Nutrition in the Blue Zones

Debbie Fennell on July 28, 2023

By Autumn Sisneros, MS, RD, LD, CDCES

Blue Zones are regions of the world where people tend to live significantly longer and healthier lives compared to the global average. These regions have been studied by researchers to identify the lifestyle factors that contribute to longevity. These regions include Ikaria in Greece, Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica, and Loma Linda, California (yes, even here in our own backyard). While there is no single factor that can fully explain the longevity in Blue Zones, several common characteristics have been identified:

  1. Active Lifestyle: Physical activity is a natural part of daily life in Blue Zones. People engage in regular, low-intensity physical activities such as walking, gardening, and household chores, which help maintain mobility and overall fitness throughout their lives.
  2. Social Engagement: Strong social connections and community support play a vital role in the longevity of Blue Zone residents. People in these areas often have strong bonds with family, friends, and neighbors, which provide emotional support, a sense of purpose, and a feeling of belonging.
  3. Purposeful Life: Having a sense of purpose and meaning in life is another common trait among individuals in Blue Zones. Whether it’s through work, family, or other meaningful activities, having a reason to wake up each day contributes to mental and emotional well-being.
  4. Stress Reduction: Blue Zone cultures often have built-in mechanisms to manage and reduce stress. Whether through daily rituals, prayer, meditation, or simply taking time to relax and enjoy life, stress reduction practices help protect against chronic diseases associated with prolonged stress.
  5. Moderate Alcohol Consumption: In some Blue Zones, moderate alcohol consumption, especially of red wine, is a cultural norm. The key is moderation—typically, one to two servings per day, rather than excessive or binge drinking, which can have detrimental effects on health.
  6. Limited Smoking: Smoking rates tend to be low or non-existent in Blue Zone communities. This factor significantly reduces the risks of various chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and respiratory ailments.

And last but not least ……….

  1. Healthy Diet: Blue Zone populations typically consume a plant-based diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts with limited processed foods, saturated fats, and added sugars. See below for a few examples:
    • Legumes: Legumes such as beans, lentils, and chickpeas are a staple in the diets of people in Blue Zones. They are excellent sources of protein, fiber, and various vitamins and minerals.
    • Whole Grains: Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and oats are commonly consumed in Blue Zones. They provide sustained energy, fiber, and important nutrients.
    • Healthy Fats: Healthy fats, like those found in avocados, olive oil, and nuts, are a part of the traditional diets in Blue Zones. These fats are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which are beneficial for heart health.
    • Limited Animal Products: While not entirely vegetarian, people in Blue Zones typically consume animal products in small amounts and on rare occasions. Fish is often favored over other meats, and it is consumed in moderation.
    • Balanced Caloric Intake: Blue Zone populations tend to practice mindful eating and avoid overeating. They consume moderate portions of food and practice calorie balance.
    • Herbal Teas: In some Blue Zones, herbal teas made from local plants are consumed regularly. These teas often have medicinal properties and are believed to contribute to overall health and well-being.

It’s important to note that specific dietary practices may vary slightly among different Blue Zones, as they are influenced by local traditions, cultures, and available food sources. Nonetheless, considering the commonalities of the Blue Zones, specifically as it relates to food and nutrition, may help you live your longest and BEST life! Interested in learning more about the Blue Zones and other ways of living a more balanced lifestyle? Join us for our Reflect, Rejuvenate & Thrive event in Cleveland, OH on September 8, 2023. You can find more information and register online at thunderbirdleadership.com/events.

Disability Discrimination: Disabled People are “just People”!

Marcie McCleary on July 21, 2022

by Marcie McCleary

Wow, I was so excited! This was the first trip I’d taken in a LONG time! And it was a girl’s get-a- way! My best friend and I were flying to Santa Fe to stay with a very good high school friend I hadn’t seen in more than 40 years!

Of course we were all older now. On top of age, I had been diagnosed with a rare neurological disease and was losing the strength in my legs. So, Connie and I planned on using my lightweight, manual wheelchair to get me around the airports and for sightseeing in Santa Fe.

As “normal” as I felt, I soon learned that others did not see me that way.

At the airport, the airline staff responded to me in different ways. Some acted super sweet and concerned, calling me “sweetie” and trying hard to help. Others looked away and pretended they didn’t see me. When we landed in New Mexico, I had an odd experience. The airline attendant in the airport did not talk to me at all. In fact, she acted like I was unable to talk or understand what she had to say. So she only directed her questions to my friend, and asked “are you making a connection or going to baggage claim?” and “do I need to get someone to push her?”  Maybe I’m oversensitive about having to use a chair, but the response of the airline people cast a shadow over my vacation. This experience also made me realize how our society tends to treat people in wheelchairs and/or with physical disabilities in general. 

It seems there are various ways people respond to those with disabilities.  Maybe it’s time to think about this issue. As a recently disabled person, I’ve noticed that some people literally look down at us, choosing to ignore us, or act as if we must have other disabilities, i.e. we’re deaf or mute or mentally challenged, which is usually not the case at all. Others overdo it and treat us like we’re totally helpless children. There has to be a happy medium here. How about acting like disabled people are “just people who happen to have a disability”? Rather than ignoring us or making a huge fuss over us, how about just including us”? And, hopefully, in this time when so much of the world is suffering, how about treating all people warmly and directly?

Like this airline person, I’ve noticed others who seem very uncomfortable around people in wheelchairs. A more recent encounter clearly displays disability discrimination. I was at a medical appointment at a rehabilitation hospital. When I was done, I contacted Lyft to get a ride home.

It took the driver a while to get there and, when he did, he drove by me (in my wheelchair) slowly but did not stop or attempt to talk to me when I tried flagging him down. In fact, he refused to roll his window down or talk to me at all. When the valet approached his car, the driver rolled his window down a little bit and the valet asked him what was going on. The driver said “I might be able to fit her wheelchair in, but I’d rather not give her a ride.” The valet was surprised and asked “are you saying you won’t give her a ride?” The driver said “No, I won’t.” The valet asked him to leave the premises, which he did. This whole experience left me breathless! What had I done to deserve this kind of treatment? The fact that I was at a rehab hospital should have clued the driver in but, clearly, it did not. 

Eventually, another Lyft car showed up to drive me home. The car was about the same size as the previous one, and the new driver had no problem fitting my foldable chair in the trunk. When I got home, I emailed Lyft to tell them what had happened. There was no apology but they did refund the $5 charge for a “missed ride” and said they would not pair me with that driver in the future!

I don’t know what the solution is, but I do know that our society has a general problem when it comes to dealing with those with disabilities. 

Some suggestions:

  • Don’t gawk at or act afraid of people in wheelchairs or with physical differences. I think most of us with a disability prefer to be treated in the same way other non-disabled folks are treated.
  • If you’re talking to a person with a physical disability, look them in the eye and speak to them just as you would speak to anyone; in other words, don’t make a spectacle of them.
  • If the disabled person is struggling to open a door or move in a crowd, don’t hesitate to offer a hand.

