Inspiring Yourself to Being Better

Originally published on September 2, 2025.

I had originally started with a working title of "Inspiring Yourself to Greatness!" for this blog and then as I continued to ponder my subject matter, I shifted to being better. Why the change? Lived experience without a doubt.  There is a paradox inherent in becoming better or the pursuit of greatness. At least that is how I see it. One the one hand, I can say with conviction that I have always been highly goal-oriented.  No doubt that comes from how I was raised and the expectations for achievement from my parents: finish high school, go to university, start a good career, raise a family, and so on. However, I can also say that those goals and expectations were also a significant source of frustration, anxiety, and stress! Over time life has a way of teaching us that some of the goals and expectations set for us were actually never meant for us nor were they going to give us a happy life.

In the past several years, I have really dug into this paradox of goals and expectations. On the one hand I am still a firm believer that one should set some goals and expectations for oneself. Even set some personal Big Hairy Audacious Goals (BHAGs). These "dreams" can be a great source of inspiration and motivation. On the other hand, I have also learned that life rarely proceeds in any kind of linear or predictable fashion - either for good or bad. Our recent pandemic experience is but one big example of that.  As a direct result of the pandemic, I would say that my work has irrevocably taken a shift from being predominantly in-person engagements to being at least 50/50 in-person to virtual work. Just prior to the seismic shift wrought by the pandemic, my goals and expectations were ones of continued growth or certainly stabilizing at the significant level of work I had created since 2012. COVID upended those expectations and called on me to pivot. What I can say, however, looking back, is that being open to change, opportunity, and new realities has led me to the creation of a series of leadership development modules that I had always thought about but never created.  In addition, the forced change has opened up a plethora of new international work that I would never have imagined back in 2019.  

Given that soliloquy, what do I suggest to be the takeaways within the context of the blog title - how do we inspire ourselves to be better (if not great)? A few thoughts spring to mind.

First, I advise you to really dig into what you want out of your personal and professional lives. REALLY DIG IN! For most of us, a lot of what we are pursuing is done unconsciously. We have built up a series of goals and expectations over time because that seems like something we are supposed to be doing. Society and social media don't help us in this regard and it takes a great deal of courage and intentionality to walk to the pace of a different drummer. 

As I say this, I truly hope that your starting point in this self-reflection is your personal life. I am a strong believer that the work we're doing must serve our personal goals, not the other way around. It seems self-evident perhaps, but all too often we lose ourselves in the demands of work and sacrifice the things and experiences that will really fulfill us. As I have engaged with my friends, family, and trusted colleagues over the past few years in particular, this attentiveness to who we really are and what we are really meant to be/achieve has never been more important. I can look back on the past 40 years of my life and understand that some of the things I was doing didn't really bring me happiness and, in too many instances, kept me trapped in jobs, careers, and relationships that actually did me harm. 

The first step, then, in being or becoming better is to get really clear on where you want to go.  

Second, expectations are important. Even more important, however, is the quality and specificity of those expectations. One of the most powerful tactics that I have employed with myself and for my clients is to drive specificity, detail, targets, and timelines in respect of this future state of affairs. In addition, I have tried to establish a multi-year perspective on where I would like to be and an annual set of goals that are even more specific and detailed. This visioning exercise and template is updated at least annually and is assessed for progress on at least a monthly basis. I use the same tool with some of my clients. Without exception, they have all indicated that this has been one of the most powerful tools in our work together. The key here is that none of us lack for dreams and expectations. What we too often lack is a level of detail that helps to hold us accountable to a specific set of actions and milestones. 

Third is that dreams, visions, and accountability are all for nought if we are not prepared to take substantive preparation and action towards those stated goals. Again, it is absolutely not enough to declare a positive personal, leadership, or organizational vision for the future without being prepared to put in the preparation, work, and effort required to succeed. So, within the context any challenge - personal or business - the benchmarks of achievement should be set and then used to drive your actions. As an aside, I also get a lot of value in comparing notes with others. What have they done? How have they achieved? What choices have they made? Why? Each of us must seek often some means to challenge our own limiting beliefs and assumptions about what is possible. Learn from others. Be inspired by others. 

Fourth, appreciate that the best laid plans never proceed as developed. So aside from all of the preparation and effort that must go into any endeavour, we must develop the mental fortitude and strength of commitment to our targeted goals. We also have to be prepared to be flexible. This is where the nature of our goals - or vision - becomes critical. 

If I define success by having a bigger house or a "more important" job by a certain date, I might find myself extraordinarily frustrated and demoralized if I am not on target 100% of the time. If, however, I define my life through more immutable goals (e.g., happy with life, in supportive relationships, living into new experiences), I might find that my goals/destination remain a beacon of hope rather than a demoralizing, never-to-be achieved endpoint. 

Accountability to self and to others comes from an ability to respond to anticipated and unanticipated adversity, to continue along a path that allows us to succeed rather than give up at the first sign of difficulty. 

This is not simply a "rose-coloured glasses" mentality at work. It's not blind optimism. However, it is surely beyond a woe is me/victim mentality as well; I recognize there are some events that can be so dramatic as to be beyond our control in pursuit of our goals (e.g., COVID). This is where power, strength, and detail of goals, expectations, and visions becomes critically important. If the vision is powerful enough, I am convinced we will find a way forward, even if that means changing tactics and timing to get there. We remain committed to success despite setbacks.

Finally, there are definitely going to be times when our commitment and effort fall short, where we don't follow through with our stated strategies or tactics. As I have often said, this becomes the time to use our plan as a tool to re-evaluate, not punish. In my estimation, the former approach leads to an opportunity to reset and recommit (e.g., change strategy, change timing, change tactics) to a preferred set of goals. The latter approach of chastisement too often leads to despair, victimization, and demotivation.

And remember that every year, the vision can get updated, new goals set, and new improvement targets set.  After last week's experience, after last month's experience, after last year's experience...I have learned and know myself better, have cemented what is important to me, and given me the vision and courage to discard what no longer serves me. The power of vision, expectations, goals, committed preparation, and constant evaluation lead to greater levels of possibility. 

What can you say about your expectations and commitment? What is possible for you? As Henry Ford is purported to have said, whether you believe you can or believe you can't, you are right. 

On that note, I've recently updated my personal plan to support a whole new level of personal growth, development, and happiness that will see my professional and business development serve my personal vision. 

It's all about leadership and in this case, it's leadership for and about yourself. The pot of gold awaits those prepared to truly set the goals, make the effort, and recommit through challenges.

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder, BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

Recovering from Toxicity and Trauma

Originally published on August 27, 2025.

A heavy title for this leadership blog! However, as with a variety of topics that I tackle, this comes from a convergence of experiences and events in the past few weeks: a coffee conversation with a fellow coach navigating historical impacts of trauma, an engagement with an organizational client who feels like they are under constant attack, and questions from a former colleague about how to navigate narcissistic leaders and staff. This also came at a time when I received a book recommendation from a client and remarked on LinkedIn how sad it was that we actually needed a resource like this to navigate our careers (and likely also our personal lives).

At the core of all of these conversations was a recognition that manipulation, toxic behavior, and narcissism exist in significant degree in too many workplaces, and in too many aspects of our lives in general. The result is trauma, stress, chronic health issues, diminished mental and emotional health, and physical disability.  Further dissecting this notion of trauma, at its core, these realities can either present as a sudden loss in our lives (e.g., termination from a job/dramatic change in career, death of a loved one) or they can come from a slow, inexorable loss of self in an unfulfilling set of circumstances (e.g., inability to get promoted, to have our skills and talents fully utilized, to grow, surviving a toxic relationship). Ultimately, in its worst form, we not only lose hope for the future we intuitively know we deserve, but we also lose hope and joy in our present reality as well. This is where depression, anxiety, and despair take hold.

For one of my clients, they wondered when the attacks, manipulation, and innuendo would stop. Unfortunately, I had to say that they likely never would. This is based on my own experience of the past 40 years and learning from the experiences of others. More often than not, these attacks are not about you or your organization anyway. Rather, they reflect a deficiency or a gap in self-esteem or an insecurity that can only be dealt with by diminishing the efforts of another or the standing of your organization. In fact, as I write that out, it certainly reminds me about a lot of our politicians these days! 

So, what is the response to dealing with this reality? Keep reminding yourself about who and your organization really are. Own your values, your skills, and your achievements. Also, understand that while these negative and toxic voices may seem big to us in the moment, the reality is that they are not likely getting a whole lot of traction and airplay outside of your own head.

Discussing these types of scenarios with other colleagues and connections, I also suggest that one of the keys to surviving and moving forward is ensuring that you maintain your professional and social connections. Toxic work environments and a narcissistic personality can cause you to self-isolate, raise your self-doubt, and ensure that you try to manage your challenges on your own, so keep in touch with people in your life. We all need a support network that can help to us process and right size what we think we are dealing with. This is where you can get help sorting out fact from fiction, reinforce your own worth, and develop reasonable tactics to maintain your strength - even if it means that you might make your own choice to move to something better and that recognizes your value.

One final tip that keeps coming back to me from all of these discussions is the great benefit from documentation, documentation, documentation. Now some of this can be something as simple as keeping your own journal in an attempt to get your thoughts out of your head and onto paper. That simple act can help you better process what is happening for you and also help you appreciate what is really happening and what is being imagined. Then, there is the deeper and more ominous need for documentation that gives you the ability to defend yourself in front of your superiors, your peers, and even in a court of law as necessary. Not something that most of us relish or expect to have to do, but at times, it can make a huge difference for your career and for your mental health.

“A greater life is pressing to be born.”

— Michael Murphy

As I have written before, there is a certain paradox or irony arising from a traumatic event.  Namely, that it can shake you out of an unconscious state of being that we may not have realized that we are in and it can lead us to an ongoing process of healing. I can definitely relate to this with a past history of personal loss and a radical change in career path. While I definitely would not want to repeat those traumatic events, they did take me to new heights of achievement and enjoyment. Every once in a while, it is these types of events that get us back on the road to self-discovery, exploration, and demonstrate how much more of life there is to experience, live, and exalt in.  

If you are going through your own challenges right now, I hope you can take some solace from my lived experience. You have a greater life pressing to be born, whether that be in your career or in your personal life. Does that realization automatically or easily lead to nirvana? No. The healing path meanders and shows us options, opportunities, and even distractions. But trust me, the journey is worth it. There is better on the other side that is worthy of who you were meant to be. Pay attention, be mindful, keeping doing your deep inner work.  

This is a journey of leadership. Self-leadership.  Leadership by way of example for others.  Wake from your unconscious state and own your possibilities. 

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder, BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

Plant Seeds, Even in Tough Times

Originally published on August 12, 2025.

I come from a semi-rural background. What I mean by that is while I didn't live or grow up on a farm, I had strong ties to and history with farming through both sets of grandparents. I spent many summer days and nights on these small family farms that went back to the very origins of my family in Canada. Some of the memories from that time remain vividly etched in my mind and none more so than those related to spring seeding and the fall harvest.

Without a doubt, these two times of the year were times of extraordinary effort and anxiety. In the spring, the work commenced as soon as field conditions permitted and there was always an eye towards weather forecasts and the sky. There were prayers that machinery would hold out against unexpected and unwanted repair. So too with harvest. Go hard and make hay while the sun - or moon - shines.

I find some parallels in the kind of work I do now and, indeed, the kind of work that any of us do. I suspect that at the start of any venture or the start of each business or calendar year, we begin with a sense of anxiety and guarded optimism. Whatever transpired from last year's "crops" provides no guarantee of what the next effort will bring or require. Perhaps last year's events have set a stronger or weaker foundation to start from. I believe the farming experience and metaphor of planting seeds and harvesting crops suggests some powerful lessons for how to approach other endeavours.

Planting our proverbial seeds does, just like farming, take preparation and thought. If we are to have a chance at a successful year, we must properly prepare the ground, utilize the best tools possible, stay focused, and plant the right seeds, in the right place, at the right time.  In the case of my own coaching and consulting practice, this has meant networking with purpose, being active in certain activities, partnering with others who can complement and supplement my skills, and investing in my own skills and abilities on an ongoing basis.

A commitment to developing one's own business, like farming, also takes the right mix of optimism and realism. The stats on startups and new businesses typically tell a rather grim story with a far greater chance of failure than success in the first year or two. I tend to think of the reasons for such failures falling into two broad categories: 1. lack of (significant preparation), and 2. over-optimistic projections of how successful one can expect to be in the short-term. Successful farmers similarly leave nothing to chance.  They put in the extra planning, equipment maintenance, and time to compensate for unanticipated and undesirable events. No one controls the weather - or the economy. I suspect, however, that just like farmers lamenting or worrying about the weather, all of us have an anxiety about business - and life - factors that are well beyond our control to influence. We can't control the weather, but we can be ready with the umbrella or rubber boots.

