John Adams, the 2nd Vice President of the United States, wrote back in the 18th century, “If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind, whom should we serve?” In these words, I think that President Adams was giving a call to action. Adams was motivating, inspiring, commanding that we be in service to mankind!

“How can I serve mankind, when I can barely keep my company afloat, meet payroll, pay the vendors, expand services, continue services?” one might ask. Or is the better question,  “How can one not serve mankind, when some can barely put food on the table, receive health care, access transportation to find a job, let alone keep the job?”  

I am not talking about service that is enabling, debilitating and or demeaning because one has more and must take care of some one that has less. I am suggesting that we actively seek opportunities to serve others in meaningful, mutually beneficial ways. That we approach each day as an opportunity to discover someone, some organization, some community that has little or big challenges and offer service little respect, integrity, compassion and humility.

“Okay,” one agrees that service is important. “How do I begin? Where do I go to find opportunities to offer my services? How can I be sure that my services will be appreciated or accepted?”

One pre-requisite that I have made for myself is to go into the service with an attitude that I will also be receiving something in return. This return won’t be money. It will be some much more and it always is.

In service to others, I keep in mind that everyone – I mean everyone – has value and a contribution to make.  I learned very humbling lesson more thank once.

In one experience, I volunteered to work with women in low income housing.  I was working as an executive in a health system and decided that I needed to offer my services and expertise to one of our community service programs.  I showed up dressed in a business suit and heels – just a tad overdressed for the occasion.  I intended to “teach” them about self esteem and a better way to live by sharing some “tips and tools.”

There were about 20 women and several small children in the community room.   I had been speaking at these women for about ten minutes when one woman stood up and she interrupted me.  “I may not have a car, nice clothes or a fancy job, but I do know how to a thing or two about taking care of my family.” She continued, “I have two modes of transportation – my two feet.  I have 9 people that I am responsible for and I have four part time jobs.  We may not have a lot, but there’s food on the table, a roof over our heads and I love all of my family and I don’t need someone to make me feel like I am not doing a good job. Let’s get that straight right up front.”

Talk about a humbling experience.  I apologized and asked them what they would like to talk about.  You see, I forgot to ask them about themselves – I made some terrible assumptions.  Fortunately, one of those courageous, intelligent, talented women was willing to stand up for the others and her. She was not willing to waste her time, but she was willing to invest it. It turned the experience around and I am fortunate to have a relationship with many of these women for more than a decade.  They have taught me economy, time management, resourcefulness, courage and so much more.

Another experience, I was distributing some food to a center for the homeless and mentally challenged.  I was in a hurry as usual, but there was a cluster of men outside of the building just leaning against the wall.  One man, surrounded by his bags and a shopping cart, stopped me and said. “You look like you could use a hug today.”  He grabbed me and hugged me tight! At first, I was rather shocked. Then suddenly, I realized he was right, the day had been hectic and I was doing a duty not enjoying the service.  He made my day.

I do hope that I have caused you to think of the power of service in a slightly different manner.  Take a moment and write down one service that you can perform today. And write down what you received in return.

The service _______________________________________

What I received in return ___________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Here’s some messages that can play over and over in my head

• I’m not good enough.
• I’m not smart enough.
• I’m not rich enough.
• I’m not deserving of a promotion or a healthy relationship. 

Now it’s your turn.

I’m not…

I’ve come to realize over the course of time, that the greatest noise in my head,  the voice that hammers at me day-in-and-day-out, is me. This is that little voice that becomes so loud that it can and does make or break a person, a family, a career, a community, or a world’s spirit.

How can we change the recording in our head so that we can appreciate our ability to thrive and grow, learn and lead personally and professionally? How can we change our heads so that we allow our hearts, our passion to believe the following…

• I am interesting!
• I am making a contribution!
• I am  terrific!
• I am a great writer!

Now it’s your turn.

I am…

There are actually many techniques and tools to help us take better care of heads so that our hearts, our soul, our passion and our purpose are achieved. Fortunately, for me, I tend to by nature be a person that sees the cup more than half full and often overflowing, but even I need help sometimes.