An even larger issue for those of us using wheelchairs is accessibility.

Obviously, there are places (cities, streets and buildings, etc.) that are not accessible for wheelchairs. My experience in Santa Fe brought this issue to the surface. As an older, very historical town, the streets, sidewalks, and curbs were hard to navigate, and my friends had to help me. 

I think accessibility in new construction is paramount. Steps, narrow entryways or hallways, heavy doors, and high elevator buttons are usually too difficult for us to deal with. Restaurants with all booths, high bars, or tight seating need to think about how they can make their facility more inviting and approachable. 

Lastly, I would just say I think our society as a whole needs to be kind and inclusive of everyone, no matter our situation or differences.

The Winding Road

Kevin Monaco on April 3, 2022

It sounds so simple, but no one had ever told me: The road is winding and wide. I wasn’t aware because most people I knew pursued only one road: The Straight and Narrow. I don’t mean ‘honest’ and ‘moral’ here. I mean ‘straight’ and ‘narrow’– the complete opposite of ‘winding’ and ‘wide’.

Here in Cleveland, we joke that there are only two seasons; winter and construction. You always have to be ready with an alternative route. You can almost never take the most direct path. You must first go south before you can go west, or a little east before you can go north. And don’t forget about rush hour traffic! You’re in it for the long haul. Luckily, there are multiple ways to get to where you’re going.

During a challenging health journey in my late 20s, I began to examine my life more deeply than I ever had up to that point. I felt as though I was headed in the wrong direction, particularly with my career and my life’s dedication. I yearned to be creative again, like I was when I was younger. I wanted to make beautiful creations, important calls-to-action that people admired and felt moved by. I wanted to inspire others with my passion and energy. I felt I knew where I should be, where I always wanted to be, but that place was somewhere on the other side of town. It was a place I was very unfamiliar with, and quite frankly, terrified of.

And so I began to talk with someone about my struggles. The more I spoke about it, the more aware I was of the panic bubbling up inside of me. I was operating on autopilot. I wasn’t engaged or enthusiastic about the work I was doing. I felt undervalued and overworked. I felt disappointed in myself for not having a clearer direction for my life, a more solid plan. I chastised myself because I had allowed this to happen, and now, nearly ten years into my career at that point, I felt trapped and confused. Was this ever really what I wanted to do? What about all the years of education I went through? The degrees I earned? The time I’d already invested at my workplace? It all seemed like a big waste. 

Through my sadness, my therapist offered this simple but impactful perspective: Life is not a straight and narrow path. It is a jagged and twisty, multi-lane roadway, full of construction and bus stops. It is a series of onramps and offramps, and sometimes you have to go far out of your way to get back on track. Sometimes you are driving with poor visibility, and sometimes you’re driving through clear skies with the top down. But you are always moving. Even if you stop momentarily, life beckons you to hit the gas once again. 

I spent a lot of time with this analogy. I thought about what it meant to view my life as a winding road. I thought about all the events of my life that I am grateful for, and I began to notice the twisted roads that led me to them. Of course life is not a straightforward path! There are reasons for this, and here are a few I’ve learned from my experience since then.

 

 

1) Life is a series of stops and detours that provides us with feedback on how we are responding and growing as people.

Quite simply put, we do not know what we do not yet know. I like to view my life experiences as a variety of roadside diners. I discover new joints that I love, and others…well, I won’t be coming back for seconds. Use these experiences to fuel change and discover what makes you ‘tick’. By means of detouring and rerouting, I begin to learn my way around town. I discover the bumpy roads, the carefree highways, the heavily patrolled areas, and the places I want to avoid in the future. At 15 years old, I was afraid to drive up that freeway onramp for the first time, but I learned something every time I tried, and it got easier. Learning more about myself and my surroundings has been key to uncovering my personal path and purpose. 

 

2) We may need to have certain experiences that drive us forward, even if they seem counterproductive.

We may not be ready for a particular ‘point of interest’ yet. That is the bottom line. We may have to acquire some skills, be jolted into some serious reflection, meet some new people, or overcome a challenge before we are prepared to arrive at that destination. Even if you feel restless and anxious, this is a process that asks you to honor your current location. This is where you are today, and there is incredible power in that realization. Each twist and turn is teaching you to become a better driver, and you will be better-equipped to handle future roadblocks. Perhaps a new road will open up now that you’re no longer headed south on the old one. In this way, no experience is a lost cause. No credential, skill, or relationship is a waste of time. No seemingly counterproductive event has forever put you in reverse. You are a master navigator! Even as you are reading and reflecting on this post, you are fine-tuning your route.

I’m reminded of an SNL Weekend Update skit where Leslie Jones talks to Colin Jost about Oprah Winfrey’s experience being fired as a young intern. Jost remarks what a mistake it was for those executives to fire Oprah! “No it wasn’t!” Leslie claps back. “…‘Cause she wasn’t Oprah. She was just some 23-year-old punk, who needed to get fired, so she could become ‘Oprah’!” 

 

3) Trust that if we set the destination, life will align the right people and situations to get us there.

Life is a complicated web of connections and networks. We’ve all heard of the six degrees of separation concept. Whether there are actually six is not the point. We can be sure that there is at least one path for every destination we plan for. From a vantage point much greater than any mirror or car camera can provide, you have already initiated a chain reaction that is shifting the tides to make things happen.

I have always had many interests. But since I can remember, I always wanted to be a singer and songwriter. There was one problem: I was terrified to put myself out there for people to hear. Over the years, I gradually turned my back on my love of music. Quite some time later, I decided I owed it to myself to forge down that path once again and take a look around! In the last three years, I have now performed many times for an audience, but I had to get through a few hazardous conditions before I could open up. Some were even completely unrelated to music! My original plan had me arriving at my destination really early. Improperly early. It was in my best interest to slow down and take the scenic route. I began to notice the parts of my previous career that had prepared me for an audience. I noticed the new experiences I was having that were encouraging me out of my shell. I noticed the unique and fun moments I was having as a result of this new route–ones I would never have dreamt possible.

I know that it may take you, as it has taken me, some time to get used to this winding road. We are prodded down narrow paths, raised with absolutes, and told it’s ‘my way or the highway!’ We begin to neglect our own navigation system, and we forget who is driving the car.

76-year-old American actor, singer, dancer, and director, André De Shields, offered this piece of advice during his first Tony Award acceptance speech in 2019: “Slowly is the fastest way to get to where you want to be.” So let’s try not to be anxious drivers. The pace and course of your journey has been designed specifically for you. If it feels misguided or too slow, take a deep breath, and stay curious about your surroundings. Ask yourself what you are meant to learn at this time. Find out what is working and what isn’t working for you. Reach out and ask for directions. Discover how you will do things differently next time. If the traffic is too noisy, roll up the windows and put on your favorite playlist! If we settle into the moment, we allow the next turn to reveal itself. 

