Fresh Bite Friday: Tips for High-Profile Good Content

I was recently interviewed for a broadcast and asked to share a few points about quality writing.  I realized while listening to the playback today that these tips should be used in business everywhere (when writing emails, web content, marketing materials, or more). I’m sharing my direct quotes with you now as this kickoff article to Fresh Bite Fridays, with three tips to start using next month:

• Question: What makes quality writing?
• Answer: If you can’t convince the reader that it’s something worth reading and that there is value in the content, you might as well not have spent the time. You have to have insight into what readers expect and what they want to hear; it doesn’t mean you have it give it [all] to them, but you have to give them something they can sink their teeth into and want to pursue it more… You want to make people think and you have to be authentic.

• Question: What advice do you give to aspiring writers?
• Answer: If you want to write something, do it. But if you want to write good content, you need to find an editor who can not only help with the right punctuation, those little grammar mischievous things that happen, but also help you develop it into something readers will keep buying and asking for more. If you’re not sure you have the content from the reader’s perspective [your market segment’s ideology], then you can find an editor to help you do that… spend the money to do it right. You don’t want to be one of those reputable news outlets that have blatant errors, and they don’t put effort into what they’re distributing.

• Question: What does literary success mean to you?
• Answer: I don’t think you’ll ever be satisfied as a writer with everything you print, but having your next idea swirling is important, as is to never be ashamed of what you’ve put out there. You need to be honest with yourself about what you say and having the courage to write your story as you want it to be told.

Be authentic and believable!

Heather M. Hilliard is Principal and Chief Strategist for R. Roan Enterprises, LLC, a professional services consulting firm supporting businesses in pointed areas of expertise as well as with individuals for targeted projects or career development. For more articles like these, visit her posts on LinkedIn or on G+. 

#seizetheday, #makeithappen

The Time To Make The Right Choices

It made mainstream media that another top executive quit Uber this week; however, most posts were only concerned with the effect on business.  If you look closer, you can get the rest of the story and how the root cause reflects in your restful - or restless - sleep. 

A lot of people read articles: how to be more successful, what keys to the morning help propel you to success, why it’s important to do X/Y/Z to build your dreams successfully.  These same people forget that if you follow everyone else, you only reach for someone else’s definition of success.

Flocking to a growth company sounds great, but what Jeff Jones discovered was my “beliefs and approach to leadership were that have guided my career are inconsistent with what I saw and experienced.” He voted with his feet and walked right out the door.

Uber defines startup success for some people, but this one person knew it wasn’t for him. He knew that he couldn’t right this troubled ship.  He recognized that the company could be performing better, working better with its employees — but the dysfunction and flooding of issues needs to be corrected from top down (and honestly, he wasn’t “the top” to make the calls).

This illustration of a shorter duration of restlessness was easily identified as what caused sleepless nights.  An employee’s desire to fix things, to right the ship, for improving community all were not progressing.  He chose to walk away, even though the challenge is likely what attracted him.

If you are more of a sports fan, you could relate to Andre Agassi’s tennis career with insights from his fantastic and insightful autobiography, Open.  When he walked away from tennis, he realized, “One day your entire way of life ends. It’s a kind of death.” 

Who had the better choice, Jeff or Andre?  Both had sleepless night, both worked very hard to achieve their number one status.  However, one walked away while he was still on top, and Agassi admits that if he went back to the sport that he’d retire sooner.

You are younger in your career than either of these pros. Perhaps your sleepless nights aren’t going to end in retirement or walking out of the game.  But by using the correct word choice to identify the root cause of the situation, your restlessness should be an indicator of something being wrong in your life — most often, we find it’s our work environment.

Your mindset needs to reflect where you want to go, not where you are.  By seeking out new opportunities, the problem set may take different analysis or you may think you are taking a step backward on this imagined career ladder.  Who cares besides yourself?  You need to be happy (useful, fulfilled, empowered - pick a great adjective that fits your goal) as you work toward your own definition of success (which I am certain doesn’t include misery, senseless heartburn or repetitive futile exhaustion).

The powerful decision makers actually choose tough solutions; they don’t make decisions to get away from problems.

Heather M. Hilliard is Principal and Chief Strategist for R. Roan Enterprises, LLC, a professional services consulting firm supporting businesses in pointed areas of expertise as well as with individuals for targeted projects or career development. For more articles like these, visit her posts on LinkedIn or on G+. 

