You’ll be inspired and motivated to turn ordinary performance into EXTRAORDINARY performance.  Through full participation and exploration this 2 day skill-building and strengthening course will recharge you mentally and put you and your team back on track, working more effectively than ever before, and motivated to continue to practice and apply new “learned” behaviors that will get results!

Each learning module has been designed to allow participants to explore, process, and discover their own “best” behaviors  through experiential practice and team feedback.

“Being strong physically, emotionally, and mentally has always been our driving force.  We know the economic climate is challenging for companies, organizations, and their staffs at best.  We also know that sitting back and doing nothing to inspire, motivate, and educate is not an option.  That’s why we’ve developed the 2 Day Skills Challenge.  Does it have to be delivered in sequential days?…NO…that’s the beauty of designing Modules.  Each module is a stand alone course, however, each module is linked, and used as a stepping stone to the next module…until your team is ready to put all the learning together into the last experience.”

We know adults learn best by doing and not just being told.  We also know that adult practice and linking the known to the unknown is beneficial when learning something new.  That’s why we’ve created an 8 module  program. By the time the participants are ready for the last module…Purple Cow Presentations….they are equipped with all the skills, information, and behaviors necessary to achieve Extraordinary RESULTS!

DOWNLOAD THE SUMMIT SKILLS CHALLENGE DAY 2 Day Agenda

Ask how we can customize the modules to fit your team’s unique goals and objectives!

Please call Compass Consulting Team at 480-832-3730 or email us for more information on how our programs can make an impact today.

Years before we really knew what money was…we used to barter for what we wanted. Trappers would trade their animal skins for food, guns, clothing, etc. and the early settlers would trade their crops, their home- made bread, canned goods, etc. for what they needed in order to grow more crops, buy machinery, etc. for the next harvest. People actually helped each other with their farms, their livestock, their barns…remember they used to have “barn raisings”…and it was a gathering of all the local farmers, their children, and their wives. The “men” raised the barn while the women and young children put a “feast” together to celebrate after the barn was constructed. Was money involved? Maybe it was…I just don’t recall any real discussion about it.

So, what’s changed? Does money motivate or does it “buy” the stuff that we think is important, that we feel we need, that society, and yes, our advertising dollars have decided to promote. Our economic engine, to create a need/want, fill it, and then create another need/want is an amazing cycle. Manufacturers love it, consumers are dependent on it, and our capitalistic society has been built on it. I’m not knocking it, I happen to rely on it…otherwise I wouldn’t have a business. But, I want to explore what it is that really motivates, what it is that makes us jump out of bed in the morning, what it is that drives us to succeed at our jobs, our careers, our professions.

I’ve studied the theories, and read the books on motivation. I’ve come to the conclusion that we need to feel good, to feel comfortable in our ability to provide for our families, to have a nice home, a warm meal on the table, clothes on our backs…and more clothes in our closets, and the ability to save and be secure in knowing that we have a little extra put away for a rainy day. Money allows us to purchase the things necessary to accomplish all these things. Without enough money we start to feel nervous, uncomfortable…we start to worry, and wonder what will happen to our way of life.

Think about it, right now in America there are millions of people unemployed. Their last paycheck might have been months or even a year or two ago. They may have gone through some, if not all, of their savings to keep food on the table, and their families with a roof over their heads. So, now does money motivate?

The need for money to provide has become more and more prevalent in the past few years. Fear of losing what you have, not getting, or fear of the unknown creates a sense of “hoarding”…it creates scarcity…..and the more we worry that we won’t have enough, the more we perpetuate these scarcity behaviors. So, money becomes the focus, money…and getting more of it becomes the drive, the most urgent need….but, dare I say…it does not motivate…it is simply a means to an end, a necessary tool, a measurement of our value. We’ve arbitrarily decided what an hour’s work is worth…minimum wage. If you’re paid more for an hour’s work…good for you, you either have a nicer employer, more expertise, or what you do is regarded by society to be worth more. Do you really think a pro basketball player is worth more than a high school chemistry teacher? Well, in our society, apparently so…because their pay for performance is quite different.

I agree with Herzberg’s thoughts concerning Hygiene (Maintenance) Factors…factors surrounding your job, your position, your ability to provide, and then Motivating Factors….factors that come from within, factors that involve how we view ourselves, our relationships, our sense of belonging, our sense of esteem and feelings around respect and pursuing our true talents. They might even be the difference between what some psychologists call “extrinsic” motivators and “intrinsic” motivators. It’s always been believed that the intrinsic factors are the true motivators…they are the factors that “move us” to accomplish our goals. They create the “drive” in all of us. We all have the need for love, affection, belonging, respect, esteem, admiration, and yes, the need to be all that we can be…sounds like the army doesn’t it.

But, here’s the rub….for us to concentrate on these “higher” level needs…and really set goals to accomplish the things we all would love to accomplish…we need to feel “satisfied” at least somewhat satisfied in the “lower” level needs…the “hygiene” needs…..and this I’m afraid is where “money” sits. Money becomes the means to an end. It becomes the tool that allows us to buy the food, pay for our homes, feel secure financially and physically. And work?….well work is what we do, what we produce, that has value. We create value that is worth something…and when what we produce is worth something to someone else…we get paid for it…and that payment (usually in the form of money) is our reward. The more we produce stuff that other’s like, that creates value, that is deemed worthwhile, well, we continue to be paid based on what the market decides it is worth.

This is how it’s been for decades…centuries. Now, what society deems has value today and what we thought had value decades ago has obviously changed. Who would have thought that millions of people would want to watch a “reality” show with 8 kids screaming and yelling for an hour while their parents played around…and not necessarily with each other. Or be so obsessed with a teenager and her boyfriend that decided to have a child before getting married…and now, is shopping their story around Hollywood to display their relationship and their family on National TV!…but, hey, I guess if it sells…they’ll become rich and famous.

