Focus. We sometimes talk about it like a talent we can call upon at will or an elixir we can consume. Sometimes it feels like you’re right on track, incredibly focused. There’s a flow and ease with all you’re doing. Then, there are the other times. The times when you feel scattered, overwhelmed, anxious, or distracted. It feels more productive to be focused, and if you, like me, have an orientation toward being a doer, being…
I like to plan and be efficient. When I look at my actions and patterns, I’m driven to consistently improve and simplify those things I repeatedly do. When Kevin and I travel, we plan things and enjoy our time together regardless. Yet, when I reflect on the most memorable, vibrant and enjoyable times in my life, they were almost always spontaneous. We wake up with no intended plans, begin with a meal and dialog, and something…
Do you really need to learn new things? I was in a conversation with some people hiring us to present a keynote in a few months and they told me they’d heard all they needed to about one of our topics. We suggested another topic and they said they’d heard that as well. After more discussion, I suggested they may need a different speaker. They didn’t want another person, they wanted me. After more…
Say exactly what you mean. There’s a concept! It’s very non-Midwestern. You won’t always be popular or please people, but you will be clear. You’ll also find the world around you (people, opportunities, events and rewards) will amplify. Too often, when trying to please others or deliver the message you think others want to hear instead of saying exactly what you mean in a kind and thoughtful way, you actually deliver a…
I’m asking myself a question these days which moves me in much more certain directions. It’s become the mantra I need at this time in my life and in business. The question is clarifying. It helps me say “no” much more confidently. Saying no has created space and confidence as more and more situations are calling for my attention. What’s the question? Who can I…
Planning. It’s not everyone’s priority or gift. Yet, it helps to create the best results most of the time. Notice I didn’t say a “plan?” When you get to wed to the plan, you will fail every time. Plans are rigid; they assume all the circumstances and factors influencing what will happen are known. That’s NEVER possible. Even when you’ve done something a thousand times. While history can inform us,…
As I led a leadership and management communication workshop last week, I was reminded again of the Clarity Break’s power. Whether you call it a Clarity Break, thinking time, or time to work on your business, having space in your week to pause and reflect is critical if you want to be a great leader. All the leaders in the workshop agreed. They knew they needed to…
It is a four letter word, and feels like one most of the time. It can dismantle the best of intentions, and ruin a perfectly good idea or day. When we lose track of the present, we can move into a state of worry, anxiety, or fear about the future. We can also move into a state of worry about what’s happening right now, when life hands us more circumstances than…
What’s your job? It’s a vocation, a way to make money, an expression of your identity, an extension of your talents, an inroad to community and a source of pride. It can be exhilarating, challenging, exhausting, exciting, fulfilling and excruciating. It can be a source of all things to fill your ego and maintain your identity and it can be a death march until Friday arrives. You are the…
Have you ever struggled to begin something or try something new? Me too. And the journey to the starting line can feel like a marathon if you stay trapped between your ears. One solution for this … tell someone. Yup. It’s that simple. When “just do it” seems like too great a leap, tell a friend or two and schedule your new “thing” together. Learning…