mandhyan on creative thinking
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
the power of desire, selflessness and true belief
So, last weekend, Boom San Agustin, my friend, was running a seminar on Entrepreneurship and he invited me to offer my books and audio books, The Heart of Public Speaking and The Heart of Humor, for sales in the back of the room. He also suggested that I talk for 12 minutes at the end of the workshop to plug my books. Now I am always happy to talk and I am always happy to support but...I am horribly, terrible at plugging myself and my work for money. A part of me shrivels up and dies inside of me whenever I have to talk about how wonderful my work is and then charge for it.
Anyway, at the end of Boom’s workshop there I was in the back of room waiting to be called. A few minutes before the afternoon coffee break he announced me to a class of 40 or so young entrepreneurs-to-be. As is usual of him he made me out to be a granddaddy of motivational speaking and success.
I was still blushing from his compliments when I was handed the mike to speak. Well, I managed to mutter out a few ideas about how a tree is like a person and how a person is like an organization and how an organization should be nurtured like a tree and coaxed towards the sun. Of the given 12 minutes, I used 9 minutes. I must have said something good enough for the crowd cause’ they applauded and several of them rose to buy my stuff. I wasn’t too sure that I had added any value to the event in those 9 minutes. I ran straight for a glass of water for my mouth which was fast drying up.
An hour later, minutes before closing his workshop, Boom was back at complimenting me and he added how sometimes he “borrows” my ideas and models of discussion. At that very minute he was reviewing his 5D approach to Business Disciplines and comparing it to my 5I approach to Interactive Listening. Though I was blushing from his adulation, something inside of me rebelled against his self-deprecating attitude. I stood up, begged for the 3 of the 12 minutes I hadn't yet used earlier, to speak up.
Here’s the gist of what I think I said in the rush and the passion of the moment,
“Boom, ladies and gentlemen, is lying!
That 5D model on the screen is nothing compared to any of my work. It is totally his and, besides, what in heaven’s name is anybody’s original knowledge ever? Whatever I have put out into the world is not mine either because I, as I am doing here, am standing on the shoulders of thousands of thought leaders and giants before me. There is hardly such a thing as original knowledge! Boom applauds me often because in me he sees a reflection of his own self. But I tell you, he is a giant by his own rights and, someday, thousands will stand on his shoulders and reach higher. And...let me tell you what sets him apart, and what makes him a giant. It is represented in the last and the sixth “D” which he Boom forgot to add to his 5D model of Business Disciplines.”
Here I took a longer pause and raised my voice to add, “The sixth D, ladies and gentlemen is the D for...”
At this moment, a delicate, female voice from the audience shouted out, “the D for Desire — deep, burning desire!”
“Yeah!” I went on, “Right! The power of raw, authentic, burning desire also known as intention, dreams, wants or vision. It doesn’t matter what you call it. It is the driving force behind everything you want and everything you will ever succeed at! Boom stands apart because through his talks, through all his work and all his efforts, it is his deep, burning desire that becomes an example, a benchmark and source of inspiration to the world around him!"
"Boom reminds me of a man, from a poem I’d read when I was a kid. In the poem the man is sitting by a river, on a moonlit night, telling his dreams to his own reflection, in the water. When from the skies, quietly but loudly, the moon speaks up. “Man,” he says, “you are crazy to be sitting by the water and dreaming of things you will never realize. Your dreams are cheap. They are nothing but air trapped in fickle water. Weak bubbles and mist is what they are. Blah!”"
"The man by the lake stands up and speaks up. With a tightened chin raised towards the moon he claims, “My dreams, my friend, may be like soft, water bubbles now but believe me you, Mr. Moon, one day they will explode through the water and fly. They will soar through fire and storm to forge into balls of steel and, those balls of steel, my friend, will reach and conquer even you Mr. Moon!”"
"Now, of course, we all know that back in 1969, a man’s dreams did turn into balls of steel, flew and conquered the moon. That ladies and gentlemen is the power of dreams! The power of the last “D” of desire -deep burning desire, which rages in the heart of my friend, Mr. Boom San Agustin! That deep, burning and raging desire will win him his dreams!”
Now you folks probably want to know, “Raju, what the heck is your point. Those are good stories but you haven’t told us anything we didn’t already know? C’mon Dude, tell us something we don’t know!”
Well, folks, let me spell out three things for you while you read my lips.
The number one thing is that before anything else, before doing anything in life and before having all that you want to have... you must want to have it! You must ragingly desire and lust for it so that all the red seas of challenges will rip themselves apart to let you pass. That’s one!
The second thing is when Boom compliments and applauds me he becomes that man sitting by the lake and talking to his own reflection. In the water, Boom sees my face and wants to be like me but what Boom forgets, is that what he sees is a reflection of his own endearing and appealing self. That face in the water he sees is his very own! I am and will always be as fickle as the water in the lake. I will move on and he will remain. He will stand up, reach out and conquer the moons of his dream. The truth is that all the strengths which we seek, admire and adore, usually, lay inside of us. Our heroes are always a reflection of ourselves. Our desires and dreams are, always, the manifestations of the heroes we are!
Now, there is a third thing, a hidden lesson, in this story. I’ll spell it out for you, even as I am sure being the heroes you are, you may have figured it out for yourself.
Remember the two times that I stood up and spoke in Boom’s seminar? The first time my performance, therefore the quality of my success, wasn’t up to par for myself even though I took 9 minutes. The second time, inspite of the fact that I just had 3 minutes, I roared, raged and drove a beautiful message right into the hearts of my listeners. The difference was that during the first attempt I was promoting myself and, trying to sell my books. The second time around my purpose was higher. It was to acknowledge and lift the spirits of another human being. This time my focus was outwards and towards helping another giant of a human being. And that, ladies and gentleman, is the essential difference between success and excellence, between good and great!
Many people, including me, know about these things but it is the walk, not the talk, which counts. When we, gracefully, combine the power of desire, the power of selflessness with a true belief in our own capacities, then all our efforts catapult us straight, beyond the moon, into the foothills of our own heavens!
Raju Mandhyan
www.mandhyan.com
A World of Clear, Creative and Conscientious Thinkers!
Anyway, at the end of Boom’s workshop there I was in the back of room waiting to be called. A few minutes before the afternoon coffee break he announced me to a class of 40 or so young entrepreneurs-to-be. As is usual of him he made me out to be a granddaddy of motivational speaking and success.
I was still blushing from his compliments when I was handed the mike to speak. Well, I managed to mutter out a few ideas about how a tree is like a person and how a person is like an organization and how an organization should be nurtured like a tree and coaxed towards the sun. Of the given 12 minutes, I used 9 minutes. I must have said something good enough for the crowd cause’ they applauded and several of them rose to buy my stuff. I wasn’t too sure that I had added any value to the event in those 9 minutes. I ran straight for a glass of water for my mouth which was fast drying up. An hour later, minutes before closing his workshop, Boom was back at complimenting me and he added how sometimes he “borrows” my ideas and models of discussion. At that very minute he was reviewing his 5D approach to Business Disciplines and comparing it to my 5I approach to Interactive Listening. Though I was blushing from his adulation, something inside of me rebelled against his self-deprecating attitude. I stood up, begged for the 3 of the 12 minutes I hadn't yet used earlier, to speak up.
Here’s the gist of what I think I said in the rush and the passion of the moment,
“Boom, ladies and gentlemen, is lying!
That 5D model on the screen is nothing compared to any of my work. It is totally his and, besides, what in heaven’s name is anybody’s original knowledge ever? Whatever I have put out into the world is not mine either because I, as I am doing here, am standing on the shoulders of thousands of thought leaders and giants before me. There is hardly such a thing as original knowledge! Boom applauds me often because in me he sees a reflection of his own self. But I tell you, he is a giant by his own rights and, someday, thousands will stand on his shoulders and reach higher. And...let me tell you what sets him apart, and what makes him a giant. It is represented in the last and the sixth “D” which he Boom forgot to add to his 5D model of Business Disciplines.”
