Posts Tagged with Communication

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16 Ways To Be Proactive And Make Any Year Your Best

In the spirit of professional and personal development, we aspire to add more to the foundation we’ve created.  How can we be better? How can we do more?  How can we have a greater impact? How can we make more time for ourselves?

I believe that taking the time upfront to create a plan and enact systems makes a huge difference.  If you’re looking for a new year of positive changes and you’re ready to take action, here are 16 steps that will help you get there:

1. Reflect. Set aside some quiet time to think. Remove yourself from all distractions and enjoy the stillness. Focus on yourself and your journey; in your mind, revisit how far you’ve come and imagine where you’re headed.

2. Set goals.  Whether they relate to travel plans, saving or professional development, goals give you something to look forward to and they ignite your spirit.  They require work and effort but they’re enjoyable as well.  At the end of the day, they’re yours and give you a sense of accomplishment because you picked them, committed to them, and followed through with earning them.  As humans, we aspire to have purpose and meaning in life; and goals are a manageable and tactile way to do this, one at a time.

3. Create a plan.  Forward-thinking businesses take a considerable amount of time to plan. This includes both long-term and short-term. There’s no reason why you shouldn’t do the same.

4. Create a vision board.  They say that seeing is believing.  This is particularly relevant as you take your ideas and visions from abstract things in your head and give them form and shape that you can see.  If you can place them visually, then you’re more likely to create space for them in your future. Vision boards are helpful for this.

5. Create an advisory board.  Yes, this is for you! You’re important enough to have one!  We never have all the answers ourselves, and you need to know who to go to when you have questions.  Enlist a group of people who have been there, are vested in your success and who you can learn from.

6. Find an accountability partner.  You’re not alone on this road called life.  I know it feels that way sometimes but there’s a traffic jam of people trying to get somewhere too. You and your friends may be getting off at different exits, but there’s no reason why you can’t be there for each other when you need a jump start.  Your eyes are on the road ahead but check up on others who are dear to you periodically to see how they’re coming along in their lane and help ensure they’ll make their anticipated arrival time.

7. Create a budget.  A lot of people run from numbers. I like them because they always bring a story full circle.  They apply in your personal life based on the same principles that businesses use.  Do you need to increase your income? Or can you decrease your expenses? How is your net worth coming along?  Numbers help create flexibility in the non-financial aspects of your life.  If flexibility is important to you, start by creating a budget you will commit to.

8. Prioritize friends and family.  Our journey isn’t as much fun without people to share it with.  We are happy when we see our loved ones smiling and happy. Make time for them, travel to see them, call them, swap joyful and painful stories with them and make memories with them.  We create some of our most meaningful experiences and memories with friends and family.

9. Initiate conversations.  Make it a point to find out about the people at the bus stop, in the beloved middle seat on an airplane or at a networking event.  It is easy to forget a simple “How are you doing?” when you’re in a rush to get somewhere or with something pressing on your radar.  But some of my biggest life takeaways came from unexpected conversations with strangers.  When I was 16 and a volunteer at the library, I spoke with a woman and told her how I wished I had siblings. She told me all I needed to do was make good friends.  This advice holds true to this day as some of my best friends are like siblings; and in fact, I call them that.  I mention networking event because after business cards are exchanged and elevator speeches are given, it is the ability to relate to others on a fundamentally human level that sustains relationships.  This comes before the best business deals are made.

10. Keep learning.  Do you remember how caught up you were with each new toy you received as a child?  We like things that are new, exciting, shiny and challenge us.  I don’t remember the last time I read a reference manual.  I prefer the hand-on, experiential approach of learning-by-doing.  We live in an age where learning is fun because of all the information and tools available to us.  You can customize your delivery by form, time, method, origin, etc. with minimal effort.  This is exciting and facilitates continuous learning.

11. Find your niche.  It is highly rewarding and empowering when you can find a space in this world where you thrive.  A place where you have no fear of competition or anyone upstaging you because you’re at your peak performance there.  This is where your strengths, knowledge and passion align.  You’re leading the edge, and even if there are challenges and continuous effort involved, you’re motivated to go the extra distance.  When you find that space that you can call your own, you’re more likely to provide value, have an impact, and create a legacy.

12. Give back.  It is never too early to do this and there’s always some resource you can share with others.  What you give doesn’t have to be financial; it can be time, knowledge or a helping hand.  I’m sure someone went out of their way to help you at some point.  I know many did for me; and years after, I remember and acknowledge their selflessness.  Be the timely guiding light that someone else may be seeking.

