Renee Giarrusso's Blog, page 10

Limitless Leaders™ Connection – GIFT MINDSET® The perfect team gift for 2023

As we reflect on this time last year, a lot has changed for all of us.

Overall, people have grown in more ways than one through different experiences and situations. From facing challenges and new ways of working and thinking to achieving success in or out of work, everyone has learnt something and has a story to tell.

Challenges teach us what is possible, and successes get us to go that one step further.
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The lessons from these experiences can make a difference in our lives and others. As I call them, these lessons or gifts can come in many forms; we must be open to seeing them. They come from people and situations and can be from the past, the present or the future. By adopting the Gift Mindset®, we get to live our legacy now by sharing these lessons and creating a workplace culture of purpose, connection and contribution.

To embrace these gifts, we need to raise awareness, accept these lessons and apply the gifts they present both in and out of the workplace.

We need, in other words, to adopt and foster a Gift Mindset®.

Our gifts can fall into 12 key categories, “The 12 Gifts”, which are the soft skills we need to deepen and build upon in any role. Too often, hard skills (technical) become the focus, and now more than ever, we need to unwrap and reveal the 12 Gifts.

The Gift Mindset® is a multi-award-winning book that is now being translated into Vietnamese. Available in hard copy, Kindle and audio and is the perfect team gift for 2023.

This book is for you…if you want to embrace challenges and successes and unwrap and share the gifts withinif you want to create a team and workplace culture of openness, connection and collaborationif you are caught up in the “doing” of life and need to reflect on the “gifts that have got you to where you are nowif you would like to build on key life skills and explore the 12 key gifts to incorporate these into your life and leadershipif you are ready to deepen your self-awareness and acceptance of life's lessons and share these to contribute to othersif you are ready to break down the barriers, you may face and reap the benefits

If you are looking for a great way to ramp up the gift of connection, growth and gratitude within your workplace, then give your team the gift of the Gift Mindset® to kick-start 2023.

You can bulk order by emailing admin@reneegiarrusso.com

In this thought-provoking book, I teach you how to adopt the Gift Mindset to learn from these experiences and appreciate them as gifts. Many workplace cultures are transactional and performance-focused; adopting a Gift Mindset® culture promotes openness, connection and collaboration.

The stories, interviews, insights and practical tools can be easily applied to take your life, leadership and organisation to the next level.

Are you ready to unwrap your gifts? Please contact admin@reneegiarrusso.com for bulk orders.

Lead to be limitless…

 

41: 8 Strategies to Re-Energise Year End and Be Limitless

There is no doubt that more and more people are unmotivated and are experiencing end-of-year burnout as the year draws to a close. Many may have difficulty focusing, are more irritable, have difficulties starting the day, and are just feeling overly tired all the time.  

Get some of your energy and motivation back so that you can really enjoy Christmas. Renee shares a few tips to help keep you energized until the end of the year.   

Take a pauseIt doesn't matter how full of energy we are, sooner or later it runs out. Take a break and allow yourself to rest and replenish Resting and pausing allow our bodies and minds to recharge so that we can keep working and moving. 

 

Get out in natureThere's always something good about being in nature. Regardless of how busy you are, have that 10-minute walk to the park, and leave your phone at home. Get out and take a walk!
  Be in the momentWe feel like there's so much going on that we feel overwhelmed. But really, all we have to do is to be in the moment. Live in the here and now. Don't let the past or the future distract you from living in the now. 

  

Do what lights you up! Make sure that you are doing what it is that makes you happy and excited.  Find out the things that give you energy and that sense of excitement. 

 

Practice gratitudeGratitude helps us focus on what we do. Not what we don't have. The act of being grateful helps us live in the moment and focus on what we do have, and that can help us increase our energy levels 

 

Exercise and sleep well. A 15-minute walk can make a huge difference. Go and do it. Keep a regular sleep schedule and minimize your blue light exposure. 

 

Get groundedGo outside!  It doesn't matter whether you walk on grass or sand, just take your shoes off and go.  We need that negative energy that comes from the earth. 

 

Schedule me time! Maintain a healthy sense of self-respect and self-love. Go ahead and schedule a time for you to pamper yourself. Whether you get a massage, spend time with a friend, or read a book, take the time to treat and take care of yourself.
 

