Tracey Grove spends time considering GRATITUDE and its importance to our well-being. "An attitude of gratitude improves psychological health, increasing happiness, and reducing depression."
This spring, my life was topsy turvey with transition and change. A cross-country move to a new city was pending, shelter in place for COVID19 had begun, my husband was sharing my office space, a college age daughter was suddenly home, unhappy by her inability to return to the university she loved, and my business was forced to pivot overnight to a new virtual reality. It was a lot to process.
Needing to burn steam, I started running. Every day I found new things for which to be grateful. A bird was singing, a beautiful day, my health, my relationships, my children, the sun, and a violin being played somewhere in the neighborhood. My gratitude practice carried me through those scary months of upheaval. Gratitude calmed my anxiety and allowed me to be present for clients, family, and friends. It also allowed me to start looking forward, making plans, and seeing new possibilities. #traceygrove #coaching #executivecoaching#mmtmcoach
"If you don't know where you are going any road can take you there"
–Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Working with an executive coach allows you to set action oriented goals. You'll have a thought partner who will help you identify where you are headed and identify a clear path to get you on your way
The news broke last night. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) died at the age of 87 after an epic battle with cancer. Our world is a little darker without her luminous mind at work on behalf of all who feel discrimination. Many will wax on her contribution to women’s’ rights, the supreme court, and even popular culture. I’ll leave such eloquence to others more qualified that I. Instead, I will comment simply on something she said in an interview.
Justice Ginsburg was asked about her mother, who died when Ruth was just 17 years old. RBG recounted that her mother told her to be “a lady and be independent.” While this advice, on its surface seems old fashioned, I’ll dissent and argue that this wisdom it is completely relevant to our world today – whatever your gender.
“Be a lady.” The Justice explained that being a lady meant staying in control of one’s emotions. I don’t think a coaching session goes by without my emphasizing to clients, male and female, the importance of being intentional in their communication. Intention was everything to the Justice. Watch and listen to videos of her speak. Read her dissents. Her words are slow, thoughtful, and packed with meaning. RBG only said what she meant and did not waste a syllable on reactivity, or chance that her audience might misunderstand her meaning. What an awesome example for all of us. If we were to spend a moment breathing, considering our words, and considering others’ perceptions, imagine our greater collective impact.
“Be independent.” In the same interview, Justice Ginsburg explained that her mother wished for her a profession, a way to be financially and emotionally independent. We all can learn from this advice. For RBG this meant writing a narrative defined by her passion for the equality and law. What is your passion? What are your goals? Take control of your career. What is in your way? Start charting your course with determination and confidence in your ability to influence the world.
Perhaps Justice Ginsburg’s greatest legacy is teaching each of us to parse our words and not to settle for anything other than living an extraordinary life.
Suddenly summer is behind us. Labor Day sneaks up letting us know that days will soon be shorter, cooler and pumpkin spice everything will appear on store shelves. This year, fall’s entrance seems even more shocking after a monotony of days, abandoned plans, trips not taken, and a pandemic that rolls on even we continue to expect that one day soon this chapter in our history will be complete. While our hopes remain, companies coast to coast, of all shapes and sizes, are making decisions, or not making decisions, about a return to the offices that bear their logos.
For many of us, we have been stuck in in a myopic survival mode. Change your lens. It is past time for a pivot towards intention to make sure that we are effective and building a future of our own design. We need to manage our people, bring them together (virtually and / or in person with appropriate precautions), and drive our businesses forward with eyes on strategic opportunities and untapped resources. It sounds so simple, it is not. It’s hard work and will require some new behaviors and skills. Considering whether we are communicating effectively is a great start.
For my part, I’m ready to start pushing myself and my clients forward – toward finishing out a challenging 2020 and building momentum for a breakout 2021 which will have its own obstacles. This post is the first in a series where I’ll discuss a few areas where a little awareness and practice can make a meaningful difference for leaders at all levels.
Today, I’m starting with communicating with intention.
Communicating with intention, what we say, when, how, to whom, and where are critical. Too often we get lazy. There is little intention or thought to proactive communication. Instead, we fire off emails and text messages responsively and
reflexively. Consider how with a few tweaks you can make a big difference with your colleagues, managers and team.
