EarthAsylum Weblog by Kevin Burkholder

Strengths, Talent and the One Thing

Kevin — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 10:58:00 +0000

On strengths

A strength is a naturally occurring talent multiplied by knowledge and skill.

Knowledge is that which is learned.

Skill is knowledge put to practice.

Knowledge and skill increase with experience, education, and use.

Talent is inborn. It is a natural propensity. It cannot be learned.

Talent alone is not enough. A person may have a natural propensity towards music (or art, or sports) but without practice and education, the talent goes to waste.

You may have a talent towards communication but without practical use, experience, knowledge and skill, your talent does little for you.

Strengths, weaknesses and the 80/20 rule.

Spend 80 percent of your time working on strengths (talent), 20 percent on weaknesses.

In the time you spend on your own development, concentrate most of your time (80%) on your natural talents. This will bring you the greatest success, satisfaction and fulfillment. Spend 20% of that time becoming aware of and overcoming your weaknesses.

Not everyone can be successful at anything. The old (American) adage that “if you work hard enough you can be whatever you want” is false. You can do anything you have talent for. You can achieve high levels of success in areas in which you can apply your talents. Wanting isn’t enough - unless what you want coincides with your talent or you can use your talents in achieving what you want.

Strengths, life and the path of least resistance.

As in nature, all things follow the path of least resistance; your path of least resistance is in your talents. It is what comes natural to you. It is the calm waters with the wind filling your sail taking you to your best possible self.

Discover and do what you are meant to do. It is the easiest and most rewarding path you can take.

Step outside of this path and you struggle. It’s the stormy waters, it’s sailing against the wind. It’s working, struggling, fighting for little gain or satisfaction.

We all have to do things that we are not talented at, in which we have a weakness, or which we just don’t like. If these things are taking too much of our time, we are off course, we are off of our path, and we are being dragged down. These things take our energy and give little reward.

The one thing you need to know

For Sustained Individual Success (from Markus Buckingham’s book “the one thing you need to know”)

Discover what you don’t like doing and stop doing it

What is Sustained Individual Success?

Sustained Success is making the greatest possible impact over the longest period of time.
1. Requires that you take your natural talents and your enthusiasm and apply yourself to learning role-specific skills and knowledge. [Strength = Talent (Knowledge + Skills)]
2. “Something special must leave the room when you leave the room.” – P. Drucker

Contenders for the “one thing”

Find the right tactics and employ them.
1. Doesn’t tell you how to avoid becoming a commodity.
2. You have different strengths, weaknesses, interests, background, and experience.
3. Your individuality, not the process, must be the focus.
Find your flaws and fix them
1. The most commonly held view in the US.
2. Falsely assumes your greatest room for growth is in your areas of weakness.
3. You will not, in fact, learn the most in the areas of your weakness.
4. You will not feel most energized and challenged when fixing your flaws.
Discover your strengths and cultivate them.
1. Strengths are a consistent part of your personality.
2. You are most successful when your strengths mesh with the challenge facing you.
3. Focusing on strengths will lead to success. Finding roles that play to, or building your roles around your strengths will bring about success.
4. Success will bring about changes – new challenges, responsibilities, and opportunities. Many tempting, but few that continue to use your strengths.
5. Those changes that don’t play to your strengths, innocuous as they may seem, will actually start to drag you off your best path.
6. To sustain your success, you must keep yourself alert to subtle changes and take action to correct your course.

Falsehoods

It doesn’t matter if you like your work; you just have to be good at it.
1. You may well be good at activities you don’t enjoy, but your enjoyment is the fuel to keep practicing, to keep stretching, investing, and pushing yourself to greater levels.
You need a little difficulty in your life, a little grit. No grit, no pearl.
1. Grit will only grind you down. Time spent in an activity that grates on you is poorly invested time. You will learn little and it will leave you weaker.
Only those already successful have the luxury of cutting their dislikes out of their job.
1. This is backwards. People who are successful became so because they were unwilling to tolerate aspects of their jobs they didn’t like. Their intolerance caused their success.

What percentage of your day do you spend doing those things you really like?

To sustain your success, assess where and how you are spending your time.
When the answer to this question is below 70 percent, identify the activities getting in the way and take action to remove them.
The more effective you are at this, the more creative, resilient, valuable, and thus the more successful you are.

Quit the role, tweak the role, seek out the right partners, or find an aspect of the role that brings you strength. The longer you put up with aspects of your work you don’t like, the less successful you will be. So, as far as you are able, and as quickly as you can, stop doing them and then see what the best of you, now focused and unfettered, can achieve.

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My Strength Themes

Kevin — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 12:50:00 +0000

According to the Gallup StrengthsFinder® assessment, my top 5 strengths or strength themes are Intellection, Adaptability, Connectedness, Strategic, and Input.

So, what is a “strength” or a “strength theme”?

Talent is, according to Gallup, a naturally recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior. Knowledge is that which is learned, and skill is knowledge put into practice.

Strength is talent multiplied by knowledge and skill.

When we speak of a “strength” or “strength theme” we’re speaking of one of the 34 “themes” developed by Gallup for their StrengthFinder assessment. Although, using our definitions above, these are really “talent” themes as apposed to “strength” themes. The StrengthsFinder is designed to identify “naturally recurring patterns of thought, feeling, or behavior”.

That there is only 34 defined themes does not limit the population to a specific set of strengths or talents. I’m sure there are other people in the world with the exact same top 5 strength themes as myself. Does that mean that they’re the same as me?

Hardly. Discovering your strength themes is only the beginning. It’s opening the door to further exploration and insight. Everybody develops and uses their strengths in accordance with their own personality, life style, and circumstances. Thus these “themes” are just that – themes or underlying qualities.

To truly understand your strength themes takes, first, awareness, then continued observation of your own actions and preferences as well as reflection on how your strengths manifest themselves in your daily life.

While I won’t go into all 34 themes in this article, here is a list of those themes and you can find out more at The Clifton StrengthFinder Center.

Achiever
Activator
Adaptability
Analytical
Arranger
Belief
Command
Communication
Competition

Connectedness
Consistency
Context
Deliberative
Developer
Discipline
Empathy
Focus
Futuristic

Harmony
Ideation
Includer
Individualization
Input
Intellection
Learner
Maximizer
Positivity

Relator
Responsibility
Restorative
Self-Assurance
Significance
Strategic
Woo

As I discuss my strength themes, first let me say that the definitions and discussions offered by Gallup go into much greater detail than the short descriptions I’m providing here.

1. Intellection

“People strong in the Intellection theme are characterized by their intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.”

2. Adaptability

“People strong in the Adaptability theme prefer to "go with the flow." They tend to be "now" people who take things as they come and discover the future one day at a time.”

