Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
The Enneagram and Living Your Life with Passion
Mary Anne recently facilitated a break-out session at the 23rd Annual Women's Leadership Conference. What an incredible experience it was! 100+ women joined the session and learned a new technology, Brainwave Vibration, a simple, easy to do practice reduces stress, increases attention, releases stagnant energy, and channels healthy energy that can be focused on achieving what we want and truly desire. See link to short video demonstration of this technology.
The main focus of the talk was to help participants discover or re-discover their passion - what really drives them to do what they do - and so participants were asked to reflect on what their life would be like is they were living it with passion and then share with a partner their reflections. Not surprisingly, many women said they weren't living with passion yet they could describe what it would be like if they were. Listen in as Mary Anne asks the audience to reflect on what it takes to live a life of passion.
Next Mary Anne introduced a 4-part model for living your life with passion (Listen in as Mary Anne introduces model to the group) and then she asked the audience to personally apply the model to their search for living a life with passion.
Last but not least the audience was asked to reflect on what gets in the way of living a life with passion. Mary Anne offered the Enneagram as a tool that helps uncover these barriers as well as reveals the resources and strengths we have that can support us in achieving what we desire most. Listen as she provides an overview of the Enneagram.
Living you life with passion is within your reach -- take some time to reflect on what's getting in your way and then go for it! What's the alternative?
The main focus of the talk was to help participants discover or re-discover their passion - what really drives them to do what they do - and so participants were asked to reflect on what their life would be like is they were living it with passion and then share with a partner their reflections. Not surprisingly, many women said they weren't living with passion yet they could describe what it would be like if they were. Listen in as Mary Anne asks the audience to reflect on what it takes to live a life of passion.
Next Mary Anne introduced a 4-part model for living your life with passion (Listen in as Mary Anne introduces model to the group) and then she asked the audience to personally apply the model to their search for living a life with passion.
Last but not least the audience was asked to reflect on what gets in the way of living a life with passion. Mary Anne offered the Enneagram as a tool that helps uncover these barriers as well as reveals the resources and strengths we have that can support us in achieving what we desire most. Listen as she provides an overview of the Enneagram.
Living you life with passion is within your reach -- take some time to reflect on what's getting in your way and then go for it! What's the alternative?
Monday, March 16, 2009
Reflections on Leaders in Crisis
Last week I spent four days working with a department within a large organization that is and has been in crisis for the past six months. They have had lay-offs, positions have been eliminated, all staff were mandated to take 4 unpaid furlough days, and personnel changes made at higher levels in the organization are circling around the department wondering how much more can be cut. Needless to say, leadership is stressed out; under incredible pressure to produce results with fewer and fewer resources. I am there to develop the leadership team so that they can stay focused on their priorities and build and grow the department and its staff. Below are my reflections on this time working with these incredibly courageous and inspirational leaders.
- During these tough and stressful times it takes courage to get out of bed and show up everyday to a work place where employees expect you, as their manager, to keep them motivated and keep telling them everything is going to be okay. I salute all of you leaders who are leading the way for your staff during these tough times!
- Taking care of yourself first is crucial. Not sleeping, working too many hours, not getting enough physical exercise and not eating healthy food results in a cranky, unhealthy person who can not be there for his/her people let alone him/herself. The leaders who make self care a priority are the ones who have the best resilience and capacity for leading during stressful times.
- Fix the person first, then the problem. As leaders we tend to be looked to to solve problems and so when employees bring problems to us we automatically go in to fix-it mode. The next time an employee comes in with a problem, take a moment to acknowledge the person before you and let him/her know you appreciate them being on your team. It's amazing the length to which employees will go for their leaders when they feel appreciated and valued.
