Let′s get active on our Springs

Fortunately, following the turbulence of winter comes the season of activity and opportunity called springtime. It is the season for entering the fertile fields of life with seed, knowledge, commitment, and a determined effort. However, the mere arrival of spring is no sign that things are going to look good in the fall. We must do something with the spring. In fact, everyone has to get good at one of two things: planting in the spring or begging in the fall. So let′s take advantage of the day and the opportunities that spring can bring.

Spring shows us that life is truly a constant beginning, a constant opportunity, a constant springtime. We need only to learn to look once again at life as we did as children, letting fascination and curiosity give us welcome cause to look for the miraculous hidden among the common. There are just a handful of springs that have been handed to each of us. Life is brief, even at its longest. Whatever we are going to do with our life, let′s get at it. Don't just let the seasons pass by. (Jim Rohn)

Here′s a handpicked collection of my posts from the past quarter.

"What if you pretended, just for a little while… What if you acted as though you were more charismatic than you feel–more confident, more competent? What if you demonstrated optimism about what’s about to happen next, even if you’re not sure? It takes effort, more than most of us can expend day in and day out. But what if you invested that effort, just for a little while? It’s entirely possible that acting as if would actually create the very outcome you’re hoping for."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Reflecting back on my years of endurance running, I find strong analogies with my experience as corporate teams coach. We cannot perform at high standards nor cope with endurance events without a strong core. The same happens in coaching. The basics (listening with curiosity, questioning for exploration, reflecting with accuracy, providing feedback for development, and so on) are key for effective coaching sessions, including with senior executives. We have got to keep going back to the gym, and continuously strengthen those essential muscles. Of course, my wife keeps reminding me that I have a free empathy gym membership at home ;-)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Talent agenda for the Digital Age. In this Transformative Age, employees need to be increasingly adaptable, and organisations need leaders - innovative leaders - at all levels. As the digital disruption becomes the norm, to succeed we must consider how to best leverage both the technology and the human factor: we need to have a strategic approach to talent planning; we need to develop people competencies such as empathy, creativity and network thinking. Life-long learning and leadership mindset are therefore a must for everyone in the workplace. The faster technologies advance, the quicker knowledge will be surpassed. Therefore, the concept of continuous knowledge acquisition and development strategies must be of utmost importance. The challenges companies face in making this transition are urgent, but those that embrace them today will be better positioned to create a workforce that can thrive in the digital age. We all will truly be powered by our people.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

On curiosity - “I have no special talent – I′m just passionately curious” – Albert Einstein. If there′s one thing that I have learnt after 20 years in business, is that you can't possibly be successful if you're not deeply curious, inquisitive and open to new experiences. Especially in this ′age of complexity′, curiosity is essential to successfully navigate the rapid technological changes and disruptive times. Maintaining a sense of wonder presents a wide range of benefits for organizations, leaders, and employees, leading to more-open communication and better team overall performance. And the most effective leaders look for ways to nurture their employees’ curiosity, and let them explore and broaden their interests. Interestingly enough, curiosity isn’t about solving problems, or creativity and innovation. It’s about exploration and expansion. Curiosity can start and lead anywhere. And that’s precisely the sort of broader mindset we need in business today. As Walt Disney famously said: “We keep moving forward, opening new doors and doing things because we’re curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.” So let us make sure we “stay curious for longer, and rush to action and advice a little more"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The key to achieving more is having a high-performance mindset", says psychologist Michael Gervais. For years, I trained in marathon running and approached business opportunities with the same wrong mindset: winning at all costs, every time. Little did I know that in business, as well as in sports (at least for us ′amateur runners′) it is not about winning, or being 'the best' at all times. Rather, it’s about the ability and daily discipline to set our mind on the most optimized internal-posture - for us to be the best we can be. It is more profound than winning. It is about the resilience, mental posture and discipline to keep trying. To show up and bring the best we can everyday, to level up and move forward. Always. PS My current PB in marathon running is 3h03′ (pic, April 2017). Nowhere near a winning time, and over 1hr off the best time. But that will not stop me from wanting to join the next race and perform the best I can. Look forward to Oslo in September.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Practice gratitude. Gratitude makes us open to possibility, opens doors and increases trust. It brings us closer to others. And it makes us happier, connecting with others around us. It really is up to us. Which is great, because we're capable of changing everything if we choose. So make sure you add a thank you in all your communication, taking a minute to personalise your appreciation, and leaving yourself open for feedback. Thank you for helping me / thank you for the kind note / thank you for your time / thank you for your feedback / thank you for sharing / thank you being here / thank you for the advice / thank you for your support / thank you for the opportunity / thank you for making the reservation / thank you for checking it out / thank you for your friendship / thank you for the fruitful collaboration / thank for being YOU

