Looking For A Couple of Apps

With the season of graduations upon us, many are now considered smarter. So is your cell phone!

The Pew Internet and American Life Project reports over 35% of U.S. adults own a smartphone. In-Stat predicts that 65 percent of all Americans will have a smartphone and/or tablet by 2015. Do you have a smart phone?

Smart phones are amazing due in large part to apps that are available. There are several camera apps that make my point-and-shoot-camera a thing of the past. Speaking of a thing-of-the-past, I no longer need a flashlight. My smart phone takes care of this including a warning light for a car breakdown! The weather app eliminates the need for an outdoor thermometer or turning on the television for the Weather Channel. There is an incredible assortment of entertainment including games, movies and sports connections. There are productivity apps to help you organize thoughts, appointments, to-dos and reminders. Health apps help you count calories, track exercise and suggest routines. Gasbuddy tells you where the cheapest gas can be found in your area. Yelp helps makes a decision on where to eat. 

What is your favorite app?

Great apps are dynamic. They continue to get better over time with frequent updates. We should continue to get better as we grow older. I long for several incredible dynamic apps that would help with this ongoing process.

How about an app for critical thinking? I envision this app to have bright red letters on on a black screen. This app would require your smart phone to be on continuously. It would simultaneous read your mind consciously and subconsciously, monitoring your dialogue with others including what you might be viewing on any screen. Its algorithm would be built on requiring complete information. If the app did not receive comprehensive, complete thinking including pro/con, right/left, top/bottom, either/or and but/and, it would buzz and flash the smartphone owner prompting the need to ask more questions and do more research to fulfill a complete cycle of critical thinking. The app owner could not just tune into only Fox or CNN, Limbaugh or Olbermann, NY Times or Washington Post, Rove or Dean, but would be required to seek to understand different points of view. This app would also signal alarm when spoken judgment or assumption was made without getting the rest of the story.

I’d like to see a Fear app. In my thinking, fear is the opposite of love. Fear is the root of ugliness, bad behavior and scarcity mentality. Fear causes us to avoid, shutdown or raise our voice and strike out. This app would take a reading of vital signs during a conversation with others, quickly deciding if fear was coming upon the app owner. In the free version, suggestions would pop-up on the screen suggesting ways to eliminate fear and act with courage. The paid version would transmit neuro-feedback to help slow reaction and get us to think, to be more curious and perhaps become more compassionate. This app would help reduce blood pressure. The potential for this app could be life-changing.

The Un-Perfectionist app would be great for those who have hard time letting go, for those who micro-manage, for those who are obsessive compulsive, for those who over-think everything, for those who lack patience and for those who do not play well with others. Since so many of us are walking around with earbuds in our ears, I envision this app working in conjunction with those attached earbuds. The unpaid version would have a regular soft message reminding the user to “take a deep breath...now, let go...another deep breath... NOW, let go...” The paid version would be tied to one’s calendar and “to-do” list reminding the user to stop working obsessively on the current project or hovering over others and go get exercise. This app would teach you how to deal with and leverage with your limitations. It would be like playing golf. You play the ball where it lies!

What app would you like to see on your smart phone?

To the Graduating Class of 2012

Congratulations! You are about to conclude a major event in your life! That’s something to celebrate! Unfortunately, during these tough economic times we are all dealing with many tough challenges. My question, how is your gratitude and compassion?

I would like to share two stories.

Jane’s Story

It’s nearly 90 degrees on a July afternoon during rush hour. The sun is creating shimmery heat waves off the highway in the distance. Orange barrels begin to appear. Construction is up ahead. Traffic is beginning to slow to snail’s pace.

Jane is sitting in a 10-year-old Ford Taurus station wagon, nicknamed Old Blue. Old Blue has over 200,000 miles, but has no rust, uses very little oil and still gets nearly 28 mph on the highway.

