At this time of the year, either just before or just after the New Year begins, many people set resolutions for the coming year. One of the reasons that many people don't succeed with the resolutions they set is that they haven't put those resolutions in context - they haven't reflected on the past to set goals that will have a better chance of success.

This is why I created the 26 Questions to Make Your 2008 Great tool.



Over the last couple of weeks, I have been answering the first thirteen reflection questions. Here is the list, and the links to those posts.

1. What did I learn this year?
2. What did I accomplish this year?
3. Which accomplishments am I proudest of?
4. Knowing what I know now, what would I have done differently?
5. What will be my greatest lasting memories of this year?
6. In what ways did I contribute?
7. What were my biggest challenges or obstacles?
8. What obstacles did I overcome?
9. Who are the most interesting people I met?
10. How have they changed my life?
11. How am I different now than I was at the start of the year?
12. What am I most grateful for?
13. What else do I want to reflect on?

Reflection is of course only half the picture. The picture of Janus, the Roman God of beginnings and endings (and the root of the name of January) at the start of this post is on purpose. We must look back to learn and set context, then when we look forward in projection, we will have much greater success.

In this spirit, I will blog for the next thirteen days on the 13 projection questions in my free tool. I invite you to join me to read and answer the questions for yourself. I hope you will comment and if you blog, pick one or more of these questions to answer on your blog as well.

The point of all of this is to help all of us create a great 2008.

Thanks for joining me on this journey.

Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: learning, questions, reflection, resolutions

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

This is the final question in a series of 13 designed to help you capture the best from the past year. To learn more about this project and to download a tool to help you with your process for completing this year and starting next year more successfully, check out this post.

Here's today's question:

What else do I want to reflect on?

As I have worked through the first twelve questions I have found myself continuing to reflect on things related to my father's life and death. These events will be a defining part of my 2007, and I continue to learn lessons from these events.

While the other 12 questions I have shared with you are all valuable, I don't profess that they are complete or perfect. That is the purpose of this question. Your mind and heart have likely told you what else you need to be thinking about and learning from. That has been the focus of all 13 questions - to provide you questions to aid, advance, and accelerate your learning.

Tomorrow we begin to look forward as I initiate a series on the 13 projection questions - the questions that when consiered along with the 13 reflection questions - will help you create the best possible 2008. (So I hope to see you here tomorrow - and the following 12 days.)

In the meantime, have a happy and safe New Year's Eve!

Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: learning, questions, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

This is the twelfth in a series of 13 questions designed to help you capture the best from the past year. To learn more about this project and to download a tool to help you with your process for completing this year and starting next year more successfully, check out this post.

Here's today's question:

What am I most grateful for?

I love this question. I believe we are better people when we ask ourselves this question. So while I am suggesting that you ask yourself this question today, you can ask (and would benefit from asking) this question anytime.

The things I am most grateful for are my faith, family, and my health (and the health of all of those that I love and care for).

When you ask this question you may start with the biggest things for you, like those items I just shared, but you will also want to think about what you are grateful for in other areas of your life. Since this is a blog about learning, personal and professional development, some of the things in that area that I am thankful for include:

- those I work with
- our Customers
- those who read my writing
- our new office
- books

Ask yourself this question and begin to make a list. Keep thinking and keep writing for as long as you can. Come back to the list and re-read it in a couple of hours and add to it.

As we move into the second half of our questions in this series your answers to this (and the other questions) will be valuable to you.


Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: gratefulness, learning, questions, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

This is the tenth in a series of 13 questions designed to help you capture the best from the past year. To learn more about this project and to download a tool to help you with your process for completing this year and starting next year more successfully, check out this post.

Here's today's question:

How have those people changed my life?

Taken by itself, this is a big question! Put in the context of yesterday's question - it is a bit more manageable.

When I think of all the interesting people I've met in the past year, I can think of a variety of ways they've impacted or changed my life. This series of emails is one example.

Though I have been blogging for a long time, I learned some things in the the last month or so from some of my new friends this year. It convinced me to re-invigorate (at least in my mind) my efforts as a blogger. Several events have taken place and more are to come all designed to help this blog become a more valuable place for readers to come, read, learn and participate.

