Personal Leadership: Your Strongest Foundation

photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Amanda Rohde

Starting in July, the Audacious Self-Care Community will be moving on to our next subtopic for the year, which will be "Boundaries and Bridges: Interacting with Others," and Leadership will be an important part of that segment.

So today, while we're still discussing our personal environments and how they affect us, I want to discuss Personal Leadership, which will be the foundation for leading others in the future.

Like the blue fish in the photo above, you may be starting to see untested leadership qualities in yourself. The fish is just at the point when he suspects that he is willing and able to be more than a couch potato (or "reef potato," in this case).

This is the humble beginning of "Blue's" future as a leader. He needs to have the courage to swim the other way for a long time before the other fish even think of following him. Some say it's lonely at the top. There's one thing for sure...it's lonely on the way to the top!

So, what is a fish (or a human) to do? Well, this is where Personal Leadership comes into the picture. Take a quick assessment of how well you lead yourself.

Do you have a role model, or even a mentor, who is not only a leader of others, but who has his or her own act together? Develop the characteristics in yourself that you'll be expecting in your followers.

A Few Examples...how are your:

~Communication Skills?

~Character Traits?

~Organizational Skills?

~Time Management Skills?

~Personal Finance Management Skills?

~...And of course your Audacious Self-Care Skills?

Just take it one block at a time, like the guy in the photo below. Over time, you'll be amazed at the changes you were able to make! And no matter how you end up using your leadership skills in the future, you'll always value the personal leadership skills you're building upon now.

photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Henrik Jonsson

"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's

plan. And guess what they have planned for you? Not much." -Jim Rohn

photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Silense

'Any comments, experiences, or questions?

Thanks,

Susan

P.S. Please join us for these global, complimentary activities via telephone!

Are there any projects you've been putting off in your office, home, or studio?

Call into my teleconference line at 7:00 pm Eastern on Tuesday, June 21st, and we'll tackle our projects together (well, sort of...).

No registration is necessary. We all call in at the tops of the hours 7:00, 8:00, and 9:00 pm

Eastern for brief check-in calls about what we we're each declaring as our project of the hour, and/or an update on the previous hour's success!

Between calls, when we're actually doing the projects, you'll feel more focused and accountable, knowing that you'll be reporting back to us!

Here's the number to call: 712-432-3973, PIN Code 7280202

I'm hosting at no charge, and there's no extra charge for using the teleconferencing service. Your only expense will be from your regular long-distance carrier. Questions? Contact me at scleaver@dejazzd.com.

We'd love to have you on the calls!

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Do you have a burning question? Call my COACHING HOT LINE on Wednesday, June 29, 2011, between 7:00 and 9:00 pm Eastern for a complimentary 20-minute coaching session! Call: 610-385-3766.

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***All of Susan's creative4life posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

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***Active member of the TriCounty Community Network at www.tcnetwork.org. ***

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The Possible You: Life-Long Learning

Life-Long Learning: A Valuable Investment in Yourself!

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/William Britten

Many of us are very stingy with ourselves when it comes to life-long learning. There are several reasons for this:

~We have financial constraints.

~We have time constraints.

~We don't feel worthy, or are afraid of failure.

~We fear it will obligate us to then go to work in that field, or at least use what we learned somehow.

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Janne Ahvo

~ We think we're too old or too young.

For this last one, I remember a great story mentioned by Julia Cameron in one of her books on creativity. It goes something like this: One friend says to another, " I'd love to learn to play the piano!" Friend #2 says, "That's great! Have you signed up for lessons yet?" Friend #1 says, "Oh, no, of course not! I'm too old to learn to play the piano. It could take years to get really good at it!" Friend #2 says, "Well, you'll be 70 in 5 years, right?" Friend #1 agrees. Friend #2 says,"And how old will you be in five years if you don't learn to play the piano?"

Coach, author, and speaker Cheryl Richardson, knows that most people are too hard on themselves about learning something new unless they have clear plans for how they'll put the new skills to work. In one of her workshops, she said the best advice she could give them in that moment was for everyone to give themselves permission to try anything new that they wanted, regardless of whether they would they would use it again or not.

Often, our intuition is what's nudging us toward a new experience well before we know why. I wouldn't want to miss an opportunity like that!

But what about the time problem? Take a look at what's on your plate right now. Is there anything you've been doing out of habit that perhaps has perhaps worn out its welcome? That's one place to look for extra time.

Take a look at what activities you could delegate or just pain dump! Does that sound a little audacious? Good! Try making a Not-to-Do List and see what you can get off your plate.

And there are lots of ways to get around the financial restraints. Don't forget about libraries, book swaps, used book stores, and sites you trust on the Internet! And of course, I hope you'll start with this site and join in on some of the complimentary and low-cost things we have going on in the Audacious Self-Care Community!

Please leave a comment, question, suggestion, or success story in the comments section of creative4life! I want our community (both local and global!) to be as interactive and inter-developmental as possible.

Thanks,

Susan

P.S. The next global event aside from the blog are the 8 complimentary hours of Hot- Line Coaching by me, on Wednesday, March 16, from noon to 8:00 pm Eastern! Just call at the top of one of these hours for a session of approximately 30 minutes. (First to call, first to be served at the top of each hour.)

