Perhaps you started this conversation with me last week. We continue looking at the power of these two words: ”what” and “if”.

Remember, power provides us the ability, strength, and capacity to do something; to take action.

A question is simply a request for information, when properly framed it will help us stop and explore for truth. The power of a question comes from the truthfulness of the answer. 

Photo by Celesteh

Truth Brings Freedom

What do we need to move forward? Truth, facts, and reality.

Without truth we remain stuck in fear.

Questions help us stop and think.

When we give careful thought or reconsider previous actions, events, or decisions we find the path to freedom.  Feedback is that factual, truthful answer; when embraced, it can set us free to experience even greater success. 

Reflecting on “the story” using open-ended questions provides the ability, strength and capacity to

• Change unproductive behavior(s)
• Improve performance
• Make a difference in our world.  

That’s power!

Big Picture, Assessing Risk

Asking “What if?” can give us the power to take a risk and set us on the adventure of a lifetime. Consider Pablo Picasso’s perspective on risk-taking:

I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it. 

The use of “What if?” sets us free to explore potential which usually involves some level of risk.

This nation was built by men who took risks – pioneers who were not afraid of the wilderness, business men who were not afraid of failure, scientists who were not afraid of the truth, thinkers who were not afraid of progress, dreamers who were not afraid of action.                                                                         -Brooks Atkinson

Asking “What if?” may be the self-evident application of this powerful, little question.

Reversing Procrastination, taking Action

Procrastination, you’ve heard of it, right?

It’s that inclination to postpone doing something, taking action…habitually.  Remember, power provides us the ability, strength, and capacity to do something.

So with further thought, what happens if we use “What if?” in the everyday, ordinary stuff of life, not just the adventure?  

What might happen if we ask “What if I go ahead and get this done…now?”

Perhaps the simple question that begs for an answer will provide the “power” to “do something”?

Consider Cary’s comment from last week’s blog:

I’m glad I asked myself, “What if I take a moment I don’t think I have to read Steve’s words of wisdom.  And what if, I told him how meaningful they were to me this very day?”

Thank you, Steve for some much-needed inspiration!

My reply to Cary follows…

What a great illustration. You applied asking “What if?” to the everyday, ordinary decisions of people with people journey…beyond the so-called “game changer” situations.

Thank you!

Now in light of your response (taking action) may I give you the answer to your 2 questions?

– I am humbled that you read what I write and it gives support to your day, today
– I am encouraged and determined to keep listening, writing, and passing along what I receive

Yes, your response to the possibility and opportunity has affected my life; thank you!

What might happen when you ask: “What if…” when

• inclined to hit the snooze button
• click the postpone button on that task reminder, again
• that prompt comes suggesting you reach out to another person offering positive support

Do you desire power to invite your risk-taker to show up and take action?

Do you want power to tell that procrastinator to get lost and take action?

What if . . . ?

What if you forward this to a friend?

What if you post a comment and engage in the conversation?

I’d love to hear your voice. 

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Photo by takomabibelot

Recently, one of my clients requested coaching for her front-line employees.

Coaching is always exciting, I love it!  Most of my coaching is done with executives, managers, or business owners.  So this manager’s decision to provide coaching for her staff is a gift to them, the team, the business unit.

After exploring needs and calendars we scheduled their Employee Leadership Development session. I’m excited for them.

Later that evening while walking with my wife, Rita I shared the story. She celebrated with me.  Then, simply asked, “How does it compare to your 1on1 Executive Coaching and Next Level TEAM Coaching?”

Her open-ended question immediately caused me to stop and think.

That’s what a well-framed question does, invites us to stop and think. That’s good.

Her question sent me on a journey. Over the next couple of days my answer came. The answer brings greater clarity and focus to my practice as a certifed executive coach. 

Well-framed questions are powerful.

How do questions help?

The open-ended question is a request for information and designed to help us stop and explore for truth.