- Being a leader often puts you in a position where you have information that can not always be shared with your employees. This presents a particular challenge and can become a credibility issue for a leader if not handled with care. Back in November, the leader of this department knew lay-offs were coming and didn't want her staff to hear about them from the press or any one else so she gather her whole staff and told them what she knew -- which was the truth - and promised to keep them informed along the way. She stuck to her word and so when an employee last week asked her about a rumor that the department was going to move to another floor in the building, she said "there have been talks going on but I promise you when I know, you will know." This is an example of a leader who has earned credibility through her actions not her words!
I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes.
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
- During these tough and stressful times it takes courage to get out of bed and show up everyday to a work place where employees expect you, as their manager, to keep them motivated and keep telling them everything is going to be okay. I salute all of you leaders who are leading the way for your staff during these tough times!
- Taking care of yourself first is crucial. Not sleeping, working too many hours, not getting enough physical exercise and not eating healthy food results in a cranky, unhealthy person who can not be there for his/her people let alone him/herself. The leaders who make self care a priority are the ones who have the best resilience and capacity for leading during stressful times.
- Fix the person first, then the problem. As leaders we tend to be looked to to solve problems and so when employees bring problems to us we automatically go in to fix-it mode. The next time an employee comes in with a problem, take a moment to acknowledge the person before you and let him/her know you appreciate them being on your team. It's amazing the length to which employees will go for their leaders when they feel appreciated and valued.
- Being a leader often puts you in a position where you have information that can not always be shared with your employees. This presents a particular challenge and can become a credibility issue for a leader if not handled with care. Back in November, the leader of this department knew lay-offs were coming and didn't want her staff to hear about them from the press or any one else so she gather her whole staff and told them what she knew -- which was the truth - and promised to keep them informed along the way. She stuck to her word and so when an employee last week asked her about a rumor that the department was going to move to another floor in the building, she said "there have been talks going on but I promise you when I know, you will know." This is an example of a leader who has earned credibility through her actions not her words!
I'll leave you with one of my favorite quotes.
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Managing FEAR in the Moment
Who isn't having a few fears running through them these days? We are surrounded by the news about our faltering economy, Wall Street, bank crisis and so much more, so we are wondering how are you doing?
Fear is a normal human response yet it is also a conditioned response that runs on automatic if we let it. Some define fear as False Evidence Appearing Real. All this to say that fear feels real and yet often times it is merely a thought that we believe to be true.
How do you know if it is real or not? First observe yourself thinking the thought. From this position of objectivity,
1) ask yourself what evidence or proof you have that validates your fear or thought then, 2) notice the intensity of the thought, the emotions that are arising and the impact it is having on you physically. Next, move your attention to your gut and say "I have a thought that is creating a reaction (describe the reaction you are having) in me. What will I choose to do next?"
Having a strategy ready when fear arises allows you to acknowledge it, assess it and then move into action. As Theresa often says, "the goal is to shorten the window of time that we are on automatic [or having fearful thoughts in this instance]." Fear will continue to arise in us and we will continue to catch ourselves on automatic. The good news is you have control as to how long it runs its course and the impact it has on you.
Listen to Peter O'Hanrahan guide you through a 3 Centers Practice that helps you strengthen your inner observer and practice shifting your attention from your head to your heart to your gut.
Fear is a normal human response yet it is also a conditioned response that runs on automatic if we let it. Some define fear as False Evidence Appearing Real. All this to say that fear feels real and yet often times it is merely a thought that we believe to be true.
How do you know if it is real or not? First observe yourself thinking the thought. From this position of objectivity,
1) ask yourself what evidence or proof you have that validates your fear or thought then, 2) notice the intensity of the thought, the emotions that are arising and the impact it is having on you physically. Next, move your attention to your gut and say "I have a thought that is creating a reaction (describe the reaction you are having) in me. What will I choose to do next?"
Having a strategy ready when fear arises allows you to acknowledge it, assess it and then move into action. As Theresa often says, "the goal is to shorten the window of time that we are on automatic [or having fearful thoughts in this instance]." Fear will continue to arise in us and we will continue to catch ourselves on automatic. The good news is you have control as to how long it runs its course and the impact it has on you.
