Get Momentum

Get MomentumHow to Be a Resilient Leader

Improve your EQ (Emotional Quotient) to recover from challenges. Practice techniques to support yourself and your team when times are tough.

Course Work Goals:

Use challenges as lessons learned.

Practice mental techniques that build

resilience.

Build habits to focus on success during uncertain times.

What It Means to Be Resilient . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Self-Assessment: How to Be a Resilient Leader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Quotes for Reflection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Jodi’s Perspective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Jason’s Perspective. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Overcoming Obstacles with a Clear Vision and Great Conversations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

A Resilience Mindset and Tool Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

6 Ways to Look at Resilience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

5 Tools and Mental Techniques that Build Resilience . . . . . . . . . . 14

Exploring Resilience in Real Life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

3 Daily Habits to Be More Positive During Chaos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

2Get Momentum: How to Be a Resilient Leader

Challenging times are here. No matter what organization you work in, public, private or non-profit, you’re going to have some tough days. Do you have what it takes to succeed? When it comes to tapping into your own motivation, accomplishing more at work and in life, and your health, wellness and well-being, knowing how to “recover from a setback” is a skill all leaders need to enhance.

Understanding yourself, knowing your own motivations and believing you’ll succeed are all important factors leaders must spend

time on every month. When it

comes to leading others, there

is a strong scientific correlation

between being able to perform

at your best, help your team

AND bounce back when times

get tough.

What It Means to Be Resilient

Resilience (noun): the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties;

toughness; the ability of a substance or object to spring back into

shape; elasticity

“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.”

– Bansky


What It Means to Be Resilient (continued)

We need to know the challenges that cause us to feel stress. There is constant pressure to perform at work, heal relationship problems, manage financial difficulties, and simply keep up with the number of tasks you must do. Of course, you know that all stress isn’t bad, but chronic stress can take a toll on our minds, bodies, and behaviors. Too much stress, for too long, and the people you work with will turn into ineffective, reactive leaders themselves.

Research proves that people can learn and use specific resilience skills (such as optimistic thinking, relaxation strategies, choosing one’s attention) and positive routines (good sleep, scheduling in fun, and so on) in order to better manage stress. You can bounce back quicker after a setback, be more effective in your professional pursuits, develop stronger relationships with others, be physically and mentally healthy and be more satisfied with your life overall.

Resilience is a skill that you can learn. We define resilience as the ability to survive and thrive. Being resilient is about more than just positively adapting in the face of adversity and challenging circumstances (survive). It is also about learning the positive skills, strategies and routines that enable you to live a happy, fulfilling and meaningful life (thrive).

We highlight the importance of promoting core resilience skills, strategies and routines. In turn,

resilient people are more capable

of creating and maintaining

responsive, supportive and

effective work environments

while also optimizing their own

wellbeing and love for both the big

and small things in life. By the end of this course, you will have learned skills that you can apply to be a resilient person.


Self-Assessment: How to Be a Resilient LeaderRead the prompts and mark “N” for NATURALLY or “W” for WHEN I REMIND MYSELF for each one.

If you read the prompt and do it without thinking, that’s Natural. On the other hand, if you need to remind yourself to follow that advice, choose the second option, “W.”

1. In a crisis or chaotic situation, I can find the calm and take action to balance the stress. ____

2. I am optimistic; the challenges I face are temporary, and I know I’ll overcome them. ____

3. I can manage the uncertainty and ambiguity I know I’ll face (at work and in my life). ____

4. I adapt, often quickly. In the past I have bounced back from difficulties and even feel stronger because of it. ____

5. I play. I’m funny. I can often look back and see the humor in tough times, and even laugh at those times occasionally. ____

6. Though I endure setbacks and loses, I’m able to recover. I have a network of friends I reach out to, and I can express my feelings to them. I ask them for help. ____

7. Though I feel anger, loss and discouragement, those feelings don’t last long as I use the techniques I know to move past them. ____

8. I am confident, acknowledge myself regularly, and have answered that first “Momentum Question” [What do I want to be known for?] for most of the roles I play. ____

9. I’m a curious person. When it’s time to move through tough times, I ask a lot of questions and want to know what can work. I am comfortable trying new things when the time is right. ____


10. Looking back on tough times, I know that I’ve gained valuable lessons. I even share those “Lessons Learned” with the people I work with and mentor. ____

11. I’m a Problem Solver. I don’t wait for someone else to tell me how to get through the challenge; instead, I look for and create solutions.

