I’ve written about this before, and there are some days that the lesson really comes home to roost, so to speak. You can’t know too much. You just can’t. So young people who graduate from high school or college and figure that they are done with the books, either revise their thoughts or most likely end up in a dead end position wondering why their life is the way that it is.

Working on my knowledge base, this week I am reading Creating Magic, which is an insiders view of the management of Walt Disney World. The book was written by Lee Cockerell, who was the executive VP f operations at WDW. Interesting stuff. Without going into detail here, he gives ten common sense leadership strategies. (to get the details, read the book)

1. Make sure everyone matters..and that everyone knows it

2. Know your team

3. Let your team know you

4. Greet people sincerely

5. Reach out to everyone on your team

6. Make yourself available

7. Listen to understand

8. Communicate clearly, directly and honestly

9. Stand up for the excluded

10. Forget about the chain of command

Interesting stuff. The details are what really bring all of that to life and where all that comes from is Mr. Cockerell’s experience. By writing the book he is sharing things that he has learned over a lifetime of experience and, perhaps, I will gain some fraction of that knowledge by reading the book. That leverages my experience, which is awesome, in my opinion, because then I can use that, and my own experience, to leverage the experiences of those I work and interact with. That’s what it’s really all about.

Knowing where to go for the experience and the knowledge can sometimes be the most difficult part of a journey, and that’s why coaches add such value to life. Their experiences and guidance can make a huge impact on your life progress, whether that be in business or in your personal life. One thing that struck me while listening to the interviews on the Get Inspired! Project was that so many of these very successful people still have coaches to help guide them.

Even more interesting to me was the fact that they looked for very specific coaches that matched up with their needs at the time; again looking for the experience that would complement their own.

Food for thought. I know I’m thinking…

Interesting day last Thursday as we reworked the premise of the PEOPLE Academy, Inc. Started through revelation or an aha moment from Toni that turned into a two way brainstorm and then a four way brainstorm to move us into a position of service, rather than product.

At first I was slightly alarmed that we were abandoning what we had been working on, and then I realized it was more a perspective than a reality shift (in a way.) We had always been about people and helping and that’s why the Get Inspired! Project was such an ‘overnight’ success while we sort of struggled a bit with message on the PEOPLE Academy, Inc. Not that they weren’t both really about the same thing, but that how we were internally digesting them was different. Does that make sense? In my head it does and if you have questions, feel free to ask. It would help me (and us) with focus, so don’t hesitate on that.

But the purpose or focus of this blog entry is The Completion Backward Principle, which is both a Tubes album and a way of making dreams come true. Which one would you like to hear about. OK, I’ll talk about the Tubes. Fee Waybill is an amazing singer and the music and lyrics of the Tubes are misunderstood and inspiring. What? More on the dream thing? Oh, alright.

We did some ‘imagineering’ (yes, stolen from Disney, although I would guess it will eventually be as generic as jello) and threw all of our ‘hows’ out the window. We talked about dreams for where we wanted the business to go and where we wanted our lives to go and all that sort of happy stuff, and we got some really cool ideas up on the boards. Then we discussed reality and what we could do to make the dreams come true. Some things were just tiny tiny steps. Thinking of the ‘reality’ also made us realize that some of the dreams weren’t ‘out there’ as far as we thought and that we were already making some significant steps toward the dream goals. Some of the steps were as simple as writing an e-mail and maybe the response would be a huge step.

So where is the Completion Backward Principle? We are starting at the finish line and knowing we are going to get there. Feel it and hold it in your heart. You are running across the line arms in the air. Everything is present tense. Hold that tightly in your mind. It is a done deal. Fait accompli. Fin.

Now retrace how you got there. (I’m a runner, so this is a running analogy, bear with me) Your last day of training you might run ten miles. The week before you ran 5 miles three times. The week before you ran 4 miles twice and 3 miles once. Maybe the week before you did.. well, you get it. Ten weeks before you bought new running shoes. Eleven weeks before you stayed in instead of eating out at lunch so you could put money aside for the shoes. Retracing your steps back to today. Now execute the plan. You know the conclusion, so you just have to go through the steps with passion and you know it will happen. The conclusion is foregone. Bingo.

