Joseph Campbell, a great prophet of mysticism and the human condition, once said: “We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us.”

Instead of fighting the tide and wondering when things will return to normal, focus on what lies in front of you and accept this is what IS, not what SHOULD be or what you would LIKE it to be.

What IS presents you with your Plan B – what God gave you while you were busy making other plans. Acceptance is the first step toward freeing up your creativity and kicking it in gear with better options.

So… now that you are no longer wasting your energy on swimming upstream….

So, now what?

I just came across an article in the Wall Street Journal written several months ago where Jack Welch commented that there is no such thing as work life balance, particularly for women. You bet he got strong comments!

Here is my take: I think work life balance is all about choices based upon what you value. As with all choices there are trade offs and consequences. The big debates come into play when you reflect on what your actual career aspirations are and what is doable in terms of what you want in life – whether it is to take time off to have children and not work or work part-time or whether you just want to work full-time and have a life. Do you live to work or work to live?

If you have CEO aspirations, there is a prevalent paradigm that exists that it is not possible to become CEO or achieve high executive levels and have a balanced life. I say this depends… on who you are and your work culture.

Technology has introduced a lot more flexiblity in terms of where and when we work. It’s up to us humans to push back on workload and not try and do it all this week or this month.

Do I believe it is possible as a woman (or man) to “have it all” – a primary passionate relationship, close connection with your kids and creative, lucrative and fulfilling work? ABSOLUTELY!!

…Maybe not in the same, hour, day, month or year, but over the course of your life. It’s a question of when and how. What do you really want and are you willing to pay the price? Be honest with yourself – you’ll save yourself a lot of time and effort long-term.

Copyright 2009 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC      www.sagelead.com

Many of my clients want to do it all – and this year or this quarter. Wouldn’t we all like to have it all?

Think about what are the tasks that will REALLY get you to where you want to go? Many of us deal with noise all day. We have busy activity but what are we REALLY accomplishing?

Yes, there are things we need to do to keep the lights on, keep cash flow, etc… those are what I call maintenance or tickets to entry when conducting business.

The strategic leader is one who not only identifies what needs to be done and why but is willing to make the tough decisions around what they are going to either stop, start or continue in service of the big picture. This last piece of the exercise too often doesn’t happen for a variety of reasons – people are afraid their budgets will be permanently cut; they don’t want to upset anyone; they don’t want to give up that favorite project; their organizations are not that flexible to be able to change gears quickly.

There is no way around it: if you are really working strategically, you HAVE to take a step back periodically and ask the tough question: WHY are we doing this - in service of WHAT? Is this directly related to our overarching STRATEGY or GOAL?

IF NOT, you must stop it. Now. No way around it. If you want to stay focused and achieve your goal. How often do you step back and ask why?

Copyright Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC      www.sagelead.com

An ancient text – the I-Ching – has words of wisdom we can all heed when faced with obstacles. Nature can be our greatest teacher, if we let it. Pause and Build Strength.

“When flowing water … meets with obstacles on its path, a blockage in its journey, it pauses. It increases in volume and strength, filling up in front of the obstacle and eventually spilling past it….  

“Do not turn and run, for there is nowhere worthwhile for you to go.

Do not attempt to push ahead into the danger … emulate the example of the water:

Pause and build up your strength until the obstacle no longer represents a blockage.”

This can be counter-intuitive.

Where do you need to pause to be strong like water? Have you noticed obstacles dissolve when you don’t immediately react? Experiment, just for today.

Copyright 2009 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC         www.sagelead.com

Do I know Obama Personally? No. But “he” sent me an email.

He is the first President who has ever sent an email to me (and thousands of other people too!) to share his thoughts and feelings about a leader who has left the planet.  Getting a “personalized” email has a different feel than seeing him talk on TV or even You Tube news clips. This epitomizes the age we are in – one that allows for a different kind of relationship with our leaders – an informal and immediate direct communication from anywhere around the world at anytime – even if your the President and you’re on vacation. If you haven’t gotten with the program, it’s time.

In case, you didn’t get the email, here is it is:

Susan –

Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy.

For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts.

His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives — in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education’s promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me.

In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that’s one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy.

I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I’ve benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom.

His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we’ve all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives.

For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today — to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family.

Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama

Is it “funemployment” or “wiseemployment”?  It depends on your perspective.

There is some bad press out there about Millenials - ”Generation Ys” – who are twenty-somethings just entering the workforce. If you are a Baby Boomer or a “Gen Xer” and you hire or manage a Millenial, you may be questioning their commitment, drive and ambition.

One Millenial said he would rather ride out the down economy by supplementing bartending with golf or travel until the economy turns around.  “Since there is a slim chance of getting a job in my field, I may as well get out and see the world.  I’m only 22. Taking a year or two off won’t hurt as long as I make enough to pay my bills.” Are Millenials slackers or intelligent optimists trying to balance practicality with purpose and meaning?

When they do get a job they want to be promoted to SVP within the year. Reality check required for sure! And yet, is there a balance point between recognizing they do need certain experiences AND that the world has changed and sometimes checking all the boxes to progress in a linear fashion may not be necessary?

Are all these attributes generational characteristics or is there a different consciousness or attitude coming into play as the entire workforce sorts through the revolution of technology, its ramifications – different business models and skillsets required – and the disillusionment with the corporate ladder? Who really expects to spend 15 or 30 years at the same company these days?

Millenials ‘work to live’ versus their parents ‘living to work.’  I’d say this is right alignment with yourself regardless of age. Your career search must start and end with you. If you don’t have a life and perspective on where your work fits into it, where are you?

Copyright 2009 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC        www.sagelead.com

Okay, so for months the news has been about how “bad the economy is” or about “how many people XYZ company laid off.” This energy is negative, fear-inducing and generative.

So what is the balance point that we strike between staying informed and shielding ourselves from being deluged with this negative energy that effects our own energy and perspective? At best, it fuels us to seek opportunities to be creative. At worst, it feeds our anxieties and imaginations with the worst possible outcomes.

It’s old news to say that we are all connected and one person can have an effect and impact on many. The real question to ponder as a leader is – how do you want to effect and impact those around you? Embedded in the answer to this question must be how you will work with your own energy to do this. During these turbulent, uncertain times, you need your own mechanisms for keeping your energy positive and vibrant – truly – and operating from the inside out. You can’t give away what you don’t have.

These times need the resiliency of vibrancy, flexibility and creativity – in order to survive and thrive as a leader and as a business. I invite you to ponder – what is your creative source and how are you tapping into it today? Do just one thing today that makes you feel truly alive and connected – whether it is indulging in that quick read that you want to savor before you do the dreaded report or spending a couple of minutes in small talk with your staff. These small things can have big pay backs in terms of shifting your energy, mood or perspective.

Copyright 2009 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC www.sagelead.com