Focus

Daniel Goleman, renowned Psychologist and Emotional Intelligence pioneer, describes focus as the “hidden driver of excellence”. Goleman’s new book is about focus and the brain systems involved in training our attention. He claims that leaders need to be adept at three varieties of focus.  “The first is self-awareness, and the ability to manage your own emotion; the second is the awareness of other people; and the third is an outer focus, an awareness of broader organizational needs.  Leaders need all three types in balance to be effective.”

Goleman suggests that it is concentration that drives superior performance. After countless studies in many areas Goleman claims: “The data is showing us that the ability to pay attention well—in the right way at the right time—is absolutely critical to top performance.”

Our attention is under siege as the level of distraction in our lives has never been greater. The demands of our work lives and personal relationships have become more and more transactional and the expectation of fast paced, urgent communication exchanges continues to escalate. This changing dynamic pushes us all into a mode of multitasking.

Multitasking has become the norm.  Where it used to be reserved for times of high volume or peaks in our workload, multitasking is now the standard manner of approaching both personal and work tasks.

If you are thinking that your ability to multitask is a strength, you might want to think again.  Like Goleman, Travis Bradberry, best-selling author and contributor at Inc.com favors focus over multitasking in driving superior performance. In a recent post titled: The Real Harm in Multitasking, Bradberry discusses the pitfalls. He cites a Stanford study that supports his position that multitasking may not be all it is cracked up to be. He writes,

 "Stanford researchers compared groups of people based on their tendency to multitask and their belief that it helps their performance. They found that heavy multitaskers--those who multitask a lot and feel that it boosts their performance--were actually worse at multitasking than those who like to do a single thing at a time. The frequent multitaskers performed worse because they had more trouble organizing their thoughts and filtering out irrelevant information, and they were slower at switching from one task to another."

The researchers measured all subjects' efficiency when multitasking and found it was less productive than doing a single thing at a time. More startling, they found that multitaskers cannot pay attention, recall information, or switch from one job to another as well as those who complete one task at a time.

Multitasking reduces your efficiency and performance because your brain is wired to focus on a single thing at a time. When you try to do two things at once, your brain simply lacks the capacity to perform both tasks successfully, according to Bradberry.

Additionally, Bradberry shares that “research also shows that, in addition to slowing you down, multitasking lowers your IQ. A study at the University of London found that participants who multitasked during cognitive tasks experienced IQ score declines that were similar to what they'd expect if they had smoked marijuana or stayed up all night. IQ drops of 15 points for multitasking men lowered their scores to the average range of an 8-year-old child.”

The takeaway here is to change your definition of “effective”. Instead of trying so hard to keep up with the chaos, slow it down, reflect, plan, focus and shine!

 Your future success may depend on it! 

Image credit: imgkid.com

Good Things Come to Those Who Sweat

We all know the benefit of exercise on our physical health. The list of disease risks that can be reduced by regular exercise is endless. There is no doubt that exercise gives us more energy and everyone wants to look fit. But there really is more going on when it comes to exercise and much of it is going on where you would least expect it… in your brain.

I often notice the benefits of things only when I stop.  Then, I feel the loss and realize how much I appreciated the advantages.  It’s like that for me and exercise.  Exercise has been a regular part of my life for years, especially in recent years when I began running and competing in marathons.  When you are training like that, the focus is on the milestones… the schedule.  Just getting it done is such a challenge that it is easy to overlook the positive influence your exercise is having on all aspects of your life.  When I get lazy with my schedule or start missing exercise days that’s when I notice the change in my overall mood, in my motivation and in my productivity.  There is good science that explains my personal experience.

A Fast Company article on exercise did a good job of explaining the brain’s response to exercise. Neuroscienceresearch suggests; that when you start exercising, the brain recognizes this moment as a moment of stress. As your heart pressure increases, the brain thinks you are either fighting an enemy or fleeing from it. To protect yourself and your brain from stress you release a protein called Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF).This BDNF protein has a protective and also reparative element to your memory neurons and acts as a reset switch. That’s why we may feel at ease after exercise and like things are “clearer”.   At the same time, endorphins tend to minimize the discomfort of the exercise, block the feeling of pain and are even associated with feelings of euphoria.