#seizetheday, #makeithappen

Five Ways to Handle a Toxic Work Environment That is Hostile to Talent

The most successful leaders have not had an obstacle-free path to leadership, yet so many workers have a delusion that reaching the top of the ladder is pain-free and the “right” way to great achievement. News abounds of “not so perfect” work situations, with many people looking for a way out. However, only looking for a door can mean you are shown the exit before you’re prepared with another opportunity - or prior to absorbing all the good parts the current employment can give.

When you are goal-oriented (vision minded) rather than task-oriented (rungs of the ladder), you grasp not for the ever-moving next rung, but the fact it’s unrealistic to think that success arrives without having to experience growth opportunities along the way. (It would also be boring, and if you are boring with no “tests” of your mettle to show what you know while ascending the corporate ladder, the rungs will stop appearing.)  But what makes those rungs appear?

Consider these leaders’ strong personal values systems while facing a wide range of toxicity.  There are those well known—Bill Gates (whose first business failed yet now runs the largest human rights foundation in the world), Sir Richard Branson (controlling over 400 companies while leading through dyslexia) and Fredrick Douglass (born into slavery, yet became one of the leading abolitionist leaders as well as a preacher). 

And other notable leaders in the world, too. Sharon Ebadi is an Iranian lawyer and was the first female judge in Iran, winning the Nobel Peace prize for democracy and human rights.  Ursula Burns (CEO for eight years and now chairwoman of Xerox) was raised in a housing project. Aung San Suu Kyi, a Myanmarian civil rights leader who had been imprisoned for fifteen years, earned the Nobel Peace Prize for her peaceful leadership on human rights while imprisoned. Telling the real story of the disappeared (while fleeing from those who wanted to kill her, just as they had her family), Rigoberta Menchú Tum is a Nobel Laureate Guatemalan author. Dr. Mae Jamison, a physician, is the first African-American female astronaut and has to deal with two worlds of complexity!

Each one of these visionaries experienced a variety of toxicity in their professional lives. There are many people who have described the bad vibes underlying toxicity, including research by Amy Scholten, MPH, who says, “Toxic workplaces are fueled by immature, dysfunctional leaders.” While I would call those types of people in management anything but leaders, the tone rings true as she describes their lack of morality, hypocritical nature, high aggression, scapegoating, unreasonableness… I’m sure you are already adding to this list from what you’ve seen. 

While preparing my upcoming presentation for a national conference, I realized resilience fuels the fire of those who excel.  Adversity comes in many forms for all businesses, and frequently it presents in the form of a nasty co-worker.  Learning to handle those situations gracefully (not ignoring them) will propel your standing with those around you, enabling you to handle more as you progress in your career and rapidly extricate your from toxic areas.

To bring more meaning to your workplace and facts to your portfolio, regardless of the concentration of toxicity, it really is all about you and how you use obstacles to lift yourself. One area of professionals call this self-deployment: “to arrange in a position of readiness, or to move strategically or appropriately (Dictionary dot com) ” or “move something in an effective way (Cambridge English Dictionary)”  

This is how you need to tackle your current situation; modifying your perspective is how you begin right now.

1. Identify the real meaning in the madness. One of my former colleagues loved to use the term “crazy-making” for other people’s reaction to a situation instead of action toward resolution of the problem. When the implementation of a solution is out of reach, you still retain control of the lesson you can learn as well as retaining your own focus on problem-solving instead of problem-enhancing.
2. Establish concrete goals. There is a reason for the toxicity - your own attitude and approach are your responsibility, and no one else’s. This is a job and does not define your being, your soul, your future. You know where you want to be, so start using your energy for a plan to get there.  Gossip about the “evil” in the office does not help though having activities and goals away from the office keeps you centered, and developing goals for your exit keeps you healthy as you focus on the ways you will leave on your own terms in a positive way.
3. Refine your filter.  This is a two-way process, for inbound messages as well as your outbound communication. The information coming to you will have spin and be framed with the toxic agenda. When you find the real meaning and know your goals are to achieve efficiency, creativity or productivity, you can strain the distraction and see the true bottom line.  Likewise, when you are sending out information, you can craft your meaning with intentional word choices that will neither inflame an ego nor draw negative attention to your talents.
4. Remove project overreach. Undoubtedly, this is the environment that pushes staff to work all hours of the day and night for unrealistic ends.  When you begin to not only define, but hold fast to boundaries that encroach upon achieving what you’ve outlined in step number two, it allows you to use energy on your own time to get to a better space.  Your time away forth office is all positive, so leave the negative things there (even if you telecommute - there are boundaries that now you have your exit plan in process, you can more safely enforce). 
5. Get moving. You are more important than “them.”  Don’t question your abilities; step one shows you how to identify the source of the incapability so you don’t repeat the problems as a leader and don’t find another place that has the same issues. The fifth step is using your hand to wave goodbye without burning a bridge, while embracing thankfulness that you’re moving forward.

