Archive for 'Values'
The Source of Integrity
Posted on 22. Apr, 2012 by lollydaskal.
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Last week, we blogged about Why Were You Not?
We made the discovery that integrity was the anchor of our heart; the commitment of being who we are deep in your soul.
So many of you have written to me, saying it was a very difficult and deep.
And I agree.
Exploring your anchor is difficult.
Remembering and rediscovering of who you are is not easy.
But to do so, we must go to the source.
The source of integrity.
Integrity- English
Having integrity is being honest and having strong moral conviction.
A person with integrity is honest, with strong moral principles and uprightness.
Integrity - Latin
Integrity comes from the Latin “integer,” whole.
Integrity means our word is full, whole and complete.
A person with integrity is one who is whole and complete. A person with integrity lives their word completely, one hundred percent of the time.
A person with integrity lives all the way, never part way, never a fraction, but all the time, every single time.
Integrity - French
Integrity indicates something intact, integrated, integral. The whole is working well, undivided, integrated, intact, and uncorrupted.
A person with integrity is a whole person, an integrated person, with all parts working well and delivering the functions that they were designed to deliver.
Integrity - Hebrew
In Hebrew the closest word to integrity is translated as “virtue.” If you trace its origins and meanings, one of the meanings is “a force.”
A person of virtue is a force to be reckon with and they always leave a result.
As you can see:
Integrity is not a goal to be achieve as much as it is a life to be pursued.
Integrity is allowing our life to unfold because of who we are.
If you are looking for your true self, your authentic leadership, your genuine life.
Then you will have to let your actions be an expression of who you are on the inside.
Integrity is an inside job.
You will know you are living with integrity when you live your convictions.
You will know you are living with integrity when you are a force to be reckoned with.
Our lives are expressed through our instincts, instructions, intuition, inspiration, our influence and our impact.
- What are your intentions?
- What do you pay attention to?
- How do you represent yourself?
When we have integrity, we will allow who we are to guide our decisions and give us hope during our suffering.
Live the source.
Be the Force
Lead From Within: Be the person who has virtue, who is a force, a force that is unstoppable. Stand firm and make your grip strong. Be a force against the pain, the suffering, the stress, and the roadblocks that life sends your way.
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The Heart Of Listening
Posted on 08. Jan, 2012 by lollydaskal.
Who was the last person who actually listened to you?
Who was the last person you actually gave your full attention to?
I know what you’re thinking. YOU listen all the time. But do you really?
Do we understand what it really means to listen? Do we comprehend what is the Heart of listening?
Do we realize that every person we will meet has something to teach us? Perhaps our job is to listen long enough to find out what that lesson is.
Isn’t it true that when people speak to us, we tend to jump right in and give our advice, our feedback and our judgment? And all too often we find ourselves fixing, lecturing or interrupting with way too many questions. We listen not as an act of curiosity, but rather for a chance to give clever responses.
We are all guilty of this because we are all human.
In order to reap the benefits of listening, we must let ourselves develop and expand our ability to concentrate and pay attention.
Listening with Heart is a skill - A skill that can be taught and can be learned, but most definitely must be developed.
The Heart of listening consists of:
- Listening with heart is to summarize your understanding of what was just said.
- Listening with heart is reframing what you have just heard.
- Listening with heart is not a passive skill, but an active art.
- Listening from the heart is letting others know you understand what they said.
- Listening from the heart assures others that you are really listening with your whole body; eyes, ears and all.
If we are going to expand our KNOWLEDGE, we need to listen.
If we are going to be SUPPORTIVE, we need to listen.
If we are going to be RESPECTFUL, we need to listen.
If we are going to be COMPASSIONATE, we need to listen.
If we are going to illustrate EMPATHY, we need to listen.
Listening is the sincerest form of flattery and shows the deepest form of connection.
In order to live a life of leadership and meaningful connection, we have to consciously choose to slow down, give up our own agenda, and develop the capacity to focus on others by making an effort to fully understand them.
Socrates states, “Nature has given us two ears, two eyes and but one tongue to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak.”We need to cultivate Heart about the ways WE listen.
We need to simply give our undivided attention to another without imposing our own personal agenda.
