Tired of Mediocrity? Time to Shift!

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We are coming upon the beginning of a new season…perfect time for new beginnings or course corrections! I know I’m ready. A few colleagues and I were talking about the lessons we’ve learned this year and it is now time to shift…to course correct…to begin anew!

I’m reminded of a story told by Dr. Wayne Dyer many years ago as shared to him by Portia Nelson.The workshop assignment was to share the story of her life on an index card…and she shared:

Chapter 1
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost.... I am hopeless…. It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.
Chapter 2
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don't see it…. I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in the same place.
But....it isn't my fault.
Chapter 3.
I walk down the same street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there…. I still fall in. It's a habit.
My eyes are open…. I know where I am…It is my fault.
I get out immediately.
Chapter 4.
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.
Chapter 5.
I walk down another street.

Typically, where ever I am in my life, if I need to "walk down another street", I lean on those who have gone before me for guidance, inspiration and wisdom. So, some of my summer reads (1 new and 2 re-reads) has been:

So often, we get overwhelmed by trying to think of everything…trying to have an all-encompassing answer. Sometimes, the best we can do is to think about our next right move…then, the next one…then, the next one. I found, if I take that stance, before I know it…the path, in front of me, is clear. Are YOU ready to walk down another street? I can help!

What has been your best method for dealing with shifts you need to take? Please leave a comment so we all can learn from your experience! Know someone who could use inspiration...share this with them as well!

LEADERSHIP MATTERS

Want to be Fascinating?Know Your Brand by Kevin Kruse

How to Set Up Your Office as a Place of Joy by Kevin Kruse

The Neuroscience of Trust by Paul J. Zak

Want to Be Happy?Be Grateful! TED Talk by Brother David

What the Best Transformational Leaders Do by Scott Anthony and Evan I. Schwartz

AH-HA QUOTE

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AUGUST LEADERSHIP RESOURCE

This is the perfect time to plan your Fall Leadership Retreat! Do you want to create an experience that is memorable, actionable and profound? I enthusiastically partner with leaders and teams across functions, demographics and levels to shape a customized experiential program that has a foundation of collaboration, ownership and discovery.

Each session is created to be highly interactive, results-driven and participants leave with confidence as well as tools to integrate new learnings into their day to day experience. Perfect for emerging leaders, seasoned leaders as well as "all staff day". Customizable as a 1/2 day, whole day or multi-day experience. https://lnkd.in/edpdiJA

Trending topics:

  • Building Your Strategic Network
  • Navigating Change Through Transition
  • Making the Shift from Cooperation to Collaboration
  • Harnessing Highest Potential in Leaders

Please share your experience in the comment section...you never know how it may help someone else. Also, if there is someone else that may find value in this article...please share. Are you ready for a pivot? I can help!

Much grace, Bernadette

Serving leaders who are making a differnce by BEing the difference!

What are you OPEN TO this month?

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Greetings Inspired Leaders!

So, my question to you is what are you open to this month? New direction… people who don’t look like you…a different way of thinking…listening without judgment…acceptance without protocol?

I invite you to think about what areas have you been closed? Afraid? Skeptical? Procrastinating? Avoiding? It’s an important question to ‘sit’ with because all of those behaviors become our norm…just the way we are…because we’ve been holding on to this for so long.

However, if we do not question our behavior, test our assumptions, and challenge our beliefs, then it’s hard for us to grow into our highest selves…our greatest selves…the ones our 90-year-old selves will smile and look back with pride and our 10-year-old selves would gaze up in amazement!

As leaders, the first person we lead is ourselves and then we earn the right to lead others. I invite you, in this new beginnings month of April, TO OPEN up to the possibility of your greatness! Shoot me your thoughts and any questions that surface! 

If you know someone who would find value in this article, please, by all means, share.  It will enable us to reach those who are striving to be better leader and who can benefit from these types of ideas or need our support.

If there are any topics that you’d like to hear more about, please email me at Bernadette@BernadetteJohnson.com!

Much grace, Bernadette

Helping YOU leverage your Return On Leadership!

Leadership Matters:

How People Learn to Become Resilient by Maria Konnikova (article)

Pressure Doesn't Have to Turn Into Stress by Nicolas Petrie (article)

Who You Are Is How You Lead by Jesse Sostin (article)

The Eight Habits of Remarkably Coachable Leaders by Henna Inam

Being Engaged At Work Is Not The Same As Being Productive by Ryan Fuller and Nina Shikaloff

A-ha Quote

Leadership Resource: GUIDANCE ON THE GO!