Here I took a longer pause and raised my voice to add, “The sixth D, ladies and gentlemen is the D for...”
At this moment, a delicate, female voice from the audience shouted out, “the D for Desire — deep, burning desire!”
“Yeah!” I went on, “Right! The power of raw, authentic, burning desire also known as intention, dreams, wants or vision. It doesn’t matter what you call it. It is the driving force behind everything you want and everything you will ever succeed at! Boom stands apart because through his talks, through all his work and all his efforts, it is his deep, burning desire that becomes an example, a benchmark and source of inspiration to the world around him!"
"Boom reminds me of a man, from a poem I’d read when I was a kid. In the poem the man is sitting by a river, on a moonlit night, telling his dreams to his own reflection, in the water. When from the skies, quietly but loudly, the moon speaks up. “Man,” he says, “you are crazy to be sitting by the water and dreaming of things you will never realize. Your dreams are cheap. They are nothing but air trapped in fickle water. Weak bubbles and mist is what they are. Blah!”"
"The man by the lake stands up and speaks up. With a tightened chin raised towards the moon he claims, “My dreams, my friend, may be like soft, water bubbles now but believe me you, Mr. Moon, one day they will explode through the water and fly. They will soar through fire and storm to forge into balls of steel and, those balls of steel, my friend, will reach and conquer even you Mr. Moon!”"
"Now, of course, we all know that back in 1969, a man’s dreams did turn into balls of steel, flew and conquered the moon. That ladies and gentlemen is the power of dreams! The power of the last “D” of desire -deep burning desire, which rages in the heart of my friend, Mr. Boom San Agustin! That deep, burning and raging desire will win him his dreams!”
Now you folks probably want to know, “Raju, what the heck is your point. Those are good stories but you haven’t told us anything we didn’t already know? C’mon Dude, tell us something we don’t know!”
Well, folks, let me spell out three things for you while you read my lips.
The number one thing is that before anything else, before doing anything in life and before having all that you want to have... you must want to have it! You must ragingly desire and lust for it so that all the red seas of challenges will rip themselves apart to let you pass. That’s one!
The second thing is when Boom compliments and applauds me he becomes that man sitting by the lake and talking to his own reflection. In the water, Boom sees my face and wants to be like me but what Boom forgets, is that what he sees is a reflection of his own endearing and appealing self. That face in the water he sees is his very own! I am and will always be as fickle as the water in the lake. I will move on and he will remain. He will stand up, reach out and conquer the moons of his dream. The truth is that all the strengths which we seek, admire and adore, usually, lay inside of us. Our heroes are always a reflection of ourselves. Our desires and dreams are, always, the manifestations of the heroes we are!
Now, there is a third thing, a hidden lesson, in this story. I’ll spell it out for you, even as I am sure being the heroes you are, you may have figured it out for yourself.
Remember the two times that I stood up and spoke in Boom’s seminar? The first time my performance, therefore the quality of my success, wasn’t up to par for myself even though I took 9 minutes. The second time, inspite of the fact that I just had 3 minutes, I roared, raged and drove a beautiful message right into the hearts of my listeners. The difference was that during the first attempt I was promoting myself and, trying to sell my books. The second time around my purpose was higher. It was to acknowledge and lift the spirits of another human being. This time my focus was outwards and towards helping another giant of a human being. And that, ladies and gentleman, is the essential difference between success and excellence, between good and great!
Many people, including me, know about these things but it is the walk, not the talk, which counts. When we, gracefully, combine the power of desire, the power of selflessness with a true belief in our own capacities, then all our efforts catapult us straight, beyond the moon, into the foothills of our own heavens!
Raju Mandhyan
www.mandhyan.com
A World of Clear, Creative and Conscientious Thinkers!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
Build on the Positive
BY RICARDO SALUDO
Listen in on Filipinos talking about the Philippines and you’re likely to hear one or both of two things: joking and laughter at ourselves and our situation, or a litany of complaints about our country and putdowns of ourselves as a people. Yet we score high on happiness surveys, even more than some of our far more prosperous neighbors, even though we are always quick to point out what’s wrong. The media’s tendency to focus our failings and foibles amplifies our negativism. At the end of this month, a two-day conference at the EDSA Shangri-La may be something our nation can use. The First Asian Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Summit on November 29 to 30 will bring together thought leaders in the art of seeing and building on the positive in organizations and society, focusing on what’s working, not what’s broken.
Among featured speakers are Local Government Secretary and multi-awarded mayor Jesse Robredo and veteran journalist Marites Vitug. Visiting from Ohio’s Case Western Reserve University is the keynote speaker, Dr. David Cooperrider, the originator and leading guru of appreciative inquiry.
Cooperrider has written 14 books and countless articles on the theory and practice of AI, which has adherents in many countries. He advises leading global corporations and is founding chairman of that Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit, at Case Western. In 2004, he designed and facilitated a UN summit on global corporate citizenship for then-Secretary General Kofi Anan and 500 business leaders.
Leading the summit organizers is AI’s top proponent in the Philippines, Antipolo-based Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute (SAIDI) School of OD, which confers M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in organizational development. Headed by Dr. Rosalina Fuentes, SAIDI offers specializations in change leadership, microfinance, local development, social entrepeneurship, human capital management, enterprise leadership, transformative spirituality, and life coaching.
Most management theories and schools of thought concentrate on solving problems and filling gaps. AI asks and expounds upon the strengths of an organization as the starting point and foundation for its journey toward a better future. “All the studies in the world of negative states will tell us nothing about the positive preferred state,” argued Cooperrider in a February 2009 interview. His solution: look at the bright side, the qualities that shine and activities that work.
The AI guru explained that the dominant problem-oriented thinking in management sprang out of the mechanistic view of society and enterprises, which looks for what needs fixing in the machine at hand, which can be an enterprise, a community or a country. Lost in the obsession with problems are the strengths that have in fact propelled progress and growth.
Indeed, Cooperrider said, if you survey people with the question, “Does your company know your strengths and put your strengths into play everyday?” you get just 20 percent saying yes. That means four out of every five employees believe that their capabilities are not fully harnessed. Even if you cut that ratio by half, that still amounts to a sizable 40 percent of corporate brain and brawn wanting to do more.
AI’s core methodology is its four-D’s cycle: discovery, dream, design and destiny. Discovery involves appreciating what gives life and growth, the good things we have now, our sources of strength. Next, we dream, asking what might be, and envisioning the impact of our imaginings. Then we design with others the programs and structures to realize the vision in our dream. Finally, there is destiny, the drive to achieve and empower, learning and adjusting along the way toward the ultimate goal.
In keeping with his positive 4-Ds perspective, Cooperrider likens the process to the wonder and excitement of a child. “Why is uninhibited wonder something we generally restrict to children?” he asks in his OD Practictioner journal article, “The Child as Agent of Inquiry.” In one instructive story recounted in the piece, a 13-year-old student asks his school principal questions like what good things he did in his life and what he is most proud about.
Unlike his usual conversations with students on learning and discipline, the talk with the teenager animated the principal. “I really felt I was on the pulpit,” he recounted. “I was literally looking into the face of the future, exploring the elements of a good society. That night, I could not sleep. I kept replaying the conversation. I got back in touch with a lot of things important to me.”
Put another way, AI highlights the good and how an organization achieves it, which is what we, in our heart of hearts, really care about the most. Or as one writer put it, “you don’t see monuments to critics.” But there are countless statues of the poets, composers, painters and sculptors. Plainly, it is the poetry, music and art that inspire people, not the flaws that critics make it their business to point out.
Just like the principal interviewed by the student, the Cleveland Clinic in 1985 also felt the spark of inspiration from questions focusing on their strengths.
