• We have the option of always being connected.
• We are awash in information.
• We have too many sources of information to choose from.
• Many people are increasingly addicted to all of it.

One crucial step to thriving in any situation is to identify and understand the challenges you face, and then identify ways to overcome, benefit from or eliminate those challenges. The ideas that follow are meant to help you do all three of these things.

Your Seven Ideas

Remember that these ideas about thriving, not merely surviving. This may mean that one or more of them is a bit more radical than you have considered or even think prudent. While you have to use your own judgment, I encourage you to do more than consider these ideas - but actually try them!

• Manage your expectations of yourself. How much time do you want/need/have to be a connected info-holic? (Please note that these are three different questions - ask yourself all of them). Consider your answers carefully, and then make choices about your own expectations of yourself in an informed way.
• Manage your expectations of others. As a leader you may choose to be connected and/or be on your computer at all times of the day or night. Unless you have a conversation with your team, they likely will begin to model your behavior. Maybe you choose to do email or send links to ideas you find at an odd hour, that’s fine, but you need to explicitly tell others what your expectations are for them. Let them know that "just because I'm online at 5 am doesn't mean you need to be" or whatever is appropriate in your situation.
• Turn off Tuesday afternoons. Face-to-face communication and the phone are amazing communication tools, and sometimes you will get more creative work done if the TV or web browser or email inbox is closed for awhile. Whether you pick Tuesday afternoons, Friday mornings, or whatever, consider a time during the work week when you disconnect from your toys and tools - and if you are a leader to have others do it as well. Personal experience and a variety of organizational experiments show that productivity may go up dramatically during these times.
• Find information sources and tools that work for you. Focus primarily on the tools that work for you. Use them appropriately and focus your attention on them.
• Turn off at night. At least one night a week (preferably more often) turn off the cell phone and don't open the computer. If you find yourself lost without the computer open, you need this advice the most. If you really want to be reading and/or learning, open a book. Encourage your team to do this too - especially if you find yourself getting messages from them at all hours of the night.
• Chill out and think. This idea addresses all four challenges mentioned above. If you remember what it was like before Web 2.0, interactive cell phones and more, you know that you could still get real work done. If you don't remember or weren't alive yet, trust me, you can get real work done. This idea is to just relax a little bit. When you are disconnected and unplugged be good with that. You don't have to have your Bluetooth headset on during dinner, and you don't have to take (or make) a phone call while in a public (or private) restroom. Relax a little. Use your disconnected time to think, rather than react to your technology.
• You can't do everything (so don't try). Even if you are really wired to technology, and even if you love it, know that you can't know everything about everything, because everything is so much bigger than it used to be. There will always be one more video site, cell phone option, all news blog or website. Be OK with that and refer back to idea #4.

A final note. A smart friend of mine called as I was writing this article and reminded me that some leaders are on the other end of this spectrum - either anti-technology or at least not challenged by these issues. If this is you, you need to recognize that many of your team could use the ideas above. And maybe you need to be a little more open minded to learn some of the benefits they are gaining in this 24/7 connected world - without falling into the their traps.

Potential Pointer: The communication and information options that are available to you in our 24/7 world are amazing! Always remember those options are tools designed to serve your needs, not make you a slave to them.

When you first look at this large (11x8.5), hardcover book, your first thought might not be "What It Is", but rather "what is it?" The cover sets the stage for the book, in fact it looks much like every page inside - a mixture of drawings, words, doodles, and collage that at once instructs and confounds, inspires and confuses.

The book is categorized by the book standards as a graphic comic or graphic novel. While it is full of graphics, it is neither of these things to me. At some level it is a primer on creative writing (which is what all writing should be - creative!), and it does provide concrete and useful ideas to this goal.

But the book is far more than that - it is a visual delight in full color that I know will make me more creative every time I pick it up.

No words I use will adequately describe this book, because it isn't really like anything I've ever seen (though it does remind me of the work of Sark). Here is an example.

I opened randomly to page 50. The main words/ideas on this page are:

What brings on a sudden thought? (These words are written inside a picture of a squirrel.)

