You can never grow a garden—a business—unless you plant seeds. You know the seeds: ideas, talent, and investments. Consider these garden concepts: Plant seeds and give space to the sowers. A green thumb leader knows that it is only through dialogue that ideas can sprout and take root. Instead of jealously guarding “my ideas, my client, my territory”, a leader with an eye toward growing a “garden” takes no ownership but rather seeks to find which seeds have merit and who are the other “gardeners”. As for giving space to the sewer, consider my vagabond tomato plant. It grew by surprise. In like fashion, where are the unexpected opportunities that can spring up if allowed to flourish? When newcomers bring ideas from other industries and businesses, are they welcomed or are they rooted out because “that’s not how we do things here”. Feed different plants differently. Not every plant is fed the same thing, yet all plants must eat. My roses need a systemic for the rust and mildew, along with a topical spray. My oranges just need some citrus fertilizer every now and then. A green thumb leader understands the truism that “nothing is so unequal as the equal treatment of unequals”. Just as each voice has its own unique sonogram, each employee, associate, stakeholder needs a unique blend of “food”. For some, it’s “numbers”. “Give me numbers and I thrive.” For many, it’s the opportunity to learn and advance in knowledge. For others, it’s the engaging nature of the work itself that offers fulfillment. One size does not fit all. Weeding is backbreaking work. A hula hoe alone will not suffice. It was not enough to turn over the soil and think that I had emptied my garden of the weeds. In fact, because I didn’t bend over and get close enough to the ground, I picked up only the surface “weeds”. What I really had managed to do was to churn the stronger ones into a hiding place where they surfaced stronger and more invasive then ever. A green thumb leader hates this part of the task. It means fact-finding. Accountability. And time. Not everything that is “green” belongs in my garden. Not every associate belongs with you. In fact, firing customers at times can also be the healthiest long-term fertilizer for a vibrant business Take time to stop and smell the roses. I can get so overwhelmed with the “work” of my garden that I forget why I planted it. Just sitting by the side of the garden, watching my neighbors’ delight when I deliver bouquets to their doors, or smelling the fragrance in the evening are all the reminders I need. Why have you planted your “garden”? Are there people who delight in the work of your hands? What is the aroma that lingers after you have turned off the lights for the night? Here’s wishing green thumbs for all of us.

In these crazy, confusing times, having a simple metaphor to serve as a model for growing our business can be helpful. My instruction comes from the natural world. From my home office, I can look out and see my garden. It’s loaded with wonderful, terrible sights, sights that mirror much I find in many of our companies. You’d recognize it too. There are roses speckled with mildew and rust from the fog carried on the breath of El Nino. Weeds have taken over many patches of dirt, despite the fact that I have gone over them with a hula hoe. (For the non-gardener, that’s a triangular hoe that saves your back while weeding. Supposedly, you scrub away at the ground, loosening the weeds –and anything else that stands in the way—while leaving the good soil behind.) The rogue cherry tomato plant however has taken off … again. Sticky green arms with tiny green/yellow fruit now stretch in all directions. The plant must have been the gift from some bird that dropped a seed as it flew to a nest in the pine tree. I didn’t think a cherry tomato would grow in that patch of adobe clay. My feathered seed-sower proved me wrong. What I must do to get my garden back in shape, to make it world class and ready for the competitive eye of my next-door neighbor, is exactly what every leader must do: seed, feed, and weed. How I perform seeding, feeding, and weeding depends upon the season, the unexpected turns of nature, and the makeup of my garden. Walk with me through my garden and you’ll see the analogies for our work world. Consider the “season”. In today’s 24-hour, global economy, it would appear that there is no season, anything that distinguishes night from day. Grow, grow. Sell, sell. But the smart leader watches the sky, reads the clouds, and can tell when there are shifts to indicate a new season. Bring products to market at the wrong time or introduce an idea without understanding timing and the “garden” can quickly resemble a piece of scorched earth. Watch for trends. Read magazines like Wired and Fast Company. Explore new planned communities and see how people are choosing to live. In these latter two areas, you’ll find a move toward “Main Street U.S.A.”. Sure, high speed connections and technology are placed in the home, but new designs incorporate walking paths, close-at-hand stores, and alleyways connecting homes. When the COVID-19 is controlled, being together will become even more essential. Give credence to the unexpected and control what you can control. The El Nino weather that not only raised havoc with my roses but spawned dangerous storms and opposing draughts throughout the world is an example of our helplessness to control some of our environment. The same thing is true in business. Market turndowns, a global pandemic, the scandals of a Presidency, an airline strike—you name it—there are many things that can impact our business. A green thumb leader takes all possible precautions and then remains flexible and ready for the unexpected. Scenario planning, a strategy first employed by Royal Dutch Shell, brings experts from a wide range of fields to discuss actions if different scenarios take place. Scenario planning allows you to think out—in advance—various options. In like fashion, my corner of the garage has all the tools, sprays, and plant potions for probable surprises. As a leader, what options do you have in your “tool chest” Next week, we’ll look at how a leader seeds, feeds and weeds!