____

12. People would describe me as flexible. They know that I feel comfortable managing complex situations and as much as I’m an optimist, I can also acknowledge the reality of what’s happening.

____

Your answers to Prompts: 1_________ 5_________ 8_________

Is it time to work on acceptance? The more accepting of “what is” that you are, the easier it is to address the issues you face and find solutions to fix what is in your control. Don’t dwell on the “ugly,” don’t pretend nothing’s wrong. Use your focus and strength to get momentum.


Is it time to change your perspective? Resilient leaders have the capacity and fortitude to see the whole picture. Being able to take everything in means you can see the situation from all angles and points of view. Practice changing what you look for, and you’ll see new ways through challenges.


Become more persistent. There are many examples of leaders achieving success because they stuck with it. To become more resilient and persistent, study the life of someone you look up to. Study their life (their biography) and learn what it took for them to succeed!

Self-Assessment: How to Be a Resilient Leader (continued)



Start taking smaller, positive action steps. Review chapter 7 of Get Momentum: How to Start When You’re Stuck. Want a couple of tips? Draw a mind map—using a big piece of paper, and many colors—and then set a meeting with a mentor to ask, “What small action step can you help me think of to get back on track?”

Life and work…it will be challenging. Sometimes, the difficulties will be even more than you think you can handle. Use the activities throughout this Course Work (especially what you learn during the Master Class) to identify specific tactics you can use to be resilient. Every experience you’ve had has prepared you for the next challenge you’ll face. If you’re growing, you will face challenges.

Review the first question from the book: Get Momentum. “What do I want to be known for?” Remember, that question is not meant to ask you for your legacy. Instead, we invite you to choose a specific role—in life or at work. And, pick a time frame—90 days to 365 days from today. Once you identify those details, answer that question with as much clarity as you dare.

You’re in Get Momentum to improve yourself; how you work, live and respond to change and challenge. One way to do this is to meet—regularly—with other people who are also improving themselves. We’ve found that as coaches when we coordinate Mastermind events (have you read the book: Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill?) that people learn the most when they share the most.

Find someone who’s also willing to look back and find “lessons-learned.” Identify the event, the lesson and what you could do differently in the future to be better. To Get Momentum. To achieve success.

Bouncing back means you’re able to look at what happened, feel what’s happening and step in to what’s coming next. Put yourself in a position to help yourself, and share what you learn with others.

Just think, you just may be the mentor or coach someone needs to make it through the tough time THEY are facing at work…or in life.

The Resilience Quiz (continued)

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Quotes for Reflection

Reduce Stress

As you reflect on each of the quotes below, take time to think about your own life and work. How can you use these suggestions to be more resilient?

Acknowledge the connection between body and mind.

“The player seems to be immersed in a flow of action which

requires his energy, yet results in greater power and accuracy.”

– W. Timothy Gallwey, The Inner Game of Tennis

Reduce stress.

“You can precondition your mind. You can precondition it to sleep.

You can precondition it to success…that which you constantly think

is going to happen, tends to happen.”

– Norman Vincent Peale, The Amazing Results of Positive Thinking

Renew and re-engage your motivation (motive for action).

“The ultimate meaning necessarily exceeds and surpasses

the finite intellectual capacities of man; in logotherapy,

we speak in this context of a super-meaning.”

– Dr. Viktor E. Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning

Develop your executive and leadership skills.

“Think about what you have to do, and do something you’re thinking about.”

– Jason W. Womack, MEd, MA

Think and plan more clearly and holistically.

“Meet with your mentors, absolutely. Just make sure that

at the end you have a plan to take action.”

– Jodi Womack, MA


What does the word “Resilient” mean to you? To me, it means more than strength, more than fortitude and more than just “bouncing back.” Over the past few years of coaching leaders, business owners and friends, I’ve recognized that being resilient means we can adapt from stress, trauma or even tragedy.

While Jason and I researched, and wrote this Course Work, I called people I knew who had been resilient. I talked with entrepreneurs who’d failed in businesses, friends and family who’d faced cancer and clients whose lives were changed during the economic recession of 2008-2009.

Specifically, I talked with two friends: Shelley, who lost her young daughter after fighting a life-long disease, and Erin, whose husband Chris—a longtime friend of Jason’s from his teaching days, and a Get Momentum member—while out for a Sunday morning training run was hit and killed by an intoxicated driver.