Listen to Peter O'Hanrahan guide you through a 3 Centers Practice that helps you strengthen your inner observer and practice shifting your attention from your head to your heart to your gut.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Business Leaders Voice Their Concerns and Responses to the Economy
Fifty U.S. business leaders, representative of Fortune 500 companies and both small business, shared their perceptions and reactions to today's challenging business environment at Transform Inc.'s September 2008 Enneagram Leadership Conference in Alexandria, VA. Mary Anne Wampler facilitated the session which took place on the third and final day of a Enneagram Leadership Conference when attendees had established rapport and comfort level with one another.
By day two, Mary Anne said, "It is as obvious as an elephant in the room," And while no one was coming out and saying "this is the toughest time I've had as a leader," it was evident that everyone had something on their mind. It was nothing short of a huge sigh of relief when leaders were given the opportunity to discuss their feelings about today's business environment. This article offers a summarization of those comments - with the hope that other business professionals will find both solace and renewed optimism from the shared perspectives.
Transform: What are the specific business challenges as a leader you are facing?
· What used to work isn't working now. We are having to evaluate what we are doing and make decisions on how to do more with less resources, time, effort.
· The sales environment is tougher. We have to be better at sales. We have to work harder and be more focused on the highest pay-off activities. We need more skills. The sales people who were successful when the economy was good are now struggling and even the very best sales people are struggling or working twice as hard to get less of what they got before.
· My clients are not as confident. They are reluctant to invest. I have to work much harder to instill confidence in the buyers. The sales cycle is also longer and requires more hand-holding, listening, reworking of quotes to fit tighter budgets. Price is a major factor.
· Traditional offerings and services of the past aren't enough. I need to be very creative in meeting my clients' needs and budget.
· Keeping morale up is a full-time job. Sales professionals are impacted by external factors - news, friends being laid off or downsized. Leading others and instilling confidence in employees takes more effort.
· When working under stressful conditions, the ego operates on automatic and little things can have a big impact on others.
· There is the need to constantly reevaluate our internal organization in order to respond to the marketplace and customers. The demands made of our employees need to be centered and focused - not reactive and impatient.
· Balancing long-term and short-term focus is difficult when you don't know what is going to happen externally from one day-to-day to the next.
· Constant change is the reality. Learning to manage change in one's self, in one's employees and the business forces is crucial.
Transform: Given your current reality, what opportunities does this situation offer for you, as a leader, your organization and your employees?
· With things a little slower, you can take time to improve processes and retool employees to become more adaptable and responsive to change.
· You can take time to develop and grow one's self - to work on leadership skills and hone sales skills.
· It's important to focus on where the opportunities are as opposed to what's not happening.
· You have to be laser-focused on where time and resources are being spent - both personally and with all your staff.
· We're being forced to think outside the box - to think differently and more creatively on how to keep and sustain relationships. We're learning what services and products to offer and how to stay in front of buyers.
· Now is the time to build collaborative relationships - to look for partnerships with other companies to offer more efficient services and offerings.
When reflecting on these comments, Mary Anne and I were struck by a few things that perhaps run counter intuitive to what we are hearing from the news, media and fear-based leaders. First, leaders who are truly leading during this tough time are fully committed to the continued growth and development of their employees and themselves. Now is not the time to abandon developmental training. Rather, it is the time to invest in your people. Second, now is the opportunity to rethink 'how' you are doing business - a 'housecleaning' if you will. Take stock of how you are delivering services to customers and, of that, what is most efficient and productive. Third, heightened your attention and focus on customer relationships. It is a crucial component to riding out these challenging times. Build stronger, more collaborative relationships with your customers. Spend time with them. Learn what's going on in their business and how you can add value to what they offer. Ensure that every encounter they have with your company is exactly the experience you want them to have. Lastly, successful leaders are those who are taking care of themselves physically, mentally, emotionally and even, spiritually. Pay attention to the impact you are having on your their employees and be intentional regarding the impact you want to have. Work diligently to keep their teams focused on the opportunities and priorities that exist.