Although this post will run after July 4th, I sit here on Independence Day remembering all the ways Mom LOVED this holiday. From fireworks, to hot dogs, to parades, to waving the flag, Mom was all in… particularly when it came to telling us for the 1000th time, the tale of Edith Pickles. It seems that Mom’s uncle had a store and would set up a fireworks booth in front of the store to sell that merchandise. Mom and her cousin loved to get there early and handle the sales. But then came Edith Pickles. “She was smoking a cigarette, “said Mom, making the gesture with her two fingers holding a make-believe Lucky Strike. “Edith bent over and with the lit cigarette, motioned which fireworks she wants.” “I’ll take this one, and that one,” said Edith as she waved the cigarette over the flammable arsenal. “Bam!,” Mom said with excitement. “Everything started going off at once. Uncle George came running out, turning over the table and trying to find a hose to put out the rockets. And a little old lady across the street said , ‘Why don't you wait until it’s dark?’ “ With a flair for the dramatic, Mom pulled back her hair to show us a tiny scar where a Roman candle had whizzed past her head. We’d show great concern and marvel at her ability to stay upright and tell such a horrifying tale…year, after year, after year. Edith Pickles is a story that we kids laugh about and remember every 4th—even though Mom is no longer with us. I’ll bet you have an “Edith Pickles” story in your family history. You know: some quasi-dramatic event that a relative insists upon repeating over and over again—even when that relative can no longer remember much else. There’s something sweet about these little stories that connect past and present, becoming almost code language for a connection that defies description. I’d like to think we honor those Edith Pickles sagas. I’d love to hear your story. Do write me!

Let’s face it: every day brings news of distressing levels of COVID-19 in various parts of the world. Social structures are being questioned, challenged and toppled. Businesses that were legacy are folding. Think J.C. Penney, Nieman Marcus, J. Crew, Chuck E. Cheese, and my favorite... Pier 1. From the hospitality industry to oil exploration, disruption and potential demise are possible. For anyone in a leadership position, the ability to craft solid ground in white water times becomes paramount. (By the way—everyone has a leadership position because everyone has a sphere of influence. Likewise, Dee Hock, founder of VISA, always insisted that you must first lead yourself if you ever hope to lead others.) “Certainty”, in face of today’s world, is “an ability to be counted on'. In other words, a leader can’t be certain what the stock market will do or who might win an election. But, as a leader of others and oneself, there are three keys that offer certainty and a knowledge that the leader can be counted on: Offer candor over charisma. Candor is the ability to be open and honest in expression. To be trustworthy, we need to tell people what we see and feel rather than what is expedient and soothing. Today, we turn to folks like Dr. Fauci who plainly lays out what is the current status with Covid-19. Wishful thinking and fairy tale platitudes damage both credibility and certainty. Speak with truth. Courageous conversations form the basis for courageous cultures* (as outlined by Karin Hurt and David Dye in their newly released book by the same name). That individuals can speak without fear of retribution is HUGE. It invites certainty that an organization can forge ahead with ideas for improvement, for customer support, and for innovation. Focus on what you can control. The first and easiest way to establish control and certainty is with one’s physical body and physical surroundings. For example, determine what exercise you can do for certain: walk, run, yoga, etc. Eat the foods that you know offer strength and vitality. Organize whatever part of the “office” you control. Whether it’s a kitchen counter, a spare bedroom, or an actual office, you can and do control that corner of your world. Own it and organize it. “To learn which questions are unanswerable, and not to answer them: this skill is most needful in times of stress and darkness.” - Ursula LeGuin *Courageous Cultures: How to build teams of micro-innovators, problem solvers, & customer advocates. Karin Hurt and David Dye. Harper Collins, 2020.