I believe this renewed focus will have a very positive impact on my business and my life, and for the advice and example of several people I am very thankful.

This is just one example of how the people I have met this year have made a difference for me. There are many other examples - and I'm sure you have many examples too. I urge you to ask yourself this question, then think about your answers. Lastly, make the time to thank those people who have made a difference for you.

Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: learning, questions, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

This is the ninth in a series of 13 questions designed to help you capture the best from the past year. To learn more about this project and to download a tool to help you with your process for completing this year and starting next year more successfully, check out this post.

Here's today's question:

Who are the most interesting people I met?

I've been looking forward to this question! I have met LOTS of interesting people this year. Among the first that come to my mind are three people that I actually haven't met; we've only converse on the phone and through email.

• These three people are all incredibly smart and nice, Jonathan Farrington, Jon Gordon, and Mike Robbins (They are great writers too!)

I also met:

• A ton of great people at the 800-CEO-Read author Pow-Wow that I could put on this list. (You can read posts about that event and the folks I met here and here.)
• One of my favorite bloggers, Lisa Haneberg in June at ASTD.
• The team at Jossey-Bass that helped me with Remarkable Leadership.
• Denis Waitley, one of my favorite authors, briefly, as well.
  

I could go on here, but you don't want to read that long...

Beyond all of these wonderfully talented and interesting people I also met hundreds of workshop participants, folks in organizations we consult with, and people in audiences at my keynotes.

I'm surely blessed.

One of the reasons I propose this question to you is for exactly that insight - I believe that most of us will look back on a year and identify many interesting people that we have met. Of course, the greater value to you (and them) comes as you build a relationship and go beyond just meeting someone. I could say much more about this point, but I don't want to give away too much about tomorrow's question.

Come back tomorrow for my thoughts on Question 10 - and again if you haven't yet downloaded the full tool with 26 questions to make your 2008 great, you can do that right here.

Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: learning, questions, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

This is the eighth in a series of 13 questions designed to help you capture the best from the past year. To learn more about this project and to download a tool to help you with your process for completing this year and starting next year more successfully, check out this post.

Here's today's question:

What obstacles did I overcome?

And a followup:

And, how did I do it?

In a way it is a good thing I skipped a day before posting this one. Why? Because this question(s) has been the hardest for me to answer so far. For some of these posts I have thought a lot about what I would include here in the blog, but there were many answers in my mind or in my journal to choose from.

The same has not been true here. I can't really identify/remember a significant obstacle in the past year (other than the one I mentioned in the post for question #7). As far as overcoming that one, that is a work in progress.

One could conclude that if a person didn't have an answer for this question that their year has been perfect - no obstacles might sound pretty good. I'm not sure that is the case, though I have certainly been blessed throughout the year. For me it is more about perspective. I don't typically think about obstacles. I try to see opportunities. I try not to look for events or situations to blame, but rather try to look at myself.

While I am not trying to hold myself up as a perfect example, I believe there is a message here. When we focus on what is our control, when we think about what we can do (notice today's followup question), we have shifted focus away from the obstacles. As we become more fully functioning as professionals, leaders and humans, we are better able to work from this perspective.

None of this negates the value in identifying obstacles that we did overcome and identifying the approaches we used. There is rich learning for us in these questions when we do encounter obstacles that must be surmounted or removed.

Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: challenges, learning, obstacles, questions, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

This is the seventh in a series of 13 questions designed to help you capture the best from the past year. To learn more about this project and to download a tool to help you with your process for completing this year and starting next year more successfully, check out this post.

Here's today's question:

What were my biggest challenges or obstacles?

The answer for me is clear - I need to get better at execution and implementation. At The Kevin Eikenberry Group we are excellent at surfacing ideas and opportunities, and while we do get a lot done, we don't do as well in this area as we could. Let me rephrase that and put the focus where it belongs. I as a leader am an obstacle in this area.

If you have been reading this series of posts you will know that this issue was the core of my answer to question #4 - Knowing What I know Now, What Would I Do Differently?