Getting back on track after burnout can be a challenging process but you have already made the first step by making a conscious decision to do something about it.  

 

 

Additional Resources:Programs

Is FOMO on Life Leading to Exhaustion?

It's been a huge year, and people are exhausted wherever I turn.

I'm noticing that many people emerging from the post-pandemic haze fit in more personally and professionally.

Maybe it's because we feel we need to catch up on life.

Maybe we fear missing out on what we have missed over the last few years (FOMO).

Every crack of time is being filled, many people telling me they feel the need to be uber productive and make the most of every minute. The downside is that many people feel depleted, exhausted and a bit out of control.

Only last week, a senior leader I've started working with told me he hadn't had a break all year and felt sick even thinking about his upcoming 2023 strategy day. He is feeling so overwhelmed, tired, and out of control. I can resonate with this and will be very open in saying I could empathise with how he was feeling. I've booked in to attend a 4-day Silent Meditation Retreat in October to reset and refocus. The retreat will be challenging and unfamiliar, and I believe it could be life-changing.

I look forward to sharing my experience with you soon.

As much as a break is a good circuit breaker, it is the ongoing habits and disciplines we put in place that can make re-energising a sustainable part of our lives, not just an obtainable one.

We need disciplined pauses and strategies we can access ongoing.

The fact is people are working longer hours, juggling life, and working in a hybrid environment leading to stress, exhaustion and burnout.

The World Health Organization recently deemed burnout as a classifiable workplace phenomenon.

In any role and as a leader of our life, we need to unwrap the Gift of Re-energising; we need to deepen our awareness of our energy and know what feeling energetic is like, compared to feeling depleted. We need to accept then what is going on to be able to re-energise.

Re-energising as a leader

You need to exude the kind of energy you want to see in others. When I led corporate teams and now, as a leader in my business, staying true to my purpose has been key to keeping my energy and that of others inflow.

Whether in a leadership role or not, you are responsible for leading yourself. Get clear on your purpose and your expectations of yourself and others. Be open about your concerns with your peers, manager, or co-workers in other business areas. Think about what energises you and start there.

4 questions to ask:

What is the expectation of my role? Be specific and get clear on this.What is the expectation of my team?What is the teams' expectation of me?What is the expectation and purpose of the organisation?

If you need to re-energise, get support from those around you – in or outside the workplace. Reach out to co-workers, loved ones, external mentors, and friends. We all need a strong support network; remember that connection is an innate human need.

The 7 Keys to Re-energise Live with purpose

Knowing the bigger picture of why you do what you do can energise you deeply. Finding passion in what you do and knowing your ‘why' is the key.

Do what lights you up

Tapping into what brings you joy, in and outside work, raises your energy – even when you feel depleted. Know and satisfy what drives you.

Think positive self-thoughts and practise gratitude

What we tell ourselves creates how we feel and then what we do or don't action. Where our thoughts go, our energy flows.

Exercise and sleep well

Regular physical activity can help you to deal with stress. Jealously plan and protect your time to exercise. A good night's sleep restores well-being and helps protect your health.

Fuel up with food

What we put into our bodies directly impacts our health and energy. The best energising foods are rich in complex carbohydrates, protein, antioxidants, fibre, vitamins and minerals, plus small amounts of healthy fats.

Get outside and get grounded

Getting out in nature for a beach walk, bike ride, swim, gardening, or even eating lunch outside can do wonders for your energy reserves. Grounding, also known as earthing, has been proven to help reduce stress and even pain.

Practise mindfulness

For some, mindfulness may occur through breath and meditation; for others, it may be through writing or cooking a meal for loved ones. Mindfulness re-energises us; I liken it to that feeling after daydreaming.

Take the time to on reflect on who and what gives you energy.

What fills your cup?

For me, it's cooking, connecting with the soul purpose that I am continually exploring, writing, and connecting with people around me.

I'd love to hear what re-energises you and how you bring this into your life and leadership.

Lead to be limitless

40: How to embrace the power of video to deliver your message as a leader

40: How to embrace the power of video to deliver your message as a leader

According to today’s guest – Julian Mather, video shyness is not a life sentence. In fact, worried that you will forget what you want to say – only if you try to remember, say’s Julian. Or, concerned you’ll look like an amateur – then don’t try to look professional, he goes on to say. 

