Shera R. Sever: Awakening Leaders™

Why do some projects falls short, while others soar to great success?  Why are some business relationships tainted with conflict, while others are smooth, fun, easy, and profitable?

According to Stephen N.B. Covey- it’s all about TRUST.

In his most recent book, The Speed of Trust, Covey builds a strong case for TRUST as the number one leadership competency in today’s organizations and positions TRUST as a key economic driver in the new economy.

When you choose to do business with someone, what do you base your decision on? Most likely it’s that gut feeling- your intuition, that says YES.  I trust this person.

Trust is about (1) credibility (who you are), (2) character (your behavior). True character is doing the right thing when no one is looking, and (3) competence: skills, knowledge, ability to produce results.

Building high trust requires:

• Talking straight
• Showing respect
• Keeping Commitments- Do What you Say!  Walk Your Talk!
• Having an open, transparent agenda (not a personal (WIIFM) what’s in it for me, agenda),
• Clear communication that clarifies goals and expectations.
• Motive and intent of care and service- this builds loyal customers, repeat clients, referrals and a motivated team!

In high trust environments, communicate is clear, processes are smooth, flexible, and fast; change is natural, results are extraordinary.

Seems pretty simple and straightforward. So why is it so difficult for some to build trust and credibility? Normally, it’s because one is not clear on their values and what they stand for, and thus out of alignment with their personal integrity.

So, how credible are you?

Here is a short assessment that you  can take on line, to determine your trust score (how you see/trust yourself)  and credibility score (how others see/trust you)

What was my trust score you may wonder?  88%.

How do I evaluate this?  (1)  Space to improve and grow, (2) make wrongs, right with sincere apologies and changed behaviors. Next step is to send this out to others to see how they see me. I’ll be doing this in the  September issue of Leading Visions to Action. I’m excited and looking forward to the dialogs this will create!

Let’s all give it a try and create more TRUST in the world!!

For more information go to:

Speed of Trust and Who Trusts You

Imagine living with inner peace- what would that look like in your personal life, in your business, your family, your relationships, in your community, on our planet?

“Be on the lookout for symptoms of inner peace. The hearts of a great many have already been exposed to inner peace, and it is possible that people everywhere could come down with it in epidemic proportions.

This could pose a serious threat to what has, up to now, been a fairly stable condition of conflict in the world.“

I recently received this from an anonymous source.  Just learned today, that the author,  Saskia Davis, wrote this back in 1984.  What a visionary she is! It uplifted my spirits, and I want to share with you! Wonderful reminders for our daily lives.

Some signs and symptoms of inner peace:

* A tendency to think and act spontaneously rather than on fears based on past experiences.

* An unmistakable ability to enjoy each moment. * A loss of interest in judging other people.

* A loss of interest in judging oneself. * A loss of interest in interpreting the actions of others.
* A loss of interest in conflict. * A loss of the ability to worry. (This is a very serious symptom.)
* Frequent, overwhelming episodes of appreciation. * Contented feelings of connectedness with others and nature.
* Frequent attacks of smiling. * An increasing tendency to let things happen rather than (try to) make them happen.

* An increased susceptibility to the love extended by others as well as the uncontrollable urge to extend it.

WARNING:

If you have some or all of the above symptoms, please be advised that your condition of inner peace may be so far advanced as

to not be curable. * author: Saskia Davis, www.symptomsofinnerpeace.net

In one of my past blog posts on business models,  I cited Seth Godin and his book: Tribes- We Need You to Lead Us!

Tribes are everywhere,and thanks to the internet, we can find who and what we want to connect with:

Work tribes, community tribes, spiritual tribes ,Ukranian dancers. . .

According to Seth Godin, assembling tribes (not money and factories) can change the world.  You don’t need everyone. What you need is 1000 dedicated fans, true believers, supporters, doers, etc.  The hypnosis of mass-marketing no longer works. Leading and connecting people and ideas does.

What do “tribe” leaders have in common?

• They challenge the status quo- who are you upsetting?
• They are curious and build a culture- who are you connecting?
  
• They commit to leading with unrelentless focus and passion

Get inspired- watch Seth Godin’s presentation from TED :

If you are feeling  a bit stuck or in transition, get our of your comfort zone, and do something! Just by taking the action (any action!) will unleash your potential, creativity, and attract others who want to get on board with you!