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As I prepare to deliver a learning workshop later in the week, a quick reflection on Learning. I believe that people love learning and they also love change: after all, we are all seeking new challenges, new roles and responsibilities as we stretch and grow in our current mandates. Therefore, all Learning should be focused on developing those practical skills and behaviours that will make us move forward and help better the people we seek to serve. Today’s talent is looking for meaningful learning experiences and for leadership development, so learning has to be more focused on the actual learner and not on the organisation as part of a drive of compliance activities. Learning needs to move away from what is essentially knowledge gathering (quote: @Dave) and actually affect, bring a change to our behaviors. Later in the week, I will strive to equip my colleagues with new skill sets they care about and that also align with the company’s goals; this will ultimately affect the business positively because most modern learners want to translate learning into measurable outcomes, behavioral and cultural change, as well as being successful in their jobs and do well along their journey.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As a marathon runner, I used to struggle at the beginning of my journey. I was trying too hard to be one of the best in the age group, to take home a prize, to classify in the top 1%. Then I learnt. I learnt that great athletes with growth mindsets do not dwell on winning alone. They focus on the actual process and ignore distractions, enjoying the challenge as much as the conclusion. They learn from failure and recognize that hard work brings personal gains. So I learnt the importance of getting comfortable with being uncomfortable; that pushing through some of the hardest moments in training and during a race will carry over to working through challenges in the rest of my life and career. Also, that workouts can help figuring out the mental skills we need to work on. Question! What do you do when things get hard? Do challenges inspire you or make you angry? Do you shy away from things you don’t know how to master? We don’t have to turn all into marathon runners, but we can all reap the benefits of regular exercise as a tool for self-improvement: to make us more resilient, better at solving problems, more patient, and definitely healthier and happier!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace" - Doug Conant. Culture is the future of work. In order for companies to address the ongoing accelerating pace of change, they have to be prepared to build the culture that can not only withstand the winds of change, but adapt to the changes at a much quicker pace than before. The connection between talent and culture is clear. Organizational culture can generate employee engagement, and this is key to the successful competition in the marketplace.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So here′s a fundamental Leadership question: are you an energy giver or an energy sucker? The fact is, as leaders we are never a neutral. We are always making a difference.  We are either making the people around us better, more engaged, or we are building a poorer place to work. At the same time, we’re making our family a better or poorer place to live. It′s that simple: we are either injecting energy into the people around us, or we’re sucking it out of them. You know the energy takers when you spend time with them: you leave a meeting room and the first thing you do, you gasp for air. Displaying energy starts with us, by being more present, engaged, and genuinely interested in others. PS For years, I have been aware of the two categories, but only recently realised that they can be attributed to the great work by Dr. Alan Zimmerman, CSP, CPAE Have now decided to intentionally embrace the energy giver persona and run with it, so hold me accountable!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SOS. Digital distraction. Are you being intentional or are you letting the digital ‘stuff′ take over? Do you have a meaningful, mindful and balanced relationship with technology – using it to "support" personal goals, rather than letting it "sabotage" them? If you are not sure of the answer, or if you identify yourself in the picture of my fellow business traveler, maybe this @Dave Stachowiak podcast can help. https://lnkd.in/gn5A4Ev My fellow business traveler was watching a movie while playing a computer game on his smartphone. I am not judging him, as technology itself is not bad, we are not luddites here. I simply wonder: how much aware are we of all the good things we are missing, when so cluttered in time and attention by these devices? We can be so much more with less! I personally decluttered 7 months ago, and never looked back. So please, make sure tech is serving the things that are important in your life, rather than just using Tech to fill a void.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Great leaders inspire others, allowing them to raise their own bar higher and level up. It starts with each one of us: by setting high expectations and standards for ourselves first and by being congruent. The way to influence high standards is about making sure our actions reflect our values and behaviours, as well as providing others with the one to one support, coaching and resources to thrive. It is also about being humble leaders, addressing issues as they are arise, admitting mistakes, apologising in the moment. The ability to humble yourself and admit when you’ve missed the mark will give you compassion for others when they fail.