Courage Inspires Others.
Leaders inspire others to be their very best.
If you are not helping others to move from one place to another, they are going to find somebody else to do just that.
“Courage is Contagious.” - Billy Graham
When you choose to take a stand, it stiffens the backbones of those around you.
Your people are looking for you to make decisions.
It is not about always being right. It is about taking initiative and taking calculated risks for the sake of the people that look to you.
Principle over perception: What makes you look good is not always the best decision. And, what makes you look bad, or to be the bad guy if you want to put it that way, is not always the wrong decision.
3. Courage Expands Opportunities.
If you want to know the limit of a leader, look no further than their fears.
We all have stuff that we are afraid of. We all want to feel safe. But, it is stepping out of our comfort zones that is going to lead us to great opportunities.
When we have the courage to face our fears, and step out of those comfort zones, doors will inevitably be opened.
“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy." - Dale Carnegie
QUESTION: Are you going to be a person of action? What do you need to get going on?
MO’s Final Thoughts:
Have courage. Get out there and do it. We all have things we don’t want to do. Talk to someone you trust. If you have that in your life, you can face these fears and have courage within them. Then you will start to inspire others and open opportunities for yourself and others.
Amazon Book Links:
The Five Levels of Leadership, John Maxwell - https://amzn.to/2WrHYOB
Special thanks to:
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Work it out by LiQWYD https://soundcloud.com/liqwyd
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Monday Aug 23, 2021
Monday Aug 23, 2021
Episode 37: Leaders Build Teams
1. Define Culture
BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Dare to Serve, Cheryl Bachelder
Your people need to know exactly where they are going, what the vision is, and how the mission supports that vision. Then you can move to the next part, which is helping people find a place on the team to be effective.
The Leader’s Guide to Corporate Culture, Harvard Business Review. - “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.”
Whatever the culture is in your particular circumstance, is going to shape the attitudes and behaviors of all of the people on your team, and even the way that they respond to clients, and anybody else who comes in contact with your company.
The way that you understand your company's culture will determine how you communicate that to your people.
Your people are going to interact with you based on the way that you communicate culture to them.
You have to figure out what your focus is as a leader and then bring your people into that culture.
2. Define Roles
Your job description in the company and your responsibilities are very different.
How do you help your people understand what their roles and responsibilities are?
Clarity. Your people need to be absolutely clear of what they are supposed to do.
You have to realize that whatever part you play on the team, or in your company, is definitely going to either indirectly or sometimes directly affect the other players on the team.
3. Define Success
Cheryl Bachelder says in her book that the work of the leader is to “create a work environment that yields superior results.”
QUESTION: Do you define success for your team in such a way that it is able to be seen at a 30000 foot view and at the same time be able to be taken in with bite-sized amounts?
If you are brought into your company as a culture shifter or culture changer, you have to figure out for yourself what success is.
What does success look like for you? What is the win for you?
As the leader, you need to define success in your head, then you go back to defining culture.
We are always affecting, changing, and adding to culture.
MO’s Final Thoughts:
When building a team, you are the one the brings everything together. You’re the one that has to make sure that your people have laser focus and clarity. You need to be at all levels of the process. When you are building a team you have to be thinking about culture, roles and success. When you can be very clear about that, your people will be less frustrated. When your people win, they want to do more, and they want to do better. Look at your team and ask yourself, “What is it that I need to do better with my team?” Look at your definition of success and ask, “How close am I to getting this done?”
Amazon Book Links:
Dare to Serve, Cheryl Bachelder - https://amzn.to/3D8KMQY
7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey - https://amzn.to/3D4Bc1v
Special thanks to:
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Monday Aug 16, 2021
Monday Aug 16, 2021
Episode 36: Leaders Build People
1. Chart the Course
BOOK RECOMMENDATION: 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership, John Maxwell's - The Law of Navigation.
Vision is always the most important thing for a leader.
- You have to know where your company or organization is going.
- You need to help people come alongside you to be on that journey.
QUESTION: Are you a good Navigator?
It's really about making good decisions.
QUESTION: Who are the navigators in your field? Who are the people who chart the course well to get things done in the organizations that are like yours? Do you follow these people?
Hone in on making yourself better.
What are the things that you are best at? You need to capitalize on those leadership skills and use them to make others around you better.
2. Challenge the Status Quo
One of the best parts about being a leader is that people expect you to buck the trends and challenge the status quo.
Challenging people needs to be something that you get really good at.
Everybody on your team is unique. As the leader, it is your job to make sure to inspire people in a way that they learn how to be themselves.
Learn how to be unique yourself. Don’t try to be something you are not.
Self-awareness is key to becoming a better leader. Helping your people in their quest for self awareness will set you apart in the eyes of those you lead.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Linchpin: Are you Indispensable?, Seth Godin
Once you can understand that you are a changed person, then you can help others.
QUESTION: Do you have somebody pushing you to be better? Are you taking that knowledge and helping others become better?
Leaders are those who are comfortable enough to stand out and be different.
Are you doing what needs to be done to help your people be authentic and transparent?
