Archive for the ‘Getting Results’ Category

It is estimated that our brains receive information through our senses that result in some four billion neuron impulses per second. Of these four billion pieces of information we are only consciously aware of about 2,000. That’s a mere 0.00005%.

It is happening to you right now. Possibly, until we mention it now, you were not even aware of the sense perception of your clothes on your skin. Or, aware of the noise in the background. Or, aware of all the multitude of objects just inside your peripheral vision. Until we mentioned them you were paying attention to something else.

If you had to be fully aware of all the information that you receive at all times you probably would be so overwhelmed you wouldn’t be able to function. Unwanted information is filtered out through a process of Deletion, Distortion and Generalization. This filtering process is driven largely by our beliefs of how things are at any given time.

Whilst this can be tremendously helpful in keeping you from being overwhelmed it can lead you into making assumptions about situations that might not serve you well; you can easily become a victim of the vagueness that you accept as fact.

To make matters worse, when you communicate with others you pass on your assumptions, with the additional assumption that the recipient makes the same assumptions. Your assumptions create gaps in your communication that you expect the other person to fill in with the SAME understanding. All too often because of your assumptions you do not deliver what is or was expected.

Here are some examples of vagueness. What assumptions are you making as you interpret them?

“Go and increase the morale in the team!”

“Make sure that they fully appreciate your efforts!”

“Spend more time on customer relations!”

Now try this: Being a Champion of Clarity

First off, to be a Champion of Clarity you have to recognize that communication is filled with assumption. A Champion of Clarity recognizes the pitfalls of assumption both as a speaker and as a listener.

As a listener they are very aware of the following phrase:

“The meaning of your communication is the response that you get!”

As such, a Champion of Clarity takes full responsibility for ensuring that their communication is thoroughly understood.

As a listener they recognize that they all too often interact with Victims of Vagueness, and they take steps to avoid relegating from a Champion of Clarity by ensuring that they fully understand the intention of the communication behind the words that they hear.

A good way to ensure proper understanding is getting sensory cues that provide evidence of the successful desired outcome.

In response to the vague statements above, a Champion of Clarity would ask something like:

“And when I have increased morale in the team, what will let you know that it has been done well?”

“What is it that will let them know that we put in effort in a way that should be recognized?”

“And when we are spending more time on customer relations, what will you see and hear?”

Give it some thought. Don’t be a Victim Of Vagueness, become a Champion Of Clarity.

Turning Your Wheels: 8 Steps Towards Becoming The Leader You Need To Be To Succeed!

An important part of success in life is the ability to lead. It is important that we not only be able to lead others but be willing to lead ourselves. No one succeeds in life by simply following others. Sometimes we simply must strike a bold new path for ourselves.

Being a good leader is more than simply being at the forefront of the crowd. A leader must act, and act skillfully. Too often in America, we simply accept that someone looks or sounds like a leader and too rarely do we actually look at the actions that leader performs — and that is the true test of leadership.

However, in order to become good leaders ourselves, we need to concentrate on solid and wise actions rather than simple appearances. The title of this article refers to eight steps, but do not think of these as progressive steps like so many recipes or instruction manuals describe. Instead, think of these as actions that you must take on a regular basis.

First, be alert to new potentials. “Reality” is not absolute but rather subject to constant change. Think about inventors, explorers, and agents of social change who have achieved greatness. Some might simply say that certain people are successful because they are lucky to be in the right place at the right time. Maybe so, but if they hadn’t had their eyes open for the opportunity, then it wouldn’t have mattered if they were in the right place.

Second, accept inspiration from wherever it comes; even your opponents. The wisest leaders constantly study their peers and their competition. In war, politics, and business we constantly see examples of this research and reconnaissance. Too many times though people concentrate on finding a weakness to exploit. If you want to be a leader of positive change don’t fall victim to this trend. Instead, if you find a weakness, make sure to avoid that pitfall yourself. If you find the strength then find a way to strengthen your own qualities to match.

Third, learn something new and promote in new ways every day. This means you must continually seek to expand your horizons, internally and externally. Feed your mind with new lessons and knowledge, but constantly expand your social horizons as well. Seek out and meet new people and immerse yourself in new social situations. You never know when these new experiences will help you in your leadership role.

Fourth, search for and find answers in subtle clues. Look beneath the surface and constantly question. This is an extension of the third step in that you are seeking new knowledge. But this also means that you will need to step off the traditional paths of knowledge. Don’t simply read books in the literary canon or the bestsellers list. Take seminars rather than classes as there is more room for questioning and debate. Seek out the unconventional thinkers, teachers, and writers. Stay thirsty for expanding your horizon.

