Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
I’ve never been much for receiving gifts that do not have special meaning. I am grateful for the kindness of others but I would rather give it to those that would benefit most. There are many whose priorities suddenly shifted when the pandemic hit. It was really refreshing. Before we knew it, there was a growing comfort with:

1. allowing your hair to show its roots
2. being able to spend quality time with your children rather than rushing them to soccer/dance/football/hockey practice while they force food down their throats in the car or right before they run out the door
3. inconveniencing ourselves to safely connect with others like the 30-something year old man I saw standing outside talking on his cell while looking up to his grandma who’s smiling face shone down at him from her condo.

 
I smile brightly every time I hear and see those things. It reminds me, that all is not lost in the world. We know that once our basic needs of food, shelter and safety are met, as humans, we need human connection.
 
Wouldn’t that be something exciting to carry into a post-COVID world? Will you join me in continuing this upward movement by sharing all of the things you are grateful for during the month of December?
 
Every week I will share with you on social media (connect with me on LinkedIn and follow me on Instagram) my Attitude of Gratitude! It’s simple and you can quickly read how to here. I’ll name one person, situation, experience, realization, opportunity, etc. for which I’m grateful. Will you join me?
 
If there was ever a year, a reason and a season, this is it. Let’s spread our Attitude of Gratitude and start a chain reaction! The more we focus on the good, the happier and more content we are as humans.

Photo by Helen Ngoc N. on Unsplash

I don't know what the weather looks like in your neck of the woods but where I am, every day is a snow day! I love it! Walking in the snow, snowshoeing, and making snow angels (Yes! I am five years old all over again.) Before the snow fell, I had the pleasure of having one last snow-free bike ride with my husband on some trails. Guess what happened? I fell off my bike...again! Remember when that happened to me in the summer?

Quite honestly, I was scared this time. I didn't have enough speed heading uphill and then I started to roll back until I fell sideways partly off my bike yet still straddling it. I landed on some cut trees and branches which stopped me from tumbling down the embankment. I actually screamed the words "HELP!". Interestingly, much like the last time, I jumped up (as fast as the pain would allow), dusted myself off, checked for bleeding and got back on my bike. As we continued riding, I was reflecting and thinking more about the future. What will be my biggest win in 2020? My biggest lesson in 2020? What will I bring to 2021? I had a host of questions! 

It really had me thinking about reflecting on your goals. Goal setting at work is usually a structured process that doesn't necessarily account for the human behavioural element of setting and achieving our goals. Have you ever tried that process to set goals for your life outside of work? How did it go? Did you find it effective and engaging? 

What if you had an easy to use template that factors in more than writing down your goals and your timeline to complete them? One that provides an approach that considers how humans achieve habit changes.

Guess what I have underway?

I'm taking my tried and true approach to goal setting and achievement and packaging it to share with you! Use it for your big, hairy, audacious goals or for the smaller yet still important goals. Start thinking about 2021 because it's right around the corner and so is your new template! Spread the word. 2020 may go out like a lion but you're going to make sure 2021 comes in like a lion but on your terms!

Are you excited to use my tried and true goal setting template? Who else do you know would benefit from it? Share this link with them so they can receive my Fierce Leadership email direct to their inbox.

Remember to download Your Guide to Building Confidence & Living Fearlessly! Visit this link and go to Free Resources to get the download.

​These are difficult times for so many people around the world. COVID-19 continues with a relentless grip on society. How are you supposed to show up each and every day and lead your team when there are days that you want to hit the alarm button and pull the bed sheets over your head? It isn't easy but it's doable. I know from experience.

Just the other week I wasn't feeling like myself. Many of you know, I'm an optimist. I know of the glass half empty view of the world but without thought, I'm the half full kind of woman! Nine months and counting, the pandemic has challenged even my spirit. I woke up on a Monday and was grateful to rise for another day but truthfully, fierce friends, I was not loving the day. It turns out, I didn't love Tuesday or Wednesday either. My challenge was that I still had a calendar full of meetings, a team to lead, and work that needed to be done. Here's how I am able to 'show up' and do so authentically even when my mental health is in need of resuscitation:

1. I prioritize my mental health. Taking care of my mental health is one of my priorities. I exercise regularly, meditate daily, and focus on doing activities that I enjoy. However, the ongoing COVID-19 situation challenges even my best effort. When this occurs, I focus even more on giving my mental health what it needs. I make a point to start my day in nature, to listen or watch something uplifting that interrupts my current thought process, and do my favourite workout at whatever level I am able to output.
   
   
2. I'm transparent. There's still a stigma around mental illness and our feelings so many still feel a need to pretend that they're "okay" even when it may be the furthest thing from the truth. I don't buy into that script. It's one thing to have a moment of struggle and it's another thing to have a difficult day or series of days. On those days, I first tell my husband and then I let my leader and/or team members know. What's the point in hiding it? The beauty in my openness and authenticity is that we've created a culture among us where they are comfortable sharing with me when they're having a difficult moment or day. That level of realness can't be taught, purchased, or demanded by a leader. 
   
