Is Your Attitude Asset-based? 

Have you noticed that women in business are prone to use more self-defeating language than men? That's because when it comes to their abilities, women tend to err on the side of modesty rather than express themselves with an asset-based attitude.

Years of coaching female executives and entrepreneurs have taught me that often successful women do not appreciate how good they are at what they do. Instead, they undervalue their accomplishments and discount the value of their leadership.

Elevating your attitude to asset-based infuses you with energy and confidence. You learn to leverage what works well for you and savor the satisfaction you get from your remarkable achievements.

Which attitude describes your professional and personal attitudes about yourself and your leadership?

A Secret of Successful Business Women 

Look at your audacious achievements! Do you secretly hope no one finds out that you're not what your hard-won success declares you to be? If so, you may be suffering from a super-achiever malaise called the Imposter Syndrome. So many highly successful women have feelings of inadequacy that books have been written on this Fake Syndrome for the last 30 years. These feelings are rooted in the belief that you are not good enough. Well...Who told you that? And why do you still believe it?

Oprah Took Marianne Williamson's Advice

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Prepare for an Emergency Landing

4 bells - a signal that I had to go immediately to the airplane cockpit. I entered and saw the flight engineer's face. He looked like he'd just seen his life flash before him. As I sat in the jumpseat behind the Captain, he told me there was a "problem with the flaps." Since I was #1 Flight Attendant, my role was to tell the cabin crew and then lead them in by-the-book procedures. I made all of the prerequisite announcements to the passengers so the flight attendants could prepare them and the aircraft cabin for an emergency landing at JFK. 

Leadership Attitude 

I'm what you would call a natural leader. It's in my DNA. I even went to college on a 4-year leadership scholarship. Why do I tell you this? So you'll understand that being a leader in this airplane emergency was the best role for me. My leadership reflexes and instincts directed passengers to remain calm. When a flight attendant working her first trip expressed fear, I reminded her that she had just passed rigorous emergency training and FAA certification. She would just put into practice what she had learned. It never occurred to me to think negatively about the situation. Instead, I was fully present - focused on making sure everything was ready for the safest possible evacuation of passengers and cabin crew.

Attitude is a Choice

What worked for me in that emergency at altitude can be practiced wherever you are. 

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Importance of Imagination

J.K. Rowling, author of the best-selling Harry Porter book series, leveraged her leadership when she presented the commencement address to Harvard graduates on June 8, 2008. She talked about her failure as a young adult and how it taught her to achieve inwardly in order to manifest outwardly. She shared how imagination leads to living courageously when its definition includes the...

• "human capacity to envision that which is not"
• "power to empathize with humans whose experiences we have never shared."

Her message is a sterling invitation for us to be leaders of our individual and collective human destinies. See for yourself. Watch the live video recording at Harvard Magazine. Let me know what you think. Post your comment below.

Inspired Action

Start your day, or the next moment, by asking yourself a question or two that ignites your leadership. What is one actionable step I could take that would leverage what I know and do best? What do I need to assist me in dealing with my most critical -  not urgent - leadership priorities?

Take a Moment

Don't try to answer these questions right away. Let them just BE for a second or two while you focus on something that inspires you. Something that has nothing to do with your pressure-cooker day. This 1-minute practice clears and recharges your circuits. It makes it easier for you to see solutions and take inspired action. 

Sunny Inspiration

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