1.  Slow things Down

Questions  s l o w   t h i n g s   d o w n; do you ever need protection from knee-jerk re-actions. What might happen if you ask a question before giving away a piece of your mind?

Have you noticed how quickly you can answer a “yes/no” question? However, an open-ended question (those starting with who, what, how, when, where, or why) can interrupt and slow down an emotionally charged conversation.  That’s good.

2.  Demonstrate Respect

How do you react when being told what to do?  Come on, now, what is your typical response to being “told”?

How do you respond when “the boss” seeks your input?  Most of us feel respected when our input is sought through an open-ended quesiton.

 Yes, a well-framed, open-ended question is helpful and powerful.

3.  Create Space

Often if we are to discover truth we need space: time and place to think.  

Creating space is the disciplined use of time and place and resources for reflection on the truth found in the story.  Your story. The story…what factually happened? 

We must slow the pace to create the space required to experience personal development.  To listen to our story. 

There is a time conspiracy – a subversive plot to keep us so busy we don’t have time or a place for thinking, consideration, consistent reflection. 

Why the pursuit of truth in the story?

Truth liberates.

Truth sheds light and opens our minds to possibilities.

What happens if we run from the truth (reality/facts)?  Our growth and potential is hindered; in effect we run from future success.

What is the best predictor of future success is?

The Best Predictor of Future Success is the ability and willingness to learn and change achieved through consistent reflection on truth found in the story.          

– Steve Laswell

Questions help us give careful thought to reality…the facts, when examined, become feedback.  Truth allows us to choose; we can change unproductive behavior, enlarge our influence (leadership), and achieve success…yes, make a difference in the world.

Here are a few questions for fun, pick one and see what happens as you reflect on it…

• If purpose gives birth to the best within us, what are you birthing?
• If “raising the bar” is about the next level…where do you want to raise the bar?
• What is blocking your ability to show up well and expand your influence?
• What do you need to prioritize today in order to achieve your dream?

Questions (open-ended) can help us slow down an emotionally charge conversation, demonstrate respect, and create space to discover solutions.

Rita’s question created an additional coaching service.  That demonstrates the power of a question.

How effective are you in using questions?

How much space do you have in your daily life for reflection?

Would you please forward to ONE friend?

What do you think…comment below; I’d love to hear from you. 

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Wednesday I bumped my appointment for reflection to have an early morning meeting.

Photo by Omer Unlu

Thursday I bumped my appointment for reflection to apply a second coat of stain to a table we’re refinishing. Urgent, you know.

After that 90 minutes of my life (never to be recovered) was spent on e-mail; of course that allowed me to jump from one really important blog to another.  

Not only did I miss-direct the use of my time, I lost that personal growth opportunity that comes from consistent reflection on the story; the journey.

Transformation Takes Time

Today, you and I face forces that oppose the transformation of our lives and 3 words come to mind: pace, distractions, and information overload.  
Of course, there are others.

Pace – a client failed to show up for an appointment last week in large part because she has so much going on.  The pace of life has her running hard…I even text message confirmed the night before!

Distractions – that refinishing project snagged my attention from a daily appointment set aside to support my pursuit of continuous growth. 

Information Overload- e-mail keeps piling up and all those hyperlinks lead me like a bird following a trail of grain until the snare captures my time and some of my life.  Yes, productivity is affected.  Yes, I’m responsible. Yes, there is an appeal to my immediate interest…no, not what is  primary.

Transformation is about experiencing a change in ourselves, usually seen in behavior.  Personal growth and development takes time.  The pace of life, those distractions, and the information overload all seek to hinder the process of growth.

Growth is about becoming more mature.  For this to happen we must create space…time and place to tap into resources that support personal growth.

Creating space allows us to discover the truth found in our story. Truth brings freedom.

Information and Immediate Interest

The current level of information available is off the charts.  What does the access to information using the Internet look like?

