All posts filed under: Gratitude

5 Ways to Crush Virtual Meetings 

Published by Colin Nanka

Crisis is an opportunity. In the virtual environment, we are now in for the next few weeks at least, virtual meetings will take center stage. Here are four reminders on how to run your most impactful meetings and keep peoples attention. 1. Use Data Stories are 22 more memorable than facts. Data is an attention grabber.  Follow it up with an insight of your own and then ask a question to drive a successful dialog just like news anchors.  2. Story Telling Stories activate parts in the brain that allow the listener to turn the story into their own ideas and experience.  If I said, I am going to start this meeting off with a story, pause and reflect on how that makes you feel. 3. Repeat Peoples Names Bob, storytelling is 22 times more memorable than facts. I’ve often found that when I start a presentation with a story, people are more engaged. Bob, what has your experience been?  4. Repeat You Key Messages  People only remember 10% of what you present in a virtual …

7 Ways To Get Through Isolation

Published by Colin Nanka

In the upcoming weeks, I will be focusing on writing on “crisis creates opportunity“ With all of us a little more separated in the coming weeks, even the most positive of us can feel isolated or down. What are the things that bring you joy? In the past, I have written down things that bring me joy and sprinkled them in my schedule over the coming month. I am doubling down on what brings me and my family joy. Here is my list of 7. I encourage you to create yours. 1. Having an afternoon nap with the family 2. Playing on the floor with my daughter 3. Writing more blogs 4. Reading more pages of books than I have in the past couple of months 5. Speaking more to our neighbors and seeing how they are doing 6. Eating Banana Bread 7. Going on long walks outside with the family Create your own list. Put it on your iPhone. Sprinkle it into the upcoming month. Defeating Average in Crisis. Colin

Crisis is Opportunity + 7 Recommendations

Published by Colin Nanka

In turbulent times, having the right questions to ask yourself every morning is critical. This helps shift you into the right headspace. What I am excited about today? What could I be excited about today? What am I grateful for? What will bring me joy today? What is possible? As we all head into unprecedented times, we need to come together and support one another. Your family, your neighbor, your community. Top 7 Things I am thinking:   1. Prioritize – If it does not support my family, my friends, and community, my company, or bring me joy, I am cutting it out. 2. Rest / Recovery – With less movement and travel comes the opportunity to recharge. Sleep is where 90% of the body heals.  A good thing to be focused on right now. 3. Reconnect with your family – We are often “busy”. Now is the time to support one another, and where possible look eyeball to eyeball and help each other. 4. Breath – Whether being mindful or just slowing down and fully …

4 Ways to Keep Connected When You Work Remote + 1 More!

Published by Colin Nanka

More than 70 percent of employees around the world work remotely at least once a week. Business Insider     1. Build Trust – 58% percent of people say they trust a stranger more than they trust their own boss. Ugh.   Strategy – Learn about your employees or boss.  Who is in their family, kids, dog, birthday?  Write it down to review monthly.   Ask how their family and significant people are in their life at the start of weekly meetings.   2. Show appreciation   Strategy – Say Thank You, often! Put reminders in your calendar to thank your employees throughout the year for choosing your company and you. They have choices. Be specific in the feedback on what they did and how it helped you and the business.   3. Communicate well   Strategy – Be available to help coach them through situations, know their personal style on how they like to communicate best.  Chat, email, phone. It took me a year to realize one of my employees much prefers a quick phone …

10 Questions to Get You Laser Focused for 2020!

Published by Colin Nanka

“The power to question is the basis of all human progress.” Indira Gandhi (Third Prime Minister of India 1917-1984)   One of the things I love most about the turn of the year is the ability to look back and reflect on the accomplishments of the previous year while getting excited about all the experiences and potential of the year ahead.  I’ve been delving into the questions below for a number of years and they have helped me supercharge my goal planning process. Here is part 1 of the exercise: What did you love in 2019? What were some of your Magic Moments? What was magical and extraordinary? What did you accomplish in 2019? What are some of the things from 2019 that you want to duplicate in 2020 What did you hate in 2019? What do you not want to have happen again? What did you learn by going through these experiences? Why were they incredibly valuable? What decisions did you make in 2019 that were empowering for you? What were some of the …

If he can do it, I can do it

Published by Colin Nanka

If he can do it I can do it  He showed up every day, whether he felt good or not. In 1980, when I was six years old, a young man named Terry Fox who had his leg amputated due to cancer captivated a nation. He was a regular guy who did something extraordinary. He was a young and vibrant 18-year-old University student in Canada. While recovering in the hospital he saw the impact cancer had on other young kids.   He said “coach, I didn’t understand cancer affects young people and they are giving up. They are not trying. While I was there, kids my age and younger, passed away. What can I do to give these people hope to keep fighting?” He asked himself “what can I do with one leg?” Powerful Question Terry heard about a man who ran the NYC marathon with one leg and that was the spark. Famously he said, “If he can do it I can do it.”  He created the Marathon of Hope and trained to run near a marathon …

The Compass to Finding Your Next Gear

Published by Colin Nanka

Continuing our conversation from last week, I was recently talking to a friend about teaching people to overcome tough obstacles. If you read about Navy Seals training and experience they say “when you think you are done, you have 40% more left in the tank.”  I experienced this in the desert running. When you run a marathon a day for four days and still have 50 miles left to go, it’s a little bit of mental confusion and anguish. You are anxious. Many questions and thoughts come into your head: I am finished! This is tough, I can’t do this, this is crazy, how could they possibly think we could do this? The challenge: Crossing the chasm. How can I possibly get there? Approach: Ask better questions. Reflect Get Curious Get Resourceful Lean-to Action Inspire yourself Reflect: Wow this is really hard, what is the learning opportunity for me?  Life is hard and this is pushing me to the limit of my potential. Get Curious: What is possible for me at this moment? Get Resourceful: How do I …

Everything you need is inside of you

Published by Colin Nanka

Everyone at some point thinks: I’m not good enough I am not strong enough I am not thin or big enough I am not loved I am not smart enough. But you are. Everything you need is inside of you. Like Leonardo da Vinci chiseling away from a block of marble a masterpiece, so lives the best version of you…that is good enough, strong enough, thin, big or strong enough and truly loved. Defeating Average. Colin  

There is never a perfect time

Published by Colin Nanka

If you wait until everything is perfect before starting a new challenge, you will be waiting forever. The time is now. – Bill Phillips We all have wanted to take on a new opportunity, goal and or hobby. There is never a perfect time.  Can I do it? Can I afford the time? The money? Am I too old? Too young? Doubt creeps in.  Use powerful questions to outweigh the doubts and get started for the new year! Colin

How to stop the mind turning 

Published by Colin Nanka

The mind is always turning. The ability to real it back in is the key. Like a playlist on the radio station of your mind that plays the same five songs and worries, work on noticing and come back to being present. Acknowledge the tunes, see them pass by and focus on what’s important. It happens to all of us. It’s what you do with them that makes all the difference. Colin