Month: January 2021

5 Steps to Talk to Anyone with Ease and Confidence

Posted on January 29, 2021 by - Articles, Communication, Leading Others, Women Leaders - Leading Others

Two women sitting on swings and talking
There’s a science behind having a good conversation.

And the good news is it can be used in any situation: professional networking events, business meetings, social events—even meeting your in-laws for the first time. The science is the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMmnPpjtU7c?rel=0

Step #1: Intention

The best conversationalists always set the intention for the conversation before they start. So, on your way to an event ask yourself, “What do I want to get out of this event or my interaction with this person?” It could be new business, getting to know someone or even just having a good time. Just setting that intention ahead of time helps you guide your conversation.

 

Step #2: Approach

When you think about conversation, you usually think about the first line. But research shows your first impression happens before the conversation starts—when you first see someone. The best conversationalists start their conversation on the approach. Think about your body language. You want your hands to be visible and your shoulders down and back. And you want to smile. When you smile at someone, it warms them up. Your smile is your opening line.

 

Step #3: Opener

There was an extensive research experiment that looked at almost every conversation starter possible—and there was one that far outweighed the rest. It sounds so simple, “Hello. How are you? “If you think about it, you really don’t want to say anything too intense when you first start. So, you start with the smile and say, “Hey. How are you.” It’s just a nice, natural start.

 

Step #4: Sparks

After the opener, the best conversationalists look for conversation sparks. This is the difference between a dazzling conversation and a “meh” conversation. You want to be curious. Across cultures, across genders and across races, the universal non-verbal curiosity cue is the eyebrow raise. Anytime anyone says something interesting, we raise our eyebrows. So, you are looking for topics, conversations and stories that cause the other person to raise their eyebrows.

Look for mutual likes. Do you like the same kinds of restaurants, vacations or sports? When someone responds with an eyebrow raise, you know you’ve hit a spark. Then you can go down that rabbit hole in the conversation.

 

Step #5: Exits

We often don’t think about how to end a conversation, but actually your last impression is just as important as your first impression. So, if you want to end a conversation, try the future-mention. You might ask what the other person is doing next weekend or later today. The future-mention subtly shifts our focus from the present to the future. Once they share their plans, it’s your cue to end the conversation by saying, “It was great speaking with you today and I wish you the best on (whatever they are doing that weekend).”

 

Want to hear more? Watch the full video to see Vanessa’s advice on:

  • How your body language signals whether you are approachable at a party
  • What checking your cell phone communicates in a social situation
  • Where the best place is to stand at a networking event

This video originally appeared on Vanessa Van Edwards’ YouTube Channel.

2 New Faculty + Limited-Time BOGO Now Through February 25

Posted on January 28, 2021 by - Leading Yourself, News & Updates, The Global Leadership Summit

Your capacity to empower the best in those around you is dependent on your leadership health.

It’s time to rediscover a new hope for the future!

Join us at The Global Leadership Summit–August 2021

Get equipped with leadership insights and inspiration to thrive!

On Thursday-Friday, August 5-6, 2021, join hundreds of thousands of curious, growth-minded, change-driven people like you for the premier leadership event of the year.

Adding to the world-class leadership lineup who will deliver leadership insights and encouragement to equip you to thrive, we are excited to announce fashion designer, Jerry Lorenzo, and WhiteSpace at Work founder, Juliet Funt.

Check Out the Current GLS21 Lineup >>

LIMITED TIME BONUS OFFER – BUY ONE GET ONE FREE!

Whether you attend The Global Leadership Summit in August online or in-person at one of our 500+ local host sites, you will experience two days of rich, high-impact, inspiring sessions, and learn from 15+ diverse faculty who will share their wisdom and practical perspective to support your leadership growth.

Buy your tickets today, and you can also join us for our half-day Global Leadership Summit: Special Edition event taking place on February 25th featuring Patrick Lencioni, Vanessa Van Edwards, and GLS21 faculty, Craig Groeschel and Jerry Lorenzo.

Get Tickets for GLS21 Today >>

6 Internal Prompts for Avoiding Potential Conflict

Posted on January 26, 2021 by - Articles, Emotional Intelligence, Leading Yourself, Uncategorized, Women Leaders, Women Leaders - Leading Yourself

Portrait of creative business team sitting at a coffee shop with laptop. Young man discussing new business ideas with colleagues at a cafe.

