Don’t Be Another Cog in the Corporate Empire

Many employees are given assignments without context or the opportunity to comment on the intended use of the project. Sometimes bosses don’t know why projects need completed because they are told to just divvy up tasks with strict deadlines from their bosses.  Other times, we are so self-focused on our own needs that we fall from leader to manager status, too busy to monitor the level of our own gas tanks and the well-being of our teams.  Widget designs, knowledgeable articles written, sales copy created - these are all examples of daily assignments completed by cogs of corporate empires.

A researcher in New Orleans responded to a question posed by the media with his own question recently, a familiar tactic I use with my university students to get them to analyze more and do rote work less: If you don’t understand the source of the problem, how can you solve it?

Dr. Ibrahima Seck was reflecting on research of a wicked problem in America’s past, rooted in how to educate people and discuss its far reaching impact. He understands the waves of effect even if daily there is a struggle to understand the “why” of the original horror.

Daily, everyone faces contradictory problems and many people wonder at their own difficulties (wondering why we work where we do, ways to get out of toxic employment environments, reviewing alternative careers to better match our “right space”). Regardless of your background or appearance, you can ask the right questions to solve the right problems. It’s not the first question, or even second and third, that produces the correct direction.

Keep asking questions to get to what’s really important.  At work, perhaps that widget was thought by someone to make a better mousetrap, but really it’s the spring that needs modification.  Focus on the right path rather than the easy assigned one. In your personal life, look at the ways you actually spend your time rather than how you want to be spending your time.

For instance, do you think Patrick wanted to lead the snakes out of Ireland and have the day of his death celebrated 1,556 years later? The real story is that he was captured and made a slave by the Irish when he was sixteen. From his life’s work, it’s obvious that he didn’t ask the question, “Why was I captured and enslaved,” but wondered, “What can I do to make a difference for them?”  

After he escaped to his family, he became a cleric and returned to the people who enslaved him. He used his time during oppression to develop himself.  He was a foreigner in a sometimes unwelcoming land. Though celebrated as a Saint, he’s never been canonized by a Pope, has no official declaration (or thanks) for his good words and works by his “employer,” the church.

Perhaps you have felt this way at work. Maybe there are times when you feel that your Herculean efforts receive no recognition regardless of the money and time saved for your organization. Consider if you are asking “What’s wrong with my boss,” instead of a more important question like, “Where can I contribute more value on a daily basis?”

If you ask the right questions as you face the future because the past will influence it but not bring you truth; the answers will make more of a difference to you. 

Fear not and keep searching, even when it’s uncomfortable.

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

Are You Barn Burning or Barn Building?

A close friend of mine had a tragedy this summer when one of his livestock barns filled with 1,000 fresh bales of hay in the loft burned to the ground in twenty-two minutes.  He barely got from the barn where he was feeding horses at the top of the hill down to the engulfed structure to see the end.  The horses there were already in the pasture; all the chickens had escaped.

It was weeks before he could clean up all the scrapped metal fixtures, put his hands on the decomposed melted equipment, push it all to the side and begin to think about the next steps - knowing that fall in the mountains was already starting to change the color of the leaves, that the animals had to have their home before snow fell.

This was the barn that his mom and dad built.  It was function and “form” — the foundation of their livelihood.  Every morning when he woke, the image he saw was a soot pile.  Every evening, a glimmer of panic another fire would happen to another building. 

He began to plan the new barn, going deep into his property to mark the trees for felling and planking to build the new barn.  He started marking the ground for the new posts, using the vision in his mind about how he wanted his future to look in order to define his present, using what he had learned in his past.

One or two people would come now and then to help, but he got started with ingenuity to figure out how to make a post plumb with only two hands and some of the remaining farm equipment.

The vision starts to take shape - and then neighbors arrive.  Just like Americans used to do, neighbor helping neighbor. Investment in the welfare of your own community, seeing how you could help.  Making things better, learning what to do even if you’d never done it before.

Problems aren’t always about money.  Time.  Helping hands.  Brain-power to strategize.  A four-wheeler buddy to mark the best hemlock and pine.  Someone bringing an Amish father to use his family’s hands and experience.

The Amish started helping, making improvements in their own way and using their own language.  If you’ve never built a barn with Amish men, it’s quite something to see a young man three stories off the ground walking on a two inch header as they install the rafters.

These particular neighbors don’t usually interact with a lot of folks, don’t do things the same way; they dress differently than most and speak in different tongues - yet their contribution for someone they didn’t know raised half a barn in astonishing speed and accuracy yesterday.

