To Apologize with Meaning

To Apologize with Meaning

•Admit you’ve done something wrong and you need to make up for it.
•Take full responsibility for your actions and sincerely apologize to anyone you’ve harmed.
•Apologize with urgency.
•Tell anyone you’ve harmed specifically what you did wrong and how you feel about what you did.
•Recognize that what you did is inconsistent with who you want to be.
•Make amends and demonstrate your commitment to not repeat the act by changing your behavior.

As far as public apologies go, San Diego Mayor Bob Filner did pretty well, however his effort to make amends are not commensurate with his offense and there is not enough trust to believe his sincerity in changing his behavior.

Lesson:
•He waited too long.
•His "fix it" gesture is too small.
•He's trust bank account is overdrawn.

Only way to salvage position: 
1. Overcompensate with making amends, personally and publicly.
2. Borrow trust from loyal surrogates who have enough public trust to vouch for him. (Extremely unlikely)

Think Outside the Box

When someone tells you to “push the boundaries” and “think outside the box” stop assuming you’re in the box trying to get out. Think bigger. Assume you’re already on the outside of the box and it contains your challenge. Push the boundaries to shrink it. Life works better when you act as a leader to minimize problems, not a victim trying to escape.

Are You Planning Your Career or Just Going wth the Flow?

Are you planning your career or have you decided to just go with the flow? Career planning is a continuous process where you decide in advance how, when, and where to take specific actions that lead you closer to your desired destination.

Here’s the first step of the Career Guidance Process I use with clients. The intent is to explore your career goals, strengths, and areas of opportunity.

Step One:
Begin with what I call CareerScaping. Dream about the contributions and accomplishments you wish to achieve while simultaneously fulfilling your purpose in life. Look to what you enjoy doing for important clues and give thought to the following questions:

1. When you daydream, what do you see yourself doing?


2. If you had unlimited time and resources, what would you choose to do?


3. Which work life activities do you consider to be the most valuable?


4. Which personal life activities do you consider to be the most valuable?


5. What talents do you have?


6. Are there particular things you feel you should do even though you haven’t yet? What are they?


7. What functional areas interest you (i.e. sales, operations, finance, technical, management)?


8. Do you have a specific job in mind? What is it?


9. What skills, training or additional education will you need for that job?


10. Who can help you find out more information?

Remember, career planning is a continuous process so whether you’re 18 or 80, the previous questions still apply. The answers shape your future. Where do you want to go?

About Quitting

In 2008 I published a book, How To Stay When You Want to Quit; Re-scripting your life from Whiner to Winner. I wrote it a few years before that but it sat in a drawer for a while. Before that it was a speech I gave to a few people who were feeling beaten down by work and before that ... well, I lived most of it.

The story is about two friends who are pressing hard at their careers. One is fortunate to be working with a great boss who has mentored and challenged her to be her best.  Unfortunately the other has had the opposite experience. He has been through a heavy rotation of managers, many of whom spoke a good game but never really showed up to play.

It’s a non-traditional business book in that it’s half screenplay and half workbook. I wrote it in the hopes that others would pick up a few tips they could use to help bring positive action to themselves or others who were disillusioned in their jobs.

Naturally I was thrilled to be asked to participate in Ken Blanchard’s LeadershipLiveCast, “Quit and Stayed” on January 25, 2012. As a recovering quitter I know how tempting it is to whine and blame everything on burnout even if you’re acting like an arsonist. For me, I knew I had to learn how to stay, even though I wanted to quit. So I began to re-script my life from whiner to winner.

I started with my attitude; I began to look at things as challenges aching to be solved, not insurmountable problems. Next I began to question what it was I really wanted? The answer didn’t come right away because I was so entrenched by all the things I didn’t want. So I tried a different tactic and asked myself, “Why are you still here?”  After all, when people want to quit, they quit. When they don’t, it’s because some secondary benefit is being met and usually it’s for one of three reasons.

1. To work on your personal development.


2. To work with enriching people.


3. To work on something bigger than yourself.

Figuring that out helped me stay during a rough patch, It helped me to continue to provide for my family and as a manager helped me to reengage with my coworkers.


As a leader it put me in a better frame of mind and I used the same questions to help those who I saw were mentally quitting.

• What’s going right?


• What do you really want?


• What’s keeping you here?


• What will you do in the meantime?

Most people aren’t going to stay in the same position let alone same industry for their whole career. As a leader, if you can help them get to the next place faster, you’ll both be more engaged and productive.

I hope you’ll be able to join the webinar this week or pick up my book. I’ve learned a few things about people, business and publishing in the time that’s passed since it came out, so I’d love to hear your stories and feedback that I may include in a new edition later in the year.

90 Days of Assertions

Three months ago I began the daily ritual of recording my assertions in a notebook. By logging your assertions for a 90 day period you’ll gain insight into what you know and what you don’t know.

Since I’ve been going through several changes in my life that have caused me to second guess many of my assumptions, this seemed like a good time to test myself.