But, does money motivate us? As in the case above…once you obtain enough money to provide for your family and do the things you think are important to you…buy the boats, the homes, the jewelry, etc…then, the importance that we place on money wanes….it no longer is needed to buy the things we want…we have enough money to satisfy our cravings.( Money doesn’t buy happiness.) But, if we ever got to that point where we started losing what we have…then the need for money will resurface. Think about all the people that have lost their savings, their retirement savings in the stock market. All they talk about is money, the lack of it, the need for it, what they can’t do anymore, and how they will have to manage/live without it. Money for this group of people is front and center in their lives. They will focus on this “hygiene” factor until it is satisfied enough for them to move into the higher need levels….where true motivation comes from.

We can’t motivate people…but, we can set the conditions for others to motivate themselves. Ultimately, people want to feel good about themselves. What they contribute, who they are, what they know, and have others look up to them, esteem them, respect them. That’s why simply using the incentive of money to solve problems, to achieve a sales target, to recruit the best talent…doesn’t always work. If a person is at a different place in their life…no longer worried about the “hygiene” factors…then money won’t motivate…then, you have to appeal to their higher sense of belonging, esteem, and accomplishment. Power, Achievement, Affiliation…are all motives in each of us…which one is more predominant depends on the person…where they are in their quest to move up the hierarchy of needs.

I’ve always been fascinated by what “motivates”. My best advice is that each person is unique…and it doesn’t matter if you label us the Baby Boomers, Gen X or Gen Y….each one of us is on our own quest to accomplish great things. What’s really important is get to know each other… find out where each person is on their road to self actualization…..chances are what they really want isn’t money at all….it’s the chance to show their stuff, to feel in on things, to be recognized, to feel worthwhile. Isn’t that what each of us really wants….to know that what we are doing every minute of every day is valued…is worthwhile, has purpose and is making this world a better place. And money…well, it will always be there, it will always be used to measure, but to motivate…no, I get out of bed for a different reason.

Fast forward to July 2010, almost 12 months after we started our journey inspiring people to Be Remarkable, innovate their products and services based on what customers want, need, and would “amaze” them, let sneezer’s “remark” about you and build the followers that love you, love what you do, and allow them to spread the word. You cross the chasm, you milk the cow (profit), and You repeat the cycle….with another Purple Cow!

Sounds simple enough, right? Well, it does sound simple enough, but putting the principles in practice, applying your knowledge of Purple Cow philosophy, and using the Social Media tools available to everyone today, has proved challenging at best. Just like we’ve always heard, if it’s truly worthwhile, it’s worth waiting for. Patience, a keen understanding of human behavior, a mindset that tells you to never stop learning, and an undying desire and belief in what you do is “remarkable” is critical to your success.

We’ve been inspired by Seth Godin, Simon Sinek, and now Daniel Pink in the past year. We’ve created, what we believe to be, the missing component (gap filler) in what you know and what you do! In other words, we’ve created some amazing workshops, and coaching materials to put Purple Cow, Start With Why, and Linchpin into practice! Now isn’t that Remarkable? Isn’t that something to sneeze about? Don’t you think that learning “how” to apply the principles, and ideas from these famous books would be worth a trip to our website? Well, we did, so we wait, we wonder, we ponder, on what we could or should do differently to attract our Sneezers. Social Media, yeah, this is just one piece of utilizing the tools that have completely defined a nation, a generation, a movement around the world. It is Remarkable…that Facebook now has 500,000,000 members!

What we’ve learned from all this creativity, development, and interaction with Social Media is that to Be Remarkable isn’t just a FAD, a cute, catchy saying. It’s about being able to Be Remarkable even when you don’t feel like it, even when no one’s looking, even when that customer is getting on your nerves and you’d like to tell them exactly what you think! Being Remarkable really means you have to reach down deep inside yourself, understand what drives you, what makes you tick, and decide to persevere. Decide what you want and set your sights on that vision, that goal. But, you have to also understand what may be preventing you from Being Remarkable. Is it doubt, fear, uncertainty, a lack of confidence, or just a constant voice, saying “be careful, be smart, don’t take that chance, don’t take that risk”? I know all about voices inside your head, I know all about the doubts, the lack of confidence, I’ve been there too….heck, I even go there every so often….especially during my very own pity parties. But, here’s what I know to be true…. every time I’m feeling like I want to give up, throw in the towel, join the factory workers, and quit this crazy quest I’m on….I stop, I look down at my BE REMARKABLE bracelet, and persevere. I know why I’m doing what I’m doing. I know why I was put on this earth and what my purpose is….so, I continue to push myself, I continue to produce Remarkable products and services and I know deep down in my heart of hearts, I will be found, my services will be needed, my talents will be used, and yes, I will have left the world a better place for my efforts.

You see, Being Remarkable isn’t just about what you do (produce), how you do it (process), or what others think of you or sneeze about you…Being Remarkable is also a way of being, a way of behaving, a choice of how you want to live each day. When I wake up, I choose for the day to Be Remarkable…and that means, everything I say, do, and engage in for that day better “BE” Remarkable. And you know something, I love knowing that I’m giving my very best, I’m giving away my talents in the hope that it will be catchy, it will be contagious, it will make someone else’s day a little brighter/ better, and maybe, just maybe, Being REMARKABLE will spread. Call me crazy, but, I’m going to give it my best shot! Want to join me?????

In spite of my husband’s glaring looks, my dogs anxious behavior, and my own….what have I started…I kept at it. My intention, my inspiration, my objective was set….I was going to de-clutter, organize, simplify, and create CHANGE! I must be crazy…. I happen to thrive on change. I love coming home to something new, something different, something that gets my senses stirring . I know, you and my husband wonder if this change thing could go too far….could I want a change in my mate…well, we’ve been married for over 30 years…and still have fun together, still laugh, still scream, still make each other feel good about ourselves….and we still strengthen our skills, talents, and ambitions…Without a doubt, there’s change there….just happens to be the same person creating it.

So, the house, here’s my point: Are you feeling like you need a change, is your business falling off a bit, are you not at your peak performance?….then, do something positive to change your environment. It’s amazing how just changing one room, can inspire you and create a renewed motivation in interest, in business, in your family, in LIFE!

