The Positive Energy Workplace

Some of the work I do with clients is hard to "put in a box"/get a handle on/make it really tangible. Afterall, when I work with people, everyone's different, and it's not like I can say "here is this gadget I'm going to sell you." Or "here's exactly what you'll have when we're done with our work." It's actually quite the opposite; the client determines the "gadget" and what we have at the end - by getting really clear and then achieving his/her specific outcomes they wish to make in our work together. No one is the same. It's not an exact science. Just about 100% of the time they get more than they bargained for and find things they didn't even know they could work on, and that add tremendous value to their lives and leadership. The whole point of the work is to help them become even more effective at being THEM. Finding their truth. Following their path. Increasing their influence (both externally and internally - important!) And leading in a way that is congruent for them. You can't put that in a box.

We're getting a lot more traffic to this blog - which is fantastic! We're getting some great comments and input, and with that, we're also getting a lot of spammers. A request from me to you dear serious readers, if you read something you like (or don't) and want to comment on it, please submit your comments and let's have a discussion about that specific topic. It will help us when we moderate comments if we know that it is in fact a real live conscious reader out there who wants to engage in a real conversation. Thanks as always for coming to this blog. I'll be back with more posting shortly, and look forward to seeing you here. //anese

"Got milk?" was a phrase that kept running through my head yesterday as I sat in the Breast Health Center going from round to round of exams and checks. It's always funny to me the silly things I'll think of, the silly phrases, the silly scenarios in some of the most stressful situations. (Of course, I was the child who'd laugh when her friends got into big trouble - out of sheer nervousness - so I guess I'm not that suprised.) I was surrounded by other women who were doing the same thing. Several were there for regular check ups, and a couple were there praying that their scares were just that, scares. A couple others, I'm not completely sure...It was a humbling experience and 3 hours sitting in that environment has quite the ability to increase your love and appreciation for women and the human spirit. It also has quite the ability to get you to start thinking about either sponsoring your girlfriend in one of these 3 day breast cancer walks (or doing it yourself!) (I'll be waiting for the phone to ring as soon as this goes live...wait for it...wait for it...)

I'm going to go out on a limb and write a different kind of post today. I actually shouldn't be posting - I'm prepping for a live call tomorrow on energy and leadership (big turnout so far, feel free to join us http://tinyurl.com/y9nve4k ), but I'm still thinking about these women and this experience. It's just kind of stuck with me. There's no profound leadership advice here except maybe to: make sure you get your preventative health care in, take good care of yourself, and dare to engage the things that terrify you (ie. a sinister looking medical tests) - in service of sticking around, feeling well, and having the most energy and stamina to lead for the things you care about (which technically is Bootist Leadership Tenet 3.) I'd also add in, the invitation to revisit what you're grateful for in your life, and to give a special nod to the women in your life who you love, to the women you don't even know - but appreciate, and to the women whose names you'll never know but who've sat with you through something like this. Yes, leadership learning can be gleened from any situation, but for this post, let's just talk about the power of the human spirit. And specifically, since it's so fresh in my heart, women.

So what will you focus on this year? Are you wearing "boots" or "slippers" in 2010? Now I'm all for a good pair of slippers when needed - I can appreciate chilling out, rest, even laziness, with the best of them - and I believe full heartedly that these all have a place in being the most effective human being and leader possible (Tenet 3: Energy & Vitality - "Bootists Check Out and Consciously Disengage"). That said, there's also great value in being conscious of when you're wearing slippers and really need to be wearing boots. Not telling you which is which, that's totally up to you, I AM however inviting you to be intentional about when and how you wear both. (After all, there's a reason the phrase goes: "slip slip sliding away...")

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm getting ready to sign off for a couple of days of family, food, fun, movies, games, some nice runs along the river, and some "me" time. Every year, with gratitude being one of my favorite energy producing leadership and connection tools, I write something about it for my clients and subscribers. This year I'm sharing it on the blog as well. All I can say is this...if you've got gratitude, lead with it. If you don't think you do, look for it. And if you aren't doing so, express it. And soon. And more. After all as Gertrude Stein (1874-1946) once said "Silent gratitude isn't very much use to anyone."

If you’d like the full article (as well as additional articles) make sure you opt in on the box on the right. In the meantime, enjoy the poem below. Thanks for being here, have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and let’s get ready for 2010. "See" you next week!

Leading With Gratitude Poem - Anese Cavanaugh