Those who have worked with me know that I’m not shy about admitting what I don’t know. Those who have lived with me know I’m not shy about sharing what I think I know and as endearing as I may like to think that trait is, I reluctantly acknowledge it flirts with arrogance.

The point of this exercise, besides reinforcing the discipline of writing everyday, is to evaluate which assertions were correct and which were wrong.

The scope of my assertions were fairly broad. Family and business issues shared space with political and sports predictions. My recent analysis showed I was no better or worse in one area than another. With 90 days of data I learned that 56% of my assertions were correct, 25% were incorrect and 19% are pending resolution.

This filled me with a sense of pride and confidence. To know my instinctual assertions on a variety of subjects are correct well over 50% of the time (and closer to 69% if I ignore the pending assertions) is very appealing...to me...and probably only me. You see, most others still don’t really care because being a person who is often right doesn’t hold a candle to the one who is most often kind. The lesson is to endeavor to frequently be both, right and kind.

Try this exercise yourself. Record your assertions everyday for 90 days. You’ll learn what you feel confident asserting your opinion about and how often you’re right. You’ll learn who influences your assertions and what kind of influence you have on various outcomes. You will learn something about yourself, and that’s what should happen when you reflect on leadership.

My Leadership Point of View

By sharing my leadership point of view, you'll have a better understanding of who I am as a leader and artist and what I stand for. You'll get insight on where I'm coming from and how I think.

There are four philosophies you should know about me right up front.

1. I love the study of leadership.
2. I have high expectations and high hopes for people.
3. I'm more interested in strengths than I am in weaknesses.
4. Poor leadership decisions don't just tick me off; they motivate me to find better ones and to foster the leader within others.


Background
When I was a child I was ambidextrous. Because I had equal comfort I often switched between my left and right hands mid-sentence or in the middle of drawing a circle. This befuddled my teachers so they told me I had to choose a hand because they felt it was interfering with my school work. I picked my left and that seems congruent with my lifelong habit of choosing the more difficult path.

A few years later my parents got a divorce, although I don't think it had anything to do with my hand choice. My school work suffered anyway and my teachers felt it better for me to be placed in a "slower" class. I don't know if you remember those Resource Centers, beautifully named but socially ostracized places. I was put in a room with other "slow" kids. When we were released to join the rest of the students in easier subjects like art and gym you couldn't help but feel like a second class citizen. That went on for about six years and my mild dyslexia didn't help me to feel any better about myself.

I wanted to enter high school without the "help" of the resource center. I recall the first grade I received. It was for social studies and I got a "C" on my assignment. The teacher asked to meet with me after class and he explained that he graded me a "C" originally but later received a note from the Resource Center people; I guess I was on some sort of watch list. He said he could up it to a "B" based on their scale if I wanted him to. I didn't give it a second of thought before I told him I'd take the "C" because how else was I going to improve if I wasn't held to the same standard as everyone else? He seemed impressed with that and I was never bothered from the Resource Center people again.

Since then I've be attracted to the leaders and artists who focus on people's strengths. I learned to intertwine the values of strength and creativity from my parents. I don't dwell on life's hurdles. Instead, I focus on the talents and gifts we have to clear those hurdles.

I have a thirst for making a difference. Using insightfulness and creativity, I'm happiest when I can lead and inspire others to maximize their strengths and continuously improve themselves, their organization or our society, by bringing the powers of vision, passion and action. I believe this helps positively energize our nation and contributes to greater peace, prosperity, fun, understanding, responsibility and liberty in the world. I do this by regularly focusing on the four pillars of my mission.

1. Make a Positive Difference in the lives of others.


2. Strive to Lead and Inspire through my words and deeds.


3. Maximize the Strengths of others by using my own.


4. Continually Improve and Contribute to a "more perfect union".

I enjoy being an inspiration to people who in turn inspire themselves. I like to help others find their strengths and see what they have to offer our joint endeavor.

I want to help you find your vision or purpose. If you've already found it, that's great.  I want to help you clear the obstacles off your path so you can reach your goals.

I do this partly for selfish reasons. I like how it infuses me with energy. It forces me to take my focus off myself, and put it on others, the way a servant leader should. It also gives me the opportunity to combat the damaging effects of poor leaders, influencers, and others who abuse their enormous power either through intent or ignorance.

What does helping bring out the best in people and having a clear goal look like? Think of President John Kennedy and his crazy idea of landing on the moon. He said;

"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard; Because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills; Because that challenge is one that we're willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone and one we intend to win."

Humankind had been staring up toward the sky for thousands of years wondering about the moon. One day not that long ago, one of us said, let's do it, let's go there within ten years -- and we did it! A fascinating feat that illustrates that just about anything is possible with vision, passion, action and a deadline.

I like to measure things, less to see shortfalls but instead to see what we're capable of doing and to build our credibility. I love to see the charts and graphs of goals and measurements of success; to see the results of common things in uncommon ways. I'm an observer, deliberative and analytical. I used to read American Demographics magazine for pleasure, so that should gives you some clues.