Grab a pen and paper and get ready to take down lots of tips and tricks as Renée and Julian step up to the microphone.  

Julian Mather is a Speaker, Author and Mentor and has seen the world through many lenses. Through a telescopic sight as an army sniper. Through the TV lens as a globe-trotting cameraman for ABCTV, National Geographic and BBC. Through smoke and mirrors as a professional magician. 

Now Australia’s leading voice on authentic video, he helps leaders amplify their influence so they can be seen as trusted authorities that people want to do business with.
 

Here are three reasons you should listen to the full episode: 

The importance of video for leaders and anyone wanting to share their message How to deal with nerves and avoidance of video How to create videos that build trust and will convey your story  

   

Resources: Julian’s Program: Confident Video Presenter Academy – a 7-day self-paced program Limitless Leaders 90-Day Public Program – Motivational Intelligence to Lead and Re-energise   

 

Episode Highlights:  

[1.52] Julian’s backstory and how he got to where he is today 

Julian did really well at school if you don’t count learning He knew what he wanted to do but didn’t fit into the school system He went to the library and studied every book on photography and photo journalism He joined the army to get out into the world, and ended up as a sniper, but it still wasn’t the view of the world he wanted He then ended up becoming a documentary cameraman for the world’s big networks and what he calls the ‘second best job in the world’  It was the people in front of the lens who influenced his thinking 

 

 [7.14] Past roles contribute to who we are now and who are continually becoming 

Julian would not have changed any of the experiences and roles he’s had How do you measure success? Julian’s is lack of regret  Julian has had a lot of failures, but they have all taught him something  

 

[10.49] What is success? 

While the dictionary states success is a physical thing for Renée it’s a feeling – not monetary Being vulnerable on video  Why curiousity, learning, unlearning is so important 

 

[13.19] How important is it for a leader to be showing up on video 

Now, it’s a necessary skill as much as email is    Leaders need to be video literate People like video and are waiting for you to show up and lead  Give people the choice and a different way of learning  

 

[18.30] Be yourself on video 

People don’t want a persona on video – they want a person Communicate as you would if you were speaking to someone face-to-face in a meeting People love people for their uniqueness – no-one is you Be yourself and show up – the pressure disappears You won’t resonate with everyone and that’s ok 

 

[25.11] Three rules to get on video the right way 

Be you – people don’t want a persona Be fast – don’t get hung up on the technology  Build trust – our reputation online is everything  

 

[29.14] Dealing with nerves  

Fix nervous with service  Solve (people’s problems) don’t sell Pump out  simple, imperfect videos  

 

 [31.26] Ideal length of videos for social platforms  

People relate to story  It’s not about making the story long or short – it’s about making the content relevant and relatable Aim for 90 seconds – about 200 words Ask yourself: What would my audience want me to answer about this specific topic 

 

[41.38] Biggest Lessons learned   

Change is not a process – it’s a decision Responsibility starts with me You can’t expect to win a new game playing by the old rules   

 

Quotes: 

[7.41] Julian: My metric of success is lack of regret  

[9.11] Renee: Welcome the unwelcome and embrace those things to drive us forward 

[14:19] Julian: There are 4 big shifts/trends that have driven video: The Digital Shift, The Self-Serve Society, We trust people more than brands, Citizen and consumer driven demand for transparency  

[27.26] It’s not who you say you are. It’s who Google says you are 

[29.46] Fix nervous with service 

 

About Julian: 

Julian Mather is a Speaker, Author and Mentor and has seen the world through many lenses. Through a telescopic sight as an army sniper. Through the TV lens as a globe-trotting cameraman for ABCTV, National Geographic and BBC. Through smoke and mirrors as a professional magician.

He’s traveled far but his longest journeys have been from behind the camera to in front of it. From stutterer to professional speaker. From too polite dip eater to insatiable hummus addict.

Now Australia’s leading voice on authentic video, he helps leaders amplify their influence so they can be seen as trusted authorities that people want to do business with.
  

Contact Julian: 

Twitter ID: https://twitter.com/JulianMather Instagram ID: https://www.instagram.com/julianmather LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianmather/ Website: www.julianmather.com 

 

Enjoy This Podcast?  

