Category: Leadership

Why it's your responsibility to send the elevator back down!

8/8/2014

"If you are lucky enough to do well, it is your responsibility to send the elevator back down"
Kevin Spacey
I am inspired by reading Emily Gowors book “ The Book within you”, as it has reminded me of some insights around the notion of being fully self expressed. In my Speaker, Author, Media Mastermind I encourage people to journal regularly for 2 reasons. Firstly to develop some insight and observe where they are at and secondly, to use it as a tool to get them to a deeper connection to their authentic selves and find that space to enable channelling. Emily calls it connecting to the divine.

It’s been my experience as we put pen to the page, we begin to see life unfolding and a raft of paradox and synchronicity begins to show up. We see the challenges and can also see the support that is showing up. Both are there side by side and when we are present we can see that! Things that are sensitive to you, can be observed in the writing and help to show you your expanding awareness. It is this increased sensitivity that can be the wellspring for a flow of writing deeper than you knew was possible.

This is also a healing place. A catharsis occurs as you put the words down and capture and stream consciousness, bringing a deep level of flow and outpouring. Congruence becomes apparent as you commit to showing up to the page in a disciplined manner, further enabling you to tune into higher frequencies. One of my clients channelled over a period of a week or so some 70,000 words, amazing herself with where it came from and how if just flowed. Indeed it was more than flow....it urged to be brought out !! More on that shortly as it is soon to be released!

As Emily refers to and I agree totally, each of us here this lifetime has a contribution to make to humanity, and the thoughts, visions and ideas generated are all accessed as indicators of what is required right now! My role in the mastermind has evolved to support people to fully access their creative selves and provide the tools to step into speaking, writing and accessing media to leverage their position. To work with creative people is to support the harnessing of gifts and talents, create a pathway and tools that ease business processes, and offer into the creative space in an intuitive fashion. I have been a shameless self promoter and networker and to now be able to share those connections with others to further their dreams is just wonderful!

I have done well in my own speaking career and I love this quote from Kevin Spacey:-

“If you are lucky enough to do well it is your responsibility to send the elevator back down!

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How hard is it to attract your potential customer?

7/27/2014

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THE GREATEST STUMBLING BLOCK

The following list demonstrates just how hard it is to really attract your potential customer. You may find thinking about this really useful as you start to put in place a mixed media marketing campaign for your own business.

The first time a man looks at an ad he doesn’t see it
The second time he doesn’t notice it
· The third time he is conscious of its existence
· The fourth time he faintly remembers having seen it
· The fifth time he reads the ad
· The sixth time he reads it through and says “ oh brother!”
· The seventh time he says “ here’s that confounded ad again”
· The eighth time he wonders if it amounts to anything
· The ninth time he will ask his neighbour if he has tried it
· The tenth time he will wonder how the advertiser makes it pay
· The eleventh time he will think it must be a good thing
· The twelfth time he thinks it might be worth something
· The thirteenth time he remembers he once wanted such a thing
· The fourteenth time he is tantalised because he cannot afford it
· The fifteenth time he thinks he will buy it someday
· The sixteenth time he makes a memorandum of it
· The seventeenth time he swears at his poverty
· The eighteenth time he counts his money carefully
· The nineteenth time he buys the article or asks his wife to buy it for him
· The twentieth time he will refer other people to your product

I believe this was written by a Thomas Smith in London in 1885

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What are your Signature Strengths ...and why would you want to know?

7/13/2014

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Professor Martin Seligman, in New Zealand some time back, asked of the audience “Given the level of prosperity in this nation why is there so much depression and why is morale so low?”

From the work of Dr Martin Seligman has evolved a list of characteristics that epitomise the picture of an optimist. Intellectually they are far more creative, more decisive and effective problem solvers. From an interpersonal perspective they are found to be independent individuals who have a strong gift for persuasion. Pro-active rather than reactive, they are bigger risk takers and much more confident. They have a highly competitive nature and are assertive across all areas of operation. They manage their stress well by their positive view of what is occurring.

Motivationally, they seek challenges and are determined and committed to see things through. They are ambitious and apply enthusiasm to all activity. They are goal oriented and time efficient, and remain persistent and resourceful when under pressure. The display a go for it attitude which is infectious and supports their entrepreneurial skills. They are highly self motivated and demonstrate resilience during adversity or under trying conditions.

Go to www.authentichappiness.org and log in to see more of Seligmans resources
You may complete any of the questionnaires but the one I urge you to do is the VIA Signature strengths questionnaire. It will take approximately 20 minutes and you will receive immediate feedback, select your top 5 signature strengths and print them out.