Where do you start? That’s a great question. I started studying the art of Feng Shui in 2005. I read a few books, started to practice the art…and then I met Suzee Miller at a conference in 2006. She changed my whole design ambitions…she interjected a new dimension to my design thoughts…the art of Feng Shui…wind& water…yin& yang….I studied, past my exams, and became a practitioner in 2008. Since then, I’ve been able to help lots of clients who just needed a little boost…an understanding of how their environment can affect their mood, their opportunity (business), their love-life, their health, and yes, their relationships. Through some simple techniques….that you can learn and practice, you too can enhance the energy in your home and create the change that is so necessary to human potential.

Intention: The key is that you have to know what you intend. Speak your intention. Understand your intention. Know the areas for manifestations (BaGua) and then enhance them through color, objects, space, and direction. I created a DVD on this very subject back in 2008. It wasn’t a best seller, but, the people that bought it…I now give them away…told me how amazing and great it was to have a DVD that explained in layman’s terms what to do and how to do it…to their own homes, and work environments.

So think in terms of Cleanliness…everything has to be clean…take a Swiffer to the floor, dust the lamps, take the cobwebs down from the windows….CHI….energy….is critical to your environment. Chi has to flow….freely. If you’ve got dirt and dust everywhere…it ain’t flowing…and this is not good for you, your health or your business!

Next, let’s get organized. You know all those pictures…from way back when…the ones you must have out on display…ok…but, most of them…come on now…can be put away, stored, or yes, trashed. What about all those magazines, cook books that you never opened, trinkets that at one time were cute…but, have lost their glory….My rule of thumb…either give it away, gift it away, or throw it away…you’ve got 3 choices…but, don’t keep it in your house to take up space.

De-Clutter: Chi can’t enter…a space if it has no space to enter. Space for chi to travel….move around in and fill the inhabitants with positive energy is important. So, getting rid of stuff…and making room for chi energy is critical. Trust me. I know some of you out there are pack rats….I was, my Mom is, and my husband is learning ….You have to clean, organize….and de-clutter your environment. Chi is a life force, that wants to enter…but, may not, if the old, dead, stuff you have laying around is preventing it from coming into your space. De-cluttering is tough…I know, I have a habit of collecting “stuff”….but, now, the stuff I collect or have around me “means” something that is associated with the 8 GUAS. Each Gua has a manifestation associated with it…along with an element….color, and symbol….So, it’s important to understand what the elements, objects, colors, and symbols are so you can still have “stuff”…but the “stuff” you display brings you positive CHI.

Well….needless to say…I think our house looks better than it has…the land too. Front and back yard is critical…Land…is soooo important. Flowers, shrubs, trees….and how each is laid out in your yard…can bring you great fortune and luck. We haven’t even talked about lighting…but, again…lighting, smells, touch, and taste …all the senses are touched by CHI.

The GUA’s…if you understand the Floating BaGua are great schematics for Designing each room in your home. It ‘s based on where you enter…and if you follow the Gua….you can place your furniture, pictures, objects, and flow for each room with the intention of manifesting the positive energy of that GUA…it works for the land too. Our backyard is so invigorating…even in 112 degree temperatures!

Balance in Design is a must, however. Balancing the 5 elements…Fire, Earth, Metal, Water, and Wood in your home, room, land, and office is also key to producing Positive Energy. Intention…Your aim, Your purpose, Your determination needs to be firmly grounded in balance…otherwise, you will feel the effects.

So, what happened?…I spent 2 days revamping our home…and guess what?… Monday morning we got a listing call….and a business inquiry for doing some coaching, consulting and radio work from a major employer in Phoenix. I’m not sure if it all has to do with the redesign of our environment, or the fact that I’ve been speaking my intentions a lot…but, what I can tell you is that it’s powerful energy, when you feel good, your home looks great, and your relationships are in order and working with you, not against you. Intention….maybe…I like to think that what we intend to do….we do…no questions asked.

Well, strange as it sounds, I think we’ve always had this PUSH-PULL going on. We’ve always had the temptation to cheat, lie, steal, even kill…there’s always been this struggle between good and evil….but, I believe, in the past….we condemned these behaviors….we held these people up to the crowd….and crushed their reputations. We even used to put criminals in jail…I mean real criminals…not, people who we now have coined as illegal aliens. I love this word…illegal aliens. I wonder if Europe uses this word with all the people who cross their country’s border to work, play, or spend money in each other’s country? Does Spain call Portugal’s citizen’s illegal aliens when they cross over to shop, work, eat or play? Does Germany call their neighboring countries “illegal aliens” when they cross each other’s boundaries? Do we call Canadians, illegal aliens? It’s sad….reading our newspaper’s editorials…just how many people have been in the US for 20+ years…with an application in for citizenship…they want to become a citizen of the US so bad…they are willing to wait this long to be recognized, to live in the land of the Free and the home of the Brave…and yet, they have worked here, paid taxes ( yes, they have been contributing to Social Security….most likely through a taxpayer I.D. set up by the company they are working for), bought homes, raised their children and we still see them as “illegal aliens”…and we’re ready to send these hard working, contributing adults, back to their HOMELAND….in a second, because someone…I won’t name names….decided they can’t tolerate another person’s skin color, another person’s culture, another person’s drive to feed their families and share in a little part of the American DREAM. We now don’t even want to recognize their children that were born in the US as US citizen’s…. I’m disgusted….I’m embarrassed for my state, my nation, my AMERICA. I think it’s time we “research” what we are saying…and not just “spout” off some ridiculous comment…we deem to be a “factoid”. It’s time we validated…our facts, through due diligence. Do you really think these “illegal aliens” who come here to live, work, and contribute aren’t bringing “revenue” to our society?….Do you really think they are costing the American taxpayer more money than they are contributing? Just think of all the jobs, services, trades, small businesses they create and perform for our society. Yes, we have our share of the criminal element coming across our borders…yes, we need to solve this problem of drug trafficking and human trafficking…We need to find a way to secure our borders…but, we’ve had these problems for more than the past 12 months…we’ve had an immigration problem for 50+ years…Where was the government all those years? Let’s take partisan politics out of this problem and work together to solve it!

