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leadership

Self reflection and journaling for leadership

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I’m often asked what young leaders can do to improve their leadership, confidence and teamwork. And for me, I would always recommend a habit that many leaders love to hate! Not many of us, in the fast paced, increasingly noisy, anxiety driven world that we live in can handle sitting quietly for 5, 10 or 15 minutes a day with the aim of thinking about our own thoughts and behaviours. Self reflection is something we all have access to. You can get started with the simplest notepad and pen.

The results of ongoing self reflection are impressive. It’s definitely worth taking note! But do you have the discipline?

Why self reflection is important for leaders

Self reflection gives you time and space to consider your actions and beliefs for the benefit of learning. It’s a way of documenting what’s happening around you and using this understanding to create meaning for the purpose of learning.

It’s a stop. A pause. A breath. Amongst all the busyness, action and noise. To observe yourself and others, to create understanding, plans and meaning for the future.

It’s an opportunity to stand back for a moment and observe yourself. It’s a brilliant quality in successful leaders – their ability to observe their own behaviour – almost as if it was another person. Most people will do it after a meeting, event or interaction. Super-practiced leaders learn to self-observe in each moment.

But it’s simple enough to begin after a meeting, event or an interaction. You can consider questions such as:

“How would other people perceive my actions?”

“How did I participate in that team meeting?”

“How did I show up?”

“How did I react and answer questions from others?”

“Was I open to the ideas and discussion or did I shut the conversation down?”

Self reflection is a skill like anything else, so it does take practice.

Ask good questions

Many people are almost scared to sit in front of a blank piece of paper and wonder what to write about. It is a common barrier to journalling.

A simple way to start is to brainstorm questions to ask yourself. They could to be the same questions that you use every day, week or month to consider. You can also include exploratory questions to get you thinking and being creative.

A great daily question, which was highlighted in the book, Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being by Dr Martin Seligman, can be as simple as:

“What went well today and why?”

Other daily questions could be:

“Did I accomplish what I set out to do today?”

“What did I learn from today?”

“What are my priorities?”

Ask questions to inspire possibilities, creativity and insights

In Think Like Da Vinci by Michael Gelb, he shares that Leonardo Da Vinci used notebooks to record everything! From ideas, impressions, observations and thoughts from scholars he admired, jokes and fables, philosophical musings and prophecies, pens for inventions, painting and doodling to personal finance records and letters. Seven thousand pages of Da Vinci’s notebooks existed. Michael Gelb shares that we can develop our sense of curiosity through journalling.

He suggests the 100 questions exercise. Create a list of 100 questions that you could muse on. It could be about anything. How to have more fun? How to love more? What is the meaning of life?

Create this list in one sitting and quickly. When you’ve finished your list, he suggests you review your list for themes and then find the top ten questions that intrigue you and pique the most interest. Use this as the basis of your journalling practice.

Here are the top ten questions Michael Gelb suggests as a catalyst for personal growth and fulfilment:

“When am I most naturally myself? What people, places, and activities allow me to feel most fully myself?”

“What’s one thing I could stop doing, start doing, or do differently, starting today that would most improve the quality of my life?”

“What is my greatest talent?”

“How can I get paid for doing what I love?”

“Who are my most inspiring role models?”

“How can I best be of service to others?”

“What is my heart’s deepest desire?”

“How am I perceived by: my closed friend, my worst enemy, my boss, my children, my co-workers, etc?”

“What are the blessings of my life?”

“What legacy would l like to leave?”

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Many strategies for journalling

Asking questions of yourself is an easy way to start but there are other options too. Many highly productive people have also used a technique from Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way called Morning Pages.

Morning Pages is simply three pages of long hand, stream-of-consciousness writing first thing in the morning. The idea is to pick up the pen and not to put it down until you have done your three pages. You write whatever is in your head, even if you start off with writing…I don’t know what to write!