3. Connectedness

“People strong in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.”

4. Strategic

“People strong in the Strategic theme create alternative ways to proceed. Faced with any given scenario, they can quickly spot the relevant patterns and issues.”

5. Input

“People strong in the Input theme have a craving to know more. Often they like to collect and archive all kinds of information.”

My first two thoughts after reading a bit about these strength themes were 1) in regard to Intellection – isn’t everybody like this? And 2) in regard to Adaptability and Strategic – aren’t these a contradiction?

Particularly with our top strength theme, it may be so ingrained in us that we pretty much assume that it is a natural human quality and not something that is unique to ourselves.

While, on one hand, I may say “isn’t everybody like this?” Others will say “wow, there’s really people like that.”

In regard to the Adaptability and Strategic themes – this was an early eye opener for me. I know I’m a very adaptable person. I easily “go with the flow” and rarely make detailed plans in my daily life. Days have a life of their own and even if I plan out my day, early on those plans go out the window because things happen and I adapt.

On the other hand, I also know that I can be very strategic. I see the potential future results of plans and actions taken today and can base decisions on what I see in the future. Throw Connectedness into it, I can see (connect) plans with results that others may think are totally unrelated.

In most cases, Adaptability trumps Strategic. What I learned was that, when necessary, I had to be deliberately strategic. I had to consciously put aside my adaptable tendencies in order to allow myself to be strategic.

Input and Intellection kind of go hand in hand and I see them manifesting themselves on a daily basis. I like to read and I like to read about new things that, for whatever reason, pique my interest and give me reason to think.

Here’s an example of what very often happens... I’m looking up information about a particular open-source software package on the Internet. I find the site I’m looking for and I’m reading all about the software (far more than I needed to know at that time). As I’m reading, I come across the bios on the developers. I find out one of the developers is from Vienna, Austria. The next thing I know, I’m reading the history of Austria when I finally shake my head and say “wait a minute, all I needed to know was how to use a certain function in the software.”

Now let me tell you about the “circle of death”.

My “Input” theme means, for me, that I like information. In particular, I like information about people. I like to talk with people. Actually, I like to listen to people – especially when they’re telling me something about themselves.

My “Intellection” theme, in this case, makes me think about what someone has told me. After a conversation, I will most likely be thinking about what you said and reflecting on the information you gave me.

And, of course, I’ll “Connect” that with other things that I know about you or other situations we’ve shared together or past conversations we’ve had together.

After all of this reflection, I may adapt myself to the “new” information I now know about you and I may treat you, react to you, or think about you differently (this shouldn’t be construed as a bad thing, rather this is a better understanding of who you are).

I may also develop new “Strategies” for the future of our relationship (depending on what that relationship is, of course).

Lastly, given all of this new information, I’m going to want to know more. I need more input. And the cycle starts over.

Chances are, if I let this out of control, you’re going to get tired of me, even frustrated with me (some of you know exactly what I mean). On the other hand, when I keep this to a healthy level, we are very likely to develop a decent inter-personal relationship and a good understanding of each other.

Something I value but maybe others don’t. So I have to adapt.

I hope these examples show both the value and the detriment of Strengths. Remember, talent is a “naturally recurring pattern of thought, feeling, or behavior”. As such, strengths are what comes naturally. It is important and advantageous to learn what your talents are and to develop them in to strengths. It’s equally important to know when and how to use your strengths to achieve the greatest effectiveness in your life. Something I’m still learning (and adapting to) every day.

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Coffee Break - Strengths

Kevin — Fri, 01 Jun 2007 12:47:00 +0000

“A true friend knows your weaknesses but shows you your strengths; feels your fears but fortifies your faith; sees your anxieties but frees your spirit; recognizes your disabilities but emphasizes your possibilities.”

-- William Arthur Ward

“At times, our strengths propel us so far forward we can no longer endure our weaknesses and perish from them.”

-- Friedrich Nietzsche

“Success is achieved by developing our strengths, not by eliminating our weaknesses”

-- Marilyn vos Savant

“Nothing can be more absurd than the practice that prevails in our country of men and women not following the same pursuits with all their strengths and with one mind, for thus, the state instead of being whole is reduced to half.”

-- Plato

“Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility of defeat. Concentrate on your strengths, instead of your weaknesses... on your powers, instead of your problems.”

-- Paul J. Meyer

“If human beings are perceived as potentials rather than problems, as possessing strengths instead of weaknesses, as unlimited rather that dull and unresponsive, then they thrive and grow to their capabilities.”

-- Barbara Bush

“In examining the potential of individuals, we must focus on their strengths and not just their mistakes. We cannot be limited by what they may have spilled in the kitchen.”

-- William Pollard

“A man who has never lost himself in a cause bigger than himself has missed one of life's mountaintop experiences. Only in losing himself does he find himself. Only then does he discover all the latent strengths he never knew he had and which otherwise would have remained dormant.”

-- Richard M. Nixon

“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

-- Charles Darwin

“Some of the best business and nonprofit CEOs I've worked with over a sixty-five-year consulting career were not stereotypical leaders. They were all over the map in terms of their personalities, attitudes, values, strengths, and weaknesses.”

-- Peter Drucker

“Willingness to change is a strength, even if it means plunging part of the company into total confusion for a while.”

-- Jack Welch

“There are two ways of exerting one's strength: one is pushing down, the other is pulling up.”

-- Booker T Washington

“When I dare to be powerful - to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid”

-- Audre Lorde

“"Great management is not about changing people. Great managers take people as is and then focus on releasing their talents.”

-- Marcus Buckingham

“The best strategy for building a competitive organization is to help individuals become more of who they are.”

-- Marcus Buckingham

What Are Your Strengths?

Kevin — Fri, 04 May 2007 14:13:00 +0000

There seems to be a renewed focus, in some circles, on strengths and “the strengths revolution”. Mostly caused by Marcus Buckingham’s new book “Go Put Your Strengths To Work” and his promotional tour.

I had the opportunity to attend one of his early seminars in this tour and was quite impressed with his passion and his presentation.

One of the more depressing facts that he brought out was that since he and Donald Clifton started this so-called strengths revolution, the numbers have gone down.

For example, in 2000, when asked, “which do you think will help you be most successful?” Only 41% of the respondents answered “building on your strengths” while 59% answered “fixing weaknesses”.

In 2006, the numbers were 37% and 63% respectively.

A 2005 survey showed that only 17% of people spend most of their day playing to their strengths.

In 2006, the number was 14%.

And here’s the one that really kicked me... When asked “When you talk with your manager about your performance what do you spend most time talking about?” - this is what we see:

Only 24% even talk about their strengths.

