Posted on March 22, 2012 with No Comments
The most powerful question I ask my coaching clients during the first session is; “What gives you joy? What is it that really makes you happy?” Most of the time, they look at me a little dazed. Often, they don’t have an answer.
We live our life on autopilot, just going through the day, doing what is on our to do lists. Our life is so full of “would, should and must.” We don’t take time to reflect, or ask ourselves the important questions of life. Is this what I really want to be doing? What do I want my legacy to be? Is the way I spend my time, talent and money congruent with my values? Am I showing up in my relationships in a way that is compassionate and loving? What are my dreams? Am I doing anything that steps me towards fulfilling them?
Socrates said, “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Do you have the COURAGE to ask yourself the important questions, and then the determination to take ACTION on the answers that emerge?
Yesterday, I received a call from a former client who wanted to share with me where his journey into the questions above led him. He had the courage to leave his position within the pharmaceutical industry and begin a more intentional journey to live his passion.
Last week he launched the inaugural edition of a new online magazine called Sutherland LIVING – Extraordinary Living for Ordinary People. This first copy includes an exclusive interview with former President Jimmy Carter, a man whose life can inspire us all.
Click here to explore more stories of Ordinary People Living Extraordinary Lives! Congratulations on following your dream!!!
Posted on February 25, 2012 with No Comments
I’ve been doing some thinking around the importance of mass collaboration.
In the past we focused on developing people and teams, then the need became, how do we get people to work together across departments within an organization? Our challenge was to eliminate silos.
Now … to meet the challenges we currently face, we have to expand our concept of collaboration to include not only those we currently work with, but how do we collaborate with people outside of our organization?
How do we bring together multiple sectors—business, non-profits, government, academia, and social networks—to create new ways of innovating, building business and tackling the global challenges that face us today?
This type of cutting edge collaboration brings huge potential and raises difficult questions:
• How do we bring diverse groups together for true dialogue that leads to common vision and inspired action?
• How can we shift our focus from the things that separate us, and instead keep our focus on the common elements of our individual visions that we can unite on?
• How do we ensure that all voices are heard and outcomes supported?
In closed system groups, to ensure accountability, the vision and action plans can be tied to compensation and advancement. It was possible to put “teeth” into the decisions. We have some “push” power to enact the change we want.
In multi-sector collaborations, how do we ensure accountability and follow-through? I believe we must move from a “push” form of motivation to a powerful “PULL.”
How do we work together to create a common vision and pathway forward that is SO COMPELLING that people can’t help but become excited and put their energy into following through? How do we work with people in a way that they feel like they “Can’t NOT” take steps to initiate change? The motivation shifts from an external push to an internal pull.
Be looking for more posts and resources on this topic as our curiosity leads us to more questions and hopefully … creative solutions!
Posted on February 20, 2012 with No Comments
Last week we re-launched the Continuum Blues Jam at the Broad Street Café in Durham, North Carolina. This has been part of our “Giving Back” initiative for the past 5 years.
Musicians come, sign in, and wait to be put with a group for a 20-minute set. Often, they may never have met each other before that night. I line up guitar, bass, percussion, vocalist, horn, and harp players. They pick a song, key, tempo, and away they go. Sometimes…it is a bit rocky at first, sometimes…there is magic on the stage.
I often wonder how they can do that? Just get on stage, play, and seem like they have been together for years? Right before my eyes, musical-collaboration in action.
I am very curious about collaboration these days. I think it is key to our success in dealing with many of the challenges that face our society today. Maybe we can learn a bit about collaboration by singing the blues?
Could it be that the musicians have come together for a single purpose that they all agree to, which is to make beautiful music together? In the jam, after the first chorus they pass around the spotlight and each person takes their turn to play. They bring their greatest gifts forward. And after sharing the spotlight, they come back together in a unified voice that hums.
Perhaps there is something to be learned from the fact that players take time to practice and develop their individual talent? Or maybe the key is that they have to gather their courage and work though personal fears to be able to step on stage?
They also have to be open to the possibility that they may not be as good as another, or that they may fall on their face, yet they push past the fear and step on stage. When new people come, the regulars give them extra encouragement. Sometimes, they have to fight their own egos to work together as a band.