Fifth, improvise if no existing solutions are available. No excuses. Necessity is the mother of invention. How do you know it won’t work if you’ve never tried it before? Remember, not all approaches need to come from the front. Look at your problem from all sides and systematically attempt different solutions in various combinations.

Six, make at least one person you care about happy every day. If you make it a point to be thoughtful and caring for one person every day then soon this thoughtful, caring behavior will become a habit and that habit will spread to the others around you. Making someone else happy also feeds your own personal happiness. Just imagine how much better the world would be if we all did a little bit more to spread happiness.

Seven, offer help, even if there’s no apparent advantage to you. This means more than writing a check. It means giving of your time and energy and yourself. Sometimes it will mean helping someone you don’t know and sometimes it can be a very personal action.

Finally, never let negativity be your last word on the subject. If your final words are negative than no matter how hopeful you may be about the potential of a project or action the lasting impression you give to others is one of negativity. Accentuate the positive and you are more likely to see a positive outcome.

If you follow these eight action steps not only you will be a better leader but also lead yourself to a more successful life. Start turning your wheels…

Have thoughts about Turning Your Wheels: 8 Steps Towards Becoming The Leader You Need To Be To Succeed!?

Tell us what you think! We’d love to hear from you, complete the comment section below:

“Leaders who don’t believe that results are limitless are selling their jobs and careers short. Here is a four-step process for manifesting a “results are limitless” mind-set.”

In Leadership, Results Are Limitless

Results are limitless. That’s not a supposition.  That’s a fact.  Leaders who don’t believe that don’t understand the power of leadership to achieve great results.  Leaders who believe it and live by their belief have an unmatched advantage over those leaders who don’t.

To begin to understand how and why results-are-results are limitless, consider these facts:

* In 1878, Jean Bouillaud, member of the French Academy of Sciences, said upon hearing a demonstration of Thomas Edison’s phonograph, “It is quite impossible that the noble organs of human speech could be replaced by ignoble, senseless metal.”

* In 1899, Charles H. Duell (Commissioner of U.S. Office of Patents.), urging President William McKinley to abolish his office, said: “Everything that can be invented has been invented.”

* An 1909 article in the Scientific American stated, “The automobile has practically reached the limit of its development as suggested by the fact that during the past year no improvements of a radical nature have been introduced.”

* Popular Mechanics stated in March 1949: “Where a calculator on the ENIAC is equipped with 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighs 30 tons, computers in the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes and perhaps only weight 11/2 tons.”

The point isn’t that experts are wrong. Experts, we know, have been wrong countless times.  The point isn’t that things change.  That’s obvious.  The point is this: BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE, RESULTS ARE LIMITLESS.  IN OTHER WORDS, WHATEVER RESULTS YOU ARE ACHIEVING, YOU CAN ALWAYS ACHIEVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT OR MORE.

This may seem like a non sequitur. After all, leaders know that things change.  But many leaders whom I have encountered don’t make the connection and fail to realize that results are limitless.

But there is a connection — a profound connection. And leaders who don’t make that connection, don’t live that connection, are giving short shrift to their leadership and the people they lead.

Living by the results-are-limitless credo can set you apart as a leader who consistently gets results, no matter what the challenge you face.

Start to take a small but well-defined step to manifest results-are-limitless leadership:

(1) Identify. Identify one thing you think is NOT BEING QUESTIONED.  Make sure it is something people believe has “reached the limit of its development.”  It may be a product or features of a product.  It may be the way your organization is structured.  It may be a successful engineering program.

(2) Question. Treat it as if it’s fundamental premise were false.  Can you shoot holes in the logical reasons for its existence?  If it ain’t broke, see what would happen if you break (change) it with one end in mind, achieving more results.

(3) Change. See if you can come up with answers that will lead either to replacing what you’re questioning or improving it.

(4) Continue. Don’t look at this as an academic assignment.  It’s not homework.  It’s the beginning of making the credo part of the DNA of your leadership.

Repeat: This as a leadership endeavor. Determine who are the cause leaders you need to make the change happen.  Talk to them about how they would take leadership to affect that change.  You should not only have “What if … ” discussions but more importantly, “Why not … “discussions.

Have thoughts about In Leadership, Results Are Limitless?

Tell us what you think! We’d love to hear from you.

Are you worried about boots on the ground? Your boots?

Are you worried about getting your own hands dirty, refining your attitude, honing your skill and losing your illusions about what it really takes to lead people intelligently and successfully?

Are you reluctant to open up the discussion how you can build a business that is ethical, consistent, authentic, transparent and an expression of your personal values and integrity.

Are you avoiding looking at what the real causes of quality of life in business are and how you can get started with their implementation?

