Preparations have begun for my "rest of the year" push to get a rather lengthy to do list done by January 5. I started by canceling a few meetings that really could wait until January. But then I added two more meetings so I guess I am not really ahead of the game yet!
I am though, headed off today to Chicago to present half of a report to a congregation on the health of their church. Don't worry - there is someone else delivering the other half.
As I was getting ready this morning I was thinking about all of the things that have transpired to help me with this presentation. Not just for this particular church but for the last few months I have been "prepping" and getting "prepped" to do this type of presentation. The thought I had this morning was that I haven't been "getting ready" all on my own.
There is team of people that have helped me to do what I need to do in order to be ready to deliver this work to our client. I am thankful and blessed for the work these people do. They have talent and skill that impress me with each and every interaction.
Coach John Wooden writes, "Be sure you acknowledge and give credit to a teammate who hits you with a scoring pass or for any fine play he may make."
In my case the entire team deserves a big thank you from me for the work that they have done...to help me be better.
Who in your organization helps you score big?
How have you thanked and acknowledged them today?
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
the "rest" of the year...
Time has flown by since I have had time to blog. There has been plenty going on but my writing skills have been at work on coaching and consulting projects as well as academic projects. Today is the first day in a long time when I have had to write.
In preparation for the rest of my week and an upcoming trip, I looked at my calendar and my "master" to do list. There are lots of things that I want to get done before the end of the year.
While many people are taking time off this time of year to rest, I like to use this time to get the "rest of my list" done.From December 9, the day after I return from my last trip of the year, until January 5, 2009 I am focusing all of my efforts on finishing the rest of my list.
It's not going to be a vacation that's for sure but I am hoping this extended amount of devoted time will help me re-tool some things that need attention.
Many of these projects are things that are "one man jobs" that I need to do myself. They are not glamorous by any stretch and to many of you may seem like odd things to do. Or you may wonder what's wrong with me that I could not get these things done. You may not even understand many of the things on the list. But the list is what it is.
BUT there is a way you can help. Pick one of the items on the list and hold me accountable to completing it by January 5, 2009. You have my permission to send me an email or call me to ask about any one item on this list. If you call/email and I DO NOT have the item you have chosen completed you'll win something. I don't know what yet, but it will be a nice little something for helping me be accountable.
Here is my list of things to do before January 5, 2009
In preparation for the rest of my week and an upcoming trip, I looked at my calendar and my "master" to do list. There are lots of things that I want to get done before the end of the year.
While many people are taking time off this time of year to rest, I like to use this time to get the "rest of my list" done.From December 9, the day after I return from my last trip of the year, until January 5, 2009 I am focusing all of my efforts on finishing the rest of my list.
It's not going to be a vacation that's for sure but I am hoping this extended amount of devoted time will help me re-tool some things that need attention.
Many of these projects are things that are "one man jobs" that I need to do myself. They are not glamorous by any stretch and to many of you may seem like odd things to do. Or you may wonder what's wrong with me that I could not get these things done. You may not even understand many of the things on the list. But the list is what it is.
BUT there is a way you can help. Pick one of the items on the list and hold me accountable to completing it by January 5, 2009. You have my permission to send me an email or call me to ask about any one item on this list. If you call/email and I DO NOT have the item you have chosen completed you'll win something. I don't know what yet, but it will be a nice little something for helping me be accountable.
