Bitts Blog has moved to a new location. I am thrilled to announce (although about 5 months late) that theopenpivot.com is the location of my blog and consulting business.
This 3 year journey is in a new season and my new content will be featured on that site. I look forward to seeing you there.
Thank you for reading and following me to the next season.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Your Bench Strength
I am a college basketball junkie. I cannot wait until November, when college hoops begins and this time of sports exile ends. I just finished reading a great article on the Top 20 college bench players for 2012. It is located at this link Bench. I love thinking about the importance of the "bench" in business.
You had better be prepared with an exceptional bench because at any time that talented, seasoned and tenured "starter" could up and retire or move onto a new opportunity. The amount of time and money it takes to pull from that bench is significant.
Here are 5 questions to test the health of your business bench:
1. Do you have a plan for the succession of your leadership team?
2. What are you doing to develop your bench? I am not just talking about an annual performance review, which by the way is just one piece of the bigger picture.
3. What type of leaders are on your bench? Self-aware, well differentiated and strong.
4. Have you affirmed your "bench" by indicating to them that they are the future? Because if they are not a part of yours or don't think they are, you can bet that they are thinking about being on someone else's bench.
5. Are you recruiting players to "backfill" that bench? If you are not, then you will have to recruit a transfer player or spend a bunch of time training someone else to understand your culture and processes.
Develop your bench because your starters will graduate and suddenly you are using walk-ons to win the national championship.
You had better be prepared with an exceptional bench because at any time that talented, seasoned and tenured "starter" could up and retire or move onto a new opportunity. The amount of time and money it takes to pull from that bench is significant.
Here are 5 questions to test the health of your business bench:
1. Do you have a plan for the succession of your leadership team?
2. What are you doing to develop your bench? I am not just talking about an annual performance review, which by the way is just one piece of the bigger picture.
3. What type of leaders are on your bench? Self-aware, well differentiated and strong.
4. Have you affirmed your "bench" by indicating to them that they are the future? Because if they are not a part of yours or don't think they are, you can bet that they are thinking about being on someone else's bench.
5. Are you recruiting players to "backfill" that bench? If you are not, then you will have to recruit a transfer player or spend a bunch of time training someone else to understand your culture and processes.
Develop your bench because your starters will graduate and suddenly you are using walk-ons to win the national championship.
Monday, June 18, 2012
Engagement
The word feels so clinical to me. It is a big word, which is really means people in work that they find meaningful, purposeful and matched with their skill. Certainly, results will come, but in my opinion you do what you love and the results will follow.
Dr. Hogan says that engagement has four components:
1. Engaged employees like their jobs
2. Engaged employees like themselves when they are at their jobs
3. Engaged employees work hard at their jobs
4. Engaged employees derive a sense of meaning and purpose from their jobs
Check out some interesting statistics regarding engaged workers from my friends at Hogan:
Dr. Hogan says that engagement has four components:
1. Engaged employees like their jobs
2. Engaged employees like themselves when they are at their jobs
3. Engaged employees work hard at their jobs
4. Engaged employees derive a sense of meaning and purpose from their jobs
Check out some interesting statistics regarding engaged workers from my friends at Hogan:
- 71% of Americans aren't engaged in their jobs. Yes 71% or 7 out of 10.
- 52% of bosses in the survey were described as Arrogant
- 50% of the bosses in the survey were described as Manipulative
- 49% were described as Emotionally Volatile
You will note that there is a partnership with engagement. The employee must navigate toward meaningful work and the boss must be supportive of that endeavor. Are you doing your part?
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Top 5 Career Books
I did not like to read when I was younger. I was involved in sports, gathering the neighborhood kids to play a game in the back yard, traveling with my parents and going to school. Today though, I really enjoy sitting on the back porch and reading. I am not a big fan of fiction. So you will not find any fiction here, but I did want to give you my Top 5 Career Books Of All Time:
1) Getting Unstuck by Timothy Butler is exceptional. This book came to me at just the right time and provided the practical tips to get me unstuck and moving forward.
