December 2009

Strengths, Dreams and Expectations: What does this have to do with the Holidays?
What if we created real workplaces that worked for everyone, that cared about everyone, that stopped comparing everyone and was built on the enhancement of strengths rather than correcting weaknesses? 

What if you could write your own story and make it your reality? 

What if we could change the outcome of a situation just by changing our expectations? 

These three questions were posed and answered during a conference I attended last week by three different keynotes,

Peter Block, an author and empowerment/stewardship consultant,

Getrude Matshe, a woman born into poverty in Zimbabwe and the founder of the Africa Alive Education Foundation (for HIV orphans),  and

Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, a professor who teaches Happiness 101 at Harvard.  Can you believe it?  Yes, Happiness 101 really exists. 

And what does this have to do with the holidays? I recognized these teachings and people as special and unique gifts and I’d like to share them the best I can with you today. I hope you find at least one of them intriguing and uplifting.

Gift #1. Peter Block — author
Peter Block challenges current corporate leadership systems and explains how these systems are detrimental to the building of community. The current thought in corporations that the leadership at the top is the cause and that the workers at the bottom are the effect is extremely outdated and ineffective. People make change happen, not leader directives.

I think my favorite quote from Peter was “You don’t give an Annual Performance Review to the people you care about.” Think about that. When was the last time you gave an APR to your wife, husband, partner, child, or parent? I hope never. Yet this is what we do in our corporate culture on a regular basis under the guise that our people are our most important and treasured asset.

Overall, he says that we need to make real changes by being gift minded rather than deficiency minded. Our culture has been working too long on trying to make us all alike instead of embracing our differences. Peter believes that like-mindedness is a defense against the future. If we build on our strengths and gifts, we build a future distinct from our past. Peter beautifully explores transformation and helps us to see how we can transform from the context of deficiencies, interests and entitlement to one of possibility, generosity, and gifts. Check out more….

Gift #2. Getrude Matshe — author, speaker, entrepreneur
Getrude Matshe is a gifted storyteller with a lifetime of uplifting, challenging and magical stories. Born on a poor African reservation, Getrude left her life of poverty, obtained an education and college degree, built numerous businesses, and continues to support an HIV orphanage under the Africa Alive Education Foundation. The foundation ensures the education of these orphans through the University level.

Getrude is a gifted artist who intended to migrate to the U.S. in 2001 to teach unique batik methods in art classes and universities. Having spent the family savings on airfare for herself and three children, she was heartbroken when a passport error prevented them from traveling further with no option for refunds. Three months later, 9/11 occurred, bringing down the NYC building in which she would have been teaching at the time. Getrude realized that there was a different plan for her life. She moved her family to New Zealand with nothing and within weeks had a 3-bedroom furnished apartment and a professional computer analyst position. Getrude has dozens of these stories and has successfully built a textile business, an ethnic specialty talent agency, a physician placement agency, and the foundation which supports the African HIV Orphanage. Her dream is to meet Oprah, so please go to www.oprah.com and submit her as a story idea. For more information see….

Gift #3. Dr. Tal Ben Shahar — Harvard Professor
 Happiness 101. I was so excited to hear about this. Dr. Tal Ben Shahar is a riveting speaker and teaches positive psychology and its incredible impact. It was fascinating. His class enrolled over 800 students at Harvard which outnumbered the Introduction to Economics for the first time ever. Positive psychology focuses on learning from what works instead of what doesn’t. In other words better results are achieved when focus is placed on what is working well and building upon it in a situation rather than focusing on trying to ‘fix’ what is not working well.

In one example he points to Marva Collins, a teacher in Chicago who focused on believing in her students, having high expectations, clear boundaries and a belief that you are responsible for your own success. All of her ‘at risk’ students have graduated from college. Her expectations caused a change in the outcome. How can we use this understanding to change the outcomes within our lives and the people we touch?

To read more on Marva see this and this:

To read more on Happiness 101 see this and this:

Surround yourself with friends who support you. There are some people —
I call them psychic vampires — who, when you spend time with them,
make you feel completely tired. If you have friends like that, it’s time to move on. 
~Anika Noni Rose

New Opportunities — Intellectual Property Resources
Does your business spend a lot of money in obtaining patents? Do you know what patents do for your business, what countries you should cover and how to manage those costs? Do you need to get more patents to increase your competitive advantage? Would you rather have a strategy that brings additional value and is more cost effective? CONTACT ME. I have a resource and can point you in the right direction to get you immediate results.

Coming Soon — New Paradigms for New Leaders in the 21st Century
I’m initiating a new group coaching opportunity that will fill the gap between the leadership training you’ve received (you know you have the manuals tucked away collecting dust ;-) and your full implementation of that training, to truly create high performance teams. This opportunity will include both group coaching and individual coaching sessions so that you can learn from other leaders AND have your own customized program for your individual professional and personal needs and goals. More details to follow, but CONTACT ME if you are interested. There will be a limit of 10 participants.

"Be bold. If you’re going to make an error, make a doozy, and don’t be afraid to hit the ball."
~Billie Jean King

Top Tens for December

1. Volunteer and get a free day at Disney. Give a day and get a day. Check this out.
2. Create a holiday registry on wishpot.com and share with family and friends. The site also has a price comparison and price alert system.
3. Upload your holiday pictures to rollip.com to get that old textured look.
4. Check out earth911.com to find where you can recycle your live Christmas tree.
5. The new ipodnano has a larger screen, video cam and microphone, plus holds 4,000 songs.  $179 at apple.com.
6. Save water!  Replace your faucets or install an aerator.  Old faucets emit 3-6 gallons/minute, while new ones are less than 2.2 gallons/minute.  Installing a 1 gallon/minute aerator saves up to 15,000 gallons/year.
7. Electronics consume 10-20 percent of their energy when they are off~vampire use. Smart strips help you synchronize your plugged electronics, turning them off simultaneously.
8. Find a charity to support for 2010. charitynavigator.org lists them with their background and admin information.
9. Raise your expectations and your outcomes will change too!
10. If you buy one new book this year for self improvement---buy Strengthsfinder 2.0 and find out what your gifts are!  We are typically blind to our gifts.

Lynn Recommends

1) Etsy.com, your place to buy and sell handmade items.

2) Try this for a new Christmas Album you'll be sure to love for years to come.

3) Open Sesame:  Why It's All About ACCESS for the New Worker of the 21st Century — A new book I'm reading about what we need as workers in the new age we are facing.

What I want for you for December:

• Review each day as either a gift or a learning.
• Be a hero to someone in even a small way.
• Make eye contact with everyone you meet and smile.
• Choose peace.
• Have a very blessed holiday season.
  

About Lynn

Have you ever heard it said that some people make things happen, while others let things happen to them?  Interesting to think about.  My purpose of this newsletter, my coaching business and the other tools I have developed, is to partner with people in order to have them Design what they want to make happen in their lives.  Whether it is in business, realtionships, finding a new career or any aspect of your life, you have the God-given creative and intiuitive knowledge to choose and create what you want.  I can help you.  This is what I love to do!

Remember to spend some quality time on you today.

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