One of Carl Jung’s favorite words was “synchronicity”, that unexplainable convergence of unplanned events that offer insights and opportunities. When I agreed to join a trekking expedition through two remote provinces of the Indian Himalayas, I had no way of knowing that this adventure would coincide with the publication of my latest book, Gifts from the Mountain- Simple Truths for Life’s Complexities. Ah, synchronicity!
One of the benefits of being a continual learner is that we are constantly overtaken by ah-hah moments that serve to not only whack us on the side of the head, but also hold lessons that can have universal application for anyone in leadership. The following are but some of the principles gleaned as our group drove along the highest roads in the world and wound up in the regions of Lahual and Spiti which are often closed to the outside world for seven frozen months. They come from trekking with tribesmen herding sheep and goats at elevations up to 16,000 feet and from crossing white water rivers on foot and encountering the Dalia Lama in a remote monastery near the China/Tibet border. Continue reading » »
What makes the difference between an average presentation and one that rocks your world? What makes the difference between a memorable speech and one that fades into oblivion as soon as the presenter steps off the stage? The answer sits in four building blocks that are essential for crafting a speech into a work of art rather than hum-drum blather.
Building Block Number One: Add context to your content
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Tip #10: Stop re-arranging the deck chairs.
The greatest problem with change is that no one wants to admit that it can happen to them. The big three automakers kept ignoring signals from both the consumer as well as the market place. Be honest about potential downturns and get ready. Don’t create the doomsday, hand-wringing scenarios but ones that are well thought-out with a plan of action in your back pocket. Contingency is the name of the game. It’s rather like a fire drill. If you don’t have a plan, you can burn up!
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Just returned from a week above 10,500 feet: sleeping under the stars and clouds, battling mosquitoes and temps down to 25 degrees at night, plus gorgeous vistas and wildflowers.
This year, while I wanted to go, I felt tremendously pressured by the economy and pending work NOT to go. After all – 7 days without cell phone and email. What if someone needed me?
Alas, no one did. Or let me reframe that—people figured out “stuff” on their own. In the meantime, I figured out “stuff” that might very well help me cope with the current recessionary times:
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In the face of this severe, take-no-prisoners economic downturn, far too many organizations are responding in knee-jerk reaction to the thought of holding all but the smallest of meetings. Training budgets are slashed. Employees hunker behind their desk, hoping that no one from HR can find them or else they’re huddled around a PDA, text messaging about possible layoff scenarios, pending mergers, or hiring freezes. Performance? Productivity? I think not.
Now more than ever, managers at all levels of the organization need to do that which separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom: TALK!
Here’s why: Continue reading » »
