It’s rumored that Nero played the fiddle…

…while Rome burned.

ATTRACT Opportunities Instead of Pursuing Them…

…Using Counter-Intuitive Thinking

Whether it’s true or not, we’re witnessing something very similar today.  We’re going to use Step 4, See Similarities, to equate this ancient rumor with today’s politics and the challenges we face.  Then we’re going to apply Step 5, Contrarian Mindset, to remedy the situation.

Here is something I find absolutely amazing.   Despite the that we, Americans, have:

• 30 to 45 million people without healthcare coverage
• 10% of our workforce unemployed
• A trillion budget deficit proposal
• Banks that won’t lend the money needed to help stimulate the recovery

Our congressional leaders have chosen to hold hearings over Toyota’s recent spate of recalls.  If I were coaching this group I’d say that they were using Toyota to avoid dealing with the tough issues they’re facing.  While that may a natural human tendency, it’s one of the obstacles to our success.

I’d love to tell you that I’ve never fallen into that trap, but you’d know that I was lying.  I don’t know anyone that hasn’t.  But here’s the reality, the challenge doesn’t go away.  The longer we avoid it the greater the stress we experience.  It’s a two-fold negative experience.  We continue to experience the pain of what isn’t working plus we feel badly about ourselves because we’re avoiding dealing with something that won’t go away.

It’s counter-intuitive, but when faced with challenging situations the best thing to do is begin working on them.  That doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re going to find a solution quickly.  But the mere fact that you’re devoting time and energy to pursuing a solution will, at the very least, help you feel good about the fact that you’re not avoiding the situation.

If you want to distinguish yourself, become the person in your organization who recognizes that the organization is in denial or at least avoiding the issues it needs to address.  Ask those whose help you need to effect a change “Is this situation going to get better on its own?  If we don’t so something soon to rectify the situation, how much is avoiding the issues going to cost us?”

Would you like to learn how to develop these counter-intuitive thought approaches?  Check out my 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE self-study program.  It’s a modest investment with life-time returns.  Just click on the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE book cover and learn how easy it is for you to become INVALUABLE.

Attracting opportunities is only the beginning.  Visit www.pricingforprofitbook.com to discover how to get compensated well for the value you provide.  Enjoy!

What does this mean for you?

It goes well beyond the political ramifications.

ATTRACT Opportunities Instead of Pursuing Them…

…Using Counter-Intuitive Thinking

The recent spate of congressional retirements left me wondering what parallels we can find in other aspects of our lives.  Let’s see whether Step 4, See Similarities, of the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE, can help us answer that question.

The retirees are citing their frustration with the lack of integrity in the legislative process, the flip-flopping that their colleagues are employing and the blatant disregard for the welfare of the American people and, indeed, America itself.

Are these the real reasons behind their leaving or, as some political pundits have suggested, because they were already at risk of losing their seats?  Regardless of the reason for their leaving, their decisions are indications that things aren’t going well in Washington. That’s not news on Main Street, but then its not unusual for outsiders to see the ills earlier than those inside the organization.

Who among us hasn’t seen really talented colleagues leave our organizations because leadership was in denial about the competitive forces the company faces, the lack of care and concern for the people who work in the organization or leadership’s arrogance in believing that they have all the answers.

Company’s that fail to recognize the warning signs of exodus are destined either to be driven out of business or absorbed by another business.  The same is true of not-for-profit organizations. Continued loss of or the inability to attract and retain top talent risks the organization’s very survival.

In an ideal world, we’d have systems in place to monitor satisfaction and act long before we began experiencing an exodus.  At the very least, though, we need to respond quickly to people leaving.  We need to find out why.  More importantly, we need to look at our contribution to the problem and change our behavior to stem the exodus.

It’s counter-intuitive, but any unwillingness on our part to examine our contribution to the problem and to act upon that contribution to resolve the problem will result in outsiders determining our fate for us.  That’s the threshold upon which congress finds itself.  If they continue to ignore the frustration they’re creating for themselves and the American people, they’ll quickly find themselves having their careers decided for them.  We need look no farther than the emerging tea party, the significant rise in independent voters and the congressional exodus for evidence that this movement is underway. The question is will our congressmen act on this evidence or continue in their old ways?

If you want to distinguish yourself, become the person in your organization who recognizes dissatisfaction as an early warning sign and avoids an exodus of talented people.  This ability will make you INVALUABLE to those around you and, in the process, attract opportunities so that you don’t have to pursue them.