The purpose of morning pages, Julia says, is “once we get those muddy, maddening, confusing thoughts [nebulous worries, jitters, and preoccupations] on the page, we face our day with clearer eyes.”

Writing online vs writing by hand

A common question when it comes to journalling is:

“Should I hand write it or can I just type away on the computer?”

Some people might find it easier to journal on the computer – Google docs, WordPress, Medium or even Microsoft Word give you easy ways to type away your thoughts and reflections. Not to mention an easy way to store your thoughts and reflections!

But there are potential downsides of digital journalling. It may just too easy to click over to Facebook or your latest email that pops into your inbox. We spend so much time in front of screens these days that any opportunity to take habits offline might be worth considering.

There are also many benefits to writing by hand. Loads of studies have shown the diverse benefits of handwriting in relation to memory, creativity, learning and expressing ideas.

There is something satisfying about opening up and using a nicely bound journal. It’s personal, it’s therapeutic, and it may make you feel like a writer in the 1920’s in Paris!

I’m going to let you decide which one works for you. I want you to think about which one you will actually do. The journalling practice (whether it’s on a computer or not) is the one you do!! Will typing make it easier for you? Or are you keen to explore the benefits of handwriting?

Making it a Habit

So how do you make it a habit that you stick to? It’s all about the routines you use! Here are a couple of ideas for you to mix and match to find what might work best for you.

Last 10 minutes of your work day
Before you go to bed
Every Sunday night
A day once a quarter

When can you schedule it in? Is there another habit you can pair up with journalling? Self awareness is such a foundational skill for any leader. Self reflection and journalling will help your self awareness soar!

Now over to you: Let me know how you go with it in my Facebook group, Alyceum Leaders – I’d love to hear from you!

Be an influencer for good

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Most change-makers I know are keen to have a positive impact on the world in some way. Traditionally you may have had to be a Prime Minister or wealthy CEO to influence and impact the world.

But the world has changed! You don’t need to be in a position of authority to have the power to positively influence those around you. Tools such as the internet have levelled the playing field and allowed everyday-people to have a voice, gather people together for a cause and create momentum. Think about Malala Yousafzai or the #Metoo movement.

What types of power increase your influence?

Social psychologists John French and Bertram Raven discovered that there are six types of influential power and, of those, there are two that everyone has the ability to harness regardless of their standing.

1. Expert Power – Having advanced levels of knowledge about a subject gives you power because people trust you as an expert in your subject area and look to you for guidance. Develop this power by taking courses, reading, attending conferences, finding mentors who challenge your assumptions and constantly stretch your knowledge and understanding.
2. Referent Power – This is the type of power that people wield when they are well-liked and respected. You have this power if you are well-known in your community. Earn this power by always leading with integrity, doing good work, building strong relationships and take bold actions.

As change-makers, we can work on developing these powers to influence our workplaces or communities. Challenge yourself to lead not through position, fear or demands but through something which is far stronger than these – shared values!

Shared values are guiding beliefs that groups and organisations rally around to inspire change and keep people committed to their causes. These are beliefs that excite, guide people’s actions and help define identities. Most importantly, they’re the emotionally-charged fuel that enables leaders to influence their followers.

Tap into Emotions and Get Personal

According to Harvard Business researcher Dr. John P. Kotter, most people fail to be influential because they try to influence others using logic, convinced that facts will make others listen to them.

However, research shows emotional appeals can be more persuasive. This is because the same part of your brain that you use to make decisions also controls emotions, causing the two to be intertwined. If you want to influence people to take action or adopt new ideas, you can’t just tell them why they should do it; you have to make them feel it so they will take action. So basically how you make people feel will impact your ability to influence and make change.

How do you make people feel?

Consider these avenues of power you can exert everyday

1. Speak up – consider how you communicate with those who you know – family, friends and colleagues. Can you raise awareness about an issue? Can you support an event through sharing it? Consider the ways you can share more – perhaps on social media, in your workplace or just with your friends.

2. Share your expertise – can you use your knowledge, networks and expertise to support a cause by sitting on a community organisation board?