Over the last month, I’ve gotten phone calls that were ‘on-the-spot guidance’…

  • How do I lead myself through change before my team?

  • I just got promoted…what can I do to feel more confident?

  • What are some tips for building up the courage to say “no”?

  • How can I tell if I have a fear of success or a fear of failure?

  • I am at a cross-road and feeling paralyzed by choice…how can I move?

  • I need an exercise that will bring my team together at our next meeting…any ideas?

  • I’m leading my first meeting with upper management, how can I be sure they hear me?

What about you? Do you have an issue that has got you stumped? If it’s a short question, we can schedule a one-time targeted phone call (or Skype) for 30 minutes or an hour to get you going in the right direction. Guidance is just a phone call away! This is a great option if you have a specific leadership question you want to dialogue around. My intention is that you receive immediate potential solutions from our conversation.

I’m here to help! www.clarity.fm/bernadettejohnson

What are you open to this month?

Let’s Work Together:
As leaders, we have the potential capacity to transform organizations into environments that nurture the human spirit while achieving breakthrough results. In our ever changing environments, we are invited to the roles of stewards of the culture, in-house change agents, communication savants and inspirational coaches. 
This type of leadership calls for Leading from the Inside Out. This is about knowing yourself intimately; having a deep awareness of the skills, talents, and knowledge that shape who you are and most important is knowing what your purpose is, what drives you and gives you passion.
Working together we can maximize your leadership’s team development, guide their shifts through change/transition, stimulate innovation from the inside-out and assist your organization in leveraging this ‘awesomeness’…it’s what we’re really good at and it’s our passion!  Email me at: Bernadette@BernadetteJohnson.com for more information.

 

How Asking a Different Question Yields a Different Result!

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Greetings Inspired Leaders!

In the spirit of forward movement, David Cooperrider’s quote below is so powerful. The questions we ask really do direct our thinking, our choices and our actions.

One of the reasons Intentional Dialogues are a part of my practice is because it creates a space for possibility through questions…through curiosity. Whether café conversations, dialogue circles, appreciative inquiry or open space…the questions begin with “what” or “how”. These two words prompt inquisitiveness and broad thinking. The word “why”, on the other hand, is rarely used because it requires us to look back…to ponder something that has already happened and to venture to guess its path to existence. So our question this month is:

What question should you be asking that will cause you to shift directions?

March's Resource will put you on your right path: How to Leverage Your Highest Potential for Breakthrough!

Leadership Matters:

HR for Humans: How Behavioral Economics Can Reinvent HR by Jim Guszcza, Josh Bersin, Jeff Schwartz

10 Business Trends that Will Grow in 2017 (article) by Leonard Kim

How Can You Lead With Influence (blog) by Joe Garfinkle

These are the Top Three Reasons People Quit Their Jobs by Lydia Dishman

The Neuroscience of Trust by Paul Zak

Aha Quote:

Getting in the SOLUTIONS Zone!

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Greetings Inspired Leaders!

 I hope your year is starting out the way you’ve planned. As challenges start to show up, if you’re like me, you get frustrated because they are not part of your plan. Of course, being a recovering perfectionist…I had to teach myself to ‘push pause’. This can only happen if I trust my SELF and not allow that pesky 'perfectionist gremlin' take me down the proverbial rabbit hole. I've learned to not hold so tightly on the reins...to view change with curiosity...to dance with adversity and to keep my sense of wonder.

I then realized it’s ALL a part of the journey if I want to have a greater impact in the world…that these challenges don't exist to frustrate me...quite the contrary...they exist to help me to grow and to think more deeply and broadly.  February’s ‘aha quote’ is a great reminder that it begins and ends with us.   Ready to shift into your SOLUTIONS Zone?

  Join us for SOLUTIONS HUDDLES!

Much grace, Bernadette

Leadership Matters:

·         How to Tackle Your Toughest Decisions by Joseph L. Badaracco (article)

·         Listen to Your Employees, Not Just Your Customers by Beth Benjamin (article)

·         How to Learn to Love Networking by Susan Cain (article)

·         Why Diversity and Inclusion are Crucial for the Success of Organizations Today  Jacob Morgan (podcast)

·         How Can You Lead with Influence (blog) by Joe Garfinkle

Aha Quote:

“You are the only problem you will ever have and you are the only solution. ”
— Jim Rohn