The Thoughtful Leaders Blog
Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on April 16, 2012
“I don’t get angry, I grow a tumor.” Woody Allen
Anger is underrated. Or over-criticized. Too much anger can certainly be destructive – personally, professionally, mentally, and physically. However, too little anger can also wreak havoc.
A client recently shared with me a situation he was facing at work. He felt judged, unsupported, and criticized by a co-worker…and he was proudly telling me how he took it all in stride, didn’t even feel angry, and simply went on. When I asked him if he was experiencing any lack of patience at home, or tiredness and headaches, he sheepishly said yes to a few of those, and asked me why.
(Continue reading…)
Related Posts:
Leave a Reply
Posted by Lisa Kohn on April 12, 2012
 Just this morning I kicked off a corporate speed networking session at the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce with a few tips for successful networking. Networking is essential for building our businesses and our careers, but it is something that confuses and frightens many of us. However, with a bit of time and attitude preparation, networking can be less dreaded and more productive.
To be a great networker, we recommend to clients that they put their best FACE forward – that they be Focused, Authentic, Confident, and Enthusiastic. While it is important to get your three-minute elevator speech down pat and to articulate the benefits of what you offer to others, focusing on FACE helps you to connect more strongly with others, which is what networking is all about – building relationships. And while it can be scary to network with others, as we suggest in our recent blog, There is no try, only do. There is not do, only be. sometimes we have to simply get out there and do it, and at the same time, be intentional and thoughtful about what we’re doing.
(Continue reading…)
Related Posts:
Leave a Reply
Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on April 9, 2012
“I will not should on myself today.” Anonymous
I learned this pithy saying years ago, and it still makes me smile.
So often we “should” on ourselves. We run the list of our “shoulds” – to ourselves or others. “I should answer this email.” “I should volunteer at my kid’s school.” “I should work late even though I’m exhausted.” “I should exercise more often.” “I should sign up for an evening class.” “I should learn a foreign language.” While many of these shoulds are admirable, when we list our shoulds we pile on the pressure (and the self-dislike when we don’t meet our own expectations). In a recent blog post, Hit the pause button, we shared how stepping away from all the “shoulds” in our lives for even a brief moment can help us refresh and come back stronger and with more clarity.
(Continue reading…)
Related Posts:
Leave a Reply
Posted by Robyn McLeod on April 5, 2012
 As a coach and consultant, research on leadership behaviors are always fascinating to me – and, when it focuses on women leaders, it really piques my interest. One report developed by our friends at Performance Programs, Inc., a research firm specializing in industrial psychology and psychometrics, in conjunction with Wenroth Consulting Group, looked at the traits that high-achieving women exhibit in both corporate and entrepreneurial careers. Having been on both sides of the fence, I was curious to see what the differences were between successful corporate women and successful women entrepreneurs.
(Continue reading…)
Related Posts:
Leave a Reply
Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on April 2, 2012
“If we don’t change, we don’t grow. If we don’t grow, we aren’t really living.” Gail Sheehy
I learned in high school physics that an object at rest likes to stay at rest…and sometimes I think that defines how most of us approach life. While moving and changing can be a wonderful thing, so often we get stuck in ruts without even knowing it. “This is how I’ve always done it,” we think, “and it works just fine.” “Don’t fix it if it’s not broken,” people share. Life goes on and we stay how and where we are.
(Continue reading…)
Related Posts:
Leave a Reply
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.
(Continue reading…)
Related Posts:
Leave a Reply
Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on March 26, 2012
“You’ve got to ask. Asking is, in my opinion, the world’s most powerful and neglected secret to success and happiness.” Percy Ross
Recently a client was complaining to me about her current job. She felt underutilized, unfulfilled, and less than engaged. Yet she adored the company, and wanted to stay there…she just was at a point where her specific daily tasks left her empty.
(Continue reading…)
Related Posts:
Leave a Reply
Posted by Robyn McLeod on March 22, 2012
 As you know by now, Thoughtful Leadership is a concept we feel strongly about and believe to be a key differentiator of great leaders. Often when we are in front of an audience and share our teachings about incorporating more thinking, reflection, and “being present” time into daily work and life, we get push back. “There’s no time to think,” we hear. “Just time to do.” In one recent program, a participant offered, “I don’t have time to breathe.” Wow, no time to breathe? Really?
(Continue reading…)
Related Posts:
Leave a Reply
Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on March 19, 2012
“Listen a hundred times. Ponder a thousand times. Speak once.” Anonymous
I was taking a client through a 360º feedback assessment the other day and listening (or the lack thereof) was a major theme. He felt very strongly that he paid particular attention to listening to others and being open to their ideas, suggestions, and feedback, but the data in the assessment report showed differently. While he may have been trying to be more open to what others were saying, the feedback from his colleagues and direct reports showed that they did not feel that he really listened to them.
(Continue reading…)
Related Posts:
Leave a Reply
Posted by Lisa Kohn on March 15, 2012
 This seems to be very blatant, obvious advice, yet I think it’s advice we can all heed – both in it’s specifics and in it’s overall concept: to make sure we’re fully focused when we communicate with others, put things in writing, and send them out through cyberspace.
When you’re out drinking, when your filters may be a bit less engaged, it is NOT the time to answer emails, or IMs, or even phone calls, of a work-related nature. You may feel charged to get one last thing done, or inspired with a pithy response or brilliant idea, but it is easy to say or type the wrong thing, dash off a nasty-gram, or use inappropriate humor when we are not really focused on our best communication.
(Continue reading…)
Related Posts:
Leave a Reply
« Newer Posts — Older Posts »
|
|
View Robyn McLeod's profile
Good sound advise. In fact to go a step further, the right answer is the biggest killer of innovation. So thinking you know without exploring could be very short sighted.
Thank you for your thoughts. Innovation certainly does suffer when many possible answers, especially the “wrong” ones, are not brought to the fore.