Thanksliving: Practicing an Attitude of Perpetual Gratitude

   

It's been said that life is a good news, bad news proposition. The good news is that life's challenges help us grow. The bad news is that there is more good news coming! 😅

In his book Discovering the Laws of Life, the famed money manager and philanthropist John Templeton coined the word “Thanksliving.” He recommended practicing an attitude of perpetual gratitude.

That's not hard when times are good. But in these times, fraught with uncertainty, an attitude of continual thankfulness can be a tall order. Yet Templeton offers a radical solution. Don't just give thanks for your blessings. Be grateful for your problems, too.

This seems wildly counterintuitive at first blush (Almost crazy😲). But facing our challenges makes us stronger, smarter, tougher, and more valuable as leaders, employees, parents, mates, ...and human beings.

"Solving problems is what were made for" it's what makes life worth living," remarked Templeton.

He goes on, "Adversity, when overcome strengthens us. So we are giving thanks not for the problem itself but for the strength and knowledge that comes from it. Giving thanks for the growth ahead of time will help you grow through--not just go through--your challenges."

What ever problems we're grappling with--personal, social, health, or financial--the best course is to face them with all the courage, patience, and equanimity you can muster.

And if possible be grateful.

On occasion, of course, our problems are simply bigger than we are. In an address in 1859, Abraham Lincoln recounted the following tale:

It is said that an Eastern Monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and in all situations. They presented him with the words: "And this, too, shall pass away." How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!

That's something worth keeping in mind.

Whatever your problems, few of them can withstand the onslaught of optimism, persistence, and a genuine spirit of gratitude.

As the poet Robert Frost reminds us, "The best way out is always through."

Check out a must-read related post: Why It's Healthy And Productive to Cultivate A Culture of Gratitude at Work  (5 min read)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

 

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, third-party maintenance providers, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 

 

Thanksliving: Practicing an Attitude of Perpetual Gratitude

   

It's been said that life is a good news, bad news proposition. The good news is that life's challenges help us grow. The bad news is that there is more good news coming!

In his book Discovering the Laws of Life, the famed money manager and philanthropist John Templeton coined the word “Thanksliving.” He recommended practicing an attitude of perpetual gratitude.

That's not hard when times are good. But in these times, fraught with uncertainty, an attitude of continual thankfulness can be a tall order. Yet Templeton offers a radical solution. Don't just give thanks for your blessings. Be grateful for your problems, too.

This seems wildly counterintuitive at first blush. But facing our challenges makes us stronger, smarter, tougher, and more valuable as leaders, employees, parents, mates, ...and human beings.

"Solving problems is what were made for" it's what makes life worth living," remarked Templeton.

He goes on, "Adversity, when overcome strengthens us. So we are giving thanks not for the problem itself but for the strength and knowledge that comes from it. Giving thanks for the growth ahead of time will help you grow through--not just go through--your challenges."

What ever problems we're grappling with--personal, social, health, or financial--the best course is to face them with all the courage, patience, and equanimity you can muster.

And if possible be grateful.

On occasion, of course, our problems are simply bigger than we are. In an address in 1859, Abraham Lincoln recounted the following tale:

It is said that an Eastern Monarch once charged his wise men to invent him a sentence, to be ever in view, and which should be true and appropriate in all times and in all situations. They presented him with the words: "And this, too, shall pass away." How much it expresses! How chastening in the hour of pride! How consoling in the depths of affliction!

That's something worth keeping in mind.

Whatever your problems, few of them can withstand the onslaught of optimism, persistence, and a genuine spirit of gratitude.

As the poet Robert Frost reminds us, "The best way out is always through."

Check out a related post: Why It's Healthy and Productive to Cultivate A Culture of Gratitude

Peter Karl

Develop 5 Essential Skills to Lead Effectively in Today’s 'VUCA' World

 

 

 

 

The way we work has changed, and so has leadership. As a manager, you need to evolve, too. In today’s VUCA (Volatile. Uncertain. Complex. Ambiguous.) business climate, developing these five essential skills will help you lead your team more effectively. Mastering these skills takes practice and intentional effort.

