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relationship-matters
Posts in the relationship-matters category.
Relationship Vision Statement
In the corporate world, vision and mission statements provide riverbanks that keep companies moving in the right direction and help organizations reach their goals. I believe they can do the same thing for our relationships and families. In my coaching practice as I work with people on relationship matters, I have discovered that very few of them have vision and mission statements for their relationships. It has just not been taught in that context.
Read more →Intentions Spoken Are Promises Given
Do you remember the old saying, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions?" Well, so is the road to relationship failure. As a leader, I often hear people say that they will do this or that but they often do not follow through. In marriages I hear wives say, “Well, he promised.” And his response is, “I never really promised, but I intended to do it.” When I was a kid my dad would tell me that he was going to take me out to have some fun. He loved me and really wanted to spend time with me. I believe it was his honest intention to do so, however, inevitability something work-related would come up and too often he didn’t do it. I would sit looking hopefully out the window until my mom made me go to bed with me protesting, “No Mom, he will be here any minute.” Over time I stopped looking.
Read more →Honestly, Dishonesty Kills Relationships
Someone asked me recently what to do about a friend who continues to lie to them. Before I answer, let’s consider the damage that lies can do. We all remember the story of the boy who cried, “Wolf!” The simple message in the story is that because he lied about it several times, when the wolf did indeed come, no one believed him. The result was a very natural consequence – the wolf had lunch!
Read more →The Value Of Discipline
This week’s column is more about the relationship with our own selves than it is with others. However, since this does affect our relationship with others, I hope it will inspire you. I have been in transition lately, and it has led me to some self-discovery. My heart’s desire is to take my leadership skills to another level.
Read more →The Hidden Jewel
Treasure hunts are always fun. Kids love them and so do adults, though the adult version may look a little different. Everyone loves to find treasure. It could be a lotto win or an unexpected inheritance, or for those with imagination even a pirate’s chest buried in a city park. But it is always exciting to find something you didn’t see coming. There is also unrecognized treasure that is with us all the time within our relationships. Beautiful jewels, hidden from sight but very valuable. One such hidden jewel is LOYALTY.
Read more →Humble Pie Tastes Great
A friend recently asked me how to be humble. The question perplexed me somewhat because it seemed that she was seeking approval from the people she was coaching in order to have a greater connection and therefore be more successful. The reality is that humility cannot be turned on and off like a switch. Humility cannot be used as a vehicle to better our message or improve our brand. In this article I want to focus on principles that will foster humility within one’s life. We cannot offer what we do not have, so the simple answer to the question is to choose humility and then apply the principles that allow it to grow.
Read more →Being Right Can Be Wrong
I have a question: Have you ever sacrificed relationship for rights? Many times when I am coaching people, I tell them that they can be completely right and completely wrong at the same time over the same issue! How’s that? That’s what happens when we sacrifice the relationship for the sake of being right! In relationships as in society, there are times when we fight to be right without thinking about how it may affect others. Demanding to have my rights sometimes comes from a sense of entitlement. This can come from deep within, a result of insecurity, stubbornness or even pride.
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