7 Ways to Start Your Week Like a Leader
Monday morning is the most stress-filled morning of the week. Don’t let Monday push you around. Take charge of your week now.
- Connect with that person you’ve been meaning to reach out to. You’re so busy solving issues that you’re neglecting connections. Set up lunch with someone you don’t know, perhaps another leader within your organization. Learn about their challenges and opportunities. Ask how you can be helpful.
- Give an encouraging word to high performers. It’s easy to neglect those who are making the biggest contribution. Stop by their office. Thank them for a job well done. Be specific. Then, turn and walk away. Leave them waiting for the other shoe to drop.
- Choose a priority. What’s important, now? Of all the issues you’re grappling with, which one will make the most difference for your organization. How much time can you give it? Who do you need to involve? What does progress look like?
- Address an issue you’ve been putting off. Your heart-rate increases every time you think of it. Don’t solve it. Just start a conversation.
- Identify a team member that is under-performing. Don’t assume you know why. Ask questions. Express concern for their success, with compassion.
- Clarify expectations with someone who disappointed you. Weak leaders aren’t clear about their expectations. Then, when they’re disappointed, they feel frustrated at others. You are the issue, if you haven’t clarified expectations.
- Shift to gratitude when you feel frustrated or worried. Be grateful for opportunities to serve. You matter most when you’re working on issues that matter.
How can you face your week like a leader?
Which of the suggests above resonate with you?
Dan,
I love the gentle, forward moving tone of this post-and its emphasis on connection and progress rather than perfection.
Effective leadership is not about having all the answers- its about cultivating and connecting with others, and achieving great things together.
In that vein, point 4 “address an issue you’ve been putting off. Every time you think of it, your heart-rate increases. Don’t solve it. Just start a conversation.”- feels like such sage advice- permission to push through the fear and/or sense of isolation leaders inevitably feel at times, through connection. An invitation to engage in conversation, rather than worrying, or carrying the burden of problems or challenges alone-
That there are people leaders can reach out to, and think through challenges with, is, in and of itself cause for gratitude!
Great stuff, thanks!
Lori
Thanks Lori. Your comment is so encouraging.
The phrase “sense of isolation” in your comment is so powerful. We all feel isolated from one time or another. But, we must take charge of this issue and move toward relationships rather than away.
Perhaps the sense of isolation is that nagging reminder that we’re heading in the wrong direction.
Cheers
Well, I start Mondays just like I start everyday…..Awesomely!!!!!!
No other way cause I am literally bursting with Awesomeness out of every pore of my being.
It is very difficult to explain being a spiritual being having a human experience and having had a vital sprititual experience.
Till this all started happening to me and honestly about 29 and a half years it did not really seem like anything was happening much at all!!! Lol
Then!!!!! Somehow I started this process!! Know how this sounds, I am reading as I type!!!!!
I was working on my 11th Step, praying meditating!!! Saw these copper pyramids people meditate under!
Laughed, made one!!! Then I saw this contraption that charges ones water!!! Giggled bought one!!! Who cares!! Lol
Anyways recently instead of waking up feeling dread….I am bursting with Awesomeness!!!!
Copper Pyramid I sleep under, charging my water, we are 65 to 70% water so the theory actually made sense!!
Happy Now, Vision for the Future, three questions…live, love, matter?
Man things are just great!!
Now I am gonna end global poverty!!!
So grateful Dan to answer ur question!!!!
I also found out about the Maharishi experiment that if folks practice consciously practice gratitude 5 minutes a day they are 25% happier 30 days later!!!!
Hey something is working so I am just gonna go with it!!!
Last seeking yesterday found my list!!
Dummies online build a list one at a time!!!
I got a list yesterday of Fortune 500 Companies!!!!
Names of contact person, phone numbers, emails!
So I am preparing to share with all of them MY VISION for ending Global Poverty and get corporate sponsorships!!
Ain’t that something!! Wait till they see my plan!!
So simple but foolproof!!
This Internet thingy is truly a blessing!
My recovery Gods gift to me. My Vision and seeing it through my gift back to God and all his kids!!
With a life like this who would not wake up Awesome?
Cya D,
SP
EA
Thanks Scott. I gotta say that my Monday’s aren’t always that awesome. But, I’m certainly glad yours are. I’d say have a great week but I’m it doesn’t seem necessary. 🙂
Dan you have been SO great to me. You may never realize how grateful I am you allowed me to stick around here as I got it together.
I know it was painful as I shed my skin.
Now I got My Vision, even made a video of it tonight. A Blog, a way to repay God for sparing me. My copper pyramid!! My water charger!!
Sober 30 years in a few weeks!!!
Happier than I have ever been.
Just so grateful!!!
I got a partner in my business. A guy in Switzerland who wants in.
Greatest thing of all a paradigm to shift that fails 95 to 97% of the folks in it!!!
My way or the way I lay out for people succeeds 94%!
Like taking candy from a baby! And with 3 billion new folks coming to the Internet in 3 to 5 years!!
And a list of Fortune 500 contacts!!!
I share with people something failing up to 97% of the time and replace it with something that succeeds 94% of the time!!
You like my chances Dan???
I do because when I set my mind to something goodness am I persistent!
Anyways
Many Thanks!!
One day you will look at what I am doing and know in a way you helped by allowing me to bloviate everyday and getting my thinker humming everyday!
Take care my friend!
SP
EA
Good one! I think
I shall follow this
Thanks Rajiv. Best for the journey.
This is a great blog. I like most of them, but this one I will store on my calendar on Monday morning. There are some great reminders in there of how to confront those difficult topics or the one you prefer not to put the focus on in a way you can go easy on yourself.
What particularly resonates with me? Point 4 of adressing an issue that makes your heart beat faster, but not by solving it – just starting to work on it. So simple it is brilliant.
Thanks!
Thanks Jennifer. Sometimes all we need to do is start. 🙂 Best wishes
Jennifer, I agree with you, these are great reminders. How do you store it on your calendar? I want to do that.
Great advice. I hope more managers and leaders listen to it.
Thanks Teagan. Me too! 🙂
Thank you for this inspiring post !
Point 7 – Shift to gratitude when you feel frustrated or worried – is indeed a good reminder; but hard to implement; any hints / suggestions ?
Thanks Centrino. For me, finding gratitude is shifting from complaining about a problem I’m facing to be thankful that I’m doing something that matters. In addition, it means taking responsibility, not blaming others.
To some degree, being grateful is just doing it.
My response to you reminds me that our words are like a rudders. Life tends to go in the direction of our speech. I don’t believe gratitude is an excuse to minimize current challenges or problems. We still need to face the hard facts. But, gratitude is an attitude to develop WHILE we are frustrated.
Finally, leadership is a journey. A little progress in this area makes a big difference.
Best for the journey.
Every single suggestion in this post inspires me to take action. It makes me optimistic about what I can accomplish on the most challenging day of the week.
Thank you for the list of positive actions.
Thanks Dauna. It’s always great to see you pursuing successful leadership. It inspires me.
Inspiring and helpful post. thanks!
Great post that inspires me even more for action. All the pointers are great, and the ones that resonated with me are 1, 2, 4 & 7. Sometimes we think we are the only ones faced with challenges until we connect with someone else and hear their story.
We can never forget the high performers to give them that thumbs up and that word of encouragement. For me, that is a motivating factor – it cause me to want to do more, give more, and ‘be more.’ It is good to address something that is constantly being put off. For me that will take the fuel/energy out of procrastination. Gratitude is a number one priority – I am really grateful for the opportunity to serve others in whatever way that I can.
Thanks as always Dan! Have a blessed day/week! Cheers 🙂
Thanks Yvonne. When we are going the extra mile, it doesn’t take much to keep us going. Just an encouraging word that lets us know that someone else knows we are working hard.
Yes , Monday mornings are a bit unnerving with lot to attend to. But things can be made easy if we lay down the Road Map for the week ahead with sufficient lee way for tackling unforeseen events.I have practiced this method with a fair degree of success over the years. Thus I do not so much worry about Monday itself. I do a dress rehearsal in my mind during the week end about what I have planned and put in place an action plan . I try and stick to it. You have thrown a new insight into tackling the unforeseen events. It is a valuable guide and I propose to straight away follow it.
Thanks P.G. I love your inclusion of making space for contingencies. We get all bent out of shape when we refuse to bend with new circumstances. Great add!
One and four are particularly convicting. Procrastination is a silent killer!
Dan,
This is an excellent article and it gave me inspiration today!
Thanks for posting!
Thanks hdebrul. It’s never too late to start the week. 🙂 Best wishes
I agree, and many times I have seen corporations lose their biggest performers and contributors by neglecting them. Upper management and VPs need to be aware and appreciative of where the success of the company is coming from, and by whom.
Great post Dan. Leadership is about unlocking latent talent of associates and in effect increasing personal effectiveness.