I just updated, actually changing very little, the full description of “My Work” as I head into my 85th year…doing more by phone,email or virtual arrangements, with clients I know well/who know me well!
Less Travel. Often more effective,!!
The basis for the 7th phase of my life!!!
Very fulfilling…. to all.
Last week I was honored @ the 50th anniversary of the Society of Information Management [SIM], in Dallas Fort Worth, 4/11-13/18. Of the 11 SIM founders I was the “kid”, but the only one with $ and staff. All the others were authors, government officials, full professors, etc., except my boss, who was also a founder, and simply said “Get this done”. So I ran SIM for three years in my budget with two very competent young female analysts, and he approved every thing we decided to do. Twenty five years later a program I designed and implemented in my own business, I re-designed and started for SIM. It was their first program of leadership development, which they multiplied and still do today, now called Regional Leadership Forum [RLF]. There are c. 7 RLF’s in chapter areas, that produce the lion’s share of SIM revenue. Now very many of the Chapter and National leaders are graduates of that program. The 50 & 25 anniversary celebration in DFW, was generously and tastefully done, including two other long standing friends/collaborators, Bart Bolton and Darwin John, both of whom were basic in bringing The Society plus RLF, to it’s impactful position today!! Importantly ready for the challenges of the Future, SIM members face, in every profession!!
Real design, rare in most organizations, is well beyond just putting things together…which is hard enough sometimes. It requires more than a little of basic creativity…..starting almost from scratch…..or what seems like it. That is, a new market, or abrupt shift in organizational culture, a vastly different leadership style. Into such a context, the LLF process has been successfully, not easily, implanted often over the last 25+ years. Two beginning documents [recently updated] are linked here as a combined basis for starting such a design. I’ll follow these “poster” expressions with some audio ramblings….hopefully helping deepen effective understanding!
I read before leaving for a long time of R&R in Phoenix with Barbara, that relaxation was a learned skill. So why not get to be able to turn it on and off on demand? Tried. Got better I think. Maybe still behind others I deal with. Came back just a while ago and can’t believe how many things dimmed in that time frame, which were automatic in my usual daily process…combinations…passwords… what certain buttons in the car do…and a ton of network/systems stuff….. Brother! Well catching up, and now focused back on my website architectural plan [WMAP], which is crucial to this the 7th phase of my life!! And of interest to some of you. And will be reflected here much more visibily and continually.
This 6th video, long with the previous 5 videos shown under “teaching videos/photos”[ click above], of my office and what’s in it, manifests, I believe, how I’ve grown and changed, both professionally and personally over time. It’s the framework now, in this giving back phase, the 7th phase of my career, providing a flexible construct to share all my learning’s and experiences helping emerging leaders everywhere discover their own best way of developing others. Little by little I’m adding into the website, materials, documents, photos, quotes, ideas, drawings, etc….whatever might seem useful in that crucial process, from 1983 on. Almost 35 years of intense focus! I hope you can use it your own way, any way you like
Call to chat, or go deeper into any part, or more specifics, if you like
I usually read “Breaking Smart”, on a weekly basis……often provoked to differ, or think a-new. A recent point, his #60th [they’re often long blogs] = “Because, here’s the thing, when things are being turned upside down, and up and down are churning, the only sense of “depth “available to you…..is the one you generate internally”
Agree. Believe it. So appropriate today. I am “Selling” it all the time via the “Magic” in the Leadership Learning Forums I run for/with Clients. It’s fundamental to do today, with so much data available, tons of so called “fake news” [ depending often on whose it is…??]…and simply not enough real practice leading others, never mind leading oneself….., to break though the confusion that’s offered constantly, to many trying to lead……..If you can’t find your own solid base, testing it always, then you can’t, in my opinion, deal effectively with what seems like an every day agenda in many “disrupted organizations/even professions” today. The book “Stealing Fire” by Kotler & Wheal, deals with some attempts to generate, peak, @ least much higher, performance in groups, to deal with this constant challenge….. The Navy SEALS, Googleplex, The Burning Man Festival….Nike’s Innovation Team, etc., etc.
Get it, peruse it, ponder…how can you do it… to find your base, to support and propel you, to your best self……and then your team, and then your organization!?!?!……….or else do what???
Below, dated 4/25 in a comment about “Being a Fast Study”, a capacity of value for leaders…. that’s been a part of my Leadership Learning Forum Process] LLFP] for years, we actually highlight a skill required today , perhaps more than ever. The same heightened perspective, in the next “blog” [6/7], referencing the Economist’s issue of 5/6 , focusing on “Data”, builds toward the same importance of knowledge and comfort, that many of us don’t have today, about the pace/scope of more “advancing technologies (AT)” than are in my current, 7 months old, list [Poster 444] Post 444 Tech Trends. I’m in discussions, exploration sessions, with clients/network contacts now, about these 13 [acknowledging there are others AT’s to consider – but this list seem more than enough to start for most of us – especially for emerging leaders], and how the 13 combine today with some select leadership capacities[ listed as A- E] that are often not fully operative in some organizations today.
Surely requires more dialogue. The need for which is clearly manifested by the implications referenced in the last blog [6/16] about “Neural Implants!
Post 15 Fast Study 14, all 16’s, 17
The low poster #, [15], indicates this is a long time Leadership Learning Forum Process basic topic! However its importance has increased substantially. It was just nice to be quick to assimilate information. Now its essential. For everyone. AND to be able to sort out, what you feel is irrelevant, just as fast. This poster covers c.45-60 minutes discussion in a leadership workshop. It’s amazing how many leaders don’t do the fundamentals well!! The first five bullet points are crucial. And it takes practice!!Luckily there are lots of materials today, every day, to practice on.
It does take intense concentration!!
As I proceed into this 13th year from this office, with only mandatory travel, and extensive use of myriad electronic connections, I find long established relationships overcome distance and time easily. Actually they make the process more effective, efficient and fulfilling for all parties so engaged, and surely for me. I am completely into the 7th phase of my working career, collaborating, integrating, and anticipating with select very strong partnership arrangements. I’m focusing on helping others, in their fullest selves, develop on-going leadership capacities, in their own staffs. This is much more “future” oriented, on top of my huge experience base. There’s a huge calling for this interaction! We all should have started years ago!…..But “doing the work” seemed to get in the way for some of us. Now, leadership must be “Bolted to the Work!”, both getting done well, simultaneously. Well,…actually leadership needs to lead even in this coupling. You’ll find tons of insights, born of experience, on this website, the “Magic” so to speak, especially in the protected areas which require my approval for access.
Forecast of 2-5 inches actually kept on to c. 14 inches. And cold, i.e., c. 15 degrees. Really like my life in the Chicago area. Serious mobility challenge for 30 to 48 hours. Now OK, but very different. Getting lots of house /desk work done. Hopeful of a return to normal soon. And to work out the future of my evolving website, which is essential!!
STILL IN PROCESS- as of Wednesday 1/4/17
A LEARNING EXPERIENCE
I accidentally deleted [ while working on improving the protected areas on the site] this fundamental list (post-90a-learning-to-lean) – a basic to the LLF Process- and was distraught….but luckily was able to access an old version of the Posters I sent to a client, and retrieve it!
So then I studied it….kind of like “finding the lost sheep”, and was astounded @ how relevant/provocative, actually fresh, it was. Thought I knew it all already, of course…..a deep lesson again!!
None of us is ever finished learning. Click on it and ponder!?! then use the worksheet (post-90b-worksheet) to add some of your own tactics…likely a habit we should all focus on as we age!!!