“To attain knowledge, add things everyday. To attain wisdom, remove things everyday” (By Lao Tzu).

Are you making a new year’s resolution or do you really want to set a different intention about how you live your life? The statistics with resolutions are not good. It’s over by January 15th typicallly. But a deeply-held personal intention with focus and action behind it, can be different.

We live in a culture that always wants more – more of ourselves, more from others, move “stuff.” The reality is, we are stuffed. I propose the focus be on what are you going to stop doing? What will you release, remove, let go of in your life – at home, at work, in your relationships?

For those local, come join me for an abundance meditation tomorrow, new year’s day at noon – and every month thereafter – the first Saturday of the month. The way to having an abundant life or business is to stop doing the things that no longer serve you and allowing, creating space for new things to emerge. Live in the white space.

2011 promises to be a year of transformation – let’s go with grace versus kicking and screaming. This is how to live a strategic life – one that harnesses your passion and integrates your experience to select – and deselect – the wise choices. Happy Different Year!

For more details, check here.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “My Life Is My Message.” We all know what kind of message his life sent… facilitating non-violent peace by his actions and serving as a spiritual leader to a nation. He undertook what no one believed possible – to get British rule out of India AND to do it in a non-violent way.

We all have thoughts and plans – but what do your actions say about you and your life? What kind of leadership do you demonstrate by your actions? Is it in alignment with what or who you think you are – or want to be?

How you lead your life is constantly sending a message to those around you. We are all the artists, architects and musicians of our lives. Are you throwing paint on a canvas and seeing what sticks? Are you deliberately drawing straight, controlled lines? If you’ve lost your imagination – then it’s time to find more material – grist for the mill –  to better align yourself to the message of your life. It is your response to the life that finds you that truly articulates your message.

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

Frankly, the best leadership I am seeing in the food industry is in the likes of Jamie Oliver. He introduces a tragic 16 year old who is diagnosed with 6 years to live due to obesity which is effecting her liver among other ailments. We are killing our children – or allowing them to kill themselves. Jamie is passionate and practical… and on a mission to transform the obesity epidemic in this country. 

Yes, we can blame parents or the school system. And clearly responsibility lies there. But, the missing players are the giants in the food companies. Their processed products are laced with fat and sugar, addicting and incredibly misleading to the uneducated consumer. One need only see Morgan Spurlock’s Supersize Me to realize that much of this food is not only addicting, but causes obesity and disease. Morgan himself went from being in stellar health to his major organs starting to shut down in a mere 20+ days on an all MacDonald’s diet.

It is a sad fact that the current generation may be the first one in many generations that have a shorter life expectancy than their parents – all due to factors that are controllable – diet and lifestyle. And, we need food companies to make decisions based on other criteria other than profit.

Where is leadership in the food industry? Who will be the brave giant to stop these toxic fillers in prepared foods? What can you do today to boycott or demand the changes? What can you do to educate yourself or the children in your life on better nutrition?

The answers to these questions are truly a matter of life or death for almost an entire generation.

Copyright 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

The spring equinox is March 21st. At this time of year, we plant seeds that we want to harvest in the summer and fall. Read more in our March Newsletter…

© Copyright Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC  All rights reserved.

I received yet another call today from a friend saying she was laid off yesterday. This is the third time in the last week I’ve gotten this call. The first call was a family member; the second call was from a colleague about an organization that had layoffs which included a lot of our mutual colleagues.

As I write this I am listening to radio news indicating that the stock market just went up after releasing a report that fewer layoffs occurred last month.

What’s really happening out there? What wave are you riding right now – the wave of optimism or fear and anxiety about the future? Or are you frozen, waiting for the next wave to hit? What is the wave – layoffs, restructuring, illness?

Get clear about your filters and screens. How are you viewing the events – world events or the specific events that make up the drama of your life story? One thing is certain, if you spend no time reflecting on these kind of questions, you will be at the whim of every news story or marketing scheme swaying your perspective, strategy and emotional life. Reflecting for insight to create “right” action is what creates sustainability.

Focused and disciplined reflection will help you stay grounded and ride the waves of the chaotic environment we find ourselves in – whether you are facing a layoff, closing doors of your business or venturing into untested markets. No one has a crystal ball – and even the “economic experts” don’t agree.

For bodily health, nothing replaces water – not tea, not juice, not milk. And your body craves and needs it to survive. You are more than 70% water. Most Adults are dehydrated.

For emotional and mental health – and business health – nothing replaces focused reflection – not jogging, not driving, not quick fixes. Reflection is the mechanism by which we gain perspective and integrate our learnings and process our life/business experiences. Reflection is the hydration we need to keep ourselves functioning and vibrant.

The Sage Leader stays hydrated through focused reflection that informs “right action.” Slow down to at least check your filters, just for today.

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

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

There has traditionally been a lot of talk and development about leaders developing good listening skills. It’s seems obvious and basic that this a requisite skill for a leader to be effective – to listen to their constituents in order to best meet their needs. It’s necessary to listen to your customers, to listen to your peers, partners, suppliers, and employees.

But first, and foremost, you need to listen to yourself – that inner voice that is constantly in the background. What is it saying? Is it a constant chatter, a chaos of noise, or a focused subtle drumbeat? We all have our inner voice – critic, partner, confidant.

Our “inner” constituent is our most important one. Unless we exercise tools and strategies to pay attention to what it is saying and quiet it, pay attention to it and/or direct it, we can never be fully present and able to listen to those constituents in front of us.

Just for today, take a deep breath in, count to 10, and exhale to a count of 10. Do this 3 times.  You have just created space in your head and in your day. What did you hear?

To help with understanding your inner voice, I highly recommend The Voice of Knowledge by Don Miguel Ruiz.

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

The sage leader is one who rides the turbulent wave of uncertainty and changing business paradigms. In order to do this and keep yourself grounded you need to engage in certain practices: Reflect, Connect, Invest.

Reflect to gain clarity on what you want and to gain insight on what is working and not working in terms of your own leadership getting you to where you want to go or where your organization needs you to go.

Connect with your colleagues to support and help each other grow and develop.

Invest in your and other’s development. This takes time and effort to build relationships that support your goals. I suggest thinking about not only ways in which you can be mentored or receive safe feedback and support but always ways you can mentor others, regardless of where you are at in your career.

© Copyright 2010 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC

All of the top research in how leaders are best developed points to: they are best developed on the job or in life by meeting significant challenges. A key ingredient to codifying these learnings and development is through reflection. Reflection is really garnering the insights to cement the learnings so they become embedded in your being in how you operate. Development is realized when you have integrated your insight and action in service of what you want to achieve.

The sage leader operates in an integrated way from the inside out with consciousness – utilizing all your intelligences – body, mind, spirit (heart). All great leaders understand the profound implications of “know thyself.” And I would add – so you understand the impact you have on others and can consciously direct yourself, in a deliberate way, to achieve the results you want.

Copyright 2010 Sage Leadership Strategies, LLC