Focus On The Essential

One of the problems we are encountering as leaders at this time period is that the global pandemic has shifted homeostasis within the work world and the communities within which we serve. For example, before the pandemic, the notion of virtual meetings and 100% remote work was rarely considered a viable way of doing business. During the pandemic, these were functional solutions and considered acceptable business practice. Before the pandemic, we routinely traveled for business and considered face to face meetings to be the only way to conduct serious negotiations. During and after the pandemic, business travel has declined in order to save money and time. A virtual meeting is now seen as acceptable. In short, normal, pre-pandemic ways of working are being questioned on a regular basis. Homeostasis has shifted at work and at home. 

In the body, homeostasis is a state of balance between systems that allows the body to survive and function correctly. For example, our body temperature hovers around 98.6 degrees. This is maintained by a series of control mechanisms functioning at the organ, tissue, and cellular level. The result of homeostasis is that it creates optimal conditions for cellular function. In simple terms, homeostasis creates a relatively stable equilibrium. 

In the pre-pandemic world of work, most systems and processes in place created a relatively stable equilibrium, too. Through regular inputs, these systems and processes generated consistent outcomes that could be measured and quantified. However, during the pandemic, this level of stability shifted in a dramatic fashion. 

Ron Heifetz, Alexander Glasgow, and Marty Linsky in their article called “Leadership in a (Permanent) Crisis” from the July-August 2009 issue of the Harvard Business Review write that during a crisis there are two distinct phases, namely the emergency phase and the adaptive phase. The former focuses on staying operational while in the later a leader “must adapt what and how things get done in order to thrive in tomorrow’s world.” As Heifetz, Glasgow and Linsky note, “As you consider eliminating practices that seem ill suited to a changing environment, you must distinguish the essential from the expendable. What is so precious and central to an organization’s identity and capacity that it must be preserved?” The goal during the pandemic was to tackle the current crisis and, at the exact same time, to build adaptability and thrive in tomorrow’s world. 

Now that we are in a post pandemic period, i.e tomorrow’s world, we must continue to focus on adaptability. However, this time we don’t need to approach it as a crisis and focus on fast and functional solutions. Instead, we need to focus on building a shared mind set and an agreed to set of essential behaviors. Jon Katzenbach, Ilona Steffen and Caroline Kronley in their article called “Cultural Change That Sticks” in the August 2012 issue of the Harvard Business Review present a fascinating set of questions: “If we had the kind of culture we aspired to, in pursuit of the strategy we have chosen, what kind of new behaviors would be common? And what ingrained behaviors would be gone?” I would modify these two questions for this post pandemic in the following manner: If we had the kind of shared adaptive mindset we aspired to, in pursuit of the strategy we have chosen, what kind of new thinking and behaviors would be common? And what ingrained thinking and behaviors would be gone? These two sets of questions, the former and my modified version, would also be wonderful to explore during some structured unstructured time periods with a team. 

As we examine this change in homeostasis, I think we need to remember that micro-shifts in thinking and behaving are the pathway to improved outcomes over time. While rapid innovation or change is possible, it often does not have the infrastructure to support it. When challenged, status quo and/or equilibrium will always be assertive and the default within any group or organization. Nevertheless, the best leaders play the long game of change and focus on essential micro-shifts and steady progress, recognizing that as they do this they are building on the strengths of all involved as well as generating a new way of working and thinking. Progress over perfection always makes a difference in times of dynamic change and when homeostasis has shifted. 

FYI: To be continued on Tuesday. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Value Structured Unstructured Time

The faster we go and the busier things get the more we need to slow down. Robert Sutton and Huggy Rao in their book, Scaling Up Excellence: Getting To More Without Settling For Less (Crown Business, 2014), write “Slow down to scale faster - and better - down the road.” On one level, this makes total sense. On the other hand, most leaders haven’t a clue about how to do this. Their addiction to speed and acceleration has overwhelmed their capacity to slow down. Thus, they believe the only solution is to go faster. The problem is that going faster only makes things worse over time. 

If we seek to build an adaptive and shared mindset, then we must recognize the value of structured unstructured time. Martine Haas and Mark Mortensen in their article called, “The Secrets of Great Teamwork” in the June 2016 issue of the Harvard Business Review, write “… promote shared understanding through a practice called “structured unstructured time” - that is, time blocked off in the schedule to talk about matters not directly related to the task at hand.”

