The Thoughtful Leaders™ Blog
Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on March 18, 2013
“It is good to have an end to journey towards; but it is the journey that matters in the end.” Ursula LeGuin
One of my former colleagues is extremely focused on getting his next promotion. Every time we speak, that is the main topic of conversation. On its face, there is nothing wrong with that, but my sense is that all that matters to him is getting the promotion, not what the new job will be and not what’s happening around him now as he waits. Once he receives the promotion he’ll have to live in that job every day… and we never discuss if it will be a job that he will like, and we certainly never discuss how to make his current job more fulfilling. It’s like the person who is so focused on their big wedding that they forget about the lifelong marriage to follow and miss the daily moments of joy with their beloved.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on January 22, 2013
 What does the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013 mean to you? For some, they are glad to see a difficult year come to an end and look forward to better times ahead. For others, the past year was filled with triumph, joy, and success, and they wonder what the new year will hold. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, the passing of another year is a time for personal reflection – taking stock, appreciating what is, letting go, and planning for success in the year ahead.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on January 14, 2013
“First say to yourself what you would be: then do what you have to do.” Epictetus
It all comes down to personal responsibility. We simply have to take responsibility to get ourselves where we want to be and to make ourselves who we want to be. But how?
It’s easy to complain. It’s easy to notice how hard it is to achieve our goals, or how long we’ve been working at them (or at least talking about them). It’s easy to wait for circumstances to change, or other people to change, or things to work out. It is so much harder to make the decision and then move forward no matter what. But it’s necessary. It’s the only way.
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Posted by Robyn McLeod on January 3, 2013
 In 2012 there were many great blog posts, emails, and videos I had the pleasure of reading and experiencing that inspired me, helped me to see things from different perspectives, and encouraged me to make positive changes in my business and personal life. We have shared several of these through our Thoughtful Leaders™ Blog. To start off the new year, I’d like to share seven other posts that I found helpful, in the hope that you take away a few tips and principles to live and lead by in 2013.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on October 29, 2012
“If you can dream it, you can do it.” Walt Disney
In so many ways, we are surrounded by adages that urge us onward and upward. “The sky is the limit.” “Reach for the stars.” “If you build it, they will come.” Yet we rarely see these ideas as true for us. We hold back from going for all that we want, or from believing that we can have it or achieve it.
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Posted by Lisa Kohn on March 29, 2012
 I will admit it. I’m going to see Bruce Springsteen play for the umpteenth time on Wednesday and I’m taking my teenage daughter with me. I’m excited!
And with Bruce on my mind this week and leadership always on my mind, I started thinking about some of the lyrics from his songs that have Thoughtful Leadership implications. “Talk about a dream, try to make it real” jumps out. I guess it helps that it was the caption in my high school yearbook as well.
Thoughtful Leadership encourages us to take the time, the reflection, to move toward realizing our dreams. Bruce suggests we try to make our dreams real, but how? We often have the best intentions, we even map out strategies and action plans, but the dreams that matter to us do not always happen.
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Posted by Robyn McLeod on February 9, 2012
 There’s nothing I love more in sports than an exciting Super Bowl game. And, of course, it always helps when my favorite team wins! Getting to the Super Bowl is a crowning achievement for an NFL team and one that brings with it tons of attention, pressure, and expectation. As I watched all of the coverage leading up to the game and listened to interviews of past Super Bowl coaches, quarterbacks, and players, I heard great lessons and themes about what it takes to lead, manage, and participate on a team that is in the spotlight. These are thoughts and principles that can benefit anyone leading, managing, or participating in a team initiative in your organization:
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Posted by Robyn McLeod on January 26, 2012
There’s nothing I love more than learning something new from one discipline and applying it to something different. Such was the case recently when a client of mine, a thermal scientist, shared Heilmeier’s Catechism with me. George Heilmeier was an engineer who headed the research group at RCA that developed the first liquid crystal display and eventually went on to become the CEO of Bellcore in the 1990s.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on November 14, 2011
“There is no try, only do.” Yoda
Many of us probably remember Yoda from our childhood – that small creature from Star Wars who taught Luke Skywalker to trust in himself and in the Force. Many of us probably never thought twice about Yoda’s guidance, although we remember it well. I think Yoda actually had great advice for us all.
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Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on October 31, 2011
“Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare.” Japanese proverb
When we guide our clients through personal and professional future planning, we share this quote over and over again. As many of us contemplate the future, we often either dream of our castles in the sky and yet do nothing to get there, or we keep moving and doing what’s in front of us without a thought about where we really want to go and what/who we really want to be. We forget to act in ways that will lead us to our ultimate goal or to even allow ourselves the time and space to figure out what our ultimate goal is.
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Cynthia Walker 
thanks so much for including me in this!
You’re welcome, Karin! We look forward to your insights and ideas in 2013!