So??? What Will YOU Resolve This Year?

This is the time of year where we all begin to feel almost guilted in making New Year’s Resolutions. Recently I read an article by Lolly Daskal (@lollydaskal)which outlined 10 things likable people do constantly. As I read them, it occurred to me that these are qualities, not only in likable people but attributes found in great leaders as well. Perhaps you can draw a resolution or two from the following:

1. Listen without interrupting.

Become a great listener. That means no butting in, no rushing along, no asking questions until the speaker is done. Listen not to frame your own rebuttal but rather to genuinely understand. First seek to understand…

2. Smile without smirking.

Smiling and warmth make others around you feel good. It seems simplistic, but smiling is a lost skill of sorts. Master it and you'll stand out. Take some time…LOOK at yourself…literally in the mirror…practice “the smile”

3. Speak without dictating.

Speak and share your thoughts and ideas, but treat such conversations as a two-way street. Your voice and your wisdom have value, but set them forth in a way that respects the voice and wisdom of others in true dialogue. VALUE the person with whom you are speaking.

4. Give without receiving.

As the adage says, we make a living by what we get but we make a life by what we give. Don't keep score; give with a genuine heart, because it makes you happy…servant leadership.

5. Enjoy without complaining.

Enjoy and be grateful for all that you have. It is gratitude that gives us the best reasons not to complain. A mindset of gratitude versus the greed of want pays dividends for the entire organization.

6. Trust without wavering.

Trust, someone once said, is like an eraser--it gets smaller and smaller every time you have to use it. When we can offer others our sincere word and they know they can trust us, that's no small thing. Consistently doing what you've said you would do, and not doing what you've said you won't do, earns you a huge amount of trust.

7. Promise without forgetting.

People with good intentions make promises; people with great character keep them. Keeping promises should be your highest priority--because when you give your word, there is no room to forget. Keep your promises.

8. Forgive without punishing.

I believe there are two kinds of forgiveness: the kind that also gives the other person a chance, and the kind that forgives but still compels you to move on without that person. Either should be used wisely, and neither should be about punishment. The healthy way to forgive is whatever works best for you without punishing the other person.

9. Be honest without deceiving.

The people we like the best are those who are honest, who follow their convictions and speak their truth. We like people who act on their beliefs. They may not always win, but you know what they stand for.

10. Be positive without reservation.

Negative, angry people drag down everyone around them. Work on maintaining a positive attitude at work and in life. Make an effort to look for opportunities and solutions instead of barriers and problems. Whatever the situation, focus on what can be done.

So my friends, are there any that resonate with you? Care to add to the list? Feel free…Happy New Year…

Be good to yourself…Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas

Have a blessed Christmas surrounded by those you love and those who love you in return. May your heart be opened to the joys and hopes the season has to offer, and may your New Year be filled with the fruits of your labor.

Peace and all good things...

We Can ALL Learn a Litlte From Ol' Santa

As Jolly Ol’ Saint Nick’s arrival is quickly approaching, I thought I’d share some of his beliefs I ran across a few years back…There’s a reason he continues to flourish…consider….

1. “Choose Your Reindeer Wisely” 

·        Hire tough so you can manage easy – Expend the effort to bring on the very best people. 

·        Promote the right ones … for the right reasons – Match the people with the responsibilities.  

·        Go for the diversity advantage – Bring on “different” people who will challenge the status quo.  

 
2. “Share the Milk and Cookies”  

·        Help them see the difference they make – Show employees their part of the “Big Picture.” 

·        Do right by those who do right – Recognize and reward those who meet or exceed expectations.  

·        Expand the reinforcement possibilities – Find new and creative ways to recognize your team.   

 
3. “Find Out Who’s Naughty and Nice”  

·        Confront performance problems early – Address issues as soon as you become aware of them. 

·        Coach “the majority in the middle” – Work with your solid performers to help them get even better.  

·        Don’t forget “the super stars” – Don’t take your best people for granted. They need attention, too.  