Attracting opportunities is only the beginning; you need to be compensated well for the value you provide. Discover how at www.pricingforprofitbook.com.

If you’d like to receive a weekly email reminder with a link to The Invaluable Leader blog, please enter your email address and name in the left sidebar.  You’ll also get a free copy of Step 1 of the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE.   If you’d like me to address a specific topic, email me at dale@furtwengler.com. Please share your experience with our readers by posting a comment.

If you want to be more successful…

…where should you look?

ATTRACT Opportunities Instead of Pursuing Them…

…Using Counter-Intuitive Thinking

By following Step 6, Eclectic Education, I discovered Mike Michalowicz’s book, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur.  Very early in the book Mike hits us squarely between the eyes with a succinct message – “Passion begets persistence.  And persistence begets success.”

I doubt that any of us would argue with Mike’s message, yet how often do we get distracted and derailed by our skill sets, our experience, our financial needs, our need for security?  Who among us hasn’t foregone our passions for our needs only to experience both the loss of our dreams and limited success in satisfying our financial and security needs?  What’s the solution?

It’s counter-intuitive, but putting our passions ahead of our needs lays the foundation for success.  As Mike so eloquently puts it “Those who are following their path (passion) will relentlessly march forward during the ups and downs, even as others pursue something else.”

Discovering your passion and following it are just the first steps toward enjoying greater success, i.e. the life you desire.  You have to consistently monitor your passion.  Inevitably it rises during easy times and wanes during challenging times, but as long as the passion remains you’ll be able to view both as fleeting moments in time and maintain your resolve.

What isn’t as easy to discern, yet equally important to notice, is when your passion no longer exists.  All too often we get bored with what we’re doing even though we’ve been successful at it.  Our natural tendency is to stay with what works. Again, it’s counter-intuitive, but we’re better off letting go of the familiar, yet uninspiring work we’re doing and moving forward with our latest passion.

As Bertrand Russell wrote” The more things a man is interested in, the more opportunities of happiness he has and the less he is at the mercy of fate.”  As we grow personally, professionally and in our businesses, it’s inevitable that our passions will change to reflect our newly-found knowledge and experience.  Follow those passions and you, too, will enjoy “more opportunities for happiness.”

If you want to distinguish yourself, become a person follows his or her passion to greater and greater success.  Then encourage others to do the same.  Your success and encouragement will make you INVALUABLE to those around you and, in the process, attract opportunities so that you don’t have to pursue them.

Attracting opportunities is only the beginning; you need to be compensated well for the value you provide. Discover how at www.pricingforprofitbook.com.

If you’d like to receive a weekly email reminder with a link to The Invaluable Leader blog, please enter your email address and name in the left sidebar.  You’ll also get a free copy of Step 1 of the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE.   If you’d like me to address a specific topic, email me at dale@furtwengler.com. Please share your experience with our readers by posting a comment.

For more information on Mike and his book, The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, visit www.toiletpaperentrepreneur.com.

So easy to overlook…

…so large in their impact.

ATTRACT Opportunities Instead of Pursuing Them…

…Using Counter-Intuitive Thinking

What can we learn from human genetics?  That the little things really do matter.  In this post I’m combining Step 6, Eclectic Education, with Step 4, See Similarities, to give you a new way of looking at the opportunities and challenges you face.

One of the stunning statistics to come from the human genome project is that 99.6% of our genetic makeup is exactly the same as other human beings on this earth.That means that only 0.4% of our genes account for the vast array of differences that distinguish the almost 7 billion people who occupy the world today.

Beyond the obvious ramifications in terms of gender, unique facial and body features, emotional make up and predispositions to disease, illness or wellness, what can we learn from this statistic?  That slight differences can have a huge and lasting impact.

By nature we’re wired to be enamored with grand and often complex plans.  There’s something enticing about being a part of something that’s bigger than ourselves.  Yet how many of these large initiatives have proven disappointing?  How many actually produce the desired result?

Often the complexity of the initiative combined with the protracted implementation period result in an abandoning of the project in favor of another new, grand initiative.  Such is the plight of our human nature.

What’s the solution?  It’s counter-intuitive, but you need to look for bigness in the result, not the plan, the process or the initiative.  Look for the little things that you can do right now that will produce results.  Each week find another little thing that you can do within hours, or a day or two, that will produce more results.

Over the course of a year, these little things, implemented one at a time, not only dramatically improve your results; they produce sustainable results for the future.

