Who are the leaders you choose to emulate? Here are a few leadership-related posts you may have missed.
“Who can you give the credit to, before you take some for yourself?”
“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”
Image from Unsplash by Dmitry Mashkin
In the years following my dad’s passing, I’ve developed a far greater interest in the subject of aging.
Although there are many reasons to see these years as ones of decline from our younger selves, there is still plenty of evidence that numerous areas of life tend to improve, including:
EXERCISE:
How can you see yourself as getting better — not just older — with each passing day? How might greater mindfulness and self-awareness of the aging process help you experience a richer, more fulfilling life?
Image from Unsplash by Tolu Akinyemi
Seth Godin defines strategy as a “Philosophy of Becoming,” emphasizing understanding who you aim to serve and the change you seek to make.
He contrasts strategy with tactics, explaining that the right strategy enhances the effectiveness of any tactic and reduces the pressure on perfect execution.
He also emphasizes that strategy involves seeing and leveraging the invisible systems around you — rather than being controlled by them — aiming for transformative change within existing frameworks.
Godin’s approach is more about long-term vision and adaptability than rigid adherence to predefined tactics.
EXERCISE:
If you want to distinguish your personal or organizational strategies from the many tactical approaches you currently use, consider checking out Seth’s new book This Is Strategy to help you better see the future from a distance.
Image from Unsplash by elise storsul
To what degree do you play the role of coach in your life?
Perhaps you coach your children, a sports team, or even your colleagues at work. If you are nodding your head in agreement, you probably find supporting others in their growth and development very rewarding.
How often do you play the role of coach for yourself, taking on worthy goals and pivoting along the way to reach the outcomes you desire? If this sounds like something you would like to do more often, try this three-step process:
Envision a goal or future outcome you strongly desire and write it down.
Break this goal into bite size steps to act upon in the coming days and week. Write these action steps in your calendar or schedule.
Promise and make a pact with yourself and others in your communities to see things through.
EXERCISE:
In what area of your life would you most want to achieve a worthy goal?
How would making a pact with yourself and being your own coach help you achieve the results you deeply desire?
Let me know how things go! Email barry@dempcoaching.com
They say “Laughter is the best medicine” — Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“The best kind of laughter is laughter born of a shared memory.”
“Learning and laughter work nicely together.”
“Tears of joy are like the summer raindrops pierced by sunbeams.”
Image from Unsplash by Megan Watson
Many cultures around the world celebrate holidays that share similarities with the American Thanksgiving, focusing on themes of gratitude, harvest, and family gatherings.
Regardless of where we are in the world, to reap a harvest requires the planting of seeds and tending to the land.
To have bountiful relationships with family and friends it’s important to show gratitude to the charming gardeners in our lives that feed us in both body and soul.
EXERCISE:
Who are the charming gardeners in your world, and how will you demonstrate your gratitude for the happiness and joy they bring to your life this Thanksgiving Day and throughout the holiday season?
Image from Unsplash by Vasilis Caravitis
Liz Wiseman’s research suggest that the primary cause of burnout is not excessive workload, but rather a lack of impact in one’s work.
She argues that when individuals feel their work is not making a difference or is underutilized, it leads to feelings of exhaustion and burnout.
Her work emphasizes the importance of meaningful work that challenges and utilizes employee talents and skills, which can be invigorating rather than draining.
EXERCISE:
In what areas of your life are you experiencing or on the verge of burnout?
How would re-examining your sense of meaning and the significance of your contribution in these areas help you re-ignite the flames of purpose and passion in your life?
Image from Unsplash by Parabol | The Agile Meeting Tool
How satisfied do you feel at the end of each day?
Regardless of whether you receive gobs of recognition or praise from those around you, it’s helpful to have your own internal scoreboard to measure your life.
How clear are you about the people you serve in both your personal and professional worlds? Take a few minutes to get very specific so that you can increase your intentionality with these folks.
What problems do you solve that they value and most likely couldn’t solve as well or as quickly without your assistance? Again, get as specific as possible as to the difference you make in their lives.
EXERCISE:
At the end of the day ask and answer the question, Who did I serve and what problems did I help solve? I hope you then sleep well and give this exercise another go tomorrow.
Image from Unsplash by Jeffrey F Lin
Prospective coaching clients frequently ask about the success rate of my client engagements.
Many people focus on the coach and the coaching process, and fail to look at their own role in the process of achievement.
As far as I know, coaches and their clipboards must remain on the sidelines.
Although we often point our fingers toward outside sources of success, it always comes down to the athlete or team’s talent, focus, and continuous practice that leads to putting points on the board in both sports and in life.
EXERCISE:
How focused are you in your personal and professional pursuits?
At what level do you strive and persist in your efforts to master your game or your craft?
How do you and will you recognize and acknowledge how far you’ve come and see the signs of success along the way?
What place does the accumulation of knowledge have in your world? Here are a few related posts you may have missed.
“The unfed mind devours itself.”
“We are drowning in information and starving for knowledge.”
“Knowledge is like underwear. It is useful to have it, but not necessary to show it off.”