Categories
Uncategorized

Vulnerability in Business: Why “airing out our personal garden” opens us up to our greatness

They say that when you in business, every day must appear as if you are in Disney World. It’s a magical place of dreams.

I think that’s only partially true. While there is no doubt that customers are drawn to the “seemingly perfect and impossible,” they are also quite weary of it. All of us human beings are imperfect. Society breeds pressure to pretend. And while the vision of everyone walking the streets “bare chested with their problems in view” is a laughable idea, I submit that moving closer to vulnerability moves us closer to the dreamy perfection we wish we could attain.

The other night, I was at a Business After Hours Event. I was speaking to a fellow business associate, who I know only casually, about the feeling of overwhelm that another businessperson felt in her job. The reaction I received was surprising and revealing.

Here was the reaction: This is not okay. It is not okay to be overwhelmed, and, it’s certainly not okay to be talking about overwhelm in a business environment. 

I had to do some backpedaling at that point. There was no presentation given about this feeling. This feeling was disclosed to me in a very safe, one to one, business environment. And while we need to be strong and carry on, our vulnerability creates connections with others. Nobody is created in the plastic perfectness that is Disney. Opening up our imperfections is the first step to greatness. To become a true leader and grow professionally and personally we must hold true to the “A” in the ABC’s of Productivity, “Accept Your Reality.” What does this mean to you? What is that nagging feeling unappreciated at work? Not heard; invisible? Do you worry that if you speak up you may not be respected for being too “weak?”

Think for a moment about a leader you admire. Does this person have any servant qualities? Does he or she laugh at herself? Does he or she share mistakes made and lessons learned? The leaders I can think of in this realm are: Jesus Christ, Barack Obama, Thomas Jefferson, Mother Teresa, and my mentor coaches, Melinda Cohen and Kate Steinberger.

Strong and vibrant companies and organizations are made of committed, fulfilled, and strong individuals. When each person, each cog on the gear is willing to take a good look at how he/she might use their strengths for the good of the team, and transparently share the places in which he/she is less strong, they open up to learning and growing. The team binds together in a more cohesive manner. Productivity increases. Happiness results. Profits grow.

Conversely, when we ignore the warning signs of overwhelm, burnout, antiquated systems, etc., we run the risk of crashing and burning. I had a client, a business owner, who ignored this for too long and the company went bankrupt. Luckily, the owners of this company were able to downsize and re-tool their business, and come back stronger than ever. Along the way, though, it meant becoming transparent and vulnerable. It was scary to be “weak.” The rewards, however, continue to surpass their wildest dreams.

What will you be open to this spring? It’s time to air out so that new growth can take hold and flourish.

Categories
Evernote Get Organized

What I learned about goalsetting through playing monopoly with my 9 – year old boy –or-How to give yourself 2 hours a day, effortlessly

They say we can learn a lot from our kids, and this is one of those a-ha moments for me.

I find that this time of year holds no shortage of opportunities to “set goals” and “get organized.” I also find that we beautiful, smart, idea-rich people who have chosen to become (gasp) entrepreneurs inevitably have at least some form of “squirrel syndrome.” For those of you who might be wondering about said syndrome, it is also known by the name of “shiny object syndrome,” “monkey mind,” etc.

However much we might know that we need to focus, to really buckle down and focus, to really do it this time, for real, there’s a significant difference between knowing and intending and wanting to do it, and ingesting, digesting, and radiating that intention. Allow me to illustrate via a game of monopoly.

My son knows what he likes in the game of monopoly. He likes the train stations, he likes the orange house block, and he likes the red house block. When opportunities arise for him to buy other properties, it’s a no-brainer…he says “no thanks, I’ll wait for the right opportunity.”

Contrast this with his friend who came over yesterday. His friend went around the board, and, whatever that friend landed on, he bought. It was not long before my son won. His friend quickly ran out of resources to buy anything and did not have the ability to pay when he landed on my son’s property or was forced to “pay income tax” or whatever “bad luck” cards he was dealt in the game.

The game lasted only one hour. In contrast, the monopoly I typically play is probably an average of 4 hours. What can we adults learn from this story? Since this is an article and not a conversation, I’ll jump to some answers.

  • While it’s good to stay open to unforeseen opportunities, it’s critical to have a strategy and an overall plan in place.
  • When you plant seeds everywhere without reserves, you could run out of seeds and fuel.

How do you compare in this scenario? How do you approach business and life planning? Do you have a clear picture of where you are headed? How do you make purchasing decisions when a “not to be missed” email flies into your inbox? Do you have business filters, and are they based on that overall vision?