Is reminded the same as remembered? (These words are drawn/written in three different ways on three different backgrounds.)

There is far more on page 50, and most of it is visually stimulating and highly creative.
Some parts of the book are more narrative, and some pages are more visually dominated, but all of the pages have both words and pictures.

I love this book-that-I-can't-fully-explain, and you may too. If you are a very linear thinker or are looking for checklists of ideas to be a more creative writer (or more creative in general) this isn't your book. But if you want something different to learn from and be inspired by - pick up a copy as soon as you can.

Learn more and purchase at Amazon.com.

P.S. I'm hoping to have Lynda as my guest for our Remarkable Leadership Guest Conversation in July!

Also posted in Creativity and Learning.

Labels: confidence, humility

• Eat your favorite food. It's your day - you deserve it. Even if your favorite foods don't "go together," they do today. Enjoy!
• Do a favorite childhood activity. Maybe it was a board game, or playing tag, or doodling. Whatever it was, do it today! Do it as a way to reignite your inner child and your creativity. Do it for the pure enjoyment. You will be amazed at how it will make you feel.
• Remember your favorite birthday. If you have a particular birthday that sticks out to you, spend time thinking about it and reveling in those memories.
• Laugh out loud. Do something that makes you laugh with delight! Laughter feels good and is good for you. Perhaps one of the other ideas on this list will make you laugh out loud - if so, great!
• Give a gift to someone else. We all know it feels better to give than receive, so why not give gifts to others on our birthday? Consider starting with your mother - after all she had a more memorable day when you were born than you did!
• Give your day away! You don't have to give a physical gift, you can give your time - to someone you love, to a charity or whatever you wish! Make your day a gift to someone else.
• Give yourself the gift of time. Sometimes our days are so packed with events and tasks that we don’t have time for ourselves. Consider giving yourself the gift of time for your own rest and relaxation (or the time to do another item on this list!).
• Send yourself a card. A few days or weeks before your birthday find a card you love, sign it and write yourself a note. Then address and stamp the envelope and ask someone to mail it to you a couple of days before your birthday. This is a great way to guarantee a card, and I promise it will make you smile.
• Spend time with someone you love. This might overlap with a couple of other ideas on the list - but that's OK. What could make for a better day than spending time with those you care about the most?
• Make a memory. Challenge yourself to create memories today that will last a lifetime.
• Reflect on the last year. Your birthday is a milestone, so it can be a great day to review your results and actions of the past year to see how you have done and determine what is working - and what isn't!
• Set some new goals. Today is a perfect day to look forward, to project into the future, to set goals for the next twelve months. If you don’t have goals written down, today is a perfect day to create them!

It also happens to be an engaging, interesting, well told story too.

It doesn't have key points pulled out on separate pages, a pocket card to pull out or any other similar devices. It is a standalone story that is well worth reading. The title gives you an idea of the point of the story - and for me the book delivers.

Since it was written in the 1920's, the language is a bit different and it is stylistically different than a book written in the last few years. Rather than using that an excuse not to read it, consider that one more good reason to read it.

This book will provide you a short respite from the world with a good story, a new reading experience and a message worth remembering. We can choose to be a "go getter," and this book will provide both a reminder and a roadmap.

Learn more and purchase at Amazon.com.

Most everyone I know talks about the importance of preparation. And most everyone I know also can think of times they wish they had been better prepared.

I fit into both categories. As a consultant, speaker and trainer, I talk about the importance of preparation and planning in a variety of situations. In my own experience I can recount situations where my preparation made a difference, and times when I know my results would have been better with more preparation.

It is from this perspective that I bought and read this book.

What I found was an interesting book written by a talented and very experienced guy. Shapiro has been a top lawyer and negotiator for a long time, which leads to one of the strengths of this book - captivating stories and profiles of interesting people. The profiles are designed to expand on the organizing principles of the book.

There is no rocket science here, but the authors do provide a valuable framework for thinking about preparation. I believe this framework will apply to most any situation - making the book valuable to a broad range of people.