If you want to distinguish yourself, become the person in your organization who sees little changes, little tweaks, to what’s being done that can produce huge results.  This ability will make you INVALUABLE to those around you and, in the process, attract opportunities so that you don’t have to pursue them.

Attracting opportunities is only the beginning; you need to be compensated well for the value you provide.  Visit www.pricingforprofitbook.com to discover how.  Enjoy!

If you’d like to receive a weekly email reminder with a link to The Invaluable Leader blog, please enter your email address and name in the left sidebar.  You’ll also get a free copy of Step 1 of the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE.   If you’d like me to address specific topics, please send me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.  Please share your experience with our readers by posting a comment.

Our natural tendency is to grow our operations.

Is it possible that we should be shrinking them?

ATTRACT Opportunities Instead of Pursuing Them…

…Using Counter-Intuitive Thinking

Our natural tendency is to grow our existing operations.  We operate under the notion that what has worked for us in the past is the best approach for the future.  Often what we’ll discover is that while what we’ve been doing may have worked, it may not have worked well.  Here’s an example.

Mr. Eggett cites a candy manufacturer who discovered that his real strength was in creating new candies, not in producing them.  The candy manufacturer outsourced the production, sold his production facilities and aligned himself with a food distributor that needed a candy product.  The result? He grew his regional company to a national brand while shrinking his company’s operations.

It’s counter-intuitive, but when considering growth for the future take a look at:

• What your company does better than anyone else.
• What you have the most fun doing.
• Which aspects of your operation consistently disappoint your customers.
• Which areas of the operation give you the most headaches from an operational standpoint.
• Which companies excel at the things your company struggles with;  Mr. Eggett suggests that it could be a competitor who could become an ally.
• Which companies have a gap in their offerings that you can fill with your expertise.

Bring ideas like this to the table vis-a-vis your eclectic education and you’ll have others regularly seeking your counsel, inviting you onto their teams and involving you in their initiatives.  It’s another way to become INVALUABLE.

Attracting opportunities is only the beginning.  Visit www.pricingforprofitbook.com to discover how to get compensated well for the value you provide.  Enjoy!

If you’d like to receive a weekly email reminder with a link to The Invaluable Leader blog, please enter your email address and name in the left sidebar.  You’ll also get a free copy of Step 1 of the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE.   If you’d like me to address specific topics, please send me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.  Please share your experience with our readers by posting a comment.

It’s natural to rail at things that upset us…

…but is it productive?

ATTRACT Opportunities Instead of Pursuing Them…

…Using Counter-Intuitive Thinking

In Step 3, Suspend Judgment, I struggle, as I believe most of us do, to avoid allowing the emotional reactions I have from becoming judgments about the person, the message or the behavior.  That’s precisely where I am today.

A friend recommended a national best-selling book to me.  I won’t mention the book or author because I don’t believe in denigrating the work of others.  There’s too much of that going on today.  Besides I wouldn’t be modeling the behavior of suspending judgment that I’m asking you to adopt as part of the 7 Steps program.

What I’m offering is the lesson that I’ve taken from this experience.  As I was reading the book – actually within the first 20 pages or so – I was inclined to return it to the library unread.  Why?  The author was railing about today’s political environment without offering any suggestions on what we, the readers, could do to effect changes in that environment.  The examples offered about governments failings were accurate and lucid, but these examples left me with the nagging question “So what do I do about it?”

Without that answer the author left me feeling angry, frustrated and helpless.  The last thing we need are those emotions running rampant throughout the populace.  It’s an emotional blend that builds a powder keg of emotion that, once sparked, unleashes terrible violent action despite the fact that this author promotes non-violence in his rhetoric.

It’s counter-intuitive, but railing at anything triggers emotional reactions in others that can lead to unpredictable, sometimes violent reactions.  At the very least, railing will result in the listeners forming judgments that closes their minds to alternative approaches to dealing with the situation being discussed.

Whenever you feel inclined to rail at something that’s upset you, pause a moment. Remind yourself that you’re experiencing an emotional reaction.  Recall previous instances in which you were emotional and how those emotions clouded your judgment.  Then recall those situations in which you were able to set aside those emotions and how much more lucid and productive your thinking was.  Relive the joy you experienced as this emotion-free state allowed you to craft a variety of alternative solutions to the problem you were facing.  Remember the peace you experienced as you realized that there were a number of solutions, any of which that could work.

