Part of thanksgiving is feeling gratitude. It is about being grateful for what we have. Focusing on that is a game changer. For the readers of this blog, we have a lot to be grateful for (for starters, you have eyesight and are able to read, you have a computer, electricity, and some form of shelter, you are on the path of growth and development, etc.).
Yet. There is another side to Thanksgiving. That is saying 'thank you' to those who have specifically contributed in a positive way to our lives. It could be something small or it could be big. Either way, we have some obligation to recognize the other person. To say thank you. It is amazing how few people actually do this.
Let's start a trend and begin appreciating those who contribute to the quality of our lives with a heartfelt thank you (throughout the next 12 months). Other people will appreciate the recognition and we will feel good at the same time.
If you are in a leadership role, consider adding this practice to your performance objectives for the coming year. It is a kaizen practice (something small that will have a huge impact). You will thank me later.
The 2015 Dream Job Intensive is now complete. This live-remote workshop is for those who seek to have a career they absolutely love. In this latest session we had students ranging in age from 24 to 45. They came from non-profits, business, and freelance careers.
The Dream Job Intensive is based upon a coaching program created in 2012 by Conscious Management Consulting for one-on-one clients. We expanded it to a 10 week program and now to a four week Intensive.
The Dream Job Intensive uses tools like Maestro Conference, LinkedIn, triadic support and real-life coaches to engage students in an intense 30 day process. Each session of the workshop is led by certified coaches, who engage with students in individual and group work.
During the workshop, each student creates results within the 13 assigned projects. The program has regular deadlines, group discussions, and one-on-one coaching calls. It is entirely based online, with students participating from their home or workplace.
The next course begins on Monday, January 18, 2016. There is still room if you feel called to do this work (not easy but doable). You can learn more here.
Note: This is NOT like the courses that you sign up for and never participate. This course involves real work. It is a serious undertaking. You will have other people who will be counting on you to cross the finish line together. It is all for one and one for all. If you are not ready for this level of commitment, please do not apply.
One of the challenges in networking is everybody thinks it's making cold calls to strangers. Actually, it's the people who already have strong trust relationships with you, who know you're dedicated, smart, a team player, who can help you. ~ Reid Hoffman
Well, week three of the How to Create Your Dream Job Now Intensive is complete. In an effort to not sound like a broken record we will refrain from going overboard about how awesome this class is. But still, we do have to say it: They are an awesome group!
This week we shifted our focus to building their personal networks. We define the network as, "the people who want to help you, and you want to help them." We place the emphasis upon the fact that everything we do to strengthen our network is time well spent on a number of levels (now and in the future).
We are now focusing on LinkedIn. Our objective is not only to be "on" LinkedIn, but to be an active member of LinkedIn. Of course, we share the advanced techniques required to be an active LinkedIn member.
In the last group call, we talked about strong ties v. weak ties. The main idea is to build strong ties while continually creating new weak ties. We discussed Malcolm Gladwell who, in his book The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference, said:
"People weren't getting their jobs through their friends. They were getting them through their acquaintances. Why is this? Granovetter argues that it is because when it comes to finding out about new jobs -- or, for that matter, new information, or new ideas -- "weak ties" are always more important than strong ties. Your friends, after all, occupy the same world that you do. They might work with you, or live near you, and go to the same churches, schools, or parties. How much, then, would they know that you wouldn't know? Your acquaintances, on the other hand, by definition occupy a very different world than you. They are much more likely to know something that you don't. To capture this apparent paradox, Granovetter coined a marvelous phrase: the strength of weak ties. Acquaintances, in short, represent a source of social power, and the more acquaintances you have the more powerful you are."
Everyone in the Dream Job Intensive becomes a new member of your network. Everyone in the workshop gets connected on LinkedIn (including the coaches). We place emphasis on the idea of letting your network help you get to where you want to go.
Interested in the Dream Job Intensive starting in January 2016? You can learn more here.
A good friend from college recently responded to a Craig’s List posting for a Caretaker of a ranch outside of town. According to what he saw in the advertisement, it would be the perfect position. He is a true outdoors-man having spent over 20 years in the rugged mountains of Colorado. Watching over a large ranch is a perfect job for him.
