Fill Your Cup...To. The. Brim.
Sometimes, don’t you feel a bit...blah? Not down or anything. Just that you’ve been focused and working hard, home life continues at a quick pace, and you’ve experienced the ups and downs of a pandemic for 1.5 years? Yeah, I feel you. That’s when I remind myself to fill my cup. No, not take more on, but do something that gives me a boost, makes me smile, and reminds me of my core passion. Remember that feeling? It happened to me last month, so I wanted to share.
Amid a new, exciting, and very busy leadership role that I am all-in on, I had an opportunity to focus on what I used to do a lot – and still really enjoy and plan to do more often. The CEO of a multi-million-dollar company in the Denver Tech Center reached out after reading “Start with the Give-Me Shots” AND asking all his leadership team to do the same. He wanted to surprise his company’s directors and managers with a facilitation by me during the annual leadership meeting.
“Can you come talk to them about leadership and some of the eight lessons in your book? I know it will be meaningful and relatable to them, and they will learn a lot from you.”
Can I come talk to them? Heck, yes. I could feel the energy building. You know that vibrancy you get when the endorphins kick in after a workout? Or when you’re being introduced at a speech, and you start anticipating how great it’s going to feel being in front of a room full of leaders speaking your truth? That was me – and this is the setting where I love to be...facilitating, speaking, connecting, sharing stories, asking others to connect to their own stories. Ahhhhh, the place where my cup gets filled.
I was all in. We talked about the CEO’s goals and my ideas around what would benefit the team the most. I knew which of the eight lessons were for “now” to help this group think more about their roles, impact, and leadership plans. I knew what lessons we could continue to talk about, should this opportunity lead to an ongoing facilitation and growth for the team and the company.
What a great group of people. I facilitated an hour-long session, which included concepts, stories, and practice. With a 20+ year career in learning and talent development, I don’t talk to people. I have a conversation with people. And when it comes to leadership development, there’s nothing more powerful than having people reflect on their own practices, their own opportunities, then share it with others. This allows leaders to develop by learning from one another, and then creating an environment of coaching to build an ever-stronger team at the top, that then carries throughout the organization. Like I’ve said many times and captured in my book: the lessons I share and practice are not complicated. They’re simple, but they’re not easy. The goal is to recognize their importance and how they can help you, and then practice them daily – so they become a part of your core, too. That’s the work.
This leadership team was open to the “not easy,” eager to participate, learn, and practice. They were committed and they did the work. And what was the CEO’s response? Looks like I’m building my engagement and helping the team continue to learn and grow – to meet their own goals and those of this expanding company. All the while, filling my cup. To. The. Brim. (Big smile.)
I’d love to hear what you do to fill your cup. How often do you make time to do it? Please share below. And if you are part of a leadership team and looking for someone to host a session with your group, please reach out. I’d love to help. I have a whole book of lessons and a lifetime of leadership to share – and continue filling my cup, while helping others do the same.
