MENTORS MAGAZINE | EDITION 1 | 61
don’t want to isolate yourself.To foster connection:
Schedule time with friends and colleagues
who support and energize you, and limit
your time with toxic people. When
meeting with colleagues, notice whether
they drain your energy or give you ener-
gy. With friends, notice whether you feel
renewed and refreshed or dragged down
and negative after spending time with
them.
Think of connection as a business competen-
cy and make a monthly connection plan.
Be sure to include face-to-face opportuni-
ties; connecting online is sometimes the
only option, but by meeting with col-
leagues in person, you can develop trust.Innovation isn’t just for companies; it ap-
plies to individuals too and I believe is key to
resilience. Innovation keeps us growing, flex-
ible and thinking creatively, all of which are
essential to surviving and thriving in today’s
environment. As an entrepreneur, don’t ne-glect your personal innovation. Having an
absorbing hobby or volunteering for an or-
ganization in which you believe can recharge
you and provide energy for your business.The key to successful innovation is to create
the vision, then figure out what goals you
need to accomplish to make the vision a re-
ality. It’s important to ask yourself if the
goals are personally meaningful to you, to
make sure they are worth your time and
effort.To get started on innovation:
Professional and personal innovation can in-
clude reading books, listening to podcasts
and watching videos. What is a resource
you have wanted to explore, and when
will you make time for it?
Creativity and play are important for innova-
tion. What are you doing this week that is
creative or playful?Focus on your resilience and enjoy the jour-
ney of entrepreneurship!MEET BETH KENNEDY
Beth Kennedy, MS, LMFT, brings more than twen-
ty years of experience to her role as a leadership
and executive coach, resiliency-training expert
and speaker. She is the author of Career Re-
Charge: Five Strategies to Boost Resilience and
Beat Burnout. For more about Beth Kennedy,
please visit her website at: