Think of a big challenge in your life where you succeeded. 

Did you endure a long-term challenge OR did you break through an intense challenge? 

A big challenge in my early adult life was graduating with my Chemical Engineering (ChemE) Bachelor's degree.  I loved Chemistry, but physics and calculus remained Greek to me. 

Five years. 

Yes, my bachelor's took five years.  I couldn't pay for college, so I entered a Co-op program, alternating between a junior ChemE job and school every other semester. 

Five years. 

For most of those five years, the 16-week semester included a physics or calculus class.  I hated those classes.  On Day 1, I would look up the mountain and a passing grade was somewhere way beyond the cloud cover.    

You know the feeling, right?

In the end, you endured and/or broke through the intensity …. and you won. 

You tapped into something deep within yourself.  You achieved success because...

In these days of social distancing, you've probably established new routines and habits.  New daily routines emerge.  Washing your hands more?  Exercising more regularly?  Taking walks in nature?  Working through your children's homework?

A few new routines emerged for me.  I've seen parts of our house I haven't seen for years or even decades.  The back walls of the attic for instance.  I found toys from when my daughters were young…twenty years ago!    

Less travel and less mobility mean you're getting more home-centered.  Hmm.  Aside from the cabin fever, there's some goodness, right?

With new routines and new habits emerging, I was recently asked by a colleague about the difference between routine and ritual. 

You have your everyday routines.  Taking a shower.  Making your bed.  Eating breakfast.

The definition of Routine is a sequence of actions.  Routines are usual.  Nothing...

I have the honor of participating in a few non-profit boards.  These are enjoyable experiences for me.  I feel good about giving.  They receive value from expertise gathered from my 28-year consulting career.  It's a nice exchange.

And then, COVID-19 Pandemic struck.

As I attended calls with leaders of two of these organizations, I listened to reactions, both realistic and pessimistic.  Both organizations rely heavily on live events and programs as a major source of income, so of course, the future looks quite dim.

Yesterday looks a lot like today and tomorrow will look a lot like yesterday.  Recovering any semblance of the past looks unlikely.  Predicting the future with any accuracy seems foolish.  Tough to steer your car using only your rear-view mirror.  Only works if you drive backwards.

Waiting to return to status quo is simply spinning in place.  The engine in idle mode.  A dog chasing its tale.  A shark swimming in...

I'm not a virologist.  I'm not a conspiracy theorist.  I'm not an ecologist.  I'm not a medical doctor.  I'm not a politician.  I don't represent anybody, but myself. 

That said, here's my opinion.

Our media, politicians and organizations shout from any forum they can to communicate ANYTHING to get my attention by attempting to raise my fears and distrust with fake this and fake that.  Accusations and attacks about any form of "THEM" are messages intended to divide our humanity.  They report opinions and call it journalism.  I am angry. 

People are sick and dying all over the world.  I am sad.

With my lung condition of COPD and my recent bout with pneumonia, I suppose I'm in a "high-risk" category, but you know, the Creator could take me any day for any reason.  I need to be okay with that.  I have a choice.

Here's what I know.

We have entered an unprecedented time in human history!

The People of Delhi saw blue sky for...

As a leader at this epic time in human history, you have a tremendous opportunity.  I don't believe in good or bad luck.  You serendipitously crafted your world to be exactly where you are.

Whether you are navigating your business or your family through this turbulent time, the world needs you and your talent NOW!

From 30 years of consulting to Global 1000 executives through their most strategic initiatives, I extracted four keys to leadership in turbulent times. 

This is Patrick Mosher's Leadership 101 training.

Are you ready?

Envisioning Rally Points is Leadership Key #1.

Setting Trail Markers is Leadership Key #2. 

Generating Momentum is Leadership Key #3. 

Leadership Key #4.  Creating an Environment for Meta-Learning

The last key and is about learning.  Every Wise Leader engages their team on how and what their team learns.   Constantly.  Deeply.  In the Moment. 

The consulting world is fast-paced.  Clients pay a lot...

