New Year’s Day Reflection

The first of January is another day dawning, the sun rising as the sun always rises, the earth moving in its rhythms, with or without our calendars, to name a certain day as the day of new beginning, separating the old from the new.

So it is.  Everything is the same, bound into its history as we ourselves are bound. Yet also we stand at a threshold, a new year is something truly new and fresh, still unformed, leaving a stunning power in our hands!

What shall we do with the great gift of time this year?  Let us begin by remembering that whatever justice, whatever peace and wholeness might bloom in our world this year, we are the hearts and minds, the hands and feet, the embodiment of all the best visions of our people.

The new year can be new ground for the seeds of our dreams.

Let us take the step forward together, onto new ground,

planting our dreams well, faithfully, and in joy.

Own The Moment!

I love this simple, powerful phrase because it embodies the essence of everyday leadership. I’m using it more and more as a memorable call to action to show up as the very best version of yourself throughout your work day.

Here’s why it’s become one of my favorite workplace mantras:

1. It reminds us that we are owners of our experience, our work and the success of the entire organization.
2.  It offers a gentle reminder that the small choices that we make throughout our day – moment by moment – are important and that we are more influential than we think.
3. It makes leading a very intentional, purposeful work life seem more doable. It might seem nearly impossible to choose one’s behaviors, thoughts and attitudes for the entire day, which, for too many of us, stretches beyond the traditional eight hours. But to focus in the moment and make courageous decisions – that suddenly seems possible.
4. It supports a culture of personal accountability in which each of us is seen as a capable adult.
5. It’s easy to remember and uncomplicated in its message.

So, how do we translate ‘owning the moment’ into practical action? For me, it means that:

• We thoughtfully relate to others throughout our day. We pay attention to others and we practice the Platinum Rule, treating others as they want to be treated.
• We plan and prepare for meetings, interviews, conversations, and interactions with each other and with our customers, clients or patients so that we can be most useful in those moments. 
•  We are our best selves more often.
• We consider the consequences, intended and unintended, of our words, non-verbal messaging, attitudes, behaviors and general approach.
• We choose to act as adults.
• We sincerely want to help others to have great outcomes, memorable experiences and success. We let others shine and it feels good to us.
• We keep our word, our commitment, to live by our organizational values, our rules of engagement and our very best practices.
• We affirm a realistic optimism in all that we say and do.
• We stand up and do the right thing, even when it’s hard, risky or unpopular.

What does ‘own the moment’ mean to you? What will you do differently tomorrow to own more moments?

Week 1 Leadership Dare: During the next meeting that you attend, own the moment by helping the facilitator to conduct a successful meeting. What would it look like and feel like to be the best version of yourself at that meeting? Remember, little stuff matters!

Week Two Leadership Dare:  This week, I have challenge that may be really tough, even for the best of us. But it wouldn’t be a challenge if it didn’t stretch us, right? So, here goes:

This week, whenever you receive constructive feedback on some aspect of your approach or behavior, I dare you to OWN THE MOMENT! Instead of a knee jerk reaction to shut down, become defensive, dismiss the person(s) and/or their perspective  or even go on the offense and shoot back a sarcastic or cynical response, choose to be your best self. Really think about what the other person had to say. Consider the real possibility that you may have a blind spot when it comes to your behavior. Allow for the fact that this feedback may be spot on. Ask questions to gain more clarity. Think about other options that you could have considered. Don’t overlook the opportunity to thank the person who delivered the feedback. It’s a courageous best practice. Finally ponder what they said and make a commitment to change if it’s the right thing to do.

Sounds simple but it’s not easy to do, particularly if it’s not your habit today. Take the dare and own the moment! 

Window of Accomplishment

For me, September is the best month of the year!  For most, but not all, of us, the summer gives us a mini break in the action. The pace slows at least a little, we take summer vacations or ‘go on holiday’ and return refreshed and renewed, either from a blast of ‘fun in the sun’ Vitamin D or the energy that comes from a bucket list adventure. So, when September rolls around, we’re ready to reposition our leadership lens, take on our challenges with grit, grace and gusto and light some sparks of possibility. Yep, we’re perfectly positioned for a fresh start!

And the added bonus that September offers is that it’s just a few short months away from the end of the year and the magic of the Holiday season. It triggers this ‘sprint to the finish’ burst of creativity, productivity and enthusiasm – a three month window of accomplishment!

