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One can only hope that as we get older we get wiser, we focus on what really matters, and spend time learning, questioning, and challenging our thoughts and beliefs. Taking the wisdom of age and weaving that into an experience can be quite profound and powerful. As we navigate our lives and integrate our vision and goals into life decisions we are often faced with difficult situations. How can we become comfortable with uncertainty and shift into seeing the challenge as an opportunity? I am a great believer that the opportunity is within us if we only give ourselves time and patience to listen. Decision-making and perspective become clouded by others’ expectations, emotions, vulnerability, perspective, and the list goes on. Many times we know the right answer or approach but we hesitate and fear pushes us in another direction. What if you allow the silence to come in and sit with the uncertainty so your voice can be heard? Push fear aside, surrender to the silence, to the inner voice, and believe in the process. The discovery is in the letting go of the "what if's", the "shoulds", the expectations, and the worry. Just sit and feel calm, give in to the fear, and surrender.... believe. You will be OK. You don’t need to act upon anything just acknowledge that there is something else to consider. Many times we are so focused on the crisis or solution to the problem that we do not realize the possibility. Seven years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer. A scenario I never expected. I was young, healthy, and had very few risk factors yet, there it was. The opportunity of choice was paramount. How will I look at this experience, how will I use this moment to shape my life and how might I use this as an opportunity to make an impact? Don't fight it and ask "why me", ask “what can I do to elevate myself to meet this experience?” Yes, there was fear and disappointment but the real question was, do I choose to grow from this experience and surrender to the process, or do I resist and fight? Do I have the strength to allow cancer to be the teacher? I find we spend so much time trying to mold life into a plan like a ball of dough, grimacing under the pressure but confident that if we just push harder and twist further perfection will emerge. I have come to find that this is the more difficult approach. Plan as much as you want but rarely do the cards fall as imagined. What if you could have the confidence and faith to believe that you are part of something bigger? That these experiences or barriers to our self-proposed goal are trying to tell us something? Maybe the mishap IS the plan. My Challenge to You: What current situation do you only see as negative? Are you able to change your perspective and see other possibilities? How does yur preconceived approach affecting the outcome? Take a look at the work of Shirzde Chamine who founded Positive Intelligence, it is this approach and mindset which has the opportunity to amplify your success, relationships, and happiness.

Leadership is difficult, it does not contain a row of checkboxes that signifies a job complete. Great leadership is not management. It is a role of perspective, inspiration, vision, and curiosity. It is asking others what motivates them and opening the doors so they can walk through and succeed. The last few years have proven challenging for many leaders since it has lacked predictability and a clear vision. I have seen many leaders move (slip) back into the management role. They have become task-driven, directive, and project-based. While this has been important work, balancing leadership and management has left many feeling overworked and frenzied. No longer is there a clear line or image of leadership. This in itself degrades the culture and leads to a lack of clarity. So how do you lead well in the midst of disruption? Andy Stanley has a two-part podcast (only 20 minutes each) that beautifully illustrates the fundamentals. “Your voice is more important than your words.” At times of chaos, your team craves connection. Hearing your voice and seeing your face sends a message of unity and purpose. It may be tempting to withdraw into your office and avoid the crowd since many answers are unknown but this is the opposite of what is needed. People are feeling concerned and disjointed and are looking to you to bring safety to the situation. You can not over communicate in these situations. Leading at these times is what you have worked for, this is leadership at its best. Discomfort is part of the game and normal. Having some trusted colleagues and partners to bounce ideas off of and hold you accountable may be worth investing in. “Your presence is more important than your presentation.” It is easy to forget the position you hold, the expectation others have of you, and how you are perceived. Most leaders have an element of perfectionism in them. They work hard to present a polished presentation or a well-crafted speech, but that takes time, and time may not be something you have in the midst of chaos. Stanley argues that something is better than nothing. Remember, you don’t need to know all of the answers. What is more important is showing up, communicating with humility, your commitment to progress, exploration, and communication. Lead by example, now is your time. “Clarity is the next best thing to certainty.” At times of disruption there is no certainty but you can provide clarity of information. It is the withholding of information that creates panic, uncertainty, and distrust, not the information itself. When we under-communicate others have the natural tendency to assume and fill in the blanks