Handling toxicity and adversity is a process, not an event, when you need to continue performing while seeking improvements. This involves identification, planning, timeframe scope of action and launch - the same steps in good project management. You can treat your exit just as you would a new product launch, where you are the product taking your skills to somewhere more valuable and in line with your mission.

Positive attitude in negative situations… gives abilities including natural success.  PAINS to GAINS. You can get there.

Heather M. Hilliard is Principal and Chief Strategist for R. Roan Enterprises, LLC, a professional services consulting firm supporting businesses in pointed areas of expertise as well as with individuals for targeted projects or career development. For more articles like these, visit her posts on LinkedIn or on G+. 

#seizetheday, #makeithappen

Two Steps Forward

I woke to rabbit tracks in my yard and saw a deer out early munching some grass she'd found underneath the snow.  It's amazing when you get moving before other people at the things you will see, things that will be missed if you wait until there are other human footprints tracking everywhere.

With a fresh slate, you get to create the path, make the impression, define the direction.

Use your new year to be the first one to take two steps forward.

Heather M. Hilliard is Principal and Chief Strategist for R. Roan Enterprises, LLC, a professional services consulting firm supporting businesses in pointed areas of expertise as well as with individuals for targeted projects or career development. For more articles like these, visit her posts on LinkedIn or on G+. 

#seizetheday, #makeithappen

Add $2500 to Your Wallet

You’ve heard the saying “put your money where your mouth is” — it’s true.  

Food is fuel, energy to literally get moving. Sometimes research is too general, but this one shows you the present and future savings is on average $2500 a year. The sooner you start moving, the greater your future investment will be.

Learn not only how to improve your mind or your productivity, but also your wallet. 

Start at the beginning - it makes the journey that much easier.

Heather M. Hilliard is Principal and Chief Strategist for R. Roan Enterprises, LLC, a professional services consulting firm supporting businesses in pointed areas of expertise as well as with individuals for targeted projects or career development. For more articles like these, visit her posts on LinkedIn or on G+. 

#seizetheday, #makeithappen

The Secret of Getting Ahead

Tomorrow is the day Americans give thanks for the blessings they’ve experienced in the past year.  Change it up this year because it should also be thanks for the blessings that you know are going to come your way.

We don’t move forward by looking behind us, yet many people do this over and over.  Even Thanksgiving is a day where we appreciate what we have already been given!  If you keep focusing on where you’ve been, how will you use what you’ve learned to build a great future?

Take time to invest in all of your tomorrows and think about what makes you happy.  Consider what “tools” you have used from your skills set when you are enjoying life the most.  By honestly identifying and understanding your strengths, you can use every one of your gifts with courage and hope for an abundant future.  

One of the gifts all humans have is the gift of hearing (even if it’s selectively used) - not just in the literal sense, but in perceptive ways, too.  Listen so that that you hear what is not being said in the world.  When we listen, we end up seeing where we fit just a little better in our communities.

The new year is approaching; this week’s articles on facts and revolution focus on preparations based on thinking, not guessing.  Being honest with yourself will ensure you love what you do, even if you have to start building this new part of your life one small step at a time.  

If you don’t take action, you won’t reach success.  If you don’t take action, things remain impossible.  If you don’t take action, you are endangering yourself to being just a follower. 

• If you take action, you will be better tomorrow than you were yesterday.  
• If you take action, you make decisions toward a brighter future. 
• If you take action, your confidence will inspire others.

The secret of getting ahead is getting started *

Heather M. Hilliard is Principal and Chief Strategist for R. Roan Enterprises, LLC, a professional services consulting firm supporting businesses in pointed areas of expertise as well as with individuals for targeted projects or career development. For more articles like these, visit her posts on LinkedIn or on G+. 

#seizetheday, #makeithappen

What's Holding You Back?

A friend of mine and I were talking this week, and at one point he laughed as he said, "You write books and I barely even read them."  

My two recent book projects are very different - one’s a research project involving several languages (luckily, the primary sources of these several hundred-year old documents are written in a foreign language that I speak).  But, there are a few other languages that “pop up” as I follow this factual trail back four hundred years.  It slows my progress, and sometimes - if I’m honest with myself - derails me for several days or even a week or two. 

