Pull out your calendar from last week and do a calendar audit.   
​(Did you notice the first thing you did is pull out your phone?​)

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• How many of the meetings you attended did you actively participate and contribute? 
• How many meetings could have been handled with a quick phone call? 
• How many of them did you tune out and multi-task? 
• Did the time energize you, help you move a project forward or did it drain you and add no value to what you are trying to achieve?

 
Imagine if you had used some of that time to coach or mentor one of your people, had a conversation with a colleague to dive deep into a challenge, or met with someone from another part of your organization to learn more about what they do so you expanded your strategic horizons. Just like our mobiles and devices, what if you were to cut out even a quarter of those meetings? What could you have done that had true meaning—true impact?
 
None of us are immune. Resoundingly what I hear from across demographics, industries, and organizations is I am so tired of spending my days in useless meetings or managing a barrage of emails that were not beneficial. I feel so burnt out. I wish I had time for my people, family, or friends. More time to do the things I love—take care of myself. So when will we take back some time and put real meaning back in our lives?

So, let's start a movement:
 
Put it down – – I think we use our phones like a shield. We hide behind them to avoid looking alone, making small talk, interacting with someone we don't know, or even exchanging pleasantries. There is a whole world out there. Take in the sights and sounds. It's incredible what we could see and learn by just having our heads up. Let's commit to keeping our phones in our pockets or, better yet, turning them off when we are with others, working on an important task that requires deep thinking, or spending time with our family or friends. 

Ban it – I get it, you're busy. I'm busy; we are all busy. One of the phrases Mike Abrashoff, my partner, banned from his sailor's lips was, "Well, that's how it's always been done around here." In our society, "I'm busy" has become a competition, a status symbol, a badge of honor. It's how we hide many times from real interactions, difficult conversations, and sadly having a life. So, let's ban it. People matter. I have yet to hear, "I wish I had time to go to one more meeting, fill out another spreadsheet or do more emails." We need to stop and think about what, and especially who matters most, and make the time for those things and interactions.
 
Think before you text/email/set up a meeting – I was just speaking with a leader who told me her day started with a 6 AM meeting (it was now 2:30 PM), she looked absolutely exhausted. I asked her, "What do you recall from the first meeting?" She stared at me and said nothing at first. She too, was a bit shocked by her reaction. We need to start asking ourselves and the people with interact with; can this conversation be taken care with a quick call, is it worthy of junking up someone's feed, or better yet, if you're back in the live environment, can I walk over for a quick face to face discussion? These endless meetings do nothing but suck up our time, energy, and engagement.
 
 
Over the last several weeks, I have been trying to practice this. I am not going to lie. It's tough. But what I have found by just trimming back a little, I've read two books, met a friend for coffee, cleaned a few closest, and got organized for several client engagements that are coming up. I feel more:

• More productive
• More social
• Less stressed
• More focused
• In the moment

 
So, who's with me, what will you do with your time if you skinny down your consumption of m&m's?  Leave me a comment below, let's talk about this!

Weary and Worn — two words that come to mind when I think about the state of our leaders today. As the economy still continues to try to recover, your people are trying to hold on tight to jobs, sense of security and hope. In our current economic times, it’s more important than ever to inject some energy into building your leaders’ capabilities so that they have the motivation to continue to hold on tight to navigate these rough waters.
 
In times like these, the productivity of your leaders is what can make or break your business.  It may feel counter intuitive, but now is the time for you to search for opportunities to grow and develop your leaders. Only those who do this will have the best chance of surviving in this economy to position their companies for future growth.
 
Building Resilient Leadership Capabilities 
Let’s face it, in our new, unsettled world, getting the most out of your people needs to be a priority for every single one of your leaders and managers. But, these types of leaders are not born, but cultivated over time. During any challenging economic time, employees turn first to their immediate supervisors for advice, support, direction and help with problem solving.
 
Give your leaders and managers the tools, strategies and approaches they need to drive the engagement, retention and ultimately, the productivity of their people. With our future uncertain, teach your managers how to build a safe environment that encourages open dialogue, promotes the growth of the team and its individuals, nurtures strong productive relationships, and cultivates a climate where their people can flourish.
 
