To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Growth

Simple Thoughts Sunday: Nourishing our souls

So, what is nourishing you?

We need healthy food and lots of water so that our bodies have the best chance to give us optimum performance. We need sleep to achieve full restoration each day. From my point of view, we need a strong spiritual life to truly nourish our soul so that we can fully utilize the gifts God has given to each of us (and to serve well).

Today seems like a great day to think about what is nourishing our souls. Are we spending as much time in the word of God as we are on social media? Watching mindless Netflix or reality TV shows, listening to music that doesn’t inspire? Are we filling our minds and hearts with the truth, or are we distracted constantly?

This week, can we up the game on our focus toward nourishment through spending our extra time in activities that draw us and our families and loved ones closer to God? I’m totally up for this challenge and would love to hear if you are too!

Enthusiasm: Get your week off to a rousing start

Today I lean on Tom Peters and his leadership wisdom to offer you some of what I think is absolutely BRILLIANT. In fact, I think this is a game changer for all of us. Here is a brief excerpt from his new read, The Excellence Dividend:

“NFL coaches carefully script the first few plays of the game, aiming to get off to a good start. Of course, the details of the plan will likely fall through long before play number ten.  But the scripts aims to set the course.

Beginnings are everything. A solid research finding, not a slogan. So start the week off on the right foot.

Do NOT — come hell AND high water — let the first 45 minutes of the week slip by without decisive impact. (Mr. Peters using a lot of exclamation points, bold lettering and all caps to stress his point.)

A week is a precious unit of measure. And a week is a story, a novella — it has a beginning, middle, and end. Sweating BIG-TIME on the beginning is crucial to all that follows.

Next Monday: Script your first five to ten plays (i.e. carefully launch every day or week in a purposeful fashion.)”

As always, I hope this is useful to at least one of you wonderful people. For those of you following this blog closely and read about my mom last Thursday, this particular blog pushes into perspective that we really must value our days and weeks. Our moments are precious and we can impact lives and serve so much better if we do so with intention.

(My mother is progressing slightly, so as her brain repairs itself, we continue to hope for God’s will. We greatly value all of you who have reached out.)

Excellence is in the “small stuff”

Excellence: The Triumph of Humanity (Tom Peters)

“Janet Dugan, a health care architect, took inspiration from her recent experience having an MRI scan. While she was lying still and waiting, she noticed a small mirror that had been placed below the head support piece. It was angled so that she could see through the barrel to the radiology technician and make eye contact with him. ‘What a small thing,  and yet what a difference it made. I felt less alone. I was connected to another person at the very moment I needed support…  I firmly believe in the power of design to contribute to the healing process – that architecture can shape events and transform lives. But that day, in that experience, the thing that really gave me comfort was a tiny mirror about as big as a Band-Aid.”  – Tim Leberecht, The Business Romantic, via Tom Peter’s opening in his new book, The Excellence Dividend.

I am a huge Tom Peters fan. And to me, he is the single greatest leadership expert of our time. He is 75 now and smarter than ever. His new book is an instant classic and we will all be better for it.

Today, as you think through your work week, I hope you will remember this story which is literally the first few words of the book. I hope it sinks in and that you look inward to your life, home, workplace and community and see what “details” or “small stuff” you could impact that makes the difference between “OK,” and “EXCELLENCE,” or even better, pure delight.

I am “delighted” when the local farm, Campo Lindo, (whose eggs I get at Whole Foods when the farmer’s market isn’t in season), has a little note in the carton telling me what is going on at the farm. Probably my favorite example is from my mother in law, who cared for the boys when they were young while we were working. Every single morning she would give them a typed up menu including a list of their favorite breakfast options, a la “Grandma’s Kitchen,” for them to circle their choice for the day. How cool is that? I am sure that they will never forget that extra attention to detail. I know I won’t. Excellence, details, and “small stuff” make all the difference.

Dive in to that idea today!

Creating buffer zones for an optimal life

I loved the dictionary definition of “buffer.” The noun may be my favorite and I intended on writing about the verb.

Noun: A person or thing that prevents incompatible or antagonistic people or things from coming into contact with or harming each other.

Verb: To lessen or moderate the impact of something.

Just like the bumper guards in a bowling alley keep a child’s ball on the right course, having good “buffers” can do the same for us. We tend to fill our schedules fuller than they need to be, or rather should be, and as a result we don’t end up optimizing our lives.

The slower pace of life that can be beneficial to developing better relationships through actual conversation, the ability to truly think through a tough problem, or taking the time to breathe deeply and appreciate nature (thereby making us physically healthier). These are challenged or sometimes even diminished when we don’t have the “buffer” zones built into our schedules. I am perhaps not the best person to point this out since I’m not a victor in this area, but I certainly understand and fully believe in the power of the idea. I have, over the last year, truly tried to build in some of these, and it’s very helpful.

