More California Tortilla Locations Added in NOVA

Vmeals is pleased to announce the addition of more locations for one our great lunch delivery partners: California Tortilla!

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Winner of 'Best Burrito in the D.C. Area' - Washingtonian Magazine and 'Best Vegetarian Restaurant in the D.C. Area, everything is made fresh with spices that give our food its unique delicious flavor, with no fat! They use only the leanest meats and grilled chicken breast. 

Now with more locations and delivery areas, treat the office to the best burritos, tacos, fajitas, salads and more! Check out  the California Tortilla menu and give them a try for your next event.

Vmeals is where food and business connect!

4 Styles of Leadership, Which Describes You?

I don't know if you think of yourself as a leader, but if someone is following you or watching your example, you're leading. Leaders possess certain character traits that make them good leaders, and I discussed that to some extent in this post on being fit to lead. Each of us also possesses certain skills, gifts and abilities that help inform the kind of work we do and the way we work. But before we can understand how to deploy our unique set of gifts and talents, it is helpful to understand how we are wired.

By "wired" I mean that we all have a unique combination of strengths, talents, personality and relational style that make us who we are. As such, we tend to fall into one of four general styles of leadership: doers, thinkers, relaters, and movers. 

Doers are primarily concerned with getting things done. They are process oriented and the ones who will keep everyone else on task with checklists, schedules, and attention to detail. They want not only to get things done, but get them done right. To be most effective, doers need to avoid being overly controlling, willing to try new procedures and appreciative of the needs and contributions of others.

Thinkers are most interested in generating new ideas and solving problems. They like to gather information, analyze, brainstorm, develop plans and be creative. To be most effective, thinkers need to avoid getting bogged down in detail, must be willing to take responsibility, and commit to being part of the team.

Relaters are primarily concerned with the team. They are supportive and encouraging. They want to build relationships and get to know other team members.They want everyone to get along. To be most effective, relaters need to be mindful of tasks and time lines, willing to ask for help in prioritizing work, and not withdraw when people disagree.

Movers are driven by goals. They like to accept challenges and are primarily concerned with advancing towards the desired outcome. Movers are persistent, decisive and really like to win. To be most effective, movers need to be patient with other team members, avoid unnecessary risks, avoid the tendency to be bossy and demanding, and respect lines of authority.

As I describe them, I think you'll see that all are essential components of a strong team, and that leadership takes many forms. Leadership isn't just for the C-suite. As you learn to recognize these different types, it will become easier to build a team that balances both the strengths and blind spots of each type.

What kind of leader are you?

Monday Motivation Quote of the Week

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." 

You are probably familiar with this saying as the Golden Rule, but let's think about it for a moment.

Most of us have come to understand this as a practical rule - if you don't want your brother to hit you, don't hit your brother - but really it's more than that. You can settle for the practical (and self-serving) frame of treating others the way you want to be treated so they will treat you better.

But notice the first word: Do. I think this implies taking initiative, being proactive, going the extra mile to show by your actions the kind of person you'd like to be and see in the world. I think this is what Gandhi meant when he advised us be the change we wish to see.

When you consider the Golden Rule, how does it resonate with you? With a sense of self-preservation and protection or with a vision of being your best self and an example for others?

Is Your Smartphone Making You Dumber?

It seems that everyone has a smartphone these days - even my husband who is distinctly non-techie and non-gadgety just upgraded to sweet new Android, and he actually loves it. This is the man who is constantly requiring assistance from his children to send an email because his wife is too aggravated to show him how AGAIN. That says a lot about the smart design and usability of these amazing little machines.

So we know the phones are getting smarter and smarter, but are we? Are these devices making our lives easier or enslaving us with constant connectivity? Let me use my sweet husband as an example again. On a recent date night, we were having dinner at a lovely restaurant. He had his face in his new smartphone checking the scores of the Master's golf tournament. Meanwhile, I was posting this on my Facebook page: 

A sharp friend quickly retorted:

We were so busted for not being very smart with our smartphones. I mean, date night is about as common as a Halley's comet sighting for us, and we were squandering it.

