Tuesday 31 December 2013

There is no tomorrow

There are lots of people waiting for tomorrow. Don’t be one of them.

There are people who think things will be better tomorrow and so they wait. Don’t be one of them.

“Stress is caused by being here and wanting to be there” says Eckhart Tolle

Be who you want to be today. Be where you want to be today. It starts with intentions, feelings and thoughts. And then action. Do today what you know you should do.

Your future, the one you dream of, is waiting for you. Get on with it. Start now.

2014 will belong to those who dream and do. Be one of them.

Be the difference you want tp see in the world.
Ian

Sunday 29 December 2013

Co-creating cultures of creativity that result in innovation

This Sunday's sparkenation.

Co-creating cultures of creativity that result in innovation i.e. changing what’s normal for the benefit of others and sometimes for everyone are a key to your success in 2014 and beyond. There are some great take-aways from this video by Tina Seelig to help you.

I particularly liked “Culture is something that infuses an entire organisation.” and “Culture is like the background music of any organisation.”

The concepts of framing and reframing problems, connecting and combining ideas, and being quilt makers as opposed to puzzle builders are also great.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

More sparkenations here.

Thursday 26 December 2013

Our willingness to be vulnerable, a key to unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit within us all

I have just completed reading for the second time 'Daring Greatly. How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent and Lead' by Brene Brown. It is a very insightful book.

This second reading followed my study of Daniel Priestley's great book 'The Entrepeneur Revolution' which is a great companion to Daniel's first best seller 'Become A Key Person of Influence', a book that helped me greatly to productise my Enhancing Their Gifts System.


Reading these books got me thinking about the connection between vulnerability and being an entrepreneur.

There is indeed an Entrepreneur Revolution happening. And an intrepreneur one too.

Our willingness to be vulnerable, is a key to unleashing the entrepreneurial spirit within us all.

Please give this thought as one year closes and then take action as another year begins.

May you be vulnerable and unleash the entrepreneur/intrepreneur within.
Ian





Sunday 22 December 2013

What's worth celebrating and what could be better?

This Sundays sparkenation.

A key component of my Enhancing Their Gifts System is the informal and formal exercise of asking two questions: what’s worth celebrating and what could be better?

Authentic answers to these questions form a solid foundation for creating plans that will be executed to improve our lives.

Do this exercise regularly and formally at least every 90 days. The last days of this year is a perfect time to start.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

“Celebrate what you want to see more of.”
Tom Peters

More sparkenations.

Get my sparkenations direct to your in-box in 2014 by signing up here.


You will be able to download my ebook, a resource 1000's of people have used as a 1 year personal and business development program, as soon as you sign-up.

Friday 20 December 2013

There's a huge difference between giving occasionally and have giving central to our work

There are many great questions in this blog by Seth Godin.

I have answered these questions and my own through making giving integral to my work which is why I love partnering with Buy One Give One (B1G1).

Buy1GIVE1 - Transaction Based Giving

Check out B1G1 yourself. You too may find that partnering with them is an answer to your giving questions.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

Thursday 19 December 2013

Once a year contact doesn't cut it

I have received seasons greetings and electronic Christmas cards from people I don't know. I'm grateful yet geewhiz What a waste!

Before you send anything via any method think first about the relationship you have and build on that. If you don't yet have a relationship sending a Christmas card won't help build one.

I have also received numerous emails recently from people I can't vouch for and people I do know who haven't been in touch this year asking for recommendations. Give, Give, Give, then Ask which is the great reminder of Gary Vaynerchuk's most recent book.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

Wednesday 18 December 2013

The significance of silence

This is a great article by Samuel Gentoku McCree and a perfect companion to my post yesterday about investing in doing nothing. My thanks to Dragan Popovic for alerting me to this article.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

Tuesday 17 December 2013

The great investment of doing nothing

Take some time in the next few weeks to do nothing. Then incorporate doing nothing space into your schedule in 2014 as well as making doing nothing an integral part of how you respond to life.

This brilliant article by James Altucher will help you. I wholeheartedly agree with James that doing nothing at appropriate times is a key to being more productive.

