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Posts Tagged ‘Self-Awareness’

Intentional Leadership — D5, W3, M9 — Attitude

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , on September 13, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Good morning! It’s Friday. Does that change your attitude toward your day?

For some, it really does because they know they are at the weekend. In some ways, I find that sad and a bit disheartening. What it says to me is that at some level there is something (maybe a little or maybe a lot) about how people spend their time Monday-Friday that is dissatisfying for them…that they are just putting in their time until they get to the weekend.

I’ll admit I do enjoy the weekends – more unstructured time and time with my family. At the same time, I look forward to the coming week because that seems to be a more likely time for more activity in connecting with and adding value to others.

only 20% of people have the opportunity to do what they do best every day.

I read a disturbing bit of research yesterday, from Gallup, stating that out of some comprehensive research (1.7 million respondents) only 20% of people have the opportunity to do what they do best every day. Only 20%! WOW! That’s a piece of information that should make business leaders stand up and take notice. No wonder so many just put in their time, longing for the start of the weekend!

So, what to do with this weekend? My usual activities continue — some writing, some reading, some prep for a lesson I have coming up on Attitude (how fitting for this month!), some prep for the next Empowerment Mentoring lesson on Perception. I’m working on being more disciplined in several areas of my life, and that work does not get a “pass” on the weekend. Family time, of course.

I also have some commitments to follow up on, as I’ve just started working with a new Coach, and need to keep myself on track with that work.

What will you do this weekend? Are you in the habit, by now, of thoughtfully preparing for your weekend?

I’m not suggesting your time needs to be fully structured and busy…merely thoughtfully considered and intentionally spent. Approaching it this way (well, not just the weekends, but all your time, actually) will put you on the path that will allow you more likelihood of achieving the results you desire for your life.

Give a little thought today, if you haven’t already, to whom you need to spend time with this weekend.

What you need to invest your time and energy in over the weekend?

What do you need to do to care for and nurture yourself this weekend?

What do you need to do to set yourself up for success on Monday and in the coming weeks?

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Intentional Leadership — D5, W2, M9 — Attitude

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 6, 2013| Leave a Comment »

I don’t know about you, but this week seems to have gone by fairly quickly. Yes, I know, some of us had Monday off for the Labor Day holiday, so it makes sense, as the “work week” was shorter than usual…but my days felt as if they went by slowly, so how it’s Friday already is a bit of a mystery to me!

I did accomplish a lot, however; I am caught up with my Maxwell Growth Plan, and have finished re-reading The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth. It really is a great book; in fact, I think I’ll organize another Mastermind Group on this one soon, as there is much to be gained from it, if one is willing to do the work. In reviewing the 15 chapters, here is where I think I’m at:

Laws of Intentionality and Awareness — feeling pretty strong with these two, as they are the two key topics I teach on as the foundation for growth, leadership, better communication, building healthy teams, and greater success and satisfaction in whatever you choose to do with your life.

Law of the Mirror — I used to expect others to add value to, or invest in, me before I did so myself. This may seem like a good plan; in fact, we might think it’s someone else’s responsibility — like maybe our employer’s. Let me tell you, though, if you wait for someone else to value you, you may be waiting a long time. If you set a low price/value on yourself, you can’t expect others to raise it. So, now I am well aware of the value I bring to any situation and I am the first to invest in me.

Law of Reflection — surprisingly, I need to invest more time in this area. I do take time to think and reflect, but not often or long enough, of late. I’ve been feeling a little scattered and overwhelmed. I think it’s for good reason, at some level, as I have access to so much great content to teach, material to learn from (I have no fewer than 45 books on my bookshelf today that I’ve not read, yet, and am in the middle of four books right now), a talented and generous team of mentors and coaches to learn from. I need to spend some quality time in reflection and get myself back on a focused, purposeful path.

Law of Consistency — another area I am working on. I do many of the things I need to do to move myself forward, but not always as consistently as I know I can.

Law of Environment — I am blessed in this area. Being part of the John Maxwell Team, I am surrounded by approximately 2,700 coaches around the globe who share my passion, are also in growth-mode, and are at varying stages of progress in building businesses and serving clients.

Law of Design — another area I’m working on. I have some great systems in place in some areas of my business, but have opportunity to develop and implement a few more that will greatly benefit me.

Law of Pain — managing bad experiences for growth. Have had my share of these, to be sure, and my philosophy is this simple: If I’m still waking up every day, even after something happens that I may have thought was devastating, then clearly I have work to do, so I better learn the lesson and get back at it! I’m not saying it’s easy or painless, but I simply don’t know what else to do!

