My inbox sat at 1,405 emails, my calendar was over flowing, and my task list was miles long. I was in a state of overwhelm. Certainly not in a state of happiness...

Sound familiar?  I bet it does…

If I only had the time to catch up. If only I had the time to be happy…

With most of us over scheduling and multitasking, how can anything really get our attention, much less, our focus? Especially our focus on what is truly important. “Busyness” has taken over. At what cost? Where has our happiness gone?

I spent time with a client the other day who, from an outside perspective, you would think has it “all.”  Beautiful home with a panoramic view of the ocean, fancy car, high status, lots of money. With one question I stopped him in his tracks; “Are you happy?” It was like I hit him with a two-by-four. The conversation went dead silent.  After a long pause he answered “No.”

I harken back to when I was “slapped in the face” by life. Within one day my life as I knew it was forever changed. I never saw it coming.  My ambition as an athlete, my thriving career, my beautiful home, didn’t mean a thing.  I had lost my health and immediately nothing else mattered.  All that mattered was that I made it through the day. All that mattered was finding a glimpse of happiness through the pain.

Life changes on a dime, so my question to you is “Are you ready?” and more importantly, “Are you happy?”  Isn’t that what we are trying to achieve will all of our efforts? Have we lost sight of that? I know I did and didn’t even realize it.

Right now take inventory of your level of happiness. On a scale of 1-10 what is it? If you are like most it needs some work. I challenge you to ask yourself, “What one step can I take today to create a little more happiness in my life?”

Trust me, it’s worth it. You’re worth it. If you don’t take care of yourself and focus on finding your happiness you may well get a big wakeup call like I did. 

Give yourself the gift of happiness once again. It’s a choice. Slow down and make it.


©2013 and beyond Executive Coaching University. All rights reserved.

You kept reading after seeing that title for a reason. What is it?

Do you feel lost? Do you lack purpose? If so, you are not alone…

How many people do you know that jump out of bed each morning - completely excited about starting their day…focused on fulfilling their mission in life?

Not many, eh? Hmmm…how about yourself?

What is your mission in life?

Yes, it's a heavy question, but one worth asking yourself. Have you spent time thinking about what gifts you possess and how to utilize those gifts to the best of your ability? Or, are you just going through the motions each day? Could you possibly be one of the people who say- “I just want to make it through the day?”

Really?! Is that why we are put on this planet…to make it through the day?

Heck no!

As I work with organizations to formulate their long term strategic plans I am struck by what a great job we do in the corporate world regarding defining an organization’s mission, yet how little we do about this as individuals. In reality, what could be more important for us to figure out?

Think of what it would mean for you to know each day what you stand for and what your mission in life is. Take the time to explore what is important to you and use that knowledge to create the perfect path for yourself.

Here's the challenge - commit one hour this week to work on your mission. Just one hour. If you think this is too much to ask then you may well continue to be one of the lost…

Think about what you love to do. Think about the last time you were in “the zone.” What were you doing? When you start to focus on what brings you the most joy you will soon discover why you are here. It’s kind of funny how that aligns. 

Where there is passion, there is purpose!

Be patient with yourself. A person rarely discovers their mission in a lightning bolt fashion. It takes time and multiple iterations. It is not a linear process. Give yourself the space to let your mission reveal itself. Remember, it’s always been with you…you just haven’t let it emerge yet.

Post your thoughts below…share what you discovered. Who knows, you may provide great motivation for others to follow your lead. You could go from feeling lost to helping others discover their purpose. Who knows…that could be your mission! 

As you take ownership of your life you will discover that feeling lost is a choice, not your destiny.


©2013 and beyond Executive Coaching University. All rights reserved.

Due to the amazing demand for the complimentary public service training we do each month, we have created a YouTube Channel where you can access all of the previous training webinars dating back to 2012. These are all complimentary. Please subscribe to our channel so that you will be notified automatically when we post new videos. Enjoy!

Here's the link to our special YouTube Channel:  


You can register for the webinars here.

*************************************************************************

Please join Gary Henson and me as we take on the biggest issues in the coaching industry. This is a free public service program we offer each month. It is lively, provocative, and packed with helpful information!

We all know the kind of conversation I’m talking about.  The kind you would gladly trade for a root canal at your favorite dentist or that “routine” exam by your proctologist. Yes, anything but that conversation!

Most of us will wait until the emotion surrounding the conversation becomes so heated or toxic that when we do finally say what is needed, the true message is hidden in anger, frustration and disappointment.

What is the “true message?”

Is it a litany of the wrongs the person has committed?

Is it a list of everything the person didn’t do that they should have?