Leadership in changing times can be difficult, but you can adopt certain traits to get your team through it. You can also join mentorship programs to gain the skill you need.   

Post a review and share it! If you learned something by tuning into this podcast, do not hesitate to write a review and share it with your friends! The world needs more people with the drive and leadership qualities to make the world a better place. We need strong leadership skills and a learner’s attitude today more than ever.  

For more updates and episodes, visit and subscribe to the Limitless Leaders podcast page!  

Have any questions? You can contact me through these platforms:  

Company website  

Instagram  

Facebook  

LinkedIn  

To leading the future,  

Renée  

 

How Does Your Workplace View Failures?

Many organisational cultures do not encourage or condone the sharing of challenges or failures. This means that sharing might never enter your mind, especially if your current organisation is all you have ever known.

It is the same at home. If you have been brought up to just suck it up and get on with things, chances are this behaviour will play out in your life. On the flip side, if you are encouraged to share successes and challenges at home, at school and within your social network, you will be more open to the Gift Mindset, a mindset that fosters openness in sharing your lessons and stories.

Not everyone works in an organisation open to the idea of being reflective. When management doesn’t see reflective practice as important, being open to sharing your lessons can go by the wayside. I have come across enough companies like this to know the challenges faced by people within them who want an open, self-reflective and sharing culture.

Analysts are showing that Fortune 500 lose a combined $31 billion per year from employees failing to share knowledge & lessons effectively.

Not sharing knowledge and lessons effectively directly impacts productivity and connection within the organisation. People waste time and resources by reinventing the wheel, reliving the mistakes of others, and wasting time researching solutions and information to create future success. It also stifles creativity and confidence to take risks in order to remain relevant and future fit.

The Gift Mindset is the portal to creating a culture where we unwrap the lessons learnt from our challenges.
We then use these lessons (gifts) to progress ourselves and others forward by sharing them 1:1 or within open team forums.

When people can share challenges, mistakes, and failures in a safe space, they are encouraged and supported to move beyond these.Sharing your lessons could be a survival guide for someone else.Failing to share what we have learnt is selfish.Sharing drives connection, communication, and collaboration.

Sometimes people feel inadequate in sharing challenges they have faced or mistakes they have made. They feel judged and anxious about the response they will receive, fearing rejection. They are coming from a place of fear rather than a place of love. We share more with those we trust, respect and have a rapport with on a personal level, and this can be mirrored in the workplace if we foster these traits.

We have identified the 7 key barriers to adopting a Gift Mindset:

 

We need to embrace our challenges and welcome sharing these. All challenges are vital to our personal development. The more we test our capabilities and limits, the more we will learn about ourselves. If we focus on what it would be like to fail and therefore revert to our comfort zone, there will be no growth.

Making an event of sharing creates a sense of fun, theatre, and a safe space to be open and own your experiences as a team.

One way to motivate others and make sharing successes and challenges routine practice is to explore positive-to-negative ratios. Psychologist John Gottman researched this and found 5:1 to be the ‘magic ratio’, where five positive mentions or moments are shared for every negative one. Another study showed that teams with a positive-to-negative ratio greater than 3:1 were significantly more motivated.

Remember that our expectations can create our reality, and the stereotypes we hold can impact our behaviour. Psychologists call this process a ‘stereotype threat’.

Seeing our clients adopt practices to create a Gift Mindset Culture with regular forums to share their successes and challenges has been amazing.

They are experiencing learning, connection and growth like never before. Some client teams have a monthly focus on a particular lesson learnt, such as the Gift of Growth, Optimism, Curiosity, Resilience and many more of the 12 Gifts (soft skills).

A few ideas to get the ball rolling:‘Win Wednesday’Get individuals/teams to share a win and how they achieved it, including the challenges and mistakes made.Failure FridaysAsk each team member to share a mistake, challenge, or failure, what helped them get through, and the key learnings.In 1:1 sessions, encourage sharing of what went wrong and how that lesson can feed into future development plans.How are you viewing failures in your workplace?

As always, the team and I at RG Dynamics would love to hear what has resonated with you.