Successful business people, like good farmers, are also prepared to learn from the past, and from others, to reap a better harvest. This requires some rigour in understanding what did or did not work in the past and why. Failure to truly learn from past successes and failures causes us to attribute one to our skill and the other to the foibles of the gods.  In either case, successful strategies or solutions have not been discerned to inform the next effort. In respect of learning from others, I can't even begin to identify all the leaders, coaches and consultants who have informed my journey over the past 40 years. Their experiences - good and bad - have helped me develop new skills, approaches, and models along the way. Just like farming, however, there has to be a sense of adapting, not blindly adopting, tools and techniques that suit your particular field of work.

I also believe there is further advantage and opportunity to be gained by failing well. That's right, failing well. Now I'll admit that this may not seem to draw quite as strong a parallel to farming as other lessons noted above. But I believe it goes back to being prepared to learn lessons. I have personally had success in trying to reengage with prospective clients when a proposal I have submitted for consideration has been rejected. I believe the nature of my response to rejection has been a key to my recovery and subsequent success. A sincere and genuine interest in trying to discover how I could have presented or engaged differently on an RFP response has directly related to multiple different opportunities. How you fail, and how you respond to failure, is just as important as how you succeed.

One final note and look back to farming as a benchmark for business success. I believe all who have grown up in rural communities would attest to an underlying spirit of support and cooperation. If somebody needed help, it was often available to them, especially in times of distress. For those of us with roots in rural and farming communities, I'm sure we have more than one story of community collaboration. It's a bit of that spirit that I hope I bring into my coaching and consulting practice and what I value in some of my most trusted associates: offer help, guidance, time, and tools when asked, without expectation of return. A spirit of pay-it-forward that plants seeds for future collaboration, support, and engagement.

So, plant seeds. Prepare well. Look for opportunities and connections. Look for synergies and like-minded "farmers" to work with. Listen, learn, adapt, and apply. Offer help and support. Fail well.

Reap the harvest.

Do it again.

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder, BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

If It's Heavy, Let It Go

Originally published on July 29, 2025.

It seems to me that life - professional and personal - places a lot of emphasis on determination, grit, and perseverance as markers of or necessary prerequisites to success. Certainly, I would have to say that this is not just something I have learned in my professional career. There has been a significant infusion of this perspective through how I was raised by my family and educated in/through the school system: 'If you are challenged, step up to the challenge'; 'If you are frustrated, dig into the task at hand'; 'No pain, no gain.' 

No doubt there is value in creating and sticking to a plan of action otherwise we might find ourselves flitting from one admirable, but difficult, cause to another at the first sign of resistance. However, going from that extreme to the polar opposite on a continuum, which could mean stubbornly adhering to a course of action, doggedly holding to a perspective, or perhaps even failing to truly evaluate or challenge closely held values can - in my experience - lead to significant damage to oneself, a team, or an organization.

In a past blog, I noted some insights gained from undertaking a Core Strengths(c) assessment which highlighted some of my very laudable strengths: supportive, loyal, and persevering. In essence, when I succeed, I use these strengths to the benefit of myself and those I work, live, or otherwise engage with. Unfortunately, when I start to face challenges or resistance, I historically have doubled down on these very same strengths which then turns these positive attributes into a series of self-defeating and destructive tendencies: self-sacrificing, gullible, and stubborn.  

There has been some extraordinarily hard learning in my career and personal endeavours that have shown me how my best strengths can also be my Achilles heel. What have I tried to take away from those experiences that might be beneficial to your current or future challenges?  

First, I would say that you need to intentionally and purposefully create space for yourself to listen to and feel what is happening for/to you in your current circumstances. In my own "hitting the brick wall" moments, it was clear that I had failed to appreciate all of the warning signs that had been there for some time, at the very outset of the initiative, and I tried to persevere through for many months if not years. What might have helped in critically evaluating whether extra effort was warranted versus a rethink of my commitment would have been dedicated/scheduled time to pause, a commitment to engage in a mindful evaluation of the cost/benefit of the engagement, and then developing the next purposeful steps in my work.

Second, the above notion only achieves its full potential if we are strongly connected to - and fully appreciate - what our core values are, where our strengths lie, and who our allies/detractors might be in a particular set of circumstances. If you have not developed or articulated your core foundational elements (both personally and professionally), you won't have a strong enough base to critically evaluate the alignment or misalignment of your actions. Through my coaching and consulting practice I often see individuals and organizations grapple with this when they are forced to transition through, and into, a new reality; e.g., forced job/career change, seemingly dramatic changes in environmental variables, need to terminate a CEO or other senior executive, etc. It is often through these involuntary changes in reality that individuals and organizations start to question everything they've been doing to this point in time and find their core values and assumptions challenged.  

Third, at a personal level, it helps to have some outside eyes and perspectives to support your assessment (and even development) of reality, core beliefs, values, and strategies. What makes this exercise or network most valuable is how trust-based the relationship is. Do your allies (family, friends, mentors, colleagues, coaches) sincerely have your best interests at heart? Do you trust their perspectives? What is the history of you being able to rely on these outside perspectives to tell you the hard truths? No doubt, getting pushed to see things as they are versus how you would like or hope them to can be a hard pill to swallow. Perhaps in the moment of being challenged you have a gut level - and decidedly negative - reaction to having your perspective or even core beliefs shattered. But it is the mirror or new lens from others that is critical to your success - and happiness - that also likely reinforces what you already know but haven't wanted to face.

Paying attention to our anxiety, fears, and gut isn't easy. Lord knows that I have "stuck to it" in a few too many things, where if I had paid attention to the red flags of my commitment, I wouldn't have done as much damage to myself as was the ultimate result. Hope can be one of the challenges to seeing things as they are. Pride plays a factor too if we have to admit to ourselves and others that we have made a mistake in our choices.  

I would just ask you to pay attention to what is giving you energy and whether something or someone is taking more energy than you are receiving back. As the saying goes, "Don't keep throwing good money after bad". Take your lumps, cut your losses. Grit and determination aren't always the right course of action. And despite all, you will take some lessons from an effort cut short. Above all, if something feels heavy, perhaps that's a sign to just put that burden down. Leadership is often about hard choices, shifting direction, and reinvesting your valuable time and energy elsewhere.  

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder, BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

Keys to Success in Strategic Planning

Originally published on June 27, 2025.

Strategic planning is an exercise that is often alternatively loathed and lauded. For some, the whole experience conjures up dread from challenging efforts of the past. For others it feels like an academic and draining process, requiring lots of effort, producing a glossy publication that no one ever refers to again. Others go through the process believing the outcome of such work is leading to a ball and chain that forever ties them to tactics and objectives that will be outdated in a matter of months, but yet must be doggedly adhered to and pursued regardless of relevance.

Strategic planning doesn't have to be this way.  I do believe in the power of strategic planning and of strategic thinking and that some core principles can unleash the power of long-term planning for organizations, individuals, and teams. Yes, I believe we can apply strategic planning to our individual lives as well! 

First, I believe we have to change the notion that a strategic plan is a static document.  A strategic plan should provide long-term direction recognizing that NONE OF US has a crystal ball that will unfailingly predict the future for any time period whatsoever. However, we can and should be diligent in assessing our own organizations and the environments they work in. If done well - and with courage and objectivity - we can learn much from what has worked in the past, what some of the larger trends in our working environments have been, what some of the possibilities for change in the future will be, and how we can or should try to respond to those realities. Therefore, for a strategic plan to maintain its relevance over a three-year, five-year, or even longer timeframe, consider where you want the organization to be - more or less - at the end of that frame of reference, recognizing that the exact version of reality at the end of that journey will not perfectly match with what you hope for today.

This first point directly relates to being very clear about how the strategic plan/priorities align with the organization's mission, vision, and values (MVV). There is often just as much controversy and eye-rolling when it comes to MVV as there is with strategic planning. I have had some senior leaders express disdain for the utility of a well-crafted MVV and as many front line leaders and staff express cynicism that these foundational components are anything but fluff, bearing no reality to what actually happens in the real world.  However, when these have been developed with all seriousness and good intent, they can be powerful anchors for developing strategic priorities and holding leaders and staff to account for the work to be done. The mission, vision and values can - and should - be guideposts for what the organization commits to doing and how it will deliver on the work ahead.   

Just as important to the utility of a strategic plan as the MVV, is an objective and courageous assessment of the organization itself and the environment it is - and will be - operating in. This is often what I call the Interrogating Reality phase of strategic planning.  All too often the excitement of strategic planning is focused on all the things individual leaders want to have the organization do. There is either no work done on assessing current and future state, OR there is superficial work done here for the sake of completeness (a check box approach), OR there is an assumption that all stakeholders are operating from the same understanding of where the organization is at. But if the planning process fails to vigorously evaluate, debate, and agree on reality, all of the options of "things to do" will either result in unchallenged directions/decisions (e.g., loudest voice wins), or in a series of unconstructive arguments about which particular direction/initiative is the correct one to choose. Failing to understand the foundations upon which an organization's plan is built simply means a weak/weaker plan and one that there is less ability to properly execute later.

Pay now (in time, energy, and effort) or pay later. The consequences of paying later are far greater than making the investment up front. 

One of the next challenges in creating and executing on a strategic plan is balancing broad, directional initiatives with a level of specificity that helps all stakeholders understand what the strategic plan commits the organization to do and how each individual's work aligns with the overall plan. As noted this can be a challenging balancing act. The reality is the need for a long-term vision comes up against the inherent inability for anyone to predict a future with 100% accuracy. The cure for this challenge is best illustrated through the use of a metaphor. Think of a your work towards achieving long-term vision as a river flowing towards an ocean. Just as no river flows in a straight line, instead meandering over an ever-changing landscape, so too will your tactics and timing have to be altered while you inevitably move towards an aspirational goal. Specificity comes, and is required, to ensure the organization is taking deliberate steps towards its desired goals and, just as importantly, gives the organization the ability to say no to undertaking initiatives/steps that will not be helpful to getting to the agreed upon destination.

Specificity is also required to support assigning accountability for results. If done appropriately, being specific supports assignment of ownership and responsibility for actions and results to everyone in the organization, from the C-Suite right through to front-line personnel. Moreover, by confirming and agreeing on actions, results, and milestones expected, we can further understand relationships between various initiatives and the work of individual personnel. Digging into this work clarifies who is accountable, who has supportive roles in delivery, who might need to be consulted in the work ahead, and who might simply need to be informed of the work to be done. All of this needs to be formalized in respect of individual performance goals, and monitoring and reporting requirements.  

At the end of the day, a well formulated and well understood strategic plan can provide strong guidance to the whole organization, support effective communication and partnership to external stakeholders, frame performance expectations for all individuals, allow for appropriate monitoring and redirection as required, and it allows an organization to say NO to options that don't serve the journey to the desired destination/ocean.

A strategic planning exercise need not be approached with dread or apathy. Done well, it can ensure inspiration and aspiration and support alignment and direction setting rather than being seen as a burden or nightmare to navigate. The promise inherent in a strategic plan, however, is only realized through deliberate thought and energetic leadership from the outset and through to execution.  At the end of the day, like everything else that supports success, it's all about leadership.

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder, BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

From Adversity to Possibility

Originally published on April 24, 2025.

I recently sat down with a panel of healthcare professionals and talk about a range of topics. For someone like me who left the public healthcare system in 2012 (not necessarily by choice), I have been amazed and humbled in my continuing work with healthcare leaders since then. Let's remember some of the more significant events that have transpired since I left healthcare in 2012: the COVID pandemic and a complete dismantling of Alberta's healthcare system as we have known it since 2008.

Despite these significant challenges - and the accompanying loss of leaders (for both good and bad reasons) and a generational change in the workforce - our healthcare system has still been there, serving our needs, to the best of its ability. I would argue (vehemently) that if not for the dedication of our healthcare workforce, from housekeepers, nurses, lab techs, EMS personnel, to senior leaders, our healthcare system would have collapsed from the combination of the assaults it has faced.  

It was with this reality in mind that I asked my colleagues what had kept them invested in the healthcare sector. What gave them the strength, determination, and optimism to keep going? As might be expected, there was certainly a focus around serving patients, clients, and residents. There was also a strong commitment to staff and colleagues. But one of the more intriguing answers given was a belief that from trials, tribulation, and adversity came new opportunities - and maybe even the best opportunities - for positive change!

From adversity to possibility! Sounds great. As I pondered this statement over the last few days, I also realized there is certainly no guarantee in this trajectory.  In fact, I would suggest that there has to be a progression along a path which roughly goes as follows: Adversity to Awareness (or discomfort) to Realization (and learning) to Action to (realized) Possibility. We all experience adversity - personal and professional - but that certainly doesn't mean that we see or achieve possibility as a natural result or consequence. Too many of us too often choose to give in to despair, defeat and deflection. 