I have been forced in the past few weeks while recovering from minor surgery to do less than I normally would. It has been my most productive period this year!

It appears we live in an always on world. It is easy to get caught up being mobile all the time. 

Don't fall for the trap. Incorporate doing nothing into your life. My bet is you will live a happier and more productive life.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

Monday 16 December 2013

Business 3.0


What does Business 3.0 look like for you?

If you don’t know, you’d better decide real quick.

The car making industry in Australia is on the verge of total collapse, meaning the loss some say of more than 50000 jobs, and 100 year old iconic companies virtually going out of business. The unsustainability of this industry here has been known for decades and yet we have not been able to successfully collaborate to re-invent the industry to ensure sustainability.

What writing is on the wall about your business? And what are you doing about it?

Be the diffference you want to see in the world.
Ian

“Progress is impossible without change; and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”
George Bernard Shaw

Sunday 15 December 2013

Money can’t buy me love and the power of small.

This Sunday's Sparkenation.

More sparkenations here. 


You can get my sparkenations direct to your in-box here. As a reward for subscribing you will be able to download my ebook 52 Actions of the Wise, a resource 1000s of people have used as a 1 year personal and business development program.

One of the reasons I am a proud partner of Buy One Give One is that 100% of what I give goes to the causes and people that I support.

A second reason is the power of small. B1G1 is really about the little things that make the big difference beautifully tied in with the everyday transactions and interactions of business.

A third reason is that many causes B1G1 supports are about helping people to take care of themselves so that eventually they don’t need help from others.

"A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity."
Ralph Nader

As you shop in the coming days think not just about what you’re giving and getting, think and do something about helping others to help themselves.

And think too about the greatest gift of all that you can give to the world, your best self.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

“I may not have a lot to give
But what I've got I'll give to you
I don't care too much for money
For money can't buy me love”
John Lennon and Paul McCartney

Friday 13 December 2013

Is it time to turn your idea into innovation?

I wish you and yours the very best for 2014. May it be your best year yet. 

By two big wishes for you for 2014 are:
1) It will be the year when every day you do what you know you should do.

2) It will be the year you turn your great idea into innovation.

Innovation put simply is the successful implementation of an idea. You have ideas don’t you? I suspect like me that you have at least one special idea that you are yet to implement.

Will 2014 be your year?

“Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come”
Victor Hugo

Is it the time for your idea?

How much does your world need and want your idea?

We are drowning in information. What we crave is insight.

Your idea was born out of insight.

Ideas stay just ideas unless we can stay inspired long enough to implement our ideas. I implemented one of my great ideas this year - making my Enhancing Their Gifts System, a gift for fair-dinkum leaders I made for you with love, accessible to all who can value it. I first had the idea a decade ago. I got serious about it in June last year. I had many false starts, many failings. A lot of times I wanted to give up. I invested a lot of money, time and energy. I have been frustrated more than once. Love won in the end.

Have you felt like this about your idea, yet love has not yet triumphed?

Is is time to do whatever it takes to turn your idea into innovation?

The upside for me is that I have also experienced the excitement of creating something unique from scratch, the thrill of when what I have created actually working for people, and the unprecedented joy that comes from seeing someone else implement my idea in their own way.

Is it your turn?

The journey from information to insight to idea to inspiration to innovation is usually hard work. The impact that it makes however is always worth the effort.

Each of us is creative beyond measure, and each of us has the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual capacity to see past the information that threatens to drown us and discover insight, make up an idea, and stay inspired long enough for our idea to be successfully implemented.

Is is time to bring your idea into your world?

Love your idea like your dearest. Find people who love it too. Work with them to turn your idea into innovation and impact.

Maybe I can help you. I'm very good at helping people turn ideas into innovation and impact and the pre-steps where appropriate of turning information into insight into idea into inspiration. I'm not saying I would be a perfect fit for you, only you of course, can make that decision. Find out how my mentoring programs work here.

With gratitude to my readers, clients, colleagues, friends, and family.
Ian

Thursday 12 December 2013

Love’s greatest enemy

For me love’s greatest enemy is fear.