Above all, remember that life is a process of growth opportunities. There is more to our stories than just the beginnings and ends. We can be motivated by the destination, or we can be excited about the road trip itself. Afterall, the real adventure is in the winding detours.

 

Curb Your Complaining

Carla J. Rotering, MD, M.A. on February 7, 2022

by Dr. Carla Rotering

 

“The only thing complaining does is convince other people that you are not in control.”– Unknown

There’s an old saying that “misery loves company” – and over the last couple of years, things may feel pretty miserable to many if not most of us.  It seems a natural extension to transfer what we experience into the act of complaining.  

Complaining and connecting with those who share our disturbance not only provides some emotional release but it also creates a place of belonging. Who doesn’t want to spend time with people who “get” what we are talking about – who notice the same miserable things we do, push against the same miserable boundaries we do, and complain about the same miserable details that we do?   We become misery buddies, an exclusive club of complainers, operating with the belief that we are bonding and validating one another through our shared complaints.  

We are inherently social beings, and as humans we have the capacity for neuronal mirroring.  Mirroring happens when mirror neurons in the premotor cortex area of your brain respond to an observed behavior or mood of another person as if YOU were actually engaged in that behavior or mood yourself!  So rather than finding comfort and relief, as we unconsciously mimic moods and behaviors, we actually deepen our misery and ultimately habituate the practice of complaining.  That habit of complaining doesn’t make anyone happy.  And you don’t even have to be the complainer!!  Studies show that 30 minutes of LISTENING to someone complain impacts our health and wellbeing just as much as BEING the complainer for that 30 minutes.  The average person complains between 15 – 30 times a day, according to Will Bowen, author of “A Complaint-Free World”.

Have you ever heard the saying “Neurons that fire together wire together”? Neuroscience tells us that repetitive complaining, like any repetitive behavior, re-wires our brains so that the neurons branch out toward each other to create a more permanent bridge, making future complaining more likely.  Over time, it becomes easier to be negative by defaulting to this now-established neural pathway than it is to be positive, which would require the creation of a new pathway – and that holds true even when what is happening around us changes for the better!  

Mission.org explains this phenomenon perfectly:

“The more you complain about things like flakey friends or being asked to push up a project’s 

deadline, the more neurons in your brain stitch themselves together to easily 

facilitate this kind of information. Before you know it, complaining becomes so 

easy for your brain to grasp, you start doing it without even consciously registering

the behavior.”

A Stanford University study using high resolution MRI’s found that complaining or listening to complaining can result in actual damage to our brains by shrinking the hippocampus.  Equally concerning, chronic high cortisol levels, besides triggering our flight-or-fight response, are now thought to damage the hippocampus in the same way.   The hippocampus is an area critical to memory formation, learning, emotional regulation and problem solving.  It is also one of the primary areas of the brain destroyed in Alzheimer’s Disease.

Who wants that???  And what can we do to shift?

Here is a summary of tips offered by the Cleveland Clinic to interrupt the habit of complaint – whether you notice it in yourself or your peers, friends, family:

  •  Look at the big picture – will this really matter in 5 minutes/months/years?  If the answer is “yes” see #5
  • Ask yourself if this IS the issue?  Is “this” (whatever it is) really pushing your buttons or is there something going on that is deeper, harder, more personal.
  • Make it a game!  Wear a bracelet or rubber band around your wrist – and every time you notice yourself complaining (even silently) shift it to the opposite wrist.  The goal is to keep your rubber-band bracelet on the same wrist for longer and longer periods of time.
  • Share legitimate concerns in the right time and place – not on social media, not in a public hallway or shared space.
  • When something really matters, share your concern in a way that is seen as helpful rather than critical. Be a part of the solution!
  • When you offer a valid complaint, start and end with a positive statement. When we start with negative words, no one can hear anything else we say. When we end with negative words, no one can remember what we said before.  This sandwiches your concern between caring statements– and makes all the difference to others and to YOU!!
  • Practice gratitude.  If negativity has become a habit for you or those around you, noticing one small thing daily for which you are thankful can begin to forge a new, positive neural pathway!!

Our invitation to you is to experiment with a “no complaint day” – and see what happens to your energy, your mood, your level of contentment and satisfaction.  

And if you like it, start building new neuronal bridges!!!

 

https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-stop-complaining-7-secrets-to-being-happier/

https://news.stanford.edu/pr/96/960814shrnkgbrain.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6616250/

https://www.southernliving.com/news/complaining-changes-your-brain

https://m1psychology.com/complaining-is-bad-for-your-brain/

Sponsorship: A New Imperative For Leaders

Kevin Monaco on November 16, 2021

  by Dorothy Sisneros and Kevin Monaco

Impact of the sponsorship

Dorothy Sisneros

Have you ever been a sponsor or mentor?  Or have you been sponsored or mentored?  Chances are that at this point in your leadership journey, you have experienced one or all of the development opportunities offered by your organization or have hired external coaches to assist with your goals.  In this blog, Kevin and I will explore the nuances and role of mentorship and sponsorship support and how you can become a protégé or sponsor a protégé regardless of your current role in an organization.  The path to advancement for women and minorities usually includes being sponsored. Therefore, organizations should consider adding sponsorship to their talent management and succession planning programs.  

I have had many amazing sponsors and the odd part is that until the last six months, I didn’t have an official term for what I had benefited from along my journey.  I had mentors and coaches help me hone my skills and figure out what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be professionally.  In reading several articles, I became aware of sponsorship and realized that my life has been shaped by the fact that several of my sponsors considered me a protégé and that my talents and abilities had been shared with an audience who were receptive to the amplification, boosting, connecting, and defending (Chow, 2021) from my sponsors.   

Teachers can be our first sponsors as they open doors, write letters of recommendation, and help guide us into careers they hope will be a match for us.  My first sponsor was my high school English teacher and basketball coach.  Mr. Richard A Martinez (RA) was an exceptional teacher and incredible coach.  He decided that college was in my future and that attending on a basketball scholarship was possible.  He connected with the new Women’s Athletic Director at the University of Arizona and my role as a protégé began.  He told Dr. Mary Roby about my athletic abilities, my academic strength and shared his endorsement of me as a person. 

RA was my first sponsor – he found an audience (Dr. Roby) and connected her to me by telling stories and creating a positive impression.  He amplified my abilities by sharing my accomplishments, boosted my potential and readiness for the college basketball experience, and defended me by ensuring her that a small-town “star” would be fine at a large university.  Thanks to RA, I attended the University of Arizona on a basketball scholarship and I didn’t let him down.  RA was my brand manager and publicist in the days before YouTube, Instagram or TikTok.  I share this story as an example of the importance of a sponsor in our lives.  I have had several other amazing sponsors and I’m grateful for each of them—I have been a willing protégé. 

