It’s that time of year again.
When we look at ourselves in the mirror and start berating ourselves.
“Why can’t you ever keep a resolution even for a single week?”
If you’re one of those, the good news - if you can call it that - is that you’re not alone.
How long do most people’s New Year's resolutions last?
Read MoreIn his book Atomic Habits, author James Clear explains why habits are so difficult to break.
It's because we tend to focus on surface-level actions.
Most people start by focusing on outcome-based goals like...
“I want to lose 20 pounds.”
“I want to write a best-selling book.”
But these are surface level changes.
Read MoreWhen you're feeling down or just "not in the mood"...
just take action!
This morning, I woke up feeling anything but "up."
I wasn't in the mood for my morning workout and was feeling a bit down in general due to some recent developments (nothing major, thank G-d.)
So, what did I do?
I remembered William (Bill) McRaven's "Make your bed!" motto and I decided to take action.
The next time that someone approaches you with some unwanted feedback consider the following:
Listen to understand – Hear them out without interruption. Mirror back what you heard and ask questions for clarification. Also ask for examples so you know more clearly when and in what way this is happening. If there is something that you disagree with, hold it until the end. This way you validate them and open further lines of communication. It’s always best for the concern to come directly to you rather than to others.
Respond carefully – Try to avoid sounding defensive. Leave your ego to the side and accept warranted concerns as well as viable advice. If you are unsure about the validity of feedback or what to do with it, ask for time to respond. Make sure to get back to the other party in a timely fashion and with a real game plan (see below). And then ask for feedback about the plan.
One of the local papers runs my coaching content weekly.
They use this caption for my "Coach's Corner" column.
I hadn't seen it before. And I love it.
Unlike other interventions, coaching is all about taking the ideas and magic already in a client's head and helping them unravel, organize and make sense of it, while setting aside the things that have been holding them back.
Standard client comments: "I know I need to ___ (take action) but can't because ___ (limiting belief.)"
Coaching empowers people to move forward and get things done.
Read MoreI’m embarrassed that it took me so long.
And what a difference it made when I finally did it.
Ever since I upgraded to Windows 10, my aging PC 🖥 really slowed down. It also often froze, and even my podcast recordings were becoming compromised.
I knew that I needed a new machine, but I didn’t take action (unless asking around for a good replacement and some web research counts for action).
Just kept stumbling along with what I had.
Until recently, that is. When I finally pulled the trigger on a new PC (on sale, of course 😉).
Read MoreThe terms leader and manager are often used interchangeably. Are they the same? Most leadership experts say “no.”
In Leading Change, Harvard professor John P. Kotter explains the difference as follows: “Management is a set of processes that keep an organization functioning… The processes are about planning, budgeting, staffing, clarifying jobs, measuring performance, and problem-solving when results did not go to plan,” writes Kotter. (“Leadership, in contrast,) is about aligning people to the vision…(through) buy-in and communication, motivation and inspiration."
To summarize, management is keeping things functioning in their current state, while leadership is about crafting and implementing a new vision.
Read More
