Women in the LEAD

Manage for Consistency

“If flexibility is the means, then consistency – of performance and growth – is the end.  This sounds like something of a contradiction.  If one is being flexible how can one be consistent?  In fact, they are not only compatible, but a flexible, responsive management virtually guarantees consistency.  It is inflexibility that causes erratic behavior.  A company goes on for too long adhering to all the old rules and outdated modes of performance.  Then one morning someone wakes up, panics, over-reacts, and throws out all the rules.  That can make people nuts. 

To manage consistently you have to behave consistently.  Even is people don’t like what you are saying, they still want to know where you are coming from.  Inconsistency in management breeds all sorts of unnecessary anxieties in the people being managed.  There are enough legitimate anxieties without adding to them by not letting people know where you are coming from.”

Mark H. McCormack “What They Don’t Teach You At Harvard Business School”

Research on the female brain shows us that mental flexibility is one of the greatest assets we have as women.  This leads to our ability to multi-task and to manage with a far more holistic style of leadership.  It’s wonderful to read the rich resources available to us in the area of management.  It’s even more exciting to read them as we begin to understand more fully the natural talents and gifts that women hold based on their brain biology and socialization.  Go for it women.

Maureen Simon

WOMEN: Perfect Imperfection

Sometimes when we least expect a miracle, they come our way. In fact, the more conscious we become of the many miracles that pass through our lives all the time, perhaps escaping our attention, the more we see that amidst all the tragedies, ups and downs of life, it does go on in many wonderful ways.

There are times when we get so focused on what is temporarily clouding up our existence ---- or discouraged about the seeming imperfections we bring to our own life and work ---- we miss noticing the contributions we are bringing to those needing our love, attention and leadership at home and at work.

A friend sent me a story that I have read before. In fact, I've read several versions of it reflecting different countries. However, this version came at a perfect time. With many things on my mind and also knowing of others close to me with doubts pulling at their heartstrings --- and many of you out there ---- many of us struggling to see all what we are and all that we bring to the world with our perfect imperfections, this story at this time seemed a perfect remembrance to share:

The Cracked Pot
An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung
on the ends of a pole which she carried across her
neck. One of the pots had a crack in it while the
other pot was perfect and always delivered a full
portion of water. At the end of the long walk from
the stream to the house, the cracked pot
arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the
woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its
accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed
of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could
only do half of what it had been made to do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter
failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side
causes water to leak out all the way back to your
house."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are
flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other
pot's side? That's because I have always known about
your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of
the path, and every day while we walk back, you water
them."

"For two years I have been able to pick these
beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you
being just the way you are, there would not be this
beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the
cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives
together so very interesting and rewarding.

~Author Unknown

May we all see the perfect imperfections in ourselves ... and in others.
Look for the good and you will surely find it.

Debbe Kennedy
founder Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead

We invite YOU to visit Women in the Lead at www.globaldialoguecenter.com/women

Women Sense of Knowing

“Women know things about the people around them- they feel a teenage child’s distress, a husband’s flickering thoughts about his career, a friend’s happiness in achieving a goal, or a spouse’s infidelity at a gut level.

Gut feelings are not just free-floating emotional states but actual physical sensations that convey meaning to certain areas in the brain.  Some of this increased gut feeling may have to do with the number of cells available in a woman’s brain to track body sensations.  After puberty, they increase.  The estrogen increase means that girls feel gut sensations and physical pain more than boys do.  Some scientists speculate that this greater body sensation in women punches up the brain’s ability to track and feel painful emotions, too, as they register in the body.”

-Louann Brizendine, M.D.

The Female Brain

As women we can walk into a room and read the undercurrents with clarity and assuredness.  This has to do with our basic biology as well as how we have been socialized to look after and have concern for the whole – all that is around us.  Notice in your life when you have a specific sense of knowing.  What do you think that voice or sense might be telling you?  The more we listen with assuredness the clearer and more usable the information we are receiving will be.

Maureen Simon

WOMEN: Dealing with CONSTANT CHANGE

There was a time when constant change seemed like such a struggle in my life. I remember feeling so helpless sometimes --- just as life would seem to settle down some major issue would arise. What passed me by at the time, while I was so busy trying to hold on and get my life headed in the right direction, was that life itself is dynamic. All of life is in a constant state of change and evolution, always reaching  up to a higher level if we pay attention enough to see it and contribute to making it happen with our faith and action.

In my collection of quotes, I came across one from a favorite book, Mentoring: The Tao of Giving and Receiving Wisdom. I remember the encouragement it gave me to see change from a different perspective:  "Recognize constant change as a teacher, and take the unpredictable variations as challenging opportunities to develop new patterns of behavior and a strong inner self."

Just this little change in perspective really helped me welcome the unexpected, knowing there was something new in store when a big wave of change sweeps across my life --- something more to become is always on the way.

What can you learn from the change going on all around you that will help you discover new patterns of behavior and action, strengthening all that you are inside, so your can make your most important contributions?

How do you deal with constant change? Help the rest of us by sharing your story...we would love to hear it and learn from you.

Welcome the unexpected!
Look for the uncharted path that bears your name.
Lead the way!

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead

Negative Introspection Damages The Soul

“Negative introspection damages the soul.  It holds many people trapped for years and years, and ironically, it never allows them to change.  It is wise to allow the soul to carry on its secret work in the night side of your life.  You might not see anything stirring for a long time.  You might have only the slightest intimations of the secret growth that is happening within you, but these intimations are sufficient.  We should be fulfilled and satisfied with them.  You cannot dredge the depths of the soul with the meager light of self-analysis.  The inner world never reveals itself cheaply.  Perhaps analysis is the wrong way to approach our inner dark.”