1. Social intelligence.

A key component of emotional intelligence is social intelligence. Social intelligence is the ability to understand and tune into the emotional temperature of others. It's about reading the room, gauging the collective mood, and recognizing the emotional landscape of your team. Is everyone on the same page, or is there unspoken tension? Is there cohesion, or are there gaps in understanding? Are all voices being heard, or are some perspectives missing?

This is the ability to read your team’s emotional tone. Pay attention to unspoken cues—such as tensions, moods, and dynamics—and use that insight to guide your actions.

How to tune into the emotional dynamics of your team

Ø  Conduct regular temperature checks with your team. At your next group meeting, try this exercise: Ask everyone to write down (anonymously or not) three things they love about their work that motivate them, and three things that are frustrating. After collecting the responses, take some time to review and synthesize the feedback. Then, share the common themes with the group. Talk about the positives and the pain points. Be open and honest; transparency helps build morale and trust within the team. You might not be able to solve every problem, but this is a magical way to make your team feel that their leader cares.  People want to feel heard.

Ø  Practice sharpening your emotional radar outside of work. Try observing conversations in public spaces like cafés. Pay attention to emotional undertones, reactions, and how people connect (or don’t). Notice the nuances in their relationships and look for non-verbal cues like facial expressions, body language, and even silence. Think of it as people-watching with purpose. Have fun with it.

2. Adaptive communication.

Adjust your communication style based on the situation and audience. Listen more, speak less, and build genuine connections by understanding how your employees prefer to be treated. This skill involves knowing how and when to adjust your behavior and leadership style to fit the situation. Successful leaders adapt their approach to meet the moment and boost overall team performance. Leaders need to know how to move hearts and minds. That means not just understanding how others feel, but using that knowledge to influence, motivate, and guide.

The golden rule — treat people as you would like to be treated — is outdated. It’s now the platinum rule: treat people as they want to be treated.

How to adapt your leadership style to others

Ø  Make a concerted effort at relationship building. Whether you’re part of a team or leading one, carve out time for one-on-one conversations to understand what your colleagues care about, their priorities, and how they see the world. Empathize. Make a genuine effort to understand your employees and co-workers perspectives and feelings. Ask more and tell less and really listen

Ø  Use tools like the DISC assessment and the Predictive Index to gain deeper insights into people’s personalities. These provide a new lens to see each other. Some people are down-to-business and task-oriented, while others are more people-oriented.”

    Leaders often instinctively try to change someone’s feelings — by cheering them up or calming them down. Sometimes, simply acknowledging their emotions is enough. Letting someone know you understand their feelings without trying to change them helps in building trust.

Ø  Engage in Mindful Reflection. Before a meeting or important conversation, set clear goals for what you want to achieve and how you want to be perceived. Afterward, review how well you met those goals and consider any tweaks for next time. This practice helps develop self-awareness and adaptability.

3. Flexible thinking.

When things feel unpredictable and uncertain, there’s a natural tendency to become rigid in your thinking, which limits your ability to weigh different solutions to problems. But to be an effective leader in challenging times, you must be able to juggle competing priorities and hold opposing ideas in your head.

This means embracing ambiguity seeking out new perspectives, and understanding the larger context. When leaders signal they’re open to new opinions, research shows that team members feel safer sharing their ideas, ultimately leading to more thoughtful decisions and stronger outcomes. Thriving amid uncertainty means leaning into it, not shying away.

How to boost Your mental agility

Ø Seek out different perspectives. Consider the different viewpoints on your team. Actively listening to others, especially those with diverse experiences and perspectives, leads to more creative and thoughtful solutions. Leaders in the past felt pressure to have all the answers, but the pace of technological change calls for a different approach. Asking good questions allows you to move beyond your hardened perspective and embrace very different possibilities and ways of thinking.

Ø Experiment with tools like mind mapping. Mind mapping is a technique for diagramming ideas and organizing information in a structure similar to a flowchart, showing relationships between them. You can take meeting notes in mind-map form; you can also experiment with it during group discussions and brainstorming sessions. It taps into your creative side and it helps you visually explore ideas and uncover connections that might not be immediately obvious.

