Want to craft your own free MBA type Learning–Don’t miss this series on Excellence by Tom Peter’s

Want to participate in your own custom designed MBA course in Excellence don’t miss this series by Tom Peter’s one of the top ten consultants in business since Peter Drucker.

” In the 30 years since the publication of In Search of Excellence, I’ve given 2,500+ presentations on organizational and personal excellence. For the last two+ years I’ve been pulling those 30 years of materials together. Throughout 2012, we will release, one part every two weeks, essentially “the best of”—a heavily annotated, 23-part mega-“presentation” titled “Excellence. Now.” This video gives you a preview. Use this material as you wish and please “steal” all you want! —Tom Peters

Check this one out on | # 5 Strategic Listening

“IN-effective  Leaders talk, EFFECTIVE leaders LISTEN. “Strategic Listening” is arguably the #1 competitive advantage”.

Daily Quote and Reflections: Re-thinking your Communications– If you think it, it will stick

Daily Quote: “People tend to think that having a great idea is enough, and they think the communication part will come naturally. We are in deep denial about the difficulty of getting a thought out of our own heads and into the heads of others. It’s just not true that, “If you think it, it will stick…”    Chip and Dan Heath, from their book –Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die  

Reflection:  One of our first  ”Process with Structure” design principles for Smart-Steps is to  “Think Expectations and Needs” Focus on the audience and people you are trying to influence and provide information too.  It is important to thoroughly understand the situation people find themselves in, what is the most important problem they face, how have they tried to solve it in the past and what can be done now to correct the issues they face. If you want to be a communicator keep your message concise, clear and simple.

Remember the four sides of a problem model presented by Dr. David Kolb. It is important to spend at least 50% of your time defining a problem before rushing in with solutions. This rushing in is caused by your vast experience and expert knowledge called the Curse of Knowledge. Don’t rush in with a pat solution to a problem, just because you have seen similar situations or problems before. One size doesn’t fit all is marrow way of approaching problem solving or solution finding ways. Look for differences in the problem situation to  individualized your approach through brainstorming and searching for the right alternatives and be open-minded in trying to  discover new answers even if it means starting over with a clean slate.

Also, focus on the uniqueness of the presenting problem so that you can customize the solution and message from your audience point of view and needs. Always remember to ask over and over again do these solutions fit the problem and expectations of your audience members goals? And is my message clear, concise and simple? The Process with Structure approach to personal and smart-step change is based on the idea of making problem solving, opportunity finding and creating messages a creative work of art and science.

Daily Quote and Reflection–Framework for Successful Job Interviewing

Quote: ” Before you even think about assessing people for a job, they have to pass through three screens. The first test is for integrity. People with integrity tell the truth, and they keep their word. The second test is for intelligence. The candidate has a strong dose of intellectual curiosity, with a breadth of knowledge to work with or lead other smart people in today’s complex world. The third ticket to the game is maturity—the ability to handle stress and setbacks, and enjoy success with equal parts of joy and humility. I then apply the “4-E (And 1-P) Framework” for hiring that I’ve found consistently effective, year after year, across businesses and borders. The first E is positive energy. It means the ability to go go go—to thrive on action and relish change. The second E is the ability to energize others, and inspire them to take on the impossible. The third is edge, the courage to make tough yes-or-no decisions. The fourth E is execute—the ability to get the job done. Then I look for that final P, passion—a heartfelt, deep and authentic excitement about work”. Jacek Welch, Former CEO of General Electric

Reflection: I think Jack had a unique framework for finding talent or A players as he called them. The only dimension missing in his first three screens was to measure for Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Emotional Intelligence, is defined as, “the subset of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and actions”. Recent studies on leadership and recruiting talent see EI as critical for predicting job success. Freedman et al.: “Emotional Intelligence is a way of recognizing, understanding, and choosing how we think, feel, and act. It shapes our interactions with others and our understanding of ourselves. It defines how and what we learn; it allows us to set priorities; it determines the majority of our daily actions. Research suggests it is responsible for as much as 80% of the “success” in our lives.” 
–From Handle With Care: Emotional Intelligence Activity Book  

Welch’s 4 E’s + P are more specific and powerful because they hone-in on key behaviors that company HR people ar looking for. His 4E’s are helpful for people interviewing when you combine them with my PAR concept for preparing for a job interview.  

Action Activity: I f you are preparing for a job interview develop some examples that would help you answer Welch’s criteria and create real world answers for the PAR questions. If you do this preparation you fwwl more confident in the interview and impress the interviwer with your EQ and Communication skills. Good Luck   

Daily quote and Reflection: Communication Our Greatest Achievement or Our biggest Deficit ?