Sometimes, this might take a little practice.
It is a generous act of giving when we allow someone the space to be exactly who they are and exactly who they are not. This takes the ability to authentically listen with Heart.
In organizations, poor listening is responsible for the loss of billions of dollars due to unnecessary mistakes, lost opportunities, ineffectiveness and deficiencies.
In relationships, poor listening is responsible for disconnectedness from our families, loved ones, friends and customers. It is the cause of breakdowns and break ups.
If we could hear our words, our comments, and our feedback through the ears of our listeners, we might be horrified with our insensitivity and negativity.
The Heart of listening requires focus and a desire to learn and gain perspective. It takes effort to realize our inner barriers we have built towards others, which we must learn to put aside.
By listening with an open Heart, it is love in action. By listening with mindfulness, it is the way for making every interaction become memorable.
Lead from Within: The Heart of listening is a gift to yourself and others. everyone you meet can impact and change your life.
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Why No New Year’s Resolution
Posted on 04. Jan, 2012 by lollydaskal.
I have heard from so many of you about your New Year’s resolutions.
I know some of you are excited by them and some of you are already weary of them.
CONFESSION: I don’t really make New Year’s resolutions.
What I do instead - every year - is I check in with myself, through self reflection.
In my self-reflection I ask:
Am I standing for what I truly believe in?
Am I showing up for what is most meaningful to me?
Am I living by my principles?
For me, my principles are my drivers, year after year, month by month, day by day, and hour by hour.
My drivers ALLOW me to live my purpose with passion.
So I ask you today...
Do you have principles that you stand by?
Do you know what your principles are?
Do you recognize that your principles let others know who you are and what you stand for?
Do you understand that principles drive your attitude and your actions?
Do you understand that, if you have no principles, you may not have a full understanding of the big picture of your life - personally and professionally?
Did you realize that your principles are your WHY?
Principles contain the important elements of your life, like being honest, being kind, and being loving.
Principles are all about the things you want to achieve in your life and how you intend to achieve them.
Principles are about being the best at what you do because you stand for something.
Principles guide you to stand for the things you care about most.
Keep in mind that identifying and cultivating principles is not something you can just sit down and say, “Okay, here they are!” It’s not about making a list.
Principles develop slowly and over time.
Principles evolve bit by bit. Essence by essence. Dedication by dedication. Insight by insight Foresight by foresight.
You develop your principles as you mature, and you refine your principles by understanding what has the most meaning for you.
Once you understand and can identify your principles, you’ll be rewarded for a lifetime.
Principle drives perspective. Perspective drives action. Action drives decisions. And decisions drive living. Not just living, but living a life full of purpose and meaning.
If you don’t like the life you are living, look at your decisions. If you don’t like your decisions, look at what actions you take every day. If you don’t like your actions, then look at your perspective of life. And if you don’t like your perspective, then look at your principles.
Defining your principles will help you build your values and your beliefs. It will help you cultivate a life that you admire in others, and one that you have been dreaming for yourself.
Think now about what is important to you…
Discovering and defining your principles will help build your character, your attitude, your self confidence, your influence, your peace of mind, and your purpose in life.
Lead from Within: Principles are principles for life- it’s NOT about just knowing your principles, but actually living them daily. Defining your principles will help you with everything: How you act, how you think, how you react, how you serve, and how you lead.
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Send Letters of Thanks
Posted on 19. Nov, 2011 by lollydaskal.
This week is Thanksgiving.
Let's make the time to pause to self- reflect on how fortunate we are for all the things we have been given this past year.
What if we took the time to send letters of thanks to the people we care about?
Let's acknowledge the people who constantly support us.
Let's appreciate those who unconditionally love us.
Let's recognize the leaders, teachers, mentors, coaches, that make a difference.
Let's be grateful for our health, work and play and the gifts bestowed upon us.
Make the time this week to write your Letter of Thanks. Remember we are called to serve and to walk together with thankful hearts and compassionate souls.
Lead From Within: As leaders we have the responsibility to role model appreciation, gratitude and recognition. Who will you acknowledge today, this week, this Thanksgiving? Who will you write a thankful letter to?
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Voice Your Values
Posted on 17. Oct, 2011 by lollydaskal.
