Re-Source-Ful

I've always felt that one of my strengths as a leader was my resourcefulness. Back in my (pre-internet) college days it wasn't uncommon for my friends to stop by my room and ask "what do you know about X?" or "who should I talk to about Y?". I never pretended that I had all the answers but I would offer any insight I had and try to get my friend at least one step closer to the answer they were hoping to find.

Now, it seems you can find out anything with only a computer and internet connection so many of us underestimate or don't know about the resources closer at hand. I've recently observered someone in a leadership position who made a costly mistake for his organization because he didn't take the time to investigate the resources that were as close at hand as the board members and staff that he works with on a frequent basis.

As a leader he made a mistake that's easy to make. When you have great expertise in a certain field you may be prone to believe that there isn't anyone in your organization who can offer insight or experience in that area that you don't have. He felt comfortable in moving forward and only later discovered that had he known what he didn't know things would have turned out much better for all.

So, how do we avoid making this same blind move in our leadership roles? I think the first step comes in getting to know the people you are working with better every day. Spend time with them and just get to know about their past experiences and the special skills and talents they bring to the table. Secondly, don't be afraid to ask questions and admit that you may not know all the answers! It's a brave leader who can go ask someone under them on the org chart how to proceed in a certain matter. It may feel strange the first few times you do this and you may feel more vulnerable but in my experience people love to be valued for what they can offer.

Our lives are filled with people who have so much to offer if we will only get to know them and then ask for their opinions and help. If we are leading without making an effort to fully understand the resources at our command then we are not doing the organization justice. Yes, it takes time and effort to make those connections but it could save you money, save you time and maybe even save your job down the road.

Gratitude 30/60

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."Melody Beattie, author

Tomorrow is October 25th. One month before we celebrate Thanksgiving on November 25th and Christmas on December 25th. It seems like a good time to remember the life changing power of gratitude and to set an intention to more actively practice it in my life for the next 30 and 60 days leading up to those holidays.

As leaders gratitude is an especially powerful place to go in times of stress or uncertainty. Gratitude for those things that appear to not be working as we prefer becomes a wonderful reminder that there is something bigger at work in our lives and that control is most often an illusion. It helps us remember that everyone in our lives has something to offer even if it isn't what we'd like to get from them. For me gratitude is also a good way to remember that life doesn't always happen on my time table! Expressing gratitude is a way for me to cut through the mind-chatter and focus on what is really important. It helps me to be a more compassionate, patient and understanding human being.

For the next 60 days I intend to focus joyfully on those things in my life that I am grateful for. I'll be using my Facebook page to express some gratitude and we'll see what that opens up for me in other places as a result. Like this blog, which has become a way for me to identify my passions, observe what seems to work best for the leaders around me, and assimilate those ideas into my own life. Let the gratitude gates open!!

Do You Finish Strong?

TGIF!! What do those letters mean to you? Thank God It's Friday? Thank God It's Finished? I remember clearly in my college days looking forward to classes being over for the week and getting started on weekend plans as early in the day on Friday as possible. Even now, as an adult, it's easy to think about walking away from some of the workday responsibilities and leave them for another day.

Right now I've got three work-related balls in the air. I've accepted a position with a new organization and I've got a contract that I committed to that runs through the end of January as well as a role with an organization that I helped start and have worked in for 22 years. It's a lot to think about over the next few months and my inner college girl is screaming "TGIF"!! Thank God It's Finished! But, truth be told, it isn't. Not just yet.

I've come to believe that the mark of a leader with true integrity is finishing what you've started and not just going out with a whimper. I plan to be fully engaged in transitioning my duties at the company I've helped run and honoring my contract to the fullest extent possible. I'm eager to learn everything there is to know about my new position, and I'm working on that already, but it's important that I honor the commitments that I've made. So "finish strong" will be my mantra for this time of change.

It's up to each of us to decide what "finish strong" looks like. It may be that you are moving to a new job and part of your responsibility is to train your replacement. It's tempting to be less then fully present for this process but you aren't just cheating the new hire and the organization you are cheating yourself. Perhaps you are in a relationship that isn't working. Would "finish strong" look like making every effort that you know of to repair the damage and make things work before you decide to walk away? Maybe you've been in a long-standing volunteer position and you really feel like people are taking your contributions for granted. Could "finish strong" look like being honest about needing to move on yet making sure all the records or duties you need to pass on are up-to-date and in order?

Certainly life isn't a race. There's no finish line. But there is the satisfaction and karma that comes along with doing what you said you would do. Right up until the end. TGIF!