Creating a Peaceful Life
Cathie Leimbach • December 5, 2023
“Peace is Power”
Jeremie Kubicek
In his book, The Peace Index, Jeremie Kubicek identifies 5 aspects of our lives that greatly impact our personal peace. He explains how we can assess our Peace Index and take steps to conquer chaos and increase satisfaction in our lives.
Let’s take a look at the 5 Ps in Kubicek’s Peace Index:
- Purpose – The reason you get out of bed. Do you know what excites you, what makes you get up in the morning anticipating a wonderful day? How often do have a chance to exercise your purpose? If you aren’t living your purpose, what can you do to have a job, a hobby, or other activities that make your life feel purposeful?
- People – Those who make or break us. How much time are you spending with people who lift you up, who make you smile, and who you look forward to seeing? If you feel stressed by the people around you, how can you pursue relationships with others who could brighten your mood?
- Place – The spaces that supercharge us. Do you feel relaxed and recharged by laying on a beach by the ocean or by climbing in the Rockies? Are you happier living in a large city with lots of entertainment options or in a small town where you see familiar faces every day? Do you like to start your Saturdays with coffee in bed or at the local café? If your environment is not energizing you, what can you do to increase the time you spend in pleasant places?
- Personal Health – Choosing something better. How healthy is your diet? What exercise are you getting regularly? If you aren’t happy with your health, what is one personal health goal you would like to work towards in the next 6 months? What step can you take towards that goal this week?
- Provision – Nothing to Fear. Does your personal or household income enable you to have shelter, food, clothing, and funds for leisure activities? How stable is your income? If you are anxious about how you are going to pay your bills, what can you do to earn more money or reduce your expenses?
To determine your Peace Index, rate your current situation on each of the 5 Ps from 1 (very discouraged) to 5 (very satisfied). To increase your Peace Index, what is one step you can take this week to improve your P with the lowest rating?
When we make decisions and take actions to move towards a more peaceful and fulfilling life we will be happier, healthier, and more resilient. We will be experiencing more peace which gives us the power to achieve our goals and support others in achieving theirs. When you take steps to being more at peace how will both you and others around you benefit?
Take control of the chaos in your life. Do something that lights up your life so you can experience peace this holiday season.
Jason left his one-on-one feeling encouraged. His supervisor, Ellen, had listened as he described competing deadlines and his interest in becoming a team leader. They talked about the possibility of shifting some of his workload. Ellen also suggested that training might help him prepare for a leadership role. "Let's work on that," she said. Jason thought help was coming. Ellen thought Jason would bring her a plan. Two weeks later, the deadlines were closer. Nothing had been reassigned. Neither had looked into training. During their next one-on-one, Ellen asked how things were going. "I'm still waiting to hear which project you want me to focus on," Jason said. "I thought we agreed that you would work that out." "And the leadership training?" "Did you find a course?" Jason paused. "I thought you were going to recommend one." They had discussed the same topics. They had left with different expectations. Neither intended to let the other down. But they hadn't agreed on who would do what, or when. Turn a Good Conversation into Clear Next Steps Listening matters. So does what happens after you listen. Before you end your next one-on-one, take a few minutes to make sure you and your employee understand what comes next. Talk about priorities. If everything can't be done at once, agree on what comes first. Ask what might get in the way, and what support would help. Make room for professional growth, too. What does the employee want to learn? What responsibility would they like to prepare for? Identify a step you can each take to move that development forward. Then write down your agreements. Keep the notes simple: what needs to happen, who will do it, and by when. Include your own commitments. Putting It Into Practice Ellen and Jason tried again. "The client proposal comes first," Ellen said. "I'll talk with Marcus today about taking over the weekly report. By Friday, I'll let you know whether he can." "I'll find two leadership courses before our next meeting," Jason said. "Then we can talk about which one fits." Both Jason and Ellen knew what to do next. The following week, both reported their findings and they made decisions on how to move forward. Jason’s work became more aligned with Ellen’s departmental goals. Jason felt valued and appreciated. Their weekly one-to-ones became the backbone of their workplace success. Want to Make Your Workplace Conversations More Productive? Join us for the Workplace Conversations Clinic on October 19 . Bring a conversation you want to handle more effectively, and let's work on making the next steps clear. Register Here
Sally appreciated that her supervisor made time for weekly one-on-ones. It made her feel valued. But after 18 months with Emerald Corp, something was missing. She rarely received feedback. Her supervisor didn’t tell her what she was doing especially well—or where she needed to improve. And although the company had promised continuing education when she was hired, no development opportunities had materialized. Sally loved learning. Several next-level positions interested her, but she knew she needed additional knowledge and skills. Meanwhile, two college classmates working in other departments had already been promoted. She was a fast learner. She was getting bored. And she was beginning to wonder whether she had a future at Emerald. So Sally started applying elsewhere. During Monday’s one-on-one, she asked her supervisor whether he would serve as a reference. He was stunned. “You’re doing well,” he said. “There are lots of opportunities for you here.” Sally asked whether he would support her applying for an internal position. “Well, you’re doing fairly well,” he replied, “but there are several things you could be doing better. You’d also need more experience or training before you’d be ready for the next level.” Sally was confused. “What should I be doing better?” Her supervisor mentioned a few areas for improvement. “Why haven’t you told me this before?” Sally asked. “No news is good news,” he replied. “You’re certainly not at risk of losing your job.” “But you’re telling me I’m not ready for a promotion. How am I supposed to improve if I don’t know what you expect?” Her supervisor assumed Sally would figure it out over time. Sally had assumed she was already meeting expectations. Both assumptions were costly. Within days, Sally had two interviews with other companies. One-on-Ones Should Help Employees Succeed Employees shouldn’t have to guess what high performance looks like. One-on-ones are an opportunity to make expectations clear and help employees become more successful. Talk about what they are doing well. Be specific about where improvement is needed. Ask about their challenges, interests, and future goals. Then provide the coaching, training, and support that can help them succeed. Don’t wait until an employee asks for a reference to talk about their future. Ask before you assume. Conversation is where leadership happens™ Want to Make Your Workplace Conversations More Productive? Join us for the Workplace Conversations Clinic on October 19 . Bring a conversation you want to handle more effectively, and let's work on making the next steps clear. Register HERE