As a leader at this epic time in human history, you have a tremendous opportunity.  I don't believe in good or bad luck.  You serendipitously crafted your world to be exactly where you are.

Whether you are navigating your business or your family through this turbulent time, the world needs you and your talent NOW!

From 30 years of consulting Global 1000 executives through their most strategic initiatives, I extracted four keys to leadership in turbulent times. 

This is Patrick Mosher's Leadership 101 training.

Are you ready?

Envisioning Rally Points is Leadership Key #1.

Setting Trail Markers is Leadership Key #2. 

Leadership Key #3.  Generate Momentum

Wise Leaders develop strategies to Generate Momentum.  At the most turbulent of times when everything is swirling around and chaos rattles the very core of your endeavor, how do you move your team and business forward? 

We use the term momentum all the time in the corporate world.  I was a...

Are you feeling overwhelmed?  Wondering how to lead your team or your family?

As a leader at this epic time in human history, you have a tremendous opportunity.  I don't believe in good or bad luck.  You serendipitously crafted your world to be exactly where you are.

Whether you are navigating your business or your family through this turbulent time, the world needs you and your talent NOW!

From 30 years of consulting to Global 1000 executives through their most strategic initiatives, I extracted four keys to leadership in turbulent times. 

This is Patrick Mosher's Leadership 101 training.

I gave you Leadership Key #1 in a previous post:  Envisioning Rally Points.

Are you ready for Leadership Key #2?

Leadership Key #2.  Set Trail Markers

The second key to Transformation Leadership is what I call Trail Markers.  A wise leader creates helpful trail markers to get from Point A to Point B, achieving that goal or Rally Point (Leadership Key #1).

Imagine...

As a leader at this epic time in human history, you have a tremendous opportunity.  I don't believe in good or bad luck.  You serendipitously crafted your world to be exactly where you are.

Whether you are navigating your business or your family through this turbulent time, the world needs you and your talent NOW!

From 30 years of consulting to Global 1000 executives through their most strategic initiatives, I extracted four keys to leadership in turbulent times. 

This is Patrick Mosher's Leadership 101 training.

Are you ready?

Leadership Key #1.  Envision Rally Points 

Some call it Shared Vision.  Others call it Implementable Strategy.  Maybe it’s a Goal or Ambition.  Call it whatever you want.  Important thing is to Envision that Rally Point.  Envision something that's in the distance.  A vision that grabs people's hearts and their passion to GO!  Paint a picture.  How does it look and feel?  Tell a story...

One of my core philosophies is the Universe is Perfect.  Our understanding of events and the big picture is much less than perfect because each of us only has a fraction of insight of the whole.  From that perspective what is happening is perfect somehow, even if it’s horrible and painful.

I also believe what an aboriginal grandmother told me.  "Every prayer is answered."  Maybe not in the form or timeline we want or intended, but always answered.  That's why she also said, "Be careful what you pray for."  So, what is a prayer?  Sure, we can send up intentional prayers.  However, what if prayers were also intentions we send into the universe in our frustration?

"If I only had more time with my kids."

"I hate coming to work every day."

"I can't stand being around my co-workers, my boss"

Haven't we all muttered something like that in the last 6 months? 

What if these are prayers as well? 

YIKES!

Last December I got really sick...

We face an unprecedented time in human history.  EVERY person on the planet is impacted by the current viral outbreak. 

You have a choice: A) Succumb to fear, put up our guards, hoard our resources and create social isolation;
OR; B) Take this time to reflect how to use this amazing opportunity to re-imagine how we live and connect. 

As healers and leaders, I choose B!!

How 'bout you?  What messages are you listening to?  What messages are you sending?

I cried with joy when a friend of mine sent this message: 

The immediate message is to SLOW DOWN and start taking care – of yourselves, of your bodies, of each other, of the people and other living beings who are being ground up and spit out of our systems.  "You thought it was impossible to make sudden about-face.  You said, 'we know we have to change everything in the next ten years, but we can't imagine how.'  Here you are, brought to a grinding halt by something so tiny it's...