Winning by Watching

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to spend time with a dear friend who is in middle school.  Among our activities was a card game, Phase 10, that I'd played once when Julia introduced it during her last visit.  It was great to watch her competitiveness emerge during the phases of the game.  Though I lost, I won by watching her compete.

It reminded me that score is just one measure of winning.  We often win by encouraging others, spending time with them, and competing in efforts where age, skill and experience don't dictate winners.

The Magic of Distance

A dear friend and I were recently analyzing the reasons that some out-of-town business trips can generate great memories with work colleagues who already are, or because of the trip, become great friends.

Many of us have countless opportunities to visit with work colleagues in the office, at luncheons and after work events.  When we're at home, each of these sessions comes to a natural conclusion, with each of us returning to the demands of daily responsibilities - job, family and community.  When we are out of town, these normal daily demands are temporarily suspended.  Those great conversations can continue without detriment to other responsibilities.

We owe it to ourselves, and those we hold dear, to create some less time-bounded opportunities to let our conversations morph as they can when our daily responsibilities are distant.

Balancing Work, Life and Stress

Sometimes we just need to schedule time to talk about how we can create our most effective blended work, family, community and individual lives. Today, three of my colleagues and I spent time pondering how best to balance work, life and stress, in anticipation of an event on Friday.

Some tips include:

• Focus on gratitude
• Protect time for self-care
• Set boundaries between work, family and other activities
• Create transition time during the commute to move from work/home to self to home/work
• Establish entry/exit routines to move from work/home and home/work
• Don't wait for big times - a glass of wine with your spouse after work is special
• Take time for daily devotional, exercise or other super start to the day
• Communicate clearly and compassionately 
• Agree to roles and responsibilities

Remains of the Tray

My favorite gatherings are those where the slight remains of the trays are consumed in the kitchen, reminiscing about the lovely time enjoyed by all.  

What Happens When Stuff Happens

When stuff happens we can:

• react
• respond
• reflect
• rejoice
• remember
• reverse
• reprimand
• reprieve
• reconsider
• read
• rest
• run
• risk
• reveal
• reinvent
• renovate
• report
• reach-out

Or, we can stop and get our bearings, before doing anything else.

Service is the Heart of Business

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Slowed

I'm an energizer bunny, and was unexpectedly and suddenly slowed, from my warp speed pace this weekend.  After a three mile run, and tackling several things on my to do list, I experienced an action stopping back spasm, that rendered me incapable of moving without serious pain.

Because I'm active, healthy and mentally programmed to accomplish the things planned, I assumed that this would pass within a few moments.  It took 24 hours for me to regain any degree of customary mobility.  And 2 1/2 days later, I still twinge with a change of position.

This extremely frustrating, painful and slowed weekend vividly reminded me how quickly things can change.  As I'm regaining speed, I'm even more thankful for how remarkably well my body generally functions.

Temporarily slowed... but not stopped...
Things take longer in slow motion...
Time to think...
New ways to do...
Regaining speed...
With new perspective!

Humor Advantage

Mary Feeley, edutained (educated and entertained) Comerica Bank's Women Business Symposium guests last week, as she shared the importance of laughter in our lives.  She gave many ways for each of us to combat a plague-like situation in our workplaces: HDD - Humor Deficit Disorder.  She effectively used humor to convey the importance of being a blend of the following orientations:

• Action
• Detail
• People

I'm delighted to discover that I'm an action-oriented, detailed, people person.  

Caring and Sharing

I'm thrilled that my life is filled with so many different opportunities to deepen friendships by sharing meaningful perspectives.  This past week, I hosted seven other members of Greater Houston Partnership's Executive Women's Partnership for a fall dine-around.  I knew each of these amazing women, from varied industries, before they arrived, but had not previously spent meaningful time with two of them.

We caught up on big changes before sitting down for dinner.  Over salads, we contemplated the question we'd been asked to consider by GHP about workforce.  Then, the sharing and caring began, as we contemplated "gratitude".  This simple open-ended round-table discussion provided a chance to get to appreciate one another at an "everything's connected" level.  So many unexpected connections, shared experiences and appreciation for who we all are at the core, were revealed.

Though it's impossible to recreate the magic of a single special event, the sharing and caring provide wonderful memories to enhance each relationship.

Each of us has the chance at structured events to get to know others at a more memorable level. Asking about gratitude can cause a pessimist to reconsider the situation, and give an optimist the chance to spread joy.