In the month of June, according toThe Nielsen Company, the average U.S. Internet use, combined home and work includes:

• 56 Sessions/Visits per Person, per month
• 89 Domains Visited per person, per month
• 2,430 Web Page Views per person, per month
• 56 Seconds. . .the average time an American spends looking at a Web page

That last statistic is amazing…56 seconds!

How do you think this is impacting you and the ability to process information?  How is the Internet impacting your practice of reflective thinking and writing required to experience transformation?

Division of Attention

What is happening to our ability to focus? To concentrate?  Once again, how are pace, distractions, and information overload affecting your productivity, your creativity, your performance?

“To be everywhere is to be nowhere.” – Seneca

My concern: all this information is scanned and skimmed without a depth of reflection.  What happens when you jump from one post to another? Chase one article after another riding the “Hyperlink Xxpress”? 

Have you ever spent 30 minutes speed reading blogs and not have any idea or re-call about what you just read?

Information without processing is like a cloud without rain.

Nicholas Carr is the best-selling author of The Big Switch writes about technology’s effect on the mind in his new book, The Shallows – What the Internet is doing to our Brains.   His recent Saturday Essay, “Does the Internet make you Dumber?” appeared in the Wall Street Journal where he notes:

…a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that the Net, with its constant distractions and interruptions, is also turning us into scattered and superficial thinkers.

The picture emerging from the research is deeply troubling, at least to anyone who values the depth, rather than just the velocity, of human thought. People who read text studded with links, the studies show, comprehend less than those who read traditional linear text. People who watch busy multimedia presentations remember less than those who take in information in a more sedate and focused manner. People who are continually distracted by emails, alerts and other messages understand less than those who are able to concentrate. And people who juggle many tasks are less creative and less productive than those who do one thing at a time.

The common thread in these disabilities is the division of attention. 

What we seem to be sacrificing in all our surfing and searching is our capacity to engage in the quieter, attentive modes of thought that underpin contemplation, reflection and introspection. The Web never encourages us to slow down. It keeps us in a state of perpetual mental locomotion.

It is revealing, and distressing, to compare the cognitive effects of the Internet with those of an earlier information technology, the printed book. Whereas the Internet scatters our attention, the book focuses it. Unlike the screen, the page promotes contemplativeness.

Reading a long sequence of pages helps us develop a rare kind of mental discipline. The innate bias of the human brain, after all, is to be distracted. Our predisposition is to be aware of as much of what’s going on around us as possible. Our fast-paced, reflexive shifts in focus were once crucial to our survival. They reduced the odds that a predator would take us by surprise or that we’d overlook a nearby source of food.

To read a book is to practice an unnatural process of thought. It requires us to place ourselves at what T. S. Eliot, in his poem “Four Quartets,” called “the still point of the turning world.” We have to forge or strengthen the neural links needed to counter our instinctive distractedness, thereby gaining greater control over our attention and our mind.

It is this control, this mental discipline that we are at risk of losing as we spend ever more time scanning and skimming online. If the slow progression of words across printed pages damped our craving to be inundated by mental stimulation, the Internet indulges it. It returns us to our native state of distractedness, while presenting us with far more distractions than our ancestors ever had to contend with.  (Emphasis added)

As an executive coach I am privileged to support my client’s efforts to create space for reflective thinking and writing.  The result?  Transformation…changed behavior, improved performance, increased results. 

What’s that worth?

If you’ve read my stuff before, you know what I say: 

The best predictor of sustainable success is your ability and willingness to learn and change achieved through consistent reflection on truth found in the story. 

This disciplined approach to life pays big in transformation and improved performance.

What else would hinder transformation of our lives?

Based on the reality of “The Battle for Personal Development” what steps are you taking to create space for reflective thinking?

How are you managing the pace, distraction, and overload potential of our day and technology?

Please comment below; I’d love to hear from you. 

Who might you share today’s post with?

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Photo by Arenamontanus

This executive coaching client is a rising star in his company. 

