Jan 18 - Week 2

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Overall:  

First week of work related travel and it was the FULL week!  First in Boca Raton, FL and then NYC.  Felt exhausted when I returned home Friday evening after leaving Sunday afternoon - but very satisfied with an excellent week work wise!

Takeaways from Week 1:

  • Work in full throttle
    • Release of Elder Fraud Study
    • Brand "Glow-Up" decision for ASR
    • Starting to publicize Higher Ed Study
    • I thought good representation of Institute at the Extended Leadership (ELT)Offsite in NYC
  • Walking in NYC was good; but foot hurt!
Behavioral Takeaways
  1. Putting a little thought into the ELT offsite paid- off, I think! (notes below)
  2. Walking was good
  3. Could not get to my vitamins regime

NOTES:

Work:

  • Good showing at the Consultant offsite in Florida
  • Good showing at the ELT in NYC
  • Nice warm connection with the team in NYC
  • Excellent interaction with Claire Borelli (CHRO) and team
  • Note to Executive Committee regarding Elder Fraud Study
  • Quite the week!  :-)

Home:

  • A bit quiet - looked at the Landscaping quote - I think I will make a limited contract
  • Paid the huge repair bill for NYC apartment ($15K, whew!)
  • Met cousin Krishna for dinner in Boca - nice time - we talked about Costa Rica, Ladakh etc

Health & Fitness

  • Walked to team dinner - that was good
  • But feet hurt
  • Could not get to vitamins regime - need to remind myself better
  • Was quite good with wearing sleep mask this week - even while traveling!

Music:

  • Will try to catch up in it is a wonderful world this weekend
  • Piano puzzler - Aron Copeland and Blue Skies.  That was fun
  • Blue Skies search also led me to "Cheek to Cheek" and to Ella Fitzgerald
  • And to watch Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers to dance to Cheek to Cheek - sublime
Writing etc:
  • N/A

Social

  • Good work related social this week
  • Caught up with Krishna cousin

Sports 

  • Focused on NFL playoffs - Eagles played Packers last week and won - watched it on the flight to Florida
  • And Eagles playing Rams this weekend on Sunday
  • Learned that "Heisman" coached both UPENN and Georgia Tech (among others)
Travel Plans
  • To NY again next week and
  • Seeing D for dinner

Entertainment

  • Watched Bee Keeper (Elder Financial Fraud)
  • Cop Out - another buddy cop movie with Bruce Willis - another in the genre - but fun.


Picture of the week:  

My Dad's painting - quite striking! 




NOTES:

Offsite prep notes

Core Principles for Leadership Presence

1. Active Listening

• Fully focus on what others are saying, ask thoughtful follow-ups, and reflect back understanding.

2. Service Orientation

• Approach the day with a mindset of serving the organization and enabling collective success.

3. Collaboration

• Foster teamwork and build bridges across teams, encouraging diverse contributions.

4. Acknowledge

• Recognize others’ ideas and contributions openly and authentically.

5. Higher Mission

• Keep the focus on the shared goals of the offsite and the broader organizational purpose.

6. Don’t Overinvest in Rivals

• Maintain professionalism without getting caught up in competitive dynamics.


Leadership Style and Approach

7. Consistency

• Treat everyone with fairness and respect, regardless of hierarchy or audience.

8. Don’t Crowd the Boss

• Give your boss space to lead and interact naturally without appearing overly focused on her.

9. Don’t Avoid the Boss

• Engage briefly and meaningfully to show alignment and support without overdoing it.

10. Support the Mission

• Frame your contributions around the goals of the offsite and the organization, not individual agendas.

11. Briefly Engage the Boss

• Use moments strategically to offer concise insights, feedback, or encouragement.


Team Dynamics

12. Share the Spotlight

• Elevate others by inviting their input, giving credit, and fostering inclusivity.

13. Deeper Conversations

• Move beyond surface-level discussions to build stronger relationships and uncover meaningful insights.

14. Humor

• Use lightheartedness to ease tension, energize the group, and build rapport.


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