A Personal Time Choice
Our personal experiences with time often force us to draw sets of conclusions which seem to contradict each other. They set up a paradox in which it is difficult to see how both conclusions can be true. Yet, on closer examination, the conclusions often are both correct. For example, no one has enough time, yet everyone has all there is.
Often, one of the statements in a paradox is based on conventional wisdom, while the other statement challenges that wisdom by pointing out a deeper truth. No one has enough time is the conventional observation, while Everyone has all there is points out a deeper truth. Understanding this paradox is an important first step in the challenge of learning to manage our time and ourselves.
Take a moment and consider the following paradoxes of time and explain the effect each one has on your life.
1. Time cannot be managed. We can only manage ourselves. Is time the problem, or are we?
2. Those who do not take the time to do something right must make the time to do it over. Should we do it right the first time?
3. Doing a job right is efficient. Doing the right job right is effective. If a task is the wrong one, it does not matter whether it is done right or wrong. If it is the right task, it matters a great deal.
4. The more hours that people work, the more time they assume they have to finish. The more hours people work, the more fatigued they become - so they slow down. Long hours feed on themselves, making everything take longer.
It has been established that controlling our lives means controlling our time, and that controlling our time means controlling the events in our lives. Why, then, do most of us have so much trouble accomplishing the things that mean the most to us in the long term? Why do we never seem to get around to those things that really matter? There are several possible answers. One is that we have unwittingly bought into two fallacies about time that prevent us from dealing effectively with the events in our lives.
The first fallacy is that we think we are going to have more time at some unspecified future date than we do now. Well, I will do that next week, or next month, or next year, or when the children are grown, or when I retire. Then I will have more time. The second fallacy is that we think we can somehow save time. The fact is, each of us have all the time there is. We all are given exactly 24 hours every day - 86,400 seconds each day. No more, no less, and none of us can save any of them to use at a later date.
Each of us has exactly as much time as the most successful people in the world. If we want to achieve the same high levels of success as these winners, we must treat our own time as a precious resource to invest for maximum return.
Time is valuable capital. If we squander it, we will not develop our abilities, take advantage of opportunities, or carry out our commitments. What is more, we certainly will not make the most of our life. An astonishing number of people, who carefully manage all of their other resources, are frustrated because time continues to slip through their fingers. What is really slipping away are their lives.
What each of us chooses to do with our time makes our life. When we make the commitment to choose what we do with our time, we take control of our life. Effective people do not just do things differently - they do different things! Their actions reflect a fundamental shift in thinking - that sometimes doing less result in more of the right things getting done. They deliberately manage their choices! As Stephen Covey has so eloquently said:
“Rather than focusing on things and time,
focus on preserving and enhancing relationships
and on accomplishing results.”
Pj Germain
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Greatness vs. Goodness: A “Mind-Shift” for Visionary Leaders
Today’s visionary leaders who are making this shift in thinking, from “goodness” to “greatness” are inspiring themselves, their team and even their adversaries to greatness. These visionaries have the power to create a world that works for all of us, and they are who the world needs now.
Sadly many well-intentioned leaders, teachers and parents fail to grasp this distinction, and that failure costs them more than they know. Slowly they lose their power to effect real, lasting change in themselves, in others and in the world around them.
First grasping this distinction between goodness and greatness, and then making “the shift in one’s thoughts, words and actions elevates and expands one’s consciousness to a visionary level; thus giving one the power to effect lasting change.
ORIENTATION
So what’s the difference between goodness and greatness? First let’s make suggest some differences, and then we’ll look at an example.
Approach To Resolving Conflict With Others
- Goodness: The quality of compromising your highest inner guidance, especially when it conflicts with the prevailing moral standards or societal norms.
- Greatness: The quality of acting on your highest inner guidance, even when it conflicts with the prevailing moral standards or societal norms.
Approach To Resolving Conflict With Self
- Goodness: Compromising. The quality of compromising one’s higher values in the face of fear.
- Greatness: Standing. The quality of standing for one’s higher values in the face of fear.
Guidance Orientation
- Goodness: External. Value the esteem of others OVER esteem of self.
- Greatness: Internal. Value the esteem of self OVER esteem of others.
Inner Guidance Model
- Goodness: Position-based. Self = position = me.
- Greatness: Stand-based. Self = stand = i.
I-Orientation
- Goodness: Protect me (self as position) and risk i (self as stand) in reaction to fear.
- Greatness: Stand for i (self as stand) and risk me (self as position) in the face of any fear.
EXAMPLE:
Jon and Steve have just been hired as executives of ACME Co. They quickly learn that in their new company being a good executive means following the dictates of the CEO. Both Jon and Steve are hard workers who diligently carry out the orders of the boss. Jon, however is a graduate of an elite institution that included extensive character training. He’s been taught what it means to be a good leader and a good follower.
Both soon hear a vague rumor that their new boss and others are likely cooking the books and stealing from the shareholders. Neither one knows for sure, but they start to sense that it might very well be true. Jon thinks about prying, but would rather not know. If he doesn’t know, how can he possibly get in trouble? And questioning could get him fired. So Jon continues to work as usual, never asking too many questions, and dutifully carrying out his responsibilities.