Ol’ Santa has some pretty good ideas… 

Be good to yourself…BELIEVE… 

Use Your Power Wisely

As a leader it is easy at times to forget the influence we have on people either by position, title, or by perception. We have the ability to be a positive force or a destructive element in the lives of so many by what we say or don’t say, do or don’t do.  It’s a responsibility we have, which we must ever be mindful.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe helps put things in perspective for me and the responsibilities that are inherent in being a leader. 

“I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. I possess tremendous power to make life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration, I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis is escalated or de-escalated, and a person is humanized or de-humanized. If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.”

Be good to yourself and to those you lead…

$156,500.00!

​

$156,500.00! That’s what USA Today said it would cost to buy “The 12 Days of Christmas” this year. I was never quite clear if the recipient received just one new gift each day, or continued to receive all the gifts to that point in addition to the new gift…but that’s for a discussion some other day. The point is $156,500.00 is a lot of money no matter how you slice that partridge in a pear tree.

As leaders we’re all aware of the distractions the holiday season can bring an organization…some positive diversions and at times, some rather negative interruptions. As a result, I thought I’d offer up a different version of the 12 Days of Christmas for you to consider. The cost to you will be nothing, but the dividends may offset any “downside” to the holidays you may experience. Take a look, reflect…just don’t try to sing as the words don’t quit match the melody, but the message is well worth your time.

The 12 Days of Christmas: A Leader’s Version

By: Lisa Petrilli

On the 1st day of Christmas my leader gave to me - Inspiration sprinkled with clear vision of future Christmases

On the 2nd day of Christmas my leader gave to me – A roll in the organization that fits my strengths

On the 3rd day of Christmas my leader gave to me – A genuine interest in me and my ideas

On the 4th day of Christmas my leader gave to me – Genuine respect

On the 5th day of Christmas my leader gave to me – 5 CORE VALUES ( which were demonstrated daily)

On the 6th day of Christmas my leader gave to me – Evidence that they value the opportunity to lead

On the 7th day of Christmas my leader gave to me – Passionate engagement with my team

On the 8th day of Christmas my leader gave to me – Credit when and where credit was due

​On the 9th day of Christmas my leader gave to me - Recognition of my unique talents​

On the 10th day of Christmas my leader gave to me – Commitment to work and life BALANCE

On the 11th day of Christmas my leader gave to me – Honest feedback and support expressed eloquently

On the 12th day of Christmas my leader gave to me – Empowerment to succeed

No money can buy these things as they’re all priceless…

Be good to yourself…

Living A Life of Graditude

By the time you read this, the smell of turkey, the recent conversations and laughter with friends and family, along with your reflections of gratitude are becoming your most recent of memories. Thanksgiving has a way of making us feel “full”.  Certainly it fills us with great food, but it has a way of filling us with joy and hope as we take time to count our untold blessings. It allows us the time to appreciate our loved ones, our communities, our workplace, and helps us re-prioritize what it is that matters the most in our lives.

Sadly, too many times Thanksgiving is much like that great  conference we attend during the year. We reflect, become rejuvenated with new aspirations, only to slide back into our same routine in the weeks that follow. 

Recently, I came across a post in ContantLeadership that compiled 10 quotes revolving around the importance of gratitude throughout the year from various sources across the web.  The intent was for the reader to consider living a life of gratitude to aid in our quest to become better leaders, spouses, parents, colleagues and friends to the people who most matter in our lives. 

“For something to change in your life, one of two things has to happen: your life changes, or you do.” 

This post from Entrepreneur Magazine acts as a rallying call-to-action to adopt a “practice of gratitude” throughout the year. The author argues that changing our attitude to focus on the positive can transport us from a mindset of victimhood to a mindset of action, especially in the face of adversity. 

“I found myself losing the ‘me’ perspective and gaining a ‘we’ perspective.”

In this uplifting piece, Author Jamelle Sanders reflects on the power of gratitude in the wake of a friend’s tragic accident. His ruminations on how gratitude can quiet the ego and manifest success in your life are a much-needed reminder.

“It’s gratitude that draws people together, builds trust, and strengthens ties.”

