Servings of Stone Soup

I have just read the umpteenth ezine/newsletter column about, “Wow, it is so hard to believe that the holidays are here and most of 2007 is gone. Where has all the time gone for this year?” It is such an interesting paradox, we have so many time saving devices and processes, yet we can never harness time. My unofficial poll of clients reflects that 95% of people “never have enough time.” Time to do what? I see calendars that are scheduled to the max with very little if any down time. I hear the agony of leaders rushing to the next task, the next emergency, the next cry of the urgent and yet they never seem to “get it all done.” Will they ever get “it” all done? Do you ever get “everything accomplished?” And another season passes – another year gone by. And there is that feeling deep in your gut, a mix of sadness and sentimentality, “really, where has all the time gone?”

Many people I encounter want me to help them save, find or maximize their time. Over my career, I have changed my strategies and suggestions to focus on more of what matters to the individual, to the business owner. Listed below are questions that need to be answered first, before you’ll ever have enough time. How would you answer?

· In what ways do live each day as an unfolding drama, in anticipation –  or are you going through the motions of living without really connecting?

· In what ways are you internally driven? Externally driven?

· In what ways do your circumstances dictate the flow of your life?

Time will march on, another season will quickly pass. Will you receive it – your life, your uniqueness and make your imprint – or will you focus on managing what only can be received? Maybe that is when you do get it all done.

Receiving my life

Jan Hinton

Stone Soup Coaching

I guess most Americans have meandered through Thanksgiving. Many of you participated in a family gathering that highlighted the uniqueness of your family (code word for dysfunctional!). There is no Norman Rockwell setting – if there is I want to be invited. Then some of you jumped fully into the frantic of shopping for Christmas and the hectic pace of parties, gatherings and over-eating. Why are you buying all those gifts anyway and attending EVERY event you are invited to?

But wait, where was Thanksgiving? Where was the thankfulness that is suppose to last longer than one day? I received an email talking about our need for an attitude of gratitude. I agree, it needs to be longer than one day, yet for middle America, with all that we have, continual thankfulness can be challenging. I have food, clothes, heat, health, a dependable car, etc. I think I become numb or forget and thankfulness isn’t at my core. In some ways, maybe I expect the very things I am thankful for. I have challenged myself to express more gratitude, BUT how? I can say I am going to do it, think and say 10 things each day that I am thankful for, but that isn’t really changing the core of me into a more thankful person. I have created my own challenge (not surprising since I am easily motivated by a challenge!). I want to express more gratitude by GIVING. Giving without expecting to get. Here are some ways I want to give:

• Give a helping hand to my neighbor in the care of their elderly mother
• Give permission for more laughter and fun
• Give insights to friends thereby using my gifts of wisdom and discernment
• Give more of my heart, not only my hands
• Give more evidence of my changed life
• Give away more and make do with less
• Give more . . .

Instead of an attitude of gratitude, I will be working toward an action of giving.

Warmly,

Jan Hinton

Stone Soup Coaching

A recent book by Anthony F. Smith, “The Taboos of Leadership” suggests that we the public, have been greatly misled about leadership.  He contends that there are 10 taboos of leadership and that by exposing them loosen their power.  His list of secret taboos are challenging to discuss, personal, revealing, politically incorrect, and yet have tremendous power.  .

Smith speaks of 10 leadership taboos.  Here are mine for the moment – fallacies from my perspective, yet what I see playing out often in the business world.  I plan to keep a running list, so who knows where it will stop . . .

 Taboo 1 – There is one best way to do leadership.  There tends to be an incredible urgency to find the guru/author/consultant/business leader that has done leadership “right” (whatever right is).

 Taboo 2 - Leadership is something you do – something you can master or at least learn the “basics”.  It can fit nicely on a to-do list and be checked off – I did leadership today.

Taboo 3 – If Business X and Leader Y are “successful” then I can copy and implement everything they are doing and be equally as successful.

Taboo 4 - Leaders can’t be authentic.  In fact, true authenticity may be a core quality to great leadership. 

 Taboo 5 – If I can just learn leadership skills and use them in my calling, then everything will go smoothly.  My belief is that anything that involves people is and will always be messy.

 Which Taboo is a part of your mental tape or unspoken beliefs?

 Taboo buster,

Jan Hinton

Stone Soup Coaching

When was the last time you actually looked forward to the holidays?  The upcoming holidays can be some of the busiest, least enjoyed seasons of the year.  What would it take for your holiday season to be stress-free?  Survival skills to the rescue!  Join us for a Teleclass (telephone conference call) beginning November 5.  Each week we will spend 30 minutes reducing your stress level and renewing your perspective so that the 2007 Holiday Season can be enjoyed and not endured!

 The topics include:

            November 5, 12:00 noon – Bah, Humbug!  What holiday spirit?

            November 12, 12:00 noon – Give yourself the best gift

            November 19, *11:00 a.m. EST* – Holiday “Tunes” for perspective

            November 26, 12:00 noon – I survived Thanksgiving, bring on Christmas!

 
Key secrets designed to make the holidays more enjoyable than ever!                              

The teleclass is absolutely free (really!).  However, space is limited, so please reply to this email: jan@stonesoupcoaching.com and I’ll send you all the details! The deadline to register is Friday, November 2.

Yours in Holiday Fun!

Jan Hinton

Stone Soup Coaching