Being in Gratitude

I love Thanksgiving and all it's significance as an American. For me, it a special time of year to reflect back on all the gifts and opportunities that showed up this year. I live in gratitude and practice it everyday and it works.  When you are aware of the gifts that show up, no matter how big they are; acknowledge them and you will find that life is a bit easier to live and extraordinary things just happen.

2011 has been a busy year for me with coaching opportunities inside of companies, working with leaders and employees around culture; working with middle-management on being better leaders; working with individual executives sharpening their leadership skills and helping non-profits get more people involved and helping their clients with life skills. I have had the pleasure of traveling, enjoyed the gift of my son and daughter in law visiting from Argentina for a month; watch my granddaughter graduate from high school; enjoy friends; appreciate my good health - mind, body and spirit and having a loving man in my life. I look forward to what 2012 brings but don't dwell on it as that is tomorrow. A big goal of mine is to be part of change in the mortgage industry, helping leaders step forward and embrace a new way of leading, including encouraging more women to step into leadership roles. I am grateful for my friend and associate, Becky Walzak who is a strong woman and who also has a gift of writing. We co-author monthly articles for Progress in Lending e-magazine on leadership, culture, diversity in the mortgage industry.

Take the time to reflect on what you are grateful for this year even if it's just for a few minutes.

Gratitude

In honor of Thanksgiving, I want to be mindful of gratitude.


"Both abundance and lack exist simultaneously in our lives, as parallel realities. It is always our conscious choice which secret garden we will tend… when we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present — love, health, family, friends, work, the joys of nature and personal pursuits that bring us pleasure — the wasteland of illusion falls away and we experience Heaven on earth.” –Sarah Ban Breathnach

It’s crucial that leadership help employees during the transition period of a merger/acquisition

Read this in a publication and have to share:

After a merger, how can leaders make sure that new employees quickly adapt and get comfortable with their new company?  

·         A good question a leader should ask himself/herself and the leadership team before communicating with employees is “how is this merger going to be dealt with, with the least amount of disruption?” Leaders have to instill in their employees a level of commitment, engagement, confidence and comfort to work through difficult transitions. They need to inspire a sense of purpose, coherence, community and trust that allows employees to remain focused and highly engaged on the job. A recognized respected leader assuming a prominent, visible role can be a comforting anchor during a turbulent sea of change. These leaders can be instrumental in creating a shared culture that embodies the business strategy of the new combined organization.

·         Transformational change is inevitable and can be disruptive. The acquiring company creates disruptions around boundaries – changes in goals, strategies, ways of doing things and customs of the old cultures.  The acquired company for the most part is living in fear unless the leaders of that company prepare the employees for the upcoming merger. Again a starting point is to ask the question “how is this merger going to be dealt with, with the least amount of disruption? To help calm down the fear, conducting town hall meetings where the  leaders share what they can about what is happening and allow venting, questions, conversations.  The time frame to do this of course is based on where in the process it’s warranted to start the dialog about the upcoming changes.

·         Surprisingly 80%-90% of employee behavior is determined by the way leaders attend to these challenges. Employees look first to leaders for guidance about how to react and behave, for motivation and for focus. Employees want to believe that leadership cares about them. When employees are convinced that leaders genuinely do care about them, they become more open and willing to make necessary changes.

·         Companies that foster a high degree of leadership visibility and involvement during the transition instill a supportive organizational culture with a better than average chance of success. What leaders say and how they act can inspire a shared sense of purpose, coherence, community and trust, which enables the employees to focus and to remain highly engaged during the M&A and post-merger integration. Working on this alignment during the first 90 to 100 days is crucial. 

The Power of Giving Back

I just got back from spending four hours helping out at the rest station for the Miami Dolphins Bicycle event. I met some really nice people who were there to also give of their time. We had fun getting everything set up, cutting up fruit, making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (which was the hit of the morning and we ran out) supporting the worthy cause for cancer prevention. When the bicyclists finally arrived, they were so grateful that we had snacks, drinks, sun screen for them and they expressed their appreciation by saying thank you.

Giving back to me is part of my life, always has been. I am currently working with four non-profits in various capacities and I just love the fulfillment I get to be in the service of others. We humans were put here on earth to be in the service of other people and causes. It's important that everyone find what it is that moves them, motivates them to help others and to find the time to get involved. When you take the time to do this, life comes a little easier, more gratifying and less self-focused.

Volunteers make a difference in many ways that benefits the organizations. People appreciate you when you are selfless and giving. Many events, programs, projects would not get done if it weren't for the people who volunteer their time to help out. Think about this the next time you feel frustrated, stressed, unhappy, stuck - "what can I do to help serve a cause or others?" Then do some research and find the organization that tugs at your heart or your gut says "this looks interesting".  I guarantee you will feel so fulfilled and grateful for what you have in your life.