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Inspiration and lessons for your leadership journey! “If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. Change is inevitable. For some, it is a required element when defining life. And yet, something about us resists change and old habits are hard to die. Changes in government may bring uncertainty of the future. Changes at work can be scary because our livelihood and our identity merge with or are dependent upon what we do. Changes in a relationship may make us feel betrayed, vulnerable, or isolated. Leading through change can be difficult, to say the least. Although worthy and admirable, the ultimate question is not how we change organizations and others, but how we change our own selves – how we lead ourselves through change. This is my most difficult challenge – leading myself through change. Sometimes, I just allow things in and around me to do their own thing. Other times, I try and fail – and have to keep trying. But one thing I’ve learned is that while we may have a grander vision of ourselves, our organizations, and the world, it is only done in the simplest of steps. This excerpt from A Travel Guide to Leadership speaks to this: No matter how far the journey and how many steps we must take, the only step I have any influence over is the step I am taking right now. As Lao Tzu wrote over 2500 years ago, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Although this quote is usually used as encouragement for someone who is about to begin a major project or life mission, when you read the full 64th verse of the Tao Te Ching, it is apparent that Lao Tzu is giving far more wisdom than just a kick-off spurt of encouragement. Later in the verse he said, “People usually fail when they are on the verge of success. So give as much care at the end as at the beginning, then there will be no failure.” It is through attentiveness to each and every step, each now, from beginning to end, that we achieve success and a fully-lived life. If we want a kinder, more loving world, then we must take the one step we have right now. Be open this week to the steps available to you to share your gratitude, love, and kindness – and don’t give up. Have an amazing journey today! Alan This Week's Affirmations (Repeat these quietly to yourself multiple times throughout the day.) I am aware of my grander vision, mission, and purpose. I focus on this step, right now. I create a chain of gratitude, love, and kindness. I am a loving leader!
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Inspiration and lessons for your leadership journey! “This call for a worldwide fellowship that lifts neighborly concern beyond one's tribe, race, class, and nation is in reality a call for an all-embracing – embracing and unconditional love for all mankind. Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Amazing how words from nearly fifty years ago can ring so true today and in so many contexts. Reverend King spoke in opposition to the Vietnam War. I read the opening quote at my daughter’s and new son-in-law’s wedding just three weeks ago. It’s included as part of Chapter 5, A Path of Love, in A Travel Guide to Leadership. And today, I use it to challenge you (and myself) as a leader. The creative energy of love is not weak and sentimental. On the contrary, as Reverend King tells us, it is a force – a unifying force – that is the supreme principle of life. You can read all over the web about leadership power, team-building, collaboration, recognition, and employee engagement, these days. How rarely you hear them talk about love as the ultimate means to business goals. But it is. When you use the creative energy force of love in your leadership, you have made a giant step towards a more profound and sublime power on your journey. I want you to take just a few minutes and listen to and read along an expanded version of Dr. King’s opening quote given at Riverside Church in New York City exactly one year before his assassination. The link is below. I want you to spend some time today reflecting on love, those you lead, and how you can change or adapt your expression of love as a leader. If you’re really industrious, you can re-read Chapter 5 or I’ve also provided you with a second link that contains the entire audio and text of the speech, if you’d like the full, broad spectrum of impact from the speech. Have an amazing journey today! Alan  ©2013 Hark, Inc., All Rights Reserved. Hark.com is a member of BUZZMEDIA Entertainment, a division of BUZZMEDIA. Bonus Audio/Text #2 A Time to Break Silence Full speech and text Delivered 4 April 1967, Riverside Church, New York City  © Copyright 2001-2011. American Rhetoric. This Week's Affirmations (Repeat these quietly to yourself multiple times throughout the day.) I can lead the way in a revolution of values. My love is a unifying force with everyone I meet today! My love unifies my team (class, church, family, etc.)! My love unlocks the door to ultimate reality! I am a loving leader! If you like this week's blog, I encourage you to share it with the world and join me on my journey to empower and inspire millions of people around the globe. Don't forget to share it with your family, friends, and colleagues! Together we can spread words of Encouragement, Inspiration, Empowerment, and Loving Leadership... and wouldn't you agree our world could use a little more "Positivity" these days? Together we can make a difference... Have an amazing journey today! Alan Inspiration and lessons for your leadership journey! "Because we’re a social species, listening is crucial to our survival. It’s the glue of connection." I dedicate this week's blog to Rosezina and her family who are celebrating the life of her twenty-four year old son today who died suddenly early this week. May he rest in peace and may you all be comforted with love! Please keep them in your prayers. New research shows that because each of us have special ‘mirror neurons’ in our brains, we are able to experience in a very similar way what others are experiencing – simply by watching and listening to them. We can feel their joys and their pains – but amazingly, when we listen with empathy, both have a quieting of the stress response and increase in the healing response (both physically and psychologically). Other research also shows that when we listen to others with empathy, the person who is listened to is more likely to ‘pay it forward.’ If you want to build a culture of caring in your team, listen to your team members with empathy on a regular basis. Listening with love and care bonds people together, too. When you listen with empathy, a bond forms between the two of you. This incorporates the other person into your definition of who you are and vice versa. Feelings of being connected, respected, valued, and having something of value to contribute grow – in others words, a sense of ‘we’ or team. Listen to them with love and your team will ‘stick like glue’ together – through thick and thin. Have an amazing journey today! Alan If you like this video clip, I encourage you to share it with the world and join me on my journey to empower and inspire millions of people around the globe. Don't forget to share it with your family, friends, and colleagues! Together we can spread words of Encouragement, Inspiration, Empowerment, and Loving Leadership... and wouldn't you agree our world could use a little more "Positivity" these days? Together we can make a difference... This Week's Affirmations (Repeat these quietly to yourself multiple times throughout the day.) I take the time to watch and listen with empathy. I am a loving listener. I quiet my stress response, and the other’s, when I listen with love. I increase healing when I listen with love. When I listen with love, the other person passes that love on! Listening with love builds strong bonds in my team. Have an amazing journey today! Alan Inspiration and lessons for your leadership journey!   Based on this past week's Mikolaj's Monday Maunder, read the expanded full blog on Linked 2 Leadership by clicking here! Many thanks to Tom Schulte, editor and publisher of L2L, for such an outstanding job of taking my base work and making it look so good! If you're not subscribed to L2L, I encourage you to do so by clicking here! Have an amazing journey today! Alan Inspiration and lessons for your leadership journey! "If knowledge traps are the cholesterol of organizations, then the force of connection that fosters relationship excellence is the Statin drug that breaks up knowledge traps, restores knowledge flow, and keeps the environment healthy." There’s a story about a manager who bumped into one of her former employees in the grocery store. The former employee gave her the cold shoulder. “What’s the matter, Phyllis? We used to get along so well when you worked for me!” the manager asked quite puzzled. “Well, to be quite frank, I was only nice because I worked for you. I’ve never liked you. You’re a conceited, power-hungry, hypocrite who never listens to what anyone else has to say! And now that I don’t work for you anymore, I don’t have to be nice!” the former employee exclaimed as she stormed off. What do relationships have to do with employee engagement? Plenty! And depending on where you lead, the term employee engagement may be substituted with other terms. If you teach, you might call it school spirit or classroom morale. In the military it is called esprit de corps. If you lead in a church, you might call it fellowship. No matter what term works for where you lead, employee engagement is not about some New Age, feel-good fad. For example, organizational psychology has closely tied employee engagement to our innate need to connect and belong as a species – relationships. It’s so important; I devoted an entire chapter to relationships – the force of connection – in my latest book, A Travel Guide to Leadership. Neuroscientific research has established that as stress rises; cortisol levels rise. When cortisol levels rise, people tend to behave in reactionary or rash ways. They simply don't think clearly and rely on 'fight or flight' responses to protect themselves. If relationships with the boss or fellow workers are causing stress, employees will be less productive and less engaged with their work. However, when stress levels are lower, so too are cortisol levels. When cortisol levels are lower, people tend to remain calm, rational, and think more clearly. The feeling of being connected to those around us – part of a safe and meaningful team – boosts dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin levels. These make us feel more energized, confident, and trusting. Engaged or connected employees are 20% more productive than the average employee and actually live longer! When relationships flourish and are healthy at work, everybody wins. People want to give their best effort and become more loyal and productive. When we feel needed, do fulfilling and meaningful work, and have a great relationship with our boss (teacher, choir leader, coach, etc.), we love our work! And this is true for those you lead too! Take time every day to use the force of connection Bonus #1: The Science of Engagement By Michael Lee Stallard The inspiration for this week’s blog came after reading this article in Training Industry Quarterly, Spring 2012. Michael is president of E Pluribus Partners and the primary author of Fired Up or Burned Out: How to Reignite Your Team’s Passion, Creativity, and Productivity. This Week's Affirmations (Repeat these quietly to yourself multiple times throughout the day.) I make my relationships with my direct reports my personal responsibility. I foster healthy relationships and trust between my team members (students, etc.). I practice empathic listening techniques. I use the 100/0 principle, even when I get discouraged! I use the Magic Ratio (see chapter 7) in all my relationships! I am a loving leader! Have an amazing journey today! Alan |
Alan Mikolaj
Alan Mikolaj is a a professional, experienced, positive, and passionate speaker, leadership and organizational development consultant, change agent, author, and coach. He holds his Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from Sam Houston State University. He is a certified graduate coach from Coaching Out of the Box and holds his ACC and membership with the International Coaching Federation (ICF). Free Discovery Conversation!
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In his third book, A Travel Guide to Leadership, Alan offers you simple, fundamental, and powerful lessons that have the power to transform you, your relationships, and your career.
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