by Deborah Leverett | Apr 21, 2017 | Uncategorized
In an age where everyone has a megaphone, a blog, a FB; we have to admit it feeds our ego. (by the way, this is a bad thing) Very slowly we are becoming more and more entitled giving into a victim – mindset where our thinking is all about how things affect us. Then, when we get yelled at; or slighted; or treated unfairly (and it happens to everyone) we think: “Don’t you know who I am?” “How dare you?” It seems our view is myopic… The movie “Hidden Figures”, beautifully tells the true story of 3 African American women who who served as the brains behind John Glen’s orbit around the earth. But, the power of the movie lay in the strength of character of these three women who overcame incredibly adverse conditions in the workplace. They understood they weren’t demeaned just because someone treated them unfairly. Their inner strength and confidence of who they were was stronger than the assaults that came against them. Even when credit was being given to others, there was no whining, no complaining…just a dignified sense of restraint and a willingness to persevere with grace. They were not focused on being offended because they had the wisdom to know that the key to their success was in their ability to exercise prudence instead of giving into their emotions. In our current workplace culture , we may not see overt negative behavior and resentment, but it’s there: tempers that are simmering beneath the surface, stress related illnesses, burnout. We aren’t helping people, when in their development opportunities, we solely focus on their strengths;...
by Deborah Leverett | Apr 14, 2017 | Uncategorized
If you’re a gardener, you know there comes a time when it is necessary to weed the garden. Removing the weeds gives each plant more space to grow. Otherwise, weeds choke out the plant and the fruit shrivels up and dies. So it is in our own lives. We spend an inordinate amount of time listening: to others, to clatter, to mindless conversations, to noise. What does this incessant clamor cost us? How much does it hamper our inner voice? Our ability to think critically? How important is it to turn off all of the shouting voices and spend, even for just a few minutes, in solitude? In one of my favorite books, Gift From The Sea, by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, she writes: “Certain springs are tapped when we are alone. The artist knows he must be able to create; the writer, to work out his thoughts; the musician to compose; the saint, to pray…What matters is that one be, for a time, inwardly attentive.” Sharpen your listening skills by finding time to quiet the outer world and listen to your inner voice. There you might find creativity, strength, perspective,...
by Deborah Leverett | Apr 7, 2017 | Blog
Every leader believes they are strategic thinkers. But, we all know that is not the case. One can gauge a leader’s thinking because it is seen and heard in the attitudes and activities of the employees. We can begin our strategic thinking assessment by drawing a continuum. On the left side of the continuum is the victim mentality thinking. This is the thinking that says ‘too many problems’; ‘can’t do anything bout it’. When leadership begins blaming and pointing fingers, this thinking goes viral and spreads to the rest of the employees rapidly. It spreads rapidly because it takes the pressure off to perform. Results: sales drop, service wanes and staff is complacent and disengages. In victim mentality cultures, you might hear: ‘The problems are so big that we will do well to break even.’ ‘It’s the sales department who’s at fault.’ ‘They’re not doing their job in marketing.’ ‘How can we expect to overcome the economic downturn?’ ‘Our target market has shifted.’ ‘They dropped the ball.’ You get the picture. Pay attention in the next few meetings – when you hear these statements being made over and over, you’ve got the answer to the question of what kind of thinkers are our leaders? At the other end of the spectrum is the mindset that says we can do this and we can do it all and we will do it all now! No doubt, you can describe what sort of culture forms around the ‘put out the fires now’ thinking: highly stressed, low engagement, aversion to risk, under-performance, overwhelmed. This thinking is often disguised as strategic because there is...
by Deborah Leverett | Feb 22, 2017 | Uncategorized
Did previous generations suffer from the angst of being overwhelmed? Did the early 19th century pioneers, who faced survival issues every day, run around frantically filling their days with meaningless activity? Probably not; because if priorities (food and shelter) were ignored, their fate was sure. Discretionary choices were luxuries only a few were afforded. 21st century Americans have many discretionary choices. I often encounter people who have forgotten they have many choices and that they have the power to choose among those choices. Everything we do, say, think, feel, eat, buy, who we spend time with; is a choice we have made. When we forget we have the power to choose we let the ‘tyranny of the moment’ dictate what we do, say and how we feel. Greg McKeown, in his book, Essentialism, says ‘The ability choose cannot be taken away or even given away–it can only be forgotten.” When we forget to choose, we start thinking like victims: I don’t have time, I have to do this, I can’t say no, what will people think, etc.. What price are you paying to say yes to everything? Besides being overwhelmed and frustrated? I believe it affects two very important areas: Our character: when we make and break promises to ourselves, we learn that we cannot depend on our decisions. We learn that we don’t have very much self-discipline and that is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Beyond the personal character issue, being driven by outside demands denies us the option of focusing on what we want, what we deem as important: family, friends, time to enjoy, time to reflect and plan,...
by Deborah Leverett | Jan 25, 2017 | Uncategorized
I’m often asked the best way to spot up and coming leaders. While never an exact science, there are specific traits you can look for to find the individual that has the potential to be an effectual leader. The second column is the opposite side of the coin. Positive Attitude Negative, blaming, victim-thinking attitude Humility Does not take criticism well, arrogant, doesn’t see need to learn Potential to Grow Small-minded; limited vision; resists change Perseverance Leaves projects hanging; gives up too soon Reliability Is inconsistent when fulfilling commitments, meeting deadlines Resilient Takes failure and mistakes personally; does not rebound Person of Integrity Does not follow through or follow up These are the non-negotiables: skills, experience and performance should be examined only after this character audit has been passed with flying...
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