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Summer 2010 Newsletter (Newsletter Archives)
Update From Eileen
I can’t start summer without celebrating the last three months. SPRING INDEED SPRUNG into a simply rich bouquet of opportunities to be with amazing people and in amazing places. I share these moments as a point of reference for feeling optimistic about the present.
FIRST: March brought my two siblings and me to Washington, DC where we represented our Mother (too frail to travel) for the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal to the Women’s Air Force Service Pilots of WWII.
Sibs hold signs at Gold Medal Ceremony
As journalist Tom Brokaw said in his address to all of us, this was not only an historic event for the recognition but for the first time, people from both parties could agree on something!
We launched http://www.lead-HER-ship.com in March as it was National Women’s History month. Everyday in March, at least one, if not more articles were posted – writing women back into history. The intention is to build out the site as a single source resource for B2B opportunities for women, for personal and professional development, and for non-profit opportunities that support women entrepreneurs around the globe. We’re moving one-step-at-a-time, but we are moving. Check it out.
With Mother needing plenty of care, I was delighted to keynote the Visiting Nurse Associations of America, the largest national organization of community-based non-profit home health and hospice providers. In the vitriolic debates related to health care, my hope became renewed to see men and women whose sole aim is pure service to the patient.
In April, gorgeous in their enthusiasm for learning, some 2000 women leaders from organizations around the U.S. gathered for the 31st Annual Simmons College Leadership Conference. What a privilege to be on the program with women like Tina Brown, Sheryl WuDunn, Mia Farrow, and Cicely Tyson.
As you can see from the photo, Cicely and I shared a special connection. The passion she has for her craft and for being her being authentic self resonated with many of us.
Photo Credit to Carla Osberg
Photo Credit to Carla Osberg
And not to be outdone, Baptist Health System of South Florida brought in 1000 nurses to celebrate their work and their profession. This non-profit organization, with seven facilities continually ranks in FORTUNE’S Top 100 Places to Work, the Top 100 Places for Female Executives, and the Top 100 Places for Working Mothers. May I add that that their patient satisfaction scores hit national records! I could feel it in their joie de vivre!!! What nurses! What a great place to work. Let’s hear it for pineapples! (You’ll have to go to their site to see why.)
The planning team for this annual nurse
celebration, hallmarked by the
Robert Cole Foundation Distinguished Lecture event
Not to be left behind, the Ernst & Young Weconnect Forum of Southern California brought together 300 of their associates and top clients for The Power of Resiliency-Leading through Change. Two weeks later, Wells Fargo gathered financial advisors for their National Women’s Summit. Do we see a trend here? I love it. My apologies to the latter two conferences for not having pictures. Alas, the deadline for getting this written and the travel schedule from the waters of Glacier Bay, Alaska to the mountains of Colorado just did not leave enough time to get it all done.
Now I can’t wait to see what SUMMER BRINGS!!!
A FREE Gift for You…
Eileen is excited to report that she is featured in the June 2010 issues of Sales and Services Excellence on page 10!
Must Watch Video
OK, time to enter summer but this is one that you must watch. Get out your Kleenex. And let’s bring them all home!
JUST RELEASED training DVD received a Silver Telly!
If you’re like me, I had no idea what a “silver telly” was-other than one of those “Tubbies” on TV.
Here’s what the letter said: “The Telly Awards receive over 13,000 entries from the finest ad agencies, production companies, TV stations, cable companies, interactive agencies and corporations in the world. It is a remarkable achievement to be selected for their highest honor the Silver Telly.”
To learn more, please visit here.
TOP SEVEN REASONS BRAINSTORMING FAILS
1. The people doing the brainstorming are there by mandate – not by desire. Send out an open invitation. Those who care most will show up.
2. There are too many ideas generated and no criteria for culling out the ones that need further input.
3. The stated problem is the wrong problem.
4. The facilitator is too weak to keep people focused and on track.
5. There is no assigned follow-up.
6. The wrong people are at the table. Specifically, each stage of brainstorming requires different talents. The strategic creative people open the barn door to possibilities. The operational, process people chart the part of potential actions.
7. Naysayers start before the process is over. Put everything first on the table and THEN whittle away. But have a clear criteria for doing so… not “we don’t have the money” or “the boss won’t like it.” These are but opportunities to search for more ways of doing things.
CALVERT CEO: “TELL YOUR WORKERS TO GET A LIFE!”
One important trait of any potential employee is that they have a life of their own outside the office, says Barbara J. Krumsiek, CEO of the Calvert Group Ltd. Whether it’s church attendance or charity work, Krumsiek says, it’s vital that prospective hires show they care about more than just their own career trajectory. “Those people who have that kind of community really understand that there’s a lot more to get from a career than just a paycheck,” she explains. The New York Times (free registration)
(Sign up for SMART BRIEF and you get the news too!)
LESSONS FOR THE GYM ENERGIZE PERFORMANCE!
“Where do you get all your energy?” That’s a question many of us are asked as we finish leading an intense management retreat, conducting a training session, or keynoting a major conference. My answer, after I jokingly say, “Drugs!” is “Exercise.”
I’ve realized that some of the lessons learned in a physical fitness program are appropriate for our personal and professional growth and also have application in the corporate training room.
Cross train. It’s essential for continual improvement. We all get into our ruts, doing the same routines over and over again and wondering why we don’t see any improvement. The body (as well as the mind) slips into neutral. Cross-training challenges different parts of our physical structure. We have to learn a new way of holding weights, of balancing, of breathing. We gain a new appreciation for a different skill set. The parallels in organizational behavior are immediate.
