Conversations and strategies about how to stand out IN a crowd and create sustainable success while making a difference through high impact contributions.

Greetings,

Are you starting to experience the ‘rushed energy’ of the holiday season before Thanksgiving even introduces the official start of the holiday season?

I’ve heard from many leaders in the past month about their busy schedules and how it’s impacted their focus, vitality, and productivity. Some are pushing work deadlines, and find little time for an exercise program …even with the best intentions, they just can’t seem to fit it in.

Then, I thought about my own exercise program, and how it always takes a lower priority when the weather changes in the Fall. My ‘belief’ is that it’s too ‘cold’ or I want to catch a few more minutes of sleep in the morning.

And, as much as I hate to admit it, lack of exercise does impact my energy and focus … my ability to play at the top of my game!

So, I decided to conduct a test – get up earlier than usual and do a work out regime before I started my day. Then, about 3pm when I have been experiencing an energy dip, observe the difference from other days.

What do you think I noticed? You guessed it … I had greater clarity in the morning AND could sustain my focus and clarity throughout the day. I didn’t experience my recent development of a mid-afternoon energy dip!

So, I shifted my ‘belief’ about the colder weather (I know, it hasn’t even hit freezing, yet!) and created a new exercise routine that wouldn’t be impacted by the weather. To make it even more compelling, I completed an anti-aging test in a More Magazine article, and set new goals for myself!

Click here to review the article, “Are You Fit Enough for Your Future?” and conduct your own anti-aging test: http://www.more.com/2027/4393-are-you-fit-enough-for

Why the new focus on fitness when my usual focus in Success Matters is on careers, leadership, and sustainable success?

• It’s my way of getting us geared up for the NEW YEAR! In January, I am hosting a 2-part teleseminar series, It’s a NEW YEAR! Make It Your Best Year Ever, in which we’ll be activating your 2011 goals. You WILL need energy and focus to step into bigger goals in the NEW YEAR!

I challenge you to get in shape now to Make 2011 Your Best Year Ever! For more ideas on the subject, read our Feature Article, “Slow Down for More Energy”!

Wish you and your family a happy and healthy Thanksgiving,

Gerrie Dresser
The Leadership Strategist to help leaders
stand out IN a crowd . . . DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF!

P.S. - If you want to get a jump start on the NEW YEAR, click here for the article, “Age Better, Starting Now” . . . http://www.more.com/2024/2198-age-better-starting-now

Features:  What's Included ...

• Unique Genius Virtual Café
• Unique Genius 6-Question Survey
• 10 Year Anniversary Celebration! (NEW!)
• Speaking Events
• Feature Article
• Gerrie Recommends
• Unique Genius Coaching

Our Unique Genius Virtual Café Event is on break in December... we are busy preparing for our Special HOLIDAY and NEW YEAR events to celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary!

• Save the Date!  February 8, 2011: Ann Mohamadi, EVP, Business Development- Advertising and Medical Education at Publicis Healthcare Communications Group
  
  Ann has an inspiring and energizing story about breaking through many of the “career beliefs”, i.e., that changing career direction ISN'T possible in our current economy.
   
• November 9, 2010, Replay: Selena Rezvani. We got rave reviews about Selena’s Café Conversation . . . Did you miss it?
  
  Click here for the replay: http://www.successassociates.biz/virtualcafe/11-09-10-SelenaRezvani_Replay.html
  
  Selena is a recognized author, speaker, and consultant on women and leadership, and founder/president of NextGenWomen, LLC. Author of “The Next Generation of Women Leaders: What You Need to Lead but Won’t Learn in Business School” Publisher: ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2010 http://www.nextgenwomen.com/ 
   

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4. Demonstrate adaptability in managing diverse styles and dynamic, complex interpersonal relationships.
5. Embrace change by taking initiative and following through.
6. Identify your unique brand promise of value, articulate it with authenticity and confidence, and deliver 3Cs’ of personal branding - clarity, constancy, and consistency for a memorable brand.
7. Outreach to build a trusted advisory board (or your ‘inner circle’), including informal mentors, advocates, peer coaches / advisors, and a wider internal and external network.

Do you recall the first 3 high priority strategies? Here’s a quick snapshot . . .

1. Embrace the value of self-awareness and self-management, cornerstones of emotional and social intelligence.
2. Allocate time for strategic planning to achieve greater clarity and productivity, focusing on the highest priority goals and minimizing distractions from lower return activities.
3. Commit to self-leadership and personal development.

(Watch for information in our December edition about the 5 categories of leaders that showed up in the Survey, based on their unique challenges!)
 

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May 5, 2011 marks Success Associates’ 10 year anniversary, so I’ve planned a few special events to celebrate!

December 2010: HOLIDAY Laser Coaching . . . Discover how to create more focus – clarity – passion in your work / life!