I think it is completely natural that your answers to these two questions might be related, in fact in some cases after thinking about this question, you might have other, or more complete answers to #4.

Perhaps you are thinking of an external obstacle or challenge - the loss of a job, a Customer, or perhaps a change in the economy. While these things may well be obstacles, I encourage you to think about your challenges with a personal focus. Consider what role you played in creating or sustaining this obstacle. Equally important consider what you did (or can do now) to overcome that obstacle or challenge.

That last sentence is a bit of a preview to Wednesday's question, but for now, ask yourself about your obstacles and challenges, and enjoy a very Merry Christmas!


Note - Tomorrow is Christmas Day and I won't be posting in this series. I'll be back on the 26th with the 8th question. (If you don't have the tool to help you Make 2008 Great, click here.)

Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: challenges, learning, questions, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

This is the sixth in a series of 13 questions designed to help you capture the best from the past year. To learn more about this project and to download a tool to help you with your process for completing this year and starting next year more successfully, check out this post.

Here's today's question:

In what ways did I contribute?

My goal with this post isn't to brag or boast about the ways that I contributed in the past year. Though you won't likely be answering this question in a public forum like I am (but if you are a blogger reading this, I'd love for you to join this series in some way!), your goal isn't to be boastful or self absorbed either.

We all can contribute in many ways - we can give of our time, talents, thoughts, and treasures - any and all of these gifts can contribute to the lives of others in meaningful ways. I encourage you to think about this question from the different areas of your life, remembering the contributions large and small that you have made over the past year.

One way that I, my family and The Kevin Eikenberry Group contributed this year was to provide 2700 "I am Remarkable!" wristbands to elementary and middle school kids in Indianapolis public schools this fall. These were distributed in backpacks for these kids by the great folks at Jireh Sports during their Back to School Blast.

It is our hope that these bands serve as a reminder, and perhaps, for some a realization, that they truly are remarkable.

Asking yourself today's question is critical to giving yourself a more balanced view of your efforts and results in the past year. Perhaps this question will be easy for you to answer, or perhaps it is among the harder ones I have posed to you so far - either way, your list is impoortnat, and the relative ease in answering might give you a sense of your focus in the past.

If you found this hard to answer, consider how to be of service in new and different ways in the coming year (or even yet today).

Today along with the core question of your contribution, consider the following corollary:

"What was the impact of my contribution?"

Your answers to these questions will help you get out of yourself and into a perspective of service. This perspective will serve you as a leader, member of any community, or in any part of your life.

Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: contribution, learning, questions, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

This is the fifth in a series of 13 questions designed to help you capture the best from the past year. To learn more about this project and to download a tool to help you with your process for completing this year and starting next year more successfully, check out this post.

What will be my greatest lasting memories of this year?

My most lasting memories of this year will be of my Dad. He passed away on May 11. He was my first teacher, the first leader I observed and experienced and my mentor. Of course he was my dad. He was also my friend.














I've already posted some of the lessons from this event, which is why I can consider this one of my greatest lasting memories of 2007.

I don't want the value of this question to be lost in my particular answer. Most everyone treasures their memories more than material things. Why else would people rush back into burning homes to get their photo albums? (I've never seen a news story with video of people risking life and limb to save their plasma TV).

The value of this question is that we should be consciously capturing and holding on to our most valuable memories. While pictures are nice, having the memories locked into our lives is more important. These can become a source of strength, confidence, learning and satisfaction throughout our lives.

Doesn't it make sense then to think about this question, to make sure that those memories are locked tight into our hearts and minds? I encourage you to ask yourself this question and think about (and write down) your answers.

You will be glad you did.

Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: learning, memories, questions, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

This is the fourth in a series of 13 questions designed to help you capture the best from the past year. To learn more about this project and to download a tool to help you with your process for completing this year and starting next year successfully, check out this post.

Knowing what I know now, what would I have done differently this year?

From a business perspective this one is pretty easy. I would have focused more on execution. My team and I are pretty good at coming up with new ideas and figuring out how to use and leverage those ideas. We aren't quite so good at execution.

An outsider might say that we do get a lot accomplished (and I am very proud of the progress we have made), but I know that we are leaving ideas on the table unimplemented for too long.

