Don’t miss this vblog on books you need to read to lead better and grow faster. We recommend three titles that are must reads on the topic of hope–providing hope for both yourself and the people you serve.
PS — If you have a topic you want us to cover or need recommendations on books to read in a particular area of leadership, just send us a tweet or email.
In 1972, Johnny Nash, an American reggae singer-songwriter, brought to the world the incredible song, “I Can See Clearly Now.” The moving lyrics speak of hope and optimism. Amid our dark times, we must have the confidence that better days will prevail. As the lyrics state, sunshiny days are ahead:
I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright)
Bright (bright) sunshiny day
It’s gonna be a bright (bright)
Bright (bright) sunshiny day
Remaining optimistic during difficult times is no easy feat. It requires us to take a step back to see the big picture so that we can gain perspective on the areas of our life that we can control. Once we have a better grasp of the situation, and our role within it, we can begin to push forward and persevere. The power in Nash’s lyrics is that the obstacles are still present. They haven’t gone away; it’s only the fact that he knows what they are (he can see them) that allows him to overcome his obstacles. The dark clouds are blinding.
Haven’t we all been in that situation? Where we lacked clarity, waned in our faith, and dipped in our optimism about the future. And then something changed, we saw the sun through the clouds, and we felt a hint of reassurance.
Optimism is something that conditioning so that we can better pivot from uncertainty and doubt to assuredness and hope. The following challenge is meant to help you become more optimistic in the midst of clouds and obstacles, even when they won’t go away.
Reflect: Think of a situation in which you were recently involved where you felt a lack of control or simply overwhelmed. We often experience these moments quickly, and they have the potential to hijack our entire emotional state.
Identify: What were the specific aspects of the situation that caused you the stress or anxiety? Take a step back and identify the bigger purpose behind why you engaged in those aspects in the first place.
Do: Next time you start to feel stressed, remember the overarching purpose or goal that you set as you dig into the weeds of the scenario. The minutiae is what bothers us but our why will always put things into perspective.
Pro Tip: Turn up the music. We are not all moved by the same songs or music genre; find the type that calms and relaxes you to discover the benefits of mood enhancing tunes. Studies show that music can have a powerful positive impact on us, including our hope and optimism. Just the right sound coming from your stereo, and you’ll be able to see the big picture in no time.
Reach out and share your story with us.
Stay tuned for more challenges, reflection questions, leadership models, podcasts, and more by following dereka206.sg-host.com. It’s our job to curate, synthesize, and communicate so that you can lead better and grow faster. In a world plagued by nothing but noise, we help you by getting to simple.
TheSchoolHouse302 is about getting to simple by maximizing effective research-based strategies that empower individuals to lead better and grow faster.
One Thing Series: Leading with Hope w/ Tom Lewis — #onethingseries
Discipline is the Differentiator
Tom Lewis is the founder of T.W. Company, an award-winning Scottsdale, Arizona based real estate and investment company known for its quality and outstanding customer service in the homebuilding industry.
Lewis received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Professional Builder Magazine and was the first inductee into the National Housing Quality Hall of Fame. In 2002, Lewis and his wife Jan formed TomLewis Foundation to support higher education, children and families in need, youth character education and a variety of local and national non-profits that strengthen Americas’ civil society. In 2015, they created the Lewis Honors College at the University of Kentucky.
In his new book, SOLID GROUND, Lewis asserts that, when it comes to success, nothing is more critical than a solid foundation. Taking the time, now, for reflection and analysis will yield enormous dividends in the future, he attests.
TheSchoolHouse302 · One Thing Series: Leading with Hope w/ Tom Lewis -- #onethingseries
Key Thoughts from the Interview:
Tom provides incredible insight on how effective leaders don’t sidestep reality. His views on vision, trustworthiness, and compassion are powerful and can be used effectively through his simple steps.
His philanthropic work with college-bound students is impressive.
