I am not excusing Tiger Woods from his digressions in any way.

However, given all the many public figures whom have fallen from grace due to transgressions – sexual, money or otherwise – his apology appears to be one of the most authentic and heartfelt.

He did not express a dismissive “I’m sorry,” nor is he indicating this is all past him. Instead he paints a very realistic picture that he has just begun a journey of healing that requires intensive treatment and will take time. As with any healing process, he is starting with trying to make amends – in his own words – he has a lot “to atone for.”

Many disgraced public leaders make apologies after much pressure from the media and their constituents. For those skeptics who say he’s doing this because there is a lot of money riding on his comeback, I say, pay attention to HOW he made his apology – the tone and tenor – and you will see a sincerity that I have not witnessed with other fallen leaders.

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

A great leader is in command of navigating the nooks and crannies and ups and downs of life.  A friend recently emailed me this “handbook” for life. There are a ton of emails and blogs out there with similar stuff but I liked how this is categorized, practical and simple. It starts with health, which is the foundation for your life. When you master your personality, you can get out of your own way so you can contribute to society. This is how to have a happy life. Enjoy.

HANDBOOK 2010

    Health:
    1. Drink plenty of water.
    2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
    3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
    4. Live with the 3 E’s — Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy
    5. Pray.
    6. Play more games.
    7. Read more books than you did in 2009.
    8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
    9. Sleep for 7 hours.
    10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

    Personality:
    11. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
    12. Don’t have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
    13.. Don’t over do. Keep your limits.
    14. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
    15. Don’t waste your precious energy on gossip.
    16. Dream more while you are awake
    17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
    18. Forget issues of the past. Don’t remind your partner with His/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
    19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don’t hate others.
    20. Make peace with your past so it won’t spoil the present.
    21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
    22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
    23. Smile and laugh more.
    24. You don’t have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

    Society:
    25. Call your family often.
    26. Each day give something good to others.
    27. Forgive everyone for everything.
    28. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
    29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
    30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
    31. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

    Life:
    32. Do the right thing!
    33. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful, beautiful or joyful.
    34. GOD heals everything.
    35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
    36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
    37. The best is yet to come.
    38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
    39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

    Last but not the least:
    40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about, I just did.

Author Uknown

It’s not yet a week from New Year’s and you are back at work. The first day back it is fun to catch up with everyone and hear about their holidays. You have a grace period to reorient back to reality.

The second day in, the slipslider invades. This is what I call what happens when you start to come off the high of your new year’s resolution. Day two it’s time to get serious. Whether it is an official resolution or just an intention, I invite you to focus on how you want this year to be different than last year. What do you want to create or get rid of?

If you really want to create a new and different experience this year then you need to velcro the energy and inspiration you had at new year’s to your brain so you don’t allow the potential for negative thoughts to invade and derail you. The sage leader understands that post-holiday and mid-winter blues can easily invade the best laid plans.

I am in Connecticut, USA, and we are under about a foot of snow…so it can be a cozy and hibernating or depressing – sun depletion time, depending upon what you allow in. I find the cold invigorating and the quiet of the snow inspirational. If you are experiencing the post-holiday letdown, make sure to invite in a blanket of comfort and something that will allow you to stick to your vision of the new you in the new year. You want it to be untouchable like teflon amidst changes – in your moods, in your team, in the economy.

Tenacity is the wisdom of success.

Copyright 2010 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC      www.sagelead.com

We are seeing the fall-out of leaders everywhere who live disconnected from their heart. They make decisions based on pure logic and rationale without consideration of the impact on people’s lives. Much of this activity is related to making money. Whether it’s the likes of a Maddoff, a business leader engaging in insider trading or politicians conducting money laundering schemes… 

These times are revealing a crisis of integrity and ethics - which are present when you are authentic and heart-centered - being in touch with how you feel and what you know deep in your being to be right and true. There are no shortcuts…

Making money is good and using your logic and rationale are good. They need to be integrated with the whys and hows of it all. Why are you making money – to what end purpose do you serve? How do you go about making money – with honesty and respect for others?

Change the paradigm - we need both head AND heart. It IS possible to make money honestly, with passion and doing what you love without adverse impact on others. What can you do today to reconnect, rediscover and reclaim your heart connection – what you know to be true and in right livelihood with yourself and your world?

In the wise words of Sarah Ban Breathnach: “Only the heart knows what’s working in our lives. The heart is our authentic compass. If we consult her, the heart can tell us if we’re headed in the right direction.”

Come about if you need to.

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

Recently I attended a reunion of HR Professionals who are former GE employees at Crotonville, GE’s Leadership Development Center. I was impressed that Jeff Immelt came and spent time with us – mostly answering our questions. My question: What are your greatest learnings as a leader and what advice would you give someone early in career who hopes to have your job one day?

His candid, thoughtful response:

Perseverance. You can’t be in this business these days and not have perseverance.

Listening. It’s not that it was a development need for me, but I have learned just how important deep listening is.

Bringing people along with you. Loyalty in times of crisis is key. I have been through 3 recessions in 8 years.

Other key comments:

The future of GE is outside the United States. American companies must have a global footprint. The new currency of business is who has jobs in the U.S. We can’t keep exporting jobs.

My lesson from the Board is to question: “What is the value of financial services?” This business will be smaller but now is not the time to get out.

As a country and as a company, we can’t take our reputation for granted.

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

Recently, I had lunch with a friend who shared his experience looking for his next position.

