Tag: professional development

Discovery During A Time Of Rest

Summer 2010 016

Just returned from a great time away on the East Coast of the United States.  It was the longest holiday my family and I have ever taken and it is the main reason I've been silent from blogging.

I've been reading Simon Sinek's book, Start with Why and I took it along with me on my sabbatical.  The book is great, but more importantly it has ignited some discoveries that before were question marks in my Epic Living journey.

When I started Epic Living, when I wrote the book, when I truly committed to entrepreneurship as the portal for my mission, I couldn't (still can't) explain my motivations for doing my work other than; "I have to do this" or "God placed this in my heart to come out."  Crazy or not, that's pretty much how things unfolded-still do.

In Sinek's book, the essential question is "why?"  I have answered that question in head, but more importantly in my heart.  Maybe you already know this.

Epic Living is about helping people find and keep breakthroughs in the following facets:

  • The Spiritual
  • The Mental and Emotional
  • The Physical
  • The Financial

The activities that are impacted range from career, physical health, personal finances, leadership/personal development, and more.  To be sure, this story has not been fully unfolded.  In the coming days and months this will happen.

Here are some things to look forward to:

  1. The Virtual Coaching Cafe– An online place where you can get guidance and social community.
  2. Online Idea Share – An online place where you can house and organize your ideas, thoughts and dreams.
  3. Seminar Series – An in-person event series designed to put flesh on helping you.

More to come…

 

When Small Creates Big

I have sometimes fallen into the trap of thinking that I needed to create a big splash in-order to bring home the winning run.  Or even the illusive search for the fictional "silver bullet."  I don't do that anymore.  Call it age and wisdom, but now I'm comfortable with small things.  I'm focused on changing what sphere I've been given to influence.  It's not what Seth Godin or Stephen Covey have authority over.  However, I share a common landscape with both of them.  And that is to change the world-seen or unseen.

It's that seen/unseen stuff that drives us humans crazy.  We want something to show for our toil.  Reasonable, but maybe it's time to turn that desire upside-down.

The following is a speech from Rory Sutherland at a recent TED event.  He's onto something.

 

 

Top Ten Reasons Managers Won’t Lead From a Position of Responsibility

The following post first appeared in 2008.  It's worth a look again.

 

FIRST, HERE'S TO ALL THE MANAGERS WHO LEAD FROM RESPONSIBILITY AND THOSE WHO WANT TO LEARN THE ART.  THESE PEOPLE PROVIDE HOPE.

Now for problem in need of fixing.  In my post on What Management Doesn't Get: Leadership Implies Responsibility I made the argument that managers have a gaping hole relating to leading.

Here is a good list (a starting point) of why managers won't lead from a position of responsibility:

  1. It's easier to command and throw your weight around.
  2. Too many organizations teach (by their actions) that people are a means-to-an-end.
  3. Most managers, if honest, would have to admit they're soft.  When I was escorted out of corporate America for the last time, I discovered this first-hand.
  4. Managers, and those who promote them, don't teach and guide.  Therefore, many managers go by instinct.  It is not instinctual to take responsibility.  If it were, I'd be writing about something else.
  5. Fear and greed.
  6. The tools for education focus too much attention on skills and the attainment of position.  Without a strong emphasis on character, responsibility will not be a priority.
  7. Managers have bought the lie that everything begins with them.
  8. It's hard to lead from responsibility.  It requires a creativity of the highest order.
  9. Deep down many managers have given up.
  10. Too many organizations have become instant everything.  No time for anything except for what's immediately in front.

Don’t Make Excuses

A few thoughts ruminating through my head tonight:

  1. Is your organization bureaucratic?
  2. Is your organization run like a cult?
  3. Is your organization bloated?
  4. Is your organization relying on cutting expenses to give the appearance of growth?
  5. Is your organization paying you for your time or your results?

If the answer is yes to any of the above, then summon the courage and be creatively discontent.  Point out what's wrong and be outspoken (in a professional/respectful manner) about how to create a new paradigm.

By the way, this only works if you're an asset.  Mediocrity earns you no rights.

Why I Write-Updated

Thought it was important to update this post.  Originally written in 2008, it's a daily reminder that trust is important in words-written or spoken.

"I have never thought of writing for reputation and honor.  What I have in my heart must come out, that is why I compose."

                              -Ludwig Von Beethoven

You may not need this post, but I'm going to proceed anyway.  In the blogging world many talk about how to increase subscribers, increase hits/page views, or how to monetize the blog itself.  Each of those efforts have merit.  But why should someone who blogs want results like an increase in subscribers?  I think many of us in the blogosphere have missed something in our motivations.

In a celebrity obsessed culture it is easy to get carried away by attention and notoriety.  We forget what an authentic following means versus momentary infatuation.  You could have a thousand subscribers, but does that really mean that something is being flipped?  I don't think so.  In my last days in corporate America I had a number of people who were "subscribers."  Funny thing though, when I was escorted out my subscriber list fell dramatically.  Did my ideas change?  Did my expertise diminish?  No, to all of those things and more.  But my cache did.

So when I write (books, columns or blog posts) I make sure it comes from my heart.  That way I can sleep at night knowing I didn't write in order to make a sale for a sale's sake.  Believe me I had enough posing and posturing in corporate America to last me two lifetimes.  No sense in resurrecting those tired positions for the sake of numbers.  Besides, I really want change to be my partner.

If you're writing/communicating through a blog or some other portal, give people authentic content.