Know anyone in your neighborhood, in your community, that doesn’t look like you or dress like you?  Ever talk with them to see if you have something in common besides the streets on which you live?  Have you needed help and think you know the type of person you need?

Thinking you have all the answers or know the “right” people that can help is barn burning.  Turn to each other and offer a hand to be a barn building community.  Listen to new perspectives.  Become invested in something — it could mean more than anything you’ve previously known.

After all, it’s a shame when you’re not invested in anything; it leads to closed doors and people who believe “knowing it all” gives them a right to scream in support of nothing.  You know the next line - if you don’t believe in something, you’ll fall for anything.

Help your community, get to know your neighbors again.  Build a new vision together, dreaming of what’s possible instead of complaining about what is.

Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away and you might just learn something new to add to your “great-full” list.

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

Never Say "I Can't"

You can get a lot accomplished in twenty-five years. 

Or you can watch everything go. 

Twenty-five years ago, a healthy young man had a soaring career and was shockingly diagnosed with a debilitating disease after having some strange problems at work one day. Starting with problems walking and holding still, muscles began to deteriorate. Tremors formed. Memory faded.

He hid the truth for seven years, trying to cope around his fears and mask things with alcohol. Realizing that was making things worse, he sobered up and turned around.

He flat out told everyone and became an advocate - even when it meant testifying in front of Congress when not on his medication.  

Creating a new path for his amazing talent, he continued his career involving humor and education on what people like us can do for people like him.

Most of his international awards were earned after he was diagnosed.

This weekend, the incurable optimist (in his own words) nailed a performance he did thirty years ago - the lead singer is so captured by watching him play that he almost misses his cue to sing.

Fighting for change never stops, especially when you never say "I can't" because if he can, think of what you can.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j84qHoPmfnM 

Stick with the A-B-Cs

I delivered a package to someone and decided to walk it to the house. The shortest route there (since I was doing some heavy lifting) was easiest, but I took the scenic route to return.  

If I hadn't chosen the longer path, I would have missed the five deer that ran down the side of the hill and watched me walk past them.  I felt like an intruder with these majestic animals in their beautiful surroundings. 

You can hear it coming, but aren't always sure what it is.  You can feel something changing, but can't put your finger on it.  You may smell change in the air, but don't know which way the wind is blowing.

Those three things happening swiftly reminded me to keep my head up and eyes open.  If you aren't taking time to experience "where you're at," all the planning in the world won't matter when you get to where you think you're supposed to be.

Those kindergarten lessons are always good ones.  Sorry the image isn't better quality - I was more focused on being twenty feet from them than focusing the image.  Living the experience rather showing it off - if only selfie sticks could be banned.

ALWAYS keep your eyes open...BELIEVE in yourself... CREATE opportunities... DON'T wait for extraordinary... EXPECT the unexpected... FRESH beginnings are fabulous... GRACE under pressure is good... HARD work pays off... IGNORE negativity... JUST breathe... KEEP the Faith!... LOVE wholeheartedly... MAKE it happen... NEVER too late to start... OFFER to help... PLEASE is appropriate... QUITTERS failed before trying... READ and learn... STAY true to yourself... TAKE time for loved ones... UNDERSTAND obstacles are detours... VICTORY can be yours... WAIT patiently (but not too long)... eXPRESS your feelings... YOU are beautiful... ZEST for life is contagious.

Own Your Story

The last day of the month usually has people clamor, “I can’t believe how fast the month passed!”  This month, homes around our country clean up and prepare for the coming warmer season and we find things that remind us of our past.  Some get safely stored while other reminders are thrown away.  But it never fails that we are always a bit “surprised” at how time flies.  While time is constant (flashback to physics classes), our perception of time changes as we age.

When we were younger, car rides to our grandparents’ home seemed to take forever though as we got older, we’d gladly take all the time we needed to get to spend time with loved ones.

When we were younger, the time we had to take tests in school seemed way too short; when we’re older, we realize tests are more than just a classroom exercise and some actually take years to successfully answer one question.

When we were younger, we could change who we were by dressing up in a different outfit (even if there was that one favorite costume) and today… we all need to realize if there is something uncomfortable about ourselves or if we have wishes that are unfulfilled, we can change it!

