I simply love the “law of the rubber band!” I remember watching a video on the essence of the rubber band in leadership. The narrator talked about how on occasion he would wear a rubber band around his wrist. He talked about how at times in self-pity, he would allow negative thoughts like, this is too much work, or, I don’t have time to do this, or maybe I’m too tired, I’ll get back to this later. What he would do to refocus his mind away from those negative thoughts would be to pull that rubber band back as far as he could and “pop” himself on the wrist with it. He stated that this would always assist him by letting him know that those negative thoughts must be replaced by more positive thoughts. Sometimes you must be able to see that rubber band as a sling shot. Put it on your pointer finger and pull it back as far as you can. Now release it! Here the deal...always maintain a mindset that as you stretch yourself your hard work and diligence will one day take off just like that rubber band did when you stretched it and then let it go. Finally, don’t allow that rubber band to get too worn out. When necessary, replace it! Get rid of those things that may have worked for you in the past and replace them as you continue to grow and move forward. As with the rubber band, don’t allow yourself to be stretched so far that you break.

Dr. Joe certainly challenges us with every Leadership Latte, and this one was NO exception! Dr. Joe caught my attention when he mentioned "climbing your own ladders." How many of us have a Vision Statement for our personal lives? Many times, when relate to a vision statement it usually is of the mindset where goals and aspirations relate to business endeavors. But a leader's personal vision statement can also assist with ambitions and goal setting. It's my hope that I can assist in preparing a personalized vision statement... 1. Your personal vision statement should not only be an instrument for inspiring you to action, but it should also inspire others to action. 2. Your personal vision statement must convey to "you" as well as to others your expectations for the future. 3. Now ask yourself, what are my personal goals and dreams for the future. This should entail something that will give direction as to how you as a leader plan on making a difference. 4. Consider your skills, values, and your passion. Now here's what I love about passion...it can be defined as an intense emotion. It is an unyielding commitment to an activity or cause. Be mindful that passion must be toward something that you are willing to endure hardship and sacrifice for and not just something that you have fun with. Trust me, although I have much more to say on this topic, but I hope that I have added something of value to an already sturdy ladder!

Dr. Joe, your question is extremely thought provoking, to say the least. I believe that an un-written rule where a team may "unintentionally" feel a lack of inclusivity is one that I'm sure many of us have experienced at some point in our careers, and that is in the area of organizational change. I don't know about you, but organizational change seems to always bring with it "the resistance to change." A situation that I can recall initiated feedback such as "we've always done it this way", or why are we trying to fix something that isn't broken." A "resolve" to unintentional exclusion as it relates to change that may create a barrier which limits the sense of inclusivity entails the use of the 5 Ws. **By definition, these actually coincide with what Dr. Joe listed above... 1. Who - Always give clear and concise information on who will be affected, especially if that information changes. 2. What - Be meticulous about what the changes will entail 3. When - Sort out long term and short-term expectations 4. Where - Within what sectors of the organization can the team go for information on progress. 5. Why - Why are the changes needed. (Again, very thought-provoking Dr. Joe!)

Without question, as Dr. Joe mentioned, remaining consistent definitely gives big rewards! I want to share a couple of things that may be beneficial as well. 1. Small actions lead to bigger results. Always look to make large goals less overwhelming. In essence, make tasks manageable. 2. Prioritize your tasks by using what's called the 1-3-5 rule. Break down the (1) big task into (3) medium sized tasks, to also include a further break down into (5) small tasks. **Within this process, be sure to get rid of any tasks that gives you any hint of being irrelevant to achieving the larger goal. 3. Ensure that you do your best to prevent burnout. Using what's called the 7-8-9 rule can be very helpful. I know this is tough for most of us but try getting (7) hours of sleep each night. Spend about (8) hours a day on productive work. Spend (9) hours on personal activities like quiet time, exercise, family, and relaxation. Again, this can be difficult but it's the essence of beneficial consistency that we're trying to achieve.

I found Latte #36-Law of Awareness to very intriguing. What caught my attention was the question of "what challenges do I need to embrace"? I wanted to briefly share just a couple of things that I feel are important as it relates to my answering this question. 1. I think compassion is very important. Not in the sense of compassion for others, but compassion for "yourself". Negativity towards yourself and your belief in that negativity must be challenged and stopped at the root of its inception into one's thoughts. We can only believe in ourselves when we drive out those negative thoughts that have been around since most of us can remember. A strong belief in the outcome of what you're working to achieve is paramount. The old saying goes "if you don't believe in it, who will"? 2. This is the big one..."believe that you are worthy of GREAT things"! When I thought about this, I had to come to the realization at least "in my life", that I really haven't heard this very much from others. Change your thinking about who you are. Fill your mind with those affirmations and activities that build you up! And finally, stay engaged in this platform, Axis Leadership! It is a great place to start!! "REESE"