Begin to love whatever or whomever you are afraid of.

Everything and anything can change in the light of love.

This is often not easy of course.

“Nothing great is easy.”
Des Renford, marathon swimmer

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” 
Nelson Mandela

“Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are and what they ought to be.”
William Hazlitt

“A life lived in fear is a life half-lived.”
From the film Strictly Ballroom

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

Wednesday 11 December 2013

The truth about 360 degree feedback

Lots a great wisdom here from Liz Ryan, CEO and Founder of Human Workplace.

Two concepts I value and do:

"Ignore feedback you didn't ask for."
Alan Weiss

Try feedforward instead of feedback a great concept from Marshall Goldsmith.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

Tuesday 10 December 2013

Resonate with Nancy Duarte

The ability to give powerful presentations is an art and a skill that all fair-dinkum leaders must have.

There is a lot of great wisdom in this wonderfully unique presentation by Nancy Duarte to help you.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian


Monday 9 December 2013

There are at least two of us in the world who think change management is an oxymoron!

I came across this great article by Jim Clemmer while looking for something else. Jim's last line alone bears thinking about "Tomorrow is arriving much quicker than it used to."

Here's my thoughts on change management being an oxymoron.

Change is all around is. It is as normal as breathing. The speed of it is sometimes scary. Change can't be managed though. We need to initiate it, go with it, and manage the systems and processes around it.

Thriving on the challenges of change is all about leadership and management working in harmony.

Often this means letting go of the very old idea that management is about control. It isn't. Leadership is about people. Management is about systems and processes that support people. The two together are a powerful force. When they are acting in isolation or opposing each other, disaster is just a heart beat away.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

Sunday 8 December 2013

Making a difference and making a living

This Sunday’s sparkenation.

I am inspired this week by my daughter Jessica who has embarked on a crowd funding project (see below) to get her amazing books for children published. Jessica is doing what she has always wanted to do, bring her unique gifts to the world.



When Jessica was a child my focus was about making a living and climbing the corporate ladder. When I reached the top I felt empty inside and for a period regretted the climb and the lack of quality time I had spent with my family.

For the past 22 years my focus has been about making a difference. My corporate experience and success has mattered and still does. As a consequence of my focus and my expertise I am making a very good living.

The majority of people focus on making a living. Some people focus on making a difference.

A few people are focused on making a difference and making a living.
Is this you?

In the great entrepreneurial revolution we are experiencing today, fueled by the power of the internet and a vast array of technological tools, we can all make a difference and make a living. And we can do so with joy by doing what we love in the service of people who love what we do.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

“Do what you love in the service of people who love what you do.”
Steven Farber, The Radical Leap.

More sparkenations

Get Sunday Sparkenations direct to your in-box. You will be able to download my ebook 52 Actions of the Wise, a resource 1000s of people has used as a 1 year personal and business development program, as soon as you subscribe.

Friday 6 December 2013

Lots of great complimentary resources to help you to make 2014 your best year yet

One of my favourite sayings of all time is by Milton Berle “If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door."

The following resources are provided for you to help you to build lots of doors in 2014 and make it your best year yet.

I was delighted to contribute to an ebook produced by my friend and colleague Gihan Perera for the eighth year in a row.



A big goal of mine in 2014 is to give more value. Online and in addition to this blog I am going to do this in three specific ways.

Firstly my Changing What's Normal strategies and tactics newsletter which I am reverting back to a once a month publication. I will be providing a feature article to help you to get the best out of yourself, invigorate your relationships, and increase the number of your employees bringing their best to their work. In addition I will provide links to my other insights as outlined below.


Subscribing to my newsletter is the easiest way to get Changing What's Normal book with my compliments. Please subscribe to my newsletter here.


Secondly the great response to the 58 sparkenations in Changing What's Normal prompted me to provide short sparkenations each Sunday. I have been doing so since January 2012. You can read them here.

From this Sunday you can get my short sparkenations direct to your in-box. Please subscribe here.

You will be able to download my ebook 52 Actions of the Wise, a resource that 1000s of people have used as a 1 year personal and business development program, as soon as you subscribe. 


Thirdly. 
A lot of folk have asked me to provide insights into my mentoring methodologies. I am going to do this through a new publication No BS Mentoring.

Please sign-up here. As soon as you sign-up you will get the 96 questions and then tips twice monthly to help you to implement your answers.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

Thursday 5 December 2013

A Question of Change by Peter Bregman

I am a big fan of Peter’s and enjoy getting his regular emails. I recommend his great book 18 minutes.

Below is a very insightful presentation about real leadership and change from Peter. It is serious stuff mixed with good humour. It also confirms three philosophies that are foundational to my change work - People are prepared to change/People are not prepared to be changed; great leaders ask great questions; and shared-view about where we're going, why we're going there, and how we will get there is paramount.



Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

PS My apologies to you if you have previously shared, +1'd, and/or commented on my blog. Your information is gone due to the fact that I had to change the url of my blog in line with forced changes to my personal website as I explained in this post.

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Regrets I’ve had a few but then again ...

Although I generally align with the words of the song My Way
“regrets, I’ve had a few, but then again too few to mention.”

I also align with

"I don't regret the things I've done, I regret the things I didn't do when I had the chance."
Author Unknown

Since 1991 I have been privileged to be a mentor to many leaders in over 40 countries. My work almost always begins with inspiring my clients to actually do what they already know they should do.

What are you not doing that you know you should be?

I may be able to help you.  

A suggested first step.
Subscribe here to my No BS Mentoring publication. As soon as you subscribe you will be able to download my 96 questions we all need answers for to thrive on the challenges of change. Twice a month you will then receive tips to help you to implement your answers to the 96 questions.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Don't be like Tony

The Australian Government has changed their mind about Education policy 3 times this week prompting Prime Minister Tony Abbott to say "We will keep the promises we made, not the promises some people think we made."

Tony clearly doesn't understand that perception is reality.

When in opposition Tony and his colleagues continually berated the then government about trust. As a government in less than 90 days Tony's team have demonstrated that they can't be trusted and are coming across as old ideas men (there is only one woman in their leadership team) out of touch with the modern world.

Don't be like Tony.

Instead 
Only make promises you will keep. If unforeseen circumstances prevent you from keeping a promise, tell the truth about the circumstances. People can accept the truth. We don't accept spin and just plain lies.

Only talk about trust if you are trustworthy.

One of Tony's other big statements is that "the adults are back in charge." The daily childish behaviour that has followed has made a mockery of such a statement.

Don't be like Tony.

Instead
Don't be grandiose, be grateful you have the opportunity to lead and become a leader worth following.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

Monday 2 December 2013

What percentage of your effort is well-placed compared to misplaced?

I added Gary Vaynerchuk's latest book (see yesterday's post) to my recommended reading list today.

As a result of a client changing an appointment this morning I invested the time contemplating Gary's great insight "Effort is the great equalizer."

I discovered in just 3 hours of work that about 30% of my effort is misplaced! I found this a very sobering and valuable exercise particularly when I am coming to the end for now of a re-imagining of my business

What percentage of your effort is well-placed compared to misplaced?

On the left of a sheet of paper make a list of what you do and who for and how you go about it. Add two columns to the right. Mark one well-placed and the other misplaced. Indicate each piece on the left as either well-placed or misplaced. I reckon you will find this a great exercise as I did.

Tip: Be candid and ruthless in your self-assessment.

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

Sunday 1 December 2013

We often overlook the critical factor to achieving success

This Sunday's sparkenation.

I am very much enjoying reading Gary Vaynerchuk’s new book at present.

I heard about the book in many places however it was this slideshare that got me to buy it.


Gary’s book is full of many insights brought to life with great case studies however the following words by Gary are now etched on my mind

“Effort is the great equalizer.”

And these words have also brought the following wisdom from the late Jim Rohn back to the forefront of my mind

"The unique combination of desire, planning, effort and perseverance will always work its magic. The question is not whether the formula for success will work, but rather whether the person will work the formula!

Be the difference you want to see in the world.
Ian

More sparkenations.