I am in a constant state of learning and application when it comes to leadership. Sometimes this can come across as tinkering, although I prefer the word refinement. Either way, it's with the best of intentions. I focus on strengths instead of weaknesses. Yes, sometimes weaknesses need to be addressed, but to overcome them I discover what can be done, versus what can't. I lead toward the future not from the past.  I measure and monitor with success metrics; managing by fact, not by whimsy.

Here are a few things you can expect from me in our interactions:

• Two questions asked equally often, "Why?" or "Why not?"


• A quest for continuous improvement, to make good things great things.


• Measures for success, setting you up to win.


• The testing of assumptions, tasks, and decisions against the Vision or Objective.


• A greater interest in strengths, not irrelevant weaknesses.


• An abundance mentality that will push you to explore possibilities.


• An irritation with poor leadership decisions, be they my own or others.

And here's what I expect from you if you want to build a beneficial relationship:

• Be open to new or alternative approaches.


• Ask me, "So what?" or "Who cares?" to keep me focused.


• Give seemingly "crazy ideas" a chance to breathe.


• Support vetted processes that we prove work.


• Give and receive education easily.


• Call BS, BS.


• Have a sense of humor about yourself, the world and me.

I believe everyone has the capacity to become a leader, and it's the responsibility of each of us to identify that special talent we possess and to pursue it relentlessly.

While you make your mark and decide what you want to be positively remembered for during your time here, know, feel and act like you make a difference, because you do.  That's why I'm committed to helping talented leaders and artists find the a-ha within.


So, how can I help you today?

The Gift of Perseverance

My brother, Jack made a remarkable observation on the gift of perseverance the other day. I'm pleased he's allowed me to share it with you.

With all the problems we see around us, disasters, financial, emotional, political, religious to list a very few. I was captivated the other day by the beauty and horror of nature.

I'd noticed many Killdeer all around the building that my company has reconstructed and is beginning to move into. I've always liked these little birds. They are ground birds similar to ocean shore Terns that run back and forth with the waves. One in particular has been nesting in pebbles right next to a patio near the entrance I usually use. She used to scream as I walked by but then got used to me going by I guess and just sat motionless, keeping an eye on me.

Last Friday when the sky opened up and there was an incredible downpour, I went to the window to watch for a minute. I noticed a Killdeer running across the driveway and jumping up the curb on the other side. "Running for cover" I thought. Then I saw this itty bitty tiny figure following her! About the size of a humming bird I would say. It raced across the driveway that was becoming a raging river and just couldn't make the jump up the new curb. The Mom ran back and forth encouraging it - but it could not make it.

I noticed a gap in the curb and hoped the little guy would find it but it ran the other way. I saw no gaps that way, only the street a few hundred feet away. It ran up and then back down. The Mom running back and forth with it! Then it found the gap and quickly went through. That's when I noticed that there was a small ditch on the other side! (Small to us but huge to the little bird!) It rushed in but was soon out of site. The Mom went "downstream" following it and then stopped, huddled near the bank. I could not tell if the baby had made it or drown! I watched a bit and then recalled the other mother I usually passed on the other side of the building. I went over there and looked but saw nothing. Nothing but pouring rain and pebbles and stones near the patio.

"Oh, poor thing" I was thinking. Then I saw her! Bravely huddled down among the stones still sitting on her eggs! What a gallant little animal! I hope her eggs hatch before the landscaping makes it to that part of the property!

On my way back to my office the rain stopped and as I passed the window I noticed the little bird again running across the driveway behind it's Mom! Dodging the landscaping vehicles that were coming to life after the rain as well. It looked to be the same one, so I tell myself it was. Killdeer usually start with 4-6 eggs so this was the Mom's last one. The other bird still sitting on the eggs luckily had four.

It was a reminder that nature is very tough on other inhabitants of this earth as well people. Yet they don't give up in frustration.

I'm sure, like my brother, you've witnesses similar acts of perseverance with other animals. The world is tough, it's as messy as it is beautiful, it's as brutal as it is merciful. Instincts keep most creatures focused on their goals. Fear is what keeps most people from their goals.



When you're in pursuit of a worthy goal, the world may throw a lot of obstacles in front of you. It's okay, expect them. You can even use some of them to help you. But never, ever give up.

No Passion No Purpose

Here's part of an old letter which illustrates a still common concern of many people.

Dear ____,

In the last two to three years, I have devoured many of your books and audio programs. They have educated and inspired me. I'm 31-years-old, a college graduate, married nine years and we're expecting our first born in August. I'm a frontline manager with ____ Corporation.

On good days I feel unstoppable, achieving many goals throughout the day and week. There are other times however, when work-wise I feel very unfulfilled even though I earn accolades, receive awards and recognition. I suppose it falls to the basic "know what you want" mantra. The problem may rest in having too many hopes that are too large.