Yes, we need to reform our immigration policy….but, let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. Let’s look at the “Real” problem…let’s understand why people want to immigrate here. Let’s help our employers hire people legally, with legal papers, with legitimate I.D.’s. Let’s afford a degree of amnesty to those already here, working, contributing to our society….let’s reform our immigration departments, with better technology, more manpower, more efficient processes to service our immigration needs. If we don’t do the right things right, NOW, ….we’ll continue to speak untruths, continue to take the law into our own hands, continue to contribute to stress and economic turmoil and more and more hardworking families will be separated and forced to make life changing choices.

We just celebrated the 4th of July…was it a celebration? For me, it was a reflection on what we’ve lost….what we’ve become, as a nation, as citizens, as human beings. Do we not care anymore about our Character? Are we willing to deceive one another for profit? Look at BP…look at their interests in AMERICA….look at what they own, what they control, how many Americans they employ….and then tell me they are “not” TOO BIG TO FAIL. I wish our leaders, our government, our congressmen, our news media….would report the TRUTH. Or, have we told so many untruths through the years, that we just don’t know what the truth is anymore?

Character involves speaking the truth…even if it’s not necessarily what we want to hear. “The Truth Will Set You Free” is an old saying….but, is so appropriate for today’s world. We are adults, we can handle the truth….it’s the lies, the cover-ups, the facade we paint on bad news, or the exaggerations on the truth that drive us crazy. Try us…give us some credit. We can take bad news…if we feel we are getting “straight” talk. We are the greatest nation, made up of great innovators, great inventors, great, industrious people…we can handle TRUTH. Are we so full of ourselves, so arrogant, that we believe we must continue to tell lies to the American people…just to get elected? I hope we learn our lessons from the past, I hope we stop deceiving each other before it’s too late, I hope we start to let the American people judge a person’s character based on whether they do the right thing when no one’s looking. I hope for all of our sakes that we embrace change, embrace diversity, embrace transparency, encourage tolerance, look for ways to make our lives better, not worse, and start to “weed out” the leaders, the politicians, the bureaucrats, the party extremists that want us to believe in FEAR, in WAR, in GREED, in HOARDING, in SEGREGATION. We spend millions, if not billions, of dollars in “keeping Americans SAFE”….hummm. Do we feel safer than we did 5 years ago? 10 years ago?…..I’d love for our government to rethink, relook, at this industry called the military….and decide if all the wars, the deployments, the deaths, the lives that have been torn apart, the cities, the towns, that have been destroyed is worth the cost. I’m not saying we don’t need some degree of military might and defense to properly defend our way of life, our Freedoms, our constitution, I also know it’s a big employer….but, do you know what % of our GNP we currently spend on defense? on military? …it’s more than what we spent during the Cold War. I think it’s time Americans started to look into just what we are spending all this money on…someone or some country is getting rich…and I don’t think it’s the US. No wonder the other nations in the world…don’t have the military power we have…they don’t need to…they have us!

We’ve got our own problems to deal with in the US….but, it seems that we keep thinking that if we focus our attention “out there”…that we can just ignore what’s happening to our great nation….under our own noses. Let’s wake up….let’s look at ourselves, our nation, our way of life…and decide how we want to proceed….what we want others to think of us….what kind of country we want to become….and start framing everything we do with the word…CHARACTER. It will take more than just great CHARACTER to turn our ship around…but, it’s a great place to start. Maybe if we all start to do the right thing…even when no one is looking, things will change. We just have to figure out what that RIGHT THING is. (another story).

Reflecting on those days and the work I put into the workshops, it made me think that some of the finer points of the training can and should be committed to memory, practiced, and refined to truly “WOW” our audiences, our clients, our customers, every day…not just when we’re interviewing or hunting for a new job. Here are NINE “finer points” with brief explanations…let me know what you think!

• Finer Point ONE: 7 % of your impact comes from the words you say, 38 % from your tonal quality while saying it, and 55% from what your body is doing while you’re saying it. So what? Choose language that’s precise, colorful, and concise. Reinforce the importance of having your tone match your message, i.e.: authoritative, commanding, persuasive, entertaining…depending on your objective and use your facial expressions, posture, and gestures appropriately to best express commitment to, and enthusiasm for what you are saying.

• Finer Point TWO: Speaking in pictures and story will help both you and your listener retain and commit to your message. People love to hear stories…as children we all felt the power of storytelling, its ability to transport us to another place and time. As adults, we feel it when we’re in the grip of a masterful book or movie. Speaking in story has the same effect on our listeners…and will help us all retain and commit to the message you want to deliver. Stories will help you get rid of the filler words…like “um” and “uh”…and will give you something to do with your hands. Stories don’t have to be long to be effective…but, they have to be your own…your version, your thoughts, be authentic….speak from you own experience…give examples….ask yourself ” why do I care?”….then ask yourself “Why should they care?”. Speak from the heart and simultaneously acknowledge your listener’s experiences, situation, or expertise…involve them in your story and you’re beginning to master the art of storytelling.

• Finer Point THREE: Introducing Yourself, saying your name, is a presentation opportunity. Don’t squander it. Remember how James Bond would introduce himself? My name is Bond….James Bond. You need to say your name with such panache that your listener: remembers it, is left thinking, “wow, that guy was impressive, am I supposed to know him?, is so knocked out by your “presentation” he wants to get to know you better. Always give your name the VIP treatment….just imagine you have “Q” as your backup, a cool getaway car, and a cold martini..or in my case a nice Pinot Noir waiting at home.

• Finer Point FOUR: Delete useless modifiers from your vocabulary. Something is only amazing, terrific, or horrific if you tell me WHY. We need to know – what did you See? Hear? Touch? Taste? Smell? How did it make you Feel? What did it remind you of? Tell us a story…then you can use a modifier that describes it…only then…will it come off as genuine. Only then will you have the right to use one of the modifiers. That’s why the cooking shows have become so popular…the chef’s engage you…they tell you what you are smelling, looking at, and why it is so awesome. They are great at describing the details of what they are doing, why they are doing it…and what you’re suppose to think, smell, taste, and remember.