Here is my list of things to do before January 5, 2009
Find a prize for the person that finds something on this list not done
clean out the freezers and fridge
rework the layout and format for both blogs
rework the layout and format of my constant contact newsletter
develop new coaching tip listing, format
switch email from outlook to google
get to know more about google
sign up for base camp account
set up account with Jott
clean out top of hutch in office
organize bookshelves - system of read, not read, etc.
clean up shelves and file cabinets
file 2008 paperwork
prep 2008 tax folders
put up the Christmas tree
clean up the basement craft/model area
organize coat closet - find donate items
take donation items to Cherry Street
update 2009 post it sheet goal list for Matt & Tracee
re-work desk area/functionality
clean up computer files/photo files
organize wedding photos
gather all garage sale items for 2009 in one place
flower arrangement/grape vine wreath completed
re-work media area for TV
clean out appliance closet
sock drawer - discard the mismatches
finalize 2009 goal list for TCC, CDM
planning calendar filled in for school, TCC, CDM
day trip w/Matt to Corunna, IN
Go to the zoo
Feel free to check back in between December 9 and January 5 to see how I am doing. And please feel free to hold me accountable! I am looking forward to the "rest" of the year!
Monday, October 13, 2008
Communication Issues? Possibly Not
Words.
We use a lot of them. Some of us use more than we should. I am probably one of those people. I like to talk. Better, I like to make a point. Sometimes, I get really, really excited about making my point that I see how many words I can possibly string together to say what I think I need to say to make my point. In reality, I can make a point using concise statements but what fun would that be?
Words, placed in the right order, spoken a certain way can have a positive, powerful impact on conversation. Words, used poorly can have an equally negative impact on a conversation.
When this negative impact happens we often say we have "communication issues." Really the issue is that we didn't try hard enough to find the right words, or the right amount of words to help build a relationship or communicate instructions, directions, or news.
The challenge in the world we live in is not that we are not connected or that we do not want to communicate. Goodness, we have more means of communication available to us now more than ever before. People are connected and becoming more connected everyday. We have cell phones, I-phones, smart phones, blackberrys, and use all of those to update our facebook, myspace, twitter pages multiple times a day. We are more connected in our communication than ever before in the history of the world.
So why does it seem that we have so many "communication issues" within our organizations???
Could it be the words that we use? I believe it is. We take for granted that because we communicate so often that we communicate clearly. The amount of communication simply does not make up for the quality of the communication itself.
Have you experienced this challenge in communicating with people?
You don't need to adjust the methods you use. You may need to adjust the style and the words you use.
In coaching we use concise statements to help summarize or deliver a message to the person being coached. The concise statement is meant to clearly communicate what person being coached may already realize but is having a hard time putting into words.
Have you ever struggles putting words together?
Do you think you have communication issues in your organization?
What are some things that you might try to do differently to help with these challenges?
How might you go about making those changes?
We use a lot of them. Some of us use more than we should. I am probably one of those people. I like to talk. Better, I like to make a point. Sometimes, I get really, really excited about making my point that I see how many words I can possibly string together to say what I think I need to say to make my point. In reality, I can make a point using concise statements but what fun would that be?
Words, placed in the right order, spoken a certain way can have a positive, powerful impact on conversation. Words, used poorly can have an equally negative impact on a conversation.
When this negative impact happens we often say we have "communication issues." Really the issue is that we didn't try hard enough to find the right words, or the right amount of words to help build a relationship or communicate instructions, directions, or news.
The challenge in the world we live in is not that we are not connected or that we do not want to communicate. Goodness, we have more means of communication available to us now more than ever before. People are connected and becoming more connected everyday. We have cell phones, I-phones, smart phones, blackberrys, and use all of those to update our facebook, myspace, twitter pages multiple times a day. We are more connected in our communication than ever before in the history of the world.
So why does it seem that we have so many "communication issues" within our organizations???
Could it be the words that we use? I believe it is. We take for granted that because we communicate so often that we communicate clearly. The amount of communication simply does not make up for the quality of the communication itself.
Have you experienced this challenge in communicating with people?
You don't need to adjust the methods you use. You may need to adjust the style and the words you use.
In coaching we use concise statements to help summarize or deliver a message to the person being coached. The concise statement is meant to clearly communicate what person being coached may already realize but is having a hard time putting into words.
Have you ever struggles putting words together?
Do you think you have communication issues in your organization?
What are some things that you might try to do differently to help with these challenges?
How might you go about making those changes?
