Monat: April 2020

#9 Expectations vs. Agreements during a crisis

Sometimes you listen to a podcast, and you literally feel the moment when you have an insight. Your world shifts and you got an input that will literally change how you show up in the next hour.

Today, I wanna share one podcast with you that had that impact on me – actually quite recently.

The episode Expectations vs. Agreements by Steve Chandler is worth listening a couple of times a year.

Steve Chandler talks about how to create powerful agreements in our life: with our team, in our organization, with our boss and also within our families. Expectations on the other hand lead to…expectations. Mostly one side will be happy, and the other party faces a high risk to not be as happy, or simply expected a different outcome.

Why does this matter – especially – today?

I’ve been hearing the following challenges over the last week:

  • I’m not happy with my results, and also the results of my team. How can I engage them more at home?
  • I’m struggling to find any balance between work and life – and skipped my sports for the x-time this week. I’d expected myself to be so much fitter by this time.
  • I’m handling a full time job, the household, home schooling and a huge restructuring at work. I expect my partner to step in more – but no sign of cooperation. How can I expect all family members to support me more?

The podcast gives a clue for many challenges we face.

When we start creating agreements and get on the same page with the core people in our life, we reduce the risk of misunderstandings and limited trust exponentially.

I’ll be happy to share the Podcast Recording (usually a paid download version) with you – just send me a message and I’ll send it over.

I’m curious and invite you to scan your life and work now:

  • Where do you miss a powerful agreement?
  • And if you had it, what will happen?

​Wishing you a beautiful weekend, Warriors!

Yours, Gertraud

Charlene Coore Desai

Former Chief of Party, USAID ASSIST

Today’s career workshop was amazing! I really enjoyed taking the time to reflect on my past achievements and then to focus on future possibilities and pathways. I also really liked that we used tangible exercises to guide this process. But my main takeaway from today’s session was about the power of ‚telling my own story‘. Gertraud made the whole workshop fun, accessible and inspiring!

#8 What is your Superpower?

It’s been now the second or third week in full crisis mode. I see most of you fighting, having back to back meetings. Pulling all your passion and energy into saving jobs, saving your people and teams, and trying to forecast what is actually not even possible for scientists to do.

Last week, one of my clients asked me in a brief call in between Zoom Meetings (the hate and love of all of us) from 8 am morning to 9 pm night. Non-stop. Quick lunch and bite, and next to home schooling her kids – luckily they are a bit older and get it all by themselves.

  • How can I get my team engaged?

In those times, there are no right or wrong answers. You know your team best and know exactly what they need right now. But it might be the case, that you are too committed and dedicated, and caught up in those endless meetings, that you forget about your most important asset. Your superpower. The superpower of your team. The superpower of your company.

No need to start a strategy meeting to dive into this.

Remind them and yourself of your superpower. Your strenghts, gifts, your identities, why you are all fighting together.

We’re all in this together.

During your next meeting, try this and start your time with those three questions:

  • What is your superpower?
  • What is our (the team’s) superpower?
  • And what do you think is our company’s superpower?

Take 10 min before the meeting and answer them for yourself first.

Those answers will get you on a more scenic road of the crisis.

The answers you get, will get you through this crisis all together. And your clients and everyone your team contacts next week, will feel it.

If you’re up to, share your 3 answers and I’ll promise, I’ll reply to everyone of you in person.

If you have a hard time answering them for yourself, let me know as well.

If you feel that there is absolutely no time to get those 3 questions in your next meeting – let’s keep it real.

Keep on rocking, Warriors and Worriers!

And never forget: You can juggle it all – in your way.

​Yours, Gertraud

​PS: And special shout out to everyone of you, who is juggling small kids and co-working at home and still making an impact. You amaze me and I do not have words how much energy it takes to get this really working.