Dondi Scumaci Blog

Once in a while you bump into a service practice so bad it’ll have you shaking your head in disbelief.

A (BIG) company I do (A LOT) of business with sent me a letter today with a compelling offer – a way for me to save money on the services I use with them. I called to inquire and here is my short list of BAD BEYOND BELIEF customer engagement practices:

1. The “customer service” representative was more intent on me “proving” my customer status then on connecting with me.  With an almost endless list of “prove it” questions, we were off to a shaky start.
2. I did not have my latest statement in hand because we’ve been encouraged to go paperless. This annoyed him. Apparently I was unprepared to be served. Shame on me!
3. When he was finally satisfied that I am indeed a paying customer with a paperless statement, we moved on to the “because you are a valuable customer” letter in my hand. This is when he informed me I do not qualify for the offer I had received because…wait for it… I am already a customer using the services listed.

Mind blowingly BAD! 

I don’t like being disqualified as a customer. And the really crazy part of my story? Before receiving this letter, I liked my services and felt like I was getting a pretty good deal.

I won’t insult you by reversing the points above to outline the best practices for customer engagement. They’re in there and I know you’ll find them.

Even for an “almost” unflappable traveler, this had been a tough travel day. All the elements of delay were working overtime – broken planes, weather and traffic jams in the sky. It was on the last leg of this “endless trip” that I met one of the most amazing communicators on the planet.

This was a small plane. You know the one I’m talking about. (You practically fold yourself in half to board, your knees are firmly glued to the seat in front of you, the engine noise is deafening and you must force yourself not to think about how really, really small this tube is.)

I allowed myself a small sigh of relief as the little “rocket” taxied to the runway. We were finally going. This trip would finally end.

Just then the pilot delivered some discouraging news. Apparently we would be waiting “indefinitely” for our turn to take off. He graciously explained all of the (very good) reasons for this, but my heart sank just a little. It wasn’t nearly over after all.

That’s when the ruckus upfront started.

A man in the first row (sitting in the seat my knees were pasted to) became increasingly agitated. His traveling companions tried to quiet him. He wasn’t having any of it. His voice grew louder, the language became more profane and he actually started kicking the wall in front of him!

This behavior was beyond childish, the language was unacceptable, and kicking the plane? Are you kidding me? Are you out of your mind? I was furious on so many levels and gave his seat a firm nudge with my cramped knees. That didn’t help.

He was escalating out of control.

Because I had visions of the pilot turning the plane around for security reasons, I leaned forward to whisper a very stern warning in his obnoxious ear. Just then the flight attendant appeared. She had been watching this passenger carefully and now my worst fears would be realized.

She would scold him. She would crisply tell him to settle down or the plane would turn around.  I held my breath waiting for her to recite the security procedures for passengers who misbehave.

Instead, she knelt down. She met his eyes and quietly said, “Sir, what do you need?”

He was stunned! Speechless! He stopped kicking! All of the angst drained from him and he said, “I’m sorry. This has been a really long day and I am so uncomfortable. I can’t breathe in small spaces.”

She brought him a glass of water, acknowledged his frustration, and continued visiting with him. Before long, he was smiling and laughing and breathing. The show was over.

As the plane took off, I was thinking about the power of those words, “What do you need?”

The natural response to this really “bad” behavior may have been quoting rules and threatening consequences. I’ve seen those responses on planes…and in workplaces. When people behave badly, we may be tempted to meet resistance with power. It sounds something like this: If you don’t do what I want you to do (right now), you will be sorry!

Instead, this amazing communicator chose to meet resistance with understanding. She reached through the ugly behavior and located the person – the tired, frustrated, panicked human.

Is this guaranteed to work? No, it isn’t. But I have seen communication miracles unfold when people apply the wisdom in the steps she used:

1. Equalize the posture. This amazing communicator didn’t “stand over” the agitated passenger. She knelt to meet his eyes. She was confident enough to share the power.
2. Reach for understanding. Agreement is not the goal. Understanding is. This passenger’s behavior was beyond ridiculous. I’m fairly certain the flight attendant did not appreciate or agree with it. She didn’t allow that to become the issue. She reached behind the behavior to find the need. As the wise Zig Ziglar teaches, “Fix people first. Then fix problems.”
3. Use questions to draw out solutions. Amazing communicators ask questions that point to solutions. They understand “telling” or lecturing does not get people involved in solving. Questions give people a sense of control. (That’s a little magic when people are feeling powerless.)
4. Focus on the real objective. I’m a big believer in objective-based communication. Go into every communication knowing what you are trying to achieve. The attendant’s objective was to calm the passenger. Her objective wasn’t to make him “wrong” or to “put him in his proper place.”
5. Think like an improviser. Life and work are a lot like Improv Theater. Improv is based on the theory of “offers.” Everything that comes “at us” is an offer. The objective is to “receive” the offer and “advance” the scene. Amazing communicators are very good at this, even when the other actors are inexperienced or behaving badly, they know how to gently redirect the scene to more productive place.

