Last night right before I went to bed, I learned about the shooting deaths of 3 more police officers – this time in Baton Rouge. It is heart-breaking and tempting to feel helpless, as angry people continue to destroy lives and rock our world with bombings, shootings, and even trucks.

This time felt even more personal, as I used to live in Baton Rouge and drove and worked where the shooting took place.  And in the time I was there, I fell deeply in love with the people, the city and the state of Louisiana.

I woke early this morning and immediately checked the news for updates and prayed.

A short time later, I was reminded that exactly three years ago today I posted an article about pain and anger as I tried to process the Trevon Martin case.

• Three more years of conflict.
• Three more years of finger pointing and blaming.

Clearly – What we’re doing isn’t working, as the conflicts are becoming more frequent and more violent.

A few minutes later this image from Mark Fidelman showed up in my Facebook feed:

If you are tired of the cycle of shock, grief, pain, anger, blaming and feeling helpless…  Here are a few ideas about how you can make a difference with what you have, right where you are:

1. Acknowledge that the truth is not found in the extreme views that sell news, it is found somewhere between those views.

This is from Slain Police Officer, Montrell Jackson’s Facebook Page days before he was killed, “I’m tired physically and emotionally. Disappointed in some family, friends and officers … but hey what’s in your heart is in your heart. I still love you all because hate takes too much energy but I definitely won’t be looking at you the same. Thank you to everyone that has reached out to me or my wife it was needed and much appreciated,” Jackson wrote.

“I swear to God I love this city but I wonder if this city loves me. In uniform I get nasty hateful looks and out of uniform some consider me a threat. I’ve experienced so much in my short life and these last 3 days have tested me to the core… These are trying times. Please don’t let hate infect your heart,” he continued.

This WSJ article highlights the stories of three black men and emphasizes that middle ground beautifully.

• Racism is still real.
• Those that experience racism struggle to navigate the tension between their desire to respect officers, while still feeling fear – not knowing who polices with integrity and who does not.
• The majority of police officers will give their lives for others and really need our support.
• We need to seek truth about issues with authority and corruption and address them.
• We need to address root causes. Not just symptoms.
• We need to take ownership of the changes we want to see.  Check out how people in Dallas are responding to Police Chief David Brown’s encouragement to be a part of the solution instead of just complaining about the problem.  

“ Truth and love fuel: Healing, hope and peace.

2. Do something to learn and serve at a higher level:

   • Watch this TEDx Talk by Police Officer Chip Huth and learn with his team and celebrate the impact they are having on their city.
   • Then purchase a copy of The Anatomy of Peace Book that was written by the group of people that provided the training to the police officers in the video.
   • Read it.
   • Share it.
   • Have a discussion about it.
   • Host and/or attend workshops about racial healing, peacemaking, how to have productive dialogs etc.…

*Our international housing compound has followed all of the suggestions in #2.  My neighbors are from a variety of different nations including:  Palestine, Jordan, Jamaica, Nigeria, South Africa, Australia, France, Pakistan, Germany, India, The Netherlands, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Sudan, China, Korea, Tunisia, America and more.  We also represent a wide variety of faith and non-faith backgrounds.  In spite of our differences we have all experienced powerful learnings and and growth and we will continue to invest our time in these types of activities.  

“ Be a light, not a judge; be a model, not a critic; be a part of the solution instead of a part of the problem. —STEPHEN COVEY

3. Look for what is working and share it.

Be intentional about sharing the good news that models, teaches, inspires, and encourages; more than you share the sensational stuff that increases  division.

This is what happened in Wichita, Kansas last night at a First Steps BBQ between Police Officers and The Community instead of the Black Lives Matter Protest that was originally scheduled.  

“ Be the change that you want to see.

4. Pray.  Don’t just say you’ll do it. Do it.

If you aren’t convinced that prayer works – check out this movie.  It was created by people who have first-hand experience with the power of prayer.  It was so popular that it became a hit movie last summer.

“ When light meets the dark. Healing begins. —TENTH AVENUE NORTH

We don’t have to feel helpless.  We were given brains and hearts to use them.

