Hit That Button!

When our computers run slow or our cell phones stall out, what do we do?  That’s right, we hit the power button, reboot them and suddenly all is well again.  The devices are quicker and seem to have new life in them.  The counters are reset to zero and we’re once again dealing with a blank slate and a machine that is poised to perform.  Well, science has shown that our bodies are electrical systems too and we also benefit tremendously from hitting the reboot button. 

Recently, I attended a business retreat with a few friends, not as a presenter, but as a participant.  The event focused on breathing new life into our activities and processes as business owners and it was great medicine for me and the others – like a shot of vitamins into our spirits!  We’ve come back to our businesses with fresh eyes, new ideas and an almost childlike excitement about what we do and how we do it.  When was the last time you hit your reboot button? 

Summer is the perfect time to plan a way to recharge, refresh and reboot.  There are many ways to do it, but here are Read the rest of Hit That Button! »

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Don’t Get Eaten by the Bear

If you’ve ever watched the movie The Edge with Anthony Hopkins and Alec Baldwin you would know they had a serious problem to face.  If you haven’t watched it, here’s the quick synopsis.  The two men played characters that were part of a small group that crashed in remote Alaska and were cold, hungry and lost (bad).  They had no equipment or practical survival skills (worse).  Added to this, they had an enormous, ravenous brown bear that was stalking them and picking them off one by one (worst).  Does this scenario resonate with any of us who might be going through tough times, fear, doubt, bad economy or major life changes?  Does a bear do his business in the woods?  You betcha. 

Driven by fear and a strong will to survive, Anthony Hopkins’ character created a plan to fight the bear.  It came from knowledge gained by reading a book and required a basic tool – a long stick.  A bow and arrow would have been good, a rifle even better and they probably would have preferred a shoulder launched rocket – but instead, they had a stick.  In the end, the two defeated the bear with the spears they made.  I always liked this movie because it shouted a few basic lessons to us all that we can apply when facing life and business challenges:  Read the rest of Don’t Get Eaten by the Bear »

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Secrets of the World’s Most Resilient People

The headlines of the world lately have been rife with conflict, bad news, stumbles in the economy, job market worries and the threats of reprisal terrorism.  We have a constant challenge to stay resilient, maintain our warrior spirit and stay solution-oriented in a world that is full of headlines based on fear, doubt and disaster.  Take a deep breath… I’ve got great news for you.  No, I didn’t just save a bunch of money on my car insurance.  I’ve found the secrets of the most resilient people in the world… 

I read an article in National Geographic about a group of people in Bangladesh who live on the flood plains created by three major rivers.  These people inhabit countless small islands that appear for a time, disappear and then reappear somewhere else based on rainfall, floods, the tides, etc.  Despite this precarious and ever-changing lifestyle, the families raise crops and kids and build a successful life on these islands called “chars”.  National Geographic stated that to live a life like this is like “winning an Olympic medal in adaptation.” 

One of the men interviewed had moved once a year for his whole life – and he’s sixty!  But he’s also raised seven kids who “never missed a meal”.  The houses are able to be disassembled and reassembled quickly, the families bags are always neatly packed next to their beds for a quick move.  The man said, “No matter how much we worry, the end is all the same.”  He says the real secret is “not to think too much”.  Despite living in a tough and dynamic environment, these people thrive.  What can we learn from them?  Read the rest of Secrets of the World’s Most Resilient People »

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Our Sacred Mothers

His long, dark hair shimmered in the sunlight of the Great Plains summer.  His mahogany skin bore visible scars – a knife wound from an enemy tribesman, a bullet wound from the U.S. Cavalry.  He sat on the edge of a gurgling creek, holding his pipe and prayed for strength to do what was required of him.  He worried about the encroachment of foreign settlers on his tribes’ lands but drew strength from the eyes of a grateful people.  His feet were worn from many miles of scouting, running and fighting.  He had shed blood in battle to protect his people and his life was dedicated to their defense, protection and to setting a good example for them.  He would do what was necessary to ensure their survival.  This man is a warrior… 

Her long, dark hair shimmered in the fluorescent light of the grocery store.  She carried her scars inside, suffering the judgment from disapproving eyes that cast icy stares at the teenage mother.  She held her baby close and prayed for strength to do what was required of her.  She worried where the next meal would come from but drew strength from the eyes of her little boy.  Her feet were blistered and tired from standing in lines and walking to accomplish the errands.  She had sold her blood to buy Christmas presents and that extra gallon of milk.  Her life was dedicated to the defense and protection of her little one and to setting a good example for him.  She would do what was necessary to ensure his survival.  This woman is a warrior – she is also my mother…   