There are a host of ideas of how to do this, including defining how many meetings you are willing to have each day, and how many weekends per month you are willing to “go out” so to speak. If you need some ideas or want to share some ideas, by all means reach out, or help the other readers by listing some in the comments.

Finally, to the last point, which goes back to my fondness for the noun version of “buffer,” I think that is a key lesson for all of us. There are people and then there are “THOSE” people. You know the ones that run on a different pace, or version of reality that tend to make us slightly crazy. We need buffer zones for those people too. In essence, I think creating healthy boundaries so we can “stay in our lane,” is the best policy. I think an upcoming conversation on boundaries may be in order! Let me know what you think!

The 100-year-old tree: What we can learn?

The rings of a tree offer a lot of information. We can think of these as a visual imprint of the life the tree has lived, referencing seasons of good and bad; growth, scars and of course SURVIVAL.

I love this little book I keep by my bathtub, “The Art of Stopping Time,” that is really a wellness guide. I give them credit for this topic and the idea of looking at our time on earth in the context of the “rings of a tree” today.

If you had “rings” like a tree, what would they say? What mark did you leave? Did you have some stressful years that took a toll? Health challenges? Did the marks come from happy or sad times? It’s always a good idea to take account of our lives and be sure we are getting properly “watered,” so to speak, so we can ENDURE like the 100+ year old tree.

I loved the first picture on this image, because it represents a beautiful tree, marked by both good and bad times, pings and dents that created the true beauty over time. We are all like that. Our richness and ability to fully express our beauty comes from our experiences and challenges and forms into a life that can provide great energy and comfort for ourselves and those around us.

Serving well in the workplace

It’s Maundy Thursday today (also known as Holy Thursday or Covenant Thursday). I don’t really celebrate, so to speak,  but always have in the back of my mind that I needed to “go deeper” in my thinking. The significance is that it commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the apostles. In other words, those people that became like family in the process.

That day, we also hear the incredible part of the story of Jesus kneeling to wash the feet of his disciples, and while doing so lets them know what is about to happen, giving them the following beautiful instruction:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

I love that Jesus modeled how to serve well in the workplace so to speak. Without deep reflection, these are the easy lessons I pull from the Maundy Thursday celebration:

  1. Those that work alongside us should become like a second family to us. Caring for them in the workplace and having a great awareness and caring of their personal lives is important for a thriving team. The bottom line is we are to love, and to me that means showing our genuine concern for their lives. (Please know that just like we sometimes have, Jesus faced opposition even within his own team of disciples… He loved them anyway.)
  2. Leaders with humility are rare and important. We should all strive, whether we are leading great numbers or leading ourselves to be humble and honor others when we can. (Side note: There is always an opportunity to give honor.)
  3. Finally, communication is central to any healthy workplace. Jesus was sharing a tough message, but he took the time to gather his team, to celebrate their accomplishments and to share what the near future looked like, equipping them with encouragement and direction. There is a lot to be learned here for all of us.

Have a simply wonderful weekend everyone! Oh, and GO ROYALS! (It’s finally baseball season again!)

Designing a life you love

I don’t know about you, but I love to look at beautiful buildings, no matter if they are historical, or modern.

Some of the coolest modern-day structures are actually sports stadiums, which create an experience far and above what we have come to expect from “watching a game.”

Architecture is fascinating, as is the idea that someone can sit down and literally create a structure that can endure storms while maintaining its integrity and beauty.  Great architecture inspires, and offers a connection to the environment around. It can even engage our imagination.

All of these qualities lead me to the idea that we are the true architects of our own lives. No matter if you are in school, looking to what the future brings, or a young professional, ready to know what the “next” level looks like, or heading into a later phase of career or life, the same truth applies.  We have this wonderful opportunity to design what we personally find to be rewarding for ourselves.

My perspective has always been that it starts with attitude, and if we choose a positive one, then we can  achieve whatever it is that we strive for.  While it is true that we all have been given gifts that help us fulfill our purpose in life, we still “get to” prioritize and use our time and talents to mirror a beautiful life.

So, what is it for you? Is your life currently where you want it to be? Do your weeks look how you want them to? Is your health and wellness lined up where you’d like it to be? Your relationships? Your career, studies, retirement? Your community engagement?

Sure, sitting down to design the life you want takes intention (I recommend a quarterly assessment at minimum), but the results, like great architecture, endures. I think that sounds pretty good to me!

The Culture Connection: Why travel is a life priority

I have made travel a life priority.