Thinking more about what he said over the week (knowing he indeed reads yet still making a good point), I realized that “Millennials” get the bad wrap for being disinterested, wrought with attention deficits, or other self-absorbed entitlement descriptions.  Think about your own ascribed attributes for your “class” - economic category, race, gender, sexual orientation.  How many things about you are wrong because they aren’t about you but rather statements of perception?

Maybe ‘millennials might not read’ because there isn’t much worth reading.  Short lack-luster articles are posted by news outlets for rapid-fire consumption.  Truth be told, I don’t read those things much either - so why would I assume it’s the person’s fault and not the access to quality items for this problem?  

Being more considerate and thoughtful about “problems” (i.e. millennials have attention issues), it might be the definition is wrong… bored with what is being spoon-fed, they need challenges and seek their own path when not supported by the mainstream community - and by not letting what others say hold them back - Hello, Google!

It’s easy to fall into the “trap” of using ascribed status (meaning that which is written or said about “your kind of people”) than blazing forward to do more for your personal achieve status (the things you earn by your talent and vision).  If you can dream it, you can do it. 

Yes, things slow us down.  For me, it was language - but I recently got inspired again and have set a deadline to add another achievement to my dream list.  It’s not a bucket list - that’s doing what other people have done before and you’d like to try.  A dream list includes things YOU want to do for yourself.

These six women show how someone dreamed it and they did it - being recognized isn’t the reason for doing things.  Sometimes, you just need to prove to yourself you can.  Change your attitude and amaze yourself at what you can do.  Break through a wall, even if it’s accomplished one hit at a time.

https://www.upworthy.com/these-6-women-got-written-out-of-tech-history-theyre-finally-being-recognized?c=pop

Five Ways To Believe in Yourself Again

This is season of Lent, and many people are giving things up in order to refocus their lives.  Some see this as relinquishing aspects of overindulgence - sweets, alcohol, or particular food-types they somehow believe will make them better (carbs gone, red meat gone, gluten gone…) - while others add things to their routine such as getting back to the gym.

Rather than giving up things you enjoy (or adding things you may not enjoy), you would be healthier if you gave up the things that harm you.  The sacrifice is actually greater to give up unhealthy habits than indulgent pleasures - harder than giving up candy for forty days, but the rewards benefit you so much more!  Believe in yourself again by getting rid of dead “wait” - the proverbial weight that makes you second-guess yourself and keeps you from living.

It is an interesting parallel to taking shortcuts along the way.  Men and women forget the whole reason why they chose a certain path back “in the beginning.”  Do you remember?  Here’s how you eliminate your “dead wait” this season as you move toward great things:

1. Bust Out in Spring Cleaning

You’ve heard the phrase “there are people that come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.”  But many of us spend a lot of time on the relationships we have categorized as “a lifetime” rather than giving a lot of energy into “a reason” - trying to convert it to a season or a lifetime.  Spending and giving are two very different forms of remittance, and one means a whole lot more than the other.

We can’t help ourselves.  We get locked into habit.  This spring, this season, look at that list of contacts in your phone or your email, your social network and your business files.  That list represents names.  People.  Who matters most?  To whom should you give the most of your time?  “Create in me a clean heart” begins Psalms 51:10 - Clean up your priorities and make time for the right ones for the right reasons.

2. Encourage Yourself to “Go Blind”

While a blind date may not always be successful, when it comes to choosing your path going blind isn’t bad.  Rely on your heightened senses to guide you instead of your eyes deceiving you or making decision based on perception.  When “blind”, you aren’t making assumptions - you take action based on your gut - and our instincts are usually spot-on.  Blind means don’t look in the rear-view mirror, either.

Forget what lies behind you (Phil. 3:13’s introduction) and move toward what lies in front of you.  You know that doctors are saying don’t look down when walking, don’t test when walking, it bends your neck and causes a myriad of problems.  Don’t look down - don’t fret what’s ahead.  Know whatever is in front of you is better than what’s behind you: keep moving forward.

3. Imbibe in Things You Enjoy

At a crossroads in a friend’s life ten years ago, I asked him something to the effect of “what would you do if earning money was no object?” He immediately replied, “Be a carpenter.”  He liked the grains of the wood, designing pieces in his head, inhaling the scent as he sands the pieces, and he never forgets the color of pieces.  There was no hesitation in him.  

Enjoying life is important because the memory of joy stays with you even when you struggle (you guessed it - Ecc 8:15).  If you can’t make money at your passion yet, at least make sure you do something for fun on a regular basis.  Use your talent to bring joy to your life.  Filling your non-work hours with enjoyable pastimes reduces stress and increases your happiness. 

