29 June 2009

Split-Second Decision-Making (part 1)

This weekend I came across the term: Split-second decision-making. While in combat situations or any situation that is unfolding the need for Split-second decision-making is essential. This form of decision-making is critical that there exist Split-second decision-making drills.

These drills are designed to challenge your ability to make quick accurate decisions during a situation that is either unfolding (where a series of quick decisions are needed) or there is no time to make a single decision. Such situations can be natural disasters (hurricanes, flooding, tornadoes, etc.) or man-made disasters (fires, bombings, acts of terror, vehicle accidents, etc.)

These drills cover all aspects of data gathering, interpreting & processing, formulating a decisions, and then acting/implementing on that decision. Usually, for split-second decision making the time to collect data is constantly ongoing. Interpreting and processing is made in milliseconds as is formulating the decision, and launching the decision. This leaves little to no room for decisions to be made by committee. Usually, the decision maker is the solo decision maker in these situations, if incapacitated, someone else will have to step up.

Whoever stands up better be ready, as they will be calling up on all their critical thinking skills, training and knowledge, experiences and above all, their common sense to start making decisions. Of course, no two critical situations are alike and each will be unique in the actions that have taken place as well as the response to those actions.

I know that when Hurricane Emily (2005) was forecast to come to my neck of the woods, we were preparing for the worst. Instead, it headed south and was merely a slight rainmaker. Then last year, when Hurricane Dolly decided she was heading this way, we were preparing for the worst. However, the storm turned north and dropped a lot of rain and blew a lot of wind our way. At one point, the eye of the hurricane was less than 15 miles from my front door. Still it was not that bad and that’s a good thing.

There you go, two storms that could have done a world of damage but instead did two separate things. Decisions were made at every point of the storms' journey, arrival, and subsequent departure, which goes to show that if one is ready to lead in a time of crisis or disaster they can. Helping this process can be done by working through the situations via simulations and in some cases implementing or executing part of that split-second decision-making process as if something had happened.

...more to come

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26 June 2009

Roll With The Punches

What a day yesterday turned out to be. It was one of those days where expecting the unexpected was suddenly the norm. Luckily, there are not very many days like yesterday.

This just goes to show that things happen so out of the blue, even when they are expected things happen and life changes. Certainly, no one woke up yesterday morning and imagined what was about to unfold. There have been days like that in the past and I know there will be days like that in the future.

So what is one to do? You go with. Things happen for a reason and if you cannot control them or influence their outcome then you just let it happen, try to minimize the damage or prevent anyone from getting hurt.

This means, that you have to not only remain calm but also be the rock, the pillar that stands strong and tall, the one that everyone looks up to. Why? It is during times of uncertainty people will turn to those that are calm, cool, and collected.

How do you spot those that are calm, cool, and collected? Well, they are the ones that walking tall while everyone else is running for cover. Notice how I wrote they are the ones that walk tall and everyone else runs.

So how do you become the tall, cool one? Experience life with all its good, bad and most certainly, all its ugly. Know that things can and will happen without notice or warning. Expect the unexpected.

In the meantime, as life continues to throw those curve-balls what do you do?
Dicky Fox, Jerry Maguire’s mentor, suggests that you "Roll with the punches. Tomorrow is another day."


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25 June 2009

Knowing (Part Deux)

As I mentioned in my last blog post, knowing yourself and know what you are capable of, will ensure that you have the confidence to lead. Then again, just because you know yourself does not automatically make you a leader. There are still plenty of tasks ahead, while the road may be long, it does not have to be winding.

There is something else you must know: You must know your job. Sure, you may be done with school or you could be starting your training in the vocation of your choice or you could be a seasoned veteran doing the same job for the past 8 years but if you don’t really know your job then you will never move ahead. If you are not proficient in what you do then how can anyone see the potential in your leadership abilities?

Think about it, would you want your leader to be someone who hasn’t a clue as to what you are doing, let alone what they are doing? No! You want someone that not only knows how the job is supposed to be done but can teach you how to do it right. That’s not asking for too much, is it? No.