I enjoy writing and have had a couple of agents but not sold any work. I enjoy the idea of politics and the ability to oversee and improve the lives of a great number of people, but I am not involved in any community activities. I constantly strive to be in a leadership position but, I'm unfulfilled in the journey. Do you have any advice and how to adjust my goals to fulfill them?

Sound familiar? It may if you find even in the moments of greatness in what you do, you still have a nagging sense of unfulfillment.

Certain skills, knowledge and a commitment to do a good job can carry you so far. The author of this letter had vision and limited action, but no passion and therefore was not working on purpose. I know this definitively because this is a draft of a letter I was going to send to one of my mentors eleven years ago. I never did. No passion, remember? It's fun when your future self can give advice to your past self. I wish they had met a little sooner.

The level of dissatisfaction I felt just over a decade ago did kick me into action. In the time since then I earned my masters degree in executive leadership where I developed tools that helped equip me to do battle with the poor leaders I encountered. I gained the confidence to pursue new business skills. The experience led me to write, "How to Stay When You Want to Quit" a small but powerful book that has reclaimed people's careers and improved business relationships. Now I'm running my own business and hopefully in some way helping people improve their lives.

Do I have too many lofty goals? Probably, but that doesn't bother me as much as it used to. I know the difference between goals and wishes and I don't spend as much time wishing things to happen. I find it that making things happen is much more fulfilling and so should you.

If you're not feeling like you're achieving the things you wanted to three, five or ten years ago, start examining why and decide if you still want those goals. If so, are you ready to get serious about achieving them? If not, it's time to eject them and make room for some new ones. Yes, it's okay to do that. It's better to change your mind and be successful than it is to stay on a course that's taking you down the wrong direction.


Start acting on purpose, not by habit.

Your Goal Planner Worksheet

[caption id="attachment_802" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Save and print this worksheet"][/caption]

By now all the pressure to identify your 2011 goals has passed. You either have them, or you don’t. If you don’t, it’s not too late. You can set goals anytime you want. If you’ve already established your goals for the year, good on you. Let’s turbo charge what you have so far.

Attached is a goal planner worksheet that will help you organize your thoughts and serve as a blueprint for achieving your goals.

On the top of the worksheet there’s space to include your purpose or personal mission statement and your top values. Along the left side column are eight main dimensions of your life; Financial, Career, Health, Relationships, Recreation, Contribution, Personal and Education.

Many people spend their energy trying to balance their life. Don’t. Strive for harmony instead. Place one or two complementary goals for each dimension of your life. You’ll find your chances of achieving more increases dramatically.

For the remaining columns there are two paths you can take. Basic, which is the minimum you should do, or Advanced, which required a little more thought but also increases your clarity and speed in achieving your goals.

1. Decide on the specific things that you want to do, have or be during the year.
Basic: Create a SMART Goal for each dimension of your life.
Advanced: Phrase the SMART Goal as a question beginning with “Why.

2. Determine the purpose of each goal.
Basic: Describe why you want to achieve each goal.
Advanced: Describe why you want to achieve each goal and how you imagine you’d feel once you did.

3. Do the actions that need to be done?
Basic: Create a basic task list of things to be done to help achieve the goal.
Advanced: Include the financial and personal resources you need to achieve each goal.

4. Deadline when the goal will be done?
Basic: Simply stack rank your 1, 3, 5 or 10 year goals
Advanced: Have a specific date in which you plan to achieve each goal by.

If all this seems like too much work too bad. It’s very rare for a goal to show up on your doorstep neatly wrapped with a bow.

Goals are messy business. They involve thinking and effort and negotiation and involvement. If you want to work on wishes, save your coins and spend a day or two at your local wishing well. If you want to work on your goals and by definition, your life get started. If you want help let me know.

Goals 101

It’s been said that the number one reason people don’t achieve their goals is because they have too many. I think it’s more likely that people confuse a list of wishes with goals. Goals should give you vision and direction so you can create an actionable plan toward achieving them.

I seriously doubt people have too many goals, rather they have too many competing priorities clamoring for the A1 slot.

Here’s an exercise that will help you identify the one motivating goal that is burning inside of you.  Think of it as your Great Goal. Everyone should have a Great Goal, the one that take precedence over all others. After you achieve it you can find another one, but not before because if you work on multiple Great Goals you risk diluting your efforts and weakening your chance at success. Follow these five steps to help focus your thinking.

1. Answer these questions:

• If I won one million dollars tomorrow, what would I do?


• If I could change one thing about my body, what would it be?


• Who do I wish to be and why?


• What skill do I wish I had learned as a child?


• Where do I see my career in five years?

2. Pick One
Choose the one answer from above that provokes the greatest reaction in you.  That’s your goal; reflect on it and determine what part of it you believe you can accomplish in less than a year.

3. Pick a Time Frame
Determine, how long will it realistically take to accomplish this goal; one week, one month, six months, one year?