A song comes on the radio. It's an old song that reminds Jane of when she and a boyfriend, Jim, were dating. They had driven over to the mountains to see the fall foliage. This song had come on the radio and they sang together as if they were a duet live on stage. They had laughed. It had been a wonderful Saturday afternoon. 

Jane glances in the rear view mirror. She sees the sail bag and rudder-tiller for the family sailboat, Time Out. They use Old Blue to pull their sailboat to the lake. They had a pleasant sail this past Sunday. There had not been much of a breeze, so they just sat in the water a lot. They had brought their picnic lunch along with them and ate it on Time Out. They had used pieces of bread from their sandwiches to feed the fish that swam near the boat. Since there wasn’t much wind, they decided to tip the sailboat over and practice getting the boat upright. It had been a great lesson in case of emergency. The water had been refreshing and the family had had fun splashing each other.

A car is entering the highway on Jane’s left. Jane stops to let the car get in front of her. Jane notices the person behind her isn’t happy with her allowing the car to cut in. The man’s arms are raised up the air as if he gives up. Jane just shrugs her shoulders.

Jane notices the bumper sticker on the BMW 535 ahead of her, “My other car is a pair of hiking boots.” Jane laughs out loud. A flock of geese fly overhead. She is reminded of her father who has died. She remembers that the habits of geese were very team oriented. They fly much further in the V formation than if they flew alone. Geese change leadership position and honk as if to give each other encouragement. This discussion about geese was the last conversation she had ever had with her father. He died of a heart attack that night. A tear rolls down her cheek. She misses her father, but smiles as she recalls memories of him.

Traffic continues to creep along. Jane sees a billboard with the message, “That ‘Love thy neighbor business’…. I meant it. GOD.” Jane recalls an incident at work where a coworker complained constantly about having to work overtime and their president who made an obscene salary. Jane just listened to her. She wanted to tell her coworker to go find another job if she didn’t like things around there. She recognized that her coworker was an excellent worker. The coworker always got her work done on time with very little error. She also knew that her coworker was going through a divorce and that her father had cancer. Jane decided she could put up with the complaints. 

The sun was now directly in her eyes as she rounded the bend in the highway. Jane suddenly realized she had her clip-on sunglasses in her sun visor. The sunglasses made the sky look even bluer. Such color was took her breath away. This would be a lovely evening to grill hamburgers and sit outside her room mate.  Traffic was beginning to break up and regain speed. Jane had realized that she had gone only 3 miles in the last 30 minutes, but she would be home within the next fifteen minutes. Life was good.  

Betty’s Story

It’s nearly 90 degrees on a July afternoon during rush hour. The sun is creating shimmery heat waves off the highway in the distance. Orange barrels begin to appear. Construction is up ahead. Traffic is beginning to slow to a snail’s pace.

Betty is sitting in her 10-year-old Ford Taurus station wagon her father had given her. Betty is embarrassed to drive this old car with over 200,000 miles. It is out of style. She complained to her friends that she needed a new car. One friend pointed out that the car was paid for and still ran well. Her father was a tightwad. She deserved better.

A song comes on the radio. It's an old song that reminds Betty of when she and an old boyfriend had gone on a date. They had slow danced to the song. She remembers her boyfriend getting aroused. They had a some pretty good times together. Unlike her current boyfriend, a tightwad, he'd taken her to all the best places. She wonders why they ever broke up. 

Betty glances in the rear view mirror. She sees the sail bag and rudder-tiller for their family sailboat, she calls “Money Pit.” It seemed like her father was always buying something for the boat. She hated to sail, but went along to keep peace. Sailing this past this Sunday had been a pain. There had not been much of a breeze, so they sat in the water a lot. They had brought their picnic lunch along with them and ate it on the boat. The sandwiches had been warm and the lettuce had wilted. Her mother jumped in the water to cool off, but she wouldn’t go in, especially after she saw blue gills swarming near the boat after they’d had thrown bread from their sandwiches overboard. Besides, the water didn’t look anything like those pictures of people swimming off sailboats in the Caribbean. 