3. Consumer power – every time you purchase something, you are supporting it. Choose carefully and support business and brands that contribute something to the world.

4. Philanthropy – philanthropy is just a fancy word for carefully considering how to give funds (or time) to have a positive impact in the world. You don’t have to be rich and famous to make a donation. Just start with a small goal of thoughtfully giving 1% of your earnings this year.

5. Resources – what resources do you have at your disposal? Can you influence your workplace to support a charity, offer a space to an event or meeting or use your profile to help build momentum for a cause?

I really do believe that people just don’t know how influential they can be. We have everything at our fingertips – access to knowledge, access to platforms to have a say, access to resources.

The real question is: Are you ready to step up?

What's your value proposition for a board?

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Ready for your next leadership challenge? Join a Community Board!

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Are you searching for the next leadership challenge for you?  You are kicking goals at work, you’re happy with your friends and family, but you’re looking for the next opportunity to give back, broaden your skills and connect with like-minded people.

It sounds like the challenge of a community board role could be for you!

 

next-leadership-challenge-join-community-boardMeet Vanessa

Vanessa is a successful leadership coach and mentor, having worked in various leadership positions with the Federal Government throughout her career.

She had been involved with her local school council while her children were growing up and now they had grown up and needed less of her time. She decided to start her own leadership coaching business and had got it to a point where it was successful.  She was then keen to discover what it really meant to be on a board.

She had been asked in the past to step onto a community board but, in the back of her mind, she really didn’t know what this meant or involved.

This was when she started asking for recommendations of what might help her fill her knowledge gap and she was recommended the Board Ignition course.

 

 

Check out my full interview with Vanessa here..

Or read our conversation here.

 

Well thank you so much for joining me Vanessa. It’s really a pleasure to have you. You did the Board Ignition online course. But before we get into that can you tell me just a little bit about yourself?

Sure. Thanks for having me first of all. So, I work as a leadership coach and mentor, working in the space of cultural change in new businesses and organisations and I think I am going into my fourth year now. Prior to that my background is in various leadership positions with the Federal government for a number of years, like nearly 15 years and then I decided to create change and start my own business and I haven’t really looked back, everything is just wonderful. So that’s where I focus my time and energy mainly now.

Wonderful. So, tell me why did you decide to do the Board Ignition course? What appealed to you about it?

So, I had been wondering for a little while about what the next level was. So, having been involved in the primary school, the school council and so on, kids went on high school, I didn’t want to do that. I had all the energy that it takes to get the rocket ship off the ground and starting the business. It was beginning to be successful so I could start to look at other options. And I guess I just sort of put my feelings down into my friendship group around people I knew who were on board and a very good friend of mine, Liz McCoy over in WA recommended you and talked about the program that you ran. And I think I did a little bit of research in the background not just part because it is something I wanted to do in the future and when I felt ready to do that. So, it was a matter of being able to identify well if I do this what does it actually mean? So, I had no understanding whatsoever of what that meant and I felt for me, I wanted to commit to something knowing like fully what it was I was going to be committing to rather than just chatting to people and saying oh what do you think about your experience. So, I really appealed to me to sit through a process with someone who knew what happens and how to get involved. It just the program really, it had everything I wanted.

Was there anything that you were hesitant about?

I think by the time I committed and signed up and that was probably through one of your Facebook challenges or something I was already committed, just definitely on board. But I guess there was probably a few months in between making the decision and then signing up. So, it was just something that I would suggest it was one, not knowing how much my time commitment would be and then also if I do this then I actually have to put my money where my mouth is and do something about it and again, I didn’t know what the commitment was. So, probably that would be the only hesitation but once I was in, I was in, boots and all.

Yeah and you definitely showed you know the commitment that was required for that course and really got the most out of it which is you know really exciting for me to see. So, let’s talk about the course itself. What surprised you the most about the course?

