“Effective” vs “Smart”

By Marshall Goldsmith

Reputation is an important element in establishing your Mojo. It’s where you add up who you are (your identity) with what you’ve done (your achievement) and toss the combined sum out into the world to see how people respond. It seems, however, that many of us neglect our reputation. It’s not that we don’t care; we care a lot. But we confuse our need to consider ourselves to be smart with our need to be considered effective by the world. The two are not the same thing, and one often overwhelms the other.

One of the most pernicious impulses among successful people is our overwhelming need to prove how smart we are. It’s drilled into us from our earliest school days, when we’re graded and ranked in a winnowing process that separates the average from the smart from the super-smart. It continues through high school, college and graduate school. And we continue this competition into the workplace, although our “report cards” now come in the form of promotions, paychecks and praise rather than test scores. We want our bosses and colleagues to admire our brainpower.

It’s pernicious because the need to be the “smartest person in the room” often leads to some incredibly stupid behavior. It leads to dumb arguments, in which we fight to prove that we’re right and someone else is wrong. It’s the reason we feel to need to tell someone who shares information with us that “we already knew that,” though it devalues them. It’s the reason we fight to the death to defend an opinion that has worn out its welcome.

Frankly, it’s the reason that so many of us are such poor listeners. We’re so invested in presenting ourselves as smart that we believe we don’t need to hear everything that people tell us. We think we’re so smart we can tune out people and still succeed.

Not everyone behaves like this. There are people who are willing to sacrifice the fleeting buzz of needing to be smart for the more valuable feeling of being effective: of delivering on time, of bringing out the best in others, of finding the simplest route to a solution.

To find out which side you fall on—smart or effective; consider this hypothetical Brain Pill Question:

You are offered a Brain Pill. If you swallow this pill, you will become 10 percent smarter than you currently are. However, to everyone you know and to those you meet in the future, you will seem 20 percent less intelligent. In other words, you will become smarter, but the rest of the world will see you as dumber. Do you take the pill?

Your answer says a lot about how you value your reputation. A lot of people would take the pill, happy to have the added smarts, and to hell with the world’s diminished opinion.

We’re often faced with this choice. Remember this the next time you face an important career decision. If we’re clueless about our reputation, we’re less likely to think about the long-term impact reputational impact of our choices. We’re often thinking short-term instead. Is this a decision that gets my boss off my back or brings in some quick cash, rather than enhance my reputation for being effective in the long term? These are entirely different measures. And from my experience, choosing to be effective rather than smart ultimately pays off in terms of our reputation, our achievement, and our Mojo.

Excerpted from Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, and How to Get It Back When You Lose It!.

Dr. Marshall Goldsmith has authored 28 books including What Got You Here Won’t Get You There – a New York Times best-seller, Wall Street Journal #1 business book and Harold Longman Award winner for Business Book of the Year. Succession: Are You Ready? is the newest edition to the Harvard Business ‘Memo to the CEO’ series. Marshall’s latest book is Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, and How to Get It Back When You Lose It!

E-coaching: Using New Technology to Develop Tomorrow’s Leaders

By Marshall Goldsmith http://www.marshallgoldsmithlibrary.com/cim/articles_display.php?aid=125

You can’t fly with eagles when you keep walking with turkeys

Quote : Zig Ziglar

Here are some tips on how to keep people from scribbling on your dreams :

•Reality check! Know yourself – know what you’re good at and what you’re not. Know what drives you and what you’re passionate about. When you do what you’re passionate about, the sky’s the limit.

•Do your homework. Find out everything you can about your dream before your share it with the world. Visit the library. Scour the Internet. Ask people who are already doing it or have done it. Mind you, make sure they’ve been successful, otherwise they’re going to scribble all over your dream.

•Don’t walk with turkeys. There’s a saying “you can’t fly with eagles when you keep walking with turkeys”! People will always give you their two-cents worth, without realizing the effect their words have. Every negative word you hear has the potential to scribble its way into your subconscious. If you keep company with turkeys, your dreams are going to end up burnt to a crisp and served on the thanksgiving table.