How can we change our words and pictures to help us become a person and leader that we have great love and appreciation for?  We can start in the children’s section of the bookstore or library and read The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper.

 The Little Engine that Could is one of my favorite children’s books and the reason is this little phrase that plays over and over again,

 “I think I can!”

“I think I can!”

“I think I can!”

If we chug along with that thought in our heads, it becomes surprising how we view ourselves very differently and are able to achieve extraordinary results.  Let’s put it to use right now…

Do you want a successful business? Think I can!”

Do you want a new job? Think I can!”

Do you want a new relationship? Think I can!”

Do you want to write a book? Think I can!”

 Do you want to be courageous, successful, happy, at peace? Think I can!”

Now, let’s move into the psychology section.  Denis Waitley wrote a book and created an audio book entitled, Psychology of Winning.  Dr. Waitley details the “Ten Steps for Winning” often put into practice by Olympic athletes and top executives alike.  One of the “top steps is positive self expectancy.” This one in particular certainly can help us to improve that voice in our head and position ourselves for a more effective, productive, happy and healthy life.  We must use our self talk  to create our own “little engine that could,”  in order for us to create positive self expectancy and ultimate success.

Reframing our thoughts and our words into strong, positive, affirming statements is the key. Index cards are a fabulous pocket-sized tool for everyone. The one side is lined for words. The opposite side is blank and a great place to draw a visual or take a picture and tape it on the card. The little index card is the perfect vehicle to pen strong, positive affirmations to set your thinking straight and create strong visuals to help you wrap your heart around feeling successful. 

The problem with most of us is that we seldom shake ourselves and wake ourselves to the noise that goes on in our heads. Unfortunately, the yammering today is destructive and limiting. We find ourselves becoming less and less. Our dreams fade. Our lives fade.

When with a little conscious effort and positive self expectancy – our dreams grow and our lives flourish, because then new voice says over and over again

“I think I can!”

In today’s environment high stakes, decisions arise every day.  Executives, professionals, team leaders and people of all walks of life are faced with the a variety of decisions.  We must battle shifting goals, missing information, nonstop confusion, and do-or-die deadlines. We must constantly make choices that can and will impact our future every day.  How we transform ourselves into becoming faster, better decision makers is the hallmark of a great leader.

In 1998, Gary Klein, an expert in cognitive psychology, conducted extensive research on the topic of intuition and published the book entitled Sources of Power: How People Make Decisions. In his ground breaking work on intuition he delved into how how people perceive and observe, think and reason, act and react.  In understanding  human behavior, Klein worked extensively to determine what it took to make good decisions.  The single most significant finding was in the power of using  intuition. In fact he staked his career on this concept  “the hunch that people have grossly underestimated the power of gut instinct.”

His work included extensive research regarding people and how “because they are active interpreters of their world, their experience cannot be deconstructed into the kinds of rules that will fit into expert systems.”  He explored how using rational deductive reasoning works in neutral, non stressful situations, but as the stakes and stress increase, our decision making ability changes drastically.

The decision makers that makes better choices consistently are the persons who “internalized” themselves into the situation.  Even if the decision seemed irrational, they more than thought about the decision the more they could feel  the rightness or the wrongness of the decision.

How we handle decision making therefore can be greatly enhanced by developing our  awareness.  It takes more than just what we think in a given situation, but also how we process our feelings in our life experiences.  Take me for example, I have a track record of being able to instinctively know when it is time to make a change.  What literally pops up for me when a situation doesn’t feel right is that I am a “round peg in a square whole.”  I feel tight, constrained and very uncomfortable when I am in a situation that I absolutely know is not the right.  As soon as this happens, my intuition takes off like a rocket and I know that I must change course immediately or move on.

Trusting intuition pays off every time! I’d learn to hear from you if you have any tips on how your intuition has paid off for you.

His work focused on growth motivation as another term for self actualization needs and called them “being needs” (B-Needs).  In contrast, most research in the past had been focused on deficit motivation or “deficit needs” (D-Needs). Maslow suggested that only two percent of the people in the world achieve self actualization.

