Reflections–Do You Remember Who Gave You Your First Break?

Someone saw something in you once. That’s partly why you are where you are today. It could have been a thoughtful parent, a perceptive teacher, a demanding drill sergeant, an appreciative employer, or just a friend who dug down in his pocket and came up with a few bucks.

Who ever it was had the Kindness and the Foresight to bet on your future. Those are two beautiful qualities that separate the human being from the orangutan.

1. Now for your  “Thank You” assignment–In the next 24 hours, take 10 minutes to call, e-mail, or write a grateful note to the person who helped you. You’ll keep a wonderful feeling and friendship alive.

2. Next, take another 10 minutes to give somebody else a break or a hand-up. Who knows? Someday you might get a call, e-mail, or note.

“It could be one of the most gratifying messages you ever read.”

Note: The  above reflection is an update of a message published in the Wall Street Journal by United technologies Corporation. Thank You UTI. 

Obama “Yes We Can” Leadership : The WOW Factor

“It is common sense to take a method and try it. If  it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But above all, try something.” FDR ,1934

WOW was I inspired.  Tuesday night, as I listened to President Barack Obama speak to the joint session of Congress, I had a sense of inclusion and pride in America. We hired one hell of smart guy. He levels with us and treats us as adults. He sees his leadership role as a servant of the people. How refreshing.  I did not expect a great deal of applause or bipartisanship from the Republicans. But I was surprised, they seem to be slowly coming around.

I am still in awe  of his ability to stay calm and focused in the eye of this economic storm. He displays a wonderful sense of humor including that great smile. His self-efficacy and confidence are just what we need.  He has an uncanny ability to explain the complex banking and credit crisis in common and understandable language. His executive presence and professional delivery were elegant.  I didn’t have to scream at the TV to correct his English, falsehoods, and spin. I just believe that he is  trying to get America going in the right direction again.  He will experiment and try different programs until he gets it right. It’s been a long time since I could have any sense of trust and admiration for the man called President.

To Survive Eonomic Tough Times:Choosing Fulfillment and Action over Fear and Avoidance.

“And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”  Nelson Mandela

Is it your choice or the organization’s whether you get a pink slip or not? Is this the question that is drip, dripping on your mind and keeping you awake at night? 

Obama’s “Yes We Can” Essence of Change Challenge

 Thirty-five days and the  anger of critics is palpable for President Obama’s economic recovery programs. Cynics abound and yet the decisions being made are more thorough and thoughtful then the alternative “loyal opposition”  do-nothing approach. If you scan some blogs on wordpress,  Fox news or WSJ, you would think our rights have been usurped and Marshall law has been declared, all in the name of Fascism. This heated rhetoric belies the fact that foreclosures are down 25%, technology stocks are holding their own, and in some instances, are thriving, Pharmaceutical companies are successfully floating billion dollar bond offerings.  Change of this magnitude takes time  and patience.

Thought Stream: Reality, Illusions and Depression:

 On Bill Moyers Journal Friday night Parker Palmer and Bill had a powerful dialogue on reality, illusions and depression. I thought the most powerful part of the program was when Mr. Palmer talked about mental illness and depression. Our family

Keep Head Down to Save Your Job– Good or Bad Strategy?

 

“Things do not Change. We Change.” Henry David Thoreau  

 

 

I hear over and over again from colleagues and beleaguered workers that the best way to survive this global economic crisis is to “ keep your head down”. I want to present a different point of view. If you are keeping your head down and just trying to do your work, hoping that this strategy will keep the “wolves away from the door”, you may be taking the wrong path.

Authentic Communications: Obama Leadership Effect

When we reflect on and look at the way we communicate and speak we are talking about leadership.  Leaders lead with their ideas, insights, words, presence and action. The way people speak and deliver words of praise or criticism reveals their values, beliefs and philosophy of life. It can make or break leaders because without trust there will be no followers. “Obama or leadership effect” hypothesizes that leaders will be measured and judged by their empathy, confidence, clarity, authenticity, and the impact of their communications and behavior, not intentions. Leadership is all about connecting, inspiring, and influencing others to come together and take united action.

