Quarantine Goals

When the safer at home orders started coming through I decided to set a few short term goals for myself. I'm very competitive, and with my gym closed and sessions with my trainer impossible, I thought I could turn those personal frustrations into a bit of a challenge.

Nutrition

For as much as I wish I could workout exclusively and get in shape, that is just now how it works. How I fuel my body is more important than hundreds and hundreds of reps. So, goal number one was to really go for it with healthy foods.

I know...a crazy goal while we're supposed to sit on the couch with our laptops every day. I took a couple of basic steps to help me. 

First, I only bought (reasonably) healthy food. I love snacking particularly at the end of the day. Keeping bad food options out have made a big difference. 

Second, as I've done for a long time, I continued to track every single thing that I eat and drink. Yes, everything. I use MyFitnessPal to set my macro goals and to log everything. It syncs with my iPhone so I have all of the bases covered.

Lastly, I've recently explored a form of intermittent fasting whereby I delay my first meal of the day until 10:00am. Considering a full night without any food, it has been a good first step to condition my body to the change.

Fitness

This one has turned into a combination of strategies for me. Without the gym, I've had to pivot and use my Bowflex adjustable dumbbells. Although not ideal, they are a heck of a lot better than nothing! I hit different body parts each day, and lift six days each week. 

I also invested in a cheap adjustable bench which has helped tremendously to vary my workouts, particularly on chest day. 

At the beginning of 2020 I set a total abs rep goal for the year, and I've been tracking that as well. 

So far, on pace to meet my goal!

Lastly, I love walking as a form of physical and mental health. My goal is of course ten thousand steps each day. Without traveling and limited family visiting time, I'm hitting around fourteen-thousand. 

How About You

Have you taken your health seriously during this strange time? If not, how come? Now is the perfect time to challenge yourself, stay healthy and strong for the ones you love, and to have renewed stamina for the unique demands of a stay at home world.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

Ready To Go

I'm ready to go.

It's Not About the New Year
Identifying goals, resolutions, or whatever you prefer to call the "beginning of the year lists" can be fun, inspiring, and confusing all at once.

Are we supposed to have lists? Yes we are!

Is there something special about the year flipping that should move us forward differently than the rest of the year? Not at all, but it is a wonderful reminder that we need to keep pushing...keep challenging ourselves...keep getting better.

It's Not About Being Completely Ready
One of the great misconceptions of personal and professional life is that we shouldn't jump into anything unless we are fully prepared.

That is crazy talk.

Getting started is important.

Making progress is important.

Taking risks, evaluating, and adjusting are all important.

Waiting around for the perfect moment is simply fear manifested for all to see.

How About You
What's on your list this year? What is holding you back from jumping in? If you need to talk it through, reach out. You can do it!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Energy-Driven Task List

I'm a heavy Instagram guy. I love connecting with people from around the world who aren't in my "regular circle." I hear different perspectives on issues, see interesting places, and learn a lot. A number of these folks talk about energy...our personal energy.

Not Sure At First
I'll be honest. Some of this energy talk is a bit much for me to accept. I understand there is more to it than I have learned. But, come on...

And then...a close friend brought up the notion of energy, and how we directly apply it to our work. Yes, I've heard the old message that says "do the toughest work...or most boring work...or most interesting work...when you feel fresh" conversation....but which is it?

Back to my friend, who knows I live and die with Wunderlist. Next thing I knew the whole energy dialogue was framed up in terms of my task list. Whoa! 

Energy driven task list?

"Say that again,"I said. 

Opportunistic with my Energy
That exchange shifted how I think about my work, and my work day. Instead of labeling myself as a morning person, or a night owl, or whatever is in-between; I now view the times when I have a surge of energy as opportunities to destroy my task list.

When my energy is high, I capitalize on it and roar through my list. When my energy is low, I don't beat myself up for not feeling just right at my previously scheduled time to "have energy."

Genius? Maybe not.
Incredibly effective? Oh, yes.

How About You
How do you maximize your effectiveness each day, without the leadership guilt trip that "you should be doing so much more right now?" As my Instagram friends will tell you...tune into your own energy...and make it work for you.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Big 3

Today's post is short and to the point.

Transitioning to a new year means we sometimes think about making changes in our personal or professional lives.

Let's cut to the chase...

1. Pick three things to work on this year (not resolutions.)
2. Write them down with deadlines to make progress throughout the year.
3. Start today.