4. Determine the cost
What will it cost you to achieve this goal in either time, talent (effort) or treasure (money)?

5. Fill in the blanks
I resolve to (answer from step 2) in (answer from step 3) by (answer from step 4).


Now, refine your statement in a way they speaks more clearly to you.  Write it on a note card, fold it up and bring it with you everywhere you go. Read it as often as you can; certainly at least twice a day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night.

Congratulations, you’re on your way, and already have done more work on your personal development than ninety percent of the people you interact with each day.  I’d love to hear about your success.  Send me an email once you’ve achieved your goal and tell me how long it took.  You can also contact me if you want an accountability partner to help you stay on track and achieve your goal.

Three Paths. One Clear Way.

People who want to be, do or have something generally follow one of three paths.

There are those who make no plans and do not set goals. It's not that they don't have a list of wants in their life but they tend to be dependent on outside resources out of their control; like winning the lottery. 85% of the people you meet fall into this category. They have no specific goals that they're focused on achieving. They work day by day, maybe weekend to weekend with little thought of cause and effect or the role their own action, or inaction plays in their life.

The next group of people are different. They have goals. The level of specificity may vary from person to person but ask them what their goal is and they can tell you. It might sound more like a wish to some, but these people know what they want. They're capable of achieving their goal but they get bouts of insecurity and feelings of doubt. 10% of the people you meet are in this group.

The final group also have goals. You'll notice they are far more specific when they describe them. Even if they sound far-fetched, there's something about their confidence and self-assuredness that convinces you it's not an idle dream of theirs. It's a worthwhile great goal and there's probably no stopping them. They have a secret weapon. Not only do they physically write down their goals, (something 95% of the people you know don't do) they also make plans toward accomplishing their goals. A plan needn't be more elaborate than a series of tasks and a deadline to meet each of those tasks. People with great goals achieve the important things they set out to achieve because they do the work it takes.

Before you decide which path you want to take next equip yourself with a clear goal and a plan.

A Calendar, a Clock and Your Head

In college I spent a fair amount of time directing shows in the television studio. I loved nearly every aspect of it and took particular pride in ending my programs exactly on time which was an important skill.

In my professional life I manage business meetings tightly. Critics have accused me of being a slave to the agenda and sacrificing spontaneous communication and dialogue in favor of efficiency. On the other hand, participants frequently praise me for staying on topic and thank me for valuing them by starting and stopping on time.

Having lived in California for over 18 years, I'm far from a stickler on this stuff. I don't even wear a wristwatch any more. I’ve been repeatedly schooled that, “time is simply a man-made construct” and “mañana” doesn't mean tomorrow, it means, not today.

I've seen these behaviors devour less tolerant people from the Northeast who resent the suggestions to “just chill.” It drives the anal-retentive nuts when others are “fashionably late” or casual about missing deadlines.

Although it can still irritate me, when you are surrounded by a culture that doesn't like the rigidity of deadlines and feels too much pressure from the ticking clock, you have no choice but to adjust.

I won't argue the value of a zen-like peace that can occur when you have a life with no time constraints. However, I will argue in favor of leadership and living a productive life because eventually you are going to die. So no matter what your philosophy, that’s a looming time constraint. To me, it’s better to embrace the beauty of time.

There are three things you should begin to use in at least a cursory fashion; a calendar, a clock and your head.

A calendar gives you a better perspective on what's coming up. You know that Christmas is on December 25th, that taxes are due on April 15th and you know the date of important appointments. It might be a day in advance, or a month, a year, ten years, it doesn't matter. The point is you know what's coming.

(Full disclosure, I’m addressing a belated birthday card to my brother. For the 42 years that I've known him his birth date has never changed. Yes, I called him and did the Facebook and Skype thing, but why couldn't I get a simple card out to him in time for his birthday? Because I'm a dork. Just like everyone else who misses a fixed date on the calendar. You can try to celebrate your failure to plan by labeling it procrastination or some other sexy sounding affliction, but all it does is broadcast the fact that you are a dork.)

A clock serves the same function as the calendar but with greater immediacy. It’s a realtime planning tool. Just like you know things are coming at a particular date, you know some things are coming at a specific time. Airplane departures, Hotel check-outs, last call at the bar or what time Macy’s opens on Black Friday are a few examples. You can also use your clock to make note of the duration of things for future planning. Perpetually late? That’s a clue that you need to spend more time on your planning.

This brings us to your head. Each of us are blessed with a thinking mechanism. Maybe some people need to take it out of hibernation and exercise it a little bit. With it, you have the ability to deduce and decide. Things come up out of the blue ruining well laid plans. Don't become a victim of life’s whims. Incorporate them into your plans. Think a little, don't simply react. Instead, process information for a second longer and respond to situations, based on your values and purpose (discussed here) rather than something fickle like your current mood.

I know if you consider yourself a free-spirit this all sounds like a horrible constrictive burden. It's not, so, get over it. At least becoming aware of what's on the calendar, what time it is and your capacity to solve a problem can change your life. Want to change it dramatically? Invest more time into you're planning and what you'll do in the event your plans fall through.