When the CEO gets busted four months later, loyal Jon adamantly defends the character of his boss, confidently telling everyone that he never knew of any improprieties. He was right, and felt justified. He had stayed within the limits of the law, and within the limits of reasonable business ethics. On top of that, he knew inside that he was a good person and a good executive.
Steve, on the other hand, upon hearing the rumors, inquired into the rumor. Upon obtaining some more facts, he thought there was a good chance that his boss might be doing something unethical and illegal. He thought about confronting his boss, and saw that it might very well lead to his getting fired, or at least being ostracized and passed over for promotion. He felt fear, a lot of fear. He took a stand and faced his fear the next morning, as he confronted his boss. In their meeting it would have been easy for Steve to turn away after his boss eloquently explained his actions, but Steve persisted. He kept facing his fear, and asking the questions that needed to be asked. He was fired the next week for “poor performance.”
A KEY POINT:
There’s a huge yet subtle difference between goodness and greatness. We’re going to dive deep into discovering the power, the skill and the subtleties of greatness inside this course.
VISIONARY ADVANTAGE:
On paper, Jon looks like a good executive. Over the years he has kept his jobs longer and has proven to be a “good,” loyal team player. Yet with every choice to compromise his conscience in order to avoid fear and take the easy path to “success,” he loses power. He loses his power to trust himself, he loses the ability to hear the warnings of conscience and while he may win friends, he loses their trust in his leadership.
But it goes deeper than this. It doesn’t matter how much Jon tries to be a good executive, or become “successful.” The less he faces his fear, the less he can see the kind of vision that calls himself and others to greatness.
Steve on the other hand, builds his power with every choice to face his fear. With every choice, his vision, self trust and grip of reality strengthens. He is quickly becoming the kind of leader any team trusts implicitly. Steve lives “greatness.”
VISIONARY DYNAMIC:
The more you stand and face your fear, the more powerful your vision grows.
VISIONARY CHALLENGE:
What can you face in your life today that you’ve been avoiding? What feelings would you have to face to confront this issue or person head on? What would be worth standing for?
Journal about this until you are inspired to take that stand. Then take it, and journal about your experience. The more you see yourself taking stands like this, the more you see what?
VISIONARY TRAINING:
Anyone can muster the courage to face a tough situation now and again. It’s another thing to have facing be a way of life. What would it be like to not just live courageously, but to always be facing, always standing?
How can you take a stand such that you feel called from deep within? Where can you go to get conditioning in facing and standing–not from a place of sheer guts–but from a deep inner feeling of being called to be “the one?”
Michael Skye, founder and CEO of VisionForce.com, works with a new breed of impassioned change agents around the world, who are giving their lives to stand for all of humanity. The Visionary Mind Shifts are available free at http://www.VisionForce.com/course
Position vs Stand: A “Mind Shift” for Visionary Leaders
Today’s visionary leaders who are making this shift in thinking, from a “position” to a “stand” are inspiring themselves, their team and even their adversaries to greatness. These visionaries have the power to create a world that works for all of us.
Most of the brightest leaders, entrepreneurs and change agents still fail to grasp this distinction. Many try to stand for a better world while operating from a righteous or egotistical position, and thus are quite powerless to effect lasting change. Real power comes from a stand, not a position.
First grasping this distinction and then making “the shift” elevates and expands one’s thinking or consciousness to a visionary level.
So what’s the difference between a position and a stand?
Generally, a position is a place to defend or attack from, an external fight against; whereas a stand is a foundation to build on or create from, an internal fight for.
On a psychological level, a position is a defensive reaction to protect oneself from negative judgment (it usually occurs after a compromise of one’s values).
A stand, on the other hand, is an action of honoring one’s values in the face of inner opposition (fear, doubt, etc.).
AN EXAMPLE:
Tim is an entrepreneur who has a dispute with Sam, General Manager of another company. Tim thinks he should receive a credit, because Sam’s company did not deliver the kind of service they had promised.
Picking up the phone to make a phone call to the GM was a scary proposition for Tim. Sam had already denied his first request for a discount, and reacted as if Tim was being cheap and unfair.
Tim wanted to stand for what he thought was right, and he didn’t want the conversation to turn ugly, but he was scared… and so he prepared for the confrontation, as most anyone would do by solidifying his position.
Tim solidified his position by forming his conclusions, judgments and solutions.
Conclusion: Sam’s service was not delivered as expected; therefore Tim does not owe the amount in the contract.
Judgment: It was unfair of Sam to not talk this through amicably with Tim. Sam is unethical, unfair and greedy.
Solution: Sam should credit Tim’s company $1,000. Anything less is unfair.
Armed with his position, Tim picked up the phone and called Sam. Although Tim was trying to sound nice and businesslike, Sam instantly picked up the defensive/aggressive tone in his voice.
Sam’s mind immediately formed its own position. He thought of all he’d done for Tim over the years. How could he be so ungrateful and cheap? You can bend over backward for a guy only so much. No more discounts or credits.
“Well you can call my lawyer then, Sam, because I’m not paying another dime until you credit me $1,000.”
“If that’s the way you want it, Tim. You’ll be hearing from my lawyer.” Click. Sam had hung up the phone.
“At least I didn’t let that guy overcharge us again,” Tim explained to his secretary. A guy’s got to take a stand once in a while. Otherwise people will walk all over you.