Here’s to amazing communicators everywhere! You literally and virtually know how to help us rise above the noise and get us where we need to go.

I was stunned recently when a long-time client called to say, “Our team is not functioning well. We need help…soon.”

While it’s not uncommon to hear a team is struggling to be effective, it was a huge surprise with this particular group. I’d been working with them for many years and had always known them to be nothing short of high performing. It was hard for me to imagine them in a “dysfunctional” place.

When I arrived a few days later, my plan was more about discovering the issues than “fixing” the people. I truly wanted to understand what was causing a mature, productive team to unravel at their virtual seams. We began the process by exploring the flow or  “current,” with a deeper dive to confront the undertows. What exactly was dragging this team under?

When I asked team members to describe their “current reality,” the answers were fascinating. They used words like ragged, stressed and overwhelmed.  Tensions were running high and hot. People were feeling defensive and reactive.

Rapid even relentless change was a major theme in our discussion. For months the company had been reaching for ways to become more efficient and competitive.  Resources were limited and goals were aggressive. Everyone was being stretched…too the limit.

My first impression was “change fatigue.” The group obviously needed a moment to stabilize before tackling the next initiative, but there was more to uncover. The symptoms and causes were morphing into a new (and very dysfunctional) brand.

Conflict had become a real threat. Where they had once enjoyed productive and constructive dialogue, they were now sniping at and about each other.  Pseudo teams had formed and clichés had emerged. Clearly the established ground rules and communication agreements had been thrown overboard.  (As we worked to diagnose the problem a hospital metaphor popped into my head. If trust were a “patient” in this place she’d be in on life support.)

This team had slipped a gear, and these new patterns of behavior were chipping away at the culture. The rapid decline was astonishing! And there was definite fallout: a top producer had just resigned and another was actively seeking a new opportunity.  Good people were leaving for all the wrong reasons.

What may have been most telling happened when I asked the group to share recent accomplishments and breakthroughs. The room fell silent.  These fabulous people were struggling to recall a success!

They had become so focused on the deadlines and next steps they completely lost sight of how far they had come or how they’d grown.  That’s like climbing a mountain without ever stopping to admire the view.

Then it struck me. This team had not forgotten how to be a team; they had forgotten to value the process and recognize the progress. The constant emphasis was on “”what’s next.”

That’s an exhausting way to work (or live)! We absolutely must sense our progress. It is to be noted and celebrated and…studied. This is so important because our past achievements light the path for the next success.

A meeting that can help your team make that shift is called “Appreciative Inquiry” and it works like this:

1. Ask your team to think about a time when it overcame an obstacle, seized an opportunity, achieved a goal, or solved a problem.

2. As your team reflects on this achievement, ask questions to draw out the specifics attitudes, skills and behaviors they used to navigate the challenge. For example:

• What made us so successful in this situation?
• What challenges did we face?
• How did we overcome those challenges?
• What did we learn along the way?
• What skills did we use?
• What did we believe about this challenge?
• How were those beliefs reflected in our behaviors?
• How did we honor each other through the process?
• How did we each contribute?
• How did we grow as individuals and as a team?
• What did we “add” to ourselves?

3. Capture the answers and insights so they are visible to the group. You are writing a success story here; the authors of that story need to see it clearly!

4. Once you have explored the success thoroughly, ask your team how it can apply these skills, beliefs and behaviors to create a new break through. How can you intentionally use these attributes to navigate the current reality?

This exercise looks for the best in people and processes. It encourages teams (at work and at home) to diagnose success and focus on what works.  In a season of frustration or weariness, Appreciative Inquiry turns the focus from “what is wrong” to “who we are” and “what we can do.”

I used Appreciate Inquiry to draw success out of this struggling team. It was amazing to watch the transformation as they reflected on the history of their own success. It was a David and Goliath moment!