We can all use help in this arena, as adults tend to get sidetracked with the complexities of life beyond 9 years old. What support do you have in place? Here are some ideas:

  • Mastermind groups
  • Facebook groups
  • Accountability partner
  • Coach
  • Mentor

When you start thinking about your community as above, it’s best when you share values with the other people in the group. This work is personal and powerful, and not every group is a good fit for every individual.

I’m part of a mastermind, and a facebook group or two. I’ve also just begun a continuing education course where there is an accountability buddy component built into the structure. I am so thankful for that.

In closing, I’d like to share a quote from a client this month: “I feel like I’ve given myself 2 hours a day.” Why did she say this? By working together this last fall, we have identified her big goal, her big why strategies that serve her and new ones that serve her better. She feels lighter now and freer. She knows what she wants, and, much like my son, it’s easy for her to decline properties that don’t serve her mission. This clarity allows her to say YES to the properties/opportunities that get her to the next level and allow her to be her best self.

When you’re ready to become discerning about your monopoly purchases, set up a discovery time with me. We’ll uncover a strategy that’s been there all along, and you will feel lighter, freer, and possibly happier than you’ve ever been since you were 9 years old. As a client said, you’ll find “an old friend” and that friend is the childlike you, much wiser in the mature body and brain you live in now. Discover that friend now: http://eps-time.com/schedule-30-minutes/

Categories
Evernote Get Organized Productivity

How Evernote can help “the disorganized” feel organized

Many of the kindest, most genuine, and wisest people I know have a brain structure that is labeled “AD/HD.” These are typically my favorite clients, because they are big thinkers, big dreamers, and amazing risk-takers. They also have a tendency to beat themselves up, because for their whole lives they have been told that they are not “doing it the right way.”

I have found that Evernote can really help my clients and particularly the ones who have an AD/HD-leaning brain.

Regardless of how you may wish to try on Evernote, it is imperative that you begin with a “pilot” project. For those who can relate to the never-ending distracting thoughts of living with AD/HD, this is particularly important.

One proven approach is to start using Evernote based on the first problem you need to solve. If you can’t keep track of your notes, then use Evernote exclusively for notes. Just use ONE notebook called “Notes,” and just focus on the little green elephant. Knowing that NOTES are taken care of by the little green elephant frees the mind from worry. That singular focus is crucial. You don’t have to think about a plethora of notebooks, you don’t have to think about tags, you only have to think about the elephant.” While this sounds overly simple, simple is easy, easy is do-able, and that “easy” step frees the mind to focus on the content versus the technology. Success steps heighten mood, which, in turn, increases the likelihood of continued success.

For more information on getting started with Evernote, contact me. I’m an Evernote Certified Consultant.

To download the Evernote app, here are some links. Basic is free and you can upgrade from there.

Business: http://bit.ly/EpSEvernote

Premium: http://bit.ly/EvernotePremiumCW

Plus: http://bit.ly/EvernotePlusCW

Basic: http://bit.ly/EvernoteBasicCW

In closing, Evernote can help you get organized. It’s even been referred to as your “second brain.” But like everything, it’s still an external helper, and addressing your goals from the inside out is always the best policy. Let’s kick it in 2017!

Categories
Productivity

4 Strategies to Success

ABC, 123, doe rae me, it’s just so EZ! Right? Well, not always, but, if we start a little lighthearted, it makes for opening our minds for better learning.

You may recall that on Nov. 17th, I wrote an article entitled “the ABC’s of Productivity.”

Here’s an overview:

A= Accept your reality

B= Be bold. Be brave.

C= Creativity is King.

Here’s a sheet to download, to help you take those bold actions and break them down into daily tasks.

Once you’ve started down the path of ABC’s (you can sing, but it’s not required), you’ll want to implement the 4 Strategies to Success along the way.

I find that the most successful leaders have consistent habits that slowly inch them and their organizations in the direction they desire. While these habits are not “rocket science,” they enable rocket scientists (or any leader) to harness their greatness.

Here are the four featured strategies that I have found make the most impact for the least effort:

  1. Bookend to success
  2. Map Your Time
  3. Take Inventory
  4. Use Power Blocks

I’ll detail the first one here. If it looks good and you want to go deeper, let’s set up a conversation! Click here to set up a conversation.

  1. Bookend to Success:

What holds up books vertically? Well, unless your shelf is fully loaded- its bookends, right? I use this metaphor to describe the method successful leaders use when implementing the big, hairy, audacious goals they set. This concept can be expanded or contracted depending on the time period in question.

For example, it will be January in very short order. Most people and organizations set yearly goals about this time of year. It’s a perfect time to start the habit of bookending.

Great, you say. So how do I get started?

