Refuge

Sometimes the combined pressure of work, personal relationships and societal expectations can be a bit too much. Many times that pressure isn’t negative, it can simply be…a lot.

Layer on top the role leaders play and you can quickly find yourself on a collision course with reality. 

Having it all together, all the time, for everyone, is a tall order even for the most effective person.

So, what are we to do? Let the stress overwhelm us? Have a breakdown? Curl up in a ball all weekend trying to gather the energy to face it all again on Monday?

Of course not.

Life is not only about work…or relationships…or what society thinks of us. 

It starts with us. Finding ourselves. Feeling comfortable in our own skin. And, ultimately not giving a damn what society thinks.

Refuge begins on the inside.

At least it does for me. It also begins with a focus on my faith before anything else.

That has been, and continues to be, the most important step to successfully navigate the world around me.

What is your refuge?

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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Green Shoots

How do you view the junior members of your team? Do you cling to the concept that “they’re not quite ready?” If that’s where you’re at…and that’s okay…do you have a plan in place so you’ll know when they are ready?

You can’t have it both ways.

I’m not necessarily talking about succession planning, that is a far more complex and rarely executed well strategy.

The opportunity for us all is to follow one of my core leadership tenets: risk. When we identify someone on our teams who has potential, we need to explore what they can do. And that can be messy in the beginning.

Think about putting in a new lawn. The yard is muddy, we spread grass seed, and then we let those seeds find their way.

Just like with our team members. We drop them into new experiences, and normally expect them to thrive immediately. That philosophy makes no sense to me. We need to let them learn and grow. Just like those grass seeds. 

So back to my opening question…when will those employees be ready? Perhaps it’s time to reconsider whether the ‘gut instinct’ you have about people is enough in today’s world of work?

Instead, why not build out a specific development plan that ensures you’ll not only have the leadership talent required down the road, but that those same up and coming leaders will give you the benefit of the doubt and actually stay.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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Little Moments

We often think of leadership moments as charismatic performances that sway organizational direction toward success.

Actually, they’re… 

Not always in the middle of a crisis,

Not always driving your vision forward,

Not always hammering through your competition.

Sometimes…the most impactful leadership moments are the littlest ones…

A smile,

A handshake,

A check-in,

A text,

A look,

A coffee,

A thank you.

What little moments do you embrace as a leader?

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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You’re on Mute (thankfully)

There’s always one person on the team who gets so fired up they just can’t…well...they just can’t stop talking about how exciting things are.

You know them well. Seemingly amped up all the time…and that’s a good thing…most of the time. At other times you’d like them to take a breath!

C’mon man…let someone else in here. Am I right?

Fortunately I have such a profound level of self-awareness that I’m absolutely 100% totally confident that on our team I am certainly not…or…I am mostly 90% sure that…um…I’m reasonably sure that my colleagues understand why I…

…oh crap, it’s me.

I’m that guy.

Sorry everyone. Feel free to put me on mute whenever I get too fired up.

(In fairness to me, over the last few years we have been crushing it and that’s something to get excited about!)

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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The Future of Work

More employee influence.

Less leadership ego.

More social engagement.

Less politically correct paranoia.

More transparency with the workforce.

Less playing it safe in the executive suite.

More time to volunteer in the community.

Less “it’s just business” as a leadership excuse.

More savvy leaders.

Less employee entitlement.

More faith.

Less fear.

What do you think about the future of work?

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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What Gets You Through the Day?

We’ve all read the articles that tell us to not sit for hours on end, don’t stare at our screens without a break, and if possible get a few minutes of fresh air between meetings. I like all of these ideas, and depending on the physical environment (and latitude) where you work, perhaps you can take advantage of this advice.

There is another element that has become absolutely essential to help me regardless of whether or not fresh air or a 5 minute walk is an option.

Music.

Not just any music. In my case, a very specific type of music has transformed how I stay energized, focused, and inspired to keep crushing the day. 

One of the greatest things about music is that there is a genre (or multiple genres) for everyone. What I get from listening to the style of music I’m most passionate about may not be what works for you. And that’s okay…it doesn’t have to.

It’s worth trying to incorporate non-stop music (other than when in meetings, obviously) into your work flow. Too distracting? Try a lower volume setting, not switching genres. Play what you love, and experience your days differently.

Thanks for being here.

Jay

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Faith, Work, and Corporate Culture

I spent many years as a human resources executive separating my faith from my work life. 

That was wrong. 

I fell into the politically correct trap that many HR leaders…and other executives…fall into. In an attempt to never offend anyone for any reason at any time under any circumstances, we’ve eliminated what could transform the cultures of our organizations.

Keep in mind that most world religions are grounded in kindness, humility, support for others, and defending those who need help. Those sound like pretty good leadership values to me.

When we sanitize the workplace in an attempt to ensure everyone feels welcome, we inadvertently alienate just about everyone.

And we wonder why the sense of belonging has shifted away from an organizational focus? 

Perhaps it’s the perfect time of year to consider moving away from a sterile workplace, and moving toward one that actually backs up the phrase so many cling to…”our culture is what makes us different.”

Thanks for being here, and Happy New Year.

Jay

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