For any leader there is a balance required here. Any of us can execute everything on our list if we are never expanding our list of ideas, tools and techniques. At the other end of the spectrum we can all get better at prioritizing - taking the number of ideas and opportunities and prioritizing them to help us focus.

Squarely in the middle of this continuum - between small list and awesome prioritization is EXECUTE the list! I wish that I had done a better job of executing.

Notice too that I am not saying I wished I had worked more hours! My challenge, and I believe the challenge for many of us is to follow-through more effectively, and do that more productively.

As I write this, I sense that I may have more to say about it. If/when I do, I promise to let you know.

So, my question to you is, Knowing what you know now, what would you have done differently last year?

Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: execution, learning, questions, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

This is the third in a series of 13 questions designed to help you capture the best from the past year. To learn more about this project and to download a tool to help you with your process for completing this year and starting next year successfully, check out this post.

What accomplishment am I proudest of?

I am proudest of the fact that Remarkable Leadership is being read and used by people to help them improve their lives and results. I wrote the book to have an impact on the world, and to read and hear from people about how it is having that impact is extremely gratifying.

As a side note, you can see how today's question connects to yesterday's question - which was about accomplishments in general. By asking ourselves which of these accomplishments we are proudest of, it helps us look at our values and refocuses us in gratitude for the things that have happened to us in the past year.

So what about you - what accomplishment are you proudest of? (feel free to share your answers in the comments!)


Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: accomplishments, learning, questions, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

This is the second in a series of 13 questions designed to help you capture the best from the past year. To learn more about this project and to download a tool to help you with your process for completing this year and starting next year successfully, check out this post.


What did I accomplish this year?

As I will do with each of these questions during this journey, I won't bare my soul with my complete answer, but I will share items that are true for me and perhaps hold a message for all of us.

The immediate accomplishment that comes to my mind is the publishing, and so-far successful marketing of Remarkable Leadership: Unleashing Your Leadership Potential One Skill at a Time. This was a goal and a book that had been on my list for some time and I am proud to see it serving others on their path towards remarkable.

There is an important nugget in the paragraph you just read. That nugget is "on my list". A part of my process for thinking about accomplishments is to look back at my goal list and see which of them have been achieved. I am pleased to be able to check several as completed and that brings me a sense of accomplishment and pride. If you don't have a list, don't lament, but you may definitely consider working on one moving forward. (We'll talk more about that later in this series of posts.) When we feel pride and accomplishment it creates a momentum - a positive energy that can drive us forward to more and bigger future successes.

Another accomplishment for has been my growth in balancing the various parts of my life. While for a variety of reasons my overall life is fuller and "busier" than it has ever been, I feel good about my personal progress in balancing these things and prioritizing the most important to me more effectively.

While most people would value balance (however they would define it) I encourage you to answer this question by thinking about accomplishments in all areas of your life - from social, to business, to health, financial, spiritual and more. By thinking about your accomplishments in each of these areas you will be reminded of more of them and feel the gratitude that comes with that recognition.

The purpose of asking and answering this question is to foster a sense of gratefulness as well as the positive momentum that comes with confidence and accomplishment.

So, what have you accomplished this year?


Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: accomplishments, learning, questions, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

This is the first in a series of 13 questions designed to help you capture the best from the past year. To learn more about this project and to download a tool to help you with your process for completing this year and starting next year successfully, check out this post.

What did I learn this year?


I learned tons this year! I don't have time to write everything here (nor would you want to read it all)!

Two things come to my mind that apply to me and might be useful to you as well.

1. Don't judge an event too quickly. One of the most traumatic events of my life happened May 11th. My father, age 64, died of a sudden and unexpected heart attack. I had a close relationship with my Dad and so this was a very challenging time. While I think of him everyday, and miss him still, in retrospect, the overall balance of results from that event are far more positive than I would have ever imagined.

For example:

- I learned stories of things my Dad did for others that I will treasure always.
- I learned of the model he was for many - more than I ever expected.
- I learned about the power of service.
- I rekindled friendships with people I had lost connections with - and it won't happen again.
- I learned (or perhaps was powerfully reminded) of what it means to really be a neighbor.

