Seizing It

NOW is the time to begin Project You!

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Pamela Geer

January has come and gone and with it another year of New Year’s resolutions. But there is no better time than NOW to begin Project You!

“Whatever you do, or dream you can do, begin it! Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.” Goethe

If you are like me we get busy working and taking care of our families and homes. Many of the corporations we work for have embraced the concept of doing “more with less”, which often translates into longer hours for those of us remaining. In the midst of all of this activitiy, this “tyranny of the urgent”, we seldom slow down and reassess the direction in which we are headed. As a career change manager I know a lot about getting things done. But how often do I apply those concepts to my personal life? I keep thinking that I will get to these things later . . . after this project, after this big assignment, after the kids go back to school . . . and tomorrow never comes.

I have always remembered a comment a friend of mine made when she turned 50. She said, “I suddenly realized that if I had any dreams for myself I needed to go ahead and get started. The feeling that I had always had, that I had plenty of time, was gone with this birthday.” This friend went back to college, finished her undergraduate degree, went on to get her masters degree, and is now a therapist who has pulled together a consortium of people to work together in the healing arts area. Over time she created the life she desired, one step at a time.

A year ago I was in a control room during a large transition-project deployment event. We’d been working 20 hour days for over a week. My manager and friend said to me, in the small hours of the morning, after another all-nighter, “The pace of this last year has ben so hard. I don’t want to come to another January feeling as if I am missing my life!”

So I began living in the question, “Where do I want to go personally and professionally? What activities give more meaning to my life?” It all starts with the beginning, with a desire for more life. For those of us that are project managers, it begins with the vision (the charter) and defining the “What” (the requirements). Don’t limit yourself to what you think is possible, or worry about “How” you get there. Allow yourself to think new thoughts and even dream a little.

Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re probably right!“. All change starts with the mental conversation we have with ourselves. So allow yourself to start out creatively, outside the box you might have placed yourself in, and start to hone in on a direction or activities.

We can’t manufacture more time in the day, but we can begin to more effectively use the bits and pieces of time we have. I have created small pockets of time by starting 30 minutes earlier in the morning and turning off the TV for some period in the evening. Or a few minutes sitting quietly at lunch time, with a pad and pen, can create a book, if done consistently over time.

So Step 1 in the Project You! series: BEGIN! Live in the question, write out your responses, talk to your loved ones: “In what direction do I want to steer?

Assignment: Answer the questions below (share your goals with us by adding a comment to this blog post, if desired):

Where do I want to go professionally? If I had no limits, no worries about HOW, where would I go? What would I do?
What activities enrich my life personally? If I didn’t worry about time, or how I could slot it in, what activities fill my cup, or bring me pleasure?
Where do I want to put my time in service to others? All lives of meaning give something back . . . what types of activities would allow you to give back? It can be a small thing, such as donating a book to “Reach-a-Child” (the February newsletter has a section on this organization) or it could be a large effort, such as overseeing a Habitat for Humanity project.

Future articles in the Project You! series will outline the next steps in this change (transformation) process. So go ahead, take the challenge to BEGIN Project YOU, and you, too, will be Seizing It!

Filed under: Project You! series, Step 1: Begin It | Tagged: Change Management, Intention, Transformation, Transformation Process | 4 Comments »

Leaders with “It” are Inclusive!

Posted on May 16, 2010 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” by being inclusive.

“Hey, I stopped by your desk to tell you that next Friday will be my last day,” my coworker and friend stated.
“Oh no,” I cried. “You’re not leaving the corporation, are you? Where are you going?”
“Well, you know I adopted my nephew, and he now has some issues with learning disabilities and a seizure disorder. I need to be able to work from home and supervise his afterschool activities, even though he is in middle school. This group doesn’t support a “work from home” model, so I’m moving on to another group.”

How often have you encountered the situation outlined above as a leader? You have goals to retain top talent, but unusual things come up and you just can’t find a way to hold on to a valuable resource. We are all familiar with the concept of Diversity and Inclusion as it relates to ethnicity, religious affiliation, gender, sexual orientation, and persons with disabilities, that is, with permanent needs for inclusion. Most of our corporations have programs in place to help support these broad groups of associates. But what about what I am calling “situational special needs inclusion”?

