Colleagues,
This week we focus on treating ourselves better. 11. I control my attitude Thirty years ago, this would have been my number one. For the past ten years it hasn’t even been on my list. Now it’s back. Why? Let’s be honest, the last few years have been a train wreck. With a pandemic, war, angry politics, a drug epidemic, climate change, etc… it doesn’t look like it is going to get any easier. For the past two years I have privately been enduring bouts of mild depression. In those times I struggle to be as productive as I think I should be. It becomes hard to make the best choices, to care for myself, to maintain self-discipline. The one thing I do manage to do consistently is to control my own attitude. Paraphrasing Craig Martin (whose great podcast interview is here), we choose how we show up for others. It is the simplest choice where we have the most control. The simple truth is that of 1000 people, 999 of them are good people. Flawed, lost, angry, in pain, but still, good people. I can choose to hold onto that and let it feed me. I can choose to embrace the fact that I control my attitude and that I can choose to be a lighthouse – a person who makes those 999 people feel and be better. And along the way, in serving others, I will be happier too. Intention: Monitor closely how you show up for others. Cheers! Frederick
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Colleagues,
10. M=V/E Motivation equals value divided by effort. If people don’t seem motivated enough then one of two things is wrong. Either they don’t see the full value, or the endeavor requires too much effort. This isn’t about being resistant, or lazy, or anything else negative. It is just economics. I may drive nine hours to visit my family, but I won’t travel that distance to visit someone I met at a concert last week. The value is not worth the effort. Note also, that what some people may value highly, others may not. In addition, the same task may require different levels of effort by different people. A motivation problem is simply a misalignment between what we are asking people to do and the value they see in doing it. Intention: Reflect on someone who resisted a change you were asking for and try to understand the V/E equation from their perspective. Cheers! Frederick Colleagues,
9. Embrace wu-wei Wu-wei is a concept articulated in the Tao Te Ching. I’m not a philosopher, so don’t fault my interpretation, but I read wu-wei as doing without doing. Think of that little pebble that drops into a pond and the ripples spread out far and wide. Such a small action, but such a large impact. This couples perfectly with number 8 (leading from behind). At the beginning of an understanding, if I empower the right person in the right way, and they go forth and do great work, I have done wu-wei, having a great impact but doing nothing. If you believe in servant leadership, you should be embracing this concept. Intention: Think about a recent challenge that you stepped in to work on. Was there someone else who you could have helped tackle that issue? Cheers! Frederick Colleagues,
8. Leading from behind is more important than leading from in front (most of the time) Sometimes, when you are charging ahead, you outdistance the people behind you. When that happens, you are more of a lone wolf than the leader of the pack. Leaders who do everything leave no room for others to grow. Leading from behind means asking people how you can help them and empowering their visions as opposed to telling them what to do to serve yours. Intention: Think about some people around you who have more leadership potential than they are using. What opportunities can you provide to them? Cheers! Frederick Colleagues, 7. The pyramid has 8 sides Most of us have grown up believing that the great pyramid has four sides because that is what we see. The truth however, is that it has eight sides and they are in plain view. How does that happen? It’s right in front of us and we don’t see it. The eight sides weren’t (re)discovered until 1940 when an airplane took a picture from above the pyramid, and this is the critical lesson. When we examine old places from new perspectives, we can see things that have been in front of us the whole time, but that we never saw before. Imagine what this could mean for your leadership. Intention: If you have embraced the idea that organizational culture is a reflection of the degree of alignment (or misalignment) between people, purpose, structures, and resources, then you understand what I’m saying about looking at old things through a new perspective. If this isn’t making sense, email us and we will send you some more info. Tune in this week for an insightful episode with Dr. Steve Miletto, as we discuss the biggest challenges facing school administrators today and practical solutions for overcoming them, including essential tips for both new and returning administrators. You can listen here. Cheers!
Frederick |
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