I’m noticing a general sense that things are “heating up” – and I don’t just mean because it’s summer here in the Connecticut/New York area.

Perhaps this is due to a variety of reasons – ongoing uncertainty with the economy, getting laid off, having too much to do in a given day, going nuts keeping up with technology – but people’s fuses and capacities are getting shorter and tighter.

This is a sure sign of stress overload – operating with an overtaxed sympathetic nervous system – the flight or fight syndrome.

This leads to people saying things they don’t mean or saying them in a mean way. Everything starts and ends with the power of the word. Whether you are finding yourself in a tense meeting trying to do the impossible with less, working against insane deadlines or you are looking to find more meaning in your work – what you say and how you say it are key in these changing times.

Before you say something to the ‘wrong’ person, at the ‘wrong’ time, in the ‘wrong’ situation, take a moment to cool down your nervous system. If you feel the temperature rising, the most basic way to cool down and “detox” the moment is:

Take a slow, deep inhale through your nose to a count of 8, exhale through your mouth with an “o” shape to a count of 8. You can add: bring in positive feelings with each inhale; discharge negative feelings with each exhale.

Do this 3-11 times. This will allow enough pause and space in the conversation and energetic exchange for a shift to happen. Then open your mouth to respond versus react.  It is only in the present moment that we can truly change anything. And it starts with ourselves.

Copyright 2010 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC   All rights reserved.   www.sagelead.com

Okay, so what is quantum entanglement and what does it have to do with the workplace?

Marilyn Schlitz, President of the Institute for Noetic Sciences in San Francisco has asked the question: “Does our consciousness have the capacity to reach out and connect to someone else in a way that’s health-promoting?” (BTW: Dan Brown based his lead character in his book, The Lost Symbol, on Marilyn and the Institute).

To me, science is catching up with what many of us have known intuitively. So quantum entanglement is described as ”Once two particles have interacted, if you separate them, even by miles, they behave as if they’re still connected.”  So far, this has only been demonstrated on the subatomic level but Marilyn and her team are investigating this possibility with human relationships.

Dean Radin, a senior scientist at the lab wonders: “Could people in close relationships — couples, siblings, parent and child — also be ‘entangled’? Not just emotionally, and psychologically — but also physically?”

I suggest, we think about this concept in terms of our working relationships. I’m sure you have taken worries about work relationships (your boss, co-worker, customer) home – and vice versa – brought feelings about personal relationships to work. There has been a lot documented on the physical effects of stressful work environments. I’m sure at some point you have experienced a stressful work relationship.

What would it feel like if these were joys – charges, positive feelings – about your work relationship? What would it feel like to be engaged with a helpful, positive entanglement? Choose one relationship today to focus on to boost your immune system and allow the other worries to fall away. Just for today.

Copyright 2010 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC   All rights reserved.   www.sagelead.com

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What are you doing today to create more heart in your world? What you do, how you be, how you show up – all create ripple effects. You effect those around you which effects those around them, and so on. What is the effect you are creating as it ripples miles and miles beyond you? These days, with technology, you can be viral around the world within minutes versus days or months a hundred years ago. Big impact. Bu what KIND of impact?

How are you a bridge, a conduit for information, people or resources?

Now is the time we all must join forces. We are seeing much more collaboration taking place – whether it is governments, or large or small companies. Everyone is looking for solutions in “hard times.” However you get there, it seems that the growing consensus is – we can only survive together. The only way out is through.

How do you keep connection – despite how hard it is? How do you maintain yourself, your family, community or organization in these tenuous times? Everyone wants freedom and choices. With freedom comes responsibility. Think about this word: response – ability. It means having an ability to respond.

The way that we create greater ability to respond and dialogue for complex solutions is to create safe containers for people to discuss and explore alternatives. I don’t care whether you are talking about national healthcare, nuclear disarmament or divorce, the principles and challenges are very similar.

What has happened to our ability to create these safe containers long enough for the deeper dialogues to surface? Please check your ripple at the door or none of us will get out of this global mess alive.

© Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC    All rights reserved.      www.sagelead.com

Have you ever had an instance where you were on track to accomplish something and suddenly a strong negative emotion surfaced – anger, frustration, irritation – that threw you for a loop and got you off track? Whoa… Where did that come from?

You’ve been hikacked.

Chances are it came from memory or an association with an emotionally-charged past event. We make our plans with our rational mind then our emotional brain (amygdala) shows up. Who’s really in charge?

Conscious leadership is about being in alignment – coherent – with all your capacities – body, mind, spirit. Don’t be fooled – your emotions are the fuel that enables all that you do. The conscious leader understands that the emotional brain is faster and can take over the rational mind. The only way to harness the true power of emotions is to work with them – engage the heart and discipline and quiet the mind. When these are in sync – you have balanced and clear communication, and right action.