If you want to be INVALUABLE, don’t rail at the situations you face. Instead, set aside those emotions and the judgments they naturally form and explore alternatives to the situation you’re facing.  Once you’ve identified those alternatives, communicate the circumstances factually as well as the alternative approaches.  The people around you will appreciate the fact that you haven’t cast them into an emotional whirlpool with no way out.  It’s the kind of approach that will cause them to seek your well-reasoned counsel, invite you onto their teams and involve you in their new initiatives.  It’s another way for you to become INVALUABLE.

Attracting opportunities is only the beginning.  Visit www.pricingforprofitbook.com to discover how to get compensated well for the value you provide.  Enjoy!

If you’d like to receive a weekly email reminder with a link to The Invaluable Leader blog or if you’d like me to address specific topics, please send me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.  Please share your experience with our readers by posting a comment.

Desirable goal…

…or limiting vantage point?

ATTRACT Opportunities Instead of Pursuing Them…

…Using Counter-Intuitive Thinking

The one step in the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE that continues to intrigue me day-in, day-out is Step 6, Eclectic Education.  It’s through diverse reading that I find gems like this.

I recently read a brief summary of Socrates’ life by Anthony Gottlieb. In this booklet the author offers four dramatically different perspectives on who Socrates was. These perspectives come from the writings of Plato, Xenophon, Aristophanes and Aristotle.  Gottlieb notes that each author’s account is shaded by the beliefs the author held.  Plato was a profound advocate of reason, consequently his descriptions of  Socrates emphasized Socrates’ reasoning.

Gottlieb goes on to say that while none of these accounts is entirely accurate, by blending the four we can get a reasonable sense of who Socrates was and what he believed.

In a similar fashion, the late Saul Alinsky in his book, Rules for Radicals, says “…judgment must be made in the context of the times the action occurred and not from any other chronological vantage point.”

The obvious questions these two books raise are “What are facts?  Do they even exist?  If so, how do we find them?”  Based on these readings it seems that “fact” is a matter of perception.  Since perception is always based on personal experience, any fact must then be specific to the individual’s or group’s experiences.

For those of you who prefer to make decisions based on “fact” this can be disconcerting.  These authors are in essence saying that there is no single set of facts on which we can rely as the basis for our decisions.  That flies in the face of our natural desire to discover “the facts.”

Should the lack of complete knowledge (facts) deter us from the exploration?  Absolutely not!  All scientific effort has as its goal the acquisition of knowledge about how things work.   Yet, the reality is that the knowledge gained in scientific exploration always falls short of a complete answer – scientists never have all of the facts.

It’s counter-intuitive, but our desire for facts is limiting.  If there were only one set of facts we’d lose the benefit of other peoples’ perspectives.  With that in mind, our search for the facts must necessarily lead us to an exploration of the other party’s experience which, in turn, expands our knowledge – not of “the facts,” but of the vast array of possible interpretations of those facts.

The next time you find yourself inclined to search for the facts, pause a moment and remind yourself that what you’re really seeking is others’ interpretation of those facts.  This approach will not only help you stand out in the crowd.   It will make you INVALUABLE to those around you and, in the process, attract opportunities so that you don’t have to pursue them.

Attracting opportunities is only the beginning.  Visit www.pricingforprofitbook.com to discover how to get compensated well for the value you provide.  Enjoy!

If you’d like to receive a weekly email reminder with a link to The Invaluable Leader blog or if you’d like me to address specific topics, please send me an email at dale@furtwengler.com.  Please share your experience with our readers by posting a comment.

ATTRACT Opportunities Instead of Pursuing Them…

…Using Counter-Intuitive Thinking

Have you become disenchanted with your work?

If so, what can you do about it?

ATTRACT Opportunities Instead of Pursuing Them…

…Using Counter-Intuitive Thinking

I had to chuckle when I read the following comment a teacher made to Dr. Thomas Gordon as related in his book T.E.T-Teacher Effectiveness Training www.gordontraining.com/drthomasgordon.html

“When I started teaching I saw myself as the leader of a happy band of students, eager to learn, to explore, to discover.  It didn’t turn out that way.  I don’t look forward to teaching,  I dread each new class, each new day.  So do the students.  I feel like a slave driver cracking the whip over the heads of a bunch of lazy, good-for-nothing slobs whose only interest is to get out of work.  They lie, cheat, put each other down, and seem to be interested only in how little they can do and still pass the course.  Worst of all, I’m now told that I am going to be judged by how well they do on standardized tests!”

