Leadership Playbook - Part 5, TAKE ACTION

Ok - now you know your strengths and natural talents.  You understand the proven formula for creating habit recipes.  You also know why it's important to practice compassion for others and yourself.  What's next?  It's time to take action. 

In part 5 of this short audio series, I focus on how you can 'take action' to chart your own path and create your Leadership Playbook.  

Here's my 4-step process:
 1. Discover your strengths 
2.  Understand the science of change
3. Practice compassion and 
4. Take action.  

Topics:

• Gallup CiftonStrengths Assessment 
• Free High 5 Test - strengths 
• Break down the process
• Celebrate each step
• Review your calendar or planner
• Make sleep a priority
• Professional development is personal development

Experts mentioned in this episode include: 

• BJ Fogg, Stanford University Behavior Design Lab Founder.  NY Times bestselling author of Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything
• Glen Lubbert, Stamina Lab Founder and Tiny Habits Coach

Stories of Change: Helping You Navigate What’s Next
Hosted by Judy Oskam

Navigating a change or wondering what comes next?

Hear real stories from people who have faced unexpected turns, made important choices, and figured things out along the way.

A little wisdom to help you find your own way forward.

Explore more at StoriesofChangePodcast.com.

Transcript

Copy Transcript Copied

Welcome to Stories of Change and Creativity, I’m Judy Oskam… This is part 5 of my short audio series - Create your Leadership playbook.  I’m a university administrator and professor at Texas State University.  I’m also a certified coach, using a Gallup Strengths, Tiny habits and Thrive framework.    I'm excited to join you on this journey.

My leadership playbook consists of 4 steps.  1. Discover your strengths 2.  Understand the science of change, 3. Practice compassion and 4. Take action.  

If you’ve had a chance to listen to my earlier episodes, you’ve learned the importance of knowing your own strengths.  Yes, you can take the Gallup Clifton strengths assessment to discover your natural talents but you can also take one of the free assessments.  I’ll link one of the free options I provide students in the show notes.  If you do take the Cliftonstrengths assessment, I’m happy to jump on a call and review your results.  I’ve enjoyed talking with many of you about your strengths assessment and how to live and work in your zone of genius.  

 In part two of this mini series, I talked about behavior design and the science of change. The Fogg Behavior Model - developed by Stanford university professor BJ Fogg - is an important tool to have in your toolkit. Behavior happens when Motivation, Ability and a Prompt converge at the same time. To create a Tiny Habit recipe - it’s as simple as ABC.  First, find an existing behavior or an Anchor.  B stands for the behavior. They key here is to make the behavior super tiny.  And the C is for celebration.  Here’s one of my tiny habit recipes. After I start feeling stressed, I will pause and take a breath.  Then I’ll smile or do some sort of celebration.

I hope you’ve given some thought about how you can practice compassion with yourself and others.  At home..at work… In my coaching practice, when I’m talking with executives and administrators  I encourage them to give themselves permission to lighten up and go a little easy.  I think of the Adele song - 'Easy on Me'.  

When we face something new - it’s natural to be apprehensive.  We wonder if we’re up for the challenge. I’ve certainly second guessed an opportunity..a new job, project, initiative.  You might feel like you haven’t earned it… or aren’t qualified to handle the challenge.  I’ve felt Imposter syndrome before…When I covered my first news story - I thought, I’m not really a reporter - at least not yet. Then I got through that first story and another and another. My first graduate class - I remember thinking, I never thought I’d go to grad school.. was I smart enough? Could I make it?  When I taught my first class at Texas Tech, I wondered if I could do it.   Every leadership role I’ve been presented - I hadn’t done it before. There’s a first time for everything.  I read something about reframing the word anxiety or worry.  So now I think about what I’m really feeling - Rather than saying I’m worried about teaching my first class… I said, I’m excited.  I also build a tiny habit recipe.. After I start to feel worried or anxious about a situation, I will think about one qualification or strength and reassure myself.  That’s enough celebration for me.  

It was times like this when I reached out to my support system.  My trusted friends and family - I shared my concerns and they often pointed out - that I wouldn’t have been asked to do the project or been hired - if I wasn’t qualified. Often my personal advisory board acts as a sounding board and share some insight that helps me move forward.  

 If you question your ability or your role in the organization -  I want to challenge you to look at the facts….take stock of your strengths and expertise. --- and take action. 

 You can create your own career playbook.  Remember - it’s your own….customized for you by you.  This means you can make changes, pivot, innovate - whatever and whenever you wish.  Look ahead and think about where you want to be in 6 months, a year or 5 years ahead.  Set your own timeline.  

For me - when I need to take action - at work, at home.. with my health or a major project at work - it helps to think of the process and take action - step by step.  For example, if I want to improve my nutrition and start eating more healthy foods - it doesn’t just happen like magic.. I need to prepare.  Plan my recipes, shop for healthy food, schedule my meals, coordinate with my husband and family.  It’s a process with many tiny steps.  You’ll know what works best for you. 

Before I take action - I review my calendar or planner.  Blocking time on my calendar for certain activities - is important.  For example, making plans to review recipes, go to the grocery store, meal prep, etc.. Don’t we schedule all of our other appointments?  Why not schedule what’s important in your life.  You can also apply this at work - say with your emails.  You can decide to check your email between 11- 12 noon.. and can let your staff know so they will know to expect an answer after lunch.   

Sleep is another area of your life that deserves your undivided attention.  Stamina Lab’s Glen Lubbert calls sleep a keystone habit that improves every part of your life.  I agree.  Improving your sleep can enhance your personal and professional performance.  If you’re interested -  check out the many options of wearable technology that help you learn about your sleep rhythms and how that translates into energy and function.  

I encourage you to take action - take small steps, create tiny habits that move you forward to your goals.  What’s the saying - every great journey begins with a single step.  And please don’t forget to celebrate each step along the way.  

Professional development is really personal development.  Spend some time to discover what works for you.  You got this.  

Thanks for joining me for this short audio series about how to create your leadership playbook.  Please reach out with any feedback. Thanks for listening to Stories of Change and Creativity.  And remember, if you’ve got a story to share or know someone who does, reach out to me at judyoskam.com.  

Thanks for listening!