Tag Archives: Self-Leadership

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Thwarting Death by Comfort Zone

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I talk a lot about the importance of leaving your comfort zone and the growth that can happen when you do. Most of the time I emphasize the BENEFITS of doing so.

Recently I’ve been reminded of how DANGEROUS comfort zones really are when:

  • A group of expats got too comfortable navigating the land we live in and found ourselves in a situation we could have avoided.
  • My husband witnessed a friend’s motorcycle accident and recognized how comfortable, carefree and careless he has become on his own Harley.
  • I visited with an executive that has been in his position so long he is struggling to see how complacent and ineffective he is becoming.

Each scenario caused me to reflect on how winning sports teams lose their edge, how wildly successful businesses stop growing, and how governments and countries rise and fall…

Linger too long in a comfort zone and you risk…

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How brokenness can make you more effective

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I read the story below several years ago and really struggled with it…

A young woman sang a solo in front of a large audience. Her vocal technique was splendid, her intonation excellent, her range significant.

Coincidentally, the man who had written the piece of music she sang was sitting in the audience. When the young woman finished, the person sitting beside the composer leaned over and said, “Well, what do you think of her?”

Softly the composer responded, “She will be really great when something happens to break her heart.” ~ C. Swindoll

“Really?”  

My heart pushed back  ~ “Why does something have to break your heart before you become really great?”  

Part of my brain argued with the thought and then shut down.

…A few years later, I walked through the most significant struggle in my life…

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Endings and Beginnings

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When we moved to The Sandbox, I promised to share our personal change journey – believing that even titled leaders are people with real lives that have only one constant in their lives… CHANGE!  As expected our experiences have included examining urban legends, facing fears, laughing, crying, and crazy amounts of growth!  Sometimes I hold the experience for awhile processing, healing, or trying to figure out how to share it with you.  I wrote this in May of last year and stumbled on it earlier this week…

Before we moved across the ocean we really struggled with lots of decisions.

Expat DogOne of the biggest ones was wondering if we should bring Brutus, our 10-year-old White German Shepherd.

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Discouraged that the change you seek hasn’t happened yet?

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I was recently on a call with a friend that is dealing with at situation that is impacting her family and needs to change. She’s done everything she can think of to communicate their needs, to ask for consideration, and to influence that change but nothing seems to be happening.

As we visited I thought of a story I heard years ago about two children that were teased every day at school by a bully. In spite of their pain, their families encouraged them to be courageous, to speak truth and to be kind and loving in in their responses.

After an especially challenging day at school the two children were hurting, frustrated and discouraged.

So the little girl’s father took them on a trip to a construction site. They sat at a distance and watched as a man hammered on a large boulder. Repeatedly he hit the massive stone with no apparent results.

…And then in one sudden blow the boulder crumbled into hundreds of pieces!

The children were amazed, and wondered why that one blow broke the rock and the others didn’t.

The father explained that with each blow the rock was breaking inside – even though the exterior showed no evidence of what was happening inside.

 

Martin Luther King JrToday we honor the life of a man who consistently modeled that change can be obtained with persistence, thought, discipline and love.  

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke these words AFTER his home was bombed…

We are not advocating violence. We want to love our enemies. I want you to love our enemies. Be good to them. Love them and let them know that you love them.

As we honor his life I can’t help but to think about…

No matter who you are, or where you sit…  

[Tweet “Change won’t happen by wishing for it.”]

Or by waiting for someone else to do it.

[Tweet “The change you want to see is waiting for YOU to act.”]

Below are links to tools to help you be that change and prepare for the boulders you will face:

Image credits:  iStock, Historical Stock Photos

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Leadership Lessons Are For Everyone

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I recently visited with a CEO that read one of the articles in this blog for the first time and realized how disconnected he’d been from a big project in his organization. …That realization caused him to immediately engage with his team.

Then I visited with a friend that is a stay-at-home grandmother. She said she wasn’t sure if leadership articles would be of value to her now that she is no longer working outside of the home. (Even though she is a leader in her home and does a lot of volunteer work!) …Then she went on to share her appreciation for the way the learning’s in these posts often challenge her thinking and apply to her life.

The CEO got a high five, my friend received a virtual hug, and my cells danced as I thought of how their actions and comments emphasize three important truths: