Tomorrow Will Arrive……Eventually. Be Ready.

Don’t do today what you can put off until tomorrow….That is the procrastinator’s creed.   Don’t put off to tomorrow what you can do today …….the creed of Strong Type A personalities. What about you and I…the average man or woman who is a Sometimes Type A, sometimes child, sometimes teenager?

No matter what, you KNOW that tomorrow is going to arrive, eventually.   Some things can be put off, but not avoided altogether.  Some things cannot be avoided or put off, no matter how much we try to not acknowlege them.  The harder we try, the harder they will hit us.  Taxes, health problems and our children becoming teenagers are the top three things we like to avoid but just cannot.  Those of us who are self employed, need to put aside money for our taxes.  it is hard…so very hard.  It is there, it would pay bills and maybe cover a much needed holiday away too.  So how do you not spend it?  It is calling your name.  But save it we must.  Or pay a much higher  price later on.

Health problems can often be eliminated when you go to the doctor early, when symptoms appear and for your annual check up.  As for teenagers, well the harder we fight our children’s independence, the harder the struggle will be.  We raise our children so that they will become adults, but so many parents want to skip that middle step….the years between 12 and 25.  Why 25 and not 18? I raised three children and at no time did a magical leprechaun come to my house on their birthdays and transform them literally overnight.  Age 18 has been deemed by bureaucracies as adulthood, but if I am the only one who never was visited by that leprechaun, I feel pretty hurt.   So I will assume I am not alone.  The teenage brain does not really develop good reason until it reaches age 25, and it truly only begins there.  That is not to say that some teens and young adults are not mature.  Some are far more responsible and mature than some twice their age.  These are the exception.  Some people NEVER grow up, never take responsibilities and accountability as a part of life. Some women will laugh now and start listing men who have not grown up, in their opinion.   To be fair, why do we expect anyone….man or woman…..to grow up if they are not taught how or if it is expected too young.  Yet that is what we want them to do….skip  that step of the process and wake up magically touched  on their eighteenth birthday……….and eliminating the 12 to 18, skipping right to the maturity of 25 years of age.

Back to the topic….if you will excuse my having gone off on a tangent.  Being ready for the tomorrow that will inevitably arrive.

I have already mentioned that you need to stay on top of your health issues.  A minor cyst today, when dealt with immediately, will always have been just a minor cyst.    Ignored, it may be a pre cancer or malignant growth.

Taxes are also something you need to stay on top of.  More than any single topic, it is likely that this will give you more heart palpitations than anything else.  Get to know a good accountant.  And find yourself a trustworthy and reliable financial planner.  Someone who can show you legitimate and accessible  tax shelters. Someone who understands tax implications for you and your family should something happen to you and who is equipped with the knowledge to ensure your secure future.  At this time of year, many programs are advertised which tout themselves as being your tax solution, as if one glove will fit all.  Leveraging, RRSPs, TFSAs, etc etc are on signs everywhere.  Are they all right for you?  Is life insurance an alternative to RRSPs (Canada) /  401K (USA) or the other way around?  Only when you talk to a qualified financial planner will you really know. Take  advantage of this time of year to start building a relationship with your financial planner. If you already have one, but are not sure he or she is doing all they can for you, talk to another one.  A meeting should not cost you anything except some time and it is time well spent, a solid investment in your tomorrow.  Be ready for tomorrow….and  be grateful that it arrives.  The alternative is deadly….

Contact me at myfuture@unleashtheknow.com for your financial future

Leadership Principle number 13

While this principle is the 13th and final in my list of “no matter who you are and no matter where you are” principles, it is not the last key to great leadership by any means.  It is, in fact, only the beginning.

Leadership is about people.  People are the same everywhere….yet each one is different from the other.  We are all a collection of our experiences, our circumstances and the people around us, from our birth until our death.  But we are all human beings and want to protect the people we love, we want to feel valued in one way or another and we crave positive human interaction and touch.  We want our privacy protected and our rights respected.  We want to feel safe.  For some, work is simply a means to an end.  For a lucky few, work is not really work….it is fulfillment of a dream or a lifelong ambition. Some people do volunteer work over and above day to day work, some can only find the time and energy for that job to keep a roof over your head due to circumstances that seem out of their control.

Wherever it is that you work and whether it seems like work or not, there will be leaders.  You might not notice them as they are not always the ones in positions of power.     Some work places have those who call themselves leaders who believe that there job title and a university degree gives them power.  They believe they know everything and are always right.  That is not leadership.