Hummmm. Maybe a Bit of Blues can teach us Lots About Collaboration!
Posted on October 4, 2010 with No Comments
Hola!
I love it when we can work with wonderful people, who are doing great work in the world!
Rob and I arrived in El Salvador this morning. We were greeted and quickly escorted though customs via the foreign diplomat line! Now that is a thrill. We are surrounded by beautiful mountains, jungle, the city of San Salvador, a volcano and men with rifles to protect our peace. I just love entering into new countries, learning new cultures, and having great adventures!
Tomorrow we will lead the entire El Salvador USAID Mission on one of their first all team retreats.
Buenos noches!
Posted on July 2, 2010 with No Comments
“Change”… we all live it and most of us hate it. Much (seemingly too much) has been published about it. Why should we care to understand it? ”Managing” change and transition is like the old adage of trying to teach a pig to sing: it annoys the pig and it wastes your time. So given this common experience of cynicism and resistance to change, what might you do about making it easier? There are two sides to this coin:
A) The change occurring to the organization or system.
B) The effect the above has on the people involved.
Perhaps the single biggest (and naturally occurring) mistake I see leaders choose when trying to “lead change” is to get hyper-focused on A, and forget or discount B. Concurrently, another familiar story is that the people involved (B) are so focused on themselves and their experience, that they cannot see what and why this change is occurring.
The strategy to break this chain:
1) Take a deep breath (everyone!)
2) Take another deep breath (everyone!)
3) Listen
4) Have compassion
The organization’s leaders – listen to what your people are saying. For many, having a platform in which to vent frustration and be heard is vital to becoming unstuck. Having the experience of being heard, people are more apt to play a role in the solutions and the necessary steps to help the change along. Leaders, rush through this and beware – your work life equation will go like this: the quality of your listening = the quality of your change initiative.
The people in the organization – listen to what your organizations leaders are saying. Isn’t it amazing how we perceive that only the biggest idiots rise to the level of senior management??? How is that possible that in every organization and in every sector, only the most incompetent get promoted to the top??? Try again. Step back. Breathe. And listen. These are typically well intentioned people thrust into a system where they are overloaded and burdened by their situation. Their attempts to drive change may actually be for good, practical reasons. The artfulness at which they introduce or drive the change may not be too skillful, though. Rush past this observation and beware - your work life equation will go like this: the quality of your compassion = the quality of your experience.
The unfortunate and oftentimes prevalent organizational disease that overtakes everyone, at all levels during a change effort, is the dreaded “cerebral rectumitis.” Don’t let it get you. Be smart. Slow down. Listen. Have compassion. Breathe.
Posted on June 28, 2010 with No Comments
“It’s about structural transformation based on the complexity of all the people who are here…Who we are all day and how we relate to each other MATTERS.” — Alexis Pauline Gumbs
Venerable old structures that once served and protected us well can sometimes outlive their past benefit. When this happens, new frameworks and designs are needed to change the way we live and work. How can individual diversity play a role in this sort of structural transformation? Scholar, author and activist Alexis Pauline Gumbs raises provocative ideas about this in a new radio interview.
One such idea is to supplant the now widespread practice of Inclusive Diversity with more radical Transformative Diversity. Adding all different colors of faces to the corporate brochure—but conducting business as usual—is a classic example of the former. For diversity to become transformative, Gumbs says that the structure of how we do things has to change according to who WE are, the differences between us and the energy that creates.
She illustrates this at the community level with survive-and-thrive stories mined from black feminist literary history, as well as from informal conversations with other African American women. They are personal accounts of people transforming the world by the way they live their daily lives—whether providing alternative forms of healthcare to each other, or finding meaningful ways to validate their same-sex relationships when the state refuses to acknowledge them. Along the way, these subjects are “writing a different story about what it would take to create a world that was loving and nurturing, where everybody can do what they love and have what they need.”