Thousands of dollars in lawyer bills later, Sam and Tim finally settled out of court for a $500 credit. To this day, their friendship is dead, they are both resentful, and their positions are stronger than ever.
Every time they reflect honestly on how they resolved the conflict, they feel guilt… and then their mind turns back to its position, and they feel a little more comfortable.
A KEY POINT:
We live in a Position world. It’s how we think, how we operate, how we resolve conflict. And it works miserably. Our next evolution as human beings is to learn to live from a stand.
VISIONARY ADVANTAGE:
A visionary operates in such a way that she inspires herself, her team and even her adversaries to greatness. She calls people to rise above their positions and align on shared values.
She can see through nearly any conflict, and has the confidence of a brazen, unstoppable entrepreneur. Hers is not a foolish arrogance or the brute force of will, but vision. The kind of vision that is uncommon to most of us.
She lives from a stand, and is called forward by the resulting vision to keep standing. She inspires not only herself, but the world around her to greatness.
VISIONARY DYNAMIC:
The more you come from a stand, the more even your adversaries are inspired by you. Rather than react to your position with their own position, they are inspired to stand as well.
VISIONARY CHALLENGE:
What is your position about a certain conflict in your life? Who is right and wrong, and why?
How is your position causing the continued building of your adversary’s position?
What might happen if you transformed your position into a stand?
Michael Skye, founder and CEO of VisionForce.com, works with a new breed of impassioned change agents around the world, who are giving their lives to stand for all of humanity. The Visionary Mind Shifts are available free at http://www.VisionForce.com/course
Positionary vs. Visionary: A “Mind Shift” for Leaders and Change Agents
Today’s visionary leaders who are making this shift in thinking, from “positionary” to “visionary” are inspiring themselves, their team and even their adversaries to greatness. These visionaries have the power to create a world that works for all of us, and they are whom the world needs now.
Sadly many well-intentioned leaders and change agents fail to grasp this distinction, and that failure costs them more than they know. Slowly they lose their power to effect real, lasting change in themselves, in others and in the world around them.
First grasping this distinction between being a positionary and being a visionary, and then making “the shift” in one’s thoughts, words and actions elevates and expands one’s consciousness to a visionary level; thus giving one the power to effect lasting change.
ORIENTATION
Most people who take a stand only do it once they’ve built a pretty solid position to hide behind. They make the other side out to be evil, and then it’s easier to stand. These are the old school revolutionaries. Their hearts may often be in the right place, but they have little power to inspire lasting change. The new revolutionaries know that the real power lies in being a visionary. Learn the difference here.
Revolutionary - One who takes a stand in the face of the powers that be or the status quo.
Positionary - A revolutionary who tries to make a difference from a position.
Visionary - A revolutionary who sees the kind of vision that calls one’s self, one’s team and one’s adversaries to greatness.
AN EXAMPLE:
Jodi is passionate about the environment. She works for a green energy business, drives a gas-electric hybrid and recently joined a local environmental activist organization.
She attends her first meeting, passionate about the local debate about the controversy between big money commercial real estate developers and green activists who want to save the aquifer that they propose to build on.
She’s sure that she can get others in the community to see the threat that the developers pose to the environment, and can get them to support the cause. She’s also hopeful that the developers themselves might rethink their plans to build atop the aquifer.
At her first meeting, she proposes that the other activists join her in going to visit the developers in person and talk to them about shared values and creating a win-win solution… and everyone laughs. “Silly girl,” someone says, “These are capitalists! All they value is greed and destroying the environment. Those are their only values!”
Everyone joins in the laughter; some even roll their eyes at her idealistic naivety. Jodi fakes a smile, not sure what to think. But she knows she wants these people to like her. She feels conflicted. She really thinks that something could be resolved by communicating with the other side.
She makes some phone calls to the “Capitalist Pigs” and even goes to their offices in person. She wants to be the one to make a difference. But as soon as the developers learn what organization she’s with, they turn cold. They are short with her, and don’t seem to take her seriously.
This experience is tough for Jodi. Maybe those guys are just cold-hearted snakes. A few years past and before you know it, Jodi is talking like everyone else. She’s angry. She’s cynical. The other side just won’t change. And the system works against people like her.
A young woman, who took a stand and began to see a vision for real progress, has begun the typical devolution into a Positionary. She sees the new bright-eyed activists joining the organization, and laughs at their naivety. “They just don’t get it,” she thinks. She’s sad. She’s cynical… but at least she’s on the “right” side. At least she cares.
Then one day, a young activist stands up in the middle of a meeting, and proposes they change their approach. There is laughter and eye rolling. But this doesn’t stop the young woman. She is passionate, committed. She turns and looks at the people who are laughing and calls out to them. She’s shaking, she’s vulnerable, she’s so deeply committed to the cause… that everyone can’t help but listen.
“I can’t begin to know what it’s like to give your life to this cause, and to meet with so much disappointment and rejection. You guys are my heroes though. You’re still fighting. For years and years, you’ve been the only ones willing to take a stand for this beautiful city. You haven’t quit. You’re still here.
“Maybe the other side really can’t be talked to. Maybe they’ll laugh at us once again, mock us, and go right on with their plans. But I joined this organization, because I wanted to be surrounded by heroes, people who are unwilling to sit idly by and let things keep going downhill. We can’t afford to grow cynical. We can’t afford to believe that the other side will never change.”
