Strategic Serendipity

Goals should be things that are a stretch.  They should be things that aren't easy to achieve.  If you are truly setting goals (and not benchmarks) you will sometimes fail to hit the mark.  Take, for example, the 31-Day Blog Challenge I participated in this month.  Add in the most teaching and program days at work I have had in a while, designing a new program that has to be presented to and approved by my equivalent of the C-Suite, getting a cold from constantly going back and forth between 107 degree F heat index and 70 degree F air conditioning, and top it off with my first trip to the ER with my 21 month old son because of a fall (official diagnosis and treatment: a small bruise and a popsicle).  Needless to say, I have failed my 31-Day Blog Challenge.  And I failed it in front of all of you. So, we are making this a teaching moment on goal setting and resilience.  I will continue blogging through the end of the month AND I will redo the challeng...

I figured out why I am so excited about the Royal Baby Boy. There is an old Anne Murray Song - A Little Good News that says it perfectly and is my song for the day.  I rolled out this morning Kids had the mornin' news show on Bryant Gumbel was talkin' 'bout the fighting in Lebanon Some senator was squawkin' 'bout the bad economy It's gonna get worse you see, we need a change in policy There's a local paper rolled up in a rubber band One more sad story's one more than I can stand Just once how I'd like to see the headline say "Not much to print today, can't find nothin' bad to say", because Nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town Nobody OD'ed, nobody burned a single buildin' down Nobody fired a shot in anger, nobody had to die in vain We sure could use a little good news today I'll come home this evenin' I'll bet that the news will be the same Somebody takes a hostage, somebody steals a plane How ...

There will never be a perfect time, sometimes you just have to make a move.  For what?  Honestly, it doesn't matter. We are constantly saying I will do that when I have more money, I will apply for that job when I have more experience, I will volunteer when I have more time, etc.  There will never be a perfect time.  If you spend your life waiting for "when" you will miss some amazing opportunities.  Does that mean you should take a fantasy vacation on your credit cards or apply for an executive chef position if you have never even been able to make toast?  Of course not.  It means you need to break your big goal down into small goals and make one move today that will get you closer.  Start  putting $25 a paycheck in a savings account for that vacation. Pick a new recipe to try for dinner. Read a book, a magazine, or a blog in an area that interests you. Research volunteer opportunities you can do with your child or in the time you have after...

I learned something the other day watching my 20 month old son learning how to climb a small rock climbing wall.  There is a reason it is good to start at the bottom - you have less room to fall and it is so much easier to get back up when you do. The same can be said about the business world.  I hear people talking about younger generations in the workforce "wanting to run the organization their first week."  Suffice it to say, they simply feel like their skills are not being fully utilized, but that is for another article. This article is for people of any age starting a new career.  Appreciate the fact that you get to learn from the ground up.  Just like a child playing on a rock climbing wall, you are going to slip every now and then.  In the business world, it is called "failing forward" and it is a legitimate form of adult learning.  In fact, on-the-job experience is actually the most effective way for adults to learn. Experiment with new...

There are many books, courses, blogs, and podcasts out there that can help you become a better leader. So why aren't we a world of master leaders?  Simply, because the business of leadership development is not easy.   When I took a developmental rotation from my position as an attorney to my position in as a leadership development professional I had many people tell me that I had sabotaged my career.  To this day, I am constantly asked if I am having fun or when I am going to go back to my "real" job.  In other words someone with a law degree is only at their highest and best use if they are doing legal analysis.   I would like to point out two things... First, the work I do on a daily basis as a leadership development professional is harder than any legal analysis I have ever done.  Legal analysis goes something like this.  You have a rule, you have a set of facts, you apply the rule to the set of facts and determine whether the facts ar...

From Dan Rockwell @Leadershipfreak (well actually from his wife via his blog)..." People who already know can't be taught ."  The whole blog piece is hilarious but I wanted to focus a bit on the serious side of the message. Let's start with the big question I hear so often.  "Are leaders made or taught?"  My opinion is that some people have an innate understanding of leadership concepts in the way that some people have an innate understand of how to throw a baseball or play a guitar.  It is easier for them to learn and master but they still have to practice if they want to make it to the big time.  For the rest of the world, there are thousands of models, books, courses, blogs, podcasts, etc. (if not millions by now) to help them learn what the others seem to innately know.  But it is like going to a piano lesson, if you don't go home after the lesson and practice, you might as well not go at all. In other words, true leaders master their craft thr...