First of all, to achieve something positive from adversity we have to see it in the right light. What lessons can adversity give us? What are we prepared to learn? What could actually strengthen us?  If I go back to my very first leadership role, I would certainly call it a baptism by fire. I was fresh out of university, taking on a leadership role at the age of 21, supervising a team of healthcare professionals that were easily 10 years my senior. Looking back now I would have absolutely fired myself at several points in time. Worse yet, as I completed four years in that role, I had come away with some very cynical and jaded views on leadership - and people. In summary, I felt that an effective leader had to be a hard ass, expecting that only command and control, coupled with cold detachment and logic, would lead to success (or leadership survival). Thankfully, as I went to take a master's level program in healthcare administration, I was exposed to other leadership styles and realities that helped me make a sharp u-turn and helped me to subsequently lead in a way that more comfortably resonated with me.

Adversity absolutely challenges us. It makes us uncomfortable. However, as I hope my brief example illustrates, adversity is no guarantee that we learn the right lessons. In my own case, I could have easily blamed the challenges I experienced as a rookie leader on those I led. And I have seen this approach in a variety of circumstances that I have experienced since then - individuals or leaders looking to blame external realities for their dissatisfaction, their frustrations and their failures. The list of EXTERNAL reasons for adversity - and blame - are myriad. But blaming outcomes on external forces, while potentially providing some form of (temporary?) relief never leads to learning and greater possibility. I might feel absolved of responsibility for my situation. I might rationalize away my role in where I am or where I could be. But that won't help me grow.

Don't get me wrong. Bad things happen to good people. Bad things also happen to good people because of bad people. But even in these malignant circumstances there are lessons to be learned that can take us to the next best and better thing. For myself, I have learned the hard way that my core strengths of being supportive, loyal, and persevering are also my greatest weaknesses. Failing to be appropriately selfish (as I now often coach others on) and set boundaries has led me to being destructively self-sacrificing, gullible, and masochistically preserving. Just because I lead with my values (integrity, collaboration, creativity, courage) doesn't mean that others lead or live as I do, despite what they say.  I continue to have to learn the lesson of paying attention to the actions of others versus their words. 

Adversity must then be embraced. For most of us, this might feel like embracing a roll of barbed wire or a cactus, but it is essential to moving forward.  We must embrace the challenge if we are to learn. Adversity, if we are to move in a positive direction, must lead to a higher level of Awareness about ourselves and our environments and relationships. Only then can we start to grow, Realize what is possible, what insights, skills and values we have to develop or recover and nurture for ourselves. With these lessons learned we have to then move into Action. The lessons learned through Adversity are only going to be of value if we put that learning into action. Moreover, it is only through experimentation in the real world will we know whether we have indeed learned the right lessons and can also subsequently modify them to reach our next level of Possibility.  

Adversity CAN lead to Possibility, but only if we have the courage to learn and change. We can live in defeat, despair, and deflection, or we can build something greater than we ever imagined possible. What if? Why not?

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder, BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

Dream and Dream Again

Originally published on March 12, 2025.

In his book Built to Last, Jim Collins, one of my favorite authors, introduced me to the concept of a BHAG (a Big Hairy Audacious Goal). He identified a BHAG as a powerful way to stimulate progress through its clarity, its power, and its balanced approach to long-term vision coupled with a short-term and relentless sense of urgency. In doing so, Collins was particularly focused on organizational success. But can this concept be applied to circumstances other than the large companies - Boeing, NASA, Sony, General Electric - that Collins writes about? My answer is a clear yes (otherwise I would have nothing to write about). I see immense power for both my coaching and consulting clients in defining their own BHAGs.

Let me give my own view of what a BHAG needs to look like. First, it should be truly BIG and AUDACIOUS. So far that's got to be a disappointing expansion on Collins' concept! However, a common challenge I see with too many clients - individuals and organizations alike - is small thinking and (perhaps) an unconscious comfort in not straying too far from the familiar or reassuring realities of their current state. They are not willing and/or able to push the boundaries of their vision. This can be expressed in a variety of ways, like "We can't predict the future!", "That will never happen.", "We don't have the resources to do that.", or "I/we don't have the skills, abilities or talent to achieve ____________."  

One of the newer limiting perspectives or beliefs that has come up in my coaching practice is the notion that creating a BHAG for oneself smacks of immodesty or massive ego.  Fascinating how the human mind can come up with reasons not to strive or be aspirational. When I address this latter perspective, I do try to focus on the aspirational nature of creating this bold new vision for self. You don't necessarily need to declare this vision to others, but you do want to create something powerful enough to move you forward.  I also try to reinforce that this vision is likely something never to be obtained. If we are thinking far enough ahead (e.g., five years), the vision we conceive of today will certainly be altered by a variety of external circumstances, things you have accomplished, new opportunities you see, all of which will continue to help refine and shape your future desired state.  

I'm sure you can come up with a variety of other challenges, barriers, and reasons you have heard or made up yourself when trying to be bold. Be bold and daring anyway. 

Now I'm not saying to simply pursue some dream that is a function of seeing the world through rose-coloured glasses. That can be a recipe for (rapid) failure. A BHAG must be grounded in some sense of reality and realistic self-assessment. However, it must also push you to the next level of possibility. It must cause you to stretch your skills and abilities. It must challenge your limiting beliefs and realities. In my estimation it has to be equal parts exciting and terrifying. It can't be accomplished with your current way of thinking or doing things because that's the equation for complacency and mediocrity.

Let me give you my personal examples to try to illustrate the power and benefits of BHAG thinking. I'll start with my business example first. Just over 12 years ago I was involuntarily reintroduced to the job market through a reorganization. A not uncommon experience for many these days - and perhaps much more normal given the tumult of threatened tariffs and rapidly changing technology in our world. That began my journey as a consultant (first) and coach (second and now strongest calling). At the time, I set a target of $250,000+ in annual gross billings. The intent and hope was to recapture what I had just lost through termination of employment. My business plan at the time was predicated on that target, that BHAG. In reality, I had NO IDEA how to be a successful consultant or coach, having devoted the previous 25+ years of my life to an entirely different career path. While I may have had a BHAG in the form of a revenue target, it was ungrounded in the reality of my skill set and knowledge at the time. But having that target - and a need to continue to provide for my family - drove me to learn, network, and develop a set of skills necessary to succeed. It definitely drove me out of my comfort zone.

That's not where it stops, however. One of the potential challenges with a BHAG is plateauing once that big goal is hit. What next? The challenge, therefore, becomes setting the next BHAG, and the next. It's not to say you can't be happy with your achievements, but there are a couple of realities at play here from both a personal and business perspective.  First, standing pat is not a winning strategy in today's world. There are always new realities working to overtake you. There are also new and evolving expectations on the part of your target market. Unless you are close to retirement, coasting is not an option.  In order to sustain success you must be continuously investing and reinvesting in what and who you are. Second, I believe we all need that creative edge and spark to keep our work engaging and fulfilling. Simply engaging in the "routine" tasks loses its appeal after some time. We can become disengaged from what and why we do things, which I believe has a deleterious impact on the quality of work we produce for our clients. Third, the establishment of the next BHAG stretches your thinking - what got you here won't get you to the next level. The BHAG enforces self-evaluation and creativity.

For this reason, I don't see BHAG as being singular. Rather, there is and should be an evolutionary flavour to BHAGs - success lays the foundation for the next impossible goal. This new stretch goal builds on our learning in the first or previous round of achievement and can provide us with the confidence that the next impossible goal, while audacious, is achievable. I've moved from the $250,000+ revenue goal to multiples thereof, and am now pushing myself to think differently about what a multi-million dollar venture might require of me.

BreakPoint...an intentional stopping point or place to pause, an opportunity to derive new knowledge, establish commitment to a new direction in one's career or life...allowing one to evaluate a current path, effort and results, inspect one's environment, and reset for future success.

Now for the non-business example. Over 15 years ago I set a goal to compete/participate in the Ironman Canada triathlon in Penticton. Much like my start as a consultant/coach I really had no idea what this would take at the outset of my journey. Just prior to this effort I could count on any number of limiting beliefs and barriers to my success - 230 pounds of weight to push/pull around over 225 km of course, a true phobia of water, asthmatic, 45 years of age with multiple years of sedentary lifestyle to my credit.  The achievements along the way to Penticton in August 2010 were a significant loss of weight (30 pounds), completion of multiple open water swims, decent results in shorter races, and a significant change in health status. The end results in Ironman 2010 were incredibly deflating. I finished in about 16 hours and engaged in a heavy bout of self-chastisement.  Upon reflection, however, if I hadn't set a BHAG of 14 hours, I wonder if I might have made the cut off of 17 hours at all.

As of today, at 60 years of age, and an aborted attempt to complete a third Ironman Canada event (COVID had a hand in that as did a year of training beset by injury), my BHAGs have changed. I continue to endeavour to maintain a healthy lifestyle, continue to look at shorter distance events, but now try to couple this effort with matching up with destinations in the world I'd like to visit (e.g., Madrid, Prague, etc.). This continues to mean working on weight and cardio status, but also having a complementary perspective on living life, exploring new experiences, and meeting new people.  

Putting those BHAGs out there and reflecting on my past experiences tells me that the tools, techniques, approaches, and intensity from before will inform my achievements and also help me to continue to refine them. I'll have to prepare differently and with a new level of commitment. And throughout this, I know - perhaps like many of you - that I will have to work through feelings of self-doubt, reflecting on the fact that the aging process will continue to change the realities of what might be achievable.  

So, my BHAGs will continue to evolve and what I set out today as a vision for my success will change by the time I am 65.  However, there will be some very strong elements that will always be there, which ultimately come down to learning, living, growing, and enjoying life. New experiences will open up new possibilities that I can't even imagine right now. Who knows, perhaps Canada will join the European Union and I will be able to retire to the south of Spain in the next iteration of my BHAG?!

What will help me in describing that new BHAG and moving forward? A BreakPoint no doubt...

BreakPoint...an intentional stopping point or place to pause, an opportunity to derive new knowledge, establish commitment to a new direction in one's career or life...allowing one to evaluate a current path, effort and results, inspect one's environment, and reset for future success.

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder, BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

Change the Battlefield: A Different Perspective

Originally published on February 3, 2025.

I'm a bit of a history buff. Others might consider that comment an understatement as they peruse the inventory of books sitting on my shelves. E-readers and audio books? Not for me; I need the physicality of history in my hands. Old fashioned? No doubt.

One reason for this fascination with history comes from the lessons learned - and not learned - from others. With variations on a theme, the quote "Those who cannot remember (or learn) from the past, are doomed to repeat it" resonates with me. One of those lessons that has been the subject of explicit and implicit discussion with many of my clients is that of choosing or changing the field of battle on which youcompete or work with others. We can probably all understand and appreciate this at some bigger picture level with companies and technologies like Apple, Uber, and Airbnb that have changed their landscape.  These companies and technologies did not take the landscape they faced as given and at points in time made conscious decisions to NOT compete against well-established competitors. They radically changed the field of battle. In some cases, so profound was the change that they wrought that major competitors were put out of business.

This is not a new a concept. For centuries, dating back to Greek city states, the Persian empire and other dynasties, commanders, and armies would maneuver for days or stare across at each other for weeks from their respective camps, looking for the best place or opportunity to engage in battle. They sought out high ground, access to water, linkage to the coast or supplies, or waiting for the sun to be in their enemy's eyes before engaging. These ancient leaders went to great lengths to try and set the table to their best advantage, to leverage a strength, or mitigate a weakness. Alternatively, they might seek similar opportunities to diminish an opponent's strength or take advantage of their perceived weakness. Don't have sufficient or good enough cavalry? Choose a battleground that constrains the field of movement.  Fighting against great odds? Choose a place where only part of your enemy's strengths can be brought to bear at one time.

So how does this relate to leadership/team coaching, organizational effectiveness, business development, consulting, or other things you might be doing? How does this relate to the current world reality of economic warfare (US versus everyone else) and hybrid/proxy warfare being engaged in Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea? The reality of assessing your personal battlefield - whether in your work or your personal life - resonates with so many circumstances that I have lived and that I have coached others through. Which of these scenarios might you have experienced or otherwise be familiar with:

"I looked at the job posting and I'm missing a couple of the qualifications they are looking for so I'm not going to apply."

"He/she/they stopped me in the hallway and were looking for my input on his/her/their initiative. I felt compelled to answer them on the spot but I don't think I gave the best answer."

"I'd like to pursue the CEO role but I'm not sure I'm what they are looking for. I'm not anything like the current CEO."

"The client/RFP is looking for something pretty particular as far as a solution/technique. It's not something we have do so maybe the fix is already in?"

"I thought we had agreed on a deal, but then the client/partner/vendor keeps changing their mind or terms of an agreement. I feel like I am constantly chasing my tail on this."

I could go on with other samples, but at the heart of these comments is a belief (or fear) that the terms and conditions of the "battle" are already set and our choice is to compete on those terms or not at all. My suggestion is that perhaps the battle conditions are not set in stone. You may and can have a choice as to where, how, and when to engage. And maybe you also have a choice as to never engage either! 

