Here we go again. Another world crisis has landed at our doorstep. It seemed when the threat was JUST in China— it felt worlds away. Things didn’t appear to be as urgent. Now that the issues are knocking at our door in North America, stuff just got real.

Being intimately connected to the meetings industry, (conferences, airline travel, and hotels) I’ve received a firsthand account on how this global chaos is impacting my small slice of the world.

 A meeting planner colleague posted to a Facebook group that she was setting up for a large annual conference in Florida, expected attendance was well-over 50,000 people. As she was setting up her exhibit booth, she received a text message that the whole conference was canceled. Poof. Just like that. Over. I’m pretty sure she lost her breath at that moment.

There are countless other stories about how folks are struggling, scared, and hopeless. Losing tens of thousands of dollars. Canceling long-awaited, once in a lifetime vacations. Forced to self-quarantine or completely isolate themselves, (which after researching is more than a notion). Stuck in foreign countries, or better yet—imagine you could see U.S. soil from a cruise ship window and were mandated by the government to stay aboard.

Panic has set in. Uncertainty looms. Stock market prices plunge. Wall street on lockdown.

It’s tough times—no matter who you are, where you work, or where you live.

So, what do you do? How do you cope? How do you make it through this? How do you help others around you?

Here are 6 ways you can lead yourself and others when you are faced with tough times:

1. Keep Your Perspective— Question yourself, How realistic is my worry? What am I feeling?  Why am I feeling this way? Acknowledge your emotions. Put a name to them. Don’t allow them to get the best of you. Repeat the mantra to yourself “This too shall pass,” It won’t last forever. It’s just for a moment.

2. Let the Facts Be Your Guide— The flu has been a higher threat to U.S. public health than the Coronavirus according to CDC. The flu has led to over 18,000 deaths whereas the Coronavirus only 17. By no means, is death a good thing but the way this illness has been sensationalized in the media, you’d think that everyone is dying and that you’re next. Get the facts before you get worked up. Share those facts with others and let them make a decision. Don’t follow the masses and the hysteria that you see in the media. Confirmation bias is at play— which simply means we have a tendency to interpret new evidence as confirmation of our existing beliefs. Plainly put, we see what we want to see and interpret based on how we want to see it. As an example, why is everyone running out to hoard toilet paper and bottled water? The Coronavirus is a repository illness not gastrointestinal. And unless you have major plumbing issues at home, what’s with the bottled water?

3. Lean On Your Serenity— Be honest with yourself. Ask yourself, How much of the situation is within my control? Make a list of the things that you can’t control and focus on letting them go. Turn your attention to what’s in your sphere of influence, like your attitude, words, actions, decisions, and self-care. Rinse and repeat

4. Limit Your Media Consumption— Bad news sells. The media feeds off that. If you watch the 6 pm news, which percentage focuses on the positive things.If you’re lucky? 10% and that’s pushing it. If you’re scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, which posts tend to catch your eye—the heartbreaking stories. We’re wired for that. But we can also turn this around. Reduce your screen time. Spend that time focusing on self-care activities, like reading your favorite book, taking a walk, or chatting with a supportive and positive friend.

5. Let the Toxic People Go— Is there a person in your life that seems to have a negative cloud of despair that follows them, and they want you to share in their misery? They might update you with every possible reason you’ll get sick or hurt. Does this exhaust you?  Set boundaries for yourself. Limit your interaction with that person. Be firm that you don’t want to hear about the latest development in the news.

6. Live Your Life—  “Facing difficulties is inevitable, learning from them is optional” – John Maxwell You can’t let the thought of every potential negative thing stop you from living. Of course, you wanna be smart about your decisions and if a real threat is looming you don’t want to ignore it. it. Don’t let the tough times define you. Remember that you have the power to change your world. If your plans have suddenly changed because of the uncertainty, for example, having to work from home or travel plans changing— turn the situation around and determine how you can use the time in another way. Maybe you catch up on some much-needed housework, or you get to binge-watch your favorite Amazon Prime show or you can work through the pile of books on your nightstand. Turn the negative into a positive.

The post Coronavirus, The Recession, and Uncertainty: How To Lead Yourself And Others Through Tough Times appeared first on Mimi Brown, CSP Motivational Keynote Speaker.

It was getting late and I was worried that I wouldn’t find anything open that wasn’t a greasy fast-food burger. 

You can imagine my delight as I pulled into the shopping center around the corner from my home, to see the open sign flashing at me for China Crown. 