It was that transformative experience that led Cooperrider and his associates to develop the principles and practices of appreciative inquiry, eventually leading to his 1987 doctoral dissertation on AI.
Besides organizational development, the positive approach to addressing issues may even help in political and social conflicts. In his article on how AI could help bring peoce to the Middle East, Cooperrider writes: “Imagine hundreds or thousands of people coming together to generate new images of the world, and then leveraging those revelations for greater progress.” Considering that much conflict is fed by ugly memories of ills and injustices, one can see how the discord can begin to ebb through a 4-Ds shift of mind and discourse toward the good that contending peoples share now and what they could build together.
Perhaps one essential feature of appreciative inquiry that lends itself to both organizational development and peacemaking is its non-dual, consensus-building approach. In seeking the good that we all see and appreciate, AI helps diminish the rivalry between people’s individual perceptions and interests. The “democratization of mind” was how Cooperrider and two co-authors put it in their article on social construction and AI.
Given our eternally fractious, even violent politics, appreciative inquiry may well be just what the Philippines needs.
Ricardo Saludo heads the Center for Strategy, Enterprise & Intelligence ( ric.saludo@censeisolutions.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). CenSEI includes expert associates in organizational change management and executive coaching.
Listen in on Filipinos talking about the Philippines and you’re likely to hear one or both of two things: joking and laughter at ourselves and our situation, or a litany of complaints about our country and putdowns of ourselves as a people. Yet we score high on happiness surveys, even more than some of our far more prosperous neighbors, even though we are always quick to point out what’s wrong. The media’s tendency to focus our failings and foibles amplifies our negativism. At the end of this month, a two-day conference at the EDSA Shangri-La may be something our nation can use. The First Asian Appreciative Inquiry (AI) Summit on November 29 to 30 will bring together thought leaders in the art of seeing and building on the positive in organizations and society, focusing on what’s working, not what’s broken.
Among featured speakers are Local Government Secretary and multi-awarded mayor Jesse Robredo and veteran journalist Marites Vitug. Visiting from Ohio’s Case Western Reserve University is the keynote speaker, Dr. David Cooperrider, the originator and leading guru of appreciative inquiry.
Cooperrider has written 14 books and countless articles on the theory and practice of AI, which has adherents in many countries. He advises leading global corporations and is founding chairman of that Center for Business as an Agent of World Benefit, at Case Western. In 2004, he designed and facilitated a UN summit on global corporate citizenship for then-Secretary General Kofi Anan and 500 business leaders.
Leading the summit organizers is AI’s top proponent in the Philippines, Antipolo-based Southeast Asia Interdisciplinary Development Institute (SAIDI) School of OD, which confers M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in organizational development. Headed by Dr. Rosalina Fuentes, SAIDI offers specializations in change leadership, microfinance, local development, social entrepeneurship, human capital management, enterprise leadership, transformative spirituality, and life coaching.
Most management theories and schools of thought concentrate on solving problems and filling gaps. AI asks and expounds upon the strengths of an organization as the starting point and foundation for its journey toward a better future. “All the studies in the world of negative states will tell us nothing about the positive preferred state,” argued Cooperrider in a February 2009 interview. His solution: look at the bright side, the qualities that shine and activities that work.
The AI guru explained that the dominant problem-oriented thinking in management sprang out of the mechanistic view of society and enterprises, which looks for what needs fixing in the machine at hand, which can be an enterprise, a community or a country. Lost in the obsession with problems are the strengths that have in fact propelled progress and growth.
Indeed, Cooperrider said, if you survey people with the question, “Does your company know your strengths and put your strengths into play everyday?” you get just 20 percent saying yes. That means four out of every five employees believe that their capabilities are not fully harnessed. Even if you cut that ratio by half, that still amounts to a sizable 40 percent of corporate brain and brawn wanting to do more.
AI’s core methodology is its four-D’s cycle: discovery, dream, design and destiny. Discovery involves appreciating what gives life and growth, the good things we have now, our sources of strength. Next, we dream, asking what might be, and envisioning the impact of our imaginings. Then we design with others the programs and structures to realize the vision in our dream. Finally, there is destiny, the drive to achieve and empower, learning and adjusting along the way toward the ultimate goal.
In keeping with his positive 4-Ds perspective, Cooperrider likens the process to the wonder and excitement of a child. “Why is uninhibited wonder something we generally restrict to children?” he asks in his OD Practictioner journal article, “The Child as Agent of Inquiry.” In one instructive story recounted in the piece, a 13-year-old student asks his school principal questions like what good things he did in his life and what he is most proud about.
Unlike his usual conversations with students on learning and discipline, the talk with the teenager animated the principal. “I really felt I was on the pulpit,” he recounted. “I was literally looking into the face of the future, exploring the elements of a good society. That night, I could not sleep. I kept replaying the conversation. I got back in touch with a lot of things important to me.”
Put another way, AI highlights the good and how an organization achieves it, which is what we, in our heart of hearts, really care about the most. Or as one writer put it, “you don’t see monuments to critics.” But there are countless statues of the poets, composers, painters and sculptors. Plainly, it is the poetry, music and art that inspire people, not the flaws that critics make it their business to point out.
Just like the principal interviewed by the student, the Cleveland Clinic in 1985 also felt the spark of inspiration from questions focusing on their strengths.
It was that transformative experience that led Cooperrider and his associates to develop the principles and practices of appreciative inquiry, eventually leading to his 1987 doctoral dissertation on AI.
Besides organizational development, the positive approach to addressing issues may even help in political and social conflicts. In his article on how AI could help bring peoce to the Middle East, Cooperrider writes: “Imagine hundreds or thousands of people coming together to generate new images of the world, and then leveraging those revelations for greater progress.” Considering that much conflict is fed by ugly memories of ills and injustices, one can see how the discord can begin to ebb through a 4-Ds shift of mind and discourse toward the good that contending peoples share now and what they could build together.
Perhaps one essential feature of appreciative inquiry that lends itself to both organizational development and peacemaking is its non-dual, consensus-building approach. In seeking the good that we all see and appreciate, AI helps diminish the rivalry between people’s individual perceptions and interests. The “democratization of mind” was how Cooperrider and two co-authors put it in their article on social construction and AI.
Given our eternally fractious, even violent politics, appreciative inquiry may well be just what the Philippines needs.
Ricardo Saludo heads the Center for Strategy, Enterprise & Intelligence ( ric.saludo@censeisolutions.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ). CenSEI includes expert associates in organizational change management and executive coaching.
Monday, October 11, 2010
What am I most Proud of?
The question that Coach Elizabeth Hoban asked me a few months ago, “Raju, looking back at the last 2-3 years of your professional life, what are you most proud of?” still rings in my ear. Though I briefly responded to that question I still feel, given the fact that it was asked on TV and I had to be brief, that I still want to share the details and the depths of that story.
There was a time, a day in the year 2005, when I was invited by, a friend and a missionary, Jay Tabana, to speak at a large socio-civic get together in Naga City, Philippines. The impression I got from Jay’s invitation was that I was to speak about business leadership to a large audience of 300 to 400 people. This was one of those gigs which we speakers regard more as a marketing mileage rather than an effort at putting food on the table. I took on the assignment and carried a bagful of books to sell to cover travel and lodging expenses.
After a long and a bumpy overnight journey by bus from Manila to Naga, I was put up in a little hotel, upon arrival, at dawn. By noon I was picked up by Jay and chaperoned from the hotel to the venue in a little, metal-upholstered ride on a tricycle to the venue.
