What we see is not always what something is. If that’s true,how would we even know that?

Perception, which guides how we as humans behave in the world, is shaken by neuroscientist-artist Beau Lotto in his TED talk which explores what is so-called ‘real’ vs. ‘illusion’ . Ultimately, what is going on is a combination of the bio-science of vision and contextual framing.

Once we understand how we might each see what appears to be one thing can actually be many other things depending on our perceptual or visual framework or context, we are one step closer to being more empathetic, compassionate and sensitized to cultural differences as a species. We might literally act differently once we ‘get it’ that our certainty of view stands on shakey ground…the same shakey ground as the next guy with his or her certain views.

Bring it on! Enjoy this profound talk, and leave a few minutes afterward to let your cage be rattled. It’s worth the 16 minutes.

http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/653

Productive ecstasy? Whatever can I be talking about?

I facilitated a workshop over the summer where I delved into ‘creative ecstasy’, the equivalent of getting into the thrill of the creative ‘flow zone’ . This is the state of mind and engagement where you are so fully involved at a level of skill and challenge that you lose track of time and your efforts sail along with zing, flair and panache. In such a state, individual productivity tends to skyrocket, as we are not distracted, focus is clear and sharp and all components required for forward motion and success are in alignment. In an ecstatic collaboration the productivity can even  be multiplied since the sum is greater than the parts.

Below is a link to a YouTube video of Howard, a 4 year old kid, playing drums. Have no fear, he actually plays very well.  What’s cool is to watch as he winds himself over the 3 minutes into a state of creative ecstasy. When he flashes into this zone of congruence, his sheer joy and exhileration is contagious. And those moments are  just what we all seek in our work and hobbies both to feel more productive and as a reminder of how great it is to really feel alive while doing what we do.

Here’s Howard- The Little Drummer Boy- 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJG9Tol1a0U&feature=player_embedded

So how about dynamic change from the business perspective? From my experience, moving onto business continuity is a two-fold process. One part is identifying a core set of values that coalesce into our business or company identity. Simultaneously, a company also has to meet and match the needs and desires of their targeted customers.

  Ironically, if you take a company like Nokia as an example, you might not recognize the company from their chain of products over the past few decades, which began with paper products, rubber tires and cables and evolved over the years into success in mobile or cellular telephony. How can you even say it’s the same company? What was the thread that lead from one product or market to another? Oil-based products that met consumer-based needs or wants in a way that radically improved their experience. They consistently scoped the market for needed products or services and rode the crest of the wave toward market dominance. So while the core products changed over 150 plus years, the underlying ethos and access to available resources &market-based opportunities remained the same with Nokia.

The whole process is dynamic, and requires regular updating on the part of the organization. That way, the growth and evolution of a company stays in synch with the market as well as with staff development and technological advances. When this is the case, productivity goes up plus staff and client loyalty soar as they feel listened to, supported and valued.

Starting with yourself as a core and connecting element in your business, realize you have the defining role in whether your work experience is enjoyable, meaningful, productive and a match for you. By changing something within yourself that sends out a different vibe, whether it’s pleasure in dealing with your customers or colleagues, or satisfaction in the substance of the workaday tasks, you can set the tone by tuning into your own attitude and noticing how you are spending your time and energy.

Sometimes a mis-match can be as simple as recognizing you have fallen prey to busy-work rather than more meaningful activities. Or perhaps you have allowed negative views of co-workers or others to poison your own joy in doing a worthy job. I have recently been in a situation in trying to learn new skills that are not easy or natural for me of feeling daunted and dragged down by an on-going sense of intimidation. I recently decided to change my experience by clarifying what I want from that set of skills in order to reclaim control of the results I need to move forward. In other words, those skills are needed to serve MY needs, rather than me serving the infinite ends of a complex and ever-changing field. This is allowing me to magnetize to me the mentors I need for my specific purposes and refine my focus so I don’t waste time on elements which may be interesting but irrelevant to my current needs.

As Gandhi said while in the process of peacefully over-throwing a colonial power at a national level, “Be the change you wish to see”. So you can start making changes in the world around you by making changes in yourself- your attitude, work ethic, focus, tasks, goals, relationships, results orientation and daily experience. Magnetize the experience you want by being clear about your personal and professional values and goals, and your productivity will soar. Renewal and revitalization starts with you, and that’s good news!

It’s a case of  ‘out with the old, in with the new’. It’s all about resilience!

