Renee Giarrusso's Blog, page 14

Could fear be hindering trust in your team?

When we aren’t trusting of something or someone, we usually fear something that we are not always aware of. I believe fear is the opposite of trust.

The last 18 months has amplified fear in our lives, our beliefs and mindset have been shaken and our workplaces fragmented. In any role, fear can hold us back from leading ourselves and our team limitlessly and stop us from learning, growing, and evolving.

It could be we don’t believe in an idea or a situation or maybe that someone doesn’t possess the ability to complete a specific task or job. Maybe a project is being implemented that you saw fail in the past, or a particular person has made previous mistakes and you fear seeing this take place again.

When we lack trust, especially as a leader, we tend to try to take on the world and not always leverage the opportunities and the strengths of those around us. This can lead to a lack of delegation and using a “telling” style versus the empowering style of “asking”. The penalty for this is that we can become overwhelmed, time-poor and skill stretched leading to missed opportunities, growth and learning.

 

If the lack of trust relates to your team or work colleagues, you may not be leveraging their strengths and capabilities. This results in holding back their growth and potential as you are not empowering them and creating future leaders in the process.

If we are fearing something my question is: “What or who do I need to believe in to bridge the gap and move from fear to trust?”

Moving from fear to trust requires us to believe in ourselves, other people and the situation at hand.

An exercise we have guided many clients through has helped them move the needle on fear and gain a better understanding by making the space to reflect on the following points:

Think of a situation or an individual/s that you may not trust or be convinced of?How is not trusting in this scenario going to impact you and/or the organisation?Rate your level of trust in this situation 1-5 (1=low trust and 5 =high trust).Imagine if trust was a 5 out of 5 in this situation. What would be happening or be different?What beliefs or thoughts could impact this trust in a good way?

A bit like rapport, we can go in and out of trust. As we head back into the office and continue to work in a hybrid environment, invest in the time gauge and build trust within your team in order to reconnect and prepare for 2022.

Lead to be Limitless…



eSpeakersSeal(32459, "8d24", 'virtual', "md", "1");

Find out where you sit on the Leadership Ladder. Your responses are anonymous, and the results summarised to help us better understand where our market sits so that we can continue to provide insights, tools and solutions to assist you in moving up to be LIMITLESS, co-creative and stand out.

Renée is a mentor, coach, expert facilitator and keynote speaker; She is the author of  ‘Gift Mindset®‘, ‘Limitless Leadership’, and co-author of ‘Leaders of Influence’.

PS: Want to skyrocket your success from working anywhere? We've launched our online program, and you can read more about that here.

Have you received your copy of Renée’s latest book, Gift Mindset®? It is available on Amazon, Booktopia and in all good book stores.

If this article resonates with you somehow, I’d love to hear your thoughts – get in touch.

Being in service to my clients is why I do what I do, and your feedback, insight, and suggestions are always embraced.

Follow Renée on Facebook, Instagram, IGTV or Twitter, or subscribe to her blog or new podcast here.

 

27: Unwrap the Gift of Growth

Topic:  Unwrap the Gift of Growth 

On today’s show I have the immense pleasure in interviewing Paul Farina. 

Paul is obsessed with high-performance without the sacrifice of relationships, health, and fulfillment, he is an Educator and Author of The Rhythm Effect: A leader's guide in team performance.  

Partnering with leaders, teams, and organisations, Paul speaks to groups about the power of rhythm, and how professionals of all types can master it to synchronise their teams and create meaningful progress.

On today’s show Paul and I will speak about: 

Paul’s journey to developing the Gift of Growth; What leadership means to Paul;Paul’s leadership journey;Challenges he has overcome;How, as a Limitless Leader, he maintains balance in his life, and much more

LISTEN NOW:

 

About:

Obsessed with high-performance without the sacrifice of relationships, health, and fulfillment, Paul is an Educator and Author of The Rhythm Effect: A leader's guide in team performance. 

Partnering with leaders, teams, and organisations, Paul speaks to groups about the power of rhythm, and how professionals of all types can master it to synchronise their teams and create meaningful progress. 

Contact:

Paul Farina

 

The Gift Mindset® book is NOW available in all good bookstores and online.

If you’re ready to adopt and embrace a Gift Mindset and look at how our challenges and successes fall into 12 key areas that we call: The 12 Gifts, then go to www.GiftMindset.com and get your copy today. Or, if you’re interested in purchasing a bulk order, contact our team at: admin@reneegiarrusso.com

Why self-management is the key driver of productivity

Self-management wins over time management every day. Time is what it is.

Time is inelastic; we all get the same amount of it, and I think it’s too easy to blame time and not what we can control being our self-management when it comes to being time-poor.

At all levels of leadership we work within, being time-poor is one of the biggest challenges. I believe our productivity and results stem from how effectively we do or don't manage ourselves. In today's workplace, fewer people are doing more, and they are often working remotely, which can lead to working long hours at a more intense pace. This often sets an unrealistic expectation of what can be achieved, leaving so many people feeling unmotivated, unfulfilled and therefore guilty of what is not being achieved as opposed to what is.

