Many times people have told me something like, "That book will change your life." To which I always say, (if it is socially acceptable in the situation) something like, "The book won't change anything unless you read it and apply it."

When I can say that without sounding like a smart aleck, the point is well made. We must read and we must take action for any book to have a real impact on us.

I am a big proponent of business book clubs, having helped clients get them started, and providing them with suggested books to read. I recently wrote an article about this topic.

Peter G. Vajda, emailed me a follow-up to my article yesterday. I excerpt it here with his permission:

I just read your august article on starting a book club. I agree with all of your suggestions; however, I would suggest one more.

I am a member of a leadership development study group here in Atlanta. I have been a member for about a year. We meet once a month for 90 minutes to discuss popular leadership books.

What I found was a lot of camaraderie, discussion, etc., etc.

What I didn't find way any discussion of "walking the leadership talk" among participants. After all, reading is passive. And discussion, well, is just discussion and provides an opportunity for lots of egos and pontificators to engage, even with a skilled facilitator.

So, I suggested that we have two meetings a year which were "show and tell" -meetings where individuals would discuss how they actually implemented some of the ideas, principles, theories, tools, etc., we were reading about.

My note to the group included:

~~~~~~~~

We seem to do so much reading which is terrific, but "passive". How about a session or two a year where we discuss how we actually put into practice some of the principles, tools, techniques, etc., we've been reading about, in our own units, silos, departments, groups, organizations, and entertain questions such as:

1. What did I do?
2. What made that effort successful? (Or, what caused it not to succeed?)
3. What obstacles stood in the way?
4. How did I deal with the obstacles?
5. What did I learn from the experience? (and How am I a better person for it?)

After all, reading is just reading....until we consider change and transformation...

As the Buddha said, "Be the change you want to see."

~~~~~~~~~~~

There was a resounding "yes!" to the idea and now we will have at least two sessions a year where we focus on a Hands-on approach to leadership.

To this I say, fantastic!

I encourage you to put this next step of accountability into your own book club processes. You can do these sorts of things even if you are "reading alone." Any book I read that I feel really good about, I review a couple of days after finishing it to capture gems, ideas and all the things I wrote in the margins in my Journal. Then I make notes on the ideas I am going to put into action.

I encourage you to read more. And choose to take action on what you have learned.

Thanks Peter!

Also posted in Leadership, Learning, Teamwork, and Training

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In a few minutes I'm going to be seeing the cover for my new book, Vantagepoints on Learning and Life. The final manuscript is being copyedited as we speak, and so we will have our first run of books soon.

Once we have the cover finalized, it will be the main design element of a redesigned Vantagepoints.net website, a place from which we can market and sell the book.

I'll be writing more about this project over the next few weeks and providing links to pages and offers as they are ready.

I hope your Friday is going as well as mine. :)

Also posted in Learning

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Within the past three days I have become aware of two new online news outlets. They aren't brand extensions of Fox News or CNN. They aren't related to USA Today or The Wall Street Journal (though the Journal does have a new Weekend Edition which is great!)

Both of these new outlets focus on Good News... or at least the positive side of the news.

HappyNews.com - "Real news. Compelling Stories. Always positive." - This site feels the most like a news site of the two. Stories are posted in several areas including International, National, Business, Sports, Editorials and more. Stories are frequently updated and you can even subscribe to an RSS Feed.

Good Morning Planet Earth - "Where the World Wakes up to Good News" - This site is more article based (as a means of disclosure, a couple of my stories have been posted), but there is still "Breaking News" - all in a positive light.


There are two sides to every coin. Admittedly for some stories the negative side is bigger and quite compelling. Having said that, I'm glad to see a little more focus on the flip side of the news coin.

We know that the things we put in our mind are input to our thoughts. Many people have told me recently that they have been disturbed and even mildly depressed by watching scenes over and over from the Gulf Coast.

This good news approach is one that you might recall USA Today focused on when it first appeared. Over time however, they have generally lost that edge. I like this trend. I hope it continues.