List them below from the top first

1

2

3

4

5

Decide to take them with you wherever you go and use them in all situations. As you bring them to the fore in all that you do, whether it is in your job description or not you will notice your relationships improving. You will notice a shift in your perspective of events as you see them in a positive light and you will benefit , and so will others , from the gifts you have that you can use to contribute to make a difference.

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Flexible optimism - The path to wellbeing and productivity

7/13/2014

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Flexible optimism--The path to wellbeing and productivity

Our habits of thinking have consequences. We can come from either an optimistic or pessimistic viewpoint and neither is right or wrong, however an optimist will not be fazed by defeat. In fact optimists believe defeat is not their fault, and when they are confronted with difficult or trying situations they perceive it as a challenge and try harder. They see bad situations as being simply due to circumstances, bad luck or something that someone else created. They see bad situations or events as temporary and related to one event only.

Pessimists on the other hand tend to think bad events or situations are their fault, that they will last a long time and get in the way of all further activity. They often imagine the worst, tend to give up more easily, their health can often suffer and they are more prone to depression.

Optimists by contrast, have unusually good health, perform better at work and in sport, tend to age well and may even live longer. It is perhaps important at this point to explain that a positive personality does not always mean you respond to adversity and success with optimism. There are many positive people who are not necessarily performing to optimum.

In Professor Martin Seligmans book “ Learned Optimism” he speaks of people being able to learn how to remain resilient in the face of defeat. Over 7 years of studies have now revealed that it is not an inborn trait and that it can be acquired. Your habitual way of explaining events Seligman calls your Explainatory Style.

There are 3 crucial elements of this and he calls them permanence, pervasiveness and personalisation. ...getting a bit heavy duty here !!

People who give up easily tend to believe the bad events that happen are permanent while those who resist the notion of helplessness believe the causes are only temporary. It is not that optimists don’t experience failure and feel helpless. It is just that they very quickly bounce back and move on. Pessimists may take days or even months to spring back and after a major defeat may never bounce back.

The optimistic style of explaining success is seen in people who believe good events have permanent causes and they are actually more optimistic than those who think their successes are due to temporary causes.

The second notion of pervasiveness is seen as being specific or universal.

People who catastrophise tend to collapse in all areas and are the ones who make universal explanations for their failure, even when it may only strike one area. Those who make a more specific explanation may exhibit helplessness in that area yet remain strong in others. People who make permanent explanations for bad events will experience long lasting helplessness, while those who see them as temporary experience resilience.

The third element, personalization has two aspects, internal and external. Essentially when bad events occur we can blame ourselves or we can blame others. Those who blame themselves tend to demonstrate low self esteem as a consequence. Those who externalise or blame others do not lose self esteem when times are tough. Generally speaking they like themselves better than those who internalise. The optimistic style of explaining good events is again the reverse, that is people who believe they cause good things to occur tend to like themselves better than people who believe good things come from other people or outside circumstances.

For people who tend to be more pessimistic there are potential “trouble” spots. They are more likely to become depressed, they are more likely to be less productive, their physical health and immune response will be lowered and they will find life less pleasurable. .....as a generalisation!

In learning to select and use different explanatory styles people build resilience and become better equipped to avoid depression and cope with difficult times. Seligman says in his book “Learned Optimism” “ Life inflicts the same setbacks and tragedies on the pessimist as on the optimist but the optimist weathers them better” . Becoming an optimist, or being more optimistic involves simply observing how you talk to yourself when you are experiencing a setback and then learning to speak to yourself from a more optimistic viewpoint.

Once you become aware of your way of explaining situations you can then learn 2 things to do to manage your pessimistic viewpoint or beliefs. The first is to use distraction and do something else when the pessimistic thoughts arise. The second is to dispute them, and this is the more effective long term management.

Suggestion….anytime you find yourself feeling low, angry, or anxious ask what it is you are saying to yourself? Some beliefs are simply not accurate. Any negative beliefs you might hold are actually distortions and you can challenge them. Repeated application of this process demonstrates that problems disappear or have far less import!

Some work roles benefit from single minded optimism while others benefit when there is a blend of both optimism and pessimism. This is a very important leadership quality for modern business and is called “Flexible Optimism”.

Like to know more? Contact Pat

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Auschwitz story .....

