Change Agent

How Often do you Stop and Smell the Roses?

How Often do you Stop and Smell the Roses?

In the U.S. it’s summer time, a time to get outdoors, enjoy the fresh air (when it’s free of wildfire smoke), barbecue, spend time with family and friends, and vacation.  The thing is, just because it’s the time for this doesn’t mean it happens.  The question is how often are you stopping and smelling the roses?

Perhaps you think you’ve been doing this, and the reality is actually different.  Or perhaps you’ve been consciously avoiding doing this.  Click Read More to see:

  • If any of these things are frequently happening to you

  • What stopping and smelling the roses really means

  • Why doing this matters

  • What you could be missing out on and how you will feel if one these things happens

Worry Taking Over?

Worry Taking Over?

Hearing about several companies doing layoffs brings the topic of worry to mind.  There could be the worry of whether:

  • Your company will be doing layoffs

  • Your job is going to be impacted

  • You’ll be able to pay the bills

  • You’ll land another full-time job you like

  • Your mental health will be impacted

And the list goes on.  As you’re reading this you may feel:

  • Your chest or back tightening

  • Your heart starting to pound

  • Or some other unpleasant sensation in your body

If that's the case, take a slow deep breath, in through your nose…out through your mouth…repeat until the sensation starts to pass.  It’s understandable if one or more of these worries and physical sensations are coming up as anyone who has personally been impacted by a layoff knows what an emotional rollercoaster this kind of change can be, and the unknown can be scary.

As change agents and leaders we all get touched by layoffs at one time or another in our career, whether it’s personally being laid off or seeing your colleagues, friends, or family affected.  At this point, most of you have probably been touched by them several times as layoffs have become a way of life in corporate. 

The question is, as you hear the latest lay off news, see the LinkedIn updates from those in your network impacted, if you've personally been laid off, or have something else going on triggering you to worry, how much is that worry taking over?

Click Read More to see:

  • What worry taking over can look like

  • What it’s costing you when this happens

  • Whether worry is a choice

  • The paths you can take to address it

Putting Your Politics Ahead of the Organization's Mission?

Putting Your Politics Ahead of the Organization's Mission?

Watching the historic drama of Kevin McCarthy lose the House Speakership 14 times over four days, brings organizational politics to mind.  What makes this drama historic?  This is the first time:

  • In 100 years it took a House Speaker more than one ballot to be elected

  • In over 160 years it took a House Speaker more than nine ballots to be elected (he took 15!)

As change agents we all encounter politics, whether in a corporation, non-profit, a family business, or the government sector. The question is, how often are you engaging with them and putting your politics ahead of the organization’s mission?

Click Read More to see what putting your politics ahead of the organization’s mission can look like and what doing this could be costing you in your career.

How Accurately are you Reading Communications?

How Accurately are you Reading Communications?

As you prepare for the holidays doing your gift shopping, decorating, baking, planning, cooking, and more, it can feel like a very busy or even stressful time of year.  And when you’re busy, you may be more prone to hurry through your to-do list.  On that to-do list is probably several communication items, whether it’s responding to emails or texts, an invitation, a proposal, deciding what your response is going to be to a recent presentation at work, or some other communication item.  The question is, how accurately are you reading these communications before responding to them?

Now your first thought may be, “of course I’m accurately reading them.”  And, what if this thought is actually untrue at times?  Click Read More to see if these situations ever happen to you and what misreading a communication may be costing you.

How Often do you Put Your Money Where Your Mouth is?

How Often do you Put Your Money Where Your Mouth is?

Way to go to Yvon Chouinard and his family for putting their money where their mouths are (i.e. putting money towards what they say they care about)! And talk about being change agents, and in Level 7 energy (for those familiar with Energy Leadership)…wow. Who is Yvon Chouinard? He is the 83 yr old who founded Patagonia in 1973, the American company that manufactures and sells outdoor clothing.

What did the family recently do that shocked the business world? Click Read More to find out and ask yourself these questions to see how financially committed you are as a change agent.

How Often are you Deceived by Appearances?

How Often are you Deceived by Appearances?

As the world mourns Queen Elizabeth II’s death, I wonder how much does the world really know who she was. For example, did you know the below?

  • At the age of 18 she spent 5 months as a mechanic and army truck driver towards the end of World War II despite her father saying she should not pitch in

    • This made her the first female royal family member to serve in the military

  • She loved cars, had quite the collection, and had a special fondness for Land Rovers

  • One of her most memorable evenings was with her sister Margaret when they joined the massive crowds celebrating the end of World War II on May 8, 1945 in the streets of London

  • She never attended school, she was completely taught by private tutors at home

How about these?

  • She was actually related to her husband Philip, they were third cousins and she bought her wedding dress with WWII ration coupons

  • Queens don’t have to pay income or capital gains taxes, yet she voluntarily did so since 1993

  • Until recently she used to drink gin before lunch, wine with her meal, and a dry martini and / or a glass of champagne every evening before bed

  • She had a great sense of humor, a talent for mimicry, and could imitate the sound of a Concorde Jet Landing

Surprised by any of the above? If yes these are great examples of how appearances can be deceiving.

Over the course of my 20+ years as a change agent, I have seen time and time again someone judging another simply by what they see or experience from the person on the surface. The question is, as a change agent / leader, how often are you deceived by appearances? Wondering how to assess this? Click read more to see how often you do these.

Be Seen, Be Heard, Be Effective in Bringing about Change