How can you alter your own reality and that of your "adversary" to change the tide in your favour? For example, if applying for a new role, how can you paint a picture that, despite not having a couple of the qualities or attributes asked for, you have something different or more important to offer to the role?  

Rather than feeling compelled to respond on the spot to a question or proposal, how can you set yourself up to better respond, perhaps by asking for a more considered, focused, and structured discussion - one that allows you to be as prepared as your counterpart?  

What makes you think that you have to lead like the last CEO? Or that you can? Or that you should? We are all different leaders, no clones, and certainly all imperfect. What do you bring to a leadership role that your successor did not and that is perhaps better suited to the current and future realities?

All of these scenarios - and the historical analogies of success - speak to and require several foundational realities being in place. 

First, understanding your personal, team, or organizational strengths and values.  Those (successful) generals and commanders noted earlier were completely aware of the strengths and weaknesses of themselves, their armies and those of their foes as well. You likewise need to understand your own strengths and limitations and how to make best use of those in your chosen field of endeavor.  

I can't overemphasize how much we need to understand, appreciate, and hold to our personal values. If you find yourself feeling uncomfortable in any work or personal scenario, pay attention to those    misgivings. They are a sign that some core value of yours is being pushed beyond what you feel is right and good. Understand what you are prepared to negotiate away - but do that consciously. For me those core values include integrity and honesty. Once you cement these values, its easier, although not easy, to not just negotiate a "better deal" but to even walk away from a damaging engagement - live to fight another day. 

Second is the ability to exercise restraint and patience to seek out the right opportunity to apply your skills and abilities. Wrong time, wrong place? Maybe these questions and answers will also help you determine that this is the wrong opportunity altogether. 

Third, have the courage to be bold or patient as circumstances dictate. When pushed, can you hold your ground to create the right circumstances for victory? When opportunity presents, can you demonstrate and apply your strengths at the right time and place? Time and tide may wait for no one, but luck also favors the prepared. Be ready when the time comes.  Be clear about your objectives, your vision for success, and apply your strengths, abilities, and values with confidence.

It's About Leadership and sometimes leadership means actively understanding and creating the conditions for success...your success.

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder, BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

The Maze of Motivation?

Originally published on January 20, 2025.

By definition, leadership means that one has followers. Ideally, what you are experiencing is work with a highly engaged team that works well together and moves from success to success, right? Or is this perspective overly optimistic and grossly naive? Perhaps your experience is one where you feel that you are more constantly cajoling, prodding, and pushing your team to perform at even at a basic level of effort and achievement. You lament that you just can't seem to get individual team members working effectively and efficiently. You find that the 80/20 rule is working against you because you spend 80% of your leadership time trying to performance manage the 20% of your team that is problematic, trying to repair mistakes, and trying to manage the next conflict within your team.

If you are like many leaders - whether a business owner or employed decision-maker - you have likely tried a variety of techniques and approaches to getting better results from those you have contracted, employed, or otherwise worked with. This might include creating sophisticated models for recruiting and selecting staff because hiring the right people at the outset that will be more than half the battle won, right? Unfortunately, even the best of efforts doesn't guarantee success in this regard. Next you start playing with compensation/benefits plans and look to solidify performance management processes in your company. The bottom line is you have goals you want to achieve and you want to MOTIVATE your team to help you succeed in your plans.  

The problem is that carrots (e.g., money) and sticks (e.g., traditional performance management) don't create true engagement, motivation, or sustained (positive) impact on performance. My own experience is that any compensation model, pay for performance, bonus system, and so on, might have a short-term impact for an individual, but all too often they diminish the teamwork that is necessary for bigger and sustained differences in performance. These approaches are also problematic because there is rarely agreement between organization and individuals as to what constitutes good, better, and best performance; there can be large discrepancies in how one leader/manager assesses performance relative to their peers; and it sets up comparison and unhealthy competition between team members.

Another challenge in trying to motivate staff through a carrot and stick approach is what to do in times of restraint that every organization and business inevitably goes through. In some cases, this might not just mean eliminating bonuses in a given year (or years). There could also be efforts on the part of a company to rein in costs, ensure alignment with industry best practices, or even to ensure alignment with legislative standards. I have seen this latter reality take shape when companies had to move away from long-standing practices and "traditions" that then impacted things like vacation banks, ensuring staff take vacations in the years they have earned time off, and setting limits on how/when sick time can be utilized. The consequence of formalizing and maturing these HR policies and procedures? Disgruntlement and demotivation as employees view these changes as a unilateral change in the implicit contract/relationship they thought they had with their employer.  

Does all of this mean that motivating others is a fool's errand? Not at all. But it does require us to accept another perspective on motivation and then adopt a different approach to motivating others.  First, we have to accept that everyone is motivated! They are just not by the same things that you are.  If I consider either my role as a public health care leader or as a business owner/entrepreneur, I was very clear about why I did. There was clarity of purpose that made me a self-starter, highly conscientious, and a person focused on achievement. What I clearly had was a strongly held passion for the work I was doing. Did others share that passion? In some cases, almost completely so. But in the vast majority of cases, other people and staff would not or could not put in the time or effort that I was prepared to exert in pursuit of success.  They had other aspirations and goals. No amount of sloganeering, pulpit pounding, or bonus would dramatically impact that reality. 

Is there a solution for getting more out of your team? To be successful in motivating them? The answer is YES. However, it requires to understand motivation differently, do differently, and put energy into our leadership and teams in a more positive and assertive way. The answer was recently and most articulately brought to my attention through the work of author Susan Fowler in her book "Why Motivating People Doesn't Work...And What Does". She suggests that everyone has an innate desire to thrive, to grow, to develop, and to be part of a team/positive collective. A leader's task, then, is to create the condition in which these innate desires can be supported. And if the leader fails to create that environment, then an individual will focus on other areas of their lives that will deliver those benefits to them. They will be motivated by something else.

What do people need and what can you tap into as a leader to enhance motivation for your organization's goals? 

First, you have to empower those who work with you. You have to give them choice and a sense of control in their work. Now this doesn't mean unbridled anarchy. There are always boundaries in place for everyone, including the boss. However, all of us want to have a semblance of control over all aspects of our lives, set direction, and feel like we are using our skills and abilities. In this way we are tapping into internal drivers of success rather than being driven or constrained by external forces. I can speak to this reality even at the pinnacle of my leadership journey when I was a senior vice president. While I was making the most money I had ever made in my career, was afforded the chance to earn bonuses when they were available, and enjoyed a great benefits package, I was not only unmotivated but also disillusioned by feeling that I had limited latitude to exercise my skills and abilities. Bureaucracy was stifling or eliminating my decision-making power.  

Second, a leader needs to cultivate an opportunity for individuals to be connected with the leader, the team and the broader organization. Humans are social creatures. We need to experience genuine connection to others, to feel that our values align with the values of our team or organization, and that we are all working towards something greater than ourselves. This means personal, interpersonal, and social connection. If people don't feel this level of connection with you, their team, or their organization, they will fulfill that need in other places - professionally, with family and friends, anywhere but within the organization. As I consider this insight, I am reminded of Lencioni's 5 Dysfunctions of a Team and the first element of that model being Trust/Absence of Trust. A bonus system as a motivating tool, unfortunately, feels like a nice way to tell us what to do but won't foster relationships or support a belief in your staff that you care about them.

Finally, a leader needs to support their team in experiencing growth and development. Does the work environment promote confidence, does it support learning, does it build confidence, and does it learn and manage through "mistakes" (or punish those transgressions? It has always struck me as extraordinarily short-sighted that so many organizations - public and private sector in equal measure - so easily cut back or eliminate training and development budgets as one of their first go to means of managing through adversity. In reality, training and development, including leadership and team development, are never more important or required than in challenging times. Instead of constantly focusing on short-term productivity metrics (What did you achieve today?), you might start by appreciating the growth and development of an organization's greatest asset - its people - and find out what your people are learning and how they are growing.

I had always believed that all people were motivated by different things. However, I could never necessarily translate that understanding into tools that could support motivation of others. In reality, I just had to think about those times where I felt most motivated in my work (and life) and can easily see the parallels to having choice/empowerment in what I was doing, how cohesive and supportive my team environment was, and the degree to which I felt I was able to learn and grow in my skill sets, my leadership capacity, and in myself as a person.

Motivation doesn't have to be a maze. There is another way forward if we change our leadership mindset.  It's all about leadership!

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder, BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

Stockholm Syndrome at Work?

Originally published on January 6, 2025.

In the past year, I have been pondering the concept/reality of Stockholm Syndrome and how it applies to the workplace. However, as I considered writing about this notion, it struck me that many might not even know what Stockholm Syndrome is and where the term originated. So, a brief history lesson first before we consider how this applies to the workplace. 

In 1973, Jan-Erik Olsson, a convict on parole, took four employees of Kreditbanken (one of the largest banks in Sweden at the time, based out of Stockholm) hostage during a failed bank robbery. Olsson was soon joined by a co-conspirator and so began a six-day ordeal for the captives. For much of this time, the hostages were held in one of the bank vaults under conditions that most of us can only imagine - cramped quarters, no comforts, negotiations for food and water, unsanitary conditions, and constant threat to life either from the hostage takers or police action. When the hostages were finally released, they not only choose NOT to testify against their captors, but they also actually went so far as to raise money for their legal defense!

In the time after these events, police and mental health experts tried to dissect and understand why the hostages would be supportive and even identify with their captors. Long story short, the hostages started to build a relationship with their captors.  While the captors were certainly the immediate cause of the loss of freedom and risk to life that the hostages experienced, there was also growing appreciation for the power that the captors wielded over them. The hostages were, after all, kept alive by their captors for six days. They were provided with food and water and what limited amenities were possible. The captors and hostages developed a shared experience. And, as related by the hostages themselves, they increasingly saw outside forces (e.g., police) as being a greater risk to their health than their captors. The captors and the hostages came to believe they shared a similar threat from outside the bank. 

What similarities do I see (or have experienced) in the workplace? I can neither begin to describe all of the instances of workplace harassment, abuse, and trauma I have experienced, nor those that I have seen or have had relayed to me by others over the past many years. In all of these cases, it is clear that the organization or "boss" controls all manner of punishment and rewards that can be provided to their staff (e.g., good/bad performance reviews, salary increases/bonuses or not, public praise or ridicule, private encouragements or disparagement).  

While societal norms and values may be changing, with particular impetus to this trend being given by our COVID-19 pandemic experience, much of our self-worth is still tied to our work, our positions/titles, and the sense of belonging we crave in working within a team/organization. Humans are social beings and need connection and belonging. Most, if not all, of us are usually excited and hopeful when we begin a new job. We are anxious to prove ourselves to our new organization, our new colleagues, and even to ourselves. With few exceptions, we are probably somewhat vulnerable in these circumstances and assess any short-term "failures" as part of our learning curve. Over time, as each successive day passes and each paycheck is received, we become more enmeshed with an organization's culture. Most of our day-to-day relationships are those we experience at work.  

I know from my own personal experience that as time goes on (months and years of working together), there is an increasing desire to hope for positive feedback and rewards while at the same time taking on a great degree of ownership (and even guilt) when performance is not recognized or even diminished. We have been trained to believe that the boss or organization might be infallible and that any punishment we might receive is warranted.  We double down on our efforts to be worthy - accept negative feedback, work longer hours, sacrifice personal time for the good of the next big project, even lie to advance an organizational priority. Unaddressed or unchallenged, I have seen some of the most downtrodden staff members remain fiercely loyal to their boss/organization at the expense of themselves. At times, these abused staff can even become allies in the abuse and harassment of other colleagues.

An employee experiencing Stockholm Syndrome in their workplace becomes emotionally and psychologically attached to the organization/boss to the detriment of their own emotional health.  And this is not just some mask worn in some form of perverse self-preservation. In many respects, the employee comes to BELIEVE that the environment being created is right/correct and is in the best interests of the organization as a whole. This spirt of self-sacrifice, doing everything that needs to be done, swallowing one's pride, can often be seen as the epitome of professionalism. We can become vigorous and passionate deniers of what seems obvious as unhealthy by any outside or objective perspective. 

How do we know we are living in or seeing Stockholm Syndrome in our places of work? All too often a key casualty in these environments is a breakdown in real, honest, and authentic teamwork. Each individual becomes primarily focused on self. They work to be rewarded, actively look to avoid any form of punishment, and are grateful that others might be the focus of negative attention. Keep my head down, please the boss, put in my time. To the extent that rewards are still available to employees, these will be powerfully used to maintain control over staff behavior with loyalty being the expectation regardless of personal cost. 

A rather bleak picture! Breaking this cycle is hard and usually requires a major (or many major) inflexion points within a team or organization. In rare instances, a particular leader overreaches their bounds and is found out. The "hostages" are released, but still experience long-term negative impact that takes significant time and effort to overcome. Some have to unlearn the coping mechanisms they developed and rebuild trust in the organization, their colleagues, and even themselves. For others, the journey forward means a departure to another organization and, depending on their personal resilience and strength of a broader support network, can either mean upward mobility or downward spiral.