“I’d agree with you, but then we’d both be wrong.”—Russell Lynes

Did you know every person has a built-in, early-warning system that uses at least six specific internal prompts to detect potential conflicts?

Giselle Jenkins, Culture Consulting Director for BCWI, has leveraged 20 years of HR expertise with Christian organizations to identify six, valuable internal prompts to help you anticipate and even avoid needless, damaging workplace conflicts.

A few, simple questions let you personalize each internal prompt:

1. The Competence Prompt

You’ve worked for years to increase your knowledge and build your people skills. But then along comes someone who doesn’t respect your intelligence. If this prompts anger inside you, ask yourself:

  • What is in my past that could be tied to this prompt? Is there unresolved hurt or a lack of forgiveness?
  • Am I a continuous learner? How aware am I of what I don’t know?
  • Am I confident and comfortable working around people with better skills and more knowledge?

 

2. The Inclusion Prompt

Almost everyone desires to be wanted and seen as a valuable member of a family, a team, a partnership or a friendship. Being left out makes us feel less than, minimized and unappreciated. If this prompt describes you, ask yourself:

  • What in my past points me to this prompt?
  • Why might I not be included in something? Could there be a rational decision to not make me part of it, versus a negative reason?
  • Do I include all kinds of people in my decisions and my work? Do I model what I want?

 

3. The Autonomy Prompt

Life can often feel more comfortable when we can control things ourselves. Independence and autonomy allow us to choose to act according to our own style, preferences, timing and priorities. Creativity thrives under a less controlled environment; most people hate to be micro-managed. If you’re already nodding “yes,” then consider:

  • What in my past might be tied to this prompt? Was there a time when someone tried to control me?
  • What might be holding me back from feeling comfortable adjusting to a more reliant vs. independent approach?
  • Lack of trust is sometimes a reason people prefer autonomy. How can I grow my trust in others?

 

4. The Status Prompt

In the dictionary, status is defined as “position or rank in relation to others, e.g., the status of a father” or “relative rank in a hierarchy of prestige, especially high prestige.” Status also equates with responsibility: full-time status means we work 40+ hours per week. Status as a supervisor makes us responsible for the well-being of others. Fidelity to an institution gives us status, like points and special consideration. If you resonate with this, ask yourself:

  • Why is it important to me to have my status recognized and respected? Is it for a “noble” reason?
  • Reflecting deeply, what about me do I want people to see about who I truly am?
  • How do I treat people who have “no status?”
  • How could learning more about servant-leadership make me appreciate this prompt?

 

5. The Trustworthiness Prompt

Trustworthy people are honest, ethical, compassionate, empathetic, great listeners, have integrity and are reliable! The Bible tells us that being trustworthy grows our influence and gives us more opportunities. Who doesn’t want to be trustworthy? Ask yourself:

  • What life events in the past could be causing me to react strongly when I don’t feel trusted?
  • Are there people or situations I work with now that cause me frustration because of their lack of reliability and trustworthiness? Do I feel accused of the same thing?
  • Is there an area where I struggle to keep up and I might be rationalizing rather than accepting that I’m not able to live up to a standard? How might I address this?
  • Rather than react defensively when my trustworthiness is questioned, how might I ask good questions about how I can demonstrate I can be trusted?

 

6. The Integrity Prompt

Everyone has a moral compass base on their values and beliefs. Christians have their “guidance” clearly defined in Scripture. People with integrity behave according to their beliefs in action, word and deed. They “walk the talk.” Ask yourself:

  • How strong do I feel this prompt?
  • Do I react more to people who question the merits of my values, or those who question my adherence to my values? Why might that be?
  • What does Scripture say about our hearts and ability to see when we are off track?
  • Do I have two or more people in my life who can be proactive accountability partners to help me stay on a path that consistently aligns my actions with my beliefs?

In his letter to the Romans, Paul may have saved some of his best for last when he wrote, “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding (Romans 14:19). Might these words translate into generous listening, clearer understanding, and deeper trust among your employees? The vote is unanimous: Yes! Unnecessary conflict need not apply.

Developing Youth Leaders in Ethiopia Multiplies Ministry Impact

Posted on January 25, 2021 by - Africa, Because of the GLS, Church, Church & Faith-Based, Culture, Education, Leadership Development, Leading Organizations, Nonprofit, Stories, Vision, Youth

Dr. Gezahegn Asmamaw training youth

Dr. Gezahegn Asmamaw holding childDr. Gezahegn Asmamaw of Ethiopia has been leading ministry for more than 32 years both in the church and non-profit ministry. As president of Rift Valley Global Mission and executive director of Bridge Africa Solutions, Gezahegn uses his leadership and influence to make a positive impact, especially for the children in his community.