Also posted in Creativity and Learning

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Last week in Boston I met and heard Kenny Moore speak (he's the Monk in the book, The CEO and the Monk). While he was a Monk for a number of years he now works in HR for Keyspan, and describes his role "awakening joy, meaning and commitment in the workplace."

Anyone with a background like that and who describes his role in that way, is someone worth listening to.

I haven't read the book yet (I promise to tell you more after I have), but here are some snippets of my notes from his presentation.

On defining Spiritual Energy in a work context ... "People's desire for purpose, meaning, potential, and legacy transformed for corporate and world good."

"What's good for the spirit is good for the company."

"Commitment can't be mandated, it can only be invited."

"Influence is the power base of the future."

Pick any one of these quotes and make it your thought for the day. If you do, I'm betting you will have a better day.

Also posted in Leadership.

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Not long ago when Peter Jennings died we heard and read many things about this man. One of things that surprised me was that he didn't have a high school diploma - that he had moved into television before he graduated. I also learned from several accounts that this had always bothered him and that he was a true life-long learner.

Last Wednesday in the USA Today there was a report of a memorial service that had been held in his honor. The article ended with words he spoke in the his address at his daughter's high school graduation:

"Once you are clear about your values, you must stand up for them. There is nothing worse than sliding through life with conventional wisdom."

This is good advice for high school graduates, and great advice for leaders.

As a leader we must be clear on our values. They must match the values of the organization in which we serve (or we must go elsewhere). Once this clarity is achieved, we must lead from these values.

All techniques, approach and skills must match and align if we want to be remarkable leaders.

Think about your values today. Think about how you live them each day as a leader. Stand up for them today.

Also posted in Leadership.

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Like a lot of other people, I have read Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Sthephen J. Dubner. They take an economists view and rigor to look at interesting questions like the motivations of realtors, how people name their children and much more. (You can read more on their blog.)

I found the book interesting and fun to read. But the thing from the book that has stayed with me and that I continue to think about comes on page 148 when the authors are writing about "What Makes a Perfect Parent?". They write:

"The typical parenting expert, like experts in other fields, is prone to sound exceedingly sure of himself. An expert doesn't so much argue the various sides of an issue as plant his flag firmly on one side. That's because an expert whose argument reeks of restraint or nuance often doesn't get much attention. An expert must be bold if he hopes to alchemize his homespun theory into conventional wisdom."

As a person who is called an expert and is paid for his expertise this gives me pause to think.

As I read the quotation I replace expert with consultant to help me think about my role, and the expectations of Clients.

Clearly this is the approach of some experts. They have an opinion and stick to it steadfastly. This position feels good to the expert or consultant, and makes many Clients sleep better. They can follow the advice of their consultant - after all they are the expert - and rest easier.

I believe there is a different approach that a expert/consultant can take. They can have a strong belief. They can advocate for a position or course of action, but they can see their role differently. Rather than being the fount of all relevant knowledge,they help the Client better understand their situation and help the Client apply the expertise that they provide.

This approach however requires that both the consultant and the Client think more. It requires that the consultant let go of their content expertise enough to help the Client move through a process to create great results.

Both approaches are valid. Both approaches can produce good results.

As a Client you will be happier and more successful if you are clear on which approach will work best for you. Consultant/experts will be more successful when they are clear on the approach they want to provide.

What kind of an expert are you?

What kind of expert do you want on your team?

Also posted in Learning and Leadership.

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I had a good list of things I planned to do on Saturday, including watching little college football.

My plan went out the window when I woke up sick (don't worry - no details follow). So the list went largely undone though I did watch more football from the couch - between naps than I expected.

In the morning my mind told me to get up and do something, but my body didn't want to cooperate very much. I was anxious - less about how I felt than about getting some stuff done!

As the day went on, I adjusted my mental focus. If I was sick, the best thing to do was rest, so that I would recover more quickly. So, as the day wore on, this was my approach.

