Friday High-Five: Posts I Loved Reading Last Week

Friday again - time to share some of the most profound posts that I loved reading last week. These brilliant posts hit the point and leave us with some excellent lessons. A big high-five to these amazing folks.

• Six Thoughts About Middle Management - by Lisa Haneberg
  Lisa says, “Management is a social act. Conversations are your currency to generate excellence and bring out the best in others. Erode relationships, erode results.”
  
• 10 Things: Addressed And Your Awesome Potential Will Be Unleashed- by NICHOLAS BATE
  Professor Bate says, “Believe in Yourself. You don’t have to be liked by everybody to do great things, to live the Life you wish, to change the world. AGREE THAT WITH YOURSELF.”
  
• How to Discuss an Employee Performance Problem - by Dan McCarthy
  Dan reminds us, “Knowing how to sit down with an employee and have an effective conversation about a performance problem is one of the hardest things for any manager to do, new or experienced, and should never be taken for granted.” He also offers practical tips to handle a performance problem.
  
• Three Years of CO - by Kurt Harden
  Cultural Offering blog completed three years and Kurt ruminates on the journey so far. He says, “That is the deal that is blogging. You take a shot at it. Put some thoughts down. Words to sentences to paragraphs, all to hone your skills - writing, reading, thinking. Sometimes you hit and sometimes you miss. But over time there are more hits than misses.”
  
• The performance value of total concentration - by Tim Sanders
  Tim Sanders posted a small and important reminder that working on one thing with total concentration has tremendous performance value. He also reminds that we can’t excel at all things at a time. Must read if you are struggling with your productivity.

Have a Fantastic Friday and a refreshing weekend!

Friday High-Five: Posts I Loved Reading Last Week

Friday is a great day to share links to some of the best thinking out there. I am fortunate to a part of a wonderful leadership/management community who so generously share their ideas, insights and knowledge. So, here are 5 posts that I totally enjoyed reading in the last week, and I am sure you will enjoy them too.

• Lisa Haneberg (who also wrote an advance praise in my book #QUALITYtweet) thinks that PASSION at workplace can be fostered by addressing some of the key elements of  our work. What are they? Check it out. A very useful post for HR folks, business leaders and managers.

• Michael Wade (who also wrote an advance praise in my book) listed some assumptions at work that are questionable. It is a brilliant and short list that you must check out!

• Wally Bock at Three Star Leadership prescribes a method to treat “Idea Deficit Disorder”. We are all born creative, but as we study, grow and start working, we start running short of ideas and loose our creativity. This post also features a FREE resource titled 62 Tips for Getting Good Ideas when you need Them (PDF).

• Seth Godin says that having competition is not an excuse for not starting something or for giving up. Competition is good, for it allows you to raise your game.

• We all say “good bye” to our peers, managers, consultants and clients at workplace when they leave. Mary Jo Asmus hits it right when she suggests that leaders become more “human” and compassionate, even when saying good bye. A very succinct reminder.

Have a Fantastic Friday and a refreshing weekend!

Photo Courtesy: Holtsman’s Flickr Stream

Friday Reflection: The ‘Real’ Powers!

This morning when I was praying, God again appeared. HE gently put His hand on my head and said -

My Son,

Most people live with an illusion that real power is in wealth. In degrees. In material.

They spend most of their lives looking for power “somewhere out there”.

I have “gifted” each human being with great powers that lie “within” them.

The power to think. Imagine. Visualize.

To choose your battles.

To choose between mediocrity and greatness.

The power to understand, listen and relate with other human beings.

To see the best in them.

The power to read. To grasp. To learn.

The power to walk. Talk. Choose your words.

The power to change your perspectives. Shape your attitude.

To focus. To concentrate. To direct your energies.

The power to smile. The power to love others.

You can create whatever you decide to.

Ability to decide - that is your supreme strength.

So, look within. Not outside.

That is where your real powers are.

I have gifted you – will you care to unwrap these gifts?

Also read: An earlier conversation with God - “The Focus is on YOU”.

Photo by Tanmay Vora: Core of a flower at Esplanade Park, Helsinki, Finland

Friday Thoughts on Legacy of a Leader

This happens to me all the time while reading blogs. Reading diverse ideas written by different individuals on a same subject (on a same day at times). The topic then occupies my mind space. Sometimes I comment on those posts and most of the times, the subject goes hiding in some corner of my brain.

I read two posts yesterday on leaving your legacy, both of which got me thinking.

