Carrpe Diem!

What's Your Elevator Speech?

2012-01-12T10:58:00.000-08:00

Elevator speech, you know, that concise, "WOW-you-do-that!?", knock-their-socks-off in a 30 story elevator ride hopefully leading to, "Tell me more!" as the doors open. Highly desired by entrepreneurs, inventors and those wishing pitchman Anthony "Sully" Sullivan will do an infomercial on their incredible life-changing product or service.

The idea behind the elevator speech for everyone else is to be able to respond to the staple, age-old American culture question, "What do you do?"

What do you do? Can you give a positive, look-me-in-the-eyes, easy to understand picture of what you do without an "uh" or two and delivered with passion?

Elevator speeches are directly connected to our personal vision. Got a personal vision? Is your personal vision complete with knowing and living your core values and beliefs, knowing your purpose of why you exist and how you are using your gifts and talents and knowing your "trip-tik" to the future you wish to create?

Recently, I attended a presentation by Ed Muzio, author and change-agent (http://www.groupharmonics.com/) who shared a formula to creating and delivering an effective elevator speech. He suggested an elevator speech needs to focus on results. He calls it Verbalized Summary Objectives or VSOs.

His formula is simple. You develop five to seven VSOs which consist of:

I spend ____ of my resources working/being/doing with _____ on creating ______ (results).

Here are my VSOs...

I spend 20% of my time being a co-collaborator in God's Creation, a husband to my wife, a father to my children, a friend and resource to others hopefully leaving them better than I found them. I spend 20% of my time "sharpening my saw" - physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually to drive me out of my comfort zone into my learning zone. I spend 20% of my time marketing my gifts, talents and work with Montreat College to others living my and the college's core values. I spend 30% of my time designing and "playing" with teams using experience-based learning to help break phantom rules and transition to new possibilities. I spend 10% of my time meeting, taking care of paperwork and putting out fires to support the communities I am involved.

Ideally, your VSOs should add up to 100%.

In A.A. Milne's Winnie The Pooh, Pooh and Piglet have a conversation...

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"

"What's for breakfast?" said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"

"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.

It's the beginning of a new year. This is great time to reflect, explore your personal vision and develop an elevator speech that motivates you to get of bed in the morning with a Piglet frame of mind!

My Essential Resolution for 2012

2011-12-31T07:31:00.000-08:00

Did you know:

- The average American spends 8 hours a day in front of a “screen” per day which has doubled since 2005.

- The average American teen, sends and receives over 75 texts/day.

I am going to resolve to do what is essential.

I’m going to reduce the number of hours in front of “screens” including TV, computer, and cell phone.

I’m going to practice more deep breathing and create more stillness everyday.

I'm going to spend more time thinking, journaling, writing, mind mapping and doodling.

I’m going to do less talking and more listening, less judging and more understanding.

I’m going to work harder at making Sunday, a day of rest, unplug, connect with family and friends, read, walk/hike, ride my bike, and play Scrabble with my wife.

I am going to spend more time seizing the day.

See you on a park bench, a coffee cafe (without TV), French Broad Chocolate Lounge, Battery Park Book Exchange, on the trails, in a pew, in a living room (TV off)... !?

"Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better person." Benjamin Franklin

Note: Susan Cain had an OP-ED piece in the NY Times, 1/13/12, Rise of the New Groupthink for another perspective to this blog. See http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/15/opinion/sunday/the-rise-of-the-new-groupthink.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=general&src=me

Reduce The VUCAs in 2012

2011-12-09T09:02:00.000-08:00

As 2011 draws to a close, individuals and organizations begin to plan for the New Year. 2011 has not been too kind to hopes, dreams and plans. VUCAs have been fiercely at work!

Back in the 1990’s, the military added the acronym, VUCA to its vocabulary. VUCA stands for:

- Volatility - change is coming at a faster pace and dealing with transition can be messy

- Uncertainty - our ability to predict the future is becoming less meaningful and trustworthy

- Complexity - is increasing including knowledge, communication channels and distraction leading to increased confusion

- Ambiguity - made up of assumptions, poor communications, fuzzy rules, false readings leading to fog

VUCA is code for acknowledging the root cause of stress, frustration, indecisiveness, bad behavior, poor performance, weak execution, short outcomes, and incomplete strategic plans.

As VUCA’s come upon us, the cry becomes, “I/we don’t have enough ___________!” Blame-storming ensues. Short cuts are taken. Ethics are ignored. Greed increases.

What do you do to minimize, reduce or eliminate VUCAs?

Make time. The time issue always becomes apparent when working with a group during an experiential initiative. The initiative that includes a time allotment, creates stress, generates anxiety and becomes an enemy to positive outcomes. Make time an ally! Use your resources more effectively by breaking groups into smaller groups to flush out fresh, unique ideas. Do not be quick to throw water on an idea that goes against your thinking or the current process. Instead of a “Yes, but...” try a “Yes, and...”

The Boy Scout motto, Be Prepared, it offers a clue to dealing with VUCA.

I notice most organizations or teams (as well as individuals) who go through a strategic planning process seldom discuss the “what ifs’...” as in:

What if a key member(s) of the team leaves or dies?
What if a natural disaster hits like hurricane, tornado or wildfire?
What if served with a lawsuit?
What if the economy tanks?
What if ___________________?

Simplify. Simplify stuff. Simply processes. Simplify lifestyles.

Lean into flexibility. The tree that bends in the wind will survive over the tree that is stiff and rigid.

I am reminded of Robert Fulghum’s epic piece, All I Really Need To Know I Learned in Kindergarten. Fulghum’s writing is a lesson in leadership and holds truths and wisdom to deal with VUCA’s. See http://www.robertfulghum.com/

When you go out into the world, will you watch for traffic, hold hands and stick together?

Do You Hear What I Hear? Do You See What I See?

2011-12-04T16:56:00.000-08:00

Note: The traditional Christmas song, Do You Hear What I Hear? was written and composed by Noel Regney and Gloria Baker back in 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis as a plea for peace. Perhaps we should pause and reflect on the song’s message for our current need not only for peace in the world but for healing from turmoil and chaos of the times. Pause. Push back. Breathe. Meditate on what is really important.