Integrity connotes a deep commitment to do the right thing for the right reason, regardless of the circumstances. People who live with integrity are incorruptible and incapable of breaking the trust of those who have confided in them.

Every human is born with a conscience and therefore the ability to know right from wrong. Choosing the right, regardless of the consequence, is the hallmark of integrity.

As a trusted leader, do you Lead by example, honoring and drawing on your inner core when the pressure of performance and bottom line taxes doing the Next right thing? I use my ANE Recalibration tool, how about You..?

Please join us this Tuesday for an ANE Leadership Call. You may view leadership tools here.

Tuesday, May 24, 8:30 a.m. EDT
Call in number: (712) 775-7031
Enter ID #: 251-410-597

Over the last few weeks we have been discussing taking care of ourselves and enlisting a team to reach our goals. But what happens when the goal is not reached, and it’s because you as a leader fell short...

I appreciate the benefit of working out in a group or with a partner; I like the camaraderie and support, accountability, and structure. Here we are more open to have things go both ways..

I have learned through my various leadership positions, be it at work or at home, the importance of physical and emotional fitness. I believe that physical fitness changes people for the better. It builds self-discipline and a sense of pride in oneself as a person pursues harder and harder physical challenges and achieves those goals...

“What is ‘faced’ can not always be ‘changed,’

But what is not ‘faced’ can not be ‘changed.’”

Last week we had a great message and discussion lead by Terry Herring.

This week we will continue the theme about facing challenges, knowing how to address, when to ask for help, and how to include your team?...

As people and leaders, we often ignore those nagging thoughts and feelings. We see some things that bother us but we let them slide .....

Work is Like a River…it's always there, constantly flowing along towards the ocean. We regularly go down to the water’s edge and take a swim in it; and then we come out, dry off and walk away from the river. Just like a river, our work is never-ending. We regularly go for swims in it and then we come out again...

This weekend many people were glued to the TV watching their favorite teams and just great competition to be number 1 in the country. Most days in business we talk about and focus on “the wins.” In 1 Corinthians 13:4 Love is addressed and clearly references not boasting, avoiding self-seeking, not being rude, and not keeping score of the wrongs...

Do you feel awkward about being a spiritually intentional leader in the secular workplace? Have you expereinced that any hint of dogma can be a turnoff, especially when talking with those who believe their survival requires extremely competitive behaviors...

Growth is the opportunity for leaders to lift the hearts of people toward the possibilities of greater things. But leaders who only communicate the facts of a situation never offer sufficient reasons for growth. Information simply provides more reasons to deepen negative attitudes--to impede growth...

We are trained, compensated, and promoted around the whole notion that to be a great leader we have to deliver great results with happy, motivated, teams. And when things take a downturn, as they often do, we do our root-cause analysis out of fear because "I" must respond, "I" am accountable,..

The leader's job is always to get the right focus for motivating people. So should the leader focus on the output, the people, or what?...

Five days. By Friday, will you look back on your week and wonder if you contributed all that you could! Or will you think that you spent another week, out of time--out of control? The door to a life of balance and satisfying engagement lies within. Start your week by accepting this and planning to learn more about being spiritually engaged in your job...

Last week, we explored the issue together of restoring linkage to the Spiritual Core. This week, our discussion focuses upon ways of sharpening that connection once we have awoken our spiritual nature...

One of the topics discussed in great length in ANE’s teachings (and featured most prominently in The Joy of Work) is the concept of the Spiritual Core...

What IS resilience? Most say it is the ability to handle things. Actually, people readily connect the concept with resolve, endurance or strength--the notion of standing up to something. But what resilience really means at its core has nothing to do with that. Resilire, the Latin root word borrowed to create the concept of resilience, actually means “to jump or leap back” or “rebound”...

One of the real highlights for me of the last several weeks has been meeting up with good friends and colleagues that I had not seen in sometime, in many cases a year or more...

During an early "A New Equilibrium" workshop several years ago, we spent time developing a statement of our personal leadership purpose. We tried to answer the question "why did my Creator put me in a leadership position?"...

This is the season of fresh starts. We're excited and alive with the possibilities of new goals, new projects, new jobs, and new relationships. Contrast that with the language we often use as the calendar turns to a new year or a relationship comes to an end...

Mies-en-place, the French phrase translates literally as "put in place". Culinary professionals use mies-en-place to mean assembling and arranging the food ingredients and cooking tools needed to prepare a meal...

This can be a very busy time of the year--wrapping up the fiscal year for some, and the calendar year for all...

People prefer to categorize things. It saves time. And this time of year, two categories that come to mind are "naughty" and "nice."...

“The Christmas Scenario” is something that happens very infrequently and has great expectations. Holiday shopping for those dear to our heart falls into this category...

Everyone faces the Rule of 168. There are 168 hours in the week (24 x 7 = 168). And what are we doing with that time?...

Have you thanked those who have influenced you in the past?

Have you thanked those who guide you today?..

As a leader, focusing can be a challenge--projects, people, timelines, deadlines, constantly pushing, sometimes rushing and always with something else in front of us...

The story is one often heard--two beloved sons, one returns to celebration and the loyal son is confused. What do we learn from this parable, and how can we apply it to our lives?...

Who are you as a leader in other people' s eyes? What is your belief system as a leader that you display each day and that others recognize in you? ...

“You have heard it said, “Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.”  “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” (Mathew 5:43,44)

“Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)...

When someone criticizes you at work, how much does it help? Do you get defensive? Or do you enthusiastically start changing your ways?...

What does it mean for you to feel a really deep connection with your colleagues-your direct reports? Not some fleeting passing discussion where mix-ups happen, but conversations where you know with certainty that what you have to say is heard at their deepest place. Would you be energized by the greater sense of trust? Would your job feel more like it's really worth it?..

ANE leaders agree that the way we manage our inner beliefs, our essential core, has everything to do with why people choose to follow us. Without a genuine commitment to grow ourselves, there can be no lasting commitment to change by our followers. Our joyful and grateful journey of growth is infectious...