They re-engaged with the mission and each other. They laughed (and cried) as they told the stories. They filled eleven flipchart pages with the attributes and attitudes of success!

It turns out they weren’t dysfunctional after all. They just needed to remember who they are, what they are capable of, and what it feels like to win…again. It was an honor and pleasure to remind them.

If you’ve been following this 3-part series, Meetings that Can Change Everything, you’ve learned that:

1. Victory Meetings help us energize and celebrate. They increase our appetite for winning and give us the opportunity to cheer others on. Victory Meetings encourage the heart, build confidence and renew our strength.
2. Extreme Focus Meetings invite involvement and collaboration. This is important because for people to be authentically engaged, they must be authentically involved. Use Extreme Focus Meetings to develop ownership and commitment, solve problems, and improve processes.
3. Appreciative Inquiry diagnoses our success and teaches us to do more of what works…intentionally. It helps us value the process, recognize the progress and leverage our strengths.

We would love to hear how you apply these meeting tactics with your teams at work and at home. You are invited to share your experiences and successes with us here and with our Facebook community at Dondi Scumaci’s author page.

Most of us can probably relate to meeting “overload.” One study suggests that managers spend 30% – 40% of their time in meetings! Even more staggering is the fact that much of that meeting time is considered a total waste of time.

Still, there are meetings that will make a difference. I believe there are three meetings that can change everything – focus, momentum, expectations, and results. In a series of three articles, you will have the opportunity to consider the difference these meetings can make for you and your teams. We’ll start with the “Victory Meeting.”

Victory Meetings have been going on in my house for almost twenty years. My son grew up on these Friday evening rallies – for him they are the norm. Fridays just wouldn’t be Fridays in our family without a Victory Meeting.  Of course that hasn’t always been true. I can still remember our first few (mildly embarrassing) attempts.

At my insistence, we had gathered at the refrigerator to declare our successes for the week. To say my son wasn’t fully onboard would be an understatement. “This is so dumb,” he said.

I replied, “Dumb or not, every Friday we will meet here with a list of our achievements and victories for the week. We will celebrate them properly by posting them on the refrigerator. We will then whistle and cheer and clap. The dogs will bark and the neighbors will wish they lived in this happy, happy house filled to the brim with victory. Any questions?”

I can still see his eyes rolling, but he humored me.  So our tradition began. Every Friday evening you would find us at the refrigerator, faithfully reciting our achievements and cheering for each one.

It was a wonderful moment when I realized the Victory Meetings were no longer a “motivational Mom’s requirement.” They had become something more. We looked forward to them; no matter how tough the week or hard the road, we honored our victories by sharing and celebrating them.

Something else happened too. Something profound. The victories became the focus of our conversations and expectations. When we looked at each other we saw winners. We noticed what was right and good and strong about each other.  (That’s powerful, because whatever we look for in each other we certainly will find.)

As the years passed and our schedules became more complicated, we had to get a little creative. A telephone was installed next to the refrigerator in case someone had to take the meeting by phone.  More than once I found myself cheering from an airport or a hotel. Somehow the victory meetings were even more important from the road; this was a standing appointment that connected us to our goals and aspirations and to each other.

Now my son is all grown up (with a refrigerator of his own) and he still he phones on Friday evenings with a list of victories. Apparently, until he has a “team” of his own, he plans on keeping this appointment. That’s just fine with me!

I’ve presented this tool to thousands of people over the years; it’s always a favorite. It’s also free. It’s simple and costs nothing to implement. These meetings are a success strategy for work teams and family teams. I highly recommend them.

And the testimonies keep coming. I hear about work teams that are more engaged and cohesive. I hear success stories about family teams too. (Many of them started just like we did with much rolling of the eyes.)

Just last week I received an email from someone who attended a workshop many years ago. She took the victory meeting to heart; then she took it home. Faithfully her family has gathered every week for the Victory Meeting. It’s a tradition that encourages the heart, builds the team, and refreshes the spirit.

Next time we’ll talk about Extreme Focus Meetings. Until then, here’s to the victories you will bring to the refrigerators of your life!

We can learn a lot about each other and ourselves by putting together a jigsaw puzzle.

I can still remember the puzzles of my childhood. It was a tradition around the holidays to set one up and work on it a little at a time. We reveled in finding a really hard puzzle for my father who was very good at putting them together. (Now I see his “puzzle skills” had more to do with process, patience, and focus but when I was small it just looked like a magical ability.)