  1. Set annual goals (you likely have done this)
  2. Set quarterly goals (you may have done this)
  3. Set monthly goals

Here’s the process!

  1. On the first business day in January, look at the above 3 goals.
  2. Focus on the month of January. Which goals are the most important?
  3. Find a goal that can be translated into three actions for the week.
  4. Insert those actions into your calendar as appointments.
  5. At the end of the week, review the goals and associated actions. Did you complete them?
  6. If not, carry them to next week.
  7. Look at the rest of January and repeat this for the 2nd week of January.
  8. On the first workday of the second week of January, review your Friday work to be sure it’s still relevant and adjust as required.
  9. Do this each week.
  10. At the end of January, do your bookending for January. Did you achieve what you set out to do? Did you exceed your goal?
  11. Repeat the process for all the months. Repeat the process for the quarter, and, at the end of December, for the year.

“It’s amazing how simple, yet powerful, this process is.” – A manager in Concord, NH

Watch the magic happen, and let me know all the great work you are doing with ease! You are now feeling like a productivity superstar and that’s just the first strategy!  Woo hoo…let’s keep your momentum going. Set up a call and be prepared to launch that rocket!

Categories
Wellness

Fulfillment through Wellness = Productivity

A big THANK YOU to Christy Nault, Wellness Director Of Easter Seals New Hampshire, for inviting me to be Closing Motivational Keynote for the annual Wellness Champion Retreat. I learned so much! For example, did you know:

  • Just a handful or two of cashews can make you feel as happy as a dose of Prozac?
  • A “new” exercise sensation…”POUND” allows participants to use drumsticks and up their heartbeat effortlessly, under the guise of rocking to the beat?
  • You can really only be “so” productive when you are missing out on one of the 12 Dimensions of Wellness!

Wellness is the new paradigm these days…it’s not simply about “not showing symptoms of illness.” While I’m not a wellness expert, what I know is that when I work with busy executives, wellness tends to rise to the top of the “what really matters” meter regarding time and priorities. It’s WHY a person will decide, quite often, to rise to their next level and work with me. All the productivity tricks in the world, falling on unfertile ground, will not yield the fruit (results) we seek.

What about you? Are you tired? Irritable? Working too many hours? Burned out? Headed for burnout? Do a body scan, see a wellness practitioner, or contact me to get on the path to productivity!

hidden-valley-bell-camp

camp-pic

Categories
Productivity

The ABCs of Productivity -as it relates to our country’s condition today

WAIT: How can these two topics – productivity and uncertainty- possibly be related?

A few weeks ago, one of my current clients asked me to write about the ABCs of Productivity, which I had presented to her professional group some time beforehand. However, If I did not relate this topic to the events of November 8 and over that week, into today, I would not be relevant. With that in mind, please consider the following as you move through your days and weeks to come:

The ABC’s of Productivity

A= Accept your reality

B= Be bold. Be brave.

C= Creativity is King.

“A”- Accept Your Reality- is more important than ever before. While all were surprised, and many folks very upset with the outcome of November 8, the reality is here. From Rupture comes Rapture, always. It’s a universal truth. We are on the brink of something, although what the “something” is, we don’t know. Actions to take:

  • Accept your thoughts and feelings.
  • Understand where you are today.
  • Make a Big Plan. Look out 6 months, into the unknown, and visualize your goal.

Look out 6 months- into the Unknown

“B” – Act boldly and make a difference. How can you tap into your truth and let your light shine? Actions to take:

  • Assuming your 6-month goal finds you/your team looking different from today, you’ll need to determine your paradigm shift and small steps to begin shifting.
  • True leadership is needed now more than ever. Be the bold leader that you are.
  • When you fear making the next step to the point where you don’t take that step, break down the step to be so very small that it seems like simply crossing a threshold.
  • Here’s a sheet to download, to help you take those bold actions and break them down into daily tasks <provide link to power planner template under documents: https://coachesconsole.com/v3/uploads/supplements/power-planner-template_d1eee49e3b6bb.pdf>

“C” – Creativity is King. People like to be entertained. We like to have fun. When we have fun AND get something done….we’ll do it more. So be creative in your plans. Be fearless. Push beyond the envelope of normal if you want true greatness. Yes, you’ll get some push-back. Ideas:

  • Create contests with prizes
  • Involve the whole team in your change process where appropriate
  • Allow some “failure” in the name of delegation and buy-in

Once you’ve started down the path of ABC’s, you’ll want to implement the 4 Strategies to Success along the way. Watch for those in the coming weeks. If you can’t wait, let’s set up a complimentary Success Strategy Meeting and we’ll get you started on your own Personal or Team Productivity journey right away: http://eps-time.coachesconsole.com/calendar.