During the last 4 days, many in the United States have anxiously watched and followed the visit of Pope Francis. The images, gestures, and messages that he has delivered during his visit are profound..

Can you remember work moments when you were completely overjoyed? Times when you just knew that things were going right? Do these occasions happen more or less often for you these days?...

What unites us in A New Equilibrium is our desire to be better leaders through our spirituality. So, is this something we each put into practice on the fly, or do we need focused time to make a spiritual connection during our busy working lives?..

Why do we work? What kind of work do you choose to do? How do you choose to do your work? What makes you work hard? And who do you work for?...

Here's a solution to a common leadership error for anyone who accepts the power of his or her inner spiritual core to improve performance.

Picture yourself at work. A potentially major issue surfaces. How do you start looking for an answer?...

Recently while on a Father and Son camping on trip with seven families, a five-year old boy woke up and stepped out of the tent at 12:15 am for quick relief but did not return. His father began searching. Then after 10 minutes, he alerted other fathers and over the next 45 minutes the search quickly encompassed over 50 ‘previous strangers’ that were canvasing the large camp ground area to find James...

Why are we drawn to heroes and tales of heroic deeds? They perform great feats for the benefit of others, often in dangerous situations and at great risk to themselves. We hold them in the highest esteem...

Business performance and the water cooler chit chat--do they have anything in common? I just had to know, so I did a little research and found The Water Cooler Project.  WCP is a small business that appears to explore a company’s diversity issues through informal conversations.  So how and where might ANE leaders connect? ...

What do an Egg Timer, Business Growth, “in the zone” sport performance, and your Spiritual Core have in common?  Each of them must be “wound up” or prepared to produce specific results...

"To be persuasive, we must be believable; to be believable, we must be credible; to be credible, we must be truthful." Edward R. Murrow

I am an enthusiast of LinkedIn for a few reasons, but one of them is seeing how my clients and colleagues share their views...

A CEO is retiring and a successor is appointed. At the conclusion of their transition meeting, the retiring CEO hands his successor three envelopes numbered sequentially and tells him that whenever he finds himself in trouble to open the envelopes in order. Several months go by, and the new CEO finds things going south and opens the first letter. The letter reads: "Blame your predecessor"...

Do you have high standards of performance that you expect from people?  Most leaders do, despite often not knowing what it really takes for someone to succeed. But performance pressure is always present, whether from inner or outer sources. The key question is: When you think people are falling short, how do you best respond?

Business is challenging. Management can be frustrating. And Leadership is certainly demanding.

Most of you reading this post recognize those facts and yet are committed to bring your very best to your role. Collectively “we” invest in our inner core or God to provide direction when the winds are heavy, the skies dump rain, and when the ground is shaking...

When someone takes and does not give, how do we respond?  How do we avoid falling into the abyss of hate or anger?  How do we move forward and grow?  How do we lead?...

Yesterday, I attended a family reunion. Held in a small Minnesota farming community Town Hall, over one hundred relatives with deep Midwestern roots shared a potluck meal, hugs, the old stories and gentle wistful memories of aunts, uncles and cousins with us now in spirit...

I attended a college reunion this weekend, not my own college reunion, but one where I now work. While many elements of the weekend were probably very similar to other college reunions held around the country: group activities, too much food, the continual sound of old friends greeting and embracing each other, and the inevitable reassurance - or otherwise - gained from comparing one's physical appearance to those of others from the same class...

“One who fears failure limits his activities. Failure is only the opportunity to more intelligently begin again."  Henry Ford

Teachable moments in your Leadership Journey--Inside out, not outside in...

Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

One of the principles that will change our life the most is that of vision—or of being in a future state as if it were already true. Jesus said, “I tell you…everything you ask and pray for, believe that you have it already, and it will be yours.” Mark 11:24...

There is something about those first warm days of Spring to make you forget about the long winter. Birds are chirping, flowers are blooming, and the bare trees are budding--makes you wonder if you are taking advantage of your leadership role...

We have all been there. You change jobs or careers. You are retained by new clients who need to streamline operations. Your business division merges with another division. You receive that sought after promotion...

Well it is not that simple.

It is all about preparation with intensity and intention. Those determine the quality of the time spent in prayer, devotion, reflection study or exercise...

I've got a new employee starting this week. I'm excited! She brings great skills, energy and another pair of hands to take on the big challenges that we face this year. I'm also mindful of the trust that she is putting in me to come join my team...

"Let go and let God" is a phrase heard often in recovery support groups. It's a powerful phrase that reminds us that there is a time to work, and a time to surrender the outcome up to God...

How many times a week do you use your GPS to get to a new location, navigate an unfamiliar city, find a restaurant, or even reroute around an unexpected traffic jam? For most of us, the answer is quite often and without it I would be just lost...

Last year while traveling extensively, I left my children a note when leaving on Sunday afternoon to “make new friends this week… and I will be checking up to make sure that you are making the world a better place.”...

On Sunday March 2 at 2:00 pm, several ANE members will gather at Princeton Theological Seminary to share their understanding about “the Work Week.” If you are attending, we look forward to seeing you. If you are undecided, we hope to entice you. If you cannot come, we will miss your contributions...

What does it really mean to “Suit up and show up?”  This expression has been used in leadership presentations, management meetings, politics, in some parenting discussions, and in the Recovery communities...

"For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." Isaiah 41:13

My wife often tells me that I worry too much about work. I sometimes fear losing my job. I fret about making my objectives. A terse email from my boss or a colleague can give me a feeling of approaching dread...

A common greeting--one that we have all heard and responded to countless times. "I'm good" we say, and then ask the obligatory "and how are you?"

We all take part in this social norm, an exchange of pleasantries, and think nothing of it. We are disconnected, but both parties understand what is required of them. There's some good in it after all, a superficial interaction with a fellow human that may warm us a little......And yet, how are you feeling, really?...

The temperatures have been bitter cold; New Year’s initiatives have launched, and likely by this point in mid-February, you are either hitting your stride or in a serious place of questioning. So wondering if you are “Losing Faith” in a process, place, person, or yourself..

This past week has overflowed with examples of businesses and individuals challenged with an authenticity or truth crisis...

