High Performance Leadership

How do you react to disappointment? Does it slow you down? I'm not surprised by disappointment and I'm not stopped by it, either. Just keep moving. Ramp up the courage. Dust off the creativity. Sharpen that clarity on the goal ahead. Show yourself a little compassion. And, just keep moving. -- Douglas Brent Smith

Would you like to sleep better than you currently do? Would you like to get to sleep faster, dream better, and enjoy a deeper rest so that you can wake up refreshed? There's no ignoring the basics of course -- healthy diet, frequent exercise. Here's my own personal additional tip: Set and achieve a goal for each day and you'll likely sleep better. There's no substitute for that feeling of accomplishment at achieving a goal -- and since that feeling comes after a focused and centered effort, your mind and body will be much more ready for sleep. Isn't that worth a try? -- Douglas Brent Smith

Do you remember the last time you got a new boss? Were there questions in your mind about what to expect? Did you feel any anxiety about your ability to get along? You probably knew that things were about to change, but may not have been sure whether those changes would be for the better or not. What about when you become the new boss? Do you consider how that effects other people? Do you plan for ways to let people know your expectations? Taking over as a new boss is tough. But, so is reporting to one. Take charge of your feelings and help other people deal with theirs. There's too much work to be done to waste time by ignoring what's important. How your people is important. -- Douglas Brent Smith

Do you ever read a quote that's just grabs you, pulls you in, shakes you up, and says "here, digest this!"? I don't often use a quote as the basis of this blog, but this one is an attention grabbing winner: “…feelings like disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, resentment, anger, jealousy, and fear, instead of being bad news, are actually very clear moments that teach us where it is that we’re holding back. They teach us to perk up and lean in when we feel we’d rather collapse and back away. They’re like messengers that show us, with terrifying clarity, exactly where we’re stuck. This very moment is the perfect teacher, and, lucky for us, it’s with us wherever we are.”  ~ Pema Chodron That's it. Perk up and lean in. These are all times to be more alive, not less. When do you most need to perk up and lean in? -- Douglas Brent Smith

Is your team under stress? Yes, it's every leader's task to help the team to produce at its highest level. That will at times put some people under stress. Eustress, or positive stress, can help to energize, motivate and activate people. But too much stress -- distress -- can send people into polarizing tailspins and produce counter-productive effects. That's not what you want. If you constantly place your people under stress don't be surprised if they are less than their best. Sometimes, reduce the stress.  Show some patience. Forgive a lost deadline if its not mission-critical. Laugh more, forgive often, empathize constantly. When leaders balance their strength with their compassion they become even more effective. What can you do to relieve your team of some piece of stress? Are you willing to do that? -- Douglas Brent Smith