Moving Forward

You get the most out of life by keeping your momentum moving forward.  Something doesn't work?  Think of what to do differently.  Moving forward helps you grow and learn.  Sometimes it's hardwork and there are lots of obstacles.  These can make you look at things differently, come up with different ideas, etc. 

Respond In Real Time - Old concept that works!

I loved Seth Godin's blog today because it was a very human way to prioritze your work and determine when interactions are best done in person or with a phone call.  In business we often get pulled into the high production trap and become focused on getting things done through email.  This often makes you feel removed and can affect the heart you put into things as heart comes from the energy and syncronization of others heart and ideas.  I'm copying Seth's blog below so I don't lose it and so that I can go back and read it occasionally.

Synchronicity, intimacy and productivity  - Seth Godin

A shortcut to customer and co-worker intimacy is to respond in real time. A phone call is more human than an email, a personal meeting has more impact than a letter.
On the other hand, when you do your work on someone else's schedule, your productivity plummets, because you are responding to the urgent, not the important, and your rhythm is shot.
The shortcut analysis, it seems to me, is to sort by how important it is that your interactions be intimate. If it's not vitally important that you increase the energy and realism of the relationship, then insert a buffer. Build blocks of time to do serious work, work that's not interrupted by people who need to hear from you in real time, right now.
On the other hand, for interactions when only a hug or a smile will do, allocate the time and the schedule to be present.
Confusing the two is getting easier than ever, and it's killing your ability to do great work.

Salsa with Roasted Vegetables

4 beef eater tomatoes
1 large sweet onion
1 green pepper
1 jalapeno pepper cored/seedless
4 cloves garlic, peeled whole
sea salt
lime juice
cilantro, shopped

put tomatoes, onion, green pepper, jalapeno, and garlic cloves on a cookie sheet and broil them in the oven until the vegetables are roasted and blackened.  In a food processor or blender, place the garlic and sea salt and blend till smooth, add the remaining ingredients and do a rough blend with them.  Add in a tablespoon of lime juice and a Tablespoon of chopped cilantro.

For a green version use 8- 10 tomatios instead of red tomatoes.

Honestly Honesty!

Weiner showed us how to create a bad situation and how not to handle it well.

When you work in public relations/marketing the first rule you recommend to others as part of crisis management is to address the situation honestly, make a statement and sometimes what you plan to do differently to avoid the mistake again.  Honesty is first step.

It's disappointing to see our public service governmental representatives fall short of honesty.

Crane Update

173 oragami cranes folded 827 more to go!   They actually are relaxing to do when you're just watching tv and you want something to do with your hands.   It's a new stress reliever activity!

If you remember, I'm folding 1,000 of them for an art project.  The inspiration is a japanese legend that says if you fold a 1,000 cranes you can make a wish and the crane will grant you it. 

Pam

What's Your Environment?

You've heard the saying, "we are products of our environment." I stopped to think about this today.

How long before you lose your leadership skills if you don't work in an environment that has strong leaders, supports leadership growth, provides leadership mentoring and teaches leadership?

If where you work doesn't invest in your learning and skill set improvement, how long before you either make it your personal goal to do it anyway for yourself, or you just quit thinking about it and wonder why you aren't growing?

What happens to people who work for companies like this? On the extreme end, the company could fail and everyone loses their job and are less marketable because they lost touch with what they once were passionate about. A more middle of the road scenario could be that the company exists but is not a remarkable company and it's people become less remarkable because they too just exist or leave. At the other extreme end, the company, could become clearer on how to engage everyone, develop their skills, and the company is clearer about what it's priorities are so it becomes a remarkable company.

Learning

A colleague shared this link with me in which the speaker sessions are available to view until June 10th. · http://www.chick-fil-aleadercast.com/firstsession

There are some really great leaders speaking at this Chick-Fil-A Leadercast. I took good notes from the John Maxwell session on leadership, Dave Ramsey on what makes you a successful leader and Frans Johannson with his inspirational way on how to get the best creative ideas through diversification of input! I'm excited to be able to watch some of the other presenters tomorrow night! I wish I didn't have to go to bed as I'd just watch as many more as I could tonight!

Self-improvement and learning are really important to do in life! Every moment counts!