Thursday, 6 December 2012
Saturday, 6 October 2012
Use everything
Each of you will have goals that are harder to reach, and evident strengths and weaknesses to bring to bear or mitigate to get there.
Some of the weaknesses are resource needs that are critically limited. This means, in connection with your goals, it is the absence of these resources that stops you dead. For resource here I mean anything useful: people, thoughts, money, tools, anything.
Have you ever felt though, that things you might need seem to turn up just when you need them? Often things that have been there all along and then a need arises and you recognise the resource.
This has to do with mental priming. You've heard that you cannot tell the mind "not" to think of something (usually we are asked not to think of an elephant :-)). Similarly if you decide to focus on anything, a particular colour or number for example, the mind immediately starts to find it and it can seem to become suddenly abundant. It's not changed in fact, but your attention has.
If your motivation for your goals is high enough for it to get your full attention, don't let that be sabotaged by the absence of a critically limited resource need. Try working on the problem, for example using a forcefield exercise or CEDAC. As you do so, firstly sift through all your existing resources and resource combinations, work thoroughly through it and use everything to start with.
"If I used anything and everything around me and in me, what ideas do I have that will move me forwards?"
Only after a full review do you then choose two or three pathways to try.
Use everything. Milton Erickson called it "utilisation" in a slightly different context, but it's a great idea to use everywhere.
Some of the weaknesses are resource needs that are critically limited. This means, in connection with your goals, it is the absence of these resources that stops you dead. For resource here I mean anything useful: people, thoughts, money, tools, anything.
Have you ever felt though, that things you might need seem to turn up just when you need them? Often things that have been there all along and then a need arises and you recognise the resource.
This has to do with mental priming. You've heard that you cannot tell the mind "not" to think of something (usually we are asked not to think of an elephant :-)). Similarly if you decide to focus on anything, a particular colour or number for example, the mind immediately starts to find it and it can seem to become suddenly abundant. It's not changed in fact, but your attention has.
If your motivation for your goals is high enough for it to get your full attention, don't let that be sabotaged by the absence of a critically limited resource need. Try working on the problem, for example using a forcefield exercise or CEDAC. As you do so, firstly sift through all your existing resources and resource combinations, work thoroughly through it and use everything to start with.
"If I used anything and everything around me and in me, what ideas do I have that will move me forwards?"
Only after a full review do you then choose two or three pathways to try.
Use everything. Milton Erickson called it "utilisation" in a slightly different context, but it's a great idea to use everywhere.
Monday, 1 October 2012
Energised or drained?
I'm sure you have had a session reviewing your strengths and weaknesses. The analysis is always interesting but how can we tell if it's correct?
The problem with conscious analysis is that we are often unconscious of our behaviours, let alone the reasons for them.
A good clue is to follow the signals your body gives you naturally. When you are playing to your real strengths and at your best, you may find it feels effortless or that your energy rises, that you have a buzz, and it feels like the real you, that you lose track of time.
Equally, if you are in a situation which challenges your weaknesses, you are likely to find time standing still, your gut wrenching and your head spinning, everything being affected and your energy literally draining away.
Follow your own energy for clues for your current strengths, and obviously, some ideas on what to do if you want to raise your personal energy and effectiveness.
Bear in mind, all real strengths are hard won and take years of application, so perhaps your strengths, and whether you are energised or drained, are a choice you can make.
The problem with conscious analysis is that we are often unconscious of our behaviours, let alone the reasons for them.
A good clue is to follow the signals your body gives you naturally. When you are playing to your real strengths and at your best, you may find it feels effortless or that your energy rises, that you have a buzz, and it feels like the real you, that you lose track of time.
Equally, if you are in a situation which challenges your weaknesses, you are likely to find time standing still, your gut wrenching and your head spinning, everything being affected and your energy literally draining away.
Follow your own energy for clues for your current strengths, and obviously, some ideas on what to do if you want to raise your personal energy and effectiveness.
Bear in mind, all real strengths are hard won and take years of application, so perhaps your strengths, and whether you are energised or drained, are a choice you can make.
What are your choices?
In my last blog update "Dreaming new reality" I emphasised the importance of creative thinking about your goals.
I guess the hackneyed phrase is "think outside the box". It is easy to dismiss the cliche. However, when you are searching for business growth it is useful to test many options. It is probably unforgivable, given the risks, not to establish the options fully.
