The Spirit of a Marathon
I recently ran my third marathon and found it to be the most amazing experience of my life. For the first time in my running career, I was not focused on “time” but was focused on the other runners that were there. Something happened to me that surely has changed my view of the purpose of running in my life, forever.
I started out this race with friends that were pacing the 5 hour group. I thought that would be a good place to start as I always seems to start too fast and not have a good amount of energy at the end. I stayed with that group for the first few miles and then moved up a bit as I met other runners. I spent just about the entire race from that point forward running with other first time marathoners. I learned so much about them and their thoughts and goals as they accomplished one of their dreams and probably one of the toughest goals in their lives. There was a connection with these people that just can’t be described. They each had a life story that had brought them to this place and they were passionate about what they were doing and where they were going. They each touched my heart in ways that they will never know. I think that what I gained from my marathon this weekend is that it is not about the race but it is about helping other people to achieve their dreams. Whether it’s talking with them to help them ease the pain or going at a slower pace to meet their needs… it is something that I will do at each and every race in my future. I will never again run to achieve a “time” but will run to help others see success.
I also have to talk about the people who were on the side lines cheering us on because the same experience was happening here. I was so touched by the fans and people who gave their time, comfort and enthusiasm towards making us feel as though we were important. The giving was tremendous from these fans that would chant everyone’s name whether they knew us or not. They would offer words of encouragement that meant more than they could have ever imagined.
A friend of mine who was one of those fans sent me a note about the experience he had on the sidelines as he watched two younger men cheering others on. I think this sums things up.
“The thing that really was “revealed” to me was the unity that I witnessed. Deepak is always teaching about how we are all connected. I saw these two young college aged boys who were cheering for everyone. They were Hispanic or perhaps Persian / Indian. These two young men taught me a great lesson about the human spirit. They were cheering for complete strangers for hours, non-stop, just because… Just because there is an innate connection that most of us are not even aware of. These two young men were not just groupies without a life. They were athletic, handsome, and intelligent. They could have been doing a number of other things with their life at that moment, but they chose to be part of something much bigger. I think the spirit of marathons is fantastic.”
The bigger question now is, how do we take that spirit, that level of giving, that respect for other human beings, that genuine kindness & caring, that passion & love for others… and make it an everyday occurance…an every minute occurance?
Love the Life You Have Right NOW!
In today’s hectic environment both at work and in your personal life, it is important to place a focus on loving who you are and the life you have right now. Much of the time we are looking for that next “thing” whatever it might be and we forget about the amazing things we have in our lives right now.
So many of us hang on to the past and don’t let go. We especially hang on to negative thoughts around those who have hurt us in some way. I have recently seen this with friends who have gone through divorce. They are so focused on the hurt and pain that has been caused by someone they used to love. They continue to dwell on that pain and sometimes anger and it eats away at their confidence and self-esteem. This can also been seen in individuals who have recently been laid off from a company. These individuals feel the pain of having given to a company only to receive the “pink” slip. Many times, “work” defined who that person was and now that “work” or the “job” is gone, they are angry.
The real truth is that anger only hurts one person and that is YOU. Let go of the past. I like the comment that Wayne Dyer makes where he asks, “what powers the speed boat to go forward? Is it the wake (the past) or is the the engine (the now)?” You can make the choice to live your life in the past and focus on the wrongs or you can live in this present moment and love the life you have. If you choose NOW, you will see positive things emerge in your life each and every day. Give it a try!
It’s Time For Change!
The preasure is mounting for companies across the United States and around the world to really change their way of doing business, dramatically! Organizations are in turmoil. Consumer’s are not spending unless it is something they need. Our government is providing funding to companies that have old business models that don’t work.
It is time to take a new look at business and how to structure it for success into the future. The Command and Control, heirarchical structure will not win in today’s environment. Collaberative and smart organizations will be the winners going forward. One’s that can figure out what is needed in the consumption environment and bring those products and services to light at the lowest cost possible.