Like it or not, our self awareness, mental presence, and confidence (mental state); elocution or mechanics (voice, gestures, movement, body language, and eye contact); and messages (verbal impact of content) determine how we are perceived by others and effect our ability to influence them.  Effective leadership and extraordinary communication integrates ideas, insights, and information to inspire and influence others to act on their message. Authentic communication must challenge individuals in profound ways to choose action over words. (Obama Effect)

Lessons Learned from the Obama Communication Style 

1. Know and go with what you got –Be authentic
2. Show understanding through empathy asking: “How do you think that would make you feel?” (Obama’s mother always asked him to answer this question when dealing with others)
3. Do not fear or over react to comments by others–Be true to your values and take the high road when building relationships.
4. Reflecting on life experiences keeps us grounded and our mental maps updated.
5. Keep your on eyes on the prize – Have a vision
6. Replace Yes, but… thinking  with Yes, we can… and positive action will follow.
7. Keep things in perspective and balance-Take vacations and pay attention to your family needs.
8. No one is optimistic all the time. But anyone can learn how to adopt a more positive, healthier attitude. When you practice being an optimist, you’ll be on your way to being more confident, relaxed, humorous, and effective as a connector and communicator.
9. Create “unique connections” by treating others with respect and dignity.  When people feel accepted and respected they have the desire and motivation to collaborate, share information, and work together to accomplish goals.
10. Provide a common language and powerful theme based on building coalitions and cooperation.  Yes, we can. The focus is providing a vision, strategy, and tactics to support grassroots coalitions in understanding the need for change by building a strong vision for the future and creating trust through open and ongoing communications. 

Finally, one of the most powerful lessons is to be an effective listener by seeking to understand others before being understood. You can do this by using the skills of clarification, restatement, and reflection. This type of authentic and active listening shows your desire to forge a partnership not just impose your ideas. You signal to others your desire to establish yourself as someone who is  open, responsive, and flexible. Your goal in active listening is to create a positive and comfortable environment where participants feel free to confront different points of view because you are confident that listening doesn’t always mean agreement. By being an effective listener you show acceptance –without sacrificing your own style or point of view. To be an extraordinary communicator it is critical that the “message, mechanics, and mental frame” be in-sync through a common language of ideas and information that say, ‘I care and respect you and understand your needs and issues‘.  This approach is vastly different from many leadership approaches that promote “polish and presence” as keys to effective communication. By utilizing The Obama-Leadership Effect ™, leader-communicators can authentically lead in diverse situations and strategically build trust and inspire others to believe in their message and vision. Leaders must find their own voice, so they can connect with followers and present themselves as authentic, inspiring and memorable leaders. Given your experience and perceptions–What do you think makes a leader able to connect and be perceived as authentic? 

 

 

 

Law of Frequency: Smart-Step Approach to Behavioral Change

California Prepares To Eliminate 10,000 Jobs Today

“Learn, compare and collect the facts… Always have the courage to say to yourself – I am ignorant.” — Ivan Pavlov       

In attempting to change behavior it is important to look at a “tried and true ” principle of learning called the Law of Frequency. This law of learning suggests that the more a person practices the correct and desired behavior, the higher the probability there is to use the desired behavior. 

 

 This principle is often called “drill and practice”. Most coaches and movie directors use this technique to encourage their players or actors to practice under many different situations until they get it right– the emotion and behavior feels natural.  Remember, practice makes permanent, perfect practice makes perfect.

The key building block in using the Law of Frequency in teaching is to create what I call the principle of Smart-Step Learning Sequence:

This principle supports and reinforces the Law of Frequency by taking a complex skill set and breaking it down into it’s component parts so that practice can focus on each small part of the complex behavior to be learned. Each part is then taught separately until the learner understands and masters each critical component. Next the parts are practiced together adding one “chunk” at a time until all the components are sequenced correctly and integrated into the whole complex skill.  The Smart-Step Learning Sequence involves the following six steps which support adult learning principles:

1. Tell me how to do it (Give me the “know why” as well as the “know how”)

2. Show me how to do it (Model the complete skill for me)

3. Let me try it (One part at a time)

4. Give me feedback (reinforce strengths and point out areas for improvement)

5. Let me try again (re-practice the complete skill)

6. Celebrate and reward successes

Remember this sequence:      Tell me… show me… let me practice… coach me…celebrate and you will be on your way to positive behavioral change.  