Our success comes down to managing ourselves, what we do, when and how we do it and who we are. It also comes down to 2 key things,  attention and energy, which I believe we need balance.

To lead and serve ourselves, our teams and organisations, we need to do the right things at the right time to feel fulfilled. Focusing on these two areas is imperative as they directly correlate with your perception and use of time.

I don't have time!

Why do some people do and be so much with their time versus others who complain they can’t fit anything in?

We all have different lives, priorities, motivations and things that drive us. Still, if you want to leverage your best self, I reckon you need to tap into what you are thinking about and how this affects your energy and, therefore, your level of self-management.

Self-Management = Attention & Energy

Let’s think about working from home. The day has ended, and you shut your office door and then head into the kitchen. You are still thinking about the day that was and your presentation coming up in the morning. This will affect where you focus your attention and, more importantly, how you are at home. This internal chatter is consuming your thoughts. This then flows onto your energy as we all know when our minds go into overdrive and the monkey mindset kicks in, our physical, emotional, spiritual and mental energy are affected.

Did you know your brain is split into three smaller brains; the reptilian brain, the monkey brain and the logical brain, also known as the leadership brain.

In a nutshell, the reptilian brains primary focus is to survive and if/when you are under pressure or threat, this brain kicks in that fight or flight response we all know.

Our relationship brain also referred to as the monkey brain can become easily distracted as its job is to look for a connection. This brain is the one that sometimes struggles to focus on one thing; it causes internal chatter and can be the trigger of self-doubt. We are all familiar with this one, the cheeky and distracting brain.

The Leadership brain or logical brain (neocortex) is the one that looks into the future, and its key role is to create and think about a better world and solve problems creatively. This is where I believe successful leaders operate from.

The only way we can control and direct our attention where it counts is by controlling our thoughts.

Sound easy? Not at all, I believe this is a constant battle for most people, but by being aware of the three brains, I think we can at least be consciously aware of where we are operating from.

So, take time to control the monkey brain and don’t buy into its chatter. Look into what negative inner dialogue you are hearing and flip it. What unresolved situations are you carrying around that turns the clearness of your world opaque? What is stifling your productivity?

Our thoughts are the only thing we can control, and as much as it takes time, focus and laser-like discipline, the pay-off is huge. Having what I call purposeful thoughts and being deeply self-aware can prevent the reptile brain from kicking in and triggering that fight or flight response.

When our attention is clear, open and present, our energy is directed at the right things. When this happens, we can focus on what counts at a deeper level and leverage the inelastic vortex that is time.

As always, I would love your thoughts!

Lead to be Limitless…



eSpeakersSeal(32459, "8d24", 'virtual', "md", "1");

Find out where you sit on the Leadership Ladder. Your responses are anonymous, and the results are summarised to help us better understand where our market sits so that we can continue to provide insights, tools and solutions to assist you in moving up to be LIMITLESS, co-creative and stand out.

Renée is a mentor, coach, expert facilitator and keynote speaker; She is the author of  ‘Gift Mindset®‘, ‘Limitless Leadership’, and co-author of ‘Leaders of Influence’.

PS: Want to skyrocket your success from working anywhere? We've launched our online program, and you can read more about that here.

Have you received your copy of Renée’s latest book, Gift Mindset®? It is available on Amazon, Booktopia and in all good book stores.

If this article resonates with you somehow, I’d love to hear your thoughts – get in touch.

Being in service to my clients is why I do what I do, and your feedback, insight, and suggestions are always embraced.

Follow Renée on Facebook, Instagram, IGTV or Twitter, or subscribe to her blog or new podcast here.

 

Leading change with curiosity in uncertain times

Change is one of the constants in life, and with change often comes uncertainty, fear and overwhelm.

Never before have we been faced with so much uncertainty in our lives. With never-ending lockdowns, the challenges that come with remote and hybrid work, work-life balance, homeschooling and trying to motivate and navigate ourselves and teams through the fog, it can be exhausting and overwhelming.

In this stop-start-stop-start life, we need to adapt, and I reckon to lead an organisation and create a culture open to change, innovation and creativity, curiosity is key. The future of leadership requires us now, more than ever, to adapt, innovate and collaborate, and I reckon curiosity deserves some attention.

Curiosity is a motivating desire for more information. It’s the engine that drives learning, innovation and achievement. This helps us grow and can help us explore challenging situations and changes with a growth mindset.

Dr Daniel Berlyne was a pioneer in curiosity research in the ’60s. His work in experimental and exploratory psychology has served as the foundational research for many scientists who have followed. He stated that curiosity is innate to our being, not unlike food and water.

He also concluded that three key sources instigate it:

novelty – that which is new or unknown to us
ambiguity – that which is confusing to us
complexity – partially known to us and where we seek to know more

All these sources of curiosity surround us – it’s up to us to raise our emotional intelligence, be aware of these, and decide what to do next.