There will be a need for a new work environment Companies need to look at new options that bring the total employee into the work situation recognizing that they are not one person at work and another person at home. Organizations need to look at the total individual to gain the maximum in productivity. Not only what skills does this person will bring to their company but also what does this person need from a personal perspective? What life experiences do they have? Who do they know, both personally and professionally? In the future workplace, the employees that will be hired into an organization need to be a perfect match from a cultural, skills, and personal perspective.
To keep the absolute best employee who is going to provide output and benefit, companies will need to consider the total employee. What are their needs from a work style and home life perspective? How do we capitalize on their strengths and get them involved in what they do best? No longer do we have the time or money to work on weaknesses. Let’s face it… if it is a weakness, then it is not worth forcing on an employee. Focus instead on the strengths that, that employee brings to the work environment. There will be a larger ROI which is what all companies need right now because the employee is happier and ultimately more productive.
Giving to Others
There is a never ending stream of notifications I receive via email (WSJ) indicating that thousands of jobs are being lost each day. It just saw an announcement today that the jobless rate is at a new high level. The anxiety, fear and uncertainty is building among many Americans. What can you do?
I am suggesting that you do something that may not be on your mind if you are out of work and that is, give to others around the world. This may be hard to fathom when you are concerned about paying the mortgage. But, I challenge you to work into your daily activities a segment of time to “Give” of yourself.
Giving to others has an amazing almost magical affect on you and can bring many positives into your life. Here are some strategies to consider:
1. Incorporate a certain amount of time in your day to break away from the job search and to give. It can be in the form of actual labor, administrative activities, or even strategic thinking for a non-profit.
2. You’ll be amazed at the people you will meet that can potentially help you to find that next career step or opportunity.
3. Giving gets you away from the negative thoughts of doubt and helplessness.
4. When you do something for someone else, it is inevitable… you will have the good returned… if you don’t require it. Just do good expecting nothing in return and the positive experiences (opportunities) will come your way.
5. You begin to understand that you are needed. There are people in this world that desperately need your help! You have the power to change their lives in ways that you’ve never imagined.
Don’t miss this blessed opportunity to give of yourself. The benefits are numerous and there are no negatives. You can only win and others win as well.
Staying Healthy in Today’s Work Environmnet
Today’s work world is more stressful than ever. There are massive layoffs occuring and much uncertainty that exists on a daily basis. Whether you are a victim of downsizing or you are still working and being asked to do more with less, you need to remember to focus on YOU and YOUR health and wellness.
Stress does many negative things to our bodies. It can seriously upset the chemical balance within us and the effects can be deterimental in the long run. The mind, body and spirit will be attacked by stress and these inter-related aspects will experience deterioration at the expense of it causing us much unhappiness.
Some of the effects you may be seeing from stress may look like this:
1. The Mind: You are feeling anxiety, fear, unhappiness with all that is going on. You have a hard time focusing on the job at hand whether it be searching for a job or executing the duties you are required to do at work. You feel frozen… you can’t get motivated to do much at all and this all starts to affect the relationships you have with the people who are close to you and your co-workers.
2. The Body: Your body starts to feel the effects of stress quite quickly. You will see the extra pounds coming on in different places. You’ll feel sluggish and will not have the energy to exercise and may not feel that level of enthusiasm you used to have in completing work projects. By mid-day, you may be feeling really tired and food becomes your companion. Usually, it’s the wrong kinds of foods. This all leads to serious complications with potential obesity and the diseases that stem from being over-weight like diabetes, heart problems, thyroid issues and more.
3. The Spirit: You will feel dishearted and sometimes there is a level of hopelessness that will develop. Doubt and fear will take over and you are unable to show the love that you have in your heart to others. You might have this wall that develops around your heart and you may be unwilling to let the positive in.
The good news is, we can do something about all of this. It sounds pretty dismal, but YOU can take action! Here are some simple steps that you can take to keep your Mind, Body and Spirit operating at it’s full, most positive potential during these very difficult times.