There’s one caveat though. Your managers and leaders are scared too. They need reassurance that you have their best interest in mind and that together, you can weather this storm.

• Remind them frequently that they are vital to you and future of your company.
• Praise their hard work and coach them in areas where they have the opportunity to improve.
• Create an environment where they can take calculated risks and learn from them.

 
Only when they feel safe can they create the same environment for others.
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Check out our latest virtual offerings for ways to grow and develop your leaders: 

How a gutted Pillow led to a Great New Idea
Rip….Rip…Rip
 
It was a heads down afternoon. I blocked out time to “go dark” and work undisrupted on upgrading our Innovation workshop. I set up camp in our dining room. I had papers, notes, my tablet and laptop all sprawled out – I was ready to go.

Rip…Rip…Rip….
 
What is that noise? Annoyed, I saved my document and got up to follow the sound.
Rip….Rip…Rip
 
I walk into my family room only to find our golden retriever surgically gutting a pillow. Fluff was EVERYWHERE—not sure even with CPR this pillow was going to make it. I bellow his name…BARKLEY!!! He paused glanced up with those cute puppy eyes that has saved him on numerous occasions, and gave me a look like “What’s your problem?”
 
At that moment I knew I had a choice. I could chastise him, or I could hold the mirror up and ask what did I do to cause this behavior? As I glanced down at my watch, I realized I had been heads down over two hours. It also dawned on me that he’d given me several warning signs – nudging my arm with his snout, coming in and sitting next to me, even hitting me with his paw.
 
I had to take part of the blame. He’d given me several signs that he wanted some of my attention and a bit of time. With his eyes on me, he anxiously waited to see what I was going to do next. I then spoke one of his favorite words “Tennis!” He ran to the door, leaping in circles, yelping with glee. I laced up my sneakers, grabbed the tennis racket and headed outside for 10 minutes of fetch.
 
As I settled back behind my laptop, I was more awake and had a great new idea percolating in my head, he curled up happily at me feet. As a bent down and rubbed his ears, it struck me, “He’s smarter than he acts (well most of the time – he’s a handful)!”. 
 
Now more than ever, with so many of us working from home, do we ignore the signs to stop, take a break or spend some time doing something we enjoy?
 
In our jam-packed and uncertain world, I think it’s more important than ever to sneak in these micro moments. They are the key to our sanity, health and can hold our next great idea.
 

This was the text I just received from a friend who is experiencing one of the dark sides of working from home—the kitchen is ALWAYS calling! On the surface, working from home would seem to give you unparalleled control of your diet. You decide what and when to eat. You have a pantry filled with healthy food and snacks. What a great time to lose those ten pounds you’ve been fighting with forever. What could possibly go wrong?

In short, everything!

I’ve worked from home for over the last 15 years and the struggle is real. It’s way too easy to meander into the kitchen and “just have one bite” or convinced myself that I NEED that brownie to give me that boost to get through my next Zoom call.

And, my pantry isn’t helping my battle either during this crisis. Yes, we are stocked with lots of immunity-boosting, good for you foods; fruits, veggies, lean proteins, almond milk, yogurts—you name it, we go it. But, let’s face it during times of stress and uncertainty along with having a ravenous college junior and high school senior now hunkered down with us 24/7, our pantry has gone to the dark side. At this very moment you’ll find cosmic brownies, cookie dough and peanut M&Ms—all whispering my name.
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During the first few days of the pandemic, I heard so many people proclaim, now that I’m going to be home, “I am going to exercise every day!”, “I’m going to lose 20 pounds”, “I’m going to do a cleanse and cut out sugar!”. While these are all noble aspirations, this truly isn’t the time to set lofty goals. We are all under enough stress and pressure as we all adjust to this new normal.
Instead, over the next few months let’s shoot for being HEALTHY. Let’s take the pressure off and start with small adjustments and tweaks. This will allow us to stick with our changes, experience success and help us be even more fit to lead during these trying times. Remember, most habits take three months to establish, so hopefully we can come out of this crisis with several new healthy habits that are sustainable and will give us the energy and stamina we need to give the most to our jobs and the people we love.
Here are a few things I’ve learned over the years:
 