If you are looking for an earth-shattering answer to being more prepared, you may not find it here. But you will find many reminders, a rationale and a roadmap to help you become more prepared in any situation - as an individual and as a leader.

Learn more and purchase at Amazon.com.

• Take action first. Dale Carnegie taught, "Act enthusiastic, and we'll be enthusiastic." He was right. Actions impact thoughts. Don't believe me? Ever gotten up and drug yourself around the house trying to get your day started? How much energy do you feel on those mornings? Compare that to the mornings when you hop out of bed because you are late. In which case do you have more energy in the moment?
• Assume you can. How many new ideas (or even old ideas) are immediately met with "that won’t work," or “we can't do that"? Maybe you can't, and maybe it won't. But what if everyone started with the assumption that you could do it and that it would work? I'm not saying every idea is great or that you can do everything. But it does mean that ideas can be investigated from a perspective of can-do and hope. This approach will definitely create a better attitude - and better results.
• Have some fun. Take time out of your day (right now?) and have some fun! I'm not suggesting forgetting or neglecting your work - but approaching your day with the spice of fun. What happens to your attitude when you are laughing? (My point exactly.)
  Look for the good. Look for the good in the day, in the situation, in other people. Look for the good in ideas (we've already covered that one!), challenges and problems. Just look for the good - all around you. Once you choose to look for it - you will find it. And, your attitude will improve, guaranteed.
• Take off your black hat. In many situations I hear, "but someone needs to be the devil's advocate." In my experience the same people are always the devil's advocate. If you always wear the black hat, take it off for awhile. If work with the black hat, ask for a black hat moratorium in your office for an hour, a day or a week. Even if you work by yourself, you will amp your attitude by being an angel's advocate today.
• Change your environment. Maybe you can't change the paint in your surroundings (and you certainly can't do it right now), but you can change your environment. If you find yourself heading to the 'dark side,' get up from your desk. Walk around the office or outside. Do anything to change your perspective and you will improve your attitude - the brief bit of exercise won't hurt either.
• Smile. I've saved the simplest and easiest for last. Smile. When you smile you feel better. When you smile - and others see it - they smile too (try it) and then you feel even better. If you want to amp your attitude right now, smile (it takes less than a second).

You can do any (or all) of these things right now. They are each a choice. Some may be easier for you, so it might be smart to start there. Start there, but don't stop there - implement these ideas and make your attitude (and results) soar!

Potential Pointer: There is real value in having a good attitude. Not the least of which is that people with positive attitudes are the ones others want to work with and be around! There are very specific things you can do every day to improve your attitude, and there’s no time like the present to start!

I don't have that worry with Johnny Bunko. This story (of Johnny Bunko of course) highlights some key lessons for anyone in the job market, but that isn't why I'm confident people will read it. People will read it because it is written in manga - or Japanese comic - form.

That's right; I am recommending a career advice book written as a comic book.

The book probably isn't "the last career guide you will ever need," but it does use a captivating story and format to highlight six important life/career lessons. I won't reveal them here because you will quickly learn them in the story itself.

I picked up this book because I am a fan of the author (read my recommendation of A Whole New Mind) and because I was fascinated by the manga form for this type of book.
I wasn't disappointed. I read it on part of an airplane flight. My high school sophomore also has read it, and we both enjoyed it. While the book isn't a complete career guide treatise, it does make great points in a memorable and creative way.

You may want to buy copies for those about to embark on their career - or looking to make a change, but buy a copy for yourself too. You will find it a worthwhile and fun read. I expect that you will (as I did) find that you leave the book feeling more creative and ready to tackle the challenges in front of you more successfully.

Learn more and purchase at Amazon.com.

The idea for this post comes from a question Angela Maiers asked and Mike Sansome posted on as well. The added to a piece written by Carl Glickman in the book Leadership for Learning.

In this piece, he asks and if then statement - If, as a teacher . . . . then I . . .

Here are a couple of my additions . . .

If, I as a teacher . . .