Don’t settle for the behaviors and lack of competencies that every other person in their lives allows. Be better than that.
3. Change the Whole Person
If I really want to get the best out of my people, I cannot just worry about what they do at work.
QUESTION: Do you have the qualities in you to help others achieve greatness?
When the people on your team become better, not just as a worker, but to their core, you will increase employee productivity, job satisfaction, and the overall well-being of the people on your team.
Happy employees are better performers.
Caring for the mindset of your people is one of the most important things you can do.
People can change. When you realize that your people can write a new piece to their story every day, you set them up to be influencers of others, ready to make an impact for other team members, and of course, the company as a whole.
Your job is to be there for your people and change them to their very core.
MO’s Final Thoughts:
Leaders build people and they build themes. You can’t build great teams without great people. Increase your visibility among your people and let them know that you see them as well. Never promote yourself, but always put others before you and let them know that their goals are important to you.
When you realize that building into people is the most important thing you can do as a leader, you will unlock the door to a new dimension of what it means to be successful.
Amazon Book Links:
21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership, John Maxwell -https://amzn.to/2VXa6Zm
Linchpin: Are you Indispensable?, Seth Godin - https://amzn.to/3lYwDQl
21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, John Maxwell - https://amzn.to/2Xt1Dha
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Monday Aug 09, 2021
Monday Aug 09, 2021
Episode 35: Why Your People Are Leaving
Article: “20 Eye-Opening Statistics About the State of Career Changes in 2020”, by Aleksandar Dimovski.
- 70% of the workforce (heading into 2020) was actively looking for a change in careers
- This is on the heels of 60% of the workforce quitting their jobs in 2018
-
Nearly 75% of Gen X-ers expect to return to school because they don’t like their jobs
-
91% of millennials expect to change jobs every 3 years.
Let's face it, people are always looking for a reason to quit. Which is why, as Leaders, we have to give people a reason to be a part of our company, our team, and our lives in general.
1. They Don’t Like You.
The reason people leave their jobs much of the time is because they can't stand their boss.
It is definitely your job to make sure that people stick around to be a part of the company. Your company will definitely be put in a better position if they can keep people for a longer amount of time. That is, if they are in a growing environment and have a good culture of leadership.
Multiple studies show that people never really leave their companies, they leave their bosses.
A lot of people think they are leaders, but in reality they are nothing more than poor managers.
QUESTION: Do you know the behaviors that you have that other people dislike?
What I am telling managers out there is that if you want to keep good people, then you have to make them like you.
It is your job to inspire.
“Leaders are dealers in hope.” - Disraeli
Give people a reason to stay. Give them a reason not to quit.
2. Your Company’s Hiring Practice is Horrible
QUESTION: Are the employees in your company exiting as quickly as you are hiring them?
Let's say that your company sees a pretty high turnover in the first couple of months. If this is the case, you have to nip that in the bud, or else you are just going to keep wasting your time, the time of the people on your hiring committee, and also the people that are interviewing for the job.
QUESTION: Are you hiring the right type of person for the right type of job? You have to do both.
Article: BusinessInsider.com titled “5 Billionaires Who Never Graduated from High School”
- JayZ (hip hop’s first billionaire),
- Richard Branson (who just went to space),
- Zhou Qunfei (who owns manufacturing company),
- Amancio Ortega (the second richest man in Europe),
- Francois Pinault (founder of the luxury group Kering)
Education isn't everything. Just because you have a degree of some sort does not make you good at what you do.
You have to figure out what your hiring practices are and what the criteria are.
When you get the hiring practice right, and start getting the right people on the bus, then it's a lot easier to get them in the correct seat. If you get the wrong people on the bus, it doesn't matter what seat they take, it's going to be the wrong seat.
3. There is Little Room for Growth or Promotion
Probably the most frustrating thing for anybody is to be in a position where they think they do not have the opportunity to grow, or to promote.
It's only a matter of time before they will figure out a way to get out of their situation. That situation, meaning “you as their leader.”
Your people need to know that you are on their side.
ACTION 1: Develop goals with them.
ACTION 2: Encourage people to continue their education.
ACTION 3: Act as a coach.
Remember, the growth does not always have to be a promotion. As long as you can add value to people, they will stick around and want to be a part of what you do. And this will make them better, you better, the team better, and the company better.
MO’s Final Thoughts
As the leader, it is your job to help people understand their full potential and help them move towards being better everyday. If you add value to your people, they will add value to others, and in turn everybody will get better. As a leader you are in the people business first. It doesn't matter what your job title is.
Andrew Carnegie paid Charles Schwab $1,000,000 a year to run his Steel company. Charles Schwab had no experience in the steel industry. But, Carnegie said that Schwab's ability to deal with people was worth the large sum of money. That's the kind of leader that you want to be. A people person who helps their team members excel, not just at work, but in life.
Amazon Book Links:
How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie - https://amzn.to/3iuD8YQ
Special thanks to:
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Monday Aug 02, 2021
Monday Aug 02, 2021
Episode 34: Principles of Leading Up
“Sometimes those above you just don’t yet see what must be done, and your calling is to spark their attention and move them along a course of change before it is too late.” Michael Useem
1. Leaders Look at Themselves First
Your attitude matters more than anything else when you are talking about leadership.