Every seven years or so, human bodies replace every cell in every organ, each at a different rate depending on size and density, apparently. I say ‘apparently’, because even though scientific research tells us this is happening, to look at ourselves and others, we’d hardly know it. The only evidence we have of old cells shedding are the few flakes of skin left on our sheets or as bathtub ring every morning.

 So we are effectively a new being even though we appear to stay the same person. How does that happen? What is holding our identity together during the ongoing process of change? In humans there is cellular coding that reproduces cells with the holographic imprint of, in my case, Donna-ness.

Reinventing our business can follow the same process of continuously updating and renewing our marketing, product and services, systems and equipment while still maintaining our organizational identity.

 How do we do that? What might that look like for you?

 Please leave your comments and recommendations below. I’ll pick up from here next time.

We rarely think of a function of creativity as simplification, but it’s a useful trait. How do we do it? Seek streamlining of processes, procedures, ways of doing things…Here’s one simple technique from Dr. Edward DeBono, inventor of Lateral Thinking.

Look around and choose 3 items you can see- chandelier, calculator, fan. Now pick any 3 other words randomly (Notebook, CD, external harddrive…) and see if you can use one of the words in the second set of 3 to simplify one of the first words.

So, recognizing that some ideas come to us fully formed (rarely) and that some need further development, here are some possible ideas- 

•  the spiral binding on the notebook makes me think of a fan moving around the ceiling to cover a wider area
• external harddrive makes me think that a calculator could store certain regular expenditures so we don’t have to start from the beginning each time
• CD is writable on one side (not on the other) so maybe a chandelier crystals can reflect iridescence in one light and have a strobe or dimmer effect from another perspective

You just look for connection between any of the elements and remembering the focus is to simplify, then anything is fair game, whether far-fetched or not.

Your turn- practice with the items above or substitute one set and try to find simplifications, or just start with another set of lists, keeping them random. Have fun and be aware it’s also serious fun with real potential outcomes of value!

Table Talk for Impact

Imagine knowing the “real” reason why people buy and knowing how to push these hot buttons

so you could close a lot more sales or at least get people to respond as you wish them to (for all

 the right reasons, of course). 

You can… it’s all here, as explained in the following video telling you about Armand Morin’s Speaker Training July 20, 21 & 22 that is sales and impact oriented. It’s coming up (in Las Vegas) very soon, and allows you to bring a guest- essentially 2 for the price of one. If you are one of the earlier registrants, he will also cover your hotel bill. And Armand,who makes over $20/year on Internet Marketing and between $4million and $12 million /year speaking, knows a thing or two about it.

As a ‘teacher-type’ who in the past hasn’t had a strong focus on speaking for profits, I will also be there honing my techniques both for profits and overall impact of my speaking efforts. I’d love to meet up and get to know what message you want to get out!

http://budurl.com/AMspeakerPX  (this is my affiliate link, and I stand to make a commision should you purchase by clicking here. It will NOT cost you any more, and I will be grateful!) 

One student used these subtle (but VERY powerful) selling “secrets” to generate over $100,000 on one 90 minute webinar. 

…AND… 

These “secrets” generated over $12 million dollars in the last two years for Armand - all from 90

minute seminar presentations. 

If you sell anything (either in person or on a teleseminar or webinar), then you owe it to

yourself to watch this video. And leave any questions or comments in the comment box here on my blog.  Thanks! 

http://budurl.com/AMspeakerPX

We just had Independence Day. It always makes me think about the nature of Freedom, which I count as one of my key values, and how much I manifest freedom in my own life. The daily reality, however, is that I have a propensity towards being TOO busy, which means I lack a certain amount of time freedom.

So I came across some questions from Gary Null in Living in the Moment, which stopped me in my tracks. These questions were really useful for me as a reminder I can make different choices…and hopefully for you too:

Why am I doing this?  Why am I saying that? Why am I spilling my guts when it will change nothing? Or, now my questions, How can I take different actions so things WILL change?  Will taking these actions lead me where I am trying to go? Is this is the best use of my time?

Whatever questions you ask of yourself, the key point is that at any moment you can make different choices and course correct. Or just stop, breathe, and consciously decide what to do next. That way you are more in control of your efforts and energy, and are well on the way to regaining both your freedom and your mental resilience!

Over the past month, we had a chance to overview the 10 InSight Frames thinking tools which will allow you to develop your thinking to be  faster, better & easier. While there is a brief learning period to get familiar with each of the 10 tools, they are simple and easy to use and gain results from.