5 keys to curiosity1. Open your mind

Opening your mind takes discipline, and the more open you are, the more likely you will be to receive new information and ideas that can help you continue to be curious.

Avoid closing yourself or others off and stretch out of your safe zone – anything outside your comfort zone is growth. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and stay present when listening. I ask myself, ‘What can I learn from this person?’ – this opens up my mind to receive and not discount the ideas or opinions of others.

2. Ask questions

Asking questions of yourself, others, and situations help you become a more effective communicator and build stronger relationships and leadership capabilities.

Asking questions with intention is a great way to understand, seek information and explore your curiosity in the process.
Asking open questions is key. One tip to asking open questions is to add ‘tell me about’ to the start of your questions – this will turn them into an open question.

When we ask curious, open questions, we need to be open to not knowing the answer and not assume or judge. Our intention should be to focus on learning and understanding more.

Only ask one question at a time and base your next question on the response you receive.

3. Flipping statements into questions

When we think about something, we articulate it in our minds as either a statement or a question. For example, flipping a statement such as ‘What that team did was great’ to ‘I wonder how that team achieved that?’ will change your energy and provoke questioning and conversations. It changes a one-dimensional thought to a two-dimensional question. Take the time to observe the statements you think or write, such as in an email, and flip these into questions.

4.  Listen and be present

Research found that only 2% of leaders have ever received any training on how to listen, and most people struggle to listen and not just ‘hear’.

We aren’t wired to listen as human beings, although it is one of the first things we learn in our mother’s womb. We think at more than 400 words a minute and speak at 150, so it’s no wonder our minds wander when we should be listening.

To be truly curious, we need to listen to:

ourselves both logically and intuitivelythe responses of others, without bias or judgementsituations that present themselvesthoughts, feedback and feelings through all our senses5.  Be interested

Reframe ‘boring’ or situations and people we are fearful of ‘interesting’. A simple reframe can change your energy, attitude and ability to be curious. We can learn much from others if we have an open mind and question things.

When the stakes are high, and the pressure is on, it can be difficult for us to pause before acting, take a step back and reflect on why we are doing what we are doing.

Sometimes questioning our actions on the bigger things can be hampered by our inaction on questioning the smaller things.

Take the time to build your curiosity muscle and create the space to make it part of your team and organisational culture.

I’d love to hear what you do to instil curiosity?

Lead to be Limitless…



eSpeakersSeal(32459, "8d24", 'virtual', "md", "1");

Find out where you sit on the Leadership Ladder. Your responses are anonymous, and the results are summarised to help us better understand where our market sits so that we can continue to provide insights, tools and solutions to assist you in moving up to be LIMITLESS, co-creative and stand out.

Renée is a mentor, coach, expert facilitator and keynote speaker; She is the author of  ‘Gift Mindset®‘, ‘Limitless Leadership’, and co-author of ‘Leaders of Influence’.

PS: Want to skyrocket your success from working anywhere? We've launched our online program, and you can read more about that here.

Have you received your copy of Renée’s latest book, Gift Mindset®? It is available on Amazon, Booktopia and in all good book stores.

If this article resonates with you somehow, I’d love to hear your thoughts – get in touch.

Being in service to my clients is why I do what I do, and your feedback, insight, and suggestions are always embraced.

Follow Renée on Facebook, Instagram, IGTV or Twitter, or subscribe to her blog or new podcast here.

 

Announcing 3 NEW Public Live Virtual Workshops

The last 18 months have been challenging for many of us. It's been another year of constant change, uncertainty for our future, remote work, never-ending lockdowns and the daily challenge of juggling a balance between our professional and personal lives.

It’s easy to get caught up in the doing, especially within the workplace. This can lead to a lack of focus on providing informative and inspirational learning bursts to develop yourself, your team and lift the organisational culture.

At RG Dynamics, we work in-house with clients across multiple industries at all levels, and in conjunction with this, we run Public Virtual Sessions targeted at leaders and teams. We’ve run over 200 virtual sessions since the pandemic hit in early 2020, and we are pleased to announce 3 new live online workshops for the last quarter of this year.

We love running interactive and dynamic virtual sessions that I call, Virtual-Bites because of the richness and diversity that the participants bring.

Sharing across industries (what we call bubble hopping) is crucial to learning, growing, expanding, and exploring the things you don’t always get exposure to working within an organisation.

With the end of the year fast approaching, what better time to
re-energise, upskill and continue to develop.

.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-0{width:100% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 1.92%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 1.92%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-0{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-0{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-0 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-1{width:33.333333333333% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-1 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 5.76%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 5.76%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-1{width:33.333333333333% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-1 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 5.76%;margin-left : 5.76%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-1{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-1 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}This energetic session will provide practical insights and tools that can supercharge new ways of thinking and working remotely and give you an overview of key areas. Gain CONTROL, get CLARITY and AMPLIFY collaboration when working from anywhere..fusion-button.button-1 {border-radius:4px;}TO REGISTER CLICK HERE.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-2{width:66.666666666667% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-2 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 2.88%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 2.88%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-2{width:66.666666666667% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-2 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 2.88%;margin-left : 2.88%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-2{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-2 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-3{width:33.333333333333% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-3 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 5.76%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 5.76%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-3{width:33.333333333333% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-3 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 5.76%;margin-left : 5.76%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-3{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-3 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}

Imagine LEADING with a GIFT MINDSET®, where our biggest lessons come through embracing, not resisting, the challenges and successes we experience and sharing these.

