Posted on

Da Vinci’s Genuis

SA Leadership Podcast Episode #184

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 21:28 — 19.7MB) | Embed

History tells us that Da Vinci incorporated seven principles of genius throughout his life. We cannot hope to obtain to that level of mastery. Yet it does point the way to climb higher in our critical thinking and behavioral skills. Let’s explore as an introduction Da Vinci’s seven principles of genius.

  • Curiosity – An insatiably curious approach to life and an unrelenting quest for continuous learning. The quest for continuous learning comes first because of the desire to know, to grow, to learn, is the powerhouse of knowledge, wisdom and discovery. When is the last time you learned something for the first time. Da Vinci’s devotion were directed to the pure quest of truth and beauty.
  • Test Knowledge – a commitment to test knowledge through experience, persistence, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. This involves testing conventional wisdom to enhance one’s own experience of learning through practical wisdom. Da Vinci referred to “bookish prejudice” and how it limited critical thought.
  • Sensory – this is a continual development of the sense, especially sight as a means to enliven the experience.
  • Sfumato/Going Up In Smoke – A willingness to embrace paradox, ambiguity, and uncertainty.
  • Balance – The development of the balance between science and art, logic and imagination. “Whole-brain” thinking is being emphasized.
  • Cultivation – The cultivation of poise, fitness and grace.
  • Connections –  A recognition and appreciation for the interconnectedness of all things. Systems thinking is being emphasized.

LINKS

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on iTunes – SUBSCRIBE

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on Stitcher – SUBSCRIBE

FREE GIFT – “The Art of Balancing Candor With Care” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!

 

Posted on

Why We Err

Poverty of Attention

Nobel Prize-winning Herbert Simon’s wisdom that says that, “A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” It’s easy to read that and say, “Yah! So true…” and then do nothing about it — continuing to destroy our attention with an onslaught of meaningless incoming information. And, continuing to err.

Writers, Samuel Gorovitz and Alasdair MacIntyre who tell us that there are three primary reasons why we err.

The first is “necessary fallibility.” Some things are just outside the realm of human capacity. Alas, we’re not all powerful and omniscient.

But, some things ARE within our capacity and yet we still fall short of our potential. There are two reasons for these types of failures: ignorance and ineptitude.

Ignorance means we don’t know what we need to know to perform at our best. Ineptitude means we KNOW but we don’t actually DO what we know.

Here’s the good news: If we simply applied more of what we ALREADY know, we’d be doing really, really, really well. (Right?)

What is ONE THING that you can do this very minute that you can maximize your abilities? Optimization is about moving from theory to practice! In other words we make small advancements daily to improve our lives regarding the things that we know is healthy for us mind, body, and spirit!

TODAY, it is time to say good-bye to ineptitude and hello to MASTERY!

Posted on

Beliefs Worth Buying Into

SA Leadership Podcast Episode #183

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:28 — 16.9MB) | Embed

There are three insights that I want to focus in order to grasp the idea of buying into beliefs that are worthwhile.

 

Believe In your Potential

Your Potential is a picture of what you can become. Thomas Edison stated; “If we do all of the things that we are capable of doing, we would literally astonish ourselves.” Too often we see what is our current reality without looking to what could be. For example, Joe Namath was a skinny kid who did not do his homework and was always hanging with the wrong crowd. Beginning his NFL career, he was viewed as a player with bad knees. However he saw himself as a champion!

If you could see yourself in terms of true potential, you would not recognize yourself!

Too many people fall short of their real potential. Author John Powell states the average person only reaches 10% of their potential, sees only 10% of the beauty around them, hear on 10% of the music all around them, smells only 10% of the fragrance around them, and tastes only 10% of the deliciousness of being alive.

Cartoonist Charles Schultz offers this comparison; “Life is like a 10 speed bicycle. Most of have gears we never use.”

Charles Schwab states; “When a man has put a limit on what he will do, he has put a limit on what he can do.”

Believe In Yourself

It is one thing to believe that you possess remarkable potential. It is another thing to have enough faith in yourself that you think you can fulfill it. Many people are agnostics when it comes to believing in yourself. THis keeps you from becoming all that you can become. It has been discovered there is a greater correlation between self-confidence and achievement than there is between IQ and achievement.

Hanging on the wall of Arnold Palmer’s office was this credo: “If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you’d like to win but think you can’t it is certain you won’t. Life’s battles don’t always go to the strongest or fastest, but soon or late, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.”