In a Huffington Post article, Sophia Breene did a great job of outlining the specific mental benefits of exercise. Here are some of my favorites taken from her blog:

Exercise:

Prevents Cognitive Decline

It's unpleasant, but it's true -- as we get older, our brains get a little... hazy. As aging and degenerative diseases like Alzheimer's kill off brain cells, the noggin actually shrinks, losing many important brain functions in the process. While exercise and a healthy diet can’t “cure” Alzheimer's, they can help shore up the brain against cognitive decline that begins after age 45 Working out, especially between age 25 and 45, boosts the chemicals in the brain that support and prevent degeneration of the hippocampus, an important part of the brain for memory and learning.

Sharpens Memory

Get ready to win big at Go Fish. Regular physical activity boosts memory and ability to learn new things. Getting sweaty increases production of cells in the hippocampus responsible for memory and learning. For this reason, research has linked children's brain development with the level of physical fitness (take that, recess haters!). But exercise-based brainpower isn't just for kids. Even if it's not as much fun as a game of hide and go seek, working out can boost memory among grown-ups, too. A study showed that running sprints improved vocabulary retention among healthy adults.

Helps Us to Get More Done

Feeling uninspired in the cubicle? The solution might be just a short walk or jog away. Research shows that workers who take time for exercise on a regular basis are more productive and have more energy than their more sedentary peers. While busy schedules can make it tough to squeeze in a gym session in the middle of the day, some experts believe that midday is the ideal time for a workout due to the body's circadian rhythms.

Helps Us Tap Into Creativity

Most people end a tough workout with a hot shower, but maybe we should be breaking out the colored pencils instead. A heart-pumping gym session can boost creativity for up to two hours afterwards. Next time you need a burst of creative thinking, hit the trails for a long walk or run to refresh the body and the brain at the same time.

Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said “All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.”. So when you think your workday is just too busy to squeeze in some exercise, you may want to think again! The return on that time may far surpass the lost time at your computer checking emails…

image credit: Martindata l Dreamstime.com

Destination Character

Several weeks ago, David Brooks, columnist for The New York Times released a new book titled The Road to Character.  When I heard him interviewed about the book, it seemed like a valuable read.  I haven’t read the whole thing but I am intrigued by the concept.  The book is about one mindset that people through the centuries have adopted to “put iron in their core and to cultivate a wise heart”. Brooks humbly shares that he wrote this book not sure that he could follow the road to character, but wanting to at least know what the road looks like and how people have trodden it.

Here is an excerpt , in which  David challenges the reader to consider the difference between what he describes as Resume virtues verses Eulogy virtues.  Brooks says “Resume virtues are the ones you list on your resume, the skills that you bring to the job market and that contribute to external success.  The eulogy virtues are deeper.  They’re the virtues that get talked about at your funeral, the ones that exist at the core of your being—whether you are kind, brave, honest or faithful; what kind of relationships you formed.”

According to Brooks, most of us would say that the eulogy virtues are more important than the resume virtues, and yet, like most of us, he shares that for long stretches of his life he has spent more time thinking about the latter than the former.  He also describes our education system as oriented around the resume virtues more than the eulogy ones.  He goes on to say that our public conversation is, too—the self-help tips in magazines, the non-fiction bestsellers.  Most of us have clearer strategies for how to achieve career success than we do for how to develop profound character.

Brooks goes on to say that “ the noise of fast and shallow communications makes it harder to hear the quieter sounds that emanate from the depths. We live in a culture that teaches us to promote and advertise ourselves and to master the skills required for success but gives little encouragement to humility, sympathy, and honest self-confrontation, which are necessary for building character”.

Since I read that excerpt I have been thinking on how we can spend meaningful effort that might allow for us to truly work on character while allowing us to maintain the obligations that keep our daily life on track. After all, most of us cannot afford to retreat to a mountaintop and read Kahlil Gibran in sabbatical.  I came up with these 6 small steps that might allow us to explore our own character:

Make time for self-reflection. Use your commute or times when you are doing menial chores to consider life’s big questions. What makes you special or different? How would people who know you best describe you? What would you change about yourself if you could and what would you never change?

Leave open time on your calendar. No plans. Just time to be spontaneous and follow your heart’s song.

Create vision of who you want to be in three years... five years... ten years. People will often ask where you want to be. This is different. This is about WHO you want to be and what you would like those life stages to mean to your story.  

Make some meaningful resolutions.  Not resolutions about paying down your debt, learning a different language or losing weight. Make them about relationships, legacies and contributions.