with misinformation. The way to avoid this is to provide clarity on what you know and honestly discuss what you don’t. This humility and humanity is what will be perceived as great leadership. Stanley gives his three principles of clarity: “be honest, don’t pretend, and don’t exaggerate.” This is so simple but many times so difficult since we assume people want us to provide answers and solutions but, what they really need is information so they can make decisions and plan for the future. Don’t give up hope but at the same time address the current state in an honest and thoughtful way. To conclude, Jim Collins in Good to Great asked Vice Admiral Jim Stockdale to reflect on his survival after 7 years as a prisoner of war, Stockdale said, “you must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts about your current reality whatever they might be.” Maybe this is a definition of grit? My Challenge to You: Enlist an “accountability buddy”, this person will act as a sounding board and hold you accountable for showing up as you promise and honestly confront your challenges even when your urge is to run! Is there something that you have not communicated to your team until you have more information? What if you discussed it now? Yes, it is incomplete but what opportunity are you missing by withholding information? Practice being human and not having all of the answers. Believe in your team and show vulnerability yet hold the hope for the future. Listen to Andy Stanley’s two episodes here: Leading in Times of Disruption Part 1 & Leading in Times of Disruption Part 2​

A recent article in the New York Times titled The Age of Anti-Ambition, describes our current workforce and the lack of emotional and mental commitment to our jobs. Across industries, people are feeling uninspired, quitting in droves, and reporting higher levels of dissatisfaction or depression. In response to this mass exodus, we are increasing wages and creatively enticing new hires but this got me thinking… maybe we are targeting the wrong thing. For anyone in the workforce, I think we can all agree, the work itself draws you in, but it is the people and the culture that keeps you there. As Dan Cable describes in an interview with Pete Mockaitis, people are wired to be curious and creative. As young children, we naturally explore and display wonder outside of what is in front of us. It is this curiosity and “seeking” that engages our mind and spirit. We are prewired to innovate and fueled by creativity and the autonomy of thought. Knowing that conceptually think about the industrial revolution and how we began to automate work. In 1913 cars were built by teams, working together and collaborating. Along comes the assembly line, and while more cars we manufactured per hour and Henry Ford became wealthy, the workers had a different perspective. “The line was seen as an insult to skilled craftsmen and another example of the overwhelming patriarchal control a company could have over its workers…” (Smithsonian) This monotony stripped workers of their spirit and skill. The trick is finding the balance between the bottom line and how to best engage and support your team. We all have had days of performing repetitious tasks but I would guess it was your colleagues and culture that kept you inspired and motivated to continue. It is the allowance of independence, the energy of the people, and the spirit of the vision that engages us. Active engagement is the frosting on the cake. Cake is good but, without frosting, it is just a muffin. We don’t celebrate our biggest moments with muffins, do we? Hard work, long hours, and grueling tasks are something we are capable of as long as it is wrapped in inspiration, creativity, high energy, and appreciation. I would challenge you to not blame the “work” on your high attrition rates, or low satisfaction scores. I would focus on what you are doing to drive connection, energy, and celebration of successes. Bring laughter back into the office, create a space for innovation and creativity, and foster inclusion of relationships and ownership. Allow your team to see the impact of their work and how it connects with the greater vision of your organization. Routinely when someone says they are dissatisfied with their work what they actually mean is, I am uninspired, I am feeling taken advantage of or, I no longer derive energy from the place I spend most of my time. The problem is, they link the job duties with the culture so end up leaving both. This is where you come in, it is the responsibility of the leader to create an atmosphere in which talented trained people are inspired to thrive. As the landscape of work changes i.e. working from home, hybrid meetings, and increased diversity and cultural exposure, the challenge will be how to create a working platform and energy connection when such diversity exists. Some Ideas to Think About: I was recently introduced to the idea of working in 6-week cycles rather than annual goals. This gives your team an opportunity to be nimble, and innovative, react to changes within the industry, keeps your vision attainable, and allows for frequent celebrations (very important!) Here is the pdf of the book Shape Up which reviews this concept. Andy Stanley interviewed Sangram Vajre on the idea of creating and integrating “belongship”, this is an excellent interview and inspiring perspective. Gallop's research has shown that 70% of people are disengaged at work. In this episode of How to be Awesome at Your Job Dan Cable discusses how to rev up your aliveness at work and describes how this one-hour intervention can improve your attrition rate by 30%. This is a really amazing interview, I urge you to listen.