This compelling post from Michael Hyatt uses research to teach us four tangible ways gratitude can improve our lives; some research presented here even suggests gratitude can not only strengthen, but lengthen, your life!

“If you stick to your practice – even if it’s not ‘heart-felt’ in the beginning – eventually it transforms into true gratitude.”

This post gets tactical with gratitude, providing the reader with seven immediately applicable ways to begin a practice of thanks giving. The author acknowledges it can be difficult to feel thankful in the face of problems and roadblocks — but she provides real-world strategies we can all use to begin authentically giving thanks even when the going gets tough.

“Some people grumble that roses have thorns. I am grateful that thorns have roses.” 

Leadership author Skip Prichard compiles 28 thought-provoking quotes culled from an assortment of great minds — from Cicero to Oprah. A quick read that adds more than a little food for thought to your Thanksgiving table.

“Cultivating gratitude doesn’t cost any money and it certainly doesn’t take much time, but the benefits are enormous.”

While some of the positive effects of gratitude are well documented, a few compiled here may surprise you.  One study cited in this post even suggests gratitude may help you sleep better.

“Gratitude, honor, and recognition are so much deeper and more powerful than just saying thanks.”

Dan Rockwell challenges us to go beyond the words “thank you” to find more robust and heartfelt ways to express our gratitude and honor people’s accomplishments. This is a timely reminder to find as many ways as possible to express appreciation.

“Few things are more heartwarming than bearing witness to one human being expressing deep gratitude for the profound, course-altering impact another has played in her or his life.” 

Herein lies as elegantly and articulately expressed a ‘thank you’ as you’ll ever read. Although sometimes composing the right message of gratitude can be difficult — Camus (a literary giant), not surprisingly, finds just the right words. It’s a nice homage to mentorship and friendship.

“The benefits of gratitude go far beyond doing something because it’s the ‘right thing’ to do.”

While this post echoes many of the benefits featured in the other posts, we like that it explicitly calls out the need for a nobler reason for expressing gratitude. Eikenberry warns us that if we embark on a practice of giving thanks only because we’re supposed to, or in hopes of a ”quid pro quo,” that our efforts may be dead on arrival.

“We have to constantly remind ourselves to look for ‘what’s right’ in our lives instead of ‘what’s wrong.'”

This quick read reminds us to be diligent in resisting the scarcity mindset that prefers looking for “either,” “or.” Eker emphasizes that being grateful for what you have does not mean you are being complacent — you can be both grateful for what you’ve accomplished today and want to push to be better tomorrow. This post helps to frame gratitude as an abundance mindset.

So my friends…enjoy the sense of “fullness” Thanksgiving brings…being full of gratitude can be a year long celebration for everyone to enjoy…

Be good to yourself…

IF...

I’ve been trying desperately to come up with some words of wisdom in the aftermath of events which are swirling about since the presidential election.  It’s in uncertain times like these which leaders must emerge as the masses need and want direction, a focus, a dream to conceive and achieve.  This is the exact time when a true leader acts as that beacon of light in the thick fog drawing those in who have been swept out with the dangerous tide.

For the past several days, Kipling’s poem “If” has been swirling in my head. I continue to be mesmerized by his words and their profound meaning and inspiration to me personally as a leader. Each of the poem’s sixteen couplets illustrates a leadership attribute, and together they provide a leadership framework on which to reflect, refine and reignite. Take a moment and read for yourself and renew your spirit to fuel and propel those you lead, forward.

“IF”

If you can keep your head when all about you  
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,  
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;  
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:


If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;  
 If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;  
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;  
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:


If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,  
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’


If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,  
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute 

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,  
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,  
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son! LEADER!

Be good to yourself…
 

Ron

If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more; you are a leader. - John Quincy Adams

Go Cubs...GO!

Although a lifetime Chicago White Sox fan, I couldn’t help but be wrapped up in all the excitement and drama offered by our crosstown rivals, The World Champion Chicago Cubs. Now that the ringing in my ears from last of the fireworks has subsided, the last of the ticker tape swept from the city streets, and our minds begin to once again focus on our daily routines, I thought it pertinent to reflect on a few lessons learned.

