http://eminddesign.blogspot.com
Blog Address has changed click below to be redirected
http://eminddesign.blogspot.com/
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Friday, July 5, 2013
Metrics Are Like Life... It's How You Look At The Data
Working for many years in business I had the
opportunity to create many reports and metrics.
The key to these metrics was to communicate a message about the state of
the project, the company etc. The thing
that I realized is that metrics are all about the focus. What data are you focusing on and this will
determine the outcome of this metric. If
you want it to have a positive reflection of the data you focus on the positive
or if you want to show the negative this is what you focus on.
When looking at this I realize that life is the same
way. It is truly what we focus on in
life and business. Many people look at
all of the negatives things coming at them and this increases. This is not because there are necessarily
more negative things but because this is where their focus lies. If your focus is on to many meetings and the
traffic was horrible today then that is what you will see.
The same goes for the people that focus on the positive
aspects of their day. The positive is
what they are focused on and this is what happens in their life. The key to being satisfied with where you are
is to focus on the positive. I would say
that anything can be turned into a positive experience just by focusing on the “data”. It is a simple thing to do when you are in a
situation that you perceive as negative take a few steps back and see where
this might turn into a positive experience.
This brings to mind a couple that I saw that had
lost everything in hurricane Sandy. You
would think that they would be unhappy and devastated through the terrible tragedy
that had hit them. This was anything
from the truth the event to them had brought them closer together and bonded
them as a couple. So it really is how
you look at the “data” that can make a difference in how you see the
world. The funny part is once you start looking
at the positive, things do get better and life just happens and through it all
you are happy.
.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
It Takes An Village... Thoughts About Five Minds For The Future
It takes all different types of people to create a strong team, a strong organization. A strong country, a strong world community. We have all seen the person that can take a concept and understand it and then explain it in simple terms. The person who can take an idea and create something different and innovative. The person that is “book smart” and has the knowledge and expertise in a field of study. This is the concept that Howard Gardner has expanded on in his research and book Five Minds for the future. He reviews the concept that organizations of the future must have all five of these types of minds to be successful and compete. The Five Minds are Disciplined, Synthesized, Creating, Respectful and Ethical.
The
Disciplined Mind – This mind has mastered at least one
cognitive scholarly discipline, craft or profession. This is experience that usually takes at
least 10 years of mastery. This is
progressive and is the advancement of skills and understanding in their chosen
field of study. This mind is usually obtained
through formal study and education.
Without at least one discipline under ones belt, the individual is
destine to march to someone else’s drummer.
Examples of disciplined minds are engineers, doctors, lawyers etc…
The
Synthesized Mind - This mind takes information from
different sources, understanding and evaluates the information putting it into
easy to understand information for both the person and for other. This is an
important part of our world today. With
information coming in such large quantities on the internet people that can
grasp that information and create understanding for others and themselves can
help to education and inform. Examples of these people are Teacher, Writers etc…
The
Creating Mind – This mind breaks new ground. They put forth new ideas, pose questions, have
a fresh way of looking at things and arrive at unexpected conclusions. The
creating mind is one step ahead of the thoughts of the day. Examples of these
people are Artists, Inventors, and Researchers etc…
The
Respectful Mind – This mind is a light in this global
world. They welcome differences and individualism. They try to understand and seek to work
effectively with others. This mind
creates the unity in a diverse world and binds everyone together through
understanding and acceptance. Examples
of these people are Diplomats, Philanthropists etc….
The
Ethical Mind – This mind ponders the nature of the
work and the needs and desires of others in society. This mind is conceptual in looking beyond
self-interest and how citizens can work unselfishly to improve life for
everyone. This mind works for the good
of all and is not guided by ego. Examples
of this are Activists, Human Services etc….
The minds are not singular to one person and several
minds can be a part of the composition of a person but a balanced organization
will encompass all of these minds to be competitive in today’s
marketplace. Learning these traits can
come in many ways including formal education, mentoring, self-exploration and
growth. The concept is a broader sense of intelligence then original thought of
and spans the spectrum of human intelligence and interaction.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
4th Of July... My Favorite Holiday
My memories of the fourth of July are fond
memories. Of all the holidays the 4th
of July is my favorite. As a kid I remember driving to an open field
on the outskirts of town with my parents.
The summer
air was crisp and fresh and the smell of fresh cut grass was in the air. My Mom’s coleslaw and potato salad being
dished out on paper plates and taking double helping of both… the taste of
sweet watermelon and the delicious feeling of summer all around.
But my favorite part of the whole evening was the
fireworks. I remember lying on the
blanket and looking up into the starry summer sky waiting for the big
show. I couldn’t control my excitement looking
up in anticipation for the first bang and sparkle shimmering down to the
ground. And then it happened... boom, bang lights flashing and a wonderful
display of reds, blues purples and pinks.
My eyes darting in every direction drinking up the excitement and wonder
of the night display. I would say that
over the years not much has changed other than the location.
Every 4th of July I become a kid again
full of wonder and amazing looking up into the night sky and drinking in the
wonder of the show. Checking the
schedule and making sure that we get there early to get the best seat. Sitting back and looking and waiting in
anticipation of that first spark of light. Boom bang owww and ahhh…
Looking at this it makes me contemplate and think about my life. Life can be the 4thof July every day. If we stop, step back and look at the wonders around us in our daily life we can create that joy every day. It
may not be the grand boom and spectacular lights but a hug from a loved
one or smile from a stranger can create this happiness. Being grateful and seeing the beauty in life everyday can create a joy that is spectacular. So my 4th of July challenge to you is to step and to take look around you. Find the things in your life that are truly wonderful and give gratitude for them. It is a wonderful feeling to connect to the world and be happy for the little things. Sometimes there are fireworks all around us and all we need to do is look up to see them.
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Do you Really Want To Say That?... Constructive Criticism
What is Constructive criticism? The dictionary defines constructive criticism
as promoting
improvement or development. The question
is do we do this with improvement and
development in mind?
Feedback or constructive criticism is important to an
individual’s growth and development. Feedback
is good, it’s just about how it is given that can make the difference between whether
it is constructive or not. Does it help
the person with improvement and development? We need to be aware that these are people with
feeling. Treating people with disrespect
is just that nothing else. In reality criticism is just an opinion and should
be thought of as that by the giver and the receiver. That being said what is the best way to give
constructive criticism?
1.
Think before you give it … Make sure you know what you are going to say and
why. Is it truly constructive? Does it add value and give help for improvement?
2.
Think about where you are saying it… Don’t embarrass people or call them
out. This is not constructive and will
only cause problems in the relationship between you both.
3.
Be Open Minded… Just because you think you have the right answer does not mean
it is. Be open to conversation
4.
Focus on the positive first…. Nothing goes well when you lead with a negative
thought. Lead with a positive thought
first, value the person
5.
Provide clear guidelines for the criticism…
Give a clear definition of what it is you are criticizing and then give what
you think would improve this. Be gentle.
Never just give your negative opinion
6.
Focus on the positive again… Bring it back to the positive so that the message
is received but you leave it with a positive note.
Giving feedback and criticism is not
a bad thing. How you do this to create
constructive criticism is the important part to remember. The 80/20 rule is a good rule to follow when
giving any negative feedback. 80 percent
positive and 20 percent negative is a good rule of thumb. Devaluing and demoralizing has nothing to do
with constructive criticism. Leading
with the positive, giving solutions, listening and closing with a positive is
the key to successful conveying a message of criticism.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)