Stop with the self-talk noise.
Stop with the "I'm too busy excuse."

Just freaking go.

Happy New Year...and as always...

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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Squads and Loyalty

Many of us have jobs. Some of those jobs are pretty good...some are brand new because we're new to the world of work...others are at an in-between-stop along the journey...

...and a select few have something completely different.

Your Squad
Success is often achieved through hustle, grinding, and hard work. This is true! There are no shortcuts. However, success is never achieved in a vacuum. The people you trust and allow to be part of your inner circle will define your future.

Think about that for a second...the people you trust will dictate whether you are successful or not.

Your squad means everything. I may be the luckiest person working today, because the team at work combined with my squad has opened up my world in ways I could never have imagined.

Loyalty
The result of recognizing the support you have behind you is the ultimate prize every employee engagement guru strives for...

Loyalty.

"How many of you are actually loyal to the organization your work for? What does that look like? How do you talk about, defend and promote your company?"

How About You
One of the often overlooked benefits of loyalty is the confidence you feel to do your job. When we know our organization has our back, and the team around us is helping us do good work we break through to a new level of performance.

So...who's on your squad, and what does that mean to you?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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The Rise of Our Demise

I'm troubled today.

The growing gap between common sense and the world of corporate noise is keeping me up at night. Our list of projects doesn't seem to slow down...that is a good thing. However, the faux expectations that are placed on many in the corporate world simply do not make sense in 2016. 

Work
Why are we working for our organizations?
- To achieve personal career goals at the expense of others?
- To cover our own backside when times get tough?
- To gossip and stir the proverbial pot instead of standing tall and leading?

Um, no.

Leaders get paid to make ethical, positive, and sometimes risky decisions. They are not paid to join cliques and ramble endlessly about why things can not get done. Yet for some reason personal behavior changes when the power suit and bling wanders from conference room to conference room all day long. 

You know I'm right.

Lead for Real
Why is this happening? What could possibly motivate so many bright minds to somehow get off track and slip down this path? Candidly, an embarrassing path!

The answer I believe is simple. The link between being "smart" and being able to actually "lead" is grossly overestimated. 

The end result is that bright people receive opportunities to move into positions with greater and greater responsibility, but are ill-prepared to lead for real.

Committing to leading for real requires much more that talking about it...complaining about others to justify personal failures...or gossiping.

How About You
Take a moment and be honest about your situation. What are the challenges you're facing today? Are you part of a clique...er, I mean close group of colleagues that you complain to about everyone? Do you have the courage to accept that you might have some work to do on your self?

If so, I have no doubt that you will lead for real very soon. Let's get after it!

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.

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The Far Without The Near

I consider myself to be driven when it comes to my career. Okay, really driven. I like trying new things and taking risks that most of my #HealthcareHR colleagues just aren't comfortable doing...yet. We all move forward at our own pace, right? (Remember when LinkedIn was new and no one dared try it?)
 
Racing Ahead
One of the pitfalls I've discovered in my enthusiasm to push myself to get that next great job or test new strategies that truly are risky, is that I can sometimes miss what's happening in the world around me.

Looking ahead to what is in the distance...the vision I see of how things could be...can get in the way of how incredible things are now. As much as I love the phrase "I have a need for speed" sometimes racing too far ahead doesn't make sense. Particularly if that is the only thing I'm doing. 

Stop, Look and Listen
I'm now learning to find balance between my passion for pushing ahead as fast as possible and immersing myself in the endless possibilities around me. I'll be honest with you, it's not easy. 

I have found myself using the phrase "go go go" lately to describe my enthusiasm for making progress on all fronts. It's part of who I am. 

How About You
The more I think about this concept of balance in my career, I realize that the only way I know how to operate is to do both...at full speed! Don't judge. I am going to move forward in a full sprint. I have a need for speed...I'm just going to make sure I apply it to the far and the near.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Obstacles and Courage

"Obstacles are things a person sees when they take their eyes off the goal."
- E. Joseph Cossman

I like to convince myself that I'm a "big picture" leader. Focusing on the impact different ideas, opportunities and problems have on my whole organization instead of just my piece of it however,  is difficult. As it turns out, thinking strategically and acting strategically are two very different things.

Negatives
All too often we allow the obstacles that Cossman references to cloud our vision. When that happens we have a tendency to think negative thoughts and get distracted from our real focus. Being stuck in this negative mindset only makes our work more difficult. 