1. Leadership comes in all different shapes and sizes, whether from “the skipper” or from a member of the organization that calls everyone together during a rain delay to help refocus, re-energize and reignite. Lesson learned – sometimes a message is better heard from within rather than from on top. Cultivate leadership in your organization.

2. Hope is a STRONG motivator to move people forward no matter the circumstances. Lesson learned – No matter the situation, followers NEED a glimmer of hope so that despair doesn’t overtake their ability to move forward. Keep hope alive.

3. Emotion plays a vital role in our performance. Lesson learned – Finding a balance in our emotions and “keeping your eye on the prize” is essential to perform productively. Breathe in and out…Keep Calm and…(fill in the blank).

4. Establishing LOYALTY doesn’t cost anything, yet it’s worth EVERYTHING. I think we can all agree that the Chicago Cubs have some of the most loyal fans in the country. Lesson learned – never take loyalty for granted, it must be fostered and celebrated.

5. Having FUN and bringing true joy to others makes all the efforts well worth the struggles experienced along the way. Lesson learned – Joy is priceless…can’t be bought…it can make us believe in the impossible and carry us further than we ever expected.

6. Life IS a journey…not a destination. Lesson learned – Celebrate today, but ask what’s in store tomorrow? How do we keep things moving in the right direction? Trust me, the Cleveland Indians are preparing for “next year” TODAY!

Be good to yourself…

The Value of a Bumper Sticker

There are times I fear that our generation will be judged by the writings glued to the rear of our vehicles as future sociologists scratch their head searching for their meaning. These brief pearls of wisdom, poke fun at the establishment, show support or disdain, offer a good hardy laugh, or a punch to the gut. At times their messages are poignant, at times obscure.

 As I was sitting in traffic last week, one such tidbit caught my eye. The message was short, to the point and reminded me of the importance human interaction plays in leadership. No matter our line of work, no matter our product or service, we all are in a people business; we all lead fellow humans to a destination some never knew existed. Sometimes we tend to look too much at the final outcome or product versus embracing and understanding the needs of those we serve.

Here’s one bumper sticker that gave me pause to ponder and hope that future sociologists will look favorably on our generation.

Be good to yourself and to those you serve.

Urgency or Purpose?

I must admit, I’ve always been a fan of creating a sense of urgency to help propel certain projects forward. Creating a sense of urgency revolves around deadlines, countdowns, some nagging, explaining WHY something is important over and over again, along with some type of reward at the conclusion of the project.

Recently, I read an article by Kimber Lockhart who is the Chief Technology Officer at One Medical Group. In her article, Lockhart challenges her readers to foster a sense of PURPOSE, rather than creating a sense of urgency. (CLICK HERE for entire article) She goes on to explain that creating a sense of purpose gives the team a deep understanding and the reasons behind the effort. It allows members to be immersed in the cause, motivating action in a mission that is seen clearly by all those involved.

The article gave me pause to ponder. Indeed it should be the objective that drives the activity. Creating a sense of urgency can become the goal in itself rather than the true purpose. As leaders we must continue to articulate purpose and vision, hire and retain the right people to get the job done and help everyone understand the impact of their labors.

Creating a sense of PURPOSE…yea…that’s the ticket…

Be good to yourself…

So...what did you learn from THAT?

Those who know me well, know that one of my favorites questions is, “So…what did you learn from that?” It’s a question I ask when people come and confess a “sin” or a situation that “went sideways.” I have a firm belief that failure is not an option, but a necessity for growth. That being said, I was asked recently what mistakes I’ve made from which I’ve learned the most. There were many from which to choose, but here are some highlights of things learned.

1. To be silent, gives tacit approval.

2. The most unequal thing we can do to those around us is to treat them all equally.

3. Sometimes the PROCESS is more important than the final product.

4. Failures are an opportunity to grow…not shrivel up and die.

5. Most times it is better to listen then it is to talk.

I’ll let your imagination run wild with the types of mistakes I made…over and over again before coming to these epiphanies, but it’s from my mistakes and what I have learned from them that have helped mold me into the leader I’ve become.