Working in a Fortune 100 company with 300,000 employees, Jonathan (not his real name) has consistently received high performance marks and has for 12 years.  He is acknowledged for adding value to the company and consistently promoted from entry level to a senior manager role. 

With each promotion he received the standard 5% pay increase.

Recently, his boss was hired away.  Jonathan is on the short list for another promotion. Let’s celebrate, right? 

Not so quick, sorry.

Jonathan has been a loyal, contributor for 12 years and received six, 5% promotion-based pay increases.  He recently learned his boss who left for another operation had been recruited at same pay grade but with a $40,000 per year salary difference.  How would that impact your employee loyalty and engagement?

Based on his 12 year story and factual data points, he made a compelling appeal to his boss; she totally agreed with his assessment.  He is not  appropriately compensated.  

“Unfortunately,” she said, “you were hired in at entry level and have worked your way up through the company.  (Just like we set it up…) Now, for you to be paid fair market value for your position you will most likely need to look outside the company.”

Can you imagine?

For 12 years you gave of your heart and soul to “the company”…sacrificing to meet expectations…developing yourself professionally…recognized as a high performer…fast track promotions…and now, you discovern your comp plan places you in the bottom of the market?

Now, only Jonathan’s character keeps him contributing.  Now, as reality sets in he starts searching for appreciation and respect. 

What will this decision cost the company?

A mere $250,000 to $300,000 in “hidden” turnover expense!

How can this happen?

Business eats people.

By business I mean a company or organization that buys and sells goods, make products, or provides services; “business eats people” to accomplish this activity whether for profit or not-for-profit.  This is not about it being “right or wrong”. It just is. Business consumes taking the time and energy, creativity and ideas, talent and skills, relationship connections to create.

Labor Day, Let’s All Celebrate!

Here in the USA we just “celebrated” Labor Day.  Other than marking the end of summer, what do you know about this Federal holiday?  Yes, we all know it is observed on the first Monday every September, but what about the origin?  According to the U. S. Department of Labor

Labor Day…is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. (Emphasis added)

Note that this is NOT a politically-oriented post, it is people-oriented. We continue with Wikipedia adding to the story…

The first Labor Day in the United States was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. It became a federal holiday in 1894, when, following the deaths of a number of workers at the hands of the U.S. Military and U. S. Marshals during the Pullman Strike, President Grover Cleveland put reconciliation with the labor movement as a top political priority. Fearing further conflict, legislation making Labor Day a national holiday was rushed through Congress unanimously and signed into law a mere six days after the end of the strike.

The form for the celebration of Labor Day was outlined in the first proposal of the holiday: a street parade to exhibit to the public “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations,” followed by a festival for the workers and their families.

This became the pattern for Labor Day celebrations. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced later, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civil significance of the holiday. Still later, by a resolution of the American Federation of Labor convention of 1909, the Sunday proceeding Labor Day was adopted as Labor Sunday and dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement. (Emphasis added)

The original focus of the “labor movement” was about the people…the story continues:

The term labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labor relations.

Although the birth of Labor Day has an unfortunate history, this Nationwide Holiday is designed to celebrate the American Worker. Consider the intended focus…

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership — the American worker.  

That “the nation pays tribute to The Creator of so much opportunity, freedom and leadership” is reserved for another National Holiday: Thanksgiving Day.  

But you ask, what about  this “Business Eats People”?    

There is some good news here. 

Hope comes in a couple of ways to my way of thinking as I look at this story:

1. People: The business of business is people.  More than a slogan, without you, the “American worker”…without Jonathan a great customer experience is not possible. Nothing ships. Nothing is invented. The level of performance for any business or organization misses the mark of full potential without people who make want to make a difference in the world. 
2. Leadership: The role of a leader is to influence how business is done while in pursuit of profit.  Please notice “profit” it is not a four-letter word; without earnings there is no expansion or growth.  In a competitive and ever changing environment no growth leads to death; right?
3. Responsibility: Your role is to pay attention living around the “beast”. No responsible parent will knowingly place their child in danger? Considering a fun trip to the zoo?  Signs are posted, glass walls, fences, and ravines are present to keep everyone safe.   