Start the Day off on the Right Foot!
Have you ever noticed that after a brisk walk or even some stretching you come back with a different mindset? Exercise truly is a magic pill. In as little as 15 minutes you can boost your mood, turn from sluggish to energized and clear your mind. Also, by starting your day on a healthy note, you will be more likely to continue that trend throughout the day.
Before you jump into your schedule for the day:

• Take a brisk walk around your yard or neighborhood
• Set the timer and walk up and down your stairs
• Go old school and do some jumping jacks, pushups, mountain climbers
• Practice some yoga moves
• Grab your kids and kick a soccer ball around the yard, play tag, shoot some hoops

Eat Breakfast
I am not a big breakfast eater. The thought of food first thing literally makes me nauseous first thing in the morning. But I have developed a routine that works. For me, after my coffee, I shower and get ready for the day. Right before I head to my office or spot for the day, I make a smoothie loaded with fruits, kale, almond milk and protein power. This along with my water bottle filled to the brim sustains me for the morning. I also feel “healthy” and keep the munchies at bay.
Pack your Lunch and Snacks
I know it sounds a bit crazy, you can just stroll down the hall and make lunch when your hungry. Well that’s precisely the problem. If you’re like me, I’m on the phone all morning and when it’s time to grab lunch, I am ravenous. So that salad I told myself I would eat that day now looks as appealing as cardboard. I convince myself that “just for today” I am going to skip that salad and have something fun – it’s now day 22!

• Get some washable containers and make and pack a reasonable amount of food for the day.
• Pack your lunch and snacks the night before so it’s ready to go.
• Convenience is key. Have cut-up vegetables ready to go in the fridge so that, if you want to snack on celery and hummus, you already have washed and cut up celery ready to go in a Ziploc bag (this prevents you from thinking: "I don't have time/don't feel like washing celery and cutting it right now").

Make it a virtual lunch date
My big joke when people would ask me what I do for lunch is I would tell them “I eat my Lean Cuisine over the trash can!” The worst thing you can do is mindlessly shovel in food while on a conference call or inhale it in a hurry. Get up and move away from your office, even if it’s for a few minutes. And, just because you don't have coworkers to drag you out to lunch doesn't mean you have to suffer in silence.

• Call a friend and have virtual lunch together
• Have a socially distance lunch with a neighbor
• Grab your family and eat outside

Snack, it’s okay
I am a big believer in moderation. It’s okay to eat those M&Ms, just not the whole bag. Many times, when we deprive ourselves, especially under stress, we only make the cravings worse.
So instead:

• Break out those small containers that are lurching in the back of your cabinet and fill them with your favorite treats. It’s perfectly fine to have some “fun” snacks, but just proceed with caution.
• By measuring out a portion, one you’ll be satisfied that you got to eat the whole thing and two, even if you wanted more it’s going to take a conscious effort to get up and go get it!

Out of Reach—Out of Mind
I live with some very tall people and I am not. Our family joke is that I am 5’5” when I puff my hair (80’s and a Jersey girl!!) I’ve been known to ask family to place my favorite indulgences on the highest shelf in our pantry so it’s literally out of reach. If I truly want that snack, I have to work for it. Either I have to drag over the bar stool to reach it or go find someone to get it for me. Most of the time, I resign myself to the fact that the effort’s just not worth it (or the cajoling from my fam). But if I do go through the gyrations to get that coveted snack I’ve at least gotten in some movement to earn it!

Have an accountability partner
Once you start building healthy habits, they'll be easier to stick to. You’ll start feeling better and have more energy to tackle your day. However, if you need help, don't be afraid to reach out and get it. When working from home, willpower can only take a person so far. Keep a food journal, ask a friend to be your partner or create a health challenge with your team.
Now wipe those Doritos off your fingers and let’s get started!
 