 

39: 2 Sides in 2 Minutes Communication Game for Connected Teams and Organisations

2 Sides in 2 Minutes Communication Game for Connected Teams and Organisations 

In this episode of Limitless Leaders Podcast, Renée Giarrusso speaks with her good friend and work colleague Shelley Flett – Leadership Trainer and Coach who works with individuals and teams to maximise efficiency and build high performance cultures in all size organisations.  

Shelley has operated her business successfully since 2015 after leaving a corporate career in customer service and operations. Shelley is a mum of three gorgeous children and she loves to incorporate fun both at work and at play.  

Listen as Renée and Shelley speak about the importance of communication and an exciting co-creation of a communication team game called 2 Sides in 2 Minutes, including why they conceptulised the game, along with tips you can apply in your life and leadership.  

  

The Importance of COMMUNICATION: 

“Communication Is the response you get. If you’re not getting the response you need – you need to shape and shift the message until you do.”   

We need to expand the way we focus on communication: 60% listening and 40% talking. Communication is not just about what you’re saying, how you’re saying it, and ensuring it is easily digestible, we also need to ensure we are present and listening to what is being said. Technology and virtual communication has caused distraction and disruption – we need to relearn the art of in-person communication.  2 Sides in 2 Minutes Game for Connected Teams and Organisations: 

2 Sides in 2 Minutes was created to help teams connect, grow, boost communication skills and understand each other at a deeper level. 

Opens up the space to respect diversity of thoughts and opinions of others. Gives people the uninterrupted space to say what’s going on in their heads. Helps teams reconnect through cut through communication. Each person pulls out a card and is prompted to speak what is on their minds for two minutes – sharing both pro’s and cons about that topic.   Why they created the Game: Recognition of the key challenges that leaders and team have in common, which the game helps develop. The need to go deeper than just surface level communication where people are consistently in agreement with each other.   Paves the way for disruptive conversations where healthy debates can be had. “Debate with intent trumps harmony for comforts sake,” as Renée says.    A forum to appreciate and leverage diversity of thoughts and ideas. The game identifies Twelve Key Communication Dimensions Renée and Shelley see every day that if they were tweaked, could make a huge impact. 

Feedback about 2 Sides in 2 Minutes Game: “It was fun and it helps you appreciate the perspectives of other people in your team.”  

Additional Resources: To find out more about the game go to: www.2Sidesin2Minutes.com.au  Our Leadership Breakfast, where you can try out and get a copy of the Game – November 17th, 8:30am – 11:30am. For more details go to: www.2Sidesin2Minutes.com.au Connect with Shelley Flett on Linkedin  Renée’s Leadership Programs 

 

About Shelley Flett

Shelley Flett is a Leadership Trainer and Coach who works with individuals and teams to maximise efficiency and build high performance cultures in all size organisations.  

Shelley has operated her business successfully since 2015 after leaving a corporate career in customer service and operations. She is a mum of three gorgeous children and she loves to incorporate fun both at work and at play.  

38: Unwrapping my biggest 7 lessons turning 50!

38: Unwrapping my biggest 7 lessons turning 50!

Many people who turn 40, or 50 want to hide, however Renee believes that age is just a number and it comes down to how you think and feel and your relationship with time. Life is here – what we do with it is what counts.  

So, here are Renee’s top 7 tips that’s she’s learned over the last 50 years to help you make each year count: 

1. Walk your Own Path No-one is you, nor will they ever be you – embrace it! Embrace you!  If you’re thinking about making a change – make sure your why to change is exceeding your ‘why not’ to change2. Everything Happens for a Lesson Life throws us curve balls – what we do with them is what mattersAsk yourself ‘What is the lesson, what is the gift in this?’ 3. Learn Something New Everyday Renee’s mother always asked her: ‘What’s the best thing that has happened and what have you learned?’Are you getting outside of your comfort zone? It’s the only way you can grow. 4. Show Kindness and Gratitude  You never know what is going on in another person’s life.Showing gratitude can cause a ripple effect and impact others in a way you’ll never know  5. Do What Lights You Up What gives you a pep in your step? Do that!Know what lights you up and bring it into your life as much as you can 6. Make a Start – Take Action If something feels right to you – pursue itYou are the CEO of your life – only you can make things happen 7. See Challenges as Opportunities Challenges come at us no matter what – they can teach us so much if we’re willing to embrace themWhen we welcome the unwelcome – we can change our mindset to be open to new ways In summary:

Who we are and who we are continually becoming – continues to evolve as you become the best version of yourself.   

