Mindset Intervention

Great article in the Times Who Gets to Graduate? citing that 40% of the students that get to college don't graduate and often those that do graduate come from affluent families. Why?

It's not about money but mindset. One finding from Laude and Yeager is that many students from less wealthy families interpret and internalize setbacks (poor grade on a test, argument with roommate, someone being mean, etc.) very differently than their counterparts. Plus when doubts about capability and belonging are reinforced at home, these students struggle even more.

Mindset interventions influence graduation rates and student well being. A mindset intervention doesn't necessarily change a core belief but it can change the meaning of a discouraging event from a permanent setback to a temporary one! It also builds resilience which is needed in any endeavor of merit.

Experiment with this idea. Think of a goal you are struggling with and ask:

What do I believe about my ability to fulfill my dream?

What skills do I need to succeed?

Who supports me as I pursue my new endeavor?

What self-talk is helping or hindering my progress?

How can I get my sense of humor back?

Do I need to eat some humble pie and move on?

What messages am I attending to?

What would I do if failure wasn't an option?

Staying Clean Amidst Change

Change can bring out our best or our worst. When we are leaving a position, struggling with a new leader, managing a conflict or wrestling with a decision beyond our influence, how do we do the right thing when we don't feel like it? When our emotions are triggered and all over the board, how can we stay integral, get our needs met and not "burn any bridges?" 

Staying clean means managing our own emotional reactions without burdening or slandering others. It is the height of emotional intelligence. 

To stay clean amidst change, experiment with these ideas:

• Whether you are right or not, interact with compassion
• Bring love versus malice 
• Name/claim what is going on for you without projecting it on others
• Seek to resolve creatively rather than reactively
• Define reality (including constraints) and make choices that benefit all 
• Manage your own emotional reactions productively and don’t collude with others about the situation 
• Focus on what you can influence
• Share what is going on with you so others don't take it personally
• Do your job well
• Avoid the tendency to gossip, complain, or defend
• Meet challenge from a neutral or centered place
• Name what you are feeling and seek to resolve without blame
• Focus on lessons learned instead of mistakes
• Don’t take sides or expect others to do so either
• Breathe deeply, pause

If you can look your adversary (or those involved) in the eye AND face yourself in the mirror, you are clear, clean and will sleep better too!

Tips for Moving Up

If you are wondering why you haven't been promoted or are proactively seeking a bigger leadership role, The Leadership Pipeline provides some common transition traps to anticipate and mitigate. Here are a few to get you started:

Manager of Managers

• Don't exhibit uncertainty or delay decisions. Learn to make choices that are directionally correct.
• Expand alliances outside comfort zone. Rely less on previous team members and friends. 
• Seek differing opinions and views. Value diversity.
• Hold direct reports accountable for leading and developing others. Inspire and feedback.
• Embrace new ideas. Explore new ways to achieve results.

Functional Leader

• Align function with enterprise. Move beyond tactical focus.
• Don't rely too much on expertise.  Develop broader knowledge and experience to drive innovation. 
• Build positive climate within the team. Focus on employee engagement.
• Trust others to do the work. Coach and mentor.
• Don't allow a few trusted colleagues to influence views and decisions. Expand your network and promote your "wins".
• Develop strong cross-functional working relationships. Invest time here.

Business Leader

• Balance and align regional/business leadership with enterprise. Focus on longer-term strategy.
• Understand all aspects of the business. Focus on how growth and profit will be achieved.
• Trust others. Make your thinking transparent and encourage others to do the same.
• Invest in people. Accurately assess and manage talent.

Flourishing in 2013

Martin Segliman, a positive psychology guru, has shifted his work from happiness to flourishing. He invites us to go for lasting well-being (for all) instead of temporary boosts of pleasure (for me). Flourishing is about growth, learning and service to life regardless of circumstance. The elements of his model include:

• Positive emotions (of which happiness and life satisfaction are all aspects): Feeling joy, exuberance, love, passion, etc.
• Engagement: Being in flow
• Relationships: Experiencing interconnectedness
• Meaning: Contributing to something greater than self
• Achievement: Accomplishing 

Try out some of his exercises if the idea of thriving (instead of just surviving) calls you:

• Do a random act of kindness 
• Write down what you accomplish each day and why it is meaningful
• Use your signature strengths* as a human being to tackle unpleasant tasks
• Apply 2.9:1 positive to negative comment ratio (at work) and 5:1 (at home)

*To learn more about signature strengths check out the book Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being

To learn more about flourishing check out this tube video

Formula for Change

Gleicher's Change Formula D X V X F  > R asserts, “Three factors must be present for meaningful change to take place. These factors are D= Dissatisfaction with how things are now. V= Vision of what is possible. F= First, concrete steps that can be taken towards the vision. 

