New Year's Eve: A Reflection Guide

“Wow, I forgot about that.”

I recently offered a busy client a simple end of year reflection exercise. After he did it, the quote above was his revelation. The exercise below is actually a tool of encouragement, to help folks remember successes and embed the learning of their experiences that year.  Highlights are easy to remember, but there are other moments and efforts that too often get lost because we have not built up the habit of reflection. 

As they resisted the temptation to tackle their year-end task list, they stopped long enough to recall all the best parts of their Year. They were rejuvenated, refocused and relieved to know that in all the activity, they had achieved some pretty amazing progress and relevance that would otherwise have gone unnoticed.

As a tribute before year-end to my own raison d’etre (or ikigai ) -- to encourage others – here is a reflection guide as you ponder through the countdown to the New Year ahead, and get inspired toward your own ikigai. 

NB: Be sure to set up some reflection time:  Pick 30 minutes, a favorite alone-spot, a yummy elixir, and your best smooth-glide writing tool, all for maximum impact!

Q1 – How did you STEP OUT this year?

How did you do something courageous or out of the ordinary... how did you step out in faith, take a risk?

(I actually ended up with far more items this year in one Reflection sitting than I had originally expected…13 to be exact! When I looked deeper, there was a reaffirming pattern of career growth that had emerged over the year, as well as a cord of spiritual growth that was above and beyond what I had planned. I even recalled how I'd “stepped out” in parenting our two teenage daughters.)

Q2 – Who were you intentional with this year?

Who were the people who benefited from your wisdom, your kindness, your guidance, your care, people you specifically had on your radar?

Q3 – How did you create more margin in your life?

What efforts did you attempt to get a better handle on interruptions and unexpected demands? Or to create regular intervals of time in your day/week for the non-urgent but important things (building relationships, creative outlets, goal monitoring, project evaluation, networking, mentorship, date nights, etc.)?

Q4 – What words would you use to describe your mindset about your life in general this past year?

Q5 – Pick five favorite people from different parts of your life. How would THEY describe your attitude and behavior this past year?

Q5a – Is there a discrepancy to ponder (between answers to 4 and 5)?

Q6 – If you were to give 20xx a theme or a name, what would it be (20xx was the year of ______)?

Question 7 comes from one of my favourite thinkers/communicators Daniel Pink. In his book, DRIVE, he talks about the three intrinsic motivators of practically all humans at work: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose. Autonomy = Am I trusted to get things done?

Mastery = Am I getting better? learning? growing?

Purpose = Is my work/life making a difference? Are we creating something together to make the world better?

So Q7 is about what motivated you this year….

Q7a - What areas of my life/work did I gain new autonomy? Or a new level of authority?

Q7b - What areas of my life/work did I grow/improve?

Q7c - How did I collaborate with others on something this year? What did we make a little better for the world around us? What was a little contribution I made?

Enjoy the perspective and motivation this gives you for the year ahead. Know your story -- you've done great things! Happy New Year, everyone.

Two Power Tools in Ambiguity: Perspective and Preparation

During the recent virus disruption, and based on multiple client conversations as people adapt, we’re sharing our take on two of the most important weapons in times of ambiguity:  Perspective and Preparation.

Though we are faced with uncertainty, we can stand firm in the truth that we are here, we are capable, and we now have the gift of extra time.  However this extra time manifests (reduced commute time, less distraction as people lay lower than usual, more downtime) we can make a choice to embrace opportunity and decide how we will use the gift.  My experience with hundreds of business leaders has proven that above all else, a positive outlook (hope) can be an important predictor of resilience. Two other common tools of power in times of change and ambiguity for these leaders: perspective and preparation.

It is a time for self-leadership.

How ready were you for this?  Many of us are leading and inspiring teams remotely.  Many of us are needing to manage ourselves in a new independent way, staying accountable to results.  Many of us are using new technologies for the first time to stay in touch with our clients and customers.  The wisest of leaders are leading with their strengths (and they are highly self-aware to know what those are), they are staying anchored to their vision and long term purposes, using time for strategy, and digging into the strength of their network to get a pulse check on the market and best practices.  They are utilizing a powerful weapon in their arsenal -- seeking perspective.