What surprised me was just how thorough it was and how well set out it was. So, I loved the way that it was introduced. So, every module stacked on top of the module before and it felt like a really good way of building that base and that foundation. So, starting with what even are Not For Profits. because all the things that I had no idea about I got a clear distinction around that. So, I was really impressed with the way it was structured and the content and I liked the challenges as well but I found them challenging to complete given where I live and the opportunity to get out and do the things…..But it certainly, yeah it certainly was the bouncing ball that I was looking for around do this, then that, then that and so by the time you’re ready you know it was just diving straight back into the module on how to prepare your board résumé. So, that was really cool. So, probably just how thorough it was and how well set out it was; it was just what I was hoping for and it was definitely above and beyond my expectations.

Wonderful. And so, you mentioned a couple of the elements of the course but was there something that was really the most valuable part of the course for you? What was that to you?

Well I’ve done my research around what boards were near me and what board I wanted to join and so when the opportunity came up to join a board the most valuable resource was to go back into the module that talked about doing due diligence and you know getting your application together, understanding what to expect. But particularly the due diligence because that meant that I knew what questions to ask, what to research, what I already knew and just stepping through all of the resources that you had in there. And I actually invested in the additional resources that you recommended as well the book, I bought Eyes Wide Open. So, I used the two of those together in order to prepare and I did go and interview the outgoing chair and another board member and the managing director and you know and I was really fully prepared for that. Now I’m really impressed with that which was great because I don’t think everybody going through that process are a little bit taken back. So, I felt very prepared.

I think we get to that stage where we’re trying to get our first appointment and it’s exciting and that board wants us and we’re like, oh wow, they want us but then we’ve got to actually sit back and do that due diligence and go through that process and make sure it’s a good fit for you and for them.

Before I knew the course, it was probably only twelve months ago I was asked to apply for a board position and I remember being really hesitant because I didn’t know what was involved and now looking back I’m really glad I didn’t apply. You know it’s very flattering to be asked to apply but what I know now and where that organisation sat with me and you know what I’m interested in I don’t think it would have been a great fit. So, and I believe as I’ve learned through the process that board commitment isn’t just like, if you don’t like it, well, leave. You’re signing up for….. well, I’ve just signed up for three years so it’s a big commitment. So, to go in, understanding what that means I think is really valuable.

So, what did you enjoy most about the experience of the Board Ignition of course?

Well I think I’m really fortunate in that I joined the live round and that gave me the opportunity to be involved in the webinars that you were holding. We did four over the course of the program. And what I really liked about that was not only being able to come with questions but it also helped me to prioritise the course. So, it meant that knowing that the webinar was coming up I really wanted to sort of like set myself a challenge of you know have this module done by then and this module because I wanted to see it through to completion. And I remember you saying to me you know the amount of time that you spend on the actual course is pretty much equivalent to what the expectation is that you would be spending in reading all the documents and attending the meetings then that really sat well with me because I was thinking that if I can’t find a time for this I’ve got to ask one simple question can I find the time to be committed to a board role?

So, I think being able to bounce off from some of the other people that were doing it was great as well and I really enjoyed that interaction. So, that was probably one of the highlights of it. And now to know that I’ve got access to it ongoing is amazing because I do just tap back into it now that I’ve actually joined a board so I know I can go back into the bits around what’s the role we all play on the board and how can you balance that. So, I think that the value is not just been doing it but it’s about utilizing as a resource and I guess would have the fortune of being able to go through a live round which is fabulous.

Yes, so the resources are there for you ongoingly, you can tap back into it and probably as you get more experience on the board you can actually go back to those materials and look at it with different eyes as well and gain different learnings about what culture and decision making and leadership as well which is great.

And also knowing that if I was just sitting on Google and Googling I would be overwhelmed by what’s available. So, the way that you were able to break it down into the modules and you know a good website to go to the read more about this that means that I can tap into that when it becomes appropriate. So, I do like that it’s ongoing and it’s not just how to get on a board and then you’re done, it actually you know sees you through that transition phase as well which is really important for someone able to be a contributing member adding value.