Where do we see the most public examples of prayer in the workplace? The Super Bowl is one of the most prominent illustrations of workplace prayer, with some players forming circles before and after the football game...

“Footprints in the Snow” is a classic Bluegrass song by Earl Scruggs.

“Footprints in the Sand” is a renowned poem detailing Christ’s presence in one’s life.

Footprints in the Snow is also an autobiography of a Chinese Buddhist Monk.

The great part about walking on a wet beach or in freshly fallen snow is that an exact trail of your footprints is left behind. If you examine your trail closely, it will tell you volumes...

Do you start and end your day in a manner that provides the greatest opportunity for success?

Do you intentionally ask for what you want, expect to get what you need, and align your day for God’s intervention, insight, and direction? Many of us, practice some form of daily routine that helps in a few of these areas, yet most have not made it a habit that remains unchanged in times of strife...

Many Christmas trees are coming down, the Menorah has been put away, the elf has left the shelf, The Ball has dropped, and now many are putting their house back in order. As A New Equilibrium begins 2015, collectively we offer to all reading these weekly emails a time to reflect on the content and participation in a call with other Spiritually Intentional Leaders...

The New Year has officially begun. Although there are few guarantees for 2015; many consistent patterns occur year after year in our professional and personal lives. Today, let's push a very difficult one to the forefront. The likelihood of an alarming event occurring in your life in the next 359 days is quite high. These events can, will, and do come for many of us with the exceptional burden or a perceived catastrophic impact on our lives...

This message is about reflection and perspective. As we close one year and look toward the next, it is all too common to find ourselves right before the New Year in a period of assessment. For we often calibrate our metrics for the next year based upon where we stand in the old one.  

But the real question here is how we have grown in leadership. What lessons have we learned this year in our efforts to become more spiritually connected leaders?  Because those lessons will undoubtedly propel our journey forward...

Happy Hanukah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, and Happy New Year to all of you, your families, and your organizations. May you enjoy the celebration of the Season, reflect on the year, and look forward, with eager anticipation, to an exceptional 2015.

Earlier this week I spoke to a founding CEO about the inception of the business. He shared that the business was created to bring a positive impact on a large metropolitan city. The belief was that in creating that influence effectively, the result will be a positive impact and a successful business. The ambition was to be delivered in a humble and team-focused manner, without an identified figure head...

A simple rhetorical question that challenges our senses of goodness and humanity. What is the politically correct answer, God, family, friends......?

We all know those canned answers based on worldly expectations. The reality is that if we take an honest look at our daily activities, our motivation will be clear--the job--the drudgery--the race--the contest--the push. It even sounds stressful...

You probably know that we sleep in cycles of roughly 90 minutes, moving through five stages from light to deep sleep and back out again. It turns out that we have an awake cycle as well. When we’re awake, we move from a state of energized alertness progressively into mental and physical fatigue approximately every 90 minutes. At that point, we feel hungry, we lose focus and feel sleepy as our bodies tell us to take a break. The trap we fall into in our drive for productivity is we ignore these signals and turn to caffeine, sugar and our own emergency reserves—the stress hormones that trigger our "fight or flight" state. As a result, we become distracted, jumpy, lose sight of our purpose and become less capable of thinking clearly. We fool ourselves into thinking that we can push through and grind it out...and we expect our teams to follow suit. Sound familiar?...

“Each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” (Ephesians 4:25)

“Yes, leadership is about vision. But leadership is equally about creating a climate where truth is heard and the brutal facts are confronted.” (Good to Great, Jim Collins)...

Not the standard title for a brief message regarding leadership and spirituality in the workplace, however, “Tradition” needs to have a place in your leadership. Tradition may be defined in many ways--some that include the passing down of elements of a culture, as well as a set of customs as a coherent body of precedents influencing the present/future...

Historically in ANE, we have spoken of Engagers and Disengagers. As individuals and with leading others, it is important to look at those actions that engage you/your workforce or disengage you/your workforce. Last week’s message and call addressed the need to be mindful of reaching out to others with gestures; this week, let’s focus on the critical process of engagement...

A handshake, a wave, rolling of the eyes, a pat on the back, pointing the finger, and avoidance of eye contact say volumes about your leadership. How are you perceived by your colleagues? Only attentive when problems arise, there to pass out blame, present to take the credit, avoidant when conflict arises, lifting others success before your own, or welcoming for each new opportunity that presents?...

Birds of a feather flock together.
What's your flight plan and are you engaged and on course?

Birds of a feather flock together, because they are all going to the same place at the same time. 

As Spiritual Inspired Leaders we have a common destination with our flock (those we lead).  We create flocks (teams), for the purpose of growth for each other and those we serve...

"Every thought has a consequence. And every experience has a causative thought behind it. Thoughts are things, and all things in one's life have a thought that precedes them."
Ernest Holmes

I observe my thoughts run in waves, sometimes crashing on the rocks and other times peacefully rambling down the stream...

“Why did I agree to this breakfast meeting? And why is the commute so much more crowded at this earlier hour? And how did I manage to spill my drink on myself? I just had this cleaned! I woke up on the wrong side of the bed today – this day is ruined!”...

June 11, 2014 

On behalf of the Board of Trustees of A New Equilibrium, I hope that this letter finds you well and that you are utilizing the core principles and teachings of ANE to challenge yourselves as to what it means to be a successful leader.

Over the past year, my fellow trustees and I have been challenging ourselves as well. This challenge has extended to every facet of our personal and professional lives, and by extension, includes what it means to be part of ANE.  In our collaborative search together, the Board completed a soul-searching journey that traced the origins of the organization and its humble beginnings some five years ago to where we stand today....

Are you committed to a professional learning journey? Overcoming interia and pushing oneself to grow takes courage. But once any of us get going, we perform much better when we have that sense of growth at our inner spiritual core. It spreads across all our life experiences, especially where we work. We get fresh energy, new perspectives and more confidence. The downstream effect is always better performance and more satisfaction. Oh, how the stress crowds it out!...