You need to own your story and tell the world who you are.  It’s more than the job you hold, the place you live, or with whom you spend your time.  There are pieces and parts of your life that influence who you are and how your story is written.  Just because you’ve done a job for five years - or 15 years - doesn’t mean that you need to stick with that role.

Achieved status means things we’ve accomplished in our lives.  It means we have worked to create another building block of our life. The choices we make say a lot about who we are.

You can achieve anything you want.

Then, make sure you tell your story that consistent with you who have become.  What would the title of your story be?  Strategy isn’t just for the workplace - it’s about being your authentic self and letting others know who you are.

https://hbr.org/2016/03/how-to-build-a-strategic-narrative

Paying It Forward

It would be a leading question to ask if anyone has ever helped you.  Of course they have.  But when was the last time you really thought about someone who helped you?

What's the first memory of a person stepping up to assist you - was it memories in childhood or a more recent memory in a workplace?  Timing makes a difference.  We are conditioned to jump to conclusion that something is negative, that the years that have past always mean something bad. Not true!

If you immediately were whisked back to your youth, you have a strong connection to values, which were instilled by your family, and your family is important to you.  They shape your life and the things that you do every day.  

Conversely, if a more recent work situation came to mind, it shows that you have built a strong community where you landed after school. Strong relationships made a lasting impact as you were promoted in your profession.  The work you do is important to you.

By reviewing the things that are deeply important to you on a more regular basis, you can make sure you "walk the walk."  Be it formal mentoring of a recent graduate, taking a single opportunity to help a neighbor in a snowstorm, volunteering on a regular basis for a non-profit, or dreaming big and putting into action a project like the vision for veterans below, you can be kind - exponentially - and be the change you want to see in the world.

When we take these ideas to the big picture in our community, we realize the beauty of what's created by seeing everything come together; we better see that people aren't all the same color, shape and size (as in the photo above).  We can make the whole better by helping the individual pieces.

Notice the title of this post is composed using an action verb - Paying.   Helping should not be a one-stop trip, but an ongoing process.  The approaching weekend is the "official" Pay It Forward weekend, starting on Friday and concluding Sunday evening.  But why let someone else put limits on your time?  Decide for yourself how much you owe to others for helping you, and continue paying it forward with interest.

http://www.nola.com/business/index.ssf/2016/01/veterans_housing_new_orleans_b.html 

Don't Get Too Comfortable

"He who dies with the most toys wins."  Many people look to collect the most creature comforts and make themselves a very cushy life.  How we appear to others on the outside means a whole heck-of-a-lot to many, many people.  Our bank accounts and assets define success to this group.  Some people just want to scratch the surface and create a calm, peaceful life - and that works for them.

But, what about who you are on the inside?  Your inner self shines through to everything that you do.  There are people who want to do more than scratch the surface.  They ask questions, hold people to higher standards (perhaps the legal standards), and work to make their community a better place.  It's not easy, and it sure isn't comfortable.

There are many controversial people in the limelight that are being defined by others - Caitlyn Jenner (gender), Rachel Dolezal (race), and even the Pope (religion): topics etiquette says not to discuss at cocktail parties.  Whether you agree with them and their perspectives or not, they are taking a huge step away from comfort and created conversations about values.

Stand up and be tall - and try to be as tall figuratively as this super star in the story below.  He hasn't been in a major spotlight for himself for decades, but has always looked at what is the right thing to do.  We should all be conscious and mindful of the right things - comfort in the soul isn't always comfort on a couch, but you sure do sleep better at night!

http://www.npr.org/2015/11/01/453739566/kareem-abdul-jabbar-if-its-time-to-speak-up-you-have-to-speak-up

What Do You Value Most?

If you were working on a team in the 90s, it is likely that you played some team-building games - or you may have even played The Question Box Game or Table Topics game at home with friends and family members.  A question asked may be “if you were on a dessert island, what are the three things that you want with you?” These playfully oriented questions are painted to reveal where someone’s beliefs and ethics fall in a more relaxed manner than what could be comfortably revealed an “inquisition”, so to speak.

Investments frequently give insights to someone’s values, too.  If you put your money where your social responsibilities align, then you feel comfortable knowing that your investments support the community habits and projects you choose to support.  Perhaps you put your money on “Made in America”, showing that even if the costs of construction are a little higher here, you want to invest where you live and your national community.  Then again, you may just select stock that is high risk in order to maximize returns - and that’s okay, too.