Many leaders I have worked with over the years have shared with me privately that they do not know what to do with themselves and others during structured unstructured time. It makes them feel uncomfortable. They also feel it is a great waste of company time.

When I encounter this line of thinking, I remind these leaders and executives that successful organizational change is the sum of two things, namely personal change and the change of relationships within the company. When people change their perspective and understanding, it is the result of a great deal of thinking, reflection, and the development of new perspectives and understandings.  Furthermore, when they change the health and dynamics of their relationships with others, this also takes time, energy, and space. Thus, structured unstructured time is a force multiplier, i.e. it gives us the capacity to create better outcomes with our limited resources of time and energy. And that is a powerful choice during this post pandemic time period.  

Recognizing this insight, many leaders and executives will share privately: “I get this. That makes sense. But what do I actually do if I were to give myself permission to slow down? And what would I do with my team? The idea of taking time for reflection seems so nebulous? It just feels like navel gazing, and I am an action oriented person.”

“First, we need to realize that creating time and space is not inaction,” I respond. I then point to the writing of John Paul Lederach in his book, The Moral Imagination: The Art and Soul Of Building Peace (Oxford University Press, 2005). As Lederach writes, “The paradox is this: Stillness is not inactivity. It is the presence of disciplined activity without movement….It is that platform that generates authenticity of engagement, for it is the stage that makes true listening and seeing possible.” 

Second, I explain that choosing to pause and reflects is powerful. Admiral William McRaven (U.S. Navy Retired and former Commander of all U.S. Special Operations Forces) in his book, The Wisdom Of The Bullfrog: Leadership Made Simple (But Not Easy) (Grand Central, 2023), explains that those who dare win, but that this needs to be backed up by those who are willing to plan and prepare. As he writes, “It was only through extensive planning and preparation that the special operations leaders were able to identify the major risk factors and develop options for addressing them. To those on the outside looking in, the risks appeared great. However, to those on the inside, the risks were manageable.” And the first step to extensive planning and preparation is to create time and space to reflect, think, and share at both the individual and group levels. 

For those who struggle about what to do with their team during structured unstructured time, I often recommend that they explore the following six critical questions proposed by Patrick Lencioni in his book, The Advantage: Why Organizational Health Trumps Everything Else in Business (Jossey-Bass, 2012). They are the following: “Why do we exist? How do we behave? What do we do? How will we succeed? What is most important, right now? Who must do what?” It is always good to review questions of this nature because it helps us all get on the same page about what we are doing and what is most important as we do it.

I would also add one of my own favorite questions to this mix, namely” What should not change as the company changes?”. Having led many company retreats over the course of 35+ years, this question has generate amazing discussions, great sharing, and important levels of clarity. Because when we commitment to creating and then give ourselves permission to participate in structured unstructured time, we are building relationships and clarity, which is at the heart of a shared adaptive mindset. 

FYI: To be continued on Monday. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Build Line of Sight

All of the senior and middle level managers were gathered together for a day long training on the subject of leadership and organizational change. After a productive morning of learning and sharing in large and small groups, I talked with the group about how operational priorities need to be in alignment with strategic goals. People looked puzzled by this idea and were struggling to comprehend it. So, I choose a person in the front row and asked them to tell me what their top 3 goals and/or priorities were for the next six months. 

The person paused for a moment and then shared them in a concise and straight forward manner. I then asked them who their supervisor was. They pointed to another person across the room.  

Next, I asked this new person what were their top 3 goals and/or priorities were for the next six months. Again, this individual gave me their answer. And when I asked who their supervisor was, they pointed to another person in the room. I repeated this line of inquiry one more time and when that individual was asked who their supervisor was, they pointed to the CEO. 

When I turned to the CEO, he was deep in thought. I did not ask my question, and the room was silent for a bit. Then, he stood up and stated his top 3 goals and/or priorities for the next six months, and explained how each one was directly connected to the company’s current three year strategic plan. 

Everyone listened attentively as he paused one more time. Then, he spoke again, saying, “I have realized something. The goals of the first person to speak are not at all connected to the goals of their supervisor. And this has continued all the way up to my direct report who shared just a moment ago. We are not in alignment. That explains why so many things are happening right now.”

