3 Thoughts 3.26.2021
My new module, MindSetFree™ is done, and I’m happy with the results of my first video-presentation webinar. As I head into a week of vacation (for our 5th Anniversary!), here are my 3 Thoughts for today:
1. Love belongs in business. I’m not talking about romance in the workplace (that’s way outside my area of expertise). Rather, love is (or should be) the central tenet of your “why” and your “how”. If you love God (who is love personified) then you want to serve Him. That means aligning your purpose and your business’s purpose with His which is a demonstration of love. Another angle on “love in business” revolves around the customer. If you genuinely love people, you will serve your customers well, exceeding expectations, delivering value, and building relationships. The same is true for leadership and followers. A foundation of love will yield a strong, healthy leadership culture.
Most people would say that “hate” is the opposite of “love”. While that may be true in a literary sense, it is not accurate in the physical world. Love is energy. Like “darkness” is the absence of light, “hate” is the absence of love; it is the lack of something good, some positive energy. It must be blocked. An opaque obstacle blocks light, but what blocks love? Fear. Fear is the blocker of love. It’s important that we choose a path of love instead of a path based in fear.
2. Consistency. Repeatedly, the word “consistency” has come up from a variety of speakers, coaches, and conversations. Admittedly, this is something with which I’m struggling. Building a business from scratch, I am switching between working on the website, building coaching programs, creating content, marketing, networking, and working with clients. They are all important. The problem stems from lack of clarity. Like many of you, I need to get clear about what is most important each day. In other words, I need to use my own systems. If you struggle with this too, check out my free Vector Modeling worksheet. Then use it every day (I’m speaking to you too, Eric.)
3. Brutal Truth vs. Radical Candor. I was talking with a friend a couple of weeks ago. He was sharing some feedback with another friend, and it was coming across a bit harsh. It was not the words he was using or even his tone. It was something in his face. I recognized it right away (because I do the exact same thing). Fortunately, he was receptive to some feedback as well, and so I was able to share what I observed (with humility and empathy since it was something with which I am intimately familiar). In our conversation, I shared with him the importance of “radical candor” in place of “brutal truth”. Brutal truth is actually just being mean and calling it “truth” or “telling it like it is”. However, sometimes the truth, by its very nature, can be hurtful. The Bible calls God’s Word (aka The Truth) the “sword of the spirit”. Swords are sharp; they draw blood. We need to temper our truth-telling with gentleness. We can speak truth, even absolute truth, while also delivering said truth as a friend. If our intent is to build people up, help them to grow, and also refrain from delivering a gaping wound when only a pinprick is necessary, then we can adopt radical candor while still demonstrating love for people (see Thought #1).