There you go, another secret to successful leadership development: Know your job and it doesn’t hurt to know the job of the employees that you might one day be called upon to lead.

This means there is no time like the present to become cross-trained. Cross-training not only increases your versatility within the organization but helps you become recognized as someone who is ready to step up and fill in gaps within your organization when needed.

This applies to anyone and everyone. You never know, one day you could be mixing cocktails behind the bar, the next you are managing the entire wait-staff. It might not sound like much but to a person that wants to open her own restaurant, knowing what the wait-staff does is priceless.

Additionally, being cross-trained will help you see the company’s big picture as you now can see how your job affects how others do theirs. This in turn makes you an asset that the company’s management and leadership will recognize and will readily offer more opportunities for advancement. That is a very good thing!



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23 June 2009

Knowing

You have gone to school, studied hard, learned a thing or two and are ready to start a career that will involve people looking to you for guidance and leadership. This won’t be an easy task but it can be done, it’s done all the time. One thing that can help in achieving this task is to make certain that you know who you are. Well, do you know yourself?

When I ask, do you know yourself, I am not referring to the things friends, family, and coworkers see about you, such as you are a shopper, a warrior, or a piano player. That is your public-self.

What I mean is do you know your private or inner self? The private or inner self is the side of yourself that you see when you look in the mirror, how well do you know the person you see on the other side of the glass? How well do you know your character, knowledge, and skills? Do you have enough confidence in your character, knowledge and skills that they will direct you when it comes to guiding and leading others?

If you have not figured out who you are and what you are capable of, the sooner you find out, the better leader you will become.

Something to remember there is no magic pill or a simple test that will tell you who you are. In order to know yourself you have to look at yourself not just as how others see you or how you see yourself on the surface but you have to see yourself from the inside out. If you find that you do not like what you see then you better be ready to do something about it and fast. Again, no magic pill here.

What is available is that you must continually work on yourself. Do something that is constantly challenging you. By constantly challenging yourself, you are strengthening your inner and outer self and expanding your horizons, along the way you will learn more about who you are, what you are made of, and what your character is.

Not too sure how to go about it? Start off slowly, and then gradually build up to it.

Want some ideas? You can come up with something I know you can. Remember there are no magic pills.



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18 June 2009

Today is June 18 & We Got Your Back

Today is not just Sir Paul’s Birthday but also my brother’s birthday. In this case, it is my youngest brother and today is his birthday. So if you read this and see my brother somewhere in New Mexico wish him a Very Happy Birthday. I know where in New Mexico he is, but to save him some potential embarrassment I will not say in which town he can be found.

Like I said he is my youngest brother and like most little brothers, big brothers take great care to look out and watch over them. However, unfortunate as it may be I was not around during his formative teenage years, as I was off trying to be all that I could be on the government plan and as for the other adult male role models, I won’t go there.

Moving on, while I was off in a foreign land doing what my country wanted me to do for those years that I was in the Army, he was at home trying to find himself and find his place in the world. Yet, he did the best that he could and has done so for over 20 years.

Along the way, he met a wonderful woman and several years after they married they had a wonderful son. My nephew is their only child and but he is not my only nephew. Some things happened along the way and they are no longer together. That’s life, for good or bad that is life and I am not going to go any deeper into it.

I will say that my youngest brother is again in a place that I wish I could be there to look out and watch over him; sorry it’s just what this big brother wants to do. Now that I am in a position to be there for him, we find ourselves separated, yet again by geography, with him in New Mexico and me in Texas. The only consolation is that I am proud of the man he grew up to be, especially with all the knocks he took along the way and I know that he will be at the top of his game, again. I also know that whatever path he finds himself on today, it is one that will take him to a better place. A place of happiness and a place that will make him a stronger man, both physically and emotionally. Above all, I know it will make him wiser.

Of course, he knows just like all of us know that we can’t do it by ourselves. We can only achieve great things when we recognize that we are not alone and others are there to help. Therefore, always remember and never forget you are never alone when family has your back. Brother, We Got Your Back.