• Finer Point FIVE: Breathing from your diaphragm lowers your voice, increasing others’ perception of your authority/command of your material and calming your nervous system. Remember to place your hand on your abdomen and see if it’s moving in and out while you speak. If it’s not, you need to begin accessing your diaphragm before you speak. Take deep breaths…notice the intake and the exhale…fill up your diaphragm on the intake…and feel the diaphragm deflate on the exhale. This exercise will start training your system…you will begin to speak with a resonance to your voice…not so pitchy and if “nasal” is a problem for you…this will help that too. As an added “free prize”…this will help calm your nerves, release stress and toxins, and will make you appear unflappable.

• Finer Point SIX: “You” has been flagged as the most persuasive word in the English language. Use it often. When presenting material, involve your audience. Make it easy for them to see themselves, doing, using, buying, the product/service you are advocating. Using “you” in your sentences helps them see themselves in the moment. They need to understand the benefits and the advantages from their perspective, not yours. Explain what it means for them…”You will be able to”….”because of these features, you can”…. The other eleven words on the Most Persuasive Words list are: Money, Save, New, Results, Health, Easy, Safety, Love, Discovery, Proven, Guarantee. Try to use as many of these words the next time you give a presentation or have a meeting to run…you’ll love the outcome.

• Finer Point SEVEN: When you give your listeners the “because” behind your decision, you increase buy-in from 60 to 94%. And don’t we all desire optimum buy-in and cooperation from our listeners? “Because” promotes understanding, people want to know the “why” behind what they are being asked to do…or sacrifices they are being asked to make. They need to understand the reasoning for the decision…be able to ask questions, sort things out. Just remember the Wizard of Oz…”We’re off to see the Wizard, the wonderful wizard of oz…because, because, because, because,… because of the wonderful things he does. “…I think humming this song, will help you remember to include the because with your decisions…and get that 94% cooperation.

• Finer Point EIGHT: Listen to find out, to discover, to explore. As Winston Churchill once said, “it takes courage to stand up and speak; it also takes courage to sit down and listen.” The art form of listening is best summed up by Indian philosopher J. Krishnamurti: ” If you are listening to find out, then your mind is free, not committed to anything; it is very acute, sharp, alive, inquiring, curious, and therefore capable of discovery.” Listening requires effort….it’s not passive, it’s active.

• Finer Point NINE: ACTION! Be sure you are the one Directing and Starring in your life. It takes nerve, imagination, and determination to star in your own life and direct it effectively. It also takes the support, the love, the confidence of others to keep us going and moving the picture forward. How do you attract this kind of love? Start with Inspiring others to do their best. Get to know each and every person on your team/staff. Personalize your gratitude for their individual contributions and their willingness to go the extra mile when situations demand it. Get the details right…the devil is and always will be in the details…deliver them well and deliver them on time. Lastly, whistle a happy tune. Whistle while you work…as the seven dwarves remind us. If you appear to be relaxed and enjoying yourself, then everyone around you will join in that energy, which produces enthusiasm, creativity, and commitment. So remember the following points as you begin to star in and direct your own movie….No one is unimportant, No detail is too small, No one wants a leader who appears anxious, upset, or uncertain. You set the pace, you set the tone, the cues come from you. Ready, Set, ACTION!

I learned a long time ago, that life is short, so make every day count. No regrets, no, “I wish I would have”. We need to look life square in the eyes and do it…get on with it. I know sometimes we think of how tough we have it, that the long hours we spend at work, or the burdens we carry with our families, or the financial worries we are under is too much…maybe too much to bear…But, I’ll tell you that yes, life is worth it. All the struggles, problems, worries, we come up against are worth it, IF, you know how to add a little color to those GREY skies.

First of all, we have to learn to not take life so seriously….Yes, our world, our country has some serious issues to tackle. But, don’t we love a challenge…how boring would it be if we didn’t have to “think” and use our brains to solve problems, and make the world a better place. We WILL stop the Gulf Oil Spill, We WILL put our Nation back to work, We WILL get through this Housing Crisis, We WILL have a thriving economy again….we are Americans. We will have our differences with each other, we will vehemently disagree with each other…and at times we will be hurtful, not helpful…but, this I know to be true…. We have GUTS….We have ATTITUDE….We have HEART!

So let’s start celebrating the “good” in life. Let’s start celebrating “each other”. Let’s start treating ourselves to some of life’s riches, beauty, and art. Let’s start painting our walls a different color! (I know, Mom always told you White goes with anything.)

Make a list of all things you’d like to do….places you’ve always wanted to go to….careers you always wanted to have. Got the list. Now, look at that list again…and this time, write down next to it what would be an alternative, or something similar to it. For instance, I always thought of owning a Vineyard in Sonoma Valley…Napa…and living in a romantic Tuscan Villa…where I could look over the rows of grape vines…be with the land….pick the grapes…with help of course…and make the BEST Pinot Noir imaginable, (I read a lot of fiction when I was growing up)…it goes on and on…BUT, here’s my point, I probably won’t ever live this life, this dream of mine…but, I can pick out aspects of it and start to fulfill those goals and embrace the positive feelings that accomplishing a goal can bring. I can visit vineyards in Arizona…yes, we do have 30 vineyards throughout the state. I can work in their tasting rooms, I can create a wine pairing dinner at home and invite our friends for dinner…and discuss the different wines, where they came from, etc. I can save my money and each year take a trip to Napa and experience a different winery each time. Who knows what opportunities may lie ahead for me….you can’t fail unless you stop trying.

See, the point of doing this exercise is that sometimes we may feel like the world is against us, life is too hard, life is too grey…so, we need to adjust how we look at life. We need to add some color. We need to start thinking about all the things we are “grateful” for in life…and start each morning off with these thoughts. Pretty soon, we’ll start to feel differently, we’ll start to smile more, we’ll start to look for ways to make other people’s lives better…and in so doing we’ll be enriching our own. Even in times of trouble, our own trouble, doing something of value for someone else always makes the giver feel better than the receiver. Try it!

