Now Is The Time to Think
As I type this article, the world is in the middle of a pandemic. All over the globe, families huddle together, waiting for the stay at home orders to cease. Single people are feeling more single than ever. Workers who feel unsafe, cannot take off work. Many more workers would gamble their health to be working to be able to buy more food. "Covid-19 divorce" is a trending phrase on Google. Domestic abuse rates are reportedly skyrocketing. Experts believe unemployment rates are somewhere in the range of 12-15 percent, (the worst on record since the Great Depression when unemployment reached 24 percent). A lot is going on but, but most of us have more free time than usual to think. Now is a time to think. Not to worry, but to think...
About these essays
MNDFL LDR Ideas is a collection of essays by executive coach Clifton Carmody on leading yourself, leading others and building a meaningful working life. Each essay starts from a real leadership situation, such as a meeting that drains the room, a setback that needs reframing or the moment you wonder whether coaching could help, and ends with something practical you can try. Clifton writes as both a former operator, with 24 years leading teams and operations, and a working coach: he is an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) with the Advanced Certification in Team Coaching (ACTC). The essays draw on research where it helps, such as Gallup's finding that managers account for at least 70% of the variance in team engagement, and on his coaching work.
Five topics the essays cover
- Leadership: how we lead people, make decisions, create accountability and handle hard conversations.
- Inner leadership: self-awareness, presence, emotional intelligence, confidence and resilience.
- Work and meaning: ambition, career, purpose, success, burnout and identity.
- Human development: behavior change, habits and the slow work of becoming more capable and aware.
- Ideas: books, thinkers, philosophy and observations on how people actually live and lead.
Questions about the essays
Where should I start reading?
- Begin with the Start Here page for an overview.
- If you're weighing support, read When to Consider Executive Coaching.
- For something to try this week, read Five Steps to a Better, More Mindful Meeting.
Who writes the essays?
Every essay is written by Clifton Carmody, founder of MNDFL LDR and an ICF Professional Certified Coach.
Can I talk with Clifton about an idea from an essay?
Yes. Start with a free, 30-minute Complimentary Conversation.