For example: If there is a major issue that needs to be addressed and the necessary end result is clear, are you allowing the challenges that are part of that decision to stop the entire process? Yes, details need to be accounted for and managed, but the role of the leader is not to be intimidated by problems, but instead to be bold and push past those problems and achieve the end result that everyone is expecting.

Courage
Making difficult decisions is far from easy. Making those decisions when you feel absolutely alone is even worse. Yet it is in those moments that we need to look beyond the noise and criticism and push through. 

Effective leadership means you are making decisions. 

Effective leadership means you're not name-dropping the CEOs name every five minutes in an attempt to cover your back side. 

Effective leadership means leading, and that takes courage. Sadly, many who have a leadership title know little or nothing about being bold, or effective, or courageous.

How About You
What do you do with the obstacles in your life? Are you quick to hide behind the CEOs power suit? Do you retreat to the safety of a risk averse (and horribly ineffective) excuse to abstain from making a decision? Or, are you the one that everyone counts on in a crisis to stand alone and lead the way?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Progress Trumps Resolutions

So the new year is upon us...lame resolutions have been proclaimed...and right on schedule are now broken and discarded. I'm not a big fan of annual declarations of how we're going to transform our lives from our wish list to reality. I am a big fan however, of making progress.

Realistic
What is happening in your world right now...personally...professionally? What needs to get done this year? If you had to prioritize the most important projects at work, what would they be? Take a moment and think about them. What are they? When do they need to be accomplished? What are the consequences of not getting them done?

You can document them here.

What about at home? What needs to get done this year? Are you as fit as you would like to be? Do you have any major decisions that are overdue and need to be addressed in 2014? Open up that same app and document those items too.

Progress
Once you know what needs to get done versus your fantasy wish list that evaporates by January 7th, you can start taking action. Remember, the key is that you make progress, not that you accomplish everything on your list by the end of January.

If your work has become more and more complex, then perhaps getting organized will be a huge step forward this year. Not only will that help you feel more in control, but you will be amazed at how productive you will be. 

If you are not as healthy or fit as you need to be, then follow the same strategy. Get organized, do some research, check out the #hrfitcrew hashtag and start on a path that helps you make progress. 

Patience is required. Commitment is required. Putting pressure on yourself to look like Shaun T or Jillian Michaels is not.

How About You
How are you going to make progress this year? Are you going to re-frame success as a series of positive steps forward; or, is it still an all-or-nothing-guaranteed-to-fail-option in the first week of the year? I'm big into this issue, so if you'd ever like to strategize a bit let me know.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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The Culture Chase

The new year is upon us, and it seems there is a palpable tension in the air. So many plans, goals, strategies, and pressures to make changes and be successful. One of the most challenging change initiatives has to do with culture. Wanting an organization's culture to change, and the expectations around that process are complicated and often require longer than our modern attention spans are programmed to accept.

Organizational Expectations
As with any other major corporate initiative, outlining the end point is essential when embarking on such a significant project. Is it customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, better margins, reduced turnover, more efficient processes, cost savings, or a host of other topics that is the end game? Maybe it's just that everyone is going to work more effectively together and feel comfortable taking risks? Have you defined what a successful culture change looks like?

What exactly are you chasing?

Individual Expectations

Once the general outline of success has been mapped out, it is important that key members of the team understand their roles. This may sound obvious, but the desire for change, and the pressure team members feel to perform without the proper guidance can quickly slow down the change initiative, and may have top performers feeling like they can not contribute as effectively as they might.

What exactly should they be chasing?

Accountability
Once the organization understands the end point, and the leaders understand their roles, it is time to get moving. A critical part of the execution is accountability. For those that are committing themselves to the behaviors necessary there should be frequent and positive feedback. The members of the team, particularly in leadership roles that say they are committed but behave differently behind the scenes must be held accountable. Avoiding confrontation with key leaders only serves to undermine the entire effort and will ultimately doom all that hard work to failure.

How About You
What big changes are in store for you this year? Is a culture change initiative something your organization is launching? If so, how have you helped your senior leadership team prepare for, and sustain, such a major endeavor?

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Please Stop, I'm Going to Hurl

"You have to manage your personal brand."

"How do you measure your influence?"

"You need to make an impact!"

"What is your career plan?"

"Which goals are you setting up for 2013?"

"Which new social networks are you active on?"