(I am feeling a bit philosophical today…) I recently heard this quote and I was struck by how this simple statement seems to sum up so much of what we all struggle with. The stories we tell ourselves, the perspective we take, the interpretation we choose based on history, tone, circumstance, the list goes on. It is so hard to wade through the chatter and see each interaction or person as they are without judgment or layering on our own history. It is the “thinking” part that drives the change, fosters the relationships, or creates divisiveness and regret. One might say it is all a choice, interpretation of events and the subsequent result is mostly in your hands. No matter how positive you are, we all have moments or interactions that are difficult. I have to wonder how much of that event is our own interpretation vs. the real event itself. We are emotional beings, so every decision or choice of language is veiled in emotion. So how do we get out from under that and see events or people as they really are? Andy Stanley’s most recent book, Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets talks about the tension that needs your attention. This is brilliant. If you pause for a minute and take stock of your body you will feel the tension that the situation or person brings. It is that quiet whisper that is the start. Many times we move right past the feeling and into action. We don’t take the time to disconnect the event with the feeling and ask if they really are related. Good decisions (or interactions) are made when we pause to recognize and connect with the tension or emotion. I agree, there is no good or bad, it is what we choose to believe and think that makes it so… Shakespeare, you were on to something! My Challenge to You: Can you think of an event/person in which you feel tension? Can you think of another person who has had the same interaction but feels very differently about it? Why the difference? Now, take the same event/person and try to see it from the other perspective. Tap into curiosity, ask yourself, what lens do they see through that changes the scenario so dramatically? Tension can be subtle but it is definitely a clue that more attention is needed. What is not “sitting right” with you, or you shy away from without obvious cause? This is tension. Ask yourself, what am I really concerned about? Is it fear or anger? It is this introspection and reflection which will bring you closer to your truth. Your actions do not necessarily change but you will be entering into the conversation with a clear head and a solid understanding of what you are bringing to the table and how that may skew your perspective.

While driving and listening to NPR I was suddenly struck by the words that were jumping out at me: “chaos, pandemic, riots, burnout, death rates rising, persistent, Russian troops, political divide…” these descriptors are pervasive and rampant. I couldn’t help but wonder, what is this doing to my mental and physical state? Years ago these words were saved for occasional use or far away countries, but now it literally in our hands, every day, for years. Historically, war and terror were reported events whereas now we can live-stream the unrest, we have notifications to capture real-time events, and scenes are played out as they unfold. The closeness of tragedy is difficult to ignore or protect ourselves from. Studies have found that many people suffered PTSD symptoms from just watching coverage of the 911 attacks or the Boston Marathon bombing. Our walls of protection are thin and the effects are real. No longer can we create psychological distance and shield our hearts from the pervasive pain and suffering. I am a positive person, not much gets me down but I admit, the constant barrage of negative chatter is wearing. While we are all wired to be aware and wish to be up to date on the news, this negativity has begun to have psychological effects on our everyday mindset. Anxiety, stress, and depression are rising simply because of the continual negative input. When confronted with danger or fear our bodies naturally release cortisol and adrenaline, digestion slows, and blood flows away from your heart to prepare your body to flee. Imagine what this prolonged negativity is doing to our bodies. Have you found that you see one negative article and then keep clicking to follow the trail? This is now coined “Doomscrolling”. We perpetuate the negative spiral and unconsciously infuse self-harm. Research has shown that we are all affected differently, more trusting and optimistic people experience less fear while pessimists are more quickly affected. So what can we as leaders do to support ourselves and our team? Take control of what you can. Bring awareness to the importance of boundaries. Disable notifications Surround yourself with positive people and ask to limit the COVID talk. Create “no COVID/ negative” discussion areas. Walk away if you are feeling tension. Hold yourself accountable for entering into the downward spiral of the news feed. Take a walk outside and enjoy the quiet of nature. Consolidate your time watching news/ radio or reading the paper. Allow 1 hour in the afternoon only. Small bursts of continual negativity are very difficult to overcome. Integrate intentionality. Bring awareness to all that is good. Whether it is a gratitude journal or a moment of reflection when you wake up and go to bed to recognize the wonderful people, actions, and events that have occurred. Celebrate the wins. Small or big, take a moment to appreciate yourself or others’ greatness. Finally, you are not alone. This is real and taking care of yourself is important. One thing that is for sure is that we are having a shared experience and you are not immune, using this as an opportunity to connect and create a community of support and positivity is vital for our mental health.