This nameless young woman goes on. There’s something about her raw courage and authenticity that quiets the room, and has even the most cynical of the group beginning to hope again. Suddenly Jodi’s eyes are tearing up. She remembers a day when she still believed. What has happened to her?
A KEY POINT:
Positionaries are powerless to call themselves, their team or their adversaries to greatness. Visionaries, on the other hand, see the kind of vision that call themselves, their team and even their adversaries to greatness.
Yet even our heroes are usually models of being positionaries, rather than visionaries. If even our heroes can’t keep standing for everyone, how can we?
The positionary path is more comfortable, yet is a sure path to slow death. It’s a path paved by compromise. And compromise kills the human spirit.
VISIONARY ADVANTAGE:
Visionaries, whether “successful” in their cause or not, have the advantage of knowing deep inside that they are facing, standing and walking forward. The fulfillment they feel can’t be replaced by righteous judgments. Their power is authentic. They live true to their values and their vision. They can call the world around them to greatness.
VISIONARY CHALLENGE:
What have you become cynical about? Your marriage? The public school system? Politics? Life itself? What conclusions and judgments have you formed about the “other side” or people in general? These conclusions and judgments are part of your position. See how they let you off the hook from being “the one?”
What feelings would you have to risk or face in order to believe once again? What would be worth standing for? The more you see yourself standing for that, the more you see what?
Michael Skye, founder and CEO of VisionForce.com, works with a new breed of impassioned change agents around the world, who are giving their lives to stand for all of humanity. The Visionary Mind Shifts are available free at http://www.VisionForce.com/course.
Small Business Organizational Management
When we talk about organizational management we are talking about how the leadership is organized to allow the company to function effectively and efficiently. You have heard it before: “I’m the President of the company because this business was my idea.” “I’m the vice-President because I was the President’s best man at his wedding”, etc, etc.
Believe it or not, many small businesses start out this way, but they find it difficult to grow successfully. Don’t misunderstand, larger businesses also promote from within. It’s called nepotism and I have seen it in many small businesses and it exists in corporate America as well.
Business leaders should base the structure of their organization on qualifications and functionality of the position as it relates to the business.
There are many ways to determine how a company should be organized, but we take a unique approach in creating an organization by analyzing the ‘functional’ aspect of running the business. It’s like what computer programmers use when mapping the needs of a computer network.
Start out with a blank sheet of paper and determine a starting point, calling it “A”. Place it at one end of the paper. Next, determine an ending point and call it “Z”. Place “Z” at the other end of the paper. In business “A” equals raw materials, and “Z” equals taking the revenue collected for “A” to the bank.
In other words, ‘what does it take to make money?’ We are trying to complete the alphabet by determining the next letter that will get us to “Z” from “A”.
Some businesses may not be large enough to get to “Z” and some businesses will require more functionality and require two or three alphabets. What we want to accomplish is a review of business functions that will generate cash and identify those functions in a path format.
Once we have determined the function, we can look at who we will need to facilitate that particular function, the amount of time in a day the function requires for resolution, and the functional value to our business.
When we have viewed a business this way, we may actually see redundancies and functions that need attention.
For example, let’s say that for us to generate cash we need to get sales reps into the field. We know, though, that sales reps can be more productive if they are not cold calling. So, we might consider telemarketing.
We think about telemarketing from our offices, and we determine that by mapping the sales cycle, we need three telemarketers and each should produce a particular number of warm leads.
By mapping the sales function, we can determine the number of telephone calls required to generate one warm lead. Mapping functions also creates job descriptions and criteria for each position.
So, if we hire a telemarketer, we know that we want this person to make 100 telephone calls in eight hours, of those 100 telephone calls we want to generate 5 warm leads per day. Our sales reps will then be asked to close at least two warm leads a day.
We can take this information and determine other criteria for each employee and the business itself. Now we are looking at 500 telephone calls per week per telemarketer, which should produce 10 new sales a week. Multiply that number by the sales price, remove labor burden and other expenses, and you’ve got yourself a sales model. This is not, however, what you should be doing with your sales. It is just an example.
Your business is unique, and I’m trying to get you to think about the functions your business requires being successful.
By this example, we can also determine that maybe we need one sales manager, three telemarketers, and two sales representatives. The team will be effective based on the information provided to them by management through meetings and sales goals reports.
This team will also be effective based on the information the team provides to management, such as the competitive nature of the industry in the field, success stories, and customer needs.
I call this “pushback”. Some larger businesses frown on this procedure but I believe it to be the best market research available.
We need to analyze each of those steps to determine what it takes, to produce the materials and sell the product. We should not look at our business and determine that we need another sales representative because our current sales representatives are generating enough sales revenues that we can simply afford another sales representative.
Instead, we need to analyze how the current sales representatives are going about their day, how effective they are, and how effective they could be if they had the right direction, goals, and objectives.
This takes us into analyzing the structure above the sales representatives and their managers. Here we analyze the same areas as we did the sales representatives. What are the direction, goals, and objectives? Should the direction, goals, and objectives be restructured?
When we look at sales, we must also review marketing efforts to see if marketing is ahead of sales in determining expectations or assumptions that marketing efforts should produce a particular result of sales.