So…what have YOU learned??? Just askin…

Be good to yourself.

Meetings...Meetings...MEETINGS!

Meetings…meetings…meetings…it seems as though they consume our day, and in part frustrate us more than energize us.  Harvard professor, Nancy Koehn estimates that 11 million meetings are held each day in the US.  11 million…let that resonate for a moment…not sure of the average meeting size, but for simplicity let’s just say 10…and just for the sake of discussion, let’s assume that just 15 minutes of each meeting is a waste of time…11,000,000 meetings  X 10 people X 15 minutes wasted time….staggering isn’t it???

Kevin Kruse recently published the Anatomy Of A Bad Meeting in his blog, which outlined 5 common mistakes that are easily remedied to have productive meetings.

Mistake 1:  Starting meetings late.  Whatever the excuse, starting meetings late is simply a terrible practice which is  result of unprofessional behavior, fueling a cultural phenomenon training people to come late. Talk about a waste of time…

The Fix: Start ON TIME and END on time. Many of those in YOUR meeting are scheduled to be somewhere AFTER your meeting. VALUE people’s time. My personal mantra has always been, “Start on time, leave a bit early!”

Mistake 2: The wrong people are at the meeting and have little to nothing to offer. Choose your members wisely.

The Fix: When in doubt…leave them out!

Mistake 3:  Spending too much time on trivial issues, nitpicking and debating while the least amount of time is spent on the most important issues.

The Fix: Jeff Bezos at Amazon opens his meetings with 30 minutes of silence where members of his team read summaries, think, make notes, and prepare for meaningful discussion.

Mistake 4: Meetings are scheduled at the wrong times interfering with the natural flow of the workday.

The Fix: Poll your team as to best time of day or best day to meet. Consider a workday Wednesday where NO meetings are allowed (Click Here for Quip on Workday Wednesdays)

Mistake 5: The wrong people dominate the meeting as by their nature, the overconfident, and the extroverts tend to take over the agenda.

The Fix: The facilitator must be a master of drawing everyone into the dialogue using thoughtful, discerning, open-ended questions.

If bad meeting culture isn’t addressed it can spread like a terminal disease throughout your organization. But identifying the symptoms and root causes, a reflective leader can begin to apply the correct cures.

Be good to yourself…

P R A I S E

What value do you place on making sure those around you feel appreciated for their efforts?  I know…they get PAID…isn’t that enough? Apparently not. In a recent Gallup poll, only 1 out of 3 workers felt strongly that their efforts were appreciated, while the other 2/3 were disengaged and were twice as likely to say they would leave the company as compared to those who felt appreciated.

Interestingly, recognition costs nothing, yet its value is priceless. It encourages people to do well again, builds morale, and engages your organization to outperforming non-engaged organizations by 167% according to the results of the poll.

A word of caution however, as praise and recognition are only valuable when the accolades are meaningful, authentic, and honest.   Consider the “PRAISE” model:

Public

Recognition

Authentic

Immediate

Specific

Enthusiastic

When these elements are included the praise is well-received fostering employee engagement, increasing motivation and pride in the organization.

One final note. According to the poll, it is significant who offers the praise. While 24% responded that the praise was best received by the CEO, 28% said it was from their direct manager that the praise was most memorable.

As leaders, we should look to provide positive feedback, encouragement, and recognition to help fuel employee engagement and productivity.  I costs nothing, but it can produce significant returns…

Be good to yourself...

Build From Your Strengths!

As change agents, leaders are constantly engaged with supporters, detractors and watchers. Depending on the specific issue(s) an individual may be a supporter on one issue while being a detractor to another.

These groups are typically easy to identify as the supporter is the person who shares the leader’s vision and understands the benefits of moving forward with that vision. The detractors on the other hand are those who are comfortable with the status quo and feel they have more to lose following the new direction and have no interest in change while the watchers are those on the fence, waiting and watching before they declare which camp they will align themselves.

It is difficult to turn detractors into supporters.  Instead, leaders should work to turn supporters into champions, watchers into supporters, and neutralize detractors, turning them into watchers or making them simply go away.

