The CEO Help Desk from Run Like Clockwork

Wow! With 2020 (and a new decade!) HERE, I thought it would be perfect timing to talk about the power of big thinking and designing your 2020 plan. I know many business owners struggle with making time for the visionary pieces of the business.

If you're like so many of our clients and entrepreneurs we talk with, you're a high achiever and pride yourself with being a "hard worker." That can be one of the reasons that it's challenging for you to get out of the Doing aspect of your business and step more into the Design aspect and highest value activities as the visionary.

On this episode I share why thinking of yourself as a super visionary as well as valuing that side is vital for leading as the captain of your ship.

I go into more detail on being the captain of your ship and Doing vs Designing in my free Find Your Business Bottleneck workshop and Quickstart Guide - my gift to you.

The reason you may be avoiding design time is that it often has delayed gratification, so it may be more challenging for you initially because DOING involves more instant gratification which you're likely addicted to! We're biased towards quick wins. Often the visionary, strategy + longer term higher level leadership work we need to be doing doesn't come with quick wins.

Some tips for making sure you have design time planned in:

• block off the time ON THE CALENDAR for "designing"
• share with your team to keep accountable
• step away from the computer
• do something that inspires you

If you're interested in joining us within our Run Like Clockwork Accelerator, we would love to support you this year in designing a business + team that runs itself! You can find all the details here.

Happy New Year + decade!

Wow! With 2020 (and a new decade!) HERE, I thought it would be perfect timing to talk about the power of big thinking and designing your 2020 plan. I know many business owners struggle with making time for the visionary pieces of the business.

If you’re like so many of our clients and entrepreneurs we talk with, you’re a high achiever and pride yourself with being a “hard worker.” That can be one of the reasons that it’s challenging for you to get out of the Doing aspect of your business and step more into the Design aspect and highest value activities as the visionary.

On this episode I share why thinking of yourself as a super visionary as well as valuing that side is vital for leading as the captain of your ship.

I go into more detail on being the captain of your ship and Doing vs Designing in my free Find Your Business Bottleneck workshop and Quickstart Guide - my gift to you.

The reason you may be avoiding design time is that it often has delayed gratification, so it may be more challenging for you initially because DOING involves more instant gratification which you’re likely addicted to! We’re biased towards quick wins. Often the visionary, strategy + longer term higher level leadership work we need to be doing doesn’t come with quick wins.

Some tips for making sure you have design time planned in:

• block off the time ON THE CALENDAR for “designing”
• share with your team to keep accountable
• step away from the computer
• do something that inspires you

If you’re interested in joining us within our Run Like Clockwork Accelerator, we would love to support you this year in designing a business + team that runs itself! You can find all the details here.

Happy New Year + decade!

I thought this would be the perfect time of year to talk about the idea of balance vs. presence.

I've never been a fan of balance personally, it just doesn't make much sense to me and always leaves us feeling guilty or split between our worlds. Even the idea of the word balance makes us feel like things should also be split EQUALLY in terms of time in order to be balanced, but that's just one measure. I think more importantly we want to think about our presence during those times. Because otherwise we're constantly somewhere else in our minds anyway.

I also share my concept of making "minimum payments" in certain areas of your life during different seasons versus trying to do it all and balance it all.

Our goal + focus shouldn't be to create balance with all the things going on in our lives, that's misleading, but rather start prioritizing and focusing on being present. There's no upside in feeling bad about being at work or with family. I have a shirt that says -- wherever you are, be there -- and that really sums up this idea completely.

YOU are responsible for your thoughts though so it takes time + attention + intention to even have the awareness that you're not present and then snap back to the moment. This won't be easy and it won't happen overnight, but it will also be an energy saver for you as it takes a lot of energy to mentally be in 2 places at once.

Some quick tips to be more present:

• Identify the moment you're currently in.
• Listen more closely.
• Be okay with not knowing everything.
• Reduce the distractions.
• Remove yourself from the digital world.

Happy holidays + we're wishing you a season of PRESENCE over anything else.

I thought this would be the perfect time of year to talk about the idea of balance vs. presence. 

I’ve never been a fan of balance personally, it just doesn’t make much sense to me and always leaves us feeling guilty or split between our worlds. Even the idea of the word balance makes us feel like things should also be split EQUALLY in terms of time in order to be balanced, but that’s just one measure. I think more importantly we want to think about our presence during those times. Because otherwise we’re constantly somewhere else in our minds anyway.

I also share my concept of making “minimum payments” in certain areas of your life during different seasons versus trying to do it all and balance it all.  

Our goal + focus shouldn’t be to create balance with all the things going on in our lives, that’s misleading, but rather start prioritizing and focusing on being present. There’s no upside in feeling bad about being at work or with family. I have a shirt that says -- wherever you are, be there -- and that really sums up this idea completely. 

YOU are responsible for your thoughts though so it takes time + attention + intention to even have the awareness that you’re not present and then snap back to the moment. This won’t be easy and it won’t happen overnight, but it will also be an energy saver for you as it takes a lot of energy to mentally be in 2 places at once. 

