Well, it’s been a few days since we sprang forward. How are you feeling? I have to say, as much it hurts to lose that hour of sleep, the extra daylight in the evenings feels really good for the soul, especially with all that’s going on in the world right now.
I’ve been reminding myself: if we can get through Covid, we can get through this.
Despite where we are, which I personally know feels like overwhelming uncertainty, there’s something about going from the dark of winter to the light of spring that makes me think about possibility. And as I thought about this, I was reminded of what I wrote a few years ago, in Spark Action:
This doesn’t mean putting a positive spin on a difficult situation. (In fact, I have a lot to say about why positive thinking alone is ineffective.) Instead, what I suggest is leading with possibility and taking action. We need to do this, if we want to create change – which is being required of us more than ever.
Here are three tips to help you get started:
1. Build trust through disruptive empathy. When your colleagues or team sees that you are willing to be vulnerable and share your feelings and experiences, and are willing to listen to theirs, they are more likely to fully engage with their work, even during times of uncertainty.
2. Ground worries in facts. If you are worried about something, consider the likelihood of it occurring, and create a plan to handle it if it does. (Oh and try to stay off social media as much as possible. It’s great at making us worried.)
3. Expand your vision of what you and your team are capable of, to innovate, create, and reimagine what is possible. I’ll say it again, if you can get through Covid, you can get through this.
I invite you to visit my website for podcasts, articles, and other resources to help you lead with possibility and create change that matters.
Break Through Imposter Syndrome to Lead With Possibility
Leading with possibility starts with getting out of your own way. And for many of us, that means breaking through imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome can stop us from taking action. But silencing what I call “inner trash talk” is often easier said than done. In this article for Forbes, I share tips and strategies to help you take on and overcome imposter syndrome. Check it out here.
On a lighter note, there is a lot that I’m looking forward to this spring, including speaking at this year’s Administrative Professionals Conference next month! What are you looking forward to?
Thank you for reading and happy March!