Thanks to the generous donors and partners who have made The Global Leadership Summit (GLS) possible in Ethiopia over the last several years! Gezahegn attributes his leadership learning to attending the GLS over the last six years. As a result, the transformation he has witnessed in the ministries he leads has multiplied the positive impact on others’ lives.

“Leadership is a process of mobilizing others and making a positive impact,” said Gezahegn. “It’s about leading transformation for the better.”

One of Gezahegn’s favorite speakers was Jia Jiang who spoke at the GLS in 2019 on the topic of rejection. “God had a purpose when He brought me into this world,” said Gezahegn. “Yes, rejection hurts temporarily but we do not give up. Fear is a bad counselor. Perseverance in achieving the goals He put on my heart is essential. I decided not to let rejection stop me. When I am rejected, I become stronger.”

Dr. Gezahegn Asmamaw training youth

With inspiration from the GLS, and a desire to make a greater difference in the leadership of his community, Gezahegn decided to select 12 champion youth and build into them through training and mentorship. “I believe this will create a national mission’s strategy and movement in the Ethiopian Church,” he said. “If a leader wants to bring change to the nation through the Gospel, focusing on our youth is the best strategy.”

The focus of his youth training includes addressing corruption, discipleship, evangelism, peacemaking in the midst of civil strife, and of course, leadership development based in servant-hearted, Christian principles. “Through the training, we address the issues of our communities, but before we plan to solve communities’ problems, we get together and study their problems and possible solutions.”

Dr. Gezahegn Asmamaw engages in community discussion to resolve local issues

In addition to training and mentoring youth, Gezahegn also sent out 80 missionaries to support existing churches. “The GLS has not only developed me as a leader, but the ripple effect has also influenced the leadership of the Church in all areas,” said Gezahegn. “Because of the way the GLS inspires our youth and develops model leaders, I believe the Ethiopian evangelical churches missions’ strategy will stretch in all of Ethiopia and surrounding nations.”

 

If you have partnered with us in supporting the expansion of The Global Leadership Summit in Ethiopia, you are a part of stories like Pastor Gezahegn. Thank you! To learn about how to get more involved with the ministry extension of the Global Leadership Network, go to GlobalLeadership.org/Give.

A Surprising Way to Listen During Crisis

Posted on January 19, 2021 by - Articles, Communication, Leading Yourself, Managing People

A professional job interview in a modern office space

I promise you, right now, there are opportunities for success, impact, love, growth, etc. directly in front of you that are really there… 

…but you can’t see them. Even though they’re right in front of you…even in a crisis.

Just this week I was talking with a client who represents some of the best athletes in the world of sport. We did a little exercise that is designed to expose beliefs we don’t realize we have. He dove in 110% to the exercise and when he emerged, he had found a way to shorten the timeline of one of his projects down by 85%.

Put another way: there was a way for him to get something that he originally thought would take 6 months and instead get it done in 30 days. The way was right in front of him. It would have been there every day for the next 6 months, just sitting there, waiting for him to discover it. And maybe (probably) there’s a way to get that same project done even faster, sitting right in front of him, if he developed the right lens to see it.

But until the exercise he didn’t see it. I didn’t see it. And YOU’RE not seeing it– in whatever it is you’re doing right now.

Why?

It’s because we don’t have the right “Listening.”

In a previous article I talk about what our firm calls “Listenings,” or paying attention to the beliefs that shape how you perceive things.  This kind of “listening” is one of the most important jobs for you as a leader.

In crisis, our “Listenings” (or beliefs that shape how we perceive things) go into overdrive. They get louder and they get more rigid. Our fear about the future, our cynicism about leadership and our reactivity tends to increase. Our “Listenings” in crisis are like our bodies in a car accident—they tense up. This is supposed to protect us but tensing up in a car accident actually causes more damage.

In a crisis, we become less aware of our “Listenings”. But, it’s the most important time to become MORE aware of our “Listenings” so that we can become more flexible and adapt our way through the crisis.

What we have learned from coaching more than 300 leaders through this crisis, is that you can lean in by “listening”.

I want to invite you to play with the kind of “listening” questions I have written below:

How can I make this crisis the best thing that’s ever happened to me? 

