Michelle Ray – Leadership Expert

Michelle Ray - Workplace Relationships ExpertMICHELLE RAY
The Age of Leading Yourself First

“To thine own self be true,” said Polonius in the play Hamlet, by Shakespeare. It is highly likely that Shakespeare had not intended for his character to be the spokesperson for humanity on the subject of living one’s truth (indeed, he was portrayed frequently as a foolish old “goat”.)

Nonetheless, his ramblings remain legendary; renowned through the ages for their wisdom. This quote epitomizes the essence of leading oneself first: i.e. practicing personal leadership. To lead ourselves first means that we can differentiate our values without holding any attachment to another person’s idea of whom we are supposed to be. When we are true to ourselves, we know ourselves and we understand our place in the grand scheme of things. We have discovered our unique purpose and we regularly tap into our intuition in order to make decisions of all kinds. We are successfully practicing “me” management in every situation or challenge.

When we think of “leadership skills”, we usually associate these with individuals who are in a management or supervisory role. Leadership rhetoric has its roots in a variety of management theories espoused over the ages. What is missing, however, is the idea of taking charge of oneself. It has been commonplace to think of a leader in terms of “position”, generally associated with being in charge of others. However, a title on a business card or a placard on a desk or door does not automatically make someone a leader. It may give the impression of self-importance and achievement, however, the title alone is not enough. Neither is a job description that notes functions associated with managing people. The importance of practicing personal leadership is everyone’s personal responsibility. Attaching importance to what we do for a living is often recognized as a yardstick for measuring success. However, the manner in which we conduct ourselves has far greater significance and impact in the long-term. Therefore, the meaning of leadership denotes character, above all else. It has nothing to do with a job title.

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Denise Marek – Author, Media Personality & Work Life Balance Expert

DENISE MAREK
A Fresh Perspective


Gaining a fresh perspective by seeking another’s point of view can work wonders to calm a worried mind.

To get untangled from a web of uncertainty, sometimes all you need is to talk to someone else and get a second opinion. Gaining a fresh perspective by seeking another’s point of view can work wonders to solve problems, create hope, and calm a worried mind. But be careful – while there are many benefits, asking for help can be a little tricky.

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Denise Marek – Author, Media Personality & Work Life Balance Expert

DENISE MAREK
The Best Is Yet To Come!


A wise soul sat among a large group of people and told an exceptionally funny joke. Everyone laughed whole-heartedly. A minute or so passed and the wise soul repeated the joke. This time, less people laughed. The wise soul told the same joke over and over until there was absolutely no laughter in response. Then the wise soul smiled and said, “Why is it you don’t laugh at the same joke again and again, yet you keep crying over the same thing again and again?”

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Linda Edgecombe – Best-Selling Author & Motivator

LINDA EDGECOMBE
Disconnect to Re-Engage,
People Back away from Your Cell


Disconnect to Re-Engage and Just Notice What you Notice
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OK, people put down your cell phones, Blackberries, PDA’s, Pocket PC’s…What ever! And FOCUS.  This may sound amusing but I am dead serious here. Oh, and I don’t mean turn them to vibrate, stun or whichever setting you normally do to appear courteous. I want you to shut them OFF. Off means OFF! But wait, there’s more: I want you to keep it OFF for one full day. Yes indeed I formally declare the first ever “National Disconnect to Re-engage Day”.

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Denise Marek – Author, Media Personality & Work Life Balance Expert

DENISE MAREK
How to Bounce Back


My 17-year-old daughter Brianna seems to bounce back with ease from challenges and changes. I became very aware of this trait in her when she was nine years old. At that time, I said to her, “Brianna, you’re my little bouncer. You always bounce back.”

She replied, “Mom, only deflated balls don’t bounce.”

While she likely wasn’t aware of just how wise her words were, what she said was profound: Only deflated balls don’t bounce. To bounce more easily from setbacks, changes, adversity, challenges, and obstacles in your life, you have become an inflated ball.

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