Mary Jo Asmus shared this wonderful quote (and some thought-provoking questions) in her post “Thought-full Thursday – Legacy” -

“If you are a leader – of a company, a department, a division, or any group of individuals- you will leave a leadership legacy. It won’t be a record of how you behaved or a report card of your company’s performance (although that is how it might be summed up by the press). Instead, your legacy will be revealed in how your colleagues, employees, and others think and behave as a result of the time they spent working with you.”  Robert M. Galford and Regina Fazio Maruca, in Your Leadership Legacy

I wrote my view about leaving your legacy as a comment on Mary Jo’s post. Here it goes -

In an organizational context, a leader’s legacy is the culture he/she builds – leaders may go, but the culture, the belief system, processes and the ways of working stays there for long.

In a personal context, leader’s lasting legacy is his/her contribution in developing other human beings (by building great organizations, writing books, blog, knowledge sharing, value addition, one-to-one people development, behavior and building memorable moments in lives of others). There is no greater satisfaction than to see others growing with you.

Tom Peters asks the same question, “What will your legacy be from today?" in his video series on his new book “The Little Big Things”. You can watch the video or download the PDF transcript. In his talk, Tom says -

But every day does have a legacy; every day can be a masterpiece. The notion is, we build our track record—whether we are president of the United States or whether we are somebody who’s cleaning up tables at a little restaurant—we build it one day at a time.

Amen to that! Think about what your legacy would be – and then, act on it by focusing on each day and making the most of it.

Have a FANTASTIC Friday and an enjoyable weekend ahead!

Monday Thought: Do We Have Time to Notice the Beauty?

As we begin the new week, I want to share a very interesting real experiment that was done at Washington DC Metro Station by Washington Post. (Caution: This is a 2007 feature and some of you may have already read about it earlier)

Joshua Bell is one of the greatest musicians in the world. On a cold January morning at Washington DC Metro Station, he stood against a wall and played one of the most intricate pieces ever written for 45 minutes, with a violin worth $3.5 million dollars. During those 45 minutes, nearly 2000 people walked past him on their way to work.

Amazingly, only 6 people stopped by and listened for a short while and about 20 people gave money, but did not stop to listen. At the end of 45 minutes, Joshua Bell (whose last super-hit show tickets were sold at minimum of $100 per seat) collected mere $32.

Imagine world’s best musician playing incognito at a busy/crowded place with the most expensive instrument – and very few people appreciating the gift of Joshua Bell and the beauty of what he was playing.

I first read this story on Patrick Driessen’s blog and then read the source feature  at Washington Post.

As Patrick rightly concludes,

“If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world, playing some of the finest music ever written, with one of the most beautiful instruments ever made…. How many other things are we missing?”

Interesting question to ruminate upon this week! Have a great one ahead!

Saturday High-Five: Posts I Loved Reading Last Week

For me, Saturday is a ‘sharing day’ and here are five posts from my friends that I totally enjoyed reading in the last week (and you will too!)

Resting on Your Laurels? by Rajesh Setty
In this short and profound post, Rajesh emphasizes that while your ‘achievements’ provide fulfillment in life, your ‘contributions’ provide meaning. Excellent Insight!

Thought-full Thursday: Potential by Mary Jo Asmus
We all have more potential than we think we have. Mary Jo offers a set of provocative questions (for leaders themselves and questions they can ask their team members) to assess if you are living up to your full potential. A quick one, but a must read.

Not so famous last words by Phil Gerbyshak
Phil Gerbyshak is a wonderful friend who led me to introspection this week with this post. Phil answers the question “…what would you say to the people in your life today, if you knew you wouldn’t be able to talk tomorrow?” and provokes deep introspection. Check it out for yourself.

Meetings for Disaster 7 by the GREAT Nicholas Bate
Nicholas Bate is the king of thinking with lists. He presents a short list comprising of only 7 items that make disastrous meetings. You might also like reading my older post on 25 Lessons Learned in Conducting Productive Meetings.

My Mother, Cancer and a Bit of Wisdom by Wally Bock
Everything starts looking small when we think about death. It is not about how long we live, but how. Wally Bock offers a profoundly inspiring story of his mother and how she approached life even after being diagnosed with cancer. This post is a great reminder that only a few things matter in life – key is to keep those things in perspective without getting lost in nitty-gritties of life. Go, read this one.

I wish you a wonderful Saturday and a refreshing weekend!

Photo Courtesy: Holtsman’s Flickr Stream

The focus is on YOU

This morning when I was praying, God gently put His hand on my head and lovingly said -

"My Son,

Those who wait for an opportunity never get it.

I have given you hands and head so that you can work hard, think, move ahead and create opportunities.

Just like a farmer sprinkles seeds across on the land, I have sprinkled opportunities around you.

