Alyceum

Igniting Leaders, Inspiring Revolutions

reflection

10 questions to plan for 2019

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January! A fresh new year to dream, visualise and plan. Journalling is a great tool to develop our insight, connect with our inner voice and start to develop clarity about the life you want to lead.

I think we can under-estimate what can be achieved in a year. What do you want to be different in a year’s time?

In early December I posted 10 Questions to Fuel Your Reflection of 2018. This is integral to reflect back over the whole year, visual what you did with your time (consider the projects you worked on and what you achieved) and really focus on the key learnings you have taken from the year. Most often, we sleep walk through life without taking the time to reflect, grow and stretch into the future. Just as useful as it is to look back, now it’s time to look forward.

Here are 10 questions to help your planning for 2019.

1. How will you step into the highest version of yourself this year?

If you practiced all the habits you wanted, lived your core strengths and you were totally aligned with values – this would be your highest version of you. The game is – how do you edge closer and closer to this person every moment. Think small steps.

2. Describe your ideal day, week and year?

How you live your days is how you live your life! It’s a big statement but it’s true. Our daily habits form the foundations for how you live your life. What is one habit you want to focus on this year and one habit you want to let go of?

3. How will you best utilise your strengths?

Professor Martin Seligman, Director of the University of Penn Positive Psychology Centre found that a key part of flourishing in life and work is using your strengths. To use our strengths, you need to be able to identify them and work on ways to use them more everyday and commit to getting better at them.

4. How will you take care of yourself? What’s your health and wellbeing plan?

Without your health it’s very hard to achieve anything of significance. This means you have to actively plan for sleep, rest, nutrition, movement, mental clarity and fun! How could you step up in terms of your health? What could be a key goal you could achieve that could help motivate you to take care of yourself?

5. What is holding you back? 

Otto Scharmer, author of the books Theory U and Leading from the Emerging Future talks about the three voices that hold you back – the voice of judgement (shutting down your open mind instead of being inquiring and curious), the voice of cynicism (shutting down your open heart instead of connecting and relating) and the voice of fear (shutting down your open will instead of letting go). What do you need to leave behind and to tap into the great courage you have?

6. How will you give back to community? And how can you be of service to others? 

How can you focus on giving to others this year? Often this can provide great energy in our lives. If you were to focus on one area to give back in, what’s it going to be this year? Commit as deeply to this as the other areas in your life. Maybe it could be to join a Not-For-Profit board?

7. What’s your learning plan?

Where do you want to grow, stretch and learn this year? What books can you read? Are there any courses you can take? What conferences can you learn from? Which key skills do you want to learn and foster this year?

8. What relationships do you want to foster?

Who is in your community? Family, friends, networks, work colleagues and neighbours. Be focused on the key relationships you would like to develop this year. Who can help you be the person you want to be? Will you reach out to a new mentor, create a mastermind group, attend a new conference to expand your networks or foster your friendships?

9. How will you be inspired?

What are the inspiration sources that help you stay energised and refreshed for the ups and downs for the year. How can you systemise the inspiration sources so you can perform at an optimal level?

10. What amazing life adventures do you want to do this year?

Ok – now it’s time for a bit of fun. Forget work, think about what is going to bring you joy and fun into your life. What life adventures could you have this year? Think about learning a new skill, visiting a new place or enjoying something with the people you love. Let’s continue the conversation here. I’d love to know what 2019 will bring you !

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Our annual review for Alyceum 2018

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Firstly – THANK YOU! I am so grateful to you for reading my blog, sharing in my community and supporting my work. It really means the world to me. I feel incredibly humbled by your support and appreciate the difference you make to my life.

So let’s explore the year…

Board Ignition – Igniting Community Board Directors

Our flagship online course, Board Ignition, is growing and more excitingly it’s succeeding in getting people onto community boards.

Feedback has been sensational…

  • “The Board Ignition online program provides a solid platform of learning and Board ready strategies. The video interviews with active board members, sharing their experiences is really valuable”
  • “Well done Alicia. Great energy and engagement”
  • “Such a good course. Bucket loads of great content. The interviews are great to listen to each week, amazing insights, so diverse and no two are the same. Great interview questions Alicia”
  • “I’ve been seeing a lot of your lovely face recently as I sat and watched all the Board Ignition webinars again over the weekend, as part of my prep for a Trainee Board Director interview, which I have today! It was soooo helpful to sit and go through the webinars again, so thank you for all your efforts with them.”

And more importantly, graduates are getting onto boards!

In 2019, we are upgrading the course again with new case studies, worksheets and practical challenges. We do have a special offer on the course until the 31st December if you’re keen to do the course in February next year.

Engaging Young Leaders on Boards – 6th Year of Success

Wow – the people we have coming onto the Emerging Leaders in Governance program just get more impressive every year, it’s a joy to work with these outstanding values driven leaders. This program which culminated in May has already seen half of the participants get board or traineeship roles. Thank you to my friend and mentor, Dr Nicky Howe, Southcare and the 42 community organisations that make that program a reality and a success!

Wonderful recognition for Alyceum and 100 Women

The biggest surprise this year has been the awards and recognition that has so gratefully been shared with me this year. I want to really appreciate the people who look the time to nominate me for these awards. I’m incredibly humbled by it and have tried my upmost to share this recognition with the many people who support the projects that I get the pleasure of leading and also use the recognition to further spread the messages of community service and philanthropy.

2018 EY Social Entrepreneur of the Year in the Western Region

This really was an incredible experience. As an entrepreneur though and though, I found it awe-inspiring to be surrounded by such talented entrepreneurs, to connect and share this experience.  It was wonderful for the whole 100 Women team to be recognised too for the hard work and impact we’ve created over the last 5 years.

Finalist, Business Category, Western Australian of the Year Awards

A true celebration of the amazing talent in WA, the Western Australian of the Year Awards was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate with my friends and 100 Women team mates with what has been achieved this year. I was humbled to be recognised alongside some truly inspiring business people in Perth.

Wonder Woman of the Year, Momentum Forum Events 2018

Thank you to Barbara and Momentum Forum Events for naming me your Wonder Woman of the Year! What a title! It was wonderful to learn from your events prowess and philanthropic background.

100 Women – 5th Year and $500,0000 in grants given!

This year we celebrated our 5th year at 100 Women. Wow – what a brilliant group of humans! I want to appreciate every single person who has donated to 100 Women over the years, you can all celebrate in this success. I want to appreciate the people behind the scenes that make this organisation happen and a special mention to our outgoing Treasurer, Grace Mugabe for 5 years of book keeping and board reporting. This is an amazing commitment and while you won’t be far from the organisation, your dedication needs to be acknowledged and recognised!

Media

Thank you to everyone who has covered us in the media this year.

– Podcasts – Words from Oz and Good Will Hunters
– Sustainable, Collaborative Giving by Business News
– Opinion piece in the West Australian – WA must embrace its diversity

Thank you to my support team

There are some wonderful people who support my business – thank you to Sarah, Emily and Galia from Sarah Noked. My incredible VA, Josefine, who contributes like she’s been involved in my business for years – you’re a gem!!

I had two wonderful interns join my business for two months from Curtin University – Lizzie and Maddie. Their writing abilities astounded me, they have such bright futures ahead.

Thank you also to Bruno Kongawoin for his incredible headshots – see my headshot in the newspaper article above!  I highly recommend his work.

Personally for me

Personally for me there have been highs and lows. Sadly my husband lost his dad this year, way too soon at 72. Ray inspired me with his dedication to his family, community and friends, his wonderful creativity and his character and determination. His beautiful funeral which his son (my husband), daughters and wife created was a celebration of life and everything that’s good in the world. Remembering our mortality forces us to focus on what’s important in life and making every day count.

My beautiful kids turned 2 and 5. They give me extreme pride in the people they are becoming, their care and kindness as well as their commitment and dedication they show. As anyone with kids will attest to, it’s an immense job and always creates a full life!

Thank you to my friends and family who keep me sane amongst the fullness of life, thank you for your care. Thanks to my gorgeous sister, Suzy for taking this beautiful family photo. Your work constantly inspires me.

And what is in store for 2019?

Board Ignition starts in February. Get into it! I’m excited to bring an upgraded Board Ignition – with new videos, worksheets and practical challenges. There is no better place if you want to make your aspiration of being a board director a reality!

I will also be launching a new course in May. I can’t wait to share more about this in the new year.

Now over to you: What have been the highs and lows of your year? Share it on Alyceum’s private Facebook group, Alyceum Leaders.

Ready to step into your full leadership potential?

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10 key questions to fuel your reflection of 2018

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It’s so easy to get caught up in the consumerism of Christmas but I have a challenge for you! Instead of December passing you by in a blur, let’s make it a time of review and reflection, meaning-making and connection! Isn’t that what the festive season is really supposed to be about?

Connection and Reflection

Rather than making December a month of overindulgence of food and drink, gather an intimate group of your friends and colleagues together to make time for personal reflection and then share your reflections with each other. You could couple this with an early morning walk along the beach, an evening yoga session or a fun game of tennis! I’ve made it simple for you and created a list of questions you can send to your friends below. Or better yet, make up your own list of questions to explore!

A Magic Carpet Ride

Think of it as a magic carpet ride through the events, activities and experiences that occurred in 2018. Fly through your year from January to now, think about the moments of pure joy as well as the challenges. Step back and reflect. What did these moments mean for you? What have you learnt? By standing back and looking at it from a distance, you can elicit the learning and the meaning. There has been multiple research studies that have shown the benefits of regular reflection. It helps our performance and also makes us happier. Think of it as the debrief after the game, consider each move made, think about how strategies panned out, reflect on winning moves and ones to improve on next time.

As Peter Drucker said: “Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection, will come even more effective action.”

Top 10 Reflection Questions

1. What has made you proud this year?

Tap into the experiences and achievements that made you feel happy, satisfied and alive. What activities can you credit to your hard work, initiative or creativity? Sink into these feelings – perhaps it was something you achieved or something someone close to you achieved. Perhaps it was something you overcome this year or a lesson you learned. It could be anything – relationships, goals, hard work or your attitude.
Is it time to cue the M People classic, Proud?

2. What inspired you this year?

inspiration: the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.

What were your sources of inspiration this year? People, environments, conferences or videos (like TED videos), movies, events, books – anything! See if you can pin point it – what or who inspired you to be your best? What were the catalysts to enhance your knowledge, confidence, skills or work? Was it a new podcast, a key event or an important mentor? You could collate a list with your friend of their top 3 inspirations.

3. What are your 3 key learnings from this year?

What’s been your major learning curves this year? This is an important question. Instead of sailing into the new year without fully gaining the benefit of all your experiences this year, consider the three main things that you’ve learnt. Where have you grown the most as a person, leader, family member or friend? Were these intended learning curves or not? What did you set out to learn and improve on and what were some of the learning that popped up along the way?

4. What habits have served you well?

Aristotle said we are what we repeatedly do. It’s quite enlightening to realise that what you do day in, day out makes you the person you are! Maybe it’s a little scary too! So simple, but it can also mean the discipline of constructing your day to be the person you want to be. What habits did you intentionally practice this year and which ones have slipped in – good or bad? Which habits have you added this year? Which ones did you drop? How did it make a difference to your year?

5. What were your key relationships this year and how have they affected you?

Family and friends, business colleagues and community – relationships can play a key part of your happiness and also your success. Which relationships made you feel strong and empowered? How did you intentionally foster the relationships in your life? Are you hanging around the right people? Are they lifting you up to be your best? How has your presence positively impacted on the people around you too?

Ready to step into your full leadership potential?

GET THE FREE GUIDE:
15 WAYS TO FIND AN NFP BOARD POSITION
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6. How did you utilise your strengths this year?

Do you know what your key strengths are? If not, perhaps it’s time to get clear about the strengths that you are or can contribute to the world. How did you put them to work this year? Are you using your strengths on a daily, weekly and monthly basis? How does it make you feel when you can work in your zone of genius, as Gay Hendricks would call it.

7. How did you focus on what’s fundamentally important to you this year?

It is so easy to get caught up in what everyone else wants you to do. Your family, friends, work or even society in general can dictate what gets done. Think about when you get into work everyday, do you reflect on your key priorities and set in for some deep, deliberative work or do you check your email and focus on what others want of you? Did you get to focus on what was important to you this year or did you get pulled in different directions?

8. What are you grateful for this year?

Time to evoke a little gratitude. Yes it’s a great habit to cultivate to consider and reflect on everything you are grateful for. From the huge big things to the tiniest little things. What are you grateful for? If it involved people around you, this might be a nice way to reconnect with people during December and tell them!

9. What have been the obstacles, hard times or challenges you’ve experienced and how have you grown from the experiences?

Yes there are going to be ups and downs in the year. Times where it didn’t always go to plan. What were your biggest challenges this year? Revisit these tough times and bring some reframing to it – how has it made you a better person, how did you grow and what did you learn?

10. How would I summarise the year that I’ve had?

Have some fun with this last one. Use your creative juices to summarise the year in a creative way. What would be it’s theme, mantra or symbol? How would you draw a picture to reflect on the past year? Time to get out of your head and instead into your heart and body. What colours would you use? What shapes or images represent this year?

Take some time this December…

Why not grab your favourite drink, put on some encouraging music and sit in your favourite chair or go outside into nature and answer these questions for yourself!? Then come together with friends and share your reflections from the year. Look out the blog in the coming weeks for 10 questions to plan for the new year.

Now over to you: Will you be spending some time on reflecting this season? What other questions did you come up with?