The subject of worrying seemed to hit home. Here’s one of the insightful comments I received:

Having previously been an owner of an automotive repair shop, Blankenship Motors, an auto analogy came to mind. Anger is like heat, worry is like rust. If you worry too much, your car and motor will rust to un-usefulness and eventual breakage; if you get and stay angry very long, you’ll heat up and wear out, particularly your lubricating oil will fail and all your bearings will fail to turn.

Clark A. Blasdell, President and CEO, Northbay Family Homes, Novato,CA

Food for Thought ~

What a wonderful analogy – worrying induces rust. I like the car analogy for another reason – it reminds us that we are our own best resource and need to take good care of ourselves. Most of us maintain our cars to keep them running well, and yet we may neglect or even mistreat our primary resource, our own body/mind/spirit. Excessive worrying is an example of doing just that.

Question of the day ~

Have you developed good self-care habits? (If there’s room for improvement, don’t be too proud to get some help. That’s why there are auto mechanics.) What kind of help might you need?

People continue to tell me that managing change and transition is exactly what they are doing right now, so here’s the link to my recent column in the North Bay Business Journal. For the article, please click here.

If you are in a leadership position, stress is usually part of the bargain. That makes stress management a necessary skill for leaders. The first step in time management, stress management and managing other people is self-management. If you can’t manage yourself, you can’t very well manage other people. Today’s self-management topic is about worrying.

Food for Thought ~

Stress management experts say that only 2% of the average person’s worrying time is spent on things that might be helped or somehow improved by worrying. The other 98% of the time is spent as follows:

~ 40% on things that never happen
~ 35 % on things that can’t be changed
~ 15 % on things that turn out better than expected
~ 8 % on petty, useless worries

Therefore, the self-management practice is to consciously resist worrying about something unless you have reason to believe it will do some good. Instead of worrying, I recommend doing something more active and useful, such as gathering and analyzing information, creative brainstorming, or a frank discussion about the situation with a trusted colleague or coach. Another alternative is to “go fishing,” (or whatever healthful activity you prefer) that frees your mind from obsessive thinking.

Question of the day ~

Do you have a tendency to worry too much? Have you practiced self-management techniques to curtail your worrying habit? What stress management resources have you developed?

One example of a highly stressful leadership challenge is managing change and transition. My new column in the North Bay Business Journal includes information on this subject that can help reduce stress. To read the article, please click here.

There are two kinds of organizational changes – planned and unplanned. Unplanned changes are just as the word implies; everyone goes through the transition process at the same time, including the leaders. In contrast, with a planned change, leaders have been actively engaged in research, analysis, deliberation, negotiation, discussion, etc. for some time, often many months or perhaps even years.

Food for Thought ~

For leaders involved in a planned change, their own personal transition process accompanied the change they were seeking to effect. It is likely they experienced a gradual adjustment throughout the planning phase. By the time the change is introduced to the rest of the organization, the leaders are personally several steps ahead or perhaps even through the major phases of their own transition. People just learning about the change may be in shock, dismay or confusion. Suffice it to say, a good leader needs to be acutely aware of this dynamic, maintain empathy and understanding, and skillfully manage the different timetables people will experience throughout the transition process.

Question of the day ~

Have you noticed the different “transition timetables” in changes you are leading or have led in your organization? How can you stay attuned with others who may be in a different phase in the transition process?

Managing change and transition is the subject of my new column in the North Bay Business Journal. To read the article, please click here.

My new article on the subject of change and transition in the North Bay Business Journal is hot off the press. As a matter of fact, I just heard from a leader whose company has been through a recent merger. He called to tell me my column was “right on.” As he put it, “the hardest thing is the adjustment after the transaction, and we thought the transaction was tough.”

Understanding and Leading Change and Transition

We all know – and some of us even accept – that change is ever with us. Transition is the intrinsic companion to change. You may be wondering about the distinction between change and transition. Allow me to elaborate. Change is an event, something tangible that happens. In an organizational setting, it could be an acquisition or merger, a major re-organization, a move, a new boss. In contrast, a transition is a process, less tangible, yet still very real. It is the human experience, the psychological process that people go through as they acclimate to a change. It is an essential period of adjustment. It is the time between how it used to be, before the change, and how it is after the change has been accepted and integrated. It is a gradual process, and it takes time. This topic is of particular interest to me as I had the pleasure of working with one of the pioneering organizational analysts to explore this subject, William Bridges, Ph.D.

Click here to read the article.

Last week’s post regarding the disadvantages of scheduling back-to-back meetings seemed to resonate with many. One reader said it very well:
“I think people who are pretty good and confident on their feet figure they can wing it well enough to get by when their time is squeezed, foregoing the prep. And it’s mostly true–one can get by “well enough,” but that’s not the same as being totally on top of your game with a well-prepped meeting that goes really well.”

Last week’s post included social psychologist Roy F. Baumeister’s recommendation that in order to avoid decision fatigue, “do not schedule endless back-to-back meetings.” I strongly second that opinion. Busy leaders who need to see many people throughout their day are tempted to schedule as many appointments as possible and even “work people in” between the scheduled appointments. This is self-defeating behavior. What may appear to be maximizing the use of time is really sabotaging their effectiveness. Baumeister’s research clearly found that continuous decision-making, especially under stressful conditions, seriously compromises the quality of thinking and decision-making. Leaders must discipline themselves to break the back-to-back habit.