Believe In Your Mission

Belief in what you are doing will lift you above your talent. William James states there is one thing that will guarantee the successful conclusion of a doubtful undertaking – FAITH in the beginning that you can do it!

  • Belief in your mission will empower you. Having confidence in what you are doing gives you the power to achieve it.
  • Belief in your mission will encourage you. What often allows people to keep moving in negative environments is a strong belief that I can accomplish this mission.
  • Belief in your mission will enlarge you. As you collect micro-wins you will find yourself doing the seemingly impossible. You grow to new heights!

LINKS

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on iTunes – SUBSCRIBE

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on Stitcher – SUBSCRIBE

FREE GIFT – “The Art of Balancing Candor With Care” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!

 

Posted on

A Wealth of Information

Creating A Poverty of Attention

Herbert Simon won the Nobel Prize in Economics. He was one of the early thought leaders in the field of “attention economics.”

In 1971, he told us: “What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.”

(This is worth a re-read and memorization: “A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.”)

He also told us that all that information creates “a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it.”

Now, again, Simon told us that in 1971.

1971!! We were decades away from the internet and smartphone technology. What were you doing in 1971 beside protesting the Vietnam War? I wonder what Simon would say today? “Double-down on your effort” is probably what he would say. In case you are not in touch with this subject, have you noticed how distracted we are these days?

Now, here’s the thing. It’s easy to read Simon’s quote and say, “Wow. Yah. That guy was wise. So true.” And then go on utterly destroying our attention as we indiscriminately consume an astonishing amount of meaningless incoming data.

In the book, The Checklist Manifesto, there are three reasons we err; 1. Necessary fallibility: Some things are just beyond our capacity; 2. Ignorance: Some times we just don’t know how to do something; and, 3. Ineptitude: Some times we KNOW what to do, we just don’t do it.

Authors Cal Newport and Eric Barker say that being able to focus your attention and go deep is the superpower of the 21st century. Why? Because when nearly everyone is allowing their attention to get destroyed, those few of us who go in the opposite direction look like superheroes.

Posted on

Becoming A Dynamic Learner

SA Leadership Podcast Episode #182

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 14:51 — 20.4MB) | Embed

Whatever we change inwardly will change outer reality – Otto Rank

The power of this opening quote suggests that what we fail to achieve internally will alter the opportunities we have going forward. The burning question is; “What principles lead to becoming a dynamic learner?” I believe it is a combination of what I have just stated. It starts with a mental model of perfection – what does it look like to become a dynamic learner? Secondly, why am I not doing the things that will take me to this mental model. Thirdly, what are the hurdles that I need to overcome?

Let’s consider what author Bradly Staats suggested in a Harvard Business article. There are eight keys to becoming a dynamic learner.

Valuing Failure – Dynamic learners are willing to fail in order to learn. John Maxwell suggests that we fail first, fail fast, fail often in order to learn. The key is not measure our progress in successes and failures. That notion limits growth.

Process Rather Than Outcome– Dynamic learners recognize that focusing on outcomes is actually misguided. What did we do to get here? Process focus frees us to learn as we go.

Asking Questions Versus Rushing For Answers – The statement “I don’t know” is a fair statement as long as it is followed by “What are our first steps?”

Reflection and Relaxation – Dynamic learners fight the urge to act for the sake of acting. They recognize that when the going gets tough, the tough will get rest. Learn the art of silence and solitude. Develop a quiet place of reflection.

Being yourself – Dynamic learners are willing to stand out versus conforming. Learn to blaze trails where they do not exist.

Playing To Your Strengths –  Stop trying to fix your weaknesses. Understand where your strengths lie and focus upon those.

Specialization and Variety – Learn to develop a “T”-shaped portfolio of experiences. Go deep in a particular area and broad in other experiences.

Learning From Others – Dynamic learners recognize that learning is not a solo activity. One is too small of a number for greatness. They key idea here is interaction with others – in teaching and imparting knowledge we learn together.

LINKS

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on iTunes – SUBSCRIBE

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on Stitcher– SUBSCRIBE

FREE GIFT– “The Art of Balancing Candor With Care” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!

 

Posted on

The Definition of Hell

Are You Living The Best Version of Yourself?

In Getting Grit, Caroline Adams Miller walks us through the science of grit and then helps us apply it to our lives.

One of the main lessons from the book is the fact that gritty people don’t fear failure. They KNOW (!) that to do great things they will, inevitably, fail. A lot.

