December 28th, 2011
What can we do to help each other face the challenges of an economic climate that changes with the weather?
There are no safe havens. Sears has been around forever and is closing stores. Old brands are dying, yet new ones will always come along to replace them.
What do we want from our leaders to help us with the tides of change?
The following article gives food for thought. So does my response. Enjoy.
Bringing the immigrant perspective to business leaders
Tags: Accountability, Behavior, Business, Conflict, Economy, Ethics, Huffington Post, Leaders, Leadership, Politics, Power
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December 22nd, 2011
Lots of deaths of powerful men in the past year. Many have been dictators who had tons of money and little integrity.
Think about these 3 questions:
- Ever wonder why we permit these men to “rule” us?
- Ever wonder why millions will stay quiet and let those who have found the path to brute power to keep it?
- Ever think about how we can make a better difference and make a better world?
Vaclav Havel was an actor, a playwright, an artist. Maybe there is a clue there. The arts are a way to the heart. Even the word eARTh gives us a clue. Expressing oneself through music, movement, painting, poetry, theater touches the deep core of who we are. Maybe, just maybe, we should be finding leaders who have a different kind of power to lead us. Havel had that mysterious and important blend. What about you?
Click above to read the article by Barry Wood, Economics Journalist at HuffPost World.
Tags: Accountability, art, Economy, expression, History, Huffington Post, Leaders, Leadership, Politics, Power, Psychology, Yaclav Havel
Posted in Accountability, Economy, History, Integrity, Leaders, Leadership, Politics, Power, Psychology, Reflections | No Comments »
November 22nd, 2011
This insightful blog brings up a multitude of questions about active leadership.
What do you do when things are tough and the “kids” are fighting?
Betsy's Page
-This is leadership? by Betsy Newmark
http://betsyspage.blogspot.com/2011/11/this-is-leadership.html
Tags: Accountability, Economy, Leaders, Leadership, leadership development, Management, Politics, Sylvia Lafair
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November 17th, 2011
The “new” politics is happening. It is a return, or maybe a new turn to participatory human scale democracy. It is what is blossoming all around this country, all around the world. Modern technology is being used for good, not just fun or stimulation. The world is coming together in a new way, and as Robert Reich states, apathy is taking a hike!
The wave of involvement includes local grassroots initiatives, a redefining of power, and a way of getting to the core of issues that impact all of us. This is not about the 99%, it really is about the human desire for reaching potential and being altruistic; helping each other.
The “new’ politics is expressed by an “organic” worldview; it is inclusive rather than exclusive. The balance is between “CARE and DARE
” which is the meeting place of male and female ways of thinking and being.
It is in everyone’s nature to care and it is in everyone’s nature to dare, to take risks and make a difference. The evolving worldview that is being shaken loose is seen in the camaraderie of young and elder, diverse folks from diverse backgrounds who no longer are willing to be told what to do and how to live.
The statements from Berkeley California to Manhattan New York are one and the same. We all matter. The perspective is eclectic in detail, yet, generally affirms the human need for far more that material well-being alone. There is an exciting emphasis on holistic values that are life affirming and involve both inner trust in one’s deep beliefs of connectedness as well as group wisdom that we are all connected and no one wins unless we all do.
This is the core of what we teach in our Total Leadership Connections four session program. Come join us in the new wave of transformational leadership. Our new program begins in March 2012 and promises to be amazing and important at this time in the way the world is turning.
Tags: Accountability, Behavioral Patterns, Collaboration, Communication, Education, Leaders, Leadership, leadership development, leadership programs, Management, Politics, Psychology, Relationships, Sylvia Lafair, Total Leadership Connections, Transformation, Workplace Relationships
Posted in Accountability, Character, Collaboration, Communication, Community Relationships, Conflict Resolution, Consulting, Economy, Education, Equality, Integrity, Leaders, Leadership, leadership development, Leadership Strategies, Management, Politics, Psychology, Relationships, Total Leaders, Transformation, Workplace Relationships, Young Leaders | No Comments »
November 15th, 2011
The following guest blog by Marty Wolff truly resonates with our view of leadership, it’s equally important to have the business skills and the inner skills to really be an effective leader. Enjoy his guest blog on the “Inner Game”.
Many of the master teachers have been reminding us that success, both personal and professional is an “inner game”. What happens on the inside will reveal itself on the outside. We have heard these comments from so many wise people over time, yet many of us still don’t understand the power of learning how to make this inner game work for our success.
