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Posts Tagged ‘Taking action’

Intentional Leadership — D4, W2, M8 — Change

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , on August 8, 2013| Leave a Comment »

As you may remember, I recently went through a growth process called The Deeper Path; a coaching process facilitated by my colleague and mentor, Kary Oberbrunner. Part of the premise of this process is that for one to grow and realize one’s potential, we must embrace acute pain to end chronic pain in the various areas of our lives that aren’t working.

Today, spend some time in reflection with your journal. Take some time to think about the present path you are on in your life. What pain are you experiencing?

What’s not working?

What adjustments do you need to make to position yourself for success?

What three things do you desire to happen in your life over the next year?

What obstacles do you face in achieving these goals?

What changes do you need to make in your thinking and approach in order to get there?

Once you’ve spent some time identifying these things, take some time to map our an action plan for moving forward — starting today.

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Intentional Leadership — D3, W2, M8 — Change

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , on August 7, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Today, I encourage you to focus on change externally.

Who do you know who is facing a significant change in his/her personal or professional life?

What could you do to help this person? Sometimes, it’s as simple as spending time with them and listening; others, help requires taking action of some sort.

As you spend time with this person, and listen to his or her story, could you help them to see the situation from a different angle? As a coach, this is one of the things I do with my participants — help them to see another perspective that might allow them some new insight or ideas they may not have otherwise considered.

You might be able to help them come up with a couple of different solutions, and evaluate them…decide if they need to do something new, stop doing something they currently do that no longer serves them, or maybe even both (Yes! use the tool you learned yesterday — Know, Evaluate, Act/Change).

Who do you know who is facing change?

How much do you know about their situation?

What options are you aware of that they might want to consider when developing a solution or action plan?

Does the situation call for them to start something new, stop something in progress, or some combination of the two?

What is the best thing you could do for this person at this point in their life?

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Intentional Leadership — D2, W2, M8 — Change

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

For many of us, we change only when we absolutely have to — literally pushed through it by forces beyond our control — when the pain of not changing is worse than the pain of the change. We change reactively, rather than proactively.

As a leader, you can capitalize on these moments because people are now ready to act.

There are times when we make decisions quickly and emotionally, without considering all the factors involved. These are the decisions born of reacting (immediate and emotional) rather than of responding (thoughtfully, and with consideration for the risks, consequences, and implications).

Here is a tool you might use in considering your options when faced with a decision involving change. This is based on the steps of knowing, evaluating, then acting (changing).

Know: What is the level of pain your organization is in? What is wrong, confused, or broken within your team or organization that is driving you towards a change? Take a few minutes to describe the situation.

Evaluate: Now that you are in pain, and recognize you must make some change, what are three potential solutions? For each solution, write down at least two benefits to moving in that direction, and two risks or implications that are associated with taking that action.

Act/Change: To make this change, do you need to start something new, simply stop something you are already doing, or go in an entirely different direction? Based on these considerations, what’s the best solution you’ve come up with and what do you need to do to make it happen?

What will it cost you to do nothing?

Whatever you decide is the best course of action, the time to act is NOW!

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Intentional Leadership — D5, W1, M8 — Change

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

Good morning, and Happy Friday! Thank you for being here, reading my thoughts…this is my 201st blog post!

Again, the week has gone quickly for me. I spent last weekend and the early part of the week in Colorado visiting my mom and sisters. Haven’t had the opportunity to do that in a long time, so it was good, but too short. Now, as this is Friday, and the next weekend is upon me, I am already planning my weekend activities, as well as those of next week.

Tomorrow, I will spend with my son and my mother-in-law who has recently come to live with us. We will travel a short distance (a little over an hour) to visit a Children’s Museum, do a little shopping, and have a lunch date. It will be good for all of us to get out, for my son to explore, imagine, and experiment with the many interactive displays and activities at The Clay Center, and for my MIL to see some more of the area.