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Taking Flight
I am sitting in a hotel at the Portland, Oregon airport. I happen to have a room that is on the side of a couple runways so I have a great view of the planes landing and taking off.
If there is one thing that truly fascinates me it is how planes fly. I never really flew that much and to be honest it used to scare me to death. I would aways here things like "it's safer than driving..." and all that but still the control freak in me never really liked it.
I don't mind it so much now. I actually find it's a great way to get work done.
The other thing that I used to hear about flying was that take offs were harder sometimes than landings. As I watch these planes I am thinking about why that is.
Landing a plane seems to me like it would be harder to do. You have the forces of gravity pulling you down and to me that seems like it could be tricky. After all it is a pretty hard surface you have to contend with.
Taking off seems like it would be easy. You get everything set, all the details completed, hit the throttle and off you go. I am told it's not exactly like that.
I am wondering if getting your plans and actions for life are similar to flying. You get everything set, but them sometimes we fail to "throttle up" with them. We also know that we have to fight against forces that try to keep us from flying.
What are the things that keep you from throttling up?
What might you do to work through those things?
Who can help? Do you have a flight crew to help with accountability?
If there is one thing that truly fascinates me it is how planes fly. I never really flew that much and to be honest it used to scare me to death. I would aways here things like "it's safer than driving..." and all that but still the control freak in me never really liked it.
I don't mind it so much now. I actually find it's a great way to get work done.
The other thing that I used to hear about flying was that take offs were harder sometimes than landings. As I watch these planes I am thinking about why that is.
Landing a plane seems to me like it would be harder to do. You have the forces of gravity pulling you down and to me that seems like it could be tricky. After all it is a pretty hard surface you have to contend with.
Taking off seems like it would be easy. You get everything set, all the details completed, hit the throttle and off you go. I am told it's not exactly like that.
I am wondering if getting your plans and actions for life are similar to flying. You get everything set, but them sometimes we fail to "throttle up" with them. We also know that we have to fight against forces that try to keep us from flying.
What are the things that keep you from throttling up?
What might you do to work through those things?
Who can help? Do you have a flight crew to help with accountability?
Monday, September 29, 2008
What is your purpose?
In the church consultant training I am working my through one of the first questions that gets asked is, "what is the purpose of this church?" The answers tell the consultants alot about the client (the church) they are working with.
As a coach that question, rephrased to, "what is your purpose?" becomes a powerful way to uncover and bring out alot of informaion that the client has within them. In coaching we try to help client to reach their full capapcity and achieve their own desired results. In order to do that we need to understand the purpose or the personal mission and vision that drives the person being coached.
There can be a number of things that motivate you. Motivation and purpose are not the same things. Consider what your true purpose is for your life, your family, and your career.
What are doing to live out that purpose?
How can you do better?
What are the roadblocks in the way?
As a coach that question, rephrased to, "what is your purpose?" becomes a powerful way to uncover and bring out alot of informaion that the client has within them. In coaching we try to help client to reach their full capapcity and achieve their own desired results. In order to do that we need to understand the purpose or the personal mission and vision that drives the person being coached.
There can be a number of things that motivate you. Motivation and purpose are not the same things. Consider what your true purpose is for your life, your family, and your career.
What are doing to live out that purpose?
How can you do better?
What are the roadblocks in the way?
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
What is expected...
Today - a thought to consider from Coach Wooden
"Without supervision and leadership and a disciplined effort by all, much of our united strength will be dissipated by pulling against ourselves. Let us not be victimized by a breakdown from within." (pre-season letter to the team, 1965)
A disciplined effort by all. Not by some, not by one, not by a chosen few but by all.
If you are working in a leadership team or on any team for that matter, disciplined effort is critical from everyone.
What are some of the things that you may not be as disciplined in as you should be?
How can you improve in this area?
What steps can you take for improvement?
Who on your team can hold you accountable?
