Leadership | Jackie Yun

Leadership & The Breeze

June 23, 2015 — 12 Comments

“The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep.” and so Rumi aptly advises us.

But, who is this breeze?
What if the breeze could be you?

Leadership can take the form of the breeze in Rumi's quote (i.e. Being the Messenger)

If you had the chance to be the breeze in someone’s dawn, would you take it?
Image courtesy of Serge Bertasius Photography at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

In the garden,

a lone unusual flower blossomed at the end of a branch.

Snapping a shot, I tweeted:

“TakeThisMoment #Leadership #Thought:
Go ahead, go out on a limb. Something good will blossom.”

This tweet about leadership resonated and was retweeted, but held a secret.
Photo credit: Jackie Yun | JackieYun.com

Then a breeze blew in

from @szark_1 , not a follower of mine but a follower of @ghani_b who follows me and I him. Quietly responding to me and @ghani_b, @szark_1 tweeted:

“what looks so beautifully is a strong poison ‘Datura’“.

In Leadership Confidence, Connection, Empowerment, Growth, Heart, Intention, Leadership, Management, Motivation, Personal Development, Relationships

Finding Time to Thank Your Team

December 31, 2014 — 5 Comments

The Work Sharknado gnashes your good intentions to bits!

An unrelenting torrent of projects needs your guidance, a storm of less than delighted (i.e. irate) customers expects answers from you, and a pile up of high priority demands from your boss and the executive suite screams for your attention.

When can you find the time to thank your hard working team?

You don’t have to let Team Appreciation fall into the jaws of the Work Sharknado!
Image courtesy of iosphere at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Don’t let the Work Sharknado blow your appreciation intentions into disarray.

Counterattack with this simple one-word approach:

“Re-purpose”.

3 Imminently Do-Able Ideas To Find Time For Appreciation

Re-purpose Your Time! Execute on Showing Your Appreciation.
Image courtesy of KROMKRATHOG at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Execute on this and you’ll be able to give yourself back the time you need to show gratitude to your team. Here are 3 imminently do-able suggestions — these will also net some side benefits that’ll take you and your team’s effectiveness sky high.

1. Turn Your Office Hour into A “Thank-You” Office Hour

Your Office Hour: Perfect Venue to Show Your Appreciation!
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For your stream of office hour visitors, start each conversation with a word of appreciation. Don’t let the issue of the day cloud over and make you forget to express your appreciation!

On the flip side, (yes, hard to admit) there were quiet times during my weekly drop-in office hour when I wasn’t reeling anyone from the team in. Maybe this happens to you, too?

Don’t succumb to temptation to use that time to attend to your own work (I know the temptation myself!). Re-purpose those minutes into productive staff appreciation time.

Fill out your company stationery or a few blank note cards (which you’ve bought previously and stashed in your desk) with your sincerest “merci” to a team member or two. Then personally deliver these notes straight to the recipient!

No stationery? You forgot to buy note cards? No worries. Text or call instead. Email can do in a pinch, but it can get lost in that ocean of an inbox, even if the email is from “the boss”.

Ready to cast your net wider?

In Leadership Appreciation, Connection, Culture, Empowerment, Gratitude, Health, Intention, Leadership, Lolly Daskal, Management, Motivation, Relationships, Thank You, Time

Mini-Saga 1: The Tsunami and Your Leadership

February 16, 2014 — 8 Comments

Your leadership will face untenable constraints.

How will you respond to the Tsunami that awaits your Leadership?
Image courtesy of federico stevanin / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

T S U N A M I !

Crushing, demolishing, relentless.

Then, miraculous

L I F E !

The son, focused on getting his injured mother to safety amid destruction,

purposely ignores a whimper.

Until his mother speaks.

“What if that boy was Simon or Thomas?

You would want someone to help them…

Even if it’s the last thing we do.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Those words of extraordinary heart-centered leadership are from Maria Belon, the real-life mother who wrote about surviving the 2004 Tsunami that hit Thailand. Her book is the basis for the movie: “The Impossible” and the powerful “Even if it’s the last thing we do” scene:

From which a question emerges for us as leaders:

When the tsunami-at-work hits,

In Leadership Books, Confidence, Empowerment, Gut, Leadership, Management, Mindfulness, Movies, Stress

Empowerment Works, If You Work It

November 26, 2013 — 6 Comments

Some leaders say that Empowerment is passe, cliched.

