Wednesday 29 November 2017

Change processes and the predictability they help create

All the talk is about VUCA


Very few people are talking about the other side of the coin and even less about the edge of the coin. There are 3 sides to every story!

In my world, while accepting VUCA, I help people to focus on the opposites - Dependable, Predictable, Simple and Clear.

VUCA is certainly one side of the story and we should never ignore it. Focusing on the bright side of dependable, predictable, simple and clear leads to a better life and better business results.

This post is about predictable.

A key to predictability is your change process. Do you have one?

Here's mine

The last thing you need is a change program or even worse change management which is an oxymoron!

A change process helps us to live in the moment and to take one true quantum leap at time and therefore make our lives as predictable as possible.

Who will you become? What will you do next to make your life and work more predictable.

The edge of coin referenced above is controlling the controllables. More insight on this here.

Be remarkable.
Ian

PS Like some help with this? Please call me on +61 418 807 898. You will be under no obligation. Sometime just a quick off-the-record chat is all that's needed.

Monday 27 November 2017

Why do we need amendments when laws are already in place?

The 15th November 2017 was a significant day in Australia's history as we announced the results of a question put to the people about same sex marriage. Below are the results:

An overwhelming victory for Yes which compels the politicians to change the law.

Since the announcement politicians have been debating the bill to change the law lodged the day after the above announcement.

Debate has centred around so-called protection for religious, conscience, speech and education rights.

This has mystified me because marriage in Australia is a civil ceremony not a religious one. The marriage law (old and new) has nothing to do with conscience, speech or education and certainly not religion.

About 70% of marriages here are conducted by civil celebrants. My wife is one. Even when religious people conduct a ceremony they must be an approved authority by the Attorney General's Department and say the legal words.

What's mystified me most however is that there already seems to be adequate protection for religious and indeed non-religious people.

The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) is a multilateral treaty adopted by the United Nations General Assembly with resolution 2200A (XXI) on 16 December 1966, and in force from 23 March 1976 in accordance with Article 49 of the covenant.

On the Australian Human Rights Commission website site I read the following:

The right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is recognised in Article 18 of the ICCPR.  

Article 18 protects not only the ‘traditional’ religious beliefs of the major religions, but also non-theistic and atheistic beliefs, as well as the right not to profess any religion or belief. The right recognised in Article 18 is simultaneously an individual right, and a collective right.

Why debate?

Beats me.

The only conclusion I can make is that the no voters are still trying to get their way through the back door. It's disgraceful I think. You?

Be remarkable.
Ian

Wednesday 22 November 2017

Leadership Valueology

In my previous two posts about thriving on the challenges of change here and following the appreciative leader change process here, I've set the scene for this post about leadership valueology.

The Art, Practice and Legacy Of Being A Leadership Valueologist book will complete the trilogy of work that began with a personal experience in early 2007. This book will primarily be case studies from people who undertake the experience. Learn more here.

In 2007 I was privileged to present to members of the board of Oxfam Australia.  While waiting in their boardroom I copied down the words of a poster on the wall by Community Aid Abroad.  It was headed ‘Basic human rights for all’ and read

*enough to eat
*clean water
*a livelihood
*a home
*an education
*health care
*a safe environment
*protection from violence
*equality of opportunity
*a say in the future

Tears welled in my eyes as I read these words for they capture what I stand for and explain why I got up this morning and every morning and go out into the world to influence leaders in whatever you do to be doing it for the good of people and our planet.

Legacy is a part of the mission of every authentic leader. For me it's being able to remark on hence my use of the word remarkable for more than 25 years.

Very soon after the encounter with Oxfam in 2007 I began to create a workable model to help my clients thrive on the challenges of change and be appreciative. It centred around people feeling valued, living values and delivering value

Helping people to become Leadership Valueologist's is the next stage of the process.

Leadership Valueologist - person fully committed to the art, life-long learning, unlearning and relearning, and daily practice of fully appreciating and getting the best out of themselves and other people.

Join in the journey yourself from here.

Who will you become? What will you do next?

Be remarkable.
Ian

Monday 20 November 2017

Thriving on the challenges of change leads to a special appreciation of what's possible

Here's the message of my previous post:


Thriving on the challenges of the above journey takes your leadership to what I call the Appreciation level reflected in the following change process:


I am deeply indebted to the work of many people who use the concept of Appreciative Inquiry, the work of Duarte, and to my Grandfather Sherriff for teaching me the law of the farm.


The fertile ground is Appreciating what is (the remarkable, the great, the good, and the bad and the ugly).

The better you Appreciate what is, the more fully you can Imagine what can be (the ploughing).

Clarity around what can be enables precise planning around the tiny shifts (Quantum leaps - the seeding) that you will take to move from what is to what can be.

Leaping (the nurturing) leads to the harvest of positive momentum, which is the key to achieving better business results, at less personal cost.

One quantum leap at a time action is also the best way that I know of to reduce stress.



