What if competition was all in your head? What if it was only about you? Instead of comparing yourself against someone else’s current state of being, what if you only looked at yourself and where you are in comparison to where YOU’VE been. That is the Pursuit of Better.
I just spent a week in my professional association (NSAspeaker.org) learning from, and networking with some of the people who are the best professional speakers, consultants, thought leaders and influencers in the country.
Here are a few of the prime take-aways, that apply to any business.
1. There is nothing more important than staying relevant. One of the best ways to stay relevant is to continue in the pursuit of better. We can all get better. We can update our knowledge, our training and learn what is applicable NOW, in 2022. We can see how the past informs the present, but learn from others as to how the present will inform the future.
2. Your personal and professional image need an update as everything has changed over the past few years. Is your image, personal and corporate as up to date as it could be? While at the convention in Nashville, TN, my friend, Dr. Mary Kelly and I hired a professional photographer to update our headshots and generate some brand new images to use on social media and correspondence with our clients. What are you doing to update your image and to stay relevant? (See the above image as an example of updated as of this week!)
3. Set goals for the future. Are there people in your industry with distinctions, accolades and credentials that you admire? Is it time to aspire to achieving those for yourself? My dad always said, if you are going to do something, do it to the best of your ability. That’s all you can do. Is there somewhere you would like to be by this time next year? Take care of yourself, and for your own well being, work into the pursuit of better. – Carolyn
Would your company benefit from a 4 day work week? In the UK, as they deal with massive labor shortages, they are spending the next 6 months experimenting with giving workers and companies the 4 day work week experience. If you are thinking of trying this (several of the companies I work with have this policy currently successfully in place), here are 3 things to watch for.
1. Be clear what a productive week looks like to each employee and department. Have metrics in place to ensure productivity stays at the level needed.
2. Let your team know that as a company/ CEO you care about them and are doing this to provide them with the quality of work/ life balance they crave.
3. To create company loyalty and bonding… every once in a while partner with a local charity on that extra day, and give your team members the opportunity to volunteer to support your community as a group.
It’s November. Conversations, advertisers and in store displays have the Holidays front and center … already. However this year, before we make our holiday plans, I want to invite you to consider that you’re probably different now than you were pre-holiday 2019. (I’m skipping over the holidays 2020 as that was such an anomoly… and much of the reason for the premise of this post).
Here’s the thing. Everyone I’ve encountered, spoken for and consulted with over the past months have noticed that they are different. Are you changed in some way from this recent globally shared pandemic experience? The whole point of the human experience is to evolve and change. Can you identify how you have shifted since November of 2019?
These 3 questions might help:
1. Is there something I enjoy now that I didn’t know I enjoyed 2 years ago?
2. Are there people I’d rather be around now and others maybe not so much?
3. Are there aspects of my work I’d rather be focusing on, and others I’d rather delegate or spend less time doing within or outside of my current work situation?
As we move into the holiday season of 2021, just be aware, that everyone you will encounter is different in some way. Having compassion for them is the kindest thing you can do. Also, the only way for the people in your world to know how you are different is for you to share what is true for you now.
Here are a few things that are true for me moving into the holiday season 2021.
1. I love working with organizations to create teams that function better and are able to do more with less through my certification as a Working Genius Facilitator.
2. I love and appreciate the opportunities I have to Emcee conferences with “wicked smart” attendees, (people in the fields of Medicine, Business and Government, so far for 2022).
3. I’m looking for more laughter every single day. If you’re funny reach out and say “hi”. I also aspire to create laughter in every conversation I have, and through my podcast Another Day Above Ground.
Wishing you a joyous and evolved holiday season! –Carolyn
Work is different now. And there is no where to easily get the skills to run and attend hybrid meetings. Joe Curcillo and I have created 100 Minutes to Brilliant Blended Meetings to solve the challenge of how to conduct and attend blended meetings. In 8 fast moving episodes and a bonus episode for team members, Joe and I combined our 40 years of meeting experience to create the guide for these challenging times. I am here to help. For a preview of the program please go to https://brilliant100.com/. And if an additional discount will help your company thrive, please reach out to me and ask. Happy Meetings!!
Unsettling is the word that many are using to describe this time we are all experiencing due to the “Coronapocalypse”. But as leaders, we can use this time as a reboot, and be the source of strength and stability that our teams are seeking. Many people are looking for a safe place to land. An environment where things make sense. This can be your business.
Since the whole world was shocked into stopping, this time is a once in a lifetime opportunity to reboot and reset your business in a new direction. But how do we do that? The first step is to get crystal clear as to what kind of business you are running, who you serve, and what you provide that is distinct to your market, geography or industry. Next, create a clear vision so that the people and resources that support your business all know how they fit into the picture.
If you can use help with this, just ask. I’m here to support leaders in creating cultures that support revenue, productivity and a happy workforce. Stay well, and cool.
We are living in a really strange time. I watched the Kentucky Derby for the first time this week and the horse that clearly won by a full length; didn’t.
I watched during the 2016 Presidential election when the candidate who won by 3 million votes; didn’t.
Maybe winning isn’t winning anymore. Maybe we should re-examine how we judge the outcomes of events and projects. Perhaps we should evaluate situations based solely on merit.
When I was a little girl I learned the lesson of “always do your best to try your hardest and whatever happens happens”. Whether I won or lost didn’t matter. The question was, did I do my best? Are we living in a world where doing your best isn’t good enough?
I want to encourage everyone working on projects and goals and intended outcomes to re-examine for themselves what winning looks like. Perhaps it means getting the best results you can with the resources and talent you have and not caring what the rest of the world thinks. If we can do that… my grandmother would be proud.