It’s surprising, yet it’s not. What I’ve seen is that, when being honest, people can readily tell you what their weaknesses are, what they don’t do well. But ask them what their strengths are, and they really have to think about it to come up with an answer.

Our obsession with weaknesses is so ingrained in us that we can’t break away. It started in childhood - whenever there was something that you weren’t good at in school, it became the focus of your (and your parent’s and your teacher’s) attention. Which gets more attention, the A or the F?

(Here’s a thought for parents... find out what strengths were used to produce that A and then figure out how to use those strengths to help pull up the F – don’t ask “why the F?”, ask “why the A?”).

I’ve spent a fair amount of time talking with people about strengths. Particularly, strengths at work. During my conversations, most people seem to understand the power and benefits of focusing on strengths yet nothing gets done. It’s not today’s priority. It’s not a hot item to work on. Yet it’s been shown time and time that focusing on strengths can increase productivity, increase profitability, increase customer satisfaction, decrease employee turnover, and decrease safety incidents – dramatically!

So we just don’t get it. Or maybe we get it, we just don’t know what to do with it. Many of you may have heard my criticism in the past that all of the books from Gallup and Buckingham that focus on strengths always tell us what we need to do – but they don’t tell us how to do it. I think that’s where we get stuck. It makes sense, but how do we implement a strengths based performance program? What does it mean to “discover your strengths”? How can I focus on my strengths when I have to get this (whatever “this” may be) done today?

I think that maybe the best way I can help answer some of these questions is to share my own strengths and my own observations (positive and negative).

I’ll go through my 5 top strengths – according to the Clifton Strengths Finder assessment – and share some of the experiences I’ve had in regard to those strengths...

(Intellection, Adaptability, Connectedness, Strategic, and Input)

...next month.

In the mean time, let me share a few more statistics from Buckingham’s presentation...

Why did you take your current Job?

How often do you feel an emotional high from your work?

Do you have the freedom to modify your job to fit your strengths better?

It seems that conventional wisdom tells us that building on strengths at work may be an appealing theory but it won’t actually work. Too many people would be running to their manager or to Human Resources and complain that they’re hindered from sculpting their job in a manner that best suites their strengths, or that they’re simply in the wrong position and that they should be transferred (say, to CEO, or something more suitable).

However, when a national sample of the workforce were asked what their ideal job is, 60% answered “what I’m doing now with increased responsibility” or “a specialized subset of what I’m doing now”. Only 31% indicated a different job.

Asked why they took their current job and most answer “a greater opportunity to do more of what I like to do.”

Asked how often they feel an emotional high, and 51% say “about once a week.”

Ask them whether they have had the chance to modify their role to fit their strengths and 50% agree that they do.

What this says is that we’re really not that far off. Sure many of us are grossly miscast. But most of us have at least some control over our own activities and most of us are in suitable roles for our strengths.

What the numbers show is that organizations don’t need to re-align jobs and individuals don’t need to hold out for the perfect or “dream” job. Instead, the challenge is:

“How can we gradually but deliberately increase how often each person plays to his strengths? How can we get people from ‘once a week’ to ‘most of the time’?

The Abilities of Peak Performers

Kevin — Fri, 04 May 2007 14:11:00 +0000

According to a 19-year study conducted by Charles Garfield, Author of the widely acclaimed Peak Performance trilogy: Peak Performers, Team Management and Second to None, there are ten make-or-break abilities that all peak performers have.

Mr. Garfield started by asking executives and managers to name the most outstanding leaders in their fields. He then conducted in-depth interviews with the 310 persons who were most frequently mentioned and as a result he identified the following ten attributes of peak performers.

1. Setting Goals

Peak performer, according to Garfield, set long-range goals and chart-detailed plans to achieve them. They analyze the steps they will need to achieve their goals, and what’s involved in each.

2. Upgrading Goals

Peak performers don’t just meet their goals. They constantly upgrade the goals once they met them. They use a progressive goal-setting method. As soon as one target or quota is met, they set a new, more difficult goal. They are always looking for ways to get out of the comfort zone.

3. Seeking Feedback

Peak performers seek expert advice and feedback more often than the average. They build a far-flung network of experts to rely on. They ask a lot of questions before making decisions and they are not shy in seeking the opinions of other people.

4. Risk Taking

Most good managers begin by researching a risk thoroughly. Some also turn to their support network asking for advice. The peak performers, however, go two steps further. First, they identify the worst possible outcome of taking the risk and see if they can live with it. This helps them to move ahead without having self-doubt. Secondly, they ask what would be the worst thing that could happen if they didn’t take the risk. Having these two questions answered is most helpful in making the decision.

5. Self Confidence

Garfield says, “Interestingly, I never heard the word ‘failure’ during my research. I heard ‘glitch’ or ‘screw up’ but never ‘failure.’ Peak performers develop a higher self-confidence because : 1. They so thoroughly prepare for all consequences. 2. They keep a running inventory of their strong points, and think back of times when their strengths helped them come through.

6. Pushing Ideas

Peak performers push longer and harder to get good ideas implemented. They don’t take the first, or second, no for an answer. The reason for this is that they have done sufficient research to be committed to their stake in the idea.

7. Responsibility and Control

Peak performers are always on the prowl for ways to expand the boundaries of their job well. They look for new ways to do their, and others’, jobs better.

8. Solving, Not Blaming

When something goes wrong, the average manager rushes to find a culprit, and affix blame. The result is that people around her/him become adept at protecting themselves. The peak performer approaches problems with a focus on solutions, not punishment. This encourages creativity in people.

9. Rehearsing

Peak performers rehearse much more than the average performers. “The actor who has rehearsed it 50 times is more likely to give a winning performance than the one who has gone over it three times.”

10. A Sense of Mission

without exception, the peak performers Garfield studied had a strong sense of mission. It isn’t money, fame, or glory they’re driven by. Rather, the most immediate impetus is a deep enjoyment of their work. A passion for work is what fuels true greatness.

Leadership Lessons from John and Elizabeth Edwards

Kevin — Fri, 04 May 2007 14:10:00 +0000

When Senator John Edwards, who is running for the office of the President of the United States for the 2008 election, stood beside his wife Elizabeth to announce that her cancer has returned and reached her bones, many Americans who watched the news conference were impressed with the way the Senator and his wife acted and communicated.

They decided to continue the campaign, which was clearly the wish of Elizabeth. We know that the qualities of leadership become most acute at times of crises. It seems that the Edwards' courageous and classy way of facing this challenge has actually helped their quest for the White House. Here are the lessons of leadership we learned from observing John and Elizabeth Edwards:

1- Candor

The Senator and his wife struck people as naturally honest and forthcoming in talking about their critical and personally painful situation, a quality not seen to that level of honesty in many, if not most, politicians. A leader must, before anything else, be authentic, so that followers can be assured that the vision they are committing to by supporting him or her is a real and possible one.

