Personal Growth

See my latest blog and newsletter called The Inside Stuff at newsletter.elainemorris.com!

I just returned from a 7-day writing retreat with 30 women from all over the country. Some fiction writers, poets, non-fiction writers, some published, some not.I have written blogs for the past 20 years and loved writing as an English major in college – but have not identified myself as a writer.Yet, when my long-time friend, Suzanne, invited me to go on a writing retreat, my head said NO and my heart said YES!

A new series gives us a personal perspective on facing tough challenges and how they managed to not only build their career but nurture their life!

As we’ve all experienced, goals at this time of year is a tradition marked more by their failure than their success. Why is it that these well-intentioned goals often fall by the wayside? The key issue lies in our ambition to change too much too quickly, without a solid plan or adequate support. This is where the transformative power of coaching can truly shine.

Today more highly successful leaders than ever are working with a coach on a regular basis, and the trend is predicted to increase over the next five years, according to a recent study by the International Coach Federation.

Exploring the benefits of effectively receiving feedback, highlighting the challenges posed by truth, relationship, and identity triggers, and offering strategies for overcoming these obstacles to improve personal and professional growth, relationships, and performance. The narrative encourages embracing a growth mindset and seeking out feedback to uncover blind spots and foster development.

Introducing "The Power of TED*" by David Emerald as a guide to escaping the Drama Triangle of Victim, Rescuer, and Persecutor roles by adopting the empowering roles of Creator, Challenger, and Coach. The book provides a framework for taking responsibility for one's own actions and fostering positive, proactive change both internally and in interactions with others, aiming to replace dysfunction with empowerment and growth.

Sharing a personal story of moving to a new home and the unexpected challenges encountered, emphasizing the importance of listening to candid feedback from friends and the invaluable support they offer during stressful transitions. The narrative also touches on the significance of having people who can provide honest feedback for leaders to avoid "CEO disease" and make informed decisions.

Drawing inspiration from a persistent vine, this narrative explores the themes of growth, resilience, and the importance of a growth mindset. It emphasizes the value of self-awareness, the willingness to embrace challenges, and the necessity of support from others to overcome limitations and achieve personal and professional development.

Explaining the evolution and value of executive coaching in corporate America, detailing how coaching serves as a personalized learning method to enhance leadership effectiveness, and illustrating how to quantify coaching benefits by linking leadership development goals with key business metrics for tangible organizational impact.

Reflecting on the power of focusing on what we can control and the value of community, goal-setting, and self-reflection in achieving personal growth and fulfillment, while introducing "Life As Art" as a tool to help structure this process for a more meaningful and proactive life.

Sharing a personal narrative about navigating the emotional highs and lows of the holiday season during a challenging year, highlighting the importance of acknowledging grief, embracing vulnerability, and finding joy in adjusted traditions, while emphasizing the value of supportive relationships and self-compassion in coping with adversity.

Highlighting the significance of establishing personal and professional rituals to maintain balance, prevent burnout, and enhance productivity, emphasizing the value of renewal and focused time for development and connection in both work and personal life.

Introducing the concept of "Relational Nutrients" as essential elements for mental and emotional health, divided into four quadrants—Be Present, Convey the Good, Provide Reality, and Call to Action—to highlight the importance of both giving and receiving support, affirmation, perspective, and advice in sustaining healthy relationships and overall wellbeing.

Illustrating the significance of continuous learning and self-improvement in working smarter, using the metaphor of sharpening the saw to emphasize the necessity of pausing to enhance one's skills for increased efficiency and effectiveness in leadership and overall work performance.

Encouraging the practice of gratitude and positive reflection even in the face of life's challenges, inspired by the "glad game" from Pollyanna, to foster hope, resilience, and meaningful connections during Thanksgiving and beyond, while also honoring and remembering loved ones who have passed.

Offering guidance on navigating through life's adversities by embracing emotional expression, seeking supportive relationships, utilizing specific support groups, educating oneself on personal challenges, engaging in journaling and prayer for reflection and connection, and gradually reengaging in life activities to foster resilience and healing.

Highlighting the importance of leveraging strengths and addressing weaknesses through self-awareness and feedback, as illustrated by the use of the EQ 360 assessment to enhance leadership effectiveness and emotional intelligence.

Highlighting the pivotal role of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in enhancing leadership performance, with self-awareness as its cornerstone, and suggesting spiritual growth and self-reflection as effective methods to foster EQ development.

Advocating for regular one-to-one coaching sessions between leaders and direct reports to foster rapport, accountability, and career development, while eschewing traditional performance reviews for more frequent, personalized interactions.

Advocating for intentionally incorporating "white space" into one's schedule for thinking, creating, and relaxing to enhance work quality, improve sleep, and increase overall happiness, outlining practical steps for daily, weekly, and monthly planning, creative thinking, and active recovery activities.

Emphasizing the importance of strategically managing one's time by pruning commitments and optimizing work schedules to create "white space" for planning, creativity, and recovery, ultimately aiming for a more balanced and fulfilling life.