Upon getting down I was looking for signs of a large crowd or even a large hall but Jay and his companion led me into the living room of a high-ceilinged, old wooden house. In the living room I leaned against an old-fashioned bar thinking this was just a stop and I’ll soon be led into a hall. When my eyes connected with those of Jay’s he seemed as much surprised and worried as I might have looked at that time. He slowly walked up to me and he said, “This is it. This is where you speak.” “Oh, okay” I said, “you think this room can squeeze in 30 or 40 people?” “I think it might,” he said and then left me hanging with a youngish looking boy who seemed to be the caretaker of the place and who seemed to be all starry-eyed about having to look after me, an expat, and a speaker from the big city. In my shaky and broken tagalong, I asked him if the audience will be coming in soon. “Opo!” he replied excitedly but politely.
At the end of thirty minutes of waiting, six young ladies and a handsome gentlemen, all in their early seventies walked in and, after wishing me a, “Magandang Hapon po!” settled down randomly about the room. I glanced at the housekeeper and he beamed me a large toothy smile and gave me a "thumbs up" sign. It was my time to wire up the mike and get up on the stage.
Now what I haven’t told you is that when I went into this speaking, training and changing other people’s lives’ business, I’d made up my own version of a Professional Speaker’s Athenic Oath.
I swear by Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and Arts, to keep according to my ability and my judgment, the following Oath and agreement:
To consider dear to me, as my mentor, she who taught me this Heart of Public Speaking; to live in common with her and, if necessary, to share my goods with her; To look upon her children as my own brothers, to share them wisdom and hope.
I will serve one or a thousand at a time and never shy away from sharing. I will speak regardless of speaking tools and comforts like a mike, a lectern, a podium or planned notes. I will speak in the sun, the shade or pouring rain and I will always deliver on my promises.
I will sweat, bleed and labor to preserve the purity of my profession and my arts. In every hall I speak, I will speak only for the good of my listeners, keeping myself far from all intentions of ill-doing and personal gain.
If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot. This I swear!”
So, I began to speak. The crowd of seven in my halls were all small business owners who, for decades, had been making and selling Filipino sweets like Polvoron, Peanut Brittle and other Native Candies. I spoke about persistence, patience, systems, structures, branding, succession planning, packaging and distribution, building teams, hiring and training right and building business that would last not just their lifetimes but become a legacy and a bequest to their families and to the nation. They were happy and thrilled. They asked a lot of questions, shared their fears and their hopes and at the end of three quick hours, they shook my hand, gave me a few toothless smiles and walked out of the halls.
The thing that I am most proud of today but was surprised about it then was that throughout those three hours I’d forgotten that I was there to give a speech in English! Another person, another being from inside of me had reached out and connected with my customers in a language of their mothers--Tagalog with a smattering of English. Yeah! This is true. I know it because I still have to collect from those customers whom I sold my books on credit as they walked out of the halls. Unless, of course, I have already collected in kind and spirit from them in another place and another time. In all cases, i am sure, someone up there is maintaining a good book of accounts.
The lesson I recalled during this experience and which still resonates in my heart bring forth the words of my dear, departed mother who used to always say to me, “Son, those who don’t know how to dance generally blame the floor.” If you really and truly and wholeheartedly want to accomplish something then come rain or shine you will accomplish it and the whole material, emotional and spiritual world will conspire to help you accomplish it too.
Here is the clip of Coach Elizabeth Hoban asking me that question, “What am I most proud
of/” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0Zl8v6oe1k
There was a time, a day in the year 2005, when I was invited by, a friend and a missionary, Jay Tabana, to speak at a large socio-civic get together in Naga City, Philippines. The impression I got from Jay’s invitation was that I was to speak about business leadership to a large audience of 300 to 400 people. This was one of those gigs which we speakers regard more as a marketing mileage rather than an effort at putting food on the table. I took on the assignment and carried a bagful of books to sell to cover travel and lodging expenses.
After a long and a bumpy overnight journey by bus from Manila to Naga, I was put up in a little hotel, upon arrival, at dawn. By noon I was picked up by Jay and chaperoned from the hotel to the venue in a little, metal-upholstered ride on a tricycle to the venue.
Upon getting down I was looking for signs of a large crowd or even a large hall but Jay and his companion led me into the living room of a high-ceilinged, old wooden house. In the living room I leaned against an old-fashioned bar thinking this was just a stop and I’ll soon be led into a hall. When my eyes connected with those of Jay’s he seemed as much surprised and worried as I might have looked at that time. He slowly walked up to me and he said, “This is it. This is where you speak.” “Oh, okay” I said, “you think this room can squeeze in 30 or 40 people?” “I think it might,” he said and then left me hanging with a youngish looking boy who seemed to be the caretaker of the place and who seemed to be all starry-eyed about having to look after me, an expat, and a speaker from the big city. In my shaky and broken tagalong, I asked him if the audience will be coming in soon. “Opo!” he replied excitedly but politely.
At the end of thirty minutes of waiting, six young ladies and a handsome gentlemen, all in their early seventies walked in and, after wishing me a, “Magandang Hapon po!” settled down randomly about the room. I glanced at the housekeeper and he beamed me a large toothy smile and gave me a "thumbs up" sign. It was my time to wire up the mike and get up on the stage.
Now what I haven’t told you is that when I went into this speaking, training and changing other people’s lives’ business, I’d made up my own version of a Professional Speaker’s Athenic Oath.
I swear by Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and Arts, to keep according to my ability and my judgment, the following Oath and agreement:
To consider dear to me, as my mentor, she who taught me this Heart of Public Speaking; to live in common with her and, if necessary, to share my goods with her; To look upon her children as my own brothers, to share them wisdom and hope.
I will serve one or a thousand at a time and never shy away from sharing. I will speak regardless of speaking tools and comforts like a mike, a lectern, a podium or planned notes. I will speak in the sun, the shade or pouring rain and I will always deliver on my promises.
I will sweat, bleed and labor to preserve the purity of my profession and my arts. In every hall I speak, I will speak only for the good of my listeners, keeping myself far from all intentions of ill-doing and personal gain.
If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I swerve from it or violate it, may the reverse be my lot. This I swear!”
So, I began to speak. The crowd of seven in my halls were all small business owners who, for decades, had been making and selling Filipino sweets like Polvoron, Peanut Brittle and other Native Candies. I spoke about persistence, patience, systems, structures, branding, succession planning, packaging and distribution, building teams, hiring and training right and building business that would last not just their lifetimes but become a legacy and a bequest to their families and to the nation. They were happy and thrilled. They asked a lot of questions, shared their fears and their hopes and at the end of three quick hours, they shook my hand, gave me a few toothless smiles and walked out of the halls.
The thing that I am most proud of today but was surprised about it then was that throughout those three hours I’d forgotten that I was there to give a speech in English! Another person, another being from inside of me had reached out and connected with my customers in a language of their mothers--Tagalog with a smattering of English. Yeah! This is true. I know it because I still have to collect from those customers whom I sold my books on credit as they walked out of the halls. Unless, of course, I have already collected in kind and spirit from them in another place and another time. In all cases, i am sure, someone up there is maintaining a good book of accounts.
The lesson I recalled during this experience and which still resonates in my heart bring forth the words of my dear, departed mother who used to always say to me, “Son, those who don’t know how to dance generally blame the floor.” If you really and truly and wholeheartedly want to accomplish something then come rain or shine you will accomplish it and the whole material, emotional and spiritual world will conspire to help you accomplish it too.
Here is the clip of Coach Elizabeth Hoban asking me that question, “What am I most proud
of/” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0Zl8v6oe1k
Friday, September 10, 2010
The Leader as a Storyteller...Part 1
Several years ago at a talk for a Call Center Training Institute in India, I was
asked by one of the participants, “Sir, What makes a perfect leader?”
The first thought that flashed through my mind was that the young gentleman
asking the question had not experienced life yet and, in response, a smile grew
on my face but I held the smile back and went through the images and the ideals of several leaders I had studied and read about.
Abraham Lincoln was good but yet he was assassinated. There was someone who wasn’t too happy with him thus Lincoln could not have been perfect. Mahatma Gandhi was known for his staunch authenticity and he helped free a nation but still some found him flawed and shot him too. Currently known and respected leaders also have had their ups and downs, and they too cannot be deemed to be“perfect.”