Make sure team members have full information. The only way to ensure alignment, mitigate rumor and inuendo is with a deliberate communication strategy that includes town halls, regular emails, updates, and above all transparency and candor.
Consider how many times a day and the communication channel you use most often. If it’s become mostly texts or emails, consider what is getting lost or miscommunicated. Pick up the phone.
If it’s important, it needs to be spoken. If it’s a team meeting, one-on-one, or task force, get these meetings back on the calendar and use them as opportunities for brainstorming, decision-making, and feedback. Meetings can feel like a distraction from the work. Pivot your attitude and consider them a way to create structure in your day, week, and month.
Show up and be present for video conference calls. If I am only barely dressed, hair uncombed, dog in my lap, or eating breakfast, it’s hard to listen and be productive. Recognize that being present, in every sense, is a reflection of professional brand with career implications.
Is your workspace communicating messages you regret? Perhaps it’s time to clean up the space, rearrange the desk, or invest in a filing cabinet. Consider the how your space is helping or distracting your virtual audience.
It takes a lot of self-awareness to slow down and pay attention to not only we are communicating, but also how we communicate. As we are relying on communicating in a virtual world, take the time to listen more and ask more questions. You can lead your team towards the next breakthrough, but it’s going to take going back to basics of communication to get your people to the next level.
Let me know what you think. Email me at katie@mmtmcoach.com and if you are interested in more articles like this one, stay tuned for regular content.
The last six months have thrust us headlong into virtual management. What at first may have seemed like crisis management 101, is now the norm. It may be past time ask: “How well am I actually managing my team?” Catherine Mattiske has hurried a new book to print: Leading Virtual Teams: Managing from a distance during the Corona Virus. I love this book as part of a manger’s toolkit. It is jam-packed with checklists to help assess how things are going.
While thinking about your team, consider whether it might be time to ask your MVP’s for feedback and reset how we are all connecting. Here are a few ways to start you on your way.
Managing professional and personal integrity: I’m borrowing from Mattiske with this one. If your team is struggling to build trust, consider your part in the dysfunction.
Ask yourself some key questions: Am I behaving in a professional manner, including being in control of my emotions? Am I following up on commitments? Am I taking responsibility? Am I being consistent in my decision making? Am I following up? Am I honest with myself and others?
Mattiske also suggests working with your team to create a professional integrity code for the team or office.
Identify norms: It does not matter is we have always done it “this way.” Take a step back to consider how well it is all working.
Revisit the team’s rules of engagement regarding how we meet, when we meet and for how long.
Create rituals for connection. At the start of team meetings take a minute for each member to check in with perhaps two words of how they are feeling or what’s going on. Do the same at the end of meetings asking for primary “takeaways.”
Connect: Don’t allow distance to build boundaries between you and your team members, colleagues, and internal stakeholders.
Don’t be shy about picking up the phone and reaching out to colleagues. Check in and show you care about more than the P&L.
Go back to basics with the United States Postal Service. I just received a hand-written notecard thanking me for my business and support. Such a simple act, but the time this vendor spent on a handwritten note signaled to me that my business matters.
If possible, meet in person with a socially distant team meeting outside. While the weather is beautiful, parks or a back yard make great and safe venues for a one-on-one or small team meeting.
Weather getting colder or unpredictable, or just need more structured workspace with white boards? Consider using a local hotel or conference center. These venues are spacious, empty and anxious for business. A big ballroom could be a great solution to host a strategic planning session.
Banish silos: Silos can appear or reappear as the result of working at a distance, often disrupting cross departmental communication and trust.
Banish silos by forcing discussions through cross functional task forces, and virtual working groups.
Ask questions and intentionally bring together diverse points of view when critical decisions need to be made.
Pull back the covers: Don’t avoid the difficult conversations.
Make it impossible for your team to hide. Facilitate difficult conversations and manage conflict rather than hoping it will magically disappear.
When necessary, pull in outside resources, create agenda items for even those issues you would rather avoid.
There will never be a point with your team when you can coast, allowing team management to happen. Your team needs constant care and management. Take a moment to be honest about your management right now. Let me know what you think. Email me at katie@mmtmcoach.com with questions or comments.