This post is for leaders, emerging leaders, and ALL people who want to find NEW ways, faster ways, better ways to feel, work, do and live better at a speed of change, challenges, opportunities and failures that will continue to accelerate.

What makes me an expert in optimizing potential and results in the face of change, challenges, failures? Building communication and leadership strengths that GROW?  Years of study, first hand experience, experience with clients and a fortunate or unfortunate history (depending on your point of view). First woman CEO of a steel company in Canada, a gal with a track history of excellence and success working in USA, Canada and Europe; I am also the survivor and thriver who has faced critical illness, poverty, racism, sexism and a litany of other challenges that would have perhaps broken many people.  The model I developed (3Q) is not simply a model for me, it is a passion, a mission to help others realize their greatest potential that punctuates my days, my weeks and my commitment to the integrity and value of my work.

What does not break YOU will only make you stronger and better if you take a counter-intuitive approach by developing a mind set and skill set that transforms changes, challenges, stressors, even failures into into a catalyst, a lever for your greatest potential; potential you can learn to access when the going gets tough.  You cannot light a fire with wet wood.  Tapping into your potential and helping others tap into theirs means getting inspired and empowered while developing a mindset and skill set that takes YOU forward!

Here are 12 ways to inspire and enable results in yourself and others; each tip can be accomplished in less than five minutes.  One tip, done consistently drives BIG results while helping you build one, two or three essential strengths that GROW at the speed of change, challenges and ambiguity (YOUR 3Q Edge™)

1. Embrace the fact that YOU are not limited by your personality type or MBTI; do not let your personality type keep you stuck in a box. Neuroscience confirms that we can rewrite default patterns, and doing so begins with desire.  Will you be limited by a personality type or will you look at it in new ways that will help you optimize strengths and build areas of challenge? Step out of the box by determining the qualities you want to have and model.  Your ability to move past a personality type is real. Take every opportunity to build greater self awareness, while refusing to be limited by habits of thinking, communicating or doing YOU can change.  Don’t believe everything you believe!
2. Make one small change in the way you think, feel or communicate.  Go ahead, embrace your ability to do so, because it is the quickest way you can start developing cognitive and emotional dexterity, and adaptability.  One small  change, done consistently is not difficult and no matter how small the change it will help you re-write default patterns that are no longer working and build new neural pathways.
3. Embrace your ability to break through intellectual, organizational or personal silos; because doing so will inject new thoughts, ideas into your life and work. We are all partnered with our peer groups, and while it is important to have a community of purpose, breaking out of that community to refresh the blood is also critical.
4. Build greater resiliency, risk tolerance and grit by building Q3:  Spiritual Quotient-The values, purpose and intrinsic motivators that will sustain YOU when times are tough, and motivate you when others are deterred.
5. Use YOUR story as a motivator for your potential.  Perspective is everything, and your perspective around your story, your journey, your strengths, triumphs and failures will either maximize or minimize your true potential.  Find a new way of looking at the pivot points in your story that empowers you forward.  See your story with new eyes.
6. Find personal ways, strategies to inspire yourself because doing so is critical to the optimization of not only your potential but those you lead and work with. Neuroscience now confirms that we must prime our brains to be happy in order to fully optimize our cognitive capabilities.  Finding ways to be and get happier is not only critical to cognition, and to modelling positivity for others it is important for your health and longevity.
7. Embrace enlightened self-interest as a catalyst for your potential and the potential of others.  Enlightened self-interest is doing what is good for persons other than yourself. Remember success will be determined by your ability to make others successful.
8. Build at least one relationship of total trust and confidentiality with someone who does not have a personal or political agenda.. If you are an executive, CEO or business owner the imperative to find someone you can trust, speak to and consult is critical on a multiplicity of levels. If you are going through a life, career or leadership transition, having a trust partner will be extremely powerful and valuable in helping you move from now to HOW.
9. Find one way a day to do good in less than 15 minutes;  share your thoughts, your mentorship, your kindness or just listen to someone who needs your ear.  Developing your human side. Building empathy, reaching out and helping another person does not have to be a huge time commitment; it can be realized in small ways that do good and will make you feel good too.
10. Give yourself permission to take time each day to just blank out-Joy time, happiness time, relaxation time.  Remember that a car cannot run without fuel.  Your body, your mind, your soul needs to re-charge and re-purpose!  Taking even five minutes every 90 minutes can have a big impact on your life, your work, your health.
11. Learn to adapt your default communication style. The best communication is lost of you are speaking to another person who reacts badly to the way you communicate, or whose ears are not open.  Communication does not occur without trust, rapport and using language, body language that resonates with the receiver of your communication.
12. Develop a personal mantra; a few words that inspire, engage, motivate you and set you on the right track when you are faced with a challenge.  Simple, cost free and it works.  Put an elastic band on your wrist, and gently snap yourself and say your mantra to yourself when you face a challenge.  Yes, it works!

Lastly, stop saying that change is difficult because each time you do you reinforce the neural pathway, you reinforce this thought and it is not one that will help you lead or succeed forward. Words make worlds. Use words when you talk to yourself and to others that help you communicate, ideate and lead forward.

Do these tips work?  YOU Betcha.  I invite you to write to me and share your experience trying or using one of the aforementioned tips for a week. Get in the flow, download YOUR Free copy of Leading and Succeeding in Disruptive Times – A 3Q Edge™ Primer

 

More? YOU Betcha!

Laughter gives your brain a mini-aerobic workout.  It improves cognition, ideation, health and longevity.  Laugh more.  Here are over 700 Funnies. Pick one you like and pay it forward!

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