Dr. Maslow concentrated his research on people who met certain criteria using  biographical analysis. A few of the individuals he researched who met this standard of self actualization included: Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jane Adams and William James.   These individuals were great because they chose to tap into greater potential. They, like each of us, had to overcame fear, mistakes, adversity and challenges, but, they decided to use their strengths and talents to get closer to being fully actualized.

Abraham Maslow’s B Values

• Wholeness/Unity/Oneness
• Perfection/Just-so-ness
• Completion/Finality/Ending
• Justice/Fairness
• Aliveness/Full-Functioning
• Richness/Intricacy
• Simplicity/Essential/Honesty
• Beauty/Form/Richness
• Goodness/Oughtness
• Uniqueness/Idiosyncrasy/Novelty
• Effortlessness/Ease/Perfect
• Playfulness/Joy/Humor
• Truth/Reality/Beauty/Pure
• Self-Sufficiency/Independence

Today, consider capitalizing on  strengths, instead of focusing on deficiencies.  Maslow’s “B values” are available to each of us. Let’s make increasing the two percent of the self actualized population our number one priority and expand our potential.

“The difference between the possible and the impossible lies in a person’s determination.” ~ Tommy Lasorda

“Once you learn to quit, it becomes a habit.” ~ Vince Lombardi

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” ~John Wooden

“A champion needs a motivation above and beyond winning.” Pat Riley

“Some people think they are concentrating when they’re merely worrying.” ~ Bobby Jones

Albert Schweitzer

Research tells us that people average 25,000 to 50,000 thoughts per day and 80% are negative.  No wonder there is so much disease, dysfunction and despair.  What can we do to re-construct our world?  Change our thoughts! This is much easier said than done.

Here are five tips to help us move from half empty to half full to overflowing:

Serve someone or something other than yourself.  Often times, we become so self-absorbed that we are almost immobilized. Staying is bed may sound comfortable, but it really is not the most positive, or productive, use of our time.  When we find a person or a cause that we can help, our energy goes up and time and talent have no limits.

Enjoy Life as DeWitt Jones would say, “Celebrate What’s Right with the World.”  Recently, I was working with a team in which one member was wheelchair bound. Everyone on the team seemed to gravitate to this young man. I so enjoyed his enthusiasm and energy, that I quickly forgot he that he was “handicapped.”  At lunch, he shared his story.  At eighteen, he had been involved with gangs.  He thought that he was invincible and challenged the leader of another gang.  The results were a gunshot wound to the back that left him paralyzed from the waist down, instantly he was a paraplegic.  This experience saved his life.   He said, “I celebrate that I can still think and feel and contribute.”   I often think of his total enjoyment in life and work when I get down.

Review the negative thoughts that you do have and make a conscious decision to be more positive.  Often, we become so caught up in the spirit of being negative or that we forget to take a huge breath and reflect on our thoughts.  Bashing and banging away on a person or a problem generates nothing but headaches. While, stepping away and giving a bad situation space. I was traveling and had a problem with putting my luggage into the overhead compartment on the plane.  The line behind me was backing up and I just couldn’t get the bag in the compartment (of course it was overflowing) and the man who was sitting next to me was giving me instructions for how to make it fit without getting up and assisting. Finally, another kind soul helped me out and the bag was stowed.  At first, I was angry and totally let go of why he chose not to help me.  Later in the flight we started to talk and he told me he just had surgery and had 19 stitches.  I am so grateful that I didn’t allow my negativity to ruin a great rest of the flight and meeting a great person.

Value that you are human. More often than not, we are feeling guilty and angry at ourselves for our own shortcomings.  We sink deeper and deeper into self defeating attitudes that begin to bury our minds, our bodies and our souls.  Learn to laugh at yourself.  I find that I really enjoy sharing stories of some things that I had messed up and can enjoy a great laugh with others about the experience.

xercise and get out of your head.  Physical exercise helps us to overcome negativity, depression and anxiety. We are locked into chairs, cars, planes and almost any other controlled space that limits our ability to be physical.  Instead of jumping into your car and rushing to a luncheon meeting, why not ask a friend to meet you in a park with sneakers and walk for your meeting.  This tip alone has helped me solve problems, brainstorm and ultimately have a greater relationship and level of productivity.

