What Are The 3 Key #Leadership Strengths?

Let’s hear it for the leaders!

They are the ones who inspire others to try their best, even in tough times.

If you work for long enough, you will see examples of Good, Indifferent and Poor leadership.

Judging by the personal development conversations I’ve had, over time, people like being led by:

Human beings, not controlling by-the-book types.

People who can smile, even after the plan goes wrong.

Bosses who want their teams to learn from what went wrong. Then try again.

So, who is the best leader you have come across? Which of the three qualities in the YouTube video below did they get right?

https://youtu.be/GEaKgLEdDLY

(Don’t forget to Like and Subscribe).

How To #Thrive In Tough Times

Searching for the light – Photo by Dewang Gupta on Unsplash

There are 153 days left in 2020. I suspect I won’t be the only one glad to see the back of a year which has featured widespread: 

  • Health dilemmas 
  • Job insecurity 
  • Prejudice against minorities 

Fortunately, there have been desperately difficult times before (and sadly there will be more in the days ahead).

Nonetheless there is wisdom we can tap into to inspire ourselves and those around us. Wisdom which reminds us that the future is brighter than the present.

It is during our darkest moments that we must focus, to see the light

Aristotle

In other words: it is the toughest times which test us most. Those are the times during which we need to look hard, to find the life lessons to keep us moving forward. 

What is the phrase you use to motivate yourself, or the people around you when the going gets tough? Share your thoughts in a comment, or by tweeting @RogerD_Said

3 Steps to Beating The Autumnal Blues

Experience less stress by getting out into the world - Photo by Aleksandar Pasaric from Pexels

Experience less stress by getting out into the world – Photo by Aleksandar Pasaric from Pexels

The clocks have gone back, so the end of the year must be close by. Do you ever feel like staying indoors and hibernating until the spring? I have felt like that, so it is understandable if you answered ‘Yes’.
It is better though to set a goal to do something to safeguard your health and then take action to tackle that goal.
Why?
Because, despite the cold, wet and gloom of the autumn there are health benefits to getting out and about. Doing this means we get to experience:
  • Fresh air, instead of the recycled climate stirred up by air conditioning
  • Fresh scenery and the chance to top up our vitamin D reserves
  • Fresh perspectives and space for mindfulness, not the time suck of incoming messages that keep us nailed to our desks
Mixing things up keeps things from getting stale. That’s good news for you, your team and your customers. I hope the ideas above help you over the coming weeks. Feel free to share your secrets to beating the autumnal blues!

World Mental Health Day Means You Can #Asktwice

Happiness And Mental Health Go Together – Picture Credit Rawpixel.com on Pexels.com

October 10 is World Mental Health Day.

The goal for #WMHD is raising awareness that 1 in 4 of us will personally experience mental health challenges during our life.

Yes, that is even true for us guys. Although getting us talking about our feelings can be hard work (that’s why it is worth asking us twice ‘how are you’ just to check what is really going on).

Having poor mental health sucks, believe me: It might be back in the early 2000s but I remember that feeling alone; being unable to get out of bed; seeing the world in black and white made no sense at all.

It is also time to remember we can overcome the rubbish feelings caused by stress, anxiety and depression with the help of family, friends and maybe professionals.

How do we start to change our situation?

By talking about our feelings with our family, colleagues and mates today, not just on 10 October.

And keeping the conversation going on the next day.

And the next.

What Are Your Next Steps?

This isn’t an easy conversation to have. If this post rings bells here are some questions you can you ask yourself to get started. 

  • Who can we talk to about what is really going on inside?
  • What isn’t working in our life?
  • What is the smallest step that might help us feel just a bit better?
  • Do we need professional help?

Thanks for reading this post. Remember to Like, Comment and Share so others can learn how to help themselves too.

What Difference Does #Happiness Make?

Happiness Involves Doing What You Love With And For Others – Photo by RUN 4 FFWPU from Pexels

So, what was the highlight of your month?  For me it was last weekend. In 48 hours I met several goals, including getting to see some friends, catching up with family and spending time on my own stuff. I am grateful that I was able to spend my time in this way.

Looking back at your month, how much time did you get to spend happily doing what you wanted?

Did you get to spend enough time seeing people you love and meeting your needs?

Or did work overwhelm everything?

Would you score yourself above 6 out of 10 on the happiness scale?

If we live to our mid 70s we will have spent more than 27,000 days on Earth! If we are too busy running from Point A to Point B to be happy in that time we are doing ourselves a disservice. So what conscious step will we need to take today, to make ourselves a little happier?

 

Your #Goals – These Small Steps Help Achieve Giant #Results

Reaching A Goal Means Connecting To Others – Picture Credit Pexels.com

When it comes to the great achievement of the Moon landing ‘One small step’ and ‘One giant leap’ are perfect metaphors.

 

The giant leap involved a huge amount of teamwork, leading from President Kennedy’s ambitious idea in 1962 to a an awesome achievement celebrated by President Nixon in 1969.