When I signed up for the 31 Day Blogging Challenge  my main objective was to train myself to write every day.  I found so much more.  The challenge leader has provided daily support, encouragement, and tips that I look forward to reading every morning.  The challenge also includes reading and commenting on other participant's blogs.  I have found some wonderful bloggers and am thoroughly enjoying sharing this process with them. I think sometimes when we take on a challenge we may anticipate some of what we will gain, but often, we learn so much more than we ever expected.  If we can keep that in mind as we begin challenges maybe it will push us a little harder? Twelve days into the challenge, I have already topped my previous high monthly views.  For those bloggers who have posts with views in the millions, the activity on my blog may not be earth shattering.    For me, it is truly inspiring. If you have a blog or want to start one, I r...

How can one small word strike fear in the hearts of many.  I applied for a independent contractor position teaching yesterday and received an e-mailed rejection today.  At first that little gremlin that lives in my head said "See, I told you so!" But seriously, it is just an e-mail.  From someone who probably knows nothing about me because 10,000 other people probably applied for the same one job.  (Shhh, that is the story I am telling myself tonight.) Mia Hamm said "Failure happens all the time.  It happens every day in practice.  What makes you better is how you react to it." So once I got through the disappointment and the rationalization, I realized how quickly they both passed.  Why, because then I got to the point where I realized I had put myself out there for something I was interested in and now had a contact.  So I wrote another e-mail (one I hope will be answered) about what skills I could enhance to be competitive for future open...

Country music fans will recognize the title of this post as a line from Sugarland's "Something More."  (If you don't recognize it, it is definitely worth a download.)  What I love about the song is that it is about finding and following your passion.  Living up to everything there is in store for you.  But not in a "fate" type of way, but in a proactive - create your own happiness type of way.   Another song I love for this is "Firework" by Katy Perry.  It challenges you to open the door to the perfect road.   These are just two of the songs I regularly listen to in the morning to get ready for the day.  Consider it a pre-game ritual.   Does music boost your spirit and energy level?  What songs do you listen to to get you inspired?  Do you make it a routine? Something More by Sugarland Firework by Katy Perry Monday, hard to wake up Fill my coffee cup, I'm out the door Yeah, the freeway's standin...

I received this e-mail from Change.org in the mail today...talk about one simple act - way to go Henry! My name is Henry. As you may not know, after considerable expense of my time and money and at some cost to the peace in our home, I planted over a thousand flowers at Washington DC's Dupont Circle Metro North Station. Metro ordered me to stop. If I stop, the flowers could die before they bloom. I was stunned and saddened that I would face “arrest, fines and imprisonment” if I continued to tend to the thousand flowers I planted at the Dupont Circle Metro North Station. Out of the goodness of my heart, last Fall I planted over 100 bulbs in the very same neglected garden squares. Months later they bloomed, sharing their joy and beauty with fellow Metro Riders. This Spring I returned. I weeded and two trash bags were filled with more than 300 discarded cigarette butts, shards of glass, wads of gum, tree branches and assorted fast food restaurant garbage. But Metro do...

"Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day, someone might do the same for you."  Princess Diana A few months ago I wrote about how  One Simple Act  can create a ripple around you and effect people you may never know.  The responsibility that comes with this knowledge is to try to make those acts positive, proactive, and uplifting. Under the premise that acting as a group we can create more positive change than we could alone, I encourage you to take the One Simple Act Ten-Day Ripple Challenge. Each day, tweet and/or facebook post your simple act with the hastag #onesimpleactripple.  The tweets will scroll on this blog for everyone to see.  Share the challenge with your friends and family and see what collective change we can make in the next ten days. Join me in this moving endeavor.  Comment below on how you feel when you complete your daily challenge.  Not enough of a challenge ...

Every Monday morning that old 80's song "Manic Monday" runs through my head - even when it is a good Monday.  Why?  The same reason that Friday night is exciting even if you stay at home and go to bed early.  Because we've created a cycle where Monday's are bad and Fridays are fun. Call it the beauty of a four-day weekend or all the positive proactive thinking I've been doing lately, but I am ready to buck the trend.  Mondays are the days you get to start over.  It is like New Year's Day every week!  Which of course makes every Sunday night like New Year's Eve.  So as you finish up your laundry and get ready for the week, think about what resolutions you will make this week.  Don't get overwhelmed trying to change everything at once.  Pick one thing you are willing to commit to for a whole week.  Here are a few ideas to try if you need a little inspiration... Read a professional journal for 20 minutes each day. Mediate for 20 min...