On Saturday, he arose before dawn to ride out to meet the owner and check out the ranch. It was nice enough with plenty of land and large views of the countryside. There was a herd of Alpaca on the ranch. That was part of the deal. Take care of the flock and the property. But here’s the rub. When they were discussing payment, the owner talked about rent. Not a salary for being a caretaker. Not rent in exchange for watching over the property. No, she was talking rent for the "privilege" of watching over her animals and land.
My friend was of course taken aback. His choice words to the owner began with the letter “F” and then “you” and ended with the classic refrain “…and the Alpaca you came in on.”
This situation illustrates the modern phenomenon of people wanting their cake and to eat it too. Rather than find a way to create win/win/win agreements, they attempt to create win/lose agreements. They push the boundaries of common sense and common decency. It is yet another example of unconscious people trying to do business.
This is why we love conscious businesses (Trader Joe’s, Southwest Airlines, and COSTCO in the U.S.). They play by a different set of rules. They bend over backwards to make the customer happy, the employees happy, and the investor happy, all at the same time. Not a bad way to roll.
We are the only species on the planet, so far as we know, to have invented a communal memory stored neither in our genes nor in our brains. The warehouse of this memory is called the library. ~ Carl Sagan
In this session, we talk about creating the most important library in the world (for you). That is, your own personal archives of your days. Each moment you live adds up to create your life. To reflect upon your days and review them periodically (as a means for moving forward), adds immensely to the depth and meaning of your life. This is what is meant by the examined life.
If you are implementing the system prescribed here (and we know hundreds of people are doing just that), then this session will be of great value to you. We are describing a way to take your daily 3x5 cards and make them available for quick access at any time and especially each year when you create your yearly plan.
We mention a technology solution--using Evernote-- that is an optional add-on. Please do not use it as a replacement for archiving your physical 3x5 cards. As much as we love technology solutions, the future is always uncertain with technology companies. Keeping your 3x5 cards in high quality archival boxes is the surest way of preserving and honoring your past.
Coaching Tip: Many people wished they had known about this system 10 years ago. We understand that sentiment. Nonetheless, you have to start where you are today. Get started and stick to it. If it is right for you, you will have your personal library started in no time. If you have kids, you might introduce this system to them. They will thank you for it later.
The resources recommended in this session can be found here:
I believe that the biggest problem that humanity faces is an ego sensitivity to finding out whether one is right or wrong and identifying what one's strengths and weaknesses are. ~ Ray Dalio
Week two of our Dream Job Intensive is complete. As we noted last week we have an energetic and motivated group of students who have committed themselves to this 30-day immersion to discover more about themselves and more about conscious businesses (where they one day might like to build a career).
We should take it a step further and say this is an amazing group with over 85% completing assignments on time. And not only that, they are working together as a “we” instead of several “me’s.” That is pretty amazing.
One of the assignments was to take the StrengthsFinder 2.0online assessment and begin putting their top strength to use (immediately) . The research data is pretty clear that we can only thrive and be happy if we are using our strengths on a daily basis. Of course, to use them, you need to know what they are.
Here is a sample of some of the top strengths of the students in the intensive: Activator, Adaptability, Arranger, Communication, Context, Futuristic, Ideation, Input, Intellection, Learner, Maximizer, Positivity, Relator, Responsibility, Restorative, and Strategic. Wow! Imagine building a team with these folks.
Do you know your top strength? Do you use it every day? Interested in the Dream Job Intensive? You can learn more here.
Here is an interesting video that will help you start focusing on strengths: Eva Katharina Herber at TEDxIEUniversityMadrid
Within each successful person is an ordinary person who found the courage to act – to face the big challenges and make their dreams come true. ~ Jinny S. Ditzler
In Session 1 we talked about creating your Weekly Success Map. In session 2, we talked about using 3x5 cards to plan and track your day. In this session, we explore the topic of creating your Yearly Plan. The Yearly Plan is your big picture. It feeds your Weekly Success Map. It provides a roadmap for where you are headed over the next 12 months. If you have never created a yearly plan, it may well be one of the most exciting (and productive) things you have ever done. In the video we reference the book Your Best Year Yet!: Ten Questions for Making the Next Twelve Months Your Most Successful Everby Jinny S. Ditzler.
online assessment and begin putting their top strength to use (immediately) . The research data is pretty clear that we can only thrive and be happy if we are using our strengths on a daily basis. Of course, to use them, you need to know what they are. 
by Jinny S. Ditzler. 