In other words, is the “true message” focused on how the person has failed in your eyes?

Unfortunately, usually the answer to all these questions is “yes,” when it should be a resounding “NO!”

A “crucial conversation” is nothing more than a powerful opportunity to convey our current concerns to someone whom we care for greatly.

Did you get that?  We have “crucial conversations” out of our intense caring for another – otherwise why expend the energy?

How much more effective might our conversation be if we perceive it not as a negative thing, but the opportunity for a “powerful conversation” with someone we care about?

How much more effective might our conversation be, if we didn’t shirk away and become complicit in the difficulty the conversation needs to address (because the less we say the more complicit we are)?

True servant leaders will hold a powerful conversation using these steps:

• The night before the conversation write down all the reasons you care for the other person.
• Then write down what the most positive outcome looks like – what would each of you walk away with?
• Just before the conversation review #1 and #2, take three deep breaths, and smile.
• Begin the conversation with something like “I wanted to meet with you today because I am very concerned about   you.” End the conversation with “Thank you for taking your time to meet with me today and thank you for being a part of this resolution.”
• Follow up the conversation with some correspondence reaffirming your commitment to the person and the pathway agreed upon.

Take responsibility for having the right approach, and these “crucial conversations” will become a powerful interaction that benefits both parties.

*Find the classic book Crucial Conversations by Patterson, et al. here.



© 2013 and beyond Executive Coaching University. All rights reserved.

Quick... what are your priorities today?

You may have a task list, you may have meetings lined up, but what are your real priorities?

Lately, I have been amazed at the answers I get when I query executives about their priorities. Many utter a reference to "objectives" that sounds good, but soon they discover that their answers don't clarify what their priorities are for that day. They often are not clear on what actions they need to focus on today that will lead to success tomorrow.

The second revelation is the massive amount of "disconnects" there are within companies over what a person's or team's priorities are, or should be. In training sessions I often focus on aligning a company's priorities in order to achieve their strategic goals. I will take executives through a discovery exercise that goes like this-

I ask the group to list their top 3 priorities. I then ask them to get with the person that they report to or with their teammates with whom they work most closely. They compare their priorities and guess what? Over 50% of the time they don't match! Over half the time their priorities are completely different than those around them. Do you think this might cause some "disconnects?" Imagine, the person that you report to thinks you should be working on "X" and you are working feverishly on "Y." Do you think someone may be disappointed?

There is a huge misalignment here, and it's all based upon assuming (a really dangerous thing to do in any circumstance!) that every­one knows what is important...the real priorities. Don't assume! Ask, verify, and realign!

Business runs at a frenetic pace as you well know. Things pop up daily that divert your focus and therefore may shift your priorities. Over time you can lose sight of the real priorities that lead to the achievement of the bigger goals that you have estab­lished.

It all comes down to continual communication about what is important and what has changed on the landscape that may have shifted your priorities.

Steve Pinchotti, CEO of a high tech company, states- "The leadership team in every company must set clear objectives and priorities and review them on a frequent basis. Having the discipline to maintain a priority list enables you to handle new initia­tives with minimal disruptions. The expectation that all workers can and will achieve extraordinary results is not realistic unless they know what to work on first."

Don't wait for your review, or board meeting, or any other check in point, to discover that there was a mis­alignment of priorities. Check with your team and those around you to make sure that everyone constantly knows what the priorities should be.If you and your team have your priorities in sync, the more successful and happy, you, and they, will be.

Leadership is often about focusing on the most basic things. This is one of them.


© 2013 and beyond Executive Coaching University. All rights reserved.

Executives of companies are intelligent, confident, innovative, and efficient. They inspire people and lead them to move mountains. Stress is not even in their vocabulary. So the term "Executive Coach" almost seems to be an oxymoron. How could these supermen/superwomen need to be coached? If they do, isn't that a sign of weakness? Executive Coaching is for Wimps.

As the CEO of a rapidly growing company, I know those thoughts crossed my mind when my COO brought it up as an idea. It seemed to have the stigma of a person going to a shrink and not wanting to talk about it. At the same time, I was intrigued. Behind every great athlete is a great coach. Could it possibly be the same for great executives?

It has been a year and a half since I had those thoughts. I have been working with an executive coach on a weekly basis since then. As a busy executive, the experience has proven to be invaluable and has changed my company and my life. A strong executive coach is not only a one-person board of directors with whom you can vet out strategic and tactical approaches; he/she is also an individual that constantly pushes an executive to perform at a higher and higher level every day.