Looking at the posted hours, I slid in by the skin of my teeth to get served. My mouth watered as I imagined biting into the shrimp fried rice and sweet and sour chicken that awaited me on the other side. 

Smiling at the woman, who I would later learn was the owner, I gleefully placed my takeout order. Knowing that it would be about a 15-minute wait, I came prepared with the latest Amazon bestseller book in hand—hoping I could catch up on some much-needed reading. But Alex had other plans. 

Out of the corner of my eye, popped out a little boy who looked to be about nine-years-old. I hadn’t noticed him at first because he was quietly eating his dinner, headphones pulled over his ears, with his face tucked into a tablet consuming whatever media was holding his attention. 

He hopped out of his chair with a jovially spring, flashed a smile that showed that the tooth fairy had recently come to visit and said to me, “Hi, I am Alex. Do you know how to beatbox?” I looked at him with a sort of perplexed gaze—I was surprised at how friendly he was and how random his question seemed to be. 

I replied back, “ I dabbled a little–I’ve been a DJ for a long time so I know a few things about beatboxing,” I snapped back with my attempt at sounding cool.

“Well let me hear what you got,” he said. I was taken aback. I wasn’t expecting him to challenge me right then and there. 

And with the most pitiful attempt — I proceeded to spit, dribble and mouthed something that resembled what I thought was beatboxing. My painful attempt sounded more like Daffy Duck trying to sing a show tune. 

“You call that beatboxing?” Alex laughed, trying to politely hold his giggle back. 

Let me show you how it’s done. And with the ease of a rhythmic jazz artist, Alex began to assemble a beautifully crafted series of movements with his mouth, lips, and tongue. If you had closed your eyes for a moment, you would have sworn that you were transformed into an electronica concert, sitting dead center of a beat blasting drum. It was euphoric. 

He mixed his sounds so well, famed MC and master beatboxer, Dougy Fresh would have been proud. 

Astonished, I said, “Whoa, Alex. You are a master.” 

“Oh, it’s not that big of a deal. I can teach you too,” he replied.

Over the course of the next 12 minutes, Alex took the time to break down what it really meant to beatbox. He pulled up a video, demonstrated a rhythm pattern on his iPad, and over and over again reiterated how to create those cool sounds and then had me practice in turn. 

I would love to say that I nailed it. And there is a happily ever after and now I’ve gone on to become a world-class MC and beatboxer. Not even close. Even after 12 minutes I still sucked. Alex was still laughing at me. But as I drove home that evening with my Chinese food warming up my passenger seat, I reflected on a few important lessons I learned after that chance encounter with Alex. 

There are meaningful lessons and messages in everything you do. The question is are you pausing long enough to realize and take heed on what they might be?

Here are three life and leadership lessons I’ve taken from this:

1.Get out of your own way- I was getting ready to totally dismiss Alex. I thought to myself, what can this nine-year-old kid teach me about anything? OMG, he had so much to teach me and I had so much to learn. I had to be open to the experience. Open to his lesson. I had to move out of my own way and make space to learn from him. It was really about stepping outside of my ego. Initially, I thought, I am an adult and I could teach this kid a few things. But it was like a reverse mentoring program. He was schooling me in the best way.

Now You Try: Who can you learn from? Are you open to learning from others who are junior or less experienced than you? Maybe they have expertise in a space that you don’t. Who could you set-up a reverse mentoring relationship with? What areas could you use some mentoring in?

2. Be Curious-– Kids have this natural curiosity that I think we lose as we become adults and replace it with cynicism, skepticism, realism, and mistrust. At certain points, life has just beaten us down and we’ve lost the curious nature of our personalities. Alex wasn’t afraid to strike up a conversation with me. He wasn’t afraid of putting himself out there. He wasn’t afraid of showcasing something that he was really good at, and he wanted to share it with others. 

Now You Try: How can you step outside of your comfort zone?  Be more curious. I challenge you to show childlike curiosity the next time you encounter a situation that makes you uncomfortable. How are you showcasing your expertise and achievements? 

3. Slow Down– My close friends and colleagues will tell you– I am the queen of speed. As my Dad has said to me, “I’ve never met someone who gets more out of life than you.” At first glance, it sounds like a nice compliment, right? In reflecting, it’s really a warning about slowing down enough to actually enjoy life. If you’re anything like me,  You’re always a couple of steps ahead. Always moving on to the next shiny thing. Always focused on multi-tasking and being the most efficient with your time. You are exhausted. Suffering from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out). There is this unintentionally but ever-present competition that we place ourselves on. Who can be the bustiest, get the most done, and still look Instagram and Facebook ready? It’s like running on a hamster wheel with the illusion that there is a finish line. And the finish line doesn’t exist. 