Need help acting on any of these concepts? Karl Bimshas Consulting’s Life Coaching Services (link) can help you find the a-ha within.

Part 2 - From Mission to Mantra

In part two of this three part series the Reflections on Leadership Memo continues to help you find ways to combat mediocrity.

What Are You Doing?
In the last Reflections on Leadership you learned where you find your values. I hope you've downloaded the FREE workbook, (link) titled, "Your Values Finder" and have begun prioritizing your core values. Now it's time to figure out what you're doing, or at least begin to discover what you should be doing.

Many organizations invest significant time and energy in creating their mission statements. As well meaning as they are, most screw it up for a variety of reasons like internal and external pressure to say the "right" thing, the earnest determination to get it perfect but instead convolute it, and for many it's just another going through the motions exercise. Can you imagine a team of military covert ops guys taking that approach to their mission? A laissez-faire approach to accomplishing a mission doesn't inspire much confidence. Don't you want to be confident about your purpose?

In part two of this series designed to minimize mediocrity you'll learn how to draft a mission statement for your family, organization or personal use. Then you'll reduce it to a repeatable, credible mantra that will inspire confidence.

Get your FREE starters guide, "From Mission to Mantra" and learn to focus your vision, passion and action on purpose.

Not for? That's okay, you can still help reduce mediocrity by getting this starters guide it into the hands of others.

Learn more about Karl Bimshas Consulting by visiting www.karlbimshas.com and begin to discover the a-ha within.

The "Write Advice" Online Store

The quote book, "Write Advice; Inspirations, tips and thoughts for leaders and artists" has inspired a new online store.  The name might fool you, but it's not only for writers. You will find gifts that are perfect for any writer, leader or artist in your life who's ready to make a difference!

Today is opening day for the store (which you can find here) and I'm excited to see some of the top requested quotes and thoughts come to life on the amazing Tee-Shirts and other products.

Below are a few items you'll find.

[caption id="attachment_640" align="alignleft" width="180" caption="A Confident writer is a sexy writer"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_641" align="alignleft" width="180" caption="Never Be Without a Great Goal"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_642" align="alignleft" width="180" caption="Forgiveness Journal"][/caption]

Come by and browse around, I know you'll find something for yourself or someone you care about!

The Write Advice Online Store

Go Ahead, Keep Up With The Joneses

The Joneses are getting a bad rap. They’re just doing their thing.  Little by little they are accomplishing their great goals. A little everyday; a lot over time. Meanwhile, you’re sitting out on the stoop taking your last drag of an expensively taxed cigarette that you know you shouldn’t be smoking because you can’t afford them now and you probably won’t be able to afford the medical costs later.

Or maybe it’s the end of a long day and you’re pulling into the driveway in your jalopy that you curse every morning and bless every night because it got you where you wanted to go without breaking down.

No matter, some people manage to always blame the Joneses.  It’s not their fault.  They’re working hard on the things that are important to them. All you’re seeing is the results of their efforts.

Look closer. Get to know them. It’s been said we’re the average of the five people we spend the majority of our time with.  Maybe you need to up the average. Spend a little less time with the people who are agreeing with you that yes the economy is bad, and government is bad, and the weather is bad and things aren’t like they used to be.  Maybe you should spend some time with the people who may or may not agree with the current conditions but are working within the constraints of them; and instead are focused on the possibilities of life.

When you play a game, be it sports, or chess or hot dog eating with someone who isn’t as good as you it’s great for your ego because you win and you get to brag and rub their face in it. But honestly that gets old, and if you aren’t challenging yourself you’re getting old too, and faster than you think. Conversely, if you play against people who are better than you, you’ll probably lose. If you reflect and “study the films” you’ll learn something. And if you keep playing against those type of people you will continually learn and progressively improve. Eventually you will beat them and that will be better, because that win is based on effort, growth and skill, not by picking on the little guy. Not by bullying.

Back to the Joneses. We all have them, that person, family, or group we equally admire and despise. It’s not fair that we despise them. We just do because their success reminds us of our failure. There’s a cure for that. Stop acting like a failure. Get off your rump and start working on your great goals. As you start achieving them you’ll notice people coming to you for advice on how you did it and can you help them. You can and you will, because that thrill is a helluva lot more satisfying then repeatedly beating some pimp squeak.

Soon, you and the Joneses will be helping each other get better. Some people look at it as friendly competition. If that helps you for now, go for it. Unfortunately that’s still a win-lose mentality. Real success comes when you realize you’re bettering not only each other, but those around you. That’s acting with a sense of responsibility and stewardship. Learning not only for the benefit of your own goals but also, eventually even more so, for the benefit of others.

If You’re “Just the Messenger” You’re also Not the Leader

Have you ever noticed that the people who come to you with bad news often say, “Don’t blame me, I’m just the messenger” or “don’t shoot the messenger”? Creating an environment where people feel safe to share opinions, ideas or air disagreements is crucial for any leader. It’s seldom we ever move forward without some debate on important issues. That’s partly how we know they’re important in the first place.