Executive coaches focus on the individual to ensure that he/she is on top of their game on a daily basis, not just in preparation for the quarterly board meeting. As with any investment, what has been the return so far? In my company, the following tangible results have been achieved directly or indirectly by working with our executive coach:

•   A  rock-solid foundation of values, vision, and mission. 
•   A re-organized company that is customer-centric with self-directed, empowered teams.
•   More effective leaders – ratings of the leadership capabilities of our executive team increased significantly. 
•   Improved  employee  satisfaction  –  increased  over  9%  in  our  latest  survey. 
•   Improved customer satisfaction and product quality. 
•   Increased profitability by 28%.
•   Developed and improved sales capability. 
•   Launched five new products.
•   Ranked as one of the fastest growing technology companies in North America.

Our executive coach now works on a weekly basis with each of my executive staff members and on a regular basis with managers and staff.

Is Executive Coaching for Wimps? No!

Executive Coaching is for those who are courageous and confident enough to push for individual excellence and performance every day.




© 2013 and beyond Executive Coaching University. All rights reserved.

“Ac·count·abil·i·ty “

Webster’s Definition:   an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one's actions

The word “accountability” seems to be getting more and more air time as you look around the world of business (and politics) these days.

The problem is that most of the focus is usually outside of the person looking for more accountability!

As enlightened servant leaders, let us do a quick exercise to identify the one place in this world where accountability actually begins.  I want you to peer into a window, monitor, or mirror that is close at hand -- really look deeply – whoever is peering back at you is the true source of accountability. You!

As with everything associated with leadership, accountability is an inside-out process.  How can we, as enlightened servant leaders, expect others to value the process of accountability if we do not demonstrate how we value that process ourselves? 

As a collective, let us not fall into the false thinking that accountability is only associated with deadlines, tasks, dashboards, and any other way we measure productivity.  As leaders, we must hold ourselves accountable for EVERYTHING we think and do!

You, and you alone, have the ability to control your thoughts, feelings and behaviors.  Whether you actually hold yourself accountable for exerting that control, rather than externalizing that ability, is another issue entirely.

Do you hold yourself accountable for your words and actions, insuring alignment with your values?  Do you actively accept responsibility for expressing those values and providing space for those around you to express theirs?  

Has your organization adopted accountability as a cornerstone of its culture?  If yes, how is that expressed?

Utilizing the principle of accountability within our lives provides us a tool to insure we are living in a manner in which our purpose will be fulfilled. 

Accountability keeps us on the right path.

Are you on the right path?

Greg Styles
Director of Special Projects
Executive Coaching University



© 2013 and beyond Executive Coaching University. All rights reserved.

Greetings!

Please enjoy this incredibly inspiring podcast class that provides great insights such as:

• Why now is the time for Coaching!
• The Big Boomerang- how giving back can lift you up!
• How to outsmart the negativity of the media.
• How “going quiet” can change your life.
• How to use Values Based Coaching™ to help your clients make incredible gains.

And much more from our team of experts at The Executive Coaching University!

We are doing this because we truly believe that together we can change where things are heading. We can make a difference and it starts with a community of likeminded people who care enough to take a stand- a stand for positive change!

This podcast is about helping others change their lives – at the same time changing yours!

Coaching is the Cure for this Crisis Podcast:

http://www.rescueinstitute.org/audio/ipodcast/cure_mix.mp3

 

BIG NEWS TODAY!

 

We just received word that our flagship Executive Coaching Training Program (CMEC) was approved by the International Coach Federation! We can now award 15 CCEUs (credit hours) toward coaching certifications with the ICF. This is a wonderful compliment to our SHRM certifications.

This is such a beautiful reflection on our entire team. Congratulations to all of you!

Many thanks to all of you for your support over the years. We are so blessed…

You can find details here:

http://www.executivecoachinguniversity.com/

Warmly,

Drayton

Founder and CEO

www.RescueInstitute.org

www.ExecutiveCoachingUniversity.com

All of your employees are happy and productive, right?  Thought so…

According to Gallop (and other leading survey firms) here is the reality:

1. 75% of people wished they had a different job.
2. 51% of “A” workers are actively looking for a different job.
3. Worker productivity is only at 33%.
4. Lack of engagement costs U.S. businesses over $385 BILLION a year!
5. 80% of people NEVER use their greatest gifts at work.

What do you think of these smelling salts?!

Coaching can address all of these issues…in fact; it may well be the ONLY thing that can cure these workplace “ills.”

If you don’t have a coaching strategy in your organization, I can guarantee you one thing—these statistics will not go down…

Coaching is the “cure.” Isn’t it time you used coaching to focus on your most important asset…your people?

 

A. Drayton Boylston

Founder and CEO

Executive Coaching University



© 2013 and beyond Executive Coaching University. All rights reserved.