2- Courage

The courage exhibited clearly by Elizabeth Edwards as she faced her approaching mortality was truly inspiring. She said that she decided not to go to a corner and start dying. She wanted to live a useful life to the last breath. She seemed to feel that continuing her husband's campaign was both a personal fight-back approach for her and an important mission for the couple. Since they have two children ages six and eight, the family challenges and sacrifices are going to be huge. Having the courage to face these challenges and bear the sacrifices is an important quality of leadership.

3- Love

Love might not be often associated with leadership. But having the ability to love someone other than yourself, and love a mission that seems important to others as well as to self, is a capacity only great leaders have. The way Senator Edward talked about and to his wife, and the way she talked about and to him, during that news conference and subsequently in a 60 Minutes interview showed a strong, yet tender, capacity for true love between two human beings. People want to see that their leader is human and can relate to the way they feel, aspire, and suffer as human beings.

4- Role Models

Another almost extinct quality of many public figures in politics and business today is the ability to be a role model for others. Upon watching them on a more human level as they faced their personal challenges, people saw a couple that seemed to be suited to be a role model. While many leaders in politics and business have indulged in personal or ethical scandals and misbehavior, the Edwards seemed to exhibit qualities of decency, honesty, and tenderness. You don't see in their campaigns, past or present, the type of negative, aggressive, and nasty streaks that people find in most other campaigns. They offer a different vision for America, with a different definition of leadership and public service.

What A Dumb Idea

Kevin — Fri, 04 May 2007 14:03:00 +0000

Many things we take now for granted, were conceived as undoable, ridiculous or useless ideas.

Below are what people from the past said about some innovations that we use daily and can't imagine our life without them. The lesson? Don't be so fast in giving a negative evaluation of a new idea, even if it sounded ridiculous to you. Instead of a negative comment, ask: How can we possibly make this work?

Computers:

"Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons."

- Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949

"I think there is a world market for maybe five computers."

-Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943

"I have traveled the length and breadth of this country and talked with the best people, and I can assure you that data processing is a fad that won't last out the year."

-The editor in charge of business books for Prentice Hall, 1957

"But what ... is it good for?"

-Engineer at the Advanced Computing Systems Division of IBM, 1968, commenting on the microchip.

"There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home."

-Ken Olson, president, chairman and founder of Digital Equipment Corp., 1977

Telephone:

"This 'telephone' has too many shortcomings to be seriously considered as a means of communication."

-Western Union memo, 1876

Airplanes:

"Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."-Lord Kelvin, President, Royal Society, 1895." Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value."

-Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre.

The Six Levels of Empowerment

Kevin — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 15:00:00 +0000

Many managers view empowerment as something you either give or you don’t. Similar to delegation – you delegate a task or project to someone, thus you empower them to do that task or project.

However, delegation is wholly separate from empowerment. Delegation may involve empowering someone but the key to empowerment is at what level you actually give power and authority when you delegate.

Often delegation is the act of giving your work to someone else, not necessarily your power and authority.

Empowerment is more than delegation and it’s more than giving your power and authority.

It involves determining and expanding on the level of power and authority you are willing to give and the recipient is willing to take.

Empowerment is not simply empowerment. There are different levels, different applications, and different times and circumstances where you need to use different levels of empowerment with the people your are working with.

Each level of empowerment is progressive, meaning that level 1 is the lowest and gives the least amount of power whereas level 6 is the highest and gives the most amount of power.

One of the beauties of the six levels of empowerment is that it can be the basis of an employee development program. When you look at empowerment as an active plan and work to bring employees up the ladder and to also bring your willingness and trust up the same ladder, you can see just how powerful empowerment can be.

As we go through the six levels of empowerment, think not only of what each means but also how they apply to you in your own work experiences and to those who work for you.

The Six Levels of Empowerment [i]

Level One: You research; you report; I will decide.

Level one empowerment is the most basic and simple level. It simply says to an employee “you go do the research (for whatever it is) and report back to me what you find. I will make the final decision. I hold the power and authority.”

This may seem too simplistic for our definition of empowerment but you must keep in mind that each activity and each employee requires a specific level of empowerment. Level one may be appropriate for a new hire or for an extremely critical project.

From an employee risk standpoint, this is the safest level. Since the employee is not taking power and authority in making the decision, a bad decision falls on the shoulders of the manager, not the employee.

Level Two: You research; identify the alternatives; suggest one for implementation; I will decide.

Level two empowerment is only slightly but significantly different from level one. At level two you are not only asking an employee to research, you are also asking that they make a recommendation based off of their findings.

You, the manager, are still holding the power and authority to make the final decision but you’ve empowered your employee to have more input into that decision.

When using empowerment as an employee development program, level two starts to give you a better understanding of what the employee is capable of, how they think and work, and what their decision making processes are. The employee starts to take more responsibility and ownership in the work they are doing.

Level Three: You research; report what you intend to do; but wait for my approval.

Level three is, again, a subtle but significant difference from level two. Now you’ve given power and authority to your employee to make the decision. “Based off of your research, what are we going to do?” However, you have still retained the power and authority to approve or disapprove their decision.

The “wait for my approval” can be very difficult for people. How long should I wait? How often should I come back to you to see if you’ve made a decision? Are you happy with my suggestion or decision?

A manager actively working on an empowerment program must recognize these difficulties and be clear on their expectations and on setting their employees expectations. A simple “I’ll get back to you with my decision within the next x days” relieves the employee of the above stresses.

Of course, the employee should be responsible (and empowered) enough to be able to say “how long should I wait?”, “When can I expect your decision?”

Level Four: You research; report what you intend to do; do it unless I say “no.”

A slightly different twist from Level 3. Level four empowerment implies approval of whatever decision the employee has made. Now there is no waiting for your decision but the employee must know, or ask, what it is that may cause you to say “no”. In other words, what would stand in the way of “yes”. Whatever it is, it must be known ahead of time so the employee can ensure that any potential concerns are addressed.

Level 4 is the first truly empowered level for an employee. You, the manager, have given your decision making power and authority to the employee - while still holding the power of the “breaks”, the power to say “hold on, wait a minute…”.

Level Five: You research; take action; report what you did.

Level five is often the point where many employees will feel that they’ve “arrived”, that they’ve earned your trust and are able to work on their own and take full responsibility and ownership not only of specific tasks or projects, but of their entire role within the organization.

Level five is also the stopping point for many employees. For various reasons, employees may want to report what they’ve done. It may be to ensure that you’re aware of the (great) work that they’re doing, or it may be a feeling of obligation to keep you in the loop.