How will you capitalize on this remarkable window of accomplishment this year? Let’s be particularly choiceful about how the next three months unfold. What do you want to do between now and the end of the year so that when you look in the rearview mirror you feel satisfaction, pride and, dare I say it, relief? To make it the greatest Fall of all?

Here’s are a few ideas to jump start your own thinking. Stay tuned in throughout the month for more!

Leadership Bright Idea #1: There’s a saying that originated in the Southern part of the US – If you have two frogs to swallow; swallow the biggest one first. I think Brian Tracy, well known motivational speaker, says something similar, “If you have to eat two frogs, eat the ugliest one first.” Your ‘frog’ is that task or assignment that is the biggest, hardest and/or most important; maybe it’s the one on which you’ve been procrastinating and you’ll most likely continue unless you take action right now!!

Consider the fresh start of September and the window of accomplishment as a call to action. Ask yourself, “What’s my biggest frog?” Is it the big stack of paper that’s occupied prime real estate on your desk for months? Is it the next chapter of your book that’s been blocked for a while? How about those performance reviews?

Start by thinking about how it will feel to swallow that frog! Visualize the completion of the task. Now play big; be brave and bold; shift into gear and get started!

Leadership Bright Idea #2: I was with a group of colleagues, facilitating a leadership learning program. At the afternoon break, I was connecting with several participants, chatting together about change, growth and being a better version of yourself.  One of those colleagues said something that was simultaneously wildly funny and strikingly honest; so much so that it’s stuck with me and I’ve noodled on it for the past several days. In response to our conversation on being better and different as a leader, he said, “But sometimes you just get sick of working on sh$#t!”

After I stopped laughing, I realized the unvarnished truth about what he said. I love personal mastery work; learning; growing; changing habits and abandoning dysfunctional comfort. But sometimes, even I need to cut myself a break. To acknowledge that I’m perfect enough just as I am. That I have a lot going for me. That I’ve come a long way and made great progress. Sometimes, you just need to pause and celebrate yourself, just as you are!

So, for a change of pace, use this window of accomplishment to focus less on what you need to do to improve yourself and more what you’ve already done! How about thinking about or writing about one of your brilliances; a 2015 accomplishment that’s already in the bag; complements and positive feedback; new habits that you’ve sustained; relationships that have grown…

Vacation Rituals: The First Day Back

There was a distant point in my career when I had a love/hate relationship with my vacation. On the one hand, I really understood the value that vacations could create in my life. Time away from the workplace is a much needed opportunity to recharge my batteries, shake off dysfunctional comfort, renew my passion and commitment, feed my sense of adventure and exploration and tend to my most prized relationships. On the other hand, I’d darn near kill myself beforehand to get outstanding work complete (or at least moving forward); and I’d stay plugged in while I was away. Worst of all, in the final days of my vacation, I’d start dreading my first day back in the office. Wading through piles of correspondence; steeling myself for the back to back meeting schedule that awaited my return; and playing a mean game of ‘catch up’ on all of the projects and other ‘stuff’ that continued to move (or not) in my absence. Sadly, I sometimes wondered if taking a vacation was really worth it; after all, there was a pretty hefty price to pay for being away….

It’s almost painful for me to think back to those days. But, that was then and this is now. And I didn’t know then what I know now and that is…..

•  Taking a vacation increases productivity, creativity & innovation and engagement. Contrary to the old school way of thinking, it’s not a ‘zero sum game’. The gain that you can receive from vacation does not necessarily translate to a loss for the organization!
•   You can create a healthier pre- and post- ‘vacation ritual’ that doesn’t leave you drained.

Almost a decade ago, I decided to intentionally create a different experience that would allow me to enjoy vacation time, wring as much personal value from it as possible AND build a smoother reentry to the express lane on which we travel together at work!

Here are some of my personal top tips for changing your relationship with ‘vacation time’ forever:

