“What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality”. —Plutarch

I will be inspired this year!

I will be in awe of the beauty of the world.

I will restore my faith in humanity.

I will be a part of people who do good – for others and self.

I will learn and become lost in my ignorance.

I will feel free and unburdened.

I will let a good book take me to a different world.

I will be strong and healthy in my mind and body.

I will see the world and discover new places.

I will play a part in my community.

I will cry of joy.

I will love and be loved.

I will listen to the stories of the elders.

Even if we do only some of this… 2023 will be beautiful.

“Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck” —The Dalai Lama

Stay humble, stay focused, live well.

Love,
Edyta

I would like to recommend a read that makes many people pause – Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman.

Here is what it is about, in a nutshell…

The average human lifespan is roughly four thousand weeks, assuming we live to be 80 years old.

We have been conditioned to value being busy and filling time with to-do lists, fighting against distractions and postponing things that give us joy. The techniques and “life hacks” to optimize our days often make things worse, creating a sense of guilt and dissatisfaction.

The real challenge is how best to use our four thousand weeks and be happy.

This book provides a brilliantly engaging guide to time management – to living well. Not the platitudes we are used to seeing, but a thought-provoking way to help us reflect on what is really important and how we could do things differently. If you’re not yet sure about this concept and would like to hear Oliver Burkeman speak on it, watch this TedTalk:

…Or this Talks at Google segment:

Edyta

The inevitable has happened: we blinked and are almost in our third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the mass introduction of remote working in many companies across the globe seems to be here to stay. Whether you prefer to have your employees in the office, at home or a hybrid mixture of the two, data scientists at Ladders have projected that 25% of professional jobs in North America will be fully remote, with remote opportunities continuing to increase in 2023.

Forbes detailed the findings, saying:

“A January 2022 survey of 1,000 full-time workers from Ergotron corroborates the Owl Labs study, revealing that as workers have become more acclimated to hybrid and remote office environments since the onset of the pandemic, they are experiencing benefits to their physical and mental well-being. Taken together these two findings indicate that American businesses listen up and look beyond today to build more progressive workplace policies that will help employees thrive. The report concluded that leaders must rethink their workplace culture to be more inclusive of remote and hybrid work—this is the new normal.”

The article then explores how the shift to remote work will directly impact our society and why it may be a good thing for employers and employees alike.

The full article can be read here, and as always, we invite you to share your thoughts, comments and observations with us. 

It’s been a while since I had my last “walk-about-coaching” session with a client. Downtown Toronto being muggy and full of construction was not the loveliest backdrop for a meeting, however, it was fantastic to engage in a conversation whilst taking a stroll.

Yes, there are significant benefits to walking meetings! Research shows that aside from improving general wellbeing, walking improves productivity and boosts positive energy levels. Fun Fact: According to Iowa State University, “The space of the outdoors increases brain function, which can help stimulate creativity, innovation and memory.”

So, get off the couch, turn off the fluorescent light in your office – go outside.

P.S. And I did my 10,000 steps in an hour!

Edyta

It is not called the “Great Resignation” anymore.

It is called “Reality”.

When the trend of the “Great Resignation” was acknowledged a year ago, many of our clients saw this as a reaction to the pandemic, a fad that would fade away within a few months.

Now, a year later, we have to come to the realization that based on the geopolitical and economic issues, the trend will remain. The war for talent, in a way, is over and the employee won.

In addition, we are facing the double-whammy effect – people are leaving organizations and it is becoming increasingly harder to bring talent in.

What worries me most is not only increased pressures on employees to do more with less – a statement we are all bored with – but with the loss of people, we are experiencing the bleeding of the tacit knowledge critical to the organization’s success. Things happen so fast and, if we have unreliable systems, we are unable to capture the knowledge to protect performance long-term.

Thank heavens for the boomers delaying their retirement!