As with everything within an organization, the type of culture created and maintained comes directly back to the quality of leadership provided, our view of what it means to be part of a team, and even to our confidence in ourselves. Professionalism is great, but not at the expense of ourselves and our values. 

It's all about leadership for self which sometimes means we have to recognize that the emperor has no clothes, our hostage takers don't have our best interests at heart, and that as painful as it might seem in the moment, moving on can often be the best thing we can do for ourselves.

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder, BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

Leadership Physics

Originally published on October 4, 2024.

One doesn't necessarily think or talk about physics and leadership in the same sentence, but the events of the past several weeks - including a variety of political machinations and challenges in Alberta, Canada, North America and throughout the world - engaged my imagination (delusions) and came to rest on a couple of physics concepts that seem to resonate for me and leadership.

Now I'm not going to profess to being an expert in the field of physics. I successfully avoided the subject through high school and university! I have just enough awareness of the concepts to be dangerous and think I can draw some comparisons to leadership and work challenges.

Being very much a wanna be science geek, as attested to by my love of astronomy, Star Trek and the Big Bang Theory, I start to see a relationship between leadership and physics. No more so than as it relates to events that have driven changes in my work and that of my clients through such things as COVID, but also by seemingly distant events like wars and dislocation taking place throughout the world. Add into this mix challenges to supply chains, labour disruptions, and the ever-increasing speed of AI applications and we have a recipe for large scale change and disruption.

The first physics concept that strikes me at present is the relationship between work, time, and power, which brings my own time management and prioritization into focus. When I started my entrepreneurial and business venture over seven years ago, there was the challenge of striking the balance between clear opportunities in the moment versus the need to continuously invest in planting seeds and developing new or better service offerings. The challenge of important versus urgent that we all face. Now add in the new dynamics I have mentioned above and time management and prioritization take on a whole new significance.

As I write this, I continue to make changes in my practice that have both been challenging and beneficial.  Almost all of my work has taken on a strong virtual flavour rather than in-person connection. This has also opened up a new landscape of international work with connections now being made and sustained in countries like Germany, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Mexico, and Finland. Time zone management in individual and team/group coaching has added a new dimension to my daily juggling efforts. 

My translation of the concept of Power as it relates to leadership and business is that power represents our ability to achieve and to get things done. Power is certainly a time-based concept and quantity as all of us know too well. The level of Power we are able to achieve directly relates to two key factors: the amount of Work effort we bring to bear on any one task, and the amount of Time it takes to complete a task (or that we are prepared to give to it). Simple enough on the face of it..

As I work through the current reality it becomes abundantly clear that Work and Time exist in limited quantities! At a certain point there is no more Work to be applied or Time to be had in relation to the quality of Power (or quality of accomplishment) that we expect or can achieve. There are bigger forces at play right now and our priorities are getting reordered almost hourly. Quality and commitment are having to be revisited along the way. Simplification and flexibility are the watchwords of the day.

We often undertake pieces of work, invest in initiatives and in other people and relationships for all the right reasons. We believe we see some current or future value in this investment of our time and energy.  Sometimes we have really done our homework while other times we become enamored with the idea of what has been presented to us or is before us. 

However, in service of Power (or quality of that Power), we need to make appropriate commitments of Work and Time. Nothing good comes for free.

Now if you google "time management" you'll get a host of tips for getting more Work done in a given Time period in service of results/Power. This list often includes delegation, forensic audit of your last week's or last month's calendar, block off time with yourself, schedule time for inevitable interruptions, take the first 30 minutes of your day to plan, and turn off your technology. If you are like me - and most of my clients - you've done most of these and are still feeling challenged.

A breakthrough for me came when I started to think, "How would I coach one of my clients through this type of scenario?" I started to ask myself some hard questions. What was I prepared to continue to do to make this particular task successful? How long was I prepared to continue to make the investment of Time and Work into the venture? How did that investment of Time and Work relate to other things that were giving me more Power?

The light bulb came on when I recognized that rather than trying to find more Time or give more Work, I needed to really think in terms of efficiency in service of my personal Power (or ultimate goals). Once that equation came into sharper focus and I really owned my personal priorities, the decision became clear (although not necessarily easier). The hardest decisions I had to come to terms with were ones of key priorities and personal choice. Ultimately the same struggle that any one of my clients deal with - being clear on priorities and making hard choices. And that's what leadership is often all about, whether it relates to leadership of self or a business.

One additional side note. The achievement of Power (accomplishment) is, for better or worse, a simple matter of your own Work and Time. Rather we have to deal with the concept of Friction and a potential to lose impact from your own Work. There are other forces in the environment that can confound your efforts. I needed to take that into account as well when considering my decision. In my particular circumstance it was clear that there were too many other points of Friction at play that were not allowing me to make the best use of my personal Work and Time to achieve my full Power.

Long story short - Time and Work are bounded for all of us. We have to be wise enough and strong enough to make the right choices in service of our Power.

Leadership is about setting priorities and having the courage to act upon those priorities. Nobody ever said it was going to be easy, but that is leadership.

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

The Practice of Gratitude

Originally published on September 19, 2024.

September 21, 2024, is World Gratitude Day. The intent of the event is to help individuals, organizations, and society at large to celebrate the broad meaning of gratitude. More specifically, it has become increasingly apparent that there are significant benefits of setting aside time and otherwise being conscious of all that is good in our lives. In my past leadership roles and in my current role as executive coach, I have often found that the vast majority of us seem to fixate on all the things we believe we have not attended to, have not gotten right, or otherwise ruminate on all that has gone wrong or could go wrong.  From personal experience I can certainly say that this is a highly de-energizing and demotivating place to be.  

In today's world we are also often inundated with all the worst news the world has to offer - conflict in the Middle East, war in Ukraine, polarization of politics in western democracies, natural disasters with significant loss of life and property, crime in our own towns and neighborhoods, and too many other challenges than can be listed.  All of these situations can impose a heavy burden on our mind, body, and soul, not to mention anything that hits us on a more personal level - loss of loved ones, day-to-day work challenges, financial challenges. Where is the room for gratitude? And does gratitude even feel like the right thing to think about given what I have already said?

I hope we can all start to say a resounding "YES" to this last question. I can certainly appreciate - and am living - a whole range of challenges that parallel what has been noted above. Not least of what has transpired for me is the sudden loss of my mother earlier this year. And I certainly would not have found a place to express gratitude for many months of 2023 and through much of 2024. Indeed, it was not until the middle of 2024 that I said, "Physician (or coach) heal thyself".  At the time I started journalling and asking, amongst other questions, "What am I grateful for?"

I try to answer this question on a daily basis. The exercise takes no more than 30 minutes and on some days it feels harder to engage in the practice than others. Events of the previous day often weigh heavily on my mind, but I believe it's on those days that this exercise is the most important to engage with and complete. It's on these days in particular that I gain the greatest benefit from appreciating what I have working for me versus what I might be thinking is working against me. 

How do I answer this gratitude question? For the most part, I would say there are some very consistent entries in my journal. Those answers include gratitude for:

• My daughters. And, in the case of my oldest daughter, her boyfriend. I am grateful for the time and role I can play in their lives and for the appreciation they (sometimes) extend back to me.

• My friends and family. In the past year, these people have had an extraordinarily powerful supporting role through challenging times for me. In fact, in my journal, I document them as my community therapists.

• Key people where I can sometimes get very specific with naming certain people based on what they have done for me in support of me in the previous 24 hours or more.

• The good health I still generally enjoy. There are certainly days that I find myself more fatigued than I would like, suffering from a few more aches and pains as I age, and discovering that I have somehow twisted my back in my sleep! Overall, however, nearing age 60, I am still capable of doing significant physical labour and can still describe myself as reasonably mentally agile :).

• My personal and business reputation. People still reach out to me in a variety of ways because of how I have shown up with them, supported them, and otherwise encouraged them in their own good and bad times. They have reinforced through their words and actions that the qualities I aspire to live to are in fact experienced by them in their interactions with me.

• My parents. Despite my dad passing in 2019 and my mom earlier this year, I have a strong sense that they are still looking out for their son through his trials and tribulations, while also rejoicing in his victories as they happen.

• My power to choose. I am able to do a lot as I choose to. I am not powerless. I am not restricted as so many others may be. I can engage in physical activity. I can travel. I can enjoy experiences.  I can make things happen.

One of the final things that I try to express gratitude for is myself. In truth, this is where I actually start my gratitude entry every time. Is that egotistical? Perhaps. More importantly though, it is a place to ensure that despite whatever challenges I might be facing or attacks I might feel that I am under, I try to ground myself in the reality of who I am and what I have accomplished. I don't often go into a lot of detail here - which might be a mistake - but a simple entry can bring me back to appreciating my core values of integrity, courage, creativity, collaboration, and fun. The simple entry can remind me of the adversity I have overcome. The simple entry can remind me of what I have accomplished as a leader in my past roles and as an entrepreneur/consultant/coach. These FACTS can act as a powerful counterpoint to other PERCEPTIONS rattling around my brain.  As I have said before, our minds are a dangerous neighborhood to go into alone. Reminding myself of the FACTS of my life is like turning on a light in a dark room.  I get to see things for what they really are.

Does this exercise mean that I don't sometimes worry about my business, the expenses, how my retirement fund is shaping up (or not)? Absolutely. But more often than not, I now find myself more worried about the experiences I might be denying myself in the moment and what greatness still awaits me.  

What can you do on September 21, 2024, to live into gratitude? What can you do every day after that to live with more gratitude?

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

Bouncing Back: A Personal Recipe

Originally published on August 9, 2024.

My last post focused on the work of Linda Graham and her book Bouncing Back. I reflected on her five elements of resilient coping and how we can build new neural circuity to increase our resilience.

That blog prompted additional questions from readers about what my personal experience has been with a narcissistic boss. Readers/commentators wanted less theory or constructs from professional writers or researchers; they wanted to hear about my lived experience. What personal insights did I have on the topic of surviving (and later thriving?) with a narcissistic boss.  Regrettably, I can say that I have worked with at least two such leaders in my career. The consequences were emotional, mental, and even physical.  In both cases, self-confidence took a hit and directly led to physical ailments like stomach problems, sleep deprivation, and anxiety. But I not only survived, I also learned some valuable lessons along the way about how to cope with challenging leaders/people in the future and how I wanted to be as a leader (and person) going forward. Listed below are my personal insights and, I hope, some guidance for you if you are living through similar circumstances.

One, articulate or affirm your personal strengths, qualities, values, achievements, and essence. One of the most insidious tactics or realities of a narcissistic boss is that your self-confidence takes a hit.  Why?  Because most of us want to do a good job, most of us want feedback on our performance, and most of us are expecting that someone with greater authority and experience wants to help us learn and grow. People with positions of authority are people we should learn from, right? One of my greatest challenges with working with a narcissist was that "good enough" was a benchmark that was often ill-defined and constantly shifting. This was accompanied by feedback that mostly noted (supposed) flaws in my work and was woefully short in terms of clarity of what good should look like.  

In these situations, we are either being told directly that our abilities are not up to standards OR we punish ourselves for falling short. In these circumstances what I have learned to do is remind myself of my values, core strengths, and past achievements. Ideally, this is work that has already been done, allowing you to go back and ground yourself in objective reality rather than allowing yourself to be tossed to and fro by the whims of a challenging boss. I have done this kind of personal reflection and assessment since my early 20's and have continuously refined my understanding of self through the years. It is incredibly helpful and I would encourage you to do this work for yourself.

Two, recognize reality for what it is. What I had to come to realize was that fundamentally, the situation I was living through was not about me. Rather, it was about a less than capable leader. This is not about you. This is about them. In both of the circumstances I can relate to, I started to realize how fundamentally broken the leaders I was working with were. At the core of their personalities was deep seated insecurity and fear of being anything less than perfect. Vulnerability, humility, and the courage to work with others who are/were capable was too big a bridge for them to cross. Their need to criticize and/or withhold positive feedback was not because I was failing or incapable. Rather, they needed to create some sort of reality that allowed them to feel good about themselves even if that meant trying to break down others.  

Third, take time to breathe, pause, and process. Probably the best piece of advice I received from another leader who, like me, reported to the same challenging bosses, was to hold off responding to requests/demands until she had heard it three times. At first hearing this I was shocked at the approach.  How could I not instantly drop everything and respond to what I think my boss was asking for? Well for one thing, in most of those situations my emotions were running high while my thinking capacity was probably at a lower ebb. The result was usually not being clear about what I was being asked to do, I failed to ask enough questions, and I failed to bring my best skills and thinking to bear on a situation. In these cases, speed kills. As hard as it is to implement, the best thing you can do for yourself is slow down, go for a walk, meditate, and settle before responding to a situation.  