1.      Use your vacation time (duh)!  Did you know that those of us in the US work in the only developed country in the world without a single legally required paid vacation day or holiday? And one in four of us doesn’t have a single paid day off?  So, if you’ve got them, use them.  We’re taking the least amount of vacation time in over 40 years and leaving $52.4 billion on the table by not using all of our time off.  Plan most of your time off and schedule in advance.  Reserve a few days for spontaneity and for the unexpected.  It’s a booster shot for commitment, innovation, productivity and engagement.
2.      Delegate strategically both before and after vacation.  These are bona fide opportunities to build your bench strength and fortify your succession plan.  And you will fall in love with the freedom and peace of mind that this gives you.  I make it a practice to identify one or two people who are standing in for me (in general or project specific) while I’m gone. These folks know the boundaries and have the power to act within them.  If you haven’t been coaching your team members for such stretch assignments, start NOW and work toward your next vacation. Control freaks, beware!! This is going to be a tough assignment.
3.       If you’re spending your vacation away from your home base, allow at least one day between returning home and returning to work.  While it may seem to some that this cuts one’s vacation short, I have found it to be an incredibly helpful buffer, particularly if time zone changes are involved.  Return to as many of your normal habits, e.g. exercise, as possible that day. Savor this day!
4.      Carve out specific time on your first day back to work to debrief with those who stepped into your role and to handle top priorities. This means scheduling specific time on your calendar before you leave for these crucial conversations.  Be specific about your expectations for the debriefing sessions.  Don’t forget to focus on what went well and offer both acknowledgement as well as coaching. Grow your team members!!
5.      Make that first day back, special in some way.  Spread around your appreciation for the work that was done in your absence. Share the freedom that you experienced, knowing that your capable team was moving things forward.  Arrange (before you leave) for a special treat – e.g. coffee, cookies – for everyone that day.
6.       Be intentional!  Check in with yourself on any limiting thoughts or beliefs that you currently hold around vacation (time away from work).  Remember, the most important conversation that you have each day is the one with yourself!  In your head!  Challenge your same old same old thinking – If I hadn’t chosen to do this work, I may still be stuck in the ‘vacations aren’t worth it’ mindset.  Create affirmations and use them throughout the month before you leave.  Remember, to change your experience, you must first change your mind (thoughts).
7.       Boldly unplug from your work related electronics while on vacation. Yes, completely! Trust that your team members will step up to the leadership challenge; that they are smart enough, resourceful enough and committed enough to do a credible job.

  

Are you ready for a leadership challenge?

Week 1 Challenge:  Commit to your vacation!

Today, I dare you to check your available vacation time for the next 12 months and make tentative (yes, I know you have to check in with others!) choices on when you’ll use that time. Hold those dates on your calendar. Confirm those tentative dates within two weeks. Share those dates with your team. Encourage them to use their time off throughout the year as well.

Week 2 Challenge:  Let’s go tech naked!

If you and your technology have never been separated before, then don’t go cold turkey on your vacation. Instead, start smaller and unplug for one day over the weekend. So, this Saturday or Sunday, put your technology out of sight and get comfortable with letting go. Invite others to call you on your home phone if there is a true emergency.

Week 3 Challenge:  Work from the inside out!

This week, examine your own thoughts and feelings about time away from work. Write them down. Do they portray a positive, healthy mindset? Do they represent who you were, who you are or who you want to be?

If it’s time for a makeover, then re-write the script for the next conversation with yourself. Tell yourself a new story – the benefit of vacations for yourself and others. The ease with which you’ll return to work and re-engage. The freedom you’ll enjoy. The joy of giving undivided attention to yourself and family. Create a series of affirmations that lock in this new way of thinking. 

Week 4 Challenge:  Activate A New Vacation Habit

This week, select one tip from my top picks list and use it! Or, if you’ve identified a new habit that is very meaningful to you, then select it instead. Begin to take action now so that you can use it during your next vacation.

Evaluate its effectiveness.

Optimism is a choice!

Optimism comes from the Latin word for ‘the best.’  It simply means favoring the best possible outcome. For me, there are two brands of optimism:

·         Unrealistic optimism (aka naïve realism) – The thinking here is that great things will happen almost automatically.  Positive thinking alone can transform our wishes and hopes into reality.

·         Realistic optimism – Still a vigorously constructive mental model that views people as active agents who help make things happen. Realistic optimists know that in order to be successful, they’ll have to be courageous, answer the call to action, plan well, access resources, persist, bounce back, carry on and follow through!

I choose to be a realistic optimist!  For me, it’s not naïve, romantic or idealistic; rather, it’s an asset through which I (and my clients) can become my best self and make a difference through my relationships and my work.  Research associates it with greater measures of health & well-being; longer life expectancy; and more general happiness & prosperity.  At work, it’s an essential catalyst for change & improvement as well as creativity & innovation.

Right about now, some of you may be thinking - ”That’s great but…isn’t optimism part of a person’s hardwiring or isn’t it something that you get from your earliest experiences that gets embedded in your psyche?”  

My answer is yes, optimism is hardwired and yes, it may come more readily if we were exposed to it regularly as kids.  Each of us has a unique endowment and experiences in our formative years.  But that’s only part of the story.  Research tells us that education & personal effort can trump your starting point.  Even our genes need regular input to work properly as we grow & develop!  To a large extent, then, realistic optimism is a CHOICE!

