Every Day Leadership. Every day.
Grassroots Gratitude has recently revised its mission: Fostering gratitude as the secret strength of everyday leadership. Every day.
Gratitude Ignition Guide: Inspiring thoughtful writing my second publication, expands on the ideas behind this mission. By writing longhand, by looking for the things that are going well, by using your introspective thoughts to fuel yourself with positive energy, each of us has a chance to influence others in a more supportive fashion, enabling each other to stand taller in our worlds. At home. At work. At leisure. In the restaurant. On the streets.
excerpt from Gratitude Ignition Guide by Lorraine Widmer-Carson, second edition to be released September 5, 2023.
” EVERYDAY LEADERSHIP
There is no one set of rules when it comes to leadership, but I hope we can all agree that our communities thrive when we care about the quality of our relationships—individual to individual, and organization to organization. At home, in the family, on the team, on our daily walk-abouts, when talking to strangers, we need to see ourselves as everyday leaders, influencing each other and impacting our communities.
Change is clearly a constant, rules keep changing, the timelines and resources required to reach your collective goals are dynamic and fluid. In these days of COVID-dynamism, with new public health initiatives, polarized discourse and time crunched conversations, we are being forced to adjust, course-correct and review policies and processes on a regular basis.
Good leadership is a creative art form.
There are so many examples of everyday leaders doing wonderful things in the world today. They understand the importance of positive flow and deftly work to build bridges with people, places, policies, and process. Good leaders are smart, savvy, self-aware, with a strong social conscience. They are resilient and able to adapt to change, flexible with firm boundaries.
Grassroots Gratitude is heartened by leaders who create conditions for deep conversations that are evolving, inclusive and urgent. We imagine living together in ways that encourage mutual respect, build trust, and respond sensitively to conditions and transitions. The world is aching for leaders who understand that life is an ebb and flow, who have emotional intelligence enabling them to lead with compassion and empathy. We applaud leaders who recognize their character strengths and embrace the strengths of others, aware that their decisions are critical to the collective success of the team. A leadership style that is thoughtful, reflective, and grounded in gratitude brings insight, self-awareness, and honesty – not only in times of celebration, but also in moments of adversity.”
In the photo above, Town of Banff Mayor Corrie DiManno stands beside Erwin Widmer and his valued kitchen team, lead by Chef Michael Samson. For over forty years, Erwin worked hard, serving, leading, ebbing and flowing, as owner/operator of Ticino Swiss Italian Restaurant (1979). Embracing all of the flavours of life in a busy town and popular tourism destination, Erwin truly enjoyed his work and genuinely appreciated the loyalty of his kitchen team and his many appreciative customers. Thanks to the team and thanks to Mayor DiManno for showing up on a spontaneous Friday afternoon in late May, saying hello and goodbye to one of Banff’s oldest family businesses. Erwin Widmer’s Legacy at Ticino ended on May 31, 2023.