Retention and engagement of people we already have is therefore imperative. So, what can we do to address employee retention? Here are a few suggestions – some of them will be a reinforcement of what you are already doing, but I hope here you will find also a few thoughts that will make a difference for you:

1. What the pandemic taught us is that technology enables us to literally work from anywhere. Forcing the old model of getting back to work, will only create a resistance and resilience. The recent decision of Tesla’s founder Elon Musk demanding people to come back to the physical office otherwise their absence will be interpreted as resigning is already facing a backlash. Despite the fact that Tesla has a great brand and its products are seen as being as gamechangers, we have learned that flexibility in work arrangements does not compromise the individual performance and the gained quality of life benefit has become non-negotiable. You simply must update your work model and adopt some form of a hybrid model providing people choices as to how they can deliver the work.
2. The shift has also created a realization in many that the workplaces they have left for are not better than the workplaces they left. Many of our clients receive phone calls 3-6 months after the employee has left, learning that these employees are willing to come back—provided the pay increases they are enjoying through the job change will be recognized and respected. This creates a difficult dilemma for the employer, who now faces inequity issues with the employees who never left. So, taking the employee back becomes a non-option, unless the organization addresses company-wide salary increases and culture. This one is a tough one. Your position on the re-hiring of a good person who left has implications beyond financial. However, your clarity and congruence regarding this position will send a powerful and necessary message internally and to the market.  
3. During the pandemic, we made a clear effort to show that we care for the wellbeing of our teammates. We all remember the social events including tasting of wine, ice cream and cheese, we have done communal cooking and clay-pot-making classes. We remember coming on Zoom meetings in costumes or showing off the artwork of our children or our COVID-pets. Some of you may experience a bit of the “love fatigue”. I hear your “Do I have to do another check-in?” or “Do I need to go to another Zoom-social?” Let us not forget: there was incredible value in these meetings as well. You created an intradepartmental intimacy and feeling that everybody mattered. People knew that you were interested. The time invested in these touchpoints was tasking on the manager and figuring out how we stay connected in a meaningful way as we try to somehow get back to the office. Just simply abandoning these acts of care will diminish the work done over the last few years but, more importantly, compromise your integrity moving forward. Figure out how you want to stay connected. Do it with your team. Let them co-own the rhythm and the way you connect. Consider also expanding the connectivity to other teams – to crosspollinate thinking and reintroduce organic teaming and innovation. 
4. One of the great things of coming to a new job or any new environment is that you learn so much. You get an on-boarding buddy, a mentor and you are placed in a program to learn about the organizational culture, offerings etc. If fatigue and stagnation are some of the reasons why your employees are leaving – invest in learning and development.  Your mentoring program is a powerful mechanism to be in touch with the “inner-workings” of your employee’s mind. Your managers conversations about career ambitions and ability to respond to it in a real way – through work assignments etc. Going on a course where you meet other people (like outsiders and competition) can re-invigorate the joy of part of this entity.
5. The leadership style of today, that is connected with the employee engagement and retention includes the following attributes:
   • Lead with a clear context – the “why” matters
   • Recognize great work
   • Demonstrate trust and give autonomy
   • Ask for feedback and listen to it
   • Consult broadly, tap into the genius of people around you
   • Increase your information sharing
   • Encourage co-creation and collaboration
   • Make sure your organizational values are not just laminated posters -live them and be a culture role model

Please use your judgment to determine if these apply to your circumstances. But you get the gist of it – if you want to engage and retain your people, look in the mirror and be honest. How you led yesterday might not be good enough today… Is it time to reinvent yourself?

As always, let us keep the conversation going. Your comments and reactions are most welcome.

Edyta

From as early as when women first entered the workforce, there have been obstacles for them to navigate that are not present for their male counterparts. And the pandemic has added yet another barrier. It has not only negatively impacted working women, but affected the workplace itself too.

Slice has summarized the findings of Concordia University’s research and notes that:

 “… women are 12 times more likely to leave their jobs to care for their family members, such as children or elderly parents.