Classic examples include:
Failing properly to review the options is natural. Decisions are often time pressured, and it can be hard to persuade colleagues to spend time on things that are not obvious. This can be especially the case if there is no established method for reviewing options more openly before selecting the key elements on which to focus. Who wants to argue against the flow and the status quo?
"Inside the box" thinking may well include the right answers, but there is a strong probability that it will not. It is critically limited thinking, constrained by existing ideas and structures; by "the most familiar".
Here are some of the reasons why thinking gets constrained:
I suspect the last is the most common. It is very human only to notice the weather as it changes, but I would be interested to hear your views.
At each significant point of decision, a balance of research, discussion and agreement is needed. Good process can take you through all of these rapidly.
I guess the hackneyed phrase is "think outside the box". It is easy to dismiss the cliche. However, when you are searching for business growth it is useful to test many options. It is probably unforgivable, given the risks, not to establish the options fully.
Classic examples include:
- only considering local markets
- not agreeing why a product or service is attractive to you (by what criteria, and what importance each has)
- only considering organic growth options
Failing properly to review the options is natural. Decisions are often time pressured, and it can be hard to persuade colleagues to spend time on things that are not obvious. This can be especially the case if there is no established method for reviewing options more openly before selecting the key elements on which to focus. Who wants to argue against the flow and the status quo?
"Inside the box" thinking may well include the right answers, but there is a strong probability that it will not. It is critically limited thinking, constrained by existing ideas and structures; by "the most familiar".
Here are some of the reasons why thinking gets constrained:
- attention is narrowly focussed and no-one on the board has the experience or wisdom to take a step back
- there is no "normal" process of debate that includes more divergent ideas
- creative thinking is thought of negatively; perhaps seen as "madcap", "unstructured" or "distractions" (which are also a result of poor thinking or process; there is no inevitable logic to such attitudes)
- failure to notice any of the above happening
I suspect the last is the most common. It is very human only to notice the weather as it changes, but I would be interested to hear your views.
At each significant point of decision, a balance of research, discussion and agreement is needed. Good process can take you through all of these rapidly.
Friday, 25 May 2012
Dreaming new reality
Dreaming new reality is a unique thinking process and an essential component for any successful venture.
I often see businesses fail because they do not know enough about potential development options even to consider them. They think about what they know about and are comfortable with, and ignore the infinite rest.
The trouble is, as Dr Daryl Cross says "the Juice of Life lies in your Courage zone."
So, who routinely gets out of their comfort zone to dream new realities and create more in the world? You are probably immediately thinking of the more successful companies and brands. You may not know about the many failures. This is business, and this is life.
Gymnasts put their bodies through new moves and then sit and imagine doing it for an hour before doing it for real, patients who have lost function, re-create muscle tone and body connection through imagining they can do it. Thinking about exercise or relaxing creates some of the benefits without the need for other action.
Do you find time for the unique and important process of dreaming into reality for yourself? Notice that you might be starting to now as you read and feel inspired about the power and control you do have to make your world.
....................
More than dreams are required of course; we test clients on D*V*P which stand for Desire, Vision, and Planning.
Score yourself now out of ten for each and multiply across. The total is out of 1,000 and you'll note that if you are failing on any of the factors your score (we call it change potential) will be well below 500. You need to hit 700 or more or 70% to make real progress towards the goal. Test it. It's true, right?
Come back and read my next blog to hear more, or post up a comment for me.
I often see businesses fail because they do not know enough about potential development options even to consider them. They think about what they know about and are comfortable with, and ignore the infinite rest.
The trouble is, as Dr Daryl Cross says "the Juice of Life lies in your Courage zone."
So, who routinely gets out of their comfort zone to dream new realities and create more in the world? You are probably immediately thinking of the more successful companies and brands. You may not know about the many failures. This is business, and this is life.
Gymnasts put their bodies through new moves and then sit and imagine doing it for an hour before doing it for real, patients who have lost function, re-create muscle tone and body connection through imagining they can do it. Thinking about exercise or relaxing creates some of the benefits without the need for other action.
Do you find time for the unique and important process of dreaming into reality for yourself? Notice that you might be starting to now as you read and feel inspired about the power and control you do have to make your world.
....................
More than dreams are required of course; we test clients on D*V*P which stand for Desire, Vision, and Planning.
Score yourself now out of ten for each and multiply across. The total is out of 1,000 and you'll note that if you are failing on any of the factors your score (we call it change potential) will be well below 500. You need to hit 700 or more or 70% to make real progress towards the goal. Test it. It's true, right?
Come back and read my next blog to hear more, or post up a comment for me.
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