Fourth, cultivate your network. Too often when we are under pressure and starting to doubt ourselves, we hunker down and isolate. We do this as a natural protective response. If you think about trying to weather a storm or get away from a physical danger, our tendency is to crouch down, lean into the wind, or find shelter. We fail to take advantage of the connections in our lives that are incredibly useful and necessary to leverage at this time. I have learned this lesson the hard way. Too often I would see this reliance on others as a weakness. Or perhaps I feared that admitting my challenges with a narcissistic boss would only reveal that I was the only one failing and struggling. This has never been the case. Your network - in work and beyond - will help reinforce your positive qualities and attributes, help you see your situation objectively (see Point Two above), will allow you time to think and process (see Point Three above), and help you focus forward (see Point Five below). Cultivate and grow your network always. It takes time, energy, and investment in the good times, but it will pay huge dividends in the challenging times.

Fifth, create or get grounded back to your positive future vision. Don't let the narcissistic boss define you. This is a bump in a road, maybe even a learning opportunity, but use the situation to further enhance where you would like to be rather than seeing this as the best/worst you can achieve. You likely took on your current job with high hopes and expectations of making a difference, learning and growing, and setting the stage for the next great opportunity. You might also have been very excited for the team you thought you were going to be a part of. Again, ideally, this visioning work is something you have been doing for some time before coming up to the current reality. Don't lose sight of your positive, preferred future. If you haven't previously done this work then start to think about where you do want to go, grounded in the objective reality of your strengths and positive qualities (Point One) and further informed and reinforced by your network (Point Four). If you are having trouble visioning positively, start thinking about what you would want to have less of in your preferred future state. 

None of these lessons I have learned makes the path forward pain free or easy for anyone. However, I hope it provides some tools and hope for you to overcome a personal challenge. As you try to implement these steps you will probably do so with some hesitancy and discomfort at first, but I promise you that the effort will lead you to a better place. Own your strengths and potential.  Be courageous and even creative.  

Phoenix Rising! It's within all of us. It's within you.

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

Bouncing Back: A Recipe?

Originally published on July 15, 2024

I have pondered the topics of resilience, trauma, and post-traumatic growth for many years now. This focus was sharpened by my learning journey as a coach and a particular learning opportunity that exposed me to the concept of post-traumatic growth. As I read the article, I was struck by the insights and parallels to my own journey starting with the sudden death of my wife in 2007 and the subsequent reinvention of myself from that point over the following few years. Long story short, since that traumatic event I have

• dramatically changed my physical status, losing and keeping off (on average) 35 pounds;

• successfully completed multiple athletic events, including several marathons, a Goofy and a Dopey (ask me about that if you wish), two full Iroman triathlons, and I have even combined marathon experiences with destination travel in Venice and Berlin;

• successfully launched a coaching/consulting business, leaping forward into an entrepreneurial venture after more than 25 years in public sector leadership (that more often rewarded risk aversion vs risk taking); and

• successfully overcome major life and societal events like COVID, economic downturns, and other significant, negative life events.

At the present time, I find myself navigating a number of dramatic changes in my personal and professional lives that cause me again to reassess and refocus on the next part of my journey. In particular, I have been spending significant time digging into the concepts of trauma, narcissism, resilience, leadership, and recovery.  I will be exploring these topics for many months (maybe years?) yet to come. 

Most recently, I was introduced to the work of Linda Graham and her book Bouncing Back. In her work, Graham, presents the Five C's of Resilient Coping that help to rewire old dysfunctional patterns of behavior that can be attended to and work to help us build new neural circuity to increase our resilience. I expect this will be helpful in my current journey. But why might this be relevant to you within the context of work and leadership? My belief is all of us have been challenged in the course of our working lives with dealing with difficult situations, including relationships with co-workers and leaders. If not, count your blessings while at the same time take something from the discussion that follows to prepare yourself for any future challenge you may face. So, let's dig into Linda Graham's 5 C's.

First learn to remain calm in a crisis. I would say a key distinguishing factor for those leaders who excel and those who do not is this quality of balance and calmness. In far too many circumstances I have seen leaders who not only fail to properly diagnose the root cause of an issue but, in their drive to lead (or manage their own anxiety), they make matters worse by their rapid reaction. Metaphorically speaking, they more often add gas to the fire rather than fix the presenting issue. Our inherited mindset of flight, fight, or freeze doesn't help us in most modern-day circumstances. As a leader, we are particularly tasked with slowing things down long enough to see an issue for what it is, understanding its significance, assessing risk, and potentially even deciding whether the issue is worthy of response. Patience is a virtue to be cultivated! Breathe, pause, and reflect before taking action. 

Second, focus on achieving clarity. It's hard to achieve clarity when you have given into your first instincts and find yourself hip deep in alligators! The benefit of the patience noted above is you can see the situation for what it really is and you can also better appreciate how your past experiences have served or not served you in similar situations. The more clarity you can achieve for yourself, the better positioned you will be to implement a better response…including the option of no response!

Third, get help. I have said before that leadership is a team sport. While there is no shortage of challenge in admitting imperfection or showing vulnerability, a good leader takes full advantage of all of the team’s resources that should be available to them. Now, when I say team, I do so in the broadest sense of that term. These resources need not simply be any direct reports you might have. Rather, there could be a range of people, information, and systems that can help with a given scenario AND help you grow as a leader. Their past/current work and life experience are assets to be leveraged. Don't let pride, ego or fear get in the way of using other assets that could deliver a better decision and result for you.

Fourth, remind yourself of your current skills, competencies, and experiences. I found myself discussing this concept today with two of my existing coaching clients. And this subject often comes up in my coaching practice in general as I debrief leadership assessment results, and in strategic planning engagements. We seem to be wired to think more in terms of our real or perceived weaknesses or gaps in skills instead of truly owning our strengths and abilities. We are not empty vessels and we need to remind ourselves that we have come through adversity before.  Tap into those experiences and existing skills as starting points for managing through the current challenge. 

Finally, we have nothing to fear but fear itself, right? Find your courage. Take the next first/best step forward. I am fond of a couple of phrases that I started using several years ago when I was president of the Edmonton Chapter of the International Coach Federation: "Why Not?" and "What If?". Look for possibilities. Be creative. Objectively evaluate risk. Look back to the third and fourth C for some objectivity and even inspiration. 

As and when you build calmness, clarity, connection, competence, and courage, you will build out your resilience. In this respect, think of resilience and the 5 Cs as muscles. The more you can use these muscles, the stronger you will become.  Moreover, as you use these tools, you will also be modeling resilience for those around you.  

Resilience - It's All About Leadership!

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

Leadership is a Creative Process

Originally published on June 25, 2024.

Leadership has been defined and dissected in more ways than we can probably number and from a variety of authoritative sources from which I draw my inspiration - Covey, Collins, Sinek, Kouzes & Posner to name but a few.  Each of these leadership gurus has helped me identify, refine, and grow my leadership philosophy over the years.

None of their musings, mantras, and models mean much, however, unless they are matched against the lived experience of an individual leader. To become truly useful and powerful, the lessons these authors try to impart must also be applied in the real world. As leaders, we must put the various theories to the practical test in our own unique environments.  We must see what could work for us - or not - and then evaluate to what degree our level of success in implementation was the result of quality and intensity of effort, true understanding of the model and principles being applied, or some combination thereof. Tools on their own are not the answer. Tools on their own are not going to turn us into better leaders. What is required is critical and concerted application and adaptation of that tool to our environment and skill level.

This is where I believe a key - and underappreciated - aspect of leadership comes into play: the skill or tool of creativity.

I believe one of the least understood qualities of great leaders is their ability to be creative.  This goes beyond being entrepreneurial or innovative in relation to getting new products or services to market. In my view, creativity in leadership is characterized by a spirit of curiosity; a motivation for making impactful change, for trying something different; and a commitment to exploration with all the attendant risk that comes from trying something new. Creativity in leadership means challenging oneself and the teams that are being led.  Creativity results in conceiving of and realizing dreams never before thought possible. Creativity does, in fact, lead to exponential changes or quantum leaps in thinking and being.

What makes a creative leader? What provides the context for creativity for a leader and thus for their teams and organizations to build, advance, and succeed - perhaps out of all proportion to their perceived limitations? I believe there are a few key factors to consider.

Able to defer judgment: A rush to judgment precludes understanding the real challenges or opportunities before a leader and their team and constrains perspective on possible new opportunities, options, and avenues of exploration.

Passion to seek out novelty: While deferring judgment opens up the mind, the novelty principle requires a leader to actively seek out and explore options that are original, unique, and out-of-the-box. You might even note that such a leader is voracious and compelled to seek out insights from all kinds of sectors and sources.  

Drive for quantity: This quality, building on the previous two, suggests that the quantity of ideas explored is an ally of the quality of ideas ultimately achieved. Creative leaders always seem to have a variety of ideas in their heads. In fact, it can be exhausting keeping up with their restless energy and stream of thought! In this case, though, quantity is intended to leverage the probability of generating several good options.

Make/seek connections and applications: Creative leaders recognize that limiting their field of view to their particular industry or sector is woefully insufficient in terms of pushing the envelope. This is also where the drive for novelty and quantity come into play. Creative leaders look for ideas and synergies from a variety of related and (seemingly) unrelated experiences, sectors, fields of study, stories, and genres.  

Practical: One of the key aspects of useful creativity is the ability to implement something impactful or effective. The ability to translate creative ideas into practical application is one of the key elements that separates the dreamer from the effective leader.

As I noted earlier, creativity in leadership is about more than introducing new products or services to market.  One of the hallmark distinctions between leadership and management, or between being a leader and a doer, is getting things done (bigger things done) through others. In the context of leadership, therefore, and in the tremendously dynamic and ever-changing reality that is today's modern economy and workforce, leadership also demands creative approaches, adaptability, and flexibility in responding to and achieving the potential of one's teams. How does a leader create and apply a creative process to building the capacity and capability of their teams?

In the context of leadership, the elements noted above (and likely more) need to be brought to bear on leveraging the skills and abilities of a team or organization. Moreover, the leader has to have the vision and be actively scanning the environment to understand the challenges or opportunities available to the team. Next the leader has to build a level of awareness on the part of the team as to the importance of these challenges or opportunities and why being successful is so critical. Then the team has to be engaged in an experimentation phase - brainstorming, piloting, trial balloons - that start to put ideas to the test. And finally, and most critically, something has to be implemented. Engaging the team throughout the creative process allows for definitive buy-in and adaptation as environmental circumstances dictate.  

Leadership is an art - you are the conductor, the sculptor, the artist, or perhaps even the chef. You are the creative inspiration and shaper of your team to something beyond what any one of you could achieve.  Commit to your creative aspirations for your leadership and to the benefit of your team.

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

Achieving Team Success

Originally published on June 17, 2024.

Teams and teamwork are ubiquitous to almost every aspect of our lives. Unless you have not entered the workforce as yet, the reality is that you will be part of at least one team in any job at any given time. If your career has spanned years and even decades, you have been part of more teams than you might even be able to remember. These team experiences have either given us fond memories of great teams we have been a part of OR they have given us feelings of ongoing regret and nightmares about teams that have drained our souls!

While teams are inevitable, their success is not. Even when we believe ourselves to be in a high-functioning, gold-standard team, that success can be fleeting and should not be taken for granted. Every team will go through change over a period of years, months, or even days, whither it’s a change in operating environment or mandate, a change in team membership, or a change in leadership. Any change - even seemingly small changes - can have a significant impact on the equilibrium of the team with the result being a shift from success to dysfunction. This shift in capacity and capability of the team can be shocking and surprising, but there are steps and preventative maintenance that can help support moving a team from dysfunction to success, or supporting high level performance over a period of years. Bottom line, like any system - organic or mechanical - there needs to be a constant investment of time and energy in building and sustaining a team.

So how do we build and sustain a high-performing team? What are the keys to pay attention to? What might be some red flags (or green flags) to be aware of?  The first and most basic question to answer is whether we do in fact have or are part of a team. This may seem ridiculous to consider, but it is a core issue to address, especially for a leader. All too often we declare a team to be in operation, but we are missing some key qualifiers to justify that claim.  I offer two key criteria that should be addressed to determine whether you have a team or just a group of people in play:

1. Does the collection of people being brought together have any significant, practical, and specific goals they are pursuing in common?

If no common goals exist (other than some vague, large-scale objective) that help to align the work of every team member, then does a team really exist? Can each individual pursue goals or objectives, without positive or negative consequence, that are important or relevant to them alone? Worse, are the goals being pursued by each individual "team member" in conflict with those of other team members with no incentive or need to promote collaboration?

2. Do the individuals need to rely on each other to accomplish their goals or tasks?  

Does any team member need inputs, resources, energy, and commitment from anybody else on the "team" in order to succeed? Or do they just hope that other people stay out of their way while they do their work? If I do not require any support from others and I am not called on to tangibly support others in their work, this certainly gives the appearance and feel of ships passing in the night. No interdependence means no team.