But like a farmer, you have to work hard and long to seize those opportunities.

The road below your feet will never move unless YOU move.

A river never complains about the obstacles in the way. River creates a way because a river was made to flow.

Birds were made to fly and man was made to work.

If you lock yourself in a room, you will never experience sunlight. You have to open doors and windows of your room to let the sunlight in.

If you keep doors and windows of your mind closed, the light of knowledge will never come in.

Opportunities are like rays of sun. They are waiting outside for you to open up, work hard and embrace them.

The focus is on YOU. The fulcrum is on YOU.

Because YOU are the one who thinks, decides and exercises a choice.

Opportunities are everywhere. What are you doing to seize them?”

Photo: Flower at Esplanade Park, Helsinki, taken during my Finland visit in May 2009

Great Quotes: It is not the critic who counts – Theodore Roosevelt

You are not doing much if you are not being criticized, it is said. As you set out to start your week, remember the following quote from Theodore Roosevelt. It is awe-inspiring.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

So let the critics do their job while you get busy in :

• Getting things done.
• Embracing the change.
• Stirring the pot and thinking.
• Ruthlessly re-prioritizing.
• Raising the bar.
• Getting better by learning
• Enjoying what you are doing.
• Being the best of what you can be.
• Thinking possibilities.
• Living each moment to its best.

Remember, it is not the critic who counts. Have a great week ahead!

Full of Life 35

When I see my 3 years old daughter playing in the park, jumping, dancing, smiling and completely immersed in her play, I always tell myself, “She is full of life”.

When do you say that someone is full of life?

1. When they “pour themselves” in whatever they do.
2. When they don’t worry much about results…
3. …but focus on efforts.
4. When they enjoy what they do…
5. …and process of doing it.
6. When they do what they really enjoy doing.
7. When they stick to it till it gets done.
8. When they are uber-positive about life.
9. When they are energetic themselves…
10. …and generate energy in people around them.
11. When they are “light” from within.
12. When there is a “light” within.
13. When they demonstrate passion…
14. …and compassion.
15. When they are courageous.
16. When they are thoughtful.
17. When they smile a lot.
18. When they seek to understand people around them.
19. When they are amicable, approachable and warm.
20. When they love other people…
21. …and are willing to help them.
22. When they appreciate and encourage…
23. …more than they crib and vent.
24. When they take risks…
25. …and learn from  failures.
26. When they don’t keep worrying about death as a final consequence…
27. …but live in the present moment, here and now…
28. …and make the most of it.
29. When they focus on being fit..
30. .. physically and mentally.
31. When they keep learning different things.
32. When they focus on gifts “within” them…
33. .. rather than trying to meet demands that are more “external”.
34. When they “give” and “help”…
35. …and build strong and deep relationships based on TRUST.

This post is inspired by my favorite Nicholas Bate – who is a master of putting brilliant ideas in form of very interesting lists. I could have written an long post, but I preferred following Nicholas Bate’s style – short writing that provokes long thinking!

On a second thought, don’t you think these characteristics also apply equally well to leaders? Yes, leaders ought to be full-of-life!

Have a wonderful weekend – enjoy life!

In the photo: I am tossing my daughter in the air, when she was around 9 months old.

Quotes to Energize Your Monday!

Once in a month, I spend some good time reading books at Crossword. It is not only an opportunity to read/buy some great books, but also to spend some quality time with myself thinking about what I read there. The ambience at Crossword is so good for reading, I have to push myself out. I got some great books on Quality, Management, Self-Help and Motivation.

As we start the week, I thought of sharing some inspiration from the book “The Treasure – Essence from World’s Greatest Motivational And Self-Help Gurus”. This book is a brilliant compilation of great thoughts from all time great authors and coaches. Here are 7 gems to wish you a great start into the week -

• “A smile is the light in your window that tells others that there is caring, sharing person inside” – Denis Waitley (Success Coach)
• “Excellence always sells” –Earl Nightingale (Success Coach)
• “For true success, ask yourselves these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?” – James Allen (Success Coach)
• “It is important to remember that we are energy. Einstein told us that. And energy cannot be created or destroyed, it just changes form” – Rhonda Byrne (Discoverer of Secret)
• “The best strategy for building a competitive organization is to help individuals become more of who they are” – Marcus Buckingham (Motivational Expert)
• “How people treat you is their karma. How you react is yours.” – Wayne Dyer
• “The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said.” – Drucker

You might also like reading Collection of thoughts to have a GREAT start into the week! and (How to) Have a Great Monday!

Have a super-productive week ahead! Stay tuned for more posts this week.