It s a shame I've been sitting on this book for about two years now. A friend of mine gave me Never Eat Alone , by Keith Ferrazzi a couple years ago (thanks Rey), and it s been on my bookcase ever since. It was resting there not because I didn't want to read it, but because I already had so many others in the pipeline. I finally got around to reading it last month and I definitely recommend it. In very simple terms, Ferrazzi explains why networking is important and how to do it. From how to make call lists to planning dinners to personal branding to goal setting, it s all here. He also maintains a valuable blog .
Inevitably there will be times when you have setbacks or things don t go your way. Maybe you didn't get a job you thought you were sure to get. Maybe you lost a job unexpectedly, didn't win a contract, or lost a major client. Your car always seems to break down right after you've had some other unexpected expense. These kinds of situations immediately place us in crisis. They don t feel good, but sometimes they re what we need in order to grow. The beautiful thing about crises is that they force us to take a step back and reevaluate what s going on in our lives and rediscover what we truly want and need. When we get over that initial shock and feeling of disappointment, we might realize that maybe that job wasn't really the best for us anyway. Maybe, just maybe, that wasn't what you really wanted to spend your life doing. Maybe that friend was holding you back instead of pushing you forward. The way I deal with crises of these sorts is simple: If something doesn't go my way professionally, I try to create a situation that would be more rewarding than the situation originally planned. A while ago, I was offered a job that looked very promising. After I accepted the offer, they pushed the start date back three times, later informing me (via e-mail) that they wanted to bring me on in the near future but I should feel free to explore other options. I was extremely disappointed. I felt disrespected and angry, but decided to make the best of the situation and follow my dream of working internationally. I then flew to Santiago, Chile and had great professional and personal experiences I wouldn't have had otherwise. Later, reflecting back on the original opportunity, I realized that working for a company that avoids a start date three times and then can t pick up the phone to explain the situation is probably not where I need to spend my time. Use setbacks as an opportunity to put your goals in order and act on them. In the moment, it s difficult to look at a setback as temporary, but they are. They happen to everybody. It s how you respond to them that will determine how they affect you.
I am honored to share with you the following blog post written by Mary Kay Chess. Besides being my LPD (Leadership and Personal Development) professor at Bainbridge Graduate Institute, she is also a great organizational leadership consultant, mentor, and trusted friend. In this piece she writes about the power of trust and building a solid team.
We have very diverse interests on our board of twenty hospital CEOs. What new approach to strategic planning is possible?
Our traditional approach to attracting “customers” to our hospital no longer works. What is required to engage more businesses in purchasing our hospital services?
We are considering different vendors in a competitive process. How do we get rapid and confidential feedback from a diverse group of potential purchasers?
We discovered that our last strategic plan was created in 2008. How do we overcome this stagnation and create a dynamic plan – quickly?
Once a month, during the lunch hour on the east coast, executives from around the United States pick up the phone and dial in for an hour conversation. This forum is called, Coffee & Tea Conversations, and it was created for executives of shared services organizations in rural communities.
In the past, these leaders asked questions of one another during yearly meetings on rural healthcare issues. It became clear that leading loosely aligned organizations of hospital CEOs required more than casual conversations every twelve months.
For the last year, participants of Coffee & Tea Conversations moved puzzles to solutions through facilitated inquiry: iterative approaches to strategic planning emerge, responsive and immediate survey tools emerge, and thoughtful support for CEOs searching for continued funding in complex economic times is offered virtually.
Participation in the Coffee & Tea Conversations varies as time and demands permit. It is now common for ten leaders from Alaska, Michigan, or New Hampshire to join the facilitator for this monthly conversation. Why do these extremely harried leaders look forward to this time? Why is this sixty minutes of value to them? What are they taking away from this brief encounter once a month?
Three major reasons point to why these network leaders continue to grab a cup of coffee and pick up the phone once a month:
- Collaboration - Leaders are talking with leaders and able to move rapidly from inquiry to implementation.
- Connections – Leaders in rural areas are confronted with the need to create opportunities for real change and they are in the company of others engaged in this social innovation.
- Creativity – Leaders can rapidly consider and build on solutions generated in other communities across the country.
This is the work emerging over a year of one-hour monthly calls. And, the foundation for this work is trust – in the process, in the content surfaced by peers and the facilitator, and in the diverse perspectives from colleagues sharing the same challenges. These leaders and the facilitator share a common purpose – improving services and community connections in rural areas.
When asked why there was continued engagement in these calls, one leader responded, “This is the only place where the ambiguity and possibility co-exist.” And another, “I leave with practical hope and resiliency.”
Mary Kay Chess, PhD, designed and implemented this approach to leadership building through facilitated conversations and over coffee (or tea). Dr. Chess, core faculty at BGI, also consults on strategic planning approaches for network boards and coaches executives.
Creating Conscious Leadership
With an appreciation for the challenges faced by leaders in dealing with constant change, Jeanette is sharing the insightful experience of Yoga Nidra with those who seek clarity and focus in their business and personal lives. “Self-awareness is the foundation of conscious leadership. Cultivating a mindfulness practice can greatly enhance leadership through more focused actions and decisions.”
You are invited to start your week off with mindful intention. Come experience iRest® Yoga Nidra - a guided and evidence-based meditative inquiry that investigates how to experience true relaxation and reduce stress. This practical self-management tool offers a deep state of relaxed awareness, clarity and focus.
Next 4 part series begins
Sunday, March 18, 2012 3:00pm – 4:15pm
at Studio A: Pilates in Alamo Heights located at 5310 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209.
Students may wish to bring a pen and notebook and should bring their own blanket, pillow or meditation cushion. Please dress in warm layers and avoid big meals 2 hours prior to the practice.
For more information or to RSVP, email Jeanette@JMHCollaborative.com or call210.618.1547 www.jmhcollaborative.com
Jeanette is a passionate and committed community builder with over 25 years of solid experience in creating measurable community and economic development initiatives and impact. Her company, JMH Collaborative, offers a unique approach to creating and managing change through shared knowledge and mindful leadership practices. Life circumstances moved Jeanette to search for peace and well-being. She was led to iRest® Yoga Nidra (Integrative Restoration Yoga) through which she has found a deeper sense of awareness. Jeanette has completed advanced training in iRest® Yoga Nidra (Integrative Restoration) with founder Richard C. Miller, PhD., a clinical psychologist, author, researcher and yogic scholar. For more information about iRest® Yoga Nidra, see www.irest.us