Wednesday, February 29, 2012

How to Predict the Future and Act with Certainty

Does it sometimes seem like very little is certain? Does that make it hard to plan – to the point where you don’t plan and just take care of what’s required immediately? I had a chance to speak with Daniel Burrus, one of the world's leading technology forecasters and business strategists and author of “Flash Foresight” a New York Times and Wall Street Journal best seller. He has an approach that helps you bring “the certain” into focus and then act on that certainty.


Here is a link to the article about Dan's approach to certainty (and the explanation for the picture of the chair.)

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Where's Jeremy?

As a Golden State Warrior fan, I am watching in amazement the “Linsanity” that Jeremy Lin has created.    As most everyone is aware, Jeremy Lin has exploded onto the NBA scene.  As the Knicks ran out of options at point guard, in what might be considered a desperate move, Lin was thrust into the starting lineup.  There’s been no looking back.  His exploits on the court have been nothing short of amazing.

However, roll it back 1 year when Lin was a Warrior and he was the last guy off the bench – when he was actually on the team and not in the developmental league that is.  I was asked by an Asian-American friend about Lin then and I said that we don’t see him in the games very much, he must not have proven himself to the coaches and that he would probably be out of the NBA soon.  Well, I was right about the first 2 things, but I suspect he will be playing in the NBA for quite a while now.  At least I couched my statement with “we don’t see him in the games very much.”  Otherwise, I would be a very poor judge of talent.  And nobody could really disagree that he was probably headed out of the league then.

Circumstances intervened and now we have “Linsanity.”  What about your clients?  Do they have Jeremy Lin’s that have been suppressed and just need a chance?

I have often remarked that one of my main jobs at a client is to unearth the great ideas that are present in the staff, refine those ideas and turn them into productive action.  Often times, people don’t speak up out of fear of stepping on a superior’s toes or because they’ve otherwise been “put in their place” when they have stretched.  Sometimes they’re pegged below where they should be because it takes some people a while in their career or new job to shine. 

Organizations should support and facilitate idea development from all corners.  Leaving a client better means finding the Jeremy Lin’s in that organization and seeing to it that they get credit for their ideas and are able to improve the company condition.

Find the Jeremy Lin at your client.  What better way to improve the client condition than to give the client access to its hidden talent?