I am amazed at how often I hear people with a new medical diagnosis rush to learn what they might do to improve their health. As if they didn’t know the bucket of fries clogged their arteries. While this is a great sentiment, the reality is, many times it is too little too late. Supporting optimal health is not a short game, it is not a quick fix, and it is best done proactively if you really want sustainable results. Leadership and relationships are the same way, If your leadership journey only fires up in the midst of a crisis or when you need allies guess what… your chances of glowing success are dim. Leadership starts today. It begins with the mundane small acts, not at the board room, not at the moment of pivotal change, and certainly not as you announce a new initiative. It begins with everyday subtleties that garner trust, catch an eye, or create a smile. Leadership begins with walking through the front doors so you can interface with the most amount of people, not for the opportunity to gloat but in an effort to connect with your staff and learn more about the heart of your organization. Leadership begins by shutting off your phone as the meeting starts, it begins by picking up the piece of trash in the hallway, and asking the janitor how his weekend was. Each one of these small expressions of leadership is being witnessed, whether you know it or not. Each of these small actions is building your credibility. Leadership is not what you do when people are watching, that is the frosting on the cake, that is the fun part. The work is leading when nobody is watching, it is when you arrive first and sit alone in the conference room so you can personally greet each participant as they come in. Above all else, leadership is a state of mind. Some of the most influential leaders don’t have a degree or a title, they have passion, drive, and willingness to show up in an effort to make others rise, to push the vision forward, and recognize that they are leaders because of others not despite others. If you lead by these tenants you will find that people will follow when you ask, they will work incredibly hard because you asked. Not because of your title, but because you invested in them before you needed them. At the end of the day people want two things: To feel valued To be acknowledged Your job as a leader is to do this for them, to see and encourage potential. It is free, it is easy, and it is fast. Cultivating leadership is like preventative medicine, it only works if you start now, before there is a problem. Commit to learning each day, push yourself a little harder, hold yourself accountable for one more action. One step at a time. You can do it! My Challenge to You: How do you show up? Are your actions derived from a need to be recognized or in an effort to serve others? What is one action you might incorporate today that is an opportunity to connect and invest in one more person? How can you subtly inspire others without using your words?