Joseph Lalonde specializes in helping young leaders grow their leadership capacities. He presented me with an analogy that I think is perfect for this discordant time. Here are Joseph’s words: There’s Nothing “Fishy” about Resilient Leadership Have you ever watched a movie and a quote stuck with you? That happened to me with a movie released in 2003, Finding Nemo. In this animated Disney production, a young clownfish named Nemo lives with his father, Marlin, in the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Sadly, Nemo has a bum fin which make his father hesitant about letting his son explore the big, beautiful ocean. Marlin is scared he will lose Nemo just like he lost his wife to a barracuda attack. Dory, a royal blue tang, is Nemo’s best friend with whom he confides his desire to leave “home” and explore. A frenzied shark attack separates Nemo from Marlin and Dory. The young clownfish is scooped up and placed in an aquarium at an Australian dentist's office, leaving Marlin and Dory to set about on a frenzied search for Nemo. (If you’ve ever been a parent, you know the terror of hunting for a missing child.) The search seems endless and futile. Marlin becomes discouraged, grumpy, and tempted to give up. But Dory has three little words to boost Marlin’s sagging spirits: "Just keep swimming." "Just keep swimming” becomes a repeated mantra for a storybook ending. What’s this got to do with leadership in discordant times? Everything, Today, there are days in which anyone in a leadership position might feel tempted to give-up, to turn around, to accept defeat. However, when a leader is moving toward a greater good, toward something more than personal reward, just keep swimming is perfect advice. Despite setback and frustration, leaders who just keep swimming won’t stop when the going gets tough, when the seas are rough, and sharks threaten. “Just keep swimming” reminds us that resilience is the ability to grow THROUGH challenge even though success seems a mirage. The world is a tough place. It can be ugly and leading can be hard. BUT, if the end goal is important enough, personal enough, and big enough—like finding a lost son—Dory’s advice is solid: "Just keep swimming’" Author Biography Joseph Lalonde is an award-winning leadership blogger. He helps young leaders understand what it takes to become a leader and not give up. He does this by sharing his own leadership experiences and Reel Leadership lessons (leadership lessons from the movies). You can connect with Joseph on Twitter.

Stop. Look. Listen. These three words are the driver’s mantra when coming to an unmarked railroad crossing. In our current upheaval of anger, pain, confusion, and fear, the admonishment to stop, look, and listen could keep us from hurling invectives and instead, begin seeking understanding. Words have the power to trigger instant emotions and behaviors. In fact, even incorrect words, delivered in a certain manner, can jump start us to respond in ways that would be different if only we had stopped and thought carefully about what was said. As a word merchant, I know that a simple word, given the right inflection and the right innuendo can stir up emotions. Claude Pepper, in a long-forgotten race for the Florida Senate, did just that in a rather uneducated part of the Sunshine State. He accused his opponent of practicing monogamy. He stated that his opponent’s sister was a known thespian in wicked New York City. Furthermore, his opponent was a devoted bibliophile. If you’re gasping in horror at these words - go use the dictionary. They are all positive words!!! But said with the right inflection, the voters recoiled at the thought of electing his opponent. More than ever, if we are going to begin to address serious issues that impact our communities and our country, we must stop, look and listen. To be proactive, stop and LOOK reflectively at what is really going on with the speaker. Reflect back what you “think” she is feeling and sensing. Then, shut up and listen. Until one feels heard and understood, the ability to address issues remains distant. Is listening time consuming? Yes. Is it something we do easily? No. Can it steer us to common ground? Absolutely. Until each of us truly listens to “the other”, those whose life’s experience are not ours, we’ll continue in turmoil. For most of us, myself included, reflective inquiry is not second nature. But I am determined to learn more and practice with my coaching clients, with my neighbors, and with my community. How about you? ,

