Practices I've Seen Change the World For My Clients

Time to read: Less than 2 minutes

Notice the bottom rung on this cool pyramid I found in a therapist's office

Welcome back everyone! I hope you had a wonderful break, however you celebrate and however you were able to rest.

I thought about a lot of things over the holidays. In no particular order: cults (nothing says Christmas like The Vow), meditation, and how to change the world. This might seem like a weird little list and in fact, there are threads: being human, vulnerability, choices, and the passion that I know you all share for making the world a better place.

So, for a few weeks, I will share my best thinking on the practices that in my 12 years as a coach, I've seen change the world for my clients.

Why not start 2023 with a BHAG (Big, Hairy, Audacious, Goal)?

As is well established, you are powerful. What you put into your workplace, family and community makes a difference every.single.day. It matters. You matter. The things you do, who you are, and the choices you make ripple out. So, here is the first one:

Reflect

Reflection is the first step toward self-awareness. Without reflection, you're driving in the dark with no map. When you see things >as they are - the good, the bad, the ugly, you are able to decide what to keep, what must go, and what you want to change. Reflection is the foundation for consciousness and intention.

So, in these dark days of winter (for those of you who are in the northern hemisphere), consider "reflect" this week.

And if you want to email me to tell me your thoughts about changing the world or stories of how you're doing it in your corner of the universe, email me here. I always love to hear from you.

Happy New Year!

A Quote to Ponder...

Time to read: 10 seconds. It's spring! Use the extra 60 seconds to get outside.

I was at a retreat last week, and one of our leaders quoted a poem. She said it was Rumi, and I couldn't find the attribution. The quote is perfect food for thought after the past two years. I thought you would like it:

"A bell has rung to wake you up. Don't go back to sleep."

I'd love to hear what comes up for you when you hear this. Email me here and let me know!

My newsletter is for everyone! They can sign up here.

Lessons From the Pandemic: Part 2

Time to read: 1 minute, 8 seconds

My Covid campsite

I conducted a workshop last week as part of a 2-day virtual offsite to help a team reconnect, recover from a brutal year, and evaluate how they want to return to the office. When I asked people to share what they noticed about life during the pandemic, here's what they said:

"My kids enjoyed having more downtime."

"We didn't run around as much."

"My family wasn't over-scheduled."

"I enjoyed having quiet time in the evening."

As an über extrovert, people are my oxygen. During the pandemic, I had to introvert. I read a lot. Watched hours of TV. Gazed at my fish. Snuggled my dogs. Meditated. I took walks with friends, but the year was party-less, trip-less, and crowd-less.

When we could finally emerge, I was ready to par-ty!

Well, I thought I was ready to par-ty. My first few forays into the crowded world were fun in the moment and resulted in days of sleep and recovery from the noise. The pandemic taught me the value of quiet, downtime, and space alone. When activity was stripped away, the quiet that remained turned out to be great.

In the quiet, families reconnected. You may have discovered new hobbies or reignited your love of reading. Lots of people loved the time to cook at home and eat real meals. Game night replaced running from scheduled activity to scheduled activity.

As you plan your re-entry, consider how you will preserve the quiet you found during the pandemic. (For those of you with young children, the word "quiet" isn't quite right. Maybe a better word is slowing? Calm?)

If you want more strategies for re-entering life and work smoothly and effectively, download your copy of The Corporate Rebel's Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work). It will help you decide what to keep and what to change.

Lessons From the Pandemic: Part 1

Time to read: less than one minute

In the olden days when meetings were moving online, I was facilitating a women's leadership training program for a big company. My group and I were enjoying a panel discussion with company leaders. On the screen, dogs barked, kids walked through, and there was much laughter about wearing sweatpants with a button down shirt.

During Corporate Rebel live events this year, we saw a dinosaur costume, crazy hats, tiaras, dogs, cats, ferrets and all kinds of dining tables, kitchen walls, and bedroom decor.

This year, we became more human to each other at work. Corporate life used to be defined by a separation between the office and home. Sure, you put plants and family photos in your cube. Sure, you have friends at the office. And how many of those people ever saw your dirty laundry draped over a chair or watched your toddler streak across the room during a meeting?

We may be happy to give up the streaking and barking dogs, but let's hang on to how we let ourselves be seen this year. The intimidating VP is less intimidating when her kid asks for homework help during a presentation. Your boss is more approachable when you know he's wearing pjs all day.

Although I wish the solution were PJs for Everyday! it is easy to keep the investment in our humanity at work.

Talk to people. Connect. Tell stories of your everyday messes, successes and failures. Be authentic. Other humans are the most important resource you have. Invest in them.

And maybe consider a pajama day at the office. For old times sake.

Get your free download of The Corporate Rebel's Playbook for Returning to Life (and Work) right here. If you love it, please share it.

The Lies You Believe And The Truth Behind Them

Time to read: 1 minute, 36 seconds

Hello Rebels!