 Additional Resources:Programs

Unwrapping My Biggest 7 Lessons On Turning 50!

Today is my birthday, and I'm turning 50 years old!

It's hard to believe how the time has flown; it only feels like yesterday when I celebrated my 21st, my first real job, and the excitement of venturing into the world as a young adult.

Many people want to hide under a rock as their laps around the sun increase, but for me, I think it's all about how you feel and think as you get older.
I have nothing but gratitude to be alive and well and to have made it to fifty with the bonus of getting to celebrate my birthday with real people in a room after missing out since 2019.

When I was 25, I lost my dad at the age I am today. This triggered a deep appreciation and awareness of my time on this earth. I've never taken anything or anyone for granted, and since he passed away, a light flicked on inside of me to make the most of every day and make a difference to others. This has been my life mission ever since.

I believe we must say “yes” to life and embrace it with whatever is going on; in our challenges and successes, it is always there.

I've learnt so much over the years I could write a book on it (I'm tempted). Everything from:

learning to accept what can't be changeddealing with loss and loveadapting to people from all walks of lifebuilding resilience when leaving the safe cocoon of the corporate world to start my own businessrebuilding my business during the pandemicaccepting that I wasn't going to have children in this lifetime

Life has given me many gifts through the challenges and successes I have experienced. Everything and every person I have experienced has contributed to the tapestry of my life, who I am and who I am continually becoming.

My gift to you is to share my top 7 lessons/insights; there are so many more, but on reflection, these stood out to me.

1. Walk your own path

No one is you. None will ever be you, and your uniqueness is a gift you need to embrace.

It can be challenging not to compare your path with someone else or societal norms, but at the end of the day, we have one life only to do what we know and feel is suitable for ourselves.

When leaving a fantastic corporate role to start my own business 16 years ago, many people put me down, doubted me and warned me of everything that could go wrong. I'm not saying being in business is easy (far from it); it takes will, skill, buckets of determination, motivation, sacrifice, and commitment, but I knew it was what I wanted to do. My ‘why' to start my own business exceeded my ‘why' to stay in a safe corporate job. I wanted to use my leadership experience to grow my leadership further and make a difference to others in a plethora of industries.

Your path is yours alone. It is your journey and map to create.

2. Everything happens for a lesson

Life throws us curve balls, and it's what we do with these that matter. Whether we experience success or a challenging person or situation, when we are ready to accept (not condone) what has happened, we can always find a lesson that we can use to progress ourselves and others forward. At times it can be hard to identify the lesson, especially when going through a challenge, but as we move through time, we can deepen our awareness and acceptance and open the gift in any situation. I call this concept the “Gift Mindset.” Deep self-awareness and acceptance are key to unwrapping the gifts in our experiences.

3. Learn something new every day

My amazing Mum always asks me each day, “What was the best thing that has happened?” and “What did you learn?” I have continued to ask myself these questions every day, and I believe this has contributed to my lifelong passion for learning and growing others. Getting outside my comfort zone regularly ensures I constantly question things and approach life with a curious mindset. Creating self-growth habits such as reading and pursuing the things I love ensures I'm continually learning, unlearning, relearning, and evolving. When we learn and grow, not only are we enriching our lives, but we are also contributing to others by sharing what we have learnt.

4. Show kindness and gratitude

You never really know what is going on in other people's lives, both in and out of the workplace.

I live my life by showing kindness and gratitude to people and all creatures, great and small. Demonstrating kindness and gratitude costs nothing. You can create a ripple effect and impact on others you may not be aware of. Kindness can come in the form of checking in with someone, simply telling someone you appreciate them or showing gratitude through words and actions.

Create a practice of gratitude for yourself. Regularly ask who and what you are grateful for, as this helps us reinforce what we have as opposed to what's missing. I always find 3 positives for every negative.

5. Do what lights you up

When I surround myself with the people I love and do the things I love, I cannot help but feel lit up. I feel energised, happy, and fulfilled, and I have a pep in my step. I suggest knowing who and what lights you up and bringing this into your life as much as possible.

There will always be certain people and situations that don't illuminate you, and my advice is to limit your exposure where you can. Do what lights you up as much as you can on a Monday, as this sets the tone for the week and helps eliminate those potential ‘Sunday night dreads'.