Law of the Ladder — this one is focused on building one’s character. I’m certainly not perfect. As John Maxwell often says, “Each of us is just one step away from stupid!” I’ve made a number of blunders throughout my life, and I’m sure I’ll make more. I strive to be a person of integrity, honor, and authenticity. I do my best to do it right (with increased self-awareness and intentionality!) the first time, and am quick to acknowledge and make amends for my goofs.

Law of the Rubber Band — I recognize that if I am in a place of no tension, then I am not growing. Rubber bands are useful only when they are stretched, and I am not growing if I am not stretched. I think I’m pretty well in this area.

Law of Trade-offs — one must give up to grow up! I do well here, as well. I’ve traded what many might consider “fun” time (camping, bar-b-ques, outings, etc…) to study, train, coach, teach, read, write, etc…I’ve also invested a lot of money into my growth, especially over the past couple of years, rather than spending it on material things, trips, or even putting it in savings. It’s an investment in me and my future, which I have full confidence will return great dividends over the course of my life.

Law of Curiosity — let’s just say that my level of inquisitiveness has been annoying to some! But I refuse to stop exploring, seeking truth and understanding, and, yes, continuing to ask “why?” until I understand something!

Law of Modeling — finding a model or mentor to learn from. Again, I have the faculty on the John Maxwell Team, John Maxwell, the other 2500 John Maxwell Coaches, a number of gifted authors, and others I actively learn from daily.

Law of Expansion — is about increasing one’s capacity for growth and, in turn, for serving others. This is my calling, my passion, my focus.

Law of Contribution — be a river (let what comes into your life flow thru you to serve others) rather than a reservoir (keeping everything that comes to you only for yourself). Again, my purpose, passion, calling…I seek opportunities daily to pour into others.

So, there’s my assessment of my progress and areas of focus within my growth plan at this point. That may be more than you are interested in, but there it is!

So, on this Friday, I will be meeting some new people whom I anticipate being able to add value to in the areas of communication, conflict resolution, and team-building. I have a coaching session in the afternoon. Then, I will be looking to the weekend. I plan to jump onto a conference call with a number of other coaches who are also teaching the Empowerment Mentoring lesson series to learn more about teaching through story-telling. I have some writing to do, will build in some reflection time, and have some family time.

Of course, there’s the need to look ahead, planning for the week, so I am set up for success when Monday morning comes, and I have a couple of workshops to plan for in the coming weeks.

What about you? How will you spend your weekend?

What and who need your attention?

What do you need to do to nurture yourself?

What could you be doing to prepare yourself for success next week and in the coming weeks?

However you choose to spend your weekend, I hope you make it intentional and with a positive attitude!

“See” you Monday!

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Intentional Leadership — D4, W2, M9 — Attitude

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , on September 5, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Today, let’s spend some time in visualization. Give some thought to where your life will be in one month, three months, six months, and one year, if you follow through on the actions you outlined yesterday. How will others be impacted if you choose a positive attitude rather than a negative one? Write out your thoughts, connected with specific people.

One Month

Three Months

Six Months

One Year

Remember, this is a journey and a process. Don’t set yourself up for frustration with the expectation you must be perfect and respond perfectly to the events that happen in your life. The idea is to experience the experiences, feel the feelings, and make a choice in how you will respond and move forward. My yoga mentor, Diamond Dallas Page, advises us to “live life at 90%,” meaning that 10% is what happens to us in life and 90% is how we choose to deal with it. He focuses on the 90% and strives to make the most and best of that…essentially, choosing one’s attitude.

What will you choose?

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Intentional Leadership — D3, W2, M9 — Attitude

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , on September 4, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Do you have your journal handy? We’re going to follow-up on yesterday’s exercise.

Review your answers to the questions from yesterday. When you’ve done this, do you find your attitude is most negative in your personal or professional environment?

Once you’ve determined that, write down three specific ways you can choose to respond (remember, responding to something is thoughtful and intentional, rather than immediate and emotional) positively, instead, in those situations.

For greater accountability, make a copy of this list and share it with someone close to you. Ask that person to check in with you from time-to-time over the next month.

Remember, you can answer them anyway you like, but the proof is in the pudding, as they say…and if you aren’t actually doing what you say, it will be evident in your behaviors!

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Intentional Leadership — D1, W2, M9 — Attitude

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , on September 2, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Over the course of your life, you will experience a variety of things that will have the power to influence your outlook in both positive and negative ways. As I suggested last week, as we started this month-long focus on attitude, each of us gets to choose how we interpret and react or respond to each of those events.