I disagree.

There is still power behind empowerment.

Don't forget about Empowerment as a Leadership Tool

Empowerment is still a Bright Idea!
Image courtesy of KROMKRATHOG at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Review this definition from BusinessDictionary.com and see for yourself.

“A management practice of sharing information, rewards, and power with employees so that they can take initiative and make decisions to solve problems and improve service and performance.

Empowerment is based on the idea that giving employees skills, resources, authority, opportunity, motivation, as well as holding them responsible and accountable for outcomes of their actions, will contribute to their competence and satisfaction.”

Empowerment is a Basic Tenant of Good Leadership.

My question to you, as executive to executive, leader to leader, manager to manager —- do you empower your people?

Before you blithely say, “I certainly do!”. Tell me how you would answer the following 12 questions to see how you fare.

If you still don’t agree about the power of empowerment, please humor me. Spend just a few minutes to answer these same 12 questions and see if you feel differently. You might be missing out on having a more effective, efficient and happier team.

12 Questions To Gauge How Much You Empower Your People

1. If someone on your team makes an appointment with your boss for a 1:1 meeting just between the two of them, how do you feel?

In Leadership Connection, Culture, Empowerment, Leadership, Management, Motivation, Relationships

Getting Your Work Groove Back via The 4th of July

July 2, 2013 — 4 Comments

Independence Day Songs Will Re-Ignite Your Work Passion

4th of July Celebration Songs – A Way to Re-Ignite Your Work
Image courtesy of emptyglass at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Flag waving, parades, hot dogs, lemonade, family and friends. It’s the 4th of July and you’re looking forward to a break from work.

How about if you not only get a break, but return to work with a new sense of excitement, boldness, ownership, inclusion, and pride?

These 5 Independence Day songs (plus a bonus song) might just do that for you…

1. “Coming to America” by Neil Diamond

Got a dream to take them there
They’re coming to America
Got a dream they’ve come to share
They’re coming to America…

You’ve lost the dream and work is pure drudgery. Your energy and anticipation have dissipated. Revitalize by remembering when it was new. Feel what our forefathers and foremothers felt with the awesomeness of “Coming to America”.

If the song isn’t enough to re-kindle your spirits, read Alli Polin’s “Clear the Dust Off Your Passion”. Alli will get you re-directed. I like her observation and suggestion that “If your current perspective is ‘this sucks’, clearly you need to tap into a more powerful perspective”.

In Leadership Alli Polin, Career, Confidence, Connection, Empowerment, Gut, Jennifer V. Miller, Jesse Lyn Stoner, Leadership, Leia Cator, Lolly Daskal, Motivation, Music, Relationships, Tanveer Naseer

#ThreeWords For Your Valentine

February 10, 2013 — 7 Comments

If you haven’t seen the 2012 Valentine’s Day Reese’s commercial, watch it now before reading further. Yes, we’re no longer in 2012, but it just caught my attention.

According to the delectable chocolate-peanut-butter-cup candy maker, the three words your Valentine wants to hear are:

“I got Reese’s”.

You know what? Given our politically-correct, sue-happy world; those three words are certainly more acceptable than “I love you” for your Valentines-at-work — your team.

Here are 21 other appreciative, thoughtful, full-of-gratitude #ThreeWords…

In Leadership Appreciation, Culture, Leadership, Motivation, Relationships, ThreeWords

The Character Based Leader. Instigating A Revolution.

January 20, 2013 — 20 Comments

Are You A Character Based Leader?

It was a kick to the abdomen. Negative energy spiked across the room. The collective shield went up. The message they heard was that they and their work were nothing special. None of their efforts counted. All because THAT word was used at an all-hands meeting to explain the reason for outsourcing.

That word was “commodity”.

Per BusinessDictionary.com ~ A reasonably homogeneous good or material, bought and sold freely as an article of commerce.

And yes, this actually happened!

The outcome (even with outsourcing as part of the plan) would’ve been very different, if our executive had followed Jane Perdue’s advice. Continue Reading…

In Leadership Books, Culture Change, Goal Setting, Leadership, Management, Mindfulness, Personal Development, Relationships, ThreeWords

Corporate Warrior with a Cold or Flu? 4 To-Do’s.

