To Serve well

Serving with Excellence for a Life of Excellence

Growth mindset

Becoming better EXPLORERS to supercharge our thinking

What can you do that you could not do a year ago? (This one is hard for me… I need to get to work.)

What are some challenges your organization is facing?

Are your ideas and strategies innovative enough, and are they creating the meaningful impact you’d like (in your work, family, community work, etc.)?

What are you passionate about and wanting to spend more time doing?

What does the world need more of?

I was inspired by this idea of being better “EXPLORERS” of our world by Beth Comstock’s new book, ‘Imagine it Forward.’ I will surely blog a lot more about her  ideas, but today, this one simple idea created a flurry of thinking.

If we can keep our focus on constant learning – whether it be from observing a flock of birds and their patterns, diving into a good book, or engaging in conversation with someone who has a different interest or approach to life – I am confident we will be able to use that information to supercharge our thinking and creativity. Solving today’s problems, requires different thinking and approaches. I fully believe everything we need is right in our midst if we go forward with a learner’s mindset.

I hope you will join me in getting our from behind your desk and regular routine to get out there and EXPLORE. The WORLD is literally waiting for us to take hold and use it’s beauty to create the best for the generations to follow.

Stumbling upward… Going beyond the easy button in the diversity conversation

I like to tackle tough conversations. I always hesitate a bit to throw it out on the blog, but I need to be more brave.

There is a literal jewel of a book that just came out recently, “How Good People Fight Bias – The Person YOU Mean to Be,” by Dolly Chugh. It’s probably the most powerful book I’ve read on the topic, taking on the ideas that stir in many of us in a fresh way. The concept of “stumbling upward” in the pages made me want to spend the rest of my days doing just that: striving to be better in all aspects of my life. In this particular topic of understanding tolerance and diversity, I am certain I can grow meaningfully.

In the book, Chugh tells the story of two well-meaning business guys, “Fitz and Zach” who brought the “Unconference” idea to Chicago. The idea of the “Unconference” is to bring together a network of people with agendas created on the spot, generating much energy and innovation. The organizers are responsible for the who, when and where of the event. These two guys, started with their own network, initially 118 people and only 14 women – most men being white. When called out on by the audience, they both were quite embarrassed. They didn’t realize that their networks, unintentionally, had become a bunch of people that looked like them. It was a true “bro-fest,” as the book refers to it. Once their awareness was made clear, they were able to correct their ways and begin developing networks that broadened their homogeneous network.

“They asked people to nominate people “more amazing than you.” One time, they asked people to nominate “women and minorities.” Another time, they asked participants to nominate people “who don’t look like you, if you usually are in the majority.” No method was perfect, but every attempt was a stumble upward.”

By 2017 their events had equal numbers of men and women and diversity was evident. Chugh introduces concepts that we all need to be aware of, including ordinary privilege, willful awareness and others. These topics are important. We all need to be more aware, like “Fitz and Zach.” What would your event look like if you hosted one? We need to understand the issues, and can do so by reading books such as this, attending events, expanding our networks and conversations. If we want to serve well for both our generation and those that follow, we should consider this a critical learning opportunity. I’m in.

Powerful thoughts, friendly reminders to act on our intentions

Probably more often than ‘every once in a while,’ we all need a reminder to slow down and act on our thoughts and intentions.

Our minds, no doubt, are filled with fleeting ideas and acknowledgements of people we need or want to reach out to. Developing a daily or weekly habit of making those calls, sending the note (or flowers), or even having that tough conversation will make us healthier. I believe doing so frees our spirit and minds and allows us to live a more authentic life. Acting on those good intentions provides us a pathway to live out the life we truly want to live.

A quick recount of a story that I’ve shared before: Two-ish years ago, one of my college friends did just this… She reached out to a handful of us and made that first effort to gather us after almost 30 years. We all acted and have now gotten together for a few days the last two winters. In between those weekends, has been a showcase of what true support and friendship is all about, cheering each other on in the good and challenging parts of life. It has been powerful. We reconnected and the power in our friendship we cultivated when we were young came back more stronger than ever.

Who might join me this weekend in creating that list and developing an action plan?

So, you thought you had a bad day

I don’t know when I have ever laughed so hard as when my friend sent me this…  She actually sent it after she shared the details with me about a horrific day she had. It involved all manner of crazy, including disagreements with several people, a tantrum with a family member (possibly the kind you may be married to…), the dogs getting out, dropping the groceries, etc. It ended at the end of a long day with sitting on the toilet before bed, and it literally shattering with water spraying all over the house… NOW, THAT IS A BAD DAY!