Some examples of temporary situations that require special inclusion are bereavement, unexpected accidents or illness, paternity/maternity leave, and others. Most large corporations do a relatively good job of offering paid time off for funerals, for some sick time in the hospital for us or family members, for adoption or maternity leave. But usually these are very short-lived paid breaks that eat up a certain quota of accrued sick and vacation days.

Most corporations also have a policy allowing for a 6-month leave, where your job will be held for you if you qualify under certain conditions. But so very often persons in these challenging situations cannot really afford an unpaid leave; they need the dignity of a paycheck and work to do. But above all other things they require flexibility.

For persons experiencing “situational special needs inclusion”, flexibility can take many forms:

Work location flexibility
Work day flexibility
Work assigned flexibilty

There has been a lot of buzz the last few years about working remotely. Many corporations have allowed resources to give up their permanent work location and work from home. Some even provide remuneration for internet and phone connectivity, and office supplies, for their remote workers. But this is just location flexibility – it doesn’t usually address the workday and the actual work being performed.

Workday flexibility is the ability to do the work in pieces, inside or outside of the normal business hours. Perhaps someone experiencing a complex family situation needs to work 3 hours in the morning, 2 hours mid-day, and 3 hours late evening. They want to work, they want to earn a pay check, but they have responsibilities that require them to come in and out of the work day.

Work task flexibility supports the on-again, off-again nature of the broken work day. There has to be an ability to assign them work that can be done in pieces. Project deliverables, tracking statistics, dashboards, data collection . . . some examples of the type of work that could be assigned this way.

How creative are you, as a leader, when faced with these temporary situations? Are you willing to think outside of the box? Are you able to overcome your fear about managing a resource in such a situaiton – about trusting them to really put in the hours you are paying them for?

I have had two situations where I have experienced “situational special needs inclusion” myself. I worked and supported my husband’s care when he had cancer 4 years ago. I was able to pair up with another project manager who took most of the actual phone meetings during the “normal” work day. I was able to work on resource plans, financials, project deliverables, that could be done via email communications and that could be slotted into the pieces and parts of the day that I could manage. I greatly appreciated the support of the other project manager, and of my leadership, and I remained productive during that period.

Recently I had (and am still experiencing) a situation with my high-school age daughter. What was to be a simple surgery, and one week of time off for me, ended up being an on again, off again 6 weeks of repeated hosptilization. The recovery continues as I write this. The ability to fade in and out, to work remotely, and to level tasks by assigning to others has made a real difference to me!

I have found that the outcome of this type of flexibility and inclusion is Associate Satisfaction and Loyalty, and the retention of top talent. Become Inclusive, and you, too, can begin Seizing “It”.

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Diversity & Inclusion, Executive Presence, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer | 2 Comments »

Pamela’s Book Reviews: “Don’t Just Talk Be Heard”, by David Levin

Posted on May 16, 2010 by Pamela Geer

Are you aware of some of the gaps between what you say and what others actually hear? David Levin, a communication coach, has written this book to help you close that gap and become more proficient at “being heard”.

When I read David’s book I enjoyed the light, breezy style. He incorporates stories that make for a quick and interesting read, but the underlying framework has real meat and depth. He gives examples and real-life scenarios that we can all relate to, but solutions and tips as well.

David has created a study guide to go with his book. He also does a monthly newsletter. To learn more about David, his books and newsletter, visit http://dontjusttalkbeheard.com .

Filed under: Pamela's Book Reviews | Tagged: Communication tips, Leadership Skills, Personal Growth | Leave a comment »

Leaders with “It” are Paradigm Pugilists!

Posted on February 28, 2010 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” by being a paradigm pugilist.

A few years ago I attended a training session where the trainer said that his entire job could be summarized in two words, “Paradigm Pugilist”. I thought this was very clever, as the concept covered by the two words was powerful, and I liked the alliteration. However, as often happens with communication, my friends with me did not like it at all, because they did not understand what it meant! And thus are great ideas sometimes lost!

In this context, some definitions to get us started:

Paradigm – your view of reality
Pugilist – a boxer
Alliteration – words that begin with the same letter 🙂

So why do I think it is important that Leaders With “It” become Paradigm Pugilists, or boxers who take left and right jabs until they bust apart the current reality?

To really drive effective change, a leader has to sometimes recognize that the way an organization does things is no longer effective. To take small incremental steps in a new direction is just not enough, and will take too long to bring about real progress. A true leader, in these circumstances, has the courage to take drastic measures to move in that new direction. These leaders become Paradigm Pugilists.

