Sunday, January 18, 2009

Set Your Vision into Motion Too

On January 20th the United States will again demonstrate its talent for peaceful transitions as the stewardship of presidential power is passed literally and figuratively. This year of course is unprecedented, thankfully so.

Every four or eight years the world is treated to the reminder that change is inevitable and can be embraced with dignity, respect and celebration. This year's inaugural address from Barack Obama is likely to provide lofty language of hope, openness to new ideas and an urging to view a landscape full of possibilities. There will be calls for sacrifice and the somber reality that tough decisions between terrible options will be made. The spirit of America will be renewed and echoed across the Washington Mall and into the classrooms and offices, churches, synagogues and mosques across the land as unity seeks to replace past divisiveness. People of every spot and stripe will be called upon to act and to lead.

I have long believed that everyone has the capacity to be a leader. A leader is a person who knows their strengths and maximizes them while making their weaknesses irrelevant. They do the same for their followers, be they citizens of the world or members of a little league team. A leader shares their vision, passion, and action. To move an organization, family, or nation forward, they create an environment where what I call "The Four Musts" can thrive.

• A strong leader and strong, pervasive leadership
• A repeatable compelling vision and sense of purpose
• A sense of overwhelming optimism
• A regular diet of meaningful recognition

A leader also understands the value of teamwork and freely acknowledges that wherever they hope to go, they cannot get their alone. They prioritize actions by asking their followers what I call "The Power Question". "What one thing can I do for you that will most help you make a positive difference?"

On Tuesday, anyone who is listening will know the transformative vision of this nation. Some may not like or accept it. That's okay. Conscientious objections are useful because listening to those who oppose you is a great way to learn, improve and unite.

An inaugural address is like a manifesto, a way of sharing your intentions and initiatives and where you're headed. What about you? How do you emerge from your periods of darkness? What is your vision? Where is your passion? What have you put into action? Find a way of communicating it to the people who are important to you. You may be surprised at how much sooner you'll arrive.

Set Your Vision into Motion Too

On January 20th the United States will again demonstrate its talent for peaceful transitions as the stewardship of presidential power is passed literally and figuratively. This year of course is unprecedented, thankfully so.

Every four or eight years the world is treated to the reminder that change is inevitable and can be embraced with dignity, respect and celebration. This year's inaugural address from Barack Obama is likely to provide lofty language of hope, openness to new ideas and an urging to view a landscape full of possibilities. There will be calls for sacrifice and the somber reality that tough decisions between terrible options will be made. The spirit of America will be renewed and echoed across the Washington Mall and into the classrooms and offices, churches, synagogues and mosques across the land as unity seeks to replace past divisiveness. People of every spot and stripe will be called upon to act and to lead.

I have long believed that everyone has the capacity to be a leader. A leader is a person who knows their strengths and maximizes them while making their weaknesses irrelevant. They do the same for their followers, be they citizens of the world or members of a little league team. A leader shares their vision, passion, and action. To move an organization, family, or nation forward, they create an environment where what I call "The Four Musts" can thrive.

• A strong leader and strong, pervasive leadership
• A repeatable compelling vision and sense of purpose
• A sense of overwhelming optimism
• A regular diet of meaningful recognition

A leader also understands the value of teamwork and freely acknowledges that wherever they hope to go, they cannot get their alone. They prioritize actions by asking their followers what I call "The Power Question". "What one thing can I do for you that will most help you make a positive difference?"

On Tuesday, anyone who is listening will know the transformative vision of this nation. Some may not like or accept it. That's okay. Conscientious objections are useful because listening to those who oppose you is a great way to learn, improve and unite.

An inaugural address is like a manifesto, a way of sharing your intentions and initiatives and where you're headed. What about you? How do you emerge from your periods of darkness? What is your vision? Where is your passion? What have you put into action? Find a way of communicating it to the people who are important to you. You may be surprised at how much sooner you'll arrive.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

The 50 Book Challenge

Congratulations, the first full work week of the New Year is in the books now. Your goals are firmly established and you're still resolute in your resolutions, right? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe you'd like to join me in one of mine. I'm calling it the 50 Book Challenge.

I've never kept track of how many books I've read in a year before, but I've had the sinking suspicion it's been lower than I'd like. I'm not as voracious a reader as many of the people I know but I've become inspired by my daughter. Shortly after her birthday this August, she began reading the first Harry Potter book. She finished the seventh book before Christmas.