1. The Mind: Stay away from any negative conversations in the workplace or outside of the work setting. Only let the positives in. If there is a negative conversation that comes your way, change the topic or excuse yourself from that discussion. Keep your mind busy with new, positive thoughts. Start to look into things your really have a passion for. Maybe it’s a hobby or volunteer work to help others. Place a big rubber band on your wrist and each time a negative thought comes into your mind, snap it. This is called a pattern interupt. Once you do this enough (30 days) you will change your thought patterns to be more positive in nature.
2. The Body: Set up a workout schedule. In fact, keep a calendar of what you will be doing every hour of the day. Make time for any kind of daily exercise and moving the body. Our bodies were built to move. It doesn’t matter if it is walking or working out. Just do it and do it daily. Also, look at detox programs. I have been using the Isagenix program for over 2 years and it has been the best thing that I have ever done! I am toned and feel great and full of energy all of the time. It is all natural and is used by many athletes around the country. I encourage you to check out the following website to learn more. www.michelemarie.isagenix.com. It is imperative that you eat healthy during these difficult tmes. A program like this allows you to eat healthy and at a cost that is less than your average meal.
3. The Spirit: Take care of your spirit. It is so important to your well-being. Attend church if you enjoy that, pray if that is your thing, and meditate. Meditation has been viewed by many as a “Zen” like activity and maybe a little strange. Meditation can be as simple as just relaxing and listening to your breathing while you are at a stop-light. It doesn’t have to be anything formal and should really be what is comfortable to you. The important thing is that you stop and relax the mind.
Our world is going through a big correction process that can make life seem a bit unpleasant at times. Keep in mind that this is a way for the Universe or God or whatever you believe in… to correct and reset itself. Use this time to reset yourself and to bring a new level of health into your life.
Millenial Generation: The New Workforce Enters
As the economy continues to be challenging, many companies are laying off long-time employees to make ends meet. The next big trend as the tide changes will be to bring on a new group of less-expensive workers, the Millenials. They will enter the workforce in huge numbers and will be in demand. The challenge will be to understand this generation of 81 million Americans that were born between 1981 and 1999. It is important to be aware of the life experiences that they were hit with during the formative years because this is what they will bring to our new work environment. Let’s take a look at the events that impacted them.
1. Technology has been a big part of their lives. They have experienced TV, the PC, Pagers and each of them certainly has a cell phone. They are very comfortable with technology and the new advancements and they adapt well. Due to this factor, they tend to be more menu driven in their decision making and process orientation actions. They also are very adept at multi-tasking as they’ve learned to handle many differing technologies at once. They assume that the computer will fix their mistakes and don’t pay as much attention to spelling, etc. in the work environment.
2. They also grew up in a time where there was prosperity and a good amount of spending. They purchased their clothing from high end retail locations. They were given a lot as a good majority of them came from two income families. Many times they were over-parented, over entertained, and over-stimulated.
3. Another influencing factor is that they experienced violence in supposedly safe places. The Columbine incident was an example of this driving a level of uncertainty and commitment in lives.
This provides you with a top-line look at this generation. As this generation matures and is positioned to be our next workforce, how do we address their needs and gain the maximum level of productivity in our work environments. While we’d like for them to conform to the old way of doing business, is that really the right thing to do? Will that bring us future success? Will we get the best people working at our companies if we do that? Or, is it time for businesses to change to meet the needs of the new employee? Could that bring us a new level of effectiveness in the marketplace?
The answer is probably somewhere inbetween although there is a need to meet the requirements of this changing workforce as it will be an influencing factor in our long term success. Some of the ways we can plan to meet their needs are noted below.
1. Allow this new generation a level of flexibility. Let them use technology to it’s fullest and allow them the flexibility to work from home or wherever they will provide the highest level of effectiveness as long as there are results that they are achieving.
2. Remember, they had it all and they want it all. They will not slight their families for work. They “work to live” unlike the previous generations that “lived to work.” They are not willing to sacrifice enjoying life for a job. Companies will want to also provide them with clear expectations as to what is required in their roles and training will be more important than ever before.