The researchers also found that women were more likely to leave their jobs during the pandemic than men, and that this had a negative effect on factors like company culture, revenue and the global GDP growth. 

Similarly, women were also more likely to have lost their jobs during the pandemic, despite the fact that companies acknowledge that employing women brings benefit to business.”

The article goes on to explore “How can employers better support women in the workplace right now?” and highlights strategies that could help women through this period.

The full article can be read here, and as always, we invite you to share your thoughts, comments and observations with us.  

When Polar explorer Ernest Shackleton and his 28-strong team set sail on the Endurance ship in 1914, reaching Antarctica was the only thing on his mind. Unfortunately, the Weddell Sea had other plans for Endurance and the three-masted wooden ship crashed into the ice, forcing all crew members to abandon ship. The long and courageous journey that followed would not have been possible without Shackleton and his dedication to lead his team to safety.

Here are two videos that elaborate on this inspiring story of leadership and team commitment.

With conversations on burnout and employee retention top of mind for many leaders, we wanted to share with you a piece by our dear friend, Patrizia Rothenberger, on the importance and impact of empathy. In this article, Pat beautifully explains this key component of our daily interactions and, even more importantly, highlights how to “do” empathy right. Read on for insight on what it means to really listen, care, and practice honesty. All crucial pieces of effective leadership – and good relationships. Thank you, Pat!

We are keen to hear your comments, as always.

Empathy 101: Why Should Leaders or Anyone Care?
By: Patrizia Rothenberger ACC, ECPC

The words EMPATHY and empathetic leadership are gaining more traction as essential components of high performing organizations. What does it mean for employees, leaders, and organizations? Does it really matter and why should they or we care?

Empathy is the ability to understand another person’s experience, feelings, and point of view. As a leadership style, empathetic leaders draw on empathy to understand their team’s or people’s situations, as well as what they are going through so they can offer support and help. Interactions based on empathy, can build trust, encourage honesty, and deepen connections between people. However, there is a subtle nuance here; empathy is about the ability to comprehend other people’s situation and not how you would feel or react in their situation.

Why it matters

Empathy matters because people are not robots and what works to motivate one person is not what is going to work with someone else. Organizations, teams, employees, or people in general are individual human beings with unique needs, wants, feelings, and motivations. In other words, no one person is the same as another and as such no one person will respond in the same way as anyone else to situations, demands, or stress.

Why we should care

Empathy can make the difference between so-so or good results and great results at work. Simply put, showing empathy toward those we lead or work with can start us all on the road of understanding each other better. Understanding what drives us, challenges us, and motivates us can deepen our connections to one another and open the gateway to better, happier, effective, and more productive work (and personal) lives. If you develop and show empathy for everyone involved in your organization and teams, and you’ll likely have leaders and a workforce that feels valued, included, and driven to help you and your organization succeed.

There is good news! Empathy can be developed and practiced. Whether empathy comes naturally to you and or it’s miles out of your comfort zone, there are a few easy foundational best practices that everyone can immediately start employing and potentially reap big benefits.

Three Basic Steps to Developing your Empathy:

Step 1 Listening: This is not a revolutionary concept. Real listening happens with more than just our ears. When we really pay attention to what someone else is saying to us, we listen with our mind, heart, and gut. What is the person really saying? What are they really feeling? What is really going through their mind? If you don’t know, ask!

Step 2 Stay Curious and Really Care: Ask questions. Be interested in what the other person is saying. Assume positive intentions; you’ll probably be right about 90% of the time. They could offer up important information that could impact the rest of the team or even the organization. If possible, avoid “Why” questions, which can put people on the defensive or make them feel judged. Try “What” or “How” instead. Some examples, “What can you tell me….” What else?”

Step 3 Honesty and Transparency: We can’t expect honesty and transparency from others if we don’t practice it ourselves. This doesn’t mean unloading all your fears or gripes about something on the other person but remain honest about what is in your power to do or not in your power to do about a situation.