The “space of possibility” figures large in Gumb’s thinking. She encourages us to imagine our personal and collective lives into a new reality, while we deliberately jettison what no longer serves us. And quite wisely, she cautions against self-hatred for being who we used to be. This is the healthy way of growing toward the future—as individuals, organizations and as a society. — LJN
Posted on June 28, 2010 with No Comments
As we pass the anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, “The King of Pop” provides us many lessons to explore. Jackson’s life is a study in paradox: loved by millions of fans, yet he was unknown in so many ways; beloved for his music and creativity, yet perceived by many as odd or weird; a person who loved people, yet “hid his face” behind a mask of plastic surgery. So who was the real Michael Jackson? Of course, we cannot answer that question, and may never fully know. However, what continues is that his contributions to his profession are endless, and his unusual behavior “out of the office” has troubled many and brought much trouble upon himself and those around him.
My takeaway: it doesn’t matter how good you are at what you do, you are always being watched. And the more power or fame you accumulate only increases the scrutiny of how you carry yourself in and out of the office. I challenge leaders routinely to ask themselves, “How am I showing up today?” as way to self-refer and be reminded that their choices are modeling the way for the their lives, and their success or failure at work.
Stay mindful out there, folks!
Posted on June 24, 2010 with No Comments
I’m currently reading Yvon Chouinard’s book, “Let My People Go Surfing: The Education of a Reluctant Businessman.” Yvon is the founder and owner of Patagonia. It’s a fascinating look into the life and philosophy of an outdoor enthusiast turned business owner, who was just trying to make enough dough to go climbing or surfing when the mood, or the tides, were right. Pretty soon he’s up to his eye balls in orders, growth, and business ignorance. What has inspired me is that through his desires, successes, risks, and failures, Yvon keeps a firm eye on his vision. Making the best quality products for outdoor gamers, and maintain clarity of who he is and what the company stands for. It’s quite the exploration of leading with values and an ethical compass… and remembering that you surf when the tide is good, not when it’s 5:00pm on a Tuesday.
Posted on June 21, 2010 with No Comments
We held our first official new partner business meeting today!
When brilliant minds collide new stuff emerges, like the future direction for the company. We spent a day talking about what we really want Continuum to be. Here’s some of the stuff we came up with.
- We work with clients who are fast, innovative and cutting edge.
- Clients who are part of the “For Benefit/Social Entrepreneur” movement, meaning people and organizations who are making positive change.
- Keep it fun. We were thinking about high performing teams and one of the keys to success is that they work hard, kick butt, and have a blast at the same time.
- Our team continues to grow to better meet the diverse demands of our clients. That’s YOU!
2009 was one of those make it or break it years for entrepreneurs and small businesses. It was a time that challenges us to break the status quo and really innovate to survive. We are excited about the new directions that have emerged, and look forward to partnering with our clients in new ways as we tackle today’s business as anything but usual!
Posted on June 1, 2010 with No Comments
I am continually surprised at how much this simple illustration can help us understand change and growth within organizations. It seems that so many of the groups I’m currently working with are challenged with jumping and catching the next curve.
Here’s how it works. We begin at the bottom of the S Curve to vision, create and grow a program or organization – note the blue line. The organization experiences success and growth as they travel up the curve. The challenge is that the things that made you successful in the beginning of a venture may not be the same behaviors, tools or strategies that you will need as you continue to grow. Sooner or later the company has to think and create differently. The old adage that the “things that get you here won’t get you there” is true.
For example, you have a visionary entrepreneur who leads a successful start up organization. Everyone they hire is a go-getter ready to take on any project. They work best when there are great challenges and little structure. Everyone is involved in decisions and forming the business.
Then the business grows to 100 people or more. All of a sudden you need more specialized skill-sets, standard operating procedures, common structures and procedures to continue to grow the business. It is time to begin a new growth curve.
This is where things get interesting. For organizational survival and growth it is imperative that you begin the new curve (idea, product, way of doing business,) before the one you are on crashes.
It is the space in the middle that is the most challenging. How do you manage through change and uncertainty? How do you get your people to change things that in the past have made them successful? How do you keep up with the every day challenges of your business and at the same time keep a visionary eye out for the best next wave?
Remember, that although jumping the curve can mean challenging times for your organization, it is also exciting. It means that you have been successfully growing your business. Don’t hold onto the past too tightly and enjoy the ride!
