October Newsletter
Last month, after a brief summer hiatus, we brought back the Executive Aid Station newsletter in this new, more compact format. We hope you enjoy this new version as much as the previous one. We are always looking for ways to add value to your busy and challenging day!
– CURVEBALL OF THE MONTH –
This month, I want to share a particularly personal curveball that (I hope) has lessons for all leaders.
Some of you may know that I had major knee surgery in May as a result of an unfortunate slip and fall. The multi-month rehab put my Ironman training on hold—and had a big impact on my personal and professional life. Fortunately, my healing process was excellent, and about two months ago I restarted my training and was well on the road to normal function.
Until...I developed a complication that has now has me back on the sidelines, waiting for a second major surgery that’s scheduled for November.
People often refer to me as “The Queen of Curveballs” (heck, I even wrote a whole book about them), but this one really hit me hard. And frankly, I am feeling stuck as to what to do next.
I am optimistic that this will be resolved, and I know it’s not any different from other curveballs that other people have also experienced. Maybe you are dealing with a personal issue where you feel confident that you are out of the woods – and BAM – a major setback leaves you stunned and demoralized. Or perhaps you and your team are approaching the finish line on a major project – and BAM – it gets cancelled completely for reasons you could not have predicted and don’t understand.
When you are fresh off something like this happening, it just plain sucks, no way around it. And I have to admit, my own initial reaction to this latest curveball was to ask “Why me, why now?”
But I know from experience what I need to do next. I need to acknowledge that there is still a path forward, and that I do still have some agency in the process of determining what that looks like. And that is all part of seeing what is possible.
So, despite my frustration, I’m trying to ask different questions, like: What can I learn from this? What can I do to manage my attitude? Who in my circle is depending on me to be positive and resilient?
I’m not saying it is going to be easy. But we do have a responsibility to ourselves and others to respond to even mega-curveballs with the same grace, self-awareness, and wisdom as others we have experienced.
– GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK! –
If you are like myself and many other leaders, you probably have a stack of books that you’ve been meaning to get to. But at the end of a long week processing countless emails, reports, and news articles, sometimes the last thing we want to do is READ more.
But here’s some food for thought: Recent research shows that reading fiction for just 15 minutes can reduce stress 60% more than other forms of Active Recovery such as meditation, yoga, or walking in nature. It seems that getting immersed in another world not only reduces stress; it also builds those cognitive reserves that we all need to draw on when we are in challenging times.
So grab one of those works of fiction you’ve been meaning to get to, give yourself a break, and get lost in someone else’s reality.
– CHECK THIS OUT… –
If there is one thing we can probably all agree on, it’s that we can always improve our presentation skills—particularly now that many of us are back to giving in-person talks to a variety of audiences.
One of my colleagues, Stephanie Paul, has two decades of experience working in the entertainment industry as a producer, director, writer, actress, and stand-up comedian. Like me, she believes strongly in using neuroscience to improve our influence and effectiveness.
Stephanie’s book Unlock the Magic of Story: How to Use Neuroscience Secrets to Engage and Influence and Audience is a powerful guide to changing the face of any presentation and connecting with any audience. Building on what we know from neuroscience, she shows how all connected communication is rooted in the art of story-telling—and pre-wired for success into our brains.
It is an easy, informative and entertaining read, and I think you’ll love her story in the opening chapter. Check it out!
– HELPING YOU NAVIGATE THROUGH UNCERTAINTY –
These are challenging times for leaders, but here are some ways you can get yourself (and your team) ready for anything:
- Sign up for my 4-week online leadership course, Leading through Uncertainty
- Purchase copies of my leadership book, When the Curveballs Keep Coming: A Leadership Playbook for Uncertain Times (corporate volume discounts available)
- Contact me to find out more about my organizational consulting and advising services and speaking engagements