So, what is the difference between a sponsor and mentor?  A mentor is someone who can provide immediate support in the form of guidance, advice and is usually someone who has had similar experiences in the job or position within an organization.  The relationship is between the mentor and the mentee.  In sponsorship, there is a 3-way relationship between the sponsor, the protege and the audience (Diagram 1).  Chow (2021) stresses that sponsorship opportunities for minorities and women need to be intentional.   For me, a Latinx woman from a small community of fewer than 100 residents, my path to success was linked to one sponsor who intentionally helped me by using his social capital and persistence to open the door for me and then walking with me into a new world.  I still am connected to RA Martinez – we text every day and I can always count on a positive message from him to start my day.  

Sponsorship – diagram 1

I have taken on the sponsorship role with zest and am intentionally sponsoring several individuals who I admire and respect.  I am using my social capital, my connections, and my influence to open doors and walk them through to meet others who can benefit from their talents and potential.  I’ve been called a connector and I am proud of that title.

As I reflect, I am grateful to my sponsors – Rosalie Vigil, Richard (RA) Martinez, Dr. Mary Roby, Dr. Amy Steinbinder, Linn Billingsley, Mary Briden, Dr. Marie Pepicello, Dr. Rufus Glasper, Mary Lou Bessette, Sandy Shroyer, April Myers, Dustin Fennell, Dr. Wendy Leebov, Dr. Jan Gehler and others—who saw something in me and connected me to opportunities and experiences that were beyond my dreams as a young adult growing up in a small town in Northern New Mexico.  

Chow, Rosalind, Don’t Just Mentor Women and People of Color. Sponsor Them. Harvard Business Review, June 2021.


The Platform and the Protégé

Kevin Monaco

When I first entered the workforce as a high school teacher at a small private school, I had very little knowledge of how to elevate my professional status, and I certainly did not know how to reach my audience. I had many mentors that eagerly shared their passion and knowledge for teaching and I enjoyed a great deal of collaboration with my colleagues. But as I gathered experience and honed my skills in the field, I began to feel that I could contribute at a higher level, in a greater capacity. There was one problem. I had little idea of how to get there. My deepening desire to expand my path led me to ask the questions: How can I surround myself with successful people whom I admire? How can I nurture a desire in them to invest in my success?

I began by identifying people in my life who could serve as my sponsors. Over time, I devoted purposeful attention to these relationships and they burgeoned into formal sponsor/protégé roles. When I reflect on the ways in which sponsorship has changed my career trajectory, the single most important part of the process has been the ‘platform.’ The platform is the protégé’s stage. It is their time to showcase their skills in front of a crucial audience. When we are given a platform, we can be directly involved in the process. Our role is amplified.

The sponsor shares this powerful tool as a way to leverage connections and bring the protégé into the fold. It provides purpose and focus for the protégé’s skills, imparting opportunities to get involved, demonstrate one’s capabilities, and create vital networks along the way. It enables others to notice the unique value the protégé adds within the field or institution. This is why the role of the audience is so critical to this process. When we are elevated on a platform, we can be recognized for our achievements. We can garner experiential growth opportunities that are vital to our professional advancement. We can strengthen our current skills and we can be supported in acquiring new ones. 

But there is an important reciprocation as well. It is true that the sponsor carries the connections and social capital, but an effective sponsor/protégé relationship enriches the professional lives of both. This is why the relationship continues. While being teachable and receptive are important qualities of the protégé, it is important to note that the protégé must also be a willing contributor to the conversation, ready to step up to the plate! This is the essential charge of the protégé. It may seem like a lot of pressure, but we must understand an essential facet of the relationship. The foundational cornerstone of sponsorship is that of mutual respect. It is an indispensable ingredient for the success and continued forward movement of the relationship. There must be deep personal and professional respect between individuals in these roles, and respect leads to trust.

On a personal level, it is this precise trust in my sponsors that continues to provide me with the encouragement I need to level up. In a society that largely suffers from imposter syndrome (and I am no exception), we all need assurance at times that we have champions and cheerleaders in our corner. When we trust that we are respected and supported by experienced individuals in our fields, we feel capable of tackling the next stage. The expertise of the sponsor and the potential of the protégé collide to create a mosaic of collaboration, excellence, and purpose. It is through this amplification process that we expand our view of what is within our grasp.

To Develop Good Judgment…

Jill Bachman, MSN on January 21, 2020

Did you make any decisions for the new year? In our last blog Rory offered a reflective approach using four questions as a guide to help readers act to create a meaningful 2020. In thinking about decisions to act, I came across an interesting article about good judgment [1] by Sir Andrew Likierman. [2] The author and others contend that even though we may think we have all the information in the world, if we do not have ‘good judgment’, our decisions can be doomed.
Likierman offers this definition of judgment: the ability to combine personal qualities with relevant knowledge and experience to form options and make decisions. Judgment is at the “core of exemplary leadership” according to Noel Tichy and Warren Bennis in their book Judgment: How Winning Leaders Make Great Calls [3]. They believe that judgment calls are the single marker of leadership.
To me, making a judgment as a process is clear, but the qualitative aspect of good judgment seems muddier, especially since the outcome of that judgment can often be seen as good or bad, depending on the viewer. I remember my father telling me that I obviously lacked good judgment when as a teenager I did something he didn’t like. . .  I missed my curfew because I had to find someone other than the boy I came with to the party (now inebriated) to drive me home. I thought my judgment was pretty good. He disagreed.
Likierman’s article, based on interviews with CEOs and leaders from a broad range of companies, lays out six fundamental leadership practices that are at the heart of good judgment: learning, trust, experience, detachment, options and delivery. He concludes each practice with suggestions for how to improve it.
As you review these practices and recommendations, I invite you use them as an assessment. How do they apply to you, to your organization or community group, perhaps your colleagues?

  • Is there a recent decision that did not turn out as you expected, in spite of your being as thoughtful and prepared as possible?
  • Are you struggling with how to create a culture where diverse opinions are truly sought and welcome?
  • Does your organization suffer from a bias for quick action rather than good judgment?
  • Could your hiring process benefit from a makeover?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, we’d love to hear from you. Contact us at 602-538-2548 or 602-615-1192. We have the skills and experience to assist you on your journey.