Do not feel the need to be right all of the time.  No one is an expert on everything.  Be flexible and comfortable with that concept

Making mistakes is another human characteristic…it is how we learn and grow.    If we do not make mistakes, we cannot truly move forward as it is those who try and fail, that keep trying.  Be proud  of the fact that you have learned and grown and are moving forward.

Always keep those human beings around you in mind.  Always remember that what you feel is what others feel and that without humanity, there is very little left.  Be a leader…

 

For more on Leadership Principles and Programs, go to http://www.unleashtheknow.com   or write to info@unleashtheknow.com

Self Awareness and Coaching

Self Awareness; The Value of Early Discovery

Self awareness is where our dreams come from, how we know what we feel, where our intuition resides and where opportunity lies. My clients must develop their sense of self awareness early on in the coaching process so that the direction and desire to succeed can be articulated and the path laid out to make the dreams reality.

Once self awareness is developed and the client has begun to “tune in” to him or herself, the realization that there are no limits, sets in.  We begin to recognize our strengths.  We can acknowledge all that we have already accomplished and therefore, all that can be accomplished.   Self awareness is the key that opens the door to the future.  Recognizing our strengths and our own power means that we can change the direction we are heading in and redirect our energy into positive outcomes and a greater quality of life.

Some within my client base suffer from chronic illnesses such as Fibromyalgia.  As I also live with it, I know and understand how it can turn one’s life upside down. I also know, after suffering with it for fifteen years, that self awareness has allowed me to reduce my medication by over 75%.   Self awareness teaches one to focus on specific parts of the heart and mind, redirecting the negative energy into positive energy, even pain can be reduced.   It has changed bad days and good days to good days and great days

Self awareness gives the individual the power to be in charge of their own life.  As stated by Steve Jones in the video “it puts them in the drivers seat”  A client who cannot or will not develop this, will have limited success in any coaching program.  An individual must be conscious of what their options are, what options they are acting on, the results of their actions and the lessons learned from those actions.  Too many people go through life in a fog in terms of conscious decision making, unclear and without learning about themselves.  This leads to repetition of mistakes, poor choices and remaining in the same “stuck” spot throughout their lives (if they are fortunate enough not to slip backwards).  Consciousness or self awareness wakes you up!!!  It makes you say “hold on….if I do this….this is likely to happen whereas if I do that….that is likely to happen.  I have always done things this way and it hasn’t been working well for me.  Now I know that doing it THAT way is more likely to have the results I am looking for”.

Self awareness does not mean letting others make decisions for you.  While there is value in the experiences and paths of loved ones and trusted friends, they are not living your life.  They generally do not have to live with the consequences of your actions and it is nearly impossible that anyone else knows every single thought or feeling you have.  They are often unaware or skeptical of your dreams and truest goals.  Accepting the value of the experience of others may be part of good decisions and moving forward, but without self awareness and consciousness, you end up living their lives and dreams.

Self awareness leads to being your authentic self and living your authentic life.    Your authentic self is who you are under all of the turmoil and stress and fears.  It is your strength and passion and joy. It is who you are under all of the stuff we accumulate from the day of our birth…until that moment….that realization….that we have one life and one self.  The freedom that comes with self awareness is the greatest gift a person can give themselves.  The earlier a client discovers it, the more success he or she will have and the further they will go in their dreams.  My role as a Life Coach is to show the client that who he or she is, that the dreams and goals that they hold deepest in their hearts, are possible and that knowing that and believing in that is the most difficult step in the process.  With self awareness, full consciousness of self, the limits of the client are sky high.  He or she will not give up when obstacles pop up, opinions of others will not break the spirit and the coaching program will become self directed and successful.

Leadership Principle number 12

As we come near the end of the key leadership principles which are the foundation of the Leadership Program developed by UnLeash the KNOW, we take a look at the value of laughter that a strong leader will encourage and enjoy.  Laughter has long been associated with lower blood pressure, more endorphins and a generally healthy work and home environment.

Humour and laughter breaks down walls and opens communication.  Humour should never offend anyone no matter who is in the room or who may walk into the room at any time.

Laughter shared at the office or in any public  never be offensive to anyone who may walk in the room.  Whether it is a particular word or the theme or target, keep in mind that you do not know a person’s previous experience, their background or sensitivities.  A leader will ensure that no one will be offended in what should be a light relaxed moment.  An environment where there is no laughter, can be uncomfortable, tense and less productive.   Offensive humour is equally counter productive and may even lead to union or legal action.

Few things will bond people like a shared laugh.  Remember the punchline and forget the stress, even if just for a moment each day.

