Wisdom Gained and Lessons Learned in January

Sometimes trying to evolve into the best version of ourselves means we have to get downright uncomfortable... sometimes emerging victorious and sometimes not.

I’ve got some great nuggets of wisdom to share from an incredible January 2020, as well as a colossal failure that I hope we can all be inspired by and learn from! 

January 14-20, 2020:

I headed to San Diego to drop off my daughter Megan at Kerry and Colin Smith's Journey Retreat. Megan is 20 years old, a total rockstar student and all around human being who happens to struggle with severe anxiety at times. Kerry is a colleague of mine, and my husband and I have been through her program. It’s intense, and I worried a little (ok a lot) if the baby in the family could or would not want to handle it. Megan went, rocked it and is forever changed with new life changing tools to manage her anxiety, be happier and ready for her next chapter: transferring colleges...

The Impact of Full Presence (May Surprise You!)

On a scale of 1-10...

... how do you rate yourself on how present you are with those who matter the most?

Despite running hard at their dreams, high performers are remarkably present, especially with those who matter the most. Let’s not wait until tragedy strikes until we realize we should be more present... or worse yet, to lose the opportunity to be present and then have to live with that regret.

Here are a couple ways to take your presence to the next level, so you can make others feel seen, heard and cared for:

1. Put down everything you are doing, and look into their eyes
2. Be explicit and tell the person "I really want to hear you"
3. Hug the person or say goodbye like you may never see them again. 

Full presence elicits emotions in others that helps them feel safe, heard and cared for. It will in turn help you to be congruent with who you are and how you’d like to be remembered. 

We are all busy chasing...

How To Use Strategic Humor In Leadership

Strategic humor has the power to build relationships, relieve stress, and boost creativity, along with many other outcomes beneficial to the workplace. Humor strengthens bonds and can completely shift the mood of your environment. And the best part? Anybody can learn how to implement it! Watch my interview with global speaker, coach and neurohumorist, Karyn Buxman as we discuss this important topic.

Here Are a Couple of the Main Take-Aways and Action Items:

1. How strategic humor can increase your impact and bottom line.
2. The difference between how men and women use and interpret humor in the workplace.
3. How to use strategic humor to gain influence even if you are not funny.

To be notified for future interviews sure to connect with me here on LinkedIn AND to lear more about how to build the mindset and influence for real change, join our community at www.SherylKline.com.

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How to Get Clear on What Really Matters

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Do you ever get distracted and veer from what’s most important?

Maybe you’re so busy that you don’t have time to focus on what really matters to have massive impact this year? 

We all do, but there are a couple things that sets the best apart from the rest.

It's time to "course correct"... so you can fully lean into this year.

World-class performers have laser-like focus when it comes to their long-term vision and their short-term progress. Thankfully, there are tools we can all learn, so we can have remarkable clarity and focus too and achieve what may have (at first) seemed not possible.

Here are two tips to get started:

1. For Long-Term Focus: Create a Personal Manifesto.
   Olympians are remarkably clear about their future ambitions, and they visit them often. They visualize what they want in an extremely vivid and visceral way, and they are consistent about bringing their...

The Mindset to Achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #5, Gender Equality by 2030

Ending all discrimination against women and girls is not only a basic human right, it’s crucial for sustainable future; it’s proven that empowering women and girls helps economic growth and development. I had the honor of interviewing fellow Women in Cloud presenter and Global Chair and CEO of Ideagen®, George Sifakis. We had an impactful conversation about Ideagen's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development goal #5 which is gender equality.

Get Answers to These Questions and Action Items:

1. Who are the benefactors when women are empowered and supported in the workplace?
2. What roles can men play?
3. What's the goal of the United Nations Sustainable Development goal #5 (gender equality)?  What does it stand for?
4. What progress is being made now?

To be notified for future interviews sure to connect with me here on LinkedIn AND to lear more about how to...

The Local and Global Impact of Equality in the Workplace

Equality in the workplace reaches far beyond a paycheck, and there is a massive upside for everyone if we can start to aggressively close the gap, sooner rather than later. Watch my interview with distinguished professor at the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and founder of the Center for Equity, Gender and Leadership, Dr. Kellie McElhaney as we discuss this important topic.

Here Are a Couple of the Main Take-Aways and Action Items:

1. Next level equity in the workplace will require next level courage for members of dominant groups.
2. There is not a level playing field for all women in the workplace, so 'gender equity' is incomplete and inaccurate.
3. One thing that can be done is for members of dominant groups to actively seek out members from non-dominant groups and ask what they need and listen.
4. Members of non-dominant groups can continue to ask for help to articulate what they need.

To be notified for future interviews sure...

Personalized Signed Book + Live Book Club = Impact

Your goals and dreams will not likely come true if you don’t gather new tools and a new mindset for your new ambitions.

Are you ready to accept the challenge of realizing what is rightfully yours?

If you’re a resounding "YES!", I’d like to invite you to a private (FREE) book club in January 2020 where I coach you live through my book, ZONED IN: The Mental Toughness Required for a World-Class YOU.

These live sessions will take place each Tuesday at 3:00 p.m. PST throughout January. 

The only thing you’ll need to do is to grab my (discounted) book here by December 31, 2019 … and I’d be happy to ship you a personalized signed copy so you can follow along. The book contains my entire "ZONED IN" framework to help you gain the clarity and confidence to transform you from where you are now, to where you want to be in the coming year and beyond. 

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How to Get Clear on Your Work-Life Counterbalance Plan

Have you ever tried to balance your work, personal wellness and family... and felt like you are coming up short?

Work-life balance, based on what I’ve experienced and heard from thousands of ambitious women, is a myth that only makes those who chase it feel frustrated and mediocre. Our lives are not perfectly balanced all the time, and sometimes we must swing one way or the other. There are times when our relationships or personal wellness require more of us, and times when we need to allot more time to work. Let’s decide AND give ourselves permission to make shifts, so we can achieve that next level of ambition and joy that you want and deserve... both at work and at home. The idea behind work-life counterbalance is to get more intentional about what matters most and then get clear on how to create a counterbalance that works for you. 

Here are a few tips:

1. First Assess How You Define Your Best Self.
   
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Time for an Internal or External Pivot?

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If you can tell by the sheer horror on my face (see this blog article's photo) hearing from the amazing Emma Tommory what was expected of me prior to opening the Women of Silicon Valley 2019 conference this past May, I've definitely been afraid to pivot, to serve at a higher level and have the impact my heart was telling me to go after.

I imagine you’re already successful, but you’re feeling like there is more (impact, joy, contribution…), it may be time to pivot. Whether it’s an internal pivot in your company or your current career, or an external pivot toward something totally different, this typically takes a great deal of personal influence.

Here are 3 tips to get started with an even more influential mindset, so you can start taking more action towards what your heart is telling you:

• Believe in yourself, your ideas, your worth, and your contribution.
  If you don’t believe you...

Need to Perform Under Pressure?

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Tiffany has a very important meeting coming that will determine funding for an impactful project. Last quarter when she was presenting her data and making an argument for buy-in, she was challenged. Tiffany was told that her numbers didn’t add up, and there was no clear argument for receiving funding. She was angry that she had no support in the meeting and also fearful that she was losing credibility. This anger and fear disabled her ability to pause, regroup and then better influence her colleagues.

The result? 

No funding, and a lot of frustration and disappointment.

With coaching, here’s how Tiffany learned to prepare her mind and make sure emotions didn’t get in the way of her expertise the next time she had to show up and deliver.

1. Acknowledge and Validate Emotions: 
   For example, “I’m worried about an upcoming important meeting, and it’s ok.”...