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You won’t find inspiration on a spreadsheet; An essay from William Childs

You won’t find inspiration on a spreadsheet; An essay from William Childs

Published August 7, 2019

Today’s risk-averse business environments do not really support creative thought and ideation the way it should. Most are great at tracking production costs, profitability, taxes, payroll, and many other essential systems that go into running a successful business. But, where does creativity fit in the overall business scheme?

Adobe released a survey where they looked into creativity and how it affects employees around the world. Its ‘State of Create’ global benchmark study surveyed business people in the US, the UK, Germany, France, and Japan. The results were shocking.

80% of those surveyed felt that unlocking creativity is critical to economic growth.  Another critical stat showed that 75% of employees said they are always under pressure to be more creative at work.  That’s a huge issue. If you’re feeling pressure to be more creative at work, more than likely you won’t be.  Creativity doesn’t operate like that. It works in an environment where it feels welcome.  If the situation is a pressure cooker or toxic, creativity will not grow, no matter what you try to do. 

The most shocking stat to me was the one showing that only 39% consider themselves creative.  There is a disconnect between the need for creativity in the workplace and employees not being permitted to do anything to change the company culture.   Creativity isn’t something that can be mandated.  You can’t order employees to be more creative, then criticize them if results don’t show up on your balance sheet. Spreadsheets have always been a window to the past, while creativity is the doorway to the future. 

Leadership guru, Simon Sinek, believes this, “If you hire people just because they can do a job, they’ll work for your money. But if you hire people who believe what you believe, they’ll work for you with blood and sweat and tears.” This is not to say that you hire lemmings, but rather people who have a desire to make an impact through their work.

A company that embraces, fosters, and nurtures their employee’s creative well-being is going to have to be one that’s willing to walk into the unknown. There’s just no other way to do it.  Our society has done a terrible disservice conditioning all of us to believe that risk is wrong and must be avoided.  Especially when it comes to untested ideas. 

Best-selling author Hugh Macleod offers this blunt, yet accurate assessment. “If you’re creative, if you can think independently, if you can articulate passion, if you can override the fear of being wrong, then your company needs you now more than it ever did.  And now your company can no longer afford to pretend that isn’t the case.”

Which is why leaders struggle with bringing creativity into their business.  They are not comfortable with the unpredictable nature that it inspires. Any untested idea or solution is going to require a leap of faith and involve risk before it can emerge into a product or new service that will drive revenue. 

Albert Einstein, considered one of the 20th century’s greatest minds said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.  For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

Businesses that can tap into that power stand a much better chance of creating a vibrant culture, unlocking emerging markets, and creating new revenue streams.  Focus on creating an environment for employees to grow and develop creatively and support their efforts by allowing them to take risks. And whatever you do, do not stigmatize mistakes. Ever.  

If the Adobe research showed me anything, it’s that creativity is recognized as critical for economic growth, but it still has a long way to go before its universally accepted as a tool to drive change. 

The good news is the future only comes one day at a time.  The bad news is that if you’re unwilling to bring creativity into your business in a real and tangible way, you won’t have much of a future to worry about anyway.

THE AUTHOR: WILLIAM CHILDS | Creative Director | Brand Storyteller | Columnist | Optimist
Bill is an accomplished creative leader with a history of delivering award-winning campaigns for a variety of businesses. Relentlessly dedicated to the skillful and creative translation of strategic business objectives, he’s known as a collaborative mentor and champion of fearless creativity. With a career spanning three decades, Childs knows how to take an acceptable idea and turn it into an exceptional one. His reputation of setting high creative standards while helping to create a culture of genuine collaboration and engagement is one of things he’s most proud of across his career. Recognizing and mentoring talent, and building high-performing, cohesive teams is one of his passions. Email. Website. Twitter. LinkedIn.

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The Triple-Threat Challenge: Owning your time, energy, and money; An essay from Katie Rasoul

The Triple-Threat Challenge: Owning your time, energy, and money; An essay from Katie Rasoul

Published August 5, 2019

There are three buckets of resources that we have the opportunity to manage that make all the difference in our experience here in this now life; time, energy, and money. At different seasons of our lives, we may have more or less of each of these categories, or place a higher premium on one over another. For a period of my life when I had less time and more money, it made sense for me to pay for services that gave me time back in my day, like landscaping or cleaning my home. All three of these categories work together and inevitably impact each other. For example, if I enjoyed cleaning and it gave me energy, it might be worth it to me to complete that task myself. It doesn’t, so I don’t. To each their own. 