Anyone in the audience when I have given my presentation, “Radical Resilience”, knows that I believe action is the antidote for anxiety. Sitting and stewing, muttering and watching storm clouds, or pacing back and forth does nothing. When we begin to take control over even the smallest part of our life, we begin to gain a sense of forward momentum. Consider these five tips—any of which can be started in small steps and increased as time and talent permit. (1) Pitch out what doesn’t add value. Lean is NOT mean. Start with a file drawer, a computer folder, a closet, and yes—even your contact list. Everything that we hold on to that is obsolete, not useful, out-dated takes up physical and emotional space. To let in the new, we’ve got the clear out the old. You might find—as I did—that cleaning up a data base brings “old” client to mind. We had lost touch. I reconnected and have now renewed friendships and/ or a client relationship. You might find great ideas that were not useful then but are very timely now. At the very least—the action of tossing away just lightens the load. (2) Spend wisely. Think of everything in terms of “what will this do for my customer”. From the annals of failed businesses, Circuit City fired all their seasoned, knowledgeable employees because they were more expensive than new employees. Too bad. Without trained staff to help customers, Circuit City now was just a store with stuff. Ordinary. Common. And now out of business. (3) Follow your values and offer value for what you give. If an action goes against what you value, in the long run the price you pay will be far too high. I am not right for every client. Accepting work for the money rather than for the match will hurt both of us. I know we all seek income now, but beware of the price you pay! (4) Talk to your team and your customers. Better still: LISTEN. Use whatever platform brings together folks: Slack, Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Skype, whatever. The biggest bang for the buck comes from human interaction. Don’t jump into “strategy”. First listen for how people are feeling. Support each other with ideas and yes—empathy. (5) Sullyize your workers. OK—I made up this word but perhaps it will catch on. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger was a masterful pilot who trained, and trained, and trained again. You don’t make that kind of landing, like he did in 2009, in a two-minute timeframe without having practiced, and trained. Yet—what do too many organizations do in these times? Cut training!! If you want employees to handle crises, you’ve got to train rigorously. And you can do it virtually! Let's talk if you and your organization need help dealing with burnout and building resiliency skills then I might be the right fit for your. Check out my Virtual Service Center and then give me a call at 949-496-8640.

Joe Robinson from Eachnight has offered to share an an article and infographic with The Energizer because sleep is a very important part of resiliency and it's not just about how many hours you get a night. It's more complicated so I'll let Joe explain. Wake-Up Call: Analyzing How People’s Wake-Up Methods Affect Their Lifestyle and Work Performance Every part of our sleep routine impacts our day. Sure, there are plenty of ways to ensure high-quality rest, but the methods we employ to wake up are equally as important. For workers, the value of a good night’s sleep is critical to tackling the work day ahead productively and with a clear mind. There are a multitude of tools to help us awaken and tackle the work day’s tasks, such as analog alarm clocks that incite nostalgia to sleep-tracking devices whose primary function is to regulate our sleep habits. Could there be massive differences in how effective these types of alarms are, though? Does one type of alarm produce a more rested and motivated person? You can read the rest of the article and view the infographic at Eachnight!