Happy Birthday, J. We Love You!!!


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17 June 2009

Would You Work For Free?

It was recently reported that British Airways asked its entire staff to take one to four weeks of unpaid leave and that the employees that choose to take the unpaid leave also have the option of working during that time. Talk about a creative way to work yourself out of financial debt.

I can understand where the company is coming from with this. They want to be able to save some money to help offset the financial losses, they continue to encounter, while keeping the planes flying. However, to ask a person to work for free, I just don’t get it. Now don’t get me wrong I am all for doing what is right and mission first, but when a company can just be blatant enough to ask for volunteers to skip a paycheck and work is a little off, if you ask me. There may be some method to this madness and everything is just right. Then again, maybe I really don’t see anything else, other than this is wrong on so many levels.

Now, I am also fairly certain that more than a few employees will step up and do what British Airways is asking of them to do. Hopefully, the company will truly recognize how much they are taking one for the team and give them something back. Time will tell on that one.

This should be an interesting experiment to see how well it is actually received and see how many other organizations will attempt to copy.


Referencing article:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/06/16/british.airways.work.free/index.html


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13 June 2009

Asking for Help

Another path in becoming a leader is recognizing the fact that at some point in your life you are going to need help in getting something done. There are no two ways about it, asking for and getting help will show to you and everyone else that you are human. It shows that you are not all knowing and all seeing. It also shows that you are willing to learn and grow as an individual and as part of the team. Asking for help shows everyone that you need them just as much as they need you. This leads to showing your authenticity and genuineness, which will go a long way towards building your reputation as someone who is not afraid of being a leader but also of someone who is not afraid of being a follower.

Asking for help is a perfectly acceptable thing to do as it does not matter whether the help comes from peers, subordinates, higher up, or outsiders so long as you get it when you ask for it. Do not be embarrassed asking for help as this is how we learn, this is how relationships are built, and this is how we form bonds that will be mutually supporting and strong.

Something else, do not worry about what other people will think about you. At one point, they asked questions and asked for help. If they never asked for help they would not be in the position they are in now, remember ‘we need each other to succeed’. No one goes into a new job or starts a new career by going in on the first day with an “I know everything” attitude, if they did they would not be there very long or they would be quickly put in their place by those that do.

A few things to keep in mind when it comes to asking for help.

  • Don’t do it all the time, when you do, you run the risk of being labeled as someone who really shouldn’t be where you are.

  • Before asking for help, know exactly what you need help with. I know, I know, if you knew what you needed help with in the first place you would not be asking for help. So think things through and determine if need help rebuilding a carburetor or just help removing it from the engine block.

  • At some point, you are going to have to make the decision to ask for help based on what will happen if you do not get help with whatever you are doing. Sticking with our carburetor example, you can try rebuilding it while it is still mounted on the engine block, but the last thing you want is for the flywheel spring to go flying off into the nether regions of your garage or land somewhere in your front yard, never to be seen from again.

  • Now you have made the decision to ask for help, what next? Well just like you won’t go to the dentist to talk about your 401k and just like you won’t go to your priest, pastor, or minister for advice on how to secure your Wireless network at home, the same applies here. You need to figure out who you can ask for help. Ask someone who knows what they are doing or if they don’t, ask someone who has an idea who to ask for help.

  • Step up and Ask for help. No need to be fancy or beat around the bush, just ask. Also, don’t talk down to anyone you ask for help from, that is the most surefire way to get a NO. Look them right in the eye (ALWAYS MAKE EYE CONTACT) and ask for the help you need. Give them all the information about what it is you want done, what you tried, and remember the magic words to say: “Please” & “Thank You”.

In the end, asking for help also opens the door for those that will need help from you to feel at ease when it is their turn to ask for help. If it is in your power to provide the help, then don’t forget the magic words: “Yes”, “Please”, “Thank You” and “You’re Welcome”. If by some miracle you cannot provide them with the help, then go out of your way to find someone who can. Asking for help is part of being a leader. Remember, being a leader is also being a follower, so please go ask for help, Thank you for your time.


