Have you ever felt yourself going deeper and deeper within yourself? - you get quieter - don't want to talk with anyone - feel discouraged about what you haven't yet accomplished - remember the things you want to do but question your ability to do them.

That's how my day started. So - after my client commitments, I pulled out one of my favorite videos of all time - "Woman Called Golda" starring Ingrid Bergman as Golda Meir.

Here's a short history lesson. Golda was born in Kiev in 1898 and emigrated to the US with her family in 1906. In 1921, she and her husband moved to Palestine. From the time she was a little girl, her dream was for peace, security and a Jewish homeland for her people. As an adult, Golda lived and worked in a Kibuttz and served in various capacies including Labor Minister. In 1966 (just before the 6-day war of 1967) she was asked to come out of retirement to serve as Secretary General and unite the ruling party. With each new position, she seemed to go kicking - but always in dedication to her people and commitment to her dream.

In 1969, she was again called out of retirement. According to the movie her response was, "I came here to live on a Kibuttz and help to build a homeland in a plain and simple way. I don't want to be Prime Minister" Yet, at the age of 71, she was unanimously elected Prime Minister of the newly formed country of Israel and served until 1974. She died in 1978 and is still deeply loved and respected by millions of people throughout the world.

Golda's life and the movie have always inspired me. Every time I watch it I hear something different or gain a new perspective. This time, it struck me how old Golda was when she became Prime Minister and how committed she was to her dream. By the age of 71 she was a grandmother, her husband had died, and she was asked to lead the people of Israel. Throughout the years, she didn't really know how her dream would unfold - she just stayed true to it. She didn't set out to be Prime Minister - she just knew she had to do what she could to help build a homeland for her people.

I'm sure she had her quiet moments and got discouraged. We all do. We just can't stay there. For me, it's now time to, as Henry David Thoreau says, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams."

One more thought. I love the quote by Hillel that Golda recites twice in the movie, "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am I? If not now, when?"

Thanks for listening.

The shower is probably one of the few sanctuaries where solitude still reigns supreme - unless you choose to shower with a friend, or someone in the house decides to turn the hot water on in another room, or you have a house full of people and one bathroom.

Sometimes our "shower thoughts" are best left in the shower. Other times, they're perfect. So - the next time you're stuck for a new creative idea (a headline, a design, a theme) - try taking a shower.

"Everyone who has ever taken a shower has had an idea. It's the person who gets out of the shower, dries off and does something about it who makes a difference." Nolan Bushnell

In the last issue of The SMART Factor, we explored “Survivorship” which was the topic of one of two speakers I had heard in one day. The second spoke on “Leadership” which we will look at in this issue. If you missed last month’s piece on “Survivorship” you can catch up at www.smartstrategiesinc.com/coaching/smart-factor-archives. On the surface, the subjects seem to contradict each other but in reality both perspectives have value.

Also, please read Part 2 & 3 where you'll find “Escape from Creative Purgatory” and “Personal Reflections.”

Enjoy

Ann Griffiths
coach@smartstrategiesinc.com

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IN THIS ISSUE
Part 1 - Leadership - The Art of Possibility
Part 2 - Showcase - Escape from Creative Purgatory
Part 3 - Personal Reflections
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Part 1 - Leadership - The Art of Possibility
When I was 12 years old I saw someone play the drums and knew I was in love – with the drums that is. From that day, I developed my skill – learning to play a variety of percussion instruments and to appreciate all styles of music.

When I reached high school, my band teacher, Don Murray, encouraged me to expand my musical horizons so I learned the basics of a number of brass and wind instruments. But the drums remained my first love. Before I graduated high school I had played in Broadway & musical theatre and concert orchestras, pipe & drum and marching bands, blues & jazz and gospel rock groups, and even taught drums.