We all have a sphere of influence. From parent to teachers, from elected officials to hospital workers, from bus drivers to celebrities, from community organizers to stay-at-home moms—we are examples to others. People follow our lead, our example. We are all leaders in some fashion. But true leaders? That’s another issue. I created this True Leader Pledge almost four years ago because I realized that I can’t ask ANYONE to do something that I am not willing to do. Four years ago, we observed behavior from potential “leaders” which left us astounded, concerned, angry, and less-than-optimistic-but-hoping-for-the-better. Sadly, it’s deja-vu all over again. It has become far worse than we anticipated. So, here’s the deal. I believe each of us has the choice to pledge that OUR BEHAVIOR will model what true leadership looks like. If we commit to how we will act in our sphere of influence, we can then hold this pledge as a beacon to others. Remember the words of Holocaust survivor, Elie Wiesel, “The opposite of love is not hate. It’s indifference.”

Welcome to Life 3.0 ! While all of us are or have been in a lockdown mode from Covid-19, we’re discovering (or rediscovering) parts of our life that we lost or never tried before. Whether it’s zooming your grandma or taking a longer look at kindness and wearing pajamas all day long, we’re uncovering a great resilience skill: reframing. Reframing is to look at what is in front of us and walk around it—getting a different perspective—seeing what is possible versus impossible. During this time away from the routine of work, I’m hearing from clients and colleagues that there are newer, happier and healthier habits they wish to keep whenever this current situation alters. Here are the top five habits that rise to the surface: • Staying in touch with family and friends who normally fall to the bottom of the “to do” list. • Slowing down and being present in the moment. • Getting at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every day • Practicing gratitude. We don’t realize how much we truly have until extraneous goes away • Having special family time at meals and at least one night a week- NO cell phones allowed. Of course, I also would add daily exercise, learning something new, and meditating. What would be on your list of habits worth keeping? Write me. I’d love to know

Human language separates us from the rest of the animal kingdom but too often, we respond to the wag of a dog’s tail instead of the message given by the CEO. Here are four sure-fire ways to get a message across, remembered, and repeated. Use real language instead of ad copy. Ad copy might be punchy but it only seeks to invite the viewer or reader to seek more details. That is often not possible in our 24-7, get-it-down-now world. Martin Luther King’s speech would have vanished into history if he only said, “I have a dream”. Real language fleshes out both the intent and the possibilities of the sender. It is not filled with puffery and pompous language but rather words that allow people to SEE what the person is saying. He gave specific examples of what that dream would look likes such as slave owner and former slave breaking bread together. Use symbols instead of spread sheets. Number, P&Ls and statistics are fine but they are not remembered nor repeated. Instead, the use of symbols carries far greater impact. For example, one manager walked into a meeting and dumped on the table a pile of manufacturing parts. He said, “This is the crap that keeps breaking. How are we going to fix this?” You can imagine the look on the faces of his peers. In the amazing story of Ernest Shakleton’s Antarctic Expedition of 1914, when the ship was crushed by an expanding ice pack, Shakleton determined that rescue might be possible with a sledge march to the ocean. This could only happen if every nonessential item was discarded regardless of value or emotional attachment. Shakleton reached inside his parka and threw away gold sovereigns and a gold cigarette case. The symbolism was not lost on his crew. Use storytelling instead of telling. Facts tell and emotion sells. Stories capture our emotion more so that a straight recitation of facts.I was hired to create a report for a biotech company. The purpose of the report was to attract potential employees.Instead of talking about benefits and employment practices (although that was put in as an addendum), I interviewed employees about what they saw was the VALUE of their work. To hear someone relate what it felt like to meet the recipient of a heart valve or to listen to a parent talk about their child’s recovery because of a device delivered a powerful response. Use dialogue instead of a discussion. The word “dialogue” means “ through words.” Discussion has the same root as percussion which comes from the Latin: “to beat”. So let me ask you, which would you rather have: a dialogue or a discussion. Discussions are heavy, often imagined as one upsmanship with a winner at the end. A dialogue is exploratory, seeking to understand various viewpoints. Dialogue is a free-form give and take. When a leader sits in dialogue, the Biblical precept comes to mind: “Seek first to understand rather than be understood.” All of these usages take conscious practice. Unlike some so-called leaders we see today who shoot from the mouth and are perceived as screwing up their message,a true leader works diligently to craft communication that is clear and compelling. It is all in the intentional practice and commitment to behave as a true leader that real communication is achieved.