Shelley told me how it’s still strange to not be known as “Giana’s mom” to anyone anymore. Her loss of identity is part of her grief. She’s working still to re-imagine her “new normal.” And Erin told me about this new life she’s living. “The choice to be resilient is an easy one in the moment. The hard part is knowing I’ll have to do it again tomorrow.” She described it as her “new true north.” That instead of bouncing back, she must bounce to…to something new and different.

Shelley said, “I’m not looking for a guru or mentor to fix me. I want someone who’s been hurt and knows how messy this all is.” Then she said, “I keep talking about my disappointment when it feels safe. My circles meet me there.”

You are stronger than you think. We all are. Be vulnerable, be strong, ask for the help you need and learn from every lesson you live.

That’s what resilient means to me.

Jodi’s Perspective


One of my teachers said, “You’re not going to go look to be motivated when you’re not feeling motivated.” Talk about a mind-bender! You see, in the real-world we get hit. Sometimes we get hit hard.

In the past decade, I’ve had to be resilient while founding and running a business with my wife, traveling up to 50% of the time while training to race in triathlon and taking risks that cost us time AND money.

Recovery Time – Jodi and I have used this term to describe the amount of time we can go from “freaking out…to back in love.” (Yes, you’re getting a bit of the ‘behind-the-scenes’ here!) I’ll always remind myself, “If you want to complicate your life, start a business with your wife.” We have set up systems AND processes so that we can more easily move between what we’re responsible for to the world, to each other and for ourselves.

Healthy on the Road – A while back, I flew on 168 airplane flights in one year while sleeping in hotels more than 250 nights. That year, I placed in the top three finishers of the triathlons that raced in. I could do all that by focusing on the goals, the prize and the process of doing all the work I was accountable to do. All while training to perform the way I wanted to.

I Trust the Process – As a business owner, I make decisions every week (sometimes daily) that impact our bottom line. Since I’m married to my co-founder, co-author, business partner and best friend, these decisions affect us, our relationship and our livelihood!

Years ago, we “rented” space in bookstores at more than 50 airports throughout America to sell my book. The experiment cost us $10,000/month in fees (did you know that?) and in the end, we had to walk away because the results weren’t there. In this case, resilience was what we needed so that we could “bounce to” a new tactic. We had to walk away from what didn’t work and focus in a new direction.

I hope you get as much value out of using the strategies we’ll coach you to practice as we have by using them ourselves!

Jason’s Perspective


Overcoming Obstacles with a Clear Vision and Great Conversations

You won’t know how important it is to be resilient right now…until later. As you look back and realize you “stuck with it”—that you were a resilient leader—you’ll see how important it is to learn, practice and share these skills with others.

Here are opportunities you’ll have to be resilient:

■ Maintaining wellness and fitness habits.

■ Learning new leadership and productivity skills.

■ Connecting with a new demographic of customer.

■ Preparing healthy meals to take care of your body and mind.

■ Leveling up your business/portfolio; meeting with new clients.

■ Creating personal relationships built on trust (at work and in life).

Create a Clear Vision 90-365 Days Out

It’s difficult to be resilient now when you’re always running in real time (or behind!) and feeling stuck, frustrated or stressed. Gain control and become more resilient by practicing the tools in the book: Get Momentum: How to Start When You’re Stuck.

Step 1: Choose a specific goal you have that you will be able to achieve within 3-12 months.

Step 2: Review Chapter 5 of Get Momentum. Create 3 specific milestones that ensure you’re on track to achieve success.

Step 3: Implement the 30/30 Rule (see pages 70-72 of Get Momentum). Work for 30 minutes a day on a part of the goal that isn’t due for 30 days or more from now.

Optional, Step 4: Meet with a coach. Start here: www.MeetWithJodi.com.

http://www.GetMomentum.com/book



http://www.MeetWithJodi.com


Overcoming Obstacles with a Clear Vision and Great Conversations (continued)

There are 3 kinds of conversations you can have. Each one will help you be more resilient. During discussions at work—and at home!—be mindful of the conversation you’re having…and be sure to have the conversation you need!

Transactions:

These conversations are the “Gateway to Productivity.” When you handle this level of collaboration and living together, everything is easier.

Questions to Ask:

“Did you…?” “When can you…?” “How will we…?”

Relationship Building:

Relationships are built on trust. The better you handle the transactions, you more you build trust and confidence with one another.

Questions to Ask:

“How are you…” “What support can I offer…?” “How are you doing with…?”

