What if stress, pressure and overwhelm are not required for EMS? There is a pervasive belief in EMS that stress, pressure, overwhelm and even burnout come with the territory; that due to the nature of the job, stress is a given. And it’s no wonder! Virtually every waking moment we are in survival mode, (also known as “flight or fight” mode) … [Read more...]
Slow down to speed up.
"I don't believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive." - Joseph Campbell When's the last time you felt truly alive or were in the present moment experiencing life vs. hurrying, frantically trying to get it all done? Most professionals today struggle to stay ahead of the game … [Read more...]
Are you taking care of you?
All too often self-care is the first thing to go when we are under stress. It can feel frivolous or like a luxury when there are so many things demanding our attention. We implore you to reconsider that thinking. The MOST IMPORTANT element for peak performance to occur is physical and mental well-being. Study after study has shown this to be … [Read more...]
Welcome Dissent. Wait, You want me to do what?!
As leaders, sometimes we don’t want to hear the bad stuff. We don’t want to hear the reasons why not. We don’t to hear more of what people are gossiping and complaining about. We don’t want to hear it, mostly, because we don’t know what to do with dissent. That’s where the shift needs to occur. Consider there is nothing to do with dissent … [Read more...]
It’s Not What You Say; It’s What They Think It Means
Despite this most people spend the vast majority of their energy and attention on what they are going to say rather than how it is going to be listened to. People listen through their assessments, opinions, interpretations, expectations, etc. Despite the fact that these things are based on past experiences and have very little (if anything) to … [Read more...]
Do people hate change?
Do people resist (or hate) change? Your immediate answer might be yes – but let’s examine this belief more deeply. If you won a large sum of money, would you resist collecting your prize? If you had a great idea at work and it was implemented, would you resist seeing your vision come to fruition? If you lost weight, would you resist a … [Read more...]
Never Believe a Prediction That Does Not Empower You
If you are like most people, you are plagued with thoughts day and night that are disempowering. You talk to yourself in ways you wouldn't tolerate from anybody else. This negative self talk does more than just make you feel bad; you often get "talked out of" the very things you really want to do ("I don't have to go to the gym today, I'll … [Read more...]
Creating an EMS Organization that Doesn’t Suck
Does your organization energize you or bring you down? Do you dread your board/staff/member meetings? Does it seem easier to just do it all yourself rather than get people to step up? Are you counting down the days until your term is up or until your next vacation? If you answered yes to any of the above it is an indicator that your … [Read more...]
EMS Leadership – Not doing it all yourself: Part Two
[If you haven't read Part I, check it out] In order to not do it all yourself you must have reliable motivated people around you that you can delegate to. Consider, if you don't have those people around you it’s a function of how you are leading, i.e., it’s you, not them. This is good news because all you have access to really changing is … [Read more...]
EMS Leadership – Not doing it all yourself Part 1
Fill in the blank: If you want something done right . Most people fill in the blank with some version of “I have to do it myself.” This pervasive belief is one of the main reasons for the overwhelm and frustration many leaders experience. We’ve all had a situation at one time or another of relying on someone … [Read more...]