So while the event isn't something I wished had happened, in retrospect the balance of the event is far more positive than I could have imagined. I believe this is a lesson we can apply to any "negative" event. The message isn't so much "look for the silver lining" as it is expect that valuable lessons will come.

2. The power of intention. I find myself talking to myself and nearly every group I speak to about the power of intention. I believe that when we are truly clear on our intention, that we will create more desirable results. Again, a couple of examples:

- if we really want to help someone, the techniques of how we give feedback will become less important if we let our intention show through.
- if we are passionate about a change because of how it will serve others (when our intention is clear from their perspective), we will communicate it and lead that change much more successfully.

Perhaps the power I am speaking of is that when our intentions are pure, our need for techniques is reduced. When we are real and genuine we are more powerful, persuasive (and yes remarkable) people and leaders.

Also posted in Leadership, Learning and Training.

Labels: accelerated learning, questions, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

Last weekend my son Parker and I played a game of Go.

Parker (14 and a freshman in High School) has been reading about, studying and playing Go for several months. For a variety of reasons he and I hadn't sat down to play since he was first learning.

In a role reversal, Parker was the expert and I the neophyte as we played the game. While this reversal could make an interesting blog post in itself, the lessons I received from the game were stunning. Here are a couple of my lessons and how you can apply them yourself.

1. Seeing patterns. One key to success in Go and many other board games is the patterns that arise as the game progresses (if you don't know Go you can learn more here (or here) think about the patterns a chess expert sees as a game unfolds). Parker, because of his study and practice, could see patterns that I couldn't see. His experience and knowledge help him to interpret the board and the positions of the stones in ways that I can't yet do. I believe the same is true for any expertise.

2. The Curse of Knowledge. As we become experts in anything we see new patterns. During the game Parker was occasionally surprised when I couldn't see or understand something. He was reacting naturally - just like any expert, he couldn't believe I couldn't understand! In Chip and Dan Heath's excellent new book Made to Stick they call this the Curse of Knowledge. I tell people that to effectively teach someone something, we must remember what it was like when we were a beginner. Here's a hint - it isn't easy.

Both of these lessons apply to us as leaders - we see patterns and assume others see them, and we sometimes have trouble communicating things because we "assume" people already know that.

These lessons apply to us as trainers, whether formal or informal because both of these factors play heavily into our success (or failure) in teaching anyone something new, especially when we are significantly more expert than they are.

I'm looking forward to my next game of Go - even though Parker will probably beat me badly - because I know there are many more lessons for me to learn.

Thanks Parker.

Also posted in Creativity, Leadership, Learning, and Training.

Labels: games, reflection

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati

Last March I posted reflections on an early spring snow storm, but today we are getting a snow storm in February - more in line with when we might expect a snow storm.

My kids are happy because they are off from school. (They've determined that "no school" are two of the best words in the English language - just like I did at their age.) I'm home rather than doing a keynote this morning in Indianapolis and a lunch time session in Richmond, Indiana. Both have been postponed. With this little extra time I've been looking out the window and thinking about snow days.

Growing up in Michigan, we had quite of few snow days most winters. Especially when I was younger, (before snowmobiles and cross country skiing) my sister and I had several snow day rituals, including playing as many of our board games as we could in one day, and sometimes putting together a jigsaw puzzle.

While I don't know if I will play a game today, I'm pretty sure I won't work on a jigsaw puzzle. But I am going to enjoy this snow day. I'm going to make a little more time to read, take time to work on a creative project, and definitely take time to watch it snow.

You may be reading this in some climate where you get no snow, or at a time of year when snow is the furthest thing from your mind. Even so, I urge you to make today a snow day.

Make time for something that will revive your spirit. Make time to be playful and laugh. Do something that helps you break from your normal routine and see your best self.

It doesn't take snow to do it, but the snow today helped remind me of it.

Enjoy your snow day - I'm going to enjoy mine.

Also posted in Learning.

Labels: reflection, rejuvenate, snow day

Digg it | del.icio.us | Add to Technorati