Strategic Serendipity

Have you ever seen someone actually light up when they discuss something?  You probably notice it most often when you ask someone about their child.  Their eyes sparkle and you are engaged whether you've met the child or not.  It is because the person is speaking about their passion and they are more persuasive and engaging because of it. I attended a program last night with Robin Gerber, author of Leadership the Eleanor Roosevelt Way, and I was struck at once by two separate instances of how following one's passion can guide your work. The first example was in the story of how Eleanor found her passion working to improve the lot of others.  The second was in how Robin found her passion writing about Eleanor. I learned to respect Eleanor Roosevelt's life and work, because she was an amazing woman with every opportunity and excuse to live it up without regard to consequences.  And yet, through it all, she found a way to contribute to the world and to give her life mean

Here is my response to a great blog post on the Washington Post.com.  Once I figure out how, I will post the comment on that site.  Until then, enjoy. Some people know exactly what career they want from childhood.  Is it easier to help those people in life and to help them progress through a productive career?  Obviously.  Most of us are more like you Misti and need to explore our options.  That usually means a bit of mentor and career trial and error along the way.  Many people try to “help” mentees by leading them down the path that made them successful and indoctrinating the mentee into the mentor’s world.  They assume, this worked for me, it will work for you.  While this may be a great process for making cookies, it usually doesn’t work for developing people.  In reality, it usually results in an ended relationship (this isn’t working for me) or the protégé will follow the mentor’s advice and pretend to be engaged in the process only to find they are not fulfilled by the proce

The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is based on the work of Swiss psychiatrist Carl G. Jung. Jung observed that people have inborn preferences for gathering information and making decisions and that these preferences guide an individual’s behavior. The mother/daughter team of Katherine Cook Briggs and Isabel Briggs Myers expanded on Jung’s theories and created an assessment to make the combined work accessible to all individuals. Today, the assessment is used by most Fortune 100 companies and over two million people worldwide, annually. The assessment identifies an individual’s inborn preferences on four dichotomous scales: where you focus your energy, how you prefer to take in information, how you make decisions, and how you deal with the outer world. There are no “good” and “bad” types. Rather, type is best used to understand other people, improve communication, and develop individual skills. Do you ever feel like you speak a different language than your co-

Have you ever noticed that the same word can generate very different reactions from different people? Every person has their own lens through which they view the world. It is crafted from their personal preferences, the time and culture in which they were raised, and their personal life experiences. We can study personality type, generations theory, active listening, and coaching, but the fact of the matter is, at some point, a communication disconnect will arise because one person uses a word in a conversation that has completely different meanings or connotations to the two people involved. While this may seem easy to fix by looking the word up in the dictionary to find out who is right, I feel this only deepens the defensive positions of the two individuals involved in the potential conflict. This happened to me last week when a friend and colleague said she was trying to break through my righteous barrier. Through my lens, regardless of whether I am right or wrong, this was a

We've all read lots of books and articles on giving feedback, but what is the best way to receive feedback?  My default response used to be to explain my position, show how I do what the person is asking, or show how I wanted to but someone else prevented me.  If I am caught off guard or stressed, these are still my gut instincts.  However, I have learned two much more constructive ways to respond to feedback that I strive to use more often.  The first started as I became more self-aware and felt comfortable and safe acknowledging and working on my weaknesses.  If someone points something I am aware of and I feel safe (i.e., it is pointed out in a private forum versus a public forum) the best thing I can do is say "I know, do you have any suggestions or advice that will help me?"  If someone has the courage to step out of their comfort zone to point out a way I can improve, it is a safe bet they've thought about it beforehand.  The second way to handle feedback, espec

Two different conversations with two amazing and insightful women this week helped me realize why I am having trouble blogging and how to fix it.  (Thank you Phyllis Serbes and Misti Burmeister !)  Funny thing is, they probably have no clue they also helped me identify one trait that holds me back time after time.  (Thanks now does not seem enough.)   So what is this magic recipe for blogging (and professional) success?  The one that took me 39 years to learn?  Don't demand perfection.   Yes, I have heard it before.  But for some reason, hearing it this week from two women I admire and respect in relation to blogging crystallized the bigger picture (and pattern) in my mind.  Here's my story, let me know what you think.  I started this blog in November because I feel like I have something to contribute to the study of leadership.  I keep a handwritten journal of my thoughts and I am constantly making notes, connecting ideas, and citing great sources.  My research and learning

Tip of the week: multitask your professional development.  I recently found the Center for Creative Leadership 's podcasts on iTunes U.  If you prefer, you can get there on the computer via the link above.  What I love about loading them on my iPod though is the ability to use my commute time for professional development.  The podcasts are relatively short pieces that can be crammed into even the shortest commute.  Wondering where to start?  I recommend "How to Grow as a Leader," a great piece on developmental assignments.

Penn State's Academic Advising Journal defines mentor as "a wise and trusted counselor or teacher." It is rooted in Greek mythology, Mentor was Odysseus's trusted counselor, under whose disguise Athena became the guardian and teacher of Telemachus. Today, when we think of mentors we think of one of two things: (1) a person who has added quality to your life through sheer good will, or (2) a person assigned as a part of an educational or work program whose job it is to show you how things are done. I’ll use a shorthand for referring to the two types (1) an “organic” mentor and (2) an “assigned” mentor. If you are very lucky, you may get a two-for-one, but don’t worry if you don’t. Life is full of both types and you can learn from both. I’ll write more about strategies for working with mentors in the future. If you are lucky enough to find a person you want to emulate, ask them to be your mentor, this will be your “organic” mentor. Tell them what you want to learn

I am inspired by two friends who, in the last month, have secured new and better work opportunities for themselves. Neither are known for constantly selling themselves to their superiors, but they stepped outside of their comfort zone and asked for something they wanted. I am so excited for and proud of them! So, what is it that you want in 2010? I challenge you to learn from my two friends. Look at what is out there (and what may be coming down the line), determine what aligns with your skills and talents, and go to the source to show them why you are the best person to get the job done. In the meantime, have a happy and prosperous new year!