Your Leadership Coach

The word for the week is  "Joy"     Welcome 2019!!! This week, search for joy in everything you do.   Keep a record of the things you see, feel and hear that bring you some level of joy.   Reflect on this list at the end of the week.     I will find joy in everything I see, feel and hear. Happy New Year,  Happy New You Share your progress:  https://www.facebook.com/AStepAheadPR.Coaching

The phrase for the week is "Tight Hugs." Oxytocin, not to be confused with the drug Oxycontin, acts both as a hormone and as a brain neurotransmitter that makes you feel fabulous. It is a feel-good hormone that increases your overall happiness. When you cuddle or hug, oxytocin is released. According to a 2004 study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, physical contact with loved ones can lead to reduced heart rates, reduced blood pressure, reduced stress, improved healing, reduced cravings, and boosted immunity.   Is it lost on anyone that this doesn’t cost a dime!?! It is also noted that physical contact with a person you love causes your body to release dopamine, a hormone that increases your sexual desire--that’s another book (smiles)… Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!! I will wrap my arms around a loved one three times a day this week--a real tight bear hug. Share your thoughts and progress: https://www.facebook.com/ASte

The word for the week is "Expectations." Expect the best in all you do this week.   I know, It is hard work. Working at a high level each and every day can be exhausting, especially when no one seems to notice.   Or if they do notice, they don’t seem to care.   Consider what you can achieve if each day for one week, you pushed yourself to maintain a high level of excellence in everything you do.   What would that feel like?   What if you start small?   What if you start big? ·          When driving, come to a complete stop at every stop sign ·          Cross the street within the cross walk, no shortcuts--for anything. ·          No multitasking.   Give 100% of yourself to every single task, big or small. ·          Expect that every encounter with a human will make you smile.   Thank each person for making you smile. ·          Every meal cooked from scratch. Get the idea?   Create your own list for the week. I expect the best in myself and others.

The phrase for the week is "look beyond the obvious." Many of us remember this photo from a classroom where the teacher was making a point that one person can see an old woman, while another sees a young woman.   Each will be confident they are right and the other wrong.   They can even point to the evidence that’s so “obvious.”   Of course, the truth is, they are both right, because in this illustration, there is an old woman and young woman.   Often in our lives we make snap judgments and act on what we believe are truths.   Truths that are so “obvious.”   It is only when we are forced to hit the pause button and challenge ourselves to consider other perspectives that we are able to grow and enrich our lives.   Looking beyond the obvious allows us to find deeper meaning in the world around us and uncover unexpected truths.       I will find deeper meaning in the world around me. See more insigh

Carve Out Time for Career Planning! This week, focus on your career. No matter that you aren't seeking a new position or are an entrepreneur. Don't put it off! Begin the week spending  just 20 minutes to invest in your future! Each day we work with diligence to remain relevant to our clients, customers and employers. Ultimately, our success is measured by how well we deliver results, build winning teams and align our values and behaviors with the organization’s culture.   This consumes our working days and often creeps into our leisure and vacation time.   In my coaching practice, I often see clients who have neglected their careers for years and become frustrated when they are either forced to seek new employment or their new business prospects have dried up. An important habit to incorporate into one’s career life is an investment of just twenty minutes a week to focus on building and sustaining a career or business.   The following three areas will ensure you ar

Be flexible in every way this week! Yes, there is a right way and a wrong way to build flexibility.   It starts with our own emotional intelligence and how we react to change--it’s our behavior.   I’ve only heard “be more flexible” when someone is trying to convince me to do something I don’t agree with. And, since no one is perfect, and being flexible and adaptable are learned and not inherent in our DNA, do we have to work like an Olympic gymnast to develop these mental muscles? The good news?   No!   We can become more flexible without the rigor of a daily six-hour workout.   The bad news?   Yes!   We must be committed, aware of our own limitations and work through the pain to achieve medal-winning behavioral change. We find we are more flexible in certain situations.   For example, I’m more flexible when the dentist moves closer to my mouth with the drill.   I’m less flexible when I order apple pie and receive chocolate cake.   We’re also more flexible with strangers and