Some quick tips to be more present:

• Identify the moment you’re currently in.
• Listen more closely. 
• Be okay with not knowing everything.
• Reduce the distractions.
• Remove yourself from the digital world.

Happy holidays + we’re wishing you a season of PRESENCE over anything else.

As we continue preparing for our own 4-week "vacation" we're taking you behind the scenes again this week to share the nitty gritty logistics of HOW this will all work.

What are the rules for this maternity leave / vacation?

How will the team handle things on the day-to-day while Adrienne is away?

Will they be able to reach out if they need something?

What happens to your clients during this time?

How do you handle areas of the business that feel confidential?

Adrienne is diving into all your questions about her upcoming maternity leave and give you the inside scoop on how a 4-week vacation should work, why it's not going to go perfectly, and what to do once you return to make things run without you, in perpetuity.

Share with us on Instagram if you've got other 'behind the scenes' questions that you'd love for us to answer on an upcoming episode!

As we continue preparing for our own 4-week “vacation” we’re taking you behind the scenes again this week to share the nitty gritty logistics of HOW this will all work. 

What are the rules for this maternity leave / vacation? 

How will the team handle things on the day-to-day while Adrienne is away?

Will they be able to reach out if they need something? 

What happens to your clients during this time? 

How do you handle areas of the business that feel confidential? 

Adrienne is diving into all your questions about her upcoming maternity leave and give you the inside scoop on how a 4-week vacation should work, why it’s not going to go perfectly, and what to do once you return to make things run without you, in perpetuity. 

Share with us on Instagram if you’ve got other ‘behind the scenes’ questions that you’d love for us to answer on an upcoming episode! 

The Clockwork baby countdown is ON and Adrienne is taking you behind the scenes this week into her own 4-week maternity leave / vacation preparation. And the first question we've got to dig into for all the mama's out there is … WHY a 4-week maternity leave?!

For some of you, taking 4-weeks away would be a dream, and for others, you feel it's not enough. And in this episode Adrienne shares a behind the scenes look at her own decision to take 4 weeks away once the newest Clockwork baby arrives.

She shares:

• why she picked 4-weeks?
• what will happen after those 4-weeks?
• Her additional plans in case she wants more time off
• how much time she'll spend in the business once she returns
• And … what she'll do with the baby!

Whether you're prepping for a maternity leave, a 4-week vacation … or just clockworking the business so you can be better prepared for the future, this episode will give you ideas and insights on why 4-weeks in the minimum you need to step away for.

Share with us on Instagram if you've got other 'behind the scenes' questions that you'd love for us to answer on an upcoming episode!

The Clockwork baby countdown is ON and Adrienne is taking you behind the scenes this week into her own 4-week maternity leave / vacation preparation. And the first question we’ve got to dig into for all the mama’s out there is … WHY a 4-week maternity leave?! 

For some of you, taking 4-weeks away would be a dream, and for others, you feel it’s not enough. And in this episode Adrienne shares a behind the scenes look at her own decision to take 4 weeks away once the newest Clockwork baby arrives. 

She shares:  

• why she picked 4-weeks?
• what will happen after those 4-weeks?
• Her additional plans in case she wants more time off
• how much time she’ll spend in the business once she returns
• And … what she’ll do with the baby!

Whether you’re prepping for a maternity leave, a 4-week vacation … or just clockworking the business so you can be better prepared for the future, this episode will give you ideas and insights on why 4-weeks in the minimum you need to step away for. 

Share with us on Instagram if you’ve got other ‘behind the scenes’ questions that you’d love for us to answer on an upcoming episode!

As Adrienne prepares for her upcoming maternity leave, she asked Mike for his best 4-week vacation advice. Since he's been on 2 already and about to take his 3rd in December, he's learned a lot about how to physically and emotionally prepare for 4 weeks away from the business.

Mike shares about his own challenges + experiences, what he wishes he would have differently as well as:

• how to get your brain to finally shut off,
• the need to become a super-visionary,
• why you need to watch-out for your ego when you go on vacation,
• and why damage to the business while you're gone is a GOOD thing!

Whether you're ready to take your 4-week vacation soon, or you've got a year to plan --- this episode will be a game changer for you to start thinking about and implementing NOW as your prepare for your own Clockwork operation vacation!

As Adrienne prepares for her upcoming maternity leave, she asked Mike for his best 4-week vacation advice. Since he’s been on 2 already and about to take his 3rd in December, he’s learned a lot about how to physically and emotionally prepare for 4 weeks away from the business. 

Mike shares about his own challenges + experiences, what he wishes he would have differently as well as:

• how to get your brain to finally shut off, 
• the need to become a super-visionary, 
• why you need to watch-out for your ego when you go on vacation, 
• and why damage to the business while you’re gone is a GOOD thing! 

Whether you’re ready to take your 4-week vacation soon, or you’ve got a year to plan --- this episode will be a game changer for you to start thinking about and implementing NOW as your prepare for your own Clockwork operation vacation!