In the last issue, I introduced the parallel tracks of LEAP + STEADY-AS-YOU-GO as a useful strategy for approaching your goals. There are two seemingly contradictory qualities which go hand in hand with this strategy: PATIENCE and BOLDNESS. Maybe you’re thinking, “Well, I’ve never been very patient,” or “Uh-oh. Boldness isn’t exactly my thing.” Don’t worry. These traits can be grown. Read more
The plaque on the wall of our senior vice president’s office had three words: UNDERPROMISE AND OVERDELIVER. It was a reminder to salespeople and others within our organization to estimate conservatively when making commitments. The point was not to simply avoid trouble or to shy away from challenges and aim low. Rather it was to increase the likelihood of meeting and even exceeding customer expectations, so that a reputation of consistency and integrity could be cultivated. Read more
One weekend, my husband and I were in the car on our way to run errands. We had tried to fit too much into our weekend and were out of sorts. I was so cranky that I was cranky about feeling cranky but just couldn’t pull myself out of it. Then, while driving, he leaned over and pressed his forefinger to my forehead. “What are you doing?” I asked. “Hitting the reset button,” he replied with a smile. I pressed his forehead in return and we had a good laugh. I appreciated his willingness to restart the day with me, and in fact, he had essentially given me permission to do just that. We did and it made all the difference that day. Read more
A financial services professional wanted to increase his confidence level when giving presentations to his prospective clients. I asked him, “When you are confident, what do you notice?” He began to list the conditions for confidence: Being relaxed, having a conversation that is natural and not forced, making a real connection with the person, keeping eye contact, being expressive, enjoying it, having good posture and standing tall, breathing, fully listening, and believing that I am giving a gift to the other person. Read more
At the end of this year, I’ll be celebrating one of those ‘big decade’ birthdays. A goal I have is to arrive at my birthday in the best physical condition ever. Part of what this means to me is taking my exercise routine to the next level. I’m on track now, but a couple of months ago this wasn’t the case. I heard myself lamenting to a friend about how disappointed I was in my efforts for the first half of the year. I was mid-sentence when he interrupted me and said, “Yeah, but that’s history.” Read more