As a leader you have a responsibility to be self-reflective and self-aware. Unless you know who you are and where you’re going, the demands of your daily life will control you.
If you want to take more control of your life, you must voice your values.
If you want to do more of what is really meaningful to you, voice your values.
If you want to define what your purpose is, voice your values.
Deep within each of us is a bedrock of values that we stand for. The voice of your values gives the echoes to your thoughts.
Your values as a leader set the boundaries for the decisions you will make every day.
Your values will serve as a guide for your actions.
Your values will provide a moral compass for the journey you are embarking on.
Your values are empowering and encouraging.
Your values are motivating and meaningful.
When you can truly identify your values, you can find fulfillment - Not just fulfillment for the moment, but a transformation and a transcendence that lasts a lifetime.
Lead From Within: We all can find the greater meaning to our existence and the fulfillment we hunger for, but it starts by giving voice to your values. It is living in the consistency of the echos of this voice that will bring you happiness.
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Be The Real Deal
Posted on 07. Aug, 2011 by lollydaskal.
Life and leadership demands you be your authentic self.
Try to LEAD like someone else. Try to BE like someone else and you will fail. You would just be a bad imitation of who you are imitating. People do not follow or engage with people who are not real.
What does it take to be real, genuine and authentic? It takes sincerity, honesty, integrity, consistency and character.
Why is authenticity so misunderstood? Many believe that authenticity is an intrinsic and instinctive quality. In fact authenticity is a quality that others must attribute and ascribe to you.
No person, can look in the mirror and say to themselves; I am authentic!
A person cannot be authentic on their own. Authenticity is largely defined by what other people see and say about you.
So how can you embody being an authentic?
- make sure your words are consistent with your deeds
- embody your values and beliefs
- practice what you preach
- Be YOU.
- The real YOU.
- The Real DEAL.
Lead From Within: If you are a leader who is playing a role and pretending to be a leader -your followers, the people around you. will feel- see- hear- know the deception.
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Just Do It
Posted on 09. Jul, 2011 by lollydaskal.
Throughout the centuries there were men who took first steps, down new roads, armed with nothing but their own vision. Ayn Rand
In 1964 a little athletic shoe company was started by a man named Phil Knight. He named his company "Nike" for the Greek Goddess of victory.
Knight chose this name not so much to make a statement of his aspirations but for the purpose of the company. Knight declared Nike would be dedicated to helping athletes excel and win.
If this meant pouring resources into the best design department in the industry.... he was going to just do it. If it meant that Nike would pay Michael Jordan and other talented athletics millions of dollars to serve as product testers.... He was going to just do it.
Nike's vision was to make its customers winners or at least make them feel like they were winners.
For over thirty years every decision, every action, every choice, every idea Nike has is based on Knight's defined vision.
Today Nike has become a premiere athletic shoe and sportswear company in the world.
To have a vision is the art of seeing into the future.
It lets you know where to stand and what to stand for- because unless you stand for something you shall fall for anything.
Here are some questions you can ask yourself when creating your companies vision:
- What kind of company do we want to create?
- What contribution would we make?
- How would our services, products bring value to others?
- How would our people work together?
- What values would we embody?
When a company has a clear vision for the business, they are creating a picture of the future. They can then work backwards, identifying priorities and what needs to be done to actualize the end result.
A company that is emotionally moved by their vision has the strength to overcome the rough spots and the ups and downs. A thoughtful and authentic vision comes from your heart and touches the soul.
Lead From Within: Visions are not only for companies but also for individuals who are wanting to make a difference and bring value into the world. How can you- as a heart based leader- create a vision, articulate it passionately, own it relentlessly and be driven to just do it.
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Networking #leadfromwithin Style
Posted on 29. Jun, 2011 by lollydaskal.
Guest Post written by: Dorothy Dalton
Gender and Networking At 1.25 a.m. CET, on Tuesday 28th June,
I sat flexing my fingers at my keyboard, power napped and double espresso at my side, waiting with eager anticipation for my debut tweet chat with the #leadfromwithin community. Hosted by the ever generous Lolly Daskal it was a topic dear to my heart, Networking and Gender.