This is advice I have given others many times, and I'm sure it is the advice you would have given me. It isn't a major discovery. But for me, who is seldom ill and who often works on through it, it was advice I need to take for myself.

There are (at least) two lessons in my Saturday sickness experience:

1. Something is going to change your plan. When you accept the the change, you will adapt better to it.
2. Listen to your body. Perhaps yesterday is exactly what I needed, so now I will be more focused and effective on the tasks I had on my list yesterday.

I woke up this morning feeling much better, and I've had the chance to relearn a couple of valuable lessons.

It is true of our learning, that we learn when we are ready. Perhaps yesterday I was ready.

I wish you a great day and one with full of learning opportunities - ones that don't include being sick!

Also posted in Learning.

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Hard to believe that I haven't posted in a week!

We have a number of things going on, which of course isn't a good excuse, but one of them is some fantastc news! I'm not quite ready to tell you about it, but I promise I will soon. Anticipation is a good thing . . .

I do hope to be sharing a number of things with you over the next couple of days though.

And here is the first one of those things...

We all know that our behavior can be contagious. And in this story about The Escalator Angel shows that truth beautifully.

The "Angel's" behavior spread like a virus that we'd all benefit from catching. As a leader or as any member of a team we can choose to spread a virus like these.

Read it and get started!

Also posted in Leadership and Teamwork.

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Over one week ago a major disaster hit part of the Gulf Coast of the United States. I have been reflecting on the disaster, the response to it, and what lessons we can draw about leadership.

Don't worry this isn't a political piece...

Lesson 1 - Leadership is important. Much has been made that areas weren't as prepared as they could have been. Leaders could have changed that. Many have said that the initial response (at all levels from local to the Federal Government)wasn't perfect. Leadership can improve that in the future.

Lesson 2 - Leadership can come from everyone. Not just those with a title, but everyone can lead. Thousands of stories of heroism, and leadership are coming out of these events. Not all of them are stories of people wearing a badge or a official title. We can all use our leadership abilities.

Lesson 3 - Remarkable leaders know that blame takes too much energy. In recent days it seems that the focus of the "story" of the disaster has changed from the disaster to who did what wrong and how it could have been done better. Let's be clear. This was a disaster of monumental proportions. Could things have gone better? Of course. Was the way things were handled a travesty? No. Will blaming and pointing fingers at others solve the problem now? Absolutely not. Every ounce of energy being spent in blame and "Monday Morning Quarterbacking" is an ounce of energy better spent on meeting the vast challenges that still exist. Which leads to...

Lesson 4 - Remarkable leaders focus on solutions, not problems. Rather than looking at what is wrong, they look at creative ways to make it better. Remarkable leaders know that when they are point a finger at others, four times as many fingers are pointing back at them. They take responsibility, and focus on solutions.

Lesson 5 - Remarkable leaders know when to reflect and when to act. Will there be a time to look back and learn from the failures in processes, procedures, and responsibilities used during the time immediately following the storm? Yes. Will there be people that may need to be held accountable for some of those decisions and actions? Of course. I just don't think that time is now. A study and review will be commissioned, I'm sure, as it should be. Leave that learning for then.

My bottom line? I believe that right now, leaders of all sorts, from township supervisors, to mayors, to state legislators, to those in government agencies, to Congress, to the White House, need to look forward and work together to meet the many challenges we will face for months. There is a time for reflecting and a time for action. Now is the time to look forward.

In your own leadership development keep this in mind. Remind yourself of these lessons.

And please share your comments on other lessons you have found.

Also posted in Leadership and Learning.

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I'm proud to be a part of Rosa Say's community on her Talking Story blog. This month she has asked some people to weigh in on her blog about lifelong learning.

My first post is there today. Check it out and add her blog to your regular reading list - because it is one of the best blogs I read.

Also posted in Leadership, Learning, and Training.