In my observations, it seems as if one of these buckets never has a surplus because we are really good about spending more than we have in that category. For me, that has always been energy. I have a knack for spending energy in ways that don’t suit me because I think that I “should” or I made a commitment. For the first time in my life, I have begun to counteract this by repeatedly slashing my “To-Do” lists and time commitments and cutting anything that wasn’t a “Hell Yes.” It’s not to say that things don’t slip back in or preferences don’t change, so this process is repeated frequently. What a gift it was to realize that I am in control of managing my own energy, and then take the responsibility to do so. For others, that drained bucket might always seem to be money, or time.

I know, you may be thinking that some of us don’t always have a choice and have to do things we don’t want to do. Yes, of course. But I would contest your thinking on this and invite you to view it from the lens that nearly everything is a choice. Sometimes they are shitty ones but they are, in fact, choices. And when you recognize that the crap you don’t want to do is in fact a choice you are consciously making to do anyways, it doesn’t seem like such martyrdom anymore.

I am issuing a challenge for all of us. Find ways to make conscious decisions about how you will spend your time, energy and money. This may mean planning and budgeting, or perhaps even just pausing to make a conscious decision before automatically committing yes to anything in the moment. If you reserved two hours for doing this mental cleanup, what would be the payoff be energy and joy? I am willing to bet, WORTH IT.

Ways to Get Started

If you need some help getting started cleaning up how you spend your time, energy, and money through the end of the year, here are some ideas:

Make a list of things to stop doing. I mean clubs, organizations, or other recurring commitments that you just keep doing even though they no longer bring you joy. Make room for something you love. Even if you love watching The Big Lebowski (again) on the couch. No judgement here.

Identify three things that you would normally trudge through, and make your plan to kindly decline them this year. Usually go to five holiday parties? Pick three. Feel the need to pack the weekends with activities? Plan for down time and don’t give it away for anything.

Spend even as little as one hour planning how you will spend your money. How much will you donate? How much will you spend on stuff versus experiences? If you only have $100 to donate, pick your organizations and how much, and cross it off your list of things to think about or spend on for the rest of the year.

Look for things that are a good total value to you. This means that you might spend time, but get money AND energy in return. Or you donate money which means you can decline volunteering and save time, and it brings you energy because you love the organization you are supporting.

Write down three things that give you energy, and three things that drain your energy. Plan more of the good stuff, and less of the soul-sucking things. The awareness alone will be a fascinating discovery.

Bonus! Keep track of the changes you made to how you spend your time, energy, and money, and review it afterward. How did it feel to you? Who else noticed? How do you want to spend your resources going forward?

The permission to take control of how you spend your time, energy, and money this year might be the best gift you’ve given yourself for a long time. If you had a choice (and you do), how would you rebalance your three buckets?

About the author:

Katie Rasoul is the Chief Awesome Officer for Team Awesome, a leadership coaching and culture consulting firm. Find out more by visiting www.teamawesomecoaching.com  or www.katierasoul.com. Find Katie on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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Robert Greene: The Intrepid InterviewRobert Greene

Robert Greene: The Intrepid Interview

Published July 28, 2019

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Show notes and discussion guide:

  1. A discussion around social intelligence became the initial inspiration for this latest book…you have to learn how to understand people.
  2. Although it has always been important, it is more important than ever to understand human nature. “We’ve all become much more self-absorbed (largely as a result of technology)…”
  3. The levels of self-absorption and narcissism are increasing as a result of technology. We don’t spend enough time interacting with actual humans…and thus we lose the necessary skills to deal.
  4. Tribalism and envy are envy are increasingly prevalent, fed by social media.
  5. And while better understanding human nature is important, you MUST do the work to better understand yourself.
  6. To understand people, you need a degree of humility, so that you are not constantly judging people.
  7. You have to acknowledge your own dark side, your shadow. Yes, you have one, and understanding that about oneself, enables you to see it in others. Your shadow gains power as a result of your lack of awareness and acknowledgement of it.
  8. A discussion on how to use this book; there is so much knowledge here, it is almost impossible to implement every strategy at once.
  9. For starters, read the book cover to cover first, getting a basic sense of this new way of thinking around human nature, making key notes about elements worth exploring further down the road.
  10. “This book is meant to help you reflect upon yourself, make you look hard at yourself in the mirror.”
  11. We discuss Robert’s process in telling stories about historical figures (truly my favorite parts of his books) and the lessons we draw from their story, and how he brings these historical characters to life.
  12. “You (the reader) are history.”
  13. Can we, as a human being, actually change? (The key part of the answer is self-awareness). “You have to look deeply at your own demons.”
  14. How the “Theory of Mind” can be harnessed as a major strength, one you are likely NOT using because of your self-absorption.
  15. What are some tools and strategies that we can do TODAY to start better understanding, and leveraging, human nature? (Empathy, listening, etc…)
  16. In the book, virtually every chapter highlights a common, negative human trait, and demonstrates how we can turn them into a positive.
  17. “I do not like that man. I must get to know him better,” a quote from Abraham Lincoln. This is a key lesson in teaching us to identify opportunity in what we perceive as bad relationships with people. We are too quick to judge people…and thus, we are not doing the work to actually understand people.
  18. The importance of emotion, there is no such possible thing as “taking emotion out of it.”
  19. How narcissism can be a good thing…
  20. A final discussion that will finally help you completely understand who Donald Trump is (fascinating!).

ROBERT GREENE is an American author known for his books on strategy, power, and seduction. He has written six international bestsellers: The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, The 33 Strategies of War, The 50th Law, Mastery, and The Laws of Human Nature. Wikipedia

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A Manifesto On Community; An essay from Katie Rasoulcommunity

A Manifesto On Community; An essay from Katie Rasoul

Published July 20, 2019

I had the distinct privilege to spend most of 48 solid hours in a room with some crazy smart and heart-centered people a few years ago with the purpose of discussing and clarifying the idea of “Community.” The group included entrepreneurs, HR practitioners, consultants who make the world a better place to work, a futurist, and experts on inclusion. It was a life-changing discussion that knocked something loose inside of me. Ever since this conversation, I have been obsessed with the idea of belonging. It is something I have been studying, trying to define and understand ever since.

On the topic of community, here were some of the key questions that we collectively tried to answer, or at least, consider:

  • How do we define community?
  • What unique characteristics show up in community?
  • How does a community differ from a group or organization?
  • What is needed to create community, and what destroys it?

Often, we first think of community as a physical place like the city where you live, the church you attend, or some other physical representation. But I would challenge you to look beyond the physical, beyond the obvious. I am certain you have been in plenty of places and spaces that did not feel like a community.

After careful consideration, here is how I see community.

It is not a place, but a feeling. You feel a sense of community when the key defining factors come together and elevate a group of people from simply a group experience to being in community with one another. There are factors that create the sense of community, and any one of them on their own might be used to describe a group, or family, or organization. However, when combined together and elevated to a higher level, the synergy that is created becomes a sense of community and something deeper than just a collection of people in the same place, at the same time, with something in common.

Some of the factors that might be a part of the community equation are:

  • A feeling of belonging
  • A feeling of trust
  • Human caring
  • Commonality of some sort between participants
  • Crucible, shared experiences
  • Self-awareness and social awareness
  • Commitment to the community from members

When we can elevate these factors and create synergy, a sense of community is possible. 

I see it as a type of ecosystem. Communities are dynamic, meaning they always adjust when people come and go, and as things in the community shift it can stay intact. It supports the needs of the individual and maintains equilibrium for the community simultaneously.

This does not mean we should only be with people who are “like us.” It does not mean that we don’t listen to, and consider varying points of view. It does not mean that we dig our heels deeper into our side of the argument. By doing these things, we are closing ourselves off to the open-mindedness and possibility that we must bring to the table in order to find and receive a sense of community. Without this trust and willingness, you may think you are searching for community, but will wonder why you can’t quite find it.

What erodes a sense of community?

Although the ecosystem of a community is flexible to change, it is not invincible to breaking down. So, what causes a sense of community to erode, or fall apart?

  • A lack of trust: When those in community no longer feel as if others have their back.
  • Members lose their sense of belonging or commitment: When commonality or individual needs change so drastically that they no longer resonate with the community.
  • Balance of power does not support the community as a whole: When the interests of one supersede the interests of the community due to power, the system loses balance.

In a time when we are searching for belonging and understanding more than ever, it can be valuable for us to dig deep and truly understand where our own sense of community comes from. This can help each of us find what we are looking for to live a life of shared purpose and fulfillment that comes from community; elevated beyond simply groups or organizations.

