It’s Friday and we’re in full swing on TGIF – Trust, Gratitude, Inspiration, & Fun!
Trust
I had the pleasure of leading a Present Yourself with Confidence workshop to a group of PhD students passionate about climate and care for our planet, migration and care for our peoples, and ecology and care for our future.
We created a culture of trust within our group and all thirty of them presented their dream job and how they are uniquely qualified to fulfill it. They all sought to change the world for good.
In recent years, I have been a bit jaded by politics. Yet these leaders of tomorrow gave me hope. I am trusting in the next generation to build communities of peace and justice and health.
Find out more about my workshops here.
Gratitude
French Mother’s Day last weekend. I am grateful for and grateful to my kids. Without them I would not be the person I am today.
They contributed to shaping me into the person I am today. As a mom of four boys, I learned early on that I would have to establish an authority that was not based on force. They have been stronger than I am since they turned ten!
The trials of being a working mother of four boys in seven years led me to the leadership styles which I now transmit to others, both in training professionals and parents.
With my sons I had wavered between being too firm (think policing leader) or too kind (think happiness trumps all). I felt like I wavered back and forth, feeling guilty for being too firm so swinging to kindness and then feeling ignored and reverting to firm control. I learned of the alternative: democratic leadership
- It is NOT that right middle spot between Firm and Kind
- It IS being Firm and Kind simultaneously
Check out the 3 minute video on democratic leadership and its impact. Thank you, sons, for having changed my life personally and professionally too.
Inspiration
Thank you, Jody Glickman and the Great on the Job team, for inspiration on how to put my best foot forward. I participated in the webinar she led for Harvard Business School alumni and learned from her work-savvy insights and down-to-earth tips.
Even though I lead groups in public speaking, I continue to benefit from learning from others. Jody is a quality communicator with inspiration to share.
Fun
I begin my week with a Pilates class on Monday mornings. Usually I arrive with an aching and stiff body…and leave feeling limber and light. In that sense, it is fun!
This week we learned new positions and I laughed out loud. The arm shoots out in one direction, the leg stretches in an opposite extreme, and add a twist here with a muscle tuck there.
It looked and felt like torture…and yet once it was over, I felt marvelooooos!
Two insights about fun
- Fun lies in overcoming challenges
- Laughing out loud helps me find fun even in discomfort
Wishing you a great weekend and upcoming week.
Tell us about your week in the comments 🙂