As she says, “They have to go outside their comfort zone over and over to get where they want, all the while with no guarantee of success. That doesn’t stop them, though; they’d rather bet on themselves than accept a life in which they’ll never know what might have been.”

That last line about preferring to bet on themselves rather than accept a life in which they’ll never know what they might have been reminds me of two things.

First, I’m reminded of Sonja Lyubomirksy’s wisdom on The Science of Regret. Short story: We have a weird ability to adapt to whatever hardships we face in our lives. So, our failures don’t actually wind up bothering us as much as we think they will. (We’re poor “affective forecasters” as the behavioral economists like to say.)

That leads me to thinking about this powerful gem: “Someone once told me the definition of Hell: The last day you have on earth, the person you became will meet the person you could have become.”

Imagine that for a moment. Fast-forward to the end of your life. You’re just about to die and then in walks the version of you that YOU COULD HAVE BEEN.

Can you feel the terror of seeing THAT version of you — all radiantly alive and energized and poised and graceful and confident and kind and loving and awesome — and knowing that you could have become that?

Let’s take the time to work through that now.

See that best version of you.

Then see how the tiny little decisions you’re making every single day are determining your destiny.

Then remember the scientific fact that the fastest way to have a quality is to ACT AS IF you have it right now. You want more courage? Act courageous. Want more self-discipline? Act disciplined. Want more kindness? Act more kindly.

Want to actualize your potential and become the person you are capable of being? ACT LIKE THAT ABSOLUTELY AWESOME VERSION OF YOU RIGHT THIS SECOND.

And this one. And this one. And this one.

All day every day.

You. At your gritty best.

That’s heaven. Right here. Right now.

Posted on

Your Ability Accomplish Results

SA Leadership Podcast Episode #181

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 18:01 — 24.7MB) | Embed

The uphill climb in life is filled with intentionality, hard work, and consistency. You have to keep your eye on the big picture. You have to be determined by logging the time necessary to keep your life moving forward. The right thing to do and hard thing to do are usually the same things.

I want to give you nine insights on being productive!

Fail Fast, Fail First, and Fail Often

This step seems counterintuitive against reaching for perfection. To be productive you have to be willing to fail often. A key to insight is to viewing your efforts as right or wrong; success or failure. Instead think of yourself as moving closer to your vision of perfection. If it in fact moved you closer – it is a win. If not, learn, evaluate and then make adjustments and try again. Learning from what did not work is the key.

Stay Focused Longer Than Everyone Else

Attempt numerous times at one thing, instead of one attempt at numerous things. Others will give up – you stay the course. This insight is not based on the level of education, or certifications – this is good ole fashion grit. When others go home you are still working.

Take Inventory of Skills and Resources

This is about an inward look at yourself! What have you accomplished thus far and what is your next step for growth? You reaching your full potential is about your personal growth plan for life. If your desire is to be more productive then take charge of your own productivity.

Stop Doing What You Are Not Good At Doing

You will start accomplishing more by stop doing what you are not good at. Focus rather on what you are good at doing. Find ways to focus your time, attention, and work by eliminating from your schedule anything that does not have a high return.

Tune Into Your Team Every Day

The success of the “5-Minute Manager” taped into connecting with your team everyday. Get to know who labors with you – know their dreams, hurts, and goals. You have learn to the vibe of the tribe!

Make Daily Decisions That Move You Forward

If you become stuck on the idea of ideas being successful or failures you will inevitably miss the learning opportunities that come from things that do not work. Please understand I do know that ethical and character issues has a right and wrong. But when it comes to productivity it is a matter of it working or not. Either our ideas move us forward or they don’t. Learn to make quick decisions, try new things and then judge whether they move you forward or not.

Continually Reevaluate What Could Work Better

Productive people are always working to become better and finding ways to improve. The place where today and tomorrow meets is the only place where you can create positive change. That place is NOW! You cannot change yesterday or control tomorrow. The only guarantee that you will get better tomorrow is to get better today.

LINKS

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on iTunes – SUBSCRIBE

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on Stitcher– SUBSCRIBE

FREE GIFT– “The Art of Balancing Candor With Care” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!

 

Posted on

Leader-shifts

Hard Decisions That You Must Make

This is about insecure leaders that have a hard time making effective choices on behalf of their organizations. Quite honestly they fail to make the hard decisions many times. Here are three truths that you must wrestle with in order to become an effective leader.

