Curious about Execution - What Does It Mean to You and Do You Practice It?

“A really great talent finds its happiness in execution.” - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“I like to tell people that all of our products and business will go through three phases. There's vision, patience, and execution.” - Steve Ballmer

One truism that I hear over and over again is that there are multitudes of well meaning, wannabe-achievers reading all of the motivational books, attending knowledge filled seminars and conferences and even paying huge amounts of money to hire their own coaches. And then, they do nothing with all of the tips, techniques, strategies and insider secrets they have been exposed to.

In other words, there is no action - no execution! So nothing new happens. And nothing new is accomplished.

We have all been there - at least I have, and I am known to be an “action-oriented” person. We get a terrific idea, learn a new and better way to do something. Suddenly, we are so busy with another project that we have to put the new idea on the back burner. The all important idea is forgotten for now - and usually, forever.

What are some of the great ideas that you haven’t acted upon yet? About once every year, I go through my files, notes and journal entries, and there are some of the same ideas and goals that keep re-appearing because, as good as they are, I just never get to them. Why is that? We all need to examine what it is that is keeping us from execution of our ideas.

This past year I have been introduced through the Internet to several incredibly successful and knowledgeable women entrepreneurs. One who is a role model of mine is Melanie Strick. I have heard her interviewed on several teleseminars - she is impressive. She talks about the “bright shiny object syndrome.” Those of us with this syndrome are being constantly attracted to every bright shiny object that comes our way - the new ideas, the new strategies, those moments that rob us of our current focus and energy. Then, before we execute an outcome, a new bright shiny object pops up.

Is this happening to you?

Melanie said something to remember about how to manage our time. “Whenever you are asked to do something and say, ‘yes,’ you are saying ‘no’ to something else.”

I feel that William A. Foster was right on when he wrote, “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”

Some other helpful and interesting quotations about execution are:

• “An idea can be as flawless as can be, but its execution will always be full of mistakes.” - Brent Scowcroft
• “For the execution of the voyage to the Indies, I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics or maps.” - Christopher Columbus
• “The essence of football was blocking, tackling, and execution based on timing, rhythm and deception.” - Knute Rockne
• “I know no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution.” - Ulysses S. Grant
• “If an ad campaign is built around a weak idea - or as is so often the case, no idea at all - I don't give a damn how good the execution is, it's going to fail.” - Morris Hite

My suggestion to you is what I am doing to help me execute at least a new idea or strategy every week. I am focusing on that idea, saying ‘no’ to the new bright shiny objects, and then rewarding myself every time I finish an execution.

Do let me know how you are coming along, and we will all be winners!

Curious about Patterns: How Do They Influence Our Thoughts, Businesses and Creativity?

“Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character.” - Stephen Covey

“Your brain has an in-built mechanism for finding patterns you've programmed because of where you've put your attention. Solutions, innovations, and success come not from greater intelligence or creativity but from what we notice because of where we point those attributes.” - David Allen

Some of my readers have asked me how I choose my different themes: for my articles, my blogs and my e-newsletters.

As you have probably guessed by now, I love words and am a voracious reader. I have to be careful not to stay subscribed to too many e-newsletters - even when they are excellent - or order too many books and magazines, or join too many discussion groups. Why? Because I will read them all and then have no or little time for my regular work. So, what does this have to do with my choice of themes?

Well, I still do read many of the words that are included in the e-newsletters I receive, the books and magazines that are positioned at reading stations around my apartment, and the threads written about in the discussion groups to which I clock in daily.

Usually, what I notice is that one or a couple of words start showing up across the board during the same time period - ah, synchronicity. Moreover, this word - “patterns” this past week - tends to be discussed and takes on new meanings and importance that I hadn’t noticed or thought about previously.

