Edition 7: (Eu)Stress, Agility, & Books

I missed the two bi-weekly editions of this newsletter that were due over the last four weeks. First, my hometown Tampa Bay seemed to be in Hurricane Ian’s bullseye; I did the scary hurricane prep, and then, we were spared! (My friends and neighbors to the south were not. I am donating to the?American Red Cross ). Then, I had a book to launch! That’s right, my book,?Leading Inclusion , launched on Tuesday, October 11, and is now available for purchase. (More about this at the bottom of this newsletter).

I could not help but notice the leadership lessons that came from the juxtaposition of these two events; one profoundly negative, the other profoundly positive. As we know from psychological science, how we respond to situations depends on our unique makeup and experiences;?any situation can be stressful , even the ones that on face value are positive (like publishing a book). And?stress has a profound effect ?on our bodies.

The bottom line is that I have lived some extreme emotions over the last month, and by the time the book launched, I was both exhausted and exhilarated … stressed. So, at the risk of offending the LinkedIn algorithm, I had to take a little break. I have coached many leaders over the last two years to give themselves and their employees a little grace. Now it was time for me to follow my own advice. The question that still haunts me, though, is, “WHY are you always working so hard??The Nap Ministry ?is starting to look more attractive!

Research Snack

On a related note. Have you been following the Great Experiment in which more than 70 UK companies are studying what happens when employees move from a 5- to a 4-day work-week? The investigators released their mid-point?research ?results a few weeks ago. It showed that productivity was steady for 46% of participating companies, while 34% reported a slight increase and 15% significantly increased!?Employees reported feeling happier and healthier because they had more opportunities to prepare healthier meals, exercise, and do joyful activities. The results were not perfect: transitioning from the 5- to 4-day week was not easy for all companies. And many employees may be using the extra free time to catch up on?sleep rather than more “exciting” activities. But at least those employees have the freedom to do what makes them happy! The bottom line is that both the organizations and the employees derived benefits from this change. I think shorter work weeks and other flexible ways of working are the #futureofwork . Do you agree, or do you think we will return to “the before times?”

Good News Nibble

I told you about the emotional Hurricane Ian dodging I did a few weeks ago. Now, for the rest of the story. I was scheduled to speak at #ProfitCon2022 ?on Thursday September 29. By that Monday, it was evident that no planes would be flying out of Tampa Airport. The event organizers asked if I would record my speech and thinking about why I had written the speech in the first place (it was all about embracing the unfamiliar during times of disruption), I said, “yes!” I tweaked the speech, modified the exercises, and the audience saw my recorded talk that Thursday. The show went on. The photo attached to this section of the newsletter is a collage from the event in which you see Mike Michalowicz and Ron Saharyan introducing my (now virtual) session, entitled “Great Leaders are Also Designated Hitters.”??And then, Ean Price Murphy was kind enough to grab and share a shot of the room so I could feel the energy in the room. Thank you Ean!

What did I learn from all this? The value of being planful, prepared, and flexible. I had an evacuation plan. I am a trained professional speaker and had practiced my speech with my rehearsal partner Linda Ugelow , and I was not afraid to pivot from a live performance to a recorded performance. I am not suggesting that preparation could outwit Mother Nature,??but preparation helped me perform under duress. It’s my approach to most things in life. You too?

Action Nugget

I am not going to fake it. My book launch is the most interesting thing that has happened since my daughter’s birth. You can learn a little about the launch day by watching this short video . However, the main thing I want you to know is that Leading Inclusion has earned top-notch?publishing industry trade?reviews from?Library Journal ,??BookLife ,?Kirkus , and?Foreword Clarion Reviews ?and captured its first award from?NYC Big Books . And, in less than a week,?it?has been a best-seller in two categories, the #1 New Release in several Amazon.com categories, and has more than 30 5-star reviews from Amazon readers. Would you consider buying a copy of the book,?here ? And, if you already have the book, please leave an Amazon review to help others learn about it:?Leave your hardcover review here or leave your Kindle ebook review here

TWO FREE BONUSES:

I have two special gifts for readers of this newsletter.?

1.????I am hosting a special “Ask Me Anything” Event for you on Wednesday, October 26th,?at Noon Pacific / 3 pm Central / 4 pm Eastern. In this session, I will share my book development journey and answer your questions about the journey and about the book.?RSVP?here .

2.????I would love to share my REDI Skin-in-Game Warm-Up exercise with you. It’s a self-reflection and self-coaching guide to help you build Curiosity, Connection, and Comfort to supply inclusion in your world.?GRAB the Warm-Up?here .

3. I am also doing a book reading on Monday November 7 at 7pm Eastern with Anjanette “AJ” Harper 's writing community. RSVP here .

See you in two weeks; I'll have had a nap by then!

#leadinginclusion ?#leadership ?#inclusion ?#diversity ?#changeleadership