So let's establish some rules of engagement for these small wonders. I was inspired by the Time Management Ninja's10 Ways to be Smarter About Your Smartphone post, and you should definitely go read all his advice (like learn how to actually use your smartphone). But here are the ones I think are most important:

Up with people!

Real-life, in-person human beings trump phones - always. Sure, there may be times you have to take a call from your kid's school or reply to a time-sensitive text, but mind your manners. Excuse yourself. Don't just drop out on your companion or think you can give your attention to your email and your dinner date at the same time. You can't. It has always been considered rude to talk on the phone while in the company of someone else. Mobile phones have not voided that rule.

Down with creepy under-the-table maneuvers!

Same goes for meetings. Oh, how I hate a meeting where everyone is distracted by what's happening in their lap. Let's generously assume they are staring at their phones down there. When did it become OK for everyone to show up with only half of their attention? Meeting organizers should consider making the conference room a no-phone zone. You're likely to cut meeting time in half, and everyone might actually leave knowing what happened and what to do next.

Learn to love the vibration.

If you are joined at the hip with your phone, there really is no reason to have have a ring tone they can hear in the next county. Furthermore, there's a good chance no one else finds your Rude Boy or Dukes of Hazzard ringtone as charming as you do. (I'm looking at you, Dad.) Put that sucker on vibrate - trust me, you'll love it.

Death by Distraction.

The only thing worse than the day-in-day-out assault of rude and annoying behavior is dying a spectacular, fiery death caused by a distracted driver. Now that I have teen drivers in my life, I have had to lead by example and put the phone away while I'm driving. It is just too tempting to respond to the siren song of calls, texts and email alerts. There's nothing that can't wait until the next stop. Seriously - nothing worth risking your life for.

What are some other ways you think we could be smarter with our smartphones?

 

Monday Motivation Quote of the Week

"Continuous effort - not strength or intelligence - is the key to unlocking our potential." ~Winston Churchill

Everyday is a fresh opportunity to move closer to your target, your goal, your dream. Stick with it.

Are You Fit to Lead?

Rupert Murdoch, media mogul under investigation for a phone hacking scandal in the U.K. just got spanked by parliament. They have declared him "unfit" to lead his international media company, News Corp.

Murdoch claimed he didn't know about or condone the phone hacking by his employees, and with an international corporation of the size of News Corp, he must have been tempted to think that claiming ignorance to individual behavior was plausible. But the indignant members of parliament laid the burden of guilt definitively at his feet for (among other reasons) "creating the culture" responsible for this extremely bad behavior.

Leadership matters.

If you lead an organization, a department or a committee, you influence that culture. You set the standard and you have responsibility for the performance of the group. Hey, leadership isn't easy, but is important on every level. If you have anybody watching and following your lead - regardless of whether they actually report to you or not - you are a leader.

• A good leader communicates a clear vision: Here's where I'm going. Follow me!
• A good leader cultivates a community of shared values: This is how we operate.Trust my direction!
• A good leader inspires followers: I want to go where you go because you have enthusiasm, integrity and a mission.

• A good leader doesn't turn a blind eye to inappropriate, unethical, illegal activity.
• A good leader doesn't claim credit and shift blame.
• A good leader doesn't rule by fear or intimidation.

Are you fit to lead? What kind of culture are you creating around yourself?

Monday Motivation Quote of the Week

We think we want things to be easy - smooth sailing - that somehow that's an indication of our success. But this image reminds us that more often we rise in response to opposing forces.

I was reading about pearls recently and learned that they are formed in response to some kind of irritant or parasite. The oyster (actually, any mollusk can create a sort of pearl) responds to the irritant by coating it with layers of nacreous secretions which result in the smooth, iridescent pearl valued for its beauty.

Are you facing opposition today? Think of it as your opportunity to rise above and fly high. Is there something that is causing you irritation?  Think of it as the process of creating something rare, beautiful and valuable - pearls of wisdom.