Daily Quote and Reflection: Man’s supreme achievement in the world is communication from personality to personality” Karl Jasper

Reflection: I do agree that communication is man’s greatest achievement but the problem is that most of us are not very good at it. Our technical advances in communication have been far and wide, and people still struggle with the most important form of communication–face to face conversations. Many find it difficult to do in their places of work and others find it most difficult to accomplish with those we love and live with. Maybe this situation has been with us forever but I have been increasing worried and aware of the ineffectiveness of most of our interpersonal communication. It is rare to find a friend or group of colleagues who opening and sincerely share what really matters. My belief is that this situation has evolved  because of the hectic pace we are now living, or because we are just unwilling to share our feelings or truly listen and understand others and possibly it is because we have never learned how to effectively communicate. I have never seen a class on listening and communication in our public schools but a lot of emphasis on reading, math and science.  Yet communication has been seen as one of the biggest problems for failure in marriages and the workplace.  This interpersonal communication deficit in modern times affects the all the major institutions of our life from politicians to constituents, unions to management, doctors and patients and most of all parents to children. Communication is the lifeblood of every relationship.

Action Activity: In the next 24 hours pick a communication skill like listening and reflecting feelings with someone who generally you ignore or tune out. Capture your observations and learning.  Remember the Rule of Change says” Things do not remain the same. If they don’t get better, they get worse.”  Good Luck 

Daily Quote and Story: Winning Isn’t Everything

In the run up to March Madness and other activities in your hectic life don’t miss this story from NPR by Frank Deford–When there is more to Winning than Winning 

Quote: ” It was senior night, and the loudest cheers went to Cory Weissman, No. 3, 5 feet 11 inches, a team captain — especially when he walked out onto the court as one of Gettysburg’s starting five. Yes, he was a captain, but it was, you see, the first start of his college career. Cory had played a few minutes on the varsity as a freshman, never even scoring. But then, after that season, although he was only 18 years old, he suffered a major stroke. He was unable to walk for two weeks. His whole left side was paralyzed. He lost his memory, had seizures.

But by strenuously devoting himself to his rehabilitation, Cory slowly began to improve. He was able to return to college, and by this year, he could walk without a limp and even participated in the pregame lay-up drills…” Read more at When Winning is more than Winning

Reflection:  Away from the  ”Big stage” of Division I Basketball the true worth of sports shines through when you hear a story like this. I would like to hear and see more stories like this rather than the latest drug use, or money issues in the NCAA. It is very inspiring to see how kind and respectful we can be when we stop to do the “right thing” 

Daily Quote and Reflection: Oh shit–What a blooper. What to do?

Quote: ”The team that makes the most mistakes will win”- Coach John Wooden, UCLA Basketball

” When you make a mistake, turn your attention to what comes next. Focus on doing well, with full mind and heart. Look ahead, not back.” Patrica Ryan Madson    

Reflection: The ability to edit yourself and refocus is important when you make a mistake in any performing art. I hear a speaker the other day talk about the way to handle mistakes. He said we have two directions to go–

1. Shrink inwardly and focus on the error. Saying negative things like I really “blew that”  ”Oh, boy am I stupid” and other negative self-talk.

2. Find a way to stay in the moment,  self-correct and move-on.

I guess most of us would like to follow the second path. But how do you regain your footing and pull yourself together to go on. Most speakers use what I call “fillers” at this point-um, ahs, you knows etc. to get by.  The temporary pause can be embarrassing and confusing for anyone.

From over thirty years of studying and coaching I would recommend a device that Patrica Ryan Madson recommends in her little but powerful book called Improv Wisdom. She relates how to shake the tendency of self-blame and withdrawal when a blooper happens by thinking about the “blooper” as a wake-up call–to re-energize yourself and become more alert by taking this mistake seeing what you can make of it. I agree because nothing in live can be done perfectly.  My solution has always been to pause, take a deep breath and correct your mistake. Audiences are forgiving because they have experienced similar situations. The mistake shows that you are a “fallible human being”. The key to getting through this rough patch is to show flexibility and a sense of humor by accepting what just happened and continue to create the best outcome that you can.

Action Activity: The next time something doesn’t go well in your life–you get a flat on the way to the airport, the dog leaves a puddle on the rug, the birthday party was a bomb, best planned vacation was a disaster, you got slammed by your evaluations for an important presentation what is your reaction? Stop observe what you did and said and reflect how could you do better to handle your disappointment.