Times have changed, but the warrior concept has not.  A warrior dedicates his or her life to developing their own talent and ability so they may be an asset or benefit to the village they serve.  A warrior dedicates their life to a higher cause than their own personal welfare.  To find modern day warriors, one need only look around – at our mothers.  Read the rest of Our Sacred Mothers »

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Warrior Spirit in Action

You can’t script moments like this…

We were in class at Peak Krav Maga, following direction from our instructor Doug.  He showed us a self defense technique to do if someone attacks us from behind and reinforced that this was not a move based on raw strength, but on speed and technique.  To prove it, he called the youngest member of class onto the mat, a ten-year-old girl, to demonstrate.  She reluctantly stepped away from her mom and meekly came to stand next to Doug.  There’s the scene: a small, shy girl standing next to a big tough black belt, surrounded by over twenty other sweaty people twice her size.  Doug placed his hands on her neck and said “Go”.  The little girl made a quick move, pulled his hands from her neck, stepped to the side and hit Doug with a vicious blow, producing a sharp whack on his plastic cup, sending an echo through the studio.

The whole class burst into spontaneous laughter and wild applause for the girl!  Doug was bent over at the waist and walking funny for the rest of the class – but he was smiling because the girl had executed the moved beautifully.    

In my book The Tiny Warrior I wrote “A warrior’s power does not lie in his strength, his size or feats in battle.  A warrior’s power lies in his heart…” and this girl demonstrated that even better than the technique.  Though shy and small, this girl stepped up to the challenge and showed her warrior spirit.  She showed courage in the face of fear. 

When Doug grabbed her from behind, her whole demeanor changed.  She instantly transformed from the posture of a bashful girl into a warrior – eyes open, shoulders back and ready for action.  I have no doubt she was still nervous and perhaps afraid, but it was the way she responded to that fear that made her courageous in that moment. 

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Beware the Ides of March… and Doing These 3 Things as a Leader!

We’ve often heard “beware the Ides of March” but do you know where the saying came from?  “Beware the Ides of March” was a warning given by a mysterious seer to Julius Caesar in 44 B.C. before he was assassinated.  Due to his overbearing and arrogant leadership, the Senate fired him from his position by stabbing him 23 times.  Now as a leader, you won’t have to worry about your team conducting such a striking revolt (thankfully).  However, poor leadership in tough times can still create havoc, waste money, create doubt, kill projects and generally make a mess of things.    

To prevent having your own “Ides of March” moment, there are three things that leaders should never do:

Never expect from others what you aren’t willing to show first.  Do not expect your people to be enthusiastic if you’re not.  Don’t expect them to be high performing, solution-oriented warriors who are ready for any battles ahead if you’re not already there.  This is not about perfection; this is about the most effective form of leadership under the sun – leadership by example.  Instead of preaching to our people and beating them over the head with words (no matter how good they may be) we must instead set an example worthy of followership!  If we don’t do this, we set ourselves Read the rest of Beware the Ides of March… and Doing These 3 Things as a Leader! »

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Bloom Where You’re Planted – Water if Necessary

Bloom where you’re planted is an oft-used quote that tends to frustrate us when we feel like we’re in an environment that fights us at every turn.  Sometimes, before we can bloom we need to water the area around us first.  

For instance, the ancient Hohokam tribe made their home near present day Phoenix, Arizona which tends to be parched much of the year.  Between 450 and 1500 A.D. the Hohokam thrived in this area despite the harsh and challenging environment.  Through creativity (and need) they established a successful network of irrigation canals that were, according to Omar Turney, a city engineer for Phoenix in the 1920’s, the “largest single body of land irrigated in the prehistoric times in North or South America.” 

Pain can often spark creative problem-solving.  The pain can be generated from frustration, lack of resources, time, a bad environment, setbacks, limitations, criticism or loss. And sometimes we find we must get sick and tired of being sick and tired before we take action to change our situation. The Hohokam needed water and they found a way to get it.  Sometimes, when our backs are against the wall, our true brilliance emerges. 

You or your organization may be going through a dry spell right now, thinking the earth you’ve been planted in seems dry and fruitless.  If we let frustration with our current situation continue for too long it morphs into our worst enemies – apathy and hopelessness.  It may be due to the economy, scarce resources, funding cuts or personal challenges, but the questions I have for you are these: 

What’s stopping you from taking action?