As with employees, many managers are also not willing to go past level 5. Managers often want and need to know what’s going on. They need to be in the loop if for no other reason than to answer to their manager (depending on their own level of empowerment).

Level Six: You research; take action, no further communication is necessary.

I think by now you get the progression. At level 6, you’re telling the employee that they’re on their own. They have the power and authority to do what they deem necessary to accomplish the goals of the department and/or the organization.

From an employee risk standpoint, this is where they are out on a limb, so to speak. Nobody is making decisions for them and nobody is watching over their shoulder to make sure that they’re making the right decision.

Level 6 may be a very uncomfortable place for employees. Many do not want to be “out on the limb”. In this case, it’s very easy for the employee to back up a level. Simply by keeping their manager informed about what they are doing (it could be as simple as an occasional email), they’re giving their manager the opportunity and knowledge to oversee their activities.

Conclusion

I believe that a basic understanding of the six levels of empowerment shows that empowerment is not a passive activity; it is an active, deliberate program that involves close examination of each circumstance and each employee.

It should be the manager’s goal to bring each individual up to the next level of empowerment and it should be each employee’s goal to achieve and except each progressive level.

I hope this overview of empowerment was meaningful and useful to you. I also hope that you will consider implementing your own empowerment program within your department and organization.

Think about how useful this tool can be – how powerful empowerment can be - and how much it can increase the quality and performance of your employees.

###

[i] Phillip Van Hooser, MBA,CSP, 2003,

The Leadership Journey: Practical Skills for Leadership Success.

How To Change Your Organization's Culture

Kevin — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 14:20:00 +0000

What about changing your organization? Can a small group of thoughtful, committed employees change the organization’s culture? The answer is yes. Here’s some helpful suggestions:

The most important lesson of all is that change is not about technology, or systems, or procedures, or cost. Change is first and foremost about people. Even when the change is due to the introduction of new technology, it is still about people, not technology. A change initiative that does not pay attention to people will almost certainly fail. Most of the reengineering efforts of the nineties failed because they focused on the procedural aspects of work, ignoring the crucial human side.
Make sure you have several champions of change at the leadership level and get them involved from the start.
Get a large enough group of good, positive, and energetic employees to participate in a number of teams, focusing on the various aspects of the change initiative; process redesign, training, organizational communication, systems, measurements, ideas, etc.
Provide only the broad highlights of the goals of the culture change effort. Let people come up with the ideas and detailed action plans themselves. Only when employees participate in the design will they be committed to the change. The more employees at all levels to participate, the more successful the change initiative will be. In fact, a significant part of the culture change takes place merely because people, through participation, feel empowered to shape their own work environment.
Use organization-wide communication through town-meetings, publications, intranet, and other media to share information, articulate the mission, and celebrate every success. Communication is a crucial tool for supporting the change effort.
Measure the key elements you want to change before and after. Without measurements, you will never know that you’ve succeeded.

More Is Less: Why Just Getting More Done Might Be Bad

Kevin — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 14:10:00 +0000

There is a flood of books, seminars, publications, tapes, and people who are ready and willing to tell you how to get more things done. However, just from the title of their message, it is clear that their emphasis is on quantity.

Henry Ford once said that he avoided doing too many things by starting his day with a long walk. The physical exercise made him too exhausted to do all what he was planning to accomplish and forced him to limit himself to the most important tasks.

Getting more things done is never a great goal to aim for. If you look at the great achievers throughout history, you’ll find that none of them achieved greatness because he or she got more things done. Each has gotten a few things done, but in a great way. Each produced a few ideas, but each idea was so good – it lasted for centuries.

Instead of trying to get more things done. It’s much better to try to get the few truly important things done better.

Six Tests To Determine: Is It Worth Dying For?

Kevin — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 14:00:00 +0000

According to Dr. Robert S. Elliot, stress may be the greatest single contributor to illness in the industrial world. In his book, “Is It Worth Dying For?”, he offers the following tests that help you understand your own feelings so that you can “live creatively” with stress.

The Tombstone Test

Clarifying one’s own values is essential to managing stress. To clarify your values ask yourself: “What would you like to have written on your tombstone? How would you like to be remembered? This question has a way of crystallizing personal values.

The Checkbook Test

Get your checkbook and make a list of where you have chosen to spend your money in the past twelve months. Take a close look at your discretionary expenses (other than your fixed expenses like rent, food, ..). many people never find the money to buy what they really want because they spend it on things they want less.

The Time Test

Make a list of all the thins you do in a normal month, plus what you do on special occasions. Such list has helped a man who was spending three hours a day on a crowded train to a city job to request a transfer to the suburb. The list helped him realize that an activity he assumed was necessary had nothing to do with what he really wanted from life.

The Pride Test

What personal accomplishments give you the most pride? Can the life you are living today provide more accomplishments like these?

The Adjective Test

What three qualities would you most like to see associated with your reputation? Is the life you are living today distinguished by these qualities?

The “Six-Month-to Live” Test

Suppose you only had six months to live. What would you choose to do, and not to do, in that time? Based on your answer, what changes would you do in your life now?

The Value of Empowerment (part 1 of 2)

Kevin — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 15:41:00 +0000

Empowerment – another over used buzzword and misused concept in today’s business. But what does empowerment mean and how can businesses and employees benefit from empowerment?

What does Empowerment mean?

According to Wikipedia: “In the sphere of management and organizational theory, "empowerment" often refers loosely to processes for giving subordinates (or workers generally) greater discretion and resources: distributing control in order to better serve both customers and the interests of employing organizations.”

Many businesses have empowerment programs that have all the good intentions but fail on two accounts. The first is actually empowering employees. Rhetoric may be spoken and intentions may be good, but control and power are still maintained by managers and executives. Second, they lack initiative to train and coach employees to take control. You cannot wave your magic wand and say ”you are now empowered” and expect employees to change. As well, saying “yes, our employees are empowered” does not make it so.

Also from Wikipedia: “Empowerment in the workplace is regarded by critics as more a pseudo-empowerment exercise, the idea of which is to change the attitudes of workers, so as to make them work harder rather than giving them any real power.”

How many of you recognize the latter definition from Wikipedia over the former?

Authority and Power

In order to understand what empowerment is, we must first understand a couple of other concepts.

First is authority. There are two types of authority - formal and informal. Philip Van Houser[i] (2003) defines these in his “Leadership Journey” series:

Formal Authority

The organizational power that comes with the position one holds.

Informal Authority

The personal influential power that comes as a result of one person voluntarily choosing to support or follow another.