2) What Color Is Your Parachute? by Richard Bolles. This book takes you through reflective exercises, provides perspective on job seeking skills and provides exercises to help you gain clarity on your job search.
3) The Adventures of Johnny Bunko by Dan Pink. This book is a cartoon and reads like a comic book. There are some terrific nuggets in this book and provides nice perspective.
4) Man's Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl. A holocaust survivor's perspective on a meaningful life and has great application for work.
5) Flow by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. Don't worry about the name, just read the book. You have hopefully experienced Flow in your work and life. This uncovers the science of it all and helps you go there more frequently.
What are your favorite career books?
Monday, June 4, 2012
The First Three Phases Of A Career Change
As I have read, researched and executed my career / job change, I have discovered that there are six phases to the process. I will only give you three of six here to get you to come back for more.
The amount of time in each phase depends on a great deal of factors, many of which you really cannot control. It is helpful to have a map of the phases to give you an idea of where you stand in the process.
The first three phases are reflection, exploration and experimentation. Here is a brief overview of each:
1.) During the reflection phase, you are in the mode of introspection. This is a very internally focused period of time. You are evaluating your career, your accomplishments, your emotions and begin to think about the preferred future.
2.) The exploration phase includes others in the process. This is a great time to go through an informal 360. You do not need an online test, just some good questions you would like to have answered by peers, friends and family members. In many ways, you are looking to others to affirm what you know is true. The caution here is to properly weight that input and not lose yourself in the process.
3.) The experimentation phase is "trying on" the role or job before buying. It could include a job shadow, exploratory interviews and research. It is critical that you ask the right questions to outline all that you can know about the role or job prior to jumping in.
The more thorough you are on each phase, the more clarity the next phase will offer. They really build on themselves and all lead to the ultimate goal, which is meaningful and purposeful work.
The amount of time in each phase depends on a great deal of factors, many of which you really cannot control. It is helpful to have a map of the phases to give you an idea of where you stand in the process.
The first three phases are reflection, exploration and experimentation. Here is a brief overview of each:
1.) During the reflection phase, you are in the mode of introspection. This is a very internally focused period of time. You are evaluating your career, your accomplishments, your emotions and begin to think about the preferred future.
2.) The exploration phase includes others in the process. This is a great time to go through an informal 360. You do not need an online test, just some good questions you would like to have answered by peers, friends and family members. In many ways, you are looking to others to affirm what you know is true. The caution here is to properly weight that input and not lose yourself in the process.
3.) The experimentation phase is "trying on" the role or job before buying. It could include a job shadow, exploratory interviews and research. It is critical that you ask the right questions to outline all that you can know about the role or job prior to jumping in.
The more thorough you are on each phase, the more clarity the next phase will offer. They really build on themselves and all lead to the ultimate goal, which is meaningful and purposeful work.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Thoughts From William James
William James wrote: "In the dim background of our mind we know meanwhile what we ought to be doing...But somehow we cannot start...Every moment we expect the spell to break...but it does continue, pulse after pulse, and we float with it..."
For 7 years, I heard that voice in background, late at night, in the quiet of the evening or when I was in my office doing the work. I sometimes caught myself saying "What am I doing here?" I even heard my 5 year old daughter tell me that I was grouchy in the evening.
What are the main factors of resistance? There are three critical factors:
It takes courage to start again, push against the "well intentioned opinions of others" and move into a new phase of work.
How do you break the spell? What do you do?
For 7 years, I heard that voice in background, late at night, in the quiet of the evening or when I was in my office doing the work. I sometimes caught myself saying "What am I doing here?" I even heard my 5 year old daughter tell me that I was grouchy in the evening.
What are the main factors of resistance? There are three critical factors:
- Pragmatism Rules Our Culture: It is easier to stay the course and enjoy the routine and security of life.
- Opinions Of Others: It could be that voice of a parent or mentor that dissuades you from moving into uncertainty and into passionate life / work.
- Your Thoughts: The ego dominated portion of your mind is telling you to stay, play it safe and not explore the "spell" that William James mentions.
It takes courage to start again, push against the "well intentioned opinions of others" and move into a new phase of work.