The lessons we learn need to be shared to empower others, create openness and trust and in the process become a survival guide for others, including that for future leaders.

.fusion-button.button-2 {border-radius:4px;}TO REGISTER CLICK HERE.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-4{width:66.666666666667% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-4 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 2.88%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 2.88%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-4{width:66.666666666667% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-4 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 2.88%;margin-left : 2.88%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-4{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-4 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-5{width:33.333333333333% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-5 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 5.76%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 5.76%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-5{width:33.333333333333% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-5 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 5.76%;margin-left : 5.76%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-5{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-5 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}Strong EI is crucial in building strong relationships, interactions and cultures within and outside of your organisation. Join us for a virtual bite on Team Connection through Emotional Intelligence. Receive Tools, tips and actionable insights to reconnect and re-energise you and your team..fusion-button.button-3 {border-radius:4px;}TO REGISTER CLICK HERE.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-6{width:66.666666666667% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-6 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 2.88%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 2.88%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-6{width:66.666666666667% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-6 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 2.88%;margin-left : 2.88%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-6{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-6 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}.fusion-body .fusion-flex-container.fusion-builder-row-1{ padding-top : 0px;margin-top : 0px;padding-right : 0px;padding-bottom : 0px;margin-bottom : 0px;padding-left : 0px;}

Lead to be Limitless…



eSpeakersSeal(32459, "8d24", 'virtual', "md", "1");

Find out where you sit on the Leadership Ladder. Your responses are anonymous, and the results summarised to help us better understand where our market sits so that we can continue to provide insights, tools and solutions to assist you in moving up to be LIMITLESS, co-creative and stand out.

Renée is a mentor, coach, expert facilitator and keynote speaker; She is the author of  ‘Gift Mindset®‘, ‘Limitless Leadership’, and co-author of ‘Leaders of Influence’.

PS: Want to skyrocket your success from working anywhere? We've launched our online program, and you can read more about that here.

Have you received your copy of Renée’s latest book, Gift Mindset®? It is available on Amazon, Booktopia and in all good book stores.

If this article resonates with you somehow, I’d love to hear your thoughts – get in touch.

Being in service to my clients is why I do what I do, and your feedback, insight, and suggestions are always embraced.

Follow Renée on Facebook, Instagram, IGTV or Twitter, or subscribe to her blog or new podcast here.

.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-7{width:100% !important;margin-top : 0px;margin-bottom : 20px;}.fusion-builder-column-7 > .fusion-column-wrapper {padding-top : 0px !important;padding-right : 0px !important;margin-right : 1.92%;padding-bottom : 0px !important;padding-left : 0px !important;margin-left : 1.92%;}@media only screen and (max-width:1024px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-7{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-7 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}@media only screen and (max-width:640px) {.fusion-body .fusion-builder-column-7{width:100% !important;order : 0;}.fusion-builder-column-7 > .fusion-column-wrapper {margin-right : 1.92%;margin-left : 1.92%;}}.fusion-body .fusion-flex-container.fusion-builder-row-2{ padding-top : 0px;margin-top : 0px;padding-right : 0px;padding-bottom : 0px;margin-bottom : 0px;padding-left : 0px;}

The 8 Keys to deal with change when feeling overwhelmed

September 9 is R U OK Day.

A day to check in with each other and encourage ongoing conversations for all of us to be more open and aware of the signs of the mental health struggles that many people face.

Today is a good reminder to do this and make it part of the conversation regularly.

We live in a world of uncertainty, constant change, negative news and high rates of mental illness, overwhelm and suicide. Constant change creates uncertainty, especially when it’s forced upon us. More than ever, we need to focus on what we can control and strategies to deal with all that is going on around us.

Forced change is daunting, but it can also bring so many gifts. The Gift of Change has taught me that my mindset, self-belief and staying focused on what can be done is pivotal in any change I face in the future.

Change is imperative in life. I believe it equates to growth, new learnings and possibilities.

Here are three questions you can ask yourself to gauge whether you are out of your comfort zone and open to change:

Is your ‘why’ to change exceeding your ‘why’ to stay the same?How open are you being to identify and implement necessary changes?What do you do that scares you and opens you up to new possibilities?

The changes we face in life can come in varying forms, both professionally and personally. I know the most successful people, leaders, and business owners embrace unknown change and take risks to grow. They don’t stay with what is comfortable – a trap that is easy to fall into.

Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself. — Rumi

The below 8 keys will help you to embrace change and improve your mindset.

To download the 8 Keys to Embrace Change infographic click here.