Now You Try: How are you slowing down? When was the last time you’ve taken a detox from social media? How will you incorporate “white space” in your day? White space is the time that you do nothing. I mean that. Absolutely. Positively. Zip. Zilch. Nada. Allow yourself to “BE” in the moment. Play. Let your mind wander. Be with yourself. Let the light in. Be more like Oprah, Oprah has replaced FOMO with JOMO (Joy of Missing Out) Don’t cram in “things”. Move beyond the “To Do” List. And you do you! 

Shout this out… What will you commit to in the coming weeks?

The post Leadership Lessons Show Up In the Most Unusual Places: Are you present enough to heed the lesson? appeared first on Mimi Brown, CSP Motivational Keynote Speaker.

My heart was beating so hard I thought it was going to jump out of my chest. Thump. Thump. Thump. The tick of the clock seemed to match the beating of my heart. Staring at the clock, waiting for the hands to click to fifteen past the hour—the time in which I knew Natalie would arrive and my coolness factor could go up exponentially.  Anxiety started to creep in. I begin to sweat in places that you shouldn’t have sweat when you are 12 years old.

The aroma of cream cheese strawberry cupcakes hung in the air. In the distance you could hear the desperation fall from the mouths of all the students in the class.

Wondering to themselves and then out loud with friends if they would be chosen.

Speculating. Waiting. Wondering. 

I was in the same space. I thought to myself, “I wonder if I will be special enough to be thought of. Would someone select me?”  As soon as Natalie entered our classroom in her official duty as the Valentine’s Day Rose Delivery Team, the room of chattering kids stopped.

The anticipation was killing everyone. As she reached in her basket and pulled out a bushel of beautiful red roses with tiny squares of notes attached—she began to hand out the roses and call people by name. “Carla – here you go. Ralph – looks like you’re loved,” she said as she handed him three brightly colored red roses.

My anticipation was met with disappointment as she handed out the last red rose and it didn’t have my name on it.

“This stinks,” I thought to myself. I was embarrassed and ashamed. 

In hindsight, I felt like one of the ladies on the Bachelor who didn’t get a rose and must start the walk of shame while all the other ladies were swooned over. 

When it comes down to it. I was really yearning for one thing: Acknowledgement.

I was waiting all day to be acknowledged. I wanted a rose to prove that I mattered. Mattered to someone. That I was valuable, popular, and a part of the “in-crowd”. That someone thought enough of me to invest their time, money, and attention. 

I fundamentally believe that most of life’s important lessons can be traced back to what you learn in middle school.

At 12 years old, I understood what folks in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond needed from their leadership. 

Acknowledgement. Showing that you’re valued.

When it comes to your leadership—the folks on your team are looking for the same. You want to create a culture of care—they will CARE when you show them that you CARE. Are you acknowledging them? In other words, are you showing them love? Do you show them that they matter and are valued? Showing them is a way of supporting your team in the workplace.

Here’s 3 ways to show some love as a leader:

1. Tune Into Them—Get to know the folks on your team personally. What are their interests? What are the names of their children or pets? What do they like to do in their spare time? I’m not saying that you need to get overly personal and get all in their mix. As a leader, you will be seen as more effective and highly regarded when you show you care by taking interests in what matters most to your team. 

2. Give Genuine Positive Feedback— It’s human nature to focus on what’s going wrong. How about turning that around and focus on what’s going right? Catch people doing something positive. And then TELL them! Be specific in your feedback. “Pam,  I noticed that you created a very impressive report. Thanks for taking the time to work so hard.” (Bonus— use their name. Dale Carnegie said, “The sweetest sound to someone is the sound of their own name.”) It makes it a more personal connection.

3. Be like Scotch Tape: Transparent & Sticky— Are you keeping your team in the loop on important updates in the company? Do they feel like they are involved and included? Do you share career development opportunities, promotions and impactful work as evenly as you can? We’ve all been there, transparency can be challenging. The mantra I recommend is to, “Share what you can.” If there are elements that are not shareable– by all means keep those close to the visit. Feeling accepted and included goes a long way in developing a kick-ass results oriented team. 

What are other ways that you show love to your team? Share your thoughts below.

The post I heart you: the three ways to show love in the workplace. appeared first on Mimi Brown, CSP Motivational Keynote Speaker.