Many of us are trained to BE NICE. It starts in early childhood and gets reinforced repeatedly, as we grow up. There IS a lot to be said for the value of this two-word training. The two words are a catch-all for: Behave appropriately Be polite Remember your manners Don’t be a brat Stop screaming [...]
What’s the question? What are we asking? (It's not the same as "What's the answer?") When you're committed to something, (something that doesn't just have an easy answer,) it's useful to realize that it's worth THINKING ABOUT what you're thinking about. It's worth it to create a space where you're choosing where to think FROM, [...]
"BUTS" are powerful. They can interrupt plans and possibilities, they can constrain and limit results. "I want to do this, BUT I can't because..." How Big is Your “BUT?” Does your BUT get in your way? Is your BUT too big? Have you been sitting on your BUT? Is it time to get off your [...]
Sometimes Clients ask for support with negotiations in their businesses. Often, its a negotiation to address or settle some kind of problem or issue with a Client or vendor. People often worry when entering a negotiation—it seems like they’re having to go into battle. “Someone’s gonna win and someone’s gonna lose...I don’t wanna be the [...]
Some people don’t like being measured. Being measured can be a reminder of school, grades, evaluations of performance. Test-taking. “I don’t want be measured—I’m afraid that I’ll find out that I’m wrong.” (or, “I’m not good enough,” or, “I’m not doing it right.”) “Not measuring” protects people from failing. When you’re not measuring, there’s [...]
Some people spend a lot of time putting out fires in their businesses ...fixing things that are broken. Given that something's metaphorically on fire, it's an emergency to fix it. And what's ordinary for many people in an emergency, is to panic: Scramble, rush, force, make loud noises. FIX IT! Hurry! Whatever it takes! Baling [...]
It takes something to replace what you’ve known, believed, and practiced all your life, with something NEW. It can be counter-intuitive and uncomfortable. It's easier to turn around and do what you've always done. Given the discomfort, most people don’t practice something new, unless they HAVE TO — it’s more comfortable to stay the same. [...]
If you're a business owner, you have problems. Being in business means you're on the hook for something. You have promises to keep. (To your customers, your stockholders, your employees, your vendors, your banker.) PROBLEMS come right along with making valuable PROMISES. Promises considered most valuable are promises which produce some result, some outcome, something [...]
“We’ve done better by avoiding dragons than by slaying them.” --Warren Buffett, CEO Berkshire Hathaway (Mr. Buffett wrote the above in 1989. I just read it recently. I value writing that makes me think! This quote is great fodder for thinking.) What do dragons look like? What do they sound like? [...]
Many companies I consult with are small businesses. One Client is the president of a small firm that is growing rapidly, expanding from two people when we began our work, to likely six or more in the coming months. The stage this business is in, is one that frequently makes or breaks the future of [...]