Northern Europe had just been struck by storms of biblical proportions. The first calamity was my TV was knocked out of action. For anyone who knows me, this is the second week of Wimbledon, the night before the men’ quarter finals! The second was about to come. My internet connection slowed down to the pace of a drugged snail. The Skype signal disappeared and with it Lolly and after 1 introductory tweet the #leadfromwithin stream drifted into cyber space.
I tried everything I could think of and finally, after 30 minutes, regained some sort of contact. Instead of there being hundreds of tweets whizzing through the stream, a few plopped gently into my line of vision. The tweets I could engage with showed me what I was missing! It was too bad! I was gutted!
This was the new networking at work and I was missing out. Building relationships with total strangers from all over the globe, reaching out and simply getting to know people better. Making connections.
I saw phrases that totally tapped into my own philosophy: be a source, not a resource, be open, give before receiving, behave with integrity, create a dialogue, listen attentively, don’t be afraid of failure and show a generosity of spirit. All of these are key to successful networking. It was great to see to my own thoughts coinciding with the #leadfromwithin values.
But what of the gender difference? Women are generally great relationship builders and tend to be social animals. Research shows, that although both men and women prefer to network with people they already know, men show a stronger willingness to network professionally.
Ladies, this is a lesson we can learn from our male colleagues and connections. We should not be afraid to make the “ask” that scares us!
The #leadfromwithin community is a wonderful place to hone these skills. It is warm, welcoming and inclusive. Lolly is leading by example to create an open community in which we can all get to know each other, regardless of background, profession, and geographic location.
Who knows what will come of these connections?
So what are you waiting for?
Spread the #leadfromwithin word!
Find the ever brilliant Dorothy on twitter and Read Dorothy
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Own Your Desires
Posted on 12. May, 2011 by lollydaskal.
So many of us deny our desires, but do you know our desires are an important aspect of what lies within us.
Acknowledging our desires means discovering our inner self and accepting the core of our motivations.
When we deny our desires, and when we attach rules, words or codes to our lives, we cut ourselves off from our gifts, love, and creativity.
Each one of us has different wants and desires, wishes, dreams, hopes, visions, goals and plans.
Are we telling people what we really want? Are we expressing our deepest wishes? Are we feeling the depth of our longing?
For businesses to thrive and for relationships to succeed, we need to express our likes and dislikes and be open to giving and receiving. We need to know that a big part of being successful and authentic means owning our desires.
If we don’t own our desires, our self-assurance is deprived and our knowledge is limited. Those who do not define themselves remain lost in the crowd.
Owning our desires provides us with a stronger sense of where we stand with ourselves and others. When people understand what we want, they will be more clear about who we are.
In Kabbalah it is explained that a desire is placed within us so that we can develop and reflect deeper. It is addressing the depth of the reality which appears inside of our heart - This is a "point in the heart." This point is a part of the greater reality which includes spirituality, emotionality and humanity.
Your desire is about examining, engaging and exploring the deepest parts within you. Once you own your desire, your success will take hold and transform everything.
Lead From Within: Follow the ways of your heart and OWN your desires. It will get you one step closer to realizing your hopes, dreams and goals.
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A Twist On Being Important
Posted on 09. May, 2011 by lollydaskal.
All of us want to know we are important and all of us want to feel we are making a contribution to the world.
This concept of wanting to be important has been around forever. It made Abraham Lincoln study law. It made Charles Dickens write his immortal novels. Being important and making a difference is something many of us wrestle with. I know I do.
If we are hungry for feeling important. If we desire to make a difference can you imagine the miracles you and I can achieve by giving the deepest appreciation to the rare individuals who actually satisfies their heart hunger.
What would happen if we turned this wanting into a giving.
What would happen if we stopped thinking and started thanking.
So lets try A Twist On Wanting To Be Important.
How about we start praising others for their accomplishments!
How about we start complimenting others for their contributions!
How about we start demonstrating our happiness for others results!
How about we let others in our lives know that who they are and what they are doing is important and how about we truly start appreciating them from our heart.
Emerson said, Every man I meet is my superior in some way, in that, I learn from him.
Lead From Within: Who can you reach out to and let them know they are important!
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