Tired.Frustrated.Demotivated. So much time, energy, and money expended. And yet we’re still in the same spot on the lake. I’m angry at them. They’re angry at me. I’m working hard! We’re getting nowhere. It must be THEIR fault. If one of the people in the canoe changed direction, in just a few minutes there would be more progress…
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Building relationships isn’t a distraction from the work – it IS the work. Leading people and leading change requires providing a clear destination, guiding people to align, and supporting them to get where they need to go. No matter the type or size of the change, each individual will be called upon to change how…
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Did you “go on a lion hunt” as a child? Going on a lion hunt.Gonna catch a big one.I’m not scared. Uh oh! A log.Can’t go over it. Can’t go under it.Can’t go through it.Gotta go around it! As children, we knew the best way was around, but as adults, we often get to a barricade and…
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*trigger warning – aggressive relationship experiences I can see their anger building. I know the explosion is coming. My heart races. My brain goes into autopilot. I can stop this. I must stop this. I tried to walk on eggshells. To keep the peace. It didn’t work. I’m so used to being here. I react…
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“We don’t get a lot of complaints around here” It was true. People did not complain. – They did as they were told. – They put in the long hours needed to get their jobs done. – They made the most of the “open-door policy,” frequenting their manager’s office to ask questions and understand how the Manager…
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This is the third post in a three-part series on making wise investments of your time, energy, and money. Check out Are You Making the Most of Your Resources? and Why Are We Stuck? for more ideas. Most people don’t want to spend their day doing things that aren’t a good investment of their time…
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Why are we stuck doing things that aren’t a good investment of our time and energy? In a recent post, I noted that if you’re like many leaders, you’re spending a lot of your time, energy, and money in three main areas that are holding you back from doing your best to lead people and achieve…
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If you’re like many leaders, you’re spending a lot of your time, energy, and money in three main areas that are holding you back from doing your best to lead people and achieve success: FIREFIGHTING 🧯 Managing emergencies, reacting to unexpected problems, trying to quickly resolve symptoms with a patchwork of temporary and often ineffective…
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Consider the people in the images below. How far do you think they would travel in an hour? A day? A year? If they spent the day giving their full effort, how might they be feeling? In organizations, people are often “paddling in different directions.” They are working hard but producing few results for their effort. They are working long…
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Every person has an emotional bucket for their relationships. We have a bucket for every relationship we are in, including our relationship with ourselves. When the bucket is full, we feel a high sense of trust and safety in the relationship. The bucket is filled with positive interactions that feel good and build trust, giving…
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