I think it is important to note that this is the first part of effective change management, that is, the courage to look at things in a brand new way and change course. Executing on the change, and preparing the organization for that change by communication and training, are also critical steps.

Can these concepts be applied to our personal lives as well? Are you stuck? Are you tired of repeating the same patterns of behavior? Have you ended up in a place that isn’t where you want to be anymore? Do you need to take stock and reevaluate your direction? You might need to become a Paradigm Pugilist to effect real and meaningful change in your life. Sometimes we have to look at a new route to get to where we want to go.

“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer, The Power of Intention

Awareness is the first step to bringing about any change – awareness of your dissatisfaction with where you are; awareness of your ability to bust out of the box you have placed yourself in and create a new reality. If awareness is followed by discovery of a new horizon, if intention to reach that horizon is born, and if that intention translates into action, then we can move ourselves, and our organizations, to new and better possibilities. Become a Paradigm Pugilist, and you, too, can begin Seizing “It”.

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Executive Presence, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer, Personal Growth | Leave a comment »

Leaders with “It” are Intentional!

Posted on January 4, 2010 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” by being intentional.

While participating in a training class last year, I was given a homework assignment to interview executives and ask them a series of questions about qualities they looked for in their leaders. I took the assignment to heart and interviewed over a dozen different people (including the new Bank of America CEO, who at that time managed the division for which I worked). And while I received many unique answers to my questions, one thing was abundantly clear: successful leaders were all intentional!

So what does this mean and how can you incorporate intention into your daily practices?

A definition for intention that highlights my interview findings is: “fixedness of attention, a stretching or bending of the mind towards an object”.

This is so much more than mere goal setting, or one more resolution at the beginning of this New Year! This is like a captain steering a ship on a long journey towards a distant compass point. While there may be much prolonged activity, and many supporting goals, the captain never loses sight of that point to which he ultimately must steer. When a leader can first define this intention, then articulate it, then guide others towards it, they are leading with intention and real power.

This idea of intention is not just for the professional business executive; it can be used to attain all personal goals. While visiting my daughter at college last fall, I had occasion to visit the pool locker room, and the section set apart for the swimmers on the collegiate swim team. One of my favorite quotes from Alexander Graham Bell was on the locker of an individual swimmer, and served to remind the swimmer, every day, of her intention:

“What this power is I cannot say; all I know is that it exists and it becomes available only when a man is in that state of mind in which he knows exactly what he wants and is fully determined not to quit until he finds it.”

As we begin this New Year, I would encourage you to define and focus on your Intention, because in the words of Wayne Dyer: “Our intention creates our reality”. Remember to practice Intention, and you, too, will begin “Seizing It”!

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Executive Presence, Intention, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer, Personal Growth | Leave a comment »

Leaders with “It” are Persistent!

Posted on November 1, 2009 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” by being persistent.

Do you sometimes get stuck because you can’t do something perfectly, and in your mind perfection is the only goal? Are you afraid to take risks because you can’t contemplate the prospect of potentially failing? Do you know people who are so worried about being perfect that they become afraid to try new things? Well, I used to fall into all of those categories. In a world focused on perfection, I was the poster child!

Today, I actually loudly proclaim myself to be a “recovering” perfectionist. And believe it or not, I have become my most successful AFTER giving up perfectionism. Does that seem to you to be a contradiction? The secret is that I have replaced Perfectionism, and it’s sometimes associated “paralysis of analysis”, with Persistence, and the sometimes baby steps of persistent action.

Motivational speaker Zig Ziglar has stated, “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly . . . until you learn how to do it well”. WOW. I did NOT like this statement the first time my husband said it to me many years ago. He edited the statement to say, “Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly, until you get the hang of it”. This was so completely outside my paradigm. What, do substandard work? Be slopppy? Appear less than competent? I can’t do THAT!

But now, this is a very freeing thought! What a gift, to be able to try new things and see where they go! To be able to explore a potential talent, and live in the question of whether or not it is something I want to pursue; to actually embrace failure as an opportunity to grow! Well, I won’t go so far as to say that I’ve fully “embraced” failure, but I am much more willing to try new things!