Please share:  How are you making a difference?  Is there anything you would add to this list?

A few weeks ago I was guest hosting the Lead With Giants Tweet Chat with Dan Forbes.

When we asked the question, “What have you learned from considering another perspective?”  Lori King responded and indicated that 120 characters was not enough space to list all that she has and is learning.

Because perspectives fascinate me, I asked her if she would be willing to write more and allow me to share what she has learned about perspectives in a guest post. I’m delighted that she accepted.

It is fascinating that although I’ve spent a lot of time thinking and writing about how other perspectives increase understanding, and fuel intellectual and organizational growth, Lori’s post emphasizes how the perspective of others can help us find clarity about our purpose.

Below is her story…

Three years ago, I made the decision to leave a business I started with a partner.

It started with a strong desire to take the summer off to spend time with my elementary aged children. I felt guilty for working when I was at work and I felt guilty at home when there was work to be done, which is all the time when you own a small business. The summer flew by and the next thing I knew, my kids were going back to school. I wasn’t refreshed, revitalized or ready to return to work. Instead, I dreaded going back.

I have an angel hanging next to my computer with this quote on it that my business partner gave me:

“ You must do the thing you think you cannot do. —ELEANOR ROOSEVELT

I had always loved it. I thought about the quote many times over the years applying it to this or that event; but, it never quite fit. As

I write this now, I know what it is I thought I couldn’t do. Leave.

And leave I did.

The process was a painfully slow awakening and one of the hardest things I have done.

While my children were in school, I had time to reflect and listen deeply to figure out what is my purpose in life. I was always too busy before to have the time to think in this manner.

• I began meditating.
• I read more books than ever.
• I attended online webinars about topics I was interested.
• I attended Twitter chats and became an ambassador to a popular chat on the world of work.

As time went by, I struggled with where I was in my life. I asked “Why?”

• Why did I get a biology degree?
• Why was I CEO of a translation business?
• Why did I enjoy leadership and chats regarding the world of work?
• Why couldn’t I let go of my social media handle that connotes translation?

I voiced these questions to a dear friend I met on Twitter. It’s interesting when you are so immersed and swirling around in your stuff you don’t see what’s right in front of you.

This was her perspective: It’s all connected.

Biology has everything to do with how the body communicates, translation is communication from one language to another and social media definitely falls into the communication field.

While I stayed home with my kids, I felt incomplete. I have always been a career-minded person. A couple clients hired me to assist them with communicating on social media. My first client said my name was perfect, “You translate my thoughts to the world.” As I kept seeing my world through the lens of my past and felt stuck, these people were not immersed in my story; and therefore, it was easy for them to be forward thinkers.

With these perspectives supporting what I think is my purpose, I show up every day communicating with purpose. I feel aligned and joyful whereas 10 years ago I was over-worked and stressed.

I got validation after listening to the first WBECS Pre-Summit webinar with Judith E. Glaser: “Healthy Cells, Healthy Cultures” in which she discussed the relevance between healthy and unhealthy cells in the body to healthy and unhealthy cultures in the world of work. I see the bridge from biology to communication, I see a bridge from language to communication and I see a bridge from where I am now to working in social media communication thanks to just looking at life through a different lens.

The connections are endless!

Please share:  Has something happened to you that you can look at from a different perspective and see the light?

Earlier this week movers came to the home of our dear friends and packed everything they had to prepare for a move to another country.

• It’s a great career opportunity for him.
• It means more daily freedom for her.

But it’s still stressful.

• Anticipation, doubt and fear swirl together about the unknowns.
• And at the same time they process the emotions of an ending before the new beginning…

As 2015 comes to an end, you may be considering a new beginning, a fresh start, a change or a reinvention…

Hollis Thomases knows a thing or two about reinventing. After graduating college, she moved to Baltimore knowing no one and having no job. She had a 10-year career working for trade associations, small businesses and large corporations and left it all in 1998 to start her first company, a digital marketing & advertising firm. After successfully growing that company for 15 years into a multi-million dollar business she felt it was time to move on to her next incarnation. Her pursuit of her own reinvention led her to realize the need to help others on their journeys, too, and ReinventionWorks, was born with the goal of helping others with their career/life reinventions.