My cousin's 14-year old daughter, Lizzi, is spending time with me this summer and we are having a blast.  My son Jackson loves his "ZZ" and I am loving having her here.  We visited Nando's because that is where One Direction eats and I was feeling so "with it."  (Yes, I know, just typing with it in quotes makes me old.)  But then today I really started feeling my age.  She found a toy shop I had never been in and it was the cutest place ever.  Of course Jackson loved it because it had train tables (score five minutes of sitting down in peace and quiet!).  When she had looked all around the store she sat with Jackson and I looked around.  I felt 14 myself when I found Shrinky Dinks.  You know, those plastic things you color and then bake, they shrink down and get thicker?  I loved these when I was younger.  I got so excited I grabbed some and took them back and said "Do you like Shrinky Dinks?"  "What are Shrinky Dinks?"  O...

I mentioned yesterday that I taught Franklin Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Effective People Signature program this week. I love the concept of shifting your paradigm and behavior to get different results.  After all, Albert Einstein said "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." Covey's first habit is "Be Proactive" and the underlying assumption is that "I am free to choose and am responsible for my choices."  Obviously, this idea of choice has been on my mind a lot lately. When we get stuck in a constant reactive pattern, we feel like a victim of our circumstances.  And let's face it, no one wants to follow a victim. So how do we make the shift to proactive leader?  We choose to.  For those out there saying "you don't understand, in my job I have no authority to be proactive."  Actually, I do understand (as I sit here writing this on a furlough day).  And while I understand th...

I spent the first three days of the week teaching Franklin Covey's Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Signature Program) for the first time.  As with any content, I swear I learned from the class.  I had an amazing group of senior leaders and it was one of those experiences that you wish you could meet with that group of people over and over in a think tank because you just know the world would be a better place if you did. As they all go back to their lives and jobs, I am still struck by one particular point in the class when we simply asked the question..."I am at my best when..."  I even saved the flip chart paper with the answers we came up with.  This is not my independent work, but the work of some brilliant leaders I had the honor of teaching.  I dare to say, there isn't a work environment in the world that wouldn't benefit from these qualities. I have a sense of pride and accomplishment in our work. I am healthy. I am busy but not stressed....

There are times in life when goals don't seem achievable. Like tonight. I am exhausted. It has been an emotionally draining week. The thought of writing a blog post tonight is a little daunting. But I committed to this challenge. What to do?  And then I realized the purpose of the challenge is not to be brilliant every day but rather to develop a habit that will further my writing goals. So in a sense, just posting is an accomplishment, especially when it isn't easy.  How do you push yourself to go just a little further?

As part of the 31-day blogging challenge I am participating in during July, we are asked to comment on other participants' blogs.  Which means, I am reading the blogs of people I might never have found.  Today I chose to read Lisa Friedt's  A Pocket Full of Rocks .  I loved what she said in her post today about not taking yourself too seriously and being able to laugh at yourself (read the post if you need a good laugh!).  But what struck panic in me was when she said that we are now in the second half of the year.  Yes, I know, it is simple math.  I just hadn't done the math yet. So here we are on July 2, 2013.  How did that happen?  Seriously, how???? As years go, this has been a positive one.  I love my chosen career even if my current job doesn't have the security I would prefer.  I work with caring and amazing people who are weathering the uncertainty better than I am (and more than I give them credit for).  We focu...

Last week I attended four days of training to become a Level I Trained Facilitator for the Leadership Challenge Workshop based on the work of James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner.  I had the pleasure of being instructed by Dick Heller of Full Extension Leadership, a Level III Certified Master.  I am looking forward to obtaining my Level II Certified Facilitator training later this summer. As part of the training we took a 360 assessment, the Leadership Practice Inventory.  I am generally suspicious of 360 assessments because the person chooses to whom he or she sends the ratings request. If a person is not serious about the assessment, they will pick people who will rank them "high" and explain away any rankings that don't fit with their story of themselves.  I personally sent ratings request to people I work with in a volunteer capacity, people I work with directly at work, and my "customers" at work.  The LPI does not rank how well you do something, it ranks ...