Second is power. Again, Van Houser defines:

Power

The ability to grant, withhold or withdraw something someone else wants or needs.

So empowerment, or “to empower someone” is to willingly and knowingly grant our official power to others.

Let’s put these concepts to work through example.

An employee comes to you with a request for new equipment. As a manager, you ask a few questions in regard to why this equipment is needed, what it will cost, what is the benefit of having it, and what is the detriment of not having it. You then make a decision.

“Okay, go ahead and get the new equipment.” You’ve just used your formal authority and power to grant something someone else wants or needs. Not only that, you’ve emotionally satisfied that employee simply by (implicitly or explicitly) agreeing with his or her decision on the need and justification for that new equipment.

What if your decision is “well, let’s wait”. Possibly because you want to wait for the next budget cycle or for the results of the next marketing campaign or any number of reasons. You have just used your power to withhold something someone else wants or needs. Now that employee is discouraged, upset, or even angry.

The emotional response of these examples pales in comparison when you withdraw something someone else already has. You can be assured that he or she is going to be disappointed, distressed and frustrated and these emotions can be very difficult to deal with.

We must first understand power before we can understand empowerments. It’s also important to understand the emotional responses from our use of power.

Empowerment

Empowerment is “willingly and knowingly granting our official power to another”. Or to give up that official power to grant withhold or withdraw to someone else.

Empowerment is using your power, not to withhold or withdraw, but to grant to another the power that you’ve worked to obtain.

Of course, as said before, you can’t just wave your magic wand and say, “you are now empowered” and expect it to happen. Empowerment takes training and coaching. Especially for employees who are not used to being empowered, they will likely be very hesitant.

What happens when you try to empower a group of employees who have never been empowered before? It depends on their comfort level. It’s much easier to say “no, I’m more comfortable (and safer) to wait to be told what to do; to wait for instruction”. Then again, others may be eager to jump at the chance. They know what needs to be done, why wait?

Empowerment happens at the individual level but only works in a team environment. Employees who do not value team success or are only interested in personal success are more likely to be disinterested in empowerment or worse, will abuse newly obtained power.

Coaching and training is needed at all levels to overcome the potential disadvantages. Managers must learn to let go of their official power. They must learn to coach employees on the appropriate use of the power handed to them in regard to the overall business objectives. Managers must learn to trust their employees even, at times, when they disagree with their decisions. They must focus on outcomes and results rather than procedures.

Employees must learn that their power is not to be abused. They must learn to work together as a team and to make decisions directed towards team success. They must be willing to accept and learn to mitigate risks. Employees must be able to trust their manager, their team members, and themselves.

Benefits of Empowerment

Empowerment involves a conceptual mindset geared towards assuring success rather than preventing failure. This is certainly beyond the typical "blame culture" that blocks employees from believing in themselves and their judgments.

People are our most important asset and our most underutilized resource. Independent entrepreneurship and initiative lead to higher levels of employee engagement, increased employee contribution including innovation and productivity, and fewer conflicts due to involvement in the decision making process.

Many organizations are driven by tangible metrics such as profits, output and quality. The benefits of empowerment and involvement tend to be underestimated due to the difficulties of measuring their effects in quantifiable ways.

Conclusion

From Wikipedia: Research suggests that the opportunity to exercise personal discretion/choice (and complete meaningful work) is an important element contributing to employee engagement and well-being. There is evidence… that initiative and motivation are increased when people have a more positive attributional style. This influences self-belief, resilience when faced with setbacks, and the ability to visualize oneself overcoming problems. The implication is that “empowerment” suits some more than others, and should be positioned in the broader context an “enabling” work environment.

Empowerment is an important concept and practice in any business. What we’ve covered in this article are simple explanations of authority and power that will, hopefully, lead to a better understanding of empowerment.

In part 2, we’ll talk more about empowerment at work and the six levels of empowerment.

###

[i] Phillip Van Hooser, MBA,CSP, 2003, The Leadership Journey: Practical Skills for Leadership Success.

Nobody Wins Unless Everybody Wins!

Kevin — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 15:39:00 +0000

"Bosses create teamwork, or kill it, by the way they treat people." -- Carl Sandburg

When people work as a team they create a work environment that makes work a pleasure and achievement a given. To get them there, a company and its management need to create an environment of empowerment and sharing.

- Empowerment comes from being informed. Employees need to know what’s going on in the company, what are its objectives, procedures and values.

- Empowerment comes from sharing responsibilities. An effective team leader spreads responsibilities around by assigning various sub-team-leaders for communications, technology, customer relations, operations, etc.

- Empowerment comes from allowing team members room to exercise their responsibilities. An effective leader sets the goals and the agenda and allows the team members to have the space needed for them to exercise their own initiative and leadership.

- While empowerment comes from sharing responsibility, satisfaction comes from sharing credit. Great team leaders share credit generously and frequently, and make sure that every individual on the team gets credit for something.

- When building a team, try to select people who are compatible with each other, but not similar to each other.

- Know the strengths and weaknesses of your team members and assign responsibilities accordingly.

- Teams work best where there is a sense of pride in the collective achievement of the group as a whole. One rule to live by is:

Nobody wins unless everybody wins!

The 5 Ps of Ethical Power

Kevin — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 15:36:00 +0000

According to Kenneth Blanchard (author of The One Minute manager, and several sequels), ethical decision making is founded on the belief that we don’t have to cheat to win.

To make an ethical decision, consider three questions.

Is it legal?
Is it for the good of the greatest number of people?
How do I feel about the decision made?

The 5 P’s of Ethical Power

Picturizing: Seeing yourself as an ethical person reinforces ethical attitude and behavior. For the organization as a whole, an ethical vision is important.
Persistence: You can’t be ethical only in choice moments. You must persist in your commitment to ethics.
Pride: the most prevailing cause of quarrels between people at work is pride. Pride stops us from asking, seeking, learning and finding out the right thing, and admitting our wrongs.
Patience: many people seek immediate rewards for every action. They do things that make them look good now. Real good work takes time to yield fruits.
Perspective: Get a mental helicopter and rise above the town. Try to see the big picture, the meaning of things, the values of work and the consequences of decisions

How to Say "No" to Unreasonable Requests

Kevin — Mon, 01 Jan 2007 15:32:00 +0000

We often dilute our effectiveness by over committing ourselves. We must know what not to do. By saying “no” to unreasonable demands, we save our effort, and our time for the things that make a difference, thereby heightening our effectiveness.