Our perceptions of leaders and the concept of leadership run the gamut of brave, strong, sensitive, democratic, visionary, action-oriented, creative,
constructive, transformative, situational, emotional leaders and more. Thus,
there is no perfect description or a theory about leaders and leadership. It is
like that story of six men who could not see the elephant but drew their
judgments based on what body part of the elephant they were able to touch.
The one who held the trunk of the elephant thought the elephant was like a big
fat-water hose, the one who touched the elephants leg thought it to be like a
tree trunk and the others thought the elephant was a rope, a wall, a horn,
and a fan depending on what body part they were able to touch or grasp.
Now the descriptions of leadership may be diverse, and sometimes downright
ambiguous, but the tools of practicing leadership are limited and many a time
well defined. Tools such as active listening, clear imaging, creative planning,
awareness, action and the science behind inspirational storytelling come quite
handy to affect the acts of leadership. Through fables, parables, anecdote and
corporate storytelling, leaders can put across, quite quickly, hard to comprehend
concepts. Through story telling leaders can heal broken hearts and inspire
their armies. Through storytelling leaders can catalyze change and inspire
action and excellent performance. Through story, leaders can help the world
realize and understand truth.
The power behind storytelling is best highlighted by this little folk tale from
Israel.
Once upon a time, a long time ago there lived these two beautiful women in Israel. Their beauty was legendary and the people of Israel loved them both immensely.
One day, as is normal for all celebrities, these two beauties became insecure
and uncertain about their beauty and about their status in life. So out they
walked on the high streets of Jerusalem to see if they still drew any attention
and applause. On the streets, the bolder of the two stepped up and ahead of the
other in all her glory but nobody even glanced at her. “That is impossible.”
she thought and became a bit more bolder[excuse the grammar] and marched onto
the streets clicking her heels. This time, at her brashness, people turned their
faces away in disgust. She was devastated and in response, in her boldest form
ever, she stomped down the streets of Jerusalem again. People
ran into their homes and slammed shut their doors in her face.
Heartbroken and in deep shame, she swore never to expose herself again.
The other beauty, meanwhile, put on her best multi-colored coat, stuck some flowers in her hat and bells in her anklets and swung out onto the street with her purse. She waved at strangers, smiled at the Rabbis and laughed with the kids at play on the streets. The people of Jerusalem fell all over her. “Beautiful! Lovely! Celestial!” they all shouted. She was one with them and one of them!
The secret was that there was really no difference in how they both looked. What
really set them apart was the fact that the first one was called Truth and the
second one’s name was Story.
When leaders, for influence, use stories five things happen .Stories;
ACTIVATE the WHOLE BRAIN
Though we all use the whole brain in all we do but there tends to be, because of years of training and programming, a tendency towards left-brain domination in our interactions. When faced with a story our left brain dominance takes a back seat and our interactions become holistic and easy.
SEEP through CEREBRAL DEFENSES
For reasons similar to the previous point and for reasons of self protection we tend to ward off with logic anything that is new and unknown to us. When faced with a story our conscious and more cognitive mind draws back its analytical claws allowing new ideas and information to be exchanged with lesser resistance than normal.
INVOKE CREATIVITY and INCLUSIVENESS
Upon hearing stories our mind assumes it’s going to play and have fun… and this invokes creativity and a desire to participate. The right brain moves in and views the proceedings from a bird’s viewpoint. There is fun and lightness in this whole-brain approach and makes the listener much more participative because he feels part of the story forming and creation.
CATALYZE RAPPORT and ACTION
Since whole-hearted participation is not just a mental thing, stories also rouse us into wanting to do something, to model the heroes in the stories we hear and perform other acts of courage. Stories also, because of their playful nature generate laughter and, Daniel Goleman in his book The Primal Leader claims, laughter nurtures the open loop nature of man. Stories thus build rapport amongst players at work and catalyze action and teamwork.
ANCHOR Ideas and Values into our EMOTIONS for LIFE
Stories, intrinsically and essentially, highlight strengths, positivism and idealism thus firming up old and new values to make us emotionally strong. Through storytelling all concepts and facts anchor themselves into our emotional brain and in our long-term memories.
Thus, effective leaders, teachers, trainer, mentors and coaches know and recognize the power of storytelling and usually deliver, hard to digest truths in the form of a story.
asked by one of the participants, “Sir, What makes a perfect leader?”
The first thought that flashed through my mind was that the young gentleman
asking the question had not experienced life yet and, in response, a smile grew
on my face but I held the smile back and went through the images and the ideals of several leaders I had studied and read about.
Abraham Lincoln was good but yet he was assassinated. There was someone who wasn’t too happy with him thus Lincoln could not have been perfect. Mahatma Gandhi was known for his staunch authenticity and he helped free a nation but still some found him flawed and shot him too. Currently known and respected leaders also have had their ups and downs, and they too cannot be deemed to be“perfect.”
Our perceptions of leaders and the concept of leadership run the gamut of brave, strong, sensitive, democratic, visionary, action-oriented, creative,
constructive, transformative, situational, emotional leaders and more. Thus,
there is no perfect description or a theory about leaders and leadership. It is
like that story of six men who could not see the elephant but drew their
judgments based on what body part of the elephant they were able to touch.
The one who held the trunk of the elephant thought the elephant was like a big
fat-water hose, the one who touched the elephants leg thought it to be like a
tree trunk and the others thought the elephant was a rope, a wall, a horn,
and a fan depending on what body part they were able to touch or grasp.
Now the descriptions of leadership may be diverse, and sometimes downright
ambiguous, but the tools of practicing leadership are limited and many a time
well defined. Tools such as active listening, clear imaging, creative planning,
awareness, action and the science behind inspirational storytelling come quite
handy to affect the acts of leadership. Through fables, parables, anecdote and
corporate storytelling, leaders can put across, quite quickly, hard to comprehend
concepts. Through story telling leaders can heal broken hearts and inspire
their armies. Through storytelling leaders can catalyze change and inspire
action and excellent performance. Through story, leaders can help the world
realize and understand truth.
The power behind storytelling is best highlighted by this little folk tale from
Israel.
Once upon a time, a long time ago there lived these two beautiful women in Israel. Their beauty was legendary and the people of Israel loved them both immensely.
One day, as is normal for all celebrities, these two beauties became insecure
and uncertain about their beauty and about their status in life. So out they
walked on the high streets of Jerusalem to see if they still drew any attention
and applause. On the streets, the bolder of the two stepped up and ahead of the
other in all her glory but nobody even glanced at her. “That is impossible.”
she thought and became a bit more bolder[excuse the grammar] and marched onto
the streets clicking her heels. This time, at her brashness, people turned their
faces away in disgust. She was devastated and in response, in her boldest form
ever, she stomped down the streets of Jerusalem again. People
ran into their homes and slammed shut their doors in her face.
Heartbroken and in deep shame, she swore never to expose herself again.
The other beauty, meanwhile, put on her best multi-colored coat, stuck some flowers in her hat and bells in her anklets and swung out onto the street with her purse. She waved at strangers, smiled at the Rabbis and laughed with the kids at play on the streets. The people of Jerusalem fell all over her. “Beautiful! Lovely! Celestial!” they all shouted. She was one with them and one of them!
The secret was that there was really no difference in how they both looked. What
really set them apart was the fact that the first one was called Truth and the
second one’s name was Story.
When leaders, for influence, use stories five things happen .Stories;
ACTIVATE the WHOLE BRAIN
Though we all use the whole brain in all we do but there tends to be, because of years of training and programming, a tendency towards left-brain domination in our interactions. When faced with a story our left brain dominance takes a back seat and our interactions become holistic and easy.