13. Pursue your interests.  You may have something that you’ve always loved doing or maybe you’re open to trying something completely new.  Either way, participating in activities outside of your typical day help you bring new approaches and perspectives to your day-to-day activities.  It will it be personally rewarding and lead to you being more well-rounded.

14. Go places and see things.  Have you visited your local museums lately?  When will you take that trip you’ve been thinking about?  Our world is so eclectic that we can live completely different lives from someone ten minutes away but it is still small enough that we can experience the lives of those who are 2,000 miles away.  You learn a lot about yourself and appreciate how you fit in the big picture when you acquire additional perspectives to anchor your own.

15. Take risks.  When I’m in an art studio, I channel my inspiration in order to bring form to a blank canvas.  So with that same approach, I’m a big proponent of stretching yourself for development which means stepping out of your comfort zone.  If you’re risk averse, calculated risks may work best for you. Get a sense of what you’ll do, how you’ll do it and then do it.

16. Pivot and change.  When you take any “first step,” you never know how things will turn out.  Even when you’re headed in the “right” direction, circumstances change beyond your control.  What you can control is how you respond and what additional steps you take.  When necessary, make lateral moves, and even take steps backwards, to get further ahead.  Be open to making necessary changes along your journey.

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What about you? Have you tried a similar approach to achieve your goals or get certain results? How do you create an environment that facilitates your success? I’d love to hear from you below!

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Cliff Notes From the Book on Life – Part 1

I still haven’t gotten my hands on the Book on Life so I don’t know how clearly it lays out all the things we need to know and
remember.  I suspect it doesn’t explicitly state that life isn’t always easy. Maybe that is written somewhere in fine print, hanging off the bottom of a random page, if it is in the book at all.

During honest, open and authentic conversations, you learn about the different things people are going through in life.  Each day we manage multiple aspects of our lives, and when we’re laser focused on the problem du jour, we easily neglect other areas.  I had some good conversations with friends recently and came away with some important takeaways across various aspects of life that are worth remembering.

One friend was traveling for work and contemplating career next steps and taking some time to catch up on the non-career aspects of life.  In a conference call with two friends, one had been thinking about his higher purpose in life because he doesn’t want to settle or live a life where he’s just going through the motions. The other friend questioned his authenticity as he assessed how his interests align to his higher education pursuits.  In another conversation, a friend shared her decision to move to a different city after being honest with herself about always wanting to and realizing this may be the best time.

The takeaways from these conversations were relevant and timely. They’re great reminders that we’re in the driver seat of our lives and own our choices and how we live our lives:

Be a complex, multi-faceted person. Being well-rounded and knowledgeable about different topics adds to your perspective, helps you generate new ideas and enhances how your critical-thinking skills.  You’re more interesting when you can contribute to any conversation and keep up no matter where it goes.

Think and wonder. Why else do we have a brain and the ability to think and process information? Questioning is healthy and you don’t need approval for the possibilities you envision.  Not everyone will stretch their imagination like you, so when people don’t get it, maybe it is just you!  And that’s OK! 🙂

Aspire for more in life.  You don’t need to settle. It is OK to be ambitious, strive and desire to have an impact. It is OK to be passionate about something in life and seek a higher purpose.  This requires a holistic approach to bring it all together for a fulfilling life.

Learn to balance.  Although you may have big aspirations, you have to figure out how to balance everything.  There’s only so much time in the day. You’ll have to balance accomplishing things, being present, being grateful, dreaming big, being practical etc.

Build your toolbox. What tools have you gathered along the way and continue to carry with you on your life journey? Think of all the advice, lessons you learned the hard way, “how to” information, skills, education, talent, and resources you have.  There’s always a need to step up your toolbox game so keep adding to it!

Don’t be another ______.  Whether that’s an employee number, a generic person filling a role, remaining unknown or unacknowledged, you don’t want to live a life where you feel replaceable.  It is OK to be dynamic and unique.  Set yourself apart by providing value and making a difference, not for recognition, but because you want to help others and have an impact.

Own your core.  Focus on and play to your strengths.  Don’t waste time battling with your weaknesses. There is someone who is amazing in that area so let them own it. Focus on what you’re great at and continue to improve in that area.

Be a better version of yourself. The only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday. So don’t worry about competing with others or seeking their approval.

Leverage the power of like-minded people. The energy, strength and inspiration from talking to and interacting with like-minded people is amazing. Use that to your advantage to tackle big goals. You don’t do everything yourself.

Make time and space for what’s important. Make time for your interests, family, friends or whatever else is important to you.  When you keep what’s important to you in your life, you’ll keep your momentum going.  This provides a safe space and rejuvenation to propel you forward.