Empathy is an essential piece of any leader’s toolbox. Used appropriately and most importantly sincerely when talking to or coaching others, it is the springboard to more productivity, creativity, harmony, employee retention and better performance in the workplace. One of my favorite thought leaders, Simon Sinek says:

“We must all try to empathize before we criticize. Ask someone what’s wrong before telling them they are wrong.”

Imagine the problems or challenges that could be solved with that simple concept!

Empathy can offer up those tiny breadcrumbs of information that lead to a world of understanding and learning about the people we work with and they with you.

If you would like a conversation about this or ways that I can help you or your organization, reach out to me at pfr_solutions@outlook.com,  www.linkedin.com/in/pat-rothenberger, or pat@kccpositivepsychology.com

We are all tired of this pandemic. Many of our clients are dealing with some degree of PTSD or depression, and some are just done. Lately, I am even exposed to such “radical” thinking as “let us all as a family or company get COVID-19 and be done with it”. When our Minister of Health announced a few weeks back that this way of living will be with us forever, nobody was amused.

But some of the leaders around me are thriving and, as we embark on the challenges of 2022, I wanted to highlight a few examples that you might see as inspiring:

1. An entrepreneur extraordinaire decided that he and his team will come out of the pandemic “better than the day it started”. This resulted in individual and team health goals, competitions and games that, with the help of pedometers, kept the team motivated and in high spirits. The result? Not only is the entire team in great physical shape, but they are also mentally healthier and the team spirit has evolved, positively. And the cherry on top – more than a year later – the team is still going strong!

2. A brilliant senior leader in a large firm used the time to evaluate and refocus his priorities, for a change putting himself and family first and courageously setting strategic boundaries on what should and should not be done at work. From quitting drinking alcohol (apparently alcohol-free gin is amazing), to organizing quality time with family, to setting examples for his team, and saying “no” to activities more than “yes”. He totally revamped not only his personal lifestyle but had an amazing impact on the culture in the organization, decreasing performance anxiety in his business and, finally, outperforming expectations. Less is more. Evidently.

3. An inspiring senior executive in a large organization decided that her life is bigger than her career within the company. She is now following her dream – she quit her job and has started her own business. “I don’t remember a time when I was happier”. Having the courage to make such a large decision in a time when foreseeing the future is difficult is, in my opinion, inspiring. More than once I’ve heard other women around me say, “Good for her! I wish I could!” She does not wish, she is making the wish a reality. I see her smiling now more than ever.

4. An idealist and crusader, this President and CEO put his mind towards ensuring that he does not lose one employee during the pandemic. He made a public promise to that extent – to his Board and to the entire organization. From upskilling to restructuring, he galvanized his entire senior team to find connection with each employee in the most meaningful way… for the employee. A mammoth of a challenge, but met bravely by the team – the message more than a year later is still resonating. The promise is still felt in all the decisions that he makes.

5. Hanshi Cezar Borkowski – a Karate Master, who relentlessly and humbly reshaped the way we train virtually, and stays connected with the community sharing his wisdom and even recipes for his pasta puttanesca. This nobility of simple acts is demonstrated daily, effortlessly and without calculation, based on a simple principle of wanting to serve.

I know, we look around us and see more strain than happiness; however, as you set yourself up for the year, think of these few simple things that might help you make the year better:

• Mental health is health. Now more than ever, be alert about your own well-being and the well-being of those around you.
• Face your choices courageously. Resist the temptation to do it all. Steve Jobs said, “I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying ‘no’ to 1,000 things. You have to pick carefully.”
• Be kind to yourself. Respect your own life, stay true to yourself and know what you love doing.
• Take responsibility for your life. Anticipate and live with the consequences of your decisions and actions.
• Pay it forward with generosity and kindness. Be it through time or money – you are part of a community and therefore have the privilege to contribute, to make it better, to make it thrive. It is fun to see things grow.