I will also spend part of the weekend doing some writing in advance and preparing for the next lesson in my Empowerment Mentoring program, “World Famous”. I will be traveling next Thursday, for a week in Orlando with the John Maxwell Team (oh, how I love being with these amazing, energizing, up-lifting, encouraging, like-minded, growth-oriented people, literally from all over the world!). It will be a week of learning, reminiscing, growth, new experiences, deep reflection, and fellowship. It will be, easily, 12-14 hour days fully engaged; which is energizing and exhausting! Thankfully, my yoga program is portable and I can practice in my hotel room.

What’s on your list this weekend? Will you focus on you? Will you spend time with others? Exercise? Read? Write? Rest?

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

However you spend it, I hope your weekend is satisfying and intentional.

“See” you Monday!

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Intentional Leadership — D3, W1, M8 — Change

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , on July 31, 2013| Leave a Comment »

What’s going on in your life today?

What three things are you resisting or allowing yourself to be complacent about?

Take out your journal and spend some time examining your behavior in these areas, and the reasons behind them.

Area 1:

Reason for resistance or complacency:

Consequences of your behavior:

Area 2:

Reason for resistance or complacency:

Consequences of your behavior:

Area 3:

Reason for resistance or complacency:

Consequences of your behavior:

What have you learned about yourself from this exercise?

What one thing can you work on today that will make a difference in your life? As you clarify this, and take action, share this thought process and your accomplishment with someone with whom you are close.

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Intentional Leadership — D2, W1, M8 — Change

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , on July 30, 2013| Leave a Comment »

When was the last time you really took a step back and reflected on where you are in your life and what’s going on around you? How much change is taking place? I encourage you to spend some time with your journal today, responding to these questions?

Over the past year, what has changed in your personal life?

For me, change has been significant over the past year, but mostly internally. My work seems to flow in waves, with peaks and valleys, and I adapt as necessary. Internally, however, change has been significant. I’ve been on an intensely-focused journey of self-discovery and clarification of my passion, purpose, vision, values, and beliefs. It’s been enlightening, refreshing, and liberating. I highly recommend it!

Over the past year, what changes have taken place within your industry?

Over the past year, what changes have you witnessed within your organization?

Within any one, or more, of these areas, has there been a change you resisted or challenged?

Why did you resist?

What was the outcome?

What was the cost to you of resisting?

Was there a change you welcomed and embraced?

Why did you embrace this change?

What benefits have you received as a result?

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Intentional Leadership — M8 Intro — Change

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , on July 28, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Change: The process of becoming different.

In this, our eighth month of this Intentional Leadership* journey,  we will closely examine the process of change; which is, oddly enough, the only thing that seems to be consistent in today’s world! If you can count on any one thing, it’s that change is either on its way or already here! And how we adapt to and manage change will make an enormous difference in our path to success and satisfaction.

Change is happening at a dizzying pace that appears to be moving faster all the time. This is true in all aspects of life, including business, and if you aren’t able to anticipate, recognize, and adapt to change, as a leader, you will certainly fall behind. Not only is change a requirement for growth, it is actually necessary for survival.

Think back over the course of your lifetime and remember some of the things that have come and gone. I grew up in Southern California, and I remember buying actual ticket booklets at Disneyland. The “E” ticket was the most desirable, as they were for the best, most exciting rides in the park. If I remember correctly, there were a lot more tickets in the book for the “A-D” rides, and if you wanted to go on more than one “E” ride, you had to buy more “E” tickets! I remember rotary dial phones; cell phones as big as a shoe, and heavy as a boot! I remember when you could actually buy “penny candy” and a bag of M&Ms was 10 cents! This list could go on and on…and I’m sure you have one of your own, possibly similar to mine, or very different if you are from a different generation.

The point is, change is inevitable and we must be able to work our way through it, and remain committed to it, even when it appears as if nothing is happening. This requires leaders to be steadfast, holding tight to their convictions, willing to sacrifice for what they believe to be the right thing. Eventually, the transformation will happen and we will all easily see the benefits of having stayed committed.

To be truly successful in these ever-changing times, we must not only adapt to change, but we must welcome and embrace it. Our most valuable skills in these times are flexibility, resourcefulness, and resilience. To take it one step further, leaders who are able to anticipate change, and prepare for it before the need becomes obvious, are much better prepared for what’s to come.