 

  1. If you need people, you cannot lead people
    1. On the one hand we want to declare that yes we need people. However, I am referring to needing people to do your bidding.
    2. There is a real difference in needing people and leading people to the fulfillment of their dreams.
  2. If you have the need for affirmation, you cannot risk making a decision that will make people unhappy.
    1. A leader that gets caught in this trap will always follow the latest polling data and focus group content to keep things steady.
  3. Here are five hard choices that you need to make about your leadership and team members.
    1. Put others first – does that need commentary?
    2. Make a difference in other’s lives – why is it so hard to understand as a leader that when you help other people accomplish their dreams they will help you accomplish your dreams?
    3. Show up daily as the best possible version of yourself – stop showing up grouchy and grumpy. Stop being over-bearing with rules and regulations and start loving your team members as humans.
    4. Express gratitude and reject entitlement. You are not the center of your universe.
    5. Be misunderstood for the right reasons.
Posted on

5 Crucial Principles of Leading

SA Leadership Podcast Episode #180

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 22:01 — 30.2MB) | Embed

Practice Patience

•The one thing I have noticed in life is that leading is harder than you think and it always takes longer than you planned.
•Patience must start with you! Learn to be your own best friend – you have to believe in yourself first. Learn to accept failure and learn from it.
•It has been said that you will experience 8-10 failures for each success.
•When you have a failure, give yourself time to recover. Do not keep pressing forward against all odds. BE GOOD TO YOURSELF!
•Learn to practice patience with other people. You will become a much better leader. Do not become so anxious that you forget to bring your team with you.

 

Possess Self-Discipline

•Learn the discipline of prioritizing and then live by those priorities!
•Learn the art of diminishing distractions in your life. Practice digital sunrise and sunset everyday.
•What is your daily 5 habits that are non-negotiable?
•What is the value of your time? Know it! Do not sell yourself cheaply to activities that do not produce HIGH RETURN’S!
•Consistency compounds and gives you a high return. What gets measured gets rewarded.
•Realize that life is not balanced, therefore it is hard for your life to be balanced. There are seasons of life and they rarely allow for balance. This is why that consistency of priorities is the pathway by which you achieve balance.

 

Enrich People’s Lives

•Stop attempting to sell something and start enriching people’s lives.
•Pass on what has worked for you personally – not just theory!
•Always search for common ground in connecting with people.
•What are the top three things that you are passionate about in your life that will help others?

 

Develop Yourself Daily

•Take your personal growth seriously. Your growth today is the only guarantee that you will get better tomorrow.
•Consider the following;
•Out of Your Gift Zone + Out of Your Comfort Zone = Catastrophe
•In Your Gift Zone + In Your Comfort Zone =  Coasting
•In Your Gift Zone + Out of Your comfort Zone =  Creative & Climbing
•Practice the rule of 5 for Growth: Learn, Prioritize, Apply, Evaluate, Share.

 

Learn How To Lead

•The foundation of leading is to LOVE PEOPLE!
•Leadership is visual!
•The weight of your words is never as heavy as the weight of your actions.
•There will be Leadershifts – Move from connecting with people as the highest idea and move to challenging people to produce.
•Learn to develop greatness in others – do not settle for just being friends!

 

LINKS

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on iTunes – SUBSCRIBE

Shepherds Advantage Leadership Podcast is now on Stitcher– SUBSCRIBE

FREE GIFT– “The Art of Balancing Candor With Care” – Click on the icon at the bottom of the page

Executive Coaching Service– Private message me for details on this customizable service

Music: “Gratitude Mood” by David Arivett. You can learn more about his music by clicking on his name. THANKS DAVID!

 

Posted on

W.O.O.P. It Up!

Author Gabrielle Oettingen suggests in her book, Rethinking Positive Thinking, the W.O.O.P., process – Wish – Outcome – Obstacle – Plan. In other words, we get clarity on our ideal goal or Wish. We get fired up about the Outcome or benefits we would like to experience. Then we rub this hopeful future against potential Obstacles and finally we make a Plan to crush it!

Gabrielle’s husband, Peter, actually came up with the actual strategy to WOOP your day, every day. He called it “Implementation Intentions!” Simply stated, “IF” – “THEN!”

How does this work?

ME: IF I wake up in the morning I will read my Bible and Pray/Meditate. If I wake up in the morning I will Read and Journal. If I wake up in the morning I will do Creative Work before touching digital communications.

YOU: IF_____________________ THEN______________________________

 

All day. Every Day. Implementation Intentions – W.O.O.P. is where it is at!