The 8 keys to embrace change

We all deal with change in our own way. Whether your Gift of Change and the lessons learnt are hidden in the past or happening now, the following tried-and-tested tips will help you unwrap this gift.

1   Develop and leverage supportive relationships

You don’t need to go through change alone. A problem or challenge shared is a problem halved. Tap into those relationships where you can get support and feel open to be supported. In and out of the workplace, ensure you tap into people who make you feel good and that you trust and feel comfortable with. Remember, as human beings; we love to help each other. Leverage the relationships that serve you and help you progress forward.1 Know the reason – the ‘why' to change

2  Your ‘why’ to change must exceed your ‘why’ to stay the same.

Make sure your chosen change is happening for the right reason, especially when you influence it. You will only embrace change or buy into it if there is something in it for you. Not embracing change is usually due to a lack of clarity around the reasons why.

3  Focus on what isn't changing and what you can control

As humans, we naturally concentrate on what is changing. When dealing with change, it helps to focus on a few things that aren’t changing. This gives you a sense of stability to help you deal with what is changing.

4  Find a balance between the logical and the emotional

There’s a great book called Switch by Dan and Chip Heath. It focuses on being on the same page with your emotional and rational sides when dealing with change. They use the example of the elephant (representing our emotional side) and the rider (representing our rational side). Our emotions can overwhelm our rational thoughts in the same way a large elephant could overwhelm a rider. But if we rely solely on rational behaviour, we can overthink things. Dan and Chip suggest directing the rider and motivating the elephant.

5  Know what lights you up

Tap into the things that motivate you and make you feel alive. Doing what energises us can be used to fuel us through a change. When I was shifting my business to online during the pandemic, I made sure I connected with others online and ran virtual workshops as much as I could, as I knew that connection is what would keep my energy up.

6  Be mindful of change effort

Change can be exhausting. The effort that goes into dealing with any change can affect us physically, mentally and emotionally, especially when going through a major change or more than one change at a time. It is known that large changes can zap our self-control, and consequently, our capacity to think, focus, be creative and persist becomes non-existent.

7  Avoid decision paralysis

Too many options can cause us to freeze up and default to doing nothing.

Think about a retail store crammed and overflowing with items or a dinner menu with endless options. We can get what I call ‘decision fatigue’ and end up not purchasing anything. I’ve been in work meetings where so many options and ideas are generated that people become overwhelmed, and nothing gets actioned.

8  Be excited by change and what could be

Change can generate infinite possibilities and growth. Reframe the situation by being excited and lose the words ‘nervous’, ‘anxious’ and ‘overwhelmed’. Focus on your values and not your fears, and let your thoughts and actions feed into this. Think about what could go right – refer back to a positive change you have experienced before and the outcome of that.

Change isn’t easy, but it’s easier when you don’t go it alone.

Reach out if you need a chat; we value you in our community and are here for support and to be in service to you.

Lead to be Limitless…



eSpeakersSeal(32459, "8d24", 'virtual', "md", "1");

Find out where you sit on the Leadership Ladder. Your responses are anonymous, and the results summarised to help us better understand where our market sits so that we can continue to provide insights, tools and solutions to assist you in moving up to be LIMITLESS, co-creative and stand out.

Renée is a mentor, coach, expert facilitator and keynote speaker; She is the author of  ‘Gift Mindset®‘, ‘Limitless Leadership’, and co-author of ‘Leaders of Influence’.

PS: Want to skyrocket your success from working anywhere? We've launched our online program, and you can read more about that here.

Have you received your copy of Renée’s latest book, Gift Mindset®? It is available on Amazon, Booktopia and in all good book stores.

If this article resonates with you somehow, I’d love to hear your thoughts – get in touch.

Being in service to my clients is why I do what I do, and your feedback, insight, and suggestions are always embraced.

Follow Renée on Facebook, Instagram, IGTV or Twitter, or subscribe to her blog or new podcast here.

 

How to open the door and invite self-compassion in

Now, more than ever, in this ever-changing world full of uncertainty, we need to ramp up our self-leadership and to do this, we need to open the door to self-compassion. One way to do this is to be receptive and open to acceptance; we need to open the door and invite self-compassion in to accept the gifts we face. Self-compassion researcher Kristin Neff highlights its many benefits, including a decrease in anxiety, stress and depression, and an increase in life satisfaction, resilience and overall happiness.

I have many amazing friends and, until recently, couldn’t name a time that I had fallen out with any of them. Then a close friend threw me under a bus to protect herself from having to take the blame for something. We had grown up together and the situation, plus the fact that she never apologised, really played on me. I realised that even if the threads of our friendship were salvaged, our values didn’t align anymore. Although we speak in passing and there is no animosity, things will never be the same.