I finally decided on using “patterns” after reading Val Kilmer’s essay in ETR (Early to Rise) when he wrote, “One could argue - as I have in past ETR essays - that the human intellect is specifically designed to recognize and respond to patterns that are too subtle and complex to be understood logically. . . The interesting thing about a fractal universe is the possibility that all patterns are related. If this is so, you should be just as able to recognize the patterns of success by studying football or art history as by studying geopolitics or global economics.”

There are those who would argue, with good reason, that we all develop patterns for thinking, working, living, and creating. If we study nature, we find the repetition of similar patterns throughout. We develop patterns of speech, music, habits and reactions. I can’t imagine living without certain consistent patterns - can you?

And, yes, I found many wonderful and thought provoking quotations. Here are a few:

• “Our whole evolution up to this point shows that human groups spontaneously evolve patterns of behavior, as well as patterns of training people for that behavior, which tend on balance to lead people to create rather than destroy. Humans are, on net balance, builders rather than destroyers.” - Julian Simon
• “But it is strange how many rational beings believe the ultimate truths of the universe to be reducible to patterns on a blackboard.” - Frederick Pollock
• “The way is long if one follows precepts, but short... if one follows patterns.” - Lucius Annaeus Seneca
• “What we call chaos is just patterns we haven't recognized. What we call random is just patterns we can’t decipher. What we can't understand we call nonsense. What we can't read we call gibberish. There is no free will. There are no variables. There is only the inevitable.” - Chuck Palahniuk

I ask you. How do you feel about “patterns?” Have you developed your own that tend to control your thoughts, business and creativity? Or, do you feel that “patterns” are random and just depend upon the moment?

I would love to hear your thoughts on it. Don’t be hesitant or shy!

Curious about Personality - What’s Yours? Do You Use It to Advantage?

“You now have to decide what 'image' you want for your brand. Image means personality. Products, like people, have personalities, and they can make or break them in the market place.” - David Ogilvy

“Personality can open doors, but only character can keep them open.” - Elmer G. Letterman

In an excellent e-mail I received today, the question was posed, “What are you known for? What's your brand? What do you stand for? What hill are you the King or Queen of? What's your memorable "hook" or specialty or claim to fame?” - David Newman and Steven Rowell

In last week’s blog, I discussed brand and the part of my brand that, “What I am known for” is being an encourager. I feel it is one of my strengths in all of my contacts with family, friends, peers and clients. The other that I said I would share with you this week is “personality.”

Thinking about personality, however, and reading the two quotations at the beginning of this article, there is a lot more to one’s personality than surface appearance. I realize that having an outgoing, friendly and winning personality is a help in the majority of our interactions with others, but I think that Elmer Letterman really hits the essence when he talks about character.

Someone’s character is not always evidenced by their personality, or as the advertising guru, David Ogilvy, refers to as ‘image.’

And, yet, W. Somerset Maugham writes and warns, “When you choose your friends, don't be short-changed by choosing personality over character.”

As I read through an incredible number of quotations addressing personality, I reinforced my beliefs that personality does reflect what our inner beings are, how we feel about ourselves and most definitely how we feel about our lives and others.

Joan D. Vinge wrote, “We are all born with a unique genetic blueprint, which lays out the basic characteristics of our personality as well as our physical health and appearance. . . . And yet, we all know that life experiences do change us.”

Ah! A disclaimer! Just this past week, one of my favorite discussion lists held a lively conversation about Nature vs. Nurture. Personally, I don’t feel that one can separate the influences both have on us. One finds that there are great personalities that have come from both wonderful and terrible backgrounds. It is interesting to me to read about the number of wealthy and successful people who have faced bankruptcy, poverty, being fired from a job, and all sorts of failure in the past.

What did they learn from these life experiences and were their personalities changed? Heavy questions.

What is your personality? Have you taken the many behavior/personality tests that are in abundance on the Internet and are also used by Human Resources departments when hiring, firing and interviewing. I know many entrepreneurs who say that they could never work for anyone else. Is this because of their personalities or mindsets?