Hollis describes the reinvention process as interconnected phases that are brought on by deliberately choosing to change.

It looks like this:

• The Decision to Change
• Fortifying the Foundation to Change
• Visioning the “Next Future”
• Planning
• Execution
• Zig
• Zag
• Hop
• Repeat

The Decision. Because reinvention is deliberate, it has to begin with an intentional decision: I/We want to change. How and to what degree to change gets defined by each person or organization, but with intention must come purpose: why do we want to change? This purpose is crucial because the strength of belief in purpose will drive the rest of the process.

Fortifying the Foundation. Just because someone or something wants to change doesn’t mean it will happen. Change is hard – sometimes very hard – and the attempt to change can be thwarted by all kinds of toxic or self-limited thinking. The Foundational Phase of The Reinvention Continuum must occur early in order to conquer these obstacles; otherwise, the intention to reinvent will likely not succeed. In organizations, leadership must recognize and address these obstacles first or they should not expect new and different outcomes. For individuals, now might be the time to seek professional or peer guidance and support.

Visioning. When the Foundational work has gotten pretty far along or completed and the barriers cleared, Visioning can take place. Visioning harkens back to purpose: Where do we see ourselves reinventing towards and why. Leading visioning exercises should keep two things in mind: 1) Purpose 2) Intentional forward propulsion. Visioning activities that only serve to tread water have no place in The Reinvention Continuum.

Planning & Execution. Much like the development of business or marketing strategies, once you have direction, planning on how to get there and then executing on that plan comes more easily. That said, perhaps even more often than with business strategy, so too come zig-zags and hops.

Zig, Zag, Hop, Repeat. I like to describe the reinvention process as “intentional imperfection.” People should enter The Reinvention Continuum expecting a lot to not go as planned. And when things don’t go as planned, it leads to pivots, turns, tweaks, adjustments, backslides, leaps forward, and all other kinds of chaos. Leading through this chaos – and sustaining energy and momentum during it – can be one of the most challenging parts of reinvention. At the individual level, it feels as if just as much is at stake as if it were at the business level. In other words, at the business level, dollars and cents matter, but at the personal level, one’s essence matters. To lead through intentional imperfection, why not start imaging the chaos and work backwards?

17 Necessary Skills to Tackle Reinvention

If you are considering a reinvention, here’s a list of attributes and skills that will be required:

1. Self-Awareness
2. Honesty
3. Courage
4. Confidence
5. High Risk Tolerance
6. Adventurous
7. Adaptable
8. Committed
9. Resilient
10. Sense of Humor
11. Enthusiasm
12. Generous
13. Participatory
14. Problem-Solving
15. Open-Mindedness
16. Imagination
17. Organization

Reinvention is going on all around us every day. It’s inevitable. Get prepared now, and when you come to that fork the road, you can make the intentional decision to change on your own terms.

As I hugged my friends goodbye for the last time in this place, lyrics from a Michael W. Smith song rang through my mind,

Packing up the dreams God planted.

In the fertile soil of you.

I can’t believe the hopes He’s granted.

Means a chapter of your life is through.

 

---

If you are trying to decide if you should stay in our comfort zone or move – you will find value in this article.

If you are ready to pack the dreams that God planted in you,

and unbox them in a new place or a new way…

Hollis is gearing up for a big event in January to help you get started.

Check out her Mega Reinvention 2016!  

Years ago I read a book called The Dream Giver.

It’s a beautiful little book that emphasizes that each one of us is born for a purpose. As children we often see this as our big dream.  Often between childhood and adulthood we forget the dream or walk away from it because it seems impossible.  And then one day we are reminded of the dream again and we make the choice to pursue the dream or to let it die forever.  Then the book helps you anticipate and prepare for the challenges you will encounter as you journey from where you are to where that dream is.

I purchased the book in 2003 shortly after it was published, simply because I liked the author.  As soon as I opened it I was hooked, because I had a dream as a child. It was a dream that I forgot all about as life happened. And then in 1999, I it came back full force. In 2001, I took my first very clear step toward the dream.