4. Remember Your Fairy Tale

There was a story about a nameless nobleman, who wanted to fight wrongdoings and bring justice to the world.  He finds a friend, looks to do good works, and eventually becomes discouraged.   You’d know the story if I told you it was Don Quixote a la Mancha - but you’d only be partially right.  You only remember the name and the place, but not the raison d’être. 

The first three words are the most important part of the tale - The Ingenious Gentleman.  Imagination and Ingenuity got him through his battles - he didn’t conform to the norm, and why should you?  1 Samuel 16:7 reminds us to look beyond the outer person and into the heart of their nature - look into your heart. Remember the WHOLE story of why you wanted to take those first steps and your real reason for being…

5. And…Never Say Never

What’s never been done is merely an opportunity for you to be the first to get to the finish line.  And don’t plan to just “get there” - blow right past your goal.  If you plan to go farther than you want, you know you will absolutely make it to where you want to be and beyond.  (I will let you find your own verse about being blessed!)

Frederica Mathewes-Green says, “Everyone wants to be transformed, but nobody wants to change.” If you never change, you never grow.  If you never reach, you never stretch.  Lent is a time for passion in miracles - you are a miracle and can do miraculous things.  

Take flight, have faith, be blessed, never forget your imagination - you will succeed!

Three Lessons Learned

Thirty years ago today, the heights of human imagination had a tremendous shock with the loss of the Challenger.  Yet in the days and weeks following, there was a resounding consensus to push forward and onward.

The experts involved did a retrospective analysis of what went wrong and how they could improve moving forward - and that took about three years.  They took the time needed in order to see what precipitated failures in the project, trying to understand what went wrong and to prevent those errors in the next generation of equipment.

People not only remember this event because it was the first fatalities during a launch, but also it was the first mission for a civilian - a teacher, who was brave enough to show her students what you could do with a little effort and a lot of dreaming.  The catastrophe changed the culture of one of the most amazing endeavors the world has ever known - and made the quest for space even better as well as catapulted other projects, like the Hubble Telescope or the New Horizons spacecraft.

Reviews of seventy-three seconds were essential to reframing the next steps.  However, there was a limited timeframe in which they looked backward, and it was all focused on how to move forward.  And while we may now think back on it, we have healed and take new steps toward new goals with improved tools.

You can take any tragedy and apply three lessons to your life, because life is short enough to not squander blessings, family and friends because you are doing what you don't want to do.  When you focus on the good in your world, more good will come - and that's the best lesson of all from three decades past a devastating national event.

- Quit looking at what you don't have or what you have lost.

- If you aren't putting demands on yourself, you aren't growing.

- Focus on where you want to be and what you love in life.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2016/01/28/weve-lost-em-god-bless-em-what-it-was-like-to-witness-the-challenger-disaster/

Leading By Example

Today, Angela Merkel is the Time Magazine Person of the Year.  This is significant for many reasons, not the least of which is the accomplishment of a lone female winning the award for the first time in 29 years.  (Philippine President Corazon Aquino was the last lone female in 1986, for "leading a democratic revolution that captured the world's imagination.")  But the considerations of today's selection are much more than this statistic that some MSM are reporting today.

Time Magazine gives many reasons for her selection. She has outsmarted her opponents.  "Providing steadfast moral leadership in a world where it is in short supply" is the closing phrase of the article.  She "brandished a different set of values - humanity, generosity, tolerance."  Another quote about leadership reveals an intriguing insight: Leaders are tested only when people don't want to follow.

The truth of this statement rings worldwide.  In a time of upheaval and uncertainty, leaders in any realm (politics or commerce) must lead... not manage or just rearrange the papers.  The four important descriptors show us how all leaders need to incorporate and embody (not just reflect) in order to succeed in times of turmoil and how we reach those times of peace.

Of course, being a PhD quantum chemist helps you outsmart.  Being the daughter of a minister helps you practice humanity.  Opening doors when the world is afraid shows generosity. Putting up with the dogs of a peer (Putin) when you are reportedly afraid demonstrates your tolerance.

Nature versus nurture, environment versus biology.  The end result - You have to make the choice every day who you want to be.  Find a good place to start and begin, with baby steps, to make bold change in the world.

 

Children's Stories Are Powerful

Remember the stories that shaped our lives when we were younger?  The Giving Tree... The Very Hungry Caterpillar... The Little Engine That Could.