Be Calm! It is hard to think things through when you are surrounded by chaos and you become overwhelmed. Chaos creates stress.   When taken in small doses, stress can actually serve as a motivator and help you produce your best work.   However, chaos is a de-motivator and an unhealthy stress generator.   When everything becomes a priority and that overwhelming feeling takes over, it is time to hit the pause button and reach for your mental health toolbox!   To unlock the toolbox, you must first answer these questions: 1.     What/Who is the cause of your stress?   Don’t rule out “you” too quickly. 2.     Is this getting us to the cure for cancer or world peace?--act accordingly. 3.     What’s your immediate course of action?--begin with the desired outcome in mind. Knowing how to remain calm in times of chaos and stress can lead to a healthier life.   Place these tools in your toolbox: ·          Deep Breathing exercises.   You Tube provides countless techni

"Appreciate" -- Use it in a response or statement at least 3 times each day this week. Don’t just say it, see it!   When you show or acknowledge that you appreciate someone, you provide them with a “boomerang gift.”   The gift comes back to you, wielding its unlimited power of transformation.   The receiver gets an emotional lift and you benefit from having witnessed or felt something worth appreciating.   Who benefits the most is up for debate.   What’s no longer up for debate is the fact that looking at works of art can be as enjoyable as staring into the eyes of someone you love. Until recently, I had no idea that viewing paintings engages a number of different regions of the brain--vision, pleasure, memory, recognition and emotions. When scientists showed their study participant different paintings, they used brain scans to measure the most powerful 'pleasure' response in those taking part.   The artworks found to be most beautiful induced a 'fe

Reflect on all you’ve accomplished! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could take a mini vacation each week?   We could then go to a special place where we can unwind and literally wash ourselves of all the grit and grime that life heaves upon us daily.   Imagine baring your soul to the universe, declaring your independence from all the wondering and worry. Just for this week, only focus on all the great things you’ve accomplished to-date.   You have my permission to go back in time as far as your mind can recall.   I remember how excited I felt when I won first or second place (don’t remember exactly) in a school art contest in the third grade.   I literally thought I’d come apart at the seams if anyone touched me.   I now know I was about to burst with pride.   I carried that feeling of elation around like a security blanket for weeks on end.   I had really done my best work drawing a picture of Little Red Riding Hood with the Big Bad Wolf in her grandmother’s bed.   The re

Yes, the brain is an organ, but treat it like a muscle this week!  When you memorize a verse, speech or something similar, you’re giving the brain more power to do other things well.  Committing something to memory over several days is a great exercise towards innovation.  Pick a phrase or passage you'd like to incorporate into your communication as a leader.  Memorization has also been linked to better mental health.   Something to do with neuronal plasticity in the brain.   Some Dutch researchers have found that when you focus and develop your memory through memorization tasks, you free up the mind and have more room to be creative. According to the National Institute on Health and Aging, if you make this a lifelong habit, you will be able to maintain higher cognitive functioning and everyday skills, even five years after going through short stints of memory training.   Practicing memorization allows seniors to delay typical cognitive decline by seven to 14 years. N

Experience something new this week. Step outside your comfort zone. Take a risk! I speak often about the unintended consequences of confirmation bias on our society — more intolerance and even less understanding of our differences. This is when we only read material, attend events, join organizations or hire employees that match our own backgrounds, experiences and beliefs. It's when we screen out information we might not agree with. Thanks to the internet, our DVRs and satellite radio, one can have their biases validated daily by self-selection. This presents a critical problem for our personal and professional growth as leaders.   How do we help ourselves, our families, organizations and communities tap into new ideas when we censor the content and the activities that guide us daily? Our challenge is to develop innovative ways to avoid confirmation bias. We must lead by example, and step outside of our comfort zones to maximize our personal potential and the

I don’t have to tell you that thinking outside the box is critical to success in today’s bustling world.   As busy leaders, it is a daunting task to find the time to strengthen our leadership skills, attend to our family and contribute in a meaningful way to our community.   Often we feel overwhelmed and find it difficult to set priorities when, so it seems, everything is a priority.   Yet, we suck it up and move ahead, not sure if the problem is “us” or “them.” Certainly, we can all agree that working harder doesn’t always get the desired results.   Throughout my 38 years as a public relations and business strategist and executive coach, I’ve observed that sometimes it is “us” and sometimes, it is “them.”   Recently, I reflected on all I learned over the years as a student of human behavior and was compelled to write the blog I wish I could have read 30 years ago.   I have a personal library filled with books on leadership, emotional intelligence, coaching and the like.