If the product of these three factors is greater than R= Resistance, then change is possible. Because D, V, and F are multiplied if any one is absent or low, then it will be harder to overcome resistance to change."

To test it out consider a significant change that lasted on your team, in your leadership or with your organization.

• What was irritating you? What wasn't working anymore?
• What was your desired future state? What did success look like, sound like, feel like? How did the aspiration benefit all?
• What was first? What baby steps did you take physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually? How was each action aligned with the dream?
• What did you notice about the creative tension between the dissatisfaction, desire and action and resistance as you progressed?

If the formula worked, apply what you learned in another category.

Serving or Pleasing?

If you are high in complying strategies on The Leadership Circle Profile or spend a lot of time trying to please your boss, your colleagues or your customers to no avail, check out this 20 minute audio program http://www.box.com/shared/v08xbcyrsq by Steve Chandler, He distinguishes between serving (making a difference) and pleasing (winning people over).

Many think being of service means pleasing and so become martyrs or victims.

Mr. Chandler provides a great example of 2 types of vacuum salesmen from the good old days. One salesman shares all the features and benefits of a vacuum, has beautiful brochures and a soothing voice. He tries to be a friend and win people over. The other salesman dumps dirt on the carpet and cleans it up with the vacuum. He shows what the vacuum can do instead of promoting it. Guess who sells more vacuum cleaners?

Service is about focusing on others more than yourself (but not at the expense of yourself). Whether you are selling products, services or ideas it's a worthy distinction.

Thanks Danielle for the resource!

20 Seconds of Courage

Check out this brief clip called "20 Seconds of Courage" from the movie We Bought a Zoo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmMFIganRQY

We all can relate to teenage angst but how can you apply this axiom in your work today? Where and with whom would 20 seconds of courage make a huge difference?

Where is potential embarrassment holding you up? Where is fear keeping you from what is best for all? Can you psych yourself up for 20 seconds to:

• Ask for a raise?
• Hold a colleague accountable to a team agreement?
• Follow your intuition?
• Have that difficult conversation?
• Say what is unsaid?
• Make a request?

"I promise you something great will come of it."

Balance or Congruence?

Work-life balance seems to be a constant challenge for those doing more with less. While the intent of this competency is for us to be healthy, happy and fulfilled the verbiage can actually create stress.

Career is one aspect of life. It not the opposite of home/family. Balance is not static. It requires subtle movement. Who you are is ever present regardless of the role you are playing.

What if work-life balance isn't about the hours you spend in one place or another, but about congruence. The more aligned and awake you are in all areas of life the less energy you'll spend trying to balance something that inherently can't be. Here are a few questions to get you started:

• Do your personal values and the organizations align? 
• Are you different at home and at work? How so? What do you gain? lose?
• Does your inhale equal your exhale?
• Do your four intelligences (physical, emotional, intellectual, intuitive) work together?
• How do you show up in different roles (mother, boss, soccer player, team member, sister, customer, board member, volunteer, etc.)?
• Where are your authentic and egoic selves at odds?
• What supports your capacity to do and be?
• How much unnecessary tension do you hold in your body? (Try standing straight using only 10% muscle)
• Do your thoughts, words and actions match?

Positioning Your Niche

Great brands know themselves. Consider the difference between King Soopers and Whole Foods, Linked In and Facebook, Droid and IPhone, Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul, Haagen-Dazs and Dairy Queen or Donald Trump and Paul Hawken. Each person, product or company owns who it is by recognizing and sharing its unique place and function in the world. 

Whether you want a promotion or new assignment it is helpful to claim and communicate your niche so you can intentionally attract what is yours and repel what is not.