  1. Learning: Listen attentively, read critically

Good listening is at the core of every book and article I’ve ever read about leadership. I’m sure you too can state all the reasons why attentive listening is so important. Likierman makes the point that the listener is really mining for information. Smart leaders, he says, demand quality, press for it even, in the information they receive. Volume isn’t important, in fact it’s distracting in our era of information overload. Is it well-reasoned and clearly explained, are conclusions obvious? He also points out our human tendency to take the written word at face value, rather than consider it with a healthy dose of skepticism.
How to improve listening and reading:

  • Ask deep and thoughtful uncovering questions and consider body language to bring forth what isn’t said.
  • Look for gaps and discrepancies in what we’re learning.
  • Be aware of our own filters and biases. . . do we rely on one point of view, one news or business news source only? Do we know what makes us defensive and likely to reject something uncomfortable?
  1. Trust: Seek diversity, not validation

Examples abound of executives and leaders who insulate themselves by choosing to be surrounded by like-minded people. It is not uncommon for those companies to experience large scale failures, if they are big enough, and failure to thrive if they are small. Though it is comfortable to be with people who share the same world view, that need for comfort should be saved for after hours. It is only in integrating diverse perspectives that we will have access to all the information needed for good judgment.
How to enhance a culture for broader points of view:

  • Cultivate sources of trusted advice.
  • Find people who will tell you what you need to know, not what you want to hear.
  • Seek out different points of view. Ask for them, don’t wait for someone to timidly come forth because they see things differently than you.
  • Learn to evaluate the process of someone’s judgment. Try to discover how someone arrives at a decision and action as well as a project’s outcomes.
  1. Experience: Make it relevant but not narrow

There is much to be said for hiring someone who has a lot of experience in your industry, but make sure there is breadth to it as well as depth. Someone who has years of experience in a fairly narrow niche, for example, out-patient surgery, may find themselves making “easy” judgments out of habit, or overconfidence or familiarity.
How to improve the experience factor:

  • Evaluate your own past experiences honestly in making good and bad judgments. Review those situations to see what else you can learn.
  • Recruit a smart friend who can look over your shoulder and be a neutral critic.
  • Work to expand the breadth of your own experience.
  1. Detachment: Identify, then challenge biases

The skill of detachment is a difficult one to master because it requires us to set our egos aside and remove any personal connection to a particular outcome. Acting with detachment is easier if we are able to understand and address our own biases.
Some ways to improve detachment:

  • Understand, clarify and accept points of view different from your own.
  • Try out role plays and simulations, letting people take on different perspectives to see what they learn.
  • Support leadership development programs; they broaden exposure to leaders with different thinking, experiences and points of view.
  • Assume that mistakes will occur. Plan for them.
  1. Options: Question the solution set offered

The author makes the point that even though you might be offered two options to choose from, often as not there are more options that haven’t even been considered. There are always more. Not taking action is an option as well as delaying a decision. It is important to explore as many options as possible and try to surface the unintended consequences of each.
Improve your options:

  • Press for clarity on poorly presented information, challenge it if information is missing.
  • Be aware of two risks associated with novel solutions – stress and overconfidence – and mitigate them if possible through piloting one or two before full implementation.
  • Understand that people often have personal stakes in an outcome. Try to figure that out and factor in others’ biases.
  • Be aware of the rules and the ethics that will bound a good judgment.
  1. Delivery: Factor in the feasibility of execution

You can make all the right choices but lose out if you don’t exercise judgment in how and by whom those decisions will be carried out. What are the risks of half-hearted or poorly thought out implementation plans? Likierman points out that people with flair, charisma, creativity and imagination may not be in the best position to deliver the results you seek.
Ways to improve on the good options:

  • Make sure the people you choose to implement have the type of experience that closely matches up with its context.
  • Seek out ideas from your team about what might cause a proposal to fail.
  • Do not let yourself be pressured by an arbitrary timeline if you don’t have the right implementers.

There is a lot to be learned about the science and art of leadership. If, as Tichy and Bennis claim, judgment calls are truly the single mark of a leader, looking for ways to turn our OK judgments into good ones is well worth the effort. If you made some new decisions for 2020, reviewing and following the points above could strengthen your results. . .  Good luck! And give us a call if you’d like to discuss your situation and how we can assist.
PLEASE NOTE: We are making some improvements to our website in February. Look for the return of our blog in March.
[1]https://hbr.org/2020/01/the-elements-of-good-judgment (accessed 1/14/20)
[2]Sir Andrew Likierman is a professor at London Business School and a director of Times Newspapers and the Beazley Group, both also in London. He has served as dean at LBS and is a former director of the Bank of England.
[3]Tichy, Noel and Bennis, Warren. 2007. Judgment: How Winning Leaders Make Great Calls. Penguin Group.