Let me give you a simple little example from my own childhood.  One of my mother’s favorite phrases was ‘bad things happen in threes!”  She really seemed to believe this with certainty and went to great lengths to point out many threesomes. I grew up with this mantra in my head.  If something bad happened to me, I would try to game the system be forcing two (small, benign) ‘bad’ things to happen quickly so that I could get clear of that particular cycle.  Finally, there came a point in time, when I realized (through education) that it really wasn’t true and I laughed it off and went on.

I agree with Rick Warren who says, “We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.”  Realizing that your past doesn’t necessarily predict your future frees a person and opens you up to sparks of possibility around you.

Cultivating the habit (yes, I said habit!) of realistic optimism is more critical today to overall success than ever before. Why? Because we are navigating powerful currents of change; because our work is more complex, our environment more unpredictable and our pace is blistering. We need every edge to be our best selves.

My coaching question to each of you is….Through what lens will you choose to view your workplace, your community, even our world?

For the remainder of this month, take my leadership dare:

Commit to an optimism upgrade!!

Upgrade 1: This week, think about Rick Warren’s quote, noted above. Are the leftovers from your past that are holding you back or keeping you stuck? Identify them clearly and specifically. Then, for each, identify one thing that you are willing to do to free yourself from its influence.

Upgrade 2: Take a vacation (preferably a long one) from ‘the news’. I think it would be pretty discouraging to see the world exclusively through the lens of the media news.  For me it’s a distorted view. The news reports on things (mostly bad and sensational) that happen, not things that don’t happen. When was the last time that a TV crew reported happily on how many countries weren’t at war or cities that haven’t had a mass shooting? In many cases, when you look at the whole picture, the facts tell a surprisingly optimistic story.

Upgrade 3: Reclaim the word ‘do-gooder’! The heck with those who think this word is anything but a wonderful compliment.  This week, make it a point to make a positive difference in the lives of your colleagues, clients and significant others in your workplace. Consider it your super power for the week!

Upgrade 4: Avoid catastrophizing!  Stop thinking about or expecting the worst – from people, situations or experiences. We’re talking about realistic optimism here, so skip the rose colored glasses. We need to seriously attend to problems and challenges without minimizing or discounting them. But portraying everything as a ‘catastrophe’ is overboard and counter-productive. It contributes to a culture of fear and robs us of our most valuable resource when it comes to problem solving….our creative mind. 

Twenty Seconds of Insane Courage

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of speaking at Cumberland Valley High School's 2015 Baccalaureate Ceremony in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.   I was asked to offer an energetic, inspirational message.  And while I did my best to deliver, I also must say that I left feeling personally inspired by the experience.  It was a thrill to look out onto a sea of fresh young leaders, engaged and engaging, poised to rush head on into the world. A true ‘kairos’ moment when opportunity and action intersect!

 Here’s to a generation of leaders already leading from their seats!!

In lieu of a traditional June blog we thought it might be nice to share the presentation I gave to the graduates. It's fun and lighthearted: The top ten countdown for insane courage offers small reminders that are always beneficial to revsit from time to time!!

The Insane Courage Countdown....Enjoy!!

Graduation Presentation: 20 Seconds of Insane Courage from VantageInter

What Can A Rose Teach Us About Workplace Relationships?

It seems like forever ago that I came across ‘The Rose Story.’ I don’t remember the source or the circumstances; what I do remember is that it was one of those mini AHA moments for me. A real whack on the side of my head!

The Rose Story popped into my mind twice in the past few weeks as I was engaged in two separate but similar coaching conversations. In both cases, capable leaders committed to the coaching model were struggling with disappointment and frustration.  In one situation, the leader was second guessing herself for promoting a rising star to a challenging position. From the leader’s perspective, the individual was ‘letting her down’ by not rising to the occasion. In fact, the newly promoted team member seemed overwhelmed and unsteady in the role. The leader was increasingly frustrated by the amount of time, energy and attention that was personally required of her to support this person and the work.

In the other case, a savvy, experienced leader was impatient, unsupportive and overly critical of a new colleague. From the experienced leader’s perspective, the new colleague had not ‘earned’ an executive position; she was immature, overly eager and inexperienced.  And now they were peers; it just didn’t seem fair or reasonable to her.