Now apply this to your dreams. Do you want a new job? What is that job? What training or education do you need to get it?

I read a story where a woman was complaining that she always wanted to be a doctor. She went to a work counselor. (One who believed in dreams) and told the counselor of the dreams. The counselor said “go for it.” And the woman said, “well, by the time I’m done with medical school I’ll be 46.” The counselor said “how old will you be if you don’t?”

That’s the point. Dreams don’t have an expiration date. Passion doesn’t know that it’s Monday. Build it, and they will come. Build your life and believe in yourself. Start with the outcome and then figure out the how. Don’t let the “how” shoot you down.

recommended reading today: Creating Magic: Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney

Have you seen that commercial where the kitten walks out soaked from inside the family’s Thanksgiving turkey? It was disturbing to me although not in ways obvious at first. If you haven’t seen the commercial it opens with the quintessential family seated for Thanksgiving feast; mother, dad, two kids and grandma. While the conversation centers on mom’s attempt at grandma’s famous stuffing the shot cuts to turkey shining brightly in the center of the table.

Well then! All of a sudden its sides start to move like it’s almost breathing! Such crazy intrigue from these crazy advertising types! No one seems to notice this save for the little girl who watches open-eyed as a tiny little kitten pet (I’m guessing it’s theirs) walks out from the bird’s cavity soaking wet presumably as testament to how good retread grandma’s filling really is. Though how a tiny little two pound pet ate six pounds of 160 degree stuffing is beyond me. This cat is not dead!

Then the little girl says something like, “That’s nasty” which of course it is NOT because the little kitty, alive, just walked out of a 160 degree turkey. That’s COOL! Now if the family had cut into the turkey only THEN to find the little kitten, well THAT would be nasty. So, after the girl utters her emotionless line, no one else says or motions or moves or nothing. Nothing; nobody says nothing! Then they look in the phone book for pizza to make an advertising point or something advertising clever. And who even uses a phone book anymore?

The point is, and this is why quintessential. They did absolutely nothing. Here they were faced with something, (if not horrific then perhaps unsettling or at the very least the kind of unusual that might spark a little water cooler conversation), that deserves a LITTLE emotion or a holy shit or pass me the gravy. Something! Give me something America. But sat there they did. Maybe they were waiting for the YouTube video . . . to comment upon . . . and share . . . and laugh . . . or otherwise emote.

In the old days if kitty eats turkey - kitty gone. AND the child whose responsibility it was to feed the kitten that day - he gone too. But life was simpler then; the advertising better . . .

Maybe we are too overwhelmed with the tragedy of the day, huge, seemingly insurmountable, issues which are presented to us through conflicting lies so that we may better “understand” (and when the lies become conflicting it may truly be time to shut it down). The systems themselves we do not trust and the system owners we trust less. We tune out helpless. We blame this seasonal apnea on the turkey but it is really much more than that.

My wonder is with the osmosis at a closer level; the effect on family friends community and work. Of course I see caring and sometimes a great deal. But I also see the uncaring and sometimes a great deal. ‘News’ is principally to blame for the ‘great deal’ and the world will be better when it is gone having been replaced by content washed through a magical filter squeezing out the slanted conspired lobbied bullshit then injected with truth, enlightenment and occasional wonder. (This machine represents a great business opportunity so if you know someone who’s good with tools and currently out of work . . .)

The world is filled with people trying to (and in some cases actually) making a difference. So perhaps there is hope on the macro level. I do believe in the all mighty power of the un-mighty and the indomitable spirit of the human. But doesn’t it seem more and more that there are a lot of stupid people running around; something is rubbing off and we need to act. There are opportunities to coach that caring back but we must be aware and we must be willing.

It takes no great effort to open a door for someone (even not older than you!). It is considered good manners to politely correct someone who is uttering total bullshit particularly if it is incessant uttering. And if you cannot politely tell them, well, then just turn off the teevee. Share your lunch with a coworker or better yet with someone who use to be a coworker. They may need it and the company more than you can imagine. Read stories to a kindergarten class. Take an elderly to their parked but hidden car in yours when you see they can’t. (And don’t even think of doing that when you see me wandering around the local grocer’s lot because I am not elderly, yet, and I have NOT forgotten where my car is I just like looking around sometimes – you know just to see what’s new . . . you know to . . . what was I talking about?). Oh there it is.

