Mindset

One little fact about me that you probably already know is that I love creating space and time to set goals and build a plan. Setting aside specific time to create an annual, high level plan, and a more specific 90 day plan is non-negotiable with me and I’m completely lost and unproductive if I don’t create my weekly success plan

Let’s talk menopause

Yes! I’m going there.

Why? Because your ability to lead effectively and confidently relies on you being at your best – both physically and mentally.

We are intuitive beings. We have an inner compass, that when given the chance, can guide us in the decisions we make and the direction we take. When we trust our intuition and take action based on its guidance, it will faithfully do it’s best to support us.

If your Mojo has been a NO SHOW lately – you’re definitely not alone! As we push through another week of restrictions, border closures, home schooling and working from home … today I give you permission to show yourself a little love and compassion.

So you’ve found yourself in that awful place where you realised you’ve not lived up to your high standards. Perhaps you’ve made a critical error, missed an opportunity to present well in a senior executive meeting or failed to deliver a piece of work by the deadline…

As fiercely independent women, we’ve prided ourselves on how much we can do and what we can achieve on our own.

While being independent and getting-things-done is a definite strength of ours, it’s also one of our greatest weaknesses.

The number 1 thing you need to do to be a great leader is to show your true self.

Now, my guess is some of you are sitting thinking, ‘Yes Jane, but that’s easier said than done. How do I show more of my true self?’

After a year of doing our best to adapt to the changes brought about by COVID-19, have you found yourself re-evaluating your priorities and what’s important to you?

The days are getting warmer and the evenings longer, but this does not mean that it’s time to put your career aspirations on hold, That time will come but here’s what I suggest you focus on first.

When you reach a certain level of leadership – you are employed to think not just do! Being able to think creatively, solve problems and create new and innovative ideas will have you stand out in the crowd and put you in a powerful position.

Many corporate environments would have us believe that emotions do not belong at work. We have been well trained to suppress any resemblance of an emotion, pushing them below the surface.

Imagine a world where we worshiped a good “rest ethic” as much as we do a strong “work ethic.” Where we encouraged taking time out to rest and prioritise self care – just as much as we applaud someone’s dedication to hard work.

A few weeks ago, I asked 1500 women in the Leading Ladies Facebook Group whether they were less busy, about the same or more busy as a result of Covid.
The response was a resounding “WAY more busy!!”

Right now, our resilience is being tested. With increased uncertainty, massive disruption to our day to day lives and the threat to our physical, mental and economic health, focusing in on building resilience has never been so important.

There is much of this Covid-19 crisis that we can’t control. But what we can control is our mindset. How we choose to respond to the changing landscape is totally up to us… and could be the difference between just surviving it or truly thriving through this.

So you’ve had time to reflect over the summer break and you’ve come to the decision that a new job is on your list of goals for the year. Good for you! Perhaps you’re looking for greater job satisfaction, more money, better corporate culture, more variety, a leader who inspires you …

Emotions. Do they belong in the modern workplace? Many corporates would have us believe that emotions do not belong at work. We have been well trained to suppress any resemblance of an emotion, pushing them below the surface. We hide them in an attempt to stay in control, look strong, and …

Do you put everyone else first? Is it time to stop putting everyone else first? The kids, your partner, the needs of your ageing parents, your boss, your team, the business you work for… even the dog! Or perhaps I should ask… when was the last time you put your own …

How often do you find yourself doing what you think you should be doing rather than listening to your intuition… and later wishing you had followed your gut instinct? Women are intuitive beings. We have an inner compass, that when given the chance, can really guide us in the decisions we …

Do you have clear boundaries? Or perhaps an even more important question is … do you have any boundaries at all? Are you clear on what’s acceptable to you and what isn’t? Do you protect your time, energy and resources and prioritise what is import to you? In a world that’s becoming …

You have the title and the responsibility, but are you seen as a leader? Do your team members follow you, respect you and deliver for you? Does the senior leadership team value your and the contribution you make? If you have ever struggled with making your mark as a leader, I …

Why is staying accountable to what we say we want, so jolly hard? If it were easy we would all be a dress size or two smaller, super healthy, spending quality time with the kids, leaving the office on time, applying for the job we really want, doing great work for …

It is human nature to want to be good at what we do and to have our efforts recognised by others. It makes us feel worthwhile, valued and it leaves us with a proud sense of achievement. But if you feel like you have to do things perfectly and that near …

If your everyday workload regularly leaves you feeling overworked, overwhelmed and frazzled then it’s time to work smarter not harder. We all have the same amount of time available to us but have you noticed that some people are able to get much more done while remaining calm and unflappable… but how do they do it? …

How you show up at work matters. The type of energy you bring to your work impacts your effectiveness while also shaping your professional reputation. It’s not something many of us give much consideration to, but it can absolutely influencing our outcomes and whether or not new and exciting opportunities come …

Your ability to influence, engage, inspire and drive performance from your team all stems from your language skills. The effectiveness of your relationships, your ability to build trust or your skill to craft powerful communications by email, through reports or to be delivered from stage all rely on your mastery of …