I hear it now: “Play!? You are nuts, Eileen. Don't you know how stressed we are with lockdowns, anxiety, and insecurity?” Got it. Even more reason to find an outlet for pent up emotions and a brain on overload. As we begin to come out of this COVID-19, we’re going to need to move into crafting our work and life in ways that reflect a new reality. Yes, it will take work. And that will require play! According to psychiatrist Stuart Brown in his book, Play: How It Shapes The Brain, Opens The Imagination And Invigorates The Soul, play is what will unleash creativity, calm anxiety, and allow us to focus on what matters most. To Brown, the opposite of work is not play - it’s depression! Brown has conducted more than 6,000 play studies on what goes wrong when people do not play—studying everything from serial killers to career-driven CEOs. Given the current plethora of economic turmoil, negative news, layoff paranoia and growing unemployment lines, the notion of taking time to play sounds like a childish daydream. But if Brown is right, we could become a nation of stress-filled, hypertensive individuals who suffer far more than we need to and—at the very extreme—become downright dangerous to ourselves and others. Brown is not original in his assertion. Anacharsis, a 6th BCE philosopher insisted that we are to, “Play so that you may be serious.” Even in the Hellenistic world, play gave rise to scientists, writers, philosophers, and builders of great civilizations. If you consider that the task before us is to rebuild our cities, our enterprises, and our global community, then play becomes the non-chemical stimulant for channeling stress into productive outputs. Play takes many forms. The trick is to find one that resonates with you. Consider these examples: Marc, a job-hunting, highly skilled communications expert in the entertainment field, would coach lacrosse when he was not interviewing. Although sidelined now because of the corona virus, he remains connected virtually with his team. In fact, he appears calmer and more confident since he started helping youngsters succeed in his favorite sport. Glenna, a recent widow and entrepreneur, has started dance lessons via You Tube and added Bible study to her spare time. Her laugh comes easier now and she’s discovering new ventures for her skill. Tom, faced with early retirement, collects Japanese postcards from the 1900s. Neil, the CEO of a consulting company, goes to an organic farm, wearing a mask, and helps his wife prepare scrumptious vegan meals. Eunice, a vice president in an international organization rides her Icelandic horse at every opportunity. And if you think about stress, recall how a president named Obama would unwind with a game of hoops. Never mind the score—just play. (It does make me wonder if we might have some different outcomes if President Trump knew how to really play.) Think of these examples and you’ll note that play is as much a state of mind as it is an activity. It is a mental release that reduces stress levels in the body and engages the brain in a totally different type of thinking. Take these three steps to enter the world of play: Give yourself permission to play. Put a play date with yourself on the calendar and treat it as sacred as the meeting with your most important client. Remind yourself that you’ll be refreshed and thinking more clearly if you play. Find the play that best suits you. Start a Play diary, writing down moments of well-being. It might be something that occurred during the week. It might be as simple as walking the dog or as complex as taking an eco-adventure tour. It might be a romantic night with your best beloved or a sweaty 10-mile bike ride.Whatever it is—in the doing, you feel a sense of contentment and joy. Pass play along. Encourage others. Make sure you’re not the driver who keeps employees chained to their virtual desks but rather, lead the way. If you’re in a position to do so, create a Fun Friday where everyone takes a turn at coming up with something that evokes joy, laughter, and contentment. Bring the team together via Zoom or another platform. And when you return to the real office, do what one organization did prior to the lockdown: It forbid e-mail on Fridays between anyone in the building. Instead, messages were sent via paper airplanes! Martin Buber, German Jewish biblical scholar believed that “play is the exultation of the possible.” Isn’t that what we all are looking for now—what is possible? Go play… so you might be serious. #play #pandemic