New opportunities for investments include fine arts - including paintings, sculpture and wines.  These unique objects cannot be replicated and never truly duplicated (only mimicked).  Returns on purchases of master paintings, original sculptures or fine wines increase independently of the  stock market.  It’s about the value to the eyes of the beholder… and the one who covets that prize.

You can take a hobby into a fun investment and learn new things at the same time.  But watch your security systems - who knew that you could steal a bottle of wine and sell it for $25,000 or more?  Or that $2.5 million in wine was easy to heist?

What this article really tells you is that someone who choses fine art realized he had a hot bottle of wine and did the right thing - returned it to the rightful owner at a huge financial hit.  But it was the right thing to do instead of furthering sour grapes.  He did have a reputation, though, in that small circle of doing the right thing and that matters more than an old bottle.

Make good investments and choices in your life.  When things start to ferment, it can only get explosive and sour from there.  Remember what matters most and act on it.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/10/21/449975059/grand-theft-vino-higher-wine-prices-are-attracting-more-thieves 

Polite Satisfaction

I was recently traveling for business, and was pleasantly refreshed about the polite manners business people showed not only to one another, but also to service workers. College students, presumably witnesses to this routinely nice commentary, mimicked the polite thanks and quips of "have a nice day" to service personnel - from restaurant staff to bus drivers. How admirable!

And surprising. Living in the Deep South, which is supposedly the epitome of culture and chivalry, I realized that the niceties are given more frequently upward. Deference and politeness are overly exuberant toward persons of higher rank. Alas, these genteel folks aren't so appreciative in thanking someone for bringing tabasco to the dining table or opening a door for someone who's hands are full if it doesn't seem like they can get something out of it. There is an aura of expectation that others simply perform what they consider menial tasks for them - even when the tobacco is set on a service area for them to access themselves.

Many suppositions could be made for why the upward deference remains in the south. But, I cannot imagine why you cannot be polite to everyone. Why would anyone choose to be self-isolated on a beautiful day and not even share a smile of not mutter a thank you?

Perhaps the message of community needs to be reinforced without huge natural or manmade disasters in the south again. Community is important, regardless of where you are or when you lived. When a community is weak and propped up essentially on propaganda, it's not healthy for anyone and the smoke and mirrors will eventually focus the light in the right direction to see the puppeteer behind the curtain.

Even in the 1800s, there were guardians of propriety as well as doing the right thing - and it was everyone looking out to make sure everyone was ok, well-informed, and not rudely overstepping bounds or takin advantage of others. The link below is interesting for many reasons, but it shows how society viewed things such as the sanctity of someone's home.

It's a shame that people have forgotten why being nice and doing the right things are important (and it doesn't cost a thing). But you don't have to go along with the crowd - stand out and stand up for what's right and polite.

http://www.npr.org/sections/npr-history-dept/2015/10/16/448709223/12-etiquette-screw-ups-in-1896

Investing Wisely

Everyone should be investing for their future - not only with education and math, as has been the focus of recent posts, but also with their money.  There has been lots of news about bears and bulls, who's making big salaries off investments, and more.  We get tired of hearing about how much we should be investing, what are good investments (or not), and even being 'pushed' into options based on our age.

But what if you invested your money with your heart instead of your head?  What if you picked something because you liked the "look" of it?  Have you invested in a company because you like what they make and the way in which they make it?  Perhaps they are environmentally conscious or they may invest back into the community for projects near to your heart.  Good reasons to check the investment box.

If you live as you believe, then it truly fits to put money where your mouth is - your wallet should align to what you say to others "matters most" to you, so you aren't just talking a good game.  If you believe in using in environmentally products, shouldn't you consider the stocks in which you are investing, so it's not preaching about projects that are good enough for cocktail conversation but not having other support from you?

While experts make good recommendations, you should always make choices based on your comfort level.  You never know when your $2.00 will yield $5,000,000 after a one year investment - and you picked it just because you liked it.  And, that is some good math right there!

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2015/10/15/448993361/-2-photo-found-at-junk-store-has-billy-the-kid-in-it-could-be-worth-5-million

Remember Whose You Are

Many musicians are known by the instruments they play.  Keith Richards' 1950s Fender Telecaster named "Micawber".  Joseph Bell's 1713 Stradivari that is only known as "he".  Coltrane's saxophone, Gillespie's trumpet.  The great musicians are often only half of an intimate duo.  They helped create an instrument's brand and future generations try to live up to that name.  When it's good, it's really good.