So, in what ways did the Board Ignition program really help you with your goal of becoming a board director? If you could break it down.

Sure. So, I think the way that the modules were laid out they asked you to consider various board challenges or focuses for each of the module. And probably the highest value in that for me was to be able to go out and have a discussion with my network. So, I talked to a lot of people I knew about the fact that I was doing an online program, that I was interested in joining a board next year and you know could they keep their ears open for AGMs and it is so amazing that once you put it out there my network of people who read it were already on board, they had had board experience; it felt like everything second person was oh yeah I should join a board or you know I’ve been on such and such, oh I didn’t know you were the chair of that board. So, prior to doing the online program I really didn’t have those discussions with people. So, being able to put it out into my networks, there were people who approached me with board roles, this particular board role became available and people kept talking about wanting to do this and I had another person in my network who said I get these monthly magazines once I have read them I’m happy to share them with you. So, putting the word out was definitely part of the process that helped me and that was something that was you know made very clear throughout the course to be able to utilise your network and certainly in our webinars that was another suggestion, I think you made that suggestion to me directly because I’m in a regional area, there is less opportunities in the cities. So, that was highly valuable in relation to going well I feel prepared now to say I’m ready to join because I had done the groundwork to get there.

Fantastic. And you’ve alluded to it already the results what you end up with after doing the course.

Yes, during the course I put an application or an expression of interest of being on an advisory committee and that was accepted and that was great because this advisory committee was for a leadership program and that’s just my love and ambitions around leadership. And I was able then to experience that and they reported back to a board not directly but through the CEO. So, that was the first phase and then a few months later just after I finished the program as I said I was tapped on the shoulder to the place that I really wanted to become a board member at when I had a look around all of them. And everything that led up to being able to do the due diligence, having my application, having the interview, they offered me a position. So, I’ve accepted that quite happily and I’m now a board director for the next three years. So, that’s pretty exciting.

Yay!

Yeah, really great outcome. And I must say you know because I think because I did….. one doing due diligence and having the conversations helped me understand what I was going to into because they are board in transition phase and potentially could disband and then recreate in the next 12 months. So, I didn’t have any surprises with that and I’ve got to talk to a few different people. And I asked the question you talked about it in the calls about culture, so how would you describe the board culture? And every person I ask that question to was taken aback. That was like, oh what a great question and so that gave me some more insight. And then when I went to the interview, the panel, the chair of the panel just said at the end of it, we are really impressed with your due diligence that really shown through. I had said during the interview when they asked about strengths and weaknesses and I talked about I actually haven’t been on a board before so I’m very new to this and I’m one of the interviewers said at the end don’t underestimate it, like that is not a problem, don’t, truly is not an issue which that I felt was one of the things that detracted for me being able to be on a board. So, that was really encouraging because everyone can make a first step somewhere and I think because I was able to really talk about my value proposition and what I could bring. I could be really honest about what I don’t have. I think they asked me one question and I’m just like I don’t know. I’ve got lots of nothing, I’ve got this but that’s a gap. And I think that honesty was appreciated because it was so well rounded with the knowledge that I had going into the interview and it was just such a great discussion and I think that yeah it was very much at show that I knew what I was coming into and they were impressed by that. So that’s really good feedback.

That’s just so wonderful to hear. I’m so excited for you and I’m so glad that the different elements of the courses helped you with that confidence and understanding of exactly what you’re getting yourself into when you take on that board position and that you have this you know different level of leadership where you are honest and vulnerable about what you have and what you don’t have and can share honestly with the board so nobody is wearing any masks, there’s no surprises and that you’re going to do it with you know the best foot forward for you and for them which is just exactly what we go through in the Board Ignition course and it’s really good to see you take the most of every opportunity, doing the readings, going to the further resources, watching the video interviews, doing the challenges and then showing you that yeah absolutely it is possible for any person to be a board director and to find that right alignment between you and the board that you want to give back to. And you have just been an outstanding example of how that can be achieved through that course.  