I smiled and nodded in agreement. “Your key middle managers who are gathered here together with your senior team do not have line of sight from their goals and priorities to your current strategic plan,” I explained. “For example, the first goal you shared with the group was about quality. You explained to us that given current events and the attention being paid to this subject by the funders of your non-profit services, low quality would cause there to be a reduction of referrals for service, and this could result, over time, in a downward spiral when it comes to fiscal management. However, not one person who shared their goals with the group talked about quality or its importance. 

So, what we have here is a line of sight problem. Your middle managers can not connect what they are doing on a day to day basis to the current strategic plan.   However, everything you are focused on has a direct connection to the plan. When there is no line of sight from operations to strategy, alignment issues always follow.”

He listened carefully to what I said and nodded once. Then, he turned to the group and spoke. “I get it. We have some work to do this afternoon and during the coming weeks. First, we are going to hold a 45 minute senior management team meeting right here and right now. I want to review with all of you on the senior team your goals as individuals and our goals as a team for the next 6 months to a year. I need all middle managers to hear this conversation and to understand what are those goals and why they are our goals. Then in the next 48 hours after this training, I want all senior managers to gather with their direct reports and hold a similar meeting to make sure there is clarity and line of sight from their goals and priorities to the strategic plan. This action will be repeated with all teams down to the front line people so that within one week to 10 days, everyone in the company knows about line of sight and what is most important. Are you OK with this happening right here and right now, Geery?”

I smiled and said, “Yes. When lighting strikes and clarity happens, there is nothing better than translating it into action. Go for it!”

The next hour was highly productive and very important. In subsequent years, this discussion about alignment and line of sight was referenced as a major turning point in the history of the company. People got it and made sure it was not a one time event, but, instead, a routine exercise. 

A year later, in a follow up training, I repeated this same exercise with different people. The new answers were spot on. There was line of sight at every level. And when it came to the subject of quality, the key performance indicators showed an improving trend line. Even referrals by a variety of case managers were on the rise. The CEO smiled and gave me a thumbs up. I nodded in agreement. 

There are many ways to create a shared perspective or mindset across an entire company. The first step is for people to understand how their day to day work contributes to the mission of the company and the strategy of the company. When people realize their work matters and when they feel valued for the work they are doing on a daily basis, then a shared understanding is created. And as a result, people feel empowered to move forward even in the face of daunting circumstances and difficult challenges. 

FYI: To be continued on Friday. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Create Shared Language

As an executive coach, I have visited with people for over 35+ years. I have listened to hard times, complicated times, and complex times. I have listened to many problems and struggles as people think through what is before them. 

The challenge with listening is to be present rather than just to be quiet. We live in a distracted and noisy society. Our phones, tablets, and computers often rule our lives and demand our attention. Yet, in the midst of all of this noise and distraction, there are good people seeking realistic answers to complex questions.

When you listen for a living, you learn that words matter. When I taught the From Vision to Action Leadership Training, a year long course on leadership and organizational change, I would tell my students that speaking was a powerful action. As Krista Tippett wrote in her book, Becoming Wise: An Inquiry into the Mystery and Art of Living (Penguin Press, 2016): “I take it as an elemental truth of life that words matter. This is so plain that we can ignore it a thousand times a day. The words we use shape how we understand ourselves, how we interpret the world, how we treat others. From Genesis to the aboriginal songlines of Australia, human beings have forever perceived that naming brings the essence of things into being. The ancient rabbis understood books, texts, the very letters of certain words as living, breathing entities. Words make worlds.”

For me, this is a profound truth. In the world of leadership and organizational change, words do make worlds. And as we move into this time period after a long global pandemic, I think we need to remember that words matter. In particular, they can shape understanding and create clarity, or they can fragment and polarize people. When we take the time to build a shared language, we can create a shared adaptive mindset, which will result in a common perspective and understanding. This is particularly important, because a problem called Shifting Baseline Syndrome is surfacing in more and more workplaces.