My daughter once explained what I did for work as “she meets.” What a terrifying statement! Inc. reports that each day 25 million dollars are wasted in ineffectual and poorly run meetings which equates to $37 billion each year! Imagine what good could be done with that money! We all go to them and we all hate most of them. Why? Meetings are a slippery slope of obligation, formality, culture, and convenience. Many times they are unconscious obligations with little value or meaningful outcome. A missed opportunity cloaked in everyday ware. .Let’s turn this on its head. Let’s commit to “gatherings” with P.O.P.! If you don’t have POP then either cancel the meeting or spend more time preparing. P- Purpose: Each gathering should have a clearly defined purpose or deliverable. You do NOT meet to inform. This can be done via email, text, vlog, or direct communication. Formal gatherings are an opportunity to have critical discussions, challenge perspectives, and rumble with ideas. These should be active, engaging, energizing, and challenging. O- Organization: DO NOT have a meeting without a clear agenda that is sent out at least 24 hours in advance. Without an agenda, you are saying “I really have no idea what we are talking about but, I am sure we will come up with something once we sit down.” Feel free to cancel the meeting if nothing is pressing or you only have updates. Begin and end on time, if you are running over, ask permission to go another 5-10 minutes. If you are the leader, be the first to arrive. Your actions set the tone for the team. Lead by example. If others are late to join, do not repeat and catch them up. They will quickly learn to be on time. “Repeating” sends the message to others that promptness is not valued. WWW: each meeting ends with a clear statement of Who is to do What by When. This WWW will start your next meeting as a report out of progress or barriers encountered. P- People: Have the decision-makers in the room - this is the time to generate ideas, challenge thought, innovate, and create action. Not every person needs to attend every meeting, only the ones critical to the immediate process and action. A discussion around trust and creating opportunities for contribution and engagement is important in alleviating feelings of exclusion. Non-critical members can be considered “at-large” and will receive minutes and will be called in on an “as-needed” basis only. Be aware of the cost. Imagine if you posted the cost of each meeting on the door, would this change your perspective? Take the average hourly wage of each person and multiply it by the length of the meeting. Or, use this meeting calculator. As an example, if the average salary is $100K and 6 people meet for 2 hours your meeting cost is about $615. That adds up fast. Given at least ⅓ of all meetings are not productive. Finally, the PRE-MEETING, there is great value in talking to individuals prior to the gathering to gain insight, test out ideas, and listen to varied perspectives. These discussions give you ample opportunity to hone your message, uncover barriers, and develop a framework that supports the entire team. A few other great resources for you: Book: Death by Meeting- Lencioni Coaching for Leaders podcast: How to Run an Online Meeting Coaching for Leaders podcast: How to Lead Meetings That Get Results with Maimie Kanfer Stewart My Challenge to YOU: Critically look at your “standing meetings”, why are you having them? Are they critical for innovation and change? Are the right people at the table? Can you alter the length? Ask the team their perspective. Are these gatherings useful and productive? Is there a better way to approach the agenda or spend the time? Can you combine two meetings into one? Eliminate at least one meeting from your schedule. Delegate, honestly assess if your contribution is vital, if not, respectfully decline. If you are the leader, be prepared. You have valuable, talented, and expensive people at the table. Use this time wisely.

My dear friend Dorice recently posted a video looking at the difference between “want” and “desire”. It was very thought-provoking and I wanted to share it with you. “Want” is a simple hope or wish for something. For me, this word conjures up feelings of emptiness or scarcity. We “want” because we don’t have. We indiscriminately throw this word around and rarely does it imply true necessity. On the other hand, the word “desire” is seated deeply in longing for something with an underlying passion and soul connection. I imagine our body language, tone, and inflection is different when we say these two words. With “desire” my knees bend, my hands reach out, my eyes light up, and I smile a bit. In the Hebrew language, Dorice explains that the word “desire” is broken down to mean: “the deep want to feel the movement and nourishment of your soul.” WOW! So how does this relate to leadership? All of us are drawn to what serves us. We all have deep-rooted desires, that if acknowledged, will naturally create passion, drive, and focus. Aren't those the qualities were are looking for in our team or colleagues? Can you find creative ways to capitalize on these inherent desires? You are not taking advantage of them, you are creating a space and aligning the characteristics or actions which will naturally drive success. You both win. So, how do you do this? What if you stopped pushing employees to achieve more but rather stopped to ask your team and yourself, what they desire. It is this question that unlocks to door to creative success. When we are working in a space that feeds our desires we self-manage, we are naturally proactive, energized, and goal-focused. In the book, Good to Great, Jim Collins talks about putting the “right people in the right seats”, maybe that is also about knowing people's desires, and then aligning their job and responsibilities with those desires. If this is done, the bus will drive itself. Very often we connect employees or ourselves with the job description, what if we created the job description around the person’s desires and natural skills? Capitalizing on what drives their energy, enthusiasm, and natural talents. You may think, “I can’t just give everyone free reign of their jobs, nothing would get done.” I challenge you on that. Yes, it would look different but you may be surprised by how many people are limited by their job title, stifled to conform and “tow the line” and simultaneously neglecting the hidden talents and desires that lay just beneath the surface. Is it not our job as leaders to tap into creative desires? To become curious as to how much we don’t know and how much others have to offer? Is it possible to gray the edges of job descriptions in an effort to incorporate people’s natural talents? My Challenge to You: At your next 1:1 or team, meeting ask: “If you could be more involved in any aspect of this company, what would you be doing?” This is such a fun exercise to learn about each other’s hidden talents and to develop deeper connections and trust. Then see if you can open some doors and make it happen… can you say “retention”?! Ask and then delegate. Many times we don’t delegate tasks because we don’t want to burden another with the dreaded job. Here is the fun part, what is dreaded by you might be inspiring for another. (I hate to plan vacations but I have many friends who would drop everything to plan a fabulous trip.) Ask and you might just receive! Challenge yourself to learn one new desire or talent of your colleague. It may just change your perception, dynamic, or even make work easier!

