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Happy New Year to You and Yours!

Once again, 2010 was a wonderful year for our family.  I don’t know why.  Perhaps one reason is because “Hope” is my favorite advent candle.  As we emerge from the longest night, the winter solstice, and the holidays, it seems timely to think about how we choose to say, or do, or react to stimulus.

Consider these facts:

–          There is currently more global peace, per capita, than at any time in the recorded history of mankind.

–          More people have more physical needs, for food and shelter and clean water, than at any time in recorded history.  Preventable illnesses like polio are nearly eradicated.

–          More information is available to more people than at any time.  Over 3 billion of our 6.5 billion people have access to the internet.  Literacy rates per capita have never been higher.

–          The ancient need for free expression of ideas has enabled more oppressed people than ever to voice their needs using technology.  That trend has led to changes in microeconomics, democracy, social and racial equality, global distribution of products and services, social marketing, interpersonal connections… and will lead to more changes.

–          We know the ingredients for a successful life include a healthy diet, regular exercise, connection with others, purposeful work, autonomy, free choice.

So, how do I/you choose to be a hopeful American?  Here are some of my recent favorites:

–          www.TED.com for almost any uplifting subject and global commentary

–          www.NetFlix.com for PBS documentaries such as Dr. Andrew Weil’s “Healthy Aging”

–          www.SuccessFinder.com for a focus on your top strengths and how to implement them at work and in life

–          Any financial literacy website, or authors such as Dave Ramsey or Suze Orman

–          Drive, by Daniel Pink, explores how business is catching up with science to drive self-directed thinking and motivation and suggest future work patterns

–          The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho, reminds me how our Personal Legend can lead to vast wealth

–          Mojo, by Marshall Goldsmith, provides a framework for changes in inertia

Perhaps, if there is a common thread among these favorites, it may be that I choose to be Hopeful.  And keep my head down, while persisting on a long, slow run

What is my wish for you?  That 2011 may be all that you desire!

In peace,
Doug Gray, PCC

How to Make Anabolic Choices

We all make choices, some 30,000 choices every waking hour.

How are you choosing to respond?

Consider the realities:  our world is a hostile place with unemployment, terrorists, the Iraq war, Afghanistan war, Iran/Israel conflict, earthquakes, volcanoes, oil spills, stock market crashes, lack of personal savings as 401Ks become 201Ks, obesity, heart disease, cancer, expensive health insurance, home mortgages turned upside down, the rising U.S. national debt… add your examples.  We are living in turbulent times.

So what do you do?

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How do I make money and do what I want to do?

Have you ever asked yourself this question?

Then come to Tuesday’s Career Lunch & Learn featuring Doug Gray, author of Passionate Action: How You Can Turn Life’s Challenges Into Life’s Adventures and owner of Action Learning Associates, Inc., an executive coaching business.

That was the advertisement last week.  My daughter asked me to speak, so of course I said “Yes!”

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Coaching Newly Re-assigned Managers

Have you heard these comments?

  • “I have always wanted a chance to do this job!”
  • “If I do not get a promotion soon, with more challenges, then I will have to look elsewhere.”
  • “Frankly, I am not sure that I am ready for the demands of this job.”
  • Thanks for the promotion offer, however…”

I have heard these comments, almost every week, from managers and leaders who want to do a good job but are not sure HOW to do great work.

You may have heard that one measure of corporate success is agility.  HR professionals cite studies that describe “learning agility” as a key determinant of corporate success.  In fact, just yesterday a coaching client stated, “My core competency is my flexibility and willingness to take on any challenge.” He is representative of any high potential manager.  He was recently re-assigned to manage a new group.

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The Real Story of Business Value

The 2 KEY Drivers for success for any Small Business Owner (SBO) are:

  1. a. What do I love to do?
  2. b. What will someone pay me to do?

Imagine a see saw.  If I love to do it but no one will pay me, then I have a hobby.  If I love to do it and someone pays me less than I need, then my business is dying.  If I love to do it and someone pays me well, then I have a thriving business.  Where are you on this see saw?

Today I am thinking about how limiting that perspective is.

Not everything that we do has a direct business value.  Here are some examples:

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