It’s the time of year that people start to look ahead to the NEW YEAR!

• What do you envision for YOU in 2011?
• Is it a personal or professional goal OR an integration of both
• What’s holding you back?

To celebrate our 10 Year Anniversary, I’ve reserved a limited number of laser coaching
sessions in December to help you get in focus for the NEW YEAR!

These sessions are a $125 Value … and you receive a 20% discount as a special HOLIDAY GIFT!

Watch for the Special Announcement after the Thanksgiving Holiday!

• January 2011: Special 2-part Virtual Seminar to Launch the New Year!
  
  “It’s a NEW YEAR! Make It Your Best Year Ever in 2011 . . . How to Set and Achieve the Goals You Really Want in the New Year"
   
• January 11: 12:00 Noon – 1:00PM
• January 18: 12:00 Noon – 1:00PM

We’ll explore the question, “What would make 2011 your best year ever?” Once you define what you WANT in 8 key life areas, our focus is activating a strategy to achieve your goal in 2011!

Watch for your personal invitation in early December!

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To celebrate the message about ‘Unique Genius’, organizations and corporations are sponsoring speaking events to inspire and motivate their leaders! Watch for upcoming events in Success Matters.

To learn more about Gerrie’s speaking and make a referral to your organization, click on link: http://www.successassociates.biz/speaking_workshops/

Phone: 610-429-0359
Email: gerrie@successassociates.biz

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The Power of Full Engagement is based on a Corporate Athlete® Training System*, based on 25 years of work with some of the world's highest performing athletes to help them compete effectively under intense competition. http://hpinstitute.com/training.html

Does this sound similar in the business world . . . competing under intense competition?

There are some similarities with one significant exception - many leaders have not engaged in a performance training program that includes breaks based on their natural ultradian rhythms.

As a result, leaders experience increased stress and health risks with decreased productivity.
These would definitely hold you back from Making 2011 Your Best Year Ever!

*According to the authors, "to be fully engaged, we must be physically energized, emotionally connected, mentally focused, and spiritually aligned with a purpose beyond our immediate self-interest".

What's the secret? It's about your ultradian rhythms. Most of you have heard about the "circadian rhythm" that regulates your awakening in the morning and feeling sleepy at bedtime.

Well, your "ultradian rhythms" usually change every 90 to 120 minutes during the day and last about 20 minutes.

Did you ever notice certain times during the day when you feel focused and can concentrate on a complex task, and then . . . you lose focus and experience a real challenge to get through a much simpler task? This is your ultradian rhythm changing when your brain is signaling the need to relax.

According to Merlin Mann of 43 Folders*, “The basic idea is that every hour and a half or so you need to take a rest break - if you don’t you may be well on your way to the Ultradian Stress Syndrome. When you learn how to recognize your need to take a 20 minute break you can convert your stress into what he calls The Ultradian Healing Response.”

* http://www.43folders.com/2006/09/07/ultradians (website about finding the time and attention to do your best creative work.)

But, how many of you just push through your lack of focus and "white knuckle" it to complete your task?

•  What is this costing you in terms of productivity and long term well-being?

By shifting their schedule every 90-120 minutes, people have experienced profound physical and mental health benefits. In companies where breaks are encouraged, productivity has increased and absenteeism has decreased.

• What can you do RIGHT NOW to flow with your natural ultradian rhythm and feel more focused and productive during the day, more relaxed at the end of the day, and getting in shape for 2011?

A few common strategies that are effective for refocus include - coffee or snack break, walk down the hall, call a colleague for a quick mental break or engage in some form of activity that is easy and already accessible to you, such as taking the stairs.

Then, begin visioning what would make 2011 Your Best Year Ever!

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Maestro: A Surprising Story About Leading by Listening. Author: Roger Nierenberg. Publisher: Penguin Group. October 2009

A conductor reveals powerful leadership lessons by explaining the inner workings of a symphony orchestra. Roger Nierenberg, a veteran conductor, is the creator of The Music Paradigm, a unique program that invites people to sit INSIDE a professional symphony orchestra as the musicians and conductor solve problems together.

He captures that experience in Maestro: A Surprising Story about Leading by Listening, a parable about a rising executive’s tough challenges. The narrator befriends an orchestra conductor and is inspired to think about leadership and communication in an entirely new way.

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• Coaching is a confidential partnership between you, the Client, and your Coach to help you achieve your next level of success faster and with greater focus and clarity.

Gerrie Dresser is an ICF credentialed Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and practical, innovative executive / career coach, thought leader, and personal brand strategist. She delivers high impact individual and team coaching through the Unique Genius™ Coaching Model.

If you’re ready to step into a bigger game for your work / life, contact Gerrie for a complimentary 20-minute Unique Genius coaching consultation at http://www.successassociates.biz/contact.html 

For more information about Gerrie:
click on http://www.successassociates.biz/about

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