Belonging and Community at Work

After looking at community from all angles, I became obsessed with the element of belonging. It has led me to study groups that often feel cast on the outside. I have discovered so many fresh perspectives on the topic that have informed my work, but haven’t yet solved the puzzle. I have deliberated over what belonging feels like exactly, and how we recreate that feeling particularly in the place we spend the most time – at work.

How do we bring this sense of community to the workplace? This is a place where we spend a significant portion of our time, and when we describe our most engaged employees we can often see the factors of community coming to light. If we could create more of that, people would feel belonging at work, be committed, and want to stay. Yet in so many of our organizations, we are missing the mark.

I encourage you to view your own workplace and review what factors might be missing to creating a sense of community. Inclusion and engagement are insufficient; people look to experience belonging and love. What would need to change to achieve that elevated state? And what would that even feel like to create a true sense of community at work? I venture to say it would feel like practical magic.

About the author:

Katie Rasoul is the Chief Awesome Officer for Team Awesome, a leadership coaching and culture consulting firm. Find out more by visiting www.teamawesomecoaching.com  or www.katierasoul.com. Find Katie on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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Embrace the constraints; An essay from William Childsembrace the constraints

Embrace the constraints; An essay from William Childs

Published June 25, 2019

In Greek mythology, the nine Muses were Greek goddesses who ruled over the arts and sciences and offered inspiration in those subjects. Calliope is the Muse who presides over eloquence and epic poetry. She’s considered the “Chief of all Muses.” I know because she’s visited me from time to time. Anyone looking to engage in a creative capacity needs inspiration. But inspiration can be elusive. I will freely admit to you that there are some days when it feels like I’ve entirely run out of ideas. It’s just the natural ebb and flow of the creative process. Early in my career, that used to bother me. I thought that I had run out of ideas. Now, I know better. 

Contrary to conventional thinking, constraints are the key to big ideas. But what creates the conditions that allow inspiration to appear? Can it be summoned up at will? I believe you can set the conditions for inspiration by working within constraints. I know that nobody likes to work with restrictions, but the truth is, they can be extremely beneficial. When limitations are present, you dedicate your mental energy to acting more resourcefully. Obstacles broaden perception and open your mind to look at challenges with a renewed focus. 

A lack of options is the grit that grinds the wheel of inspiration. When your options are limited, you’re compelled to use creativity to deliver a solution that fits the parameters. Sometimes an idea can come quickly, other times a sustained effort is what’s required. The quality of your thoughts will always be in direct proportion to the amount of energy you are willing to invest in discovering them. 

Mediocre ideas are usually the first to show up, followed closely by acceptable ideas. Don’t stop at acceptable. Push for the more exceptional idea. Just know that it won’t be easy. You’d be surprised how many times I improved on an idea that I had already considered solved. The worst thing you can do is to try and force an idea into existence. I’ve tried, and it doesn’t work. There are only so many hours you can spend staring at a blank piece of paper or the cursor on your computer screen waiting for inspiration to show up that sometimes it’s best to sleep on it and start fresh the next day. Plus, I think a Muse will only descend when she knows you’re struggling and earnestly in search of something big. 

When you feel exhausted, and still have nothing to show for your effort, that’s when getting some outside opinions might be helpful. In most cases, their thoughts may spark something new, and that could take you down a path you hadn’t considered. Don’t let frustration creep in and taint the process. Stay the course. I have always believed that ideas can come from anyone. Be open to outside opinions. Seek feedback, even if it’s negative. Bill Bernbach, Creative Director of Doyle, Dane, Bernbach used to carry a slip a paper in his shirt pocket that said, “They might be right.” It was a way to remind himself to be open to different opinons. Ray Dalio, the founder of investment firm Bridgewater Associates, one of the world’s largest hedge funds, offers this, “More than anything else, what differentiates people who live up to their potential from those who don’t is a willingness to look at themselves and others objectively.” 

Objectivity and constraints are huge elements that go into producing the best ideas. Idea generating is often your willingness to be ready to go when the mood or Muse strikes. That may not always fit neatly into a nine-to-five workday. A constricted timeline or lack of resources will always force creativity to show up sooner. You must still be willing to put considerable effort into solving the challenge if you hope to discover a transformational idea. At least that is what my Muse told me. 