OR

How can I make [fill in the blank with whatever crisis is happening] the best thing that ever happened to [fill in the blank of whatever people or group of people you love]? 

OR

How can I make __________ the best thing that’s ever happened to __________? 

Here are some examples.  How can I make COVID the best thing that’s ever happened to my children’s education? How can I make losing my job the best thing that’s ever happened to my marriage? How can I make them quitting the best thing that’s ever happened to our team?

It’s important to note that I’m not saying that it will be or should be the best thing that ever happened to you. What I’m saying is that asking this question changes your “Listening”. It changes the data your mind is scanning reality for. It will, I promise you, expose solutions and ideas and possibilities for your team, your company, your city, your family, yourself, that were sitting there right in front of you, but you simply didn’t have the “Listening” to see it.

During the past several months of this horrific and contradictory disease, our clients have not only survived but thrived. Businesses were able to bring back employees sooner. Relationships got stronger amidst the creativity and the grief and loss. Leaders found new (and oftentimes better) ways of leading and communicating with their teams across the country. It was extraordinary to watch the innovation and hope even in the darkest situations.

It is said that in mandarin the word for “crisis” is composed of two symbols: danger and opportunity. This is not true (I googled it). But as Abraham Lincoln once said, “If you say it confidently you can get away with anything,” (Abraham Lincoln never said this).

In crisis some people see danger and others see opportunity.  

Oftentimes both are there, and no matter what you see, you tend to be right. If you see opportunity, opportunity presents itself. If you see only danger, the danger often becomes greater. The challenge is whether you will see them in a way that either moves you forward or holds you back?

No matter what is happening in your life and leadership, I promise you that there are opportunities all around you.  

Develop the “Listening” to see it.

The world needs you.

GLS20 Positive Impact on Attendees in 23 Cities Across Ukraine

Posted on January 18, 2021 by - Because of the GLS, Business, Church, Eastern Europe, Education, Europe, Stories, Youth

Attendees watching GLS20 via projector in a living room

In August 2020, The Global Leadership Summit (GLS) was broadcast LIVE to an online audience and at micro-gatherings across North America. The Summit was then translated into 60+ languages and contextualized for another 123 countries and hundreds of locations worldwide. One of those locations was the Ukraine.

In December 2020, groups gathered as they were able or attended online in 23 cities across the Ukraine.

These stories and testimonies of gratitude represent a glimpse of what attendees experienced in Ukraine.

 

The GLS always offers top-level leadership content, but this year there was some new depth in each speech.

Serhiy Tsvetkov, Executive Director of the International Parenting Center, KyivLast year, the heads of our departments were present in person at the event in Kyiv. In 2020 we joined the event online. This format has come in handy not only because of the quarantine restrictions but also because of its accessibility since not only senior leaders but also their assistants and even new staff were able to participate in the event. The GLS always offers top-level leadership content, but this year there was some new depth in each speech. The speakers invited for live participation in Kyiv proved to be very relevant and interesting as they provided information and assessments based on our national reality. This significantly increases the added value of the Summit in Ukraine. I am grateful to the organizers for helping us to be in the context of current world trends, and not to fall behind on the periphery!

– Serhiy Tsvetkov, Executive Director of the International Parenting Center, Kyiv

 

The GLS is without exaggeration one of the key events in our country.

Igor Plokhoi, the Chairman of the NGO Chaplain Ministry to the ArmyThe GLS is without exaggeration one of the key events in our country, which equips Christian leaders in various fields. I look forward to it every year. The Summit combines a variety of fresh ideas on politics, business and the spiritual sphere. This year’s speakers touched on a number of important issues related to personal development: from motivation, to working with the teams, from modern forms of communication to time management. Many thanks to the organizers of the event for a wonderful and efficient time!

– Igor Plokhoi, the Chairman of the NGO Chaplain Ministry to the Army

 

The GLS helps the leaders’ heart to beat in unison with God’s providence.

Vitaliy Konyakhin, the pastor of the Living God ChurchesI am deeply grateful to the organizers for the tremendous work done by the GLS team in Ukraine. This is a great platform, which helps to equip 21st-century leaders. This year I participated in the event online. I especially liked Craig Groeschel’s message. It is wonderful that the Summit is constantly updated and provides answers to leadership questions in various fields. The world is changing and so is the style of leadership. The GLS helps the leaders’ heart to beat in unison with God’s providence and remain effective in their work.

– Vitaliy Konyakhin, the pastor of the Living God Churches

 

The teaching was relevant.

