Windridge Reflections

Perfect for this day... "I cherish my freedom to act, think, feel, and choose as I wish. I celebrate the choice which lies before me in every moment.... I accept the responsibility which comes with freedom. I embrace my liberty and use it to create an abundant and meaningful life." Julie Cameron On this Veterans Day - thank you to all those who sacrifice so much to make continuing freedom possible!

Knowing what to do is not the same as doing it. You can have all the intent and knowledge in the world, but until you put that intent and knowledge into action it really does you no good. I read once that “The world is full of broke geniuses,” you know, the folks who “know it all,” but never link action to their wonderful ideas or dreams. To keep yourself from falling too deeply into this trap, start the practice of spending time each week identifying and reviewing what your next steps around your desired outcomes will be. Here is what it looks like: Identify a short term goal – personal and / or professional. This can be a behavior / habit you want to modify, a project that needs to be completed, etc. For each goal, address three areas: 1. Goal – The difference between where you are currently and where you want / need to be. What will this look like when you have arrived? 2. Theme – What are your main objectives along the way? What are the obstacles? Wh...

I admit that the task of setting personal (behavioral) goals or benchmarks can be a bit daunting. I mean, why can’t people just love and appreciate us the way we are? But for your personal and professional health, identifying behaviors and setting attainable goals is life changing. Identifying current behaviors sets a starting point from where to chart your forward progress. Without identifying current behaviors one is left in the dark about what I like to think of as, “Behavioral improvement opportunities.” This lack of insight makes it easy to fall into the bottomless pit of repeated poor behavior and discouragement. “This is the way I’ve always been and the way I will always be” thinking can cause you to dismiss how your behaviors are affecting your outcomes. Professionally and personally even a slight positive shift in behavior can bring enormous personal satisfaction and professional momentum. It can be really difficult to know where to begin, what to do, what needs to be modif...

Love this quote - life is too short to become hung-up on the small things! “Often we allow ourselves to be upset by small things we should despise and forget. We lose many irreplaceable hours brooding over grievances that, in a year’s time, will be forgotten by us and by everybody. No, let us devote our life to worthwhile actions and feelings, to great thoughts, real affections and enduring undertakings.” Andre Maurois 1885-1967, Writer

I am a firm believer in ongoing learning. It doesn’t matter if you are securely employed or looking for your next career opportunity, it is always wise to stay relevant in this fast changing world. Lynda Gratton brings forward 10 ways to future proof your career: 1. Don’t be fooled into walking into the future blindfolded – the more you know what’s in store, the better able you will be to meet the challenges and really capitalize on your options. So keep abreast of the forces that are shaping work and careers in your part of the world and think about how they will impact on you and those you care for. Making wise choices will in the end come from your capacity to understand – don’t rely on governments of big business to make the choices for you. 2. Learn to be virtual – we are entering a period of hyper technological advancements – avatars, holographs and telepresence are all just around the corner. If you are a young “digital native” you are already connected to this – but if you...

"Each of us is unique...      Each of us is important... Each of us brings to the world a specific treasure box of talents and gifts that we are charged with bringing to fruition." Julia Cameron What talents and gifts you are focusing on in 2011? For help: Learn From the Past and Move Into the Future .

Chronologically we’re at the end of the year but the beginning of the journey. Sarah Ban Breathnach One of my favorite weeks of the year is this week between Christmas and the New Year. For some reason it seems the perfect time to take a “time out” to pause and reflect. I’m spending this week thinking about the past year, successes and challenges, and then shifting my focus to the coming year and identifying what my theme for the New Year will be. Then on January 1st I will sit in quiet reflection and record all of my thoughts..... Perfect! If you don’t start, You won’t arrive… Anonymous Use the questions below to map your course for 2011 2010 For the past year what was your overall theme? What were your three biggest wins personally? What were your three biggest wins professionally? What were the three top lessons you learned? What was the one personal quality that you developed in 2010? List the ways this quality helped you both personally and professionally. 2011 Lo...

"One of the most courageous things you can do is identify yourself, know who you are, what you believe in and where you want to go." — Sheila Murray Bethel Self-awareness is the first step in personal and professional success. The following questions are taken from one of Windridge's earlier newsletters (2008). These questions are great for those moments of stuckness we all find ourselves in from time to time. Ask yourself: Where Am I? What are my strengths and weaknesses? What are my possibilities? In what areas do I do my best work? What are my preferences, values and priorities? Where Do I Want to Go? What do I want to change? What do I want to keep the same? What do I want to have happen? In what time frame? What Sacrifices are Required? What special efforts or changes may be needed? What am I willing to let go of in order to achieve my goals? What conditions, beliefs or actions no longer serve me? Personal Development Process Create...