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The unexpected call. The sudden turn of events. The incredible outcome. That ticket. You can only connect the dots looking backwards, as Steve Jobs famously stated. And one thing is for sure: we have much less direct control over the future than we hope, and that it will always surprise us. Life is truly unpredictable! However, we have far more ability to make an impact than we expect. The only people who can change the narrative we tell ourselves, our actions, behaviours and ultimately our culture (and thus our future) are us. We can’t control the future, but we can bend it. And we can’t freeze the world as it is, but we can figure out how to be a part of it, even if this era of instant gratification and highly connected yet disconnected human beings is not something I personally signed up for. Yet I believe that the work we do every day, the stories we tell, the paths we follow and the human connections we make can change the narrative, redefine our culture; and culture will determine what’s next. Leaders need followers. But what if people - employees - no longer feel moved to follow individual business leaders? What if the very idea of leadership has been undercut by both the end of traditional deference and the emergence of less hierarchical, self managing movements of people who will simply not be led? The big change is going to be for leaders to understand what it means to live in the open-source era. Great read for everyone "New Power: how it is changing the 21st century and why you need to know" by Henry Timms and Jeremy Heimans.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get more by saying less: the power of golden silence. Late 1990′s, Perth. The CEO of a booming IT software company is about to sign a significant advertising contract. Pen in hand, the ink inches closer to the paperwork as he peers over the document. And then I stuff it up. I open my mouth and say something totally irrelevant. He glances at me from across the table, calmly puts the pen down and we engage in a conversation. Then he tells me he is going to think it over one more time. Needless to say, I never got that signature afterwards. Wished I had known back then how to practice the golden silence. It was only a decade later, during a Miller Heiman course, that I learnt how to master this technique. And it goes beyond sales: this a technique for any given interaction, that will allow you to increase interpersonal effectiveness: ask a question, then allow three or four seconds of silence afterwards. When faced with a Golden Silence, the other person will often open up and share insightful thoughts, guiding to more meaningful, in-depth, and on-topic discussions. The wisdom of silence, the power of saying more by talking less: truly GOLD!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Working on yet another exciting power presentation, yay! Sarcastic tone, me? Over the years, I have actually come to appreciate a presentation well done. We never stop learning. Here′s a few tips to keep in mind when typing away on slides, to avoid meeting deaths by power point. 1. Less is more!! I know, slides are free and you can have as many as you like. But consider keeping short: an executive summary to start with, a few key messages, some supporting info, bullets, diagrams or charts. The basics of structured communication. 2. Better still, don't use words. Have a picture instead, which I'm told is worth 1,000 words. That way, the image (plus a key word) etches itself into the brain, while your narrative is received by the audience. 3. The first rule about slides: you never read the slides! Tell a story that resonates with the audience instead. As a presenter, you are the focus, not the deck!! 4. Share your slides. After most meetings or conference calls, many people will ask "Can you send me the deck?" That′s why it pays off to have two decks. One deck with plenty of text and details, and the actual presentation performed during the meeting.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The avocado principle. 1. If you wait until you really want an avocado, the fresh food markets won’t have any ripe ones. You need to buy them in advance. 2. If you eat an avocado that’s not quite ripe, you won’t enjoy it. AND, you won’t have a chance to enjoy it tomorrow, when it would have been perfect if you had only waited. 3. If you live your life based on instant gratification and little planning, you’ll either never have a good avocado or you’ll pay more than you should to someone else who planned ahead. 4. Buy more avocados than you think you need, because the hassles are always greater than the cost, so you might as well invest. 5. And since you have so many, share them when they’re ripe. What goes around comes around. All of these truths lead to the real insight, the metaphor that’s just waiting to be lived in all ways: If you get ahead of the cycle, waiting until the first one is ripe and then always replenishing before you need one, you can live an entire life eating ripe avocados. On the other hand, if impatience and poor planning gets you behind the cycle, you’ll be just as likely to waste every one you ever eat. "Plant your tree before you need the shade". (Seth Godin)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

With all the possibilities of technology, for a just, sustainable and prosperous world we need to foster human hindsight and skills. Modern businesses place huge emphasis on technical training and leveling up talent to meet the challenges of digital transformation. And yet… yet a lot of what determines the success or failure of organisations has nothing to do with 'hard' skills, but rather the sophisticated 'soft' skills that are key to emotional maturity.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------