Leadership - joyhearts

Not another system?!

March 1, 2020Blog, Impact, Leadership, Perspective, work-life balance

Who here has been trained in time management systems and – after weeks of implementation (and good intentions) – decided to go back to the basic systems you used before? This week in workshops and client conversations it’s been a theme that the best results often don’t come from big systems, but instead from applying one or two key principles to how we approach tasks and time. My favourite combination is this: What’s the outcome? Use 20-minute time pockets to deliver The first will become a welcomed habit: before any call, meeting or task, ask yourself which outcome you would like. Jumping heedlessly into your email inbox vs deciding the outcome of the next 20 minutes of email focus means everything for your productivity. The same goes for conversations. Many different schools of thought, like the Pomodoro method, use this second principle because it’s hard to keep focus and concentration for longer than 20 minutes at a time. Therefore, we help our wellbeing and efficiency by planning for windows of time with specific outcomes – and enjoy a stretch, a glance out the window or a tea before you dive dedicatedly into the next window of time. Would you like … More Not another system?! »

Do you trust your team?

February 2, 2020Blog, Leadership, Perspective

We just did a gig with our choir and more than 30 of us went out for breakfast together afterwards. Do you recall these moments of eating out with a big group and getting the bill? Depending on what your thoughts were just now as I asked the question, that’s the level of trust you have in those groups you’ve been in. For some, the first thought would have been: oh yes, here we go, there’s always an amount missing and the ones left to count up end up paying the gap. OR you think: yes, isn’t it nice being with people where you KNOW there will always be enough, everyone would have paid their part and those able to have added a bit to cover any unforeseen miscalculations and make sure there’s enough for tips. The last version is true for this group: lots of people stayed around to check that it’s all good, everyone expects it will be fine and of course it was – with plenty of tips to the great team of waiters. Think of your current team. Would you be expecting to be the one covering the gap? Do you immediately think of specific people … More Do you trust your team? »

Looking back…. over my shoulder?

December 8, 2019Blog, Leadership, Perspective

This time of year we tend to look back. Appreciating the year that passed, the people we spent time with, the achievements we created. Looking back is wonderful, and it’s also a really important part of our personal journey, looking at who we were yesterday (yesteryear, yester decade) compared to who we are today. Cherish looking back and then give some thought to looking ahead. With the words of the futurist we had guest speaking recently: let’s plan the future based on the future! Unfortunately, most often we as leaders and business owners – and in our private lives – plan and predict the future based on the past. And even if that shows what we were capable of, it risks holding us tied to the choices of the past. With a new decade in sight: what about taking a fresh view on yourself and your capabilities? Of your team, your business, your life? Planning who and where you want to be in the future – and creating the strategy and focus based on THAT instead of the past?! Looking back is valuable. Let’s now look ahead – and still use our own shoulder (not what everyone else is doing) … More Looking back…. over my shoulder? »

Over-committing myself…. who me??!!

November 24, 2019November 24, 2019Blog, Inspiration, Leadership, Life skills, Perspective

On the radio today, I got the opportunity to have a conversation with a good colleague around over-committing ourselves and what to do about it. Do you recognise it? Especially this time of year. So many of us stressing out about all the events we have committed to. Here’s the truth: it’s never about how much is in the calendar. It’s how we tackle it. We all have 24 hrs in a day, and this time of year gives us the opportunity to become even better at tackling busyness. Tip #1: you have committed, accept that it is what it is Tip #2: plan for respectful and smooth arrivals and departures Tip #3: be present Let’s unpack each one of them. First of all, when you have committed – that’s it. Stop running stories in your head or out loud about how you have over-committed or how busy it is or how full-on this weekend will be. Advance coaching: stop it! You say yes or no upfront, and when you have committed, no need to waste brain and air-time creating dramas around it. Secondly, if you have been slightly over-optimistic with how much you can fit in a day, be … More Over-committing myself…. who me??!! »

Ready for a new decade?

October 13, 2019Blog, Inspiration, Leadership, Perspective, Power of Language

We have a few weeks left of this month. A few months left of this year – wait, what? It’s not just a year coming to an end, it’s a decade! Which means we’re about to enter a brand new decade. That’s exciting – or scary if you’re not sure how to go about it. What do you want to make happen in the 20s? WHO do you want to be? What do you ABSOLUTELY want to leave behind and close the door on in this decade? Let’s use the next few months wisely. To get clear on the answers to these questions for you, your teams and your business. Let’s make this new decade matter. Make YOU matter. Let’s create the best decade ever. P.S.: I saw the Aretha Franklin movie Amazing Grace yesterday with a friend from our choir and absolutely loved it. She is so effortless when she sings. So true to herself. She keeps it so simple and yet moves so many people. The lyrics from one of the songs hit me (and stuck with me because I know myself well enough to grab my phone to capture it): “If I could I surely would”. And … More Ready for a new decade? »

På med hørebrillen!!