And the next line of that poem goes along like "and when he's bad, he's very very bad."  Back in the day, kids knew if they did something out of line, that a neighbor would call their parents and before they got home, there was already a lecture coming.  Parents were highly involved, neighbors had an "eye out" for the wee ones in the community.

There was no doubt in years past where you belonged and your home.  If you got that lecture when stepping out of line, there was little doubt that you would be reminded that you were a reflection on your parents.  You were reminded that when you were out and about, you needed to "remember whose you are."  You are a direct reflection on your family name and on God (or your family's deity).

Take some time to read this article, to have your eyes open.  Make your life better.  Have your priorities right.  Remember Whose You Are - live up to your name.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/pearls-before-breakfast-can-one-of-the-nations-great-musicians-cut-through-the-fog-of-a-dc-rush-hour-lets-find-out/2014/09/23/8a6d46da-4331-11e4-b47c-f5889e061e5f_story.html

What Comes After Lions?

One of the earliest lessons we teach children comes is identifying dangers. Even when dancing down the yellow brick road, there are warnings of lions and tigers. 

It's the wild and wooly west this week in the media, and yesterday's lion brought us to today's  next big cat - leopard.  You see, the basic needs of all animals must be met - such as food or water - or rapid deterioration ensues of whatever society and hierarchy has been established. The leopard was thirsty; an unattended bucket had water. Natural progression to try to drink. 

But, the size of the problem was underestimated by the fierce feline.  He got stuck in a new problem while solving his other problem. Tigers are not ones to ask for help - and it's good that people still want to help a beast that could kill them with the flick of a claw. 

Some people rushed to help - not hurt, not avoid, not make fun of the plight of the tiger. Six hours and many hands made the work a success. And the tiger and people went on their ways, unharmed. 

Yet some people stood at the wayside, waiting to see the outcome of man versus beast versus pot. How useful is that? So do you want to lead a rescue or watch others take action?

Another "Big Cat" comes to mind, more than 200 years ago in the Songs of Experience that served as the companion of Songs of Innocence. The Tyger is the retort to The Lamb, from stanza two:

In what distant deeps or skies

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand, dare seize the fire?

Seize your fire and run with Tygers toward your dreams.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2015/sep/30/pot-head-leopard-gets-head-stuck-in-pan-video 

(As a bonus, if you are a person who needs the trifecta, the trilogy, the story as originally sung on that yellow brick road - never fear. The bear story is here:  http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/10/151001-grizzly-bears-animals-science-conservation-nation/)

Do the Right Thing

We need to be kind to one another and help each other out.  Different people are given different talents and different abilities - it's what makes the world so interesting.

And when we stop to help one another, it makes life all worth while.   It's free to be nice.  Being mean takes more work and ends up costing you in the long run.

Don't think about the dollar, don't think about "not my job" - benefits will come flowing back to you when you do the right thing.  You can't blame other people for everything that's wrong if you don't help to make it right.

This is what being part of a community truly means.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/javiermoreno/this-photo-of-a-mcdonalds-worker-helping-an-old-man-eat-will#.ugW9E4yq2

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

Keep the Spice in Your Life

Variety is the spice in life.  Making sure you don't work too hard... or play too hard... ensures that you have balance and diversity in the things you do everyday.

But, it seems that as we do more things in the workplace and rely more on technology, we forget the basics of life.  Trust the experts (that what they teach above all else in the MBA schools, as they teach you to be an expert in your field).  Food sustains life.  What if we balance our food plate with a variety of colors... just like we should be encouraging our workplaces to have a variety of races and ethnicities?

The basics of life, according to Maslow's hierarchy of need, is food and shelter.  Most people don't forget about shelter, but the importance of the right food choices goes to the wayside.  If you don't fuel your car properly, it shuts down (and is expensive to repair) and likewise for the human body!

Balance in your meals is important, just like balance in other areas of life.  When you skip a meal, you are imbalanced.  You become sluggish and unable to concentrate.  When you over-indulge, you are so uncomfortable that you also are unable to concentrate (as all the blood is being used to digest your food).

What if we, in the business world, committed to working toward something better?  When we are able to encourage or set good examples - either in our workplace cafeterias or when little ones watch our food choices - so that we aren't always skipping fresh veggies or don't always drown our meat in rich sauces.  The same thing goes for selecting the right employees to work for our company mission.

If you don't have something from each food group representing the different nutrients you need, you will fall short.  Same thing in business - if you just have one type of employee, you won't be able to creatively grow and increase your revenue.  Life doesn't work when you just eat one thing, what makes us think creating and sustaining business would work that way, either?