Revised Poem: My Mission–Art of Purposeful Living

My Mission: Art of Purposeful Living by M.W.Hardwick

To be alive is to have a Mission to dream and do…

to let go of fears and criticism and still act

to see beyond the obvious and mean-spirited…

to give credit away…make others feel important

to anticipate and articulate my vision, mission

to be enthusiastic, passionate and on PURPOSE…

to focus…to flex and be authentic

to challenge, collaborate…produce results 

to confront in a caring way…respect differences

Above all to keep my promises

Even in an uncertain world I don’t control

I act on purpose by respecting, being responsive  .

TO APPRECIATE AND ACKNOWLEDGE … By listening

and say THANK YOU, thank you, thank you…

and  PLEASE ….more often …

and…and… and … remember

To not blame others and put them down

to know  my stregths and limits

By ENJOYING THE HERE AND NOW…

And as Picasso once said “Action is the foundational key to all success”

to use my inspiration to discover new adventures…

Think big ideas and achieve through small smart-steps …

All of us are here for a purpose… Dare to create it

And wake up to the Art of the Possible …

Start today to forge your path…

Your unique path…

Daily Quote and Reflection: It’s okay to fail

Quote:  ” I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward. Thomas Edison 

Reflection : Many of us confront failures in the wrong manner. We beat ourselves up rather than seeing these moments as a time for learning. If it was true that failure is not a good learning tool would your young toddler stop trying to talk or walk after their first attempt. Would you give-up trying to learn how to drive a car, cook a steak or talk in front of an audience.  We need to embrace failures–think about Tom Edison and his thousands of failure before his success in inventing the light bulb. Ponder this insight from Edison–”I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Action Assignment: When was the last time you gave up trying to do something just because it was difficult and you had failed at finding the right solution? Are you feeling “stuck” in a career or job that doesn’t reward learning–learn to be more fearless? Ask youself do you want to attempt it now given your new viewpoint on failure?

Death of PowerPoint. Just found PREZI–a new way to present content that engages People.

GOODBYE TO BORING POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just found one of the most exciting software developments for presentations. It was developed by Adam Somlai-Fischer, a Hungarian architect, as a tool to help with visualization.  But instead he has developed one of the more interesting presentation and storytelling devices I have ever seen.  PREZI  follows the speaker with a visual narrative of the material.  True to the developer’s mission to “make sharing ideas more interesting,” this presentation tool does just that.  DON’T MISS THIS ARTICLE — Requiem for PowerPoint: PREZI zooms in by Dr. Daniel Tomasulo at psychcentral .com

  

Want to make your next pitch to “Stick” and help Close the Deal?

When delivering a presentation or sales pitch, providing content may not be enough to make the close. You need to deliver your pitch with confidence and clarity. To make a more powerful first impression and unique connection Shannon Alter advises that you turn your pitch into a conversation and make sure you meet the client’s needs and expectations. Don’t waste your client’s time with the hour-long PPT deck, get to the point, craft a “sticky message” and practice your pitch so it appears and received as authentic and spontaneous. See Alter’s article on Smart Leadership blog.  

Rediscovering and Executing Successful Change Process–Kurt Lewin’s Model

“ Unfortunately, some people will genuinely be harmed by change, particularly those who benefit strongly from the status quo. Others may take a long time to recognize the benefits that change brings. You need to foresee and manage these situations.” Kurt Lewin, 1939

Sometimes, as I look at the poorly planned approach of the White House and Congress attempts to lead us out of these difficult times I wonder if any of our leader’s have studied or learned about the how to institute and manage the process of successful change projects. Or are they just flying by the intuitive “seat of their pants” which guarantees  a longer period for adjustment and acceptance of change initiatives and more suffering when changing large system like Health Care, Deficit Reduction and job creation programs.

So I am going to provide one straightforward and simple model developed by Dr. Kurt Lewin,who has been called the father of change management for their edification and use.

Lewin’s Model for Understanding the Process of Change  

One of the cornerstone models for understanding organizational change was developed by Kurt Lewin back in the 1950s, and still holds true today. His model is known as the three-step process for change–Unfreeze – Change – Refreeze. Lewin used a clear, concise and compelling analogy for explaining the change process by describing the simple process of changing the shape of a block of ice into the shape of a cone.

Block of Ice Analogy for understanding Change Process

If you have a large cube of ice, but realize that what you want is a cone of ice, what do you do? First you must melt the ice to make it amenable to change (unfreeze). Then you must mold the iced water into the shape you want (change). Finally, you must solidify the new shape (refreeze).

By looking at change as process with distinct stages, you can prepare yourself for what is coming and make a plan to manage the transition – looking before you leap, so to speak. All too often, people go into change blindly, causing much unnecessary turmoil and chaos.

To begin any successful change process, you must first start by understanding why the change must take place. As Lewin put it, “Motivation for change must be generated before change can occur. One must be helped to re-examine many cherished assumptions about oneself and one’s relations to others.” This is the unfreezing stage from which change begins. If you more details on Lewin’s practical Change Management Model see this website or see a summary on our next page. 