September 29, 2019Blog, Leadership, Perspective

Growing up, we had a Danish saying that you would throw at someone who didn’t get what you were trying to say: ‘på med hørebrillen’ – meaning put on your hearing glasses, step it up, tune into what I’m telling you. Technically, it is a pair of glasses with built-in microphones that help hearing-impaired pick up more of a conversation. I thought of the saying this week, as I realised how differently we are all equipped to listen to each other’s messages and pick up what is intended. Or (as it happens most often) not listening for the intent but cross-wiring the message unintendedly based on our own filters and triggers. In most everyday conversations – privately and work-related – the delivery of a message is not picked up by the receiver, either because we are not tuned in to the same channel – or because too many external factors take our attention away from focusing on the intended message. And it made me smile realising how a trifecta has developed my superior hearing over the years – not literally if tested – but applied: 1) growing up speaking a minority language, 2) being brought up by loving parents encouraging … More På med hørebrillen!! »

Dead wood?

September 1, 2019Blog, Inspiration, Leadership, Perspective

As I ran down the bush on a recent windy day, I noticed this eerie sound and stopped to figure out where it was coming from. It was a special group of trees, standing very close, moving in the wind. I realised it was the dead branches making this creaking noise as they hit against each other whenever a forceful gust of wind passed by. It reminded me of the thin pick-up-sticks from the Mikado game – when they fall on each other as your fist lets go at the start of the game. Only in this case, the dead branches were still on the trees. Trees naturally shed dead branches. Gum trees are known as “widow-makers” because they do it randomly and unexpected. Yet here was a kind of tree holding on to these dead sticks. When the wind hurls, fresh and vibrant branches don’t make a sound, they move with the wind, sway and circle with flexibility and ease. Whereas the dead branches creak, they are not able to move with the same flexibility. Which leads me to the point of getting rid of dead wood. Where in your life, business or own mindset is it time to … More Dead wood? »

Work comes first – always

August 4, 2019October 16, 2019Blog, Inspiration, Leadership, Life skills, work-life balance, Working mum

How many of you leaders and business owners have kids? Small or leaving home or adults. The age doesn’t matter, it impacts us. It impacts our businesses. And so it should! As we dare coming to work as humans, as all who we are, it IS part of how well we perform and the level of results we get. Family life gets in the way – or IS it maybe the way? For pushing all our buttons, exposing out sore spots and as we dare to deal with it, we become better human beings, better leaders, better business owners. I’m NOT saying all you leaders without kids aren’t amazing. I’m just appreciating that those of us with kids have an extra challenge – and an extra practice field to learn from. With the recent holiday season, I thought it pertinent to share these thoughts as we all push back into the routines again. Because it hurts realising that our work always comes first. Because that’s what happens – even if we say the opposite. “I’ll just take this call”. “I just need to check a few emails”. “I’m just on a webinar (as you leave the dinner table)”. Do you … More Work comes first – always »

I love myself… you what??

July 21, 2019Blog, Inspiration, Leadership, Life skills, Perspective

It’s ironic how we think and tell each other that we should serve others before we tend to our own needs. That we’re selfish if we follow our own needs. Isn’t it ironic? Isn’t that other person wanting you to tend to their needs first the one who’s being selfish here? I love myself. I like how I apply myself, take responsibility for my happiness and energy. And that’s provoking to some people. Because often it feels safer hiding or pleasing others or blaming everyone else and wanting them to make us happy/motivated/fill-in-the-blanks. Other people’s light can inspire us. But our light comes from within. So, I want you to follow yourself. Only YOU know what makes you feel good. What makes you able to be the best version of you. And that’s not being selfish. That’s your job! Accept yourself and be OK with yourself first, the good, the bad and the ugly. Then you can start accepting others like they are, too. Be kind to yourself. Be true to yourself. Follow yourself. Don’t hurt others doing it, don’t bring them down to get you up, come from a place of kindness. Towards yourself and others. Healthy selfishness opens … More I love myself… you what?? »

Keep screwing…

July 7, 2019Blog, Inspiration, Leadership, Perspective

How annoying is it when you try doing something and you can’t figure it out? When you keep attempting but it’s not happening? When you spend excruciating amounts of time on something that should be simple? I believe we all recall the frustrating seconds, minutes, days or years of feeling we’re wasting time – that there is a better way. It could be a system or process at work that’s driving you bananas – or it could be a new task or challenge that you can’t find a good way of solving. Now recall the bliss when you nail it. When you find a way. Suddenly it flows, it’s working, it’s easy. Aaaaah… Screwing eight screws into a fickle bolt with limited and obstructed access got me to a level of frustration this weekend that I haven’t experienced in years! The fact that I was so slow and even worse than that: that I couldn’t get a system or process going to pick up the speed, or to create a learning curve. It made me realise that we all have a different definition of “wasting time”. And that it sometimes is wonderful to “waste time”, “shoot the breeze”, “take your … More Keep screwing… »