 

 4. Strategic disruption.

This is a skill that involves challenging the status quo. Rather than sticking to established conventions, leaders must identify and question outdated practices to explore new ideas that could improve outcomes. It’s not about breaking rules just for the sake of it, but rather questioning long-standing practices and pushing for continuous learning and improvement.

How to get more comfortable challenging the status quo

Ø Tap into the ideas and perspectives of others to open up new possibilities. Remember: People on the front lines and in different departments see things that you might overlook. Reserve the last 10 minutes of weekly meetings to ask everyone: What could we be doing better? This practice encourages team members to come prepared with suggestions. Even if you’re not officially running meetings, you can still contribute to a culture of innovation by offering ideas for improvement.

Ø Expand your network. Both in and outside your company with people whose worldviews are different from yours. Seek feedback from them and others who can help you uncover your biases and challenge you.

5. Resilient self-awareness.

As a leader, you’re expected to be always on call and constantly available to support your employees, whether with work issues or their mental health needs You’re expected to be dissociated from your humanity, but leaders are only human.

Self-awareness involves recognizing your own limitation and understanding when to seek support. This important leadership skill is not only about managing your own stress but also about setting a healthy example for your team. By being aware of your needs and boundaries, you demonstrate strength and self-care, which contributes to a positive work environment.

How to foster emotional strength and mental endurance

Ø Develop a strong support system. Seek resources both inside and outside of work, such as mentors, counselors, and peer groups. Having people who can offer constructive advice is invaluable — especially if they can help with real-time adjustments.

Ø Try this simple yet powerful practice. Regularly ask 4 to 6 people who know you best at work — your boss, peers, and direct reports — for feedback. Ask them: What am I doing well? And what I could improve? Give them a week to reflect, then follow up for their ideas.

Choose a couple of areas on which to focus, and then follow up with specific questions like: Five months ago, you told me to work on becoming a better listener. I’ve tried not to interrupt and to stay off my phone. How am I doing?

Repeat this process two to three times a year. You might fear that admitting weaknesses will make you seem less competent. But really, you’re modeling how to receive feedback. It makes you seem stronger and more human.

Ø Study your favorite athletes. Draw inspiration from how they manage their physical and mental states to perform at their best. Performing at peak is not sustainable. You need to know when to taper, how to recover, and how to build up endurance.

Developing these five key leadership skills isn’t just about your personal growth, it’s about shaping the future of work and inspiring those around you. Leaders are under new pressures to perform at higher levels and adapt quickly to changing demands. But while leadership today is harder, it is also more exciting. There is more opportunity to drive real change and to make a lasting positive impact.

To your greater success and well-being,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

 

Take the Next Step...

Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping energy and facilities management, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 

 

The Two Most Important Lessons a Leader Should Learn

     

“I learn something new every day. But, even more importantly, I learn the same things over and over again.” 

I was immediately struck when I heard these words. They were spoken by a world-renowned physician and neuroscientist, Dr. Steven Galetta, in his acceptance speech for a prestigious award recognizing his excellence in his profession.

Dr. Galetta said that he was always excited to acquire some critical piece of knowledge every day that he could apply to his research and in the treatment of his ailing patients.

But, even more critical to him was the opportunity every day to re-learn the fundamentals of his profession; namely in how he works with his patients. How to carefully listen to patients. How to take enough time with patients and how to ask the right questions to elicit accurate information.

You never graduate from the school of leadership because if you want to keep your leadership efforts vital and fresh, if you want to reach the heights of career success/fulfillment and stay there, then it is important to always be learning. But what exactly do you need to learn? 

Let’s use the example of Dr Galetta to set two goals for yourself:

1. BECOME AN AGILE LEARNER.

The most important skill a leader or any professional needs to master in order to succeed is that of becoming an agile learner. In that vein, create a Personal Learning Plan. Write down what you need to learn from the perspective of your direct reports and key stakeholders. 

Personal growth and by extension, leadership growth, does not happen automatically because people are living or necessarily because they have experiences. Leadership development must be planned, deliberate and consistent. In other words, if we want to realize our true leadership potential we have to work at it daily.

There are four primary ways to develop leadership capability.

The first is to study leadership and apply the lessons learned. In addition to Smart leadership classes there are plenty of great podcasts and videocasts (E.g. TED Talks), webinars, blogs, meet-up groups to supplement your company-sponsored formal leadership education.