Connection lights me up; I love cooking and spending time with family and friends and in a work context delivering programs and connecting with our clients. When the pandemic hit, we lost 90% of our business and straight away, I ran free virtual webinars every Monday to keep myself motivated and to give back to my clients by continuing to be in service. This kept me motivated and helped me stay on purpose.

6. Make a start-take action

If something feels important to you, if it feels right and it keeps you up at night, then do it!

Check in with your heart, your logic, and your intuition. Bring all these in so you can make well-balanced decisions. I've always been one to jump into things, and most of the time, it has worked out for the best. We only have this life, and you are the director and CEO of it. Only you can make things happen. If we ponder things too much, we can overwhelm ourselves with comparison, strive for unrealistic perfection, and miss the boat on doing the things that matter.

Being creative, I always explore ideas, concepts, and new ways. Many times, the outcome is different from what I planned, but if we don't make a start, what could we be missing? What could this cost us and others?

7. See challenges as opportunities

Challenges will come at us no matter what, with many outside our control. Every challenge or obstacle can teach us much if we are open to embracing what we face. When we welcome the unwelcome, we can change our mindset to be open to new possibilities and new ways. The choices we make, the thoughts we think, and the action we take come from who we are in that moment.

Choose how you respond to challenges. I always tap into how I have dealt with similar challenges in the past and what I did, and who I was being that helped get me through. This reminds me that I can get through this again.

Anything we have done before, we can do again. Challenges have helped build my resilience and adaptability to deal with change, and I'm grateful for the challenges I have faced, as they have made me the person I am today.

Every single day I learn new things about myself and others. I believe our lives and the lessons we glean are constantly changing and are as fluid as the ebb and flow of the tide.

As I celebrate 50 laps around the sun and reflect on what I've learnt so far on my journey through this thing called life, I look forward to what lies ahead and the lessons waiting to be unwrapped.

To listen to the Podcast, click here or click the video to watch.

 

10 LeaderShifts to Change your World – Part 2 of 2

We hope you have enjoyed bringing to life the first 5 LeaderShift tips covered in our last blog post.

Today, I bring you the next 5!

Remember, leadership starts with you. It is an inward job, and we need to lead ourselves before we can lead decisions and teams.

As part of a senior leadership program last month, we focused on 10 key tools and strategies (there were more) to create more ease, headspace, time, and stronger leadership.

I have now shared these 10 LeaderShifts over 2 blog posts to give you a chance to implement these and create habits and awareness of bringing these into your daily work life.

6. Spread the energy of optimism

Optimism is contagious and a key trait in successful people and leaders. Smile and laugh like an optimist; this increases mood and your immune system and affects others around you. Think about what makes you optimistic, as this can raise your optimism levels. Reframe the mundane greeting of “How are you?” to “What's the best thing that's happened today?” Being grateful gets you to focus on what you do have, and the practice of gratitude can raise optimism.

7. Do what lights you up

Too often, people do what they are good at but not necessarily what they are good at and enjoy. There is a big difference. Since we spend on average 90,000 hours at work in our lifetime, this needs to be a priority. Identify the things that light you up and energise you at work. Know what doesn't light you up and leverage this from others. Do these things as often as possible and satisfy these to ensure happiness, fulfilment and effectiveness in the role. If you are leading a team, ask them what lights them up. Leverage this for limitless success.

8. Unwrap the gift of curiosity

Curiosity is the portal to exploring, learning, and bringing ideas to life. Instead of thinking of things as a statement such as “That team is amazing”, flip this to a question such as “What makes that team amazing?” This turns the thought from observation to provocation, where we ask questions, seek information, and explore the idea or thought further. This can increase innovation, creativity and sharing of best practice in the workplace. Creativity leads to connection and co-creation, with the by-product being collaboration.

9. Debate with intent trumps harmony for comfort's sake

Got something to say, say it!

Too often don't voice our opinions, ideas, or mistakes as we fear judgement and rejection. Focus on what this is costing you, your team and your organisation. To be in service, you need to lead out loud and share your ideas and thoughts by explaining the “why” and the story behind them. Expression in the workplace is needed; suppression stifles culture. We have a new game that explores the fun and thought-provoking ways to bring this to life.

