Change Masters Incorporated - The Blog

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Super Power

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Obstacles are really a guide to uncover where we need to grow. We grow and change in response to challenges. New results come from seeing the problem differently and making adjustments. The bigger the challenge, the more significant the adjustments we need to make.

One of our superpowers is to adjust and take new directions. Losing my job allowed me to finally go into business for myself. With one relationship breakdown, we are often able to find a new one that seems even better.

Today, we have a worldwide obstacle called a pandemic. With all the difficulties – and there are many – people are adjusting in amazing ways. Global environmental pollution is showing ways it can be reduced. Major firms in New York City are declaring that the majority of their employees will likely not return to the giant skyscrapers that define NYC. Remote education can change the dynamics and costs of schools. Business people are learning they can effectively do videoconference rather than spend two days in an airplane for a one-hour meeting.

Community

Human beings need a community. Being deprived of contact has helped us see the value of gatherings, hugs, handshakes and just being together. Being able to clap, scream, and cheer together in a sports stadium or a Broadway play are beloved memories we look forward to seeing again.

We have the superpower of connecting with others. We have the ability to choose to be kind and forgive. We have the power to empathize with the health workers and those struggling to feed their children.

New Approach

The pandemic of a century ago did not have antibiotics or an understanding of viruses. We are more prepared today than 101 years ago. We now have a new mindset about pandemics that will allow us to be more prepared for the next pandemic. We will have PPE and testing ready. We will figure out how to effectively manage contact tracing. We will be better able to cope.

Appreciation

When we can safely move about our communities and the world, we will have a new appreciation for connection to other people and places. We have the opportunity to think differently about how we define community. We are a global community that is interconnected and share a similar destiny for our viruses and our environment. If we have a new mindset, we can create new results. That is our human SUPERPOWER.

Leading in Challenging Times

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Authentic leadership under trying times requires balance. You have to pair emotional honesty, facts, perspective, courage with authenticity.

Fear is a legitimate feeling for you and them. It should be acknowledged. Also, it is essential to communicate perspective, courage, and hope.

For example, “It is normal to feel fear when things are uncertain. I feel that too. It is a time for courage. Courage causes us to focus on what we can do now. Courage is stronger than fear. We need to support each other as we move through this challenge. We have successfully overcome difficulty before, and we can do it again.”

Authenticity and transparency with warmth and emotional sincerity – that’s a recipe for leadership success in scary times.

Executive Presence Tip – Carol Keers

Looking Backward

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We live life looking forward and we understand life looking backward. It is natural that the young have chutzpah in the face of challenges. It allows one to charge against the odds. It is natural to fall down on the journey. Those who get back up and on their journey have the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.

The more mistakes that are overcome, the more that is learned. After many mistakes and reflection, wisdom grows. We learn that some of the biggest mistakes have led to the best outcomes. We learn that our most difficult events can make us stronger. It is how we deal with things that happen that make the difference.

While I would not wish a wheelchair on anyone, studies have found those who face that event are happier five years later than those who won the lottery. Humans are fairly able to adapt to new realities such as injury. We do not do as well with unrealistic expectations about what money can do for happiness. I have a client who almost died from a heart attack who’s motto is now, “Every day above ground is a good day.” In contrast, during the 2008 market crash, those who inherited millions of dollars were much more upset when it dropped in half than those who had earned their millions. It is how we think about what happens in our life that yields wisdom and happiness … or not.

Wisdom

Fail to Learn

With many mistakes and experiences, some people arrive at “old age” with wisdom. Those who face enormous difficulty early in life also seem to find wisdom at an earlier age. We did pro bono speech coaching with a teenage boy who successfully fought multiple rounds of cancer. At 15-years-old, he was able to share wisdom in his speeches that would rival the wisest senior citizen.

I recently saw a sign that said, “Old age has come at an inconvenient time“. The phrase I have often heard, “If I knew at 25 what I know now ...” captures the theme. When young, most think that well-meaning “old people” do not know much about their world. It is true for every generation. The gap with who has wisdom of experience and who could take best advantage has endured.

Inspiration

When we ask people who in their life has had the biggest impact in their life, they talk about a sports coach, a teacher who challenged them, a parent or grandparent. The reasons given are “they believed in me“, “they saw more in me than I saw in myself“, “they supported me when I really needed it“, “they were a role model of how to care for others“, and “they had my back“. I have yet to hear the answer that said, “They were the smartest person.” When I ask how they did those things, the most common thread is “They really listened to me.”

Listening is something we can all do. It is something we can all learn to do better. It is the thing that allows young and old to share wisdom.

Born-again Minnesotan

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One person in ten considers winter their favorite season. Those who love to ski or snowmobile are probably a good portion of those who prefer winter.

Christopher Ingraham wrote an article in the Washington Post about how to survive and even enjoy winter. He says there are many good things about winter. Most people disagree. He explores how people enjoy winter. He recommends:

Stop being cold. Dress for the cold. Wearing warm layers virtually eliminates being cold. Long underwear may be appropriate at times.

Find activities outdoors that you can enjoy in winter. My experience is that zero degrees can feel quite warm when Nordic skiing in the woods. The air is fresh and clean. Alpine skiing can be similarly invigorating with warm cloths and goggles.

Walking in a park with warm cloths and boots also works.

Snowmobiling and ice fishing are things that some people get very excited to do. I talked to a man with a new ice house that looked like a camper. He was very excited for the ice to form.


Getting away to a warm location as a vacation has many advantages. Looking forward to a warm vacation gives you a few weeks of enjoyable anticipation. You have the time on vacation. When you get back to the cold, you know that spring is not far away. However, it is not a replacement for finding something to enjoy outside.

Get a dog was another suggestion from Ingraham. If you aren’t motivated to get yourself out for a regular walk, taking your dog for a walk every day is a good incentive.

OK , maybe warm cloths, skiing, a warm vacation and getting a dog is not enough to make winter your favorite season. Hopefully, it will make winter more fun and make it feel shorter.