Along the way, I learned that whatever your budget — and whatever your goals with travel — it can be done with a bit of research and flexibility. There are so many stories out there of poor college students backpacking across Europe, and travel blogs that showcase journeys around our vast world. This is encouragement to many, as travel can seem to be a goal achievable only after retirement, if at all. In my viewpoint, even a trip to the lake can be a much-needed cultural shift from our day-to-day lives.

As it pertains to my writing on this blog, I truly feel that in order to serve well (for me) that travel is essential to creating a greater understanding of the people we share this planet with.

Here’s why: Being immersed in different cultures allows us to stretch and grow beyond our normal experience.

I have learned that whether it be a trip to New York City, Chicago, San Diego, or abroad to say, Greece (or my current journey in Australia), the customs from the time they eat meals to the way they approach their day opens me to new, potentially life-changing perspectives.

For example, in bigger cities, you seldom see anyone overweight. This is likely due to their active lifestyles to some extent, with a dependence on walking as a major means of transportation. It forces me to consider how to incorporate more of that lifestyle into my own.

In most countries I have visited outside of the U.S., the pace of life seems to be less frenetic and more reasonable. Even the average vacation time they are offered by employers is almost triple what we find here in America. It ties to a focus on overall wellness, it seems. I believe our country has a lot to learn in this area. (Side note: I have not been to the Asian countries, which I understand are more hurried in their approach, and perhaps it is due to the size of the population.)

One of my favorite authors (Batterson) is known for saying “a change of place, offers a change of perspective.” That is so very true. Somehow, when you are able to remove yourself from your routine, your mind “shifts” to a neutral zone that allows you to more easily embrace the beauty that surrounds us, even in the seemingly simple matters. I believe that notion leads us to achieve creativity and engage in life with a more health focused approach.

I try to keep these short, so will stop here. As the North Face slogan goes, I hope that you will “Never stop exploring,” and I hope this has inspired you to travel, local or abroad — just get out there!

The ‘no fly zone’ effect

If you are a This is Us follower, you may have caught the episode earlier this season where  Kevin’s family’s significant others waited out the family meeting at a local establishment, getting in a good laugh while talking about the the Pearson family ‘no fly zone.’

You know, those sensitive discussion topics that we “just don’t go there” in conversation. In some cases, that may mean the topic is only for immediate family only, or for some it may mean a topic that you are not willing to talk about, period.

In the show, the ‘no fly zone’ focuses on the death and addiction problems surrounding the dad, Jack Pearson, Kate’s weight, Randall’s issues raised via his brilliance and his adoption into the family – and the list goes on. It’s complicated, but then again, aren’t all of our lives?

I immediately wrote down this as a good blog topic because I wonder how  many of us have ‘no fly zone’ areas where we can’t or won’t go with those we love the most. “No need to talk about it. It was what it was and time will heal.” Right? Maybe. My years of experience tell me that a healthy family and relationship is surrounded by honesty; full disclosure if you will.

I’m sure we’ve all thought at some point that somehow our extended family is “different” or “strange,” and that those large family gatherings are sure to be awkward. The truth is we all have characters in our family that are so different from us that they seem like someone we may not want our significant others to know about right away.

Whether it’s family, the fact that you got fired from a job (I did in college) or whatever potentially sensitive area it may be, being able to destruct the ‘no fly zone’ and be transparent with those closest to you will make you feel so much better. “Sharing is caring,” as the saying goes. Sharing is also healing!

What are the ‘no fly zones’ you need to address?

What pressing problem can I help solve?

This lady had some BRAVADO: Word on the street (and in the magazines) is that Lori Goler, Facebook’s human resources chief, got the job basically by cold-calling Sheryl Sandberg.

The question in the title of today’s blog is what she asked that triggered Sandberg to respond.

“We need help recruiting.” Here’s the thing: All leaders have problems to solve. That is the entire reason they (and we) are hired in the first place. On any given day, I assure you a leader would love if you come to the office with this question on your mind. How can I solve problems? How can I best serve today? What issue, if we address it right, will make us achieve our goals, improve employee satisfaction, make our customer experience the best it can be…? You get the point.

I think this question is golden at home as well as in the community – and even in places you wouldn’t think. My mom lives in a retirement community and I know that if she asked this question, they would have a response. Whether it’s providing useful feedback or diving in to fix issues, the “sha-bang” problems exist all around and are looking for people that are ready to rise to the occasion and help to solve.

*Side note: Huge shout out to the kids in Florida who are championing the effort to solve our country’s enormous problem with school shootings. They are jumping in and using their voice. I have no idea where it will go, but I applaud them! Any collective effort we can make to solve problems, both big and small, are key to our ongoing growth and success.