Leadership, clarified.

Gratitude and Leadership

November 2021

Hello!

 

I started the month off at Linkage's Women in Leadership conference - in person! I found it so energizing to be back in a room with inspiring, committed leaders and speakers. It made me grateful for the perspective the last year and a half has provided on what's important and how capable we are of adapting to evolving circumstances.

As we inch toward the end of the year, I find myself reflecting on what is meaningful in my work and how I support clients in achieving their purpose. I am grateful for the experiences and training that have paved the way for my current work. I am grateful for the clients who trust me with the challenges they are facing. I am grateful for my network of peers (like Angela Grosvenor, a friend and executive coach, pictured with me above), supporters and friends who expand my thinking, offer referrals, and generally make the world more fun and interesting. I invite you to join me in a gratitude practice by taking five minutes after you read this newsletter to reflect on who and what you are most grateful for now.

 

Thanks for reading!

~Jill

Highlights from Linkage's Women in Leadership Institute

I had one heck of a week in Orlando. It's a privilege to work in leadership development, and this week it was all about advancing women. And if you can't tell by the looks on our faces, it was pretty awesome to meet Magic Johnson and hear him talk about his leadership lessons in basketball, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy. Magic Johnson also encouraged everyone to make a 3-year plan and update it annually. He said that 5-10 years is too long in today's dynamic environment. He wasn't the only one with great advice.

  • Carla Harris challenged everyone to come out of the pandemic with a "blank sheet of paper" mindset. We are at the most opportune time in our lives to innovate and be creative in both work and in life. 
  • Molly Fletcher reminded us that curiosity is a secret weapon; shifting to curiosity allows us to connect more deeply with others. In the masterclass I led on "Mastering your Inner Critic," curiosity was also one of the 4 coaching practices I shared with participants.

 

Here's how you can apply curiosity in your work and life: When you find yourself judging others or yourself, ask "What's going on here?" Be inquisitive, seek to understand, and assume there is something you are not seeing.

What caught my attention this month

I have gratitude on my mind this month and went looking for research that connects appreciation and leadership. Here are a couple of articles that I found valuable.

Giving Thanks Will Make You a Better Leader

Working at a nonprofit can be incredibly rewarding, but with long hours, demanding workloads, and tight budgets, burnout is common. Watch this webinar to learn how to enhance performance and reduce nonprofit burnout.

The Big Benefits of a Little Thanks

Francesca Gino and Adam Grant, of Harvard Business School and Wharton, respectively, discuss their research on gratitude and generosity. Download this podcast SARAH GREEN: Welcome to the HBR IdeaCast from Harvard Business Review. I'm Sarah Green. I'm talking today with Francesca Gino of Harvard Business School and Adam Grant of the Wharton School.

Why Gratitude Makes Leaders More Effective

Recently I had one of those days. Although nothing catastrophic happened, there were a series of minor events that didn't make for a good day. In turn -- as a result of my mood -- many of the daily road bumps felt worse than they really were.

Recent articles from Leadership Refinery

Council Post: Gratitude May Be An Antidote To The Great Resignation

Owner and Principal Consultant at Leadership Refinery , High Potential & Executive Leadership Coach. A lot of (digital) ink has been spilled about the Great Resignation and leaders may be wondering about their role in supporting employees through this period of transition.

Council Post: Successful Succession Planning: Managing Transparency And Risk

Owner and Principal Consultant at Leadership Refinery , High Potential & Executive Leadership Coach. Organizations go through many annual or other regular processes - strategic planning, engagement surveys, financial reporting and more. One similarly significant and strategic process that is sometimes neglected is succession planning.

Did a friend forward this newsletter? Subscribe to get it directly!
Subscribe
Follow Leadership Refinery
Follow on Facebook
Follow on LinkedIn
Follow on X (Twitter)