When we choose to re-construct our world with Service, Enjoyment, Reviewing, Valuing and Exercise, our glasses, our thoughts and our lives will always be positive and overflowing.

Laura R. Novakowski, President, Positive Power Strategies, Inc.

On the leadership journey, many challenges crop up that cause fear and trepidation. Time marches on and all too often leaders today are allowing circumstances and events to stop progress. Risk aversion prevails. Opportunities overlooked. Playing is safe supports mediocrity. Criticism runs rampant. Self talk becomes self condemnation. Shoddy performance is overlooked. Ultimately, there is no one championing the cause.

What can we do to lead the charge? Become lion hearted!

Here are some tips to support courageous lion hearted leadership…

1. Be willing to take risks. Rather than blending in and bending to everyone else’s will and whim, look for new prospects, new adventures. Be willing to sail in unchartered waters.Follow these sage words from William Shedd’s: “A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.”
   
2. Be an opportunity seeker. Approach each person, event, situation as a chance to grow, thrive and contribute. Don’t wait to be asked. Step up and step out of the box. The opportunity seekers generated light, heat, and walked on the moon. There are infinite opportunities to make a better… if you are willing to try.Follow these words from Raymond Lindquist: “Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.”
3. Set HIGH standards. Don’t settle for average. Don’t aim for mediocre. Set the bar high. Go for the gold. The lionhearted leaders are the ones who set almost impossible goals and even if they don’t hit 100% they generally achieve far greater results than the person who holds a leadership role and sets targets so low that anyone can hit them.Thoreau once wrote these profound words: “Not failure, but low aim, is a crime.”
   
4. Set HIGH standards. Don’t settle for average. Don’t aim for mediocre. Set the bar high. Go for the gold. The lionhearted leaders are the ones who set almost impossible goals and even if they don’t hit 100% they generally achieve far greater results than the person who holds a leadership role and sets targets so low that anyone can hit them.Denis Waitley once wrote: “Life is not accountable to us. We are accountable to life.”
5. Set HIGH standards. Don’t settle for average. Don’t aim for mediocre. Set the bar high. Go for the gold. The lionhearted leaders are the ones who set almost impossible goals and even if they don’t hit 100% they generally achieve far greater results than the person who holds a leadership role and sets targets so low that anyone can hit them.In the words of Vince Lombardi: “Inches make a champion.”

Today’s leader cannot be faint of heart. They must lead the cause generating passion,persistence and purpose every step of the way. Be lion hearted!

Lion Hearted Leadership

By: Leanne Hoagland-Smith, Chief Results Officer, ADVANCED SYSTEMS
leanne@processspecialist.com

For historians buffs, mention the phrase “lion hearted” and some will think of Richard I of England who was known as Coeur de Lion or Richard the Lionheart. His reputation as a great military leader and warrior proceeded him even before he ascended to the throne of England.

In today’s world, the battlefield has changed along with the dress and some of the behaviors. No longer due leaders need to dispatch their enemies to some heavenly retreat or wear suits of armor.

However, there are still some behaviors that remain the same. Thinking strategically meaning to outthink the competition is still very crucial. Being able to demonstrate courage in a landscape where the battle for economic survival is every changing mainly due to technology is critical.

Much has been written about the different types of leadership such as servant leadership. Yet, without courage, without being willing to lead by example, without a well thought out plan, battles for customers, employees to market share can be quickly lost.

Theodore Hesburgh once wrote that “no one can follow an uncertain trumpet.” The image of Richard the Lionhearted in battle was one that inspired others to follow him. His trumpet was quite certain.

Lionhearted leadership for me is about those qualities we envision when we think of these two words – lion and heart. Lions are symbols of courage, of strength, of leading a team and still being able to lead ourselves. Heart represents our emotions, our ability to relate to others, our emotional intelligence.

In a society where sometimes individualism is both desired and rejected, finding the right leadership style is difficult. Until we have the individual strength to lead ourselves first along with the heart to work with others, it truly does not matter what name we subscribe to leadership.

Personally, since people hear words and think in pictures, the concept of a lion with a big heart is not a bad one to embrace. The challenge is identifying and then living those behaviors that you believe reflect lion hearted leadership.