Coaching is about listening; to others AND yourself. So let’s all pay attention just a little bit more inside and out. Remember that it’s a season of Thanks as well as Giving. Try a little of each with those you know and those you don’t.

As you gather around the family table remember the spirit of the season and that while it IS considered polite to correct the utterance of bullshit, when it comes incessantly from your drunken brother- in-law it is probably best to follow the wisdom of the quintessential-ad-family; keep your mouth shut, do NOT look at one another, show no emotion and have another glass yourself because while that never leads to trouble it does make drying the cat more fun.

Jim

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jimreece

I started out my day today in the usual way. Sort of groggy and half asleep for the first couple functions. Attitude starts really early in the morning (or whenever you happen to wake up) and carries throughout the day. Not that you can’t change, but if you start out positive and don’t let the little things impact your outlook, nearly every day can be a good day.

So getting back to the story, this morning I went downstairs and reheated a cold cup of java. As my cup was lazily spinning on the glass susan, my eyes suddenly went wide as I realized I had purchased some Guatemalan Gold the day before. And no, I’m not talking about anything illegal here. Delicious whole bean arabica goodness.

I dropped a scoop in the grinder and soon the aromatic goodness was wafting and filling the kitchen. And the first cup was a delight.

It’s about perception. I could easily make due with Folgers or whatever. I mostly do. But stepping up to something special makes you think, I could get used to this.

Yes, this is an analogy. How is your career doing? Could your attitude have anything to do with what you are doing or the position you are holding? Could you use some inspiration to do your job better, or could you use some better tools? Not all tools are created equal, but maybe they can get you through your day. Or maybe, just maybe, they can create a new day.

Having a cup of instant coffee is not the same as having a cup fresh brewed from newly ground Guatemalan Arabica beans. So what I’m saying is, think about sharpening that knife you have to wield in your daily fight, or maybe it’s time to get some new weapons.

Two non-connected but connected events just occurred in my life. I exchanged a couple e-mails with Jim Stovall who wrote the book, The Ultimate Gift, among many others. You know how everything is connected and it’s a small world and all that other stuff? Well, it is a small world and we all are connected. One of the interviewees mentioned The Ultimate Gift, so I ordered it through our library system and read it in like an hour or so.

Then I decided to contact Jim and ask him to do an interview for the project. He agreed. He’s an amazing man and you can read about him here.

But here’s the other half of this story, he is blind and has been since his late teens/early twenties. His vision just faded away. But his vision grew, and that’s the kicker.

Your vision for what you want in your life is totally between your ears. It has nothing to do with anything around you. Do you have things blocking your success? Only if you let them. Do you have people who discourage your dreams and your drive? As the Barenaked Ladies say “If there’s someone you can live without, then do so.” This goes doubly for negative forces. It is much tougher to build yourself up if you have a wrecking crew around you tearing you down.

Building the Get Inspired! Project and being involved in the PEOPLE Academy Inc is not the easiest path that I could go down, but the rewards are amazing and being around people who have my back is the best part of the whole deal. Great things can come from ‘normal’ people who have vision and cling to it tenaciously. Hold on tight and don’t let anyone tell you what you can’t do. (and that includes those voices in your head)

I fell off a cliff once and ended up in the hospital. It was a learning experience to say the least. I’d heard of people who fell off cliffs and read accounts, but you know, it just wasn’t the same as being there, flying (briefly) through the air, and then really touching base with mother earth.

I had a similar experience yesterday. I’ve been “involved” with the PEOPLE Academy, Inc, for about a year, I guess, and for a lot of that time I didn’t fully ‘get it.’ It’s easy to say that the PA Inc is a collection of HR and coaching tools that you can refer to whenever you run into a situation you aren’t sure about. Maybe you have a client who has control issues or a co-worker who dominates meetings. You don’t know what to do, what steps to take, so you click on the PEOPLE Academy’s website and find a video teaching what you can do. Or you find a bulletin that covers it, or a step-by-step workshop document that helps you work through it.

Yeah, I got that. Tools you can use. Everyday. Tools that are focused on your clients and tools that can help you to resolve pretty much any situation. I get it. No, I really didn’t get it.

Now, maybe I do. We had a meeting the other night and I mentioned to Toni that I have been feeling a little, um, disoriented or uninspired or maybe just plain lazy. I was feeling a bit of “what’s the point” to a lot of things that were going on in my life and I really didn’t know why. She offered to give me a bit of coaching.

She sent me a worksheet on “The Change Cycle.” I didn’t even know what a change cycle was. I ride a Harley, so I’m familiar with motorcycles, but change cycles? Huh?

So I’m reading through this and it’s all about me being laid off and the steps that people go through when they are in a state of change. I’m reading that this is imposed change rather than internally driven change and I am going to go through 5 steps. I sort of felt like I was Ebenezer Scrooge visiting the 3 ghosts, but these were  5 steps. (not 12 steps, but 5) 1. Denial 2. Defense 3. Discarding 4. Adapting 5. Normalizing

These each come with details and descriptions and even a nifty sine wave showing my level of self-esteem as it dips and climbs, and I realize that this stuff is really accurate and I am in the third stage and working toward the fourth stage. I also realize this applies pretty much universally, which makes me think that I am not alone in all of it.

Toni then calls me and we talk about the transition that I am in and it all makes sense. She took this existing tool and it applied to me and is helping me to move along. Wow. I mean really. It’s like reading about falling off a cliff and then actually falling, or probably more like reading about climbing Everest and then doing it, since I am moving onward and upward and am done with falling.

Then I have the aha, thinking this site is full of these guidances. (which is not a real word, but I am using it anyway)  These are all tools that can be used to either take you or your client from point A to point B.

I get it.

I was talking about focus the other day and thinking about how that applies in all areas of my life. I guess that sentence was vague. How ironic. I’ve been scattered since I got laid off.

OK, here’s an example of focus. We all multi-task; probably way too much and at inappropriate times. I could go into texting while driving, which seems to be the pet peeve of the world at this point. (That trivializes TWD, it should not be done, period.) But I am talking about listening to the Get Inspired! Project. If I just listen, my mind starts to wander and then I don’t get the full impact. I miss things. So I listen and read along. This is perfect for me. It keeps me in the moment, which seems to be an underlying theme with all the inspirational people on the site. They all seem to have focus on a certain issue and they all seem to live in the moment. Or is that the same thing? Hmm.

Take the focus thing, and the multi-tasking thing out to other areas of life. For parents, do you listen to your kids as they are talking to you? Broader scenario: Do you listen to your spouse, or people who are significant in your life?

Example 2: While typing that last sentence my youngest daughter came in to talk to me. I have to take a second and totally switch focus and not think about how this entry is going to end. Actually just that interruption changed the content, at least to some extent.

What I really need to do is take my own advice. In my book, Someone Else’s Tomorrow, I talk about something called mini-days, which basically is a system of focus. You have designated times for tasks and have to refuse to be deviated. One example of this that is more common is checking e-mail only twice a day. (10AM and 3PM or something like that) If you look at every e-mail as it arrives (impossible for some people) you are constantly being interrupted. By designating times, you are in control and e-mail doesn’t control you.

Many of us don’t like doing it; and when we do it, we are not very good at it, and yet networking is one of the most effective marketing strategies there is, as commercial markets of all nature become increasingly driven by relationships. It is a fact that poorly connected companies are slower to respond to market needs, whereas those who are active at building relationships lead the market. In the latter the individuals are seen as having powerful personal skills, and the company is regarded as having a valuable organizational competence.

Networking is about gathering information and developing relationships, what Stephen Ginsberg described in the Washington Post as “…building social capital…” However, before setting about it we need to:

• Be proactive about meeting new contacts, setting ourselves targets of new relationships and clients that we will develop

• Decide on the best places, events and locations to network

• Know why we are networking and what information will be valuable

At a networking event it is important that we focus on spending time with people we don’t know and not heading for those that we do. When we meet somebody new it is also worth having a well-rehearsed introduction. Many of us take too long to say who we are, and the first impression we give is an off-putting one. The introduction should last about fifteen seconds (approximately thirty to forty words), and leave the listener ‘leaning in’ – in other words wanting to ask us questions.