Vyacheslav Pazyak, an online participant from the Alleluia Church in Skadovsk

 

This year’s Summit greatly inspired me! I listened to each speaker with great interest. It was important to me that the speakers at the Summit were people who had reached certain heights in their fields and could give sound advice on the development of leadership qualities. The teaching was relevant for me in my leadership today.

– Vyacheslav Pazyak, an online participant from the Alleluia Church in Skadovsk

 

We believe it brings good fruit for the Kingdom of God!

Natalia Matyushchenko, a GLS participant from KyivThank you and your entire team for organizing Summit online. Our leadership team, pastors,and ministers were blessed with the event, and expect changes and results in our church, city and to the ends of the earth… It was a wonderful time that gave us encouragement and inspiration. We are already reviewing what we learned—the amount of information requires additional time for processing and understanding. We believe it brings good fruit for the Kingdom of God!

– Olena Filimonenko, an online participants’ team coordinator at Emmanuel Church, Kamyanske

 

I want to develop my gift of leadership with new strength.

Halyna Mykhalenko, an online participants’ team coordinator of the Peremoga (Victory) churches in Rubizhne, Lysychansk, and Severodonetsk

 

This gave me a whole new perspective on leadership! Each message covered a separate sphere of influence on different spheres of life. I especially liked the speech given by Sadie Robertson. I felt as if some change took place in me when I listened to her. Her testimony helped me to look at myself in a different way. Now I want to develop my gift of leadership with new strength. I am deeply grateful to the entire GLS team in Kyiv for organizing the event!

– Halyna Mykhalenko, an online participants’ team coordinator of the Peremoga (Victory) churches in Rubizhne, Lysychansk, and Severodonetsk

 

Times change and modern leaders need to change.

Inessa Shumska, a GLS participant from AntratsytFor me, as a minister, it was a great inspiration. In times of crisis, one needs to stop to rethink one’s leadership, and shouldn’t be afraid to go down in order to rise with new strength. Times change and modern leaders need to change in order to meet the challenges of the times and continue their mission to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, and most importantly, remember their identity in communion with God.

– Inessa Shumska, a GLS participant from Antratsyt

 

The Summit jolted us into important reflections and reforms!

I want to thank your team for your hard and important work. You make the Summit possible in Ukraine. Our team, which took part in GLS online, represents the management of the Association Church of God of Ukraine. The Summit was very inspiring. It jolted us into important reflections and reforms! May the Lord bless you abundantly! Please accept my sincere and deepest gratitude on behalf of our team.

– Valeriy Illichov, a senior pastor of the Rizdva Khrystova Church (Church of the Nativity of Christ), Nova Kakhovka

 

If you partnered with us in 2020 to bring the GLS to 123 countries this year, thank you! You too are part of these stories!

To learn more about how to get involved with expanding The Global Leadership Summit in the United States and around the world, visit us at GlobalLeadership.org/Give.

Donors Multiply Impact for GLS Ministry Going Into 2021

Posted on January 13, 2021 by - Africa, Because of the GLS, Latin America, News & Updates, North America, Stories

Attendees in Guatemala pose together at GLS20

We at the Global Leadership Network are so grateful for the amazing community of men and women across the globe who have taken up the charge to use their influence and leadership to ignite positive transformation—something we desperately need in our world today.

Donations given during our annual year-end campaign exceeded our expectations! Each gift will help expand The Global Leadership Summit here in the United States and around the world in 123 countries. If you decided to give a donation in 2020, we cannot thank you enough! Your support to is vital to this ministry, especially in areas where a world-class level of leadership training is not accessible—including prisons, transition homes, homeless shelters, at risk and vulnerable youth, as well as 50% of the world’s poorest countries.

 

Watch what leaders have to say about your generosity!

ARVE Error: Mode: lazyload not available (ARVE Pro not active?), switching to normal mode




Donations will go towards:

Translation of the GLS into 60+ languages
Scholarships for those with limited resources
Reduced ticket rates for youth
Safe event venues, equipment and technology training
Start-up costs to hold the GLS in new cities
Encouragement, inspiration and empowerment to lead positive change where it’s needed most

 

You see us as Christ sees us—valuable.

 

Dale DeNeal Second Church Danville Prison Site

One thing that has me in awe about The Global Leadership Summit is the outlook you carry—that including us prisoners in your mission is of great importance. Labeled as outcasts and menaces to society, you show by your efforts in making the events available to us that you see us as Christ sees us—valuable.