If you have answered “yes” to the above two questions, you can now dig more deeply into setting up a new team for success or helping an existing team to sustain or grow in success. The first foundation to address is to confirm and clarify the team's goals. These can be established by taking into account what the organization or senior leadership expect from the team, what you as the leader identify as key goals or expectations of the team, AND through discussion and debate from your team as a whole. Considering the first two sources of direction for the team, these could be identified as non-negotiables and they might fall into the category of regulatory restrictions or obligations, adherence to organizational values and policies, and your own leadership values and expectations. Be prepared to be clear as to why these parameters are non-negotiable. You and the organization have every right to set out these types of parameters, but be prepared to move beyond a simple "because I said so" if you really want team buy-in.

On the third source of goal confirmation - engaging the team - there is a lot to be said about working through and continuously touching base with and affirming team goals.  This effort implies authentic engagement that promotes understanding of the goals that will ultimately be set, the importance of those goals to each individual team member, appreciation of how individual actions can support (or inhibit) team success, promotes genuine ownership by the team for the goals, and allows each individual team member to dynamically adjust their efforts/tactics as challenges or opportunities arise.  

Beyond confirming these specific goal statements (SMART anyone?), additional work can be done at this time focusing on how the team will make decisions, how the team will balance the concepts of autonomy/empowerment and accountability/collaboration, how and when the team should communicate with each other, and by what values/operating principles the team will guide their actions. All of this can sometimes be captured in things like terms of reference, team charter, or a code of conduct.  

Strong and successful teams vigorously and authentically engage in the work above on a regular basis. This is not a one and done effort. Rather, the team should touch base with their shared commitments on at least an annual basis and, in reality, far more frequently. Through this type of work they continue to reinforce and evolve their shared commitments. This also sets the stage for ongoing trust building that is necessary to keep a team functioning at a high level. One of my past colleagues describes trust as "the residue of promises made and kept." I can't think of a more succinct description and call to action to a team or its individual members. A key element in building trust and a core element of a well-functioning team is honesty, authenticity, and vulnerability among team members. This is where leadership becomes crucial not only in leading the way in vulnerability but also in creating an environment in which all team members are supported in asking questions, posing challenges, making mistakes, and in learning from each other. 

Strong and successful teams - paradoxically perhaps - also welcome and cultivate a culture of challenging each other. Most of us might question this criterion for team success assuming that conflict is destructive.  And it can be if not understood or managed well. High performance teams, however, do not look to promote harmony for the sake of harmony. They appreciate the value of diverse perspectives and believe debate and CONSTRUCTIVE conflict allows them to better interrogate reality and come up with better and best solutions for the challenge or opportunity before them. The key phrase to be taken from what has just been said is "cultivating a culture". Culture for any team will happen naturally and organically.  But it may not evolve in ways that promote effective teamwork. A leader and a team have to consciously decide what type of culture they want, how to promote mutual accountability, how to achieve their goals (including maintaining strong team relationships), and commit to investing in their preferred team culture on a regular and consistent basis. Complacency in the face of team success can, in fact, lead to team failure and dysfunction. Never take a team's success for granted. Keep investing time and energy!

The final aspect or foundation of success for a team that I want to draw your attention to is how to promote social engagement for the team…how to have fun! When you think about our working lives, it is likely that you spend most of your waking time working and engaging with your fellow team members. Given that reality, it is my view that enjoying the work and team cohesion are critical elements for personal satisfaction and team success. The most successful teams enjoy each other's company, establish norms and traditions that allow them to develop strong bonds if not friendships, and promote a commitment to each other's success. This type of bond or cohesion needs to be actively and purposely facilitated and appreciated as a key element of the day-to-day work of the team (e.g., personal check-ins at each team meeting, using simple ice-breakers) through to regular team-building sessions. The purpose is to not only focus on achievement of hard target objectives but also on the health of the team culture.  

Team success is not inevitable.  Calling yourself a team does not make it so. High-performing teams are glorious and attainable. Achieving this nirvana of team success requires disciplined thought carried out by disciplined people, with disciplined effort (thank you Jim Collins!). Moreover, this effort is not one and done.  Rather it requires a continued investment of time and energy of the leader and the team. Team success: It's All About Leadership!

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

When to NOT use Executive Coaching

Originally published on June 3, 2024.

I'm a strong advocate for the use of executive coaching.  As an executive coach myself you'd probably expect nothing else. But, I'm not just speaking as someone who provides executive coaching services but also as someone who has benefited from - and continues to benefit from - using an executive coach. I've experienced firsthand the power of having an unbiased sounding board and accountability partner work with me.

However, while executive coaching can be one of the most effective ways of accelerating your development as a leader, it's not the panacea for all situations or circumstances. There are times when an individual and an organization should consider other options for addressing leadership or organizational challenges. I identify below some of the circumstances where executive coaching may not be your first choice.

Executive Coaching in lieu of performance management

Good executive coaching should not be substituted for good - or bad - management. There have been a few occasions where I've been approached to undertake a coaching engagement where it's clear that a leader's or an organization’s perspective is that executive coaching will be the last-ditch effort to "salvage" an employee. At this stage, the challenge is often that the employee in question is on their last legs. Unfortunately, they may have arrived at this point because of a poor hiring process at the beginning of their tenure, poor expectation setting and communication on the part of their direct superior, or a combination of related factors. Ideally, executive coaching is more often applied to advancing an organization's high potential people rather than saving those people an organization no longer has any faith in. In these cases, I would usually prefer to coach both the employee and their direct supervisor.

Lack of defined outcomes or objectives

Any good executive coach will seek to establish an understanding of specific goals and objectives for the engagement. Whether the coaching engagement is sought out by an individual or secured through an organizational endeavour, its quality is measurably improved when all parties involved are on the same page when it comes to understanding what success is supposed to look like. If there are no clear outcomes established - whether at the outset or relatively early in the engagement - then there is a risk of "any destination will do" coming into play. As with any initiative, being able to define and measure success is key to achieving desired outcomes.

part I: Client is unprepared to work

An executive coach is there to challenge a client’s thinking and assumptions, to move them to new levels of performance, and to enhance confidence through action. But just as it is incumbent on the client (sometimes in partnership with your organization) to define the outcomes, it is equally essential that the client shows up in the coaching session ready to work. The time spent with a coach should not be akin to pulling teeth - the client is addressing their current challenges and taking charge of their future, and they should be prepared to work at least as hard as their coach. The client should not expect their coach to offer up ready-made solutions. A coach is there to help the client discover and execute on their own self-discovered plan of attack.  If the client expects their coach to do the heavy lifting, they are probably not ready for, nor will they fully benefit from, working with an executive coach. 

part II: Client is unprepared to work

The work in a coaching engagement doesn't just or even mostly happen when the client is face-to-face with their executive coach. The time with the executive coach is designed to develop plans, explore options, test assumptions, and commit to change. While a change in perspective and perception will happen in the executive coaching session, delivery and action happens in between sessions and back at the coal face of the client’s work. All the best laid plans are only as effective what actually happens when the client implements their plans. If the client has no interest in implementing their plans or making time for change in their work, it's best not to engage an executive coach.  

Unprepared to Change

If you are thinking about engaging an executive coach, be prepared to change. Growth only comes from change. Change is usually uncomfortable. If you are looking only for validation or affirmation, there are likely other avenues for you to pursue. Engaging with an executive coach is not about maintenance or just having a great conversation.  You - or your organization - is expecting you to evolve, grow, and change as a result of the investment of time and money made in an executive coach. Expect that when choosing an executive coach there will be new challenges, overcoming anxieties, and assertively progressing forward.  The coaching engagement should evoke discomfort. Be prepared for and embrace change!

Unprepared to drive the agenda

Sometimes it's beneficial to think of the executive coach as a co-pilot: the client is in charge of where they need to go and they define the work for each session. Again, the executive coach will be there as a guide, a thinking partner, and a challenger, but the client is in charge. Just as the client is the leader in their business (and personal life), they are also the leader in their own personal development.  The co-pilot can help to plot the course at each session, but, at the end of the day, it’s up to the client to focus on their path.

Unprepared to be truthful, candid, and honest 

An executive coach is focused on their client’s success. Period. In that regard, if the client has done the best job possible in selecting their coach, they’ve determined there is a fit, they trust the person in front of them and they are confident in the coach’s track record in support of their goals. So don't beat around the bush.  Time is money and if the client is going to move forward assertively, they need to be prepared to be vulnerable. It's in the client’s best interests and the executive coach has no other agenda than what works for their client.

Unprepared to own the coaching relationship

As tough as it might be for some executive coaches, the client is the customer and the customer is always right.  Tell the coach - the vendor - what is working in the coaching engagement, what's not working and how the work can be changed to be more effective. If the client isn’t prepared to do that, they may be disappointed in the results they get or don’t get.

Coaching can be a powerful tool in moving leadership forward in a powerful way, but much of that success depends on using it in the right circumstances, for the right reasons, and with ownership of the effort on behalf of the client and the organization.

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-918-0009

Don't Drink the Sand - Redux!

Originally published on May 27, 2024.

In much of my leadership career - and maybe my life in general - no small part of me hoped and dreamed about achieving formal recognition for the quality of my work. And along the way I did, in fact, achieve awards in my chosen profession. In that regard, I'm probably not that different from many of you. In reality, this desire for recognition is probably a function of our upbringing and our educational system. We were all graded. We all knew where we stood in our class academically or athletically. If we excelled, we were given ribbons, medals, and even money in the form of bursaries and scholarships. And that recognition felt good.

As a society we continue to translate this award function into our leadership and business environments in the form of our nation's or province's top employers, most ethical companies, top leaders in [pick the profession] and almost any other category you can think up. These awards are often pursued with incredible vigor by individual leaders and companies. I've even since seen individual leaders suggest, cajole, and coerce their staff or colleagues for that coveted nomination. If and once achieved, those accolades are then heavily marketed as a competitive advantage or even as a point of pride.  

And because we are busy people, we place heavy emphasis on the validity and credibility of these ratings or rewards and make decisions as potential customers or staff of these organizations. If such and such experts say he/she/they are best in class, that should be good enough for me, should it not?  

Unfortunately, this pursuit of awards and accolades comes with its own problems and opportunities to twist our personal behavior and organizational culture. Based on personal experience, I will suggest that in far too many cases, the emperor is, in fact, wearing no clothes.  

I would encourage all of us to dig a bit deeper into what goes into these "achievements".  I, for one, have had the misfortune of peeking behind the proverbial curtain and have come away more than a bit disillusioned with what I have discovered. In personal scenarios impacting me, I have discovered that competitors in my profession were not necessarily identified as best in class for their professional skill but rather on the quality of their website! Form over substance! In some cases, my so-called competitors were no longer in practice! 

That's one small example, but there are even more egregious examples. This goes as far as something as prestigious as the Order of Canada. Aside from those who have been officially stripped of such recognition (e.g., Alan Eagleson, Steven Fonyo), I have my own impressions of others who have been so honored. I joked in at least one case - facetiously at the time - that I'd have to be rescinding my Canadian citizenship because of who had obtained this honour.

These examples of personal leadership failures also operate at an organizational level and we simply cannot place blind faith in the view of experts and awards achieved. We have seen far too many examples of spectacular corporate failures that followed on years of being media and business darlings. Example? In 2001, an American company achieved $90 billion in market capitalization, making it the seventh largest company in the USA at the time. For six years running, this same company was ranked by Fortune magazine as America's most innovative company.  

On December 3, 2001, this same company - Enron - filed for bankruptcy.  

Of the many reasons cited for Enron's demise, two stand out for me within the context of my blog topic:  (1) stakeholders/watchdogs overlooked bad behavior as long as they were profiting, and (2) looking to others believing that those others had done their due diligence. Clearly, these reasons were abetted by willful fraud, but for me, the long story short is don't believe everything you see or read on the internet, in newspaper clippings or promotional materials.  

Unfortunately, too many award programs are based solely on an application process. There is limited to no on-site visitation or verification in play. There is no deeper dive into evaluating the veracity of claims made. In some cases, an organization or leader can present documentation on the existence of a policy or program, but it is not required to provide information as to the quality of its implementation or effectiveness. In addition, staff, customers, and other key stakeholders may not be part of validating the leader's or organization's claims. The application might only be as good as the paper it is written on.   

And the motivations of the applicant to win are enormous - prestige, business opportunity, ego. Marketing acumen and writing skill, then, become more important to success then fact. Form runs the risk of trumping substance. Many of us are already familiar with this reality in other circumstances, most notably the recruitment and selection process. How many times have you seen others - or yourself - won over by a glorious CV and a charismatic presence in an interview, only to have buyer's remorse later? Presentation and pizzazz can only cover up so many sins for so long.  