With that in mind, we hope that the year will be easy on us all. We are privileged to be your partner. Always. And, although virtually, we are not far away so count us in as your support system as 2022 evolves.

e

As we finish up the first quarter of the year and are in the midst of executing business planning – strategic plans, 18 month plans, first quarter plans, budgets – how many of us have made a “Personal Business Plan”? What would your strategic plan be for yourself? Or your 30-60-90?

Imagine running your business, or leading your team, without a clear view of your objectives
and expected outcomes. Shouldn’t the same be true in our personal lives? What could you
achieve if you invested as much time as you do planning out your business, on yourself?

First of all, on behalf of the MarchFifteen Team, let me send you the sincerest thanks.

To you, dear Partner, dear Client – Thank you! Thank you for helping us remain true to what we are. Thank you for pushing us to be uncomfortable and, by doing so, to remain relevant. Thank you for your loyalty and care. We could not have done it without your trust and without our intimate conversations. Being your “inside outsiders” is a fuel that makes us get up happily every morning, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

To the M15 Team – We might not come from the richest beginnings, but we are rich beyond together. We have passion, dreams, care and generosity. We have our idiosyncrasies that make us colourful. We have our love and our disagreements. We have the trust with which we thrive, no matter what hardships life might present. We share joy with each other in the most spectacular way. We are perfect in our imperfections. We are a living example of Kintsugi – the old Japanese art of putting broken pottery pieces back together with gold. We do build on this idea that in embracing flaws and imperfections, we can create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art. Every break is unique, and instead of repairing an item like new, this 400-year-old technique actually highlights the “scars” as a part of the design. Each time we acknowledge our “scars”, we create something more unique, beautiful and resilient. This is us. And I would not want us to be any other way.

Sitting here today, I feel rather melancholic, remembering the time when I decided to start MarchFifteen, receiving support from a few very, very special people who, to this day, hold a dear spot in my heart. I still get the feeling of a fast heartbeat when I drive by the Hilton in Toronto, where we were figuring out what the firm would become.

In the decade that has passed, we have found our way in a world of more and more complex business realities and an even more aggressive landscape of consulting.

Our mission remains to advance business through people. In our practice, we help build the world of connectedness and we strive to help our clients have a consciously positive impact. Through them we help transform business’ thinking about success. Our ambition is to continue being the head-turner in the areas of strategic business advisory, leadership development, assessment, and coaching.

Our courage to lead and have a provocative perspective, as well as our curiosity, continue to allow us to embrace new thinking, stand tall, be acknowledged as thought leaders in our field. Our partnerships with firms such as MRG and Motivation Factor help us bring unique filters through which our clients look at their people and organizations. The connection to CoachingOurselves, a platform for practical management and leadership development, are a sense of pride for us all. Our ongoing collaboration with Gauthier Murtada et Partenaires expands our reach in the most heartfelt way, naturally complementing our offering and mutual desire to be better. The recent joint venture with DecideAct opens yet another chapter for us, shifting the agenda for our client discussions and, at the same time, giving us a place in the digital space. We believe the future is now, and always, always attempt to show foresight and anticipate what is to come.

Our professional discipline and business insight permit us to take a seat at our clients’ leadership table, and be their trusted advisor regarding their talent and their strategy execution. Many of our clients see us as their “talent gatekeepers”, giving gravitas to the insights gained from our assessment. I am thrilled that our consultancy brings relevant and sought after expertise to the conversation. Especially in the last year, our coaches have listened to and supported hundreds of leaders dealing with the impact of COVID-19. The feedback we receive is humbling, and also gives us confidence that we are making a real positive difference. Even our little webinar series, focusing on creating a space of psychological safety carries an echo today. Our Family and Independent Businesses practice established itself as a solid voice in the family and small/medium-sized business world. The deep knowledge and practicality of our consulting in this area is acknowledged to be needed and impactful. Not only because of the expertise and the know-how, but also because of the smart setup, leveraging a rich network of brilliant collaborators.

