Archive for May, 2005

I was on vacation last week where I thought I would have internet access. I was dismayed to find out that that was not the case. A whole week without being online! It was actually a good thing, as I got caught up on some reading and some writing. But things weren’t quiet in Blogsville. A lot of great topics were being discussed.

Bert over at “Open Loops” confessed to being a TV Junkie. This was a great topic and one that is near and dear to me. I watch very little TV. My only weekly addiction is Nascar, which I record and try to watch at a convenient time. I find that my computer time is much more productive than TV, since it is interactive. I can create things, write things, and communicate with others. I love to create interesting photos in Photoshop. When I show them at work or to friends, the number one response is “you have too much time on your hands”. I usually just smile, but I realize that we all only have 24 hours a day. It’s amazing how much time most households spend watching TV.

I often wonder what great things people could write, paint, draw, plan, or do if they would just turn off the TV. I think the world would be a better place. We could watch their movies, view their pictures and read their books instead of the programmed ones most people watch.
An old shareware analogy. We should start uploading instead of always downloading. Something to think about.

Brendon Connelly, the “Slacker Manager” had a great toolbox post. In a post entitled “The Context Agnostic Toolkit for Managers Big and Small” he listed some of his tools for success. His list includes Communication Skills, Text Editor, SQL, Excel Pivot Tables, GTD and a good notebook, datebook or PDA. It’s an eclectic list but a real useful one. As a data guy I really know the value of SQL and Excel pivot tables.

The first time I saw a pivot table in action I was blown away with the power and versatility. GTD (Getting Things Done by David Allen) has changed my life… actually I should say it has given me a life since it helped me tackle the e-mail and inbox monsters. Communication Skills are enclosed in one word for me… Toastmasters. A life changing organization teaching communication and leadership skills. Brendon also had some new tools that I’m going to try out. Great post.

Steve Pavlina had a great post “Overcoming the fear of public speaking” talking about his experiences in Toastmasters and how people can overcome one of the greatest fears of all “Public Speaking”. This is a great article on the benefits of Toastmasters and really gives some step by step advice on the process of joining a club. I would just disagree with Steve on one item. He makes the point that most first time speeches are really bad. I have heard some awesome “Icebreaker Speeches” that have been really inspirational and really good. Sure they can be improved and the evaluations will point that out, but the level of beginning talent at some clubs is amazing.

Rosa Say at “Talking Story” relates a story about listening to a manager sitting next to her on a plane. A fascinating short post about developing our listening skills. Rosa’s blog is very inspirational and conveys the spirit of “Aloha” to all of her visitors.

As far as this blog goes, I’ll be posting some more excerpts from John Maxwells “Becoming a Person of Influence” later in the week. This has been a real eye opener for me. I also just finished a fascinating book by Malcom Gladwell called “Blink” which may add some blog fodder for the following week.

Back to work today…

The second tenet in Maxwell’s book is nurturing. The following is an outline from his book that we used in our small group and some questions that were asked. I’ve included some of my answers. Think back in your life and answer the questions for yourself. You may discover like I have, the traits that make up a real person of influence.

A Nurturing Influencer Is A Giver

• Love: Think back to some key people who have had an impact on your life
  When I think of someone who had a great impact on my life, I naturally think of my parents, my teachers, and my friends and family. One person that comes to mind is my second grade teacher, Mrs. Reyer. She saw something in me at an early age. Instead of the shy kid that I was, she saw a politician and a public speaker. She told me after one of my presentations to the class that I would become a public speaker someday. Little did she know that that shy kid would discover Toastmasters and discover his voice. Her words of encouragement made all of the difference 30 years later.
• Respect: Share an example of a person who showed you respect.
  When I was little, my dad had a friend from work named Gordon who used to come by the house. He always brought a gift for me and called me “Master John”. I always felt ten feet tall when he came by. Even though I was just a kid, he treated me with respect. I’ll never forget his powerful, commanding voice calling out my name. I was somebody when he was around!
• Sense of Security: Share examples of people who made you feel secure.
  In third grade they marched us out to the playground in the middle of the day. My teacher Mrs. McNamara gave us the news. President Kennedy had been shot and was dead. My whole world as a kid was suddenly turned upside down. Our whole class just cried and screamed and stood there in unbelief. Mrs. McNamara took that incredibly negative and scary situation and turned it into a life changing event. She gave us all a sense of security, that the country would go on, that the person who did it would be caught and prosecuted. Her soft calming words that afternoon still resonate today.
• Recognition: Give an example of a situation where someone gave you recognition.
  Toastmasters is a great place to get feedback and recognition for a job well done. I really like the sandwich approach they use in evaluating speeches. With the example of the sandwich, the bun is the positive. First, you point out the person’s strengths, using examples of how they were manifested in the speech (top bun). Then, you point out one weakness that detracted from the speech, and how it detracted (the meat). Finally, you show the user how they can use one or more of their strengths to overwhelm or overcome the weakness (bottom bun). This approach is a very helpful way to give recognition and have a place to grow at the same time.
• Encouragement: People who have encouraged you.
  Some of the most encouraging people are the visionaries. The people who can see into the future and tell us where we will be in weeks, months or years. My dad has been a great encouragement in my life. He always has a positive attitude and he always believes it can be done. My wife is also an encouragement. Although we look at things very differently she has always encouraged me to “go for it” when it comes to goals and dreams. She is also a realist which helps me reel back in those crazy dreams that are too far fetched. Without encouragement the journey to success is a long arduous path.