Persistence is my new “P’ word that replaces Perfection. Persistence allows me to take one small step at a time, and over time, those steps add up to real progress. Persistence allows me to realize, in the words of David Nour, that “version one is better than version none”. As I move forward with my first attempt (version 1), and assess results, I can make adjustments along the way (version 2; not necessarily perfection). I hold the vision of where I want to go, with faith and purpose, and persistently move in that direction. And results truly follow! With perfection, I was often frozen in fear and indecision, and thought I had to cover the entire distance with one leap. With persistent action, one step at a time, I begin to create the things I want in my life, personally and professionally. Remember to practice Persistence, and you, too, will begin “Seizing It”!

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Executive Presence, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer, Persistence | 1 Comment »

Leaders with “It” are Authentic!

Posted on September 27, 2009 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” by being authentic.

Have you had occasion to watch leaders on the news and in your company present the benefits of a new business process or philosophy or action? Have you listened as they described the details? Did you become excited, interested and motivated? Or did you find yourself wondering if the leader believed his own message? While the leader might be saying the right words, was there just something about the message or delivery that gave you pause?

Leaders with “It” effectively bring their whole selves to the table, their combined beliefs and passions and experiences. They can only do this by knowing who they truly are and by working from this core knowledge; by being authentic. I consider this to be the most elusive part of “It” and one that takes us on an inward journey. But the benefits are great if we are willing to do the work of self discovery.

Goethe, an 18th century writer, had this to say about being unique and authentic: “There are many echoes in the world, but few voices.”

Last month I was at a speech being given by Nido Qubein, an author, consultant, and motivational speaker. He discussed the need for differentiation, to be willing to leave the “ocean of sameness” that is the home place for the common thinker, and become a part of the “pond of distinction”. But to be able to take Mr. Qubein’s advice, to differentiate ourselves, we have to be willing to do the work of identifying and owning who we truly are, as people, professionals, and members of our families and communities.

I also had the occasion this month to meet and hear Scott McKain, the author of the book, “The Collapse of Distinction”. (I strongly recommend his book to you and will be adding it to my bibliography listing within this site.) To build distinction he created the idea of 4 pillars of distinction, and the first pillar is Clarity. It takes work to become clear on your strengths, your goals, your business value proposition, but it is also freeing. Because, as he points out in his book, to have clarity also means that you know what you are NOT. And I have found that knowledge (what we ARE and what we are NOT) allows us to draw the perfect target with the perfectly centered bull’s eye, and aim our arrows of action and energy exactly there.

We simply cannot be everything to everybody, or we drown in the “ocean of sameness”; we exhaust ourselves and don’t achieve the outcomes we desire. And how wonderful and freeing it is to affirm that we ALL have a unique voice! We all have the ability to move and motivate others, and impact real change, when we come from our own authentic center. Remember to share your authentic self, and you, too, will begin “Seizing It”!

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Executive Presence, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer, Personal Brand | 3 Comments »

Flying Free

Posted on September 26, 2009 by Pamela Geer

Flying Free

When I was a child my Mother would sometimes throw us all outdoors on a Saturday morning and tell us not to come back for a few hours. You have to understand that there were 7 of us. Not just 7, but 7 in 9 years! And I was the youngest.

During those times, my sister and I would sometimes play Circus. Our poor old cocker spaniel Tinker was our lion, and we’d thrust stools at him and pretend to have whips. Our Siamese cat Caesar would be forced to walk up and down boards and perform. Once they grew tired, and revolted, we’d play Circus on our bikes. And how we loved to ride!

We took gymnastics and ballet at the local YMCA, so our bikes were both our trapeze and our Arabian dance horse. I had a particular move where I’d hold on to the handlebars with my hands, stand on the seat, and put one leg out in an arabesque. (Luckily we lived on a dirt road so the crashes were a bit softer than asphalt.) But oh, for those moments, I could fly!

As my life progressed and I grew up, as we all do, I became more tethered. With each year I seemed to take on more chains, more weights, more responsibility. Job, husband, children, teenagers, college tuition, responsibilities. I forgot that I could fly!

Last year I had a moment of deep awareness. I realized that I lived my life feeling as if a large ball and chain dragged behind me everywhere I went. Life was serious stuff! Illness was serious stuff! Work, projects, banking, was serious stuff. Getting my daughter to the right college was serious stuff. Life was just not fun!

Exhausted from the weight, I began a journey to find an implement to remove the chain. I looked at bolt cutters, saws, and sharp objects. And then I realized I had the key! It had been with me the entire time! My attitude towards myself and life was the key to remove the chain!