Your only responsibility is to pay any long-distance charges from your phone service provider. So, if you're on an unlimited long-distance plan that includes Pennsylvania...even better! The Hot-Line Number is 610-385-3766. This type of exploratory session is a $35 value!

P.P.S. The next local event is Audacious Self-Care presented as a 4-week class that I'll be teaching for the Boyertown Continuing Education Program. There will be four 1-hour classes on Monday nights, starting March 14, from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. For details, contact me at scleaver@dejazzd.com or 610-385-3766. It's reasonably priced and definitely fun!

***All of Susan's creative4life posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

***Proud and active member of the TriCounty Community Network at

http://www.tcnetwork.org/.***

Photo (c) iStockphoto.com/William Britten

Goal Setting for Audacious Self-Care

~Complimentary Coaching Hot Line on Thursday, February 10!~

See details at the end of this post.

photo (c) iStockphoto.com/PeskyMonkey

Greetings, readers! If you haven't read about the Audacious Self-Care Community yet, please read my post from last week! This is a year-long opportunity to get and give support around how to take the best possible care of our selves, especially during the recession.

O.K., last week I promised I'd write more about goals. In my November post (You might want to check that one out, too.), I wrote about a popular goal-setting method called SMART Goals. The idea is to use this acronym to remember these elements of a great goal. Is your goal Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time Bound?

photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Marek Uliasz

I've used this SMART method for several years, and it has been very useful for me. My only problem has been with the last descriptor, Time Bound, especially when too many elements of the goal were out of my control.

If the "control factor" drops below about 75%, though, I feel that I'm making an uninformed decision. Then if I don't reach the quotas in my plan, I feel demoralized. I need to remember that I 'm stepping on the toes of my silent partner, Intuition. If the decision is that difficult for me, then I'm probably not the one to make it.

So, for goals where I have limited control or information, I use what I call STAR Goals:

S for Significant

Design a goal for your Audacious Self-Care that gets you out of your comfort zone. That may be a little scary, but that's O.K. You'll be moving forward, which is much more rewarding than spinning your wheels with a goal that requires only "busy work." Busy work comes from fear. It makes you feel productive while avoiding the real change you want to make.

T for Teamwork

Create an inter-developmental relationship with a partner or group. The interplay of your ideas will help you both stay motivated and to maintain flexible thinking. This is true whether you're working on the same goals or different ones. A little cross-pollination may be just what you need!

A for Accountability

Find at least one person who is willing to hold you accountable for completing what you've said you would do. If you're feeling a lot of internal resistance, you may need to check in with this person several times a day. Create a scoreboard for yourself if that helps.

R for Realistic

Design your goal so that it feels like a bit of a stretch (remember: no "busy work"). If you're feeling some excitement and some fear at the same time, that's a good sign that your goal is realistic. When you're planning, take into consideration your current responsibilities and leave room for the unexpected. Feeling overwhelmed is not only stressful but actually detrimental. Pushing through overwhelm is not a "badge of honor." Remember, this is Audacious Self-Care! Respect your limits and don't let your STAR burn out.

photo (c) iStockphoto.com/Diana Walters


I was inspired to develop STAR Goals after I heard Master Coach Dave Buck say that for the big plans he's working on now, he doesn't know when they will be complete. He's just going to keep at it until he gets the numbers he wants, even if it takes a few years!

If your goal doesn't inspire you to keep going without a specific end date, maybe you need to find a goal that you're more passionate about.

Comments and Questions, Please!

As you create your Audacious Self-Care Goals for "The Possible You," please let us know how the experience went for you. What goal-setting method did you use? What questions do you have? What advice do you have for us from your experience? What emotions do you feel when you think about your goals?

Remember, being a member of the Audacious Self-Care Community has no strings. You don't have to share your email address with me. There will be many complimentary activities to participate in. You don't have to participate in the reasonably-priced activities unless you are comfortable doing so.

I believe that being in the community will ease the sting of the recession for those who participate. I can't abide with the idea that when people need help the most is also when they can least afford it. Let's work together to pull ourselves out of that cycle!

Thank you,

Susan

P.S. I'm hosting a complimentary Coaching Hot Line on Thursday, February 10, 2011, from Noon to 8:00 pm Eastern! Just call at the top of one of these hours for a session of approximately 30 minutes. (First to call, first to be served at the top of each hour.)

Your only responsibility is to pay any long-distance charges from you phone provider. No prior registration is required. Just pick the top of the hour that works for you and call the Hot Line Number, 610-385-3766. This type of exploratory session is a $35 value!

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P.P.S. This Saturday, February 5, 2011, from 3:00 to 6:00 pm Eastern, join us for a peaceful journey around the labyrinth while listening to soothing live music! This opportunity is available in Pottstown, PA, for a small donation. Complimentary Reiki will also be available! Call me for more information at 610-385-3766 or email me at scleaver@dejazzd.com. This is a great chance to practice Audacious Self-Care!

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***All of Susan's posts are copyright of Susan Cleaver.***

***Proud, active member of the TriCounty Community Network at http://www.tcnetwork.org/.***

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