As I penned this blog I was reminded of an exchange between two characters from the 1995 movie "The American President", which for me encapsulates the challenges we face in sorting the wheat from the chaff and seeing beyond formal awards and what might actually lie beneath:

People want leadership, Mr. President, and in the absence of genuine leadership, they'll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They're so thirsty for it they'll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there's no water, they'll drink the sand. 

Lewis, we've had presidents who were beloved, who couldn't find a coherent sentence with two hands and a flashlight. People don't drink the sand because they're thirsty. They drink the sand because they don't know the difference. 

My request of you? Dig deeper. Don't be fooled by the pleasant mirage that might be before you. Put in the effort to find out if there really is a glass of water or a glass of sand before you.

Don't drink the sand.

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-250-2543

Governance Matters

Originally published on May 21, 2024.

A board of directors plays a crucial role in the health and success of any organization, whether that be in the not-for-profit, public, or private sector. Outside of being an operating or managing board, where individuals are tasked with setting direction and actually getting their hands dirty carrying out day-to-day operational duties, the role of a board directors can be summarized at a very high level as

• providing/supporting long-term vision for their organization

• ensuring oversight to the actions and health of the organization

• providing perspectives due to diversity of experiences, skill sets, and relationships beyond what any one person would possess. 

These expectations can be summarized in three words: foresight, oversight, and insight. Simply said but often far harder to accomplish in practice.

Over my 25+ year leadership career, followed up by another 12+ years in consulting to organizations and boards, I have experienced first-hand how difficult governance can be and how easily a board can go from high performing to significant dysfunction (and back again). These challenges in governance can lead to a variety of negative outcomes including but not limited to

• board level conflict resulting in lack of effectiveness in decision-making even to the point of paralysis

• board level conflict that negatively impacts board member recruitment and retention

• dysfunctional relationship with CEO and operational leadership

• reputational damage with key stakeholders and public in general

• negative impacts to financial health and sustainability

• legal challenges up to and including lawsuits between board members and dissolution of an organization

This is by no means an exhaustive list of negative consequences that can arise from not identifying, paying attention to, and actively managing core governance issues.  

What, then, are some of the core issues that an organization and Board of Directors needs to attend to?  My suggestions are noted below.

1. Governance Philosophy

An organization has to be clear about what governance means within their own context. Even if recruits to a board have previous governance experience that may not directly or appropriately translate to the next governance role. Moreover, to be truly effective, an understanding and appreciation of governance expectations must go well beyond well-articulated written statements and policies. There must be strong, ongoing efforts to reinforce expectations - and boundaries - of the governance roles for the particular organization. 

If the expectations of a board are to provide foresight, oversight, and insight, what are the appropriate ways in which that is supposed to happen?  When does the board (or board member) start to become too operational and effectively take over or inhibit operational duties? How does the Board make decisions? How does the Board evaluate its performance, either collectively or individually?

2. Recruiting and Selecting Board members

One of the greatest challenges any board faces isrecruijing and selecting new board members. Too often proxies for board member selection can overtake the hard work necessary to identify key attitudes and skill sets necessary to be an effective board director. 

What are some of these proxies? In some cases, it can simply be a willingness to serve on the board! Getting skilled, competent board members is an ever-increasing challenge for many organizations. The desire to serve, sometimes in a voluntary capacity, against a backdrop of not insignificant time commitments and public/legal expectations, can have many qualified people opt out of a governance opportunity. In other cases, an organization looks simply at a resume, reputation, or existing relationships (friendships with other board members) as suitable reasons (excuses) to say yes to a new board member.  

Boards have a duty to ensure they are bringing on the right people

• with the right skills that will adhere to an established governance philosophy

• in support of working at the right level of decision-making

• with the understanding and intention of acting with a duty of care, loyalty and obedience to the board/ organization

• with the attitude and commitment that the existing board believes it demonstrates and expects of a new board member

3. Clarity of Governance Roles

So much to say here and it’s certainly related to the foundations discussed above. The board needs to be clear about how governance philosophy translates into practical governance work. How does the board carry out its role of foresight? How does the board contribute to strategy? Does it build and communicate a set of strategic directions to operational leadership or does it receive and react to what is proposed by operational leadership? Or is there some balance between those options?  

How does the board exercise oversight? Does it engage in deep, even supervisory tactics, on a regular basis? Does it set expectations on remedial actions? Does it direct operational leadership via board membership on a range of committees?  Does it expect and rely solely on what operational leadership provides as updates on progress on strategic directions?  

As board members are usually (hopefully) recruited based on their past experiences and/or current skills sets (e.g., accountant, lawyer) what are the expectations for how those skill sets are used? There is always a risk - and even a danger - that an individual or the organization confuse technical skills and competence with how those skills should be used in a way that supports the role of governance. All involved need to remind themselves that a board member should provide insight and perspectives, and ask salient questions that support governance excellence first and foremost. Board members have not been recruited to fulfill an operational requirement.  

4. CEO Relationship

More than a few paragraphs are needed to address the board's relationship with its CEO and this could easily be a topic for its own blog or book! Suffice it to say that the topics already discussed set context for what a board needs in a CEO, how they should go about recruiting for this position, and how they manage this relationship going forward. Clarity of responsibilities, mandate, and expectations for the CEO are critical topics for the board to align on in order to provide appropriate direction and support for their most important employee.  

Like any relationship - personal or professional - it needs to be recognized that clarity, communication, and mutual commitment are key to success in this partnership. It is unlikely that every aspect of the relationship can be pre-defined or that every possible scenario the organization encounters can be anticipated with complete certainty. The board must be very clear about the nature of the relationship they want and need with their CEO. How does the board manage or create trust with their CEO? What can the board do to support effective and transparent communication with their CEO? How will the board effectively and appropriately monitor and evaluate CEO performance? What role will the board take in supporting and developing their CEO?

5. Board Development

The cliche phrase of "the strengths that got you here won't get you there" applies directly to governance excellence. A board should be as vigilant about its own performance and development as it should be about the performance and development of its CEO and the organization as a whole. Unfortunately, all too often, little attention is paid to supporting board and board member development. This begins with the quality of orientation and onboarding. Efforts here can range from one extreme to another, from "welcome aboard" and "learn on the job" to days of being overwhelmed by written policy manuals and strategic plans.  

Beyond this initial phase of learning, well-developed boards should look to integrate learning about the organization's environment aligned with annual and longer-term objectives being pursued. In addition, the board should regularly touch base on their agreed governance framework. This is not just work for new board members but can act as reinforcement for all directors. This can include clarifying and reinforcing roles and responsibilities of a board member, the role of the Chair and other officers, and the code of conduct by which the board manages itself.

Finally, there is also some reason for the board to focus on how to enhance its teamwork. In reality, the board is, in fact, a team like any other in the organization. Like any other team, there is space and need to understand and leverage the diversity of the team, attend to development and improvement of team skills, and otherwise enhance team capacity in support of board and organizational effectiveness. This targeted development effort also suggests some reasonable and honest effort at evaluation of board effectiveness.  

In Summary

Governance can be a rewarding endeavor for many if expectations are understood and if necessary diligence and energy are invested on an ongoing basis. Given the importance of good governance to the success of the organization as a whole, the responsibility for doing it well cannot be underestimated. If done well, the effort need not be overly burdensome either. The cost of not taking governance seriously?  Let's just say that the annals of business magazines and documentaries are filled with many case studies of lessons that should be learned with 20/20 hindsight.

It's all about leadership and in this case it is about leadership at the governance level. 

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-250-2543

The Power of Belief

Originally published on May 17, 2024.

In the history of this blog, I have often touched on the concept of how our beliefs about ourselves create or limit our actions and path forward.  While I probably have never explicitly focused on the topic, I have touched on a range of related issues:

• creating a vision of our preferred future state

• understanding our "why" or purpose for doing what we want to do

• documenting and OWNING our strengths and achievements (to at least the same degree that we own our perceived gaps and weaknesses)

• documenting and LIVING to our personal and professional values

• the power of YOUR choices

There is probably more to note but, in every case, I have implied that we can all live more powerfully forward if we believe in ourselves and our potential. Too often my encounters with leaders, aspiring leaders, teams, and even organizations are characterized by a sense of powerlessness to influence and change reality for ourselves. It seems so much easier - and some would say realistic - to operate from a place of being mere flotsam and jetsam in a world of forces more powerful than us. We have come to BELIEVE that we are bit players in a world beset by change, both rapid and unpredictable, that leaves us in positions of only being able to react, cope, and survive versus driving and thriving DESPITE the capricious nature of the world and people around us. 

I am certain we have all read or heard about the power of positive thinking, about what and how you manifest a preferred future state will set the stage for what you can next achieve. And there are a number of quotes that bear repeating here to reinforce this power of how our beliefs can launch us or lose us on our path:

“To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.”

— Anatole France

“Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn’t have it in the beginning.”

— Mahatma Gandhi

“Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

— Henry Ford

How do we come to these beliefs and how do we shift a mind frame that would limit our potential? Certainly, our lived experience is part of this. More importantly, however, are the lessons we take away from that lived experience. The key here though, is are we taking away and learning the right lessons from these past experiences? If I reflect on my very first leadership role (some 40 years ago!), I am absolutely grateful that my first foray into leadership was immediately followed up by a period of further education and an opportunity to work in a different, much larger organization. This is where I was exposed to a whole new range of leaders, philosophies, and styles. Without that next experience I know I would have embedded within me a much harsher set of beliefs around people and what it is to be a successful leader. I would have also limited my own potential around what I could achieve as a leader.  

One of the other core lessons for me in this leadership journey, and what I see playing out for others is what we hear and own from those around us. Everyone needs feedback on their performance and their development as a leader. As a leader and potential coach and mentor to those around us, we can have tremendous and outsize impact on the development of those in our circle of influence. No greater example of this can be found than in the challenge of working with those who would break us down versus building us up.

This experience was recently reinforced to me in a discussion with a leader I had worked with in the past and who has been in a leadership role for many years. I had always believed she was an accomplished and confident leader. I would also say that this individual never presented as a shrinking violet! However, she recently shared with me her experience of working with a leader she described as narcissistic.  The reality she faced over a period of months (and years?) of working with this leader led her to question her competence and ability to do her job. Her beliefs were shaped by a powerful external force. Her belief in the views others had about her caused her to doubt and downplay her own previous assumptions about her competence and capabilities. What ultimately saved her was the intervention of other supportive people who recognized the destruction that was being wrought. The intervention of these others allowed her to move on from a toxic environment to a place in which she could reset, re-establish her sense of self, and continue to grow in support of herself and others.

What lessons can we take from this story and other similar stories, my own included? Here are some key lessons I believe are reinforced for me and that I often work on with many of my coaching clients:

• Don't let others define you/limit your potential. There will always be others who wish to diminish you for a variety of reasons. Sometimes it is just to enjoy the exercise of power they have. For others, it is only through breaking down others that they find an ability to feel good about themselves. Others are merely channeling their past experiences of being poorly treated and then determine that "if I have suffered, then others should as well." Leadership - and even humanity - is not about breaking down, but about building up. Don't allow yourself to buy into a narrative that is more about them then it is about you. 

• Document and vigorously own your personal values. Without this understanding of self, we can often find ourselves pushed out of alignment with our core beliefs, failing to truly appreciate when the actions of others are toxic to our sense of self. Owning our personal values will allow us to stay strong and in a position of choice. This may not make navigating through to a positive end easier, but we will have a greater chance of not only surviving challenging times, but also thriving as we retain the power of choice to remain or move on to our next and better opportunity.

• Document and vigorously own your strengths and achievements. While we often hear that what got you here may not be as useful in your next role, it is also important to recognize that you have moved, changed, and experienced growth over time. You have taken on past challenges, you have had (positive) impact, and all of those experiences should be a foundation on which you can build. Don't let anyone else take that away from your or diminish your capabilities.

• Maintain and invest in a strong network of support. In past blogs I have said that leadership is a team sport. The same holds true for life in general.  All of us - regardless of age and experience - need a strong and committed network of friends, family, peers, and colleagues to support us on our personal and professional journeys. None of us can be as successful or fulfilled as we want or can be living life as the lone ranger. Coaches and mentors can be part of this solution for you as well. These external voices - people who are committed to your success - can be sounding boards and thinking partners to help you right size the issues you are facing, help you to better evaluate reality and circumstances, and position you to learn the right lessons AND make better decisions that are in alignment with your values and purpose.

Long story short, ground your beliefs in a strong foundation of who you are, touch base with your strengths and achievements on a regular basis, appreciate the growth you have achieved over time, understand that you have overcome challenges in the past and that those successes position you for overcoming the next challenge, dream big (or bigger), and build a team that supports realization of a potential that lies before you.

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Greg Hadubiak, MHSA, FACHE, CEC, PCC
President & Founder - BreakPoint Solutions
gregh@breakpoint.solutions 
www.breakpoint.solutions 
780-250-2543