Now, 40 plus years later, I still play. It’s my place of possibility where everything else fades into the sounds of the music. It’s just me and my drums and the rest of the musicians – expressing ourselves and feeling the rhythms and tones. For me, playing the drums is like playing a finely tuned violin – from quiet sensitivity to grandiose bravado.

So what does this have to do with leadership?

Benjamin Zander is the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, a sought-after speaker, and co-author with Rosamund Zander of “The Art of Possibility.” He is also the person I heard speak on Leadership. Here’s what I took away.

1. Enroll people to possibility
Great leaders see new pathways. They inspire a shared vision that everyone involved can connect with every day. As business owners, we must be clear in our vision if we are to enroll our teams to possibility.

According to Maestro Ben Zander, “If we want to enroll people to the possibility, we have to be the possibility ourselves.” He also says that a powerful vision makes room for things that haven’t even been thought of yet and leads to great performances.

As a leader in your business, are you getting the performances you want? How are you communicating vision and possibility?

2. Quiet the voice
Quiet the voice in the head that says, “I can’t do it.” No matter how confident we appear or how often we tell ourselves to let the music come out or let the business soar, that quiet little voice in our head has a way of being heard. So – how do we avoid it? – We don’t. It’s part of us. But here’s some ammunition from Maestro Zander. His Rule #6 says, “Don’t take yourself so seriously.” As for the other rules – there are none. That’s it.

When we take ourselves too seriously, we get in our own way. Perfection inhibits us from experiencing our full potential. Whether we’re a musician or a business owner we cannot succeed if we are afraid to make mistakes. We need to be alive to the possibilities – willing to step out of our own way and go for it. We strive for perfection but “it is not to be gained at the cost of music” (or a successful business).

3. Awaken power in others
A leader’s job is to awaken power in others. Think again of the music analogy. When a conductor leads the orchestra he/she doesn’t make a sound. He has determined what he wants to have happen and then depends on his ability to make other people powerful. If he doubted the capacity of the musicians to produce the great music that he envisioned, the conductor would not see his dream realized and we would not hear quality music.

Imagine Martin Luther King saying, “I have a dream – but I’m not sure they will be up to it.” Of course, he didn’t say that. He simply stated, “I have a dream.” End of story. His dream awakened power in others.

As a leader in your business, how do you awaken the capacity of the dream in your people?

So there you have it – “Survivorship – Earning the Right” and “Leadership – The Art of Possibility.” Would you like to know more? – coach@smartstrategiesinc.com

Part 2 - Showcase - Escape Creative Purgatory
Being a business owner in the creative field can be fun and stimulating. It is also often frantic and deadline oriented. Art Directors, Designers and Writers brainstorm for that “unique” ad while Account Executives and Media Planners devise plans to produce the results the client expects and PR specialists dig for the relevant message that communicates a story people will want to hear.

So what happens when the creative juices aren’t flowing? Check out my latest piece from a Top Ten Series I’m developing for all you bright, energetic business owners – www.smartstrategiesinc.com/tentipscreative.html

Part 3 - Personal Reflections
This past weekend was full of parades, parties and fireworks – Canada Day on the 1st and Independence Day on the 4th. I know of people who even decided to take an extra long weekend and celebrate both.

After attending the local Canada Day parade with some of our family, my husband and I were driving around and decided to call some friends who live about 160 miles (approx. 280 kilometers) away. Within 45 minutes of our conversation we had arrived home, packed a suitcase, and were on the road to Princeton. What a great way to spend a holiday weekend – a spontaneous road trip and visit with old friends we hadn’t seen for about a year.

Often, many of us get so caught up in our businesses and the demands of everyday life that we miss out on spur-of-the-moment fun.

What is the most impulsive thing you’ve ever done? When was the last time you did something spontaneous?

Ann

Ann Griffiths works with people in business to help them gain clarity, grow beyond obstacles and self-imposed limitations, and succeed in achieving the results they want. To explore how you can get the results you want in your personal and business life, email Ann at coach@smartstrategiesinc.com