The second way is to learn from your experiences at work. For example ask to be assigned to a challenging project that will provide you an opportunity to exercise your leadership. Remember that leadership is about influencing positive change. Also, stay alert. Observe situations from different perspectives. Watch how different people handle leadership challenges. Have a teachable spirit and ask for feedback and be open to criticisms about your performance. And above all don’t be afraid to fail. You’ll learn more from failing once or twice than from succeeding all the time.

The third way dovetails with the second which is to engage a professional leadership coach. The best leaders are a lot like professional golfers. The one thing that every elite golfer has, is a coach.The coach is there to watch the pro’s swing. 

Why? Because the golfer can't change what they can't see. Because the coach can see what the golfer can’t, change is possible. This kind of feedback builds champions and great leaders.

Check out our blog post: Coaching Works. Here's Why

The final way to develop your leadership ability is to find a true mentor. The mentor should have life and business experiences that you want to gain, a genuine willingness to help you along, and a positive relationship with you.

Click here to discover the origins of the word mentor.

Industry Expertise: What industry expertise should you acquire that will help you to provide necessary insights to your direct reports, peers, managers and stakeholders. Read books about your profession and industry. Follow specific LinkedIn discussion groups in your target industry and read the discussion threads to learn about key industry concerns. Pick a mentor who is successful in your field and learn from them to to absorb some of their knowledge and expertise.

Stakeholder Knowledge: Do your research into the stakeholder's organization, services, products, and customers. Set up Google alerts for every key stakeholder to facilitate this. Use tools like Nimble to track the conversations your stakeholders are having online. This can point you in the direction of new knowledge that you need to acquire.

Become A Source Of Value: The challenge you must set for yourself is the following: How do I become a source of value for my direct reports, manager, peers and other stakeholders? How do I acquire the knowledge, understanding and insights that will enable me to become the trusted adviser to my direct reports, manager and peers?

Use your Personal Learning Plan to set learning goals for yourself and to commit to the specific actions you will take to acquire that knowledge. Most importantly, share your Personal Learning Plan with a manager or a peer within your organization. You want their help to hold you accountable for achieving your goals. But, whatever it is, do at least one thing every single day. Even if it just reading for 30 minutes before you turn off the lights for the day.

2. LEARN THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN

This is just as important as Lesson #1.

Never assume that you have learned everything there is to know about the fundamentals of your profession or as a leader. You can always ask a question better. You can always listen better. You can always prepare more thoroughly for the 1:1 conversations with your directs.

Your success is more dependent on your successful execution of leadership fundamentals than in mastering specialized leadership skills. Why? Because if your fundamental leadership skills and habits are lacking, then you’ll never get the opportunity to demonstrate your advanced knowledge. 

The first step you can take to start learning the fundamentals over and over again is to turn-off your autopilot and start paying attention. You’re not perfect. There’s always room for improvement. Take the time to ask the right questions of direct reports and then really listen to their answers. 

Remember: learn something new and big and exciting everyday. Look at the fundamentals of your leadership with a fresh eye every single day and be conscious of what you can improve in order to better serve and deliver more value to your direct reports, manager,  peers and other stakeholders.  The reward will be that you’re a better leader. And, a better person.

Click here to read a related post: Leaders Like Great Athletes Never Stop Practicing the Fundamentals

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping energy and facilities management, service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 

The Two Most Important Lessons a Leader Should Learn

    

“I learn something new every day. But, even more importantly, I learn the same things over and over again.” 

I was immediately struck when I heard these words. They were spoken by a world-renowned physician and neuroscientist, Dr. Steven Galetta, in his acceptance speech for a prestigious award recognizing his excellence in his profession.

Dr. Galetta said that he was always excited to acquire some critical piece of knowledge every day that he could apply to his research and in the treatment of his ailing patients.

But, even more critical to him was the opportunity every day to re-learn the fundamentals of his profession; namely in how he works with his patients. How to carefully listen to patients. How to how to take enough time with patients and how to ask the right questions to elicit accurate information.

You never graduate from the school of leadership because if you want to keep your leadership efforts vital and fresh, if you want to reach the heights of career success/fulfillment and stay there, then it is important to always be learning. But what exactly do you need to learn? 