1/ Perspective

"Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed"

As the proverb teaches, there is wisdom in a multitude of counselors.  This wisdom is based in humility.  To seek counsel, to seek perspective, to ask questions, to be curious about others' success and thoughts takes a measure of vulnerability.  It is to admit that we don't know it all, that we may be stuck or doing it wrong, that we are open to new ideas which may be better than ours.  Our world today has the technological advantage of learning from all kinds of different people and research sources, listening to a whole host of opinions, so that our own go-forward stance or actions can be founded in data and diversity of thought. Perspective is fundamental to growth.

We grow even more when it rains.  In this unexpected rainstorm, we are all caught off-guard to varying degrees.  One client of mine is in the middle of downsizing their team and now has to do it more remotely.  Another client is forced to postpone a landmark event indefinitely.  Others still are about to lose thousands of dollars in revenue due to a risk-averse client base.  They are questioning their strengths, their motivation, their resources.

Our best course of action in any situation or downturn would be to stop and reflect, re-asses, learn from our mistakes and take the learning into our next season.  Teams who score highest in adaptability know how to unlearn and relearn as they investigate a problem.  Global human capital firm KornFerry called this Learning Agility. 

How agile are you in learning the "right" lessons from your situation and using them for future problems and success?  How are you using this time to reflect on how this change is truly impacting you or your business, gathering the troops to reassess and plan for the future so that you are better prepared for crisis or unexpected shifts?   What new preparations are you making to anticipate change, to hedge future damage? 

Some of you possess these strengths and utilize them in your day to day jobs, anticipating client and project needs.  These are extremely marketable attributes, as employers seek candidates who know how to anticipate needs, are open to diverse perspective, and have the self-discipline of daily preparation practices.

2/ Preparation

The second most important asset in crisis is preparation.  One could argue this extends to the shortage of TP and canned beans on shelves, but I am referring less to a knee-jerk reaction in panic mode to what just presented itself, and more to a measured, strategic approach, where the habit of preparation is built over time once you have anticipated what might occur one day.   Building the discipline of preparation begins with the habit of regular, meaningful review. 

These Five Questions can guide a meaningful hour, or a two-day offsite with your team.

1/ What is working?

2/ What is weak?

3/ What would a Hot Shot come in here and change? See Dan Pink’s PinkCast.

4/ Why are we here again? (purpose and vision review)

5/ What's the tweak we need to make?

Other measures of strategic preparation include contingency planning, succession planning and crisis management plans.  Let's focus on question #4 above.  Begin with the end in mind is Stephen Covey's famous second Habit of Highly Effective People.  When faced with crisis, organizations will often realize that their vision was not strong enough to remain the beacon to guide them through. 

Vision is a necessary piece of preparation.  It is the glue that holds all actions together.  It ensures that effectiveness (doing the right things) is more valuable than efficiency alone (merely doing things right).  And vision is the very priority that our strongest leaders communicate in times of disruption.

Preparing ourselves for what might be ahead is what our wisest counselors have taught us growing up:  put aside 10% of your income for savings, rebuild the muscle from your injury slowly and consistently, have some homemade chicken broth in the freezer for when you get sick, teach your kids in the way they should go to be responsible citizens who see and care, build a balanced portfolio or nest-egg for retirement.  Slowly, simply, steadily. 

Clients are rebuilding their resumes as we speak to prepare for future work, to ensure they are highlighting achievements from their current jobs in mastering ambiguity, facilitating a team through change, and needs anticipation.  They'll be more prepared for seeking new work with employers who have navigated change and who are now more sensitive to these attributes in candidates.

Preparation brings steadfastness, a quality that is anchored in a belief in something true and real and worthy.  Steadfastness produces perseverance.  Perseverance produces character, and a strong character produces hope.  The greatest of leaders have enacted these strengths with a sense of humility as they seek perspective, prepare their troops for unexpected shifts, and focus us on the hope of a well-strategized future.

#agility #preparation #perspective #emergence #needs anticipation #ambiguity

Life Hacks that 'Compound' Time

I love the attached article I’m introducing here.

As a coach, I make it my life work to help people find more time for things that improve their fulfillment, contentment and quality of life. 

As we launch into the 'wrap' stage of another year, I am settling cozily into my reflection and planning month, December.  Tough for me to do, since I am hugely task-driven.  My habit of sitting down to write, or plan, or think is slowly improving only because of my recent disciplines of daily prayer.  This is actually teaching me how much value comes from stopping, pausing, listening, 'waiting before work'.  I wanted to share with you my favourite article of the year so far, all about tasks that help you make more of your precious time over the long haul.  This is a quick read packed with wisdom that I hear all the time and instinctively know as true.  