Why not start by putting your own boots on the ground. Become realistic about the need for you to develop greater composure and cultivate your connections with others.

Here are three things you can do today that will strengthen your Intelligent Leadership and Quality of Life in Business:

1) Develop a sense of humanity: Life’s not always about you and your needs and wants. People share a fate in that everyone is working to make the most of the time they have, whether that expresses in their private lives or professional lives. Open up, observe others! Are you really so different?

2) Commit unconditionally: You will only put forth your best effort and bare the heaviest burdens for goals that are well worth it, and a vision that is well conceived. Once you have found what these goals are and what that vision consists of, commit unconditionally. It is the one thing that keeps the red wood tree growing through the seasons and it will get you to your sunny spot as well.

3) Celebrate successes: Every day has some successes. Whether you allowed someone in line to pay his coffee before you paid yours, or you succeeded in being a bit less anxious when Bill down the hall received laureates for an idea you sparked. Celebrate your successes and keep enjoying your journey. Less anxious = more quality of life. Remember that.

Call us today at (805) 680-3988 for your personal Free 25 minutes Empowered Perspective Consultation.

Sign up for The Empowered Perspective eZine above or visit our website at www.empowermentholdings.com.

We assist you with Intelligent Leadership and Quality of Life in Business.

I once met a man who said that since we have the Statue of Liberty on the East Coast we should have a Statue of Responsibility on the West Coast.

Think about it. What else would you need if you had both a sense of freedom and a sense of commitment. You’d have it all.

In reality it is hard to find any sense of freedom in you don’t have a sense of responsibility. That is just the nature of the beast. Freedom without responsibility is quickly lost for a lack of stewardship, and responsibility without freedom is quickly abandoned for a lack of joy.

But you can stand on two legs, can’t you.

So stand on freedom and responsibility.

As C.K. Prahalad said:

“Assume responsibility for outcomes as well as for the processes and people you work with. How you achieve results will shape the kind of person you become.”

Call us today at (805) 680-3988 for your Complimentary Client Consultation.

Sign up for The Empowered Perspective eZine above or visit our website at www.empowermentholdings.com.

Let us assist you with Intelligent Leadership and Quality of Life in Business.

Be SMART about your goals!

If you have not yet learned how to set goals using the SMART method for setting goals, you are missing something.

S.M.A.R.T. stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely.

Specific:
Specific goals have a greater chance of getting accomplished than general goals. Your specific goal must answer the six “W” questions:

1. Who: Who is involved?
2. What: What do I intend to accomplish?
3. Where: The location.
4. When: The time frame.
5. Which: Constraints and requirements
6. Why: The reason, purpose or benefit of accomplishing the goal.

Measurable:
Know in advance how you will measure progress toward the accomplishment of the goal you set. Measuring keeps you on track, helps you reach target dates, and allows you to celebrate the achievements of smaller steps that drive you forward.

Ask quantitative questions such as……How much? How many? …to know where you are.

Attainable:
If it really matters to you, you will commit to developing the right attitude, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach your goal. Previously overlooked opportunities seem to suddenly appear to guide you along the way.
When you break your goals down into small actionable steps you can achieve almost any goal you set your mind to. step by step wins the race.

Realistic:
When you are both willing and able to work toward your goal it becomes realistic. With regards to motivation, a high goal has greater motivational force than a low goal, which is why many small goals remain unaccomplished, so don’t be afraid to reach for what you really value.

If you have achieved similar goals in the past or have strong confidence in your ability to achieve it, it is another indicator that your goal is realistic.

Timely:
In order to be smart, a goal needs to have a deadline or a time frame. When you establish a time frame for your goal your braincells go into action. “Someday” is not specific enough. When you choose a specific date – like July 4th – your unconscious mind starts working out ways to achieve it.

Call us today at (805) 680-3988, sign up for The Empowered Perspective Newsletter above or visit our website www.empowermentholdings.com. Let us assist you with your goals toward Intelligent Leadership and Quality of Life in Business.

Start the day with your intention(s) – It makes all the difference!

When you get up tomorrow morning, you should make a decision. Is this going to be another mindless day of chasing things you can never really grasp, another day of frantic business activity, of reactive relationships and a stressed out you?

Or do you say: Stop. Think. Choose.

And direct your mind with intention to being of value today, serving your clients and customers with clarity and patience, and giving them what they actually need.

You decide with that first thought in the morning, if this is going to be a day of giving – of yourself in the best way you know how – or another day of running after profits alone.

Think it through, it matters – for you and your quality of life in business.

The community is the lifeblood of Empowerment Holdings. If you enjoyed this post, please consider sharing it via a social site, or leaving a comment below. Thanks.