We'd love to hear from you. If you'd like to share your responses to the questions, send us an email at info@transforminc.com.
By day two, Mary Anne said, "It is as obvious as an elephant in the room," And while no one was coming out and saying "this is the toughest time I've had as a leader," it was evident that everyone had something on their mind. It was nothing short of a huge sigh of relief when leaders were given the opportunity to discuss their feelings about today's business environment. This article offers a summarization of those comments - with the hope that other business professionals will find both solace and renewed optimism from the shared perspectives.
Transform: What are the specific business challenges as a leader you are facing?
· What used to work isn't working now. We are having to evaluate what we are doing and make decisions on how to do more with less resources, time, effort.
· The sales environment is tougher. We have to be better at sales. We have to work harder and be more focused on the highest pay-off activities. We need more skills. The sales people who were successful when the economy was good are now struggling and even the very best sales people are struggling or working twice as hard to get less of what they got before.
· My clients are not as confident. They are reluctant to invest. I have to work much harder to instill confidence in the buyers. The sales cycle is also longer and requires more hand-holding, listening, reworking of quotes to fit tighter budgets. Price is a major factor.
· Traditional offerings and services of the past aren't enough. I need to be very creative in meeting my clients' needs and budget.
· Keeping morale up is a full-time job. Sales professionals are impacted by external factors - news, friends being laid off or downsized. Leading others and instilling confidence in employees takes more effort.
· When working under stressful conditions, the ego operates on automatic and little things can have a big impact on others.
· There is the need to constantly reevaluate our internal organization in order to respond to the marketplace and customers. The demands made of our employees need to be centered and focused - not reactive and impatient.
· Balancing long-term and short-term focus is difficult when you don't know what is going to happen externally from one day-to-day to the next.
· Constant change is the reality. Learning to manage change in one's self, in one's employees and the business forces is crucial.
Transform: Given your current reality, what opportunities does this situation offer for you, as a leader, your organization and your employees?
· With things a little slower, you can take time to improve processes and retool employees to become more adaptable and responsive to change.
· You can take time to develop and grow one's self - to work on leadership skills and hone sales skills.
· It's important to focus on where the opportunities are as opposed to what's not happening.
· You have to be laser-focused on where time and resources are being spent - both personally and with all your staff.
· We're being forced to think outside the box - to think differently and more creatively on how to keep and sustain relationships. We're learning what services and products to offer and how to stay in front of buyers.
· Now is the time to build collaborative relationships - to look for partnerships with other companies to offer more efficient services and offerings.
When reflecting on these comments, Mary Anne and I were struck by a few things that perhaps run counter intuitive to what we are hearing from the news, media and fear-based leaders. First, leaders who are truly leading during this tough time are fully committed to the continued growth and development of their employees and themselves. Now is not the time to abandon developmental training. Rather, it is the time to invest in your people. Second, now is the opportunity to rethink 'how' you are doing business - a 'housecleaning' if you will. Take stock of how you are delivering services to customers and, of that, what is most efficient and productive. Third, heightened your attention and focus on customer relationships. It is a crucial component to riding out these challenging times. Build stronger, more collaborative relationships with your customers. Spend time with them. Learn what's going on in their business and how you can add value to what they offer. Ensure that every encounter they have with your company is exactly the experience you want them to have. Lastly, successful leaders are those who are taking care of themselves physically, mentally, emotionally and even, spiritually. Pay attention to the impact you are having on your their employees and be intentional regarding the impact you want to have. Work diligently to keep their teams focused on the opportunities and priorities that exist.
We'd love to hear from you. If you'd like to share your responses to the questions, send us an email at info@transforminc.com.
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