SEEP through CEREBRAL DEFENSES
For reasons similar to the previous point and for reasons of self protection we tend to ward off with logic anything that is new and unknown to us. When faced with a story our conscious and more cognitive mind draws back its analytical claws allowing new ideas and information to be exchanged with lesser resistance than normal.
INVOKE CREATIVITY and INCLUSIVENESS
Upon hearing stories our mind assumes it’s going to play and have fun… and this invokes creativity and a desire to participate. The right brain moves in and views the proceedings from a bird’s viewpoint. There is fun and lightness in this whole-brain approach and makes the listener much more participative because he feels part of the story forming and creation.
CATALYZE RAPPORT and ACTION
Since whole-hearted participation is not just a mental thing, stories also rouse us into wanting to do something, to model the heroes in the stories we hear and perform other acts of courage. Stories also, because of their playful nature generate laughter and, Daniel Goleman in his book The Primal Leader claims, laughter nurtures the open loop nature of man. Stories thus build rapport amongst players at work and catalyze action and teamwork.
ANCHOR Ideas and Values into our EMOTIONS for LIFE
Stories, intrinsically and essentially, highlight strengths, positivism and idealism thus firming up old and new values to make us emotionally strong. Through storytelling all concepts and facts anchor themselves into our emotional brain and in our long-term memories.
Thus, effective leaders, teachers, trainer, mentors and coaches know and recognize the power of storytelling and usually deliver, hard to digest truths in the form of a story.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Action & Innovation
After years of reading, writing, researching, teaching and working with businesses at enhancing creative thinking in workplaces I have come to one happy conclusion. The conclusion is that at the core of all efforts at coming up with creative ideas, 
and innovating products and processes lies the fact that “action speaks louder than words!”
People in research, design, planning, marketing and strategizing constantly bleed and sweat over what wonderful thing to do next and how to come up with an idea that will rock the world and save money at the same time. Consultants like myself, catalyze the bleeding and the sweating further by dishing out multiple, hair-brained techniques and methods to “enhance creativity in individuals and organizations.” The whole circus is a vicious circle of futility rather than creativity and creative thinking. The power truly lies in A C T I O N and execution. Though, I am tempted to, I will not quote Nike over here. Nope!
What businesses need to learn and master is the ability to go out on a limb again and again. Individual and organizations need to learn to live with ambiguity and risk. The world outside; the economy, the ecology and the mind of the masses is and always will be in a constant flux. Market conditions will change, trends will change and the world will turn. Speed and action to market is important. Pro-acting to feedback and corrections is important. Getting into the thinking, designing and delivering into the pit is important.
It is vital that organizations not just follow a three-step, a five step or a seven-step method into higher creativity and breakthrough innovations but also give priority to conclusions and ends. Start backwards if we have to but constantly put something out there into the midst of the market and let the world decide if your ideas are worth the paper they have been brainstormed upon. Yes!
and innovating products and processes lies the fact that “action speaks louder than words!”People in research, design, planning, marketing and strategizing constantly bleed and sweat over what wonderful thing to do next and how to come up with an idea that will rock the world and save money at the same time. Consultants like myself, catalyze the bleeding and the sweating further by dishing out multiple, hair-brained techniques and methods to “enhance creativity in individuals and organizations.” The whole circus is a vicious circle of futility rather than creativity and creative thinking. The power truly lies in A C T I O N and execution. Though, I am tempted to, I will not quote Nike over here. Nope!
What businesses need to learn and master is the ability to go out on a limb again and again. Individual and organizations need to learn to live with ambiguity and risk. The world outside; the economy, the ecology and the mind of the masses is and always will be in a constant flux. Market conditions will change, trends will change and the world will turn. Speed and action to market is important. Pro-acting to feedback and corrections is important. Getting into the thinking, designing and delivering into the pit is important.
It is vital that organizations not just follow a three-step, a five step or a seven-step method into higher creativity and breakthrough innovations but also give priority to conclusions and ends. Start backwards if we have to but constantly put something out there into the midst of the market and let the world decide if your ideas are worth the paper they have been brainstormed upon. Yes!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Authenticity and Public Speaking
Deep within your brain lies the amygdala_ also referred to as the “reptilian brain.” This part of the brain exercises no logic, rationality or order. It thrives on passion, fear, and rage. 
The “fight or flight” syndrome during public speaking, originates from here. Manifestations of this syndrome are sweaty palms, increased heartbeat, a parched throat, and knocking knees.
Once, I observed a sales director of a large multi-level marketing company who had the habit of calling for a round of applause every few minutes during his speech. In the din of the applause, he’d gulp in air to soothe his fears and then continue.
Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism,
Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make you a far happier and more productive person. – Dr. David M. Burns
A much better way to manage this fear is to constantly reach in and reclaim our authentic, inner being. Authenticity is achieved, as discussed earlier, by an honest appraisal of our objectives, purpose, and ulterior motives. After this, even if the structure and style of our speech is not that great, it becomes what my kids call “real”.
Many years ago, Mario Garrolinni, a speaker friend of mine died in a motorcycle accident. Several of his friends from the speaking and training business turned up to give eulogies at his wake. They all spoke with eloquence, wit, and style but the speaker that outshone them all was an old and humble mechanic from Mario’s factory.
He came up stooped shoulders, wrung his hands in agony, and stumbled through his words while clutching at the front of his shirt. He spoke of how much he loved Mario and shared happy little anecdotes of their friendship.
His language was simple. He wasn’t stylish or educated. As he spoke, there were tears and laughter in his eyes. After he finished there were tears and laughter in the eyes of everyone present. He was speaking the plain truth in simple words, authentically. Whenever, I get anxious or egotistical, I remember that old, humble Filipino mechanic and I simmer down and tap into my own authentic nature.
I am also not a big believer in the adage of “fake it until you make it”. I’d rather be honest, work hard and straight, and then “make it” so I don’t have to “fake it.” There are times that when you confess ignorance or inexperience you expose yourself to humiliation. But, confessions of truths can also make you endearing and human.
One day, Herbert Lee from Macau, a speaker/trainer friend of mine, spoke about how important it is to expose your inner self to create a better rapport. “You gotta open your hearts!” he cried. To prove this point to his audience he unbuttoned the front of his jacket, yanked his necktie off, and grabbed his shirt by the collar as if to rip it off. The audience leaned back and gasped, not knowing what was coming next. They didn’t want to see a nude speaker! With a flourish, my friend tore the shirt off his body, leaving his jacket on. The audience erupted into amazed laughter when they realized his shirt was a trick-shirt designed to be ripped off and away from under his jacket!
Herbert, though, had made his point that one must expose himself to be accepted and to be liked by his audience.
Sincerity and openness are major factors that can help you overcome your fears. While preparing to deliver a speech, ask yourself the following questions.
First, is the content of my speech true?
i. If there are facts, numbers or anecdotes that you are not sure of, not using them will cut down your anxiety.
Second, Am I telling half-truths and avoiding facts?
ii. If you are vague about concepts and are avoiding the real issues just so that you can fulfill the task of presenting, then you will be doubtful and fearful.
And third, what is my ulterior motive behind all the statements and suggestions?
iii. If your motives are well meaning and will truly benefit the audience, it becomes easier to speak with power, style and confidence.
This tapping into our authentic nature, expressing truths and overcoming anxiety through deep introspection forms the most important layer of the Heart of Public Speaking.
The “fight or flight” syndrome during public speaking, originates from here. Manifestations of this syndrome are sweaty palms, increased heartbeat, a parched throat, and knocking knees.
Once, I observed a sales director of a large multi-level marketing company who had the habit of calling for a round of applause every few minutes during his speech. In the din of the applause, he’d gulp in air to soothe his fears and then continue.
