While I was pursuing my MBA, I was assigned to give a 30 minute presentation on my business. I remember feeling an internal conflict brewing as I prepared my remarks. I was just becoming aware of how annoyed I feel when I am defined by what I do. I wanted people to know who I am, and it frustrated me to think that my identity was so firmly connected with what I did for a living. This assignment would only add to that definition so I decided to break the mold.
Instead of sharing the normal statistics of our company, i.e., number of employees, gross and net revenues, years in business and our plan to achieve global domination in our marketplace, I decided to relate the defining moments of my professional life and how they molded and shaped my career. I wanted my cohorts to see me as a person, so I shared the highs and lows that contributed to my successes and failures.
MBA classrooms are not known for their warm and fuzzy experiences. They are generally associated with hard facts, controlled emotions and crisp conversations. My presentation was shaping up to be an emotionally intelligent, but soft skilled approach. I felt exposed and vulnerable as I began my talk. Despite my hesitation, I shared my story, hoping it would some how resonate with my classmates. Continue reading » »
When I was growing up, my mother was often asked to speak at major events in our local community. She was known for her creative presentations. She always wrote a poem or a song to accompany the theme of the event. She was always prepared, regardless of the size of the audience or the significance of the event. .
Few people ever knew how much time she invested in preparing for those events. Many, just thought she was naturally talented, but she was always rehearsing and refining her skill. I will never forget her intense desire to prepare. It was something she did all day long. She rehearsed in the kitchen while she was preparing the family meals. She rehearsed while she was caring for our home. We even heard her in the bathroom polishing her routine. It was non-stop, and we usually knew it as well as she did by the time she gave the actual presentation. Continue reading » »
I believe in living a healthy lifestyle. One of the strategies that I employ is a regular, exercise program. To some, it would be considered very strenuous, to others it might seem not so tough.
Because I travel regularly, my routines need to be something I can take with me. For this reason, I became an avid runner. I can run anywhere and in every climate. Most hotels I stay in have treadmills, so in the times when safety is an issue, I can run indoors. All I need is my running shoes and I am set.
P90X and Me
About three years ago, I decided that I wanted to become stronger. I wanted to build core and upper body strength and I knew running was not going to do that for me. I was watching TV one Saturday afternoon with my children and we came across an informercial selling P90X an exercise routine touted as the most extreme home fitness training system ever developed. Continue reading » »
Hmmm, how do I say this without sounding confused? I recently participated in two very different but similar meetings. The focus of each of the meetings was exactly the same, but the complexity of each group was completely different.
In one group, the people embraced a very similar philosophy and mindset on the proposed topic. The other group was filled with people who represented very different perspectives, viewpoints and backgrounds.
I gained a lot from both experiences, but after a while, I became very bored with the similar group. They definitely had every viewpoint from A to B well represented, but beyond that, it was hard to find any value. Unfortunately, we didn’t make much progress in accomplishing our purpose.
The diverse group challenged my thinking. There were view points represented that were difficult for me to comprehend because they were so different than my own. The meeting participants were energetic and courteous. They were not afraid to have their views questioned or examined by the others. They were very open to learning from the other group members. Continue reading » »
I recently began working with a man who is entering a new company as the Leader with a capital “L”. He enters the company with an awesome track record. Despite his previous successes, he is feeling nervous, and even a bit insecure about entering this new culture. He even admitted that he finds himself wondering if he is up to the task of creating what is expected of him.
I know exactly how he feels, because he is expecting me to help him. I am feeling the same types of thoughts and emotions and the pressure of living up to his expectations. Fortunately, I understand that when it is time to grow, it is normal to feel nervous about what we must do and who we must become to make it happen.
Making It Happen
I believe that one of the most challenging things is to walk into a room with the responsibility of leading. It is truly a sobering and humbling feeling. The pressure, when perhaps half of the team is secretly hoping for your failure, and the other half is hoping for something better than they have ever had before is intense. Continue reading » »