3. Through technology, they have learned about the strifes of others around the world. They want to be involved in making change to better the entire world as they understand the total connection we all have. Companies that sponsor, fund and involve their employees in making this a better world will be appealing to this generation.
4. This generation sees work as a contract rather than a life long commitment. Three year contracts would be optimum for this generation and is probably the wave of the future for companies overall. It is important that they view their superiors as partners instead of the traditional employee - manager relationship.
5. The Millenials will have little patience for meaningless tasks and will challenge them. They know how to streamline processes using technology and remember, they are wonderful multi-taskers. Utilize this quality to enhance your business processes and to ultimately reduce beauracracy.
If we really understand the needs of our employees both from a generational, gender and style perspective, we can truly maximize our organization’s potential for long term success.
Women: Managing Stress Effectively
A woman’s stress is much different than a man’s. She has not only many demands in her life from the family needs/nuturing, to excelling in the work environment. We as women tend to also be more perfectionistic in our nature and feel as though we need to truly do everything and do it without error. This is apparent in our work and personal lives. Combine that with the monthly cycles or menapausal symptoms we experience and there is a potential for danger. Danger because we can effectively severe relationships that mean a lot to us and can cause our performance to be dramatically affected in the workplace ultimately causing us to miss out on promotions, or even to be a primary candidate for layoffs. It is critical that women quickly begin to understand why this is happening and how to address it. It is also important for men, as managers/leaders of women and significant others (spouse, friend) to see the signs and help the women in their lives work through what nature and society has brought to them to avoid the dangerous outcomes that could develop.
The first point to note is that women many times are over extending themselves. Because we are by nature, a nuturing gender, we tend to take on the role of caring for others at the expense of ourselves. While we can handle a lot of multi-tasking and activity in our lives, we will hit that point when we can do no more and a melt down occurs. That melt-down can look very different from female to female depending on their style, but it never is pleasant for them or those around them. The key to success here is to understand when too much is happening and dial back. Women need to make “choices” as to what is important to them basis their values and needs. They need to understand that there is no such thing as work/life balance and that it is truly all about “life” and what we choose to do.
The second point that follows the above comments is that women need to fundamentally learn to delegate. We need to let go. Yes, when someone else does the task, it will not be as perfect as we would have liked, but it will most likely be just fine. Remember the first few times you delegate, it may take some time to explain and help the other person to “get it right.” But, in the long run, it will save you from stress in your life going forward. This practice needs to occur both in the home and work environment. Many women do not move up in the corporate world because they are so focused on the tactical that they miss the opportunities to connect with those that can make a difference in their careers and think from more of a visionary perspective. In our personal lives, when we hit that boiling point, life becomes miserable for all of those around us and relationships can truly deteriorate. Note, that men don’t realize “why” we are at our boiling point until it’s too late many times. They don’t tend to multi-task like we do and they tend to be focused on the one or two things that are important in their lives at that moment. It is not a bad thing that they do this. It is part of their DNA and socialization. We as men and women are just different.
The third point is that we as women just need to let some things go. Maybe it is just not important to have the toilet paper roll, rolling correctly or to have the house perfectly clean. It is recommended that you look at what your values are and list them out. Then create a list of goals that fit into your values. Finally, look at your daily activity listing and make sure that what you are doing each day fits into your goals and ultimately your values. Once you do that, you will be able to really prioritize what is important and let the other stuff go!
Fourth, women need to confront issues or situations that are bothering them, head on. It is not that we need to be aggressive in how we do it, we just need to find out why people are doing what they are doing or saying. In almost all cases, there is a clear reason why someone may be causing stress in our lives. The key to success is to ask open-ended questions to really find out the why. We are socialized as women to not confront issues/situations. We don’t say what is on our mind many times and if we have an issue with someone, we avoid addressing them directly. We have been taught to do this from day one and should not feel bad about it. We just need to build an awareness around it and figure out a new approach so that we have less stress in our lives and more happiness.