Remember that fear always lurks behind perfectionism,
Confronting your fears and allowing yourself the right to be human can, paradoxically, make you a far happier and more productive person. – Dr. David M. Burns
A much better way to manage this fear is to constantly reach in and reclaim our authentic, inner being. Authenticity is achieved, as discussed earlier, by an honest appraisal of our objectives, purpose, and ulterior motives. After this, even if the structure and style of our speech is not that great, it becomes what my kids call “real”.
Many years ago, Mario Garrolinni, a speaker friend of mine died in a motorcycle accident. Several of his friends from the speaking and training business turned up to give eulogies at his wake. They all spoke with eloquence, wit, and style but the speaker that outshone them all was an old and humble mechanic from Mario’s factory.
He came up stooped shoulders, wrung his hands in agony, and stumbled through his words while clutching at the front of his shirt. He spoke of how much he loved Mario and shared happy little anecdotes of their friendship.
His language was simple. He wasn’t stylish or educated. As he spoke, there were tears and laughter in his eyes. After he finished there were tears and laughter in the eyes of everyone present. He was speaking the plain truth in simple words, authentically. Whenever, I get anxious or egotistical, I remember that old, humble Filipino mechanic and I simmer down and tap into my own authentic nature.
I am also not a big believer in the adage of “fake it until you make it”. I’d rather be honest, work hard and straight, and then “make it” so I don’t have to “fake it.” There are times that when you confess ignorance or inexperience you expose yourself to humiliation. But, confessions of truths can also make you endearing and human.
One day, Herbert Lee from Macau, a speaker/trainer friend of mine, spoke about how important it is to expose your inner self to create a better rapport. “You gotta open your hearts!” he cried. To prove this point to his audience he unbuttoned the front of his jacket, yanked his necktie off, and grabbed his shirt by the collar as if to rip it off. The audience leaned back and gasped, not knowing what was coming next. They didn’t want to see a nude speaker! With a flourish, my friend tore the shirt off his body, leaving his jacket on. The audience erupted into amazed laughter when they realized his shirt was a trick-shirt designed to be ripped off and away from under his jacket!
Herbert, though, had made his point that one must expose himself to be accepted and to be liked by his audience.
Sincerity and openness are major factors that can help you overcome your fears. While preparing to deliver a speech, ask yourself the following questions.
First, is the content of my speech true?
i. If there are facts, numbers or anecdotes that you are not sure of, not using them will cut down your anxiety.
Second, Am I telling half-truths and avoiding facts?
ii. If you are vague about concepts and are avoiding the real issues just so that you can fulfill the task of presenting, then you will be doubtful and fearful.
And third, what is my ulterior motive behind all the statements and suggestions?
iii. If your motives are well meaning and will truly benefit the audience, it becomes easier to speak with power, style and confidence.
This tapping into our authentic nature, expressing truths and overcoming anxiety through deep introspection forms the most important layer of the Heart of Public Speaking.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
the birds, the bees and the flowers up the wall!
Just the other day someone asked me if I’d heard about Vertical Farming. I said I had but wasn’t too thrilled about it.
“Why?” he exclaimed surprised.
“Uh, because it is trying to correct a problem originally created by ourselves.”
“How is that? Doesn’t it make sense that people will not have to go far out of the cities to get their needs filled?”
“That does make sense but it is a stop-gap solution. The question that we really need to ask ourselves is what has driven us to live in such tall structures, what has driven us to live in such a congested manner and what has driven us humankind to be one of the largest numbers of inhabitants on earth?”
The truth is that we have really overcrowded the earth. There are billions of us digging into the crust of the planet, ‘de-treeing’ the forests and ‘dam-ming’ the rivers and the oceans in the name of progress. We are converting everything into wrought iron, plastic and mortar and then piercing it into the heart of the earth and erecting structures which shoot miles into the sky in defiance of nature and natural forces. We call them skyscrapers and we think that is “oh' so smart of us as a civilization.” How far away is that kind of thinking compared to inventing electric saws to chop down trees or throwing sticks of dynamite into the ocean so the fish will pop out of it dead and murdered.
Every time we as a race and as a society have taken a decision we have believed it to be the smartest decision ever. When we split open an atom we thought that was a scientific breakthrough until it was also used as atom-bomb to kill thousands. When we conquered the oceans we believed that to be an achievement until the waste and spills from our tankers began to poison every single inhabitant that lived in the waters. We are thrilled at being able to fly from one continent to another at breakneck speed not realising that that just gets us doing the digging, the de-treeing and the dam-ming much faster and much more globally. Somebody has to just stop and ask. ‘Why? Where are we going with all this activity? What is the higher purpose? What is the universal vision?
Is our long-term goal to be the most populated species on earth? Is our purpose to smelt plastic, metal and mortar into horrendously vertical constructions, pump up the rivers onto the 141st floor so we can wash our hands after nibbling on frog-legs and celery plucked from the farm next door? Einstein was wrong when he helped us unleash nuclear power but he was right when he said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”
Mankind’s intentions are essentially good but mankind’s decision making is dependant only on the intellectual, emotional resources available to it from the environment and that which is true in the present moment. All wisdom is gained in hindsight by connecting the dots backwards. Very rarely have we practiced creativity and creative thinking which is not demand driven, which is not circumstantial and reactive.
I am not offering answers because I do not have any. I am just raising questions and inviting caution before we coerce our flowers and fauna to scramble up on horrendously vertical skyscrapers. I am inviting long-tem concern, thinking in systems and a refrain from applauding our own thinking and actions before we drive the birds, the bees and the flowers up the wall again!
“Why?” he exclaimed surprised.
“Uh, because it is trying to correct a problem originally created by ourselves.”
“How is that? Doesn’t it make sense that people will not have to go far out of the cities to get their needs filled?”
“That does make sense but it is a stop-gap solution. The question that we really need to ask ourselves is what has driven us to live in such tall structures, what has driven us to live in such a congested manner and what has driven us humankind to be one of the largest numbers of inhabitants on earth?”
The truth is that we have really overcrowded the earth. There are billions of us digging into the crust of the planet, ‘de-treeing’ the forests and ‘dam-ming’ the rivers and the oceans in the name of progress. We are converting everything into wrought iron, plastic and mortar and then piercing it into the heart of the earth and erecting structures which shoot miles into the sky in defiance of nature and natural forces. We call them skyscrapers and we think that is “oh' so smart of us as a civilization.” How far away is that kind of thinking compared to inventing electric saws to chop down trees or throwing sticks of dynamite into the ocean so the fish will pop out of it dead and murdered.
Every time we as a race and as a society have taken a decision we have believed it to be the smartest decision ever. When we split open an atom we thought that was a scientific breakthrough until it was also used as atom-bomb to kill thousands. When we conquered the oceans we believed that to be an achievement until the waste and spills from our tankers began to poison every single inhabitant that lived in the waters. We are thrilled at being able to fly from one continent to another at breakneck speed not realising that that just gets us doing the digging, the de-treeing and the dam-ming much faster and much more globally. Somebody has to just stop and ask. ‘Why? Where are we going with all this activity? What is the higher purpose? What is the universal vision?
Is our long-term goal to be the most populated species on earth? Is our purpose to smelt plastic, metal and mortar into horrendously vertical constructions, pump up the rivers onto the 141st floor so we can wash our hands after nibbling on frog-legs and celery plucked from the farm next door? Einstein was wrong when he helped us unleash nuclear power but he was right when he said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”
Mankind’s intentions are essentially good but mankind’s decision making is dependant only on the intellectual, emotional resources available to it from the environment and that which is true in the present moment. All wisdom is gained in hindsight by connecting the dots backwards. Very rarely have we practiced creativity and creative thinking which is not demand driven, which is not circumstantial and reactive.
I am not offering answers because I do not have any. I am just raising questions and inviting caution before we coerce our flowers and fauna to scramble up on horrendously vertical skyscrapers. I am inviting long-tem concern, thinking in systems and a refrain from applauding our own thinking and actions before we drive the birds, the bees and the flowers up the wall again!
