600 Personal Development Exercises
do one a day - every day!
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COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF When I sit down at my desk in the morning, it’s like taking my seat at Mission Control. For this is no ordinary desk. It has a laptop that connects me to the world! I power up the machine and all is laid out before me. What shall we do today? PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. How is your laptop at the heart of your Mission Control? 2. What is your Mission? 3. What shall you do today? Day 441 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
CONSULTANCY SKILLS It’s sometimes hard to be a leader, to stand out and to stand alone. This is the primary role of a Consultant. To have a perspective and to lead. Our role is to challenge the value system, for how else can we give value for money? And how else will we enable others to make changes, that can make a difference? We will not always win the contract, for many do not want to listen, or change. At times, we are all called as Consultants, to stand out and to stand alone. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. When did you last take a stand or give a different opinion to others? 2. What are your core values? Write these down..... Day 439 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
SITUATIONAL LEADERSHIP We all behave differently in different situations, and with different people. We are not the same person at work, as we are at home. It’s like when we play cards. We respond to the hand that we are faced with. We adapt to situations, the culture, the key factors, and the expectations of others. But what do we do, when their values do not align with ours? What do we do, when we disagree with what is said, or expected of us? Do we twist or stick? PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. When do you stick - i.e., go along with what is happening? 2. When do you twist - i.e., say this is not the way that you work, or what you agree with? Day 428 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
NEW LEADERSHIP When we lead from the front we need to keep stopping, from time to time. We need to look behind and check if others are still following us. If they are not there, it’s pretty clear that we are not much of a leader. And if others are there, they will think that we are not much of a leader, if we keep looking over our shoulder, and checking that they are still there. If we lead from the back, we encourage everybody to move forward, including ourselves. We can see everyone, the whole picture, and we can help those who may stumble. The New Leaders are starting from where they are now, From the back. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE? 1. How can you start to build and lead others today - from where you are now? Day 418 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
THE FOUR LAWS OF LEADERSHIP Try to serve and help others, in their own space. Try not to lead others, into your space. Try not to talk to others about you, or your space. Focus on others, in their space. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE? 1. Take each of these four laws of Leadership and apply them to a situation in your life. 2. How can you become a better leader? Day 414 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
REAL FOLLOWERS If you don’t have a dream, then make sure, that you follow someone who does. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. Do you have a dream you are working towards? 2. Who are you following? Day 366 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
PRODUCTIVITY I am at my most productive when I’m least efficient. When I don’t have a to do list. When there is no schedule. When I go off-piste and my mind has no barriers or constraints, to keep it on track. This is where my real productivity is. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. When are you at your most productive? 2. What does productivity mean for you? Day 269 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
FACILITATION SKILLS The greatest skill of a facilitator is to do nothing. To let people talk, together, and allow them to find the best way forward. You see it’s not about the facilitator, nor indeed the topic. It’s about enabling individuals to move forward, purposefully and securely, together. So as a facilitator, be kind and smile. Set the scene or task. Encourage your groups and then leave them to it. Your best results come when you do nothing. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE. 1. When do you use facilitation skills – at work, online or at home? 2. In which situations might you do less (or nothing) and let others find a way forward? Day 229 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
BUBBLEWRAP When I started my daily reflections at the beginning of the Covid-19 lockdown, I never imagined that I would go to a hundred days, never mind Book Two. For what started out as a short sprint has now become a marathon for all of us. We’ve had to adjust in incredible ways. Our normal relationships of family, work colleagues and community have been disassembled and we have been left floundering, trying to understand and to recreate ways of living, being and working. We keep getting different rules that only increase our uncertainty and stress. And there is little to address the isolation, loneliness, sadness and fear that is being felt by so many. Without a training manual we are having to rewire our brains, reconfigure our thinking and reprogram who we are. Some are gradually adapting but so many are struggling. In the coming days and weeks and months don’t shrink into yourself, don’t hide in your bubble and don’t close your door. Be gentle on yourself and reach out to others. We all need to know if you’re learning to cope with the challenges that are unknown, the new ways you are discovering, and the pieces of joy that you found in this difference. So, as we look out at our world, floundering with no plan and no certainty, let us each grasp the opportunity to ask for help, seek support and reach out in our own way. Let us remember today, those without internet, those on their own, the millions of people directly affected by Covid-19 and the loss of loved ones. So many are literally trapped. But many of us are not so what are we going to do? Let us all think and act outside our bubbles. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. How can you be gentle with yourself today? 2. How can you reach out and share with others in a new way? Day 154 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
THINKING SKILLS If we waken up and then just pick up where we left off yesterday, we are doing more of what we have already done. This is cumulative thinking. If we waken up and then something unexpected hits us, we have to reassess everything. Our day is turned upside-down as we work out what to do next. This is reactive thinking. If we waken up and then choose to begin something new or different today, we are creating a fresh opportunity. We are uncovering our new way. This is deliberate thinking. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What thought can help you to uncover your new way today? Day 140 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
ACTION LEADERSHIP We see lack of activity as being ineffective, or being lazy or non productive. We have forgotten how to sit and wait, to be content and trust that all is well. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. Do you take time to be ineffective, lazy and non productive? 2. Have you learned to sit and trust that all is well? 3. Do you know what you are waiting for? Day 133 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
TOW ROPE The world keeps pulling us back to its way of working. To follow its rules. To behave in the way that it wants us to be. Untie the rope. The world keeps taking us to places away from where we should be. Away from all we value Away from our true selves, to be dependent on it. Untie your rope. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. How is the world pulling you back? 2. How is the world taking you away from where you should be? 3. How can you untie your rope? Day 126 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
BREAKING NEWS All the birds are chirping away loudly and enthusiastically. All talking at the same time. It’s deafening! And then, total silence as they fly off together to do what they must do. Responding to breaking news in their world. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What ‘breaking news’ is happening in your world? 2. How will you respond? Day 116 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
LEADERSHIP Leadership is not about changing roles or shifting direction. It is not about team development or business strategy. Leadership is a fundamental shift in our being - what we are, how we think, the priorities we set and how we behave. Leadership is a behavioural, emotional and spiritual process. It's rewiring the hard disk of our being for a completely different output. We are no longer mass market products of the consumer age but pilgrims with a purpose. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What does it mean to be a 'pilgrim with a purpose'? 2. What are your outputs? 3. How can you rewire your being for a different type of leadership? Day 57 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
HITTING TARGETS If you throw a stone to hit a stick in the water you can easily miss. Try again. If you keep repeating this you can miss many times using up your resources. And time. You can however pick up a handful of pebbles and throw them all together easily bombarding your target. Instantly. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What targets are you trying to hit - at work, at home, relationships, personal, health, career, future, etc? 2. Where are your pebbles? Day 12 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
HOUSEHOLD MANAGEMENT Light bulb Managers Visionaries with a caring and responsive approach to others. · They shine · They provide inspiration for others · They are most visible when things are tough · They respond immediately · They are constant · They do not discriminate with their support. Wardrobe Managers Strong on organisation skills, presentation and personal development · They review objectives each morning · They plan their weeks in advance · They regularly add new skills and review resources · They clear out the deadwood as required · They are very aware of first impressions. Attic Managers Seen as largely inaccessible and irrelevant in today’s business. · They hoard (take rather than give) · They work in the dark · They are locked away and are rarely seen. · They are held with some sentimental value until the big clear out. · They relate best to children and older people. · They cherish only the past. PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT EXERCISE 1. What type of household manager are you? 2. Can you create another house related category that reflects different attitudes, behaviours or aspects of management? Day 9 of Des McCabe's Personal Development Exercises
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