The belief that we cannot focus only on our success without a keen participation in the wellbeing of our society not only sets us apart from others, but also binds us in a common purpose and view that there is no healthy business without a healthy community around us. I am so proud of our contributions, both time and financial, to many causes. Close to my heart is our connection to the world of art – we have built many meaningful friendships with great Ontario artists who have showcased their work in our offices. The pandemic put a bit of a damper on the quarterly “Meet the Artist” events we all so love, but we are not abandoning the idea!

Lastly, although this reflection highlights the positive, I do not feel neither smug nor snug. Many of you know I need to feel afraid. We are experiencing wonderful growth and standing at the point of the next structural change, despite the fact that we hardly see each other. The 15^th of March is a perfect moment to pause and dream about the next ten years. So here is the invitation to all – let us stretch our arms wide for the next promising ten years and shape MarchFifteen to remain noteworthy, significant and relevant.

The idea is simple…

Get a jar.

You might want to decorate it – here is a project for ‘21!

At the end of each week, write down one good memory of the week on a piece of paper and put it in the jar.

Thank you for this idea, Thorsten!

Considering that 2020 is a year we all want to forget, and the warnings of a tough third wave put a damper on the New Year as it just begins, it is important we do not neglect to self-love.

Reflecting weekly on our own positive experiences can be a nice morale booster. And… it will help us appreciate all the good things that happened to us when the end of December comes and we empty the jar while eating gingerbread cookies and sipping on a glass of Amarone.

Bombarded by motivational quotes that aim to pep me up, I scroll through Facebook or Instagram messages. I am jaded already. However, one, again simple, “to do” list has served me well. Here it is, from the master, Deepak Chopra, for your reflection and pleasure:

• Meditate
• Journal
• Take breaks
• Separate from your screen
• Connect with a friend
• Breathe
• Go for a long walk
• Read for pleasure
• Do something creative
• Go to bed early
• Declutter your space

I look at this list and think one thing is missing…

• Learn something new

Perhaps it is covered under “do something creative”, but the challenge of going through the process from ignorant arrogance to humble mastery is important to me.

So, I am signing up for a few Master Classes, am overcoming my dislike of Zoom karate (I get confused, despite the magical skills of our Sensei) and am considering joining a peer learning group. Ask me in December how many good memories will be connected to that.

Aside from all this – have a better, kinder, more generous 2021!

Peace,

e

As we enter the new year, we wanted to share with you a guest blog by one of our dear partners, Helle Bundgaard, Founder of Motivation Factor, on the motivating power of our personal talents (we all have them!).

This past year has forced us to take pause and reflect on what is important to us. Part of that is prioritizing what inspires us, what we’re good at, and how we can put that information into action. In this blog, Helle shares how understanding and leveraging your talents helps you make meaningful contributions.

We hope you enjoy this blog as much as we did, and that it gives you positive encouragement to make 2021 as meaningful as it can be! As always, please share your thoughts with us in the comments.

Do what you do best!

“Your personal talents are the reason why you find one task interesting, while another seems boring and uninteresting. The interesting task matches your talents…”

You have probably heard it many times before. “Do what you do best” and “Work to become even better at what you are good at, instead of being mediocre at what you’re bad at”. Though this might sound like an echo in your life – it’s true. You should use your talents as often – and as much – as possible.

Leverage your talents

Your talents are, along with your needs, your main motivation factors. Your personal talents are the reason why you find one task interesting, while another seems boring and uninteresting. The interesting task matches your talents.

Conversely, the less interesting tasks cannot completely be avoided, but if you are aware of your talents, you can focus on them and use them actively, even in situations you might find routine and boring. For this to be possible, curiosity is key. You have to challenge yourself, be creative, and find ways to bring your talents into play.

Example 1: Let’s say that one of your main talents is connecting – this means you love to make new contacts and build new relationships. It is through your relationships with others that you create results. If this is the case, you can involve others’ knowledge to complete the task. You can draw on others’ experiences and results, and consult with colleagues to find smarter and more efficient ways to perform the task. In this way, the task will seem much more exciting. Why? Because you are now using one of your talents to solve the task.