There's conflicting information on how much people read. Some say one in four Americans didn't buy a book last year. Others note that 37% bought more than ten. If you stepped into a bookstore like I did this past December, you no doubt spent a lot of time waiting in line and it wasn't for the lattes. Library use is up once again, as often happens in economic downturns. Still, others say retention and comprehension is down as our collective attention span shrinks to a few hundred words.

I'm more interested in a person's self-development. Charlie 'Tremendous' Jones famously and frequently said, "You are the same today you'll be in five years except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read." Now, you may like who you are today - I sincerely hope you do. In fact, you may decide you would like to be the same person five years from now. That's your prerogative, but you must know the world won't be the same. Think about it, five years ago Facebook was just starting at Harvard. No one had heard of Twitter or YouTube and Barack Obama wasn't even a U.S. Senator yet. Five years ago, very few thought the Boston Red Sox would win a World Series, let alone two; and the New England Patriots seemed unstoppable. Some of us were even under the age of forty. Indeed, things change.

I for one am open for even more change. That's why I'm embarking on the 50 Book Challenge. I intend to read fifty books or more in 2009. For the first time ever, I'm going to keep track of what books I read and you can too (visit http://tinyurl.com/50BookChallenge). Care to join me?

Lack of time is one excuse people make for not reading as much as they would like, even though reading is an investment in your mind. If you're committed, you may shave an hour off your TV time, or curb some mindless web surfing. I'm not going to be a stickler on this. To me, audio books count and I'm not a snob; all books are valid, thick or thin, fiction or non-fiction alike. Maybe you'll choose to keep track of how many books you read aloud to a child or a grandparent.

Fifty books are all it takes. I'll even suggest two for you to get started, as I'm keen on the author. Try, "Pushing Back the Ocean" or "How to Stay When You Want to Quit; Re-scripting your life from whiner to winner." They are quick reads that I know you'll enjoy.

Consider too, completing the second part of the Charlie Jones equation and connect with me. Tell me if you're accepting the 50 Book Challenge and keep me updated on your progress. I'll do the same. In a small way, you'll change your world.

The 50 Book Challenge

Congratulations, the first full work week of the New Year is in the books now. Your goals are firmly established and you're still resolute in your resolutions, right? Maybe, maybe not. Maybe you'd like to join me in one of mine. I'm calling it the 50 Book Challenge.

I've never kept track of how many books I've read in a year before, but I've had the sinking suspicion it's been lower than I'd like. I'm not as voracious a reader as many of the people I know but I've become inspired by my daughter. Shortly after her birthday this August, she began reading the first Harry Potter book. She finished the seventh book before Christmas.

There's conflicting information on how much people read. Some say one in four Americans didn't buy a book last year. Others note that 37% bought more than ten. If you stepped into a bookstore like I did this past December, you no doubt spent a lot of time waiting in line and it wasn't for the lattes. Library use is up once again, as often happens in economic downturns. Still, others say retention and comprehension is down as our collective attention span shrinks to a few hundred words.

I'm more interested in a person's self-development. Charlie 'Tremendous' Jones famously and frequently said, "You are the same today you'll be in five years except for two things: the people you meet and the books you read." Now, you may like who you are today - I sincerely hope you do. In fact, you may decide you would like to be the same person five years from now. That's your prerogative, but you must know the world won't be the same. Think about it, five years ago Facebook was just starting at Harvard. No one had heard of Twitter or YouTube and Barack Obama wasn't even a U.S. Senator yet. Five years ago, very few thought the Boston Red Sox would win a World Series, let alone two; and the New England Patriots seemed unstoppable. Some of us were even under the age of forty. Indeed, things change.

I for one am open for even more change. That's why I'm embarking on the 50 Book Challenge. I intend to read fifty books or more in 2009. For the first time ever, I'm going to keep track of what books I read and you can too (visit http://tinyurl.com/50BookChallenge). Care to join me?

Lack of time is one excuse people make for not reading as much as they would like, even though reading is an investment in your mind. If you're committed, you may shave an hour off your TV time, or curb some mindless web surfing. I'm not going to be a stickler on this. To me, audio books count and I'm not a snob; all books are valid, thick or thin, fiction or non-fiction alike. Maybe you'll choose to keep track of how many books you read aloud to a child or a grandparent.

Fifty books are all it takes. I'll even suggest two for you to get started, as I'm keen on the author. Try, "Pushing Back the Ocean" or "How to Stay When You Want to Quit; Re-scripting your life from whiner to winner." They are quick reads that I know you'll enjoy.

Consider too, completing the second part of the Charlie Jones equation and connect with me. Tell me if you're accepting the 50 Book Challenge and keep me updated on your progress. I'll do the same. In a small way, you'll change your world.