How One Practice Changed the Way I Communicate and Lead

This week was filled with many emotions. As I started my day, I did what I've been doing for many years now - a moment of reflection. A powerful tool that anyone can use.

Reflection is something that has helped me overcome anxieties, obstacles, procrastination, failures, and self-doubt. It's helped me re-focus and prioritize the items that are the most important. While I may not get everything right, I do work out a plan to focus on what I believe is important, and that makes me more productive and eases the tormenting inner voice that tells me that I'm never doing enough. 

When it came to completing my book, The Strategic Customer Success Manager, I had many inner voices that were holding me back. These included the following:

• You're content isn't good enough - you're just wasting your time

• You're not adding anything new to the conversation.

• You're too late. AI is changing everything.

I used my reflection time to push out these voices of doubt. I kept telling myself that I've applied the concepts from my book to real-life scenarios and tested this content in various live presentations over the last few years. We all have these voices, but reflection can help us overcome our fears and focus our minds.

Reflection is also something I recommend for CSMs who want to make the leap to being strategic CSMs. Here are a few areas that they reflect on: 

• How are they showing up for their customers

• What signals they’re sending

• Whether their communication builds trust or tension

• Who do they need to engage with that they haven't

This level of intentional self-awareness is what separates strategic from tactical.

Just over five years ago, I realized I needed to improve my communication skills. I joined New York Toastmasters after one of my own reflection sessions. This helped me in my storytelling which has come out in my book. It also helped me become a more vulnverable person and show up better for my family and colleagues. I've shared below one of the speeches I gave which was a deeply personal moment for me.

Here is how you can do your own daily or weekly reflection exercise. Use these prompts and write down your answers authentically (use a journal app or pen & paper - whatever you want):

• What am I noticing? What's going on inside my head? What's in my heart? How am I feeling?

• What am I grateful for? 

• What's my one thing for today? What is the number one thing that I need to do today and why?

I change up these prompts and have daily vs weekly ones. I skip days (and even weeks) but I always come back to reflection.

My reflection this week is that I'm deeply grateful for those who have supported my book launch and for the positive reception that the book has received. Thank you! 🙏

Check out some of the exciting events coming up: including a bookclub covering The Strategic Customer Success Manager.