Journal. Ask yourself tough questions about where you have been and what you have learned.  Spill your thoughts onto the page. Why not write your own eulogy, what would you like to be remembered for? If you can clearly articulate it, you can become it.

Become the storyteller in your family. Let your family know all about how you became the person you are and what you value and treasure in your life story.

When you think about your own road to character, think about minor course corrections.  Put your hands on the steering wheel and create a life worthy of remembering! 

Take Off the Training Wheels!

It is impossible to become successful while always playing it safe!  So why not challenge yourself to become more comfortable with risk? Not sure? Maybe these wise words will convince you…

“Pearls don’t lie on the seashore. If you want one you must dive for it”~ Chinese Proverb

“If things seem under control, you just are not going fast enough”~ Mario Andretti

“Do the one thing you think you cannot do. Fail at it. Try again.”~ Oprah Winfrey

“Go out on a limb, that’s where the fruit is”~ Jimmy Carter

“There is only one way to avoid criticism; do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing”~ Aristotle

“If you are offered a seat on a rocketship, you don’t ask what seat. You just get on!”~Sheryl Sandberg

“A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are for”~ John A. Shedd

Taking calculated risks can bring previously unimaginable opportunities to both your career and your personal life. Okay, now that you are motivated, how exactly do you increase you comfort level with risk?

Acceptable Risk 

Consider the concept of “acceptable risks”.  Let’s face it, all risks are not “acceptable risks”.  So how do you decide? Hope is a great motivator but a lousy foundation for a strategy. You are much better off using a reality-based method to assess risk.  This is important when we face life’s decisions and in particular when we are assessing a financial commitment.

For decision-making, Consider 3 questions:

1. What is the worst possible outcome of this risk?
2. What will I do if that happens?
3. Can I live with things turning out that way?

If you can readily answer question number two, you are probably considering an “acceptable risk”.  

For financial risk, 3 questions matter most:

1. How much can you afford to bet or lose?
2. What can I afford to spend?
3. What am I willing to spend?

Don’t ever bet more than you can expect to gain in return on that expenditure. Keep in mind that any expenditure will change your ability to pursue other things.  This is where your willingness to spend should incorporate a broader perspective on the limitations that accompany the expenditure.

“Acceptable risk” will vary from person to person, but we can all benefit from pushing our boundaries from time to time.

I will leave you with a quote from the very recently departed Maya Angelou who said,

“I believe that the most important single thing, beyond discipline and creativity is daring to dare.” Maya Angelou

image credit: www.performancebike.com

Let's Get Ready to Humble!

Humility is perhaps the most overlooked and under rated of leadership traits.  And yet, when I went online in search of good information on the value of this value, I found such a wealth of great perspective! Although I support a gentle approach in most areas of leadership and communication, I found myself wondering why I hadn’t explored this area specifically before?  So, if you are like me and you have overlooked the power of humility here is some food for thought.., today I am serving humble pie… (Sorry, I couldn’t resist).

In case you need a working definition, the authors of a study published in Administrative Science Quarterly, describe this trait: “humility is manifested in self-awareness, openness to feedback, appreciation of others, low self-focus, and pursuit of self-transcendence. Humble people willingly seek accurate self-knowledge and accept their imperfections while remaining fully aware of their talents and abilities. They appreciate others' positive worth, strengths, and contributions and thus have no need for entitlement or dominance over others." The study I mentioned explored the importance of humility in effective team leadership in Chinese companies.  The results, published by PsyBlog, suggest that when it comes to high-functioning teams, humility of leaders is key. PsyBlog also stresses that earlier studies here in the U.S. uncovered the same thing. One study of Fortune 1000 executives found that one important factor which lifted leaders from 'good to great' was modesty, for instance.

John Baldoni, Inc.com contributor, describes the leadership challenge when it comes to humility in a recent post he wrote for Inc.com.. “What is important to understand is that very often leaders fear humility. I find this is especially true in autocracies where a leader is expected to 'know it all and do it all.' A leader who is not in total command of facts as well as the levers of power may be viewed as one not worthy of respect. So leaders who act with excessive bravado, even when in over their heads, are doing what is expected of them.