THE AUTHOR: WILLIAM CHILDS | Creative Director | Brand Storyteller | Columnist | Optimist
Bill is an accomplished creative leader with a history of delivering award-winning campaigns for a variety of businesses. Relentlessly dedicated to the skillful and creative translation of strategic business objectives, he’s known as a collaborative mentor and champion of fearless creativity. With a career spanning three decades, Childs knows how to take an acceptable idea and turn it into an exceptional one. His reputation of setting high creative standards while helping to create a culture of genuine collaboration and engagement is one of things he’s most proud of across his career. Recognizing and mentoring talent, and building high-performing, cohesive teams is one of his passions. Email. Website. Twitter. LinkedIn.

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The Consequences of Good and Bad Timing; Season 7, Episode 9: Leadership on the Ground with Erica Peitler

The Consequences of Good and Bad Timing; Season 7, Episode 9: Leadership on the Ground with Erica Peitler

Published June 19, 2019

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ABOUT SEASON SEVEN:

In this season, we’re going to be talking about the timing of leadership, which is all about answering the question of when. Time is a precious resource, a nonrenewable resource. So, learning how to use time, leverage it, and turbo charge it, both in our life and in our career, can be a game changer.

DISCUSSION GUIDE FROM TODAY’S EPISODE:

  1. There are both negative and positive consequences of timing.
  2. Most important: When you have good timing, you will make a lot of entry points (generate opportunities).
  3. Celebration OR regrets (missed opportunities).
  4. Well planned with good sequencing OR chaos.
  5. With good timing, you generate energy!
  6. With good timing, you develop a deep bench of engaged talent, ready to take advantage of entry points.
  7. Making good investments and spends of your time.
  8. “It’s good to invest time thinking on your management of time.”
  9. Poor time management is a MAJOR disruption, more than most realize.
  10. If a LEADER has poor time management, it is VERY hard to work under that leadership team.
  11. “No one is going to put you in charge of other people if you are a train wreck yourself.”
  12. All ideas are not great business opportunities. It might just be the right time…
  13. There is something about the timing of unique business challenges with the temperament of a leader. A veteran leader in an organization might not handle a sudden transformation effort well.

READ A TRANSCRIPT OF THIS EPISODE!

ABOUT ERICA PEITLER

Erica is an accomplished leadership performance coach and high-impact facilitator who creates the conditions for change and growth with her clients so that they can take the evolutionary or transformational steps toward achieving their full potential as individual leaders, high-performing teams, and organizations operating at a level of excellence.

Erica was recognized by New Jersey Biz magazine as one of the 50 Best Women in Business in 2013 and in 2014 was elected to sit on the boards of two large, privately held companies. In 2011-2013, she served as the chair of the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy board and is a member of the Executive Women of New Jersey (EWNJ) and the Healthcare Women’s Business Association (HBA). In addition, she has chaired a Vistage private advisory board and facilitated monthly provocative debate and dialogue with 15 to 18 CEOs. EMAIL or call 973.998.8082.

GET THE BOOK THAT INSPIRED IT ALL!

CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE ALL FUTURE EPISODES IN YOUR INBOX!

Image from Shutterstock.com (by 3Dalia)

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The Business and Language of Time; Season 7, Episode 8: Leadership on the Ground with Erica Peitler

The Business and Language of Time; Season 7, Episode 8: Leadership on the Ground with Erica Peitler

Published June 14, 2019

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

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ABOUT SEASON SEVEN:

In this season, we’re going to be talking about the timing of leadership, which is all about answering the question of when. Time is a precious resource, a nonrenewable resource. So, learning how to use time, leverage it, and turbo charge it, both in our life and in our career, can be a game changer.

DISCUSSION GUIDE FROM TODAY’S EPISODE:

  1. Timing is everywhere. “The speed of business is something we have to be very mindful of.”
  2. “If you cannot manage time, you cannot manage yourself.”
  3. Be wary and look out for momentum killers. They are everywhere.
  4. Leaders have to get their talent ready faster.
  5. The role timing plays in a business’ culture.
  6. Whether people realize it or not, we really are obsessed with time.
  7. All the things we say about time, most where we almost do not even consciously think about it.
  8. Are we desensitizing ourselves to the meaning of time? We need to understand when it is really important.
  9. Do you have a “mindful” respect for time?
  10. There can be a negative reaction to the wrong usage of the language of time.
  11. Do NOT give people a vague deadline on when you want a task completed. Give specific time requests (remember the accountability conversation) and be respectful of time.
  12. The clearer YOU are with time, the clearer things will be for your people, and you all will be more effective and productive.

