Do You Have A Couple Of Minutes

When we Show Up Open, We are showing up with an intent to be beneficially changed by our experience.  Showing up open to experience means we are willing to interact and engage.   Whether we are open or not, experience changes us.  It becomes a matter of learning from and using that experience. By taking the time to listen to this message you have already well within the cycle o...

Show up Open - the Water Bottle Illustration Will you unscrew the cap an allow yourself to be filled up or will you try to fill the container through small hole meant to release the contents? Both containers have the same capacity, but it is their condition of being open or closed that allows them to perform and function differently.  Containers allow us to transport the contents. Contents in...

This past week, while traveling, as I engaged with various people, I was reminded that we all have all we need to take our next step, and that action begets actions.  I talked to many people that were envisioning their future of work and life.  While the end goal may be distant, the key to progress is intention and a plan with direction to serve as a guide.  In some cases, the plan...

During my recent travels, I had the ability to gather with various groups and individuals.  It was great to connect, as we talked about things we have in common, varied interests, life changes - good, bad, indifferent, family, and of course work related items.  In the work connected circles, we talked about hybrid work and reasons for people to return to the office.  We also talked...

Yesterday I shared that usually when I have a layover at an airport, my focus in on getting to my next gate - period.  But how this trip I decided to remain present while getting to the next gate.  This minor shift in perspective and attitude, allowed me to see a few things I likely otherwise would have missed. The first lesson I learned was "Choose to be present in all areas of your lif...

Usually when I have a layover at an airport, my focus in on getting to my next gate - period.  This trip I decided to remain present while getting to the next gate.  This minor shift in perspective and attitude, allowed me to see a few things I likely otherwise would have missed.  I have also had a chance to reflect and ask how my presence at that moment in time might have mattered...

Last week, I had a heavy travel week, and was fortunate to have lots of learning along the way.  This week, I will share some of that learning with you and hope you will find it as useful as I have.  The first lesson is to invest in yourself.  I started my travels by attending a gathering of like minded persons, most of whom I was meeting for the first time.  We all sought to s...

Episode 2-184 - Character Matters, Part 5 - Transparency Don't hide you or reality that may beneficial to share with others. Give others the reality of what they need to do good work and make good informed choices and decisions.  Help others to be able to effectively use their critical thinking skills by sharing useful information.  Do consider how information might impact others and be...

Character Matters, Part 4 - Vulnerability Are you real and relatable - do you practice vulnerability as an important characteristic of connection?  Having the strength to be vulnerable allows us to connect with others.  Popular belief would have us believe that we should hide our insecurities, doubts, and disappointments.  However, when we allow ourselves to get to a vulnerable leve...

Character Matters, Part 3 - Consistency Can you be counted on? Are you accountable and trustworthy?  Consistency is most important for you to live up to the standards you have for yourself and to achieve your goals.  When you have consistency in your life, you are able to reveal patterns nd have a benchmark for measuring things.  Sometimes consistent behaviors, which we refer to as...

Character Matters, Part 2- Courage It takes guts to be strong and to speak up.  Let's celebrate the importance of courage as a characteristic that matters. What is courage?  When I think of Courage I think of the ability and the will to take a stand in the midst of discomfort, opposition, or potential resistance. Courage matters because it is essential to living out your values and to ju...

Who are you?  How do others describe you?  How do you want to be described.  This week we will focus in on the idea of the importance of character. When I think of a person of good moral character, I think of a person that is trustworthy and able to make good decisions, even in the tough times.  As leaders and mentors of people, having good character is one way our actions spea...

Let's wrap up our week by taking a final look at self-evaluation and blind spots when it comes to communication. In order to know if we are communicating effectively, we need to check in with others and evaluate the outcomes of our communication.  This will help us to avoid blind spots.  We need to read the room when we are communicating, that means we need to understand who our audience...

Let's continue our process of looking inward with a focus of the "how" of communication. How we communicate can have a huge impact on how the content of our communication is received, retained, and utilized.  For example, think about the last time your cell phone began to ring and buzz to notify you of an emergency in your area or perhaps a time when an emergency public announcement came on t...

Let's continue our process of looking inward with a focus of the "why" of communication.   We share information for many reasons.  It is important to understand the why or the intent of our communication so that we can choose the best method of communication.  Many times we think of communication as speaking, but we can communicate through pictures, a combination of speech and pictu...

Let's continue our process of looking inward with a focus on communication.  When we communicate we often focus on the content or the what of the communication.  Let's take a deeper look at communication with a look at what we communication, why we communicate, and how we communication. When I was in high school I had a teacher who seemed to have a knack for reducing the number of words...

I was recently talking to some leaders and they explained how they continued to get some undesired results.  We talked about the process they were using.  They were insistent that the process they were using was the right process - even though they kept getting the same undesired results.  It reminded me a bit of a story I heard about a person who walked out of their front door ever...

In addition to communicating metrics and measurements, great leaders model Appreciation and Gratitude.  The use of Appreciative inquiry is an effective method to build upon what is positive.  Appreciative inquiry recognizes what is, seeks to identify what can be, and works to build upon and realize that possibility.

Good Leaders are Culture and Behavior Role Models.  They exhibit the high standards of the interactions and treatment they expect in their organizational environments.  In some settings there can be values that are visual and spoken and not emulated, rendering them powerless.  However, in strong cultures and enduring cultures, there is mutual understanding and respect for the values...

Leaders inspire growth through their example and they encourage growth through appropriately challenging opportunities.

Good Leaders don't do all the talking

Recently I had a discussion with a group of leaders regarding attributes I observed from great leaders in my professional experience. So, I thought I would share some of those with you this week. When I think of great leaders in my life, I think of people of integrity. Integrity demonstrated through truthfulness, through deliberation in their speech, and their treatment of people.  Integrity...

Today we wrap up our series on Volleyball on Life.  Today we talk about being an encourager.  Being an encourager provides positive impact and helps develop relationships. When part of a team we need to be All In.  Putting our energies and attention all into something, helps ensure growth and positive momentum. Be An Encourager, Be Al In.

If life and in the game of volleyball, we must stay ready and keep our head in the game at all times.  If we stay ready, we can manage the unexpected.  We can shift direction or strategy if needed.  In games nor in life, are we ever to be spectators of our lives.  We must actively participate in the management of our lives.

In volleyball and in life, we must know the boundaries and use them to our advantage.   In life, we have a choice to follow the strategy we set for our life or to be responsive to what others want us to do to help them execute their strategy.  We must have and maintain a strong sense of direction, and work our strategy.  Over time sound strategy will be successfully.