Sadly, they view humility as a sign of weakness. They fail to understand that the humble leader is one who can open the door to improved levels of followership. Humility is integral to 'Level 5' leadership, a term that Jim Collins uses in his seminal book, Good to Great, to describe those leaders who not only guide but inspire their organizations to achieve superior results.”  Baldoni goes on to say that “Humble leaders are those that others not only want to follow but enjoy following because of strong leadership as well as strong humanity.”

How can we demonstrate this important trait more often?  Here are six great ideas thanks to John Dame and Jeffrey Gedmin, taken from an article they wrote for Harvard Business Review:

Know what you don’t know.

Resist “master of the universe” impulses. You may yourself excel in an area, but as a leader you are, by definition, a generalist. Rely on those who have relevant qualification and expertise. Know when to defer and delegate.

Resist falling for your own publicity.

We all do it! Whether we’re writing a press release or a self-appraisal, we put the best spin on our success — and then conveniently forget that the reality wasn’t as flawless. Drinking in the glory of a triumph can be energizing. Too big a drink is intoxicating. It blurs vision and impairs judgment.

Never underestimate the competition.

You may be brilliant, ambitious, and audacious, but the world is filled with other hard-working, high-IQ, and creative professionals. Don’t kid yourself that they and their innovations aren’t a serious threat.

Embrace and promote a spirit of service.

Employees quickly figure out which leaders are dedicated to helping them succeed, and which are scrambling for personal success at their expense. Customers do too.

Listen, even (no, especially) to the weird ideas.

Only when you are not convinced that your idea is or will be better than someone else’s do you really open your ears to what they are saying. But there is ample evidence that you should. The most imaginative and valuable ideas tend to come from left field, from some associate who seems a little offbeat, and may not hold an exalted position in the organization.

Be passionately curious.

Constantly welcome and seek out new knowledge and insist on curiosity from those around you. Research has found linkages between curiosity and many positive leadership attributes (including emotional and social intelligence). Take it from Einstein. “I have no special talent,” he claimed. “I am only passionately curious.”

So, let’s get ready to humble!  And to wrap this up, I will quote C.S. Lewis who said: 

“True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”  C.S. Lewis

imagecredit: baneofyourresistance.com

You Blew It... Now What?

Mistakes! We all make them. And as much as every good leader will tell you that mistakes are learning opportunities, you can watch even the most professional leaders head for the hills when things start to unravel.

We all want to create an environment where freethinking can breed innovation, but we get tripped up in our quest for accountability. This buzz around accountability is really our lack of tolerance for complacency. If we could lose our concern for accountability for even a moment, we might realize that encouraging and cultivating passion would leave us with the most genuinely engaged organization. You cannot be complacent and passionate. Anyway, enough on that.

So perhaps you took a risk. Maybe your overwhelming workload stress finally got the best of you and you missed something, skipped a step, left someone important out of the communication loop. It happens. So, how do you recover?  What can you do?

I’ve coached many a penitent professional through the ugly aftermath of a professional mistake. I know it isn’t easy to keep a brave face but you can get past most gaffes and (generally speaking) your reputation can recover too. Here are some tips for cleaning up a mess.

Show Humility

Humility isn’t weakness. In fact, I think it takes more guts to humble yourself than it does to defend yourself. Let me be clear, humbling yourself doesn’t mean groveling or articulating self-doubt. Humility requires you acknowledge the error, take responsibility and express that you regret that it happened the way it did.

Demonstrate Your Concern

Trying to minimize your concern for the error by describing why it isn’t really so bad or why it may actually have some silver lining is a big mistake. You can, however, talk through a perspective that might include vocabulary like “damage control” or “minimizing the impact”.

Respond Sooner Rather Than Later

The best way to demonstrate genuine concern is to respond quickly. Not in a rash or overly reactive way, but you should be deliberate and timely. Waiting too long starts to look like another mistake. We can all identify celebrities and politicians who chose to remain silent when issues escalate. The lack of response can draw increased attention. 

Explain, Don’t Defend

Offering an explanation or back story is important. It shows that you are plugged in and know how the problem happened. You don’t want to seem like you have no control or idea what is going on. Feigning disbelief or outrage will only make the situation worse. If you have a set of assumptions that you still feel you need to articulate, then share them. Don’t be pigheaded about your position, and don’t deny that the outcome is less than favorable. A thoughtful error in judgement is better than a careless error, but sometime careless errors happen and a sincere apology is all you can offer as explanation.

