Category Archives: Change

If nothing ever changed, there'd beChange.

  • A word that always signifies an ending or a beginning.
  • A word that can cause us to look backward and smile, or toss and turn at night.
  • A word that can fuel visions of hope.
  • A word that can stir fear and doubt.

When we go through seasons that cause intense pain and confusion we struggle to find purpose in the pain.

When something we have dreamed of happens we are thrilled – but often surprised that even in the midst of the most positive transitions we struggle.

Feeling helpless about division and destruction? Here's what you can do.When we are faced with circumstances that are damaging lives and organizations, we are faced with the choice to summon our courage and lead up or to wait for someone else to do it.

The articles below are filled with stories and tools that will help you understand, navigate and lead change with more grit and more grace.

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The Invisible Woman

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Have you checked out our new Lead Change Post ~ The Invisible Woman?

As a child, were you fascinated with the idea of being invisible?  Or wondered what it would be like to see the world and not have the world see you? Have you ever played spy games and pretended to be incognito?

If you are a fan of Lord of the Rings, The Fantastic Four, Disney’sNow You See Him  – Now You Don’t, The Invisible Man or any “Harry Potter” movie, you’ve probably spent some time imagining what it would be like to be invisible.

On the flip side of that is our human need to be truly seen, loved, and accepted for who we are.  And to be allowed to use our brains, our hearts, and our imaginations in any situation we desire.

So what if you were suddenly cloaked?

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Faced with a sink or swim situation ~ what do you do?

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Many of you are aware that my husband and I are preparing for our first overseas move.  In the past couple of weeks we’ve had to push hard to get all the information we need and reach out to people that are not official owners of the process for help.  (Have you ever noticed how much easier it is to offer help than to ask for it?  …Let alone push for it?)

Thankfully we are finding people who are willing to share their time and their stories and offer their advice.  The downside of that is receiving conflicting information and not being able to discern the truth.  And without the truth we are either webbed in place seeking more information or are forced to just jump in and see what happens!

At the same time, we are meeting others that did not have the information they needed when they landed and have had to overcome much larger obstacles than we have so far.  Imagine accepting a new job, being flown to a foreign country where you don’t speak the language, then driven from the airport and dropped off outside of a compound in the middle of the night?  Not at the gate, not inside the gate, not at a hotel but just outside a compound wall, and expected to figure out what to do next on your own!

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Comfort or Magic? Go? Stay? Stay? Go?

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A few months ago I received this image from Debbie Laskey.

This simple image and 7 words (Your Comfort Zone – Where The Magic Happens) were so powerful that I was immediately impacted.  Since then I have continually shared the photo to illustrate how our daily choices impact individual lives, families and organizations.

Today I was thinking about:

  • People with dreams that are so big they seem impossible.
  • People that have recently experienced a life-altering event and are struggling to believe that good things will ever happen again.
  • Organizations that are seeking to breathe life into a vision that is larger than any one person or department.
  • People that have lived so long in a comfort zone that can’t yet see how it is killing their imaginations, their dreams, their joy, their health and their relationships…
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Are You Ready To Lead?

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A dear friend of mine, Sonia Di Maulo recently launched her wonderful book called The Apple in the Orchard.  Apple-in-Orchard-book-cover-300x239

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It is a beautifully written story about a little apple that has a burning desire to be a part of something greater than herself, and the journey that begins when she chooses curiosity and courage instead of life as she knows it.

When I read this book for the first time I was reminded of a favorite quote from Albert Einstein, “If you can’t explain it to a 6 year old, you don’t understand it yourself.”

The story and the illustrations are simple enough to be a child’s bedtime story, challenging enough to be shared in an executive boardroom and inspiring enough to be read and savored again, and again, and again.  It is a perfect gift for yourself and for those you love and serve.

I asked Sonia to make a short video so you could see her, hear from her, and discover her passion for this book.

Ken Blanchard was the first Leadership Expert I followed.  If he wrote something, I bought it, studied it, I talked about it and I shared it!  Although I read lots of leadership material, I still quote him the most.  Check out what Ken has to say about Sonia’s book:  “The Apple in the Orchard by Sonia DiMaulo is a lovely little book with a profound message: To pursue greatness, aspiring leaders sometimes must dare to leave the familiar. Opportunities for growth and learning are all around you—so take the leap, and grow!” To learn more CLICK HERE.  

 

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Why don’t they understand… And what if they did?

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Have you seen our NEW Post on Lead Change?

Why don’t they understand…  And what if they did?

“In many of our organizations our employees and customers are trying to connect dots that don’t make sense to them.  

  • When we don’t take the time to help them understand, we miss opportunities to clarify our vision and our purpose.
  • When we push people to nod in agreement, we miss opportunities to build trust.
  • When we don’t seek first to understand what their questions are, we miss opportunities to engage their hearts, we miss opportunities to learn, and far too often we miss opportunities to adjust our plans and grow our organizations.”

Click here to read more.