– Alejandro, GLS attendee at Heritage Trails Correctional Facility, U.S.

 

 I saw my life in a different way.

 

Hannah Gronowski speaking

 It’s easy to go to a leadership conference and write yourself off saying, “I don’t fit in because I’m not leading an organization, or I’m only 13.” But because I heard that message over and over—everyone has influence—I saw my life in a different way. I realized my life isn’t just about me. If everyone really has influence, leadership development matters, even as a 13-year-old.

– Hannah Gronowski, GLS attendee, U.S.

 

The ripple effect is creating a better world.

 

Leaders attending the GLS in Liberia during the Ebola Epidemic

The GLS is critical. In many areas of the world, there are multiple avenues people can pursue to fine-tune their leadership ability. But this is not true in countries like mine. Having done this for about 9 years, the GLS has now become a household word. And the result is transformation. Inevitably it’s creating a better country. It’s creating better opportunities for young people. And because we are so global, the ripple effect is creating a better world.

– Dr. Katurah Cooper, GLS attendee, Liberia

 

Summit attendees view themselves as representatives of hope…

 

 

 

We believe that the church is the hope for a country like Venezuela. By fortifying the leadership within both the church and business, this will help spur on reconstruction that is to come. Doing that which is right in the eyes of God, coupled with using the abilities He has given us, will allow us to have a better tomorrow. Through the GLS, the church has realized it is playing a massive role in the crucial moment our country finds itself in. Summit attendees view themselves as representatives of hope and capable of doing something for their country.

– Alvaro Rea, GLS attendee, Venezuela

 

Thank you for being a part of these stories! To find out more about how to get involved with the ministry of the Global Leadership Network, go to GlobalLeadership.org/Give.

The Global Leadership Summit: Special Edition—February 25

Posted on January 12, 2021 by - News & Updates, The Global Leadership Summit

The GLS special Edition will take place on February 25th online.

We know you want to thrive in 2021, but maybe 2020 has left you feeling foggy about how to move forward. It doesn’t help that the start of our year was also marked with heaviness, division and a feeling of hopelessness.

This is why Patrick Lencioni, Vanessa Van Edwards, Jerry Lorenzo and Craig Groeschel are coming together to bring you a leadership boost of hope, encouragement and insight to start your year with clarity of vision and new energy.

Join us Online for The Global Leadership Summit: Special Edition

On Thursday, February 25 from 10:30am-1:45pm CST, enjoy three hours of high-impact leadership sessions from our world-class faculty. Learn more >>

GLS21 Special Edition Lineup

 

Hosted virtually via our interactive online platform, our faculty will deliver you fresh insights, inspiration and direct application from their latest research and experiences. The wisdom from their perspectives will help you thrive both personally and professionally.

You don’t have to stay in the fog of 2020, instead you can forge ahead toward your greatest potential in the new year.

Some of the topics include:

  • Unlocking your natural genius and the genius of your team
  • Exploring the science of personality
  • Overcoming and recovering from a season of crisis
  • And more!

 

Get Your Tickets by February 12th >>

Join us online for just $39 per ticket when you register by February 12th. Think of it like having coffee with your mentors—totally worth the investment for the value you will receive from their insight and encouragement.

BONUS: Included with your ticket purchase is complementary access to Patrick Lencioni’s Working Genius Assessment (valued at $25)!

Ep 084: Reinventing Yourself, Sadie Robertson Huff, Paula Faris & Jason Jaggard

Posted on January 12, 2021 by - Calling, Leading Yourself, Podcasts, Women Leaders, Women Leaders - Leading Yourself

The Global Leadership Summit Podcast

SUMMARY:

Is God trying to move you into a new season? Are you feeling an ache in your spirit? All leaders experience seasons of reinvention that are both exhilarating and terrifying. And as you grow in your leadership, you start to recognize the internal and external signs indicating its time to chart a new course. In this episode of the GLS Podcast, Sadie Roberson Huff, Paula Faris and elite executive coach Jason Jaggard discuss the key questions you should ask yourself as you consider a big move and the truths you can lean into to calm your fear.

