Ready To Go...And Then?
September 2022
Update from Eileen!
I was primed. Suitcase packed. All handouts and resource materials ready for the client. Airline and hotel booked. Then the client who had called this team together got Covid. She thought she could at least attend virtually but she lost her voice. Massive storms rolled into Dallas and all my flights were canceled or so delayed that I’d never make it in time for this all-day facilitated meeting.
Together with my client, we decided to reschedule. In 35 plus years of my work, I had only missed an engagement twice: once when I got food poisoning and the second time when the pilot refused to land in New Orleans due to storms and we ended up in a closed airport in Alabama.
So here I sit. Feels strange. Ready to go and then—nothing. Nada. Unlike a planned vacation or structured time off, this was unexpected. Gift or garbage?
What would you do if 2.5 days suddenly opened up?
Yes, I hear you: sleep, binge watch Netflix, work in yard, run errands, etc.
I was surprised at my response. I opted to do things I had never done before. I walked my 5-mile running trail in the afternoon. I had only been on it at dawn. It looked so different. I made Eggplant Parmigiana. I read a novel. I slept eight hours. I delved deeper into the assessment I would be doing with my client. And I got the earliest ever jumpstart on my monthly ezine.
What would you do with the unexpected gift of time?
It’s Ok NOT To Be Resilient All the Time
NPR LifeKit interviewed Lourdes Dolores Follins, a psychotherapist and clinical social worker. In this great segment, Follins said what I have believed forever: Resilience is not a “toughen up and get through it” skill. It is NOT a one-and-done ability. Rather it is a muscle which—in my words—is cultivated.
There are times in which life is tough, hard, depressing, and dangerous. A “stiff upper lip” discounts the fact that there are systemic, environmental, or physical realities that frankly suck. Like a garden, there are times in which the proverbial soil is hard, rocky and choked with weeds.
If someone you know is faced with such challenges, the best response is heartfelt empathy and whatever action you can take. Telling someone they are resilient or to “buck up” is not helpful in the least.
Join Me at The 2022 Virtual LeaderCon Event
I'm delighted to be speaking at the Virtual LeaderCon Event hosted by Kevin Eikenberry. My topic is "Talk Ain't Cheap, It's Priceless". You’ll hear directly from practitioners and industry leaders on the most pressing and emerging leadership and learning topics. From the leadership basics for new and frontline leaders to the latest remote work tactics and ideas – no matter where you are in your career, there is something for you. Attend every session or pick and choose those that interest you most – it’s entirely up to you!
You can register at the link below to see my presentation, among others, on September 13, 2022 at 1:30 pm ET. I'll "see" you there!
Just For Fun
I hate it when I can’t figure out how to operate the iPad and my tech support guy is asleep. He’s 5 and it’s past his bedtime. Today’s 3-year-olds can switch on laptops and open their favorite apps. When I was 3, I ate mud!
So, you drive across town to a gym in order to walk on a treadmill?
Just once, I want the Username and Password prompt to say, “Close enough.”
Must Read Book!
This is the perfect book for not only-back-to-school readers but for all of us. Sustainability isn’t just about climate! It’s about life! Professor Belle Liang is on the faculty of the Lynch School of Education at Boston College. This summary of her newest book, co-authored with Timothy Klein, takes the ecological notion of "sustainability”, and deploys it to look at the way in which persons (and particularly younger persons) might make wiser decisions about their work and their lives. I find it fascinating and something—even if you are no longer “young”, you can benefit from.
The Power of Storytelling
My job as a teacher and speaker is to craft stories that engage the listeners’ imagination and emotions and ultimately, make a learning point. A “story” can be as simple as a metaphor that carries meaning... “Consider the lilies of the field…” or as obvious as “The Good Samaritan.”
From Confucius to Mohammed, from Martin Luther King to Abe Lincoln, it is the stories people remember. These folks used stories for persuasion and understanding. On a practical note, for all of us in business, the point is best made by Seth Godin: “Marketing is no longer about the stuff that you make, but about the stories you tell.”
Life Reimagined: The Science, Art and Opportunity of Midlife by Barbara Bradley Hagerty
I heard Barbara speak when I was taking a Modern Elder eight-week class. Here is what I know: It’s the time to renegotiate your purpose, refocus your relationships, and transform the way you think about the world and yourself. Drawing from emerging information in neurology, psychology, biology, genetics, and sociology—as well as her own story of midlife transformation—Hagerty redraws the map for people in midlife and plots a new course forward in understanding our health, our relationships, even our futures.
About Eileen
If you are looking for a unique keynote speaker in resiliency, a facilitator for executive retreats, a speech coach or an emcee/moderator, then you want to work with Eileen McDargh, CSP, CPAE. Eileen has spoken for audiences as large as 15,000 and facilitated groups as small as 18! She is the author of seven books and other products that you can find in her online store. The British Research firm of Global Gurus ranked her #4 among the top 30 communication gurus worldwide. Why not hire Eileen for your next event?
YAHOO!
This is the 6th year in a row that I have been ranked in the top 5 in communication. Global Gurus surveys some 26,000 business professionals to determine rankings plus professionals also vote.
Thanks to all!
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Welcome to the McDargh Clan of Clients
Mission Statement
Our Mission is energizing the life of work and the work of your life. We work with and speak for organizations that want people to create meaningful relationships with all their stakeholders and to develop a resilient leadership capacity for living a life of balance, engagement, productivity, and purpose in a changing world. We value laughter, life-long learning, and leadership through service.
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