Here’s how to say no to unreasonable requests:

Be fast: Make your answers known right up front. Don’t hesitate, wait, or think about it. This way you don’t allow people to anticipate that you may say yes. This will make accepting your “no” much easier. Answers like. ”Let me think about it” or “I am not sure” only make things more difficult for they get people’s hopes up. A fast “no” will most likely leave you “still friends.” A delayed no increases the chances of animosity.
Be confident: Don’t say “no” in a half-hearted apologetic way. This conveys to the other party the feeling that you have no good reason for saying “no.” Remember: You have the right to say no.
Be Polite: Being firm does not mean you have to be rude. Use firm words but in a pleasant style and demeanor.
Be helpful: If you can offer an alternative way to satisfy the person’s needs that doesn’t involve you, go ahead and suggest it.

Employee Engagement at the USPS

Kevin — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:36:00 +0000

Managers Make All the Difference! Over the Thanksgiving weekend I had the opportunity to talk with a close friend and sister-in-law over a couple of drinks. The conversation quickly turned to work. Since work is such a big part of our lives, it's quite normal that we spend much of our time talking about it. The down side is that much of that talk is negative. A little background on Jill's work: Jill works for the United States Postal Service as a PTF or Part-Time Flexible. It seems that the "PTF" classification means that the post office can screw with her life as much as they like. Jill is a "part-time" worker who typically works 50 or more hours a week and usually only gets one day a week off (most often, Thursday because that is what she asks for every week). On one day she may go to work at 11:00 am. The next day may be 1:00 pm. One day she may work 10 hours, the next 12. You certainly have to be flexible to be a PTF. Jill also deals with "office politics", as many of us do. For example, Some of her co-workers are jealous that she is able to get Thursday's off (I can't imagine why) and some seem to be willfully malicious in their attempts to promote themselves while degrading others. All in all, this does not sound like a good job to me. Nor a healthy one. At one point in our conversation I suggested to Jill that she call in sick the following day (she was scheduled for a 12 hour day). I said this half jokingly but hopeful that she would. With her work schedule I hardly get to see her anymore and I wanted the opportunity to spend some time with her. Jill's response ... "no, I can't. I respect my boss and I won't do that to her". This is employee engagement! In the face of over-work, uncertain hours, office politics and, overall, a pretty lousy work environment, Jill is still committed to her job for the sole reason that she respects her boss. This is a living example that managers make all the difference. A good manager can turn a lousy job into something we commit ourselves to and give extra effort towards. Although I didn't ask specifically, I assume that Jill's commitment is to her boss and not to her job. If Jill did not have respect for her boss, in all likelihood, she would have called in sick and left that particular office short-handed on a busy holiday weekend. As our conversation continued, I learned that many of Jill's co-workers are jealous of Jill's relationship with her boss and they assume that Jill gets preferential treatment when, in fact, she doesn't. What Jill does get is reciprocal respect. It works both ways. When you respect someone, they are more likely to respect you. What this told me is that Jill's boss isn't as good a manager as I initially thought. I am making assumptions here but it appears to me that Jill's boss has managed to earn Jill's respect due only to a natural affinity between her and Jill. In other words, they just naturally hit it off. Where Jill's boss fails is in building that affinity, and thus respect, with her other employees. A great manager knows that every person is different and she must find that uniqueness and learn how to capitalize on it. What ever she does in her working relationship with Jill does not necessarily work with other employees. She needs to discover what does work. This is the best, and hardest, challenge of management. If Jill's boss knew the intricacies of each employee and treated them in the way that best suits them, best motivates them, she would earn their respect, dedication and engagement at the same level she has earned Jill's. In doing so, she would greatly reduce and possibly eliminate the petty jealousy, the self-promotion, and many other issues that make up the current cultural environment. Out of that, a team mentality would spring up and each employee would be working towards a unified purpose with trust and respect for each other. Engagement would go up. Satisfaction and fulfillment would go up. Sense of purpose would go up. Productivity would go up. ... Sick time would go down. One last thing I heard from Jill in the course of our conversation... She has a good friend at work. In nearly all surveys and studies on employee engagement two of the most important factors are 1) a good manager, and 2) a best friend at work. From the outside Jill has what I would call a lousy job. The pay may be decent (I don't really know), but the conditions, the hours, and even the culture leave much to be desired. I often wondered why she's not looking for something better. Now I know. Good manager. Best friend.

Is Your Life Filled With Rocks or Sand?

Kevin — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:35:00 +0000

"The first step in achieving your goals is to recognize that "someday" is not a day of the week." - Ed Bliss Do you find yourself overwhelmed with all the things you have to do? How do you set your priorities? To learn an important lesson in this regard, here's an allegory: "A wise man surrounded by his followers had a jar in front of him and he started to fill it with rocks. When it looked like the jar was full, he asked the people surrounding him if they agree that it was full. They did. He then took small pebbles and started to add them to the jar's content, shaking it frequently until the jar looked full again. Again he asked his followers if the jar was full, and they agreed." "The wise man took some sand and started to pour it in the same jar to fill the space that was left between the rocks and the pebbles until it looked like the jar can take no more. When he asked again if the jar was full, the followers agreed." "Then the wise man produced another jar and filled it with sand. When he tried to add pebbles and rocks, he couldn't because the sand filled the whole jar leaving no space in between. One of his followers asked the wise man about the meaning of all this. The wise man said." "This jar represents your life. The rocks are the most important things- your mental state, your health, your family - things that if all else was lost and only they remained, your life will still be full. The pebbles represent other things that matter like your job, your house, your car, your savings. The sand represents everything else- the small stuff." "When the jar was filled with sand first, there was no room for the rocks or the pebbles. The same thing goes for your life. If you worry about the small stuff, you won't have room for the things that matter most." "Take care of the rocks first -- the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand."

Stephen Covey used this allegory in a presentation in which he asked audience members to fill a jar with sand, pebbles and rocks. Of course, most people started with the sand.

Bring Out The Genius In You

Kevin — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:34:00 +0000

"No one can possibly achieve any real and lasting success or get rich in business by being a conformist." - Jean Paul Getty Mind and body are alike in that in order to function well they need to be worked out. Like any other part of the body, mind will wither, rust , and shrink if not regularly used, moved, and stimulated. Most likely, you do remember when your body was last stimulated and excited. But do you remember when your mind was? Get a pen or a pencil and write down: The last time I came up with an innovative idea at work was: Yesterday Last week Last month Last year The result of that idea was: But how to come up with new ideas? Read the full article here

Motivation By Delegation

Kevin — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:33:00 +0000

"When people are highly motivated, it's easy to accomplish the impossible. And when they are not, it's impossible to accomplish the easy." - Bob Collings It is true that a boss who delegates can use the time to do other important work. But the primary function of delegation has more to do with the person receiving the responsibility than the person delegating it. You should delegate not just to have less work, but more importantly, to enhance the overall productivity of the group. How can delegation enhance overall productivity? When a boss delegates important tasks and responsibilities to her/his staff, s/he raises their level of excitement, enthusiasm and sense of self-worth and accomplishment. If delegation is limited to trivial and routine tasks more is lost than gained. Employees can see that their boss does not have confidence in their abilities nor interest in developing them. Use delegation for the right purpose: motivation of your staff.