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When on campus at Purdue University to give a talk last week (here is my post about that). I overheard a couple of students talking about the fact that the lectures for some classes on campus were availalbe as podcasts.

While I was thinking this seems pretty cool and a logical progression using technology, their reaction was, "now people have one more reason not to go to class."

I applaud the value they place on the lecture and attending class, but I think they are a little bit closed minded.

Here is my take. People have taken tape recorders to class as long as there have been tape recorders. The people that have done this have continued to do it because it helps them succeed. Having the lectures as a podcast improves the quality of the sound and makes it easier to scan around to find a particular section to review while studying.

Will some people skip the lecture and download them to their computer to listen to later? Sure they will. Will some of them never listen to those downloads? Of course. (Some of theose people wouldn't have gone to class last year when there wasn't any podcast either!)

But for a true student and a willing learner who knows they can learn effectively from audio, this technoligy and the infrastructure Purdue has put in place to support it, makes sense for review, reinforcement and yes, even timeshifting.

Earlier this week The Exponent (Purdue's student newspaper) wrote a story about this new learning option. You can read the story HERE.

Just one more reason to love my Alma Mater. Hail Purdue!

Also posted in Creativity, Learning and Training.

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Brendon Connelly wrote about the Pocketmod, a cool little tool the other day. And like most viral phenoms, I've seen it mentioned several times since. I took a few minutes this morning to check it out.

This tool allows you to create a little pocket note book using a single sheet of paper. You can put use a variety of calendar or note pages.

While Bren's post describes several good uses, here are my thoughts after carrying one in my pocket this morning.

1. It will work better for people who have small handwriting (like me).
2. May people go to networking events or other situations where they want their hands free but still want a way to take notes. I typically use index sized cards for this. If you want to add a calendar or some other things to that approach, this tool could be perfect for you.
3. It is all still paper and you Palm, Treo, et al people may think it is backward, but in many cases it is hard to beat pen and paper - but yes, you might have to rewrite some things.

In the end, it is a tool that meets two criteria for me writing about it. It may have some uses for you and it is cool - both the web interface and the resulting product.

Check it out directly at PocketMod.com.

Also posted in Creativity and Learning.

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One of the many ezines I read comes from Dave Paradi.

In his most recent issue, he comments on a major complaint many people have about PowerPoint, namely, that you are locked into a linear flow of material once you arrive at the session. (This is never a problem for my flipcharts).

I'll admit I agree with this criticism, so it was interesting to read his suggested work-arounds.

If you are a PowerPoint maven, you like these tips. Or of you have a desire or need to use it more, but have misgivings, you might find this useful too.

Also posted in Training.

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Last Thursday I posted a link to an article I wrote giving people some specific things to consider as a response to the disaster of Hurricane Katrina.

One of my suggestions was to Encourage Others to Give. I then issued a challenge for people to share creative ways they are giving or have heard of others giving. I've posted a list of the responses I've received on this page.

I hope you enjoy it.

More importantly, I hope you are inspired by it.

Also posted in Creativity.

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I'm planning to work in my office this evening, working on some things. This morning I decided I might need some extra motivation and creative stimulus for this time.

I've decided what I'm going to use.

Buffett.

Tonight is one of the last concerts in Jimmy Buffett's tour for the year, and I am going to listen to it live from Chicago, right here on my computer. I missed his concert in Indianapolis this year. (Here is What I Learned on My Trip to Margaritaville last year).

You can listen to live concerts and much more at RadioMargaritaville.com (where else?)

This will be the first time my desk has been in Margaritaville, and I can't wait for the view.

Also posted in Creativity.

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I've seen links to this site in several places the last few days, and just now I am getting the chance to recommend it to you.

Idea generation or ideation is what many people think of when they think of being creative. While creativity is much more than that, you can rely on more than innate ability to generate ideas. There are many tools, techniques and approaches you can use.

Martin Leath has put together what he calls a site with a list of "All Known Idea Generation Methods". It is worth taking a look at and bookmarking for your next brainstorming endeavor.