Shifting Baseline Syndrome was discovered two decades ago in the fisheries industry, as noted by David Attenborough, in his book, A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and A Vision for the Future (Ebury Publishing, 2020). As he explains, over time, knowledge is lost about the state of the natural world, because people don’t perceive changes that are actually taking place within it. This is perpetuated when each new generation perceives the environmental conditions in which they grew up as “normal”. This also describes how people’s standards for acceptable environmental conditions are steadily declining.

When we translate this concept into the business world, we realize that each new generation defines normal by what it experiences while not knowing what normal once was. Furthermore, each new generation perceives the work environment in which they grew up in as “normal.” This also describes how people’s standards for acceptable work conditions are steadily declining or changing over time. With an incremental lowering of standards or a redefining of standards and expectations, each new generation that enters the workforce lacks the knowledge of the history or previous conditions within which people worked. 

For example, a word or concept may mean one thing to one generation in the work force and mean something completely different to a different generation, e.g. think about the differences in perspective about work-life balance between a Baby Boomer and a Gen Z person. By choosing to create a shared language, which results in a shared understanding and thus a resilient company culture, we are preventing a downward shift in the cultural baseline of the company. Instead, we are building a common foundation that transcends time and place. 

FYI: To be continued on Thursday. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Hold The Quiet

During breakfast with a dear mentor and friend, we began discussing the challenges of this post pandemic world. As we explored various elements of this unique time, the conversation turned to the subject of centering. “I think the key,” he explained, “is to hold the quiet.” I paused, got out a piece of paper, and wrote the phrase down, realizing that we had unlocked a critical step to regenerative leadership and the creation of a shared adaptive mindset. 

Centering is the first step Quakers take as they enter into worship. It begins with a personal choice to be 100% present to the moment, rather than reacting to the past or a possible future. It is a silent, deeply personal and internal process of becoming quiet and still. It is where we feel our way into being present, rather than thinking our way into being present. It happens when we consciously choose to clear away the detritus of our daily lives, and turn our attention to collective worship. And as we do this, we listen to the voice of God within each of us. In short, it is a repetitive process that gives meaning to our worship and ministry. 

As we dove deeply into the phrase, “holding the quiet,” we recognized that it is  not the absence of noise much as the creation of stillness. Furthermore, it is the process of removing internal clutter and distractions in order to listen better and understand more holistically what is happening with and around me.  

Many years ago, a CEO and I were sitting in his office after a long senior management meeting. “One thing you need to know about coaching me, Geery,” he explained, “is that when I get quiet, I am concentrating.” He went on to explain that he was doing something more than focusing. He was boiling down the dialogue to what was the root problem, and what will be his response. He had to be quiet on the inside not just than quiet on the outside. 

Referencing a term from the world of science and engineering, he was discerning the signal-to-noise ratio, which is defined as the measurement between the level of signal power to the level of background noise. In simple terms, he was sorting out what was essential in the group’s dialogue, i.e. signal, from what was non-essential, i.e. noise. His goal was to pay attention to the signal, and then to provide a response that indicated he understood what was being shared and could place it within the context of the company’s strategy and the larger environment within which they delivered their services. 

Holding the quiet is a powerful choice and an important discipline to consistently pursue over time. It requires us as leaders to center ourselves and to quiet the inner dialogue. It also requires us to be present to the moment and to the people before us. When we practice this on a regular basis, we are building important bonds with others and generating a shared experience which is the first step to building a shared adaptive mindset. 

FYI: To be continued on Wednesday. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

The Need For Regenerative Leadership In A Post Pandemic World

Last summer, I reread a book by Charles Massy titled, Call Of The Reed Warbler: A New Agriculture A New Earth (Chelsea Green Publishing, 2017). Massy is Australia’s version of Thoreau and Leopold blended together. It is a book about regenerative agriculture, which is a kind of farming that goes beyond sustainability. Instead, it maintains resources and then improves them, e.g. improving and “growing” more top soil.

In the book, Massy recounts participating in a private think tank where one of the presenters asked the following question: “When do you start raising a child?” A Mennonite bishop’s response was the following: “Child rearing begins not at birth, or even conception, but one hundred years before a child is born, because that’s when you start building the environment they’re going to live in.”

This was a deeply thought-provoking answer for me. As a father and a grandparent, this made sense. We stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before us. We live in the environment that they created. Recognizing this wisdom, it is my responsibility to create the environment for both of our children, their families and, in time, their children.