The great thing about children's stories is that they open our eyes to the possibilities.  They give listeners the power to believe, the freedom to imagine, and the desire to be a better person.  The lessons taught aren't given in stern school-room fashion. Rather, they show what to do by giving the right examples in 'follow what I say and what I do' format.

How many times have you heard managers spew "do as I say, not as I do"? Why would incongruity be a good thing at work?  Isn't it disingenuous to promote authority to those who don't do lead by good example?  And, why would you ever WANT to be "one of those people"?

The Little Engine That Could illustrates how a small engine accomplished big things through the power of positive thinking.  He didn't listen to the ones that told him he couldn't solve the problem, that he wasn't good enough, that he wasn't strong enough.  He repeatedly encouraged himself with "I think I can, I think I can" - and indeed he could.

If you tell yourself it's possible, it is.  If you surround yourself with people who are drama-free and who are supportive (rather than nay-sayers or doubting folks), not only will you be happier but you will amaze yourself at how the power of positive thinking allows you to exceed your wildest dreams.  You can dream as big as you want - like creating a successful life in the heart of a volcano!

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/10/25/451643327/descending-into-a-volcano-to-farm

The Phantom In Your House

Perception is Reality.  Any marketing student has learned it; any advertising professional has used it; any public relations expert has spouted it.  They can create what doesn’t exist or intensify what may only be a trace, a ghost, a whisper of a presence.

Yet, science and medicine know it, too.  The pain of a leg removed after a war injury.  The itchy finger that was severed during an accident.  And now, they realize that you can taste things that aren’t there, either.

Perfumer and Flavorist noted six years ago that there can be phantom aromas.  Perhaps you smell the scent of a loved one on a favorite shirt.  There could be the baked apples your mom used to make when you walk into her empty kitchen.  Memories can shape the sense - including your scent with smell.

We know that food stores like it to smell like pumpkin or vanilla in the fall, as it promotes a feeling of need (not always hunger… men seem to associate it with “attractiveness” as reported in the NYT last December and many other places previously). Marketing people use scents to lure people to specific areas of the store, too - I used to do it as an assistant manager in retail, just like the store playbook said, though they likely didn’t have science, just a push of the scent of the month.

So now the “big boys” are beginning to scent your food to mask the “healthy qualities” such as lower sodium or lower fat.  If you smell something associated with salty tastes (such as ham, in the article below), your mind will convert the scent to taste influences.  Maybe this is how the Starship Enterprise got away with all of those replicator meals being deceptively “normal”.

By pushing the envelope of dimension and blending two usual things to mask that one is missing, a new normal can be created.  Granted, it’s a bit duplicitous.  But if it moves a generation toward the right end, can the means be justified?

Starting here, with the most elemental of sensations, where will it go from just a simple taste test?  Maybe getting back to home-cooked meals and wholesome ingredients has more than just meets the eye (and nose)…

http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2015/10/tasting-a-flavor-that-doesnt-exist/411454/

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof... or a Pole

The animals of our world certainly are reminding us of important life lessons this week!  Today's helpful feline friend gives a graphic demonstration of fear - when afraid, you can flee or fight.  When you are out of your element, it's best to get to a better vantage point, reassess the situation in order to glean information (not just collect data), and then take appropriate action.

The mountain lion in the urban area ran into some mean children, who started to scream at her.  Seriously, this is not a parable.  In the link below, she climbs a telephone pole to retreat from the immediate threat and determine the best course of action.  She didn't attack the threat - smartly, as she was uncertain if the noisy evil kids were an actual danger to her or just "background noise".  She determined she could wait out the distraction and then resume her previous path.

Sometimes, humans fight first and ask questions later.  Frequently in office spaces, this happens because a boss may realize his ill-equipped skills set for his newer promotion, and out of fear he verbally lashes out to protect his space. It may be a co-worker who was promoted for her ability to navigate the landscape and pick a good ally, but again, that skills set is far from developed in order to perform her assigned role - so using tools around her, she wins battles by recruiting others to fight for her.

There is no doubt the best work scenario is having a leader (not a manager) that is mature and brilliant, coaching and allowing star employees to excel beyond their self-determined potential. [And when you find him or her, even if one of you goes to another job, by all means keep in touch as you may be able to reconnect for mentoring or jobs later!]  Distractions happen, toxic situations develop, and we are left to wonder why we are working in such a zoo.