Don’t allow your plans to be hijacked.

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

Today is the time to work with nature’s energy of the new moon and plan for what you want more of in the new year. I am not talking about a resolution. Those don’t usually work past January 15th.

Take mental and emotional inventory of what you want more of next year. What served you, worked well. What didn’t you have this year that you want to have in your life? Focus on the possibilities - what you want to grow in your work and life. What you focus on expands and grows, and when you align it to the natural energies at play today, it makes it easier and more expansive.

Today is the day to plant the seeds on fertile ground. Befriend your imagination and plan for what if… What have you got to lose but the safety of what you currently know?

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

The best gift we can give loved ones over the holidays is to truly be present.

“The holidays are a good time to renew your heart connection with people. Make that your focus and priority. Spend more time enjoying people and their holiday spirit and it can help rekindle your holiday spirit. A great way you can enjoy more of the holiday spirit is by keeping your focus on genuinely appreciating and caring for others. Ask yourself each morning, ‘Who can I show a little more appreciation to, or who can I express more genuine care for today?’ It can be as simple as opening the door for someone or telling people that you appreciate them. Genuine gestures of care and appreciation are often remembered long after the holiday glitter is gone. You’ll find this is a fun gift for others and a big gift to yourself.”

Excerpts from Tips To Prevent Holiday Stress And Avoid Faking The Holiday Spirit article, Huffington Post Dec. 2009 by Doc Childre and Deborah Rozman, Ph.D

Courtesy of the Institute of HeartMath:

“Into your heart, pour generous quantities of love and care. Stir gently and sincerely. If the mixture is lumpy, add compassion and forgiveness and continue stirring ’til the lumps are dissolved. You may find bubbles of hope rising to the surface. Taste-testing at this point is encouraged. Although you will find the mixture already flavorful, you can enhance it by adding appreciation.
Appreciation for the qualities of your heart, for friends and family, or for this special time of year are all excellent flavor choices. Garnish with a sprig of joy and serve in large spoonfuls to everyone you meet this holiday season.”

Does this sound contradictory? It is possible to be connected to your constituents but not be tied to your pervasive electronic device of choice - wireless laptop, blackberry, I-phone, cell phone? 

In this age of information, accessibility and turbulent changes, it’s understandable that you want to stay connected - to your customers, to your people, and to your suppliers. But, what does it mean to be connected? Is it to be personally on top of the needs, changes or ensuring this work gets done? How honest are you with yourself in making this distinction?

Without sleep and some sense of downtime you lose your edge – your ability to be on, energized and focused. Even your blackberry needs to be recharged occasionally. As a society we have changed our addictions from health, exercise, relationships, and work to our portable devices. What is driving this? Is it fear of losing the next deal? Fear of not being needed? Fear of not being the top performer? Does this little device really give you more control over these fears?

How do you recharge? Is it possible to schedule in time to unplug or discipline yourself to not respond to every ping or call? What does unplugging give you? I propose more balance and therefore ultimately better performance.

What have you got to lose other than freeing up some space on your hard drive?

What would happen if you had empty space? What would you fill it up with?

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

So you have a team that is based in 8 different time zones in more than a dozen countries. If you have to be on calls at 6 am, 11 am, 4pm, 8 pm and 2 am – when do you sleep and how do you manage?

I am hearing about this kind of activity from many executives who work for global organizations.

Let’s get REAL! We have the technology that allows us to communicate and work 24/7 but we don’t have the human capacity to do this – not if we:

a) want to think clearly and effectively solve problems.

b) want to have a life.

b) want to have a HEALTHY life.

What is the solution?

1. Set boundaries for your personal capacity. There is a lot to be said for going back to basics. Be TRULY strategic and make forced choices about what meetings YOU personally need to be involved in.

2. This naturally leads to delegating and effective decision making.

3. Be realistic about your physical capacity: growing it AND realizing you are a FINITE creature.

Focus on YOUR basic requirements of eating, sleeping and exercising “rightly” for your own body needs. Only you know for sure. Some people can get by on 4 hours a sleep forever. Others start to melt down doing this more than 3 nights in a row. In terms of exercise, find a regime that focuses on efficiency - spending the least amount of time to get the most health benefits. I am partial to practices like Yoga, in particular Naam Yoga. 

We are living in the age of the frantic mind. This impacts your body and stress levels. We need to do things that clear and balance the mind – brain aerobics. If you don’t do this you are nowhere – but fast like a gerbil!

Get off the wheel and reassess & regroup for optimal longterm impact.

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