Reflections for a New Year

Rory Gilbert, M.Ed., SPHR, SHRM-SCP on January 7, 2020

The New Year is a wonderful time of reflection, to think about where we’ve been, where we are and where we want to be. Rather than making resolutions that slip away within a month, how can you use this time to create meaningful and intentional strategies for your professional future?
Where am I?
The first step in this reflection is to think about where you are in your career.  Are you still on an upward path?  Are you looking for new opportunities within your organization or across your profession? Are you in a position that satisfies you? How do you go deeper and continue to grow within the position? Are you winding down in your career?  Ready for new but less demanding opportunities? And, do you have a realistic sense of direction – of your potential, of where you are and where you can go?
Who am I?
So step two is self-reflection, how much do we know ourselves.  How open are we to possibilities? How much do we acknowledge our own strengths?  How confident are we in our skills and capabilities? How comfortable are we in taking risks? How adept are we at looking into the future? How do we see ourselves as leaders?
This aspect of self-reflection can benefit from a variety of tools and assessments.  Consider CliftonStrengths[1] (formerly Strengths Finder) that helps us learn which of some 36 strengths help us to best achieve our goals.  When I think of my colleagues, I am always amazed by the talents they bring to the table.  Dorothy Sisneros, one of Thunderbird’s managing partners, knocks my socks off all the time with two of her top strengths as a futurist and a maximizer.  When we work together, I’ll talk about a plan (I’m very present oriented) and Dorothy will ask questions about future impacts and possibilities, things I never even begin to think about. She’ll think about how we can best use our people resources using her maximizer strength.  I always learn from her perspective.
I recognize my own ability to synthesize ideas and take big picture concepts down to practical applications and appreciate detail-oriented people who ask questions to get us even further in implementation.
Knowing what we are good at, what we love to do and how to interface those skills with people who have other talents is critical to success.  I want to talk more about the people interface in a minute, but first I want us to dig a little deeper into our own styles.
We’ve mentioned DiSC numerous times in our blogs…one of our favorite assessment tools.  It helps to understand our way of approaching our work and allows us to consider how our preferred approach can be an asset or a liability.
So, as we consider future career decisions, DiSC can help us recognize where we are on a caution v. risk spectrum.  Are you more likely to “ready, fire, aim,” or get paralyzed in analysis? I have a tendency to look at everything as possible and exciting – yes, I/we can do that.  I’ve learned that it helps me to find more cautious people who will help me identify the risks, the questions that need to be answered before I jump in.  By the same token, I’ve worked with folks who prefer a full year of planning before they implement a project.  Together, we’ve found a middle ground to pilot strategies and get the project started sooner rather than later.
Where are you on the risk/caution spectrum?  How does this relate to finding opportunities and being prepared to take them?  In the McKinsey Quarterly[2], they report that women are more likely to believe they need 100% of requirements before they apply for a position, where men will reach for a new possibility if they have about 60% of requirements.  What does this say about confidence (and social conditioning)? DiSC D’s and I’s are also more likely to take a leap where S’s and C’s will hold back, study, analyze and have higher expectations of themselves before they step forward.
How ready do you have to be?
Who Can Help?
And this is where the third step in reflection comes in: using colleagues, mentors and friends to help us expand our perspectives – whether to keep us from jumping without a parachute or moving us forward out of our comfort zone.  Who are the people in your life who see you better than you see yourself? Who will challenge you, support you and encourage you?
As you reflect on your next steps, use your people resources to help you refine your focus on your self, your capacity and your potential.  Brene Brown recommends identifying trusted friends and allies where you can be fully human and vulnerable.  Who are the people in your life who can see you at your worst and be there will you, and still lift you up.
Tom Rath[3] describes 8 necessary roles people need to fill for us to achieve success in the workplace. He describes a “vital connection” as a person who “measurably improves your life or a person you can’t afford to live without.”  Think about the important people in your life.
Rath’s eight roles are: navigator, connector, collaborator, builder, companion, champion, mind opener and energizer.  No one person can or should fill all of these roles. As you consider your direction in 2020, who do you need right now in order to move to the next step in your career.  Is it a mind opener? An energizer? A connector?
I think back to a mind opener in my life from very early in my career. I still remember a conversation I had with a professor when I was in graduate school. He said something to me about taking the lead on a project.  I replied that I was not a leader, I was a follower. He looked at me earnestly and said, “that may have been true in the past, but it is not true now.  You need to rethink how you define yourself.”  That conversation happened some 40 years ago and I’ve never forgotten it.  In that moment, I had to rethink who I was, eliminate old messages and baggage, and consider the possibility that I had leadership qualities.
How do you see yourself as a leader? Are you stuck in a singular, old leadership picture?  How do you influence others? What skills and capacities do you bring to leadership?  We know that the most effective leaders are thoughtful, humble, and good listeners as well as inspiring and visionary.  Be careful that you do not recognize your own capacity for leadership and growth.
Who helps you rethink who you are? Who sees things in you that you don’t see in yourself?  Jill, my colleague on this blog, is an amazing partner for me.  Not only is she a collaborator, but she builds me up and increases my confidence in writing and she energizes me.  Talking with her always leaves me more excited about my work.
Who Can I Help?
And that bring me to the fourth step in New Year’s reflections.  Who do you support, build up, energize, champion, challenge?  Consider that these roles are always a give and take.  How are you growing others.  Who can you invite into a conversation at the start of this New Year and help them see possibilities and opportunities they might otherwise miss?
References:
[1] https://www.gallup.com/cliftonstrengths/en/252137/home.aspx
[2] Desvaux, G. et. al. (September, 2008) A Business Case for Women, The McKinsey Quarterly.
[3] Rath, T. (2006). Vital Friends. Gallup Press: New York.

Tip of the Month, December 2019 – Reflections II – TIPS from this year’s Summit

Rory Gilbert, M.Ed., SPHR, SHRM-SCP on December 17, 2019

Jill began to highlight the events at this year’s Summit in her last post. I thought I’d format the second part of our Summit reflection as TIPS.  What did we learn, what can we take away?
I really appreciated the balance of evidence-based information as well as the exploration of personal renewal at this year’s Summit. Here are some highlights.

  • When dealing with multiple generations in the workplace, first and foremost, see your employees as individuals.

Dustin Fennell talked about managing multiple generations in the workplace and ultimately concluded that we are not that different after all.  He emphasized a wise, long-standing leadership practice: see your employees as individuals, learn about them – what excites them, motivates them and affirms them, and use that information to support and encourage them. His personal strategy is to:

  1. Value each employee’s perspectives, talents, experiences, ideas and uniqueness
  2. Make caring visible through your presence, your appreciation and your acknowledgement of their feelings
  3. Provide them with something to believe in – provide vision, purpose and their part in it
  4. Know what makes each employee tick
  5. Enable their success

I would also add that learning about general tendencies of different generations may help you understand why people approach things the way they do. When people behave contrary to our personal expectations and norms, it is easy to discount them as rude, uncaring, insensitive, unmotivated, unprofessional, etc.  When we understand different cultures, generations, DiSC styles, personality types, etc. we gain insights that can help us override our own personal preferences and assumptions.
So, absolutely yes, to learning about and valuing our employee’s unique needs, drives and perspectives as Dustin recommended…and when you get lost in your own assumptions, you might want to research how someone might see things another way.

  • Confidence and self-assurance are critical to success. How they present may be gender linked. There are strategies to strengthen one’s confidence and self-assurance.

Mara Windsor presented on issues of confidence and gender and brought compelling research that suggests that women may not be as confident as men because of differences in genetics. Check out The Confidence Code by Katty Kay and Claire Shipman. Whether confidence is genetically or socially influenced (or both!), there are things we can do to strengthen our sense of confidence.  Her suggestions include:

  1. Know that you are not alone – find safe places to share your concerns about confidence.
  2. Stop attributing your success to luck.
  3. Take credit for your accomplishments.
  4. Don’t get caught up in perfectionism (over-preparing, over-rehearsing)
  5. Take action, take risks, fail fast and keep going!
  • We choose how we respond to situations and people’s actions.

Another theme emerged numerous times during the Summit recognizing that we have the ability to manage our emotions and reactions to things…nothing “makes us” angry. We interpret input and choose how we respond.  This message came through in our “café conversations,” (brief small group opportunities exploring different themes about leadership) as well as in Noushin Bayat’s presentation about Leading from Within.
I trained as a therapist in a former career life and relate these concepts to cognitive-behavioral therapy. We receive input, interpret it (in a nanosecond) and then respond with feelings.  Several of the groups in our café conversations wandered into that arena.  Colleen Hallberg’s topic stands out as it stated it the most clearly, “It is only information.”  Wow!
Think about meetings where things feel uncomfortable.  Rather than getting lost in the emotion, what can we ask ourselves? What is happening here? What can I learn from this?  I can step back and assess the data I am receiving.  What is it telling me?  When we recognize that we have a choice in our interpretation and response, we are empowered to take control of our role in the situation.
At a previous Summit, Noushin quoted Rumi, “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”  Those words continue to resonate in her presentation – finding space outside of right or wrong, win or lose to breathe, reflect and reconnect with what and who is important. As leaders, finding this space and time is essential to our effectiveness.  Noushin’s gentle words belie a powerful way of being.

  • Use an Appreciative Leadership approach to respond effectively to complex work environments by identifying and building on what is working. 

Kathy Malloch provided a preview to her recent work with partner, Tim Porter-O’Grady, on their new approach to leadership.  (We are waiting for the book to come out.)    Some key learnings from Kathy’s presentation include five core strategies of Appreciative Leadership. Consider how you could shift your mindset to be a more appreciative leader and how these approaches could change your organizational culture and results.