When coaching, many of the same themes come up time and time again. This one is front and center. How to navigate all of the surrounding dysfunction in the team/ company? Basically... How to find function in the dysfunction? I was recently writing a recap to a client and thought I would share my thoughts with you. “I was thinking about our conversation and all of the chaos that surrounds you. I wonder if it is any different than it was 2 years ago (prior to coaching) or, are you just more aware of it and able to now see the possibilities and understand the complexities? After you have "seen the light" it is really hard to unsee it! Controlling and owning your part and influencing your small area of the world is what you can do. Make each interaction thoughtful, intentional, and inspiring to the other. Lead by example and empathy and see the humanness in every interaction. Slow down and focus not on the "result or outcome" but appreciate the path to the end, the feelings involved, the intricate web of emotions at play, and the dynamic lives being interwoven together. You have a love for conformity and predictability and when that doesn't happen it is easy to get derailed. Instead, can you see the beauty in the complicated process of discovery? Sit in the unknown, without taking it on, just watch and observe the process unfold. The new learnings that are discovered and experienced by others are what will slowly move the needle from dysfunction to function.” If we can all take a moment to become aware and curious as to the other’s shoes as opposed to focusing on the dysfunction. What is driving their emotion, what is important to them at this very moment? Is fear playing a part? It is these questions that will lead you to common ground. Finding a shared place of interest of which to begin the next conversation. Building a relationship of trust and respect. "Dysfunction" is really our perception of how we see reality. My dysfunction could be your function. Is it fair to assume that individuals act in ways they believe to be constructive? The key is to identify the congruence of vision. Are you able to appreciate and recognize the unique talents that others bring and the shared sacrifices that we all make to be part of a great team? By focusing on that, you may be able to find common ground for change. It is so easy to get laser focused on one aspect of work that we lose our sense of perspective. How much does this really matter? Is this something I will be thinking about or even remember in six months? Picking your battles and preserving your energy for the bigger issues may be worthwhile.​ This is a very hard challenge, one that is easier if you have a trusted confidant to debrief with or just share disappointments. It is certainly easy and tempting to retreat, shorten your gaze and only give the minimum but I would argue you are not only giving up on your team but more importantly, you are giving up on your potential. Finding the strength to believe in the seeming impossible is what will drive change. You be the change. My Challenge To You: Can you commit to not giving up? Focus on what you do have impact and influence on and laser in on that one item. Remember all of the positives with your team/ company. It is easy to see the dysfunction but it is important to remember all of the elements that are working well. The brilliant service, the committed employees, the larger vision of excellence. Hold yourself accountable. People are watching you so be careful with your words and actions. Lead and conduct yourself with integrity and help others to see the positive. What part are you playing in the dysfunction? Attitude? Lack of commitment? You can set the tone for positive change if you are willing.

