Where did the year go?!

As Jon Dewey said, "wisdom doesn’t come from our experience but from reflecting on our experience", and the end of the year is a natural time for us to do just that.

When looking back, remember we are programmed to be on alert to threats and risks, our brains naturally amplify the negative.  That is why gratitude works, it is neuroscience proving we can change our negativity channel and remind ourselves we are safer than we often think, and that we have more than we imagine already in our tank. So keep working on that "react to respond" skill, focus on your strengths and celebrate all you have and are capable of this Christmas. We CAN change the world by changing how we respond to it.

The most important skill to learn for your leadership career – how to move from reacting to responding

The golden thread running through all development is how skilfully we can step from reacting to responding. We can change the world by changing how we respond to it. Because by moving from react to respond we change how we operate in the world, we shift the quality of our thinking, the quality of our discourse and the quality of our relationships. Read the blog here

Live your life and your career with energy

Remember what you already have in your arsenal.  Even though we are hardwired to focus on our weaknesses, often rubbing out the positive, we can learn to focus on what is working well and get much more of it in our lives. 

I love Sally Bibb and recommend her Strengths Book. I valued my conversation with her about the power of understanding and deploying our strengths with skill on my podcast Grit in the Oyster. Listen here

This month's book recommendation: 'Leading Lightly: Lower Your Stress, Think with Clarity and Lead With Ease'

I enjoyed Jody Michael’s book, Leading Lightly: Lower Your Stress, Think with Clarity and Lead With Ease, which has at its heart cultivating our ability to respond mindfully throughout our day, building our leadership effectiveness, impact and happiness.

If you would like to learn more about a positive, evidence-based, virtual, but high-touch and high-impact global program tailored for your women managers and organisation, email me at penny@pennydevalk.com