Leadership Principle number 11

Leadership principle number ten talked about being informed about relevant issues.  No one can fulfill all of his or her responsibilities and read up on every aspect of every relevant issue and maintain and healthy life and work balance.  The scope is inevitably going to be too wide.  It is important to surround yourself with those with knowledge and experience and to use excellent listening skills with those people.

Learn from others, surround yourself with those with different experiences and knowledge

The wise leader will not only surround him or herself with those who are knowledgeable about a variety of topics but will be wise enough to learn from them, to bow to their expertise when appropriate and to show appreciation for that knowledge and expertise.   It is important to know enough to understand and be comfortable with the topic when your experts speak and it is vital to know enough to know who are the right ones to surround yourself with.  Wanna be s can talk a good game but it takes intelligence and understanding to read through that and ensure the right ones are having their voices heard, not necessarily those who speak the loudest.  Be a wise leader.

For more on leadership programs for your corporation or organization, write to unleashtheknow@outlook.com

 

Leadership Principle number 7

As referred to in previous posts, one vital element in leadership, is acknowledging that we are human beings, working with / for and serving other human beings.   We ALL have our strengths and our weaknesses,  Characteristics  and personalities tend to fall into one of several categories which leads to many types of communicators,  One size does not fit all, even in the workplace.  None of these types of communication styles precludes professionalism or ethical behaviour,  Leaders, however must be aware of these facts and, to be fully effective, must demonstrate a degree of efficiency in each of the ways.  It does require knowing those that you are leading.  It requires understanding them.

Demonstrate that you value your colleagues / team members / family members / friends as human beings as well as sources of information and labour

We all want our fair pay for the work we do.  When we start a new job, generally speaking, we are pleased with the pay and feel properly rewarded for the tasks ahead.  So why does this become less effective as time goes on?  Why do we begin that search for the next job or begin to slack off in our duties?  More often than not, it is because we do not feel valued,  Professionals do not need a daily pat on the back nor reinforcement for doing our job,  However even the most seasoned professionals appreciate the acknowledgement for going above and beyond, for consistent effort and for being a positive influence at work,  The simple act of a genuine smile, a good morning, a thank you goes a very long way to a stressed or overworked employee.  A leader who only finds fault and points out the negative, will never establish a team of loyal employees who put out their best effort everyday.  Burn out and extended stress leave are relatively new phenomenon in office environments.  Never before were employees feeling that they were on duty 24 / 7 thanks to the increasing use of smart phones.

I was in one job, one that should have been exciting and so fulfilling, but which became intolerable after ten months.  I was on call 24 / 7 for ten months straight.  I worked an average of 75 hours per week, sometimes as many as 100 hours in a week.  i did not get extra pay, time off or bonuses.  More importantly, I never heard “good job” or “thank you” or “I appreciate your extra effort and dedication to the job”.  I heard about all of the things I did wrong in my boss’s eyes, but no positive or encouraging words.  The organization promoted theories such as putting the right person on the bus, moving from good to great and various other leadership concepts,  This was the corporate talk.  It was not the corporate walk however.

These same values and leadership practices should be applied equally in your personal life.  Too often we focus on our work environments and take our family and friends for granted.  While I speak here about the workplace, do not neglect those who are most important to you.

Say thank you.  Give a hug when appropriate,  Ask a person how he or she is and actually listen to the answer.  Do not just hear the words, listen to them.  Read body language and facial expressions.  They will teach you alot more than any words will tell you.  Be sensitive to people around you who may be going through an exceptionally difficult time and be as flexible as possible to allow him or her to work through the problem without adding further to their stress by making them feel invaluable,  It builds loyalty, reduces sick days and will create an environment of respect and hard work.  Be human, Be a leader who is so equal that you stand head and shoulders above all others.

Leadership Principle part 3

One of the absolutely most important features or qualities of a true leader is effective communication.  No matter how powerful or important your message is, if you are not being understood clearly, the message is lost.

Ongoing communication  should be clear and effective. ensuring your message is easily heard and understood,  Ensure that you are , in turn, hearing and understanding others in the messages they are conveying.

It is always recommended to repeat back what you hear and to understand a person with whom you are speaking, especially when in a stressful situation.  This, of course, must be done in a respectful way so that the person knows that you are simply ensuring that you have understood properly.

Communication must always be two ways.  More arguments, misunderstandings and stress is caused by unclear communication than actual issues.  One of the roles of a leader is to ensure the communication of the people around. leads towards solutions, not problems,