I think that it’s too easy to fall into such traps. Using ourselves as we are today as the gold standard for everyone else. And perhaps conveniently forgetting our own missteps and insecurities on our leadership journeys. If we are to become more masterful coach leaders, then most of us must fundamentally shift our thinking about the people around us at work. We need to begin to acknowledge and affirm that we are all capable, smart, talented, creative, willing and accountable. We have to understand that we are at different stages of leadership & professional maturity; and of education & experience. And that different is okay. It doesn’t mean less than or inferior. That’s the powerful lesson that a rose can teach us about the people with whom we work. And by teaching us about others, it simultaneously enlightens us about ourselves. Read on for your own personal AHA moment: 

 THE ROSE

When we plant a rose seed in the earth, we notice that it is small but we do not criticize it as “rootless” and “stemless”. We treat it as a seed, giving it the water and nourishment required of a seed. When it first shoots out of the earth, we don’t condemn it as “immature” and “under-developed”; nor do we criticize the buds for not being open when they appear. We stand in wonder at the process taking place and give the plant the care that it needs at each stage of its growth. Finally, as the rose’s bloom fades and the petals fall, we gather them and use them for fragrance and healing. The rose is a rose from the time it is a seed to the time it dies. Within it, at all times, it contains its whole potential. It seems to be constantly in the process of change; yet at each state, at each moment, it is perfectly all right as it is.

Here’s your May leadership challenge:

Week 1:  Keeping the Rose Story in mind, reach out to someone around you who is starting a new leg of their career journey (or maybe taken on a significant challenge) and nurture & nourish that person. Recognize their potential. Express belief in them; encourage & feed them through affirmation. Then stand back and watch them take root!!

Week 2: Share the Rose Story with others. Your team. Someone who may be struggling with self-doubt. Using coaching questions ask people what it means to them and how we can apply it to our relationships at work.

Week 3: Perfect enough! That’s the theme of our leadership challenge this week. The Rose Story applies to you too. You are perfect enough right where you are. You care enough. Know enough. Do enough. Make it a priority to tend to yourself. Affirm and appreciate who you are today and look to be both better and different every day. I often tell myself, “I’m satisfied with who and where I am while eagerly anticipating even more in the future!)

Week 4: Collect Positive Aspects! The final leadership dare of the month is to purposefully look around your workplace. Celebrate the wonderful diversity. Rejoice that everyone isn’t exactly like youJ Think of each member of your team or work group and identify one or two things that are positive or great about them. What are their special talents? What unique contribution do they make? Then make it a point this week to share your insights.  Give them the care and attention that they want and need to build and grow themselves.

Create Your Own Brand Of March Madness!

March Madness is a nickname indelibly stuck to the single elimination Division I college basketball tournament that occurs each Spring in the US. Get ready because it’s coming! From March 15 to April 6 millions of people will be possessed by this affliction. You don’t even have to be a basketball fan to get swept up. Before you know it, you’ve joined an office pool, become a bracketologist (yes, there is such a word); and find yourself cheering for teams to which you have no emotional ties!

For me, the word ‘madness’ does a good job of capturing the sustained energy and excitement associated with the tournament:

So much constant action

So many games

So many teams

The element of unpredictability

The emotional highs and lows

The thrill of an ‘upset’

Everyday heroics

Single minded grit and determination to make it to the next round; to win the ultimate prize

The magic of a high performing team

The inspiring performance of an underdog

Over the top school spirit

And so much more…..

What if we co-opted this term?

What if we co-create our own brand of ‘March Madness?’ No dribbling or shooting involved.

What if we harnessed the passion, the energy, the excitement, the fun and the esprit de corps that are characteristic of the tournament and creatively put them to work in our workplaces, departments and teams?

For me, this feels like the perfect antidote to the energy drain associated with an all too long winter and a great way to shift into refresh and renewal mode as Spring arrives. 

I’ve come up with some leadership bright ideas for delivering a memorable March Madness experience in your workplace throughout the month ahead. Of course, once your creative juices start flowing, develop your own unique ways to catch the ‘feva.’

Don’t forget to share your most creative ideas with us!!

March Madness Challenge 1: During one recent NCAA tournament, a Kentucky coach shared the following secret to his team’s success. He said, “We don’t practice until we get it right. We intentionally practice until we don’t get it wrong.” I found this to be a thought provoking insight. Share this with your team and lead a discussion on what it means to you and your team mates. Identify one thing that you can collectively do differently to ‘intentionally practice until you don’t get it wrong’.