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • It may be time to reinvent yourself when you have a sense of what you want to do and who you want to be. It may be just a direction, but it’s enough to know it’s time.   
  • You can’t let other people define who you are; you have to keep becoming who you are. And sometimes you just have to tell other people who you are. 
  • Sometimes we choose the change and other times we don’t choose the change. 
  • Seeing myself as doing one thing for the rest of your life can be a trap. Peel back the layers to understand why you are good at what you do by asking yourself three questions: 
  • What are you good at? 
  • What do you love? 
  • What do trusted people around you notice that you’re good at and love? 
  • My worth isn’t in what I do. My calling isn’t just my career. 
  • Sometimes you don’t know the strategy to reinvent yourself; you just have the “ache” or a stirring, and sometimes it’s enough to just follow the voice. Just get started.  
  • Sometimes tragedy and opportunity can coexist, and give us badly needed “wake up calls” that we need to change.  
  • Flaws and failures can be successes because that’s when we learn the most.  
  • Peace and fear can co-exist. Learning to expect and anticipate fear can help.  
  • Some practical techniques for fear:  
  • Breathing techniques 
  • Handwarmers (if your hands get cold, it can trigger physical reactions in your body that contribute to anxiety and fear.) 
  • Run hands under hot water 
  • Drink four glasses of water 
  • Learn to advocate for yourself. If you’re not a healthy leader, you won’t have a healthy team. 
  • When you want to do something new, you have to put the work in. You get your foot in the door and then you kick it down.  
  • Everybody has to work to get where they’re at. It’s easy to convince yourself that everybody else is just gifted, but that’s not the case. You have to confidence and humility to develop your gifts.  
  • When you believe in something bigger than yourself it’s easy to invite people in to be a part of it.  
  • People don’t always want to cling to a person; they want to cling to a purpose and vision.  
  • Don’t just know what you’re against; know what you’re for. Focus on solutions, not just issues.  
  • Be the kind person that people WANT to help: 
  • Dream bigger 
  • Know what you are for 
  • Champion others 
  • You elevate yourself by elevating others.  
  • Success means sacrificing distractions, which can be anything that take your eyes off of what you’re called to do: even some relationships, “fun times”, etc.  
  • There are also things that you should not be willing to sacrifice: your family, you friends, your health, etc.  
  • There’s a difference between loving what you do and being defined by what you do. Ask yourself these questions:  
  • Are the choices I’m making clashing with what I profess to be of value to me? 
  • Am I finding significance in something that’s going to shift (i.e., a job, a bank account, a relationship)? 
  • Find out who you are outside of what you do. Write that down. That’s your purpose statement. Everything else is going to change but your purpose is not going to change.  
  • If you allow God to build the house on solid ground, you can have security in who you are and not just the things that you’ve done. It keeps you humble. 

 

 

 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS:

  1. As leaders, you are constantly working to manage change. In what area of your life or leadership are you sensing it might be time for reinvention?

 

  1. In this podcast, Paula outlined three questions to understand why you are good at what you do. These things will never change, even if you are going through a major change. How would you answer these questions?
    • What are you good at? 
    • What do you love? 
    • What do trusted people around you notice that you’re good at and love? 

 

  1. What are the implications of your answers when you think about the area of your life or leadership that is ripe for reinvention?  

 

  1. Sadie said, “It’s not wrong to be afraid but It’s wrong to sit in it.” What is your plan to combat fear as you go through your season of reinvention?

 

 

 

RESOURCES MENTIONED:

Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) 

Willie Robertson  

Duck Dynasty 

Live Original 

Isaiah 55:8-9 

Job 

Good Morning America 

The View 

Joshua 1:9 

Moses 

Exodus 14:12-14 

2 Timothy 1:6-8 

Lysa TerKeurst 

The Little Mermaid 

“I Want to be Where the People Are” (Part of Your World) 

Media in Missoula, Montana 

Media in Dayton, Ohio 

VHS Tape 

Audio Cassette Tape 

I Samuel 3 

Psalm 127:1-2 

RELATED LINKS:

Sadie Robertson Huff 

2020 GLS Interview: Forces That Affect Your Influence 

Live Original 

Paula Faris 

2020 GLS Talk  

Journeys of Faith with Paula Faris 

Jason Jaggard 

Novus Global 

The Global Leadership Summit

 

 

One Key Relationship You Need to Thrive in the New Year

Posted on January 11, 2021 by - Articles, Leading Yourself, Wellness, Women Leaders, Women Leaders - Leading Yourself

New year, New Goals written out on sticky notes placed on a desk.

For several years, the Global Leadership Network and I partnered to conduct a series of leadership retreats. Since we were having so many leaders come through on an ongoing basis, I decided to do some research. There were several areas I wanted to explore to get a picture of how these leaders lived, led, worked and grew, as well as what they struggled with.