The ancient Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) call this kind of thinking the Seventh Generation Principle, namely the decisions we make today should result in a sustainable world seven generations into the future, which is 525 years into the future or the the year 2547.

When I reflect on this big picture perspective, and given the events of the last three years of living through a global pandemic, I have come to the conclusion that we are in need of regenerative leadership. Giles Hutchins, author and strategist, calls this “a way of leading that cultivates life-affirming conditions.” 

As the intensity of a global pandemic fades, we are left dealing with a level of PTSD and, at times, grief that overwhelms us. We survived by being functional, but I believe we have lost the feeling of unity, clarity, and connection with others. Add to this situation the on-going worries about the economy, and the current balkanization society within which we live, where other people are considered culturally incomprehensible and unacceptable, we desperately need leaders inside our companies and within our communities to start cultivating “life-affirming conditions.” We need people who are willing to lead and build for the next 100 years, rather just the next 90 days. Recognizing that leaders create work environments every day by what they role model and what they tolerate, we need to be the kind of leaders who generate or, in some conditions, regenerate a healthy environment at work and at home. Then, all involved can feel like they can participate as whole people, that their work and their lives matter, and that they can contribute in meaningful and healthy ways. 

A Monoculture Of The Mind vs. A Shared Adaptive Mindset

A long time ago, Douglas McArthur, an American general who commanded the southwest Pacific in World War II, wrote: “A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.” 

When we choose to see the bigger picture and to create a healthy work environment, and when we have the confidence, the courage, and the compassion to move through challenging times such as the ones we are in right now, then we must understand that we all are moving through numerous endings and new beginnings, all at the same time. Therefore, the equality of our actions and the integrity of our intent is to make wise choices and thoughtful responses to the problems before us. 

One element we need to be aware of within this current environment of endings and new beginnings is the danger of a monoculture perspective. When people and teams choose to perpetuate a monoculture of the mind, they, in essence, view current events, choices, and responses from a fixed and binary fashion. From their perspective, all problems are defined and all solutions are known. Thus, leaders have to connect the right person, resource, process, or tool to the problem before them. This will then result in a solution that protects an individual, team, or the company from an external threat, pressure, or conflict. In simple terms, a monoculture of the mind focuses on maintaining norms and restoring order. 

However, when an adaptive challenge surfaces, namely a kind of problem that we have not seen before, it is usually some combination of being complicated, complex, and dynamic. Thus, it is not easily defined. This kind of adaptive challenge calls into questions fundamental assumptions and beliefs. The action of defining the problem often involves the combination of reflection and learning, which may result in a change in people’s priorities, beliefs, and habits. In essence, it may require new ways of thinking and working in order to maintain an alignment between values and actions, to generate collaborative solutions, and to empower people to implement these new solutions. 

As more complicated and complex problems arise in this post pandemic world and as more strategic rather than operational choices need to be made, we as leaders need to embrace a shared, adaptive mindset that results in better problem solving and collaboration. We also must support the work of diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion within the work place in order to access new and improved ways to work and to solve problems. With a focus on continual progress, growth, and improvement, leaders must also understand and support shared learning, and ongoing innovation, recognizing that it happens through participation and practice within a community based setting. 

In order to assist people in transitioning from a monoculture of the mind to a shared adaptive mindset, we must build shared language, shared models, and shared learning experiences. Martine Haas and Mark Mortensen in the their excellent article called  “The Secrets of Great Teamwork” from the June 2016 issue of the Harvard Business Review, recognize this when they write, “Distance and diversity, as well as digital communication and changing membership, make them [teams] especially prone to the problems of “us versus them” thinking and incomplete information.” This polarization is a common example of a monoculture of the mind. Yet, these same authors note, “The solution to both is developing a shared mindset among team members - something team leaders can do by fostering a common identity and common understanding.”

Recognizing the importance of a common identity and a common understanding, i.e. a shared adaptive mindset, we as leaders need to understand that we do not impose a shared adaptive mindset, we build it, relationship by relationship, and experience by experience. What follows during the coming days on this blog are some important first steps in this journey. 

