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Maximizing Your Impact: How to Look, Feel and Live Like a Leader

maximizing-impactIn June, entrepreneur Debi Silber coached over 300 Forté Foundation members during a live webinar on how to optimize your most important career asset: you.

Specifically, Silber, the CEO of Lifestyle Fitness Inc. and a personal development expert, made the argument that as women pursue high-level careers and balance multiple roles and responsibilities in their lives, they need to have a strong foundation down first.  That foundation is a healthy lifestyle, anchored in eating well and staying physically healthy; practicing self-care; and having an internal dialogue that is positive, encouraging, and focused on the future (as opposed to dwelling in the past).  Silber said that her career mission is to “help busy women look and feel their best, so they can do more, with more presence and passion.”

Debi Silber’s webinar drew one of the largest audiences of all of Forte’s live webinars. Here are some of the highlights from Debi Silber’s presentation; try these strategies and new ways of looking at your talents and abilities that you can put into place today.

THERE’S NO NEED TO “DO EVERYTHING.” IN FACT, YOU SHOULDN’T

“You have a gift,” Silber told webinar participants. “You are entirely too capable.  Because you can do it all, you do, until you can’t.”  Silber cited how many women say, “Oh, I got it, don’t worry…” as they take on additional projects at work and put more on their own plates.  She also mentioned the common habit of deciding not to delegate a task or project to a colleague, because it would take time to teach someone else and it would be faster to just do it oneself.  Silber emphasized that it was important to distance ourselves from these behaviors and thought patterns and sometimes, do less.

YOU TAKE YOUR BODY TO WORK EVERY DAY; TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT

Silber emphasized the importance of self-care, by creating time to slow down, relax, and rest and also by making time to plan healthy meals and exercise.

Instead of charging through one’s day channeling “sheer will and adrenaline,” Silber urged women to put systems in place so they get regular exercise, ample rest, and proper nutrition.  Silber emphasized her perspective that a low- or no-sugar diet yields significant health benefits.

Regardless of whether one has diet or fitness goals, Silber said that exercising and being physically healthy can have a positive impact on one’s career: “If you feel good physically, you’ll come across in a different way.”

ASSESS WHETHER YOUR THOUGHTS AND BELIEFS ARE SERVING YOU

“To feel takes energy and time. We turn down the feelings in order to turn up the doing.  We become machine-like as we crank through our day,” said Silber, with regard to the times when we avoid emotions and feelings.  Silber said that the paradox is that the negative thoughts, feelings, and beliefs we avoid may play out in our careers in ways we are not aware of.

Silber used an iceberg as an analogy.  Often only 10% of an iceberg’s mass is above the water; as much as 90% of the iceberg is below water and not visible.

“What we are conscious of, how we are showing up and how we’re coming across is just 10 percent. What is completely running everything has to do with the 90 percent below: the subconscious beliefs and behaviors.”

CHANGE YOUR SCRIPT, CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Silber recommended that webinar participants complete the following phrases with whatever words first came to mind. “Don’t judge, don’t critique, just start writing,” said Silber.

I am so…

I can’t…

I’ll never…

Frequently, limiting self-talk is manifested in behaviors and bad habits that don’t serve us. Silber says that we don’t usually explore or troubleshoot our limiting beliefs; we only notice—and attempt to troubleshoot—the more noticeable behaviors. “What we tend to do is only change the behavior. What’s the reason why the behavior existed in the first place? Lasting change means you change the belief. Change the belief, change the behavior, and you automatically change the results.”

Silber offered a new fill-in-the-blank statement to help women change over to a more positive, proactive mental channel:

What if I can…?

When your thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors are in sync (and positive!), they propel you towards a healthier lifestyle and increasingly effective workplace habits. Seems like this self-awareness is just shy of a secret superpower.

Experience the full benefit of Debi Silber’s presentation by watching the webinar today. A full library of previous Forté webinars are available to Premium Access Pass members. For $100/year, the Access Pass members receive exclusive invitations to Women Lead webinars and in-person Women Lead events. Access Pass members also have exclusive use of the Forté Job Center; you can browse positions and post your resumé to be seen by leading companies seeking top talent.

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