If we analyze marketing we also must review operations and production as it may produce an inordinate amount of product based on marketing assumptions.
One of the most common errors I find in small businesses is that they tend to hire relatives instead of qualified people or experts to facilitate a specific function of the business. This really is not in the best interest of a growing business.
If you have hired relatives in the past, you may understand my concern. Large businesses do it, too, and it really doesn’t help them, either. When we review our business from a functional perspective, we find it difficult to make changes when we have to let a brother-in-law go, for example.
But management decisions must be good for the business if the business is to last into the next generation.
Organizational management is a tricky aspect of business in that it must remain flexible enough to change whenever necessary.
Organizational management does not necessarily apply to the people in the company and what they do in the course of a day, but it does apply to how the different departments function around each other and within each other as a team.
Organizational management is the function of all these departments as a team where one department doesn’t out do the other, for example, the production department producing too many finished goods, based on marketing’s assumptions.
Failure to manage your departments’ functions can get a business into financial trouble; you may have to decrease prices or spend money on rebates to sell the excess inventory. You may have to lay off employees if the revenue stream has been negatively affected.
Organizational management takes in to consideration the human resources of a business as well as the functional requirements of a business. It also incorporates aspects of sales and marketing and operations and production. If you can manage the operational portion of your business, the human resources portion should be easy.
But, remember, the operational portion of your business must be derived from a functional review of what it takes to go from A to Z.
Luis Luarca is the President of Allectus LLC, a management consulting company helping small to mid size businesses and is the author of “Business Management for Business Owners; How to Manage Your Small or Mid Sized Business”. http://www.allectus.com
Key Targets For Business Coaches
If you are passionate about helping business-owners profit from their maximum potential, you can consider becoming a business coach. Business coaches come from different backgrounds and lifestyles, but they need to have certain common characteristics such as a passion for the business, commitment and the willingness to make a difference.
Many times, business coaches miss the opportunity to grow professionally because they do not want to slow down. One way to break this cycle is to center your attention to the things that inspire you. Seek inspiration by considering the targets and goals specifically designed for business coaches. Each target should be able to move you and the business forward.
. Recommit yourself to professional excellence: You are considered a good coach if you are capable of maintaining high professional standards. Professional excellence does not mean a highbrow demeanor that means you are better than others because of your standards, but it means that your high standards are intended to benefit your clients, peers and you in a positive manner.
Your intentions and ethics are also included in the professional excellence of coaching. They need to be in the right place and you need both, to achieve a high level of excellence professionally. If you are not a member of any coaching organization, you can print a copy of the code of ethics of the International Coach Federation. Read the ethics and reflect on what they mean to you, as an individual and a coach.
. Embrace some big challenges: Stand tall in the face of challenges and make sure that the challenges inspire you.
. Recommit yourself to personal excellence: This goal may seem to be deceptively simple, but it is not. For a business coach, personal excellence means living with integrity and then making sure that you meet all your requirements. In addition, you need to work towards achieving your own personal goals. Integrity is very important in coaching and it involves keeping the promises we make to ourselves. This is easier said than done because human beings are masters at deceiving themselves. Some additional steps for improving personal excellence include handling your wants and needs effectively. Needs keep us nurtured and motivate everyone. Needs are known to be simple and complex, hence you need to identify them and work towards fulfilling them.
. Expand your reach: Every business coach needs to achieve this target. You need to consistently seek to expand your network everyday. Many coaches do not spend much time making them visible. You can even be a great coach with very little business.
. Improve your key relationships: Pick 1 or 2 relationships in your life and work towards making them perfect. Nurture and support them and try to give unconditionally, even if it is difficult. Remember that your intention is to improve the relationship. Take the responsibility for the actions, but do not limit yourself to the result.
Make sure that you remember these key targets, to excel in the booming industry of business coaching. Remain updated with the latest techniques, tools and initiatives in the world of coaching.
Business Coaching Innovators is why smart successful business owners hire us. Did you know that using a Business Coach can result in tripling your revenue. Discover our Business Coaching services here http://www.businesscoach.com.
Dream vs. Vision: A Mind-Shift For Visionary Leaders
What is the difference between a dream and a vision?
The dreams you see while asleep at night are a metaphor for the kind of thinking that happens when you fantasize while awake. We often call this “day dreaming” or creative imagination.
The vision you see when you are awake and looking at reality with your eyes is a metaphor for the kind of thinking that happens when you look to your future with your mind’s eye. The inner world (past, present and future) you see is built from your own assumptions or metaphorical constructs. With this kind of vision, you can “look” down different paths, and “see” what would happen.
When we speak of dreams and vision in this article, we’re referring to the dreams and vision you see inside your mind while awake. We all have such dreams and vision; and both are an integral function of human consciousness.
For visionaries, vision is a major source of power and conscious guidance - and it’s something they consciously control. For others, vision is a major source of fear and default guidance - and it’s something to which they unconsciously react.
To be a visionary, and thus have a higher level of inner power to change and create the world around you, one must learn to live at the level of vision.
ORIENTATION:
Dream - What you see when you are imagining a hypothetical scenario.
Vision - What you see when you look to the future without hypothesizing, wishing or imagining.
