What Are You Doing Today To Honor Those Who Serve?

How are you honoring those who have fallen serving their country or how are you supporting those who are still living?

Growing up in England it was with poppies, pinned to my school uniform, and sold as fundraisers. Why poppies? Because they were the only flowers to grow on the barren battle fields in Europe during the Napoleonic wars of the early 19th Century. Remembrance Sunday is commonly known As “Poppy Day” and is a poignant day of remembrance each November. At school we all sold plastic poppies for raising awareness and funds for those who had served. 

On this Memorial Day in the US, there might not be any poppies, but a tradition I have followed for the last 11 years has been to complete “Murph” a workout named by the CrossFit community.  This was  created in memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005. This workout was one of Mike's favorites and he'd named it "Body Armor". It was renamed as "Murph" in honor of Mike who wanted nothing more in life than to serve his  country. Here’s the workout:

"Murph"
1 Mile Run
100 Pull-ups
200 Push-ups
300 Squats
1 Mile Run

I also learned this week there is a Peloton Murph created. I’ll be completing this workout today in honor of Michael Murphy. 

“Peloton Murph”
4 mile bike ride
100 Seated dumbbell press
200 Push Ups
300 Squats
4 mile bike ride. 

Are you thinking that you could never do that? Why not try and see how far you get? Every year as I struggle through the workout I remind myself of the painful life threatening struggles of those out serving their countries around the world. When I get tired. When I feel exhaustion, when I want to give up...that’s when I think Michael Murphy and all of those who serve and it gives me great perspective to keep pushing. 

Today is the day to consider how you keep pushing, honoring those we have lost who have served their countries, considering how your company is supporting veterans, and reflecting on everything we all have to be thankful for. 

Thank you Mike Murphy and all of those who serve their country.

Val

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How To Enjoy Everything Like It Is Your First Or Last Time

Ever look back and wished you’d appreciated something more? If only you had known it was the last time you would meet your team, travel to an event, see your family for over a year or more...might you had appreciated the moment more?

I am not a fan of regrets but I do believe in noticing what you have and expressing what I call Here and Now Gratitude.  It is what you need when your mind is wondering to what you didn’t do, could have done, should have done, wished you had changed...You have to ask yourself at this very second, at the very place you stand, seeing what you can currently see, hearing what you can currently hear, feeling what you are feeling right now, what precisely are you grateful for?

Here are some common reflection questions I often ask executives I advise:

• What is different about how you are handling this situation compared to how you would have a year ago?

• What have you accomplished recently - that can be your mindset, in your whole life, or could be business related?

• What did you do to show those around you that you are here, with ears, eyes, and your mind open to truly listen, not fake listen?

• Show me how you are capturing your achievements? Visually, hand written, a list or even as one of the CEOs I was working with... a graphic novel style summary of accomplishments. You can write it on the back of an Amazon box, I don’t care about the medium, what matters is that you memorialize it.

This past week, finally fully vaccinated, I packed my work suitcase for the first time, took a solo trip to a hotel so I could work in solitude, I also ran my first mask-free run (ok walk/slow jog let’s be clear!), and attended one of my daughters first in person athletics track meet. Each one of those events felt truly special as I they had been long removed from my life. 

I learned so much. I’d love to hear some of your new experiences and what you are learning from them. 

Have you been on your first flight yet?

Had your first in person customer meeting?

Finally met your new boss of the company you interviewed with and joined remotely?

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/

How To Delight Your Teams With No Meetings Days And Summer Hours

Does your company have summer hours? - What about No Meetings days?

When I worked at Land Rover’s British manufacturing plant, the benefit of summer hours had been negotiated by the labor unions many years before. It meant the work week finished at noon every Friday throughout the summer.  Those Friday afternoons were treasured by thousands of employees who got to enjoy the delights of a British extended weekend each summer. 

Why not introduce it in your company this summer?

Wondering how you will find the time to do that without a drop in productivity?

Here’s how:

I’ve guided hundreds of companies to introduce No Meetings days through my consulting work and in my books. This simple idea is needed right now in so many companies as research shows that burnout is increasing, Zoom/Teams Fatigue is real, and working from home actually means Working Endlessly at Home. 

It really is simple:

1. Pick a day of the week and declare it as a No Meetings day.

2. Give a couple of weeks notice to allow everyone to review and adjust their meeting cadence.

3. Question the value and return on investment of every meeting you currently attend and use this time to reset meetings to become more meaningful.

The time saved will allow everyone to actually do some work vs attending meetings to talk about doing the work. This will make a dramatic impact on your productivity and your teams ability to get things done, have time to think and create, and enjoy the summer ahead. 

I’d love to hear if you do this already or if you plan to. 

Dedicated to growing your business,

Val

P.S. I hope you enjoyed this week's VAL-uable Insights, sign up here to get them in your inbox each Monday morning: http://valwrightconsulting.com/newsletter-sign-up/