I agree, it takes some focus and deliberate effort to use the tool approach to thinking, but from my own experience, one you know how to think using tools like these, you can cut through mounds of information and make use of what you need from it much more readily.

Remember too, that the tools are best applied when you have a clear thinking focus issue (single and simple or complex). Very often, the act of defining or refining your thinking focus is half the battle in moving your thinking and action plans forward.

One more time, as a review.

1)  Spotlight Frame- focus which can be broad or narrow (relative terms)

2) Periscope Frame- heads up and looking all around to identify relevant factors

3) Bifocal Binoculars Frame- tuning into short and long-term consequences, so that you may design out or avoid trouble spots and design in desirable outcomes or actions steps

4) Designer Glasses Frame- generating/ trying  multiple alternatives on for size to optimize a higher quality of option to work with

5) Sunglasses Frame- filter out options to be able to make decisons and take action. Sometimes criteria is set, sometimes you choose what naturally comes first or is a pripority (recognizing that different people can have different prioirities even on the same project.)

6) Telescope Frame- honing in on the purpose and goals for your thinking focus, realtive to the purpose

7) Microscope Frame- seeking to recognize and decipher patterns that gives early clues as to how to act

 Kaleidoscope Frame- identifying others whose views inpact on the thinking focus issue involved  and noting their views objectively

9)Prism Frame-  takes thinking inputs and splits out core values and vital determining factors, both positive and negative. In relation to the thinking focus issue and purpose, what are the must-have elements, and must not have elements.

10) Goggles Frame- role play taking a rigorous and objective 360 degree view via positive aspects of your thinking focus, Negative aspects and Interesting aspects.

Remember, you must bring both quality and rigor to your thinking process. The InSight Frames are just tools to help you get more mileage out of both information you encounter and of your thinking process itself. The ROI far exceeds the time you will invest to gain a comfort level with the tools.

Have fun with this, and be bold!

Love in a Cup

How cool is this- drinking tea and ‘feelin’ the love’! How did this happen- liquid holds no shape… but guess what, not only the saucer is heart-shaped, but so is the cup. So the heart shape of the cup holds the tea as heart-shaped.

 In the same way, information makes its way into our brains through the portals of our senses, and is then shaped both by our vantage point, or perspective, and by our perception. The same information coming into two people’s brains will have filtered through several layers of processing before a thought or feeling even hits their mind. And it will appear different to both based on their filtering. In turn, once the information inputs hit the brain and cause either a thought first then a feeling, or a feeling leading to a thought, each person will interpret the information their own way. It will appear ‘true ‘ to them, based on their own filtering. And then, they will act on that information, maybe with the same actions, maybe different. An outsider mlight see two people behaving the same and wrongly assume they have the same motivtion or intention. We just can’t tell what someone is thinking, we can only see the outward behaviors.  The above process explains the InSight Framework, moving you from an outside encounter – an event or information, to your perspective and perception of that event or information. You have feelings or thoughts which you interpret in order to make sense of them for yourself. Then you may take action based on your interpretations.

How we perceive something influences how we behave (and learn) in relation to that.  And the quickest, cheapest route to behavior modification (and real learning) is to help people expand or change their perception. And the quickest way to do that is through thinking tools; just like the InSight Frames you’ve been learning and practicing.

Suppose your girlfriend keeps arriving late to work. As a colleague, your perspective of her actions is quite different than if you were her co-worker or boss. Your perception, because you know her habits, may be that she’s spending too much time at the coffee shop before arriving. So it worries you (feelings) and makes you think to tell her she needs to change her routine at risk of losing her job.

If you are her boss, your perspective may be that she is abusing her role and your apparent easy-going manner, so you think she’s manipulating you (thoughts) and that makes you angry (feelings). So you end up reprimanding her and demanding she change her habit of tardiness, or else.

See how a shift of perspective and perception can change the whole flow of thoughts leading to your actions?

Where the InSight Frames tools comes in is in exploring deeper or wider aspects of the thinking focus, relative to the purpose for which you are thinking about it. You knowingly take a variety of perspectives or perceptions at an early phase of the thinking process to optimize your chances of responding most effectively (or learning, if the information is meant for that purpose).

I will recap the 10 InSight Frames for you next. Try practicing them one at a time until you are comfortable then mix and match them in an exercise of Design Thinking.