How do you break the spell? What do you do?
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Well defined, strong and clear...
This defines what Edwin H. Friedman calls a well differentiated leader. A well differentiated leader has the following key characteristics:
- Capacity to take a stand in an intense emotional system
- Saying "I" when others say "We"
- Maintaining a low anxious presence when others are in an anxious state
- Understanding where "I" ends and where "you" begins
- Focus on strength of presence vs. reaction to others
This is a great challenge for today's leaders. I know in my various leadership roles staying well differentiated is difficult when consensus is the most valued outcome of meetings. It takes knowing who you are and anticipating the potential triggers that may take you away from being differentiated.
What practices do you utilize to stay well differentiated?
Employee Motivation Observations
I enjoyed facilitating a meeting with some exceptional people last week. The topic was "leadership and motivation." Here is what I observed during the discussion:
- You can not motivate that which you are not connected to. In other words, the relationship is critical to success.
- You are only in control of the way you go about helping others stay motivated vs. actually motivating them.
- Things like the words, the method, the timing and the environment are things you can control. Ultimately, the person must decide to #1 stay motivated internally and #2 respond to your coaching.
- The old days of carrot, stick and whip are archaic approaches and ought to be carefully thought through in their proper context.
- The consensus was that Dan Pink's Autonomy, Mastery and Purpose was the most attractive in terms of motivational theories for their situation. No disrespect to Herzberg or Vroom.
- It is the leaders job to own what you can control, which means doing all you can to "put the vision" out there for others to follow. That is the part of purpose and autonomy in Pink's model.
What is your next step? I might suggest asking the question "When you show up to work every day, what are some of the emotions you feel when you walk through the door?"
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Leadership In A Vacuum
Authority by position, by title, by bold and dotted lines on the organizational chart. Forget it all! Forget it all!
A leader's job is to inspire, build exceptional trusting relationships, create a vision for the future, create connection, create trust, empower, motivate and include others in the process. It is not forged by lines on a piece of paper or by some leader above them saying "you are leader!"
I title this entry as Leadership In A Vacuum because every decision you make as a leader can be that if you do not do all of the above. A vacuum disregards what is around it and is focused singularly on its own task. This is scary!
3 Warnings Signs That Your Leadership Is In A Vacuum
- No Credibility: You are leading from a deficit because you sit upon a perch of your new job title and suddenly Seymour you are alone in your new office. Solution: Engage in the work by spending time with your people while they are doing the work or better yet do their work at least to some degree.
- Upside Down Service: They are serving you and you are not serving them. You sit upon your perch waiting for their reports vs. bringing your reports to them in collaboration and partnership. Solution: Today find a way to help your team win. Right now! Do it!
- They Stop Listening To You: You can tell when this is happening. Low meeting energy, no inspiration. Solution: Listen to them please. Start with asking them questions. Please!
I know that reading this kinda "sucks" but come on. Don't end up like this guy.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Career Maximizer Group Launch
On June 20th, I will be launching the Career Maximizer group for 10 -12 individuals looking to make that career transition, role change or enhancing their job search.
The event will be from 8 - 11 at the Old National Bank on Rangeline Road in Carmel, IN. We will spend time developing the purpose of the group, reviewing a couple of career assessments that one of the group members completed in advance, reviewing some content related to the job search and much much more.
If you are interested, feel free to send me a note and we can meet in advance to see if the group is a good fit for you.
The event will be from 8 - 11 at the Old National Bank on Rangeline Road in Carmel, IN. We will spend time developing the purpose of the group, reviewing a couple of career assessments that one of the group members completed in advance, reviewing some content related to the job search and much much more.
If you are interested, feel free to send me a note and we can meet in advance to see if the group is a good fit for you.
Ego and The Job Search
Forbes contributing blogger Glenn Llopis wrote an exceptional piece on how envy can poison your career. He really cuts to heart of how Ego (our achievements, the opinions of others, our stuff) can set us on an unending treadmill of sorts. In many ways, this ego state really ruins the sense of individuation and differentiation.
