A couple weeks ago, I went to the National Speakers Association (NSA) annual convention in California (nice to get out of the AZ heat). Two key themes emerged for me: – Be true to who you are – Take a stand and don’t be in the “middle” (watch for more on this in the next post) The most successful speakers are the same on and off of the platform. They are not actors or putting on a show, they […]
It is uncanny how often my coaching opportunities relate to what I also need in my work or life. I have had numerous conversations about staying focused and energized in the face of, “too much to do” or “not enough time” or “I’m feeling overwhelmed with all these changes.” Pause Even for just a minute or 30 seconds. Stand up or sit down and breath, out with “I’m breathing out” and in with “I’m breathing in” and start with […]
“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.” – Charles R. Swindoll In the past couple months; I have had the great opportunity to coach two different teams using the amazing Team Advantage (linked) process. It has been a great experience on many different levels. But, last week, I realized that I had left out an important piece of the team plan for one of the teams. I can still see the […]
“The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust How you see things or your beliefs in the certain ways of things can hinder your feelings of freedom and choice and then these feelings limit your actions and it becomes a cycle of reality that justifies your beliefs and limits your discoveries. “The current housing market is limiting my choices. The current unemployment statistics limit my opportunities or are making […]
“Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.” – Unknown I carried this quote around with me several years ago as a reminder. A couple weeks ago I had a harsh reminder of it. I was sound asleep in my comfortable hotel bed when the loud hotel alarm sounded, an obnoxious siren followed by a recording to “immediately evacuate, take the stairs, not the elevators.” In a daze, I threw on some clothes, grabbed my phone (no explanation for why just […]
I loved learning about this concept from Amanda Owen’s book, “The Power of Receiving.” (her website linked). She explains that if you are in the doing and taking process then you are feeling resentful and greedy or frustrated and entitled. Contrast this with the feelings of gratitude and generosity if you are in the giving and receiving mode. Over the past few weeks I have taken on a project with a large company here in the Phoenix area that is […]
Keep Going It was both inspiring and daunting to discover that Jack Canfield, famous author of the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” books had 144 rejections before his first “soup” book was published. Would you have kept trying after that 100th rejection? I think that I would have given up after rejection number 50 or even 20! This really made me think about how I do (or don’t) persevere through rejection. Imagine if Jack would have given up and […]
“Helping others is not limited to providing food, shelter, and so forth but includes relieving the basic causes of suffering and providing the basic causes of happiness.” – Dalai Lama I experienced this directly this past week when a Coach colleague offered to lead a webinar for me that I had already agreed to do. She heard the exhaustion and strain in my voice and offered to help. I accepted her offer of help with tremendous gratitude (especially […]
“Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power.” – Lao-tzu My internalGPS coaching model begins with understanding your current location. Looking within is the first step. You need to do this in order to understand the perspective and lens you are using to look at the world and to learn where development is needed for alignment with your strengths and values. Blind Spots Your blind spots are areas that […]
I had the absolute pleasure of coaching a team of corporate sales guys (with one gal) this past week. Over two days of intensive Team Advantage kick-off work (my page linked), we laughed so much that my stomach muscles hurt. This team really knows how to both have fun and work hard (see my prior post, “Playing for Extraordinary Results…linked here). This was a bit of a surprise from the pre-meeting interviews with them and their leader. They had […]