7/13/2014

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From Ben Zanders book “The Art of Possibility”

Often the exerience of personal crisis or a failure will constitute a basis for the creation of a personal vision, which in turn becomes a framework for a life of possibility. Alice Kahana, an artist living in Houston, has a painful and vivid memory of her journey to Auschwitz as a fifteen year old girl.

On the way she became separated from her parents, and found herself in charge of her 8 year old brother. When the boxcar arrived she looked down and saw her brother was missing a shoe. “ Why are you so stupid!” she shouted at him, the way older sisters are inclined to do. “ Can’t you keep track of your things?”

This was nothing out of the ordinary except that these were the last words that were passed between them, for they were herded into different cars and never saw each other again.
Nearly 50 years later Alice is still living by a distinction that was conceived in that maelstrom. She vowed from that point not to say anything that would not stand as the last thing she ever said.

Is she 100% successful?
We would have to presume not. But no matter.
Such a distinction is not a standard to live up to, but a framework of possibility to live in to.
What do you think?

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How to find and enrol the Mentor of your dreams!

7/3/2014

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In 2001 when Joyology was born I said to myself " Pat, if you think you are going to build this into a business you are going to need some serious help!"

At that time I had heard of Mike Hutcheson, then MD of Saatchi and Saatchi Auckland. His capacity for geniality preceded him and I decided he would be the one i would approach to be my mentor. When I finally wooed his PA and secured an appointment I went into panic mode. What on earth was I going to say to this clever man?

Dear reader.....I even went and had coaching! Truth!!!

However as the day got close for my appointment the universe sent me a mini bottle of Dettol in the post. And the IDEA came! I got together the bottle, a make up sponge, 2 cotton buds and a bandaid, wrapped them in clear cellophane and put the wee parcel in a small treasure chest. On meeting Mike in his wonderful office, I handed him the chest...which he opened, saying....as you might expect...." Um....what's this Pat?"

I replied...." Well Mike.....I am not here to sponge off you.....but I do have the germ of an idea.....it has a couple of applications.....and I don't want it to be a bandaid job" I went on to explain what I thought Joyology might be , and asked him would he be my mentor and would he support me to get funding.

He said "yes" and "yes" and is a friend and colleague to this day!
What I want to impress on you though, is at that time I was broke, my partner of 20 years had left and I had undergone a series of other losses. My esteem was a bit thready, and yet even in that dark moment my creativity saw a way to make a very memorable presentation!

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12 ways to be a 21st century visionary

6/25/2014

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12 Ways to be a 21st Century Visionary
Marcia Weider

A 21st Century Visionary:

1. Is comfortable with uncertainty, the place where true creation occurs. He or she knows we were created to create and allows the time and space for this to occur.

2. Has extraordinary faith. They are able to act on what’s important to them even without assurance and guarantees. They can walk on faith without knowing the strategy or even clear next steps.

3. Knows that the secret to enlightenment is to relax. As we relax, our ego (with its agenda, fears and doubts) can slip away and we are left with our essential self, essence or soul.

4. Practices getting empty, so they can hear the voice of the Divine and/or feel this presence. They often create ritual and sacred space as way to invite this in.

5. Can consciously drop into a deeper place of wisdom, knowing and truth and can ideate/dream, and speak from this place.

6. Is aware that miracles happen in their own time and is able to wait rather than asserting his or her will or effort too soon. They trust the process enough to let it unfold.

7. Is receptive and knows that “give and take” is not the same as “give and receive” and that giving and receiving need to be done in balance. They practice restraint, allowing space for the space where true creation and original thought happen.

8. Does not live primarily as a problem solver, but more as a creative force. They are aware that it is more powerful to move toward what you want than away from what you don’t want, yet they know that both creation and destruction serve.

9. Has a conscious relationship with the silent witness, the part that can see many points of view, all sides and new perspectives. They are big dreamers with great imagination and willing to traverse new terrain.

10. Is collaborative rather than hierarchal. They have the courage, clarity and commitment to share dreams and ideas and empower others to take ownership.

11. Is crucial to the Dream Movement's ultimate dream, which is to make the world a better place. They know that with one single highly intentional step, the world can and has changed.

12. Has tremendous integrity. Beyond keeping their agreements with themselves and others, they answer to a higher Source. They usually have a purpose, mission, vision, calling and dreams in many areas of life

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Why it's your responsibility to send the elevator back down!

How hard is it to attract your potential customer?

What are your Signature Strengths ...and why would you want to know?

Flexible optimism - The path to wellbeing and productivity

Auschwitz story .....

How to find and enrol the Mentor of your dreams!

12 ways to be a 21st century visionary

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