Strategy

Build Your Success With an Attitude of Gratitude and Acknowledgement

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What would happen if you paused to take a look at some things that you and your team are doing well? Most of us are in the habit of focusing on weaknesses rather than strengths. It’s easier to beat ourselves up for all the things still on our to-do lists than it is to celebrate the things we have completed. It is human nature to dwell on the project that did not go well or to keep replaying in our minds a flub we made somewhere, even if it was small and insignificant. Sometimes this is helpful. Because studying our … Read more

How to Make a Great Plan for the New Year in 3 Easy Steps

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plan

What if you could make a great plan for the new year quickly and easily? Would that get you excited about new possibilities? About maybe reaching some new goals? Would that perhaps lead to some good energy and excitement, which could maybe help propel you forward toward those goals? One thing we know for certain is that how we think about the future plays a big role in shaping the future. When the mood of investors is optimistic, stock prices go up. When the mood of investors is pessimistic, stock prices go down. The same is true for you. If … Read more

Making a Plan for Success in Your Life

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Living Forward

When you think about the future, what do you see for yourself? If you’re like me, there are probably lots of things that you want to do. Things you want to accomplish. Ways you want to make an impact. These things might relate to your work. Maybe some are more personal, like climbing a mountain or going on a family adventure or helping a friend (or stranger) in some important way. You probably want to do lots of these sorts of things. But you might not find it easy to get to everything. The urgent matters of the day likely … Read more

Grow Your Skills by Giving Them Away

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I’m always amazed at the different ways that skills-based volunteering can bring valuable resources to great causes. This week I learned about Angel Flights Northeast. A friend and I participated in the “Ride for Angels” last Sunday, a charity bike ride to raise funds for the organization. We were happy to do something that we enjoy (cycling) and to give money to a great cause. But what’s really cool about this charity is how it works. Pilots volunteer their time and talent to fly patients from far or rural areas to the medical resources they need. The organization coordinates this … Read more

A Simple Trick to Finding Creative Solutions

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creative solutions

What if you could come up with a clever solution? Something innovative. Maybe something ground-breaking. But definitely something at least a little novel. Wouldn’t that be a more satisfying way to deal with some issues? Wouldn’t you maybe get to a better result? Well, you can get to the non-obvious answers easier than you might think. Let’s look at one simple technique that might help. Nearly every problem or situation can be addressed with a canned response. There are often common lenses through which we view situations. Which is a handy shortcut for quick action. But not necessarily for the best … Read more

When Work Sucks, Get a Second Job

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Work a second job to open up new possibilities

No place is perfect. Bad bosses, disgruntled co-workers, and lack of opportunities infiltrate many workplaces. Most of that is not your fault. But how you deal with the situation is absolutely your responsibility. You might want to quit. Or maybe you just want to complain. Many people like to complain. Perhaps you are just waiting for things to change. You might spend a lot of energy wishing and hoping for something to give… What is it, exactly, that you are waiting for? If you I gave you a magic wand, right now, what would you do with it? If you … Read more

When a granular plan is better than a grand plan

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Grand plans are a lot of fun. They are exciting to talk about, they are the stuff dreams are made of. We need big ideas, lofty goals. We need a vision. But we also need to get things done. We need to take action. For that, we need to get into the nitty gritty details. Jumping from big vision to action plans can be a challenge. Often, it’s too big of a leap. First, we need to break down our goals and aim at very specific outcomes. We need to get granular. We need to get very specific. Developing a … Read more

Strategy starts with a goal

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If you don’t know where you’re going, it’s hard to plan the best route. A goal is a prerequisite to strategy. Too often we delve into solutions at the outset of technology project discussions or any sort of planning exercise. We rush into this because the goal seems clear and obvious. But when you take some time to define and discuss the goal, lots of questions arise. When initially stated, most goals are vague. It’s great to have a good high-level vision of the future and a general ambition toward something lofty. But good goals are specific and concrete. They … Read more