I learned a lot from gathering this data. But one finding from the research stood out to me more than all the others, and is one of the key relationships we need to thrive in 2021, especially as we continue to go through or come out of a very difficult season.

Three of the questions we asked leaders were highly correlated:

1. Do you have relationship(s) that are totally confidential, where you can be 100% transparent and with person(s) who are not stakeholders in what you do? And you let them know everything about how you are doing with totally honestly?

2. Do you have relationship(s) with the sole purpose of helping you get better as a leader? Like a coach, a mentor or a therapist who helps you heal or build skills?

3. Have you have had any condition in the last 2 years that has gotten to “clinical” levels? Like depression, burnout, stress, a habit or addiction, anxiety, etc.

The data came back with these findings:

70-80% of the leaders said that they did NOT have a committed relationship where they were safe to be 100% transparent, and the relationship was totally confidential and not someone who depended on them in some way.

70-80% of the leaders said that they did NOT have a coaching or mentoring relationship that was solely committed to and skilled at helping them improve as a leader.

Honestly, these two findings totally surprised me. I could not believe that that many high-level leaders were virtually “going it alone,” receiving no help. It was shocking to me that they were that alone and without anyone who just built into them. But after seeing those scores, the results of the third question did not surprise me at all:

70-80% of the leaders said YES to having some condition of pain, distress or reduced functioning, which had reached clinical proportions.

The findings from the third question did not surprise me at all, because that is what happens when no one is building into the leader who is always giving and pouring him or herself out for others. In other words, if they were going it alone, getting no help, they were going to ultimately end up suffering in some way.

How could it have been any other way? Leadership, or life for that matter, was not designed to be done without help, support and coaching relationships that build into the leader. Ask any Navy SEAL.

I spend most of my working days coaching and consulting with CEOs and other high performers. These days, there appears to be a growing appreciation for the value of coaching in the business world.

The highest performers are the ones who use coaching the most.

Not surprisingly, one of the things I have seen over the years is that the highest performers are the ones who use coaching the most. With my clients over the years, it is the superstars who I would hear from them the most. They utilize our relationship the most, go the deepest and reach out most frequently. Over most of their careers, they have always had someone like me, a coach or mentor whose sole role in their lives was to come alongside them and help them get better.

Think of it…what NFL football team or Olympic team would not have a full squad of coaches to help their highest performers get better, bounce back, improve and stay sustainable?

In corporate America, many companies now spend a lot of money making sure their CEOs and high-level leaders always have good coaches and mentors to help them. Their boards know it is crucial.

But the sad reality is this. One sector has not benefitted from this trend: the Church.

Most churches do not look out for their leaders with the same level of shepherding as many companies do. The church makes sure its leaders are there for everyone else, helping others get better, including their own staffs, but often, no one is committed to helping that leader. That is sad, and it is alarming as well. No wonder burnout and leaving ministry is as high as it is, as well as the stagnation scenarios where some leadership improvement could turn everything around in a church or ministry.

So, please learn from my informal research. Your well-being is directly related to whether you have relationships that exist to help you get better.

The entire New Testament and all of the research ever done tells us that getting to your highest level of performance requires others who encourage you, support you, teach and correct you, coach you, instruct you, heal you, weep with you, motivate and inspire you, mold you and shape you and on and on. If you try it any other way, it will not work. At best, you won’t reach your potential. At worst, you will crash or burn.

Do not let that happen.

As I wrote in The Power Of The Other, any person who is a closed system, trying to meet their own needs, will not succeed. But when you can commit to finding the right “others” who will build into you, you will get to levels you never thought possible. The right “others” will bring two key ingredients to you: new energy and new intelligence. That combination will always be required to get you to the next level.

If you don’t already have a wise counselor to help you get better, make it your mission in 2021 to find one.

So, I have one piece of advice for you today.

If you don’t already have a wise counselor to help you get better, make it your mission in 2021 to find one. It might not be easy, and as Proverbs 4:7 says, you might even have to pay for it. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. (NIV)

Don’t be one of the 70-80% who are suffering! Find a wise counselor, a therapist, a leadership coach, a mentor or a group. Create the team of “others” that you need.

If you are being “fed and led,” the “feeding and leading” that you do for others will be multiplied. You will have “put the oxygen mask on yourself first,” so you will have adequate breath to do all that is being asked of you. Go for it!

God Bless,

Henry