|
||
The Thoughtful Leaders BlogHow failure created Harry PotterJust last week I was forwarded J.K. Rowling’s Harvard University commencement address, and I feel compelled to share it. It is insightful, moving, humorous, and hugely worth the twenty minutes it takes to watch. It caused me to think. Related Posts:Leave a ReplyI’m OK, you’re OK
“My imperfections and failures are as much a blessing from God as my successes and my talents, and I lay them both at His feet.” Mahatma Gandhi
This one is hard for most people – to see our faults and missteps as blessings. How can that be? I do know that the things about myself that I like the least are often the things from which I learn and grow the most, when I finally accept them. And I’ve often come to see the blessing within, when I let go of self-judgment and blame. Related Posts:2 Responses to “I’m OK, you’re OK”Leave a ReplyLeave a ReplyHow Teams Develop Dysfunctional HabitsOK- here is a game that an old friend’s young kids recently shared with me. Say “white” 5 times fast. Now say it 2 times fast. Now 3 times fast. Now that you’ve said “white” 10 times, what do cows drink? Most people answer “milk” even though upon reflection the correct answer is “water”. Kids love these kinds of tricks, including the same structure of game but with “top” instead of “white” and “what do you do at a green traffic light?” instead of “what do cows drink?” because they illustrate habitual thinking and automatic, predictable, but incorrect responses. Related Posts:Leave a ReplyFive questions you must ask yourself for 2011As you may have noticed, we at Chatsworth Consulting Group think the end of the year is a great time for self-reflection and future planning. Chances are we’ve all heard the saying, “if you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting,” but so many of us don’t take the time to think about doing anything differently. Or even to reflect upon what we’re currently doing so that we can see where it’s taking us. Related Posts:Leave a ReplyIt’s more than the thought that counts
“All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action.” James Russell Lowell
Recently I watched a former colleague struggle with how to show up for her team at work. Her organization had gone through a merger and a few “restructures” – people had been let go and although the team was functioning, it was, in many ways, reeling internally. My colleague was unsure of how to reach out to her team, how to lead them, and what to say…or whether or not it was really necessary to say anything at all. Related Posts:Leave a ReplySomeday we’ll look back on this and it will all seem funnyOk, so this is one of my favorite lyrics, from one of my favorite lyricists, so maybe it’s a stretch if I’m trying to a leadership lesson from Bruce. But I think not. I think there are leadership lessons in a multitude of song lyrics, and titles. They’re there for us, if we’re only willing to look: Related Posts:Leave a ReplyHow small steps can add up to big results“It does not matter how slowly you go so long as you do not stop.” Confucius Several weeks ago a client came to our coaching session in a tough mood. She saw no movement towards her goals and no advancement towards what she wanted. She was stuck, at least in her own mind, and extremely frustrated. Related Posts:Leave a ReplyThree simple steps to stop complaining and try a new perspectiveIt is so easy to complain. Walk into any office or stroll through the halls, and listen in. It won’t take long before you hear griping and venting about something gone wrong or something blatantly unfair. People complain – about their co-workers, their bosses, their latest assignments, even the weather. What is the cost of lost hours and energy focused on complaining, I wonder? Easily in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Even more important, what if you could circumvent some of that complaining and help employees be more productive, simply by helping them think in a new way? Related Posts:Leave a ReplyFinding more time – two ideas!“You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage—pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically—to say ‘no’ to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger ‘yes’ burning inside.” — Stephen Covey It seems to be a crazy time for everyone lately, with more things to do than time to do them. In the event that this sounds uncomfortably familiar to you too, I thought it might be helpful to share two time management strategies. They are practical and “doable,” and they always seem to resonate. Related Posts:Leave a Reply |
|
|
______________________________________________________
about us | assessment of current systems and practices | book a speaker | change management ©2002-2012 Chatsworth Consulting Group. All rights reserved. |
|
View Robyn McLeod's profile
Great job Lisa, added to “my favorites”,
Theresa
Thanks Theresa – feel free to pass it along as well!