In other words…don’t waste your time with your donkeys…stroke your thoroughbreds…and build from your strengths…

Be good to yourself…

Abe is Still Teaching...

Being a lifelong resident of “The Land of Lincoln” my wife and I finally made a trip to the Capitol of Illinois. There, in the heart of Illinois, in the city of Springfield, is the Lincoln Museum, and the Lincoln Library. We weren’t in the museum for more than 10 minutes before I became overwhelmed with the history and intrigued by the leadership style of one of our greatest presidents.

Lincoln was a simple man of simple means. There were hundreds of stories about his life and the personal and professional challenges he faced, but the thread that wove its way through each and every story was the humility of Lincoln. Humility…an attribute not seen in many of our leaders today yet desperately needed.

There are some who would contend that humility is not necessarily a trait which comes to mind for great leaders. In fact, some would argue that humility is more of a weakness than a strength as a leader must show a backbone, be confident, almost arrogant to get ahead. On the other hand, some would contend that it takes strength to be humble.

Consider the benefits of humble leadership by:

1. Being open to opinions different from your own. Humble leaders not only listen, but SEEK views from all sides making decisions based on the best interest of the organization.

2. Putting others first. Research clearly indicates that performance is much higher when members of an organization believe that their leader is truly looking out for their best interests, that they genuinely care, and that the leader is doing everything in his power to ensure members have what is needed to get the job done well.

3. Admitting mistakes. NO ONE IS PERFECT…admit your mistakes and LEARN from them…move forward…do make excuses.

4. Accepting ambiguity as you can’t control everything. Sometimes you simply don’t have enough information to make good decisions…ask more questions…seek the advice of others.

5. Self-reflecting is imperative to gauge your humility as it doesn’t come easy to most of us.

6. Trusting people to do their jobs as micromanaging kills morale and isn’t very humble.

7. Remembering the words of old Abe himself when he said, “Don’t worry when you are not recognized, but strive to be worthy of it.”

Be good to yourself…

How to Tame Your Inner Voice

Recently I was talking to an emerging leader who asked what tips I might have to control self-doubts, or that little voice in all of us that rears its ugly head on occasion telling us we’re not smart enough, or we have no idea what we’re doing. Even the most seasoned leaders have to tame those thoughts and use various techniques to address them. Here are some ideas for you to consider.

· We all know the golden rule…do unto others as they would do to you… I’d have you to consider changing it a bit and do to YOURSELF what you’d do for others…In other words; most times we’re too hard on ourselves. What would you say or do to help a struggling employee? You’d be empathetic, resourceful, a support to get that top performer back on track…so do to yourself what it is you’d do for others.

· When things aren’t going well…ask yourself what it is you’re LEARNING from the experience. Don’t most people, if not all, agree that we LEARN more from our failures than our successes? View these times of self-doubt as a time to embrace the thought learning and growing. Success is a journey…not a destination…enjoy the trip.

· Be careful not to OVER THINK an issue. I once saw a poster which read, “Over thinking is simply the art of creating problems which don’t exist. “

· Sometimes we CAN’T see the forest for the trees. Learn to walk away from an issue for some time. Clear your head, take a walk, go to that yoga class you’ve been thinking about, get some fresh air, think outside the box, have fun with exploring CRAZY ideas, play the “what if” game…and remember…NOTHING is impossible!

· Henry Ford once said, “If you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

Be good to yourself…

How to Tame Your Inner Voice

Recently I was talking to an emerging leader who asked what tips I might have to control self-doubts, or that little voice in all of us that rears its ugly head on occasion telling us we’re not smart enough, or we have no idea what we’re doing. Even the most seasoned leaders have to tame those thoughts and use various techniques to address them. Here are some ideas for you to consider.

· We all know the golden rule…do unto others as they would do to you… I’d have you to consider changing it a bit and do to YOURSELF what you’d do for others…In other words; most times we’re too hard on ourselves. What would you say or do to help a struggling employee? You’d be empathetic, resourceful, a support to get that top performer back on track…so do to yourself what it is you’d do for others.