Have you ever felt like it couldn’t get any worse? Let this short story be a reminder that it could. Sometimes we have to literally just laugh at the pure out crazy. I know this time of year can make us all feel nuts. I mean, weren’t we just sitting with our toes in the sand a week ago? All of a sudden – and in a whirlwind – we have a million responsibilities, commitments and people counting on us. It can cause a fuse to blow, internally and externally.

Today and this week, make a decision to take a deep breath and try to smile through the chaos. Listen to some music or watch your favorite comedy to lighten the mood. Let’s not let crazy get the best of us!

When you don’t know what to do… Bless’M

(Photo Courtesy of Twitter/Cleveland Browns)

Jarvis Landry – now wide receiver for the Cleveland Browns – has become a household name in the short time since his now-famous “rant” on the HBO reality show, ‘Hard Knocks.’

In the show, he  launched into a “tirade about guys not giving it all on the field,”  His point was for everyone to rise above how they feel or whatever their current situation may be, for the sake of the team and the goal at hand. His messages underline a theme: whether we are negative or positive, it is contagious to those around us.

His tagline, “Bless’M,” is a reminder to us to have the attitude to “Bless’M.” In other words: be thankful for whatever and forge ahead with a positive spirit.

I absolutely love football season. The energy in the stadium, on the field and even in the house, inspires me. Unified fans cheering for a common goal is what America is about to me.

Guys like Landry are the fabric of that energy. Even if you aren’t a football fan, I hope you find yourself getting caught up in the passion. And if you get a chance, watch Jarvis Landry. He is fun, and his “Bless’M” response calls us to be better. I kind of love that!

Let’s GO CHIEFS!

Power in the wait

Waiting for the big trip to finally arrive…

Waiting for the big game…

Waiting for the big test…

Waiting to get your first real job…

Waiting to find those people that make you better…

Waiting to watch the daylight fall into the night sky…

The “power in the wait” is beautiful. The preparation, the holding on… it makes us better, more resilient, more determined, more focused. It is in the wait that we are able to go a bit deeper than we thought possible. Pushing ourselves past those self-imposed limits and adjusting our thoughts to the “what ifs,” realizing that it truly will all end up as designed. I have always felt that God has us exactly where we are supposed to be in any given situation, relationship or assignment. We wait, we learn, we grow. We continue with this cycle and if we are smart, cherishing these periods and recognizing that they help us ultimately achieve our best self. Being our best self is what allows us to serve each other well. It is beautiful. Whatever you may be “waiting” on today, my prayer is that you will anticipate it fearlessly and with passion, fully aware that the universe is cheering you on.

Have an amazing week my friends.

Reveal your true self: Accelerating your relationships

I’m in a relatively new role at work, and one of my priorities has been to both get to know my entire team and to give them an idea of who I am — including my personal and professional goals.

There’s no surprise, that I loved hearing the story of Doug Conant — former CEO of Campbell Soup Company — who shared the philosophy that conveying a full picture of who he is right away to his team, including what he stands for and wants to accomplish was critical to his personal mission. When he took over, he was faced with reversing a severe decline in market value and “re-energizing” the culture. Conant led the company to deliver excellence, including world-class employee engagement in the 10 years he served as the company’s leader.

So, how does this point us to serving better all around? Here’s a quote from Conant that I loved from the Harvard Business Review, “Leadership is a Conversation” series, (Groysberg/Slind, June 2012):

“I explained that my goal is to take the mystery out of our relationship in a personal way, as quickly as possible, so that we can get on with the business of working together and doing something special.” 

Is that not brilliant? So, YES, it is my feeling we can all learn something here. Both in my personal relationships (and certainly work relationships) I have found that the more we are able to share our true selves — be transparent, honest and authentic (with a positive approach…) — the quicker we are to move forward.

More often than not, when we are able to take out the “mystery” factor, we are able to forge ahead. I love this. Just today, in fact, I experienced two of my team members at work came together to reveal themselves and, as a result, are on a better path.

Do the people you “do life” with know who you truly are? Is there an opportunity to advance your relationship so that you can truly being “doing something special?”

Have a great Labor Day weekend!