 

To realise the major goal of a manned Moon landing it was necessary to break down that ambition into small bite sized chunks, assigning tasks to physicists, mathematicians, engineers, pilots and a network of other specialists, Once the stages were set the milestones completed and the risks managed the results became inevitable.

 

And so the example of the moon landing is useful for all of us when we think about the goals we wish to achieve.

 

For instance if the ambition after this summer is to get a new job by year’s end, there are several steps to take. 

 

  • First take stock of qualifications and experience. 

 

  • Then identify gaps in either area. 

 

  • Next work out how to plug those gaps. 

 

  • Having done that hard work we can make a decision about the sorts of jobs that we want and the employers we would like to wok for.

 

  • With that knowledge about what we want, what we offer and who we would like to offer it to ,we can make a strategic series of applications or at least establish a presence on the social media front aimed at connecting with the potential employers and people who would be interested in making use of our talents.

 

Doing this very important work, in bite sized chunks, makes accountability possible. Doing all the work means we can to stand up, breathe deep and reach for the stars.

 

What is your favourite way to achieve the biggest goals you face? Feel free to share this content, if you have found this post useful. You can Like or Comment too if you want. 

Your Top 5 Recommended #Stress Busters

How Do You Manage Your Stress? Picture from Pexels.com

If you have survived another busy week (mine involved plenty of running around for other people) I’ve got to ask, how do you let go of the stress, relax and become a nice person to be around once again?

Being mindful of your own stress level and varying the pace of life makes the intense times easier to bear. I am more productive and a better team player when I feel in control of my life.

In fact I remember a few years ago asking a group of carers (busy people responsible for loved ones’ well being) what they did to unwind and I still think their approach makes sense. They recommended

 

  • Nature – spending time outside, feeling the sun on my face shifts my mood.
  • Music – listening to a favourite artist reminds me of good times.
  • Laughing –  enjoying a good comedy programme puts tough times into the background.
  • Exercise – getting to the gym, playing sport, taking the stairs releases feel good chemicals into our system.
  • Friends – catching up with people we care about activates our support system, which reminds us we are not alone.

I have followed 2 of these strategies consistently and they help. Which ones do you follow or do you have other suggestions to share?

3 Ways To Bring #Happiness Into Our Life

Smile

Happiness is a shared experience Picture credit Pexels.com

I know life isn’t easy and the struggle to be successful can be exhausting.  However happiness is sometimes about the little things that connect us to other people:

  • Seeing some’s face light up when you show them you are grateful for their work.
  • Taking a minute to help a stranger find their destination when they are obviously lost.
  • Making time to share a funny story with friends and enjoying their laughter.

What is your secret to finding happiness in your busy day? Feel free to share your experience on Twitter @RogerD_said and tell someone else you like this discussion if it would help them out.

 

 

How to #Communicate Effectively By Telling Vivid Stories

 

People in discussion

Use vivid stories to connect to your audience Photo by Abel Tan Jun Yang from Pexels

It can be difficult to sum up the direction a life has taken without resorting to a list: when someone was born; where they went to school; which skills did they acquire; how they used those skills to make their living.

 

When I recently wrote and delivered a, well received, eulogy I took a different approach. Rather than a dull list I told vivid stories which brought an entire history to life. The audience received a rounded picture of the person they knew as a relative, friend, neighbour or ex-colleague.

 

Follow the link to YouTube if you would like to learn more about using stories to communicate the details of someone else’s life (or maybe your own). Remember to Like, Share and comment too if this post has helped you.

 

3 Steps Toward Successful Goal Setting

 

People At An Outdoor Party

Who Will You Celebrate Your Success With? Photo by jens johnsson on Unsplash

Are you struggling to define your main 2018 goal? No worries if you are. We’ve all been there.

Knowing we can do better is the easy part. Setting a goal that leads to major life changes can feel overwhelming. Breaking the situation down into manageable chunks will help.

Here are 3 powerful steps to help achieve our goals

Defining the outcome we want to achieve 
There is power in writing down the results we will achieve, when we will achieve them and what our victory will feel like. Paying attention to our results helps us invest emotionally in the work to bring them about.
Identifying our first steps 
With the headline goal written down it is tempting to get going, without an action plan. Not a good idea. That’s like setting out on a journey without a preferred route.
Better results come from a plan which starts from point A and delivers some immediate gains. Those act as a confirmation that we are headed in the right direction. What would be your chosen point A? How will you know you are going in the right direction?
Lining up our support network 
There’s a limit to what we can achieve on our own. The way forward involves points B, C, D and so on. Having supporters’ help along the way brings 2 advantages. We can help other people do more and achieve more as they improve their lives. Plus we get to tap into a lively knowledge network when we get stuck on our path. That’s a win win situation.
Who is in your network and how can you help them?
What’s Your Next Move?
Thanks for your engagement this year. Use the reply option to comment on this post, if you found the information above helpful. Feel free to Like and Share too.
Good luck setting your next big goal and Merry Christmas if you are reading this in December.