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09 June 2009

Becoming

Do you know someone who can influence people by providing purpose, direction, and motivation while operating to accomplish the mission and improving the organization?

Are you that someone or do you believe that you can become this kind of a person?

While it may sound like one, this is not an ad for some miracle pill or supplement that will make you the life of the party or cure whatever ails you.

That is the US Army’s definition of a leader.

Read it again and look around you. Do you recognize anyone that displays the abilities mentioned in the first paragraph? Ask yourself “Are they leaders?” then ask yourself how do you become a leader or do you have what it takes?

I come from the school of thought that believes that leaders are born and not made. I really believe that every one of us is born a leader. It is how we are raised and our environment that influences what level of leaders we eventually become. I also believe that all leaders are followers, so do not despair if all you see yourself as is a follower. Being a follower means you are on the right path to becoming a great leader.

So how does one become a leader? Becoming a leader does not mean that because you have degree you are automatically a leader. Becoming a leader does not mean that because you have a job title that calls on people to report to you, you are automatically a leader. To become a leader you have to be recognized as a leader by your peers, your co-workers, your community, and above all you. Simply, when you recognize that you have something genuine and authentic to give back to your co-workers, peers, and community and are doing that; giving back, then you can you be recognized as a leader and not one moment sooner.

When does this happen? There is no magic pill or daily supplement to becoming a leader. You just have to try everyday and do you best no matter what it is. Eventually, it will happen, just like the guy asked, “How do I get to Carnegie Hall” and was told to “Practice, Practice, Practice.”

Take the day and make it yours. Seize the day. Carpe Diem.


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Teachable Moments

You have probably heard the term “A Teachable Moment” but do you know what a Teachable Moment is? It is defined as an "unplanned opportunity that arises in the classroom where a teacher has an ideal chance to offer insight to his or her students." Something to remember, a teachable moment does not have to happen in a classroom and there is no rule that it has to be a teacher that does the teaching.

Having said that, you can be the teacher or you can be the student. If you have something to share with someone then do it, share that something. Take that moment and teach something. Remember, “a teachable moment is not something that you can plan for; rather, it is a fleeting opportunity that must be sensed and seized by the teacher.” This means that they can happen at any moment so take advantage of those moments when they arise. You may ask yourself how will you know when the moment arises, the answer is you will know there will be a moment when something needs to get done and you are the only person in the room that knows how to get it done. You then feel confident that those around you are ready to learning how to do what needs to get done or are ready to learn what you are about to teach them. Then that is the moment, remember if you don't yet feel comfortable, it is OK, do it when you are ready.

Something else that is important, seizing the opportunity to have a teachable moment will go a long way towards building your credibility, authenticity, and respect. All of which will make you a leader in the eyes of the people you are teaching. They will see that you are genuinely interested in them enough to teach them something. Whether it is a tip or a trick that will shave minutes or hours on how they do their job or something that will save them money, they will value what you have given them. When you impact someone's life in a manner that impacts them for a long time and if you can save them time or money (especially money) you have shown your value as a leader to everyone you have taken the time to teach.

A giant step in becoming a leader is sharing what you know.

References used today:
http://k6educators.about.com/od/educationglossary/g/gteachmoment.htm


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08 June 2009

A New Week Begins

Last week, I started talking about Excellence and its importance when it comes to getting ready for the future, your future. I also alluded to being a Leader and being a Manager and how the two are not the same thing. Again, I will defer discussion for a later time.

Now, I want to talk about the best friend to Excellence and that is Quality. Did you know that Quality comes from Training? Therefore, the more training you have, the greater the opportunity for quality and excellence to enter your life and become a big demanding part of it.

Again, I turn to my good friend Tom Peters. In a recent list of 136 Random Thoughts on Quality, Emphasizing the Variables That Are Often Missing in Conventional Quality Programs, there is one random thought that I want to expand on: Quality is religiously learning one new thing every day.

