Rituals

There is comfort in rituals. At least for me it's true. To be clear, rituals are not habits or routines. They are much more powerful. I gain confidence from practicing rituals, and for others they can be sacred. Both situations apply in my case.

Listening
One of my newest rituals is to listen.

Quietly. 
Alone. 
Letting my thoughts wander and flow. 

I have a strong faith, and listening has become an extension of my prayer life. Surprisingly, it has opened my mind and level of awareness far more than I anticipated. 

I'm accustomed to controlling my thoughts, emotions and expressions of faith. However, practicing listening has introduced a level of freedom that is...well...powerful.

If I consider my mind to be my ally, then the wandering and random thoughts suddenly feel different. Are they messages to guide me? Are they unresolved issues I need to address? 

Maybe new ideas that have been pushed to the back of the line as I control my thoughts, finally have an opportunity to be heard?

Listening is good.

How About You
What is one of the rituals that you not only embrace, but have come to rely on to help you find your way?  What value does it bring? 

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Now is the Time

As I prepare for whatever the world is going to look like in the future, I've realized there are many things happening around me that are quite inspiring. 

People are doing amazing things, supporting each other, thinking big about their businesses and what will be possible, and generally not slowing down at all.

Is that you?

What might be possible for you when we finish this historic pivot? How might your organization make a bold move now and be far ahead of the pack when life is new once more?

Are you thinking that big right now?

Who are the people you can tap into today and start building something your organization has never done before? The beauty of the rules changing is that all of our tired reasons for not thinking bigger have suddenly disappeared.

Did you notice that as well?

Start writing it down. Start talking to your people. Reach out to your network and ask them to push your thinking to the limit. Challenge every old assumption about your business and keep asking "what if we tried..."

Does that seem impossible right now?

I love thinking big. So if you're up for it, reach out and let's plan how we're going to take over the world.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Blinded By Me You Can't See A Thing

I'm finding it hard to write lately. So many conflicting thoughts. An endless stream of "news" that has become intolerable. New norms for work and community that aren't normal in any way. 

I've wondered if there are blind spots in all of this that are holding me back? Is there something bigger happening that I'm simply not noticing because of...well...everything?

What do you think? How are you finding your way through the new, temporary, but maybe beginning of a whole new way of life?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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I Know

I'm not sure where to start. 

It's been a couple of week since the world, literally, shut down. I've had so many emotions that I don't even know how to frame them...process them...or take charge of them.

At least, sometimes I don't.

I'm worried about loved ones, and colleagues, and friends, and...everybody. That feels like a lot.

At least, sometimes it does.

I started a new job a few months ago. Then the world changed. I was still trying to figure out my new normal. Now I'm figuring out a newer normal. It's odd. Swinging between big ideas and plans for taking over the world...to struggling with the reality of that invisible enemy can be overwhelming.

At least, sometimes it is.

Somewhere in this mess we can't lose sight of the people on the frontline..in hospitals, as first responders, the researchers, the delivery people, the store clerks, the clergy...and on and on. They are risking so much...and I feel like I'm not doing my part.

At least, sometimes I do.

I'm thinking about you all my friends.

I'm thinking about the opportunities we have to provide inspirational leadership.

I'm thinking that prioritizing people is probably the most important thing we can do...it might just be our historical legacy.

In fact, I know that is true.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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The Smoke of Many Fires

There are lots of warning signs of trouble ahead in the world of work. We can see them if we're willing to actually look. I mean, really look. 

I'm So Effective, Just Look at My Title
Sure, it's easy to point the finger at this person or that person and quickly deflect all accountability from ourselves or our leadership style. But quite honestly, I've always felt that the higher up the proverbial ladder I climbed, the greater the pressure I felt.

Think about it...when you're one of 100 it's fairly easy to blend into the crowd. When you're one of one...well, not so easy anymore. It's all on you.

Everyone is watching.
Everyone expects you to be perfect.
Every time.

Job titles do mean something at this stage. They mean pressure to perform each day.

Smartest Person in the Room
Another warning sign of trouble is the "smart guy" syndrome. You've seen these folks in action. 

They have the solution for every issue the organization is facing. Just going to be honest here...that drives me crazy. (it's even worse, when I fall into the trap of being Mr. Know-It-All)

And as before...everyone is watching. Evaluating. Judging.

How About You
So what are we to do when the smoke starts to rise? We intervene, that's what. We pull those people aside and give them the coaching they deserve. They are in those roles for a reason...they've just drifted a bit from your organization's values. 

Help them get back on track.
That's what we do as leaders, right?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Gratitude and Limits

There was a time when I was an up and comer. I was on the career fast track, and I knew it. I didn't take it for granted; in fact, quite the opposite was true. At times I couldn't believe my good fortune and was grateful for every moment. I tried to soak up every experience like a sponge...constantly learning was essential.

Fast forward to middle-aged me.

New Again

I'm now two months into a whole new phase of my career journey. A new role, with a fabulous company that I've been connected to for almost twenty years. I'm leveraging every part of my previous thirty years of experience and pouring it into my new world.

It's intense, and thrilling, and scary, and incredibly exciting.

Building new things isn't for everyone. For me, building new things from the foundations of greatness is just about the best job in the world. 

Trusting the Vision

The path isn't exactly clear. 

There isn't a published roadmap in place yet. 

There isn't even an "end of the story" written in advance (because we now see that we have no limits.)

But we're taking something really good, and we're turning it into something incredible. How many of us have that opportunity? 

I don't take my new life for granted either; and still can't believe that good fortune has continued to follow me.

How About You
What path are you on? Are you fired up each day, whether or not the day is mapped out perfectly? Or, are you more comfortable playing it safe. Safe is okay.

If you're into just being...okay.

I think you should get fired up instead.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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I Have Plans

They say that battle plans always look good until the battle starts. Then everything changes in an instant regardless of what was expected. I think the same can be true in business.

Strategic Plans, Business Plans, Marketing Plans
I like plans. I like investing the time to think through what should happen, what could happen, and how I might manage the unexpected things that probably will pop up. It's almost a competition for me. 

How can I beat the system and help my organization win?

I love to win.

However, what happens when all of that thinking and planning and communicating launches and...guess what...things don't go as planned? For real.

That is the real test, right? Table top exercises are helpful, but woefully inadequate compared to the real thing. When leaders find the courage to authorize new initiatives and put them into practice, that is when the heart rate goes up and the rush of the world of business kicks in.

At least it does for me.

I love the rush.

Fear of Failure = Leadership Failure
If plans can be so effective, even if we need to be nimble enough to adjust them on the fly, why don't more leaders invest the time to build them? Why do organizations play the "we're so busy we don't have time to build a strategy" card?

I don't get it.

Plans work. Excuses don't.

How About You
What is standing in your way to think through what needs to be done in your organization? Candidly, developing effective plans takes much longer than you think. But the results will also be better, right?

That's how planning works. 

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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