A car is entering the highway on Betty’s left. Betty pulls up closer to the car in front of her. She wants to get home, but this car is forcing her to let them in. Betty yells an obscenity even though the woman in front of her cannot hear her.  Betty notices the person behind her isn’t happy with her allowing the car to cut in. The man’s arms are raised up the air as if he gives up. Betty yells at him that the woman forced her way in. “Dumb son of a …. Why don’t you come up here and drive for both of us?”

Betty notices the bumper sticker on the BMW 535 ahead of her, “My other car is a pair of hiking boots.” Betty smirks, and wonders, “What kind of a jerk puts that kind of bumper sticker on such a classy automobile?” Probably has pink flamingo lawn ornaments in their garden, too. Some people have no taste. 

A flock of geese fly overhead. Geese droppings fall onto her freshly washed car. Betty thinks to herself, “It's bad enough that I have to drive this old bucket of bolts and now it's stained with geese _ _ _ _.”

Traffic continues to creep along. Betty sees a billboard with the message, “That ‘Love thy neighbor business’…. I meant it. GOD.” Jane recalls an incident at work where a coworker complained constantly about having to work overtime and their president who made an obscene salary. Betty agreed. The president ought to go to the store and buy groceries. She probably didn’t have any idea what a pound of hamburger cost. She probably didn’t even know what hamburger tasted like. What a b_ _ _ _. Instead of making all that money, the president ought to hire some more people so they didn’t have to work so hard. 

The sun was now directly in Betty’s eyes as she rounded the bend in the highway. Betty cursed at the sun. That blue sky only seemed to make the sun brighter and hotter. Betty had planned to have hamburgers on the grill. She hoped her roommate would remember to get the grill going. She’d said something about eating outside. No way. Not in this heat and with the bugs and mosquitoes. Traffic was beginning to break up and regain speed. Betty had realized that she had gone only 3 miles in the last 30 minutes, but she would be home within the next fifteen minutes. Not nearly soon enough. Life sucked.

Which of these two people do you more closely resemble?

Which of these two people would you hire?

Which of these two people would you prefer to work with?

Your education has moved you into a new position of possibilities. What about your attitude? Is it ready to meet the possibilities as well? Is your attitude one of, “If only...” or is your attitude one of, “I am blessed beyond what I know!” 

Betty has a scarcity-mentality. She is a victim. From her point of view, the world owes her. 

Jane has a law-of-abundance-mentality. From her point of view, she owes the world a debt of thanks.

The world needs more Janes and fewer Bettys. How will you show up to the next part of your life?

Left Handed Loser?

My wife and I play racquetball. It’s not much of a contest if I play with my dominant, preferred right hand. So, I’ll play left handed! Then it becomes a contest! I think it strengthens our relationship. We both gain benefits of playing together including health, playfulness and balance. I don’t dominate the game. It’s a win-win for both of us.

I’ve come to realize there are several other benefits for me to playing left handed.

It gets me out of my comfort zone into my learning zone. I get a new perspective. I see the unfolding shots in new way and play differently. Natural moves I took for granted are challenging. When I make a mistake using my left hand, I tend to be more thoughtful in how I might do things differently next time. I fail forward.

By playing left handed, I have to focus and pay more attention. This keeps me in the game. I also have to be more aware of my swing as I tend to be more awkward and take wider swings. 

This style of play reminds me not to take myself so seriously. While winning maybe satisfying, learning and being in relationship has even greater satisfaction. 

Playing with my left hand reminds me that my resources are deeper and broader. Phantom rules get broken as in, “I must play with my right hand!” Or “I can’t play racquetball left handed!” Or “That’s not the right way of playing racquetball.” Or “Racquetball can only played one way.” Or "It's all about winning." It opens the door to possibility thinking including  looking at what else in my life I have a set a pattern and if I were to break it, new opportunities would emerge!

There are health benefits. I know I use more of my brain and give it more of a workout. My left arm is getting more movement thus getting stronger.