As we get started with this new month, new focus, take some time today to ask yourself these questions:

How can I be more flexible to the changes happening around me?

In what areas do I have opportunities for growth in terms of changing the direction of my leadership, that will allow me to work through change more effectively?

What changes have you made in your life, to-date, and what growth do you attribute to them?

How has your self-confidence changed as a result of successfully navigating change?

Much more to come on this topic. “See” you tomorrow! In the meantime, have an intentional day!

 

*From the Intentional Leadership booklet by Giant Impact. 

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Intentional Leadership — M7 — Legacy Wrap-Up

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , on July 27, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Well, we’ve spent the last four weeks focused on Legacy…what you leave behind, how people think and talk about you, when you are gone. Now, this may simply be because you’ve taken on a new role, left the organization for a new position with another company, or have passed away.

We’ve learned, by example, that you have the power and ability to design your legacy; you can influence what you want it to be.

What if you had the opportunity to know what it would be…would you be likely to make changes in your direction or behavior?

Let’s look into the story of a man who unexpectedly had just such an experience!

In 1888, an infamous Swedish industrialist received news that his brother, Ludvig, had died in France. You can imagine his dismay when he read the obituary and discovered the editor of the paper had mistaken his brother’s identity for his own!

The headline read, “Merchant of Death is Dead.” The obit went on to explain how the man had built his wealth through the invention, manufacture, and sales of dynamite. He was considered a heartless profiteer for having introduced the world to such a devastating innovation.

To be sure, reading one’s own obituary is a rare occurrence, indeed; but what an opportunity! Profoundly affected by this experience, Alfred Nobel determined to make a change, resolving to put his wealth to to work in hopes of reviving his legacy. In the eight years before his death, Nobel created an endowment worth more than $9 million to reward exceptional humanitarian effort. Today, the Nobel Peace Prize is one of the world’s best known and most coveted awards, bestowed annually to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to humanity. *

While it’s not likely any of us will have this same experience, but we do have the opportunity to increase our self-awareness and become aware of the legacy we are building. If we choose to do it now, we have time to make changes if what we learn is not in tune with what we desire.

What do you know about how you are perceived, about what people think and say about you when you are not there?

Is it in line with how you wish to be remembered and talked about?

If not, it’s not too late to make a difference.

*From the Intentional Leadership booklet, by Giant Impact. 

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Intentional Leadership — D3, W4, M7 –Legacy

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , , , on July 24, 2013| 2 Comments »

You know what’s coming next, don’t you? Now that you have three people identified who share your values and may be capable of carrying on your legacy, it’s time to take action.

Today, meet with one of the people you’d like to invest in and begin to develop an action plan for intentionally developing him/her…think about relationship building, what training and mentoring they might need, what kinds of experiences do they need to have, and how you can instill your vision in them. What steps do you need to take to help them understand your vision and help prepare them to carry on your legacy?

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Intentional Leadership — D2, W4, M7 — Legacy

Posted in Leadership, tagged , , , , , , on July 23, 2013| Leave a Comment »

John Maxwell reinforces the need to ensure you have a values match when you join an organization. This is worth serious consideration, because is you don’t heed his advice and join an organization with which you don’t share values, you will soon find yourself in an uncomfortable position, having to decide whether to stay true to who you are and what you value or take actions that are contrary to your convictions in order to be considered a “team player” and move forward with a direction you don’t necessarily believe in our support.

This is also true when you are choosing people to carry on your legacy. When you have a values match, it’s easier to commit and what you’ve built has a much better chance of lasting.

So what do you value?

Take some time to write down your tip five values. Keep in mind, these are the things you would not trade or compromise for anything…including the last seat on the last lifeboat off the Titanic!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Now, who do you know who shares your values and in whom you can invest to carry on your legacy? Keep in mind, they don’t have to do it all exactly as you would, and ideally will think different thoughts than you (this is why diversity in healthy teams is so critical…otherwise, you end up with tunnel vision and miss all kinds of opportunities and don’t see obstacles before you hit them!). List at least three people you need to start investing in on a regular basis to give your legacy a longer life.

1.

2.

3.

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