Confused about personality? Let me share a few of the many quotations I found that have succeeded in confusing me:

• “Different people bring out different aspects of ones personality.” - Trevor Dunn
• “What you have, what you are - your looks, your personality, your way of thinking - is unique. No one in the world is like you. So capitalize on it.” - Jack Lord
• “Positive feelings come from being honest about yourself and accepting your personality, and physical characteristics, warts and all; and, from belonging to a family that accepts you without question.” - Willard Scott
• “The ‘self-image’ is the key to human personality and human behavior. Change the self image and you change the personality and the behavior.” - Maxwell Maltz
• “We get criticized for showing no personality, then we get penalized when we do.” - Lindsay Davenport
• “A quiet personality sure isn't what you need to attract attention.” - Bill Budge

Enough already? I still want to leave you with two thought provoking quotations. The first is for those who never take action, whine, complain, and make excuses because of fear:

“If a man harbors any sort of fear, it percolates through all his thinking, damages his personality, makes him landlord to a ghost.” - Lloyd C. Douglas. Is this ghost haunting you?

And, the second brings us all the way back and around to our discussion about brands, branding and ‘image:’

“An image is not simply a trademark, a design, a slogan or an easily remembered picture. It is a studiously crafted personality profile of an individual, institution, corporation, product or service.” - Daniel J. Boorstin

Let me know what you think? I love hearing from you.

Curious about Encouragement: What Kind of Role Does It Play in Your Life and Career?

“Give encouragement (the incentive to action) you will have courage and be encouraged.” - W. Clement Stone

“There is no such thing as a 'self-made' man. We are made up of thousands of others. Everyone who has ever done a kind deed for us, or spoken one word of encouragement to us, has entered into the make-up of our character and of our thoughts, as well as our success.” - George Matthew Adams

Tuesday, March 7th will be exactly six weeks since I experienced surgery for my hip fracture. And, it will also be six weeks since I was allowed to drive. Even though I have been driven by a few gracious and generous friends to doctors’ appointments and to run errands, I have basically been holed up in my apartment for most of that time.

What does that have to do with “Encouragement?”

Well, it has given me more time than usual to think about my businesses and plan my next strategic steps to take us to the next level. I have also been catching up on important reading, listening to teleseminars and audio files, and just plain thinking.

For more than a year now, I have been grappling with creating a business and/or personal brand and homing in on exactly what is and how would I describe my USP (Unique Selling Proposition). So far - during this gift of less hectic time - I have realized the two dominant strengths that I bring to every part of my personal life and also use when working on every career project.

The first is that I am an encourager! (Note: Next week I will share the second strength with you.)

I encourage every person I come into contact with to pursue his or her dream(s), convincing them that they have what it takes to succeed:

• In my fitness classes, participants work hard and realize great physical changes.
• In my “Discover Your Core Passion” classes, I assure attendees that they already know what their core passion is - they just need to get over the fear, accept it and run with it.
• When writing my two e-newsletters, I encourage the readers to have a huge helping of hope for the future.
• At storytelling performances and events, I encourage the listeners to share and tell their own stories or find traditional stories that they will love telling to others.
• When designing and/or updating a website, I encourage my clients to get excited and passionate about the project and, in turn, work along with me.

You get the idea!

So, what role does encouragement play in your life and career? I hope a large one. Below are some more thoughts from the experts:

• “Most people are not really conceited, but feel a certain amount of inferiority and tend to get a little discouraged with themselves, therefore encouragement is a very important thing! I do it all the time! I praise everybody for everything they do that I see is good.” - David Brandt Berg
• “Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise or encouragement - and we will make the goal.” - Robert Collier
• “That gives me tremendous encouragement and optimism for the human race in general, that people choose to go off and do their own things.” - Bruce Dickinson
• “Nine tenths of education is encouragement.” - Anatole France

My assignment for you: start by encouraging yourself to take that risk, perform the action you have been avoiding and telling yourself that you “have what it takes.” Next, pick a friend or family member and encourage them to excel in an area that is meaningful to them. Convince them that they have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Then, let me know the outcomes!