Our puzzles became a gathering place and a compelling goal. If you even walked by it, the puzzle would practically call your name, draw you in, and consume you! Everyone who stopped by was invited to play. It was very satisfying to find and place one of the pieces. (Especially if that piece had been very elusive!)

More than once I shouted, “I found it! I found it!” Everyone in the house would come running and congratulate me on finding a very tricky piece. (All grown up now, I suspect some of those “finds” were left there for me – strategically placed for my discovery and delight.)

Yes, I think you can tell a lot about a person (or a team) by the way they approach a puzzle.

In my work now, puzzles are fascinating metaphors for experiencing teamwork, process improvement, problem solving and resource management. I use puzzles to create breakthroughs with groups and the puzzles rarely fail me.

One exercise reveals how we build invisible walls between the parts and pieces of the organization. It demonstrates how important the big picture really is, and it “tells on us.” Our approaches really do signal our intentions and assumptions.

The exercise is simple. It is sometimes profound.

Imagine a room arranged with tables set for small groups.  These groups become what I call “table teams” in a workshop. At each place, a single puzzle piece is waiting for attendees to arrive. There are also a few random pieces thrown into the middle of each table. Participants are simply instructed to put the puzzle together and they go right to work.

Clearly, they must collaborate with each other by contributing their personal pieces. The “extra” pieces are quickly used too. We intuitively understand how to use available resources to achieve the goal. We know we have something to offer – our piece is critical to the outcome. We understand the puzzle won’t come together until we share our resources with the team.

Then the unexpected happens. The puzzles don’t work! There are pieces that don’t seem to fit the pattern. There are extra pieces. There are pieces missing and maybe even a duplicate or two. This is not how puzzles are supposed to go!

As awareness reaches people, the reactions are fascinating.

Some people feel immediately betrayed. You’ll hear them muttering, “It’s a trick. It can’t be done. She’s setting us up.” Others wait patiently for further instruction. They are totally content with an incomplete puzzle it seems. A few begin to cautiously look around the room, checking the progress of other teams.

Then there are those who really “get it.” They understand the puzzle cannot be completed without crossing the invisible barriers between the table teams. To achieve the goal they must work across the lines and through the assumed barriers.

This is where it gets really interesting. You can probably relate to some of these reactions and approaches. You might even recognize some of the “players.”

1. Even with the realization that we must “move” to win, some people just don’t. They passively wait for others to figure it out – for others to go find what is missing. They look a little bored with the exercise, but they are quite willing to wait it out. I call these players, Observers. (Observers can also become Obstructionists by default. Their lack of participation ultimately can impede the progress others are trying to make.)
2. A few players will ask or wait for permission to move. They are limited by self-imposed rules and unspoken guidelines. (Who said you couldn’t get out of your chair? Where in the world did that assumption come from?) Once these players see others moving about, they jump right in. I think of them as Followers. They don’t initiate a breakthrough, but they will fully participate in one.
3. Some people go straight into negotiation, clutching personal resources close to the chest. You’ll hear offers like, “I’ll trade you one of my pieces for one of yours.” Negotiators have “crossed the line” between teams, but too often they compete to win. For them, winning means beating other teams to the finish. They instinctively hold some things back in order to win a perceived contest. (Finishing first by the way was never part of the original challenge. Some participants assume, presume, or create the competitive element.)
4. Others are so concerned with what they need, they forget about what they have to offer! They run around looking for the missing pieces to their own puzzle, without considering how the pieces they hold may help another team. It doesn’t even dawn on these players to invest themselves in the success of others. They are Consumers (and people who play with them may eventually feel like commodities).
5. Authenticity also shows up in this game. Realizing they must move around to play, there are some who will reluctantly get up…and wander around. They aren’t really interested in collaborating, sharing resources, or solving the problem, but they need to look like they are interested in all of that. They don’t make meaningful contributions, but they appear to try. In this game they are Posers.
6. Sometimes a brilliant thing happens. People become completely vested in the big picture. Regardless of the team they are on (based entirely on where they were sitting to begin with) they become one team with many puzzles to solve. The grand solutions are found when they finally realize: Each puzzle is really just a piece of the larger picture. The people who create this kind of awareness and momentum are Catalysts and I love to watch them play. They create new energy and momentum. They blow through the barriers easily. They are looking for a bigger win. (Not surprising, their wins automatically create more winners.)