Find a  group or cause that is disconnected- organize and connect them. This is what you do for a living!

Start something that matters.

Start.

Do it.

We need it (and so do you!)

Not sure where to get started?  Contact me . . . 1, 2, 3,     GO!

The old skin has to be shed before the new one can come…We must be willing to get rid of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” ~Joseph Campbell

Change is profoundly in the air this summer.  I have a had a number of past coaching clients contact me in the past few weeks,either seeking a tune-up or in a total melt down. It’s permeating everything and everybody,  and the next turn (personally and collectively) is,  at best, unknown.

Not-knowing is one of the more evolved practices of personal leadership.

Can you trust and allow?  Do you have the courage to simply say “ I don’t know.”

When dancing with change, what’s important is that you are willing to let go of everything that has felt comfortable, familiar- this includes all those habits and plans that your ego is clinging to for it’s own survival.

Yes, it is a death . . . it is transformation.

Breathe into and accept this.
Exhale the doubt, fear, and uncertainty.
Become naked in your own truth.
Imagine, feel, see, smell and hear the new life (business, career, home, etc) waiting for you.

Stay curious
Share your truth  compassionately, consciously and wisely.
Trust and be open to receive.

For the past almost 7 years, I have been going through what I call a ‘slow death” letting go of the family members and friends that have passed over, recovering from a serious auto-accident, leaving the spiritual community I was a member of for over 22 years, along with two beautiful homes,  and so much more.

As an entrepreneur, teacher, writer, coach, these experiences have deepened my ability to guide others through intense change (personally and professionally.  As I reflect upon what seemed insurmountable at the time, I am now grateful for the experiences that allow me to serve you even more fully with a complimentary coaching session through July 15.

For more information on the practice of Not-Knowing

http://traffic.libsyn.com/amberstar/Zencast102.mp3

It’s graduation time throughout the USA.

In this compelling, heart warming Stanford commencement address, Steve Jobs shares three stories about love, loss, and trust. . . from being a public failure , to starting over and following his heart.

You can’t connect the dots looking forward.

You can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that somehow the dots will connect in the future.You have to trust in something, your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever, believing the dots will connect down the road will give you the confidence to follow your heart, even when it leads you off the well worn path and that will make all the difference.

You’ve got to find what you LOVE!

The only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. The only way to do great work is to LOVE what you do.
If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking and don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.

Keep looking..don’t settle!  Stay hungry, stay foolish.

Steve Jobs Commencement

We hear these mantras all the time from success leaders like Brian Tracy, Richard Branson, Oprah,

T. Harv Eker, and so many others:

Your network equal your net worth.

It’s not who you know, but who knows you.

Take a look at the five people in your circles and network,  you share the most time with-this is a direct reflection of your personal and professional success.

Ask any leader and successful business owner the key to their success, and they will tell you that one golden nugget lies in their ecosystem of relationships, networks, and teams.

How is your ecosystem?  Who comprises  your network? Whether you are looking for a new position, starting a new business or expanding your current business, your network needs to be diverse.

I recently came across a blog post* that identified various roles/functions of a network.  I believe the categories were designed specifically for a “job seeker”, however, I think they apply to any professional network.

Take a look and see who you can identify in filling these functions in your circles:

1. The Mentor: This is the person who has reached the level of success you aspire to have. Normally a mentor has known you through several peaks and valleys in your life and has watched you evolve. You can learn from their success as well as their mistakes gained. A good mentor will share with you their wisdom, experience and  lessons learned along their journey.

2. The Coach: I believe everyone needs a coach at different times in their life. A good coach will help you access your inner wisdom and clarity by asking questions , guiding you through transitions and critical decisions with your best and highest interest as their priority.

3. The Industry Insider: This is an expert in your industry/industries. Think of this person as your personal consultant , who will keep you informed of what’s happening now and what the next big thing is (think- ipad and mobile devices). Invite them to be a sounding board and advisor for your next innovative idea or entrepreneurial project.

4. The Trendsetter: This is someone possibly outside of your  direct industry who keeps up on trends and the latest buzz on topics/content you are interested in.  A wonderful guest at any dinner party and someone who is able to connect the dots in sometimes unconventional ways. Green business is a great example

5. The Connector: This is a person who has access to people, resources and information. As soon as they come across something related to you, they are sending you an email or picking up the phone. Connectors are great at uncovering unique ways to make connections, finding resources and opportunities that most people would over look.  Connectors are vital to your network and team.  Be sure to recognize and acknowledge them accordingly for their time and resources.