   
3. I connect with my support system. A quick, random Facetime or phone chat with my husband, mom or best friend has a way of bringing peace to my soul. It's remarkable the impact of connecting with those that are good for my soul has on me. I cherish those relationships.
   
   
4. I practice gratitude. There are many experts who speak of a gratitude practice and I lean into mine when life is throwing lemons at me. Gratitude has been shown to provide positive emotions, better sleep, compassion and kindness, and stronger immune systems! I take moments to press pause and express what I'm grateful for in my head, aloud, on paper, and to others.
   
   
5. I break big tasks into small steps. There are few things more overwhelming when I'm not feeling my best than having a big item on my to-do list. To prevent the overwhelm which is easier to occur when I'm not on my game, I break them into ridiculously small steps and reward myself with a checkmark each time I complete one. The work gets done and I do it without any adverse impact to my headspace.

​Perhaps you woke up today and feel like I did the other week. Know that it's okay to feel that way. Try some or all of my approaches to help you through the day. Although I am not a counsellor nor should my experience be viewed as giving medical advice, if you find that you're having less good days than bad, feel depressed or need to speak with someone, seek the support of your organization's Employee Assistance Plan or other professional services in your area. If you are having thoughts of self-harm, immediately call 9-1-1.

Know someone who would benefit from reading this message? Give them the gift of the Fierce Leadership weekly emails in their inbox by sharing this link with them.

Remember to download Your [FREE] Guide to Building Confidence & Living Fearlessly! Visit this link and go to Free Resources to get the download.

Can you think of a situation in life when something didn't go as planned and the person had every reason possible to tell you why it wasn't their fault? Has that person ever been you?

I was having a conversation with a friend who shared a story about a project that went completely off track. Milestones were missed, deliverables weren't fully completed, and the project's scope continued to increase months after it was started. The long and short of the story is that my friend spoke with the project manager, then the project sponsor and when that was also unsuccessful, she raised it at an executive meeting with the PM and PS present. Her concerns were once again dismissed and the PM and PS remained steadfast in their confidence in the project's feasibility. Fast forward several months and the project was a disaster as my friend predicted and informed them before it happened. 

Do you know what's most interesting about this story? 

It isn't that the project failed. Despite best effort and expertise, projects don't always go according to plan. And besides, you have to be comfortable taking smart risks and be willing to fail knowing that the opportunity in trying is innovation, growth, and gaining significant market value. What's most interesting about this story is how the PM, PS and other key decision makers on the project responded. What was their response? They said it was an external factor or that someone else was responsible the outcome. It was everyone else's fault but their own.

What allows this type of response to occur in organizations?

That's a multifaceted answer but one of the biggest reasons is that employees do not feel a sense of ownership in the organization's success at the level to which it is needed. Many years ago, I was a server in a restaurant just like some of you at some point in your life. It was hard work! It was also very rewarding. We won an award or two for customer service and financial performance, which I was proud to have played a role in us winning. Every one of my colleagues and leaders took ownership in the restaurant's performance. We didn't walk by a customer that wasn't in our section of the restaurant without checking in, there wasn't a spilled drink that we walked away from, and there wasn't a dirty washroom on the premises. We all rolled up our sleeves and pitched in even if, arguably, one could say it 'wasn't in our job description'. 

In my friend's situation, there was a lack of ownership from the PM, PS, and other leaders. The dynamics of her company's culture is for another discussion, but the heart of the 'it's not my fault' response will be their Achilles' heel. 

How do you instill a sense of ownership with your team members so that they treat the organization and its money as if it were their own? Here are five ways I encourage you to practice:

1. Create a shared vision. Have your team members feel as though they belong to something greater than themselves. Share your vision and goals early and often. Learn how to inspire a shared vision here.
2. Tell them the 'why'. Give them the 'how'. Provide the background information they need to know and the importance of the assignment but give them freedom to determine how they complete it. You can provide critical guide posts and have touch points to check progress and hold space for eliminating roadblocks but empower them to lead it as best they see fit. Learn more about leading productive one-on-one meetings here.
3. Encourage independent thinking. It's tempting to solve problems for your team members but resist the urge. Probing questions help to draw out one's thoughts and ideas and re-enforcing remarks help to instill confidence in your team member's ability to handle the assignment. Use both techniques liberally.
4. Be constructive in your feedback. Regardless of the outcome, let your team members know how they are doing. Coach them to better performance for their next assignment.
5. Acknowledge large and small 'wins' in the moment. Don't delay giving genuine, positive and reinforcing recognition. The impact on your team member's confidence and performance is immeasurable.

Are you looking to level up your leadership so you can naturally create ownership in your team members? Connect with me. We'll set up a quick Discovery Call to determine how I can support you.

Remember to download Your Guide to Building Confidence & Living Fearlessly! Visit this link and go to Free Resources to get the download.

Remember, you're in the driver's seat of your life - grab the wheel and get going!