Deal With It

Recently I paid fitty(not a typo) bucks for the Kolbe A Index- an online 'effectiveness' test in hopes of seeing where my effective and ineffective areas lie. I answered about 40 test questions in less then 30 minutes. The premise was to answer them as if you had the free time and will to operate in your 'natural ways'.  

The 'Quick Start' mode (there are four modes we humans operate in) yields results about how one deals with risk and uncertainty.
At one end of the spectrum is the concept of stability- sticking with what works best.  At the other end is improvisation- experimenting to see what will happen.  Smack in the middle is modification- checking things out before trying new ideas.

My results show that I am in a period of transition (No shit as I just fired my company from employing me any longer to focus on this new business).

The results further showed that I am torn between this group of activities...
Racing the clock
Innovating changes
Promoting alternatives
Experimenting
Doing things last minute

...and this group of activities:
Avoiding chaos
Standardizing
Removing uncertainty
Assuring reliability
Reducing chances of mistakes

My results indicate I am operating in the middle of the Quick Start mode and that performing tasks from both activity groups is causing me stress.
Kolbe says I won't succeed by trying to do things both ways and that I need to find my natural ways to deal with risk and uncertainty.

Find and work according to your natural ways.

As I study the activity groups above it makes sense. What a push-pull mode I am operating from.

It also makes sense to me as I have been performing engineering tasks for so long and as I move towards entrepreneurial processes I find myself straddling the 'activity' fence.

This test rocks as I am purposely going to monitor and chose the first group so as operate from a more creative approach that suits me at this time and, that will reduce stress while I produce bigger and badder-ass results. Watch out biz world.

This is well worth the funds for getting these and many other useful results to perform more optimally and most importantly, according to your natural ways.  

Zero to Something in Nothing Flat

Related to a previous post (Be Average) about focusing on completion versus quality check out what me, my reacquainted friend Michelle, and her family created together.

On a recent visit, Michelle showed me a way-cool kitchen island she brought to life by refurbishing a bedroom chest and planting a beautiful chopping block on top.

She does this and other crafts, making good on the goods around the house. I'm like, girl, 'you aughta blog about this and share this craft online'.

She's like, 'yeah right...and besides, what do I name this blog site?'

Ha. That's all I needed to test out my timed-task-get-something-done-right-now method.

Often it's useful to focus on completion versus quality.

I set my iPhone timer to 15 minutes and challenged the five of us come up with a site name before the timer went off.

We flew through a number of names, all while checking the timer along the way.
MichelleDoesCrafts, MichellesReinventions, MichellesDesignAndCrafts, MichellesRepurpose and the winner, just before the timer sounded went to MichelleGivesACraft.  Suuuweeet, ha!

Our creative juices with a focus on achievement produced a great result in 15 minutes.

Try this approach for lots of your ideas to make shit happen now.

And read about Michelle's creativities at michellegivesacraft.blogspot.com.

Be Average

How many times have you had a great idea, started to implement it, then thought the quality was just not up to your standard and thus, did not complete the project?

I certainly have! Plenty.

So now, I am allowing myself to do much more by focusing on the 'completion' aspect versus the 'quality' aspect.

The excuse of quality gets in the way of actually doing.

Not anymore.

This blog, for instance... I am up and running versus down and idling.

Over time, doing many things 'average' results in getting real shit done.
A bunch of completed average accomplishments lead to remarkable achievements over time.

Have an average day!

How Long Since

Consider this: What is a proud achievement of yours at work?
Also ask, when did you accomplish that achievement?
If it was a while back ask yourself why so long since?

The 'Ceiling Of Complexity' concept keeps us in the same sticky, messy, complex stage versus moving to a new stage of growth and creativity and mostly of simplicity.

Our own experiences and skills keep us from breaking through to a new stage.
A method for busting through is to develop new and bigger goals. This forces us to develop new relationships, structures and habits to reach these new goals.

Simplicity results because it can become real clear how to achieve these new goals. 

Just like it was for those past goals.

If it feels stagnant, messy or sticky, chances are you are ripe to break through the current ceiling of complexity.

It felt sludgy and muddy at me for work as I was workin' it for us to be and act way bigger. For me to achieve bigger things in life it became real clear.
Fire my company from employing me and start my own biz.
Simple.

For more juicy info check out the book, How The Best Get Better.

Have a simple day.

Stop Doing That

The commonly known and observable 80\20 rule states:
To achieve 100% results cost 100% effort.
To achieve the first 80% results cost only 20% effort.
Or inversely, to achieve the last 20% results costs 80% effort.
Ouch. That's really expensive!

As one example, 80% of the users use only 20% of the features of any software system.

Ask yourself and your teams this question frequently as a check to ensure your are focusing on the most productive aspects of your projects.   

Have an effective day.

Quick Exercise: Find Your Unique Ability

We operate at our very best when we are using the skills we enjoy the most. 
In fact, it hardly feels like work when are working in 'the zone'. Like the Duracell Bunny, we can go and go and go, all while producing excellent results, be it at work or at play.  

Try this little ditty to find some of your Unique Abilities.
At work, ask five colleagues what is your unique ability?
This includes talents and abilities, characteristics that describe you, what you are good at, what you can be counted on, and any other distinguishing features you possess.

Focus on strengths, this is what gives you energy and where your provide max value.  Forget about weaknesses as in-significant growth results.

Think of the possibilities for you and your team when everyone is operating from a place of increased energy. 

Be bold, ask for help, create community and find what really lights you up.

Find out much more by studying the book, Unique Ability. Creating The Life You Want.

Have a unique day.         

When I Grow Up (Yeah, right.)

This is what I wanna do, be and GIVE when I grow up.

(Inspired, plagiarized & hatched'd by the book, Love Is The Killer App)

• Be a lovecat. Straight up, dog.
• Demonstrate crazy-good humanity and character in the workplace
• Be an info master with a gigantic set of useful, simple & ready to use tools
• Develop an outstanding personal brand, otherwise be commoditized. Be distinct or extinct. Got it?

Provide benefits:

• D.R.E.A.M.
• D-ifferentiate. Useful, memorable, personable.
• R-elevance. Be a 'daylover' and build relationships- giving away useful, value added info.
• E-steem. Others will hold me in high esteem for having no expectations for what I give.
• A-wareness. Others to be aware of my passions, tools, knowledge & kindness. Cool ha?
• M-ind's Eye. By preferring my brand others will keep me in mind.

• Create an EXPERIENCE. This is where the world is continuing. I will too.
• Access to people's attention. Versus just their time by adding real value, damn it.
• Positive presumption. People often fear risk in change. So to gain respect by providing remarkable results.
• Receive exceptional feedback. By not always working for cash people talk to me straight. Listen and use this gift.
• Personal satisfaction. Did you expect, say in high school, to be where you are now? Most might say no. But lovecats say, 'HELL YEAH!'.

Consider this for your clients!

Gonna be a lovecat. Gonna get, be and stay LIT!

Is there a fire under your butt?