Visit a real zoo and see what the real survivors have learned. Whether you believe in creationism or evolution, both concepts believe animals were here first.  They have adapted and are still here.  There's a lesson in that.

http://m.vvdailypress.com/article/20150930/NEWS/150939983

Thrive Where You are Planted

When you look at a fat, round and fuzzy bee, doesn't seem like an ideal design to take flight - or produce a sweet attractive nectar. The Wright Brothers did not design The Spirit of Saint Louis in the shape of a water balloon, after all. Using their logic, they designed the infrastructure of their wing like a bird's wing.

The bee has none of the aerodynamic traits of a bird. Yet, it still flies, and for relatively long distances, too. It builds a great life where it lands. Literally. Like on top of a building in downtown New Orleans - tens of thousands of bees made a home atop of a stone building. They found food in flower boxes and along the river, and made a sixteen foot wide home where now one expected a thriving colony.

No one has ever been promised that life would be a bowl of cherries. You may find yourself in a less-than-ideal situation. But there are always opportunities to make the best of it. You have the creativity to make good things happen.

Do you believe you can fly? Take a lesson from the honey bee and use the tools you were given to do great things, no matter the challenges that seem to be in your way.

http://www.theneworleansadvocate.com/news/13580331-123/sting-operation-beekeepers-go-after

It's Time

Today is the autumn equinox.  But do you realize what an equinox really means?  It's all about time - it's about a moment, actually.  National Geographic explains that it is the very moment when the sun is on the equator at noon.  Northern people get longer nights, Southern ones get longer days.

But, what about an equinox in your life?  It's about seizing a moment when the sun is shining on you exactly the right way.  It's when you have the ability to filter the truth from the darkness in your life, to take charge of your next moment in destiny.

When you don't follow the well-trodden path by the drudgery of managers pointing down a predictable direction, when you challenge all of those mainstream busybodies as you are reaching upwards for the stars, some people call that rebellion or being a rebel.

Consider this: there are quite a few noteworthy people in this rebel category. Johannes Gutenberg was considered a terrorist rebel - because he developed a fast way to release the magic of the written word to paper by inventing the printing press.  William Wallace, a treasonous rebel, wouldn't just change allegiance to a different king in another country, and instead inspired his people to fight for their heritage.  Galileo Galilei, a heretic rebel, was put on trial by the church for the mere suggestion the Earth moved around the Sun... leading to more knowledge about the stars and today's equinox.

Are you a rebel, a rogue, a renegade? My first example of knowing I was not going to accept the status quo came in the second grade (a story for another day).  For others, it comes later in life.  Everyone is gifted with varying levels of creativity and energy, inspiring their own story and accomplishments.

For those of you who are rebels, it's time.  Begin charting your route with inspiration on today's equinox - or, if you are well on the way to forging a new direction, motivate those around you toward greater heights.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/250075

The Games People Should Still Play

What better test of problem solving than to have a puzzle scattered on the tabletop and points for being able to solve it?  The only better thing to test your skill may be having only eight puzzle pieces and creatively designing solutions.

Think it's the Apollo 13 mission to Mars? It very well could be.  But, consider the more "reachable" tabletop of the dining room - and Scrabble.  The lessons we learn there, and games in general, are applicable to every day life.  And if we stop playing games, sometimes we forget the lessons we learned as a child.

This particular game was created during the Great Depression, as an outlet for creativity (and the source of income for its inventor).  Until this point, there were essentially two types of games - strategic moves and number-based games (mostly geared to adults - kids were allowed free play.  Imagine that.)  The formation of this new outlet engaged new "buyers" that were previously left out of the fun if they weren't chess players or enjoyed bingo.  The marketing types, the visual types, the literary crowd and families together were previously discounted for games and now could engage in activities geared to them.

At work, do you give assignments that are geared toward someone's natural abilities?  You should.  This is what leaders do - they set employees up to succeed and encourage them.  Leaders challenge themselves with a version of game theory (which is economics, but still a game) when they are mentoring and figuring out the puzzle pieces with who can contribute with their skills in the best manner.  This keeps a leader's interest - the path to the outcomes - and makes the job fun and engaging for both employees and leaders. 

Leaders also make sure they communicate in the various ways that their team members understand.  Adult learning theory shows many ways to interact with people, so they can "hear" the message as it's intended, without having extraneous noise disrupt the message because in the manner it was delivered.  

When a solution initially yields a $20 loss, don't give up - Scrabble shows that not only learning something new can be fun, but instead of selling just 84 'widgets', your new idea could sell more than 150 million.

"Never give in, except to the convictions of honour and good sense."  "Lead by example. " And let games into your life.

http://www.bbc.com/culture/story/20150911-word-up-the-secret-story-of-scrabble 

How Much Is Your Two Cents Really Worth?