FYI: To be continued on Tuesday. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

The Kitchen Table

The kitchen is the center of our home. It is the place where friends and family gather. Here, we cook together. We listen to music together. And when the meal is ready, we share a meal, and tell stories together.

I believe we are hardwired for story telling and for listening to stories. They are what has bonded people together throughout the ages. They give us perspective, guidance, and occasionally wisdom and new insights. In simple terms, stories build a common ground from which we understand that we are all travelers moving through a constantly changing and evolving life journey. 

“Real stories take time,” writes Rachel Naomi Ramen, M.D. in her book, Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal (Riverhead Books, 1996). And I believe we have forgotten to make time for story telling. We also have forgotten to value  the time it takes to tell stories. 

During the last twenty years, we have been consumed by time as defined by the internet and the digital economy. We live, breathe, and connect with people at the speed of software and our digital devices. Speed is the goal and the desired outcome.

In particular, during this rise of the digital economy, we have forgotten the experience and the memory of sharing around the kitchen table. I like to call this kitchen table time. When we gather around the table, the goal is not speed as much as deep sharing and listening, a connection that bonds and transcends digital or clock based time. 

When we choose kitchen table time, we come to understand something important. As  Rachel Naomi Ramen, M.D. wrote, “The best stories have many meanings; their meanings change as our capacity to understand and appreciate meaning grows.” And when we hear the same stories, particularly ones shared over the course of our life, we discover new insights from the sharing. 

Furthermore, we start to understand that story telling and story listening is a complex and living interchange. We are changed by the stories we hear, and we are changed by the telling of our stories. As Brene’ Brown reminds us, “We are the map maker and the traveler.” And as I like to point out, we are the story teller and the story, too. 

Rachel Naomi Ramen, M.D. reminds us that “We carry with us every story we have ever heard and ever story we have ever lived, filed away at some deep place in our memory.” For me, this a powerful statement. It recognizes that stories, i.e. the ones we’ve heard and the ones we have shared, are integral to the very fabric of who we are and what we believe.

This past spring when my wife and I were having dinner with a single parent and her very young son, I also remember something else that Rachel Naomi Ramen, M.D. wrote. As she explained, “the kitchen table is a level playing field. Everyone’s story matters. The wisdom in the story of the most educated and powerful person is often not greater than the wisdom in the story of a child, and the life of a child can teach us as much as the life of a sage.” 

As this little boy shared about his day in kindergarten and the fun he has with his many stuffed animals, I was grateful for the opportunity to listen and to be present to his sharing. Through his youthful eyes and story telling, I remembered that the entire world was filled with amazing new adventures to be experienced. I also remembered that from these new experiences, there will be many more new stories to share and to listen to over a good meal at the kitchen table. Rachel Naomi Ramen, M.D. reminds us that “Everybody is a story.” And I was grateful that evening for the opportunity to sit at our kitchen table, and to listen to such a wise young sage, sharing his story.  

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257

Rediscover Your Inner Strength

“First do what is necessary,” wrote Saint Francis of Assisi. “Then do what is possible. And before you know it you are doing the impossible.” The journey of recovering from being drained is complex and convoluted. There is no straight pathway with clear and definitive stages. Instead, it has many choices, twists, and turns. However, in time and with patience, the way will open and recovery will take place. 

In the beginning, we must embrace the words of Carl Jung: “Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakes.” To awaken to a better way of living and working, we need to create a holistic self-care plan and reduce our cognitive load. Next, we need to find community and to create boundaries. We also need to study a variety of resources on a daily basis to gain better perspective and new insights. The combination of all these things will then give us an opportunity to rediscover our own inner strength. When we awaken this level of awareness and understanding, our vision will become clear about how to proceed and our choices along this new path will also become clear. 

As we move along this new path and rediscover our inner strength, we also must remember something Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D. wrote: “… there is no ending without a beginning. That beginnings and endings are always right up against each other.” Recovery from being drained will involve both endings and new beginnings. It will be work, and at the exact same time, it will be work worth doing.  For when we come to understand and trust our inner strength, we can work through these transitions and generate a healthy and vibrant new way of working and living. The first step is the hardest. But each step is movement in the right direction to a new beginning. 

Geery Howe, M.A. Executive Coach in Leadership, Strategic Planning, and Organizational Change Morning Star Associates 319 - 643 - 2257