10. Coach others to delegate thinking

The best organisations have an “asking” culture vs. a “telling” one. By asking questions, instead of giving the solution, you are delegating thinking, empowering others, creating future leaders and freeing up your time to focus on the things that matter. When people can think for themselves, this increases confidence, risk-taking and stronger leadership. Ensure you have both formal and informal coaching conversations in play and lose the need to be the all-telling leader instead of the all-asking one.

Enjoy bringing these strategies and tools to life! If you haven't read the previous post with LeaderShifts 1 to 5, you can do that here.

10 LeaderShifts to Change your World-Part 1 of 2

Leadership starts with you. It is an inward job, and we need to lead ourselves before we can lead decisions and teams.

Many clients feel burnt out as they shift their focus from the pandemic haze to a super-highway running 120kms per hour. Many feel they have contributed so much, outside of themselves, with little energy and focus going back to the source, themselves, and their leadership.

Sometimes it is good to pause and look at why you are doing the things you do.

As part of a senior leadership program last month, we focused on 10 key tools and strategies (there were more) to create more ease, headspace, time, and stronger leadership.

I will share these 10 LeaderShifts over two posts to give you a chance to implement these and create habits and awareness of bringing these into your daily work life.

5 LeaderShifts to Change your World Part 11. Delegate what you like doing

We often delegate what bores us, but instead, we should delegate something we are no longer learning from. As a leader, I think it's selfish not to do this. Delegate as part of a master plan by understanding the skills of your co-workers and tapping into these—delegate based on strengths. Letting go of something you have learnt can empower others and free up your time to focus on progressive tasks often neglected.

2. Adopt a Gift Mindset to grow and empower others

This mindset is where we share the lessons gleaned from the challenges, mistakes and successes we encounter in the workplace. This helps us replicate success by sharing best practices and learnings as our lessons could be a survival guide for someone else. Create “Win Wednesday” where you and the team share successes and how these came to be and “Failure Fridays” where mistakes and challenges are shared and key learnings are discussed. Sharing our gifts increases contribution, connection and collaboration.

3. Create self-growth habits

The world is your oyster when it comes to learning on and off the job. Create self-growth habits to progress you and others forward. Embrace change and get comfortable getting uncomfortable. Create a reading habit, listen to podcasts, join an industry association and share learnings. Reframe challenges as growth opportunities and use these lessons to progress forward. Share your learnings with your peers or team.

4. Manage yourself to manage time

Time is inelastic; we all are given the same amount. On any day, we are given 32 sets of 25 -minute blocks; this equates to 160 opportunities per week to set aside focus time. Title each chunk of time with the focus or objective and shut down all programs except the one you are working in. Chunk your diary and jealously protect your time. Be intentional and planned, and see what happens! Know your time vampires; who and what drains your time?

The Pomodoro technique is great for individuals and teams. Use a timer to break your work into 25-minute intervals and watch productivity lift.

5. Build rapport to connect

Rapport is about connection and equates to influence. More than ever, we need to ramp up “real” in-person connections. Some people are saying they feel they have lost their social skills. Take the time to focus on similarities and minimise differences. Ask how people are and be present and listen. Think about the first 12 words you say when you open a conversation, make these impactful, not a mundane greeting. Think about your first twelve steps when you walk into a room, ensure your energy is higher than the room, and your posture is friendly and open. To lead the room, you need to read a room. These things can set the scene and determine the first impression you make. The good news is that every impression is the first impression, so that you can build on this.

I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback on implementing these LeaderShifts.

Stay tuned for Part 2 coming in 2 weeks.

There is only ONE WEEK left to register for the Limitless Leaders, Group Mentoring Program – 90 Day Connection, Lead & Develop High Performing Teams commencing August through to October. Accelerate communication, leadership and mindset through an interactive and dynamic learning experience and take your leadership to the next level.

The 2 SIDES IN 2 MINUTES game generates a thought-provoking learning experience for any professional interested in improving their communication and influence. 2 SIDES IN 2 MINUTES is the game to understand different perspectives and develop communication and leadership skills.

Unwrap the 12 gifts to lead and live a life of purpose, connection and contribution with 3-time award-winning Gift Mindset®. Available at all your favourite online retailers as well as Audible.