Since 2003, I’ve referred to that book several times a year. It’s highlighted, filled with notes, scribbles and pages that are bent back.  In October 2010 I referred to it constantly as I launched a new consulting business in a city I had never lived in and knew no one but my husband.

In November 2012 just as my new business was gaining momentum, my husband was asked to accept a position a half a world away, and this quote from the book filled my mind…

A Giant is a very real and completely overwhelming obstacle you encounter on the road to your Dream. Overcoming a giant requires you to use everything you’ve learned so far on the journey to your Dream, including courage, wisdom, trust, endurance and surrender to God.

Some of the Giants you might face: A lack of resources, an immovable system, an opposing group or individual, A crushing physical or spiritual burden…Or and intimidating circumstance that is beyond your control. For example, your Dream is in New Jersey, but your husband gets transferred to Tokyo.” ~The Dream Giver

So my dream wasn’t in New Jersey, and he wasn’t being transferred to Tokyo –But the place my dream was taking off was in the U.S. and he was being transferred across the world.

In spite of all that seemed impossible – I knew – that I’d been mentally preparing for that leap of faith for 10 years!

Yes my love, I believe that is part of the plan, I’ll follow you there, I’ll support you, I’ll choose my attitude, and I’ll learn all I can.

Today we are still in that place.

And I’m constantly learning and growing in ways that I never imagined.

Some of that growth is easy to point to and define and other things are still evolving.

[Tweet “An altered path deepens and widens your understanding and skills.”]

From a leadership standpoint, the things that I wrote about and deeply believed in before have an even greater urgency and importance.

• Before:  Why Leaders need to be Consistent, Fair & Explainable
• After:  The epidemic risk of INconsistency
• Before:  Have you shared your vision with your team?
• After:  Chaos or Vision:  You Choose
• Before:  5 Ways to Fire-Proof Your Character
• After:  Leaders STAND for something ~ When do you stand?

From a personal standpoint geography has come to life as we’ve engaged with neighbors that are from all across the world and as we’ve traveled.  There are things I didn’t know or had never considered that have increased my knowledge and understanding.

• Before:  When you don’t know what you don’t know
• After:  Is the bacon really worth it?
• Before:  Strong Foundations are rooted in Timeless Truths
• After:  If we are so convinced we are speaking the truth, why are we so afraid to listen to someone else’s?

From a human standpoint, there are things that we’ve experienced that have altered us forever.

• Before:  What special needs families taught me about comfort zones
• After:  Comfort Zones, Dim Sight, Narrow Perspective and Endanger Growth

[Tweet “Catalysts for maximizing your purpose are often disguised as distractions and delays.”]

When have you said yes to something that:

• Felt like a derailment or a delay?
• Tested your faith?
• Required you to leave your comfort zone?
• Didn’t seem logical to the rest of the world?
• Challenged your commitment after you said yes?

How did that experience transform you?

Image credit:  iStock

The International Day of Peace is Monday September 21.  And I’m so ready to talk about what we can do to heal our organizations, communities, nations and world – instead of continuing to feed the fires that divide us.

This is the first post in a series.

• The second is:  One way YOU can create a more peaceful world.  (Really!)
• The third is:  PEACE:  A Leadership Strategy, Not Pixie Dust!
• The fourth is by Jane Perdue and titled How to reject divisiveness and make people feel valued.

 Yes – Conflict is messy, painful and destructive!

• When it appears in our personal lives, it is tempting to flee from it or to add to it.
• When it appears on our televisions it’s easy to begin to believe that there is nothing we can do.

[Tweet ” The Truth Is:  Change never begins “out there”.  It ALWAYS begins within us.  “]

If current events across our world that emphasize fear, hate, violence, chaos, and division cause you to ache for others, worry or feel helpless…

There is something that YOU can do!  

Pause and examine your behavior.  

Peace FAKERS

…Really believe that they are peace makers.  In reality they are experts at letting little irritations build up over time.  And as  little irritations build up, they eventually blow. And Holy cow – can they blow!  (Yes I am a recovering Peace FAKER.)