READ A TRANSCRIPT OF THIS EPISODE!

ABOUT ERICA PEITLER

Erica is an accomplished leadership performance coach and high-impact facilitator who creates the conditions for change and growth with her clients so that they can take the evolutionary or transformational steps toward achieving their full potential as individual leaders, high-performing teams, and organizations operating at a level of excellence.

Erica was recognized by New Jersey Biz magazine as one of the 50 Best Women in Business in 2013 and in 2014 was elected to sit on the boards of two large, privately held companies. In 2011-2013, she served as the chair of the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy board and is a member of the Executive Women of New Jersey (EWNJ) and the Healthcare Women’s Business Association (HBA). In addition, she has chaired a Vistage private advisory board and facilitated monthly provocative debate and dialogue with 15 to 18 CEOs. EMAIL or call 973.998.8082.

GET THE BOOK THAT INSPIRED IT ALL!

CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE ALL FUTURE EPISODES IN YOUR INBOX!

Image from Shutterstock.com (Jannarong)

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The Timing Tool Set; Season 7, Episode 7: Leadership on the Ground with Erica Peitler

The Timing Tool Set; Season 7, Episode 7: Leadership on the Ground with Erica Peitler

Published June 11, 2019

Podcast: Play in new window | Download | Embed

Subscribe: Android | Email | Google Podcasts | RSS

ABOUT SEASON SEVEN:

In this season, we’re going to be talking about the timing of leadership, which is all about answering the question of when. Time is a precious resource, a nonrenewable resource. So, learning how to use time, leverage it, and turbo charge it, both in our life and in our career, can be a game changer.

DISCUSSION GUIDE FROM TODAY’S EPISODE:

  1. We discuss the calendar, which is a living and breathing tool.
  2. How are you allocating your time when someone requests some? Fight the urge to just give someone one hour.
  3. “The energy relationship with time.” Don’t let anyone steal your high productivity time.
  4. Intentionally block off “thinking” time on the calendar.
  5. Do not allow anyone else to manage your calendar!
  6. The power of uninterrupted time. Stop-start-stop-start is VERY disruptive.
  7. How to invest time with meetings. Need to know the goal of the meeting beforehand. Smart meeting agendas are critical.
  8. Do people really need to be in this meeting? Or are you just filling their 40-hour week?
  9. Different types of meeting have different time expectations. There are four types of meetings: Information-sharing,  coordination, operational, or a strategic meeting (Hint: we need to spend more time with operational and strategic meetings).
  10. The Progressive-Mindset Model; how it is relevant to your timing tool set!
  11. The Accountability Conversation, and its role with timing.
  12. Another tool: The Six Thinking Hats, or parallel thinking (helps eliminate confusion in meetings).
  13. How to deal with introverts and extroverts in meetings, and how to bring the best out of both.

READ A TRANSCRIPT OF THIS EPISODE!

ABOUT ERICA PEITLER

Erica is an accomplished leadership performance coach and high-impact facilitator who creates the conditions for change and growth with her clients so that they can take the evolutionary or transformational steps toward achieving their full potential as individual leaders, high-performing teams, and organizations operating at a level of excellence.

Erica was recognized by New Jersey Biz magazine as one of the 50 Best Women in Business in 2013 and in 2014 was elected to sit on the boards of two large, privately held companies. In 2011-2013, she served as the chair of the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy board and is a member of the Executive Women of New Jersey (EWNJ) and the Healthcare Women’s Business Association (HBA). In addition, she has chaired a Vistage private advisory board and facilitated monthly provocative debate and dialogue with 15 to 18 CEOs. EMAIL or call 973.998.8082.

GET THE BOOK THAT INSPIRED IT ALL!

CLICK HERE TO RECEIVE ALL FUTURE EPISODES IN YOUR INBOX!

Image from Shutterstock.com (Jose Ignacio Soto)

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Business Is About Making (Or Not Making) Eye Contact; An essay from Todd Schnickeye contact

Business Is About Making (Or Not Making) Eye Contact; An essay from Todd Schnick

Published June 7, 2019

Success in business (and life) starts with making eye contact.