Coffee Break - Happiness

Kevin — Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:26:00 +0000

“The very purpose of our life is happiness, the very motion of our lives is toward happiness.”

-- Dalai Lama

“Sometimes the seeds of happiness are sown in darkness.”

-- Unknown

“Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling.”

-- Margaret Lee Runbeck

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. The purpose of life is to matter, to be productive, to have it make some difference that you lived at all.”

-- Arthur H. Prince

“The true way to render ourselves happy is to love our work and find in it our pleasure.”

-- Francoise de Motteville

“I don't know what your destiny will be, but one thing I do know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.”

-- Albert Schweitzer

“Happiness grows at our own firesides, and is not to be picked in strangers' gardens.”

-- Douglas Jerrould

“Happiness is a thing to be practiced, like the violin.”

-- John Lubbock

“Happiness is the delicate balance between what one is and what one has.”

-- F. H. Denison

“In the pursuit of happiness, the difficulty lies in knowing when you have caught up.”

-- R.H. Grenville

“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain.”

-- Kahlil Gibran

“The supreme happiness of life is the conviction of being loved for yourself, or, more correctly, being loved in spite of yourself.”

-- Victor Hugo

“I have now reigned about 50 years in victory or peace, beloved by my subjects, dreaded by my enemies, and respected by my allies. Riches and honors, power and pleasure, have waited on my call, nor does any earthly blessing appear to have been wanting to my felicity. In this situation, I have diligently numbered the days of pure and genuine happiness which have fallen to my lot. They amount to fourteen.”

-- Abd Er-Rahman III of Spain (960 CE)

Thanksgiving Coffee & Dessert

Kevin — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:18:00 +0000

“The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving.”

-- H.U. Westermayer

“If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, "thank you," that would suffice.”

-- Meister Eckhart

“Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.”

-- E.P. Powell

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

-- John Fitzgerald Kennedy

“Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.”

-- W. J. Cameron

“Thanksgiving puts steel into our patriotic veins. It reminds us or our great heritage. It carries us back with numbing nostalgia to that first dreadful winter at Plymouth where less than half the handful of people survived. It speaks in clear, crisp tones of forgotten terms, like: integrity... bravery... respect... faith... vigilance... dignity... honor... freedom... discipline... sacrifice... godliness”

-- Charles R. Swindoll

“We will speed the day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing... Free at last, free at last, thank God Almighty, I'm free at last.”

-- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

“If we meet someone who owes us thanks, we right away remember that. But how often do we meet someone to whom we owe thanks without remembering that?”

-- Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

“Grace isn't a little prayer you chant before receiving a meal. It's a way to live.”

-- Jackie Windspear

“It is literally true, as the thankless say, that they have nothing to be thankful for. He who sits by the fire, thankless for the fire, is just as if he had no fire. Nothing is possessed save in appreciation, of which thankfulness is the indispensable ingredient. But a thankful heart hath a continual feast.”

-- W. J. Cameron

“Courtesies of a small and trivial character are the ones which strike deepest in the grateful and appreciating heart.”

-- Henry Clay

Online Shopping at shop.EarthAsylum.com

Kevin — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 11:57:00 +0000

We're pleased to announce that The EarthAsylum leadership Circle and EarthAsylum Consulting have entered into affiliate agreements with many online, top-name merchants. By purchasing through these links, you help us earn a small commission. You may even save a few dollars with merchants that offer special promotions. So far we have over 15 affiliations and we're working with a number of other merchants, so our list will be growing. We're also working to expand the site into a more convenient shopping experience for you with featured specials and savings offered only through merchant affiliates like us. All you have to do is click on the merchant link, store, or product that you're interested in. You'll be taken to the merchant's site where you can find more information and make your purchase. Can't find your favorite online merchant? Let us know. shop.EarthAsylum.com

This Song's Got No Title ...

Kevin — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 11:41:00 +0000

I've been having some trouble coming up with a good subject for an article this month, you know, writers block and all that - and I'm not a particularly proficient writer. One topic that's been on my mind lately is that of the analogy of sports to business. Particularly coaching. It seems we quite readily accept and take for granted that with any sport, there's a coach. I wrote about Tiger Woods and how he works with his coach in an earlier article and how even the best player still works with a coach. Yet in business, this idea fails to reach us. Although coaching is gaining acceptance, it's still the rare company and rare person that hires a coach to help them in their business endeavors. I suspect that there are a number of factors contributing to our reluctance to hire a coach... Read the full article here

This Song's Got No Title (just words and a tune)

Kevin — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 11:39:00 +0000

"This Song's Got No Title" Elton John & Bernie Taupin "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" 1973

Tune me in to the wild side of life I'm an innocent young child sharp as a knife Take me to the garretts where the artists have died Show me the courtrooms where the judges have lied Let me drink deeply from the water and the wine Light coloured candles in dark dreary mines Look in the mirror and stare at myself And wonder if that's really me on the shelf And each day I learn just a little bit more I don't know why but I do know what for If we're all going somewhere let's get there soon Oh this song's got no title just words and a tune Take me down alleys where the murders are done In a vast high powered rocket to the core of the sun Want to read books in the studies of men Born on the breeze and die on the wind If I was an artist who paints with his eyes I'd study my subject and silently cry Cry for the darkness to come down on me For confusion to carry on turning the wheel

Have You Tried Something New Lately?

Kevin — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 11:38:00 +0000

"No manager is so handicapped as he who will not try something new." -- Tom Brown, management consultant Trying new things at work can have multiple benefits. It can produce results much better than what you're currently producing. It can also break the routine of work, helping create a more exciting work environment. But how can you come up with ideas for new things? One of the most effective ways of generating new ideas is hold a Brainstorming Session. This is a meeting with your staff or colleagues with the purpose of generating new ideas to improve work, or for any other purpose you define. Here are the rules of Brainstorming: - All Ideas Are Acceptable During Brainstorming, nobody is allowed to judge the ideas proposed, no matter how crazy or impractical they may sound. - Quantity, Not Quality What you're after is a large number of ideas to chose from. Your interest is in the quantity, not the quality of ideas. - Write Them All Down Write down all the ideas people generate on a board or a sheet on the wall for all to see. This will help with the next point. - Hitch-Hiking Is Allowed People are allowed, even encouraged, to hitch-hike on the ideas of others by adding to them, modifying them, or coming up with ideas close to them.