Let’s use the example of Dr Galetta to set two goals for yourself:

1. BECOME AN AGILE LEARNER.

The most important skill a leader or any professional needs to master in order to succeed is that of becoming an agile learner. In that vein, create a Personal Learning Plan. Write down what you need to learn from the perspective of your direct reports and key stakeholders. 

Personal growth and by extension, leadership growth, does not happen automatically because people are living or necessarily because they have experiences. Leadership development must be planned, deliberate and consistent. In other words, if we want to realize our true leadership potential we have to work at it daily.

There are four primary ways to develop leadership capability.

The first is to study leadership and apply the lessons learned. In addition to Smart leadership classes there are plenty of great podcasts and videocasts (E.g. TED Talks), webinars, blogs, meet-up groups to supplement your company-sponsored formal leadership education.

The second way is to learn from your experiences at work. For example ask to be assigned to a challenging project that will provide you an opportunity to exercise your leadership. Remember that leadership is about influencing positive change. Also, stay alert. Observe situations from different perspectives. Watch how different people handle leadership challenges. Have a teachable spirit and ask for feedback and be open to criticisms about your performance. And above all don’t be afraid to fail. You’ll learn more from failing once or twice than from succeeding all the time.

The third way dovetails with the second which is to engage a professional leadership coach. The best leaders are a lot like professional golfers. The one thing that every elite golfer has, is a coach.The coach is there to watch the pro’s swing. 

Why? Because the golfer can't change what they can't see. Because the coach can see what the golfer can’t, change is possible. This kind of feedback builds champions and great leaders.

Check out our blog post: Coaching Works. Here's Why

The final way to develop your leadership ability is to find a true mentor. The mentor should have life and business experiences that you want to gain, a genuine willingness to help you along, and a positive relationship with you.

Click here to discover the origins of the word mentor.

Industry Expertise: What industry expertise should you acquire that will help you to provide necessary insights to your direct reports, peers, managers and stakeholders. Read books about your profession and industry. Follow specific LinkedIn discussion groups in your target industry and read the discussion threads to learn about key industry concerns. Pick a mentor who is successful in your field and learn from them to to absorb some of their knowledge and expertise.

Stakeholder Knowledge: Do your research into the stakeholder's organization, services, products, and customers. Set up Google alerts for every key stakeholder to facilitate this. Use tools like Nimble to track the conversations your stakeholders are having online. This can point you in the direction of new knowledge that you need to acquire.

Become A Source Of Value: The challenge you must set for yourself is the following: How do I become a source of value for my direct reports, manager, peers and other stakeholders? How do I acquire the knowledge, understanding and insights that will enable me to become the trusted adviser to my direct reports, manager and peers?

Use your Personal Learning Plan to set learning goals for yourself and to commit to the specific actions you will take to acquire that knowledge. Most importantly, share your Personal Learning Plan with a manager or a peer within your organization. You want their help to hold you accountable for achieving your goals. But, whatever it is, do at least one thing every single day. Even if it just reading for 30 minutes before you turn off the lights for the day.

2. LEARN THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER AGAIN

This is just as important as Lesson #1.

Never assume that you have learned everything there is to know about the fundamentals of your profession or as a leader. You can always ask a question better. You can always listen better. You can always prepare more thoroughly for the 1:1 conversations with your directs.

Your success is more dependent on your successful execution of leadership fundamentals than in mastering specialized leadership skills. Why? Because if your fundamental leadership skills and habits are lacking, then you’ll never get the opportunity to demonstrate your advanced knowledge. 

The first step you can take to start learning the fundamentals over and over again is to turn-off your autopilot and start paying attention. You’re not perfect. There’s always room for improvement. Take the time to ask the right questions of direct reports and then really listen to their answers. 

Remember: learn something new and big and exciting everyday. Look at the fundamentals of your leadership with a fresh eye every single day and be conscious of what you can improve in order to better serve and deliver more value to your direct reports, manager,  peers and other stakeholders.  The reward will be that you’re a better leader. And, a better person.

Click here to read a related post: Leaders Like Great Athletes Never Stop Practicing the Fundamentals

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

 

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.