In this context, success can be defined as achieving a certain tangible or intangible goal. Let’s avoid any detailed definitions of what goals are, let’s suffice it to say a goal is something you want to achieve, a place you want to be, or a state of mind that keeps you calm through good and not so good times.
I believe in the inner game. I have learned about it, practiced it and gained by the implementation of what I have learned. This knowledge has helped me stay on my game both personally and professionally.
So, here are the 10 steps that I believe will help you achieve YOUR success. These steps will also help you maintain a level of desired performance.
- Take 100% responsibility for everything that happens to you and the actions you take everyday. Don’t blame your spouse, your boss, the weather, the stock market or anything else. No matter what happens, if you have the right frame of mind you will take the right actions to move you to a different and better place.
- Read everyday. John Maxwell tells us that our success is the result of our daily agenda. Read something about business, the world, building relationships or other positive literature everyday. Feed your mind just like you feed your body.
- Mediate everyday. I have finally discovered the power of meditation. John Assaraf and Jack Canfield convinced me “success leaves clues”. If these two very successful people meditate everyday then it’s good enough for me. The funny thing is, the more my mind is going in circles, the longer I meditate. This takes real discipline on my part. For full disclosure and to keep your expectations in line, I meditate in the morning for any where from 15 to 45 minutes. This practice will help you focus on what is really important.
- Plan and take action on a business opportunity or personal goal that will benefit you in 6 to 12 months. Because we are so busy, we tend to let the day’s activities pull us along. That will find us at the day exhausted and with little satisfaction. If you are a business owner or a sales person this is very important. Thinking and planning for something to occur several months out, pulls you toward the goal. It energizes you. And when the time comes, which will come whether you planned or not, you will be so pleased that you set a goal and achieved it.
- Send out a gratitude note everyday. There is ample evidence that being grateful to people that you interact with has a positive effect on your thinking. Positive thinking leads to positive behavior, positive behavior leads to positive results.
- Work on a proposal everyday. If you don’t have one, create one. In business this is easy. If you do not have an active client you are working on, start to write a proposal on an account you have not even contacted yet, you will see yourself developing a plan to make them a client. For your personal life you may want to plan for a family reunion, a vacation, a new car or anything else you want to have or create 6 to 12 months down the road.
- Visualize your success. “See” it in your mind as if it is already accomplished. Athletes do this all the time. Statistics validate that athletes that “see” their success are in fact more successful than their competition.
- Exercise. Get physical everyday. For most of us our work days are very sedentary. We sit and work on a computer or some similar work.You need to move around as much as possible during the day. Take a walk at lunch, go to the gym before or after work. Try to get a minimum of 30 minutes vigorous exercise everyday. For me that is a brisk walk just about every morning. I’m describing physical exercise, however it is the “mind game” that gets you moving.
- Keep the promises you make to yourself. This practice can jump start your success plan. If you promise yourself to spend specific time with your family, then do it! If you promise yourself to make that extra sales call today, then do it! If you promise yourself you will lose 10 pounds in the next 60 days, then do it! Keep your promises to yourself. This will lead to you being a trusted family member and business associate.
- Finally. Affirm your worthiness. If you don’t believe you are worthy or deserve the success you seek, you will not get to where you want to go. If your self esteem needs work, then learn how to think better about yourself. You deserve peace and happiness.
I have been mentored by so many people over the years. They don’t know that, however through books, webinars, white papers, magazines etc. I have tried to learn how to improve. Improvement and excellence is never an accident, you need to work at it everyday. I suggest you pay attention to folks like John Assaraf, Jack Canfield, John Maxwell, Seth Godin, Bob Burg, Febienne Fredrickson, Janet Attwod, and Robin Sharma to name a few.
Good luck on your journey.
Marty is the CEO of Marty Wolff Business Solutions (MWBS). “We help people and their organizations perform better than they ever imagined”. Marty can be reached at marty@martywolffbusinesssolutions.com and his website is http://martywolffbusinesssolutions.com.
Tags: Accountability, Business, Coaching, Consulting, Leaders, Leadership, leadership development, Management
Posted in Accountability, Advice, Business, Coaching, Consulting, Integrity, Leaders, Leadership, leadership development, Leadership Strategies, Management, Reflections | 1 Comment »
November 4th, 2011
Yesterday I talked about the male brain under stress and the need to stimulate the brain to stay present by the click, tap, drum, or hum methods in meetings. I guess the click top pen was designed just for men to be able to handle the anxiety of difficult meetings.