•Fly with eagles. Keep company with eagles – people who know what it takes to make dreams come true, people who are positive! Keep your heart and mind fixed on your goal. If you’re sure a dream is workable, then find ways to work it! Seek guidance and support from the eagles in your life. Never be afraid to ask questions and seek help.

•Make your dreams real. The best way to do this is to write down every dream or idea you have. Writing them down makes your dreams something tangible you can see and work on. Vocalize your dream. Visualize you reaching your goal everyday. Keep them in your heart and make sure you jealously guard your dreams against the scribblers.

•Persistence and patience. If a dream is worth dreaming, it’s worth struggling for. Problems WILL arise. Take them in stride and keep your eyes fixed on your goal. Break every problem into smaller tasks and solve them one by one. Remember… “How do you move a mountain? One stone at a time, one rock at a time, one boulder at a time

Sherpa Executive Coaching Survey 2011 able for download

The Sherpa Executive Coaching Survey 2011 is now available for download : http://www.sherpacoaching.com/survey.html

The Survey is conducted annually.   The resulting report offers a useful insight into leadership development, based on information from executive coaches and those that hire them.  Now it its sixth year, the Survey is co-sponsored by the executive education departments at the University of Georgia, Texas Christian University and Miami University.

Key highlights from the 2011 Survey include:

• Demand for executive coaching on the rise, with four out of five executive coaches anticipating an increase in demand in 2011 and over half of HR professionals and business leaders also expecting an increase;
• More HR professionals hiring certified executive coaches, with four out of five executives and HR professionals saying training and certification for executive coaches is either ‘very important’ or ‘absolutely essential’; and
• New standards for the executive coaching industry being set, with a notable shift among coaches toward adoption of published processes for their work with clients.

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Follow your vision vs let fear take the hold ?

Taking action -Moving forward
There will always be many reasons why you shouldn’t attempt something. Any of them could stop you in your tracks and prevent you from fulfilling your vision of the future. Over time I learned to stick with what I believe and follow my vision, rather than let fear take hold.

Inspiring holidays

Just come back from inspiring holidays in Turkey with my 6 year old girl. We met wonderful people there with 2 little girls.
Realising that you do not need more than sun, nature and happy children around you. Life can be simple and beautiful !

By Consistently great

Take Care of Yourself

By Laura Stack
The Productivity Pro(R)

You Can’t Be Productive if You Don’t Take Care of Yourself.

How healthy are you? How good do you feel? How much energy do you have throughout the day to accomplish the things you want to? Recent studies have shown that we have the potential to dramatically affect productivity by paying closer attention to our health. In other words, when you feel good, you can accomplish more. You can get on the road to healthier productivity by adopting these tips.

1. Get adequate sleep each night, so you’re not sleepy during the day. Sacrificing sleep is actually counterproductive, so experiment until you find the amount of sleep that works best for you, and stick with it. Don’t nap during the day, either.

2. Get sufficient exercise. Getting 15-30 minutes of exercise every day is crucial to maintaining your energy level. The less active you are, the less energy you have.

3. Use all your allotted vacation time each year. Don’t put off vacation to make your boss happy; studies show it won’t make you more productive. You need long vacations every year so you can recharge your creative batteries.

4. Pamper yourself on a regular basis. It’s not selfish to treat yourself well, as long as you don’t overdo it. You need to be able to enjoy life in order to be productive at work, so learn how to “do nothing” effectively.

5. Maintain a noise level in your office that’s conducive to productivity. Noisy environments lead to higher stress, which leads to lower productivity. Do everything you can to cut down on the noise, from relocating your office to listening to music on special noise-reduction headphones.

6. Ensure your workspace is comfortable and ergonomically correct. You can’t be productive if your workplace is hurting you. Use ergonomic equipment, and learn techniques to avoid vision problems caused by too much computer use.

7. Practice healthy eating habits. Always eat breakfast, focus on healthy food alternatives, and never go more than six hours without eating. Poor eating habits can make you fuzzyheaded and less productive — and fat.

