RENEWAL has been on my mind. How about you? Each time, I arrive here, it always brings me back to Nelson Mandela's personal reflection: "There are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment to rest here, to look back on the distance I have come... I dare not linger, for my long walk has not yet ended." Recently, I learned that the Bird of Paradise is called Mandela's Gold" in South Africa. It seems a perfect symbol for renewal.
I love knowing the wonderful sense of rebirth is in pursuit of my attention once again. For me, this ongoing process always begins with self-examination. What's going well? What's been achieved? What needs my dedicated focus? What dreams do I want to capture? How will I align my intentions, behavior, actions to get there?
PLANS THAT DELIVER RESULTS
I'm not one for big complex plans. I do like to DREAM BIG, but generally, I think plans work best when they are built to achieve RESULTS. Results builds momentum. So my method is to set 3-5 specific goal-directed actions at a time. When I get them accomplished, then I plan 3-5 more. Actually, I strive to do this in a smaller way as a daily practice. WHY? Well, if you accomplish 3-5 goal-directed actions per day, it equals 21-35 actions accomplished in a week. At the end of the year, you end up with an encouraging stack of achievements and often a few dreams captured! With regular practice, getting things done becomes a discipline---one you've shaped by your own intention and follow-through. Not bad qualities to develop as a leader.
LEARNING FROM OTHERS
Another source of renewal and motivation for me comes from learning from others ---- where their journeys have taken them; what they have learned along the way. A few years ago, I spent a wonderful morning with Emily Duncan, trailblazer, wife, big sister, hiker and at the time Vice President of Culture and Diversity for Hewlett Packard worldwide. I was Blessed to work together with Emily for well over a decade as a strategic partner and in the process, we also became friends. I re-listened to our interview today. It's messages seem timeless.
Today, through her own renewal, Emily has been reinventing her life after retiring from HP celebrating a remarkable career with many achievements under her leadership. She serves as Chair for the Human Relations Commission for the City where she lives and branching out in other ways to use her leadership skills to serve the community. I invite you to listen to her inspiring message and insights as an accomplished leader. Click here and scroll down to "Looking Back; Looking Forward: A Woman's Journey." Be sure to look at the "visual preview" at the top of the page. It has pictures and some of the key points that she shares with us all.
Come back and share your thoughts about the interview.
ALSO...Do you have any learnings to pass along from your journey?
What plans do you have for your renewal?
Warm regards to all who stop by...
Debbe
Debbe Kennedy
Founder, Global Dialogue Center
Home of Women in the Lead
author, Putting Our Differences to Work
Bronze - 2010 Axiom Business Book Award Winner
Human Resources and Employee Training
Visit us at Women in the Lead
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