Daily Quote and Reflection: Jeremy Lin Lesson of Luck– “Always be Ready”

Quotes:

“Before everything else, getting ready is the secret of success”. Henry Ford

“Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets with planning” Thomas Edison

Reflection:

The Jeremy Lin story is a story about preparation, luck and a desperate coach taking a chance on someone. You can call this luck or the “stars and moon” aligning for someone. What you can’t deny is that Lin was ready when the opportunity presented itself.  Jeremy Lin was hiding in plain sight but was overlooked by the so-called recruiting experts and numerous NBA coaches. Why did this happen? It could be inflexible definitions of what talent looks like, stereotype thinking or just plain stupidly on the so-called experts part.  I wonder how many people have suffered this experience and gave up or didn’t get the chance to show their stuff. This story will probably level off but is a testimony to the above quotes: always be ready–know your strengths and refine your skills, find someone who will give you a chance and find the system where you can show case your talents.  This story is about sports but could easily be said about other performing arts and professions. It is also about “lady luck” when the opportunity comes your way be ready to take the risk to do your best.

Quote and Reflection: “Don’t believe everything you think.”

Quote:   ”Don’t believe everything you think…  The more you can surround your negative thinking with compassion, the easier it will be to dissolve it and move on.” Meg Selig

Reflection:  Recently, I was doing research on the positive and negative effects of self-talk.  Of course, I reviewed Albert Ellis’s theory of ABC and Tim Gallwey’s  Inner Game concepts and framework.  Again I found the review stimulating but still remained confused on how to apply these techniques to everyday situations. To be spontaneous and authentic you can’t go around in life and stop to ponder how to react so as not to offend someone.  Then while reviewing Psychology Today blog I discovered Meg Selig.

(See http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/changepower/201202/manage-emotional-pains-rains)

In essence,  she provides a framework called R.A.I.N.–Basically,  the RAIN technique states that when you are in a situation where negative thinking habits are making you suffer and overwhelm your ability to think clearly consider this tool way to soften and re-channel  harmful thoughts and negative patterns.  Buddhist teachers and therapists such as Tara Brach often teach the RAIN technique to bring mindful awareness to emotional distress and provide a relaxing approach for controlling emotional pain. Supposedly, The RAIN technique can help you be your own best friend instead of your own worst critic. Here are the basic steps you can take to RAIN on your parade of negative thoughts, soothe yourself, and move on.

Activity Challenge : This week develop a routine for relaxing and keeping your negative thoughts from making it a good week.  

Daily Quote and Reflection: Empathic Culture Vs. Individualism

Just finished one of the most powerful books I have read in a long time by Jeremy Rifkin, entitled, The Empathic Civilization. His main point is that we are social animals and need to build on this inborn empathy to create a more positive and caring world. 

Quote: “Biologists and cognitive neuroscientists are discovering mirror-neurons—the so-called empathy neurons—that allow human beings and other species to feel and experience another’s situation as if it were one’s own. We are, it appears, the most social of animals and seek intimate participation and companionship with our fellows…If we can harness our empathic sensibility to establish a new global ethic that recognizes and acts to harmonize the many relationships that make up the life-sustaining forces of the planet, we will have moved beyond the detached, self-interested and utilitarian philosophical assumptions that accompanied national markets and nation-state governance and into a new era of biosphere consciousness.”

So how do we use our inborn ability to empathize and act on our innate desire to contribute to the common good for all? How can we take our genetic make-up —along with our values—and use it to move in a more positive direction of creating Common Ground and positivity, rather than negativity and out-dated philosophy of the “Individualism” or every man for themselves.

Reflection: Where do you come down on these two philosophies of life? What drives you to live one or the other

New Poem–On Making A Difference by M.W.Hardwick

Poem:  On Making A difference

I can only do what I can do

The world needs more awareness and caring

What can I do?  give more time—

Some food to the food bank, volunteering and

Advocating for more shelter for the homeless

Be more kind and pleasant in my daily interactions

I will do what matters and what I can do.

I can give of my abundance,

And show others that I “walk the talk” of selflessness

I can can sit there and do nothing when others plea for help

But it will reduce who I am and reduce my connections

And reduce my happiness…

We all have choices–we can belittle and criticize

But selfishness is never justified

Caring has no limits

For it is upon giving we come together

Share your special gifts…

We cannot do all the good for others

And we can give and do more…

For our brothers and sisters need all the good that we can do…

Do it now…Do it now

For what the world needs is more kindness and healing

Through love..love…and more love…

Others are waiting…waiting…waiting…