Hydrate. The body demands water when it is being physically taxed. So too does the brain. Notice I didn’t say “coffee”. Just plain old clear water. Water might not be our favorite beverage but hydration actually helps our endurance. No wonder we want pitchers of water in our training rooms!
Push beyond your barriers. There are two kinds of barriers; those imposed by others and those imposed by our selves. The latter are the most restrictive. I finally took a spinning class. This class uses a stationery bike that can be adjusted to tighten or loosen the gears. I can literally feel like I am pedaling up Mt. Everest or cruising along the beach sand. It’s the hardest class I have ever taken. I love and hate it. And I go because it makes me push against what my mind says “you can’t do”. Now, I’m NOT going to challenge Lance Armstrong. My body DOES know its limits. But I AM doing that which I said I could not. It’s a thrill!
End performance anxiety. Walk into a gym and you see the muscle-guys that grunt and lift huge weights vying with their buddies for the most reps. Go to a class and you’ll see the double-stepping, dance-twirling footwork of some double-jointed exerciser. If you try that move, you’ll twist your knee and land in surgery. We are not built alike. While pushing beyond barriers, also know that each one of us has specific abilities. To demand that I hop and dance like the knee-twisting guy in the front row is ludicrous. I am here to improve my body-not resemble theirs!
Talk is cheating. At my gym, there are members who spend most of their time swapping war stories and giving updates on current sport matches. Instead of working out, they talk. And then, they’ll ALSO talk about how hard they worked out. I call that cheating. Stick to the task at hand. Action ALWAYS is louder than words.
Get a trainer. We can’t see our postures with free weights. We don’t know what different exercise might improve a specific problem area. And we don’t always stick to a regimen unless we’re accountable to someone beside ourselves. Call it a coach, an advisor, a mentor-whatever. But all of us can benefit from the advice and new eyes of someone outside of ourselves.
Celebrate your success. I admit: I despised exercise when I started. But I KNEW that I had to begin. I set a goal of 3 exercise times per week-30 minutes to start. Every time I exercised, I put a sticker in my appointment book. Yes-a fun sticker: animal, cartoon face, flower, you name it. Amazing but my appointment book began to blossom with crazy kid stickers. I could literally see progress every week. When beginning any new behavior, we all know that rewards are important. Stickers are cheap and visual. Whatever the reward, it’s the consistency of the giving that matters. Workplace workouts, in the context of learning, can promise growth, stamina, productivity, AND ultimately profitable performance.
Must Read Books
Wander Woman: How High-Achieving Women find Contentment and Direction by Marcia Reynolds, PhD.
You would expect nothing less than a superb book from a woman who was president of the International Coach Federation and hold her PhD in research that studied the needs of high achieving women. If that describes you or someone you love-get this book. She offers a wealth of practical exercises and ideas to help you thoughtfully plan your future.
Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard. By The Heath Brothers (Chip and Dan).
OK-that might be an irreverent way to refer to these hot-shot professor/writers, but their writing is just so smooth. They are to me the business equivalent of Malcolm Gladwell. I love how they think. I love how they research. And they broaden my horizon on what I know about resiliency. You’ll find here a clear-cut formula for understanding AND acting upon change initiatives.
Passage to Juneau: A Sea and Its Meanings. By Jonathan Raban.
Ok, confession time: I am just NOW reading this book. Picked it up because our summer will start off in Juneau, on a boat for 22 people headed to Glacier Bay with a naturalist on board. I’m slow because this author savors every word he writes, twirls it on his tongue to get the flavor, spits it out if it is not perfect, and then forks through verbs and adjectives to find the perfect offering of the people, the history, and the perspective of a world encapsulated by an Inland Passage. I’ll know more when I see more. After all-isn’t that what summer reading should be about: taking your mind someplace you have never been?
So: what is on your summer reading list? Send me your recommendations and we can post them in the Fall edition. Write to me here eileen@eileenmcdargh.com.
Welcome to the McDargh Clan of Clients:
VNAA
Simmons Leadership Conference
Ernst & Young-Weconnect Forum
Wells Fargo National Women’s Summit
Ken Blanchard Companies
Overview and Contact Information
Is life leading you instead of you leading a life?
Is work working you instead of you doing the work?
You’re not alone! It’s the challenge of our times.
From business leaders to rank-and-file workers, the competitive 24/7 world of heart-stopping change has left many feeling in need of new tools to answer these questions:
- How do I engage more of my talent and that of the folks around me in meaningful work?
- Why is it that resiliency is a word I think of only with rubber bands?
- Why does it seem that we compete more with each other than the competition?
It’s tough when the rate and pace of work leaves you feeling disconnected, unheard, and certainly not aligned to produce results that matter in the long run.
Then there’s the issue of joy. Flat out joy. You don’t want “work” to become exclusive of play. Leave your spirit and heart at the door, and it’s hard to be creative and productive. You want to be connected with people who respect you and visa versa. You want to do good work— no, make that GREAT work– in the bargain. You want to spend your time in a place that lets your spirit soar and your talent shine. My joy is in helping individuals and organizations rediscover the joy of living and the joy of satisfying work.
If you want results that go well beyond the bottom line—contact us. Since 1980, we’ve been engaging the human spirits of individuals and organizations. Now—it’s your turn.
Call 949-496-8640 or send email eileen@eileenmcdargh.com
McDargh Communications
(949) 496-8640
Eileen@EileenMcDargh.com
www.EileenMcDargh.com
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