Fifth, it is important for all of us to keep in mind that we have monthly PMS or menapausal symptoms that enhance our stress levels. This is a fact of life and we should not hide or be shy about it. Depending on your style and how you react to stress, during these times you will take different actions. Women with a “driver” style, will take action and get things done. Many times their actions will not be the best long-term decisions for them. If the woman is a “detail” orientated style, she may get even more detailed, and focused on the rules. She will tend to not tell others what is wrong and withdraw. To an extent that others will be forced away from her. If she is a “communicator” style, she will express her emotions freely and many times inappropriately. She will say things that she just should not have said. Lastly, those women with a “creative” style will tend to get upset, feel neglected and will go into their cave and say nothing. The others in her life will not know what is going on and will be totally confused.
The key to success is understanding what your relational and communicative style is and what stress looks like. Once you know that and you understand the typical stressors for females, you can begin to be aware of when it is hitting and be able to manage it effectively. It is important for all of us to understand these fundamental workings within the female world as it can dramatically affect happiness overall for everyone.
Focus on YOU!
Have you recently been downsized out of a job? Are you nervous, fearful, less confident, and even scaired? All of these feelings and more are truly natural but the winners in this tough economic market are going to be the ones that can look at the positives that this event has provided. It is sometimes difficult to do when you are concerned and consumed with where that next paycheck is going to come from. A creative approach and a new focus on YOU can open doors you never knew existed!
Take this time to step back and re-evaluate who you really are. What you need and desire out of a job… and what types of work really makes you happy… Assessment tools like the one offered through ExecuInsight can provide invaluable insight into these areas and help to reignite passions you lost long ago.
Spend time connecting with YOUrself… through mediation, prayer, exercise…. anything that will allow you to calm your mind and relax. Be aware of and open to the clues that life is giving you about what you really love in life. Make a listing of what you value most in your life. Then begin to set goals that fit into those values. Once you have your goals in mind place them in a present tense as if you have already achieved them. Keep this present tense list visible at all times. You may want to place it so it comes up on your computer screen or keep the written list in your wallet. Review the list at least twice daily prior to relaxing your mind. The power of positive thought is so amazing and you will be surprised at what comes your way if you keep yourself open to the opportunities.
Next, set daily goals that help to get you to your overall (present tense) goals. Individual items that will help you to move forward. You might attend a networking event for an association that operates in the industry you want to move into or you may spend 30 minutes each day networking on LinkedIn. Also, be sure to create a solid schedule for each day. Block out every hour with activities and goals you want to accomplish. This will help you keep your focus.
It is good to have a Coach to keep you on track and keep you accountable. At ExecuInsight, we have the BEST Coaching staff that is skilled in helping you set goals and keeping you focused on getting there.
Another important element in this process is your health. Take this time to get your body healthy. The corporate world is not typically an environment that allows for healthy eating and fitness. People tend to incur stress and develop body fat while in the corporate setting. Being laid off gives you the time to really focus on eating right and engaging in a consistent fitness program. Don’t miss this opportunity to be the best you can be. The secondary benefit to getting back your health is that you feel better and have an enhanced level of confidence. This will be evident to those around you including prospective employers!
Lastly, spend time with people building strong relationships. Certainly enjoy this time to reconnect with your family and friends. Make those quality connections and give them your heart. Also, network and connect with everyone! You never know who will know someone that can help you. Keep in mind that networking can range from on-line social networking to in-person networking events and/or parties. Take every opportunity that comes your way to meet new people.
The economy and your ex-employer have given you the gift of re-evaluation, renewal, and re-energizing! Don’t pass it up! Enjoy!!!
Finding Your Passion
Do you dread going to work? Are you sick of the politics? Does your manager seem to be more concerned about his/her success than yours? Do you work for a paycheck and that’s it?