Your career, your leadership, your family and your life benefits greatly when you accept the idea that you are a masterpiece vs. a chameleon trying to become what everyone else wants you to be. Here are 3 warning signs that you are at risk of an ego trajectory:
1. You hand your resume to someone and hope that they approve or said another way you hold back because you expect rejection.
2. Comparison of your achievements and your stuff to those of others. Your unit of measurement is not the line of others.
3. You cannot stand uncertainty. In other words, your pursuit is security vs. the adventure.
What are the other warning signs you have witnessed?
Your career, your leadership, your family and your life benefits greatly when you accept the idea that you are a masterpiece vs. a chameleon trying to become what everyone else wants you to be. Here are 3 warning signs that you are at risk of an ego trajectory:
1. You hand your resume to someone and hope that they approve or said another way you hold back because you expect rejection.
2. Comparison of your achievements and your stuff to those of others. Your unit of measurement is not the line of others.
3. You cannot stand uncertainty. In other words, your pursuit is security vs. the adventure.
What are the other warning signs you have witnessed?
Monday, May 14, 2012
Another Meeting
I have led meetings that have been an absolute disaster. I have led meetings that were inspiring and purposeful. I have sat in meetings where I wondered: "Why am I sitting here?"
Hours of our time are spent in meetings. There are many books, articles, newsletters, training sessions and blogs devoted to subject of meetings. Here are 5 observations about meetings and the leaders job to have these be productive, inspiring and meaningful: (Thank you to my friends at MG RUSH for the contributing content)
1. Please, please, please, please have a meeting deliverable documented and communicated prior to the meeting to all attendees.
2. Clarify roles. Two roles: Facilitator and Participant. There is a meeting facilitator. The facilitator is the objective one. The participants are the contributors to ideas and content. Every and I mean every participant is a person and is valid. That does not mean that you have to agree with everything being shared.
3. Avoid the temptation to make sure everyone feels good about you. This suggestion is for both the participant and the facilitator. Your job is to not make everyone happy.
4. Consider the pre-meeting to discuss the meeting prior to entering the room. Preparation is one of the few things you can control. Make sure you are ready.
5. Norms: Not a bad idea to clarify meeting norms before the meeting starts.
What have been your meeting best practices? Millions of hours are spent in meetings, why not change the tenor and make these productive?
Hours of our time are spent in meetings. There are many books, articles, newsletters, training sessions and blogs devoted to subject of meetings. Here are 5 observations about meetings and the leaders job to have these be productive, inspiring and meaningful: (Thank you to my friends at MG RUSH for the contributing content)
1. Please, please, please, please have a meeting deliverable documented and communicated prior to the meeting to all attendees.
2. Clarify roles. Two roles: Facilitator and Participant. There is a meeting facilitator. The facilitator is the objective one. The participants are the contributors to ideas and content. Every and I mean every participant is a person and is valid. That does not mean that you have to agree with everything being shared.
3. Avoid the temptation to make sure everyone feels good about you. This suggestion is for both the participant and the facilitator. Your job is to not make everyone happy.
4. Consider the pre-meeting to discuss the meeting prior to entering the room. Preparation is one of the few things you can control. Make sure you are ready.
5. Norms: Not a bad idea to clarify meeting norms before the meeting starts.
What have been your meeting best practices? Millions of hours are spent in meetings, why not change the tenor and make these productive?
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Visualize What You Want To Create
You have heard the phrase "start with the end in mind" a thousand times. Why do we find this challenging or sometimes impossible? The answer is that life and work sometimes necessitates us to just get what is ahead of us completed. I don't care if you are in a life or career transition, a leadership position or a volunteer. It is critical to take time to visualize what you want to create or lead others toward.
Here are three suggestions for you:
Here are three suggestions for you:
- A visual learner may value drawing a picture or writing out what you want to create in your work or in your life. Be sure to include the emotions you feel, the environment you are in and the people you are with.
- Avoid the trap of thinking about all that you do not have, instead think about what you do have and imagine that what you wish to create is real.