When they errupt, people around them are usually SHOCKED, and wonder what just happened and often begin to question if they really knew the person that just blew up all over them or not.

Peace BREAKERS

At best:  Are good people that  enjoy being “in the know about everything” -so much that they don’t realize the damage that their gossip spreading causes.

At worst:  Are manipulators that intentionally divide others for power, control, and/or financial gain.

Peace MAKERS

• Care deeply about others.
• Seek to heal instead of destroy.
• Summon courage and walk into discomfort.
• Ask questions.
• Listen.
• Seek to understand.
• Speak truth with grace.
• Listen again.

If you choose to be a Peace-Maker check out the dream in the SlideShare below.

And then summon your courage.  Change Your Behavior.  And watch how that begins to change every part of the world that you touch!

Learn more about Peacemaking from Ken Sande Here

I’m honored to co-host a #peopleskills Tweet Chat Sunday October 20th at 10 AM EST!

You’re invited to bring your thoughts to this chat and join people from across the world as we discuss Peace Making v.s. Peace Breaking.

This chat takes place the day prior to The International Day of Peace.

(And yes, this conversation applies to families and companies as much as it does to communities and nations!)

Please join us!  Click Here For More Information About The #PeopleSkills #PeaceDay Chat

Image Credit:  iStock

Several years ago I sat in a room full of volunteers that were being trained to go into schools and work with children that were at risk of dropping out. One of our exercises was a simulation that was designed to help us better understand the day-to-day realities for their families.

• We were divided up into small groups.
• Each one of us was given a role to play.
• Then we were given a real life problem that needed to be solved.
• And a name of a place we needed to go to for help.

In the simulation I was the small child of a single mother that had no car.

• “My mother” needed food and a job and childcare.

The simulation was timed to help us understand everything that she needed to accomplish in one day – just to bring home food. (Let alone finding a job or daycare.)

Each time we got off the simulated bus, we walked into a facility and stood in a long line. To eventually be re-directed to another place for services that was across town with different operating hours and another long line.

My job was to simulate how a child begins to act as a few hours becomes a day without food, without a nap, without play.

The woman who acted as my mother was racing against the clock, desperately trying to figure out how the bus system worked, and how she would feed her crying child that night. Very quickly it became clear that even if she had food today, she would need a job to keep a roof over our heads, and it would be very difficult to find a job with a crying child present, and beyond challenging to get childcare without a job.

Within minutes an entire room of compassionate business professionals realized how shallow their understanding and compassion really was. How was this one mother going to find the hope or the strength to break out of a broken system?

As our understanding increased, our problem solving kicked in and we begin to ask if this simulation had ever been done with the Mayor, the City Council the Chamber Board or other community leaders. (It had not.)

That story may seem like an extreme example of an organizational development opportunity.  (But I bet every community in the world could learn from it.)

The reality is that titled leaders are often very disconnected from the opportunities in their organizations and long-time employees in the system eventually begin to accept the barriers just as they are. [Tweet “Change doesn’t happen in a vacuum.”] [Tweet “DEEP understanding drives change.”]

In a different time and in a totally different city…

I was on the outside of a problem, listening to people talk about an issue they had been trying to articulate for 20 years in order to create change.

 I listened for a couple of years, and then had the opportunity to dig deep into the problem.  

Then I created a one page spreadsheet detailing the problem in terms that that business people and educators could understand.  

Then I shared that spreadsheet with several people.  When I shared it with my CEO.  He got so excited, he called other community leaders, and before long I was helping to lobby for new legislation and  supporting a sweeping change for a statewide community college system.  

When you get the right information, in the right form, to the right person, at the right time  ~ You will be blown away by their ability to orchestrate dramatic and sweeping change.

For those of you that sit in roles where you see broken systems and huge opportunities:   Don’t give up. Be courageous. Be creative. Be passionate. Be consistent. …You can make a difference!

If you want help please check out our free download to learn how to instigate change no matter where you sit. Click Here for FREE Download

For those of you in titled leadership positions:  Your willingness to step away from your daily calendar to experience the realities of your customers and your employees will open your eyes and help you identify the root of problems instead of just treating symptoms.  and identify examples of development opportunities that may exist in your organization today.  

Click here to learn more about how curious leaders grow organizations and identify examples of development opportunities that may exist in your organization today.

Would it help you get through the struggle if you knew that it was necessary to unleash your greatest strength?

There is a pattern throughout history that fills me with so much hope that it almost makes me wish for a big struggle…

Below are three examples.

ONE: I’ve been studying the life of a dreamer…

A boy with natural leadership skills.

A teen that knew he was born to do something of great significance for others.

But his ego was bigger than both his wisdom and his compassion.

Because he was hard to tolerate, he was betrayed by family and became a victim of human trafficking.

He spent years in slavery. …Grieving the loss of freedom, friendship, family and those dreams.

In time:

• His big ego was replaced by humility.
• He became wiser and more compassionate.

And in spite of his captivity, his leadership, and his refined character, were evident to everyone who met him.

Through a strange series of events, a day came when this prisoner was asked to consult with a CEO about an issue that the professional consultants said they could not figure out.

When he met the CEO, he exuded a strange mix of humility and confidence.

He discerned the issue and courageously shared a mix of good news and bad news.

And then offered wise advice.

In a moment he was freed from bondage and promoted to COO.

His advice ultimately saved the country he was in, saved the family that had betrayed him, and turned the dream he had as a teenager into a reality.

 TWO: Nelson Mandela

• Spent 27 years in prison for believing in a dream. (Years spent probably grieving the same losses of freedom, friendship, family and dreams much like the man in the story above.)
• A man who was given a lot of time alone – not by choice.
• A man who leveraged that painful season to learn.
• When he was released his gift had been developed.
• The prisoner became a President!

Study the lives of the great people who have made an impact on the world, and you will find that in virtually every case, they spent a considerable amount of time alone thinking. John Maxwell

THREE: Dave Ramsey

• A man that was gifted uncommon financial sense.
• A man that experienced extraordinary success at a young age -and probably had a big head to go with his success!
• A man that lost it all and suffered humiliation, fear, grief and marriage struggles.
• And then, in a newly humbled state, those hard-earned lessons and his significant gift collided and he began teaching others a deeper wisdom that was a combination of both his gift and his struggle.
• Today he lives a life of purpose, teaching people a simple process to reduce their stress, give them financial freedom, help them provide for their families and their communities at a higher level, all while providing a great living for his family and employees.

If you are in the midst of a great struggle… What are you learning that is developing your natural strengths?

Don’t give up dreamer… It is the struggle that makes you stronger, softer, wiser and prepares you for your calling.

[Tweet “Lean into the struggle and learn all you can. Your time is coming!”]

When lessons from your greatest struggle collide with and begin to grow your greatest strength… Your purpose is discovered and unleashed Lives are changed And your cells dance!

I wasn’t alive yet on that day, but immediately my mind thinks of events that have filled my lifetime that bring shock and awe, experiences that are burnt into our consciousness so deeply that it only takes one of our senses to catch a glimpse or a wiff, or a sound and we are instantly transported back in time.

Days like September 11, 2001.

• Days that are impossible to understand and process.
• Days that remind us who we are and what we stand for.
• Days where strangers become friends and family.
• Days where we grieve and work together.

Days that interrupt the life we have always known and distinctly mark it as the past, leaving us no choice but to create an alternate reality.

Days that we are all reminded that we were created to be a part of a community.

When I think of the days where shock and awe bring us together, I also think of days where painful events alienate individuals from the community we need:

Days we live through these words and the emotions and realities that go with them:

• Bankrupt
• Infertile
• Betrayed
• Orphaned
• Mental Illness
• Cancer
• Terminated
• Deceased

And then I think of the people that have pushed through the loss, the confusion, and the pain.  …People that grew wiser, and softer and stronger and turned the shock and awe into a defining moment.

