Welcome Spring!
I love this time of year, as spring is creeping around the corner where I live in Canada! Flowers are starting to peek out of the ground and the world is changing again. (Check out the download at the bottom for you.)
How to Break Through Self-Imposed Limitations
Self-imposed limitations are the greatest barrier to change. In this 60 second video, I share a tip that you can use with yourself, your team, and your organization!
How to Lead and Work through the Pandemic
5 Leaders… 5 Questions
Last month we heard from Laura McDowell about her 5 Leadership Lessons Learned in the Pandemic.
This month, I wanted us to learn from Brian Lord, the president of Premiere Speakers Bureau. Brian’s industry was essentially wiped out a year ago with the cancellation of in-person sessions. I work with Brian Lord and his team at Premiere Speakers Bureau, so I know personally how much the speaking industry was disrupted.
Despite this unexpected change, Brian was able to shift to new ways of inspiring and educating his team. Here’s his advice.
Here are insights on leadership from Brian.
1. What is a daily ritual you have done to stay focused throughout the pandemic?
I like to start every day exercising. I do triathlons and that sort of thing. For me, my brain feels kind of slushy if I don’t start off the day that way, so doing that. And then just always continuously learning. Those are some of the things that I’ve been doing this whole time.
2. What one NEW skill, practice or quality have you developed since the beginning of the pandemic?
I like to continuously learn. I love to learn. I also love storytelling. I get to talk to the best people in the world about what they do. These stories give me a good foundation for when we go into something crazy like this pandemic.
3. Would you say there’s a new leadership skill you may have developed dealing with all the ambiguity and uncertainty that’s been going on?
I think it’s understanding other people don’t react as I do.
I was not really upset or too worried. I was maybe upset for a day, but then I thought, “okay, what can we do? We haven’t lost everything.”
Of course, our business is based on people getting together in big groups and traveling. The pandemic was a pretty hard knock for us, as you know. What could we still do? There were still a lot of options and that’s what we’ve really shifted to doing.
4. What surprised you most?
Practicing what I mentioned above: realizing that not everybody responds the same way.
I realized that other people didn’t have the same view. As a leader, you have to understand that if people don’t have that vision right away, that doesn’t mean they won’t get it. You have to be able to be patient with people because they process things in different ways. When bad things happen, it takes some people a while to process the experience and for them to have more hope.
5. What one word would your team use to describe your leadership style?
I would hope it would be encouraging.
BONUS: What’s the last book you’ve read that’s a must-read for people who are in leadership roles that you think everyone should read?
Next month we’ll be getting our tips from an Olympian! Stay tuned for that one!
The Future of Change: Are you ready?
7 Ways to Prepare for the Future of Change is my way to thank you for being here! Download here.
Hope to “see” you soon! #BeChangeReady