"Should I start a blog? On what? When should I post?"

"Who should I follow, friend, connect with, or add?"

Someone please make it stop...I think I'm going to be sick. Somehow the world of work seems to have morphed into a rat race against ourselves. No longer am I worried about setting myself apart from others, it now appears I'm supposed to set myself apart from...well..myself.  

So Many Messages

In the digital age we now have a non-stop stream of advice, expert opinion, and misguided messaging that has left many of us confused. There was a time when I could come to the office and focus on my work exclusively. At first glance that doesn't sound too bad, until one realizes that the entire world does not work where I do. Nor are the best and most creative ideas necessarily coming out of my organization. There is a richness that must be tapped into in order to help move my organization forward.

And there's the rub...which messages should I listen to, and which ones are just noise?

So Little Time
Not everyone is as comfortable jumping into multiple social channels, writing, taking risks at work, and generally feeding off the noise. (I admit I get a bit of a rush feeding off the noise.) For many others however I think the biggest barrier to manage the 24/7 onslaught of messages about the "right way" to go about one's work comes down to two simple points:

1 - Manage your business at the pace you are most comfortable with...as long as you are moving forward.

2- There is no right or wrong way to answer the litany of questions at the opening of this post.

How About You

Have you been been feeling a bit overwhelmed with the constant barrage of experts telling you what to do? I have too. It's important to start adapting to the changing world of work, but make sure you listen to yourself first. After all, that's the only noise that matters.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Having Goals Is Dumb

Summer is officially winding down. Schools are open in the South, and soon will be everywhere else. Vacations are just a memory now, and the anticipation and excitement about all that summer has in store has become a more mellow and subdued feeling.

You may be experiencing those same emotions at work. Perhaps that long sought after promotion has drifted off your radar screen. Or maybe projects that you were so fired up about didn't quite get off the ground the way you expected. Could it be that you've reached a certain level of success and there doesn't seem to be anything new on the horizon?

Maybe things are just a bit...flat.

Traditional Goals
Goals have become such an over used term that they often lose their luster. Personal goals, professional goals, life long goals, exercise goals, weight loss goals, and on and on and on. It seems we're always looking ahead in every aspect of our lives...never quite getting there...never being good enough.

Maybe we haven't quite figured out the right way to use goals.

Modern Goals

Have we ever considered that making each day a meaningful and productive experience could be the most effective goal we could set? I know we all create lists and obsessively manage our calendars to be as efficient as possible. That's not what I'm talking about.

I'm wondering if we could adopt the mindset that each day is a special moment in our lives and careers and that we have the opportunity to change everything? Forget our lists for a minute...they will be there when we flip those 'to do' items to tomorrow just like we've done so many times in the past.

Maybe having modern goals means we're going to attack each day as if we were about to change the world?

How About You
Do you feel stuck...empty...a bit flat? There is so much more ahead of you than what is behind you. What you do today matters more than you think. Go for it.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Everything You Have

"Don’t compare yourself negatively with the giants or anyone else, rather, use them as models. Then get on with whatever it is you can accomplish with your life, and give it everything you have.”
— Dr. Irene Kassorla


How About You

How are you going to give it "everything you have" today? Then again, maybe it's easier to look at the successful people around you and lament your fate. Yeah, that's probably a lot easier.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



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Resolutions Are For Suckers

I have long been a member of the New Year's Resolutions Club. I think long and hard about how I'm going to change my life and become something that I'm not...er...I mean something better. I've written personal lists, professional lists, exercise lists, organizational lists, and other lists I'm sure...I just can't seem to remember what they were.

Good Intentions

It's not that setting goals for yourself is a bad idea. In fact, committing to making improvements in one's life is a great idea...as long as the changes are realistic. That's where I've struggled over the years.

So this year I'm going to try something new...no resolutions, or goals, or delusions of becoming some sort of Hollywood fantasy version of myself. I'm simply going to try and do my best. No, that's not very flashy or exciting or inspiring. But if I can do my best each day, I might just make real progress instead of finding myself at the beginning of February lamenting that I'd fallen short once again.

How About You

How many of you have goals for the coming year? Are you dreaming of a better you at home, work, the gym, or with the family? Good luck with that. Maybe this is the year to avoid the disappointment of attempts at change that fall short; and to simply focus on bringing an honest effort each day. Happy New Year.

I'd love to hear from you.

No Excuses.



pics courtesy of leehippie and discotreats