Example 2: Let’s say that one of your talents is contributing – this means that you love to help and support others. You may feel that others’ well-being is your responsibility. If you are good at contributing, analyze the task and find your way to the objective. It may sound cliché, but imagine this scenario: task is to prepare a report that compares sales from the past three months with sales the same three months last year. For many, the task may not be exciting, but if you think of how the report will:

• Help sales management to establish goals for the rest of the year
• Enable the company to take the budget to a higher level
• Provide the sales guys with access to their own efforts, and maybe even result in acknowledgement and bonuses from management
• Contribute to the company’s success and achievement of its overall objectives

Suddenly the task has a purpose – and you have identified your own contribution to a meaningful process.

If you are not able to identify the purpose of the task, ask! Ask the person giving you the task: “Can you briefly tell me what the report will be used for and who will benefit from it?” If the client asks you, “Why do you want to know?” you can answer: “I want to know the purpose of the task so that I can make the results as targeted and useful as possible.”

You probably know what to do. You probably also know roughly how you are expected to perform a given task, but if you have the talent to contribute, it is even more important to know why you are doing it. Knowing the purpose is everything!

5 things you must know about talents

1. Everyone has talents. Your talents are defined by where you have the strongest concentration of connections in your brain. When you do the same thing over and over again, the brain connections required to do that particular task get stronger.
2. You feel good when you use your talents. When you use your talents, your brain increases the production of happiness hormones.
3. You can use your talents to learn more effectively. The brain is always looking for the fastest way to new knowledge and new skills. You can build new skills more efficiently and with greater confidence when you pull from your existing talents.
4. You should focus on your talents. Latest research supports the idea that focusing on your talents is much more effective than focusing on your weaknesses.
5. You can over-use your talents. You can easily over-use your talents, so they instead become weaknesses. For example “mastering” comes easy for those who are detail oriented, but if you combine the power of mastering with the talent of “initiating” you might be inclined to set sail too many ships at one time.

Link to the original source here.

When a woman leader realizes her worth, she becomes an unstoppable force.

Unapologetic, unafraid, confident and optimistic – her presence commands pause, and her thinking shifts perspectives and direction.

What can you do to realize your worth?

Think about these 3 things:

1. Know who you want to be and who you want to become.
2. Be clear about your talents, interests and areas of strength.
3. Celebrate your uniqueness, accepting that perfection is boring.

A strong, new partnership with DecideAct enables MarchFifteen to help you, our clients, with strategy implementation using a groundbreaking digital solution.

We are excited to announce our partnership with DecideAct – a dedicated provider of a cloud-based Strategy Execution Management solution that simplifies and streamlines manual implementation and follow-up of strategies, helping companies and organizations better achieve their strategic goals.

MarchFifteen has always provided you with guidance on cultural and team alignment, as well as strategic planning, and you know the positive impact that results from these processes. This partnership further enables us to offer you extended services promoting an action-oriented culture, and making strategy implementation as tangible, transparent and quantifiable as financial management.

If you are interested in hearing more about the partnership and the benefits for your company, please contact Edyta Pacuk (epacuk@marchfifteen.ca) or Maria Milanetti (mmilanetti@marchfifteen.ca). To learn more about the DecideAct solution visit decideact.net.

By way of background, the founders of DecideAct, Flemming Videriksen and Bjarni Snæbjörn Jónsson, have combined their 25+ years of experience in strategy execution and helping clients with strategy implementation. Their fascinating White Paper: Strategy Execution Management in a Nutshell, will provide you with more insights regarding Strategy Execution Management in the digital age. Click on the link below to get a free copy.

Strategy Execution Management in a Nutshell

We look forward to discussing how we can help you take your strategy implementation digital!

Are you feeling exhausted right now? There are a lot of very good reasons for that – 2020 has been an exhausting year! As we head into colder weather, shorter days, and more time indoors, it’s hard to feel excited about much.