When do you plan on addressing the pain?  If not now, when?

Who can you speak with to help shed light on a solution?

What resources do you need to overcome the challenge?

What can you do right now to improve this situation?

Back in the 60’s the U.S. space program struggled with the challenge of designing a pen that would work in zero gravity.  The Russians had the same problem but were doing just fine with their solution – the pencil.  Solutions don’t have to be eloquent, expensive or fancy – they just have to work.

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Lessons from the Lynx: Staying Resilient Through Change

The thirty-pound cat moves like a ghost through the snow covered forest in Montana.  Stalking silently on oversize feet, designed to be natural snow shoes, the lynx is on the lookout for its singular prey – the snowshoe hare.  The lynx is endowed with a super athletic ability that seems to defy physics.  It is cunning, quiet, fast and deadly.  So why is this cat in such deep trouble? 

The lynx in Montana was thought to number 3,000 in the late 90’s but the results of a more recent study found a dismal figure of only around 300.  Despite its natural gifts, the lynx has been a victim of tough times – deforestation, a warmer climate that has negated its incredible advantage to hunt in snow – but most importantly, an increased competition with other predators over it’s one and only food source, the snow shoe hare.  Regardless of the lynx’s talents, its overspecialization is leading to its demise in Montana.  Meanwhile, the lynx’s cousins, the mountain lion and bobcat are opportunists who eat whatever prey is available.  They are both faring well despite the dynamic changes.

Similarly, our economy has faced a series of challenges that have put even the sharpest minds to task.  Resources are scarcer, certain pools of opportunity have dried up and even the most fundamental expectations have changed.  These are testing times for resilience in both business models and individual careers.  Read the rest of Lessons from the Lynx: Staying Resilient Through Change »

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Leadership Through the Storm

Flight attendants, prepare for take off… Our 727 was rolling down the snow-covered runway in Juneau headed for Ketchikan, Alaska.  Seconds after we lifted off, we were swallowed by a thick blanket of snow clouds and remained there for the entire turbulent journey to Ketchikan!  We popped out of the cloud bank just seconds before the wheels touched.  The entire trip, I could barely see the tip of the wing.  This got me thinking…

So often our teams can feel like passengers on that flight – nervous, unsure but hopeful that the leader (the pilot) knows what the heck he is doing!  Especially in the chaotic or confusing environments we find ourselves in today, it is critical that leaders act in the manner of that pilot. 

Show – don’t tell.  I don’t think anyone on that flight would have felt better if the pilot told us, “Hey, don’t worry, I’m really good at this flying stuff.” Rather, he showed that he was well-trained and competent in his actions.  He flew us safely from point A to point B and your people expect the same from you as a leader. 

Show confidence.  “The weather is terrible and frankly I’m scared too. I’m not sure how this will go, but we’ll give ‘er a go.” If the pilot had said that, we would have gotten off of the airplane.  We expect professionals to know their craft.  We expect leaders to have confidence in their abilities, their people and the direction of the team they lead.  The pilot showed confidence as he stood straight and greeted us at the door and his announcements during the flight were calm, cool and collected.  As tense as we got, everyone seemed to relax when the pilot came on and let us know how we were doing.  The beauty of showing confidence is that it inspires confidence in others too.

Build trust – the magical, mystical glue that holds teams together.  Everything we do as a leader should be designed to strengthen his bond of trust.  We had to trust our pilot (he was the only one in the seat) and maybe that’s the same for your team with you, at least at the beginning of the ride.  But to strengthen and maintain trust requires time and consistent ethical action.  When you have it your people will follow you through the storm clouds.  If you don’t have it, people won’t follow you to the bathroom.  We build trust through communication – verbal, written, body language but most of all through the example we set in the eyes of our followers.  This isn’t about trying to achieve perfection, but showing dedication in our performance even through the stumbles we’re bound to have. 

Remember, as a leader, you are the pilot. You’re responsible for the plane and all the passengers aboard.  Where are you headed?  If you do these things above, you’ll be able to successfully navigate even through the uncertainty of storms and get your people to the destination you’ve charted.  Serving peanuts or pretzels is up to you.

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The Secret to Happiness

Happiness. 

We do almost anything for it.  We obsess about it, read books on it, attend courses on it, take trips to find it, save for it, dream about it and get angry when we feel someone steps on ours.  We all desperately want it and sometimes search a lifetime to understand its secrets and capture it.  If we watch the news, the supply of it seems to be dwindling worldwide.

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