People like Dave Ramsey:

• That endured huge financial losses and the embarrassment of bankruptcy
• Resulting in a marriage crisis
• Humbling him
• Clarifying his priorities

He looked for the lessons in the pain and grew wiser.  The heartache married his natural strengths with a deep understanding of what it is like for people to be in financial crisis.  And he began to teach others what he had learned the hard way.  Instead of talking down to them, he related to them.  Ultimately turning his pain into a beacon of hope for others and a great career for him.

People like Patsy Clairmont

• That have moved through the emotional and physical pain of deep depression
• That have felt the stigma that is often associated with mental illness

She learned to understand and accept that chemical imbalances in the brain are just as real as insulin imbalances in the body. Today she leverages her story and her gift of humor to connect with others, offering hope to others like her, and understanding to others.

People like Russ Knight

• A man that has been through several job transitions that have filled him with a deep understanding of the mental and physical struggle that is part of a job search.

Today he consistently brings people together that have been through that struggle themselves.  Together they have created a unique and incredibly effective job transition ministry in Tulsa, OK.

People like Ronald Cotton and Jennifer Thompson-Cannino

• He was imprisoned for 11 years for a rape he did not commit.
• She was the woman he allegedly raped.

Today they are friends and work together to free other innocent people from prison.  Their story, uncommon alliance and friendship is a witness to the power of truth and forgiveness.

[Tweet “If you are in the midst of one of those especially pain-filled seasons ~ BE ENCOURAGED. @GianaConsulting”]

Below is a small list of good that can come from pain-filled shock and awe experiences:

• Your priorities become clear
• You become a better family member
• You become a better leader
• You become a better friend
• You become a better neighbor
• You learn what you are willing to fight for
• You learn what you are willing to die for
• You learn what you were born to do
• You learn that risk must be taken
• You learn that God is faithful

What would you add to this list?

Want more encouragement?

• Check out this song by Kathy Troccoli
• Check out this article:  How To Make Sense of Life’s Struggles by LaRae Quy
• Check out this article:  You Can’t Have an Omelet Without First Breaking the Eggs

One evening several summers ago, my husband and I (who don’t have children of our own) were at a playground with my six and seven-year-old niece and nephew.  They took me to the highest part of a fort and told me that I was the princess, they were my guards, and that my husband was “the bad guy.”  I was instructed to stay in the tower and they would protect me!  In the moments that followed, my husband and I were transported back to a world we have nearly forgotten.

As I found myself savoring each second of that evening, I also found myself wondering why we don’t visit that world more often.

The entire experience made me think about the Disney Movie, Monsters, Inc., a movie about Monsters that power their world by capturing the energy in a child’s scream.  Through a series of events they discover that a child’s laugh produces much more energy than a scream.  …Ultimately transforming their entire world.  Do you see the connection to the workplace?  

“ Employees that fear their culture, their boss, their peers, or for their jobs… Produce less energy and results than those who experience joy at work!

When I was a child, my mother opened the kitchen cupboards and handed each of us a kettle and a wooden spoon and led a parade around the house.

An example I followed years later, when I led a parade of employees around a commercial kitchen and invited them to make a joyful noise by banging wooden spoons on the pots and pans that were hanging from the ceiling, just to celebrate who they were and how much they were valued and appreciated!

And when that bit of craziness worked, I became bolder…

Determined to inspire a new team that was under-performing and feeling victimized to think differently I borrowed an idea from the Charthouse FiSH video and decorated an entire department with fish, then purchased stuffed animals that looked like fish, and instigated a contest to encourage team members to catch each other doing something right!

As the contest evolved each person had a live beta fish swimming on their desk, when music played in the office everyone stood up and tossed fish across cubicles, and before long we were sharing this magic in other departments as we tossed fish with them!

(I knew that the reason we were embracing play at such a high level was to inspire positive change, however, I was still nervous about how professional it may appear.)

One day a very important customer visited our office as popcorn was popping and all of that color and commotion was occurring.  After a few minutes of walking around and looking at everything, that customer walked over to me and said,

“ “I don’t know what you’ve done with the place, it was a tomb, and now it is alive.”

Ken Blanchard says that you have to impact knowledge before you can impact attitude, and you have to impact attitude before you can impact behavior.