  1. Inquiry rather than inquisition
  2. Illumination (strength finding rather than fault finding)
  3. Inclusion (intentional strategies rather than just an invitation to participate)
  4. Inspiration (envisioning a greater future)
  5. Integrity (setting personal boundaries)

Kathy asked a series of provocative questions that are beyond what we can list here.
We’ll continue to share what we learned in future posts.  There was enough to help us plan our 2020 topics!  So, count on us to revisit confidence, generations and appreciative leadership. We really appreciated all the inspiration we received from the day and are already looking forward to next year. Mark your calendars for Friday, November 13, 2020.
We also continue to appreciate the generosity of our participants who contributed over $2,500 in our Silent Auction. Proceeds will be split between the National Alliance to End Homelessness (https://endhomelessness.org) selected by the Summit planning team and the Yarnell Regional Community Center (https://yarnellcommunitycenter.org) selected by a drawing of organizations recommended by our participants.
And finally, I want to recognize the work of Carla Rotering and Kevin Monaco who provided an amazing time of meditation and reflection.  Kevin shared his music with us (https://kevinmonacomusic.com), and I want to conclude our reflections and the year with words from a magnificent poem Carla shared with us during the meditation.  At this time of year, may we all celebrate, reflect and appreciate our own gifts and the gifts of those around us.
From WINTER TREE
For my mother Rosemary
November 14, 1930 – November 14, 1965
Aruba, August 2002.
Carla J. Rotering, MD ©
Is there any way I’ll have enough time or enough courage or enough whatever I need enough of
To take the grace of the ordinary and recognize holiness?
To just come into agreement….
And allow one breath,
One single diastole
To solemnly be splendid?
To magnify the simplicity of my heart that moves and shifts everything into the world of sanctity?
If there is, I’m ready for it.
I’m ready to bring forth my heart, in its small, red roundness
To be pierced with utmost tenderness
And there stand open and revealed
Without the shield of my terrible fears to frighten away the gods.
To stand in the light of who I am
And to sit in the power of my own Presence
For one single moment
Even if everyone….or no one….ever notices.

Summit Reflections – Part 1

Jill Bachman, MSN on December 9, 2019

13th Annual Leadership Summit
Reconstructing Leadership: Owning Our Power

One participant described it this way:
“A leadership spa for the soul that provided space for reflection, laughter and tears, commitment to a new way of being, connecting with old and new friends and appreciation for everything that we have.”
Situated at the Phoenix Art Museum on November 15, 2019, the Summit left me with lots of intriguing ideas, making for a rich and meaningful time.
Karla Kaelin, one of the speakers during the Leadership Panel, took us on a journey through three eras of industry, information and ideas, and how management, places of work and tools have changed in each. Old hierarchies are falling in favor of collaborative ‘messes’ which produce innovation much faster in response to the demand for shorter and shorter speed-to-market cycles. Technology is becoming so seamlessly integrated into our lives that we are virtually (ha ha!) unaware of it, like the air we breathe.
One of Karla’s points that excited me was this: What if work became the place you went to rejuvenate?  Work can be draining for many people, and when we return home, we are too tired to engage well with the other parts of our lives. How interesting to think of work as a place of rejuvenation, where we receive as much (or more) energy as we give. What would have to happen to make that vision come true? More flexibility, more fun, more control, less nonproductive ‘stuff’? How could your workplace be more rejuvenating so that you wanted to go to work?
Here’s another ‘aha’ moment for me. . . In this era of 24/7 availability for many roles, it has to be OK to work at home, and to rest at work. When work happens is as big an issue as where work happens. Karla shared examples of hospitals with quality staff rest areas immediately across from a nurses station. . . mood lighting, recliners, Skype set ups for contacting family, ping-pong tables.
Who would have guessed that the activity titled Community Building would result in a rousing pick up chorus performance of ‘You Gotta Be’ by Des’ree? But that is exactly what happened, and even the non-singers in the group said they had fun. Musicians Nate Bachofsky and Kevin Monaco led us through group singing, singing in anthem-response style, adding harmonies, varying from whisper to crescendo, and playing with percussion. No doubt, we were energized.
When I think about singing in a chorus, there are lots of similarities to working in collaboration with others. For one, where I place myself when learning a new song is critical. If I’m not familiar with the melody or timing, being near a good singer (mentor?) who projects well is a smart plan. And if I am lucky enough to be in a group with harmonies and tambourines, I can immediately appreciate the richer sound we are trying to create. Adding diversity to our voices is powerful, just like in organizations. The result itself is energizing and spurs us on to better performance. Another similarity is in volume variety. Thinking about softs and louds can apply to leadership. Sometimes the most compelling part of a piece is the absolute quiet of a single, near-whispered note. The sound does not have to be full on William Tell Overture to capture one’s attention or imagination. Sometimes that is too much. Leaders can use many volumes to get their message across.
We had the delightful opportunity to meander through the wonderful Phoenix Art Museum. In the activity titled Transitioning/Owning Our Power guided by Amy Steinbinder, we had time to locate specific works that spoke to us, and answer the question ‘How does this art capture my story of transitioning and owning my own power?’ It was meaningful to share our insights with each other and appreciate the value of art in helping us connect with our deeper selves.
A piece of art that caught my attention was a series of modern paintings, big and subtle squares of color on white backgrounds. They were mostly in hues of orange and yellow. I normally love artwork that features nature, but on Summit day, I was drawn to this one. What pure potential, I thought, anything can appear here even on top of the squares. And that’s how I saw my life unfolding at the moment. A full canvas of opportunity with the time and tools to do and discover something new, which I had long been craving.
I realized too that I was attracted to the simplicity these pieces offered. . . something so basic as a square and color can be a beautiful thing. Just like leadership. One doesn’t need fancy gadgets or complex business models to be an effective leader. Awareness of what inspires your followers and use of your own personal presence are two basic, very simple yet very effective, skills.
The Emerging Leader Panel was facilitated by Rory Gilbert. What a fun discussion and reflection of the day through the eyes of younger leaders Nate Bachovsky, Kathleen Burke and Michelle Dew! Occasional glances around the room showed that seasoned leaders were paying rapt attention to the perspectives of these emerging ones. Here are a few points that inspired me.

