The Thoughtful Leaders™ Blog
Posted by Robyn McLeod on July 28, 2011
 Talk to anyone in any workplace and it never fails that the topic of endless, pointless meetings comes up. It seems that the number of meetings – whether face-to-face, conference call, or video/web-based – is on the rise. One executive I worked with shared her calendar with me to demonstrate the point. She had a week full of meetings, many of which overlapped. “How can you be in two places at one time?” I asked. “Well, I’ll start out in this meeting and then leave early to catch the last half of that meeting,” she answered. Sounds awfully stressful and unproductive to me!
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on July 25, 2011
“There is no such thing as a problem without a gift for you in its hands.” Richard Bach
As much as I’d sometimes rather complain about my circumstances or the cards I’ve been dealt, I’ve come to realize that each stumbling block and challenge in my life really can be viewed as an opportunity. Each of my darkest moments has brought me something. I look back at some of my bleakest, most difficult times and can now see the gifts that I’ve received.
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Posted by Lisa Kohn on July 21, 2011
 The other week I went to see Midnight in Paris, which, by the way, I wholeheartedly recommend. It is laugh-out-loud funny whether you love Woody Allen (I am a die-hard fan) or simply appreciate great comedy.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on July 18, 2011
“A problem can never be solved from the level at which it was created.” Albert Einstein
The other day I was stuck in a problem, and I couldn’t seem to find my way out. I had a client for whom I had to design a new program, and try as I might, I couldn’t fit in everything that “needed” to be included in the day’s agenda. There wasn’t enough time to cover the important things, or enough reflection space between topics for the important things to fully sink in.
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Posted by Robyn McLeod on July 14, 2011
 In the new movie, Horrible Bosses, three very frightening managers make life miserable for their employees – lying, abusing, harassing, berating, and manipulating them – so much so that three friends band together to take matters into their own hands and end their misery. Now while I certainly never had a boss with the over-the-top behavior Hollywood created, the premise of the movie did bring to mind my own Horrible Boss experience.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on July 12, 2011
 That glowing Check Engine light. The piles of junk mail on your dining room table. The friend who calls you weekly to complain about her life. The colleague who interrupts you, even when your door is closed. The manager who can’t seem to find anything good about what you do. The direct report who incessantly misses deadlines (but always with “good reason.”) What do these things have in common? If any or all of them are a part of your life, they are tolerations – those distracting, annoying occurrences that frustrate you and sap your energy.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on July 11, 2011
“It takes one a long time to become young.” Pablo Picasso
“Youth is wasted on the young,” they say. Children are born into this world full of curiosity, excitement for learning, and joy and appreciation for the simple beauty in life. These are all attitudes that are even more beneficial as we grow older, and yet somehow we simply lose them.
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Posted by Lisa Kohn on July 7, 2011
 I must admit my blog today is very personal…but Thoughtful Leadership is personal and it’s based on bringing our whole self to everything we do and every way we lead. I know my leadership today, my very essence today, is flavored by an extremely private and emotional experience, and if I’m truly living “thoughtfully” then I must acknowledge my situation, my feelings, and my thoughts.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on July 5, 2011
“You have to believe in yourself when no one else does. That’s what makes you a winner.” Venus Williams
This morning was a high because I had a client who was on a high. He was feeling so sure of himself, so complete, so utterly unstoppable – it was contagious and I couldn’t help but smile.
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I learned the power of documenting. Whenever we had a meeting I documented the conversation and deliverable s, captured that in a memo and sent it back for confirmation. This person once attempted to give me a false year end appraisal, and I was able to produce the documents that made him revise his position. The point was to make sure that as much light as possible could be brought to each and every engagement.
Thanks for your comment. Yes, documentation is often a necessity when you have a difficult boss. It provides the data and facts that can help to resolve problems between the two of you.
Robyn