Leading Visions to Action             February 2008
Organizational and Business Development Consulting

IN THIS ISSUE
Cross Currents Communications
You Attract What You Are Clear About
Performance Management & SMART Goals
Cross Current Communications
 Creative Solutions for Changing Times
ORGANIZATIONAL MANAGEMENT CONSULTING

Meeting Facilitation

Talent Management
Performance Management
Volunteer Management
Virtual Teams
Instructional Design

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Marketing Communications
Visioning & Small Business Development
Career Management

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www.sherylsever.com
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SHIFT in ACTION!


Noetic



Marshall Rosenberg

NVC







The 4-Hour Workweek


Personal Development


A General Theory
of Love

Newsletter Archive

Blog
Greetings of Aloha . . .

Its' 2008- let's collaborate!. Hopefully you are feeling refreshed and ready to bring forth your greatest dreams.
February has been bursting with new activities.
 
I decided to start the new year on a holiday in Maui (my first time on that magical island).  It was truly  a wonderful way to refresh and rejuvenate, release a lot of monkey mind clutter, eat lightly, do yoga with community, and get clear on what's important to me.

I imagine many of you have been to Maui, but if not, I highly, highly recommend the Hana Coast.  I felt such a deep peace there and rate her exquisite beauty right along with several other of my favorite places: the Baleares Islands (Spain), the Cyclades (Greece), Bali, and several islands in Southern Thailand
(Koh Lanta, Ko Samui, et. al.).  Yes, I'm an island girl.

I re-discovered what CLARITY is on this journey and that no matter how many goal-setting programs/workshops we participate in,  if we don't SEE and FEEL the DESIRE for an intended reality (as if it is occurring NOW) then the goal remains just that- a wish on a list.

That's why I am such an advocate of Vision Boards and Vision Statements. They are fantastic platforms for COLLABORATING and COMMUNICATING with OTHERS what we see US (you, me, them, ) CREATING.

We are living in most amazing times of radical shifts and unprecedented change.  Breathe into your heart and discover what makes YOU come ALIVE.  Share Your Visions.

In heartfelt collaboration,

Shera
(aka Sheryl Sever)

Gaining Clarity:
You Attract What You are Clear About
maui
You attract what you are CLEAR about.  You only get what you really want!


For me, getting clear and staying balanced is an on-going process- it's life-long learning and discipline!

Balance: What are your Daily Rituals? 

Exercise, yoga, meditation, live, healthy food help create the anchors that allow us to "come back home" to ourselves. When I am feeling out of balance, it's usually because I slipped out of self-discipline (why meditate when I can check e-mail?) and into some sort of unfocused swirl.

Choose daily rituals that support optimal life force - practices and habits that are cleansing, balancing, and clarifying.

For me, a weekly mix of meditation, yoga, or dance along with time outdoors everyday and a mid-day, healthy, "green" meal helps keeps me grounded.

Clarity: What Makes You Come Alive?

To help you with this process:
  1. Look at what you loved being, doing, feeling when you were between the ages of 7-14. These are the keys to your true passions.
  2. Make a list of these activities/experiences. Did you love singing? How can you bring that back into your life now? Did you give up a dream? Bring it back, write it down as if it is happening now.
  3. Ask Yourself: What's the essence/sensation in these activities/experiences? As Abraham-Hicks says,  "Move towards what feels good."
  4. Ask Yourself: What would I do if I knew I wouldn 't fail?  Sit with this question. Write out 20-30 brave responses.
  5. Create a Vision Board. Find images (on-line, your own photos & drawings, clips from magazines) that support these brave statements and serve as a mirror to your VISION. Giving attention to your Vision Board everyday will keep you focused on your vision, dreams and desires.Yes, that's right, you CAN have that Now."
  6. Discover kinesiology and learn a few exercises combining mental images, movement and eye patterns. Releasing the mind clutter and reprograming/ retraining your brain (balancing the left and right hemispheres), creates space for the voice of clarity to speak through you. Negativity, fear, and paralyzing doubts come from confusion (lack of focus) and unfulfilled desires.
  7. Share your vision and desires with others. We can't do it alone- why would you want to? Own, love, and share your vision.  It's your responsibility. 
If it's humanly possible, you can do it!

More and more, I am seeing inspiring results as I partner with individuals and organizations, and give structure and direction for their dreams, visions, and business initiatives. 

My passion is collaborating with others to achieve big visions, and
I'd love to support you!  Click here for more information and to schedule an initial consultation.
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"I was immersed in my day -to -day business, unable to lift my head up long enough to remember the long -term vision, what got me started, and who else I wanted to bring along.  Sheryl's very focused questioning and assistance with short and long-term goal setting has helped me  to feel calmer, more in charge of my business, and also to recognize that the hiccups along the way may well be necessary side excursions.

"The Future is Now" exercise I seized on immediately and it sits on my laptop desktop, in the middle, all on its own.  It is the first thing I see when I click to open, the last thing when I click to close. I visit it regularly, see if I am on track, modify it occasionally to bring in new realities."

Green Mary, Business Owner, Sustainability Educator


Performance Management:
S.M.A.R.T. Goals


Flickr- Creative CommonsThis is the time of year that many organizations and companies are involved with performance reviews- often looked upon as a dreaded, obligatory, time-consuming process with huge paper trails, and slow, if any, changes. 

Today, most companies have  automated their performance management systems, and with the money and resources saved, invest more into human capital:  learning, development,
or  on-going, integrated performance coaching. Designing learning and development programs are  important strategies for small and developing  businesses to build into their Human Resources Management Plan.

Performance Developments Pland (PDP's ) and Individial Development Plans (IDP's) are based on shared goals and vision, specifically how an individual's talents and strengths, along with their desires to learn new skills, contribute to
long-term business and organzational development goals.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals have long been the standard formula for fundamental goal-setting practices. S.M.A.R.T. Goals are:

Specific: Clear, Concise, Concrete
Measureable: Demonstrate what has changed or improved
Achievable: They are possible given the conditions and circumstances
Relevant: To the persons, systems, processes involved
Time-Based: Have a begin & end date

As we continue to move away from top-down leadership and adopt non-linear models that social networking and new media encourage, I've created a few other descriptions for leaders and managers to consider when coaching your associates in performance and individual development planning.

 S.M.A.R.T Goals revisited:

Specific: AND Stretching, Systematic, Synergistic, and Significant.
Measureable: AND Meaningful, Memorable, Motivating, Magical.
Relevant: AND Realistic, Reasonable, Resonating, Results-Oriented,
Rewarding, Responsible, Rooted, and Remarkable.

Time-Based: AND Timely, Tangible, and Thoughtful.

An ideal PDP should include organizational/business goals, performance objectives, action steps, measurements, completion dates, and related personal development goals associated with one's overall responsibilities and functions within the organization.

Most importantly, cultivating a environment where your associates are empowered, trusted, rewarded, supported, and encouraged to be part of the solution, will ensure long-term sustainable results and higher retention rates.

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"Would you tell me please, which way I ought to go from here?", asked Alice.
"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to", said the Cat.
"I don't much care where", said Alice.
"Then it doesn't matter which way you go", said the Cat".


May all beings be happy and at peace.  May all beings be safe and free.
 
Shera
aka Sheryl R. Sever, CVO

Cross Currents Communications
Creative Solutions for Changing Times

Marketing & Business Development
Organizational Leadership
Facilitation & Instructional Design
www.sherylsever.com