He discussed the wisdom of Dennis Prager and referred to him as a modern day philosopher.
Tom introduced us to a new concept he called “esteemable.” You have to listen to how he describes the fact that the work we do, especially for others, leads to greater fulfillment.
He genuinely talked about his desire to reach more millennials and offer them the wisdom he has gained throughout his life.
He encouraged everyone to find their talent, not just their passion.
Lastly, Tom eloquently describes the difference between strategy and execution.
Tom’s interview is a practical how-to interview, including ways to infuse hope into everything we do for greater fulfillment in life and work.
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Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease from pain. ~ Charlie Chaplin
How we look at life, our attitude and general outlook towards events, people, and situations, greatly affects how well we work through difficult times. Our disposition, our “natural tendency” and “state of mind” are vital to how well we effectively lead ourselves and navigate our organizations. One way to maintain perspective and lead with a positive disposition rests with our ability to laugh at ourselves despite how hard it may be and the vulnerable position you take when you do.
Laughter not only heals and brings people together, laughing at ourselves is a unique way to not take ourselves so seriously. This helps us to maintain our focus on the real issue at hand and to separate ourselves from the situation. When done well, we become free from a great deal of our own insecurities and fears, both of which prevent us from being our best self when dealing with a difficult topic or concern.
If you don’t feel like you’re a “funny person,” someone who can lighten the mood but also maintain a serious focus, you’re not alone. Too many leaders are caught up with being business-minded all or too much of the time. Take the following challenge to demonstrate your willingness to use humor, especially during dark moments and unsettling scenarios.
You don’t have to be a comedian or even a great joke teller to take the following three steps in using humor as a tool to create hope on your team.
Reflect: Think about the weight of the situation that you’re trying to lighten so that hope is in sight for your team. Allowing the heaviness to sink in provides the needed recognition regarding the weight that you want to lift. The burden of the pandemic is an example for educators who are working to plan what school will be in the fall.
Identify: Identify something humorous that you came across recently–this can be something that happened to you or that you did (even a silly mistake you made). Think about, for example, something funny that one of your kids said. “This 5th grade car parade is better than my graduation. All I got to do was sit on a stage in an itchy shirt and sing a song that I didn’t even like.”
Do: Tell the story at the start of a meeting or when the time seems right. Have others share a funny story as well. Be sensitive about the context of your humor, but note that humor heals and laughter lightens.
Pro Tip: Whenever times are tough–a serious situation arises or the work turns into a slog overnight–your team will likely get super focused on the in-the-moment tasks. Effective leaders know that the grind can be over-taxing. Ask each individual on your team if they were able to share a laugh with someone recently? Give them the opportunity to explain what was so funny to them and why. Understanding the sense of humor that each person on your team has gives you an advantage for using humor when the time is right. You know this to be true if you’ve ever said to a coworker or friend: “I know you’ll appreciate this…” or “…I thought you would find that funny.” It’s a reminder about the connection that we share with others.
Reach out and share your story with us.
Stay tuned for more challenges, reflection questions, leadership models, podcasts, and more by following dereka206.sg-host.com. It’s our job to curate, synthesize, and communicate so that you can lead better and grow faster. In a world plagued by nothing but noise, we help you by getting to simple.
A Gallup survey confirms that the four most universal needs that people require from their leaders are trust, compassion, stability, and…hope.
When we lack hope and we feel dissatisfied with our current state, it’s the leaders of the world who step up to provide a hopefulness for a better time to come. Although hope is a leadership quality, encompassing everything from renewing faith to instilling family values, you can’t simply hope for hope. Hope is not a passive act of wishful thinking. There are tips, tools, and tactics that leaders use when people need hope. Let’s be clear, humans always need hope. Encouragement that the future is bright is essential for staying healthy and strong, especially in terms of mental toughness. But, in uncertain times, tragic events, and moments of massive changes, people need hope more than ever.
