Leaps of Faith: A Day in the Life Sunday

If there is anything at all I learned over my years is that things go better for me when I can get myself out of the way and take a leap of faith

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iStockphoto

If it's not a "should" that trips me up, it's a funk or a fear. I know how to get unstuck from a funk but it's the fears I am much less likely to face. I am always on the look out for bursts of inspiration and sometimes, I don't see them coming until they are right in front of me

Case in point: my daughter and I we were talking on our drive home after school and work when  she shared her goal for the school year:

To take risks, get out of her comfort zone and try new things.

She was thoughtful and shared a teacher's comments about challenging herself and having exciting experiences. She knew what she was going to do to - and what she had already done - to live like this. She is joining the speech team and JO Volleyball, she prepared and delivered a speech in her run for "president" on election day and she entered Poetry Idol. 

She's taking a deep breath, going for it and building a support system around her. She's sharing her goal with others, has the "Think, Believe, Dream and Dare" Walt Disney quote above her bed  and wears a blue bracelet with bold black metal "DARE" almost daily to remind her of her goal. 

Where does she get this from? It was with a loving sarcasm only a daughter can deliver to her mother that she replied, "yeah right"  when I suggested she gets that drive from me.

It's crazy yet inspiring at the same time and comes at a time when I am making a commitment to myself "to be present in powerful ways."  In another forum, I declared 2013 as "The Year of the Write" and I will be trying new things with my writing despite knowing that this will take me into some uncomfortable areas.

What new, challenging or uncomfortable areas are you stepping into? Won't you share them in the comments below?

2 Leadership Topics That Keep Me Awake at Night

What keeps you awake at night?

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iStockphoto

I thought about this question <lying awake one night> and two topics, drawn from my dog-eared pages of HR From the Outside In, were clearly top of mind for me: trust and delivering results.

First, there can be no leadership or professional impact without trust. Second, the quality of a relationship alone is not enough to develop and susatin credibility. Credibility is based on business contribution.

I value my sleep so I was thrilled to be able to get out of my head and into the airwaves on Drive Thru HR with hosts Bryan Wempen and William Tincup. What's so great about these lunch time conversations is that Bryan and William take me in new directions and leave me thinking after my 30 minutes are over.  We covered ground on:

  • Delivering results v. being busy
  • Being reactive v. proactive
  • Time management and meeting
  • Aligning results with goals
  • What it would take for HR to be disruptive
  • Building trust and organizational values

Listen and learn why my new leadership mantra is "don't coddle me."

Listen to internet radio with Wempen and Tincup on Blog Talk Radio

Can you relate or am I the only one that gets hit between the eyes with these things? Don't stop there, click over to check out the archives of Drive Thru HR past guests. I value every minute of my time with these guys and I know you will too.