It’s been really cool. And then even you know I think one of the first challenges was that going to an AGM, all the AGMs in our area are sort of around the same time, which i s October/November. Even though I had applied and think had been accepted onto the board that I joined I still went to a couple of AGMs for the hospital and the community centre just to get a real sense of what they are at that level; I think one of them is a paid board and the other one is close to changing to pay; it still was something that was really eye opening and it really adding value and I thought it was great. And I just don’t think I’m going to go to that myself. So, I think you know the ability to go rather than just go oh, yeah, well I’ve got a board role so why worry about it? It was that learning still there because I see the value of it and that’s really because you explained why that matters so much and yeah that would be an awesome experience too.

And I think the best directors are lifelong learners, are people who want to go out you know see what other organisations are doing, bring back the best for their organisation, have that you know external understanding of what’s happening in the community and in business and in government and then being able to bring that back to the board in a useful way. So, it’s really great thing you’ve gone off and you know continued to access some of these challenges and continue that learning that you can bring back to the board that you’ve been accepted on to and then obviously any future board that you get on to too.

Yeah. And I think this to me is such a great resource as I said earlier that one of the valuable parts of it is being able to tap back into it and that was awesome; at the time I needed the resources the most, it was just a matter of getting back in and they were right there at my fingertips. So, I look forward to continuing that as my board journey continues to come back and play around in different sizes to sort of help my understanding but also challenged by thinking. So, thank you for that.

No worries at all. Would you recommend this course to others? What would you say to somebody who is contemplating either the course or getting onto a board?

I highly recommended it and I would suggest that probably the advice you gave me about spending the time and is it an appropriate time to do it, is this for me or not? And then you know really embrace the experience and I truly believe that it has fast tracked me onto a board, one of my friends has applied for 5 board positions before she was accepted onto one and you know I kind of wondered how that experience could have been different had she gone on a program like this. So, I highly recommend for anyone at any stage in their career that is looking to be able to join a board; if you really want to have that eyes wide open approach to what it is all about, what you’re responsible for, the best way to engage and how to get there it really is a very thorough and well laid out program. So, it’s highly recommended.

Wonderful. Thank you so much Vanessa for sharing your story, your examples. And now you know your role modelling over everything that we talked about so I really appreciate your time.

Thanks Alicia, I really appreciate it.

About Board Ignition

Board Ignition is a dynamic online course that helps you fast track your board journey to get your first board position and serve a community organisation. There are 8 modules to the course which you can complete at your own pace (while you also receive an 8 week email series to help you discover the modules). Check out the course here.

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How much time does a NFP Board position take?

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Before you read further take a moment to estimate how many hours a week/month a role on a NFP Board involves? What would be your guess?
Serving on a community board is a wonderful opportunity. When you find the right board role for you, it should energise you despite the time you devote to it. It may energise you through the tasks you are completing, the people you are working with (your fellow board directors) or the impact you are creating.

Let’s face it though, it’s really important to understand exactly the hours involved in a NFP Board position before you accept. The true answer to the time questions above is that it depends on the board, role and organisation as to many hours you need to commit.

However let me break down what the commitment could look like so you can get a sense of the components of a board role.

Board Meetings

Most Boards would meet either monthly, every second month or quarterly from 2 hours to 5 hours each. This would be your core responsibility to prepare, meet and participate.

Most board meetings might require this same time again in preparing for board meetings by reading the board papers, thinking through decisions and questions. You may pose these questions to the CEO or staff before a meeting or let them know that you will ask these questions at the meeting. You may also need to prepare reports for the meeting yourself such as Sub Committee reports, Board papers with an idea or suggestion, or you may have prepared a piece of work for the Board’s consideration such an update to a policy document.

Board meetings are the foundations of your board responsibility so attendance at each and every one is critical.

Sub Committee Meetings

Most Boards have Sub Committees that you would either lead or play a role in to support the Board in the work that’s required.