Now, is not the time to feel sorry for ourselves, there’s no time for pity parties. We are Americans, we will pull ourselves up by the bootstraps and start changing our futures for the better. We’re smart, we’re industrious, we’re innovative…we’ve just been told so long that it’s “bad” out there…we’ve started to believe that it can’t change…but, if we don’t CHANGE it ….who will. Come on, are you with me…we can do it! We can decide to eat another cookie…and buy that pair of red shoes!

Sometimes, it is up to us to find the “fun”, create the “joy”, be the giver of gifts that matter. Next time you’re in a store…buy 2 of something and give one away…just because. Or, look at a room in your house and change the furniture around, paint a wall…paint is cheap….but, can make a tired room, new again. Take time away from work…to just “feel” life around you. Your family, your kids, your pets, your loved ones all have something to give you, if you are open to receiving. RELAX….this holiday weekend. Soak in the Sun, enjoy life’s greatest gifts, and be grateful for our ability to ADD Color to Grey…..It’s your choice, but trust me….it needs color!

I believe that change is what life is all about, I love the change of the seasons, the weather, the day turning into night…Life is full of change…and aren’t we glad it is? Well, Innovation is change…it’s improving, making a product/service better, more desirable. It can be innovation based on efficiency … improving on something that already exists…or, it can be evolutionary and focus on identifying ideas that represent something distinctly new and better…like ATM machines for banking. And then there’s Revolutionary Innovation…which embraces radically new and better ideas that may, in fact, dismantle the existing structure of an organization and marketplace…like McDonald’s did for the restaurant business, or the way Dell’s model for direct-to-consumer sales strategy changed the computer industry, or how Apple’s I Phone, I Pad, etc. is changing the communication/music industry.

Innovation shouldn’t just be some fancy term we throw around at dinner parties, or office meetings. We need to understand why it is so important to our customers, our companies, ourselves to continue to innovate, and remarkabalize our products/services. It’s our destiny, our duty, and our privilege to innovate, do it well, do it better than anyone else, and create lifelong loyal customers that are just waiting for our next remarkable service/product. Innovation…at least soft innovation is FREE….it’s built into the product/service. It’s the FREE PRIZE…it’s the essence of being a PURPLE COW.

So what are the SEEDS of INNOVATION? The seeds involve thinking…creatively, strategically, and transformationally. The first principle of creative thinking is to believe in creativity. Believe in the creative talents of everyone. Celebrate everyone’s unique approach. Encourage participation, sharing of ideas, and using everyone as a resource. Everyone has a unique ability, talent, and a desire to contribute those talents…we just have to ask them….and then encourage.

The second principle is to be curious. Great creative thinkers have an insatiable appetite for understanding how things work and for connecting new thoughts with old ones. They feel free to challenge their own assumptions and those of others. They make room for new ideas by unlearning or forgetting some of what they thought to be true. They know that creativity requires a new mindset. The ask probing questions and listen to the answers they receive with open minds. The seek out diverse stimuli so that they can see more options and find more connections.

The third principle of creative thinking is to discover new connections. Most ideas already exist in some form somewhere in the universe – in some other department, organization, industry sector, or country. Finding these ideas and then experimenting to mix and match or cut and paste them into new ideas is the essence of creative thinking. Learning how to connect or cross-fertilize ideas into new ones is key.

Strategy is really about connecting creativity with value. Strategic thinking decisions are based on an understanding of our customers’ current and emerging needs, an understanding of the organization’s current and anticipated future core skills and abilities, resources and culture, and a future view of the industry sector or marketplace…where’s it heading?

The first principle of strategic thinking is to SEE the Big Picture. Look at the whole, not just the sum of its parts. Look at the relationship between the parts and the whole, and understand the effect a change on one part will have on the other parts. It’s important to see how everything is related. Great innovators also “see” the Big Picture by spending time defining the Real Problem as a way to avoid heading off in too many directions. The ability to recognize value in things that other people do not see sets innovators apart. Those who focus on the current structure of the market are falling behind those who focus on creating the future, changing the rules of the game, and creating stronger value. The second principle is to look to the future. Innovators must explore the patterns and opportunities in the strategic landscape and then develop a vision of what they want to be or what they want to be famous for.

The third principle of strategic thinking is to do the extraordinary…the remarkable. Great innovators can evolve from the ordinary to the extraordinary by following some of these strategies: Target the most profitable customer, offer something distinctly new and better, set your innovation priorities, make sure it’s easy, pick up the pace, systemize with processes, work stations, self-directed teams, profit from the power of branding, add credibility, and create large networks that relate to each other, and can benefit from each others’ products/ services/processes. Strategic thinking is really the ability to marry creative ideas with the needs of the organization and the marketplace…but, you’ve got to be willing to look and listen.

The seeds of transformational thinking pertain to both the intrapersonal and interpersonal aspects of innovation. Very often, what stops innovation from taking root is attitudinal and behavioral barriers placed in front of it. Awareness of these barriers is the first step in understanding how to address them so that innovative efforts, from idea conception to implementation, can be supported.

The first principle is to seek greater awareness . This is about shifting your brain or mindset, so that people see the bigger picture of their personal interaction with others. It begins with an awareness of oneself and others as well as an awareness of the interaction between oneself and others. Some like to call this emotional intelligence…I just like to say that you need to become aware of yourself, and your interaction with others. As Phil Jackson, the Lakers Basketball Coach once said…” sometimes it is more important to be aware than it is to be smart.” In addition to understanding oneself, it is important to understand the team dynamics as well as the organizational structure that can provide the fertile ground in which innovative ideas can grow. Then you’ve got to take action.

In order to gain commitment to the idea, an innovator…champion….must first understand what the needs of the audience are and be willing to repackage the idea to maximize the chances of acceptance. They need to leverage the fulcrum. Implementing the plan is never easy. But having leverage by understanding how the fulcrum works can help power the innovative idea forward. Change can be exciting, invigorating, and inspiring. Innovative Change…if managed well…creatively, strategically, and transformationally can inject new life into an old industry, a tired company, a dysfunctional team…..But, be patient. It takes time to find support for any idea and overcome others’ resistance to change…remember the lizard brain is always trying to sabotage your efforts. Recognize that the seeds of innovation are just the start…once they are planted, they have to get plenty of water in order to grow into Remarkable Ideas…but, it’s worth the effort, just wait.