Stress crowds out our willingness to engage our deeper selves at work. So we miss the opportunity to really listen to people around us. It's not that we don't want to solve problems quickly and gain more confidence and loyalty. It's just that the busyness vortex drains our attentiveness...

Being spiritually connected at my inner core means I'm operating at my best. I find greater calm and confidence. There's this deeply satisfying sense of completeness. People at work respond more positively. Greater trust and productivity are the downstream results, especially in a group setting...

It's when we don't have all the answers that we get a glimpse of the power at our inner core. Digging deep exposes more of who we really are, despite the strain. Sand paper bringing out the strength of the grain. Success bringing the deep satisfaction of knowing that our journey really does have meaning. That's the best kind of joy...

The work week begins. Ahead lie your complex problems, your negotiations, your metrics, your career relationships, your slavery to busyness, your mind-numbing boredom, your need to exceed expectations…..

I'm stuck. I need something to change but I can't get the needle to move. Do you know the feeling? Some process, person or product just won't deliver the outcome I need...

Please pause your week. I have a question.

What is your heart telling you right now? That place at the center of your being, that inner spiritual core, what's it saying to you about your job when you listen to it? Is it silent? Is it inspired and enthusiastic? Is it nervous and a little afraid? What's it saying right now?...

The key to the growth of your organization lies in the attentiveness of leadership to the spiritual side of things. Not just being attentive to the inner core of self and others, not just working to preserve it, but consciously choosing to grow it. The business growth of the whole emanates from the inner core growth experience of the individuals..

Do you find fault with your boss, or people with power over you at work? If you answer no you're in a very small minority! We all have expressions for when the boss (or customer) doesn't meet our expectations. Here's a common one... colleagues. "Someone who is a great visionary and doesn't micromanage me, and this doesn't cut it."...

Trust Survey: Before your week begins, picture the close colleagues (or customers) you work with. For each, rate your level of trust that the relationship will be creative, collaborative and productive this week. Your Trust Index is the percentage of all close colleagues that you hold as high-trust and high-productivity. What's your score?...

Five days. By Friday, will you look back on a week of not being able to contribute all you can?
Or another week of your time out of control? The door to a life of balance and satisfying engagement lies within, at your inner spiritual core. Start your week by accepting this and planning to learn more about being spiritually engaged in your job...

When I let the external world drive my inner core - like glorifying busyness or greedily rushing into career change - I usually end up getting less reward and less fulfillment. Why is that? 

It's because the attitude we adopt at our inner spiritual core sets..

Scrub: To remove impurities (as in facial or body scrub)

Not polishing your CV but scrubbing it. If you take out the impurities in the work history you present to people, often caused by CV polishing, what are you left with? The real truth of who you are becoming...

Last week somebody said "A New Equilibrium is about Spiritual Business Leadership."

"No," someone else pointed out. "It's Spiritual Leadership of Business."

Confused, I got back to basics…

Can I ask if you are getting enough joy? Or is all the busy stuff getting in the way?

Ask people these days, "How's work going?" and somewhere in the response you'll hear things like "I'm so busy," or, "There's so much going on," or "There's no time to relax."  Do you say these things too? Be truthful!..

How do you picture your sphere of influence? Do you feel it's large enough to get you what you need?

Many people say theirs is not large enough, especially during periods of change in career or job. They believe what they need lies with others they may not even know. The problem is that they equate influence with control and believe only more control can resolve things. Their lack attitude creates a self-defeating downward spiral that goes nowhere and adds even more stress...

The hallmark of the spiritually connected leader is not simply service to others. First, comes service to self. How can any of us be an authentic leader without first living the God-connection of our own? It's from that humble and grateful vantage point that we fully appreciate the amazing spiritual power waiting to be revealed through others...

As a leader, cleansing your spiritual inner core at the beginning of interactions vastly increases the chances of a great outcome.

Imagine you are on your way to your team meeting and someone corners you in the hallway to criticize you and your team. After you part, your mind swirls with negative mental chitchat  - things like "I should have, I ought to, they mustn't, they can't," and so on...

Last week, I listened to business leaders talking about bringing more of their spirituality into their work.  Here are some real quotes of the week. See if any of them spark a new pathway for you as you start this week...

Why are we drawn to heroes and tales of heroic deeds? They perform great feats for the benefit of others, often in dangerous situations and at great risk to themselves. We hold them in the highest esteem.

What draws us so intently?...

Rapid change always gets our inner core agitated. Stepping from our current reality to the brighter future we want is never as easy as it first seems. As we let go of the old, we dip before we rise. I call it passing through the Valley of Despair... 

On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate the way you feel at your inner core about your job?

Are you mostly on the low side or more to the positive right? Work is so much more productive and fun over to the right...

"OMG," Cathie texted. "Our CEO says that we're reorganizing again. Aagh!"

Yes, job transitions are painful. We invest so much in our careers and then the blistering pace of change torpedoes us. Is this something people outside the business world can ever fully understand?...

What the world says is good for us and what we really need can be so different. A great example is believing our career purpose is solely personal wealth and status...

It may creep up on you over time, or suddenly jump in. You may have heard it for years, or it recently arrived. You may have denied it's presence or accepted your fate. What is it? ...

Most of us keep our spiritual house in order at work. We prefer to feel calm, confident and connected at our inner core rather than the opposite. But there's a limit - a pressure threshold - that when crossed...

I was in Europe late last week, talking to possible business partners. Here's how spiritual engagement turned a business meeting from dark to light.

We were due to meet a French company. I had heard they had already tried and failed with another US company. We were prepared for a difficult time...

Do the same things go wrong repeatedly for you? If so, you'll appreciate this upgrade.

As we drive to get better results in our job we constantly use our mental Choosing Engine to decide what to do. We all have one. Outwardly it looks like the engine is fueled with our great knowledge and experience. But that's the tip of the iceberg. The most powerful fuel comes from our inner core. That's the place where our deeper beliefs and attitudes lie..

In Tanjore in South India lies a Hindu temple where, for a small payment to the owner, you can be kissed on the head by an elephant. Believers say it brings incredibly good fortune to those who do it...