I used a three-step process called CAN – to get through this situation because I recognised that my self-compassion needed to be ramped up. CAN opens the door to what is possible when you focus on self-acceptance or self-compassion. The CAN process employs ‘illeism’ – the act of referring to oneself in the third person. Studies have shown that when people use illeism to talk about traumatic events or challenges, they tend to regard themselves through more compassionate eyes. This disassociation is useful in diluting the pain. CAN works like this:

C – Confess – Own up to the pain or event. What is happening?
This is where you need to clearly state the pain or challenge you are facing.
‘Renée is feeling hurt and hard done by.’

A – Align –  Who else may feel this or be experiencing this?
When we associate what we are going through as a common, shared experience, we tend to feel more settled and calm. It’s almost like this soothes us and gets us to focus our attention outward. It is known that our brain’s social-care circuit primes itself with oxytocin in social situations that make us feel supported and connected with others. ‘Renée is not the only one experiencing this. Many people feel hurt and have gone through a similar experience.’

N – Nourish – What can I do or think that will serve me resourcefully?
By reassuring yourself in the third person, you offer yourself useful advice. At this stage, you could even come up with an affirmation. In the scenario I’ve shared, I only have to remind myself of how many amazing people I have in my life to remember the compassion and respect I have for myself, which dictates who I let into my life.
‘Renée has been through harder things. Time heals all and she just needs to focus on the amazing people in her life.‘

To resist or embrace?

Once we have harnessed self-compassion, we have a choice. Do we embrace the positive or challenging experience and accept it, or do we resist and fight against it?

The model shows the choices we all have access to, in order to embrace or resist the experiences we go through from a people or situational perspective.

Maybe you have experienced success such as turning your side hustle into a lucrative enterprise. You may feel embarrassed, almost egotistical, to share your story, so you resist sharing the experience and what, and who, helped you get there. It is important to remember that we resist sharing not only challenges but also successes – and this can hinder us.

Embracing positive people and situations can lead to our life’s highlights. On the flip side, if we resist or repel the experience or person we can feel helpless, and this can hinder us as outlined in the diagram. Resisting can make the situation even more painful and exhausting. Imagine playing a game of tug of war: you are gripping on to the rope not wanting to let go, and at the same time not getting anywhere. The rope burn is excruciating but you keep holding on, hoping at some point the pressure will give way.

When we choose to embrace and accept the experiences we glean through people and situations, we can harness this in a way that’s helpful and serves us and potentially others in moving on. When we resist challenging experiences and lessons, we fall into helplessness and our growth is hindered.

Lead to be Limitless…



eSpeakersSeal(32459, "8d24", 'virtual', "md", "1");

Find out where you sit on the Leadership Ladder. Your responses are anonymous, and the results summarised to help us better understand where our market sits so that we can continue to provide insights, tools and solutions to assist you in moving up to be LIMITLESS, co-creative and stand out.

Renée is a mentor, coach, expert facilitator and keynote speaker; She is the author of  ‘Gift Mindset®‘, ‘Limitless Leadership’, and co-author of ‘Leaders of Influence’.

PS: Want to skyrocket your success from working anywhere? We've launched our online program, and you can read more about that here.

Have you received your copy of Renée’s latest book, Gift Mindset®? It is available on Amazon, Booktopia and in all good book stores.

If this article resonates with you somehow, I’d love to hear your thoughts – get in touch.

Being in service to my clients is why I do what I do, and your feedback, insight, and suggestions are always embraced.

Follow Renée on Facebook, Instagram, IGTV or Twitter, or subscribe to her blog or new podcast here.

 

3 things you can do to lead and increase emotional intelligence in your team

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is imperative

Emotional Intelligence (EI) is imperative to any role, team or organisation. And having the ability to focus on transferring EI and motivation to your team is even more critical as we all continue to work and lead in this hybrid environment.

EI, also known as emotional quotient or EQ, is simply the ability to recognise one’s own emotions and those of others and to have the ability to be able to manage them. There are several steps that you can undertake to aid this. First things first – ensure your awareness of self and others is high.

If you want to lead and assist in increasing EI, you need to lead by example.

Really master your conflict management, emotional control and social awareness, so you’re not just aware and managing your emotions, but also understanding that of others and demonstrating this, day to day, to your team and those around you.

As a leader, I truly believe you can create the necessary conditions in which team members can develop their EI. However, each member of the team needs to take ownership of this.

There’s an analogy that says, ‘A piano student can be taught to play Minuet in G, but he won’t become a modern-day Bach without knowing music theory and being able to play with heart.’

There needs to be trust within the team and in you and a feeling of group efficacy – in other words, the team’s perceived capability to perform.

When there is EI as a team, it’s all about the small acts that make a difference.

Here are a few key tips to help you:

1. Create team norms

These are basically relationship guidelines that can be agreed upon as a team and, after time, will be followed at a subconscious level. The actual identifying, agreeing and getting buy into these norms.

