I remembered the power and generosity of this question today. Generosity on both sides of the question. The asker offering for the answerer to provide insight. The answerer offering feedback.

I ask it when I finish a coaching conversation or a training. It helps stop the forgetting process by reminding them what was valuable and gives you clues into how your message or conversation resonated.

This question comes from Michael Bungay Stanier’s book The Coaching Habit

He also adds that it’s sets up a positive environment to end on.

When coaching we have three parts to the framework. SELF. OTHERS. ACTION.

With each section there are goals to work towards and different tools to use to get to that goal.

For SELF I want to find a better word than what I currently have. Currently it is “Integrity.”

The sense that we are whole. Intact. Full. Holistic. Integrity like a building built with integrity.

Here’s an image as I reimagine the word for this. I have a favorite but going to let it simmer for a while.

As we still sift through the pandemic, we need to imagine a world after the pandemic. Not to hurry there but to set ourselves up to be ready when we do exit the pandemic.

HBR article HERE has helped me start to pave the way to gain momentum with my work as I imagine exiting the pandemic.

How am I positioned? What role do I play? During crisis, right after, in the new normal.

What is the plan? What’s needed today to achieve tomorrow’s objectives. During crisis, right after, in the new normal.

What is the perspective of the people I serve, my colleagues? During crisis, right after, in the new normal.

What projects do I need to launch to manage peeps if easier and be full prepared? During crisis, right after, in the new normal.

How prepared are you to execute these plans and projects? During crisis, right after, in the new normal?

You could come up with a lot, realize your far away from being prepared, or realize success is very attainable with more direction and focus.

We should exit this with intentionality and eyes wide open.

Raw ingredients eventually make a full recipe.

Don’t stop adding to the pile. It’s all potential. Combustible. Ready to be used.

Daily routines set us up to bring our best.

This may be meditation in the morning, working out at a specific time each day, having a cup of coffee in a specific mug…

These routines help us be set up internally.

This routine can be even better when it includes some sort of production. Creation. Generating content, art. Sharing yourself with the world.

I’m modifying my end of workday routine to include sharing one thing from my day via blog and Instagram.

I invite you to consider how your routine can incorporate sharing and creating.

Inspired by Austin Kelon and his book, Share Your Work!

“When you have to advertise your uniqueness constantly, you become very fragile.” – Richard Rohr on the Liturgist Podcast

Advertise = Describe or draw attention to in a public medium in order to promote sales or attendance.

What are we promoting when we advertise our uniqueness? 

A certain identity we hope others see.

The alternative to our insecurity we hide.

More here but requires deep thinking…

Where do I sense the need to display and make clear my uniqueness?

At what spaces in my life do I sense this desire inside myself?

I should confront those spaces with authority. The authority which I do not need to advertise my uniqueness. There is a truth of who I am which does not need advertising.

My people know this. If I am not confident of that I need to invest more in my people and myself.

Why does uniqueness matter so much to me?

More on this question to come.

I will make an excuse for myself…”I’ve had a long day….I don’t have a lot to give…”

These excuses are cheap and don’t help. 

When I mess up I hope my response can be more from a place of generosity, not a place of defense. 

Defense is cheap for me, you, all involved. 

Generosity is valuable for all. 

Simply choosing to consider generosity is enough for me to end up stepping in with generosity over defense. Just the thought of generosity takes over my actions and I like that.