When someone immediately slips into defensive mode of “don’t blame me” one of two things are happening.

One, you may have a reputation of ruling with an iron fist and that receiving bad news is not welcome. This is not a long term winning strategy by they way.

Or more often, the person sharing the “news” is being a busy body or worse, completely abdicating their responsibility.

Don’t let them get away with it.  No one is assigning blame.  Be professional.  This isn’t a whoever smelt it dealt it scenario. It can be enormously frustrating to work with these non-leaders, but as a leader yourself this becomes a teachable moment.

Don’t let them slink away without asking them for their ideas, suggestions or feelings on the matter. In the event they just are a busy body this with trap them in the realization that they are guilty of having no original thought which will cause them to fluster and quickly and leave.  Good riddance.

If they are merely shy or lack confidence, your prompts will provide a safe environment for them to potentially reveal some useful information that you didn’t previously have access too.  Thank them for their contributions and move on.

When you have the chance to lead, lead.

Solve the Damn Problem

I admit it, I can be as politically correct in my language as the some of the most ardent liberals. To me it can show sensitivity or at least tolerance if not compassion in an increasingly intolerant country.  As a writer, words matter. That’s why I believe we shouldn’t sugarcoat the things that we face as a nation and by extension as individuals.  Let’s not waste time calling things “formidable challenges” when they’re “big problems.  America used to be able to solve big problems.  As a nation we routinely lived our values.

It’s easy to be a bit romantic and forget about how horrible this nation used to be for women before suffrage or African Americans before civil rights.  How poorly we treated our elderly, the mentally ill, and non-land owners. History’s canvas is sometimes painted with a lighter touch. Recall that hangings were common in my beloved city of Boston, the carcasses of criminals left out to publicly rot.  The Son’s of Liberty tarred and feathered other human beings. A blind eye was cast in the slave trade.

We forget we were founded as a violent nation.  We picked off British Regulars while hiding in the woods.  At the time we were thought of as savages. We took pride in it as patriotic and character building. Yet when used against us in quagmires like Iraq and Afghanistan we consider it barbaric.

The American spirit will always be divided between those who look at us being here as a matter of Divine Providence and those who consider it the melting pot.  That our greatest strength is taking the best ideas from everyone.

Winston Churchill once said, “Americans will always do the right thing, after they have exhausted all the alternatives.” It’s in that vein of faith I remain hopeful for America, but today a large portion of our population is apathetic.  They might be angry, but they’re also lazy.  Or they’re active without a sense of purpose.  I’m not so sure Americans are trying everything with the spirit we are expected to.  It can be taxing, but civil debate and disagreement coupled with pragmatism and searching for common ground is what has served this nation well in the past.  The problem today is, our tries seem to be halfhearted, or we save the passion for the detestability of our opponents; political or imagined.

We are not trying hard enough.  We are thinking less, worrying more and outsourcing our leadership to other nations, or corporations. As individuals we are all responsible for the eroding spirt and grit because we are complacently letting it happen.  We celebrate the First Amendment by giving the microphones to crackpots then undermine the gesture by reporting the fear and hate they spout as fact rather than opinion. We are focused on symptoms and finding ways to coat, soothe, and relieve them rather than solving the problems that are making us ill.  We moan and complain.  We spend a lot of energy doing very little and here’s some of our results so far:

• 30% of Americans are obese


• 1 Million American High School students drop out each year


• We carry a $13.5 Trillion Debt


• We are #1 in Oil Consumption, #2 in Coal Consumption and #1 in Cocaine Consumption


• 2.3 Million of our citizens are incarcerated, giving us the largest prison population on the planet

We can do better. We must do better.  We can begin by teaching our children and each other how to dream big, think profoundly, decide pragmatically and lead courageously.

There are no shortages of serious problems yearning to be solved. Pick one.

Below is a system designed to help you begin solving the problems that are in your purview to solve.  If it looks like too much work, have someone help you.  Being defeated from within helps no one. Find a problem that’s within your power to solve and begin solving it.  Here’s how.

1. Write down the problem or challenge that you need to solve.


2. Describe the Desired State that could exist without the problem.


3. Describe WHY it’s desired.


4. Create a S.M.A.R.T. Goal to make your intention specific and real.


5. Set the Criteria on how to find solutions to the problem.


6. Generate a brainstorm list of alternative solutions.


7. Narrow the list and pick the “best few” options.


8. Assess each option’s feasibility and potential risks versus gains.


9. Reach a tentative agreement with stakeholders of the problem.


10. Put some resources on a “fall back” plan.


11. Firm up the final decision and announce it to those affected.


12. Develop an Action Plan to go forward.


13. Implement the Action Plan with confidence and passion.


14. Review, assess and celebrate progress.

Problems are often very complex. Their solutions seldom have to be.

Are You Lost?