Now what about the women?
It seems they have a different approach to stress and anxiety. Women’s brains are hard wired to connect the dots, to see how one thing is connected to another. This has to do with the fact that females have ten times more white matter in their brains. This white matter goes across both sides of the brain and everything has something to do with everything else.
So, when women get anxious in a meeting?
TOO MUCH INFORMATION! Yup, there is a tendency to talk about ALL the details in a project. Some women have mastered this addictive desire to tell it all while others are like that Chatty Cathy doll of yore and keep going until the battery starts to wear down.
Here is a rule of thumb when you are doing the talking: the more anxious, the more details. What you can do is tame the stress by some deep breathing, taking a bio break (what I like to call “liquid leveling”), even just deciding to stand up if you are sitting or sit down if you are standing. Anything to change your physical state even for a moment will help.
Details are good. Connecting the dots of how aspects of a situation fit together are important. However, too much of anything becomes toxic. So, ladies watch out for too many details.
How we relate in the workplace is one of the major aspects of our GUTSY WOMEN WEEKEND. Join us! The next one is scheduled on Friday evening November 11 through Sunday morning November 13 at The Country Place Retreat and Conference Center in White Haven Pa. Email maryjane@ceoptions.com or call 570 636 3858 for more details.
Tags: Behavioral Patterns, Business, Collaboration, Communication, Executive Teams, Leaders, Leadership, leadership development, Management, Patterns, Psychology, Relationships, Stress, Sylvia Lafair, Workplace Relationships
Posted in Advice, Business, Coaching, Communication, Executive Teams, Leaders, Leadership, leadership development, Management, Meetings, Neuroscience, Patterns, Psychology, Relationships, Stress, The Country Place, Uncategorized, Women in the workplace, Workplace Relationships | 3 Comments »
November 3rd, 2011
Meetings can be boring, infuriating, or creative. Regardless of the exact emotion, they all are stress inducing. And with stress comes ways of responding that are hard wired in our brains. Knowing about how you tend t
o react and ways others are prone to react, gives you a leg up in how to handle your part during the encounter.
In my book, “Don’t Bring It to Work”, I discuss the 13 most common behavior patterns that show up in the workplace. Now, I would like to add the specific ways that are gender driven.
When men are under stress and exhaustion, there is a tendency to stimulate the brain to stay present to the situation at hand. Think about the last meeting you had and if there were any males in the room either clicking a pen, tapping a foot, drumming on the table or maybe even humming under their breath.
These are ways that the male brain says “pay attention and stay with the situation at hand”.
I learned about this phenomenon when consulting with a company whose senior team was furious with their boss. They found him to be, well, bossy. He was like a marine drill sergeant always demanding and belittling when what he wanted didn’t happen the way he wanted. You know the type.
In any case, it was time to tell the truth and become a more cohesive team. I knew we were making progress by the amount of time the CEO spent clicking his pen in the meetings. As the situation bended and morphed into one of more compatibility, the clicking was less intense.
Okay, now you know about the male brain under stress or exhaustion: click, tap, drum, hum. Tomorrow I’ll tackle the female brain.
Tags: Behavioral Patterns, Book, Business, Communication, Don't Bring It to Work, Executive Teams, Leaders, Leadership, leadership development, pattern aware, Patterns, Psychology, Relationships, Sylvia Lafair, Workplace Relationships
Posted in Advice, Books, Business, Character, Communication, Consulting, Executive Teams, Leaders, Leadership, leadership development, Meetings, PatternAware, Patterns, Psychology, Relationships, Workplace Relationships | No Comments »
October 13th, 2011
I have been asked to review books for McGraw Hill and it is really so much fun. I get to read all the new stuff just before it hits the market and let you all know what is good and what is great.
This book, “The Power of Foursqaure” is a bit out of my usual comfort zone. I am a people- person who still loves the sight and sounds of being with someone and discussing what really matters for business, for the world.
However, as I was reading this well researched book by Carmine Gallo I realized how important the tech-people connection really is. It is here to stay and actually makes the connection between us as individuals and the products we buy so much more effective.
