Language and awareness matter as we talk about our shifting environments. Change happens to us; transition happens within us. Just because an external change has happened, it doesn’t mean that we have transitioned internally, that we have acknowledged, processed and gained acceptance of the change. We still need to reckon with loss and meaning to truly transition.

In our very VUCA world (Volatine, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous), it’s no surprise that anxious thoughts arise with great leadership.* Post-pandemic pressures, stakeholder expectations, staff leadership, and results delivery are ever present, competing for our attention. These require dexterity and bravery for attempting to smoothly sail through new waters, often with little precedent. And this doesn’t even touch upon integrating home demands, vacation, finances, etc.

We heard this question in a recent podcast and it reminded us of how often we ask this with our coaching clients. In almost all our coaching engagements, we discuss limiting beliefs and assumptions with our clients. We check in and ask: “How do you know that is true?” Because so often, our brain in its quest for ultimate efficiency, remembers something that happened in the past and now embeds it as “truth”. Now of course this can be helpful if we are running from saber-toothed tigers! But it takes work to discern what is helpful and what is an outdated narrative. 

Perhaps it is the post-pandemic era, or return to office, or the current landscape of layoffs. Maybe it’s a season of life that has existed for generations or the current pace of our modern work world and technology. Whatever the root cause, we are having deep conversations on life and career exploration with our clients - like, A LOT.

From the moment we are born, we relied on others. Let us explore the possibility of existing or new community as you navigate your current change(s). Ask for support. Seek out resources, groups, or others who have navigated this before you. Allow your next evolution to emerge - in community. 

Our inner critic can be quite chatty. Sometimes that voice can be helpful and assist you in identifying legitimate threats and concerns. However, at times our inner critic is an old voice and narrative that we hear from our childhood, a past event, or an adaptive behavior that kept us safe from real or perceived threats.

We suspect that the definition - and feelings about - adventure vary from person to person, and may shift over a lifetime. For some folks, adventure may mean rock climbing large mountains and testing physical limits, or jumping headfirst into entrepreneurship (an adventure like no other!). For others, adventure may be smaller steps towards trying a new restaurant, pitching an innovative idea to the CEO, or starting a new career.

Life is going to life. That much we know. It’s our reaction to those moments that define our way through - both acknowledging and embracing the sad, as well as holding the curiosity and knowledge of deeper awareness.

For some, this practice is easily and authentically employed in day-to-day transactions. It is meaningful, heartfelt, and appropriately shared and reflected upon. For others, this may come less frequently. The missed opportunity is often unintentional -  we’re focused on the rapidly moving decisions that need to be made, the lengthy to-do list and gratitude falls last, as the next rock to move is right in front of us.

What exactly are limiting beliefs? They are unconscious thoughts, bubbling beneath the surface, that often come from our past experiences: personal beliefs, beliefs we have from our family of origin, fear, social pressure, society, or religion, for example.

The Italians have an often-used phrase “dolce far niente.” It translates literally into the “sweetness of doing nothing.” And as many of you know, much of Italy shuts down in August to experience this very sweetness with family and friends.  

On that note, we are leaning into dolce far niente, bringing forth our Italian heritage (our ancestors would be so proud!). We are taking a break from our blog this month to rest, to prepare for the busy Fall season, planning business growth, and percolating new programs. 

Wishing you play and rest as the days of summer wind down!

With July upon us, school being out of session, and many people taking vacations, we thought we would shift the focus less on US being burnout and how as leaders we can identify and discuss burnout with our staff. How do we identify the source of burnout and help staff with resilient skills?

In order to resolve these conflicts for ourselves, we first need to develop curiosity and awareness - whether this is self-inquiry or better-understanding employee needs and desires. Delving into deep, non-judgmental curiosity about what is occurring allows for deeper awareness. As we know, in order for intentional positive action, we need awareness first.

Our work at MP6 connects us to clients around the globe and across industries. In almost every coaching engagement we have, some version of overwhelm and time management arises as a topic in coaching. We as a society are working at a high pace on little reserves, coming off a pandemic. We’re feeling the pressure of increased workloads, rising inflation, and a desire to make up for the lost time of connection during COVID. No wonder the stress, fatigue, and burnout are high!

This question has been percolating for us, as the last month has been a busy one here at MP6, serving and supporting many groups and individuals through facilitation and coaching. One of the recurring themes arising is how our stories hold us back - whether based on truth, lived experiences, safety (or perceived safety), or outdated narratives.

This is a gentle reminder, a calling in - to us as well - to continue our inquiry and actions towards diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Here are some questions that we continue to use to help hold ourselves curious and accountable in this practice and to adjust accordingly.

If you ask successful leaders about what has led to their success, you might hear about education, experiences, and mentorship. Perhaps they will share that it has been a combination of preparation and timing. But increasingly, we see the most successful leaders have a strong habit of intention setting and reflective introspection.

As 2022 winds down and we enter the thick of the holiday frenzy, the world is feeling especially noisy and frenetic with all of our “to-do” lists.  This month we embrace the quiet of the winter and dark and use this as a shift to identify the golden nuggets of our own growth, as well as how we can best lead our teams and organizations from a place of vision and intentionality.

A scarcity mindset can be seductive. It is easier at times to stay stuck in “not enoughness” than to face the potential of fear, uncertainty, and disappointment. It keeps us small and “safe” - safe at least of what we know - ensuring we survive, yet not thrive. We create a story around our limitations and we accept that story as truth.

So goes our journey in this human condition called life. We often carry around these heavy backpacks of expectations, “shoulds”, and old paradigms that no longer serve us. We adjust, thinking we can carry them until they no longer are manageable. It’s only when the pain in our backs screams at us that we pay attention and make adjustments.