6. The Idealist: This is the person in your network you can dream with. No matter how “out there” your latest idea is, this is the person that will help you brainstorm and mindmap ways to make it happen. Creative and without judgment, they are focused on helping you flush out your dreams in high definition, even if you don’t have a solid plan yet on how to make it happen.  A good friend, indeed.

7. The Realist: On the flip side you still need the person who will help you keep it real. Think Devil’s Advocate. This is the person who will  give your vision and ideals a grounding cord and encourage you (often times with tactical and strategic tools) to  actively make your dream happen.

8. The Visionary: Visionary people INSPIRE. They are powerful and can positively change your life and direction with their leadership, integrity, and accomplishments. This person can help you envision and create an actual plan to reach your goals.   by their journey. They are similar to the Idealist, but the visionary can help you envision an actual plan to reach your goal.

9. The Partner: This can be an intimate partner or spouse, family member or close friend.   This can also be your business partner who compliments and supplements your skill set with resources, opportunities, and information. Partners do alot of sharing, and are on a similar path.

10. The Student: This is someone you can serve as mentor to: someone new to your industry or  in transition and exploring your industry.  Someone you can help shape and guide based on your experiences. When the teacher is ready, the student will appear!

If you approach your network with the attitude of “what can I do for you?”,

you will be amazed at how rich your life and lives of others becomes.

Giving back is what keeps our communities alive, healthy and growing.

note:  the above categories were originally introduced to me  by Tai Goodwin, Career Coach

For myself and many that I have spoken to, 2010 got off to a slow or, perhaps, a false start?  Projects didn’t quite get off the ground- some were completely tabled;  goals, strategies had to be revised. The Health Care Reform Bill that was finally passed on the first day of Spring , March 21, is a perfect example that indeed it is time to Spring into Action!

Aristotle said it best:  Excellence is a habit. As a leader or entrepreneur, you know that Action is the most important Habit.  So now that spring is finally here, it’s time to put your 2010 plan in action.

7 Success Strategies to keep the momentum going, making you Unstoppable.

1. Commit to 3 disciplined actions (habits) that you will engage in each day-My daily disciplined actions include: some form of exercise (swimming, bicycling, or at least a brisk walk) ,meditation listening to one motivational CD, webinar, or teleseminar,  and journaling my progress/ success and gratitude at the end of each day.

2. Expand your circle of influence-We’ve heard it many times- take a look at the five people you spend most of your time with-and that will show you where you are at in your life.

Your circle of influence is a direct reflection of  your values, self-worth, and most likely your level of success/abundance. What are they doing? How do they enrich the lives of others?  What are their habits? Just think about it- we become “rich”, by enriching the lives of others. If you want to have more success, wealth, and abundance in your life, hang out with people in the winner’s circle.

3. Create a Vision Board. At least once a year, I facilitate a Vision Workshop, where participants are guided through a focused goal-setting process- we then find images that  match where we want to be in our lives and create affirmations that support the vision.  I find that reciting the affirmations out loud several times a day as if the experience already exists to be one of the most powerful tools for manifestation.

4. Own your shadow by identifying your limiting beliefs and self-sabotaging patterns and behaviors. Commit to doing the work it takes to release/transform these beliefs once and for all. I was amazed (shocked?!) to recently uncover some deeply held subconscious beliefs,  that even after several decades of committed work, I am still being affected by. It’s deep work and takes daily efforts. Find methods, help, support with this. This could be mastermind group, a women or men’s circle, workshops, a counselor, somatic therapist, shaman, or simply a small group of supportive friends.  Just remember, you are not your past.

5. Invest in your personal/professional development. The best investment you can make towards your success is in YOU. Find a seminar or coach that resonates with your goals, enroll, and go for it! As I look at the last year (2009),  this was one area of my life, where I didn’t put as much attention on as I normally would  ( I chose to spend an extensive time on several islands instead- which indeed was revitalizing). I say  a better strategy is to combine your travel with a seminar, or clear goals- i.e. finish the book you are writing!  Several weeks ago, I was invited to participate in PJ’s VanHulle’s Prosperity Summit, which I highly recommend.  My, did the light bulbs shine!

6. Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone. Get out of your comfort zone and do at least one thing this year that scares you. That’s right! Susan Jeffers, Ph.D., made millions helping others “Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway ! Acting /taking calculated risks in spite of fear is very empowering and freeing. What will your scary action be? Traveling alone, investing in a  joint venture, committing to a relationship, sharing your vulnerability and “failures” , letting go of a habit or limiting belief?

7. Give Back by Volunteering, Becoming a Mentor, serving on Boards of Directors. Share your knowledge, skills, and resources with organizations and causes that you are passionate about. I’ve been volunteering with organizations for over 30 years, many of which I stepped into a leadership role by training volunteers and volunteer coordinators and directing communications systems.  There are thousands of opportunities within your communities, park services, and, of course, internationally. Become an unstoppable role model by mentoring and giving back.

Providing value, creating more equitable resources for all, while being sincerely committed to helping others grow and succeed is the business model for the new economy. I guarantee that if you follow these 7 Success Strategies, you are well on the path to unstoppable action this Spring!

Are you curious about how I can help you jump start your Unstoppable Success this spring?  I am offering complimentary coaching sessions to the first five that respond to this blog post by March 31.

I’m sure many of you have seen Julie & Julia, the film with master actress, Meryl Streep, starring in  possibly one of her very best roles as Julia Child. Streep so rightly earned the Golden Globe Awards for best actress a few nights ago.

And we saw the character of Julie Powell (Amy Adams), offering us an inspiringly candid reminder of self-mastery qualities: Vision, Passion, Focus, Practice, Set-Backs, Failures, Commitment, Discipline, Courage. Julie Powell set a very specific and ambitious 365-day goal, and achieved it- actually superceded it.  She became a master, by self-mastery.

As we enter a new decade, we are all crafting  our vision maps for what we would like to master this year and beyond.

What would you what would you like to master this year? A new leadership role, a published book, a new business, a long forgotten passion, a new sport or language, buying or selling your home,  reducing your footprint, living more simply, or possibly just having more compassion for self and others?

The time of the lone wolf is over- none of us can do it alone. If you need a jump start on your master plan, I invite you to contact me by Feb. 1 to a schedule a complimentary call. Let’s discover how we can best work together this year.

The future is now! What do you want to create?

In 2010, anything you desire strongly will manifest quickly.

We have a chance to reorient ourselves, bring our wishes into manifestation and truly assert what we want to be. We are literally dreaming our new realities into being.

The more creative we are in dealing with what has held us back in the old consciousness, the more healing will take place within ourselves and as a result in the world around us. Continue focusing on your highest truth and reinventing your lives.

There is a quickening and a deepening of our life directions. We are anchoring our dreams into manifestation and becoming more grounded in our own light. This is a time of great reward for those of us who have done our homework.

Happy Holidays!

What a wonderful time of year for giving and receiving, sharing love and reNEWal!

If you survived the last 3-6 months with your sense of humor still intact, take a moment now to CONGRATULATE yourself for your amazing navigation and accepting “what is” skills.

A friend recently shared this wonderful reminder with me:

LIFE is an endless transition. Go with the flow, change the flow, surrender to the flow,

be the flow, create the flow… the essence of the flow is: Transition

When we look at nature (biomimicry) we see how true this is.

It’s been quite a time of transition and reorganization for so many!

Most everyone with whom I speak has commented on the “intensity ” of the times with many of us undergoing, slow, yet massive changes in our homes, careers, businesses, and relationships. I believe we are all undergoing a collective re-organization.

What has changed for you this past year?

How are you reorganizing your life/business?

Any new approaches/attitudes you’d like to share?

The on-going theme for me  is SIMPLIFY. I didn’t realize how complicated simplification could be. It takes tremendous courage and trust to get out of our own way, surrender, and let go! As all manifestors know, the clarity of our intentions along with committed action/discipline is what creates “so-called” miracles.

Now is a wonderful time to move from hoping to knowing/feeling what it is we are creating in these times.

“Everything comes to us that belongs to us when we create the capacity to receive it.” -Rabindranath Tagore

Clarity, love, acceptance, and gratitude are wonderful gifts to give and receive. In this holiday season, I am wishing us all more ease, beauty, moments of peace and rest, more compassion and understanding as we continue to navigate and reinvent our lives, businesses, and relationships.

Change cleanses the soul. Enjoy the ride and be kind to your fellow travelers.

Wishing you warm and happy holidays!