March Madness Challenge 2: There’s a big difference between frenetic energy and focused energy. The former is hurried and harried. We might be checking things off the list; but are we doing our best work? The right work? In a sustained way? In the latter, we aim ourselves strategically and bring our best selves to the work. Sometimes, we’ve got to slow the game down a bit to win.  Name one or two ways in which you can ‘slow down to speed up.’ That is, identify one or two areas in which we can pause briefly and get fanatically focused on what we need to do to create a great outcome.

Stay tuned for two additional March Madness Challenges!

See the Good!

As we settle in to the beginning of another new year, it feels as though it’s the ideal time to refresh our thinking and power up our commitment to intentionally acknowledge what’s right or what’s work around us – in our own lives and with our own work, with our team efforts and with our organization as a whole. (Yeah, I know, this is almost an ‘anti –new year’s resolution’ approach. It’s by design!)

We become what we think about all day long, right? 

Beginning any meeting, conversation, or even a new year, with a firm focus on what’s working around you creates a solid foundation for building enthusiasm, confidence and momentum for more. It gets us on a roll and moving in the right direction. As coach leaders, acknowledging everyday successes is one small way of building and growing ourselves and those around us. And you may be surprised to discover just how many things went well when you put your mind to it! Woo Hoo!!

So let’s get right to it! Take a long look in the rearview mirror at 2014. As you consider the following powerful questions, remember, big doors swing on small hinges; little stuff matters!!

• What are all of the things that went really well for you in 2014? Already this year?
• What was the ‘best’ mistake that you/we made in 2014 that provided great learning for you/us? 
• What was the biggest risk that you took in 2014? Personally? Professionally?
• What was the biggest stretch for you as a leader in 2014?
• What was THE best learning moment of 2014 for you?
• What is your favorite example of someone around you leading from their seat in your organization?

Now, you have to admit, 2014 was full of thrills, adventure and, yes, even, successes (or successes initially disguised as failure)!! And there’s more good news…you don’t have to wait until next January to see the good in 2015!

If you’re not stretching and growing, you’re done!

I have a friend who has an offbeat saying for every occasion. The title of this piece is one saying that she shared frequently with me. Her point is that the process of learning and developing Is a never ending journey. I can testify to the fact that playing a part in someone else’s success strategy by helping them to be both better and different is incredibly rewarding.

As coach leaders, I believe that it’s our responsibility to care enough about others around us at work to engage with them in the growth process. And by others, I mean our direct reports, our peers, our teammates and even our boss! Through a collaborative and supportive relationship with us, someone may find their courage and dare to reach to the next level of their potential. And that’s a Wow for all involved! Notice that I said – collaborative and supportive relationship! We need to check in on our intention during this work to be sure that it’s pure. This isn’t about us being manipulative even subtly; for example, to get someone to do what we want them to do because that meets our needs or agenda.

Professional growth typically involves several core elements. I’ll briefly introduce each here and we’ll do a deeper dive on and a leadership dare for several of them throughout the month. As you consider each of these, reflect at two levels – think about your own development and then think about assisting others with their development work.

Risk – Growth isn’t about playing small or playing it safe. The performance challenge here is to move beyond our current limitations. Pretty exciting stuff and pretty scary too. It’s often not enough to settle for modest progress these days. Playing small isn’t serving our organizations.

Expansion – Professional growth involves expansion in some way or another. Moving to the next level; doing more of something; breaking with and breaking through habits.

Visioning – When it comes to people growing, we have to have a destination in mind – the desired future. Crafting a vision and a route and then holding it vividly in our mind’s each day is how top performers in all fields achieve their goals. The Cheshire Cat in ‘Wonderland’ said it best to Alice: “Alice came to a fork in the road. 'Which road do I take?' she asked. 'Where do you want to go?' responded the Cheshire Cat. 'I don't know,' Alice answered. 'Then,' said the Cat, 'it doesn't matter.”

Stickiness or Sustainability – Growth is about both internal and external change. We’ve got to replace current (maladaptive) habits with fresh ones so that they become a permanent part of who we are and what we do. In other words, intentionality needs to be woven into all growth work. It’s what gives us courage to create and then hold onto a bigger picture of ourselves.

By now you might have concluded that truly challenging others to grow can be a demanding experience. You’re right! But the alternatives, stagnation; settling for ‘average’ or dysfunctional comfort (or according to my friend, being done/‘dead’ professionally) simply aren’t acceptable.

Here’s your leadership dare: Demonstrate the power of growth by growing yourself first. You first!  

“At the boundaries, life blossoms”     -James Gleick