- stop learning new things myself
- forget what it is like to be a classroom student
- focus on teaching rather than learning

Then I've forgotten what is most important and my growth and effectiveness as a teacher is unnecessarily stopped.

Think about these thoughts as well as Mike and Angela's . Think about the times you are in a teaching/coaching/training/facilitating/parenting role and how these thoughts apply to you.

Labels: teacher, teaching

Labels: connection, relationships

1. to commemorate results and efforts.
2. to recognize people accomplishments and contributions.
3. to appreciate people.

When you think about these purposes, especially in an organizational context, it makes it easier to think about when to celebrate.

But before we get more specific about that, think about the last five times you arranged or participated in a celebration, and what the expressed purposes were. And, perhaps more importantly, what are the situations when you didn't celebrate that, using the purposes above, you could have?

When to Celebrate - Consider your Reasons

Read any book on team building, employee engagement or project management and you will read that celebrations are important. You can easily find lists of reasons to celebrate that usually include things like:

Celebrate when you . . .

1. Reach a goal.
2. Achieve a milestone.
3. Gain a major Client.
4. Release a new product.
5. Win an award.

These are probably obvious times to celebrate (in part because so many experts have reminded us). Most organizations do something at these types of "big achievements." And yet when you consider the stated purpose above, there are so many other situations when you could celebrate. What if you celebrated when:

1. People worked exceptionally hard?
2. People delighted a customer?
3. People lived your organizational values in a unique or important way?
4. People deserved thanks?
5. People reached a milestone, even if the project isn't complete yet?

Each of these lists could be longer - but please notice a critical difference. The first list is about completion and success, the second is about people. The first list is the obvious times to celebrate; the second list might be more of a surprise and have greater meaning to those being celebrated.

Successful celebrations occur in part when you are celebrating for the right reasons, and when those reasons are perfectly clear to those involved in the celebration.

How to Celebrate - Consider Your Attitude

Ever been to a celebration that flopped? Chances are it wasn't about the cake, punch or surroundings. The single biggest reason why celebrations flop is because people are just going through the motions.

Like when the leader arrives late, makes a proclamation then rushes back to his or her meeting.

Or the purpose for the celebration isn't clear.

Or it has been postponed three times.

These are all examples of celebrations becoming perfunctory and without any passion. And in the end, these "celebrations" hurt engagement, morale and energy more than they help.

If you want successful celebrations you must be real and genuine about the reason for celebrating. You must be gracious and thankful for those involved. Your comments must be heart-felt, and you must be present - really there in the moment - sharing in the celebratory feelings of the event.

There is another article that could be written (and I'll probably write it) about the ways to do the celebration, because not all celebrations are (or should be) created equally.

However you do it, in the end, the biggest key to any celebration's success is all about the slogan from that T-shirt. If you want your celebrations to be meaningful, celebrate like you mean it.

The original version of this book was the second Jeffrey Gitomer book I read. This new version is far more than a new edition - it is a complete overhaul. Now written in the undeniable Gitomer style and layout (ala The Little Book Series - see some of my past recommendations here, here and here), it is more readable, more accessible and more fun.

Jeffrey's writing matches his persona perfectly. It's practical, positive and irreverent. He calls a spade a spade. If he thinks an approach, however well known or often used, is wrong, he will tell you. He writes in a short, punchy style filled with cartoons and lists (including the all new 10.5 Commandments of Sales Success).

If you are a salesperson by trade, or if you lead or manage salespeople, you must own and use this book. I can't imagine not highlighting, dog-earing and applying this book daily. If you aren't in sales, you can use these ideas too.

And believe me, now is the time to buy your copy! The book officially releases May 6th (I've had a pre-publication copy for a few weeks) and when you buy your copy on Amazon.com you will be getting much more than book. You will receive hundreds of dollars worth of downloadable e-books, white papers, articles, audio MP3s, video MP4s, reports and chapters of best-selling books being offered by 40 top experts in a variety of related fields - including me.

It's that simple, and that valuable.

Get more details about the offer from Gitomer. And then, get your copy of the book on Amazon.