Foursquare is a social, mobile networking and location based service. It helps you find the best places and services in a, well, foursquare area of where you are. Need shoes, a restaurant, a dog grooming salon; foursquare can help with a push of a button.
This book includes case studies from all types of companies; not for profit and those that bring in big bucks. From The American Red Cross to Radio Shack to NASA there is a way to connect your brands, harness new fans, and engage your followers.
Gallo, a former correspondent for CNN and CBS uses his journalistic ability to ask great questions and dig for solutions to complex situations.
If you are in business in the 21st Century this book will help you stay ahead of the curve of what is being brought to us via the bright minds of companies like Foursquare.
Tags: Carmine Gallo, Foursquare, Social Media, Social Networking, The Power of Foursquare
Posted in Book Review, Books, Networking, Social Media | No Comments »
October 2nd, 2011
How does a social epidemic start? How can it be used for real and lasting change to occur? What are we yearning for anyway? The sparks from Occupy Wall Street are spreading. What is the organizing principle? The media says the folks who protest and march are not clear. Yes, they are. It is about something so basic it is almost impossible to consider. It is about new ways of organizing the human enterprise. We all need to participate. It’s not about finger pointing, it’s about a vital redesign. What a great time to be alive. Let’s all add our best thinking and create something amazing that will include everyone. What can you offer to this important moment in history?
Occupy Wall Street is yet another thread in the new social fabric we are all weaving; a different pattern with impressive signs for change in how we relate to each other, to the environment, and frame our basic social order. The plea is to go deeper in our thinking, not to stay in the superficial, symptoms category of right and wrong, good and bad. We can help each other find a way out of the materialistic misery that envelopes all of us, from the very rich to the very poor. Its about you, its about me, and its about time.
The deepest concern that is finally coming to light is how we have been alienated from each other. Social media is here to help us connect. The tweets of encouragement for those on the Brooklyn Bridge were from around the world. There is no more hiding and ignoring. The opposite of alienation is connection. In our Total Leadership Connections program that is the core teaching “we are all connected and no one wins unless we all do”. The dictators around the world are learning this, now those who have taken more than their fair share on Wall Street are in the world classroom.
Tags: occupy wall street, social epidemic, Total Leadership Connections, wall street protest
Posted in Conflict, Leadership, Media, Politics | No Comments »
September 29th, 2011
Sean Penn, a great Academy Award winning actor is also a passionate activist. I spent time mulling over a statement he made while I was catching up on the news on the plane coming from Las Vegas. I was riveted watching a program about what a democracy requires.
“Democracy is no democracy without participation” was an important quote from Sean Penn. I sat thinking about leadership and what it takes for leaders to activate our participatory neurons. Plane rides are great places to zone out and also to have quiet time to think.
My reverie brought me back to sixth grade where I was elected the Vice President of our class. “What do I do?” I queried. “Not much” was the reply from the President. He made sure to inform me that HE would be in the limelight and I would simply be there, well, in case he got sick or there was something boring he did not want to participate in.
It was a time before “the girls” took strong stands. I looked at dear Bill and smiled, “I guess I’ll take my cues from you.” “Yeah, good idea” was his reply.
Even at the age of twelve the conditioning to let others dictate behavior, what is and is not allowed, what can and can’t be done is deep. And I was one of the question askers, one of the GUTSY ones.
It did not take long before I started to create some waves at school. “Why” I asked our teacher did the President have all the power and I, the Vice President had none? (Do you think Joe Biden asks this also?).
I got little from my teacher who just wanted us to “behave”. I was told that was just the way things were and to accept things as they were. What was so perfect was that Bill became majorly annoying in school and before I knew it there were rumblings of impeachment. That would mean I would be President. Sounded good to me!
Now, as I look back I think about what a major learning time that could have been for all of us twelve-year-old kids. Instead, the teacher called a meeting of the “rabble rousers” and told them you cannot impeach a President for liking his job and for showing off. We did not have a leg to stand on and thus the delight about impeachment soon faded away.
What also faded away was our fascination with power, personalities, and politics. Most of us became uninvolved and the school year ended with little learning about how to really participate in a democracy. What we learned was what so many of us took into the workplace, which is how to behave properly and be politically correct.
Tags: democracy, democracy is no democracy without participation, Leadership, Power, Sean Penn
Posted in Business, Character, Conflict, Leadership, Management, Politics, Power | 1 Comment »