Here are a few thoughts and questions to start help you reflect on your work-life balance and personal responsibility in your relationship with business and organizations?  Notice the sign at the front door…

Warning: This Business eats People, you are Responsible to:

Clarify Values: what matters to you?  What do you value? How well are your daily decisions guided by your values? Where do you have conflict between your values?

Establish Priorities: what is really important? 

Set Boundaries: do you know your limits? There comes a point when something crosses a line and becomes something else; when being “available” becomes (fill in the blank…) “being driven…a control freak…a perfectionist.”

What else would you include on the sign?

Based on this reality that “Business Eats People” what additional responsibilities do you think of?

How are you managing the demands of business (work) on your life?

Please comment below; I’d love to hear from you.  Who might you share today’s post with?

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How are you accelerating your personal success?  

The Next Level Journey is about finding a path to maintain your personal success.  This article completes a 3-part series answering this important question: how do you accelerate success when the pace of life does not support the personal development?  

There’s no question about it, most of us are living a frantic lifestyle.

There is price to be paid for this pace.  It shows up in the decline of health, lack of direction, out-of-balance work-life, excessive stress, and relationship strain. 

Principle #1:

The way to accelerate personal growth is to slow life down.

Once you make begin to “slow life down”, you must choose to support your personal growth; this leads to principle two.

Principle #2:

Life requires consistent reflection to be productive

The pace of life stands in direct opposition to your practice of this success supporting discipline of consistent reflection. 

Let me repeat and encourage you to consider this statement:

“The Best Predictor of Continued Success is the ability and willingness to learn and change achieved through consistent reflection on your Story.”

                                                       -Steve Laswell

As you slow the pace down and engage your head and heart in consistent reflection on your story  (i.e. – feedback, experience, success, and failure) you position yourself for continued success.  

Now, Principle #3:

Creating space supports success in all of life.

Space includes both a period of time and a place to fit something in.  To create is to bring something into existence.  To create space means you make room in your schedule for an appointment with yourself with the goal to listen to your story, the events of your day, week, month, year…life.

What’s that you say?  You don’t have time.

Benno Schmidt, Jr. took over as president of Yale in 1986. I like what he said about creating space and leadership…

“If I can’t put my feet on the desk and look out the window and think without an agenda, I might be managing Yale, but I will not be leading it.”

Yale University Campus

Let’s just say, you are the president of Your Life.  Without time and place to give careful thought to the Story you may be “managing life”, but are you “leading it”? 

If you are not leading your life who or what is?

Creating space supports leadership development.  Truth, the facts or reality come to liberate us from limiting behaviors. Then, with improved performance comes better results . . . success happens. 

What goes into “creating space”?

1. Time
2. Place
3. Resources

What do I mean by “resources”?  It can be any of the following or a combination thereof:

• Asking yourself open-ended questions
• Reading daily in a helpful book
• Talking with an objective friend
• Using a certified coach
• Writing in your journal
• Practicing a deep breathing
• Sending a smile to your face
• Laughing out loud…fake it till you make it
• Silence – quiet the voices, turn off the gadgets
• Listen
• Your story…that meeting, conversation, decision, experience, feedback, success, and failure

Creating space – time & place for reflective thinking and writing allows you to reconsider previous actions, events, decisions, feedback, experience, success, or failure…the Story.

What is your reward for consistent reflection on the Story?

Freedom. Growth. Success in life. 

How much time do you have or want in your daily or weekly schedule for consistent reflection?

What’s doable?  It can be 5 or 10 minutes, it will make a difference.

What you think? Do you like this post?

Please leave your comment about this post on the comment section below.  Would you forward to a friend or tweet it?

Thanks for reading The People Project blog.

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