Everyday, we learn something new whether we want to admit it or not. It is there and it happens. Now, of course some of us learn something by listening to the news on the way to work or we learn something from our textbooks or it might just be some random fact we stumble across on the Internet. So, does this excuse you or me from learning something new everyday? No.

In the context that I am talking about, learning something new everyday is to make a conscious effort to learn something. Whether it is how to tie a half-hitch knot or how to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius and back again, you make the effort and learn something.

Now, here is the kicker:

Once you learn something, teach it to someone else.

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05 June 2009

Speaking of Training and Add A Touch of Excellence

No sooner that I post about Training that someone goes out and proves me right.

Big Congratulations!!! to the “Big Unit” Randy Johnson, Pitcher for the San Francisco Giants on becoming one of only 25 professional baseball players to win 300 games as a pitcher.

Since 1988, at the age of 24, with the Montreal Expos Randy Johnson has been going the distance. Having played in over 600 baseball games and starting in 597 of them he is certainly a force to be reckoned with. Trust me, when it comes to winning half of all the games you play in you are a force.

As I wrote in my previous post, rest assured Randy Johnson did not walk out to the pitching mound one day in Montreal and say "I'm going to pitch 600 games and win 300 of them as a professional baseball player." Far from it, as a matter of fact it was a little more than three years from the day he was drafted by the Montreal Expos to the day he took to the pitching mound. According to Baseball-Reference.com, Johnson was drafted on June 3, 1985 and did not throw with the Expos until September 15, 1988, that’s 3 years and 3 and half months later. Think about this: most baseball draftees don’t ever get a chance to see the inside of a professional baseball stadium from field level.

Anyone care to guess what he was doing for those 3 years? He was training, practicing, training, and pitching in the minors until he got called up to play in the Big League. While waiting, he was paying his dues in the form of getting better and along the way proving to himself and those that drafted him that he was the star that the Expos saw in him when they drafted him.

So what is this mean to you? It means what you want it to mean. For everyone else, it means that you might just have to wait three or four years before you get your shot, but those are three or four years that you get to build your reputation, master your skills, increase your knowledge, and above all it means you mature and grow as an individual.

Of course, there are times it might not take three or four years, it may take longer or it may take less. Therefore, it is in your best interest to be ready for when that call comes, because if you don’t answer the call on the first try, it might just be a long time before the next call comes.

Remember, that when you get the call to the Big League, it means that someone has recognized your ability to produce what they want. Believe me, they will want nothing short of Excellence, I guarantee they will demand it and you better be delivering Excellence in everything you do.

The question I ask you is: Are you Training now to be ready for when the call comes?


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04 June 2009

Train…Train…Train

In this morning version of the Tom Peters Daily Quote, Tom wrote “Train! Train! Train! (Growing people outperform stagnant people in terms of attitude and output--by a wide margin.)”

When I read it I instantly thought of every Gold Medal Winner in the Olympics, every Super Bowl winning NFL team, and every World Series winner as great examples. They all trained and trained and trained and look where it got them: the top of the world. At that moment there are no others better than them, but rest assured someone is training to take their place.

But it is not all about sports, think about every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, and Marine that is serving or ever served. The government does not just put uniforms on people and then sends them off to fight a war. The military invests the resources into changing a civilian into a professional fighting person by training them. Training is what will save lives and accomplish the mission.

Everyone that works has had to train to get the job they have. No one ever walked up and got a job without knowing how to do the job. If they did, they didn’t last very long as their inability to do the job effectively was quickly realized. Besides, knowing what to do is the reason we went to school.

Every successful company trains. They train using simulations, long range forecasting, and they run readiness drills to ensure that things will go as planned and if not then as closed to planned as possible.

So what is the common denominator? Training.

Someone once said “Sweat more today and bleed less tomorrow”

This applies in the work place, the classroom, just as much as it applies on the battlefield.

Train! Train! Train!

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