John O’Donohue Änam Cara

Growth is not as obvious as you may wish – especially for us impatient ones.  It is a subtle weaving that plants itself throughout our life.  Understand that light and dark live side by side.  Allow divinations to come to you with an open mind and open heart. As John says, the inner world never reveals itself cheaply but it always gives us the exact information we need if we are willing to listen.

Maureen Simon

WOMEN: Thoughts on RISK at a RISKY TIME

This is a time of calling for our BOLDNESS. Each day of life offers a wealth of opportunities---choices untold looking right at us, awaiting our interest and boldness. Do you ever spend too much time thinking things through, weighing all the probabilities, pondering all the "what ifs," worrying about all the outcomes that may never unfold ---- passing by the change to risk just a little to move you toward those things you want most???

Annie Dillard, author of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction, share her wisdom on this topic...

"If we listened to our intellect, we'd never have a love affair. We'd never have a friendship. We'd never go into business, because we'd be too cynical.

Well, that's nonsense.

You've got to jump off cliffs all the time and build your wings on the way down."

What cliff will you jump from this week?

How will you build your wings on the way down?

I leave you pondering this wonderful possibility myself.

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead

Visit Women in the Lead at the Global Dialogue Center
www.globaldialoguecenter.com/women

What Are You Projecting Into The World Right Now

“The heart of man (or woman) is in his (or her) own keeping.  To end violence, we must relentlessly keep freeing ourselves from the violence within.  Inner strife projected externally becomes world chaos.”

Krishnamurti

In these days of chaos, it is important to look within and to decide how much we choose to be affected. The world stage looks very dreary but for those that know that all is really well there is no disruption.  Remember inner strife within projected externally is the very thing that leads to world chaos.

What are you projecting into the world right now.

Maureen Simon

WOMEN: Reflections on Healing a Broken Heart

When I was young, I use to play the guitar to soothe my life and comfort my broken heart here and there. I love the memory of it. The sadness now far gone. I was quiet. Alone. Meditative. Growing underneath the warmth of a better day soon to come. Today, out of nowhere, I found myself singing a jazz song from those days. As I listened outside myself, I marveled at knowing all the words as if I had written them. I share them with you...

When Sunny gets blue,
Her eyes get gray and cloudy,
Then the rain begins to fall.
Pitter, patter, pitter, patter,
Love is gone, so what can matter.
No sweet lover man comes to call.

When Sunny gets blue,
She breathes a sigh of sadness,
Like the wind that stirs the trees.
Wind that sets the leaves a swayin', like some violins a playin'
Weird and haunting melodies.

People used to love to hear her laugh, see her smile,
That's how she got her name.
But since that sad affair,  she's lost her smile, changed her style.
Somehow she's not the same, but...

Memories will fade,
And pretty dreams will rise up,
Where her other dreams fell through.
So,  hurry new love,  hurry here,
To kiss away each lonely tear,
And hold her near when Sunny gets blue.

How about you?
How have you soothed your life and comforted your broken heart?

WHEN SUNNY GETS BLUE HISTORY

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
www.globaldialoguecenter.com
Home of Women in the Lead

Habits Are Like An Invisible Thread

“The beginning of a habit is like an invisible thread, but every time we repeat the act we strengthen the strand, add to it another filament, until it becomes a great cable and binds us irrevocably, thought and act.”

Orison Swett Marden

It is so critical for us to look closely at the habits that form our everyday behavior.  Through our thoughts habits are formed some healthy, some unhealthy.  Habits form through subtle, usually unconscious repeated thoughts and behavior.  We owe it to ourselves to be extremely aware of the thoughts that fill our heads.  Especially in times where many feel challenged.  Be particularly conscious of your thoughts.  Decide if you want to choose negativity or positivity.  You can now set the tempo for the rest of your life. 

Maureen Simon

WOMEN: Remembering WHO YOU ARE

In silence, we can learn a great deal about what is ahead, if we listen. Sometimes we forget in all our busy-ness to take time to just be in the quiet or perhaps you are in a situation where quiet is hard to find. I remember when I was a working mom, trying to juggle family and work and life. It was hard to find a way to escape for a few minutes of silence. In those days, it often was found just before I went to sleep. Today, I've learned that if I can start the day ---- before anyone is up --- with my own gift of silence, my whole day is different. Have you tried this for yourself?

What often comes in the silence for me is a glimpse of what's to come---what turn will I take next? Answers I need to Light the way. Sometimes the guidance comes in ways I don't expect. As I've learned to listen in the silence, I realize that the Gift I seek might not come during a formal meditative time --- it might be in a moment when I've just stopped my bus-i-ness, in my silent sleep, or when I take a break on a busy day, scanning my bookshelf for a bit of inspiration.

Today, it came in a little book that caught my eye on my shelf. I found this book among my father's treasures when he died. Interestingly, it's title is Quiet Power. I opened to a page at random. It touched me, affirmed me.

Never Forget Who You Are

I've never forgotten a word of advice
My father gave to me.
"Never lose sight of your dream," he said,
"Of that person you want to be.
You can make it come true,
That dream-pictured you,
No matter how high or how far,
If all down the way
In your living each day,
You never forget who you are."

"For the you-that-you-are this minute, this day,
Is molding the you-that-will-be,
And every action and thought and word
Is shaping its entity."
"It's a good thing," he said,
"To look ahead
And fix your gaze on a star,
If along the way
In your living each day,
You never forget who you are."

Debbe

Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center

Visit Women in the Lead at the Global Dialogue Center