Examining Obama’s and Republican’s Problem Solving Approaches: Open-Minded, Dogmatic and Experimental

“We connect with others  in an inescapable network of mutuality, woven into a common garment of destiny.” Martin Luther KIng

To weave this “garment of destiny” we must work together to find  common ground and be open to new ideas. We must look at where we are, see things as they are and then make plans and decisions to act.  

So what is going on between Congress and the new President who would like to change the “Win-Lose” culture of Washington D.C.  to a Win-Win for all Americans.

Law of Dominant Thought–Sabotaging Your Performance

 

We must ask questions,over and over again, to help us think more rationally: What is reality here? Who do I trust in this situation? What are the obstacles blocking this merger? Can I speak the truth to her?

“…learning to ask questions in important situations can make a difference in how we impact others and how we respond to problems and opportunities.” Albert Ellis

Part 3: Career Survival Issues–What to I want to be?

 

From the time we were about seven years old (the age of reason) most of us are asked –what do you want to do when you grow up. Fireman, policeman, doctor, lawyer, basketball player, etc. are some of the answers I presented based on limited life experiences. How about you? What were your answers? What does it say about your dreams for meaningful work? 

Dreams die hard and life experiences open up new options and interests. Yet the planning is haphazard and many times is based on other people’s dream for you. Parents want the best for their children and sometimes try to live their lives through their offspring’s. Maybe you have lived your life trying to fulfill the expectations of others. And the questions still remain–WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE? WHAT WOULD “MEANINGFUL WORK” LOOK LIKE?

perspectives #4

the manchester, england band oasis recently took an unconventional approach to the release of their new album. the band decided to rehearse the new songs with street musicians in new york and then the locals descended into the subways to introduce the new album to america.  check out this documentary short.

Digging Deeper on Obama’s Strategy of Bipartisanship

“It had long since come to my attention that people of accomplishment rarely sat back and let things happen to them. They went out and happened to things.”         Leonardo Da Vinci

Recently, Arianna Huffington on the Huffington Post wanted to ask the President at his first press conference, Mr. President–What is your priority — bipartisanship or what is best for America? And when the two are in conflict, which are you going to choose?  I would like to dig a little deeper on this bipartisan approach of Obama’s team.

Obama’s Servant Leadership and Call for Action

“If you can’t take the winter, you don’t deserve the summer.”   Old Maine Saying

 

 A difficult and scary start to this year, we see a confusing pattern of optimistic and pessimistic events–more loss of jobs since the “Great Depression”, Obama’s swearing in, miscues in selecting cabinet people who don’t “walk the talk” on ethics or values of Obama, passing of Children’s Health Care and equal pay for women, promise to close Guantanamo, no more torturing of prisoners, Republicans offering up old ideas and demagoguery, Iraq elections, continued deterioration of Afghanistan etc.  Yet it still seems fitting as I reflect on the challenges and uncertainty that we try to focus on some positive and constructive activities that we can implement to control our own lives. We need to stay energized on our strengths and not let outside events overwhelm us. The key to maintaining energy is to be focus on hope and be open minded about the future. A few tips for staying focused might be in order:

Part 2 Careers: Understanding Career Anchors and Exploring Options

“I was constantly astonished by the extraordinary dreams of ordinary people.”  Studs Turkel

 

You graduate from college and the pressure is on to get a job.  Many opportunities are presented and you jump into a stream that seems promising and challenging. A few months or years later you say to yourself “OH! what an error I made I do not like this work or the people I am doing it with”.  This now seems like the wrong stream to be swimming in but how do you get out and find the right one?  Is this an exceptional case or just classic cognitive dissonance where choices made seem less appealing than alternatives left behind.