A niche is the specific way in which you add value in a given profession. It's about who you are and what you offer. Here are some questions to get you started: 

• What differentiates you?
• What is your specialty?
• What makes you good at your work?
• What is your style? 
• What is your expertise?
• What are you known for?
• What do people ask for your help with?
• What do employers/clients pay you for?
• Why do you exist?
• What makes you unique? 
• How do others describe you? (hip, traditional, necessary, innovative, affordable) 

Positioning statements articulate a niche in a compelling manner. Starbucks is "the third place" (the stop between home and work). TED (the online video site) is "the ultimate dinner conversation." Jen Spencer (life coach) is "your wing woman."

What's your line?

Interviewing tips from the “Corner Office”

The NY Times feature called the “Corner Office” provides great tips for interviewing from CEO’s.

John Chambers of Cisco Systems wants to hear about your results not all you can do. It’s the difference between saying, “I write good copy” and “My last blog generated an increase in web site hits by 25%”.

He also wants to know about your failures because “all of us have had mistakes and failures.” Instead of responding, “I can’t think of one” which Mr. Chambers says, “immediately loses credibility.” Share a lesson learned or two.

Then he “tries to figure out if you’re really oriented around the customer.” Do you speak in terms of how your work impacts the customer? What are the needs and aspirations of the customers of the position you are interviewing for?

And finally, do you have good communication skills--especially listening. Do you interrupt or plan your next response? Are your questions rote, standard or do they arise out of your conversation naturally?

Maigread Eickten CEO of FRS, a maker of energy drinks “finds that a ton people don’t know that much about the company.” She’s looking for preparation. Do you know the success and challenges of the company? The history? The mission, vision, values?

She’s also looking for passion. Do you exude competence? Have enthusiasm?

Demonstrate ways you can add value?

And finally product knowledge. She’s had a few people who haven’t even tried the FRS energy drink. “If they say that, the interview is over.”

For more from CEO’s on interviewing go to http://www.nytimes.com/ and search “corner office.”

Career Signs

If you have found assessments like Myers Briggs, DISC or 360's helpful in your career development, consider adding astrology to your tool box. In her book, "Star Signs at Work" Debbie Burns uses astrology as a guide to success in the workplace. She suggests that we have the most energy, talent and impact when we are aware of and aligned with our own nature. Find your sun sign below by your birth date. Look to the the essence or substance or archetype of Debbie's vocational suggestions. How do the qualities show up in your current job or future aspirations?  

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19) Sportsperson, exec, entrepreneur, firefighter, life saver I DO

Taurus (Apr 20- May 20) Accountant, banker, agriculturist, florist, landscape gardener, massage therapist, historian, museum/gallery manager, art dealer I OWN

Gemini (May 21-Jun 20) Interpreter, TV presenter, journalist, sociologist, editor, writer, sales, marketing, PR I COMMUNICATE

Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22) Interior decorator, homemaker, nurse, day-care worker, social worker, antiques dealer, chef, counselor, hotel manager I NURTURE

Leo (July 23-Aug 22) Exec, actor, TV presenter, sales manager, charity exec, freedom fighter, fashion designer I RULE

Virgo (Aug 23- Sept 22) Accountant, bookkeeper, researcher, academic, dietitian, executive ass't, finance, administration, science I SERVE

Libra (Sept 23-Oct 22) Lawyer, judge, politician, diplomat, presenter, sales, psychologist, marketing I COOPERATE

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21) Secret agent, private investigator, detective, scientist, researcher, analyst, pharmacist, doctor, surgeon, security guard I INVESTIGATE

Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21) Travel agent, photo journalist, park ranger, freelance "anything", travel writer/reporter, taxi driver, zoologist, union activist, sociologist I'M FREE

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19) Manager, banker, architect, engineer, analyst, bookkeeper, dentist, IT professional, archaeologist, anthropologist I ASPIRE

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18) Scientist, writer, inventor, engineer, problem solving, electronics, analysis, humanitarian I ORIGINATE 

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20) Artist, writer, actor, dancer, musician, nurse, counselor, priest/minister, astrologer, numerologist I DREAM

For more, find Debbie's book at http://www.amazon.com/Star-Signs-Work-Astrology-Workplace/dp/1590030680/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1291133649&sr=8-1