Yes. You can learn so much about a person or an organization by the way they play with a puzzle – how they solve the problem, improve the process, and manage the resources. Ultimately, how we “play the game” really does tell on us.

Here’s to all the Catalysts out there! You play brilliantly and you redefine the win.

As a student of strategy, I search for the future. I am also grounded in the present. One eye on here and one eye on there – constantly measuring the gap between those two places and calculating the next steps.

It is important to know where you are and where you are going. I think it’s equally important to know where you are “not.“

Regardless of the challenges you face, no matter how weary you feel – even if you are disappointed with how things have turned out so far, you are NOT:

• Emptied of your value
• Far from an inspiring breakthrough
• Beyond the reach of hope and faith
• Without viable options
• Alone on this journey

If today finds you in a difficult place, take a moment to recognize where you are not.

Welcome back! Thank you for the great interaction on Facebook regarding the post “Emotions Make Bad Drivers.” As always, your comments add a depth to the discussion that is refreshing and thought provoking.

We left the disgruntled employee plotting her “I’ll-Show-You” strategy after receiving critical feedback from her supervisor. (If you’ve not read the story, I encourage you to start here. )

Now it was my turn to pull up a chair.

Drawing on the wisdom of Zig Ziglar, who taught me to “fix people first, then fix problems,” I simply acknowledged the emotion of the scene. (I’ll admit this took some doing on my part. Her behavior was so irrational and vengeful, it was challenging to focus on or care how she was feeling.) Thankfully I found the words. “It hurts when feedback is critical or feels unfair.”

The rant stopped and at that moment she allowed the real emotion to come forward. Anger is a mask. If you can get behind the anger, you can find the honest emotion.

Her honest emotion was fear. As we talked more, I learned how afraid she really was. Afraid of losing her job, looking foolish, and even being “shut out” on the team. Now we were getting somewhere.

With the real emotion on the table, we were able to turn those fears into objectives. I asked her to imagine a more successful result and actions she could take to move closer to those goals.

It wasn’t a perfect process. Several times, she lost her focus and imagined the shortcomings of her boss instead. It was easier (at first) for her to describe the offense and to defend her position. Each time she turned in that direction, I asked another objective-based question.

• Even so, what pieces of this do you influence?
• What can you do to manage those perceptions?
• How can you invite your boss to see you in a new way?
• What is the brand you want to build?
• How might you be contributing to the problem?

She made the turn. She left the session with a goal and a plan. She learned to let her objectives drive.

I hope you enjoyed the rest of the story, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. You are personally invited to join the discussion on Facebook.

Stayed tuned for the next blog installment. I’m going to share some secrets with you – “How Leaders(Unwittingly) Reward Low Accountability.” You may be surprised by what appears on this list of unintentional strategies.

Until then, remember you were designed for success and built to grow. Take honest emotions along for the ride, but let objectives drive.

As the group gathered for a workshop, one young woman made a grand entrance. She marched into the room, slammed her bag on a table and made quite a show of slamming herself into the chair. She had a “don’t-you-dare-ask-me” look on her face, so of course…I asked. (Isn’t that what don’t-ask looks are really for?)

She had just come from a little sit down with her supervisor (who was described in the most colorful terms). The chat hadn’t gone well. Apparently her boss had recited a list of criticisms – which in this employee’s head sounded like, “Do more. Do it better. Do it faster.”

I wasn’t at the meeting with her boss, so I can’t fairly comment on how effectively the performance message was delivered. I can speak to the employee’s response. She was deliberately climbing on the “gotcha” wheel and preparing to give it a real spin.

This employee left the meeting plotting her sweet revenge. She would document everything and everyone. She would keep careful lists about who was doing what (and who wasn’t). Her plan was to highlight the errors and shortcomings of her supervisor and colleagues. When I asked how that would improve her brand she shrugged, “This documentation will give me the ammunition I need the next time my boss wants to discuss my performance.”

Ammunition? (Are you kidding me? We aren’t in a gunfight here!)

Coming from a purely emotional place, her strategy was to defend and deflect the feedback. Being right in this situation required proving others wrong, and standing taller meant knocking others down. Her plan was purely reactive and filled with malice. (I’ve never known good things to come from bad intentions.)

We will all have the opportunity to manage critical feedback in our lives. It may be at work or at home, spoken or implied. We may not agree with the feedback we receive from others; that’s okay. Agreement isn’t the goal. Understanding and responding effectively to the feedback is.