 -Stacey

Last week I was sitting in a cute and cozy coffee shop in Queen’s Village (in Philly) catching up on some work as I waited for a friend for dinner. I had just come from a fantastic brainstorming meeting with one of our clients and I was eager to get what I had in my head, into a cohesive plan on my laptop. I hunkered down at a table by the window that also faced the door (I’m Italian and an extrovert, what can I say!) As I sipped my latte and compiled my ideas, I was vaguely aware of what was going on around me until the belly giggles of a young girl and a deep chuckling of her Dad piqued my curiosity. I found myself chuckling too, so I looked up to see what the fun was all about.
I noticed two things when I scanned the room that made me smile even more--almost everyone in the shop was smiling, grinning or chuckling too (remember your attitude positive or negative is contagious). What was even more striking, was that most of the tables were filled with men with their kids.
I decided to take a few minutes to sit back, and enjoy the moment. What a phenomenal scene. First of all, I loved, loved, loved the paradigm shift. These were Dads taking time out of their schedules to be there for their kids. Some were chatting, one duo was playing a game (a real one, not one on a computer!), a few were working on homework and others were sharing a snack.
You’re probably asking yourself what this has to do with leadership---well EVERYTHING!
These dads were not only being amazing role models, but they were teaching their kids the very foundational skills every great leader needs to master—the art of conversation, giving and receiving feedback, problem-solving, decision-making, listening, showing interest, balancing work/life, setting priorities, and being committed to others. These Dads were integrating their life and work while creating life-long memories that would fuel their relationships now and for years to come.
Aren’t these the exact things we yearn for from our leaders? Don’t we want them to drive results but also create environments where we can be heard, feel valued, acknowledged and know we matter? Don’t we want them to make the time to talk to us not just about our to-do’s, but get to know us on a human level? Don’t we need them to model what is expected and show us that it’s okay to have a life that integrates what matters most to us so we can perform at our very best?
In that moment, it struck me. If we are going to help leaders become even better, we will have to support their growth not just in the traditional sense of their organizational roles. We will have to get them to look at a more integrated view. We need to compel them to be LEADERS in their LIVES both outside and inside their work environment.
In our intertwined and inter-connected world we can no longer view leadership in a vacuum. To be a LEADER in their LIVES means looking at tough topics like health, wellness, work/life integration, resiliency, stress and burnout, purpose, community involvement and career fulfillment. In this short exchange, I was able to see that the same skills needed in our work lives were the very things these caregivers brought to their interaction with their children. In developing Leaders, we need to focus on an even more integrated approach to development to highlight the connections between the two.
So, this year you’re going to see us continue on our relentless pursuit of excellence around leadership (we have some amazing new ideas, tools and resources!) but we are going to add a twist. We want to start a serious dialogue with you about what it really means to be a LEADER in your LIFE.
Our conversations with you in 2020 will tackle some tough topics:

•  How will you create the right blend of experiences to drive your engagement, development, well-being, career and life so you can perform at your highest level?
• How will you stop feeling guilty and learn to make more micro adjustments versus sweeping changes to be the best leader you can be in all aspects of your life?
•  What are you willing to do to stop waiting for things to get better, slower or change in order to create an integrated life filled with experiences that matter?

Along with that dialogue, you will also see us:

• Sharing new and exciting tools, resources, keynotes, training and coaching focused not just on enhancing your leadership skills but also making the tweaks you’ll need to balance your health, wellness, stress and resiliency.
• Making enhancements to our website, providing easier navigation, access to tools and resources so that we can help you be the leader in your life you aspire to be.
•  Rolling out a virtual “hangout” called SHIP HAPPENS where we can come together to learn, grow, share ideas and discuss challenges.

As I packed up my things in the coffee shop, I thought about a commercial I had recently seen for Tecovas Boots. In their spot they say “In the grandest sense this is everyone’s first rodeo”. Boy, did they get it right. It’s a one-way ticket, make it count.
What do you want your rodeo to be?
-Stacey