When this happens the ice is broken and we have a conversation underway! However, establishing a conversation flow is not always easy. In his excellent book ‘Endless Referrals’, Bob Berg suggests a few questions that we should memorize, and these are ones that most people will enjoy answering. These include:

• How did you get started in the business and what do you enjoy most about it?

• What advice would you give someone starting up in your line of business?

• What significant changes have you seen through the years and what do you see as the forthcoming trends?

• What one thing would you do with your business, if you knew it wouldn’t fail?

• What one sentence would you like others to use in describing your business?

These are good questions that can give you valuable insights and useful information. At this point it is probably worth briefly mentioning business cards. Do not thrust them at people; wait until you are invited to do so or have had a conversation with them. One good non-aggressive way to give your card is to ask for their card – then swap. Make sure that your business card is professional and of good quality – it is your personal marketing statement and ambassador, and tells a story about you! Leave the back of the card plain so that people can record information on it.

After you have attended the event, make notes on the people you met and any personal details you picked up, like regular vacation places or a love of walking! Next time you meet them you may be able to include them in the conversation, and it is the inclusion of this level of detail that will help to build the relationship. Above all, once you have made a new contact through networking in whatever format, make sure you reconnect with them – reconnection must become part of your daily routine. Give it a try, follow some of the simple rules set out in this article and see for yourself what benefits networking can bring to you and to your organization!

By Linda Harland

The PEOPLE Academy, Inc

An interesting article on CNN talked about how some people viewed being laid off as something close to a gift. That is really coincidental, because in one of my other blogs I said that the ax didn’t fall on me, it fell on a tether that was holding me down.

The challenge remains in the realm of time management. This is my second go round with trying to manage life without a job. I can reflect on the last time and see how I let the freedom of self-employment rule and I let the real opportunity to succeed slip through my fingers. This time I can see something similar, but I know what I have to do and it all has to do with managing my time.

An excerpt from a PEOPLE Academy Inc bulletin on time management:

Time management is a way of life – it affects our lives both at home and at work. Each one of us is responsible for our own time management. It is heavily influenced by our attitude. A positive attitude will affect the quality of how we experience time and our attitude will affect those around us, who in turn influence the effectiveness of our time management.

The advantages of good time management:
• You achieve control over your activities rather than them controlling you
• You start to achieve a work, life balance
• You develop a proactive lifestyle rather than a reactive one
• You can deal with most problems as they arise
• You will reduce stress
• You will have time for others both at work and at home

All of those points apply just as easily to self employment as anything else. Don’t let the freedom distract your drive. In my opinion, focus and time management are the keys to entrepreneurial success.

Oh, yeah, the link to the CNN article.

And here’s something else to help clarify goals and targets.

How do you get things done in your organization? If you are just a cog in the wheel of industry perhaps all this means is what tools you use to get your job done; spreadsheets for cost management, or memo’s for communication, for a couple of examples. But if you are a manager or a supervisor, how do you get jobs done? Basically there are four management techniques:

1. Directing - As a leader, you tell people what to do. You say take that package, lift it with that crane, put it on that truck. Simple concise instructions with no room for confusion or leeway.

2. Coaching - You are still the one in charge. You are making decisions, and you are getting feedback and incorporating the information ‘on the fly’ and encouraging your people to take part in the communication process. This teaches them to be a part of the team and also helps to motivate them and builds confidence. The people under you, are under your control, but are contributing to the idea flow and the success of the operation.

3. Supportive Role - Your people know the tasks and you have provided them with direction. They can roll with any changes that come up and are confident with how they fit into the system and how they do their jobs. if something particularly unusual comes up, they know they can come to you for ideas, direction and support. You are also stepping up to the plate and providing additional support and services to make their jobs easier. You grease the wheels and keep the process flowing smoothly.

4. Delegation - You know your people can handle the tasks and the details. You are the quarterback ‘handing off’ assignments to the competent people in your organization. They take the task and run with it. They can handle it responsibly and are willing to take charge.

Every great leader uses all of these techniques. She picks the one that works in any given situation. Knowing your people and knowing the work environment helps you know the best route to take. Getting things done is simply a matter of knowing the task and the right tools to us.