Cross things off your bucket list. This first assumes you have a bucket list. But it isn’t enough to just have one. You need to actively cross things off over time. The good thing is you don’t always need a deadline but make sure you have a plan to get to it.

Be true to yourself. From time to time, ask yourself if you’re being true to yourself or if you’re being disingenuous.  You need to check. It is easy to go through the motions and not intentionally align actions with your overall goals. Do a check up periodically.

Be open to the unexpected.  It is great to have a plan. But sometimes, things go awry!  Life always has jokes. Give yourself a break and be flexible!  Switch things up, pivot as you need to and keep it moving!

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What are some of your favorite life takeaways?  Are any of the ones above on your list? What works for you?  I’d love to hear from you in the comments below!

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Communicate Your Message With Clear Intentions

Recent events in my personal life highlighted how important it is to know and communicate intentions clearly.  Initially, I couldn’t think of how to address this in a personal situation.  But I realized there are other aspects in life where intentions are present, clearly communicated and have a positive impact.  Then I thought of ways how I could apply the structure from these situations.

We’ve all had good meetings and bad meetings.  The bad ones leave us wondering what we met about, why the meeting was held in the first place and uncertain about next steps.  On the other hand, a good meeting has clearly outlined objectives, the right audience in attendance, remains on topic and has clear next steps and action items.

So why not leverage this approach for more effective communications with a family member, partner or friend?  Here’s an actionable approach:

Set intentions upfront.  What is the purpose of the conversation? What do you want to achieve?  Do you want to share your point of view? Do you want to better understand the other person’s point of view? Do you want a mutual agreement to resolve your differing points of view?  First, you need to know what you want.  Next, it is important to vocalize it so expectations are set and all parties know what they’re working toward. You don’t always need a destination, sometimes it is about the journey, but you’re more likely to get there if you know where you’re heading.

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Use intentions as a compass. Once conversation is underway, it is easy to drift off, get distracted, pivot or end up on a tangent. Comments and points will trigger additional thoughts and the different parties will want to mention them, even if they’re not directly related to the topic at hand.  How you handle this?  It is best to use the intentions set upfront for guidance – as a compass if you will – to keep the conversation focused.  This will guide the comments, actions and behavior of all parties. Even if your points are countered, you’ll have more confidence and clarity in your responses and comments when you remember the agreed upon objective.

You don’t always need a destination, sometimes it is about the journey, but you’re more likely to get there if you know where you’re heading.

Check your outcomes.  Having set and communicated your intentions upfront, you can easily check if this approach works. At the end of the conversation, simply ask all parties: Did we accomplish what we outlined at the beginning of the conversation? Do we have a clear path forward?  Successfully applying the above approach makes it easier to answer these questions. There should be no ambiguity and no party should question the purpose of the conversation and what it accomplished. And everyone should be clear on what happens next.

This is an example of how principles and approaches from certain areas of life can apply and be relevant to other, unrelated areas.  I couldn’t think of a model to use in my personal situation, but in looking at a business scenario, I found a tried-and-true approach used for effective meetings.  I’d love to hear how this works for you in a meeting, conversation or another communication scenario!

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How I Use Visual Communication To Inform, Educate and Persuade An Audience

These days, we’re bombarded with information, noise and it is increasingly challenging to capture people’s attention for long periods of time. While communicating an important message, you’re likely competing with social media newsfeeds, phone apps or emails. Even if you’ve mastered the art of storytelling, it is equally important that your visual aids are powerful, effective and bring your overall message to life.

Imagine you’re spending 2 minutes on each slide for a presentation and your audience looks up from their current distraction for an average of 10 seconds. The risk of not maximizing those 10 seconds is too great especially if this is a meeting that has been scheduled well in advance and with an audience that can impact next steps.  If the success of the action items following the meeting hinges on their willingness to act, your goal during that time is to communicate your vision and message clearly, make it stick, get you audience to buy-in and inspire them to act.

Your goal during that time is to communicate your vision and message clearly, make it stick, get you audience to buy-in and inspire them to act.

How do you ensure that your message is communicated during that short amount of time?  How do you get your audience to understand your key takeaways?  I’ve spent some time working on this area myself and compiled a list of key techniques I use for more impactful visual content:

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You may notice that this process incorporates flexibility. Even for business purposes, I lean heavily on my creative side to improve my effectiveness.  I strip down the barriers of how things should be and I’m less afraid of trying new communication styles and techniques.  If an approach is impactful, clearly communicates the message and makes it stick, I will use it.

The resulting content has been well received by my clients and colleagues.  It has also provided value as fresh, differentiated content that is simple and digestible.

What approaches do you use to get your message across?  I’d be interested in hearing.  I’d also like to know how the techniques listed above work for you!

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