I began to re-discover my dreams for myself. I began to take time to ask myself what I wanted to have, to be, and to do. I had lost touch with myself to the point that I could not answer those questions initially, but I began to do the work to find the answers. That inward journey can be a long one, but I have emerged with renewed hope, passion and purpose, which I share with others through my speaking and writing career.

Today, I rode my bike! An old-fashioned, 1950’s style Carolina blue model with a basket. Up and down the residential streets of Sullivan’s Island, SC. The beach 3 blocks to the left, the marsh 3 blocks to the right. Past historic antebellum mansions, old beach cottages, new beach mansions. My legs pumped faster and faster, and I let go of the handlebars! I spread my arms wide, pedaling furiously, a big grin cleaving across my face. And I was back! I was flying free! Free of the chains, the responsibilities, the worries. Free to feel the wind blowing my hair wildly across my face, free to feel the sun tanning my shoulders, free to life and all of its possibilities.

I am open to dreams, goals and possibilities!

I am Seizing “It”!

I am wonderful, becoming!

I am Flying Free!

Filed under: Essays | Tagged: motivation, Pamela Geer, Personal Growth | 1 Comment »

Pamela’s Book Reviews: “Presentation Zen”, by Garr Reynolds

Posted on August 23, 2009 by Pamela Geer

Do you want to showcase your leadership skills and presence by doing a really “knock your socks off” presentation to the senior leaders in your organization? Have you been asked to speak at an upcoming event and know this is your big opportunity? Do you have to prepare a training class for a new feature or functionality your project has created? Then you need to read this book, as it has really changed the way that I look at doing a PowerPoint presentation!

Garr Reynolds makes the point that many of us have fallen into the trap of creating “slideumentation” – an ineffective combination of a presentation and documentation. He believes that good design, and tight, concise delivery, is much needed in today’s presentations.

When you use the “slideumentation” approach, your PowerPoint deck, with all of its words, is actually competing with you as a live speaker. Instead of enhancing and reinforcing your message it is actually drawing the audience’s attention away from you. Garr Reynolds shows you many examples of concise, evocative, effective slide shows, with before and after pictures. He reinforces the elements of good design and the importance of brevity in your PowerPoint deck. The slide show should not make you, as the speaker, unnecessary. If detailed information needs to be distributed, create a hand-out using a tool like Word, a PDF file, or a booklet, and distribute it or make it available after the presentation.

If you follow Garr’s principles, which are thouroughly outlined in this book, you, too, will begin “Seizing It” by increasing your effectiveness as a presenter and public speaker.

Filed under: Pamela's Book Reviews | Tagged: Communication tips, Executive Presence, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer, Presentation tips | Leave a comment »

Leaders with “It” are Passionate!

Posted on August 23, 2009 by Pamela Geer

You can begin “Seizing It” by being passionate about your topic.

Have you ever sat through a training class or presentation, where the presenter pulled out a 60 page PowerPoint deck and started reading from it, with no real passion or flair? If it was a virtual presentation, how long did it take before you began reading your emails or answering instant messages? If it was an in-person presentation, how long before you whipped out your Blackberry or started thinking about the things you were going to do as soon as this meeting was over?

Leaders with “It” value their audience’s time, and are passionate about their topic. They are eager to share their ideas and to learn from others through interaction. I love this quote from Winston Churchill, who was a superior speaker:

“The orator is the embodiment of the passions of the multitude. Before he can inspire them with any emotion he must be swayed by it himself. Before he can move to tears his own must flow. To convince them he must himself believe.”

I have a mission statement for my own speaking career that I read every morning, and before I do a workshop or presentation. This mission statement reminds me of my passion and excitement for my material. Here is an excerpt:

“I am so excited that I connect with people as I speak; that I help them grow leadership skills and presence. I love it when they tell me that my message resonates with them; that it helps them move forward. Forward towards their dreams, goals and possibilities, towards awareness that they, too, can begin Seizing “It”!”

While you may not have a defined mission statement, remember to do your audience the honor of being excited about your message. You bring your whole self, experiences and passions to the table every time you are in front of others. We all have a unique voice and a unique message, if we just recognize it and use it. Remember to share your passion, and you, too, will begin “Seizing It”!

Filed under: Leaders with "It" are . . . | Tagged: Executive Presence, Leadership Presence, Leadership Skills, Pamela Geer, Passion, Personal Brand, Presentation tips | Leave a comment »