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about my inner circle of both professional and personal influencers and friends and I came across this excellent post by Dan Schawbel. Here is how to break down people who should and shouldn’t be part of your inner circle:    Who should be in your inner circle?     People that you admire and wish to build a mutual relationship with.     People that you see yourself working with, whether at a company, your own company or side projects.     People that you have enough shared interests with so you can easily keep in touch with them, without appearing fake.     People that have complementary strengths.     People who understand the principles of networking and won’t use you and abuse you.     People who are passionate, caring and seek to help others. Who shouldn’t be in your inner circle?     People that have nothing in commo...

“A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.” William Arthur Ward

This my friends, is a stand alone: "The supreme quality for a leader is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is a section gang, on a football field, in an army, or in an office. If his associates find him guilty of phoniness, if they find that he lacks forthright integrity, he will fail. His teachings and actions must square with each other." “The first great need, therefore, is integrity and high purpose." —Dwight D. Eisenhower

Two things came to my attention recently that made me pause for a moment and consider my listening skills. One was a quote by Sir Winston Churchill: "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." The other was this Management Tip of the Day from the Harvard Business Review (HBR): For years, leadership experts have been encouraging managers to get better at listening ( see this HBR article from 1957 for evidence ). Good listening isn't just about making the speaker feel respected and heard; it's also about making sure you understand what's truly said. Here are three tips for better listening: Think ahead. Engage in the conversation by thinking ahead and anticipating what the speaker is going to say. Try to see conclusions he will draw; don't just hear the words he's saying. Review. Pause briefly and mentally summarize his points. Listen between the lines. Watch nonverbal cues that could indicate what...

"To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right." -- Confucius * Photo – moonset LWC *** this photo is not photoshopped.

It can be difficult to remain focused when we are bombarded daily by good – bad news, our hopes – fears, positive – negative feelings and so on. How do you maintain your focus? How do you not get pulled this way or that due to the emotion of the moment? First, focus by setting measurable and attainable “end goals.” Do some personal development work to discover / uncover who you are, your strengths and what you want your life to be about. After you have an idea of who you are and where you are heading the next challenge will be in developing the ability to shift the seemingly unrelated or even distracting events of this world into positive outcomes that move you toward your identified goals. And remember, there will be times when you cannot shift the unsettling event, but must learn to sift through the situation and take the good, glean any “learning” you can extract and then let the rest fall to the sand below to be washed away by the sea of time. Ask yourself these questions: What do ...

I was looking through my old journals this afternoon trying to find a certain story I wanted to use for a blog post, and instead of the desired story I found this list from May 14, 1993. It’s just as pertinent today as it was back then. Compliment three people every day. Watch the sunrise at least once a year. Be the first to say “Hello.” Live beneath your means. Treat your child like you want to be treated. Never give up on your child. Miracles happen. Forget the Joneses. Never deprive your child of hope. It may be all he has. Pray not for things, but for wisdom and courage. Be tough-minded but tenderhearted. Be kinder than necessary. Don’t forget, a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated. Keep your promises. Learn to show cheerfulness, even when you don’t feel like it. Remember that overnight success usually takes 15 years. Leave everything better than you found it. Remember that winners do what losers don’t want to. ...

This morning I read through some old Windridge Newsletters I wrote back in 2002 – 2003.... They were good, they were filled with authenticity; so simple and so bare.... I find I lose touch with myself when I try to be like everyone else... I want to get back to that place of being real. "What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room. "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?" "Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real." "Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit. "Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful. "When you are Real you don't mind being hurt." "Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he as...

Here are some great questions from a leadership course at the University of Washington... Ask yourself the following questions: Where Am I? • What are my strengths and weaknesses? • What are my possibilities? • In what areas do I do my best work? • What are my preferences, values and priorities? Where Do I Want to Go? • What do I want to change? • What do I want to keep the same? • What do I want to happen? • In what time frame? What Sacrifices are Required? • What special efforts or changes may be needed? • What am I willing to let go of in order to achieve my goals? • What conditions, beliefs or actions no longer serve me? Answering these questions, will help you identify: • Who you want to be • Where you are going • How and by when you plan to get there "Being a good leader is not something that casually occurs. It takes great thought, care, insight, commitment, and energy. When it all comes together, it brings out the best of who you are." Mary Godwin, Radius