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The Thoughtful Leaders™ BlogThe leadership lessons of a snow storm
The other day a colleague stopped me to share his news. It seems he had been recently going on “auto-pilot,” simply moving from moment to moment, and person to person, issue to issue, trying to get everything done, and then a snow storm stopped him. Related Posts:Leave a ReplyFive key ingredients for lowering your performance review anxiety
Related Posts:Leave a ReplyPondering the Fortune Cookie’s Question
Can you believe I found this question in a fortune cookie?!? What a delightfully unexpected and thoughtful question to ponder at the end of a take-out meal! What I especially love about it is the underlying, very actionable message: Sometimes what we need to make progress is a shift in perspective. Related Posts:2 Responses to “Pondering the Fortune Cookie’s Question”Leave a ReplyWhy ask why?
When I was in high school I stopped going to calculus class. When I asked my professor why the formulas worked, he replied that they simply did, and I should merely memorize them and use them. That didn’t work for me. I needed to know why and so instead I continually cut his class. Related Posts:Leave a ReplyThe difference that one can make
Related Posts:Leave a ReplyGive. Give more.
As a coach I am so often honored with the opportunity to see people at their best, and their worst. Their most confident and their least sure. And, in ways, nothing makes this clearer to me than the hesitation so many of us feel to give of ourselves. Related Posts:Leave a ReplySlow down for better leadership
Related Posts:Leave a ReplyThe world is changing…are you?
It is easy to get stuck in a rut. We get comfortable with a certain way of thinking, being, doing, reacting – and we stay that way. Related Posts:Leave a ReplyWhat’s Mensch-ness got to do with leadership?
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It’s that time of year again – the dreaded performance review! In many organizations, performance evaluation write-ups and discussions are in full swing right now – and anxiety levels can run high for managers preparing the reviews and employees waiting to receive their feedback. But it does not have to be that way. When we teach Effective Feedback in our leadership development programs we advise managers to make feedback an ongoing part of their regular interaction with staff members. That way, the annual review is merely a summary and culmination of the developmental discussions that have been taking place throughout the year. Stress goes way down!
“Do you see difficulty behind every opportunity, or opportunity behind every difficulty?”
So many people wonder if they can really make a difference. “That will never work here,” our clients often say. “No one else is doing it,” or “My boss won’t go along with that.” We challenge them to be do it anyway, to be a change agent, to be the first one.
Thoughtful leadership – it’s a term we have coined to describe the skills and principles of “thought-centered” leadership – personal reflection, self-awareness, strategic thinking, focus, and commitment. It’s moving from an “I’m so busy, I can hardly think” multi-tasking, rush-to-the-next-meeting mentality to one that says “I’m so busy, it’s time to slow it down, sharpen focus, and think.”
I used to not understand the value of the word “mensch” – until I married one. Mensch is a Yiddish word that means “a decent, upright, responsible person,” or “a person of strength and honor.” Basically it’s someone who is good, kind, and always does the right thing to make others feel welcomed, loved (even in the business sense), and appreciated. So, needless to say, I was intrigued to learn more about a book, which looks at how mensch-ness (my word) can be a leadership strength.
Cathy,
Great perspective and a way to shift the paradigm. It is hard when you are looking up at the difficulties, to flip the script and look for the brighter side. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks, Dwight! Hopefully, with practice, we can all become better at remembering to shift our perspective on “difficult” things. I think it’s a challenge for all of us — it’s so natural to worry about and resist things that look hard…. But if we can flip the script, as you say (great expression, by the way!), we can lower our stress levels and really enjoy each day, no matter what presents itself. Thanks again for your comment!