8. Take a lunch break every day. Consistently working through your lunch hour is not only bad for the employee, it’s bad for the employer. Always eat something at lunch so you can keep your blood sugar at the right level and stay clearheaded.

9. Drink the right amount of water each day. To avoid the negative effects of dehydration, you need to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day — possibly more. Coffee doesn’t count, and neither do tea or sodas; in fact, they have diuretic effects that will rapidly dehydrate you.

10. Control your environment and rid yourself of things that bring you down. Surround yourself with happiness. Get rid of things that have negative memories attached to them, especially reminders of failed relationships.

Instead of over-eating, working too hard, not exercising enough, and skimping on your sleep, make personal choices that lead to increased productivity. Learn to rest, to laugh, to recreate, and treat your body right, or you’ll live to regret it. The choices you make today will affect how you feel tomorrow.

The Productivity Pro(R), Inc., 9948 S. Cottoncreek Drive, Highlands Ranch, CO 80130, USA

Kies voor je ideale klant

http://www.getclientstips.nl/getclientstips/2006/09/kies_voor_je_id.html

Laura Babeliowsky

How do you survive and thrive as a coach in an economic downturn ?

by Angela Wahl

With all of the negative news in the media about the economic recession, it is difficult not to question the impact of the economic downturn on coaching. Is coaching something people will cut in difficult economic times? Will people be hesitant to invest in coaching during a time of uncertainty in the market? Will my business survive this recession? The economic change that we have experienced on a global scale has, for many people, created fear, uncertainty, and inaction. All of which leave us feeling disempowered.

It is for this reason that coaching is needed now more than ever! Although, the downturn in the economy may mean that some potential clients directly affected by the slow down cannot afford one on one coaching, and that some individuals and businesses will cut down on their discretionary spending, the changing economy also brings with it many opportunities for coaches.

So how do you survive and thrive as a coach in an economic downturn? Simply step back, reassess, and find out where the new opportunities are. Consider these strategies when reevaluating your coaching business:

1.Check your perspective – What is your perspective on the economic recession and what it means for your business? Does your perspective support and empower you or does it leave you feeling frustrated and powerless? What alternative perspectives can you take that will empower you in building your business?
2.Look for the opportunities – What personal life issues are presenting themselves in public awareness as a result of the change in the economy? What industries and businesses are thriving despite the economic downturn? How can you add value to a group that needs you?

3.Be creative and flexible with your coaching – How can you reinvent the services that you offer your clients to suit their economic situation? What unique promotions, programs, and events can you offer to increase visibility and lead generation?
4.Hire a coach – A coach can support you in continuing to build your business and can support you in creating and maintaining momentum, especially in a difficult economy when it can be easy to become discouraged.
5.Know your clients – Understand how your clients are being affected by these economic times. Revise your coaching programs to adjust to their individual situation. Be accommodating.
6.Diversify your coaching services – Offer programs and products with different price points and that reach different markets. Create multiple streams of revenue.
7.Focus on joint ventures and affiliates – Other businesses will be feeling the effects of the recession as well. Creating joint ventures and affiliates that are mutually beneficial will support both partners in generating business during the economic downturn.
8.Expand your marketing – Explore new niches and new markets. Coaching is an international market. You do not have to rely on local business to generate new clients. If you are finding that you are not attracting your desired number of usually clients, take the opportunity to go after different and better markets.
9.Accept the challenge – Times of change provide us with the opportunity to step outside of our comfort zone and challenge ourselves in new ways. Use this opportunity to push yourself and your business to new levels.
An economic downturn can be challenging and it is easy to become discouraged. Keep in mind that even during a recession, the majority of people have jobs and continue to buy what they need. Millions of people around the world will still want help in their lives, relationships, and careers. Businesses will continue to invest in training and development. So rather than allowing the economic downturn to get you down, embrace the opportunity to challenge yourself, surprise yourself and take your business to new levels!

Worketiquette

http://www.worketiquette.co.uk/Dealing-with-office-politics.html