Lastly, innovation requires passionate people who can bring life to ideas. Too many times innovation is blocked by passion killers…”we’ve tried that before, that wasn’t invented here, the boss will never approve that”…etc. We all need to try to be Passion Supporters and Ignite Passion! Innovation comes not only from the mind but also from the heart and soul. Innovators need to tap into their own source of passion as well as unleash the innovative spirit among others. They need the courage to speak up and be comfortable with being the odd one out when offering a new perspective. Innovation is about doing something distinctly new and better, but in order to be able to embrace innovation, one must be willing to be uncomfortable for awhile. Challenging the status quo often leads to tension and sometimes to conflict…get ready, be prepared, and hold your ground. As Walt Disney the Great Innovator once said …”Be ready to Dream, Believe, Dare, Do.”

Partnership is…”The highest destiny of the individual to serve rather than to rule.” Albert Einstein. Wow, now if that doesn’t stop you in your tracks, nothing will. To me partnership is a bond of like spirits, attracted to each others motivation, sharing an inexplicable need to see one another succeed based on a context of trust, and a desire to give before getting, to reach out and provide a service, be of value, give generously with full belief that it will come back to you when needed. It’s a verb disguised as a noun. You see, after the business cards are printed, and the wedding cake is cut, and the web conference is over, …what’s left? Partnership is that force that allows dreams to connect, people to engage, and service be gracefully given. But for partnership’s to be GREAT…now, that requires an abundance mentality, trust in each other, the sharing of dreams, speaking truth boldly, balanced play, and grace to be freely given and received.

Having an abundance mentality is the opposite of scarcity mentality. When you practice abundance, you don’t keep score. As with love, the more you give, the more you get…and the more there is. Abundance thinkers realize that there is enough to go around…there always was, and there always will be. What makes it seem as if there isn’t enough is what “we”….humans do to create our own scarcity. Just think about this for a second. Go BIG picture. Don’t you think there’s enough food, clean water, medicine, natural resources, manpower, ability, cooperation, empathy, money, etc. to go around? We have to be good stewards of these things…and not waste, but, of course there’s enough of all these things, we just have decided to make them scarce…to hoard, to make them finite. And once people believe that there’s not enough to go around…greed, distrust, coveting, stealing, etc. start to invade the environment, the community, the social fabric of our being….and we put up the walls, we lock our doors, we protect ourselves against the enemy…and yes, we start wars that have no meaning…other than for more power, more control, more profit, over our neighbors. Without abundance thinking we will never be able to achieve partnerships.

A sense of trust leaves partners feeling confident. It’s a quality associated with reliability, assurance, and faith. It’s knowing that you have my back. That you can be counted on, you are trustworthy, and therefore worthy of trust. Trust allows partners to take the necessary risks to become great. Trust acts as the safety net when you’re out there on the tightrope…taking a leap of faith, but knowing, trusting, that someone’s underneath, ready to catch you if you slip or fall. Without the feeling of trust, one wouldn’t feel safe to take the steps necessary to stretch, innovate, create, go to the edges, and take the necessary risks that inspire great action, that empower others to take risks, and that stimulate innovation.

The power of a DREAM that is shared as a vision, as a target, is the crucible of all partnerships. Understanding, sharing, and believing in each others WHY…promotes harmony and balance that all partnerships need and feed on. Keeping the dream alive can only happen if the partners share the dream and will mutually gain from its fruition. But, it takes effort, work, contribution, collaboration, and cooperation of all the “owners” to power the DREAM and embrace the WHY.

You’ve heard me say many times to speak “truth”….Truth brings reality into the partnership. It brings openness and candor. Truth is not always fun to give, but necessary to have. Speaking truth means you’re willing to be authentic and real. It involves the art of interpersonal skill…communicating effectively, listening actively, giving feedback that is helpful vs. hurtful, and keeping in mind that the “ego” needs to be left in tact…although it might be slightly bruised. Speaking truth allows partnerships to be honest, be healthy, be real, be authentic….and if you have all these qualities working inside the team, you can’t help but be successful….and have some fun in the process.

Partnerships require “fair play”…but, not necessarily 50/50 play. With “fair play”, people have to feel that they are not being taken advantage of…they want BALANCE. Dealings and decisions need to be balanced, and the outcomes fair and equitable. Balance is shown in how we treat each other. It’s true, some day’s it might feel like you’re the one getting lots of help, winning lots of issues, achieving great milestones….but, that’s ok…because, you understand the importance of BALANCE. Partnerships exist because balance is understood. Balance is to be expected. Being able to shift and serve, support one another in their efforts to succeed, and be their strength when needed is a given.

There’s also an “easiness” to the partnership…to GREAT partnerships. Partnerships that are lasting, usually have a aura of GRACE around them. What I mean is that they enjoy the camaraderie, the give and take, the high’s, and low’s, the excitement of spending time together and partnering on a cool project, a courageous DREAM, an unbelievably super WHY…It’s Grace that allows people to listen, to seek to understand and then be understood, to be quiet, to be calm under fire, to be in the shadows while the other one is in the limelight. GRACE is the behavior we seek when we ask for forgiveness…knowing that we may have committed an unintentional faux paux. Great partnerships, long-lasting partnerships….even marriages, all have “grace” in common.

Partnerships should expect the best in our attitudes, abilities, and aspirations. Partnerships are much more than good synergy. Synergy means that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. All partnerships are synergistic, but great partnerships go beyond ” greater than” to a realm of unforeseen, remarkable, worth. Just sitting here today…I can name some great ones: Lucy & Ethel, Martin & Lewis, Burns & Allen, Hall & Oates, Sonny & Cher….etc. These partnerships all had the “greater than” piece of synergy. Each one contributed their own unique talents, abilities, and aspirations to the whole. They would never have been as successful by themselves, without the partnership of each other. I’ve come to realize that partnering isn’t the end all, it’s just the beginning…and it’s worth striving to be GREAT!