If you follow these priciples the people you nurture will receive…

o       Positive Self Worth

o       Sense Of Belonging

o       Perspective

o       Feeling Of Significance

o       Hope

Think this week how others have influenced your life and how you can change things to better nurture others..

A person of influence has integrity with people. This is the first tenet of John Maxwell’s book, “Becoming a person of influence”. As John explains in his book, integrity is about the little things. Keeping your appointments, keeping small promises, being truthful with people. I really struggle in this area. I don’t like to use the word NO so I end up with lots of commitments. At first these commitments seem simple, but as they pile up on one another they become unbearable and unworkable.

This is when the promises start to be broken and the appointments missed.

It doesn’t take much for people to lose faith in you. They notice what you do, not what you say. I am learning it is better to say no that to over-promise and underdeliver.

John has ten questions in his book to help you measure your integrity

1. How well do I treat people from whom I can gain nothing?
2. Am I transparent with others?
3. Do I role play based on the person(s) I’m with?
4. Am I the same person when I’m in the spotlight as I am when I’m alone?
5. Do I quickly admit wrongdoing without being pressed to do so?
6. Do I put people ahead of my personal agenda?
7. Do I have an unchanging standard for moral decisions, or do circumstances determine my choices?
8. Do I make difficult decisions, even when they have a personal cost to them?
9. When I have something to say about people, do I talk to them or about them?
10. Am I accountable to at least one other person for what I think, say and do?

Some food for thought. I know I have some work to do…

I have been reading a fascinating book by John Maxwell & Jim Dornan entitled “Becoming a Person of Influence”. This book has been very insightful as well as humbling. The book has ten chapters which form an acrostic with their titles.

1. Integrity with People
2. Nurtures Other People
3. Faith in People
4. Listens to People
5. Understands People
6. Enlarges People
7. Navigates for Other People
8. Connects with People
9. Empowers People
10. Reproduces Other Influencers

I would like to spend the next week discussing some of the qualities of an influencer and share some personal experiences

Some of the greatest influences in my life have come from my Toastmaster friends and acquaintances. People that have given me direction, helped me set goals and set a vision of where I could go. Each time I would reach a milestone, they would encourage me to reach for the next level. Without their influence I would have dropped out of the Toastmasters organization long ago. It would just have been another failed attempt at personal growth.

But many of the leaders in the organization model the 10 qualities listed above. They understood where I was coming from and the battles I would face to stick with it. They helped me not only with the educational track in Toastmasters but the leadership track as well. I am very grateful for their leadership.

This last week I reached a personal milestone, that of DTM or Distinguished Toastmaster. This is the highest level of achievement in the organization and one in which I realize that I need to give back to others who are climbing the ladder.

As I’ve read the individual chapters I am humbled by my weakness in some of these areas. I have some growing to do. I need to take the “me” out of it and put others first. I would really appreciate your comments and experiences in the 10 areas as we take the journey over the next week.

John

As a blog aficionado of the popular 43folders.com I have been intrigued by they raving reviews of a Italian journal known as a Moleskine.

I bought one today at Barnes & Noble.

I have to say that along with a good pen, this little book is incredible.

But buying one is just the begining… hacking it is the real fun.

Check out Merlin’s list of Moleskine hacks

Inspiration thru Innovation….

Do you think of yourself as successful?

I came across this quotation from John Maxwell and I think it rings true.

“For most people it’s not what they are that holds them back. It’s what they think they’re not.”

Successful thoughts lead to successful lives…