A great framework to create team norms:

Look at what successful norms are already in place, based on your experience as a team. Ensure this link to your current team values.Turn the norms into behaviours. An example could be as simple as acknowledging each other with a thank you when tasks are met and sharing the process of what worked to foster an open environment to share best practice.Create a plan to ensure accountability is bring shared across the team.2. Identify and satisfy team strengths and weaknessesTake the time to know and grow your team. I ask every leader I work with, “What are each person’s top three strengths and three areas to improve in your team?”Don’t over-complicate this, simply:Ask, identify, understand and help drive.Make sure everyone shares their strengths and one area they’re looking to change or do differently.Leverage diversity in the team by each sharing (including you).3. Let your team have a voiceCreating a safe and open environment opens the space for all members to share their thoughts consistently. Google recently identified emotional security at work as one of the top traits of high-performing teams.Look at ways to ensure all team members get to voice achievements and the challenges and mistakes they make, and the lesson learnt. This is within the team and across divisions.Be creative in the ways you ensure every person has a voice.

Keep in mind EI is not all about just having harmony, happiness and no tension. Rather, it’s more about acknowledging when harmony is fake, tension is suppressed, and treating others with respect.

Lead to be Limitless…



eSpeakersSeal(32459, "8d24", 'virtual', "md", "1");

Find out where you sit on the Leadership Ladder. Your responses are anonymous, and the results are summarised to help us better understand where our market sits so that we can continue to provide insights, tools and solutions to assist you in moving up to be LIMITLESS, co-creative and stand out.

Renée is a mentor, coach, expert facilitator and keynote speaker; She is the author of  ‘Gift Mindset®‘, ‘Limitless Leadership’, and co-author of ‘Leaders of Influence’.

PS: Want to skyrocket your success from working anywhere? We've launched our online program, and you can read more about that here.

Have you received your copy of Renée’s latest book, Gift Mindset®? It is available on Amazon, Booktopia and in all good book stores.

If this article resonates with you somehow, I’d love to hear your thoughts – get in touch.

Being in service to my clients is why I do what I do, and your feedback, insight, and suggestions are always embraced.

Follow Renée on Facebook, Instagram, IGTV or Twitter, or subscribe to her blog or new podcast here.

 

How mindset helps you lead through times of uncertainty

I believe it all comes down to how you are wired and the reference and experience you associate with change. Many people resist change, while others embrace it. Certainty is a core human need; therefore, it is natural to resist what is unknown to us. Change makes us feel uneasy as it takes us into the unknown and moves us away from the things we feel are certain. Mental inclination or disposition, a frame of mind.

A powerful aspect of your mindset is how quickly it can be shifted and how impacting the consequences can be. Unlike skills that have to be practised repeatedly, mindsets sometimes show dramatic shifts in a short amount of time.

Many of you had to transition from working onsite to remotely during the pandemic. This change required you to upgrade your mindset. As much as working remotely required a physical change, it also required a psychological one. You needed to think differently and create thinking habits that kept you going in this difficult time. Your mindset mattered! Developing a strong and disciplined mindset gives you the ability and agility to own your thoughts and actions.

“The one thing we can control is our thoughts, no matter who we are, we all have this choice. This is great news when going through change or facing a challenge.”

Controlling the way you think and fostering a mindset that serves you can assist in adapting to new things, such as career transition, life changes, and even dealing with certain people and relationships.

In simple terms, your THOUGHTS create your FEELINGS and what you do or do not ACTION.

How you think

The mind is powerful, and your thoughts are the starting point to awareness and where your attention goes.

If your inner thoughts are persistently negative, try the following:

Call out your critic: Stop and name the thought and then refer to it by that name. Someone I know named her inner talk ‘needy Ned’. She now laughs whenever she notices these thoughts – that alone changed the direction of her future conversations.Talk to yourself like a friend: We can be harsh on ourselves, often harsher than we would ever be with those we love. Talk to yourself as you would a friend; be light, be kind and above all, be respectful and come from a place of love.Flip your beliefs: We usually frame whatever we tell ourselves as beliefs that either do or do not serve us. You have the power to flip your beliefs. For instance, ‘I will never get through this challenge’ could be flipped to ‘What is the opportunity in this situation?’Reframe keywords: Reframing ‘I’m nervous and challenged’ to ‘I’m excited about this opportunity’ can change your energy, mindset and awareness to what can be, rather than what can’t be.How you feel

It’s easy to confuse thoughts and feelings. Acting in accordance with your thoughts and emotions and knowing and understanding what you are feeling will help you make wise choices. Identifying your experience accurately will assist you in coping more effectively and responding with logic rather than reacting entirely with emotion.

A quick scenario, using the comment ‘I feel overwhelmed’. When you believe you are overwhelmed, any evidence is unlikely to change this thought, and you will be overloaded with the feeling that you are overwhelmed. If you reword the statement to include both thoughts and feelings, it could sound like: ‘I think I am overwhelmed because I see myself as drowning in everything’ and ‘I feel like everything is out of control’. The statement about feeling overwhelmed could also be code for other thoughts and feelings.

Both thoughts and feelings are equally important in cultivating awareness and controlling your mindset. Thoughts are things we tell ourselves, things we believe. Feelings are an emotional reaction triggered by these thoughts.

