It's Easy to Fall Into The Drama Ditch I think the bottom line most critical skill for us as leaders of our lives and models for our children is to keep our ground no matter what is going on around us or within us. Think back to the last time a frustrating or scary situation happened to you. Did you get completely knocked off your perch by some piece of drama that touched your life? Or maybe the life of a child or parent or spouse or friend? The truth is that we will always have some type of drama or upsetting situation touching our business or our personal lives. It is not the situation, it is how we react to the situation that frames how … [Read more...]
Be a Leader By Taking More Time For Yourself
Somehow, we've come to think that to be a leader we have to never take care of our own body and soul. Americans have fallen into the belief that going without vacations, personal retreats, and down time is the thing to do. I've heard hundreds of my clients proudly tell me they "give up vacation time every year" or "can't get away from business" or "work 60 hours a week." They puff out their chest and feel virtuous. They think "I'll be a leader" and believe they are setting an example for others in a good way. They are hard workers and proud of it! A recent article in Forbes states "The United States is the only advanced economy that does … [Read more...]
What Will You Contribute?
What do you contribute to the state of our educational system? Are you a detractor of public education, or are you a supported? Philanthropist and billionaire Paul Tudor Jones knows that entrepreneurs will contribute to the great good. Jones says, "The U.S. is in the bottom quartile for developed countries in terms of educational outcomes for kids." His Robin Hood foundation has the goal of getting the U.S. educational system in the top quartile of developed countries in the next ten years. Isn't it something that one man can give $$ on a scale to influence this, and has the contacts to raise big money, too. In '08, in the … [Read more...]
How To Model Leadership To Everyone You Meet
To model leadership, become an encourager. Encourage men, women, and children to take one step toward the secret dream they have. Encourage even one person forward so that she (or he) doesn't give up and accept what is hurting or stifling them. Encourage those you meet and those you love to strengthen their hearts, open their souls, and build for themselves a solid ground of being. And, of course, to encourage others you must also encourage yourself. One way to practice kindness and encouragement for yourself and others is to repeat a loving kindness meditation. The words are first for yourself. "May I be happy. May I be well. May I be … [Read more...]
Teaching Thankfulness To Ourselves and Our Children
Would you prefer to listen to this article? Use the audio player below. Thanksgiving is a natural time for teaching thankfulness. From an adult's point of view, Thanksgiving and the following holidays often bring a higher degree of work and responsibility than our usual routine. If we are not planning for a houseful of guests on Thanksgiving Day we are preparing to travel, often with children in tow, to meet up with friends and family. There's the usual frenzy of shopping for the big feast, getting the house in order, perhaps decorating, and cooking. If we're not doing that the frenzy is getting clothing in … [Read more...]