EXAMPLE #1:
Imagine that you’re on vacation at the Grand Canyon, and you’re standing on the edge of the cliff with your binoculars, looking far off into the distance. Suddenly, on the other side of the Grand Canyon, you see what looks like a jet, and a man in a suit standing by the jet. Then all of a sudden, the man’s hair just kind of flips sideways up into the air. And you think to yourself “Wait a minute, is that Donald Trump?”
Just then you remember he’s doing a new reality TV show called “Who Wants My Money,” where he goes to an obscure public location and holds up a sign that says, “Who wants my money?” and then gives one million dollars to the first person to reach him. “No, can’t be The Donald,” you’re telling yourself, when it happens - the sign goes up - it’s him!
In that instant, you realize “I could win the money!” and you turn to bolt for your car just in time to see everyone else heading for their cars. In that moment, you remember you came on the bus. You turn back and look over at Donald there with his sign, and you dream about winning that money. It’s an exciting dream, but it’s not very real. You won’t win the money.
Then you hear it. That sound… behind you… it’s… your helicopter. You turn around and see your pilot, who will take you anywhere you want to go. Then, in that instant, you turn back around with a smile, you look at Donald Trump and you know that money is yours. You’re already spending it in your mind.
So, there’s a big difference between a dream and a vision. A vision has a power that a dream doesn’t have.
EXAMPLE #2:
Let’s say you have a personal dream of being a public speaker one day. Every time you get the opportunity to speak in public, whether it’s among friends, in classrooms or at events, you feel a little too nervous to speak. It doesn’t seem like you’re ready yet, and you turn away. After several months of this, you look to your future and what do you see? You don’t really see yourself speaking powerfully in the world. You can dream about it all you want, but you can’t really see it happening.
Now let’s say you come to a point, where you realize your dream is dying and it becomes very painful. You become very clear how much the dream means to you, and you take a hard look at the fears and the challenges of becoming a public speaker. You realize that there are values worth standing for to face those fears and walk that path. You take a stand for the lives of the people you want to reach with your speaking. The next time you are presented with an opportunity to speak, you are terrified, but you stand up and you speak. And the next time, you are scared once more, but you stand and you speak. Soon, you look to your future and you see it–you’re speaking around the world. It’s not a dream anymore, it’s your future. A public speaker is who you are.
So a vision has a totally different quality than a dream. A dream is hypothetical, like “Wouldn’t it be nice?” A vision is just what you see. So consider that all of us have a vision of some kind for our life or for our future. It”s simply what we fully expect as we look to tomorrow, to next week, to next year, to our future.
A KEY POINT:
Consider that the “inner” vision we see guides us as much as, if not more than, the “outer vision,” or what we see with our eyes. What we see internally gives us our interpretation of the world out there. Whether we walk down one path in life or another is often determined by what we “see” when we “look” down those different paths–and what we then “feel” as a result.
Based on what we see and feel, our logical, we then makes our choices–supported with seemingly rational justifications. What we often fail to realize is how the context for our choices are already given to us by our vision.
To the extent that we can take control of our vision - or live at the level of vision - we can have much more power to lead our lives and create what we want in life and with others - as visionaries.
VISIONARY ADVANTAGE:
A skilled visionary, the kind of person who thrives in an ever-changing environment, operates fluidly and openly with the world around her. She doesn’t cling to any static or prepackaged view of reality, because she operates on the level of vision. She is a leader, who leads from the power of her own vision.
VISIONARY DYNAMICS:
The more you understand the dynamics of vision, the more you can consciously choose to function at the level of vision–beyond positions, beyond reactions, beyond fear.
The more you practice visionary thinking, the more you naturally operate at the level of vision.
VISIONARY CHALLANGE:
Honestly reflect on your life to see in which areas you are not living powerfully and passionately from a bold vision. In such areas, dramatic positive change seems impossible, impractical or not worth the effort. With a vision, dramatic positive change occurs not only as possible, practical and worth incredible effort–but as “all there is to do.” A powerful vision calls you naturally into heroic action.
Michael Skye, founder and CEO of VisionForce.com, works with a new breed of impassioned change agents around the world, who are giving their lives to stand for all of humanity. The Visionary Mind Shifts are available free at http://www.VisionForce.com/course.
What Bus Are You On?
“The problems we have now in communities and societies are going to be resolved only when we are brought together by a common sense that each of us is a visionary. Each of us must come to the realization that we can function and live at the level of vision rather than following some great leader’s vision. Instead of looking for a great leader, we are in an era where each of us needs to find the great leader in ourselves.” -Werner Erhard
In the twentieth century, it might have been good enough to operate from a position where you knew The truth, you knew what is Right, and you knew The answer/solution. It was easy enough to learn what was true, what was right and what to do. The person in power would tell you All you had to do to succeed or at least survive in his world was follow and obey.
At work this looked like being a good employee, a company man. Fit in, follow, obey. At school this looked like being a good student. Fit in, follow, obey. In your country this looked like be a good citizen. Fit in, follow, obey. Etc., etc. Life was top-down. The masses were controlled by the people at the top. And it worked… on some level. There was order in the workplace, order at school, order in the streets.
A person’s main choice in life was which bus to ride. Ride the same bus my parents are riding, or ride a bus of my own choosing? Then get on the bus, sit down and trust that the driver knows where he’s going. Stay in your seat, and obey the rules for passengers.