Think of all the things you have to on your "to do" list today.  Besides work and groceries, after school sports and pressing your clothes for tomorrow - what do you really accomplish?

What matters most to you? Sure, getting your paycheck is important.  But spending time with loved ones and communicating with them is more important.  Making sure you tell your family and friends how you feel and checking on friends with more than a text means a lot.

Sometimes, picking up the phone can be difficult when you are knee-deep in "crazy-makers" at work... certainly at the kids' soccer games no conversation on a phone happens there.  But how can you make the important people in your life know that they are important, as we are all so connected by phones and laptops and things.

Once upon a time, handwriting was taught in school.  The correct slant of a line, the appropriate length of the bar on the letter "t", spacing between letters and lines was important.  Your writing and your signature could not be replicated by someone else.  That doesn't happen any more.  People don't even take the time to write thank you notes for presents on special occasions.

So with people being stingy with their handwritten notes, think how valuable this would be to someone close to you.  Yes, the cost of the ink is likely two cents or less - but your time to pick a card, inscribing a hand written note, and sending it to someone to let them know you care... that's worth more than all the gold in Fort Knox, than all the tea in China.

The completion of forms isn't worth the commoditization of hiring someone to pick your friend's birthday card or to automate the "production" of your holiday cards with the engraved signature.  Take time to smell the roses and send a personal note to someone that truly matters.

If you have a burning desire to see the figures, you can click here to see exactly how much your two cents is worth.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/do-you-know-what-your-time-is-really-worth-1437500727

What Happens When You Embrace Change

People don't realize how influential their attitude can be.  How often have you smiled at someone who seemed to be having a bad day - and your smile got reflected back?  Rarely do people ignore a smile, even when in a really wretched mood.

In a workplace environment, supervisors have many ways to encourage behavior, but frequently they choose to discourage bad behaviors.  Humans orient around negative things as that's protected us for several thousand years.  But as an article posted last week proves, focusing on the good leaves no room for the bad and the good improves your health, too.

If people react more positively to reinforcement of good traits, why do managers focus on punishing the bad traits so often?  The answer is because they are managers and not truly leaders.  They may like to think they are leaders, they may tell people they are leaders - but leaders just do it, they don't tell people about how they are leading!

An article recently tried to explain why Leaders are afraid of change - but uses the wrong "title" in the headline.  This article is really about why managers are afraid of change.  Leaders embrace and encourage change.  They already do things like create a safe environment for workers to express opinions and give suggestions.  They already know that comments aren't directed at them personally by staff, but at the fear and frustration of uncertainty.    And they definitely aren't afraid of a new idea!

Leaders embrace change and persuade people to move forward, to try the new thing before complaining about it.  Leaders know "it" isn't all about them.  And when we have more people realize the way to improve is by action and not just talk, what a happier workplace we'll have.

If you want to check that you don't make manager mistakes - to focus on your leadership lessons - read more: http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/249422

Moving at Your Own Pace

Do you move at your own pace… feel like you control your own destiny? 

Or does it feel like you are in a laboratory being studied like a mouse in a cage – or like that mouse that has to navigate some maze in order to get a bit of cheese?

You don’t need the nation’s worst natural disaster (New Orleans’ Hurricane Katrina experience) to change your life, to be a “tinker, thinker, a doer.”

The rest of the nation is taking this anniversary as a push to be top of the headlines.  Looking through a magnifying glass and a satellite to see human nature evolving and changing (or not).  It’s almost like this is another world and people get to watch reality tv, though people here in Louisiana and elsewhere know it’s real.  And tough.  Many in New Orleans and around the Gulf Coast just want to see it as another day, not talk about the experience again and again.

What the media could be discussing are the important things, such as the way community values became center focus in the months after the storm. It wasn’t about blaming and who should live where or why rebuild – it was deeply personal, “where did you go”, “how are you doing”, “where are you at now”… It wasn’t a fascination with morbid curiosity, but a connection to people like yourself.  It was a real time with real people doing what they needed to do inch by inch to pull the family back together, to support friends coming home. 

Don’t wait for a disaster to remind you what you have.  Take time to determine what is important to you.  Remember the real things that are important in life.  It’s not what you accumulate, unless it’s true friends and holding family tightly.

Good article, though not from within but from DC (so some outsider parts, but whatever).  As Kenneth says, “The –ism part ain’t ever going to be over. The –ism is the theory of disaster and struggle.” Here, and everywhere.  Live your life to the fullest, and don’t succumb to living in a “lab.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2015/08/22/a-resilience-lab/