One of my clients (let's call her Stacy) called me dreading her mid-term review. She hated the fact that her VP didn't understand her department's role and even worse, he didn't seem to care. She felt like she spent her precious one-on-one time justifying her work, explaining why it mattered, and trying to convince him to care. She didn't know what he wanted and found their conversations frustrating and discouraging.

Does this sound familiar in your corporate job?

Stacy and I talked about the one thing she could control - herself. She believed a number of lies, and those lies were holding her back. We uncovered the truth and prepped her to step powerfully into her review.

Try these on:

The lie: She has to justify herself and her team's work.

The truth: You have nothing to justify. You get to have your passions, and your passion is not diminished if your boss doesn't share your level of excitement. Your job is to share your excitement and help your boss come along.

The lie: She needs her boss's validation for her leadership to be worthy and her team's work to be valuable.

The truth: Your success as a leader does not come from your boss's validation. It comes from how you show up, the way you manage your team, and the way you hold yourself as a powerful leader. Going in apologetic or pleading is not empowering. Instead, know your value and tell the story of your team's success.

The lie: That her boss doesn't care.

The truth: Your boss cares a great deal. He/She may care about different things than you do. As a direct report, your job is to figure out what keeps your boss up at night and how your work fits into the big picture your boss has to manage.

The lie: There's nothing she can do.

The truth: You always have more influence than you think you do. Stacy wanted to know what her boss needed from her so instead of guessing, she asked him. He told her what he needed, and she emailed me to say, "It was a great conversation. THANK YOU!!!!!"

Stacy moved from being her own worst enemy (believing in her lack of power, apologizing and justifying herself) to being her own best friend. She walked into her review powerful and in charge. That changed everything.

If you want a dose of this kind of power, join me and my BFF for our Corporate Rebel Rethinking U Webinar on August 20th at 11:00 am CT. You can register here.

Can't wait to see you on the inside!

Christina

P.S. Did you love the Quiet the Noise Challenge? Do you have friends who could use a little dose of positivity and hope in their corporate job? Invite them to join you for the Rethinking U Webinar on August 20 at 11:00 am CT. Send them here. You'll be glad you spent the hour with us.

What Makes You a Corporate Rebel?

Time to read: 30 seconds and maybe 2 minutes to respond

What makes a Corporate Rebel? It's the boots!

I get invited somewhat regularly to participate in interviews or collaborations with other coaches and entrepreneurs. I'm choosy about where I put my time and frankly, where I put your time and trust. With the most recent invitations, I've noticed something interesting which raises a question I want to ask you.

Most of the invitations are from coaches who help entrepreneurs build businesses. The hosts assume because the word "rebel" is in my brand, that I help people leave corporate jobs to become entrepreneurs. They are surprised when I decline and explain that I do not work with entrepreneurs, but in fact, help people get in and stay IN corporate. They assume that being a rebel and working in corporate is an impossible combination. In fact, a friend once said that he thought being a Corporate Rebel is an oxymoron.

To that I say, PISH-POSH!

You can be a rebel and work in a corporate job. When I was working in corporate, I knew lots of creative, dynamic and interesting people I would describe as rebels.

Which inspires a question for you: What makes you a rebel in your corporate job? (And if you're a coach or entrepreneur, you are most welcome here, too and I'd love to hear what makes you a rebel.) I have lots of thoughts and opinions on the subject and would love to hear from you first.

Feel free to hit email me at christina@boydsmithcoaching.com and let me know what you think or share your thoughts in the conversation at Corporate Rebel HQ on Facebook. Click this link to join or comment if you're already a member.

With rebel love,

Christina

You're the Best!

Time to read: Barely one minute. It's summer. You've got fun stuff to do.

You are a gift!

One of our own Corporate Rebels inspired today's blog. Steve sent me some astute comments after a post a few months ago. His thoughts inspired some fresh ways to think about your career which put you back in the driver's seat. If you feel like your career has been pushed this way and that by the winds of your company, read on!

Steve wrote, "I’ve shifted my attitude about work and career to how to use my gifts and talents (i.e., value proposition). For me, satisfaction comes from applying my gifts and talents which meets someone’s need and who is willing to compensate me for that."

Steve makes an excellent point. Put another way, you are a gift to your employer. Your contributions are as important as the things they give you.

Blow open your thinking about your career with these ideas:

1. Your employment is an equal energy exchange. You give your gifts and talents. Your company gives you money and benefits. They need you as much as you need them. This idea puts the power in your career back in your hands.


2. Do what you do best. You have gifts and talents. And you have...what shall we call them?…liabilities and weaknesses. Spend your career maximizing your strengths and partnering with other people's strengths (i.e. your liabilities and weaknesses). Doing what you do best allows you to shine and partnering with others who have different strengths, allows them to shine. It's a win-win!


3. Stop competing. Spending your career trying to outdo your competition is not a winning strategy. Instead, focus on partnership, relationship, and delivering the best darn solutions to meet your (internal and external) customer's needs. By focusing on value and solutions, you set yourself up to be a sought-after member of any team.

You're the best!

Christina

P.S. Have a colleague who needs to see themselves as a gift to your organization? Send them this newsletter and they can sign up for weekly motivation and positivity right here.