A reminder of the poem read by Nelson Mandela at his inauguration.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?”
Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.
Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.
We are born to manifest the Glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people permission to be the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

Marianne Williamson

I remember a few years ago my Finance Director saying that it gets very lonely at the top.

Since then I have observed which senior executives cope well with the demands of a senior position. There are a few who are self-contained and have enough self-confidence for it not to worry then. However, the vast majority of people find it uncomfortably lonely and isolated the further up the organisation they rise.

Although our leaders have to demonstrate strength and conviction in their decisions the are still human beings and are have feelings and need social contact and a sense of belonging. Rising to the top often means working long hours and losing friends along the way so when you reach the pinnacle of your career no wonder you often feel isolated and exposed.

No matter how supportive the organisation is, as you climb the ladder of success, leaders are perceived differently and sub-ordinates often avoid discussing how things are really going thinking the boss won’t want to hear bad news. So as you become more successful in your career, don’t forget to use these  ways of finding support to avoid the loneliness.

• Actively use professional bodies or network groups to link up with like minded people who are in similar situations

• Engage a trained, independent executive coach to discuss matters from business issues, work-life balance or personal issues that may be impacting performance.

• Use friends and family. We often separate private and work life but those close to home can offer help and support.

As one of my “roles in life” is working with people to help them look after their health and wellbeing, I often find that younger and younger people are suffering from stiff or painful joints. Our western lifestyle of too much sitting, especially on chairs, stops us using our joints as they were designed to be used. Problems are now commonplace in hips, knees and shoulders.

The joints in our body both support us and help keep us moving but they can also start to creak and come under wear and tear. So it is important to give them some tender loving care to avoid injury and other problems such as arthritis, especially later on in life. So how can we look after them?

• Regular exercise will keep them in working order, strengthens the surrounding muscles that support the joint, and can relieve pain.
• Reducing weight will lower the pressure placed on joints, especially those of the knees, hips and ankles.
• Taking supplements such as glucosamine and chondroitin can help to build cartilage and keep them strong and increasing your intake of omega 3 oils may keep them better lubricated.

Whether you are running a marathon, generally active or a couch potato you can still invest in your physical wellbeing. Start off by looking after your joints as they easily get forgotten.

There are different types of leaders out there, some that scare us, some that encourage us, some that treat us well and some that treat us poorly.

Peter Honey identified 4 different leadership styles- directive, system, peer and goal power.

Directive Power – this assumes that people need to be told what to do. Leaders in this style tend to believe that people are motivated primarily by external factors and therefore need to be controlled and directed. These leaders believe their people are dependent upon them.

System Power – assumes that people need rules, regulations, policies and procedures to do what needs to be done. They influence people by telling them what to do but base it on prescribed systems.

Peer Power – this type of leadership works on the basis that people can be influenced and maintain a positive relationship of equals. This type of leader needs to be popular and receive approval from other people. They believe that you influence your people by being a good communicator, being sensitive, understanding and empathetic.

Goal Power – This style assumes that people will motivate themselves to achieve a given goal or objective. This type of leader believes that people will influence themselves and will demonstrate self-control and self-direction. They trust their people to work within the boundaries set by their objectives and for them to achieve the goals they have committed to.

No style is necessarily “bad”. Indeed, each style has beneficial effects in different situations. For instance the directive style is useful in situations where urgent solutions are required. System power is very effective when influencing many people especially if people are based in different locations. Peer power can be used to handle sensitive situations and goal power when you have competent, knowledgeable and reliable people in your team.

How do you prefer to be managed?

What type of leader are you?

How do you adapt to different people or situations?

Last month we talked about values. Values which are pertinent right now are those of Harmony and Co-operation. Harmony means being at peace with both oneself and with others. Co-operation means you place a high emphasis on teamwork, partnership and collaboration.

If harmony is  a core value for you, you will hate conflict and avoid it at all costs. Disagreements will cause you stress and anxiety. You are likely to be a good negotiator and enjoy working on a consensus basis.

If co-operation is important, you are likely to enjoy working with others for a common cause. You do not like spending too much time alone and want to deepen the relationships with those around you.

If these are not part of your core values, how could you bring in a greater sense of harmony and co-operation into the relationships you have with others?

If these are strong values for you and you associate with at least one of them, then your talents could be needed right now!