  • Do not live and lead in fear. There is so much outside attention to “bad and awful” things, and giving them too much power reduces the energy we have for moving forward, to say nothing of hope and optimism.
  • Collaborate with partners who share the same passion. This results in a higher energy experience, more effective, and more fun, for everyone involved.
  • Keep and enhance ‘face’ connections and invest the time it takes. When possible, choose face over digital tools. Our devices are wonderful, but they do not have the value of personal contact and relationship that is often called upon in times of stress or conflict.
  • Leave behind the rigid idea of what a leader looks like. Leaders come from all walks of life, all ages, all levels of an organization. They can wear ‘man-buns’ or use a cane. They could speak English as a second language. They don’t have to look like you; in fact it’s usually better if they don’t.
  • We must be able to have civil conversations about difficult topics, at work and away. There’s a lot of focus on today’s polarized society and our culture’s inability to sit with our conflict partners and have a good discussion about. . . “almost anything.” It begins with the ability to separate the other’s beliefs from the worth of the person who holds those beliefs.
  • Leaders should be able to acknowledge their vulnerabilities. It is the appropriate sharing of these areas that can really open up a discussion. Imagine the vulnerability of a leader who says to her team “I’m not sure where this is going, but I wonder if any of you have the experience of loneliness (or fill in the blank) here at work. How does it affect your enjoyment and effectiveness while you’re here?” Big vulnerable moment because there may not be a clear direction for the discussion, or no one may feel or admit to being lonely. But if you have reason to believe that loneliness should be explored, you are doing just that, exploring with the possibility that something good may come from it.

Watch summit participants share reflections:

Though I need to stop reflecting here, there is a lot more that can be said about the Summit. Rory Gilbert will continue our next blog posting with Summit Reflections, Part 2.

Is it OK to Coast?

Jill Bachman, MSN on October 25, 2019

Fall has returned. In the breadbasket of the US midwest, it is the time after harvest, time to take a breath and celebrate, reflecting on the productivity of the prior season. . . a time for putting away and “putting up” (canning), an expression of my rural Grandmother’s. There is a similarity between fall and the modern concept of coasting. To me, there is seasonality to a project, a life, a career. Every season has a different focus and the coasting season is a time of slowing down.
A review of internet references highlights an interesting contradiction on coasting in the workplace. There is coasting as seen from the perspective of an individual, contrasted with the advice offered to managers about how to respond to the employee who is coasting. The first offers ways for someone to think about their career, workplace and job performance, even their lives. The other view of coasting is primarily negative, a problem to be addressed. In this blog, our focus will be on the former, and try to answer the question, is it okay to coast?
What does “coast” mean to you? Think about coasting as idling, being in the neutral gear. The engine is ready to take over when called for, and the driver is present. But we’re not really going anywhere. Another example is exercise, where coasting (resting) is a necessary part of strength training. In lifting weights we increasingly stress ourselves with more weight or more reps, then push and push some more until we can’t lift another once. Finally we rest, not just because we must, but because muscles need the time and access to nutrition for recovery.
I like the description by Lydia Smith (1) in her article “Why we should be coasting at work”. She suggests that coasting is “doing just the right amount of work to get by comfortably.” In this context, it is neither shirking one’s responsibilities, nor slacking.
Why should you coast? There is a common view that extremely busy people are very important and highly productive. But is that true? Is the so-called productivity accomplished by constant multitasking? We now have come to appreciate that effective multitasking has limited applications. . . yes when cleaning a counter and listening to an audiobook. No when simultaneously reviewing a board report, drafting an email and talking on the phone with your mother.
Often unseen is the toll of nonstop busyness on our health. We know that a constant flood of stress hormones is bad for us. The super busy person sacrifices relationships and sets a questionable example for the people around them. Nonstop busyness is unsustainable and often leads to burnout. Coasting can help us achieve some balance.
Coasting has two types.

  • The first type of coasting happens when something isn’t working. This coasting can feel like inertia, or trying to run through molasses. There is conflict to avoid, or perhaps you are feeling underutilized. Maybe you have overstayed your time in a role, or in a relationship. Are you uninspired? Coasting often shows up at work because people are trying to deal with personal problems or issues at home that take up lots of energy. This type of coasting needs intervention to help you get on a more fulfilling path.
  • The second type of coasting is when you make a conscious decision to lighten things up a bit. This coasting requires our awareness, perhaps a plan, to make sure that the lightening up does not become a habit that spirals into the first type.

When should we coast? When coasting is part of a conscious decision, not an accident or a habit, it is positive and healthy. Just as in exercise, coasting is necessary, not optional, after a period of hard work. The hard work could be the end of a project that your team has struggled mightily on. Maybe for you, it’s the completion of an educational degree or certificate; or for a nurse, finishing an orientation period and successfully “taking a full load of patients”. Perhaps you recently got married.
Coasting is also necessary at the organizational level. This is harder to implement because there are so many moving pieces. A few important things to consider are the stated and the realized culture, and the consistency of expectations across the company. Is it fine for one department to coast, but not OK for others? Does the leader verbalize an “OK to coast” philosophy in meetings, but demonstrate publicly that he is always available 24/7, miming the expectation that you be available all the time too?
What does “good” coasting look like? That depends on the situation.

  • It should be intentional and tailored so that the people who are coasting really feel a downshifting of their gears. . . it is definitely a breather, and not a brief token of one.
  • It is time limited. Coasting is not a way of being, it is a season or a vacation.
  • Whatever words are used to talk about it, the message needs to communicate that coasting is healthy and desirable. Think of coasting as preventive maintenance, allowing the individual, team or organization to downshift and regroup in order to keep the level of productivity where you want it to be.

For the team who has worked late days and long periods of overtime, coasting could be time off with a moratorium on work email and texts after 5 pm. It might be the agreement that no new projects will be considered for the next quarter, favoring instead an emphasis on troubleshooting and maintenance. For the newlyweds, it’s a honeymoon. For the new nurse, it could be a celebration with a friend and pampering with a pedicure.
When should you worry about coasting?
Is coasting your only gear? In this case, a lack of engagement may be masquerading as coasting. What is driving this coasting. . . a motivational problem, a poor fit with the job or organization, burnout, a lack of stimulation? Whatever the cause, reach out for some assistance. It could be from an employee assistance program, a therapist or coach or mentor, a frank conversation with a manager or a heart-to-heart talk with a trusted friend.
Do you never coast? There is a good likelihood that you will not survive in this mode for long, and your health, relationships and/or job/career will suffer. The suggestions above will be helpful in this case too.
So, is it OK to coast?
The short answer is yes, with a few caveats.
Healthy coasting is a form of self-care, a way to set limits on the pressures and demands that can reduce one’s effectiveness and enjoyment of life. Be aware that not every environment is the right environment for intentional coasting. If you need personal time off after a period of giving it your all, understand how the idea will be received by others around you. If your organization is not particularly supportive, keep your plans to yourself. But in all cases, remember that you are the only one who can take care of yourself. “Put your own mask on first.”
Next Time: In the Tips follow up to this post, we will dig deeper and also discuss the topic of managing employees who coast. Stay tuned.
________________________
References

  1. Lydia Smith. https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-we-should-be-coasting-at-work-060043512.html; accessed 10/14/19
  2. https://www.theguardian.com/money/shortcuts/2018/nov/13/why-coasting-at-work-is-the-best-thing-for-your-career-health-and-happiness; accessed 10/5/19
  3. https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/it-s-ok-go-ahead-and-coast.html; accessed 10/5/19