As layoffs are hitting in a big way, the culture of corporate environments will begin to falter. In many organizations, the culture may not have been good to begin with and the economic downturn is enhancing that situation. If there was any semblance of positivity in our organizations, it is now being lost to fear and anxiety over the next round of layoffs. Productivity is faltering and the typical American worker is more unhappy than ever.
It is sad to think that we spend the majority of our lives in an environment that isn’t always positive and we are consistently hit with negativity. We were put on this earth to be happy and enjoy life but instead we are trapped in this world that frustrates us and causes us to come home and be impatient with the people we love the most in this world (our families/friends). How do we change this paradigm and find true happiness and passion each and every day? We deserve it!
The first step is to understand YOU! What do you truly love to do? If we stripped away all of the materialistic things we live for like pay, prestige, titles, expensive items and really got down to the core of what your interests are, we could find your true passions. Yes, it is hard to believe that someone is talking about finding your true passion in an environment where jobs are being lost every day… but, I challenge you to think differently. If you really got connected with who you are and what you love in life… wealth could and would come your way very easily. We fall into our careers early on in our lives for many reasons whether it is just to make money or it’s what our family wanted us to do. Seldom do we really evaluate what we truly want in our lives.
Through effective assessment techniques, we can find that true passion of yours. It doesn’t matter if you are a college student or if you are a retired executive. You deserve to be happy and productive and enjoying every minute of every day! With a good amount of passion, positivity and desire… you can land the perfect job! It is happening every day and every minute to people like you. Companies are hiring and they want and need people more than ever before that will perform and deliver. It is easy to perform and deliver if you love what you are doing!
ExecuInsight can help you find that passion that you’ve been missing in your career or job… and help you to build an effective plan to see success and to find the happiness in what you are doing 8+ hours per day! The opportunity is out there waiting for you! Are you ready for the challenge?
Connections
Connections will make or brake you in the world of work and actually in your life overall. Making connections with key people in this economy is more critical than ever before if you want to land that next job or gain access to those that can help you to see success in your business ventures.
So, how do you go about making connections… and making the RIGHT connections that are going to be important to you?
The first step in the process is to find out who YOU are! This may sound simple and you may be saying… “I already know myself!” But, many times we find that individuals, especially those that have been in the workforce for some time, have completely lost who they are. Through new, leading edge assessment techniques, we can help you to understand your passions, your interests, your needs, and your strengths. We don’t focus on who you are NOT… or what your weaknesses are… but, really work to understand the TRUE YOU!
Through our assessment techniques we can also help you to understand what your communication and relational strengths are and how to best fit you into work environments and connection situations that will allow you to flourish. So many times we try to fit ourselves into work situations and networking environments that do not meet our needs. We get frustrated because we don’t feel comfortable and we don’t gain the results we were hoping for. Many times in this life we are working to meet someone elses needs and/or be someone that we are not. That truly affects our ability to connect and can be detrimental to you seeing success especially in a job search.
Once we have the full debrief on the TRUE YOU… we begin the Coaching Process. Step One is finding out what your external needs are. For example, what are your income requirements, past experience base, personal situation, etc. Once we have this, we can combine the TRUE YOU with reality.
Next, we look at the trends in the industries that best suite you. Our assessment tool provides us with rich information on the occupations that fit YOU basis your style results. We combine that with your background and the current industry trends to create realistic and achievable goals for your future success.
Once we’ve zeroed in on the perfect job for you, we now will help you to find the connections that will bring you the results you want. Basis how you relate and communicate with others, we will build a plan of action that will get you connecting with the right individuals. It can range from
one on one discussions to group activities. The Coaching Team at ExecuInsight will help you to build a plan that fits you and they will hold you accountable.
While the plan is being built, it is important to bring out the TRUE YOU externally. We have experts that can translate your career goals into an effective resume or we like to call it, a promotional package. We also help people to find that external style that reflects them from an image perspective. Some people, especially those in the corporate environment, may have lost their true beauty on the outside due to stress and related factors. We have a team of experts who can help you find that style that fits and will help you to make the connections.
At ExecuInsight we are commited to helping you to see success through the right connections!