Hello: I Am a ... Role Model

Hello: I Am a … Role Model – here is your name badge for today… for every day. 

Indeed, I am a Role Model. You are a Role Model. We are all Role Models. The question is: When we show up in the world -- in our personal life and in our professional life -- what are we role modelling? How, exactly, are we showing up today… in this moment?  

I am inspired to write today’s Blog by the confluence of 2 recent events. First, in a recent coaching session on Influence – High Performance Habit # 5 -- we discussed this excerpt from Brendon Burchard’s new book, High Performance Habits: How Extraordinary People Become that Way, (page 248):        

“High performers give a lot of mindshare to thinking about being a role model. Seventy-one percent say they think about it daily. They say they want to be a good role model for their family, the team, and the greater community. 
….

To be clear, high performers do want to be perceived as good people and good role models. But that just makes them human. What makes them high performers is the laser-focused intention on how they can act in a way that gets someone to improve who they are, or achieve a specific result.”    

Wow – 71% of self-identified high performers in Brendon’s large research sample, think about being a role model every day, and inspiring others to take action. What an amazing challenge to all of us!  

The second event was the “Reunion of Ex-Cons” – my associates back in the day who worked at Continental Bank when it was bailed out by the F.D.I.C. and then subsequently bought by the West Coast Bank of America and then acquired by Hugh McColl’s NCNB to become the new Bank of America. So, I was thinking a lot about seeing a wonderful mentor and several close friends from those days and saying, “thank you.” Mission accomplished. And, I was amazed to hear so many stories of what people remembered about me, as we caught up on the last 20 years, and reminisced. I will admit, I never thought much about being a role model back then. 

Let’s start by reflecting on these questions: Who are the 3 most influential people in your life? Who are your roles models? Please pause for a minute and write their names down. 

I will share my answers:  

1. My Grandma, because she taught me strength, raising 7 children during the Great Depression while working at Macy’s in NYC, she showered me and everyone in the family with love and laughter, and she showed me the awe in nature.
2. My Dad, because he taught me humility, integrity and good sportsmanship.
3. My three mentors at different financial institutions over my corporate career because they challenged me to grow and allowed me to develop talents I never realized I had.
    

All my role models and mentors appear on a regular basis in my Daily Gratitude Journal. 

I hope you have written down your Role Models – and perhaps written a note of thanks or said a prayer of gratitude. Our Role Models fuel our aspirations and provide inspiration for our actions and leadership. 

One of the reasons why I love the Certified High Performance Coaching^™ program is because it frames habits, such as Influence, in a unique and always constructive way. Influence – is not about power, per se. It is not about getting people to do it your way or to do what you believe is “right.” Influence is about acknowledging the other persons’ talents and beliefs, asking questions and listening, stoking their ambition, and challenging them to think, grow and contribute to shared values and goals. That is the definition of Influence I can get behind – and love to coach. 

In many ways I view my bi-weekly Blogs as one of my ways to serve, teach people to think, share lessons I have learned and bring the joy of living as a high performer to my personal and professional relationships. 

For example, here are just a few of the call to action ideas from recent newsletters:    

1. Setting an alarm on your mobile to remind you once a day to live the 3 words you choose which define you at your best.
2. Doing your breathing – destressifying -- and following our 7x-7x-7x Formula.
3. Completing the free Quick Self-Assessment to determine your 4-Letter Personality Type so as to discover your Stress and Best Modes.
4. Beginning your new Morning Ritual.
5. Creating a daily Gratitude Journal.   

As I have developed this newsletter, Come Walk your Path: Invest in Yourself and Grow, I am drawing on the programs I coach – From Stressed to Best^™ and Certified High Performance Coaching^™ -- as well as my 6 life lessons detailed in Be Happy Now: From Wall Street Ambition and the Illusion of Success, My Path to Happiness.  

The interconnections and synergies are very important -- and cumulative. Celebrate the small wins. As Robin Sharma says: “Your days are your life in miniature.” 

Selected Meditation: Setting Your Intention for the Day

This week I want to highlight another meditation to consider adding to your bookmarks on Insight Timer: Jason McGrice: Morning Ritual: Morning Ritual . This guided meditation is a gentle, 10 minute start to your day with a call to set an intention for the day.

I have been using this meditation to set my intention for the day – being a Role Model to lead with a smile, to do at least one random act of kindness and to select the perfect opportunity and person in my life that day to lead by example – whether that be by asking the right question, listening or being a sounding board, challenging s/he to go to the next level, or congratulating s/he on a beautiful accomplishment.  

Neurons that fire together, wire together.  We can change our brain! My intention: I AM a … Role Model. 

Inspiration from Brendon Burchard: My Role Model for Coaching

So, exactly HOW do you become a Role Model? To continue to go deeper and explore  ideas on    how to become a Role Model, I highly recommend this podcast by Brendon Burchard, my personal Role Model for excellence in coaching: 4 Steps to Becoming a Role Model. Brendon on How to Become a role Model. 

I trust you will feel his energy and passion for teaching practical tips and encouraging all of us to be Role Models.

Till next time, 

 May you be happy now and always, Alison 

P.S. Please consider forwarding this newsletter to friends and family and business associates. Send this link and invite them to hit the Subscribe button on my website:www.AlisonLanzaFalls.com.

P.P. S.: Here is a link from my website to preview and purchase our book, “Be Happy NOW!” https://www.alisonlanzafalls.com/p/be-happy-now.