When I was in high school, I was active in student government, wrote for and eventually became editor of the school newspaper, and was very active in planning school events, like homecoming week. We also had a program called Jr. Miss. This was a national program, and while it might appear to be a pageant program, it is based on scholarship, personality, and talent — not on beauty, and there was no swimsuit competition!  Girls were invited to participate in the program during their Junior year of high school; the winner would spend the year representing her community at other pageants, in parades, county fairs, local events, at a variety of speaking engagements, and competing at the state level pageant (the winner of which would compete at the national competition that was held, at that time, in Mobile, Alabama).

My perspective on Jr. Miss was that it was something the popular, wealthy girls won. I had my share of friends, to be sure, and was included in a lot of things, but was never in the “in” crowd, and certainly was not from a wealthy family. But, when I received the invitation to get involved, I said, “What the heck! This looks like fun!” Of course, I never expected to win.

In fact, at the time, I was also running for student body president for my senior year of school. That was truly where my attention and energy was focused. And for a while, I was the front runner. My opponent was a girl who rubbed a lot of students the wrong way. Part way through the campaign, she switched places with the person who would have been VP, had she won, and he was much more liked by most of the school.  So, with him in the President position, and her in the VP position, the vote was much closer, and I lost by a few votes.

I was crushed! I really wanted the position. And yet, the Jr. Miss pageant process was still on-going. Because I was participating in this on a lark, as they say, you can imagine my surprise — and delight — when I actually won the Jr. Miss position!  Remember, it wasn’t what I most wanted, but I determined to make the best of it.  I choose my attitude, deciding to learn what I could, represent my community well, and sharpen some skills that I knew would serve me well later in life.

It offered me the opportunity to travel around certain regions in my state, visiting with a lot of people I never would have been in contact with in other circumstances: Community leaders, local legislators, other students, and people younger than me. I had the opportunity to speak at fairs, other pageants, in front of civic organizations, at schools, parades, and at community events. I was able to influence other young girls who were interested in growing and taking on bigger challenges. And I received scholarship funding for college, and who wouldn’t be thankful for that?!

All of these skills and experiences have served me well ever since. And I’m thankful for having had the opportunity to participate, and for all of the opportunities I’ve had since then. Had I chosen to wallow in self-pity over my defeat during the student body elections, I would have stunted my growth, at least for a while. I could have become angry, bitter, etc…I’m so thankful I didn’t.

What experiences have you had that have influenced your life and your attitude? Write them down.

Outline whether they were negative or positive and what you did or didn’t do as a result?

What gratitude do you have, or what regrets do you carry, as a result?

How do these experiences influence who you are today?

Whom are you influencing with your attitude and how you respond to the events in your life, both good and bad?

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Intentional Leadership — D4, W1, M9 — Attitude

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , on August 29, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Spend some time with your journal today, writing about someone you consider to be a role model in having a positive attitude. What do they do that demonstrates this?

What impact do they have on you and others?

How might you benefit by making an adjustment in your attitude?

Also, take some time to write about the insights you’ve had this week, our first week of focus on Attitude. How can you apply what you’ve learned about the importance of attitude on the outcomes in our lives?

How can what you’ve learned help you to become a more effective leader?

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Intentional Leadership — D3, W1, M9 — Attitude

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , on August 28, 2013| 3 Comments »

Today, I encourage you to step outside yourself and spend some time with someone you know who demonstrates a consistently positive attitude. Ask them the following questions:

How has your attitude affected your success in life?

How do you prevent obstacles from discouraging you?

Have you always been so positive, or have you had specific experiences that shaped you into the person I see today?

When you have listened to the person’s responses, smile and thank him or her for taking the time to share with you. Then take some time to reflect on what they shared that might be of value to you as you move through your life.

Take some time with this exercise…jot down the highlights of your conversation, make note of the behaviors and actions you might apply in your life, and set forth a plan to do just that.

For a long time, I had a note on my daily calendar that said, simply: Choose your attitude! It was the first thing I saw every day, and after looking at it first thing in the morning, every day for several years, I no longer need the calendar reminder. This is not to say I am glowingly positive every second of every day, but that awareness is fresh in my mind, and I am much more mindful of the power I have to choose.

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Intentional Leadership — D1, W1, M9 — Attitude

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , on August 26, 2013| Leave a Comment »

You’ve likely heard the story that it took Thomas Edison 10,000 tries before successfully inventing the lightbulb. Some would consider that a lot of failure on the path to eventual success. He didn’t appear to take it that way. In fact, I’ve heard his response was that he hadn’t failed 9,999 times, rather, he had discovered 9,999 ways NOT to make a lightbulb! To me, that speaks of a pretty positive attitude; certainly one who would not be daunted easily by what some might consider a set-back.