These Sub Committees have their own Terms of Reference and meetings can occur sometime occur less often than a Board meeting for 1- 2 hours. These Sub Committees could include Governance, Audit and Risk, Financial/Budget, Fundraising, Board Nominations, Clinical Governance and Marketing and Communications as examples.

Sub Committees are used to delegate work by the Board so they can focus their time at Board meetings. Sub Committees can provide information and make recommendations to the Board for action that’s needed.

Annual Strategy Session/s

Most boards may have a separate session focused on reviewing the strategy. This could involve a day or two to review the current strategy, monitor progress of the strategy or develop a new strategy. It may be an off site event where the board travels to a different location. There may also be a number of meetings to prepare for the annual strategy session too.

Leadership Responsibilities

If you hold any leadership responsibilities (Board Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Sub Committee Chair), this will involve further hours to prepare, connect with staff or your fellow board members. Preparation could include developing reports, agendas, work with the CEO or gather information for the Board papers. And let’s not forget emails too – this is a responsibility of all board directors!

Representation

You may be called to represent the board at further meetings and events. This could include meeting various stakeholders, speaking at events on behalf of the organisation, attending networking events or meeting with donors.

Social Activities

Many organisations have a range of social activities that board directors can or must be involved with. This may give board members an opportunity to meet and speak with staff, members or recipients of their services. This could include Christmas parties, National Volunteer Week or an annual awards celebrations. Some boards may share dinner together before or after a board meeting too.

So how much does this equal to?
So a Board commitment could be anywhere between one to four days a month. This would mostly be done outside of normal working hours. In fact, in a previous Australian Institute of Company Directors NFP Governance Report, it suggested that most NFP Board members contributes 35 days a year to their board position. 35 days per year is just under 3 days a month.

So how does that sit with your expectations of serving on a NFP board?

Surprised at the commitment? Ready for the commitment? It’s definitely good to know what you’re in for!

What's your value proposition for a board?

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Use Gratitude to Boost Your Resilience and Leadership

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The start of the year is a useful time to reflect on the previous year and be grateful. And yet, over the last couple of years in particular, I often see comments after each year – “isn’t it great to kiss 2018 goodbye?”. There might be a few bad experiences and all of a sudden we write off the whole year as being terrible. That negativity bias definitely has a way of infiltrating our lives!

It’s been shown the act of gratitude can have a significant positive effect on our resilience and also our leadership (not to mention our health, happiness and wellbeing). It can also be trained and increased with practice!

How do we use gratitude practices to increase our sense of wellbeing, resilience and leadership?

1. Make it a ritual to look for the small wins, the tiny micro moments of joy.

Often we will do the opposite and maybe gripe at the end of the day to our partners about the times people annoyed you. Instead, make it a habit to point out to yourself and your loved ones, when things worked out.

LEADERSHIP HABIT: Start or finish a meeting with words of gratitude that you and the team can share with each other.

2. Look for micro moments of connection and make it count.

Increase your wellbeing by making it a game to get a smile out of the people you meet in everyday life. It might be doing something kind for a family member, listening to a colleague, opening the door for a stranger. Look for acts of kindness that you can practice every day and it will increase your own happiness.

LEADERSHIP HABIT: Focus on connecting with teammates. Perhaps it’s remembering a birthday, an unexpected public thank you or a saying good morning when you enter the office.

3. Create a family ritual of gratitude – get your family involved.

Perhaps it’s sharing something that you’re grateful for at the dinner table or before bed time or if you have kids in the car on the way home from school. If it’s a ritual, it will encourage people to think about and look for something to be grateful for during the day.

LEADERSHIP HABIT: Leadership starts at home. Character, integrity and authenticity is not only to be practiced in the office but also at home. In fact, it’s when we are not ‘on’ that it can be the most challenging to practice this but good to reinforce for ourselves.