Let’s pretend you’re running late and suddenly realize you’re lost in a strange city and the street signs don’t make sense to you.  You’ve got your mobile devices and your Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare friends are only a few keystrokes away, but your satellite connection is spotty.  You approach a passerby and ask them how to get where you’re going.  There are a multitude of possible responses:

1. “I’m sorry, I don’t understand you.”


2. They ignore you and keep walking.


3. They give you colorful but convoluted directions.


4. They offer to sell you a map.


5. They walk with you and safely get you to where you want to go.

Which would you prefer?  Which do you provide to your coworkers, customers or family? Change and uncertainty can be exhilarating or scary or both.   The answer you prefer is not all that important.  Depending on the stakes, you might be willing to shell out some money for information.  You might not feel secure walking with a stranger.  Depending on the circumstances, that might be exactly what you want.

The point is, people you care about are thrust into situations similar to this metaphor everyday, sometimes multiple times a day.   As a leader and an artist, take note of the people around you.  Some of them are lost and could use your help.  If they ask you for it, don’t ignore them.  If you don’t understand them, try harder because they’re at a bigger disadvantage than you.  Be on the lookout for those who are lost and be the friendly face that helps them reach their goal.

Ten Ways Modern Leaders and Artists Become Findable

The Pony Express would be celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, were it still in existence, but it’s not.  It lasted for 18 months before being replaced by the telegraph.  Now, when did you last send a telegraph?

Successful leaders and artists know that the world has changed and more change is inevitable.  Hopefully you’re doing things differently today than you were five years ago.  It’s certain you will be doing things dramatically different three years from now.  We live in a tumultuous time.  Many choose to be excited by it, while for others, particularly those who hold on to their old ways, fear is the predominate emotion.

We’ve seen it before from those who were in the horse and buggy business, or the American railroads, and recently, the music, newspaper and publishing industries.  Technology has again given way to innovation, opening new worlds, helping level the playing field and leaving those unable or unwilling to adjust to fade and fail.  We are living through a high level of change today.  Compounding that are the generational, philosophical and ideological shifts taking place.  I completely understand and empathize with the fear many feel.  Not confronting that fear or simply denying the reality of the changes is what pisses me off.

Today, as always, leaders and artists like you need to be findable to provide whatever it is you offer to others who are looking for you.  If you’re not findable you won’t be found; there’s just too much competing noise.  If you’re still of the mindset that you are in control of the message your customers hear, get some fresh batteries for your pager in case last century tries to get in touch with you. If you know that the basics of forming a relationship haven’t changed, but the expectations and findability needs have, then there’s hope for you.  There are a few things you can do to catch up while there’s still time.  Your primary role in communications as a leader and artist is to educate people about what you have available so they can tell others.

Here are a few things that leaders and artists ought to have to help become findable.

1. A clear and concise one sentence explanation of who you are, what you do and why you do it.


2. An easily repeatable mission, vision or mantra.


3. A persuasive reason why someone should invest their time, treasure or talent with you.


4. A list of the primary keywords other people use to find you and people like you.


5. An ability to use analytic tools to look at the effectiveness of your web presence.


6. A well-managed email mailing list with an easy way for people to sign-up.


7. An ability to use search engine optimization audit tools to fix potential problems.


8. An ability to easily accept online transactions.


9. An array of action-oriented letters and marketing materials that describe what you do.


10. Active accounts on the major and relevant social networks with a username reflecting the name of your organization or a meaningful domain name with links back to your website.

Get rid of the barriers between you and prospective clients who want to find you.  Contact Karl Bimshas Consulting to help you build an action plan, organize your web marketing efforts and make  you and your company more findable.

Seven Simple Truths

Here are a collection of my original a-ha’s I first penned fourteen years ago during a cross-county flight.  I called them the Seven Simple Truths.

1. It’s better to be good. I don’t mean pious, I mean knowing ethical behavior and common sense manners. Knowing you’re values and acting in accordance to them.

2. Cause and effect works in every event whether we choose to believe it or not. Everything happens for a reason and the reason is a reaction to what has already occurred.

3. We all need to give more. We need to give more of our time, our energy our thoughts, our ideas, our talents, ourselves -- more of everything imaginable.

4. Anything is possible. Everything that exists today that was created by man was once a foolish idea that most people thought would never work. The truth of the matter is everything is possible. Every problem is solvable. Every epidemic is curable and every thirst quenchable. We have the power and the ability to abolish poverty, to end starvation, to resolve conflict without bloodshed. With patience, perseverance and focused thinking we can accomplish any goal. It may not be easy, but it can be done.

5. The body and mind must be exercised. The body must guard our mind and our mind must inspire our body. While in this form they rely on each other.

6. Being happy is better than being sad.  Both are emotions, and emotions are not right or wrong.  They are the by-products of an action. Therefore it’s better to do things that make you positive and upbeat. Always smile, laugh and inquire like a child.

7. Know what you want. It is simply that easy. Just knowing what it is you want to accomplish sends you way ahead of the indecisive pack.

Think more.  Do more.  Give more.  See more.  Be more.  Laugh more.  And know that anything is possible.