When consciousness calls to you and says, hey face reality and look where the driver is taking us, make an excuse to ignore it. When consciousness calls to you and says, hey take a stand and speak up, make an excuse and ignore it.
Quickly, the excuses pile up:
The driver knows everything. The driver is right. I should stay on the bus at all times, because the driver said so. Getting off the bus is wrong. Thinking about getting off the bus is wrong. I am just a passenger, not a driver. Who am I to try to drive?
The excuses form an easy reference guidebook for you as a passenger that you can defer to instead of thinking for yourself. You don’t need to face reality or take a stand for your values, all you need to do is follow the guidebook of excuses.
The guidebook is your Position. It is what guides you.
Many buses come with ready-made guidebooks, or positions, to help make it easy for passengers to stay quietly in the passenger seats when consciousness calls.
Maybe you got on the rebel bus? Your excuses for staying on the bus were plentiful and passionate.
Drivers know nothing. Drivers are wrong. You can’t drive me! I’m my own driver. Passengers are stupid. I am not a passenger.
It’s just another position.
Maybe you got on the red bus.
Reds rule. I am good because I am red. The blue bus is evil. Blue passengers are evil, and should be killed.
The world we live in today is one of Positionaries guided by positions, not visionaries guided by vision. We choose a position and guide ourselves by it. In fact we identify with it. It’s as if our position is who “I” is. Once that happens, there is little chance for us to create a world that works for everyone.
Michael Skye, founder and CEO of VisionForce.com, works with a new breed of impassioned change agents around the world, who are giving their lives to stand for all of humanity. The Visionary Mind Shifts are available free at http://www.VisionForce.com/course.
FAITH vs. VISION
Some people operate from faith, some from vision. Both are invaluable for tomorrow’s leaders and creators. Learn the distinction between faith and vision, and how you can leverage each.
INTRODUCTION:
Before exploring the distinctions between these two concepts, consider that what is meant by any word is determined largely by the context in which it is used. So, rather than assuming you know what is meant here by faith and vision, look closely to understand the context in which we’re using them.
One of the greatest sources of misunderstandings and disagreements is from making the mistake of assuming that because two people are using the same word, they are actually referring to the same thing. Sally can talk about love, for example, and be referring to an entirely different kind of love than the person who is listening to Sally. They think they are disagreeing about the same thing, when they are really referring to two different things.
Faith can be a tricky concept to talk about, because, like love, it is used in so many different ways. The same goes for vision.
For the visionary in training - or anyone truly wanting and willing to be a force for positive change - grasping this distinction at a deep level can swing open the gates to new pastures of inner freedom and inner power.
ORIENTATION:
The term faith is used very broadly. It is worth distinguishing faith from vision and faith from blind faith. Today, we’ll focus on the former, while the latter will be discussed in a future session.
Reason - What you think.*
Vision - What you see (More specifically, what your mind sees when you “look” to the future.)*
Hope - The quality of focusing on the possibility of a desired future outcome that you lack confidence in due to reason and vision.
Trust - 1. The quality of having or placing confidence in a person or an outcome due to reason, vision or past experience. 2. The quality of choosing to have faith in a person.
Faith - The quality of placing confidence in a desired future outcome without regard for reason (what you think) or vision (what your mind “sees” when you “look” to the future).**
Blind Faith - 1. The quality of having confidence in a desired future outcome while consciously rejecting reason and vision. 2. The quality of placing confidence in someone or something outside of one’s self, while refusing to question or think for one’s self (and placing zero confidence in one’s own consciousness).
*Reason is often held to be the set of natural functions of a human mind - it’s thinking, in a very broad sense. Vision is one of these natural functions.
**Human beings derive confidence naturally from reason and vision. To choose to have confidence in something without reason or vision to back you up is faith.
EXAMPLE:
Craig was a visionary entrepreneur with such a grand vision that people around him typically deferred to him. He seemed to be able to see so clearly what many people could not. And, indeed, he did see what they could not.
To those who could not see what he saw, he appeared daring and bold, often venturing into new and seemingly dangerous territory without hesitation. Some people attributed it to faith, assuming he must have greater faith that they had. Those who joined him on projects usually followed his lead, and often without question. When frightened, they simply hoped things would work out and often admonished each other to “have faith.”
Craig couldn’t understand why they couldn’t see what he could see, even when he tried to show them. Soon, he found himself telling people who couldn’t see what he saw to just have faith in him.
His visionary projects grew in size, and without vision, many people working with him often lost sight of the vision. They’d experience setbacks and failure and start to lose confidence. This increased tensions between Craig and many of the people he counted on. Soon, he began asserting more of an authoritarian demeanor, using fear to motivate people when they lacked confidence in him.
Over the months and years, Craig learned to cut people off, at the first sign that they did not trust him. His story became one of him against the world. He grew increasingly bitter, tired, frustrated and angry. As he formed more conclusions about people and the world, his vision grew less and less powerful. He could not see himself working powerfully with teams of people or accomplishing anything great that required a team effort.
Once a great young visionary, Craig devolved into more and more of a hardened positionary. After many lonely years, Craig found religion, and did his best to surrender his position and just trust in God. He became a man of faith. Using this strategy, he once again became a man who people trusted, a leader people were inspired to follow.