How happy are you in your current role? Pretty simple question really but not one we ask ourselves that often. Maybe it’s because we don’t really want to admit the answer. And what does happiness have to do with work, career and being a productive, inspiring, high performing leader anyway? I’d …

Women continue to struggle to make their mark on the corporate landscape with the numbers of women securing leadership roles remaining stagnant at unacceptably low levels. For many women, the glass ceiling is real although often subtle and hidden. Those seeking leadership roles talk about bumping up against the many barriers …

Why is it that you do what you do? Of all the jobs and all the companies; why this one? If you were to think back to when you said YES to the role that you are now in, what was it that excited you? Can you remember? Interestingly, research has …

Has your career come to a grounding holt, where you are no longer being recognised, rewarded and promoted? Perhaps you are feeling bored, lacking challenge and missing the opportunity for growth. Are you wondering why it is that your career progression has plateaued over the last few years, leaving you less …

In a world where the most valuable commodity we have is TIME, finding ways to maximise our results with less effort is paramount to our success and sanity. We seem to be in a constant battle to “get it all done” while struggling against distractions, putting out the spot fires and completing low value busy work that can chew up most of the day …

Do you hold yourself to a higher standard, where you are constantly pursuing your personal best, taking action and extending beyond your personal comfort zone? Or do you let yourself get away with slacking off, taking the easy road and settling for second best? Let’s admit it… we all slide into …

So often we think about leadership growth in terms of learning new skills, gaining more experience or expanding technical knowledge. While these are all critically important elements of leadership success, they will only get you so far. The difference that makes the difference is working on our mindset. There always comes …

Innovation, creative thinking and problems solving is becoming an increasingly important skill for all leaders to foster. Organisations are hungry for employees who can see things from a new perspective, solve long-standing problems with simple changes and really drive progress within the business …

So often when we think about getting ahead in our career we think about what we need to do more of or be better at or what new action we must take, but very often the place to start has more to do with what we must let go of. The …

Have you noticed that many women underestimate their abilities and fail to shine a light on their performance? Perhaps you at times you have thought that you needed to know more, learn more, or have more experience to be taken seriously, seek promotion or allow your true value to be seen. …

Have you ever worked along side someone who was a drainer of your energy? You know the sort; the people who are constantly negative, focused on what could go wrong and spend most of the day gossiping about other people…. even if they don’t know them. Unfortunately some organisations seem to …

Is meditation the key to personal and professional success? Is it the gateway to our inner stability and true peace, love and happiness? Can learning to settle the mind bring you clarity, wisdom and give you what it takes to be an exceptional leader of people and business? There is a …

When an opportunity presents to further your career, do you; Seize the moment and grab it with both hands or Do you retreat wishing you had the courage to say YES. Why is it that so many of us have fallen for the curse of the shrinking violet at some point …

Lack of education, lack of opportunity, lack of desire; these are not what hold us back from achieving success, reaching our potential or creating significant impact in our work. The number 1 thing that holds us back is our silent struggle with confidence, self worth and faith in ourselves. I had …

Being visible is a key part of being an effective leader. We become well known and recognised for the skills we bring to the leadership table by being seen, being noticed and being courageous and vulnerable enough to stand out and shine. But many women struggle with being visible. Perhaps this …

Imagine if by focusing in on changing just a couple of words in your every day communications with your team, colleagues and customers, you could have more influence and impact and achieve improved results. The fact of the matter is … you can! From the moment we learn to talk, we …

One of the most powerful lessons for all leaders is to embrace the importance of owning your space. When we own our space we say to the world that we belong, that we believe in our value and give ourselves every opportunity to shine, allowing others to form a positive impression …

Is your lack of confidence and self belief killing your opportunities at work? Having confidence in yourself, your abilities and your capabilities to excel in your work matters. Our level of confidence can mean the difference between getting stuck in a job year after year or getting noticed for new and …

Have you ever found yourself going through the motions at work, where one year rolls into the next and you find yourself settling for less than you are capable of… and for just getting through the day, month or even the year? Some years ago this was my lot in life. …

What is the story of your year? As we near the end of the year and we slip into reflection mode, I am wondering what stories you are telling yourself and others about the year that was. Are you focus on what has gone well, the wins you have had, what …

Resilience is a pre-requisite for surviving the fast paced, demanding and ever changing work environment. In our modern world of highly stressful roles, where the pressure to perform is relentless and the resources are diminishing, we need to be equipped to ride out the difficult times and bounce back from setbacks. …

How is it that we can be busy all day… but at the end of the day feel like we have achieved so little? The problem lies in the fact that we are so often busy … but not overly productive! Just because you are stuck at your desk all day working through a long list of tasks does not necessarily equate to being productive …

It is human nature to want to be good at what we do and to have our efforts recognised by others. It makes us feel worthwhile, valued and it leaves us with a proud sense of achievement. But if you feel like you have to do things perfectly and that near enough is absolutely not good enough, then you may be afflicted by the curse of perfectionism …