Do You Have a Lion Heart?

By: Laura Canter – Psychologist, CanterAssociates

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. ~ Nelson Mandela

People who are strong in courage overcome their fears and accomplish their goals despite having the fear. As Nelson Mandela pointed out in the above quote, courage does not mean that you are free of feeling or thinking of fear, but rather having the strength to reach for your goals despite the presence of fear. It’s funny, when we traditionally think of brave people; our minds go towards soldiers, fire fighters, police officers – people who tend to have stories of heroism associated with their title and job role. Of course all of these professions require brave men and women to face fear on a daily basis.

But, what about the rest of us? When was the last time you were courageous? What acts of heroism have you expressed in your professional life or personal life? Have you ever stood up for a friend or colleague, have you ever taken a risk in business, or have you stopped at an accident and asked if you could be of some help? Have you ever left an unsatisfying relationship? – aren’t all of these examples of courage?

Many people directly associate courage with actions which are influenced by their morals, ethics or values. People who are strong in courage are admirable in that they do not let a little discomfort hold them back from doing what is right or from trying a new experience. Eleanor Roosevelt said: The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experiences to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experiences.

Now yes, she did leave out the part that states: even if you fall flat on your face. But, falling flat on your face is okay too. It is not failing if you learn from it and keep trying to pursue your dreams and goals.

Every day I speak with Healthcare Executives going through tough job transitions. The vast majority of them are experiencing fear while going through their transition. It is not always a choice someone willingly made for themselves or for their families. But, after we talk about the previous job I begin to hear the same theme come forward – I wasn’t happy there. I haven’t been happy for a long time….I didn’t enjoy what I was doing, who I was working for…etc.

Eventually, I hear the same story over and over again – from EVERYONE! This is key: we know deep down we are not happy or satisfied. But, we are too afraid to listen to that unhappiness and ask that tough question – what if?

Instead of being in control of our own destinies, we let others take our power from us. We stay with unsatisfactory and even abusive organizations/relationships because we are too afraid. What if I leave and I don’t have a new job to go to? Many of them feel betrayed when we are let go from the organization. Though these feelings are justified, one needs to also look inward to recognize – had I just been courageous…had I just listened to that roar coming from within…maybe I would have been more proactive and left the company on my own terms. It’s amazing how much of our power we give away to other people because of fear. Listen to your lion heart! Listen to the roar from within…what is it telling you to do?

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. ~ Winston Churchill

When I asked myself, I started to realize that my answers would have been similar causing me to lose focus and to scatter all my time, talent and energy all over the map. Fortunately, I have some great colleague and mentors that connected me with a great concept that I would like to share with you.  The concept is called the Sphere of Control/Sphere of Influence and has proven to be invaluable to me to focus and achieve amazing results.

This idea was adapted from a very dear colleague George Richardson, President of the Profectus Service Organization. He and others that have mentored me over the years helped me to adopt and adapt this concept quickly and easily and really focus.

Starting inside, your Sphere of Control causes you to focus on, concentrate on and spend your energy on what you can control, what you can do something about.”  In this sphere, you identify your own purpose and dreams. Not someone else’s.  Next you make decisions, set goals, take action and focus on your own performance and behaviors to get you closer to being on purpose and achieving your dreams. When I decided to intentionally focus on what I could and would control my entire life shifted.  Relationships improved, projects came together, business started flowing and I really love my life and my profession.

Next, in your Sphere of Influence, you now have more opportunities to be an example of extraordinary leadership. A simple, one word definition of leadership is influence. In the influence realm, you serve as an example, showing attributes such as support, cooperation, collaboration and persuasion.  Because you have focused on what is within your own control, your own attitude and behaviors, the rest takes care of itself. I cannot make it stop raining, nor can I make someone like me. When my focus immediately shifts back to I can control my response to the weather and to some else’s response and reaction to me, life gets a whole lot easier.

The last arena in this concept is the Outside of Your Sphere of Control or Influence. The only focus or attention you give this area is to DROP IT!  You can’t control or influence it anyway so why waste your energy?

A very simple approach – Focus on What You Can Control!