I’m not sadistic; I don’t take pleasure in other people’s pain.  Yet I had to laugh because, by simply changing a few words, I could use that commentary to describe virtually any work environment I’ve ever seen.  Even in the best of environments there are days that cause managers  to echo this teacher’s frustration.

Why do we become so disenchanted?  Why do we experience such great frustration?  More importantly, is there anything we can do about it?

Dr. Gordon suggests that this teacher first look toward her own expectations.  In the language of the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE that means looking at your contribution to the problem.

Regardless of how you frame it, the question is “Is it reasonable to expect human beings of any age, background or temperament to occasionally appear to be ‘a bunch of of lazy, good-for-nothing slobs whose only interest is to get out of work’?”  People also lie, cheat and put each other down.

These are the less attractive aspects of our humanity, yet they exist in each of us.  If we know this, then it’s possible to set realistic expectations that, on occasion, people are going to behave badly. When they do it’s much easier to deal with that behavior because we realize that we’ve had our moments as well.  We can draw upon our less-than-exemplary moments to help the person return to more appropriate behavior.  It also helps if we utilize Step 3 of the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE, Suspend Judgment, to avoid judging the person or the person’s behavior.

The second thing to explore when feeling disenchanted is how the system might be triggering the behaviors we’re seeing.  If you recall from my November 30, 2009 post “The Propensity for Evil”, Philip Zimbardo in his book, The Lucifer Effect, provides great insight into how situations  trigger behaviors that are atypical for the individuals involved.  If your frustration is on par with the teacher’s commentary above, it may be that the system (remember you’re part of the system) is the true source of your frustration.

It’s counter-intuitive to look at our disenchantment from the vantage points of our personal contribution to the problem (Step 1 Contributory Negligence), the system in which we operate and our natural tendency to judge situations (Step 3 Suspend Judgment) but it’s the most effective way to regain the joy and excitement our work once brought us.

Use these simple concepts to help others overcome their disenchantment with work and you, too, will become INVALUABLE.  It’s another way to attract new leadership opportunities.

Attracting opportunities is only the beginning.  You need to get compensated well for the value you provide.  Visit www.pricingforprofitbook.com to learn how to communicate your value and command higher prices or salaries for that value.

Who’s your strongest competitor?

What are your odds of beating him/her?

Step 3 of the 7 Steps to Becoming INVALUABLE is “Suspend Judgment.” Let’s take a look at how one winner used this concept to his advantage.

As American Idol is about to launch its new season, I couldn’t help but reflect on last year’s contest. The surprise win of Kris Allen over the favorite, Adam Lambert, offers some valuable insights into competition.

The importance of Winston Churchill’s famous 5-word speech to England’s citizenry, “Never, never, never give up,” was exemplified in Kris Allen’s American Idol win. Throughout the competition Adam Lambert was considered the person to beat. His performances were rewarded with glowing reviews from the judges and standing ovations from the audience. Yet, during the final two weeks of the competition it was Kris Allen who garnered the majority of the votes.

It would have been easy for Kris to embrace the idea that:

• Adam Lambert was more talented than he was
• Adam was more popular and, thus, unbeatable
• His chances of winning were nil

All of these thoughts could have, and probably did, enter his psyche. They all have one thing in common. They’re judgments; judgments wrought from emotion. These judgments limit our potential and the value we bring to society.

The reality is that there will always be someone a little brighter, a little more skilled, more experienced or more of a natural talent than we are. Their abilities make life miserable for us. No matter how hard we try we’re never going to surpass these people – or are we?

We can, and we will, if we follow Kris Allen’s example of setting aside these judgments and doing our best every week. It’s counter-intuitive, but there is only one competitor in your life – yourself. If you compare yourself against those who are brighter, more skilled, possess greater experience or are more naturally gifted, you’re likely to become disheartened and give up.

Conversely, if you compete only against yourself, every time you improve upon your previous performance you gain confidence and you position yourself for greater and greater success. It won’t matter what your competitors are doing, you’ll know that your success is assured because you’re continuously improving in areas that have value for your customers.

Learn from Kris Allen! Set aside those judgments that limit your future. Focus on your customers‘ needs and competing only with yourself. You’ll not only enjoy greater and greater success, odds are that you’ll have others in your industry viewing you as the one who is brighter, more skilled, more experienced or more naturally talented.