2022 – Page 2

The last post may seem the opposite of having superpowers.

Or is it?

If you ask author Joe Badarracco, he’d likely suggest that stepping back, maybe shedding a tear or two, and taking a break are without question the stuff superheroes are made of. In his book Leading Quietly, Badarracco suggested that what he calls ‘quiet leaders’ are the result of ‘the sum of millions of small yet consequential decisions that individuals working far from the limelight make every day’ and they select ‘responsible, behind-the-scenes action over public heroism to resolve tough leadership challenges’.

But to make those decisions, to sit far from the limelight to make behind-the-scenes actions, a leader has to be able to sit with themselves. So often, we fight, push, struggle, and attempt to get things done, to the detriment of our own health and sanity.

I read this great piece about self-care a bout a week ago. The tl:dr (too long, didn’t read) of the matter was that the term self-care has become synonymous with ‘some thin gruel, sufficient for enabling the person to experience the unsustainable conditions for one more day’, a way to get past the horror of this day to survive to reach the horror of tomorrow.

Maybe that’s how you feel about your current personal or professional situation.

The remainder of that post related to people’s relationship with their faith practice, but the point is well-made as it relates to leadership as well. There must be more of a ‘why’ to what we do, something more than ‘fake it til you make it’, something more than ‘if I just [finish this report … get done this meeting … fill in the blank].

R-Leaders want to see their businesses grow but also want to see their people grow. They invest in professional development, mentoring, conferences and presentation opportunities, and advancement opportunities to develop that succession pipeline (more about that in a future post).

Sometimes however, one of the areas R-Leaders may not be so good at is looking at their own growth. It’s important to help others, but the leader must also help themselves to grow and thrive.

When was the last time you took a professional development course, a training to update current or learn a new skill, or enlisted the support of a trainer or mentor?

Now might be the best time to (re)evaluate your leadership position. Let’s connect today to explore your opportunities.

\"\" — **Sisyphus photo by Jeffrey Hummel: Fine Art America**

Welcome to 2022. I’m hoping it came in safely for you and yours.

Many of us may be challenged and like Sisyphus, feel ever-destined to shove at that heavy rock and yet are making little or no progress toward our business and personal goals.

It’s important to remember that the business of people — the business of our humanity — must always come first.

You’ll notice it’s been quiet here.

I’ve had a LOT of ‘people business’ since the end of last year. I worked very hard, managed pretty well to keep the juggled running chainsaws safely in the air. But, and there always is one … I suffered for it. My health, my spirit, my being were all challenged.

In many ways, it wasn’t worth it.

I was able to do more for people through giving but did less with people.

I worked through my federal and state taxes yesterday and owe more than I ever have in my life.

I cried.

The rock felt quite big and for many moments, it was rolling back down and over me.

Leaders have these experiences with business and also have them with their personal lives. It’s vital that we recognize our humanity in those moments, that we seek support when we need it — whether in the corporate or personal environment.

I’m grateful to have that support from professional spaces as well as personally.

I encourage you to take a moment, think about where you are (emotionally, spiritually, physically) and take inventory to determine if you need to stop juggling the chainsaws.

The thing is, we really don’t have to juggle them.

I stepped away from a toxic work situation to get my sanity back and after a few moments of self-reflection, I was able to again focus on the good I did over that time. I considered the lives touched — even the ungrateful ones.

As a person of faith, I remembered that not everyone who gains a measure of success from our toil beside them will say ‘thank you.’

And yet, we press on to the next client, the next job, the next family member, the next neighbor, the next student …

Rest assured, your labors are not in vain.

But in the midst, put down the chainsaws. Stop juggling them. Care for yourself and your loved ones.

The business will take care of itself for a minute.

If you find yourself struggling to balance your attention to the people in your span of care (yourself, your family, your colleagues, your clients), be sure you are focused on the people and not just the process.

Need support deciphering how to balance your focus? I’d be glad to work with you.

Yearly Archives: 2022

Superpower #3: Consistently Committed to Growth

The Business of Life