Lessons Learned on the Way to Machu Picchu  

Reaching our milestones does not give us the innate capacity to be comfortable at higher business and professional elevations. We need time to adjust and adapt to the new altitude. A trip to Peru - going from sea level to 12,000 feet in a day - taught me the value of taking time to acclimate to altitude. The body knows what the mind thinks it can ignore. That's why when we are climbing the heights to success, we need oxygen.

For busy entrepreneurs, executives and professionals oxygen is the support of people,  systems and resources, as well as guidance on the sometimes rocky and steep path to success. This keeps us from becoming disoriented, exhausted and disheartened as we climb to the next peak. Instructions for flying at altitude make this clear. "If the oxygen masks drop, put your mask on first." The reason is simple. Too many seconds without oxygen literally clouds our thinking - compromising our ability to know that we are making bad decisions. Having the help we need allows us to enjoy the thrill of reaching new heights in business, leadership and our lives.

Prepare to Soar               Peruvian Andes

• How much time do you need to acclimate to the higher ground you've reached?
• Breathe...you've arrived!
  
• What support do you need to reach the next business and professional altitude you seek?

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?

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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Are You a Conscious Entrepreneur?

Your answer to this question begins with a clear definition of what it means to be conscious. I invite you to read how my colleague Steve Straus defines it. I find what he has to say both clarifying and inviting.

Conscious means being awake, clear, open, receiving, connected to, drawn by, and eager. It means you know you're not alone and that what happens to others matters to you. It means, fundamentally, that you have transcended mere thought and have access to a greater awareness of yourself and of Life itself.

The Conscious Entrepreneur is one who takes the above and applies it to his or her business. You quit trying to force outcomes and instead get in sync to help things happen. You quit feeling alone and notice the connections in your life that support the mission of your business. You feel that your business is an expression of who you are and of your purpose in life, rather than simply a way to earn an income.

As a Conscious Entrepreneur you work less, receive more, and have a greater impact on yourself and others than if you remain unconscious.

That's Why I'm a Consciousness Coach in Business, Leadership & Life. 

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.