He is a senior media executive and is the final candidate for two positions, while still employed. How many people would like to say this?

For one position, my friend had 15 interviews which included 10 different visits. I can see 5, maybe 6 visits – but 10 – and over six months??  Seems over the top. It begs many questions – difficulty making decisions? Budget-shy due to economic concerns? Do the job specs keep changing? Are they being ridiculously picky on meeting all the specs to every degree?

My friend ran into someone who was on his roster of interviewers at an industry function. The job is still in play and this individual asked my friend if he could interview him for one of his own departmental positions. Awkward.

For another position, my friend was asked to create an entire strategy and branding campaign for a live situation for a potential employer. In my line of work, that is considered free consulting, among other things. My friend did not get any substantial feedback on this work and the next month the entire business was rebranded. The company also never ended up filling the vacant role.

My takeaway? Anything goes. You have to be clear in how far you are willing to go to get the job – and then let the chips fall where they may. Years ago, when I was interviewing at a Fortune 500 company, they brought me in five times over a year timeframe and wanted to bring me in again – for only a mid-level position. I finally said no. “I am not going in again. You know enough about me – make your decision with what you know.” I got the job.

What’s the balance point between accomodating requests in a “buyers market” and being willing to jump through any hoop?

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

To be conscious about how we lead our life or our business requires two very different abilities – one from the right side of your brain – or more accurately heart brain – and one from the left side.

In business we have typically focus on accountability – metrics. Does something get done or not? In what way does it get done? Compassion is not a bottom line term and heresay in business circles. And yet, we are becoming painfully aware that if we don’t temper some of our decisions with understanding and compassion, we put ourselves, others, and possibly the planet in jeopardy.

Today, we need to also tap into our hearts and look at more complexities of an issue or decision - WHY are we doing what we are doing? HOW are we doing it?

Are we doing it with compassion and understanding to the impact we have on others and environment? We need to set our boundaries in ways that we are comfortable with - and if those boundaries are violated, we need to reset. After a while, if they continue to be violated then we have to remove ourselves from the situation.

As we see with big conflicts in the middle east, everyone needs a cooling off period as well as a negotiation period. Life is about ebb and flow.

I invite you to look to your immediate environment – whether it is your work team or your home team – those who help you be successful – and ask yourself – what do you need to be doing differently? And sometimes the more important question is, where do you need space, to just pull in and reflect and not try to address or change anything but allow others to sit with the boundaries you have set and go about your business? Sometimes this is the compassion required for ourselves and others.

It’s as simple and hard as that.

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

Leadership comes in all shapes, sizes and styles – and often the daily life of a true leader isn’t always glamorous but requires walking through the mud – sometimes literally.

Jane Goodall is all about making people, animals and the world a better place. Her humble wisdom says, if you want something bad enough, and you perservere you can get it.

Her overriding message is that one person can make a difference – even in the jungle cut off from civilization and technology – IF they have the consciousness of how we are are all interconnected.

In this 7 minute clip Jane in her soft, understated way points out the problems and opportunities we are facing today. There is a decision that rests with each of us – what then will you do with your one wild life to improve your world – where ever you are and regardless of how much money, education or connnections you have or don’t have?

What it takes to save a species is what it takes to save the world.

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

With you.

If not, then with who?

It amazes me how people see no connection or consequences to their actions, particularly when it comes to the environment. There are plenty of examples everyday and I just stumbled upon this Reuters article.

Mercury-tainted fish found widely in U.S. streams

If you don’t want to read the article, I’ll cut to the chase: “Scientists have detected mercury contamination in every one of hundreds of fish sampled from 291 freshwater streams…”

Scary! Where is our collective outrage and the environmental stewardship and leadership we need to protect the environment? If we don’t have a safe and livable planet, where will we live?

Okay global warming can be overwhelming but we all have everyday smaller examples where we can do something. And we don’t.

The other day I saw someone throw a wrapper out the window while driving on the highway. You have to be kidding me, I thought as the wrapper flew by me. I put my hand on the horn but did that effect this guy driving 70 miles an hour? Is this what the world has come to – we have no sense of the impact we have on anyone or anything outside meeting our own needs? Where is the accountability or responsibility to care for others, let alone the planet?

I implore you to draw on our own leadership and get involved and do what you can in your community or circle of influence. What can you do?

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

And it’s just good business practice! You can’t blame your customer for your behavior and expect to succeed in this market – or any market.

I just competitively shopped some insurance needs. I discovered I was quoted one price and when it came time to pay the premium, a different price was added to the bill. When questioned, instead of neutrally educating me and explaining the process, the agent attacked me and proceeded to defend his position. Who wants to feel they are in an adversarial position when they are paying for a service? Is fear circulating in the market fostering bait and switch tactics to get business? So I rescinded the business, politely telling him, “I was uncomfortable with how things played out so I went back to my former agent. Thank you for your effort.”

I was taken aback when he attacked me again, questioning MY ethics. What makes him think that by criticizing my cognitive and time management abilities, etc. that that would a) leave the door open for any potential business in the future business, or b) engender me to speak well of him and his services?

What is the driver for this kind of behavior – does it ever help business to criticize your customers or potential customers? Indicators suggest the economy is picking up – and despite what you or your business are navigating – these times especially require going back to the basics of great customer service and professionalism. You can’t blame your customer for wanting to legitimately get the best value for their dollar and, for me just as important, feel good about the interaction. What happened to old fashioned  character, decency – honesty, competency, and integrity? This is what I call conscious leadership – whether you land the business or not.

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