“’Restore connection’ is not just for devices, it is for people too. If we cannot disconnect, we cannot lead. Creating the culture of burnout is opposite to creating a culture of sustainable creativity. 

This is something that needs to be taught in business schools. This mentality needs to be introduced as a leadership and performance-enhancing tool.”

— Arianna Huffington, Founder and CEO at Thrive Global

After meditation, Pilates, and breakfast each morning, I sit down with my coffee and read. What do I read?  Many different online periodicals from in and outside the US that help me become aware of what's happening on Planet Earth as perceived by diverse perspectives. Then, I review industry sector updates, financial trends, and an array of people who research and write about human development. Recently, I earned recognition as one of the Washington Top 50 Women Leaders, a nationwide network and online periodical hosted by "Women We Admire." I read about my colleagues around the country who are contributing phenomenally positive impacts in every industry sector you can imagine. It is a humbling honor and a deeply enriching experience to connect with so many women leaders who share my passion for shaping a world where people love their life's work. For me and our generative work at inviteCHANGE, that is every leader's job one.  

I agree with Arianna wholeheartedly that to be effective in my job one, I must restore connection with myself, my healthy rhythm, my instinct, intuition, and access to the essence of my unique expression. As we enter that last month of the first half of the year, I will spend the next week on a solo retreat in silent reflection and restoration in northern New Mexico on a ranch that The Power Path hosts. Integrity arises from my actions being congruent with my words. As I wrote in my recent book, From Tension to Transformation: A Leader's Guide to Generative Change, without pause, we risk repeating the historical habits and biases that no longer serve the complexity and uncertainty in our environment today. The pause allows the body to reset and notice where our attention is focused when we feel tension. When we stay another moment longer, deliberately considering our judgment – discernment versus being judgmental – we can override our habit and choose curiosity to lean into learning more about what's occurring beyond the boundaries of our biases. Yes, this is simple to say and far more challenging to implement without the consistent practice of pausing to notice. 

Pausing to notice is a central micro-skill to be a generative leader and fully embody the capacity of learning that relies on accessing others' points of view, being open to having one's mind changed, and receiving new data about any given situation or relationship. Recently, a CEO called to share a story with me about one of their leaders who is receiving generative coaching support and learning this vital micro-skill. The two people negotiated a multimillion-dollar lease agreement, a task typically defaulted to the CEO. The leader receiving coaching was allowed to step in and did so with confidence and ultimately grand success. As the CEO shared the story, the leader patiently listened to the other party's perspective and continued to ask open questions that invited the other person to expand their viewpoint and clarify what they found a satisfying set of terms. The terms shared were far more favorable than our client had anticipated.  In preparing for the negotiation, the CEO and the leader identified several deal-breaking issues and had their answers ready. It turned out those issues were imagined and not actual. Curiosity and patient listening eliminated the need to probe those issues and provided information about the starting point for negotiation. Much to the CEO's surprise and delight, his leader leaned in and negotiated a total amount and a payment stream 30% better than they had forecasted. This one interaction paid for the investment in coaching five-fold. 

For leaders and even coaches who have not embraced Generative Coaching, becoming more productive occurs by closing communication gaps that negatively impact how they partner. Generative Coaching is a way to bridge the gap, communicate through curiosity, and form a common language fit for the complexity of our emerging future. Leaders who realize their wholeness best assist others in doing the same, modeling how to create creative solutions to complex challenges. I will share more about this at the HEal  Conference for education, healthcare, and technology leaders in June, with a keynote talk entitled, The One Job of Leaders Requires Deliberate Judgment.  You can join us live in Las Vegas, and the three-day event will be live-streamed, too!

Now is a good time to reflect on the goals you set for the second quarter and the first half of the year.  What might you want to reset to finish the first half well and prepare for the second half of 2024, which appears to offer continued complexity and uncertainty. Give yourself the gift of pause to listen to your inner authority. Choose what most respects your values and core self. As a leader, everyone observes and follows; offer a pathway that honors their generative wholeness.

Keep loving our life's work and enjoy each moment of June!

Janet

P.S. For those of you who prefer to listen to books than read them, my new book is now available on Audible. Let me know what you think!