Author Archive: Heidi

grow by the inch, die by the foot

Growing by the inch and dying by the foot

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The sign read: Plants grow by the inch and die by the foot. How clever! It was a catchy way of asking people to stay on the trail that leads out from the Mt. St. Helens observatory into the mountains. The trail is pretty narrow and the tendency of many would be to trample the plants to get around others in their way. Killing plants that took time to grow.

In business, it is really easy to kill ideas or discourage people by trying to be expeditious. There are times when ideas and people need to be nurtured. And at those times, having an explicit view of how they will be protected is critical to their success.

How are you making sure your ideas and people aren’t growing by the inch and dying by the foot?

do you know when the window will close?

What is blinding you?

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There are days at this time of year when the sun peaks out and is stunning. But, because the angle of the sun is lower, it has a tendency to be blinding at times. Which makes it hard to look ahead.

There are times in business when the same thing happens. Something ahead is blinding us. When that happens, how are you making sure you get a clear view to make good decisions and keep on the intended path?

how are you carving a path?

How are you carving a path for your people?

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Have you ever noticed the channel cut by a stream or a river in an area that has large volumes of water that flow through? Sometimes a tree or changes in the embankments can change its course. But generally, it heads roughly in the same direction.

Leaders are a bit like that stream or river. They need to chart a course for their team, leaving a very clear path that people can follow. Sometimes they need to make course corrections in a clear way that shows people how to adjust. And the direction is always forward, at times with high velocity.

How are you creating carving a path for your people?

when was the last time you shared what you are excited about?

When was the last time you shared everything exciting in your life?

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A funny thing happens periodically when I’m at my favorite hiking place. I’ll run into a family out for a hike when one of the kids will come up to me and share all the things they are excited about. Birthdays, blue shoes, moss, adventures. There’s no end. They just want to share about all the exciting things in their life.

Whether at work or in life, what a great lesson! It’s not just the sharing of excitement, it’s the mindset that focuses on all the exciting things in life.

When was the last time you shared everything exciting in your life?

Unexpected things happen all the time. Are you watching?

Unexpected things happen all the time. Are you watching for them?

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On a recent day, I decided to go for a lunchtime hike at my favorite hiking place. There are so many miles of trails that even if there are a number of people around, you might not see them for quite a distance. And that was the case that particular day. Which made it possible for what happened. As I was coming around the bend, right ahead of me on the path were three deer. All three paused for a moment, looked at me, then ran up the trail. They rounded a bend and were gone.

Their appearance was totally unexpected. Not for the location, but for the time of day. Unexpected things happen all the time. Are you watching for them?

how are you making sure you aren't trimming the wrong things

How are you creating a place for ideas to grow?

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After an inch or two of snow, the weather was cold enough to keep the snow from melting for about a week. Which led birds to find food a different way.  The birds, that are not normally visible, were everywhere and nipping off the buds that were just emerging. They just moved through each limb, removing every single bud. Nothing was left.

In business, cutting off the new growth in every single part of business can stop new products or services from reaching their potential. The most successful businesses have a place where ideas can germinate and grow. They know that is the lifeblood of their business.

How are you making sure you have a place for ideas to grow?

do you know when the window will close?

Do you know when the window is open and when it will close?

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The last few days have been so foggy, the sun was not able to burn through. Today was different. The sun was bright and shiny against a brilliant, blue background, which made for a lovely drive to my favorite hiking place. In the distance, the clouds were so thick, they obscured the mountains. But that was in the distance.

As I started my hike, the sun streamed through the trees. The water, the green of the trees, the sun and the blue sky all played against each other in a beautiful way. But as my hike proceeded, the fog rolled back in and dulled the brilliant colors against a grey background. The window closed.

In business, the same happens. We see things on the horizon. Sometimes they come to pass and other times they don’t. Knowing when the window is open and when it will close is the key to success. How good are you at predicting when the window is open and when it will close?

how are you taking delight in the moment

How are you finding delight in the moment?

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At the edge of the woods where I hike are horse and cow farms. One particular trail skirts the edge of a pasture where horses graze, sometimes, but usually not when I pass by. But on a recent morning, after a week of record rain, the horses were out. And they weren’t just grazing, they were playing. It was the first full sun day in weeks. And the horses were taking full advantage of the beautiful day, galloping and playing with each other.

It’s hard not to smile at the sight of animals enjoying themselves. And a good reminder how easy it is to take delight in the moment. Whether on your own, or in your organization, how are you finding delight in the moment?

welcome to 2022

Welcome to 2022!

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As we enter a new year, here are a few questions to help focus you for the year?

What do you love to do? Do more of that

What sucks the energy from you? Stop doing that

What have you always wanted to do, but haven’t yet? Start doing that

Wishing you a fantastic 2022!

are you building to last?

Are you building to last?

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One day, a few weeks ago, it was windy. Really windy. It happens periodically. Sometimes a few trees fall over or limbs fall. And life goes on. This time, a brand new fence was blown over. In its entirety. The whole thing was just lying on the ground, intact from end to end. The problem was clear. The fence posts were small metal poles that had been driven less than a foot into the ground, anchored by a 9 inch diameter concrete footing. The very small anchor wasn’t enough to stand up to 50 mph gusts of wind pushing on the fence, even though every other fence around it was still standing.

Understanding the conditions necessary to last for the long term are important. Are you building to last?