Water Finds A Way

On a day hike in the beautiful Colorado Rockies, we arrived at the journey's prize - the waterfall. My son and I stopped to enjoy the view and the cold local beers he had packed in his hiking bag. It was a welcome rest and an amazingly relaxing area. The loud rush of the water over the rocks and the refreshing pop of the beer cans were two delights that added to the whole experience.

I was mesmerized by the water rushing over the boulders and down the hill. I watched it flow down the mountain past our cozy vantage point. It worked its way around and over rocks, quickly making its way past all of the obstacles it encountered. 

I think it provides a great metaphor for our risk taking journeys. To be like the water. Never letting any obstacles hold up your progress for very long. When you do come up against an obstacle - remember there is most always a way around or through it. The answer may not always be obvious at first, but with creativity and experimentation - you will successfully find a way to move forward. 

What lessons have you learned from past struggles? How could you apply that learning to barriers to action you are encountering now?

That is Such a Great Question!

When I was young, I was very quiet in school and did not typically ask questions in class. In later years, there always seemed to be a requirement for recitation credit to respond or ask questions during the semester. So, to get the grade I would speak up, but only until I had enough points to make my A. I would then retreat back into the observer mode.

Now, I ask questions all the time - and have frequently received the response - "that is a great question!" I'm a professional coach. Through listening and asking powerful questions - real understanding, awareness and breakthrough become possible for my clients. 

I remember as a young engineer asking a director how to get promoted to the next position. It was a very political answer - not one I was pleased to hear - with nothing really tangible or concrete that I could go away with and say I understood the expectations for advancement. But I do remember him saying that "maybe someday you will be in a meeting and you will ask a question and that will be the key". To think that waiting for an opportunity to ask a powerful question was my only route to the top. It wasn't the game I wanted to play but I kept it in mind. 

How do you get in a place to be able to ask those questions? It's simple. By listening, truly listening, with your heart and your soul (and not with a cell Phone in your face or your lap). By being engaged and coming to meetings or event prepared to participate. 

Through focusing - questions will naturally come to mind. Then - you just have to have the courage to ask. 

I've found it to be one of the easiest ways to network and get to know everyone in the room. When you ask a good question - people will remember you. I've been to some organization meetings that I attend monthly and invariably get - "oh, you were the one that asked that great question at the last event".

In a recent event there were two executives in a fireside chat about partnerships to advance technology in the energy industry. They were discussing how companies were working together to develop products or services. One of the most interesting ones I came across a few years before was Pumps and Pipes - heart surgeons and oil and gas engineers working together to share ideas and technology. After all, they both work with pumps and pipes! I mentioned this to the speakers in the Q&A part of the fireside chat presentation and asked about unusual partnerships they might have experienced. "Great question" they both replied. They did come back with some partnering you would never have thought up in a million years. And when I went up to speak with them after - they exclaimed "that was a great question" again and we started an interesting discussion on collaboration ideas.  

Take that risk and be the great question asker and watch doors open magically for you everywhere! 

The Story Behind the Facade

I love to go into churches between services when the lights are turned down low and the only sound is the trickle of the water in the baptismal font. When I visit San Francisco every year for a yoga conference, I head to the waterfront on foot from my hotel to get Ghirardelli chocolate. I always stop at a Catholic church at the halfway point to say a prayer and light a candle. It's such a peaceful time and spiritually renewing.  At home, I discovered that between 1:00 and 2:00 on Sunday afternoons was the perfect time between masses at my church and the choir practice (which I enjoy when they are practicing early). 

On this particular rainy Sunday I decided to stop by our church between services to review the reading and enjoy my quiet reflection time. When I arrived I noticed quite a few cars in the parking lot. Oh no! What was going on? Would my special visit be interrupted? Today it turned out to be some kind of tour. A gentleman was leading a group around the church explaining the mural, stained glass windows and telling stories about rosaries and prayer cards buried in the foundation. It was fascinating. It made the church even that more special to know some of its history - though it wasn't really that old - probably less than ten years. The tour finished less than thirty minutes after I arrived as I was soon left to the trickling fountain and flickering candles in the dim light of the afternoon. 

But missing half the tour left me wanting to know more. And knowing the half of the story I was privy to hear left me excited, intrigued and wanting to share my new found knowledge with my church going friends who might never have heard the story. 

So many times we fill in the blanks about people and situations and never delve into the real story behind the facade. What a treasure we are missing and what a risk it is to not find out what it really is. I invite you to share your story and delve beneath the facade in your relationships and in situations. You never know what treasures you will discover. 

Office Politics - To Play or Not to Play

When I graduated from college in engineering I had my heart set on a warm location, far from the cold winters of Michigan. I interviewed all over the country and ended up in Houston, Tx. Part of the attraction was the 70 degrees and sunny weather when I interviewed while at the same time it was snowing and freezing in Michigan. The other part was the beer I had for lunch with my future boss required two hands to hold (everything in Texas is bigger!). I narrowed my choices down to Shell Oil and Houston Lighting and Power. Their offices were right next to each other in downtown Houston. The money won (power plant experience helped!)!

The first day at work my boss took me around to all of the directors' offices to introduce me. I was something they had never seen before - a female engineer from up north that talked funny - and everyone wanted to meet me! I had a few executives visit me in my office. Each time one of them left, a fellow engineer from down the hall would run into my office and say - "do you know who that was?". I would reply - "oh yes - that was Ted ... or Don... or Jim". Then my co-worker would reply loudly with a slight tinge of fear in his voice that it was a VP over such and such department. I got the feeling he thought I should be scared. But I wasn't. I didn't know it at the time but it was my intro into the game of office politics.

Over time I experienced a few more learning opportunities. At one place all of management would come into work at 6:30am, (we started work at 8:00), and hang out drinking coffee just in case the executive called or dropped in. They wanted to make sure they were available. Another time an executive promoted all of the supervisors in his division to the open management spots, ignoring other qualified available candidates outside of his empire. Early on I inquired of a director what was required for a promotion to the next level and the response was a very subjective reply - asking a question at the right time, contributing to organization the company supported, and a few other vague responses.

I thought starting my own Company and working contract with organizations would eliminate some of the "game" - but it just shows up in a different way.

Whether or not you want to play - at least be aware that there is a game - and then decide HOW you want to play it. Stay on the clean side of the antics.

The most important thing to remember is that it is all about relationships.

Always be professional in your interfaces setting a standard for others. Confront gossip and other activities that are not supportive of a professional environment. Get some help managing relationships in your organization - whether it is from someone you see handling the office political arena exceptionally well or an outsider view point - find your champion. Get to know people, what their values and goals and expectations are and decide how to support them.

Office politics don't have to be a chore if you are aware of them and embrace the challenge.

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Do you have an office politics issue that needs attention? (even though we are mostly virtual - the game continues). Let's have a call. Sign up for a strategy session - 30 or 60 minutes - here. We will get you some strategies and an action plan. If you think working together in the future might be beneficial to you - we can discuss the next steps.