Always Offer Bulletproof Problem Solving

Offer a concise description of how you will ensure that a similar error will never happen again. Include safeguards and express them with confidence. Offer this shift only after you have taken responsibility and expressed your concern. If you move too quickly to problem solving, it can seem like you are trying to avoid taking responsibility.

Forgive Yourself

Don’t beat yourself up. This will not be your last mistake, be focused and be deliberate! Don’t allow your errors to make you reluctant or cautious. Use your experience to develop your tolerance and empathy for others who make mistakes in the future; and be a role model for grace under pressure.

In the words of entrepreneur Darren Hardy; “ Doubt and fear steal more dreams than failure does”.

image credit: hereisthecity.com

25 Ways to REFRESH Your Outlook This Spring!

Spring is the perfect time to “refresh”.  Like a mental spring cleaning, take some time to give your professional energy a boost.  Below are 25 great ideas.  Try one or two from each category and enjoy the booster shot of fresh perspective!

Work space

• If you are lucky enough to have a window in your work space, open the blinds and enjoy the natural extended spring daylight.
• Bring fresh flowers into your work space.
• Clean your desk. Spend 15 minutes each morning organizing your work space before you get started.  Set a timer and don't take longer than 15 minutes.
• Clean telephones and keyboards with antibacterial wipes to keep your work space germ-free.
• Try playing music on a low volume in your office, especially when you are doing routine tasks. Wear earbuds if you work in a shared space.
• Keep healthy snacks in your desk for when you get hungry. Skipping meals leads to low blood sugar and mental "fog".

Organization

• Before you leave your work space for the day, organize your calendar and your "to do" list for the next morning.
• Come in early or leave late one day and efolder all those emails in your inbox.  Then make a commitment to keep up the organization.  Asked to be removed from unnecessary distribution lists. What a relief to see that tiny number in your inbox!
• Buy yourself some colorful file folders and Post-it notes. And use them!
• Keep an empty box in the corner of your office.  As you come across files, notes or papers you don't need or want throw them in the shredder box. Eliminating the worry about tossing confidential information allows us to purge more freely. 

Relationship/ Networking

• Create a Linkedin profile or update your profile.  Take a few minutes each week to “like” a connection's posting, or to endorse their skills.
• Each day, replace one followup email with a "walk over visit" or a phone call if the person is not nearby.
• Buy a box of thank you notes and keep them in your desk drawer.  If you are a leader, make a commitment to send out one per week thanking someone for their contributions.
• Invite someone to lunch once a week.
• Each week, send one "hello" email to a colleague you haven't seen in a while. Tell them you were thinking of them and wanted to reach out to catch up. You will stay better apprised of what is going on in rest of the world, and your network will stay strong for times when you may need it.
• Put your cell phone away when you are walking to meetings or to your work space and practice making eye contact and small talk with those you may see in passing.

Personal Development

• Choose an influencer on linkedin and follow them.  You can also choose to follow editorial contributors on forbes.com, fastcompany.com, or inc.com. When their articles hit your email box print them out and place them in a reading folder. Once per week, spend the first 30 minutes of your day (somewhere other than your desk) with your coffee, reading an article. When you are finished, forward the article to a friend. Share everything you read with at least one other person.
• Purchase an audio book. Use your commute time or lunch break to listen to something you are interested in. 

Relaxation/Motivation

• Look for breathing meditations on Youtube, there are many.  Download a few to your phone or tablet. Take a 15 minute break and practice deep breathing once each day.
• Start dressing up for work again! Forget the business casual a couple days a week.
• Get up from your desk and stretch your arms, shoulders, back and neck at least every 90 minutes.
• To allow your eyes to recover, take regular breaks from looking at the computer screen. Optometrists suggest the 20/20/20 rule, that is, after 20 minutes of computer use, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
• Keep a great smelling hand lotion on your desk and massage your hands pressing your thumbs into your palms when you are using the keyboard all day (bonus aromatherapy).
• Buy yourself a beautiful journal at the office supply store or book store and keep it on the corner of your desk to capture great ideas.
• Bring in a small memento, photo or souvenir from a favorite vacation spot and mentally visit that memory when your creativity feels blocked.

As you shut down your workday, take a deep breath and think about one good thing in the day you just completed.  Be grateful for the opportunity to grow and to contribute. Acknowledge your challenges as opportunities to learn and your successes as evidence of your personal progress!  Congratulate yourself for who you are and who you are becoming!

image credit: Fotosearch.com