Here are five strategies for processing feedback effectively. (This comes with an invitation. What would you add to the list? What is your best advice for making the most of feedback?)

1. Resist the temptation to argue or defend. Ask questions with a sincere goal to understand where the feedback is coming from.
2. Remember the feedback is not you, but it is yours. You will ultimately decide what to do with it. You are in the driver’s seat.
3. Feedback is perception-based. If you can locate the perception, you can manage it. That is a very good thing! Instead of focusing on the criticism, focus on what you can do to manage the perception.
4. Look for patterns and trends in the feedback you’re receiving. If for example you have a communication breakdown with one person, it may be an isolated incident. It happens. If you are surrounded by a flurry of miscommunication, you may need to take a closer look at your own messages! The problem may not be “them!”
5. Manage the emotional environment of feedback by thanking the giver. This can be very challenging, especially if you disagree or if the feedback hurts. (This tip belongs on the list of things that you won’t feel like doing when it matters the most.) Again, agreement isn’t the goal here. You might simply say, “Thank you for sharing your perspective.”

In my next blog, I’ll share the rest of the story – how this employee turned negative feedback into a launching pad for positive results. In the meantime I would love you to weigh in with your best managing feedback tip.

You were designed for success and built to grow!

In the workplace, proceed with real caution in “balancing the (value) account.”

There is a whole lot to worry about, so you better get started right away!

For many of us worry is a constant, all-too-faithful companion. (That’s fair, because in many ways we “invite” her along for the ride. We don’t like her, but honestly some of us don’t know what to do without her!) Once “she” attaches herself to you, she can be so hard to shake! She attends meetings, interrupts your work, steals your energy, and battles with your confidence.

Worry usually doesn’t travel alone. She networks! She is more than happy to introduce you to her colleagues. Doubt, Criticism, and Negativity are three of her favorite peers, but Fear is her boss.

Worry can become a habit. Some people might even say an addiction! If you can relate to that, and you want to break free, consider these steps:

1. The first step to breaking the habit of worry is to become more aware of when you are worrying and what you are worrying about. (Do not allow worry to crouch in the corner of your mind. Pull her out into the light and look her squarely in the face!)

2. Set an appointment with worry and give her your complete attention! Take notes. Write it all down. Don’t worry, (pun intended) when she is finished with her agenda, you’re going to introduce her to gratitude, action, and vision. (That, by the way will make her very uncomfortable, and she may cancel future appointments with you.)

3. Once you have exhausted yourself with the worst case scenario, imagine how you want things to turn out. Picture the outcomes you want.

4. Brainstorm actions you can take to move closer to your goal.

5. Finish your meeting with one more list. What are you grateful for? (This is where you introduce worry to gratitude. I promise worry will not hang around to chat it up.)

In Chapter 6 of Ready, Set.Grow, you will learn more about breaking the worry habit. (And if worry is an addiction for you, chapter 6 will be your “Worry Intervention.”)

All the best,

Dondi

Here’s the thing about opportunity. “She” has a wardrobe filled with
disguises. Sometimes opportunity just doesn’t look like opportunity! If you
aren’t watching for her, she may brush right by you unnoticed. I’m learning
that opportunity doesn’t always knock. Sometimes she waits in the wings or
behind the scenes.

For example:

. She attends the team meeting that’s been derailed by excuses and
negativity. There’s your opportunity to be a catalyst for positive momentum. Change the course of the conversation with an accountable question. “What pieces of this problem do we control?”

. Opportunity is available for that routine, mundane task. How? She would
ask, “How can you add value to this? How you make it better?”

. You’ll find her as you greet the day, when you are grateful for
the opportunity to start fresh and try again. Each day brings with it a new slate of opportunities.

. Notice her when you decide to break out of destructive patterns
and make new choices for yourself. The options and chances here are endless, limited by only your imagination.

. She may hide behind a persistent problem or inside a daunting task you’ve been procrastinating. She may simply dare you to try something new as you approach the task or maybe, if you’ve been putting it off, just to begin.

. She’ll even dream with you – big, beautiful dreams about the
future that you want to create with her by your side.

Thinking about opportunity in this way changes where I look for her and what I
think she looks like. I want to recognize her in all of her disguises!
When I can see opportunity, she allows me to take her hand and go further than I’d imagined possible!

All the best,

Dondi