- Go through a visualization exercise. I really like Dr. Timothy Butler's exercise for those in career transition. It takes practice, but is very powerful.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
You Are Leaving...Now What?
Deep down in very entrails of your soul you know it is time to transition and leave the place that you have worked for months, years or even decades. You know what I am talking about...It is called the still small voice of your soul that beckons you to make a change.
My friends did you know that there are three phases or parts to this natural phenomenon? The first phase is called private departure. In the private departure phase, you are the ONLY one who knows you are leaving. The voice is loud inside and quiet on the outside. Your tactic here is to move into some serious retrospection and answer the question: What do I want to do next?
The second phase is called the inner circle departure phase. This is the phase that takes you out of retrospection and into extraspection (not a word) and invites others to participate in the process of departure with you. Keep in mind that you are telling the story to your close circle and be ready for questions to explore. Safety is key here.
The last phase is called the full circle departure phase. (Real creative right?) In this phase, you start telling everyone that you are leaving. You had better rehearse what you are going to tell everyone though or it will feel real strange and will not feel strong.
Three phases, three lengths of time, many emotions and yet in each phase you need a plan to navigate to the next phase.
How do you navigate those phases?
My friends did you know that there are three phases or parts to this natural phenomenon? The first phase is called private departure. In the private departure phase, you are the ONLY one who knows you are leaving. The voice is loud inside and quiet on the outside. Your tactic here is to move into some serious retrospection and answer the question: What do I want to do next?
The second phase is called the inner circle departure phase. This is the phase that takes you out of retrospection and into extraspection (not a word) and invites others to participate in the process of departure with you. Keep in mind that you are telling the story to your close circle and be ready for questions to explore. Safety is key here.
The last phase is called the full circle departure phase. (Real creative right?) In this phase, you start telling everyone that you are leaving. You had better rehearse what you are going to tell everyone though or it will feel real strange and will not feel strong.
Three phases, three lengths of time, many emotions and yet in each phase you need a plan to navigate to the next phase.
How do you navigate those phases?
Sunday, May 6, 2012
The Person and The Plan
One cannot expect to have a successful career transition without both of these elements. When I use the word person, I am talking about clarity, preparation and skill development. Clarity is about knowing what you want. Preparation is about your resume, company research and interview research. Clarity is also about having an exceptionally strong mind, which means telling yourself the right stuff. A person who has worked on his/her person does all this work continually.
The plan is about the company list, the network, the calendar of meetings, the process you go through before each meeting and after each meeting and the execution of the plan. The plan allows you to have a choice between fear and faith. If you have a plan, you put your faith in your plan and evaluate it every 90 days or so, without the plan you just kinda go.
The person and the plan go hand in hand. What are you doing to develop your personness (not a word) and your plan?
The plan is about the company list, the network, the calendar of meetings, the process you go through before each meeting and after each meeting and the execution of the plan. The plan allows you to have a choice between fear and faith. If you have a plan, you put your faith in your plan and evaluate it every 90 days or so, without the plan you just kinda go.
The person and the plan go hand in hand. What are you doing to develop your personness (not a word) and your plan?
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Motivation
We landed the biggest deal in company history. Not only was our sales goal reached for the first time in 4 years, but I was to receive a nice bonus check along with the opportunity to provide nice bonus to my colleagues. I remember this like it was yesterday. I was excited about what had happened, yet inside I was deeply saddened.
I thought to myself, I put my heart and soul into this huge deal and yet it was not a fulfilling or rewarding experience. Sure, I knew that we were truly helping a group of people and a company, yet I knew that I was not truly happy. The work was not connected to a sense of cause deep down inside.
As I shared in a previous post, the financial rewards typically do not trump work that is meaningful, connected to your cause and is an overlap of who you are.
Ponder these questions:
* If you are accomplished in work that you are not feeling strongly connected to, then imagine what it would be like if you were and imagine the impact thereto.
* Does the six figure income hold you back from the work you know you were intended to create or do?
* What about certainty? Can you handle living in the unknown for a season or more so that you can be deployed in the service of others?
* What does happiness really cost?
