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Breaking Through Limiting Beliefs in Leadership and Life

Breaking Through Limiting Beliefs in Leadership and Life

Posted on by Alison Jones

A couple years ago, my son played the roles of Benjamin and the butler in a spectacular production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. During one rehearsal, I struck up a conversation with a cast member who was new to theater. I was surprised to hear her say, “I’m not a singer or a dancer, but I’m having so much fun!” My immediate thought and response was “Oh yes you ARE a singer and a dancer! I see you up there singing and dancing your heart out!”

What led this cast member to believe she wasn’t a singer or a dancer? It was the identity she had created for herself—“I am this, but I’m not good enough to call myself that.”

Her response reminded me of how we often label ourselves, limiting not just our hobbies but also our potential. Just as this performer defined her own abilities in black and white terms, many of us question our own potential or believe we’re not far enough along to see ourselves a certain way. But what truly defines our capabilities?

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The Essential Act of Pruning in Leadership and Life

The Essential Act of Pruning in Leadership and Life

Posted on by Alison Jones

Gardening has always fascinated me with its profound lessons in leadership and personal growth. By observing the garden, we discover how to cultivate a more energized, healthy, and vibrant life. One of the most compelling lessons is the art of pruning, essential for nurturing a beautiful garden and also vital for nurturing effective leadership. Just as gardeners prune to promote growth, leaders must trim away anything that does not contribute to their strength and effectiveness.

During the summer, I am devoted to my beautiful hibiscus plant. I treat it with tender loving care—watering, feeding, and carefully removing the spent blossoms. These simple acts redirect the plant’s energy towards producing its signature large, showy flowers. Each morning, I inspect my hibiscus and assess its overall health, looking for anything that might compromise its gorgeous blooms. The payoff is the stunning flowers the plant produces; last year, I had 17 blossoms on my hibiscus in a single day!

There are times when pruning feels uncomfortable. Some flowers appear mediocre and I hesitate to pinch them off because they still have some color, some sign of life. But the truth is they lack vitality and are declining. If I do not have the courage to trim, prune, deadhead, or pinch, I risk compromising the plant’s overall well-being by prolonging the life of flowers no longer thriving.

How true this is for leadership as well! The best leaders recognize the necessity of frequent pruning to stimulate fresh growth and to sustain organizational health. They courageously trim away what no longer serves them or their organizations, even when it’s painful.

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Resistance to Change in the Hybrid Workplace: Navigating the Maze

Resistance to Change in the Hybrid Workplace: Navigating the Maze

Posted on by Alison Jones

Change is a constant in the business world. The best leaders not only accept and embrace change—they approach the ripple effect of change in an intentional way. One of the most significant shifts leaders have had to navigate recently is the transition to the hybrid workplace, along with the resistance this change has brought.

Whether moving from a traditional office setting to a mix of remote and in-person work or adopting new collaboration tools, managing this resistance is crucial for a successful transition. Let’s dive into this resistance to change and look at three guiding principles leaders can follow to smooth out the bumps along the way.

Understanding Resistance to Change in the Hybrid Workplace

Change management, a critical discipline in the business world, focuses on understanding and addressing organizational and human responses to change. Dr. Spencer Johnson’s iconic book, “Who Moved My Cheese?” highlights the fear and comfort zones associated with change, and reminds us that if we do not change, we risk being left behind or even becoming extinct.

Transitioning to hybrid workplaces may trigger a psychological and physiological response due to the brain perceiving change as a potential risk. This hard-wired resistance manifests as the classic “fight or flight” response, perhaps making employees wary of new work arrangements and technologies.

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Beyond New Year's Resolutions: Two Words to Guide Your Year

Beyond New Year’s Resolutions: Two Words to Guide Your Year

Posted on by Alison Jones

As we step into the new year, I propose a new approach—one that goes beyond New Year’s resolutions or a single Word of the Year. I propose two Words of the Year.

Imagine this: two guiding principles—one that reflects what we stand for and aspire to, focusing us and steering us toward a desired destination. The second word reflects what we stand against, guarding us from attitudes or influences that could damage us or hinder our progress. 

Let’s explore this twist on the Word of the Year to see how it can empower us to protect our personal peace and energy while pursuing our personal and professional aspirations.

Word of Aspiration: Taking a Stand FOR Something

The Word of Aspiration serves as a reminder of our desired direction and the traits or actions that will support our efforts. As opposed to a New Year’s resolution that focuses on an outer goal, a Word of Aspiration encompasses a personal trait, way of being, or daily activity that inspires and encourages us on our way. This word encapsulates our ambitions and sets the tone for our growth.

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Leading with Light: The Essence of True Leadership

Leading with Light: The Essence of True Leadership

Posted on by Alison Jones

What is the essence of true leadership?

Imagine a dark room where everyone is holding an unlit candle. Each candle represents someone who needs direction, motivation, or inspiration. You walk into this room with a box of matches, setting fire to all the candles. Some are tough to light, maybe too much wax has pooled around the wick, or the wick isn’t long enough. Some light easily and burn well. Others light at first, but then get snuffed out. You continue to re-light these candles as needed. You are dedicated to making sure that everyone’s candle stays lit.

Now, imagine a slightly different scenario. Imagine that same room, with everyone still holding an unlit candle. You walk in, and as you do, your presence emits a light that seems to ignite everyone’s candles spontaneously. This light radiates from you, illuminating the entire space as well as all the candles in the room. You do not need to go around lighting each candle individually. Your glow naturally lights those candles.

Management and Leadership

In these two scenarios, we witness the essence of management and leadership. In the first scenario, we see a manager who is focused on the act of lighting individual candles. Management is important. It helps ensure that people do well and that things get done.

But leadership comes from an entirely different angle. The leader focuses on developing their own internal glow so that they can naturally ignite others.

The Essence of True Leadership

At its core, leadership isn’t about what we do. It’s about who we are.

When we invest in our own growth, when we develop our own character, we create an inner glow that not only brightens our own path but also illuminates the path for others. We then lead by our presence and by our example.

As Edith Wharton once eloquently said, “There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.”

Leaders are called to be both the candle AND the mirror. This requires a healthy mind, body, and spirit, all working in synchronicity as we care for ourselves and serve others. The world is hungry for such leaders!

This is leading with light. And this is the essence of true leadership.