My Take-aways in order to ‘compound my time’ rather than waste it:

1. Reflect

2. Unplug and Read (here is an article on how reading and classical literature books improve brain power and our lives)

3. Discuss Ideas

4. Pause, Walk, Nap

5.  Embrace Botched Experiments

Finally, find a non-family accountability partner who you will invite to encourage you to create a plan and put some action steps in your calendar as you build new and necessary habits for mega success and time well spent.

Which one of these in the article are you already winning on??

https://medium.com/the-mission/why-successful-people-spend-10-hours-a-week-on-compound-time-79d64d8132a8

The Only Two Networking Questions...and the answers that scream confidence

Networking, information interviews, career conversations, coffee chats -- call them what you like.  Wise executives know you have to be doing them on a regular basis, no matter how content or successful you are in your job.  Constant convergence within any industry today demands it.   It's necessary for business reconnaissance and it's necessary for prospecting your next career move.

If you are in job search mode, and you are about to meet with someone you've invited for a coffee, you've got some pre-thought questions ready about their career, their industry or their organization.  But be ready for them to want something back.  Ultimately, they want answers to these two questions:

1.  Who are you?

2. What do you really want?

First question is really about you having a strong sense of self, able to articulate your work history (ie. credibility) in terms of industry and functional expertise, in a relevant way to them.  Asked another way: what do you have to offer that we could use?  They are scoping you out even though they didn't do the inviting. ("We're always looking for good people.")

Second question is really about them needing a sense of your career vision.  They're wondering "Where do you see this fitting into your overall bigger picture and career plans?  Have you done that kind of thinking?  How do you fit?  How does your experience translate into something we may need?  What are you looking for from me? What do you want the next step to look like here?"

If you can be ready with a smashing sense of self and an impressive effort of pre-work (having unique insights on their industry, having done some unexpected research on this person/company), you're marking yourself as a confident, initiative-taker who is worth staying connected with for future opportunities.  That's what you want.  So when the next opportunity comes up, and you've done a respectful job of staying top-of-mind, guess who gets the call saying "hey Jill, would you be interested in...?"

Time is Finite. Your Energy is Not...

I have recently unshelved a classic HBR Article about managing yourself (Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time, 2007).  These principles of 'energy management' although new-agey sounding are timeless and effective.  The four energy dimensions include body, emotions, mind, and spirit, according to these authors.  These happen to line up beautifully with the wisdom from "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" Weekly Compass exercise, where you add one goal per week in four categories: Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual.   Ensuring that you regularly 'sharpen the saw' for yourself allows you to put your best forward in other areas of your life. 

I have summarized the long article for you and bottom-lined their study's solutions.  DO build disciplines around these 'secrets', as proven successful for Wachovia Bank, E&Y, Sony Europe, and so forth:

1. Physical Fitness (duh)

2. Regular breaks from your office/desk throughout the day

3. Connection rituals like family breakfast after your morning prayer or workout

4. 20 minute walk in the afternoon

5. Deep abdominal breathing (exhaling 5 to 6 seconds induces relaxation and recovery)

6. Expressing appreciation to others

7. Learning to change the stories your tell yourself (this can include work with your coach on the critical voice of the Saboteur we all hear)

8. Switching time (vs. its opposite 'multi-tasking'): Fully focus for 90 to 120 minutes, take a true break, then fully focus on the next activity (perhaps you go to a conference room away from phone and email, let your phone go to voicemail, check your email only 2 or 4 times per day)

9. Identify each night the most important challenge for the next day and make it your first priority

10. Create opportunities to ask yourself a series of questions about what really matters to you (ex. What do you want to be remembered for?  What are your real priorities in life? What two work experiences in the past several months did you find yourself in your "sweet spot", feeling effective, effortlessly absorbed, inspired, fulfilled?  What are your top core values, (or, to get these, ask first what are the qualities you find most off-putting when you see them in others? )

11.  Create time for and rituals in 3 categories: 1) Doing what you do best/enjoy most at work 2) Balance of work, family, health, service -- whatever you deem important 3) Living your core values in your DAILY behaviours

12.  Organizations can also: build 'renewal rooms', subsidize gym memberships, institute no-meeting zones, agree as a culture to stop checking email during meetings