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Issue 125: Would Your Organization Get an “A or F” When a Major Mistake Happens?
A few weeks ago, I entered the designated hotel for a seminar hosted by a major organization. The hotel staff informed me there was a mistake.
Issue 124: Can Failure Boost Confidence and Teamwork?
Sometimes, we think we don't measure up to the skill or professional level of others. Or we fell short like an airball, and we hesitate to risk trying again.
Issue 123: How Do You Hit Goals When Life Throws Watermelon-Size Lemons
In the December Bounce-Up Chronicles, I shared my year-end review with my business mentor, discussing what goals I achieved despite having the third pink ribbon diagnosis and all that it entails. I had a big "aha" moment afterward. (Okay, I admit it does feel good to read a list of accomplishments, right?)
The "aha" came from realizing the number of goal-related systems I had in place that kicked in during another adversity. During those "life throws lemons" times, we see what isn't working.
Issue 122: What Will Define Your Year?
A new year always gives us a reason for hope. As we list what we want, change, and do in 2024, hope is the foundation. Hope gives us that optimistic push that we can do it. Although our hope might look different to each of us, it’s there. When naysayers tell you to give up, Hope whispers try again.
Issue 121: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year! Or Is it?
It's the most wonderful time of the year! Year-End Review. 😊 I bet you had a different thought when you read that first sentence and probably hummed the holiday tune. Wrapping up your year could have a few thoughts and emotions that zigzag from negative to positive. It happens to most of us.
Issue 120: Are You Helping Fulfill a Dream in Your Community?
The holidays bring a lot of hustle, bustle, stress, and overwhelm. For local businesses and organizations, it can bring even more.
One of the quotes I see often, and maybe you do too, is, “Supporting a small business is supporting a dream.” I want to support someone else’s dreams because it gives me a good feeling to see others flourish and know I helped in a small way.
Issue 119: Are you so involved in details you can't see the bigger picture?
Let's kick off a few questions in this last piece of the Circle of Influence six-part series.
Have you ever made a decision, and halfway through the process, you realized you made a mistake?
Have you ever felt you needed to take the next step and hire someone because you couldn't see the forest for the trees?
Issue 118: Are You Multiplying Your Brain Power?
Have you served on a non-profit board or joined a committee with a common goal? The goal could be increasing membership, organizing a fundraiser, building a community playground, or planning a reunion. If so, whether you realize it or not, you have been part of a Mastermind. As you worked together, everyone coordinated their knowledge and effort to achieve a definitive goal. Masterminding is the next piece to add to this Inner Circle Series.
Issue 117: Are You Sitting on the Bench Unsure What to Do?
This issue in our Circle of Influence series is about the Play-Up Player. When my son played high school basketball, there was an outdoor basketball court about two miles from our house and another about 40 minutes away. One would think he’d drive to the closer one. No. He’d travel the 40 minutes through city traffic to get to a specific court with one goal: to play a pick-up basketball game on the same court as the Division 1 (D-1) college players.
Issue 116: Do You Have Intentional Accountability that Promotes Success?
When was the last time you’ve been accountable? You could think, “Mj, I’m accountable to my partner, boss, supervisor, or board of directors.” And yes, you could be. However, today, in this Bounce-Up Chronicles Issue, we’re continuing our Circle of Influence Series, talking about intentional accountability. It isn’t about being accountable to someone else’s goals or vision. It’s about being accountable to you and what you want to accomplish.
Issue 115: Who Has Climbed the Mountain Before You?
Guess what time it is? In this fourth edition of our Inner Circle series, it’s time to start building your most effective Power Team, aka Circle of Influence. It’s time to be proactive in choosing the people who believe in you, lift you higher, and help you hit your goals.
Your first Inner Circle member is your Mountain Guide.
Issue 114: When You Don't Know Where You're Going, You'll Find Yourself Somewhere Else
Before you can build your inner circle, do you know where you want to go? What’s your purpose or your big hairy audacious goal, aka BHAG? If you don’t know where you’re going, life will create a path that might not be your destination. Sometimes, we end up at a place we never intentionally wanted to go, like I did on a bicycle in Upper Peninsula, MI, during a thunderstorm.
Issue 113: How Often Do You Evaluate Your Inner Circle?
In continuing the Inner Circle series, it’s time to evaluate the “who” factor. During one of my recent workshops, a participant asked, “We’re trying to figure out “How do we identify our inner circle people who can help us reach our goals?” It’s a similar question asked frequently.
Issue 112: Who is Zapping Your Goals?
When was the last time you reviewed the people closest to you? You know, the people you share your ideas, projects, and goals with? Are these people you’ve intentionally included in your circle of influence? Or have they slowly, unintentionally become part of your life?
I’ve mentioned Jim Rohn’s most famous quote: You are the five people you spend the most time with.
We’ve heard it. We’ve acknowledged it.
Issue 111: Is It Time to Stop, Evaluate and Improvise or Adjust?
Now that we’re in the second quarter of 2023, is it a good time to stop for 15 minutes, evaluate your first three months and adjust your action plan?
I’ve coined this three-step system, The Traffic Light Approach, which I share in my keynotes and trainings. I use it for everything, from flipping adversity into positivity and improvising what I must do to hit my goals. And you can, too.
Issue 110: What Did You Say and What Did You Do?
As we end the first quarter of 2023, let’s consider how far we’ve traveled since the pandemic hit three years ago.
The big question is, “Have you accomplished what you said you would three years ago?”
If you’re like me, I made several declarations of what I would do so I would never be in a position where my business relied on in-person events. One of my clients, a c-level executive with a billion-dollar manufacturing company, admitted he wished I had digital courses when he had to cancel my in-person communication workshops.
Issue 109: Are you using the Compound Principle for lasting results?
Have you ever considered how perspectives determine whether we stay stuck or grow?
A Facebook colleague posted, "In 2023, I'm going to be the best version of me!" You can imagine the range of comments. However, I noticed that most comments fell into the category: You don't need to change.
Issue 108: What is your compass for 2023?
Have you created your goals, dreams, and resolutions for 2023? What will be on your list to achieve? Or have you decided to put aside that new year tradition because it hasn’t worked? If so, you’re not alone. U.S. News states that making resolutions only work for 20 percent of people. When it comes to resolutions, I fall into that 80 percent. Do you?
Issue 107: Are You Letting Opportunities Slip By?
For most of October and November, I've played volleyball with a respiratory challenge—it would go away, then volley back to me. Although I wouldn't want to maneuver through these symptoms again, which caused me to postpone my Ireland trip, there was an upside. During the rest time, which I flipped to call reflect time, I reviewed my 2022 goals, getting a jump start on this task that I usually kick off Thanksgiving weekend. The extra weeks enabled me to brainstorm changes I want to make for 2023 and how to add more value to my programs.
Issue 106: How a Child’s Drawing Connects to Customer Service
Last week, I opened my mail to find this special drawing from my four-year-old granddaughter, Sophia. As I see her weekly, my daughter-in-law could have waited to give this to me. Instead, she mailed it, so I would know Sophia was thinking of me.
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