So, what is your “end game?” Designing a life with intention.

Pretty much wherever you want to end up, it will require you put your most comfortable shoes (and frame of mind) on. Comfortable and fun go a long way!

I believe it’s important to have a plan to achieve whatever it is we are hoping to go after personally, in our community, at work and at home as we try to answer these questions…

Where do you want to end up this week?

This month?

This semester?

This year?

During your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, etc.?

During your life time?

Intention and design are the two key terms for me.

First, identifying what I “intend” to do (think: get leaner, eat more greens, call my parents more often, send more handwritten notes, hit my Q4 work goals, etc.). Second, design a plan to ensure that I achieve that “end game” goal (carve out time every Sunday to make those calls, try Pilates, start my days an hour earlier, etc.). To me, the design plan is the most important and also can be the most fun. There are so many ways to get to the same place, and we have the opportunity to make it fun.

What can we do differently to add a bit of whimsy into our days? Instead of that lunch, what about a stroll through the market? Instead of a plane, how about a train for that family long weekend holiday?

Would love your ideas and inspiration. Thank you so much for reading.

Elevating your game takes wonder (oh, and maybe a little pain)

Elevating your game, “leveling up” or taking ground… all require grit, guts and all a heavy dose of creativity and for sure wonder. Many times, that requires us to get a bit bruised in the process.

The quote in the photo refers to Harry Houdini, the world-famous magician. He forever upped his game and worked toward creating genius in his work. In this story, he was trying to figure out how a peer walked a tightrope… he unfortunately learned the hard way (i.e. losing his front teeth) that there are better ways to do this.

Of course you get the main part of that story, but what about the reference to “wonder?” Did you catch that? In Gino’s recent book, ‘Rebel Talent,’ she embarks on just why being a rebel is important. One part I love is her chapter educating us to always strive to have people on our teams (including ourselves) that generate wonder. Those people on the team that may seem to be drifting off, coming up with a different way to look at “things” to help us to see a different “angle.” Pointing out the “what ifs” is an important contribution to any impactful team or project. I would say, even at home.

She shares a story of her toddler son wanting to put food coloring in his cereal. His dad immediately saying, “we don’t do that,” and then their collective awakening: “why not?” Why can’t we have colored milk? Who made up the rule that this is not a good thing? What a simple yet perfect example. How often do we say, “We can’t do that,” or “we don’t do that in this family,” or “our rules don’t allow that in the workplace?” etc.

We should carefully question our tendency to shut down creativity and empowerment in many situations. After all, wonder is often what takes us to the next level. Breaking the “rules” and pushing boundaries (within reason of course…) is what brought us the light bulb, the mobile phone, Facebook, Uber, Amazon… you get the point.

Get out the crayons and paper and allow yourself and your family/work place/community group to exercise their creativity and wonder.  It may get messy, but you might just make something beautiful!

The Radical, Strategic Mind

Happy almost weekend! As we wrap up the week, I’m mindful that with school pretty much back in session, those of us in the work place are also gearing up for a strong end of the year play.

To me, this season is sort of like January where we rise to the occasion and develop tactical strategies on how to achieve our professional goals. Come to think of it, we do this for our lives in general as well. It’s the ideal time to assess our wins so far for the year, and those areas where we haven’t hit the stride mark yet. The great news for all of us of course is we have more than a quarter of the year left — that’s plenty of time to regain perspective, strength and eventually hit the ball out of the park so to speak.

So what is a radical, strategic mind to you? For me, it’s getting out of the norm in thinking and allowing ourselves to be truly creative… to paint outside the lines. It is a fundamental difference in how we view whatever challenge is in front of us. Radical minds are those that are the voices of social and political change advocates, and those that often make the greatest impact.

The end of summer is a great time to fire up the mind. In theory, we had time to rest a bit and soak up some sunshine, and our minds and bodies should be prepared for a higher level of energy. My personal game plan is to identify a few key areas — for me, likely career and relationships — to focus on for the year-end wrap up.

Asking the right questions is critical right now:

How can I maximize my time to ensure I achieve my goals?

What areas can I “cut” or reduce so I can make more time for what is important?

What are the “must haves” that I have?

Who are the people I need to connect with?

What projects must get off of the ground? Are there some that I can move to next year? Why do they matter? Who can help me achieve these? 

What is a different approach that may be better?

Those are some of mine. How about you?

Have a wonderful weekend!