Finally, it brings balance into my life. I gets me to live into the ying and yang. It reminds me there is a time for everything and to make time to deepen relationships with others as well as myself.

What is your dominant hand, your preferred way of doing things? What would happen if you tried a new approach, see from a different perspective?

The Ten Commandments of Being a Team Member

1. Thou shall be trusted. This means:

• You have integrity. You live with integrity. You promote integrity. 
• You do not make promises you cannot keep. 
• You keep confidences.
• You choose to do the right thing over the easy thing.
• You know what is listed on your resume is the truth and can be verified.

2. Thou shall know thy strengths and lead accordingly. This means:

• You also know your weaknesses and are not afraid to admit them.
• You allow others to lead with their gifts, talents and passions.
• You empower others.
• You walk-your-talk and are a role model.
• You build relationships and network.

3. Thou shall have a personal vision and thou shall support, believe and promote the team’s vision. This means:    

• You examine your life, because the unexamined life is not worth living! 
• You know your core principles. You use your core principles as a foundation to discover your purpose and mission.
• You know the team’s mission and are inspired by the team’s mission because it is in sync with your personal mission. 
• You live your mission and the team’s mission.

4. Thou knows thy customer is actually a guest. This means:

• You know the guest is ANYONE who relies on your work—including team members as well as those seeking your goods and services.
• You treat the guest the way you’d treat your mother!
• You know the way you treat team members has tremendous impact on how you treat others who desire your goods and services.
• You know that the guest desires to have a great experience and you can choose to give them a great experience!
• You know that you must strive to bring your best to the team everyday.

5. Thou shall seek to understand. This means:

• You are curious. You ask questions, especially, “Tell me more!”
• You listen more than you talk.
• You suspend judgment.
• You avoid assumptions.
• You deal with change constructively and effectively. You understand that change is an opportunity rather than a problem.

6. Thou encourages others. This means:

• You get to know others on the team including how they like to receive praise, where they like to receive praise and when they like to receive praise.
• You catch people doing the right things and acknowledge their actions.
• You give away credit.
• You practice compassion continuously, especially with those who have a lower title and less power than you.
• You give people your time including your full, undivided attention and don’t one-up them when they tell their story.
• You are more interested in others than being interesting to others.

7. Thou shall not triangulate. This means:

• You meet face-to-face with the person you have a problem or conflict. You do not use email to deal with emotional issues. You don’t go to another team member and spread your problem.
• You draw upon a neutral third party who can help each side see the other’s point of view.
• You acknowledge the fear creeping into the relationship and work to find common ground to have a conversation and avoid bad behavior.
• You avoid being a victim. You recognize the world is not out to get you! 
• You do not complain or whine especially when things do not go your way. This is wasted energy. You are not an ouch looking for a hurt!

8. Thou shall not become a workaholic. This means:

• You have a life and encourage others to have a life.
• You inspire balance for others.

9. Thou shall not come to work sick. This means:

• You cannot be good for the team unless you are good for yourself.
• You do not spread your illness to others.
• You prevent becoming sick by sharpening your saw daily including eating well, getting exercise and getting enough sleep.

10. Thou shall not take thyself so seriously. This means:

• You do not let shame rule your life. You will make mistakes. It’s a part of being human.
• You learn from mistakes and failures. They are valuable lessons.
• You know not to take things personally. It’s not all about you!
• You learn to laugh at yourself...out loud...loudly...often!

Is This Really a Job Interview?

Are job interviews becoming like reality television? There has been much buzz around “extreme interviews.” Obviously with so many people unemployed and a big selection pool for employers to choose from, companies are using more creative screening process to help in the selection. 

Some are asking strange questions like, “If a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, what kind of bush is it?” or “If you were a dish, in whose cupboard would you like to be? Why?”.

Some ask brainteasers like, “Three well dressed women are huddled together. The one who is crying has never been happier and the other two who are smiling have never been more miserable. What is going on?” or “Before becoming an angel, the woman had found herself diving toward hell in a wet suit. What happened?”

