Zig Ziglar said this at at seminar I attended where he was speaking. He said it was first stated by Thomas Jefferson. The quote has stuck with me. I know when I am feeling really happy, gratitude easily shows up. When I am feeling a bit blue, I start thinking about what I am grateful for and the blues seem to dissipate.

Gratitude is a healthy emotion, I do agree. And so with Thanksgiving just a day away, I am very grateful for all the people in my life… clients, friends and family! It is with much gratitude that I say may you have a lovely and Happy Thanksgiving!

I came across this article “The Moment I Finally Felt Like An Executive” by David Silverman and thought you would enjoy it. It’s fun to have aha moments… to be very present to what is happening right now, this very moment and realize that it is important. I remember sitting in my newly opened office in Mexico City with the warm sun beaming in the windows and realizing, after speaking to several of my bosses back in the States, that what I had achieved in opening the Mexico City Office was important; that alot of people, both in the US and Mexico, were depending on its success…

It was a moment to remember in my leadership journey. What was one of your aha moments?

“Most people think they know what they are good at. They are usually wrong… And yet, a person can perform only from strength.” – Business guru Peter Drucker (1909 – 2005)

As many of you who already subscribe to my Leadership Power Tips know, one of my favorite books is Now, Discover Your Strengths by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton. When coaching my clients, we talk a lot about Strengths and seek to gain clarity on what theirs’ are. I just completed reviewing my Strengths after reading Strengths Finder 2.0, the upgraded version by Tom Rath. The goal of Gallup Management and the authors “was to start a global conversation about what’s right with people.”

I fell in love with this goal and overall philosophy right away. My passion is to have more leaders really understand who they are by being more aware and observant of the impact of their actions. What do they do well and what do they not do well. Becoming clear on both is really important to leadership development. Focusing on what is a strength as a leader means you will have an opportunity to make a dramatic difference for yourself and your employees. As a leader, I support building on who you already are and being aware of who you are not, managing your weaknesses.

The research Gallup has done “discovered that people have several times more potential for growth when they invest energy in developing their strengths instead of correcting their deficiencies.” Their research also indicates “that people who do have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every day are six times as likely to be engaged in their jobs and more than three times as likely to report having an excellent quality of life in general.”

In these tough economic times, it is already challenging without the added dynamic of not being able to use your strengths and do what you do best everyday. As Gallup’s extensive research has found (and you and I know from experience) when you are not able to use your strengths at work, chances are that you:

• hate going to work
• have more negative interactions with people at your work
• treat customers poorly
• speak negatively about your company to your friends
• achieve less
• have fewer positive and creative moments

So, if you are experiencing any or all of these, please take the time to pick up this book, Strength Finders 2.0 and begin to confirm your strengths, your natural talents. As 2009 comes to close, now is the time to review what you will focus on in 2010. Why not start out with building on your strengths?

My top five Strength themes are Relator, Maximizer, Positivity, Learner and Intellection. What are yours?

We all have heard the saying – The only thing constant is change – and yet for so many people change is very difficult. I wonder… is it because we really don’t believe this; because we have a fear of the unknown; because we hate to see a good thing come to an end? When is it we embrace change?

Over the last 18 months, I coached many employees, managers and executives in a very dynamic environment where growth was happening very fast to, unfortunately, where decline rapidly took hold and seemed to spiral out of control. After hiring almost 70 people and watching them enthusiastically take on the launch of a new program, I was several months later laying off all the people I hired plus many more. I witnessed hope, contribution and commitment and then despair, fear and anger.

From the beginning, change was very apparent – new people working together building a team; new processes to be learned and enhanced; new offices being opened and performance being reviewed. Some people thrived on the change and some resisted the changes. It was an amazing time for me to be involved as a coach, a HR manager and an observer. I loved helping employees deal with the new demands; coaching managers to motivate employees and bring clarity to their expectations. Then as the business revenues began to decline just when expenses were increasing, change took on a whole new look – people being laid off; offices closing; programs being shut down and services being eliminated. I also was grateful for helping the employees deal with losing their jobs; coaching managers to make and deal with the results of their tough decisions; and listening as all levels of the organization tried to sort out what the changes meant for them and their families, the company and the clients. Many thanked me for the straightforward approach and compassion I brought to difficult conversations.

In my many roles in business, I have initiated change, been a “victim” of change, and embraced change. For me, I know it is my perspective that drives the how I will handle change. Call it the wisdom of my years (or the hard knocks of experience) but thankfully I no longer am a victim of change. Yes, I may have a few moments of regret, disappointment and even anger reflecting how come, why me, why now… The key for me has been to acknowledge my feelings, giving myself permission to feel bad for whatever I need – 5 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes – and then I move on… looking for “what’s next” with the intention of making all change beneficial.

Being a leader means you will become familiar with all of the aspects of change and how you handle it will begin to define who you are as a leader. So how are you doing in handling change?

Well are you? Now be honest!

I have come to learn that when I begin reading a lot and when I begin seeking out training courses, I am ready for a change. And usually a big one! That is how it has been for me since March of this year. I have been actively involved in several training courses and have read… let me count…11 books. Wow, I even surprised myself by how many I have read in a few short months time. I will have to share with you which ones are the best… check out TheLeadershipResource.com/Leadership-Books.php

The training I have attended has been outstanding. The first course is a year-long course called Wisdom Unlimited. This course is about Transformation. I love how individual transformation allows you to take on and live at a new level of power and effectiveness. This course as Landmark Education describes “is designed for those interested in growth and development as an ongoing part of their lives. It is for those who want their lives to be as great as they can be, to live as productive members of a community, to grow in wisdom, to develop themselves in ways that open up new avenues of exploration in living full, contributing, and happy lives.”  And it is about “play—such as curiosity, wonderment, invention, and engagement – with the maturity and wisdom of adulthood.” This course has delivered on its objectives for me! Play and Contribution are very present for me at a whole new level.

More to come on the other training I have taken… but now I want to ask you a question? Are you bored? Are you looking to spark your own growth and development? Are you being the best leader you can be or are you ready to take your own development to a new level? What action are you going to take…

When was the last time you said “I don’t know” in front of your employees? (Out loud so someone would hear it.)

When was the last time you shared something new that you learned? (Not acting as if you had known it all along.)

As a leader, we must model self-empowerment. This is a small step to creating an environment where not knowing everything and learning are accepted. I love hearing bosses tell their employees what they learned from a customer, co-worker or another employee, or what new tool they are using to improve their effectiveness. Employees then begin to wonder what they should be learning.

Just recently, I have begun learning sign language so I can more effectively communicate with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. It is very exciting to be learning a new language and also very humbling to have to ask people to slow down and repeat the signs so I can understand. It shows my vulnerability; yet persistence. One of my employees has already come to me to discuss what she should be learning and figuring out what would be the next opportunity for her. She said you have me thinking in new ways about my own job.

Engaging employees to help direct their own development, take ownership in increasing their skills ultimately benefits the Company. So I ask you… what self-development are you participating in? How can you begin to model self-empowerment?