Just like our muscles signal us to slow down physically, so our inner spiritual core signals us to stop a downward trend and get to a more energized place.

You can sense it in your "lack" thinking. Things like: "This is a problem I'll never fix," or "My career path is out of control," or "I'm overextended and stressed out - my way isn't working any more."...

Here's a test of being spiritually engaged at work.

Scenario 1: A colleague bumps into you at work and decides to start bad-mouthing a mutual colleague. Do you join in? Or, being spiritually aware of the destructive power of gossip, do you surrender the temptation and let the conversation (or you) go elsewhere? ...

When someone criticizes you at work, how much does it help? Do you get defensive? Or do you enthusiastically start changing your ways? ...

"What's the fruit of engaging your spiritual inner core at work?" I asked Sharon, who runs a small business...

Has your leadership advanced to the place of knowing that you have more questions than answers? Do you realize that the aperture of your insight is restrictive or has led you to make decisions you regret?...

"I've been trying to build an alliance with the X company, but their VP keeps changing the goalposts," said Ally, one of my directors. "This has been dragging on for months. Frankly, I don't trust him. We may need to look at alternatives."...

Last week, my company held an Innovation Leadership Workshop. Of course we began by defining innovation. Innovation boils down to using different, but readily available ways to solve new or old problems...

Are you a leader with "the right spirit?" It's the quality people admire and want in leaders, despite all the talk of leadership theories...

You'll be meeting many people at work this week. What if you could substantially improve the productivity of your relationships, especially where things have not been too good lately? You know the ones...

Work is such a meeting-intensive place. Do you ever find yourself wondering why you're in some of them at all?

Don't say: "I bring nothing to the table." And definitely don't think it about others. 

Here's a common slip that disconnects people and leads to failure.

This week, I'm sure you will be discussing business problems with your team, colleagues or customers. Inevitably, there will be frustration that things need to get done better. You will know that improve performance requires people to do more...

(Last call! Please help A New Equilibrium plan future content and upcoming events by taking our anonymous quick survey.)

An incredible leadership blunder came up in a conversation with a business leader I met this week.

"We were having a good time at our 2012 holiday party," said Janet, the President of a growing outsourcing business in New York. "My boss, the Chairman and owner, asked if he could say just a few words. So I gave him the mic...

Here's a solution to a common leadership error for anyone who accepts the power of his or her inner spiritual core to improve performance.

Picture yourself at work. A big customer problem has just come up. What do you say to start looking for an answer?

Please don't say: "Who Caused This Problem?"...

As I was merrily wishing everyone sustained performance AND joy at work in 2013, I lost it with VP Joanne.

"Ugh! Please don't say that again," I said. "You're aggravating me."

"What! I can't ask everyone here why my work-life balance stinks?" she replied....

Look back. See your growth in 2012.
Look forward. See the challenge of 2013.
Look back. See the mistakes in 2012.
Look forward. Yes, you'll make more in 2013...

Do these Monday emails help you? We're feeling slightly needy this holiday season because we need your support to keep things going. We're volunteers in a non-profit, so a 2012 tax-deductible donation of $50.00 or more (click here) will bring you a special leadership gift for 2013 and satisfy our need wonderfully...

Planning a nice break this holiday? Or will your business commitments keep you active right to the wire?...

End of the year's coming. Will you be going to holiday parties, bonus celebrations, or leaving bashes?

"People confuse fun with fulfillment, especially as the holidays approach," said Joe...

Of course, nobody wants to be a bad boss. Inc. magazine recently published a survey. If you're a bad boss, they say, what you don't do causes people to purposefully make errors and reduce effort...

You're not under too much pressure. You're not stretched far too thin.

You are simply letting your inner core, your spiritual center, be more determined by outer than inner forces...

"Today's leadership issue isn't absenteeism, it's presenteeism! People show up, but they're not really showing up," said the speaker at ANE's breakfast event...

"I need to have a very difficult conversation with my team," said Brian.  "Things are not going well, and I'm scared we will miss this year's target. Everyone's going flat out, and I can tell they sense it. I'm worried I'll make things worse, if I push them. What do I say?..

People become numbed by the pace of change. The leader's work isn't just about vision and strategy. We also have to help people discover a deeper reality to working, one that restores the wonderful feeling that all the senses are engaged again...

Storms are always coming our way. Each one presents us with a choice at our spiritual core. One pathway is narrow and yields our power, like when we say "I can't do it!" or, even worse, we join others in the "We'll never get through it!" brigade. Limitation is the result..

Heather and I were discussing adapting to change. "We want to comfortably skate across the surface of life without pain," she said. "But like Jonah, we must go into the belly of the whale before coming out into the light."...

What's your name for the unique essence of everything that's good about you? You might call it your purpose, your destiny, God, your courage or even your drive. It's deep; it's inspiring, and it wants to have more influence in the world, especially in your job...

An insightful comment from Joe, a finance executive:

"We are now so well connected to each other that it's creating chaos in our lives that we struggle to manage."...

"Interviewing candidates is a big time-waster," said Donna. "I spend an hour talking to a candidate. Yet I can feel a good fit within thirty seconds. The rest is me going through the motions."...

When it comes to being more spiritually connected at work, meaning is more important than words. My working vocabulary is regulated by my analytical mind, but this leadership calls for being more open to my heart. When I do my work of being spiritually connected, there's more meaning from fewer words, more listening to the truth, and more powerful solutions to problems...

"I had a traumatic discussion with my boss," said Tommy. "After working night and day for nine months, they now want us to reduce headcount by ten percent and increase margin. I told him we can't. I just called my team together and told them. They're going nuts."...

"My boss says my Division's only as good as our last quarter's results," said VP Joanne. "It's a grind. The last week of every quarter we scramble to get over the goal line. Then we feel good, recover for a few weeks, and go at it all over again."...

"I'm constantly being criticized by my boss, Diane," said Charles. "It's gotten so bad that I dread going into meetings with her. She belittles us. The tension is awful. When she is out for the day, I feel elated. But it's affecting my whole life. Should I quit?"...

Any leader who intentionally connects to his or her spiritual core stays on the successful pathway we call Calm, Confident, and Connected.

"Every day, I faced the pressure of being an out-of-work executive," said Gerry, the speaker at our recent ANE dinner...

When you meet people this week, remember that you are not simply exchanging ideas and feelings. You are also sharing parts of each others' inner spiritual core. Push yours too hard and people may feel disrespected...

"My work day is a whirlwind of texts, tweets and emails which I get caught up in," said Don. "My time doesn't feel like it's my own. I start okay but I get stacked up and backed up. Things run out of control from there."...

"I'm drowning in work," said Simon at an investment bank. "I get so many emails and texts from people that I'm constantly pulled around all day. Meetings get canceled and added constantly. Now my boss needs a revised forecast by 8am tomorrow morning, so I have to work this evening. What's the solution? I'm going crazy."...

Janice called me. "What can you do with someone who is so bad as a colleague that it feels like they are evil?"

"Evil's a strong word, what do you mean?"...

Fully Present: someone who does the spiritual work of calming his or her inner core in order to be inspiring when leading others...

Bob called on the fourth day of his new job. "This place isn't what I expected, I guess I made a wrong decision," he complained. 

"How can any of us really know the complete truth when we decide?" I countered...

Resentment: Bitterness to others due to not forgiving yourself.

It was Laura again. Last week she exploded a Gratitude Bomb as she successfully left a bank in NYC.

"I did say thanks to everyone as I left, including my boss. The whole experience was very positive. But now I'm stuck feeling that I don't really mean it."...

Victimhood: Believing your job is solely an outside-in experience.

Wednesday, I got a call from Laura at a NYC bank. "I hate my job so Im quitting", she said. "It's been two years of hell, so many weekends, no bonus. My boss has no empathy and constantly corrects my work. She never trained me. The team members I inherited are awful. She won't let me fire them. The whole place is just crazy...

Are you all set for the week? Will you deliver more than last week? Will your time and attention be tightly focused toward the issues and strategies that support growth? Will everyone be expanding their capabilities? You're all set, right? Bravo!...

Are you in transition? Has the big decision to change job or career been made, or close to being made? Instead of rushing to polish-up and upload your CV, stop and think about how you can manage your spiritual core better...

You want more out of your work, to feel like you are really making a difference. You have been successful and taken time to improve, but now you, and possibly others, realize the pathway you're on will not get the best out of you...

Can you remember work moments when you were completely overjoyed? Times when you just knew that things were going right? Do these occasions happen more or less often for you these days?...

ANE leaders never use information for low level purposes. Gossiping is one example. Shading the truth to promote oneself over others is another. They are so destructive to an organization's spirit...

"One day I turned around and realized that the leader I'd become was not the leader I wanted to be. I had lost my spiritual impulse. I needed a new bridge between my personal values and leading the company." Thus started the speech by Arsenal Capital's Dr. Donald Deieso at ANE's recent Leadership and Spirituality Summit...

Tough week or good week ahead? Will it "get to me" or not? It's a choice we can all make this Monday morning. 

We all know the workplace can be so corrosive to our spirit and that of our organization. But the simple truth of leadership is this: We can't lead by example, be the inspiration, and support people, if we let the corrosion reach our spiritual core...

It was a call with an ANE Leader in Germany. 

"ANE leaders should share practical things," she said, "especially those that help us stay fully present for our team. Discovering a tool that works for someone else can have a big impact. What are your top three?"...

It's a new week. When you think about growing your business, your job, or your career, today where will your thinking begin? Is it with the good or the less-than-good? 

Starting with "I/We cannot...." is the prelude to saying things like "Yes, but...." which reinforces our inability to do...

We all have this tendency to put our spiritual and business lives into separate compartments. We start our week feeling calm, confident, and connected, but when pressure builds our spiritual side can evaporate and negative thinking takes over. It's not that our spiritual core goes away,...

Lunch time, and I was having a bad day. The grind of work was getting me down. As I looked back at the morning's situations, I realized I could have performed much better. Thinking that made it even worse. I was on a downward spiral...

"What happens on Monday is nothing like what happens on Sunday," said a business associate, referring to attending her place of worship. "At my job, it's practical and about the facts, not spiritual. Plus, if I'm that nice to people at work, you can bet they'll try to take advantage of me."...

A quiz. What do these leadership behaviors have in common?

Complaining about back-to-back meetings. Texting while leading a team meeting. Doing emails while on mute on a conference call. Arriving unprepared for business meetings. Avoiding performance feedback discussions. 

Answer:They are all symptoms of half-absent leadership. Recognize any of them?...

Do people really listen to you? And you to them? Just nod if you can hear me.

Actually I'm not talking about superficial nodding. I mean the deep listening that comes when leaders choose to be fully present. They put aside disruptions and their personal needs in favor of seeing the greater good come from conversations. In their communicating they go all in - body, mind, and spirit...

What's it like to be on your team? 

No, I'm not after a job! I'm asking about the experience of being someone on your team, because it has everything to do with the way you connect to your spiritual core at work...

The leadership response to pressure is not more pressure. As someone who has made his fair share of errors this way, this still feels like a radical idea...

"Where do I get started on actually applying ANE ideas to my job?" someone asked this week. 

"With a prayer or affirmation," is what many ANE people say. In whatever way fits your spiritual background, this way of connecting to one's spiritual core at work really helps...

"What's the return on spiritual investment for my job?" someone asked. "You say you want me to try ANE's leadership and spirituality events, but how do I justify the time and expense to my boss?"...

What is it that causes one team of people to perform brilliantly but another, in the same situation, to miss by a mile. If you've ever been on a team where I was the leader, you know why I ask!...

I have to admit to feeling a bit awkward sometimes about being a spiritually intentional leader in the secular workplace. In wanting to help business leaders and professionals, I've learned that any hint of dogma can be a turnoff, especially when talking with those who believe their survival requires extremely competitive behaviors...

We can never achieve our full potential as leaders unless we take time to reflect and be at peace, and then connect with colleagues we trust....

Do you know the feeling of satisfaction when you leave a situation knowing that your very best abilities have been in play for the greater good? Not that the outcomes were what you wanted, but that your core abilities, the essence of your leadership strengths, were needed, contributed, and respected...

I hope the year has started well for you. It takes no time at all to get re-absorbed into all the busyness of work, doesn't it?

Don't forget that there's a fantastic resource available at your job this week. One that can keep you calm, confident, and connected in any circumstance. I'm talking about your spiritual center, your essential core...

Somebody challenged me this week: "What's the increased value to someone's career of participating in ANE? How come you're not selling that you can get me promoted?"...

A New Equilibrium wants your 2012 to be a year of wonderful growth. Wherever you are in your life, in 2012 we want you to feel more of the incredible sense of excitement, anticipation, and satisfaction that comes from knowing that your journey really counts, that your life has significance, that your connections to people are powerful and deep, and that nothing can shake your confidence in the incredible leader that is you...

This job you have, this journey of leading others toward something better, is an incredible gift you are privileged to hold for a while. This week, as your thoughts turn to gift giving, let this idea that your gift is already received fill you with warming gratitude toward people. Do you give gifts to lift your spirit or theirs?..

Do you have relationships with colleagues that truly sustain you? This is much more than knowing that someone delivers on expectations. It's about a deeper sense of sharing one's life journey, a warm belief that together you can face and overcome any uncertainties. We've all known these kinds of relationships. Would having more of them help you in 2012?...

People love to talk about moments where their inner core, their spiritual center, was perfectly aligned to their team circumstances. Perhaps in sport, at school, or in business, we've all known those moments. Times of exhilaration at being in complete command, or when our sense of connection to teammates, of being in the zone, was absolutely superb...

An ANE Leader in the UK offers this advice after taking our Inner Spirit Quiz.

"Do you get enough silence? Just think about your phone calls, conferences, meetings, travel, conversations, and so on. Too much noise depletes and dilutes our leadership....

Do you know the incessant drumbeat of "More" at work? More clients, more profits, more investments--all very necessary for successful growth of any organization. But if we follow the drumbeat selflessly, our inner core, our spiritual center, becomes worn down...

If you let it, the business world will tag your leadership style with many labels. Each one is an attempt to fit you to someone else's definition of "perfection." Be careful. Such leadership typing only touches the surface; it never reaches the core of who you really are...

What does it mean for you to feel a really deep connection to the people you work with? Not some fleeting passing discussion where mix-ups happen, but conversations where you know with certainty that what you have to say is heard at their deepest place...

Have you noticed how rapidly leaders who fall prey to greed and self interest are being exposed? Greed is an inordinate and insatiable desire for wealth, possessions, or power...

"You lead by focusing on clear accountability and motivating your people," said one of my bosses as she was training me. "Your success always follows if you start there."...

Resentment and anger really mess up organizations. It's destructive enough when individuals act this way, but when an entire team practices such fearful, negative thinking, the consequences can be dire. And who is accountable? In large part the leadership for not seeing the danger and, in many cases, tacitly ignoring it. (Think, Enron.)

ANE leader Don forwarded a recent New York Times article, Do Happier People Work Harder? A large research study shows people feeling worse about their jobs than ever before, many of them reporting frustration, disdain or disgust...

Advice from an ANE leader named Will in the UK:

All these signals of economic uncertainty build up our fears. It's as though things beyond our control have taken over, others are gaining and we are losing, and our jobs, careers and families are at risk...

What does it mean to be more spiritual as a leader? To me, it starts by recognizing that there is a power greater then myself to which I am very deeply connected. Then, it means intentionally doing something to tap into that greater power to help me lead people to better outcomes. How each of us does this,...

Do you have high standards of performance that you expect from people?  Most leaders do, despite often not knowing what it really takes for someone to succeed. But performance pressure is always present, whether from inner or outer sources. The key question is: When you think people are falling short, how do you best respond? ...

What unites us in A New Equilibrium is our desire to be better leaders through our spirituality. So, is this something we each put into practice on the fly, or do we need focused time to make a spiritual connection during our busy working lives?...

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Which direction will you be looking to find more growth this week? From outer resources or inner?...

I've noticed that we all seem to have unconscious negative thinking patterns that invade our leadership jobs. They show up as repeated missteps and mistakes, like worms burrowing into our job and career. Do you ever think "Why is this happening, again?"...

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Which one is the better leader by example? a) The person who shows me how to do my job, or b) The person who shows me how to grow as I do my job. I know....it all depends on the circumstances. But since b) embraces a) it's a great place to start helping someone...

Connected, Confident, Calm

Remembering you have a spiritual center can be challenging but appreciating the same in others can be even tougher. There's a real tendency to become conditioned by what we think people lack or can't do, especially in competitive cultures...

Calm, Confident, Connected

How is it going for you this week in leading by example? Yesterday, I had a practical experience that I'd like to share. I was sitting with a client, and having a hard time thinking through a complex situation. At some point, I began inwardly criticizing myself for not coming up with a good answer. Soon after, I could feel my negativity starting to lead our conversation in the wrong direction. ..

Calm, Confident, Connected

"Leading by example" takes on a deeper meaning for us as ANE leaders. We pay attention to the power of our inner core, our spiritual center, so we know our deeper attitudes are communicating as much as our actions...

Did you ever leave a meeting thinking, "That was a real downer." Chances are you were part of a team focusing really hard on what's missing, rather than what's available. Repeated negativity, in a group setting, rapidly becomes the downward spiral to group victimhood, isolation, and defensiveness. Poor results always follow, often amplified by group gossip...

"In my day, we had it tough...."

Do you think leadership is harder or easier than it used to be? Seeing how rapid change brings more individualism, greed, and fighting, I wonder if you think it's more difficult to lead these days?...

There's a joyful vitality to ANE leaders who keep their spiritual center fresh. They are in a state of constantly letting a power far greater than themselves help them lead, yet they also stay solidly grounded in their goals...

We just ran events in UK and US - many thanks to all those who attended - entitled The Spiritually Intentional Leader. Hear what our Trustee Phil Herman, CEO of PH Tool, said at the end of his inspiring talk to those gathered at the Summit in Princeton:...

As ANE leaders, we make the choice to integrate the spiritual dimension into our jobs, in part because respecting this unique presence in others helps us expand it in ourselves...

Why do we ANE leaders do spiritual work to stay confident in our leadership moments? Not simply to become better balanced for ourselves. We also care about lifting the people we lead or serve...

Does your heart delight in the growth of other people, especially those in your team? Beyond helping them achieve goals or improve relationships, isn't it wonderful to help them become stronger at their essential core, or spiritual center, and grow in broader ways? There's a joyful feeling to it which is so precious to us as ANE leaders.

What is it that builds the connection between a leader and his or her followers? Think of people in your job and look closely. Is it the power of reward for delivering on target, or the way people keep their relationships nicely positive? Or is there something much deeper going on? ...

Growth is the principle that drives all our leadership. It focuses our energy toward the career stage ahead, the improved team performance, and all our life goals. It is indeed a truly motivating concept, but there are two common misconceptions...

It's the power we give to our circumstances that largely determines the course we end up taking. If we see our situation as lacking or threatening, we make fear-based decisions that always narrow our pathway forward. If we look at our circumstances from the position of sincerely wanting what is best, we power our decisions with a sense of greater possibility that broadens our pathway. It's the leader's choice. And in the modern workplace it can be very challenging indeed, especially when one's entire team is reacting fearfully to change....

The desire for resources to produce more can be a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can come from a positive creative urge to improve, and, on the other, it can be the cry of someone struggling to make best use of what exists already. The ANE leader's job is to look deeper to find the most productive balance...

Is it possible, in this full speed world, to be a successful leader and also stay calm? Or is all this discussion of peaceful rest and balance providing an excuse for people to slack off?

Calmness in not simply appearing to deal well with stress. Calmness stems from the work we do to preserve the connection to our essential core, our spiritual center, as we go about leading. This instills in us a deeply centered calmness that energizes people and shows them a balanced way to grow. It also improves our decision making and relationships, and enables our teams to create in safety...

Spiritually intentional leaders have a faith that really works. More than belief, we make the decision to get our faith involved in the practical ups and downs of leading so that better outcomes are achieved for all. Growing together in how we do this is the purpose of ANE...

Want to be a better leader? Start by accepting that your mind alone can never come up with all the answers. Only then can the power of connectedness start to enrich you...

Want to understand how your inner power, your essential core, can really help others be successful? Find some people at work you admire for being truthful and ask them for feedback:

"What is it I do that helps you succeed?"

One of the key learnings of being a spiritually intentional leader is that your organization or team is in some way reflecting your own spiritual state.

(For this example, please picture the Looney Tunes Tasmanian Devil cartoon character spinning and biting whatever it happens to bounce into. Is that you at your job some days?)....

The more we stay well-balanced in our leadership moments the better off we are. But when our negative responses get triggered, that calm, confident, connected feeling can be so hard to sustain. We end up making poor decisions and, even worse, we know it. We sense our spiritual wheel is wobbling, but the time and space we need to get ourselves righted gets crowded out...

There's a wonderful energy and rhythm that comes from someone who decides to become more connected to his or her essential core, or spiritual center. It lifts them beyond the deadened feelings of inertia toward the joyful experience of being fully engaged with life. The pathway of greater contribution follows quite naturally...

The whole idea behind being more spiritually centered at work is that there is a wonderful power within us, at our essential core, that we can enjoy and call upon in any situation. As ANE leaders we are learning practical ways to do this that really "stick" as permanent work habits for greater professional effectiveness and personal fulfillment.

It's one thing to be aware of our essential core, our spiritual center, but it's another to be able to engage its power as we experience all the stresses of our jobs. Stress crowds out our willingness to engage. As one ANE member put it recently, "The willingness I feel on Sunday doesn't seem to carry over to Monday with sufficient force."....

It's self-evident that in order to improve things we have to be willing to start doing some things differently and better. Driven by our circumstances, we see clearly enough where we need to get to, but all too often it seems like we don't even get to the starting line...

An ANE Member recently said:
"The energy of ANE people is amazing. Something happens in a room of these leaders, you can feel it."

Just last week ANE members in Europe met on a conference call to help each other on the theme of Staying Calm at Work. See if any of their great suggestions "stick" for you this week...

Tap into the source of your higher purpose in all the practical moments that make up your day. For example, try a momentary prayer or affirmation as a way of intentionally seeking a better pathway that you might not be consciously aware of...

People ask us to "get into the right spirit" of things. What they really want is for us to give them our whole support, not just our superficial nods but the commitment of the deeper parts of us too...

Gifted, well-fed, and grateful! I hope this holiday time has also been wonderful for you and your family, despite any wintry weather...

If only I could have been there to help John. He was a leader I respected, and now his family faces the hardest of times this holiday....

Giving and receiving gifts can be tricky. It's supposed to be about expressing genuine gratitude for relationships but, in practice, cultural expectations and taboos tend to condition everything...

Someone asked in our recent survey: How does an ANE leader deal with a superior who withholds information in order to keep power and control? This is a very real issue - at work and elsewhere - and depends a lot on each circumstance...

Being busy at work is a good thing. It brings energy and confidence to all aspects of one's life. But too much busyness can quickly knock us out-of-balance. We get tugged down unnecessary channels because of our unfettered involvement in situations... 

Saying thank you is much more than acknowledging a gift or contribution. When we put ourselves in the humble sense of gratitude, we are operating at a deeper level of connection. That's the ANE leader's way...

In these fast-paced recessionary times, the out-of-balance feeling is very common. A big part of this issue is "I" thinking, as in "I must", "I oughta", "I gotta". Our targets wind us up tight and when the busy world interferes with us, we feel like we have to push ourselves even harder...

Some of ANE's Trustees were recently composing a phrase for ANE's purpose:  We are a community of leaders committed to a journey of enlightenment that allows us to leverage our spiritual resources for professional effectiveness and personal fulfillment...

Do you ever find youself agreeing with people who say change is so hard for people?  If so you may be reflecting a need for a shift in your leadership approach...