How is it that there are some people that end their day with a clean desk and time to play with their kids and go for a run while others barely make it home for dinner and then return to the computer to finish up the day's work? I would argue we could have many reasons for these scenarios but I can tell you one thing for sure if you like the idea of the first scenario I would urge you to keep reading… We all start together, 24 hours in a day, how we choose to use that time is where it gets dicey. While many of us like to be spontaneous and gently flow throughout the day, I guarantee you that Integrating some strategically placed organization and technology may save you hours and get you home on time! Multitasking- it may be a bragging right but will not help you in the long run. Research shows multitasking has been shown to cut productivity and efficiency by 40%. Our brains are not designed to shift between multiple tasks and thus your work is subpar and takes more time. Your efficiency and focus while multitasking have been shown to be similar to having two glasses of wine. Not ideal! “Focused tasking”- (my own term) Strategically plan your tasks and schedule an uninterrupted time for success. Schedule meetings for 45 minutes but book yourself for 1 hr, this allows 15 minutes to finalize notes, follow up on action items, or write a re-cap. The information is fresh in your mind and will take less time to complete. You leave your meeting with little to no “to do’s”! Schedule email time: Schedule daily times to check and return emails, communicate in "auto-response" or in your signature the times in which people can expect to hear back from you. This releases you from late-night replies or serial email checking and sets the expectation for the receiver. Utilize technology: it is difficult to focus when notifications keep alerting you to new messages/mail. Turn off notifications! We are curious by nature and hearing that seducing “ding” will hijack your focus and cause distraction. Resist the urge and turn it off! Create a space for success- Your physical space will absolutely affect productivity and energy. Does your workspace rise up to meet you? Are your supplies well stocked and the chair and desk ergonomically appropriate? Standing several times a day to restock supplies or adjust your seat interrupts creative thinking and workflow. Invest in creating a space that supports your body and mind. Calming music, Yiruma and Helen Jane Long are two of our favorite pianists, create a Pandora station and create a mellow vibe! Organize and prioritize- Without a plan, our day can get a bit unwieldy and fragmented. Spontaneity is great but not when it means three more hours in a day! Begin each day intentionally, set the big goals, prioritize the tasks, and realize that there is another day tomorrow! Enjoying the process and your colleagues is part of this plan. Work should not be something you gut through but rather it is a journey of growth, discovery, and service. It is amazing how work can feel overwhelming if we don't allow time to get it done. Sounds obvious, but by giving tasks specific times for completion you are able to free up your mental worry and stay present and focused. Mental fortitude- This refers to the intangible mental focus and intentional drive to succeed. This Forbes article spells it out nicely. You don't allow for “micro distractions”, you don’t get derailed by others' negativity, and you curb the temptation to “worry” without reason. Top performers focus on honing their craft and work forward rather than getting caught up in the net of politics and competition. My Challenge To You: Take thirty minutes to survey your workspace. What do you need for maximum efficiency? Give yourself permission to get those things. Stapler, new file folders, sticky notes? How is technology distracting you? Set “do not disturb” during your scheduled email time, disable notifications, leave your phone behind when going to a meeting. At a minimum, turn it off during the meeting! Bring awareness to time wasted and without judgment ask yourself what is at play. Boredom? Anxiety? Avoidance? If you are serious about working smarter and not harder you will need to be honest with your current state of working. One step at a time, you've’ got this!

