What is the constructive, possibly untapped potential that may underlie someone who is bored with their work?
Author: Karl Edwards
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Thanksgiving Rumor Worth Paying Attention To
Thankfulness does not always come easily.Life is complicated. Often difficult.
Circumstances do not arrange themselves tidily in our favor. Obstacles are not uncommon. Unexpected challenges can unpleasantly surprise.
And yet in the Christian tradition we are advised to practice giving thanks anyway. Whether or not we are having a good time with this journey called life, the rumor is that some sort of good accompanies the practice of saying thank you.
Interesting.
Today, as a national holiday, we pause to give thanks. An annual practice in the art of giving thanks. Today, as a nation, we face new challenges, unnerving circumstances with much out of our control.
Even so, we recognize that we have much to be thankful for. And so we gather to give voice and form to our appreciation for these blessings.
The rumor is that we will be better off for doing so. Seems like a rumor worth paying attention to.
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Listen In -> Faking Authenticity #1: Trying to Buy Credibility Cheap
Authenticity is the new credibility.More than competence. Much more than credentials. Exponentially more than position on the organizational chart.
Those who are real. Those who shoot straight. Those whose words and actions are consistent with each other. These are the people who wield influence. These are the people who can make things happen. These are the people who earn the trust of subordinates, peers, vendors and clients alike.
Join us for our new podcast series on Faking Authenticity. Sure enough, as soon as research demonstrates the effectiveness of any new leadership technique, onto the playing field spill all those leaders who want the results without taking seriously the means.
Even though everyone around these pretenders can recognize intuitively and instantly that they are faking it, there is a group of us who are convinced we can pull one over on everyone and “technique” our way into results.
Chat with us as we laugh and cry together about the benefits and pitfalls of authenticity both when genuine and when faked.
Faking Authenticity
Week #1: Trying to Buy Credibility Cheap
Week #2: When Wanting to Impress
Week #3: When Wanting to Confront
Week #4: When Wanting to Perform
Week #5: When Wanting Others to Respond
Listen In.
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Loving Monday: Missing Important Routines
I’m shutting down after an unusual day and just now realizing I missed my Monday morning routine… writing about Loving Monday!How’s that for irony?!
Maybe the topic this week should be routines. Routines that facilitate regular, important activities versus routines that stifle, quench creativity and merely fill space.
The distinction comes when deciding when to “violate” a routine in some manner. Or, in this case, deciding how to interpret being distracted into inadvertently missing a routine.
Negligence or freedom? It could be either.
Key to being able to welcome the unexpected, confront crisis, and respond to what cannot be anticipated is being able to operate out of freedom. Freedom to choose routine. Freedom to vary routine. Freedom to abandon routine.
Are your routines blessings that facilitate consistent attention to what you value most? Or are your routines chains that bind your time and energies from attending to what you want?
Two very different sorts of work weeks result. It’s the difference between loving Monday or dreading it.
Would you share a routine of yours you value highly.
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Question of the Week
What are seven personal attributes of yours that distinguish you from the rest of the team? How do they enhance your effectiveness?
The Question of the Week is offered to increase awareness of one’s personal leadership practices and encourage experimentation with creative alternatives.
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Where Do You Dig The Well In A Desert?
When you need to stay in a job you hate, rolling out of bed in the morning can feel impossible.If your job gives you no reason to get up, then you need to give yourself one.
The question becomes, “How can I create alternatives for myself, however limited they might be?” “How can I take some power back so I’m not merely being passive?” “How can I create my own meaning?”
Creating an alternative for yourself will feel great, because you are shifting out of passive-mode into doing something for yourself. Of course, the question remains, Where do you dig the well in a desert?
In this week’s podcast conversation, we offer three suggestions:
- Contribute something unsolicited.
- Connect with someone of interest.
- Explore something new that develops you.
We’ll explore these three alternatives in future posts.
I’m sorry you find yourself in the desert. Where do you look for sources of meaning, connection and/or development in the mean time?
Joining the conversation just now? Catch up on the entire series, Toughing Out a Tough Job, by clicking here.
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Listen In -> Toughing Out a Tough Job #5: When You Hate Your Job
What could be worse?Hating your job and needing to keep it.
It’s a worst case scenario, sure. But in these tough economic times, we may consider it wiser to tough out a nasty, soul-sucking, sanity-stripping job for a season of necessity.
Should you find yourself in such a situation, is there anything you can do to redeem the experience? Anything that can help you survive? Maybe even get something beneficial out of the nightmare?
This week’s podcast conversation has some hope for you. Join Claudia and I as we explore making the most of a horrible situation. Come back after you’ve listened and let us know about the situation you’re facing.
Listen in.
Joining the conversation just now? Catch up on the entire series, Toughing Out a Tough Job, by clicking here.
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Learning Action Learning
“Always learning. Always learning how to learn.” Two key personal commitments of mine.I came across the concept of “Action Learning” over on Marshall Goldsmith’s blog. Check it out. He provides a very articulate summary of how to take what you are currently doing and turning those “actions” into learning opportunities.
At first blush it comes across pretty simple and obvious. If you think, though, about how difficult it is for many leaders to acknowledge there is anything they need to learn at all, establishing such a pattern of reflection and adjustment into your project cycle would be a near miracle. Unless, of course, you are that leader.
What kind of leader are you? In the spirit of No Excuses Leadershipâ„¢, we are intent on starting any change with ourself. Here is a practical idea you can start experimenting with. Check it out.
On your side,
– Karl
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Loving Monday: Neglected Babies First
This is going to be a great week.This is going to be a great week because you are going to start it off by doing something for yourself.
While buying show tickets, game tickets or indulging in a high speed traffic ticket may be what first comes to mind when you think of doing something for yourself, I’m looking for something that will enthuse us about going into work this morning.
My suspicion is that there is a “neglected baby” somewhere in your office. A neglected baby that has been crying for some time, but can’t get your attention because you’ve been so busy with everything else.
Your neglected baby might be a messy workspace that keeps you from working effectively. Do something for yourself. This is the week you will commit to getting it organized.
Your neglected baby may be a pet project that no one else believes in… yet. Do something for yourself. This is the week you will take one specific and concrete step toward its implementation.
Your neglected baby may be a key relationship with an old friend, colleague or mentor. Do something for yourself. This is the week you arrange an uninterruptible telephone conversation.
Neglected babies don’t do well on their own. And we don’t do well with them screaming bloody murder in the background. Do something for yourself. Make this a great week by attending to one of your neglected babies.
Leave a comment and let us know what you’ve decided to do!
On your side,
– Karl
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Question of the Week
How might fear of a supervisor’s response be keeping you from making an important decision that would benefit the team?
The Question of the Week is offered to increase awareness of one’s personal leadership practices and encourage experimentation with creative alternatives.
