Last week the subject was gratitude ~ taking time to reflect on our lives and our work and feeling grateful. There’s a significant secondary gain from practicing gratitude; it improves our ability to see opportunities. By focusing on what’s good and valuable in our lives and at work, we strengthen our “opportunity recognition” capabilities. Pessimists and cynics often miss opportunities because their focus is elsewhere.

Food for Thought ~

Most good leaders are optimistic and consciously grateful. Recently, I was with a client who had just successfully moved her large organization into beautiful new offices. As she took a rare quiet moment to gaze at the vista from her window, she expressed gratitude for all the factors that had come together to make the move possible. This is a person who is an expert at opportunity recognition. I don’t think it’s a coincidence.

Question of the day ~

How optimistic are you? Do you easily see opportunities? Do you need to strengthen your gratitude habit?

One of the defining characteristics of good leaders is their predilection to be proactive. Being proactive means taking responsibility for looking forward to see what may need attention even though “the signals may be weak” at present. Over time, experienced leaders learn to read the weak signals and decipher their meaning. This is an extremely useful skill. By forecasting into the future, and then returning to the present, a leader can guide his or her organization in developing appropriate strategic responses and initiatives.

Food for Thought ~

As a leader, it’s critical to have the courage and clarity to look ahead and see what might be developing on the horizon, then take action accordingly. In other words, don’t let the press of immediacy obscure the importance of looking forward. Don’t wait for some unspecified “tomorrow.”

Question of the day ~

What future scenario forecasting have you done lately? What strategic decisions need to be made in order to move your company in the directions you desire and/or to avoid the circumstances you don’t desire?

Last week’s story about my completely unexpected mule ride on a flooded hiking trail was rich with lessons for me – the main one being the gift of the unanticipated solution to a dilemma. This happens in the workplace as well. I have learned to be open to the possibility of a solution “appearing” out of a sea of uncertainties. If we are rigorous and honest in gathering information, considering varying perspectives, and exploring creative alternatives with an open mind, we can often find a solution where we least expect it.

Food for Thought ~

Much of leadership is about leading decision-making processes for a group or organization. This requires having the wisdom, skill and self-discipline to conduct the decision-making process with integrity. I often say, “If the process has integrity, so will the results.” I have seen time and again, an unexpected, yet elegant solution “bubble up” from a healthy decision-making process.

Question of the day ~

Have you evaluated your decision-making processes lately? Do they nurture the conditions that encourage creative, effective solutions to your problems and dilemmas?

This is a true story. Regular readers may recall that in June I first wrote about encountering a swampy area on my favorite hiking trail in a nearby park. Recently, after the first heavy rains, many parts of the trail were flooded and impassable. A horse and rider went by and then I realized it was actually a fine-looking mule, not a horse. Having been born in Missouri and having “mules in my family” with an uncle that drove a team of Missouri mules in the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena for many years, I was intrigued. After a congenial conversation, I was offered a ride on the gentle mule, Precious Peanut Pushkin. Of course I happily accepted, and subsequently enjoyed a marvelous trail ride through the flooded areas, through “the swamp,” and back to dry trail. I felt like the Queen of the Park that day ~ marveling in the gift of a completely unexpected and delightful experience.

Food for Thought ~

I was struck by this elegant and unpredictable solution to my flooded trail dilemma. What a reminder about being open to new possibilities! (BTW, the owner, Louisa, is an acupuncturist who has recently relocated to Sonoma County. In addition to having a new friend, I am advising Louisa on marketing as she establishes her business here.)

Question of the day ~

What is your “takeaway” from this story? What was meaningful and noteworthy to you? How might you apply this to your life/work?

Last week’s Minute was about trying on new perspectives in order to broaden our views and reduce the likelihood of being stuck in old patterns simply out of habit. A related issue is the topic today – getting out of our “comfort zones.” Most of us find comfort in a certain degree of predictability and stability in our lives. That’s well and good. I think the real question is how broad is your comfort zone? If it’s narrow with inflexible boundaries, you may be limiting yourself.

Food for Thought ~

The most effective leaders I have known and admired are generally people who have a fairly broad comfort zone. They are able to relate to a wide range of people in a wide range of circumstances on a wide range of topics and issues. Further, they are able to function quite effectively outside of their comfort zones. Being in unfamiliar territory doesn’t have to be a handicap. In fact, we often learn and grow the most when we are “stretched” beyond our comfortable parameters.

Question of the day ~

How broad is your comfort zone? Are you flexible and resilient? Might you be more effective if you explored expanding your comfort zone?

My “walks in the park” continue to provide me with many moments of reflection. Recently I took my usual hike on a loop trail, but reversed my direction. This was after several years of walking the same route in the same direction. What a revelation! The same terrain looked quite different from the opposite direction. The views were even more enjoyable. I savored the usual landmarks from a different perspective. The familiar was made new.

Food for Thought ~
How often do we become habituated to our accustomed patterns and ways of doing things at work? Most of us develop a mindset, a way of viewing the people and issues in our workplace. We sit in the same place at meetings. We have formulated opinions that are dear to us. But how much richer our life and work can be when we purposefully try to see things from another perspective. Try on an opposing viewpoint to see what it has to teach you. Change your meeting venue, your room arrangement, your seat at the table. Let go of doing things the same way just because it’s customary. There’s much to be gained from trying on new perspectives.

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” ~ Marcel Proust

Question of the day ~

Are there any aspects of your work that have become too much a matter of habit and comfortable patterns? How might you enrich your work with a fresh perspective?

My recent “Adventures Without the Internet” over the past week and a half led me to many reflections. One of the things I have been thinking about is resourcefulness, inspired by my unflappable and extraordinarily capable and creative website designer. This is one of the qualities of an exceptional leader. In virtually every leadership situation I have encountered, there are times of trial and circumstance that require the leader to go beyond the norm to find creative solutions. When circumstances present you with an unexpected challenge, being resourceful is your best ally. One of my readers sent this story about a friend of his in the Napa Valley. It is an excellent example of resourcefulness.

Food for Thought ~

“During the annual grape crush an essential piece of crushing equipment failed at a St. Helena Gallo wine cooperative. A friend of mine quickly realized that he had numerous small co-op member grape growers whose livelihoods might hinge on the profits from their annual grape deliveries. What did my friend do? He located a piece of replacement equipment, contracted with a helicopter service, had the equipment delivered to the co-op, and the grape crush continued on apace.”
He concludes:
“In my opinion, economic catastrophe can often be avoided, even without any contingency planning, if businesses are resourceful when needed.”

Question of the day ~

On the theory that a leader can never be too resourceful, how might you strengthen your “resourcefulness muscles?”