Leadership Between the Lines

When I wrote CONTAGIOUS YOU* last year, I dug deep into data, science, research, and case studies. I wanted to help bridge the gap people often come to the edge of when tying the IEP leadership work (often seen as the "soft stuff") to tangible business costs and outcomes.

Of course everyone knows that being more present, healthier, clearer, kinder, and trustworthy is a nice to have, but does it really net a financial impact? Is it really good business? After all, people say it is, but I've found that when it comes to learning how to do it -- which requires leaning into the "soft stuff" -- people often disappear into some version of, "We don't have budget, we don't have time, we've got work to do" or my favorite "Isn't that a little woo woo?"

After having done this work for over twenty years with all kinds of organizations, business leaders, humans, and industries, I knew the answer to "Does it really net a financial impact and is it good business and is it worth tending to?" was a HUMONGOUS “YES.” (So do you, if even only intuitively right now.) And turning myself into a researcher validated my beliefs. 

CONTAGIOUS CULTURE, CONTAGIOUS YOU...

Who would have thought we’d be in a CONTAGIOUS PANDEMIC just four months after the release of CONTAGIOUS YOU (the follow on to CONTAGIOUS CULTURE)? Or even deeper in that pandemic -- amongst hundreds of other hard things that challenge our energetic and leadership contagiousness and way of being -- just eight months later. Or after I'd written a book call THE LEADER YOU WILL BE...

I'll write another post about the experience of this year with these books, and the divinity and gifts I can see in all of it (now). And in the meantime, I wanted to offer some extra guidance and support in engaging with this work right now as we navigate pandemics, politics, natural disasters, social injustices, massive tension and ambiguity, mental and physical health trauma, upcoming holidays, and more, and as our leadership, self-care, and positively, usefully, and healthy contagiousness become even more important... 

I've started this post four separate times this week. Each time I've started, I've gotten distracted. A stressed text from a loved one. Increasing smoke and decreasing air quality from the fires throughout California. Notice of a medical emergency. A news alert on my phone, (almost always followed by getting sucked into social media)...

Whatever the case (and this seems to happen more and more frequently), my previously energized and focused brain, after any of these (or a combination of the above) -- shuts down. And all that "ready to engage, ready to write, ready to whatever, zoom zoom!!" energy goes... kaput. 

I met with a group of executives yesterday about what’s happening in their organizations as they navigate leadership, culture, and COVID-19. This morning I got a note about a CEO sending out a “panicked deck” before his meeting with investors. Later today I’m meeting with an executive who needs to get his head and heart clear before he communicates the next steps of the organization and asks his leadership team to step in and lead with him, not by force but by invitation....

I've received several notes from clients and colleagues asking me what I think and feel about all that's going on. After all, my two biggest books talk about CONTAGIOUS YOU and CONTAGIOUS CULTURE, and this whole body of work is about SHOWING UP for ourselves and each other. A most recent note really pulled at my heart, I gave it my best response in this moment and during this time. My team and I thought it might be useful to others. It's a long post, so digest as you wish. And as always, take, toss, or tweak as it serves. Love to you always. Stay safe.