Or what about the scientists at 3M who invented Post-it Notes. The story goes that they were attempting to create a sticky glue substance, not one that held lightly for a while, but was easily detached. Was what they discovered a failure? Not by a long-shot! While they weren’t immediately successful in creating what they had set out to create, they created something extremely useful and valuable. I’m sure 3M would say this “failure” was worth billions, literally!

The key is how we choose to look at and respond to the things that happen to us. I’d say these two examples demonstrate some folks who have chosen to approach their lives and work with a positive attitude.

Two weeks ago, I was in Orlando, Florida, with the John Maxwell Team, and we were blessed to have Nick Vujicic with he. He spent a considerable amount of time sharing his story with us. If anyone were to have an excuse for having a negative attitude, Nick would likely get a pass. He was born without arms and legs. Today, at 30, he is happily married and has a 6-month old son. He travels the world bringing awareness to a variety of issues that touch his heart, motivating others, and displaying the value and fruits one may harvest if one faces life with a positive attitude. He swims, has been surfing, sky-diving, and, again, travels the world. He has an undeniable zest for life and is not willing to let anything stand in the way of achieving his heart’s desire.

If you ever have the chance to see or hear him speak, I highly encourage you to do it! His attitude is contagious in a very good way.

Personally, he is a reminder to me that very little in life is truly impossible. His story reminds me that although I will face adversity in my life, and I may not be immediately successful in everything I endeavor to do, there really is nothing holding me back except for me. I find, it’s an effective attitude adjustment.

Today, as we begin these four weeks focused on attitude, it’s good to have a baseline to measure from. Take a close look are your attitude in both your personal and professional lives. What is working well for you?

What do you need to change?

How is your attitude impacting the people around you?

As John Maxwell often says, in every relationship, you have the opportunity to be a plus or a minus. What do you choose?

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Intentional Leadership — Month 9 — Attitude

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , on August 25, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Eleven years ago, I went through a life-changing leadership training process. During the course of that journey, we studied the Fish! Philosophy, based on how the fishmongers at the Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, WA, approach their work. Essentially, there are four things these men are focused on as they approach their work, and really their daily lives, and one of them is this: Choose Your Attitude!

It really made an impression on me, because truly it is a choice. We have no control over what life will throw at us, what others will do or say to us. All we have control over is how we choose to react or respond. We can choose what our attitude will be about what happens to us. And frankly, if we don’t choose, we put ourselves in the victim mode. I don’t know about you, but I’m not cut out for that. Yes, I do have my less-than-stellar moments of frustration, impatience, etc…but I typically recover pretty quickly and move on to problem-solving so I can move forward.

Olympic Gold Medalist, Scott Hamilton, said, “The only disability in life is a bad attitude.” Well put, I say!

No matter what happens to each of us in our lives, the best way to create the kind of life and success we desire is to commit to having a positive attitude. When you do this, you don’t waste your time and energy complaining or wishing things were different. You recognize you are the captain of your ship, and have the power to navigate your course. This allows you to focus your energy on creating more of what you do want, and moving farther away from what you don’t want.

As you do this, you become the kind of leader that attracts others. Think about it: Whom do you want to spend a lot of time with — someone with a positive, up-beat attitude, or with someone who has an negative attitude?

Think about your attitude,  and ask yourself this: Is my attitude an asset or a liability? Will it allow me to propel myself forward into living the life I desire, or will it hold me back? Will it attract other like-minded, talented, creative people to me, or will it attract those who are focused on doom and gloom?

How important has your attitude been to your success in life so far?

What do you allow to influence your attitude — both in positive and negative ways?

What kinds of choices can you make each day to maintain a positive attitude?

How has your attitude made a difference in your role as a leader?

Tomorrow, we will begin our four-week journey focused on Attitude. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the subject.

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Intentional Leadership — D4, W3, M8 — Change

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , on August 15, 2013| Leave a Comment »

More journal time, today! Spend some time thinking, and writing, about the pitfalls of resisting change or the effects of being so confident in your strengths that you fail to adapt to change (remember Marshall Goldsmith’s What Got You Here Won’t Get You There!).

I believe it was Peter Drucker who suggested that the only way to manage change successfully was to create it. Essentially, we are more likely to have better outcomes when we are the ones instigating and driving the change.

Based on your experience, do you agree or disagree with this thought?

Why?

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