Get this: Imagine bringing people into a lab. Split them into two groups. One group sits down and chats with someone they’ve never met while a smartphone is visible on the table next to them. The other group sits down and chats with someone they’ve never met while a notebook is visible rather than the smartphone.
Guess what?
The group with the smartphone in sight reports a significantly diminished quality of interaction vs. the group that didn’t have the smartphone in sight.
Now, the phone wasn’t blowing up. And, it wasn’t even THEIR phone. The MERE PRESENCE of that smartphone diminished the quality of their interactions.
Enter: The iPhone Effect.
(Think about that for a moment. That’s CRAZY!!!)
The next time you’re spending time with someone, remember The iPhone Effect!! Put your phone out of sight—and, ideally, in airplane mode so you’re not feeling any vibrations that will distract you.
But…
Only if you want to enhance the quality of your interactions.
Scott Adams in his book How To Fail At Almost Everything, suggests that the systems-goals model can be applied to most human endeavors. Humans will always think in terms of goals. Our brains are wired that way. But goals make sense only if you also have a system that moves you in the right direction. In. the world of dieting, losing twenty pounds is a goal, but eating right is a system. In the realm of exercise running a marathon is under four hours is a goal but exercising daily is a system. In the realm of business, making a million dollars is a goal, but being a serial entrepreneur is a system.
Author Ryan Holiday in his book The Obstacle In The Way, tells about Nick Saban, one of the most successful collegiate football coaches ever. Coach Saban runs his organization with two-words, The Process.” Coach Saban says, “Do not think about winning the SEC Championship. Don’t think about the national championship. Think about what is needed to be done in this drill, on this play, in this moment. That’s the process: Let’s think about what we can do today, the task at hand.” That is a system!
Coach John Wooden was the ultimate systems guru. His system was to put your socks on right, focus on the fundamentals, make today’s practice a masterpiece. The rest will take of itself.
Author Adam Scott tells us in his own sort of blunt way that goals are for losers. He writes that if we are focused on something we may get someday, we’re always focused on what we don’t have now and therefore, are losing.” On the other hand, we succeed every time that we apply our system throughout the day. Author Scott is all about optimizing his personal energy throughout the day and collecting little wins throughout the day. NOW that is a great idea!
What about you? Where is your focus? Obsessing on a goal? Focusing on a system that will make a goal a natural byproduct to you consistently crushing it!
Nike sports popularized the phrase JUST DO IT in July 1988. It is one of the most iconic phrases ever in advertising. However, author Tim Pychyl is one of the most leading authorities on the science of procrastination. He writes that “Just Do it” sounds cool, it is not always the best motivational tactics when you feel over-whelmed or doubtful about being able to “do it.”
Here is a better phrase – Just Get Started! The goal is not the finish line, but rather the starting line. With this as your focus, your odds of completion just got exponentially higher.
I know this to be true when I battle that whiney voice that shows up in my head from time to time telling me I can’t do something or I don’t belong.
Writer Ben Shahar suggests a 5-minute ramp up on days that he is not necessarily inspired to write. Once he gets going on his 5-minute drill, he suggests that it is like Newton’s Law of Physics kicks in and he begins to crush it all because the BIG MO shows up after you start. Creator of the Spartan Race Series, Joe De Sena says the same thing. The Spartan Race is not actually doing it, it is showing up to the starting line.
What are you procrastinating on today? Just get started and you will end up just doing it!
Author Tim Pychyl tells us that one of the most dangerous things we can tell ourselves when we are attempting to get important stuff done is “that it will only take a minute!”
WOOOOOOOOOOSH!
You just fell into a rabbit hole that has consumed hours of your time. Before you laugh and suggest that does not happen to you; think about the last time you wanted to do a quick search and ended up reading non-sense and cannot remember where you started. You convinced yourself that IT WILL ONLY TAKE A MINUTE!
The more I see what digital technology is doing to our workflow habits, the more I am convinced that we must change how we allow this technology to control our lives. I am becoming quickly convinced that a digital “sunrise” and “sunset” makes a lot of sense.
Consider in a 2010 interview by the New York Times, Steve Jobs mentioned that he did not allow his children to own an iPad. Bill Gates subsequently also mentioned in a different interview that he limited his children’s digital exposure in his home.
The average man does not know what to do with his life, yet wants another one which will last forever – Anatole France
Nobody wakes up and declares that they want to be average today. The world is waiting to here the music inside of you!
Do you remember these 1999 Super Bowl commercials by Monster.com? It brings a smile but speaks a truth. Do not allow death to deny your best work. START TODAY!
Former CEO of GE, Jack Walsh wrote a book, Jack: Straight From The Gut, stated six rules for successful leadership:
1.Control your destiny, or someone else will
2.Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it were
3.Be candid with everyone
4.Don’t manage, lead
5.Change before you have to
6.If you don’t have a competitive advantage, don’t compete
In the book by Peter Drucker, Managing in Turbulent Timeswrites, “A time of turbulence is a dangerous time, but its greatness danger is a temptation to deny reality.”
Here are six questions to ask yourself to help you define reality.
1. What is reality in this situation? Do others agree with my assessment?
2. Can I identify each issue? Can I break down the reality to better understand it?
3. Can the issues be fixed? Separate the solvable from the unsolvable.
4. What are the options? Establish a game plan.
5. Am I willing to follow the game plan? My commitment is essential as a leader.
6. Will my leadership team follow the game plan? Their commitment as leaders is also essential.
These questions will assist you in looking at reality without putting a glossy spin on it. Here are four ways to guard against unrealistic thinking.