But, reaching deeper into the meaning of this now famous saying, I have to wonder if I’m practicing what I preach. Take “living well” for instance. I think this has many meanings, to many people, depending on how you interpret the word “well”. I like to think of living well in terms of “health”….Do things that enrich your body, your soul, your spirit. This includes exercise, sports, games with the kids…outdoor stuff like golf, fishing, swimming,… expend some “physical” energy. I also like to think that living well involves “food”…buying the freshest fruits and vegetables and then preparing them in unique ways…perhaps even on the outdoor grill. My husband is famous for putting EVERYTHING on the grill….peaches with cinnamon and a little sprinkle of sugar grilled just long enough to encrust the flavor of the cinnamon…but, oh so warm and smooth over a nice bowl of vanilla ice cream! That’s what I’m talking about. Or how about living well with friends and family. Just getting together for a glass of wine or Brat and Beer with dear friends to talk about the day, the week, or a special issue. It’s amazing how just “sharing” a conversation with a special friend or confidant can make you feel better, and the experts say that deep, meaningful conversation can actually make you feel happier! Don’t forget the exercise. I’m the worst when it comes to exercise…but, you don’t have to join a gym for you to feel like you’re living well. Just take some time in the early morning hours to stretch, put on some music that you love and that gets your blood flowing and try 10 min’s of “moving your body”. Pretty soon that 10 min’s will turn into 15 and so on…Your body and mind will love you for it. Living well to me also means how I spend my “quiet” time…my me time…yes, I said “me” time. I try to turn on my favorite CD, take the dogs, a good book, and sit and read…relax with them…Now, every so often my Sparky boy will bring his ball…so, we must play “throw and catch”…I throw, he catches…very smart dog…and cute too. Wally will lay next to me during this period…just waiting for me to give my full attention to him. This, to me, is living well…just keeping it simple. Give back, embrace others, share your gifts, seize the day.

Love Much? Wow, now this is powerful stuff. Love is, in my opinion, the greatest “human emotion”…..I can’t imagine a world without love, much less, a person without love. Love permeates your every cell, and truly makes life worth living. Sharing your dreams, your hopes, your ups and downs with someone that CARES for you and about you. Love is special…heck they even produced a movie last year that was nothing but a movie on Love…Valentine’s Day…very cute by the way. I think we do get caught up in loving “stuff” too much…and maybe even giving too much stuff to show our love, but I’ll be the first to admit I love little boxes. Love Much is active emotion, it’s what our actions show, what we do every day, that counts. Acts of love, like leaving a special note for your husband/wife on the counter before you head out the door for the day. Love Much also involves going out of your way to do something, you don’t necessarily enjoy doing, for another….showing love through your actions. In my opinion that would be the household chores. When I come home and the dishes are done…or at least they’re in the dishwasher…now that’s love…you betcha. Funny story, one day I came home, the dirty dishes were not in the sink…the dishwasher only had clean dishes from the night before…so where do you think the dirty dishes were?…My husband had tucked them away on a shelf in the pantry…just so I wouldn’t have to see them…until later. Yes, I laughed when I found them… it was the thought that counted…his intent, his heart, was in the right place…just poor execution. Love Much means taking the time out of every day to look at the person that makes you smile, makes you laugh…the one that gives you goose bumps or makes your heart start beating a little stronger. You remember those feelings…it’s time to take the time to appreciate what we’ve been given….the ability to love and care for another. Love much? I will, I do…I promise.

But, don’t forget to Laugh Often! Have you ever noticed what happens to your body, physically, when you laugh? It releases tension…muscle tension, facial tension, and allows your system to reset! There’s something called endorphins that are released, but, I don’t want to get to technical here. Let’s just say that when you laugh your body likes it! Laughter is good for you…it’s healthy. Finding someone to laugh with is even better. I guess that’s why they put all three elements together…Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often. Lately, I must admit, it’s been tough to find things to laugh about. But, the late night comedians seem to be finding the humor in the horrible…so, I think it’s time for us to not take life so seriously too. For some of us Capricorn’s that’s hard to do…we tend to focus on the practical, the financial, the security side of life…but, we can break out in a hearty chuckle….we just need a little push! I’ve been trying to smile when I talk…which seems to help. Try it! Keep a smile on your face when you talk with someone…even over the phone…it truly changes your mood, your thoughts, your behavior. Just a giggle here or there is good stuff. We can all find things to giggle about. Next time, you want to cry, shout, be angry about something that is happening to you…like your husband inadvertently putting a gel pen in his shorts, throwing them in the hamper, being washed with your other clothes, and everything coming out spotted in black ink….you know that kind of stuff…stop, and look at the funny side. There’s always a funny side, we just have to take the time to switch our brains! I loved the movie The BIG CHILL…the situation, a funeral for their buddy, wasn’t funny on the surface, but what made it fun to watch was their take on his life, the music that was played at the funeral “you can’t always get what you want”, the party at their home afterwards….and the quirkiness of the characters. Don’t get me wrong, death, in and of itself isn’t funny, however, sometimes, if we believe and know that the person is and will be with their maker, the circumstances and situation leading up to their passing can have some funny moments.

My DAD was a good teacher of this. He passed away 4 years ago from a Brain Tumor…but, he had some very funny moments…he never stopped laughing at himself….He’d forget something, and he’d give me the funniest look…like help me out here…we’d both break down in laughter, because he was always such a smart guy, but the tumor had a mind of its own. We knew it didn’t look good for him, but he never gave up…he kept going, kept talking, kept walking, kept eating, kept seeing his friends, and in the end….he really could say… “I lived well, I loved much, and I laughed often…I’ve got no regrets”. That’s the gift, that’s his gift to me, and that’s the gift I want to give to you. Write the words…buy the sign, put it on your wall…and when you look at it, remember to embrace it, live it, do it….It will “make” your day.