Have you ever dined in a restaurant, or shopped in a boutique store, and when you really needed help, the staff moved all around you and somehow never made eye contact with you? I trust you have experienced this. You remember the frustration.

You’ll ask “Why won’t they look at me?”

But you do it as well.

Ever notice when someone on a street corner is asking for your help, you always KNOW how to avoid making eye contact? I mean, honestly, I get why you avoid making eye contact here, but I point out this scenario to remind you THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO AVOID MAKING EYE CONTACT WHEN YOU WANT TO.

Anyways, I am not just talking about working in a restaurant or a retail store. And to be honest, I am not even talking about making eye contact when sitting across a table visiting with a customer or sales prospect.

I am talking about paying attention…sincerely paying attention.

And it’s about listening…active listening.

We are so easily distracted these days. And we are too busy. So, what happens here is we are running in a million different directions, rather than slowing down, putting the iPhone down, concentrating, actively listening, and making eye contact.

Making eye contact is also about looking for opportunities to serve others. In that restaurant, it is glancing over at your table to see if any of your customers need anything. It’s being proactive.

If they are knee deep in conversation and their wine glasses are full, you’re good. But LOOK FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE.

Yes, this can only be done making eye contact, observing (paying attention), and listening.

Mindset plays a critical role here. If you are simply earning a paycheck, you are probably less likely to make eye contact.

But if you sincerely care about your work, looking to create a positive experience, and/or want more meaning and impact as a result of your work, you will proactively make eye contact.

It’s that simple.

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The Time of Your Life and Career; Season 7, Episode 6: Leadership on the Ground with Erica Peitler

The Time of Your Life and Career; Season 7, Episode 6: Leadership on the Ground with Erica Peitler

Published June 3, 2019

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ABOUT SEASON SEVEN:

In this season, we’re going to be talking about the timing of leadership, which is all about answering the question of when. Time is a precious resource, a nonrenewable resource. So, learning how to use time, leverage it, and turbo charge it, both in our life and in our career, can be a game changer.

DISCUSSION GUIDE FROM TODAY’S EPISODE:

  1. This episode is both sensitive AND important. What are the key angles to understand?
  2. Time is a non-renewable resource, and you have do things right with regards to time. You have always be thinking about time, “about managing your clock…”
  3. More often than not, the time is NOW. There is no longer too much waiting for tomorrow…
  4. Time in the context of AGE and time. We still think we have to do things based on our age, in traditional terms.
  5. Time and age are being decoupled. In fact, we are seeing more “reverse mentoring” these days.
  6. You can trapped into operating under rules for the different generations…but at the end of day, you just need to know your team. There is more IN COMMON amongst the generations than NOT in common.
  7. We need to discuss LIFE STAGES. Life and careers can now be cyclical. These days, you will likely have “multiple” careers.
  8. You have to invest time to be sure you are spending your time on a meaningful path you want to be on.
  9. It can be a good idea to take a sabbatical, or at least some time off, to really think about these things, and be sure you are living your best life and doing important work with your time.
  10. Really important to think about sequencing your experiences in your career, and to get those experiences as early as you can. Get a lot of different looks at the (business) world!
  11. Good leaders, people who can become trusted advisors, MUST have a diverse collection of experiences to draw from when providing counsel and advice.
  12. Modern leaders needs to PUSH their people into this, since their critical role is to develop future leaders.
  13. Is there a tension to resolve around the time of your life and career? Are you just a practitioner? Or are you going to be a philosopher AND practitioner? Knowing this will determine what kinds of experiences you should seek out.

READ A TRANSCRIPT OF THIS EPISODE!

ABOUT ERICA PEITLER

Erica is an accomplished leadership performance coach and high-impact facilitator who creates the conditions for change and growth with her clients so that they can take the evolutionary or transformational steps toward achieving their full potential as individual leaders, high-performing teams, and organizations operating at a level of excellence.

Erica was recognized by New Jersey Biz magazine as one of the 50 Best Women in Business in 2013 and in 2014 was elected to sit on the boards of two large, privately held companies. In 2011-2013, she served as the chair of the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy board and is a member of the Executive Women of New Jersey (EWNJ) and the Healthcare Women’s Business Association (HBA). In addition, she has chaired a Vistage private advisory board and facilitated monthly provocative debate and dialogue with 15 to 18 CEOs. EMAIL or call 973.998.8082.

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