· When things aren’t going well…ask yourself what it is you’re LEARNING from the experience. Don’t most people, if not all, agree that we LEARN more from our failures than our successes? View these times of self-doubt as a time to embrace the thought learning and growing. Success is a journey…not a destination…enjoy the trip.

· Be careful not to OVER THINK an issue. I once saw a poster which read, “Over thinking is simply the art of creating problems which don’t exist. “

· Sometimes we CAN’T see the forest for the trees. Learn to walk away from an issue for some time. Clear your head, take a walk, go to that yoga class you’ve been thinking about, get some fresh air, think outside the box, have fun with exploring CRAZY ideas, play the “what if” game…and remember…NOTHING is impossible!

· Henry Ford once said, “If you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

Be good to yourself…

How to Tame Your Inner Voice

Recently I was talking to an emerging leader who asked what tips I might have to control self-doubts, or that little voice in all of us that rears its ugly head on occasion telling us we’re not smart enough, or we have no idea what we’re doing. Even the most seasoned leaders have to tame those thoughts and use various techniques to address them. Here are some ideas for you to consider.

· We all know the golden rule…do unto others as they would do to you… I’d have you to consider changing it a bit and do to YOURSELF what you’d do for others…In other words; most times we’re too hard on ourselves. What would you say or do to help a struggling employee? You’d be empathetic, resourceful, a support to get that top performer back on track…so do to yourself what it is you’d do for others.

· When things aren’t going well…ask yourself what it is you’re LEARNING from the experience. Don’t most people, if not all, agree that we LEARN more from our failures than our successes? View these times of self-doubt as a time to embrace the thought learning and growing. Success is a journey…not a destination…enjoy the trip.

· Be careful not to OVER THINK an issue. I once saw a poster which read, “Over thinking is simply the art of creating problems which don’t exist. “

· Sometimes we CAN’T see the forest for the trees. Learn to walk away from an issue for some time. Clear your head, take a walk, go to that yoga class you’ve been thinking about, get some fresh air, think outside the box, have fun with exploring CRAZY ideas, play the “what if” game…and remember…NOTHING is impossible!

· Henry Ford once said, “If you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

Be good to yourself…

How do YOU Deal with Negative Ned?

I recently read an article by Gwen Morgan revolving around chronic complainers within an organization. We’ve all encountered those negative Ned’s and Nancy’s who tip the scales from just being negative to becoming toxic with all those they encounter. Sadly, if not put in check, inappropriate complaining can become contagious costing productivity and eroding morale within an organization.

Here are some tips for redirecting the conversation and helping the complainer move forward rather than wallowing in their “pity-party.”

1. LISTEN…really listen as many chronic complainers feel that they are NOT being heard. Validate what it is they are saying. That’s not to say you need to agree, but rather be empathetic to what it is they are saying.

2. REFRAME THE SITUATION…many times the complainer simply needs to SEE a different perspective. Again, they need not agree to the perspective, but just see that there may be 2 sides to consider.

3. CHANGE YOUR RESPONSE…complainers are energy drains for their audiences. Often, their negative talk can energize them because it places blame on others and boosts their self-esteem, says David M. Long, assistant professor of organizational behavior at the College of William & Mary. So, like other communication styles, accepting that this is the individual’s way of communicating without taking it personally can be an effective coping technique

4. ASK FOR SOLUTIONS…sometimes the complainer actually has solutions and/or suggestions which are helpful.

5. CALL IT OUT…there are times that a leader must simply hit the mule over the head with a 2X4 and call out the inappropriate behavior…

Of course on any given day any or none of this suggestions may or may not work…but hang in there, even water cuts rock…eventually…

Be good to yourself…

Someday????

Sometimes I must admit, I’m a little behind the times. I see something for the first time that has been around FOREVER, according to my oldest daughter. Recently, I came across such an artifact. It was a simple poster which read:

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

SOMEDAY

SOMEDAY IS NOT A DAY OF THE WEEK!

How profound, and yet how many of us put off goals that we should be attempting now instead of waiting until SOMEDAY…which is NOT a day of the week??? Just sayin...

Be good to yourself…