"Without supervision and leadership and a disciplined effort by all, much of our united strength will be dissipated by pulling against ourselves. Let us not be victimized by a breakdown from within." (pre-season letter to the team, 1965)
A disciplined effort by all. Not by some, not by one, not by a chosen few but by all.
If you are working in a leadership team or on any team for that matter, disciplined effort is critical from everyone.
What are some of the things that you may not be as disciplined in as you should be?
How can you improve in this area?
What steps can you take for improvement?
Who on your team can hold you accountable?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Essential Lessons
I would not consider myself to be a sports fan really. I enjoy watching college sports more than professional and I enjoy watching local teams particularly the Toledo Mud Hens. Perhaps the most joy I get out of watching sports is watching the coaches and identifying their different styles. I think we would agree that there are some coaches that are only known for their coaching style not necessarily their win/loss record. Coach Bobby Knight comes to mind here.
One of my all time favorite coaches is John Wooden. Basketball is one of my favorite sports. I even played while in junior high and high school. Yes, it's hard to believe that some one who is vertically challenged like myself could dominate the court...but I was fast on my feet and that made a difference.
John Wooden is known for his leadership style and this leadership style became the foundation for his coaching style. A lifetime of learning, losing, and playing, combined with an attitude of humility and positive influence created this legend of a man. I recently picked up his book, The Essential Wooden, (like I needed another one of his books...) and started to flip back through all the leadership lessons printed within. I remembered the first Wooden leadership book that I received as a gift and how it still sits on my shelf. Filled with highlight marks, underlines in red ink, post-it marked pages, it reminds me of a style of leadership that I want to model and help others model as well.
In a time when it seems like we can't seem to get our act together and leaders from government to business continue to let us down I think it's a good reminder to us all that we all have the capacity within each of us to lead in our style. We all have the capacity to live, learn and make the most of the chances that have been given to us.
Perhaps with all that is going on in the world of business and government now is the time to take the essential lessons of leadership from humble servant leaders like John Wooden and put them into action in our own lives. Now is the time to discover the leader that is in each of us.
My recommendation - Put down the newspaper filled with all the things going wrong in our world, turn off the TV and stop listening and watching the pundits playing games with our government and read something that will inspire you to discover how you have within you all you need to be a leader in your own home, community and workplace.
If you don't know where to start...as Coach Wooden says, "You cannot change the past, and you can only influence the future by what you do today."
So start today to begin to unleash the capacity already in you to be a leader.
One of my all time favorite coaches is John Wooden. Basketball is one of my favorite sports. I even played while in junior high and high school. Yes, it's hard to believe that some one who is vertically challenged like myself could dominate the court...but I was fast on my feet and that made a difference.
John Wooden is known for his leadership style and this leadership style became the foundation for his coaching style. A lifetime of learning, losing, and playing, combined with an attitude of humility and positive influence created this legend of a man. I recently picked up his book, The Essential Wooden, (like I needed another one of his books...) and started to flip back through all the leadership lessons printed within. I remembered the first Wooden leadership book that I received as a gift and how it still sits on my shelf. Filled with highlight marks, underlines in red ink, post-it marked pages, it reminds me of a style of leadership that I want to model and help others model as well.
In a time when it seems like we can't seem to get our act together and leaders from government to business continue to let us down I think it's a good reminder to us all that we all have the capacity within each of us to lead in our style. We all have the capacity to live, learn and make the most of the chances that have been given to us.
Perhaps with all that is going on in the world of business and government now is the time to take the essential lessons of leadership from humble servant leaders like John Wooden and put them into action in our own lives. Now is the time to discover the leader that is in each of us.
My recommendation - Put down the newspaper filled with all the things going wrong in our world, turn off the TV and stop listening and watching the pundits playing games with our government and read something that will inspire you to discover how you have within you all you need to be a leader in your own home, community and workplace.
If you don't know where to start...as Coach Wooden says, "You cannot change the past, and you can only influence the future by what you do today."
So start today to begin to unleash the capacity already in you to be a leader.
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