Taking Care of Yourself Right Now

 Everyone is trying to take care of themselves these days. Rightfully so.

At any moment you can turn on the news and hear how you might protect yourself in our environment through such things as face coverings, washing or hands, etc. This news is everywhere. There are signs on store windows, end caps are filled with supplies of this same nature. It is hard to not hear about taking care of yourself.

Let’s dig a little deeper into this. 

The focus of today’s media is on the outer view of minimizing the spread of COVID-19. All of these things are important. As a leader, you will help people keep social distance, remind them to wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds, wear disposable masks and gloves, and sanitize areas/things. This first line of protection is important but I believe there is more than that. 

Let’s teach ourselves and our tribes how to protect ourselves with immune support. 

Today’s leader will typically educate their team on things of this nature that maybe have been left out of their communication before this time. 

A strong immune system translates into resilience - the capacity to restore balance, bounce back and maintain wellbeing whether you are faced with an infection or not.  The immune system can be strengthened so it functions optimally and helps you deal with everyday stress responses. 

The strategies to strengthen the immune system may seem simple but simple is not always easy to do in our busy lives. For a while in Corporate America, there was an emphasis on wellness programs. I don’t know this for sure but it seems like this may be the new thing we see happening in Leadership. Today’s leaders must care for the whole person - their work capacity/quality, their emotional state as well as their physical health and wellbeing.

Leaders should encourage their teams to take pause, take notice of their environments, and often most challenging, take care of themselves.  Teaching valuable skills helps minimize one of the greatest insults to any infection: fear. This is where open, honest and ongoing communication amongst teams, families and individuals can play a vital role in inner and outer wellbeing. 

Be well is the new leadership motto. 

Best,

Manal

Helping Others Succeed

 Leaders are not leaders without a group of people following them.

This seems like a bold thing to say but the truth is a leader can not rise to their maximum potential unless they have helped others along the way. 

The most successful leaders are not just helping others by simply doing good deeds, they are actually helping others win too. 

Let’s take a look at this. 

Think of the person you consider to have the most leadership influence in your life. Then ask, have they just done good deeds or are they helping others develop and grow along the way. 

I can think of a woman I know. She doesn’t hold a famous leadership position or have global recognition but in her world, she is always helping others grow. In her case, she is helping other women to believe in themselves, have the courage to live the life they want and donating time, money, energy and resources to carry out her purpose in life. This is leadership. 

You might know of leaders who do the opposite. Leadership is all about them. They love the fame and fortune of it. They take credit for the good done when there is a whole team of people to credit for their advances in society. In my experience, those types of leaders will do anything it takes to look good.

This is one thing I am sure of when it comes to leadership. There is a still silent moment in every leader's life where they can evaluate their actions, words and deeds to see if it was for them or if it truly made a difference in the world. I strongly believe the leaders who can say they did lead with the right intention, action and heart will be long lasting leaders and have the greatest impact on our world. 

Never forget those you serve alongside, that support you and are following in your influence. 

Good leaders are needed more than ever before. Even in tough times, leaders with the right heart are what your followers need and want.

Best,

Manal

Vaccinate or Not Vaccinate

I know you think this is going to be about the COVID-19 Vaccine but in reality it is not - it is about something entirely different. It is about choice. 

As a leader, you get to decide if you work for yourself or if you work for an organization or entity. 

You also get to decide if you follow everything you are told or if you have an opinion and are able to effectively communicate that information to the powers that be. 

For example, I once knew a young leader who had put herself back through school nights and weekends earning both her undergraduate degree and graduate degree. The skills she learned in college helped her be able to communicate and feel more confident in herself as she now had the expertise to back up her intuition. 

She worked for a Fortune 100 Company. In every company she worked in, she started as an entry level worker and moved quickly into management, and almost always into top leadership where she was the person making the decisions. 

Her company was nationwide and every market was different. She lived in a rural community where no one wore suits and ties anymore. Everyone was casual. CEOs were even casual. HR Managers were casual and hiring managers were casual. When her sales team would go out, they stood out as they were the only people in the community that dressed business vs business casual. 

This manager over the years, got more and more casual in her dress code. To the point that the company was not happy about it. She never looked sloppy but they were taking notice. 

On the opposite side of business, when this manager took over her current position, the budget was lacking to say the least. This division had the least amount of sales, highest turnover and little client retention. Though casual, today, this manager is the #1 division  in her 15-state region, she has the highest gross margin, her staff is stable and clients call asking for business.

How did this happen? She met the clients needs instead of following a corporate mandate. She went to senior management explaining she knew the rules for dress code but she also knew her client and her team. In order to create a culture people from this area wanted to work in, adjustments had to be made. She didn’t write up her team for lack of suits and heels, she told them she would stand up for them if they got the business and met all the benchmarks. 

Today the company doesn’t ask this manager or her team to wear suits, unless they are attending a corporate event and the entire company has begun to look at the choices the management in the field is making to fit their environments. If goals are being met, they decided to learn from the field management instead of disabling them to choose what was best for their divisions. 

So whether dress code or vaccines, as a leader - you must be able to decide what is best and courteously and respectfully communicate your position with others of an opposing view. 

Best, 

Manal

Mentors for Youth

 As a young adult in today’s world, one might wonder who to look for as a mentor. 

This article will give you some ideas of who might be a great mentor for you. This can also be used by a leader of any age, not just youth. 

The three top recommendations are find your mentors, learn about your mentors and decide how you will lead based on what you have learned from them. 

Find Your Mentors

When looking for a mentor - look for someone who has what you want. If you wanted to own a non-profit, following a for-profit organization leader might lead you to different philosophies and ideas. Consider what non-profit organization you have an interest in and ones that have a good name in your community.

Seek out those leaders by way of asking for introductions through common acquaintances. Learn how the organization operates, what their mission, vision and daily operational practices are. The for-profit leader may not  have the expertise or skill set in fundraising or event planning like the non-profit leader would.

Learn About Your Mentors

In addition to sifting and sorting what you're interested in, read books by leaders in the field  you wish to pursue. If you are not sure where your final interest will end up, talk to lots of leaders to help you identify the direction you wish you follow. 

Another simple skill you might pursue is that of asking a lot of questions from everyone you consider to be a leader. Ask them what they love about what they do, what their struggles are, and what they would have done differently if they were to do it all again. There are never too many questions. Keep asking them until you find your top mentors in the field that you wish to pursue. 

Once you have your mentors identified, follow them in all ways possible. See if they are an author, do they have a website, a blog, a podcast, and are you a follower on all of their social media accounts. Learn how they communicate, follow their responses to issues that arise, and watch their leadership style. 

Decide How You Will Lead

Then decide for yourself what you like and dislike about how they do things. To be the best leader, you must not just follow a mentor but be able to decide for yourself how you will want to lead your future followers. 

The world needs strong leaders of all ages - including YOU. 

Best, 

Manal