4. Write it down.

This time of the year, you can use the season to choose one, three or five people who you want to thank this year and let them know what you are grateful for. Of course, you can practice this throughout the year with a thank you card. Or if you really want to level up on this, consider writing a letter to someone in your life that has had a profound effect on your career, family or life.

LEADERSHIP HABIT: Set some time aside weekly or monthly to practice writing words of gratitude to those around you – bonus points for handwritten notes!

5. Take a moment to appreciate the miraculousness of life.

The Greeks would say ‘memento mori’ which means ‘remember that you will die’ and so appreciate the preciousness of life, don’t sweat the small stuff and make every day that you are alive count!

LEADERSHIP HABIT: Let’s bring humanity back into the workplace. Share the personal triumphs within your team as well as the professional ones.

Share your favourite gratitude practices on our Alyceum Facebook page.

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Leaders are Givers – Boost your Giving Quotient

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I am passionate about the potential that every day people have to give. I believe that we often underestimate the ability we have to influence the world for the better through our giving. In his excellent book, Give and Take, Adam Grant shows that success doesn’t come at the expense of others and in fact, the most successful leaders are generous with their time, knowledge, energy and skills. He notes there are three exchanges in the workplace – people can either act as givers, takers or matchers. Let’s explore these exchanges:

Takers – these people are only interested in what they can get personally from others.

Matchers – these people, in the vain of reciprocity, will ensure there is a balance between giving and taking.

Givers – these people just focus on giving and are tuned into how they can be of help to others without the explicit interest of getting something back in return. Of course, they do set some boundaries around their giving too as to not burnout either.

Let’s explore the ways we can give back….

Time

Time can be our most precious resource and it is also one of the simplest resources we can give. Giving our time to our family, our team and colleagues or to a worthy cause can be a brilliant gift. Often in our western culture, our time is so much more valuable than any ‘thing’ we can give. Looking for ideas? You might not need to look very far, your local primary school, aged care home, dog refuge or local charity might be looking for an extra pair of hands. If you’re in need of some ideas, check out your local Volunteering website.

Money

Donate to your favourite cause. Interestingly a philanthropist is not defined by how much money you give but one who invests careful consideration and effort into a donation (or time, money, networks or skills) to a cause that promotes humanity. You can do this individually and/or as a family. For example, the adults in my family have a Christmas ritual instead of giving presents to each other, we pool some funds and donate it to a charity that we believe in. It’s wonderful when, as part of this process, you can share with your family the causes that are meaningful to you, talk about the experience of giving and share in the outcomes of your giving.

Expertise

There are a number of ways you can give your expertise to others. You can write and blog about your experiences, you can volunteer to speak, you can mentor people you see potential in or you can become a board director for a community organsiation. Your area of expertise can be extremely valuable and not just your traditional skillsets such as legal and accounting but there are so many emerging skillsets that are so valuable on a community board these days. Consider what organisations could be over the moon happy to tap into your expertise and consider donating a couple of hours a week for a year to share your expertise.

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15 WAYS TO FIND AN NFP BOARD POSITION
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Goods

Declutter the house and the pantry and give your unwanted clothes, appliances and food cans. This has the dual benefit of clearing your house as well as giving much needed resources to those in need. In the throw away society that we live in, we can forget how much some of these items that we taken for granted can mean to others. Do an audit in your house and consider what don’t you need anymore and who could you give this to. There is an excellent website called givit where you can connect with who needs what and pledge to give it to a person in need.

Voice

We all have a voice to highlight causes that are meaningful to us. Use your voice to promote good causes. You can write for your workplace newsletter or personal blog, share a cause to your networks on social media and go one step further by actively engaging your networks to support a cause. This might by organising a table to a Gala event, for example. You could organise a morning tea with your friends to connect and raise an issue that is close to your hand. Consider the avenues that you can share your voice and actively use it!

According to Adam Grant’s book, be a giver and give without expectation. It might just impact your leadership!

Now over to you: How are you giving back and also giving forward? Join the conversation here.