For some people, decorating early for the holidays can provide a bit of excitement during a tough time. Add some colour to your home, or change up your space to include some new decorations. It might just offer you (and your family) a much-needed boost. And it’s something to do together, too! I’d call that a win.

I love this quote:

“Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you should set up a life you don’t need to escape from.” 

Seth Godin

Today, going on fabulous world trips is not in the cards and many people are doing home renovation projects. Gardens are more beautiful than ever, and outdoor heaters are sold out.

So, we’re already renovating our spaces. Think about it… you can also do a life reno. And, following Godin’s thought – shift the way it shapes your future. 

In addition to our regular blog posts, we are starting to share with you our “Thursday Thoughts”. Periodically, on a Thursday, we will post a short piece on a topic that has been on our mind. As always, we are keen to discuss.

Thursday Thoughts: Compassionate Leadership

A compassionate leader is able to balance the courage to do what needs to be done and care for people. It is not obvious and the blend is tricky and not clear-cut. Some of us put more weight on the results, others on people. 

How do you decide what has more value? How do you keep your own preferences in check to show up the way your organization needs you to be today?

Some conflict in teams is inevitable and, in fact, can be healthy. When we have different values as individuals, communication becomes paramount so that we can understand where conflicts can arise. As noted by Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, the more we really get to know people, the better we get along. Familiarity allows us to understand an individual’s motivations and contextualizes their behaviour.

According to the Situational Leadership Theory, developed by Blanchard and Hersey, teams that are most high performing are those that are best able to manage and court conflict productively. This means being able to look at the problem objectively without taking things personally – and understanding that colleagues disliking one of your ideas does not equate to them disliking you.

We all need to take responsibility for our part in team conflict – and in the solution – and be willing to discuss our different perspectives respectfully. This allows us to bring the conflict to conclusion in the most functional way. The highest performing team will do this on a regular basis, and it’s a process to get to that point.

In a virtual environment, the first steps to dealing with conflict are:

• Noticing there is a conflict between individuals.
• Making it safe for people to come forward with their concerns.
• Having a process that allows people to discuss and work through the concerns and conflict.

Again, for any of these processes to work, there needs to be a culture in place where it’s okay to speak up. So, how do you facilitate such a culture?

It is important for leaders to ensure their teams feel comfortable addressing not so comfortable topics, issues or scenarios, and that might look different across various individuals, teams, and organizations. As a leader, here are some things to consider:

• How do you yourself handle conflict? Do you pointedly address concerns/conflict or do you skirt around issues? You are a role model and source of guidance for your team. Displaying behaviours that facilitate open communication and productive resolutions to conflict will help show your team how it can be done.
• How often do you check in, one-on-one, with individuals on your team? Do you emphasize that your conversations are judgment-free? This will help to provide a safe space for those who feel more anxiety around conflict. Sharing concerns one-on-one can help them to become more comfortable sharing concerns in group settings.
• Do you emphasize that there will be no repercussions if a team member challenges something or raises a concern? And is it actually true? Fear has the ability to hold us back. Ensuring that others have is nothing to be scared of by showing it, and not just saying it, will let your team know you truly have a culture of open communication.
• In team conversations, do you ensure everyone has had a chance to share their thoughts or concerns? Do you reiterate to your team members that their contributions, regardless of merit, are highly valued? Between shyness, feelings of imposter syndrome, fear that conflict can escalate to aggression, among a slew of other feelings and emotions, some may stay quiet to “keep the peace”… and we all know that a tipping point will eventually come. Holding space for each and every person to share their thoughts is a concrete way of facilitating open communication.

Lastly, there are assessment tools that measure an individual’s behaviour in conflict situations. Identifying the various conflict-handling modes that exist on your team can help you to understand how each individual is inclined to address the conflict, and can give you a broader view of how the various parts of your team differ when it comes to handling conflict. This awareness will help you to know who may need to be poked and prodded a bit more to address the conflict, and who may need to be mollified to ensure the conflict does not reach unnecessary proportions.