Thoughts and actions matter. And, your thoughts are going to influence your actions, even if you don't think that they will, or you think you are good enough to mask what you “really feel.”
Do you look introspectively at yourself?
If you think that you are doing everything right, and that there is just a bunch of mess around you, and that everybody else does everything wrong, then you probably want to check your attitude.
Look inward first, fix yourself, and fix your attitude.
2. Leaders Lighten the Load of Others
When your boss wins, the organization wins.
Do you know your bosses goals?
If you understand your boss’s goals, you will be able to deliver the support that they need to accomplish the bigger picture.
Have potential solutions ready for your boss.
Never bring your boss a problem without bringing him or her at least two or three potential solutions.
Do you want to be an asset to your boss? They should be able to count on you to get things done, help them get their job done, and always be a person that brings solutions to the table.
3. Leaders Lean Towards the Mundane Tasks
If you can learn to embrace the stuff that nobody else wants to do, you are going to make yourself indispensable as an asset to the company.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION: They Call Me Coach, John Wooden
John Wooden exemplified a culture of servant leadership. He did what others were obviously not wanting to do.
BOOK RECOMMENDATION: The 360 Degree Leader: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization, John Maxwell
No matter where you are on the totem pole, you have to be ready to tackle whatever is thrown at you.
If your boss asks you to do something that is within your purview and your expertise, it is your job to figure out the problem, solve them, and get the job done.
You have to be willing to lead, and become a better leader.
“Managers work with processes, leaders work with people.” - John Maxwell
Every decision that you make is going to affect somebody else.
If you want to become a rockstar wherever you work, become the person who solves conflict between people.
It's always about people.
MO’s Final Thoughts
People are not going to want to go along with your ideas, solutions, or whatever, if they don't have chemistry with you.
Do your due diligence to get things done and put yourself in a position to have an intelligent conversation to give your boss information that he or she needs, so that they can make a decision, and let you continue to get your job done.
Remember, as John Wooden always says, “failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” Be the person that your leader can look to and be confident that you will be the one person who makes their life easier.
Amazon Book Links:
Leading Up: How to Lead Your Boss So You Both Win, Michael Useem - https://amzn.to/3BYcIGL
They Call Me Coach, John Wooden - https://amzn.to/3rJkhfD
The 360 Degree Leader: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the Organization, John Maxwell - https://amzn.to/3BVNo4a
Special thanks to:
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Monday Jul 26, 2021
Monday Jul 26, 2021
Episode 33: Leaders Engage Conflict
1. Meet conflict head on
If you have ever been in any type of relationship, of any kind, whether business or personal, you have run into conflict. The question is, how do you keep those relationships intact and continue to get better through each of those conflicts?
Clarify the expectations of relationships.
Conflict always arises out of a lack of expectations being met.
As a leader, it’s important to both clarify expectations and understand the expectations that your people have for you.
Always give the other person the benefit of the doubt.
Leaders never jump to negative conclusions. They don’t look for the worst in people, but instead they look for the best.
When meeting conflict head on, do it quickly, with good intentions, and if at all possible, apologize right away for whatever you did wrong within that situation to cause the conflict.
2. Meet conflict honestly
If you really want to fix any kind of conflict in your life, you have to be able to do it honestly.
If you get close to gossiping about somebody else, you are already on the wrong track. This is the worst possible thing you can do in a situation that has conflict.
Leaders don’t gossip, and they don’t criticize.
Negativity brings on frustration, and sends the situation into a downward spiral. Honesty helps to keep your reputation as pure as possible, and will definitely show others that you are making progress by choosing to both be honest, but steer everything towards positivity.
3. Meet conflict face to face
Give people the courtesy of meeting with them face-to-face. This goes for big conflicts and little conflicts, alike.
We need to hear people, we need to see them. We need to get as much of the experience as possible. Yes, it is uncomfortable for you, but if you really want to hit the conflict head on, do it face-to-face.
Bad communication is always better than wrong communication.
You can always go back and have another conversation.
Whenever something is positive, there are several means of communication. Whenever you are dealing with something negative with any of your team members, do it in person, and at the very least over tele-conference or the phone.
Never try to resolve conflict using formats that are non-interactive.
MO’s Final Thoughts
Leaders are paid to deal with the hard stuff. You are the one person who cannot shirk that responsibility. You want to engage conflict, and do it early. So, when conflict comes, do not avoid it. Always face the problem head-on, and do it right away. Be clear, and concise, and talk about expectations that were missed, and move quickly to alternatives to make the situation better.
Leaders do not allow stuff to fester and get worse. Keep the problem contained, and don’t let it infect the culture of your team or your company. Keep the reputations of your people in the company in mind, and always make everybody better for having talked with you. The biggest problems always give way to the biggest opportunity to grow, both for the people who are in conflict with one another, and for the team as a whole. You can do it!
Amazon Book Links:
The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck - https://amzn.to/3x5xHUu
Special thanks to:
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