Following the model below will help you to lead better with hope at the forefront. If the people who rely on you for stability are feeling hurt and angry by recent events or anxious about what school might look like in the fall (or both), your job is to help with hope. Let us demonstrate what it means, why it’s critical for everyone on the team, and how you can make it a reality now.
The problem is that during a crisis or low point it doesn’t seem like the appropriate time to have a laugh, but there are opportunities to take-heart and bring joy and laughter into your life no matter what. We’re not talking about making fun of the situation or trying to bring levity–that would be totally insensitive. We’re talking about ensuring that people have an outlet to lighten the burden they feel. When we inject humor in the right moment, we actually improve relationships and provide hope for a better tomorrow.
Start with Yourself: Laughing at yourself, telling a funny story about something stupid you did recently, and allowing others to see the light side of you, brings humor into the equation without having to be a comedian. And, you don’t need to be funny all the time. The point is that the more serious things get, the more likely people need a dose of dopamine to calm them down. Leaders provide humor as hope.
Optimism
Optimism is a way of thinking. It doesn’t mean that you see everything through rose-colored glasses. It just means that you believe that taking action to make improvements is better than self-pity. An optimistic outlook actually helps with sleep, resilience, and even life expectancy. All things that people need in times of trouble.
If you’re generally skeptical, assuming the worst in situations and people, you’ll need to work harder than a natural optimist. Remember, though, that optimism is a choice. Great leaders know that the key to a better future rests with what we do today. If you listen closely to a skeptic, they’re typically consumed by what they perceive is happening to them versus the things that they can control.
Take a Step Back: Whenever you fall into the trap of skepticism, try looking at the big picture. And whenever one of the people you serve seems to be skeptical, help them to take a step back and examine the situation using a wider lens. Leaders create optimism as hope.
In the peak intensity of a terrible scenario, being positive is almost impossible. But great leaders are able to find a sliver of positivity in every situation. The power in filtering out the negativity is so great that effective leaders know that there’s no more important space for positive thinking than when things seem bleak.
Kind Self-Talk: Your ability to remain positive starts with how you talk to yourself. If you don’t treat yourself with kindness, you’ll struggle to love and respect the people you serve. Whenever a negative thought creeps into your mind, counter it with something that makes you feel good about your work, your life, and the people around you. And listen closely to how the people you serve seem to be talking to themselves. Leaders create hope by helping people to think with positivity in mind and spirit.
Energy
Sometimes the worst part of a stressful situation is that it zaps all of our energy. The time in which you need to be at your best, you find yourself overly fatigued, unable to rest, and incredibly anxious. Worse yet, in order to be an effective leader who is able to find proper ways to instill a bit of humor, to remain genuinely positive, and to offer optimism for those you lead, you need to be in a resourceful state-of-mind, which requires an immense amount of energy.
To have energy requires effort. The decision to ensure that we have a sound mind, body, and spirit makes the difference between energy and exhaustion. We must have the courage to confront ourselves and our own behaviors in order to be fully prepared to handle and manage difficult situations. What we eat and drink impacts our mood and physical well-being; how we think dictates our outlook on life; and our belief in our purpose fuels our passion.
Start Your Day Right:As tempting as it is, the last thing you should do when you roll out of bed is to grab your phone. FOMO is real and can truly start altering your behavior, guiding your decisions, and hijacking your day. Checking Twitter for the latest news or scanning email as soon as your feet hit the bedroom floor can derail any attempt to start your day off right. Mornings should be viewed as the opportunity to get yourself ready, in every meaningful way, to tackle the day ahead. A glass of water, a few minutes in a peaceful state with a devotional or meditation, and a nutritious breakfast are just three simple ways to maximize the potential to have the energy you need for the rest of the day.
Humor, optimism, positivity, and energy are four aspects of hope that we all need these days. As leaders, especially in schools, we can serve people using a dose of each, remembering that it starts with remaining hopeful ourselves. We hope that you’ll see hope as important as we do.
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