KEY POINTS:
1 - Many people collapse vision with faith. When people see vision and thus feel confident, they often say they have faith. However, there is a distinction between having confidence in the face of the unknown with vision and choosing to have confidence in the face of the unknown without vision.
2 - Both vision and faith are powerful and useful. Whereas many people without vision can only resort to faith when confronted with the unknown, a skilled visionary can intentionally manifest a powerful vision. The man in the example did not have this skill.
3 - Vision can be a force multiplier for anyone’s faith. As a leader it is advantageous to be able to share your vision with others in a way that has them see it, so you need not rely on asking people to blindly trust you or have faith.
VISIONARY ADVANTAGE:
A skilled visionary heads boldly into the unknown and can easily inspire others to join him. Such a person can, even after failing time after time, inspire others to keep going forward. His vision and theirs only grows stronger over time.
VISIONARY DYNAMIC:
The more you operate at the level of vision, the greater your faith becomes AND the less you need to rely on “having faith.”
VISIONARY CHALLANGE:
Look to areas of your life where you have come to think you just need more faith in yourselves, others, humanity, etc. Consider that if you had a powerful vision in these areas, it would only multiply your confidence and your faith. Then do the work it takes to build that vision. (You’re not taught very powerful methods for doing this at home, at school, at church or even through most self-development programs. Such methods are, however, taught inside Vision Force programs such as our boot camp).
Michael Skye, founder and CEO of VisionForce.com, works with a new breed of impassioned change agents around the world, who are giving their lives to stand for all of humanity. The Visionary Mind Shifts are available free at http://www.VisionForce.com/course.
Training Black Belts or Hiring Them — Which Is Better?
The Black Belt Theme
A certified Six Sigma professional is one who is an expert in explaining as well as deploying Six Sigma philosophies and principles, including managing supporting system and tools. A Black Belt professional understands team dynamics and has a complete understanding of all the models of Six Sigma and the ability to identify non-value-added elements and activities.
Training Versus Hiring Black Belts
Assume that a business has decided to fully deploy Six Sigma. The organization needs to decide on the timeline and assemble an expert Six Sigma team.
Given below are some advantages and disadvantages that the businesses may consider before deciding on hiring or training:
Advantages Of Internal Black Belts
-From the point of view of investment, though the investment is larger the returns in terms of positive moral and cultural change can be even higher.
-From the point of view of employee loyalty, promoting internal staff always reinforces the employee’s loyalty towards the business, which is very important because then the employee will then try his level best to live up to the trust of the company.
-If we look at it from the point of view of familiarity with the company processes, nothing can be better than internal Black Belts because as they are already on the process, once trained they only work faster and better.
-Internal staff also has a familiarity with company structure and they use this knowledge to achieve better results. As they are familiar with the staff as well, they are able to choose the best possible Six Sigma candidates.
-Internal Black Belts are also more equipped to apply six sigma tools in the company processes. Thus shortening the learning curve.
-Internal green belts can develop their career easily by staying in the company’s Six Sigma team. This enhances the employee’s spirits and dedication towards the work.
Disadvantages Of Internal Black Belts
-Investment is substantially greater for training than hiring.
-Sometimes existing employees can take the loyalty factor for granted and still perform at the same level.
-Familiarity and experience with company processes may prevent the employees from thinking “outside the box”.
-The biggest hurdle that familiarity with company structure can pose is that it becomes difficult to manage the team and resources when they change roles from being peer associates to Black Belts and team leaders.
-It is often noticed that since internal Black Belts have no prior experience of being in that position, they often choose an inappropriate tool. Thus, reducing productivity and leading a culture change.
-After receiving training, it often happens that the person is sought by many organizations that are ready to pay bigger paychecks. In such cases often the employee leaves the organization.
Advantages Of External Black Belts
-Investment amount is lesser in comparison to training.
-Most of the time when a person is hired, he is loyal by default during the initial phase. If the company treats him well this loyalty becomes permanent.
-External Black Belts are true champion team leaders and Six Sigma experts. They come up with more creative solutions as they are not familiar with company processes and this makes them think out-of-the-box.
-External Black Belts choose team members impartially on the basis of their skills and many a times it so happens that company employees are more receptive to an outside entity.
-External Black Belts don’t need any additional training. Their learning curve is thus non-existent.
-Career development can never be an issue with external Black Belts.
Disadvantages Of External Black Belts
-Hiring costs are not to be taken lightly. A highly professional and experienced black belt will charge more.
-Many times, external Black Belts consider themselves “hired guns”. They can leave the project in between and move on to another business that provides them with a fatter pay rate.
-It takes time to be familiar with company processes properly in order to efficiently initiate a Six Sigma project.
-A communication gap gets created because the external Black Belt is not familiar with company structure. Also selecting a team and the implementation of strategy as a whole gets delayed.
-The learning curve as such is non-existent for external Black Belts, but they do get slowed down because they are unaware of the company’s inner working processes.
In the final analysis, the decision to train existing employees to be Black Belts or to hire them from the outside must be made by each organization individually. There is no right or wrong answer, but the organization’s objectives must be considered carefully.
Tony Jacowski is a quality analyst for The MBA Journal. Aveta Solution’s Six Sigma Online ( http://www.sixsigmaonline.org ) offers online six
sigma training and certification classes for lean six sigma, black belts, green belts, and yellow belts.