December 21, 2012 — 8 Comments

Photo Corporate Warrior ID 10024867 Freedigitalphotos.com by Sura Nualpradid

Should a Corporate Warrior, with a Cold or Flu, Go to Work or Stay Home?
Photo Credit: www.freedigitalphotos.net by Sura Nualpradid

DayQuil®, Musinex, Kleenex®, orange juice and bottled water – check! These are your Corporate Warrior’s weapons of choice against the dreaded cold or flu. Throw them into your brief case and you’re ready for another day at the office.

Stop.

What if you didn’t go into the office?

What if you looked at the cold or flu as the “gift of a pause”? Continue Reading…

In Leadership Body, Books, Empowerment, Management, Motivation, Relationships

Would You Let Your Gut Speak in the Corporate World?

December 21, 2012 — 2 Comments

Hello Leader. Your Gut Is Speaking. Are You Listening?
Photo Credit: www.pixelperfectdigital.com by Darren Hester

“I’ve been mandated to shut down the office by next June, after we deliver on our key project this upcoming April”.

All eyes quickly turned my way. It was as quick as a door slamming shut and I hoped that wasn’t what it would portend. I knew conventional wisdom would not have approved of what I had just said. Our HR Generalist’s shocked reaction re-confirmed that. Instead, I had taken my direction from my gut.

Would my team walk out and make an already terrible project situation disastrous?

Was the Gut Wrong?

Will Lukang graciously encouraged me to write about it at his blog. Please read more.

Note:

Leaders in the corporate world are taught to get as much information as possible before making a decision. What if that information comes from your gut? What would you do? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section.

And remember…

#TakeThisMoment and create a partnership with your gut. – Jackie Yun

In Leadership Gut, Management, Mindfulness, Relationships

Archives For Leadership

“The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don’t go back to sleep.” and so Rumi aptly advises us.

But, who is this breeze? What if the breeze could be you?

In the garden,

a lone unusual flower blossomed at the end of a branch.

Snapping a shot, I tweeted:

“TakeThisMoment #Leadership #Thought: Go ahead, go out on a limb. Something good will blossom.”

Then a breeze blew in

“what looks so beautifully is a strong poison ‘Datura’“.

The Work Sharknado gnashes your good intentions to bits!

When can you find the time to thank your hard working team?

Don’t let the Work Sharknado blow your appreciation intentions into disarray.

Counterattack with this simple one-word approach:

“Re-purpose”.

1. Turn Your Office Hour into A “Thank-You” Office Hour

Ready to cast your net wider?

T S U N A M I !

Crushing, demolishing, relentless.

Then, miraculous

L I F E !

The son, focused on getting his injured mother to safety amid destruction,

purposely ignores a whimper.

Until his mother speaks.

“What if that boy was Simon or Thomas?

You would want someone to help them…

Even if it’s the last thing we do.”

Those words of extraordinary heart-centered leadership are from Maria Belon, the real-life mother who wrote about surviving the 2004 Tsunami that hit Thailand. Her book is the basis for the movie: “The Impossible” and the powerful “Even if it’s the last thing we do” scene:

From which a question emerges for us as leaders:

When the tsunami-at-work hits,

Some leaders say that Empowerment is passe, cliched.

I disagree.

Empowerment is a Basic Tenant of Good Leadership.

12 Questions To Gauge How Much You Empower Your People

Flag waving, parades, hot dogs, lemonade, family and friends. It’s the 4th of July and you’re looking forward to a break from work.

How about if you not only get a break, but return to work with a new sense of excitement, boldness, ownership, inclusion, and pride?

These 5 Independence Day songs (plus a bonus song) might just do that for you…

1. “Coming to America” by Neil Diamond

“I got Reese’s”.

Here are 21 other appreciative, thoughtful, full-of-gratitude #ThreeWords…

Was the Gut Wrong?

Note:

More Ideas & Thoughts:

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Searching for Something Specific?

But, who is this breeze?
What if the breeze could be you?

“TakeThisMoment #Leadership #Thought:
Go ahead, go out on a limb. Something good will blossom.”