Food for Thought ~

What to do? The requisite corollary is to develop excellent time management tools, especially meeting management skills. If you and your co-workers don’t have them, get someone to teach you. Also, a leader should set aside preparation time for every meeting. If it’s important enough to meet, it’s important enough to be prepared. Showing up physically is not enough. You need to be intellectually and emotionally present as well. It takes time to shift gears between meetings. Try reallocating an hour’s appointment with 10 – 15 minutes for planning and preparation and 45 – 50 minutes for the meeting. (And let me know how it works out.)

Question of the day ~

What are your guidelines for scheduling appointments? Do you make time to think, plan and organize before meetings?

If you didn’t read it yet, click here to read my excerpts from the excellent New York Times Magazine article by John Tierney on decision fatigue.

Following last week’s post on dealing with crises and problems, synchronicity brought a fascinating article my way. The title is Do You Suffer from Decision Fatigue? It’s by John Tierney, a science columnist for the New York Times. Tierney deftly describes social psychologist Roy F. Baumeister’s work on a phenomenon called ego depletion. Here’s his summary:

“Good decision making is not a trait of the person, in the sense that it’s always there,” Baumeister says. “It’s a state that fluctuates.” His studies show that people with the best self-control are the ones who structure their lives so as to conserve willpower. They don’t schedule endless back-to-back meetings. They avoid temptations like all-you-can-eat buffets, and they establish habits that eliminate the mental effort of making choices. Instead of deciding every morning whether or not to force themselves to exercise, they set up regular appointments to work out with a friend. Instead of counting on willpower to remain robust all day, they conserve it so that it’s available for emergencies and important decisions. “Even the wisest people won’t make good choices when they’re not rested and their glucose is low,” Baumeister points out. That’s why the truly wise don’t restructure the company at 4 p.m. They don’t make major commitments during the cocktail hour. And if a decision must be made late in the day, they know not to do it on an empty stomach. “The best decision makers,” Baumeister says, “are the ones who know when not to trust themselves.”

Food for Thought ~

Baumeister’s research and insights have profound and wide application – from improving our odds of making good decisions as leaders to understanding buyer behaviors and major social issues.

Question of the day ~

What strategies do you use (or need) to conserve your energies in order to be at your best when necessary?
The information in this article is so important that I created an excerpted version, which is available here.

One of the most profound challenges that leaders face is how to effectively deal with problems, urgencies and crises. Add to this the impact of major events and issues beyond the organization – from economic difficulties, wars, political conflicts, and natural disasters to hardships and stress in the leader’s own personal life. All of this adds up to requiring a very significant degree of skill and maturity to maintain a constructive outlook and provide inspiring leadership.

Food for Thought ~

The following quotation is a brilliant answer to this challenge. It was written c. 1930, so let us appreciate its wisdom and mentally add the word “women” to reflect that times have changed.

“The world will go on somehow, and more crises will follow. It will go on best, however, if among us there are men who have stood apart, who refused to be anxious or too much concerned, who were cool and inquiring, and had their eyes on a longer past and a longer future.”

Walter Lippman, Pulitzer Prize Winning Writer and Journalist

Question of the day ~

As a leader, are you able to find a perspective that allows you to be effective and inspiring even in the face of organizational crises and world events?

Many readers wrote in response to last week’s column on Happiness and Forgiveness. I’m glad it resonated with so many of you.

Keep on forgiving – yourself and others.

My long-time readers will find this metaphor familiar ~ a hike on my usual trail at my “home” park. Once again, the experience fulfilled its metaphoric potential! This time, it was thanks to a very unusual phenomenon: during my hour-long hike, I was the only person on the trail. Usually I see a half-dozen or more people. I hear voices in the distance and exchange greetings with passing hikers. This day there was neither, and I felt quite alone – just wild creatures, wild blackberries and me.

Food for Thought ~

Naturally, my thoughts turned to leadership. Indeed, leadership often involves being out ahead of others to some degree. I often think that being a leader is like being a scout, looking ahead and surveying the terrain, the weather, the obstacles. It occurs to me that there are a number of questions worth asking if you find yourself out on the trail alone. Are you perhaps out of touch with your team, your followers? Are you too far ahead? Have you gotten off the main trail and onto a side trail? Or are you right where you need to be to effectively lead?

Question of the day ~

Have you ever had the feeling you were out too far ahead of your group? What methods do you use to find the optimal balance of visionary leadership and maintaining a close connection with your team?

If you are still debating whether or not to take some time off this summer, here’s the read more link to my recent article on the benefits for both you and your company.

Happy hiking!

There’s a lot of confusion about the concept of personal branding, which is essentially about positioning and self-packaging. However, what’s relevant for the entertainment industry and celebrities is not necessarily desirable for the workplace. As one of my readers commented, it raises the issue of authenticity. To varying degrees, with varying degrees of success, we all seek to craft our public persona in the service of increasing our social status. However, since time immemorial, the opinions that others have about us is fundamentally based on what we do. No amount of clever presentation will overcome a track record of mediocrity or a lack of integrity at work. What I like about personal branding is the spotlight it shines on being clear about who we are and what we stand for. Your “personal brand” can, and indeed should be, your authentic self and express your values and principles. In today’s workplace, being able to articulate our essential talents, strengths, and values succinctly and directly is a good exercise for all of us.

Food for Thought ~

Heraclitus, one of the great Greek philosophers, said some 2500 years ago:

“A man’s character is his fate. The content of your character is your choice. What you think and what you do is who you become. Your integrity is your destiny…it is the light that guides your way.”

Question of the day ~

Can you provide a clear, concise description of your key traits and abilities? If not, what resources can you utilize to develop this proficiency?

In case you need a reminder about the benefits of taking time off, for both you and your company, here’s the read more link to my recent article.