Multiple articles emphasize how much play decreases our stress and increases our creativity and problem solving abilities.

For that team, even on our busiest and most stressful days, taking a few seconds to play a song and toss a fish released stress and increased energy.  And that energy spread from department through department until it had “infected” our entire location.

The impact?  An under-performing and under-supported team that was feeling victimized. changed their focus, learned how to play together, built trust, began meeting and then exceeding their goals…  And ultimately instigated multiple organizational development projects that impacted nearly a dozen locations throughout the nation.

For all of those reasons, I believe my niece and nephew and Disney are brilliant…  When we create workplaces that encourage people to use their imaginations and to laugh, we will increase energy, teamwork and results!

PLEASE SHARE:  How do you play at work?  And how has it impacted your results?  

Additional Resources:

• Angela Maiers:  Permission to Play Please
• Stuart Brown:  TED.com Why play is vital no matter your age

Image Credit: Fotolia

Change is growth.

This week I realized that it has been 8 months since we agreed to turn an unwanted opportunity into an adventure.  Today as I type this the last box has just been unpacked, the pictures are hung, and we’ve taken one quick spin around the compound on the Harley – celebrating that we are finally settled!

This weekend we shopped at one of the stores that we were in, on my first day here, causing me to reflect on that day:

• Shortly after 3 AM the anticipated call to prayer blared from a speaker.
• Once we were up we drove on roads that have lanes painted on them, however those lanes really don’t mean anything, as drivers simply drive wherever they want, whenever they want with no driving protocol or enforcement.  
• As a woman – driving is not a wise option for me.  (It’s not a law, but you can get arrested if you do it!)
• I was wearing my new black “cloak of invisibility.”  (In case you wondered, it is effective – as my husband quickly discovered how difficult it was to identify his wife when everyone is wearing a cloaking device!  Since that day we have wondered how small children learn to identify their mothers in a crowd and joked that perhaps I should add a huge Harley Davidson decal to the back of my “cloak” so he can spot me in a crowd!)
• Trying to comprehend this logic:  Public displays of affection between men and women – (like holding hands while you are shopping) are frowned upon, however it is culturally acceptable for men to hold hands with each other as they shop.
• Taking a step back in time when we went for lunch as we had to watch what door we entered, what line we stood in and where we sat to eat.  (All based on if you are a man or a woman or with a family.   …Giving us the tiniest taste of what the deep-south was like in the United States for many years.)
• Beginning to learn that if you don’t plan well,  your schedule will be interrupted multiple times a day as stores and restaurants close multiple times for prayer.

As I paused to reflect, I also looked ahead reminding myself that In our multiple moves within our home country there is a consistent pattern:

• Each time we’ve moved the first 3 months are filled with excitement and adventure!
• And just as consistently the next 3 months are the most challenging, as the adventure begins to wear off and you really really really miss the familiar.

Today I am less than 10 days away starting that “second trimester” even though my husband has been here longer.

• Part of me is sure this will be easier than in the past because of the strong expat community.
• The other part of me is not at all sure what the next few months will be like, as it is also customary for a majority of the wives and children to leave the country in the summer. (Most of them are already gone – partially to avoid the heat, and partially to avoid the month- long faith-based holiday that alters life even further.)

In the midst of those wonderings I am reminded of why I said yes to this opportunity:

• To practice what I frequently teach:  There is growth and life and miracles outside of my comfort zone
• To experience a culture instead of judging it
• To travel, to learn from others, and to get much better at geography
• To really learn that no person, no law, no country, no “cloak“, no seating arrangement and no driving restrictions determine my purpose or my value
• To walk in faith believing that this is the next step in our path that we are supposed to be here to learn something that will help us live our purpose at a higher level

So this is where the metal meets the road.  Where my ability to hold onto that vision sets the stage for the rest of our experience here…

There are several things I typically do to hold onto a vision and I’ll gladly share them in a future post.  Today I’m looking for fresh ideas and would love to hear from you!  Please share:  

• Are you in the pursuit of a vision?  What changes/challenges have you faced?  How do you hold onto your vision when you are outside of your comfort zone?  

Image credit:  iStock