How you act

Your actions are often dependent on how you are feeling and what you are telling yourself. If your actions aren’t congruent with your values and what you want, you need to revert to your’ thoughts’‘. Examine what you are thinking and telling yourself and adjust this to achieve the outcomes, relationships and life you are looking to live.

Adopting a Gift Mindset can also help you be open to unwrap the gifts in both the challenging and positive experiences you encounter. When you embrace the learnings from everything you experience, you can use these to strengthen your mindset and progress yourself and others forward.

Lead to be Limitless…



eSpeakersSeal(32459, "8d24", 'virtual', "md", "1");

Find out where you sit on the Leadership Ladder. Your responses are anonymous, and the results summarised to help us better understand where our market sits so that we can continue to provide insights, tools and solutions to assist you in moving up to be LIMITLESS, co-creative and stand out.

Renée is a mentor, coach, expert facilitator and keynote speaker; She is the author of  ‘Gift Mindset®‘, ‘Limitless Leadership’, and co-author of ‘Leaders of Influence’.

PS: Want to skyrocket your success from working anywhere? We've launched our online program, and you can read more about that here.

Have you received your copy of Renée’s latest book, Gift Mindset®? It is available on Amazon, Booktopia and in all good book stores.

If this article resonates with you somehow, I’d love to hear your thoughts – get in touch.

Being in service to my clients is why I do what I do, and your feedback, insight, and suggestions are always embraced.

Follow Renée on Facebook, Instagram, IGTV or Twitter, or subscribe to her blog or new podcast here.

 

26: Unwrap the Gift of Growth and the Power of Masterminds

Topic:  Unwrap the Gift of Growth and the Power of Masterminds

On today’s show I have the immense pleasure in speaking with Brad Hart about how to unwrap the gift of growth which is a chapter in my new book The Gift Mindset, and the lessons he's learned. 

It was through the challenges Brad faced, including the death of his father at a young age, that eventually led him to start Make More Marbles (a top ten affiliate partner for Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi), with a mission to create a collaborative community that helps you gain the freedom and abundance you crave by showing you how to build assets that pay you for years, and create the life of your dreams. 

With 20 years as an entrepreneur and 16 years managing wealth under his belt, Brad is committed to helping entrepreneurs and investors reach their full potential, so they can focus on solving the grand challenges of our time.  

From co-leading a mastermind of 52 people in China and Hong Kong, to holding mastermind groups in Bali, Italy, Greece and all over the US, Brad has been a part of 28 masterminds and started 10 himself, including a local weekly mastermind group with 500 members.  

Brad is a founding member of the Knowledge Broker Blueprint (KBB) speaking/training team led by Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi, a community and self-education movement which has helped tens of thousands of people to launch their own masterminds. 

On today’s show Brad and I will speak about: 

The Gift of Growth: How to learn from your mistakes, challenges and struggles  The importance of clarity (in just 8 minutes)The power of Masterminds A key ingredient of a Mastermind: the Hot seat FormulaThe meaning of growth and how to bring growth into your lifeTips for Facilitating Virtual MastermindsTechnologies for running Masterminds, and more

LISTEN NOW:

 

About:

With 20 years as an entrepreneur and 16 years managing wealth under his belt, Brad Hart is committed to helping entrepreneurs and investors reach their full potential, so they can focus on solving the grand challenges of our time.  

Having gained extensive experience in real estate, investments, trading, marketing, sales and peak performance strategy, he’s built and helped build several companies, growing revenues and profits into the millions of dollars. His hedge fund, Hartwood Capital, returned 106% in profit in a single year.  

From co-leading a mastermind of 52 people in China and Hong Kong, to holding mastermind groups in Bali, Italy, Greece and all over the US, Brad has been a part of 28 masterminds and started 10 himself, including a local weekly mastermind group with 500 members.  

Brad is a founding member of the Knowledge Broker Blueprint (KBB) speaking/training team led by Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi, a community and self-education movement which has helped tens of thousands of people to launch their own masterminds. 

Make More Marbles, Brad's company is a top ten affiliate partner for Tony and Dean as well.  

Build A Mastermind (or BAM for short) is Brad’s favourite initiative, helping entrepreneurs to add $100k+ to their businesses in profit per year with only 5-10 hours a month ongoing time commitment.    

He is a graduate of Binghamton University where he received a BS in Biology and rowed on the Crew team, as well worked as an EMT. 

Brad grew up in New York and now lives in San Diego, California.   

The Make More Marbles Team and extended family of clients comprises folks from all over the world, just like you who want to be more, do more and give more.  

Contact:

https://makemoremarbles.com/ https://8minutemastermind.comhttps://mastermindvirtually.com/bonus  Linkedin

 

The Gift Mindset® book is NOW available in all good bookstores and online.

If you’re ready to adopt and embrace a Gift Mindset and look at how our challenges and successes fall into 12 key areas that we call: The 12 Gifts, then go to www.GiftMindset.com and get your copy today. Or, if you’re interested in purchasing a bulk order, contact our team at: admin@reneegiarrusso.com