Admit My Weaknesses
Admitting my weaknesses is the first step toward any recovery. You can’t define reality if you will not face reality.
Embrace Realistic People
The old saying that birds of a feather flock together is really true. I like to be around people who are like me. That may be a good thing when I want to have some fun. It may not be a good thing when leading from the front is required. I need people that fill the blanks on my weaknesses. Effective teams compliment each other.
Ask for Honesty From Others
All leaders need to have a group of people around them who will tell them what they really think. You do not need yes men on your leadership team. The only way to get honest feedback is by asking for it and by treating people well when the actually give it. There is a pitfall in this line of thinking –sometimes we do not want to hear the truth even though that is exactly what we need. Secondly, make sure that your ego strength can handle this type of conversation.
Invite Fresh Eyes to Check Me Out
It is said that over familiarity breeds contempt –that is a true statement. It is amazing what we do not see because we are so close to the issues. It is worth the price tag to pay for outside eyes to take a close look at what you are doing.
Jim Collins states in his book Good To Great, You absolutely cannot make a series of good decisions without first confronting the brutal facts.” Remember that good leaders who lead great organizations face reality and make changes accordingly.
LINKS
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Your decision to do something is only as good as your resolve to manage that decision. The most important decision you make is the attitude you choose. Here are five BIG ATTITUDE ATTACKERS:
Discouragement – This is highly contagious!
Problems – Solving problems is the quickest way to gain leadership.
Change – This takes you out of your comfort zone.
Fear – If faith is greater than fear, the stronger emotion wins.
Failure – It can be the sting to get down on yourself.
How well do you really know yourself? One of the first basic laws of leadership is that you cannot lead others until you lead yourself! So I ask the question again, “How well do you know yourself?” Let me ask the question slightly different, Think about a major crisis that you have faced in life. Now ask, “Who was I before the crisis and who am I now after the crisis?” Asking the question this way brings me to two key thoughts about knowing yourself.
First of all when you are settled in your knowledge of who you are you become comfortable within yourself. Why is this important? You remain true to God’s design and pattern for your life. Without this knowledge you will forge your life into something or someone else.
Secondly, because crisis moments make you better or make you bitter, there is one level above belief and that is knowing! Crisis moments of life brings us face to face with the fact with our confession of what I believe. Crisis moments reveals that what I believe, I truly know it to be true! The end result is security of faith and confession. I have gone through my crisis moments and I have faced my confession of faith and found it to be true. I know that God is real!
One question yet remains unanswered, How can I know myself better? Here are ten insights in discovering yourself so that your leading of others is effective.
Values – What are my foundational beliefs? What are the non-negoitables of life?
Purpose – Why am I here? The greatest days of life, your birth and the discovery of purpose!
Strengths – Where am I gifted?
Weaknesses – What things do I not do well?
Priorities – What is most important to me?
Passion – What energizes me?
Challenges – What things must I conquer?
Failures – What mistakes must I learn from?
Vision – Where do I want to go?
Qualities – What kind of person do I want to be?
The essence of this list can be summarized by reflecting on my….
Actions – What I do says something about me. What am I doing?
Reflection – What I think says something about me. What do I feel? What do I think? What do I know? These three questions reveal my emotions, mind, and heart.
Interaction – What others think about me says something about me. What do others think about me? The Coaching of Shepherds Advantage coupled with the Birkman Questionnaire, is without a doubt the very best tools in comprehending God’s design of ourselves.
Who is in your life that you trust to speak into your life?
In case you have not noticed, the world is made up of PEOPLE! That said as a leader you must….
Value People – place a high value upon others, show them worth as God’s creation. There is enough criticism and put down in this world. Bestow worth and honor on others.
Believe In People – I find it interesting that out of all the options that our Creator Mighty God had at his disposal, he chose human instrumentality. Believe in people, they will amaze you at their insight and comprehension about how life functions.
Unconditionally Love People – Be the first to mend fences and set right bad relationships. Judge-mentalism and love cannot function in the same sentence.
While we love people, there are a special inner circle of people that we cultivate more intentionally. What are the qualities of this inner circle of influencers? Here are six suggestions to consider in developing the type of people for your inner circle.
Change Your Mindset Regarding Personal Development
It has been said that what I can grow to – I can grow to become! The key question on personal growth is not, “How long will it take?” Life is not lived in the 30 second mellow-drama. The key question is “How far can I go?” Jim John stated that your success will rarely exceed the level of your personal development. Everyone thinks they are teachable, but successful people move from teachable to learnable! John Maxwell states that learnable people are (1) hungry to learn, (2) Intentional in the their learning habits, (3) Applies what they have learned quickly into their life, and (4) Passes what they have learned to others.
We all have a road map that enhances our learning. Here are 11 facets of our learning journey:
Humility – the spirit of learning
Reality – the foundation of learning
Responsibility – the first step of learning
Improvement – the focus of learning
Hope – the motivation of learning
Teachability – the pathway of learning’
Adversity – the catalyst for learning
Problems – the opportunities for learning
Change – the price of learning
Maturity – the value of learning
Bad Experiences – the perspective for learning
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