Are they designed to see how quick interviewees are to respond?

Are they designed to show creativity?

Are they designed to show how an applicant might deal with frustration or embarrassment?

Are they designed to see how the applicant deals with pressure?

Are they designed to see if the interviewee fits the culture?

Are they designed to see if a potential candidate is honest or knowledgeable?  (Question. What kind of dinosaur would you be? In my case, I don’t know dinosaurs and would say so.)

If an organization seeks a nurturing culture with solid believable values that are lived out loud, then why not have an experience-based learning initiative for several job applicants as well as couple of current employees. This initiative might reveal more than any interview including leadership, trust, encouragement, communication, respect, collaboration and conflict resolution. 

Thoughts?

Which Way Do Your Employees Park?

A recent IBM study, reports based upon face-to-face meetings with over 1,500 CEOs worldwide, creativity is the most important leadership quality. *

I disagree. If the organization does not have a nurturing culture, creativity is going to have a tough time taking root. People don’t care how creative you are until you create caring relationships!

Some business consultants say that they can get the pulse of an organization’s culture - positive or negative - by the number of Dilbert cartoons posted in people’s work space and the number of employee cars backed into parking spaces for a quick getaway at the end of the work day! 

Culture is made up of core values, beliefs, attitudes, and behavior that create either pleasure  leading to positive flow or misery leading to implosion. Good, believable, clear values and expectations guide an organization’s people in good times as well as bad. Passion permeates everything and everyone leading to greater creativity and innovation, reduced waste, fewer accidents, quick turn-around when failure occurs and a better financial growth. A nurturing culture directly feeds strategy and helps to not only implement strategy but do it more quickly.

Keys to a nurturing culture...

• In the wisdom of author Jim Collins, Good to Great, get the right people on the "bus" sitting in the right seats. Do your homework and find the right people whose values and core beliefs are in sync with the organization. Do not hire warm bodies especially in times of greatest need. Do not allow the wrong people to remain in the wrong seats. Move them to where they need to be or remove them from the “bus.” FYI...executive coaching only works about a third of time.
• Create an environment of questions rather than answers. Suspend judgment and ask for points of view. Don’t assume. Seek to understand. Communicate through as many channels as possible as often as possible. This minimizes the fear factor which is corrosive to a nurturing culture.
• Ask for input from those in the organization on the organization’s vision and strategic plan. This does not mean you will use their ideas, but it does mean you value their perspective. Help people to understand their role in fulfilling the mission and living the vision. This demonstrates compassion, another building block for a nurturing culture.
• Know your people including concerns and stressors. Inspire followers to work in their passion. Live the Golden Rule.
• Leaders meet with their people regularly to discuss performance and create action steps for career development including succession planning. This act instills and fuels hope. Hope is a vital piece creating a nurturing culture. 
• Minimize bureaucracy. Make clear job descriptions with input from those doing the work. Minimize the number of rules and let common sense prevail. Do not hover over them and tell how to do their jobs. Practice empowerment which means trust people to make good decisions.  This becomes a sign of valuing the whole person whose ripple affect models the way to better customer service.
• Acknowledge shame, pain and weakness. When you don’t know something, admit it. Don’t be ashamed, but do your best to find out. Admit when you are wrong. Don’t point fingers. Learn from mistakes. Ask for forgiveness. Be forgiving. This does incredible things for culture.
• Practice consistency which infuses stability. When a person reports to six different people in three years, instability abounds. Commitment and accountability are a two-way street. When times become tough, people will follow the leader through hell and back.
• Encourage in as many ways as possible including failing forward. Remember the proverb, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care”? It’s true! An encouraging culture creates flow and makes a heavy load easier to bear. 

Which way is your car parked?

*ftp://public.dhe.ibm.com/common/ssi/ecm/en/gbe03297usen/GBE03297USEN.PDF

Leadership Philosophy Word Cloud