* Why does America and Americans in general seem to promote an agenda that is all about security and less about adventure?
Seriously!
I thought to myself, I put my heart and soul into this huge deal and yet it was not a fulfilling or rewarding experience. Sure, I knew that we were truly helping a group of people and a company, yet I knew that I was not truly happy. The work was not connected to a sense of cause deep down inside.
As I shared in a previous post, the financial rewards typically do not trump work that is meaningful, connected to your cause and is an overlap of who you are.
Ponder these questions:
* If you are accomplished in work that you are not feeling strongly connected to, then imagine what it would be like if you were and imagine the impact thereto.
* Does the six figure income hold you back from the work you know you were intended to create or do?
* What about certainty? Can you handle living in the unknown for a season or more so that you can be deployed in the service of others?
* What does happiness really cost?
* Why does America and Americans in general seem to promote an agenda that is all about security and less about adventure?
Seriously!
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Importance of Transition
What do you take with you when you travel? Obviously, there are things that are non-negotiables, the socks, the toiletries and clothes. There are things you take with you when you transition in work and life. Even more important is what you leave behind, that helps others carry the baton.
I realized today that I am taking with me seven exceptional years of great experiences and learnings. I am also very aware of the importance of making a strong transition and here is why:
I realized today that I am taking with me seven exceptional years of great experiences and learnings. I am also very aware of the importance of making a strong transition and here is why:
- I will pack relationships. These are foundational to life and work. I want to make sure I thank the people I have worked with over the years and share the story of what is next. I do not want to forget to "pack" the people that I have met along the way.
- I will pack gratitude. Gratitude helps put closure on the season in your life by taking stock of all the great learnings and positive achievements. Thank the people that have helped you along the way.
- I will leave behind a strong transition plan, which includes the story of the client work and a proper handoff to the staff that will service the clients I have served for 7 years. I have offered to stay available 30 more days to make sure nothing is missed.
- I will leave behind words of encouragement to those I have worked with. It seems that I have a greater sense of urgency to have that tough conversation or tell that person how exceptional they are. I am also giving some unsolicited advice. For example: I told a co-worker that she needs to go finish her college education.
This is a great time for reflection and a great time to focus on the vision for the future. I leave with a heart of gratitude and plan to pack those relationships with me.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Emotional Leadership
Anxiety is real. Anxiety can be your friend as it helps your mind know that danger is nearby and could help you avoid a tragedy or accident. Anxiety or the strong interest to be anxiety free can move you to make decisions that are not helpful to you or others.
A leader will no doubt experience anxiety. It is the management of that anxiety that will influence his / her followers. When was the last time you made a decision that would avoid uncertainty and decrease anxiety? Yet in the end, what was best for you and your team was to be decisive not an avoider.
Manage those emotions and better yet, know how those emotions are directly impacting your ability to lead with decisiveness. As I shared before, America, companies, families, children and employees are counting on you to stay inspirational. A micro-manager does NOT inspire. They retract leadership and retract productivity.
Friday, April 13, 2012
The Ego and The Heart
The ego longs for the approval of others, the accumulation of stuff and to measure ourselves by achievements. These three A's can wreak havoc on the heart. Let me expand on these ideas below:
The need for the approval of others is a trap that can completely derail your course. It is like a drug, once you get the approval of a person you can be tempted to make it your cause. It is also incredibly selfish. A life is lived ultimately for the service of others. If approval is your motive, then ultimately you are serving yourself.
The accumulation effect creates the facade that we are what we own vs. we are because we are. In essence the profundity of this ego foci is that security and transcendence comes through the gathering of things, which ultimately only temporarily provide us what we need or want.
The achievement trap really creates an inaccurate measure or method to use to compare my achievements to yours. If I have achieved more or mine created a bigger impact than my worth must then again be greater than yours. The absurdity here is that all of our collective achievements either for good or evil count and enhance lives. Instead think of your life as energy being expended for the good of others.
This test will test my mettle to make sure this is about service vs. ego building. I encourage you to recognize the Three Deadly As in your life and find ways to connect to service and others.