Inside The Appreciative Leader handbook are considerations and possible actions you can take to co-create and implement a change process for your business. You'll never need to think about a change program ever again.

Find out more about the handbook, and the associated companion resources web page and private online community here.

At the companion resources web page via the above link you’ll see examples of specific actions.

Who will you become? What will you do next?

Be remarkable.
Ian

PS I’m very grateful to the work of John Kotter on leading change. For many years while developing the Appreciate - Imagine - Create - Leap - Momentum process I used in my own best way his 8 steps process in my work with many clients.

There’s an excellent ebook about Kotter’s 8 steps here. 

Friday 17 November 2017

All change is personal first


My Changing What's Normal book is a course in making the above reality.

You can download the book and do the course with my compliments from here.

Be remarkable.
Ian

Wednesday 15 November 2017

The Art, Practice and Legacy Of Being A Leadership Valueologist

I've been focusing my 'deep work' of the past 6 months on this final part of the trilogy that began with my Changing What's Normal book in 2011, and continued with The Appreciative Leader handbook in 2016.

The book version that I plan to publish in 2019 or 2020 will primarily be case studies about people who undertake the scheduled experiences, learn more here, or an in house experience, learn more here.

I am very excited about this work and look forward to seeing you register or to exploring in house options with you.

Be remarkable.
Ian


Monday 13 November 2017

Thriving in the new world of work



The short video above offers some good insights into the current and emerging new world of work.

In my view technology is a key to this new world yet only when it is used to enhance the human experience. Such is the real key and using it well unlocks a wonderful new world.

On Monday the 27th of November 2017 I'm hosting a candid and convivial conversation about the new world of work. Below is a 2 minutes and 39 seconds preview.



Places are limited for 27th November. Find out more and register here.

Be remarkable.
Ian

Friday 10 November 2017

Controlling the controllables via The Obstacle Is The Way

I'm currently studying this great Ryan Holiday's book and the subject of stoicism.

One of the highlights has been to revisit, reframe and take action on what we describe in the vernacular as 'controlling the controllables.'

“In life our first job is this, to divide and distinguish things into two categories: externals I cannot control, but the choices I make with regard to them I do control. Where will I find good and bad? In me, in my choices. — Epictetus

More great insights from Ryan and other stoics here.

Be remarkable.
Ian

Wednesday 8 November 2017

Ensuring learning and development leads to measurable results

A key finding from a recent Argosight survey indicated that the central challenge to creating a robust and effective employee learning program is:

"Aligning employee development to learning content and tying learning to measurable business results."

This of course is a perennial challenge.

I address one profound solution in my blue paper:


You can download the paper and do the complimentary course from here.

Be remarkable.
Ian

Monday 6 November 2017

Constitutions and common-sense (and the lack thereof)

The former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia Barnaby Joyce is currently campaigning to win back his job after being forced out of the parliament because he was deemed illegible by the High Court because he unwittingly had citizenship of another country. Mr Joyce is one of several politicians suffering this fate.

There's no suggestions whatsoever that anyone deemed ineligible has committed treason or is involved in conspiracy yet if you listen to the media and opposition politicians you would think so.

Hyperbole (exaggerated statements or claims not meant to be taken literally) is one way to describe their despicable behaviour. Another is political expediency, and another rank self-righteous, self-interested opportunism.

What happened to common sense? Yet again it's missing and more tax payers money is being spent totally unnecessarily.

As far as I can tell there are many things in the Australia constitution that need updating like still referring to pounds in some sections whereas dollars have been our currency since 1966.

image courtesy of rootreport.com
The simple no cost solution to the constitution crisis of dual citizenship in Australia

Give everyone amnesty for their foolishness and carelessness and move on. No needless by-elections or other wasting of taxpayers money.

Lesson for your business

What policies, procedures, practices, processes, systems need to better reflect reality?

Where does hyperbole, self-righteousness and self-interest exist in your business? How will you get rid of it.

If your business has a constitution, charter or whatever, when was it last updated? Does it accurately reflect what you want it to?

Be remarkable.
Ian

Friday 3 November 2017

Last time this year for the remarkable is the new normal conversation

One of my most popular candid and convivial conversations online is Remarkable is the new normal. 

It's on for the final time this year at 4.30 p.m. AEDT next Monday November 6th. It's complimentary. You must register here. Registrations close at 11.30 p.m. tonight.

At the registration link you can download the workbook pictured.


Be remarkable.
Ian

Wednesday 1 November 2017

Could trust be your ultimate competitive advantage?

There are many great lessons in this article by Andy Raskin about pitching. For me the following in the second last paragraph is the standout.

"Product differentiation, by itself, has become indefensible because today’s competitors can copy your better, faster, cheaper features virtually instantly. Now, the only thing they can’t replicate is the trust that customers feel for you and your team."


Who will you become? What will you do? to increase trust levels between your employees and with your customers?

Be remarkable.
Ian