Create and encourage more of what you need - either in food or the food of business (employees!)

http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2015/09/19/441494432/the-u-s-doesnt-have-enough-of-the-vegetables-were-supposed-to-eat

Inspiration

Music is colorblind.  It’s fabulous and soaring.  It’s one of the true places where the product is able to be judged on its own merits.  As one of the pillars of the fine arts, music can be created by anyone - and when you can play or sing in one of the finest halls in the world, there’s no feeling quite like it.

Two other fine arts outlets are similarly situated as equal opportunity.  Painting is similar, moving the person with colors and emotion.  Literature and writing can also transport the reader to far away lands, all with the descriptions that bring vivid life to your own living room.

But, why are we still a community that, indeed, judges a book by it’s cover?  I was surprised in this article that the industry person make such a grotesque and blatant statement of prejudice and generalization.  Many times, personal beliefs creep in under the darkness of contracts and promotional outlets and brand positioning.  To see it in black and white, no pun intended, brings a realization that we have a lot more work to do in order to appreciate creativity and vivaciousness for the blessings they truly are.

If you work, work hard at ensuring equality and fairness and promoting an open-minded culture.  The benefits reaped by companies who are socially responsible as well as encouraging of brilliance will see the bottom line increase exponentially.  You will miss so much if you take steps forward looking only in one direction - explore and expand your horizons.  And if you are one of the creative souls, keep at it - your light will be seen.  We promise.

You read the article, but listen to the youtube clip first… with your eyes closed and let your imagination soar, then see the book’s cover in the article below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEIVzWCRSg8  

http://www.npr.org/2015/09/17/440603268/with-stereotypes-a-duo-raised-on-hip-hop-and-classical-has-it-both-ways 

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

Thank You...

To all of those who give their all to protect our way of life.

Never forget.

What Can Your Dollar Get You?

There's a song that includes the refrain "don't tell me what to say." Thank goodness we have people who embody this as well as the previous line to that song, "don't tell me what to do."


Last week, I shared a story how paper was used to filter water in order to make it safe to drink. This week, paper is a microscope that enhances an image 2,000 times - and can be a projector, too.


If even just these two inventors of the filter and microscope did what people suggested, the world wouldn't be as rich as it is today.  Both of them relayed stories about nay-sayers and people that discouraged their creativity.  Be brave and don't listen to people who don't encourage you!


If you are working on your alphabet from Monday's post and need a good "E", perhaps "encouraging curiosity" is a good fit.  And consider "I" to be "invest" - in socially responsible projects, in things that can change the world (and not just fill it with more stuff).


http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2015/09/one-dollar-origami-microscope-foldscope/403156/

Pick A Side

The modern world functions 'best' when people pick sides. Sadly, it's encouraged to have a non-collaborative society. Recent history shows inflammation between races, genders, geographies, political parties, religions, companies - this list goes on and on, feeding the media frenzy. 

Lately, there have been opportunities for people to talk about history but only one side is invited to the table. Even on the eve of the Katrina anniversary (when there are so many other progressive things to discuss), here in New Orleans, Hizzoner (as the press calls him) has a panel of his friends and supportive business colleagues discuss the monuments for confederate soldiers that only distract from the real issues the city faces ten years after the storm – yet the “open public meeting” didn’t have time for “the people” to talk and they still voted the way they wanted, with propaganda that their solution is what the people want.  Real progress is what people want – we could start there J

If two sides could have a calm discussion on any topic, it wouldn't make for hot news.  People forget, but it's NOT good manners to point out the flaws of other people.  As a counter attack to the regular nit-picking, several people in the last few days started pointing out flaws within their own group. 

Two articles in two different publications by two different freelance writers take their own “group” and show them the problems with their own group's behavior. This isn't an outsider telling someone else what they're doing wrong. It's a great way to help shape the conversation from within. It's a great risk, but there's no greater reward than improving the lives around you.  There have been quite a few of these types of stories lately… maybe folks should start paying attention and taking appropriate action.

If you want change in the world, you need to be the change. These two authors should be commended for starting a conversation (as you know they'll feel the heat from within the group of the culprit-types they highlight).

http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/7/stop-telling-women-how-to-talk.html 

http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/08/09/fashion/masculinities-studies-stonybrook-michael-kimmel.html?referrer=  

(Though Ms. Bennett writes the article, she merely relays Professor Michael Kimmel's study and resulting program)