The need for the approval of others is a trap that can completely derail your course. It is like a drug, once you get the approval of a person you can be tempted to make it your cause. It is also incredibly selfish. A life is lived ultimately for the service of others. If approval is your motive, then ultimately you are serving yourself.
The accumulation effect creates the facade that we are what we own vs. we are because we are. In essence the profundity of this ego foci is that security and transcendence comes through the gathering of things, which ultimately only temporarily provide us what we need or want.
The achievement trap really creates an inaccurate measure or method to use to compare my achievements to yours. If I have achieved more or mine created a bigger impact than my worth must then again be greater than yours. The absurdity here is that all of our collective achievements either for good or evil count and enhance lives. Instead think of your life as energy being expended for the good of others.
This test will test my mettle to make sure this is about service vs. ego building. I encourage you to recognize the Three Deadly As in your life and find ways to connect to service and others.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Test The Theory
For the next 12 months, I am going to test the theory regarding work, passion and interests. It seems that the career mavens, passion gurus and leadership brains believe that one should follow the aforementioned items and the results will follow.
I am going to take them up on this challenge. I have committed to pursuing the three areas that have the greatest intrinsic value to me and see if positive results follow. The three areas include career development, leadership coaching and emerging leaders. I commit to my readership that I will start my own business with full heart and energy and on 4.11.13 report back to this blog with the results.
I will test their theory and I will document my findings. This all started back in 2009 when I ventured off to explore my heart's passion through a massive career exploration process. What resulted was a picture of a cause which centers around helping others find their own cause and become the best possible leaders in the their work and life.
I am going to take them up on this challenge. I have committed to pursuing the three areas that have the greatest intrinsic value to me and see if positive results follow. The three areas include career development, leadership coaching and emerging leaders. I commit to my readership that I will start my own business with full heart and energy and on 4.11.13 report back to this blog with the results.
I will test their theory and I will document my findings. This all started back in 2009 when I ventured off to explore my heart's passion through a massive career exploration process. What resulted was a picture of a cause which centers around helping others find their own cause and become the best possible leaders in the their work and life.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Book Review: Lance Secretan
I have found another favorite author. Lance Secretan is a leadership maven and a heart guy. He dismantles the thought that leadership is only about financial metrics, making tough decisions and getting people to do stuff.
Instead, Lance proposes that leaders have heart, passion, values and are inspirational. In fact, he would go so far as to say that leaders need to inspire others regularly.
Here are a few highlights from the book "The Spark, The Flame, The Torch":
Instead, Lance proposes that leaders have heart, passion, values and are inspirational. In fact, he would go so far as to say that leaders need to inspire others regularly.
Here are a few highlights from the book "The Spark, The Flame, The Torch":
- The greatest gift a leader can give his/her followers is to inspire them
- People need to be developed and they are counting on you to do it
- People will leave you if you do not take time to help them get to where they want to go
A couple of my favorite quotes:
"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." Albert Schweitzer
"As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light in the darkness of mere being" Carl Jung
"We are leaving what Time magazine called "The Decade from Hell," and there is a yearning for a new beginning, an opportunity to create and enjoy a brighter future- A Decade of Meaning and Fulfillment"
It is time to create the decade of meaning and fulfillment for others. America is counting on it.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Mentoring and Perspective
My mentor provides perspective because he has been on the earth for about 30 years longer than I have. He has had more of the major experiences in life and is able to draw on his learnings in each one of my life situations. He can then share those perspectives with me.
What do I gain from his perspective during this time:
- Calm: I gain a sense of calm that someone else has been here, survived it, learned from it and it resulted in a greater sense of purpose through the transition process.
- Knowledge: I am able to apply his learnings to my situation, even if not all of the situations are applicable.
- Stay Present In Today: I learn that this is important no matter where you are at in your life stage. The people in your life today need you to be you because that is your greatest value.
- Give Yourself Permission To Journey: Life is truly a process. Life is not the destination. We are not here to get to a destination. The journey is the destination.
I hope this perspective has been helpful to you in your journey. It sure has been helpful to me.
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