Week 172

Positive post Sunday, June 7, 2020- Week 172. 

I hope this Positive Post Sunday finds you healthy and spending quality time with your families.  As some of you know, earlier this year I took on a new leadership role at SoCalGas and have been responsible for safety and emergency management during the pandemic and now civil unrest.  This has been the most complex and all-encompassing safety and health related response we have faced as a company to date.  For the past 3 months, working alongside some amazing leaders and with the grace of the good Lord, I have been fully engaged in protecting the health & safety of our employees, customers and the public.

One thing I have missed over the past few months is reading, something I find relaxing and often therapeutic!  I finally got some time to catch up on my reading this weekend.  I have a few favorite authors who send out weekly/monthly newsletters with current, relevant, thought-provoking and insightful articles that keep my mind fresh and often challenge me to think, lead and live better.  It was rejuvenating to read Tim Ferriss’ Five Bullet Friday, Adam Grant’s Granted newsletter, Dorie Clark’s newsletter and Shane Parrish’s FS Brain Food Newsletter.

Considering my experiences these past few months, one reading that really resonated with me is by Robert Glazer, written in his recent Weekly Leadership Note and titled “Capacity Building Will Guide You and Your Team Through A Crisis”.  It’s also a part of Marshall Goldsmith’s book on crisis leadership in response to the pandemic, Leadership in a Time of Crisis.  There are many learnings in Goldsmith’s book, but one stood out for me, “Don’t compromise your commitment to do what you need to do so that you remain healthy, whole, sane and fully capable of acting in the manner expected of you as a leader.  An empty tank helps no one.”  This hit home for me and reminded me of the importance of disconnecting for short periods of time to refresh.

Here is the link to Glazer’s article: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/capacity-building-guide-you-your-team-through-crisis-robert-glazer/?trackingId=hpHAmfN0QTWADxl96V2UsA%3D%3D&ck_subscriber_id=498657171.  Although geared toward business, I’d suggest we can also apply this at home where we are leading our families through these challenging times.  Especially spiritual capacity building, clarifying what matters, who you are, what you want most and the standards you will live by each day.

I know what great leaders look like during a crisis, I have the privilege of working with them every day at home, in my community and at work.

Are you running on an empty tank or refueling regularly to remain healthy, whole, sane and fully capable to lead your family and/or employees?

How do you inspire others to build capacity during these challenging times?