Opportunity Development:

60 months from today, the life you lead and challenges you face will depend on the strength of the relationships you’ve built with the people you work and live with. Handle the transactions, build the relationships and develop opportunities that can make your life even richer.

Questions to Ask:

“Who do you know who...?” “What need don’t they know they have?” “What should we start thinking about sooner rather than later?”


I Have: Mentors, Structure/Routines, Strong Relationships

Who do you know and what do you do that makes it easier to be resilient? If you have a copy of the book Get Momentum, reflect on the question you’ll find on page 51: “Whom can I learn from?”

I Am: Proud, Resourceful, Loving, Kind

Review Momentum Question #1, found in Chapter 3 of Get Momentum: “What do I want to be known for?” Remember, don’t answer that question for your entire life; instead, think about one role at work or in life that you want to be more resilient in and write your answer.

I Can: Communicate Clearly, Ask for What I Need, Solve Problems

On page 8, Jodi wrote about her friends who had gone through tough times. One lost a daughter to a life-long illness. The other lost her husband while he was out on a training run near his house. Jodi learned that “We are stronger than we think.” Identify what you can do, focus on it and move on to your next thing.

A Resilience Mindset and Tool Kit




6 Ways to Look at ResilienceBuild a tool kit you can return to in times of adversity. Here is a process to practice for when you need it most. Many GET MOMENTUM members tell us they use this “checklist” when they feel stressed or overwhelmed. The moment you know where you are in the process, look at the stages above or below…it’s how you move through the challenge.

■ What Is? Suddenly, “shift happens.” Some surprise shows up at work…or in life. “What is” isn’t the way you want it; these are the things that spark us to need to be resilient, even though we might not be ready.

■ Look Over There. We look—often outside ourselves—for some example, some way of being that we “should” be. We know it’s time to make a change and we look for something to do.

■ Just Do It. Do. Something. Anything! Get going, quick, with some idea/tip/hack to try and make things right. Movement feels good!

■ Failure. Yuck. The “Quick Fix” doesn’t always work. The action you take might not be enough to get you out of the funk or solve the issue.

■ Try, Try Again. Now, you look around. Or ask for help. Or find other resources. You roll up your sleeves, get busy and stick to it. Instead of giving up, you go all-in and achieve success.

■ Experience (The Great Teacher). That effort you made, the information you found and the actions you took all lead you back to a state of equilibrium. Sure, things are going to go weird again, but you now have even more tools to use in the future.


5 Tools and Mental Techniques that Build Resilience

1. Power of the Network – In times of crisis, having a network of supportive people to reach out to is crucial. Not only because they can help you solve problems, but because support from other people can boost your emotions.

Studies show that people who have strong connections with others are more resistant to stress and happier overall. A little laughter can also help relieve stress. According to the Mayo Clinic, a good crackup releases endorphins, stimulates many organs, soothes tension and can even improve your immune system over the long term.

So, when you’re dealing with stress, reach out to the people who make you feel good. Whether you choose a friend, co-worker, spouse or a mentor is up to you. Remember, your network is there to support you, so grow your trusted network of support!

2. Ask Better Questions – When dealing with difficulties, knowledge is power. Every piece of information you gather might help you navigate the situation.

So, it’s really important to ask great questions. Encourage conversation and the transfer of information by asking open-ended questions. Open-ended questions cannot be answered with a “yes” or “no.” They require more sharing of information. For example, you might ask a client, “Do you like the overall message of the ad?” The client may answer with a “yes” or “no.” When you have a next-day deadline and your client is not pleased with the product you presented, a better choice might be, “What’s working for you?” and “Can you give me an example?”


Tools and Techniques that Build Resilience (continued)

3. Discover and Identify With a Signature Story – Your signature story is your unique telling of who you are, where you’ve been and why you do what you do. Your story tells people how you got to where you are. In some cases your story will include some adversities you were able to overcome. A signature story can serve you as an affirmation: by affirming why you do what you do. And why others should believe in you. By identifying a signature story, you can use it to remind yourself of the incredible resilience of which you’re capable. It also makes it clear that no matter what comes along, this story of you will sustain.

4. Improve Your Self-Talk – That negative voice can really mess with your head in times of struggle. Remember, you have the power to influence self-talk. When you catch yourself thinking negatively, turn it around by creating an opposing statement. For example, say you’re struggling with weight loss. After a friend shares a personal success story about their journey with weight loss, you catch yourself thinking, “I could never do that.” The next thought might be, “Nothing works for me.” You might oppose those statements by following up with, “I could do that,” and “That could work for me too.” The stories you tell yourself are yours. Only you can change them.