Also posted in Creativity and Teamwork.

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Martin Jischke, President of Purdue University, recently gave a speech to a students who have received the Purdue Opportunity Awards (these are full scholarship awards).

The speech is eloquent and should speak to all of us in terms of the value of education and the opportunity we can have to make a difference and leave a legacy.

It is worth reading.

Also posted in Leadership and Learning

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The news from the U.S. Gulf Coast isn't getting any better. The devastation left by Hurricane Katrina is unprecedented. At lunch I heard that an area larger than the state of Minnesota will be declared a Federal Disaster area.

After spending some time watching the pictures and listening to the stories, I decided to take action. One piece of action I've taken is to make a donation. Another part of the action was writing the article below and doing what else I can to encourage others to also take action.

Please read this article, and take action on what you read. Your action will be both a blessing to those on the Gulf Coast and to you too.

After Katrina, Seven Things You Can Do

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Tuesday I was asked to speak to 3 classes of Seniors in Animal Science at Purdue University (Go Boilers!) My topic? Gettiing prepared for interviews.

I came up with an acronym of four keys to a successful interviewing.

Preparation
Energy
Attitute
Strategy

Here is a (very) condensed version of my points in a 25 minute presentation.

Overall philosophy - The interview is not a one-way exercise of being evaluated or an evolved type of "beauty contest" As the person searching for a job, you need to be interviewing as much as you are being interviewed. After all, if the outcome of the interview is more important to you than it is to the recruiter interviweing you.

With that disticntion made - think conversation not one-way interview - I elaborated on my acronym.

I asked them to write down the 3-5 most important things they were looking for in their job. Then I wrote Preparation on the board...


Preparation. Yes, you must be prepared to know more and more about the organization you are meeting with. You want to know all you can, and you want to be able to ask questions about what you have learned during the interview. (I told them how much easier this was with the web than when I was there age.) The other half of the preparation is preparing yourself with the questions you want to get answers to. I encouraged them to write 2-3 questoins to help them get answers to the items on their "most important things" list.

Energy. Interviewing can be stressful and sap a lot of energy. I encouraged them to get a good night's sleep and eat breakfast. I remeinded them that these steps would make them more focused and successful. It would help them showcase their best self. And I reminded them that the rest and breakfast couldn't be replaced by a can of Red Bull...

Attitude. We talked about enthuasiasm being contagious... and that the opposite is too... and that they should be clear about what they want the recruiter to "catch" from them! Exuding confidence (but not cockiness), having a positive expectancy about the results were part of how they could set themselves a part from others being interviewed.

Strategy. I told them they needed an overall strategy and that the PEA was a big part of that. I also talked at some length about sending thank you notes. An expert from the Career Opportunities Center on Campus confirmed my guess. She said that she estimated that only 5% of those interviewed sent a thank you note. 5%!

As I made the 50 minute drive to campus and as I gave this talk three times in a row, I reflected on how valuable these points are to all of us.

We are all in interviewing situations... I interview Clients as they interview us. As a salesperson, you are doing interviews... and much more.

Perhaps one or more parts of what I have shared here will help you, or might help someone you know.

I hope so.

Also posted in Leadership and Learning

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As a person who loves words and thinks about how the meanings of words impacts our actions I loved reading this...

Speaker and author Jeff Blackman wrote this in his newsletter The Results Report this week:

"Some call a meeting like this, a 'retreat.' But if you're already a client, you know I never lead 'retreats.' I only lead 'advances!' (Why have a retreat? You're headed in the wrong direction!"

I love it.

I love it for a couple reasons. By changing the name, you:

1. Give people a rationale for the change and you get them thinking about the true purpose of the gathering.
2. Increase interest and excitement about the event.
3. Give yourself, as a planner a renewed vision of a successful event.
4. Give the meeting and all participants a boost of creativity.

Whatever you choose to call it, I hope your next meeting truly is an advance.

Also posted in Leadership, Learning, and Teamwork

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