An insight I find most useful is the phrase: “we manage the way we like to be managed.” Quite a simple statement but it certainly opens a whole can of worms if you think about how this may affect your relationships and team. Unfortunately, your team is not made up of a bunch of you’s! Therefore, if you want a dynamic, trusting, and collaborative team, you must learn how they like to be managed, communicated with, and what strategies resonate and motivate. There are many great ways to learn about your team members, for example, enneagram, positive intelligence (PI), working genius, and the one I most recently learned about is Kathleen Edelman’s work around “temperament”. If we understand our own and others’ temperaments we can better utilize specific words and insight to have a more meaningful and impactful conversation. ​Andy Stanley interviews Kathleen on a recent podcast and she outlines the four distinct colors which correspond to specific temperaments, here are some examples: Yellow: (People and fun) The people-oriented extrovert. These people tend to trust others easily, see the best in others, are deep processors, talk before they think, and prioritize people and relationships. Red: (Power and control) Task-oreinted extroverts. Tend to dive right in and get the job done, a smart visionary who is dependable and is great a decision-maker. May not be as aware as to their effect on others and may leave a wake behind them and be perceived as a bully. Loyalty is of fundamental importance. Blue: (Perfection and order) Prioritize tasks over people; thoughtful analyzers. They easily see the barriers to success and are typically task-oriented introverts. Blues are internal processors and may be seen as negative although, they are uniquely positioned to be the creative problem solvers. Green: (Calm and harmony) People-oriented introverts. Great leaders of people given they prioritize relationships over all else. They stay calm in the chaos and may struggle with decision-making or get paralyzed by multiple choices. Greens like harmony and have a need for respect. Show them respect and they will work hard for you. The key is, whether you have qualities of a “red “(temperament), “avoider” (PI), or “galvanizer” (working genius) there is no right or wrong, all of these qualities have incredible value and merit if understood and used effectively. Imagine if you understood how your team thought and processed information and communicated? Now, you could implement strategies and tools to capitalize on their strengths rather than pushing for results? Your team would explode with creativity and opportunity! A great example: Your small team is meeting and Sarah is listening but not saying a word, you may think she is not engaged or inspired until you remember she is heavy on “green”. She is a quiet processor and values respect and lacks a sense of urgency. Knowing this you say, “Sarah, I know you have had great success in this area before and I would love to hear your thoughts on how we might approach this situation.” This one sentence has demonstrated your respect for her and allowed space for her to speak up and share the thoughts she has been busy processing! Should you not have invited her in, she may have left the meeting without sharing her incredible insights. As a leader, it is your job to know the psychology of people. Actively learning ways in which others think and strategies to draw out the best in everyone will be pivotal in your success. My Challenge to You: If you are not familiar with these concepts or strategies begin the process of learning. Pick one each month for three months and dig in. Success will create urgency and buy-in. Try one new strategy and see how the dynamics change. Do people react differently to you as their leader? Are they more engaged? Can you appreciate the value of this approach? Bonus points: have your whole team take an assessment and begin the dialogue around how this changes perceptions and dynamics. Connect with me if you are interested in rolling this out to your team or incorporating this into your own leadership strategy.

Have you ever been in a conversation and all of a sudden you have no idea what the other person is talking about? Their train-of-thought seems to be “squirrel-like”, bouncing from idea to idea with no connected theme. I know a few of these people and here is the problem, they have a lot of wisdom and ideas to share but the way in which they deliver the message is so random and seemingly disorganized that the message is lost and many of us tune out! Our brain craves order, pattern, simplicity, and repetition. If your audience frequently has a glazed look or you are continually repeating yourself, these strategies may be helpful in creating impact and connection. Additionally, you will captivate your audience and your brilliance will land perfectly! Tom Henschel, a leadership coach for senior executives, was recently interviewed on Coaching for Leaders in which he explains how “sorting and labeling” your communication is a game-changer! These four strategies articulate your vision with simplicity and ease. Create a HEADLINE: sum up your overall objective in one succinct sentence. “I would like to talk about the new strategies for employee retention.” This short intro tells your audience exactly where you are going and what to expect. Create FOLDERS in which your strategies lay. Categorize and group ideas into "concept buckets" and verbally identify the number of folders. LABEL and work through each folder one at a time. “The three focus areas to improve employee retention are: Strategic hiring Competitive salaries and opportunities Capitalizing on and recognizing individual talents.” TRANSITION: As you shift between folders verbally mark the transtion and clarify identify the next folder. “Let’s talk about strategic hiring, what that means, and why it is important……… Now that we have discussed the first strategy, let'sl move to the second strategy which is competitive salaries……” Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then summarize what you told them. By creating a simple yet predictable framework, you have set the expectations for the conversation and are logically working your way through the outline. The simple act of assigning and stating the specific number of folders helps the listener track where​ ​in the conversation you are, what is to be expected and, helps with retention of information. Taking a few minutes to slow your thoughts and create space for organization and clarity will dramatically affect your impact and save time and money. Take time to develop a succinct message which undoubtedly will result in the impact you desire. No more glazed looks!