5. Write out Ideal Days – Jason has been writing and re-writing Ideal Days since 1995. An Ideal Day is like a compass to direct your decisions and goals. The chance of you experiencing an Ideal Day from start to finish aren’t very high, but you’ll be setting yourself up to achieve individual parts of that day more often. Set a timer for 15 minutes and write. If you need some inspiration, read the prologue and Introduction to “Your Best Just Got Better” for an example of the Ideal Day Process.

http://www.yourbestjustgotbetter.com


Exploring Resilience in Real Life

Here are four activities designed to help you go beyond your own personal definitions of resilience and aspire to a level of persistence and perseverance that may surprise even you!

1. Interview someone. Ask if him or her if they had it “tough” – Do you have a friend who has won their battle with health issues? Or someone who bounced back from a career setback? Interview them over lunch or a coffee to find out more about what drove them during that difficult time. Ask what tools they used to fuel their resilience to overcome their obstacles.

Summarize what you learned:________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

2. Start writing your “Resilience Biography” – From time to time, professionals are asked to create a biography—for a proposal, or a blog, or an introduction. Whether or not you use a bio in your career, it’s smart to have one, so this activity will have you creating your own “Resilience Biography.” Start by making a timeline of the last 10-15 years. Highlight your accomplishments along with the challenges you faced. Write a 75-150 word bio that highlights your ability to overcome adversities and succeed.

My Resilience Biography “timeline:”

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________


Exploring Resilience in Real Life (continued)

3. Practice Affirmations – In chapter four of “Your Best Just Got Better,” you learned that “Things are the way they are because of the way you think.” This powerful statement means that you have the power to effect change in your life. Whether you use a vision board, index cards, or a loose leaf paper taped to your bathroom mirror, your subconscious mind responds to positive messages about what you want in your life. Create some affirmations that directly address the areas where you anticipate some challenges. Let them highlight your ability to persevere and demonstrate resilience.

Resilience Affirmations: ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

4. Be Influenced – Pick something real that you’re planning to finish 90-365 days from now (at work or in life). Maybe you’re going to pursue another professional credential. Or, perhaps you’re going on a dream vacation. Either way, practice being influenced. Talk with people who will positively influence you. Invite them to meet you, share what you’re working on and ask for their advice. Be very (very!) aware of how they use their understanding of you to motivate you and influence you to take their advice.

My experience getting someone to influence me:

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

http://www.YourBestJustGotBetter.com

http://www.YourBestJustGotBetter.com


These daily habits will take between 60 seconds and 10 minutes. You have the time for this! Each habit is designed to help you “bounce back” when times are tough. Practice each one daily, and let us know what you learn about yourself!

#1: Practice Being Mindful

Every bit of your self-talk competes for your attention. The moment you focus on one thing, the others are gone—for a moment. Do this on purpose, for just 60 seconds. Focus on one thing, on purpose, and ignore everything else. When you come back, use that feeling of heightened awareness when you’re on the phone with someone or thinking through a big project.

Hint: DON’T call it “slowing down.” Every part of your being will fight it! Instead, remind yourself that you’re making your work and life easier, more elegant, more effective and…more productive.

3 Daily Habits to Be More Positive During Chaos


#2: Anticipate Upcoming Needs

Next, open your calendar and your Momentum Journal. Review the weeks starting a month from now (at least 30 days out) and make a list of things “you’ll wish you’d started thinking about sooner.” This will prepare you for the 30/30 Rule, and you can read all about it on pages 70-71 of Get Momentum.

It’s not always easy to be resilient in the moment; sometimes we’re just trying to make it through. But, when we look back, THAT’S when we get to see what we did, and how we did it. Start anticipating future needs, and set yourself up for more success.

#3: Create Positive Emotion

Resilience is like a muscle, you can build it up over a long, long time. Sure, you want to keep your routines that create positive emotions, but watch that they don’t get stale. Make sure you change things up from time to time. Here are some ideas:Go for a walk. Even a 10 minute walk that raises your heart rate can change your mood. Take the stairs at the office, or park at the far end of the grocery store parking lot.Laugh. More. Call a funny friend, or find a podcast or TV show that will give you some light-hearted relief from the day.

3 Daily Habits to Be More Positive About Uncertainty (continued)

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