Why Coaching Sales Creates Champions
Though early on in my career I did not get any sales specific training I was fortunate to intern under several successful sales champions. My mentors had learned their skills through the school of hard knocks and over a long period of time. Mentoring me, though, was far from their minds and all they really cared was if I made enough sales and if my success at sales put money into their coffers. Amazingly though, and such is life, I picked up a million little lessons from them which over time gave me an uncanny and an unfair advantage over many sales people and endeared me to my clientele and the market I played in. The learning was in-depth and the growth was exhilarating and long lasting. Years into the profession, when side by side with my mentors I had developed an uncanny and subtle set of playing rules which almost always helped me close deals and serve my clients consistently and to the benefit of both sides.
Over time, I realized that the art of selling was not just an art but an extremely refined science. The rules of this science, in the past, were learned through by getting into the pit again and again. Today, the culture of learning through long and strenuous interactions over a l o n g period of time does not need to be continued. It still has its benefits but keeping in mind the principle of “Anything can be accomplished if the task is broken down into small enough steps,” from the school of Nuero Linguistics Programming, a sales leader can transfer these uncanny and subtle set of playing rules to almost anyone willing to learn and wanting to make a success out of his sales career.
Across the world trainers and sales consultants like me have now packaged these playing rules into principles and practices which can be mastered in a matter of months if not weeks. Gone are the days when a successful sales person or a team leader would get on stage and boost the spirits of his teams through stories and admonitions towards sales success. Today, the name of the game is Sales Coaching—and, it is potent and powerful in real time and in measurable terms.
Sales Coaching brings about a multitude of benefits at the individual, the team and the organisational level.
At the individual level, sales coaching starts with the assumption that if you can dream it then you can achieve it. This becomes an extremely powerful a paradigm for the sales person because it starts with the belief in her potentiality, its helps unleash her latent strengths and it helps her leverage on her own past successes no matter what field or discipline she comes from. Sales coaching, at the individual level, instead of imposing the manager’s or the organizations belief systems on the salesperson helps her uncover her own driving values. It help her fine tune her skills in complete alignment with her own beliefs and potential.
At the team level, Sales Coaching, helps distribute work load and challenges based on personal preferences and competencies of each player. It helps teams eliminate links which may be weak and move from strength to strength to strength. Steven Covey highlights this synergy of strengths by creating a metaphor of loading a single wooden plank with a measured downward pressure, followed by laying another layer of a wooden plank on the first one. The downward pressure and weight thus carried by two wooden planks not just doubles in tandem to the number of planks but increases multi-fold. Such is the power of Sales Coaching for a team. It strengthens each player individually and then bonds them together with their strengths thus reducing team weaknesses. At the practical level, a manager-cum-coach can assess individual strengths and assign tasks and territories to build on strengths instead of just logistical and market demands.
At the organizational level, Sales Coaching helps in the following ways:
• Essential knowledge and organization culture is retained and enhanced in the process.
• Employee engagement and thus retention peaks up because of increased performance and satisfaction.
• Alignment of personal, team and organizational goals are constantly aligned thereby boosting rapid and sustainable growth.
In summary, the business of old-fashioned sales training has taken on a new and a vibrant face. Instead of sweeping statements about successes and successful behaviour during sales it now is a fine-tuned, highly refined and custom made one on one learning. It is not just faster, better and cheaper but it is also creative, conscientious and constructive. A well-designed sales coaching program addresses the needs of individuals, teams and organization in the areas of culture, processes, characters, visions, and competencies. A well designed sales coaching program also provides knowledge, skills and true wisdom for playing well in the pits, where the true action is.
Over time, I realized that the art of selling was not just an art but an extremely refined science. The rules of this science, in the past, were learned through by getting into the pit again and again. Today, the culture of learning through long and strenuous interactions over a l o n g period of time does not need to be continued. It still has its benefits but keeping in mind the principle of “Anything can be accomplished if the task is broken down into small enough steps,” from the school of Nuero Linguistics Programming, a sales leader can transfer these uncanny and subtle set of playing rules to almost anyone willing to learn and wanting to make a success out of his sales career.
Across the world trainers and sales consultants like me have now packaged these playing rules into principles and practices which can be mastered in a matter of months if not weeks. Gone are the days when a successful sales person or a team leader would get on stage and boost the spirits of his teams through stories and admonitions towards sales success. Today, the name of the game is Sales Coaching—and, it is potent and powerful in real time and in measurable terms.
Sales Coaching brings about a multitude of benefits at the individual, the team and the organisational level.
At the individual level, sales coaching starts with the assumption that if you can dream it then you can achieve it. This becomes an extremely powerful a paradigm for the sales person because it starts with the belief in her potentiality, its helps unleash her latent strengths and it helps her leverage on her own past successes no matter what field or discipline she comes from. Sales coaching, at the individual level, instead of imposing the manager’s or the organizations belief systems on the salesperson helps her uncover her own driving values. It help her fine tune her skills in complete alignment with her own beliefs and potential.
At the team level, Sales Coaching, helps distribute work load and challenges based on personal preferences and competencies of each player. It helps teams eliminate links which may be weak and move from strength to strength to strength. Steven Covey highlights this synergy of strengths by creating a metaphor of loading a single wooden plank with a measured downward pressure, followed by laying another layer of a wooden plank on the first one. The downward pressure and weight thus carried by two wooden planks not just doubles in tandem to the number of planks but increases multi-fold. Such is the power of Sales Coaching for a team. It strengthens each player individually and then bonds them together with their strengths thus reducing team weaknesses. At the practical level, a manager-cum-coach can assess individual strengths and assign tasks and territories to build on strengths instead of just logistical and market demands.
At the organizational level, Sales Coaching helps in the following ways:
• Essential knowledge and organization culture is retained and enhanced in the process.
• Employee engagement and thus retention peaks up because of increased performance and satisfaction.
• Alignment of personal, team and organizational goals are constantly aligned thereby boosting rapid and sustainable growth.
In summary, the business of old-fashioned sales training has taken on a new and a vibrant face. Instead of sweeping statements about successes and successful behaviour during sales it now is a fine-tuned, highly refined and custom made one on one learning. It is not just faster, better and cheaper but it is also creative, conscientious and constructive. A well-designed sales coaching program addresses the needs of individuals, teams and organization in the areas of culture, processes, characters, visions, and competencies. A well designed sales coaching program also provides knowledge, skills and true wisdom for playing well in the pits, where the true action is.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Power Persuasions
A huge majority of us are, to a certain level, hyper-active and lack the ability to focus on things for long. 
In some ways we resemble a flock of birds chirping away at nothing and for this we can happily blame it on the nature of our creation. In many ways we are affected by the fast changing, constantly chaotic, circumstances which surround us. The bottom-line, though, regardless of whether it is nature or nurture that makes us, is the fact that we are always in a state of flux.
To give positive direction and constructive shape to the change that is constantly happening to us requires that we develop skills to navigate or anchor ourselves at a deeper, primal level closer to our identities and emotions. To give positive direction and constructive shape to change in others we must also develop the skills and abilities to create a shift for them at a deeper and a more emotional level in them…read more
Dr Robert Cialdini, known for his popular book on persuasion and marketing, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion makes claim to six laws that can create a shift in others and these, very quickly, are;
• Reciprocity - People tend to return a favor for a favor. Thus giving the power to one who does the first favor.
• Commitment and Consistency - If people commit, orally or in writing, to an idea or goal, they are more likely to honor that commitment.
• Social Proof - People will do things that they see other people are doing.
• Authority - People will tend to be influenced by authorities and celebrities.
• Liking - People are easily persuaded by other people that they like.
• Scarcity - Perceived scarcity will generate demand and therefore give power to the one owning title to the things in demand.
These laws are good and make a lot of social sense. I agree with them absolutely and would add to these facts the current research from the fields on Nuero-psychology. What support and enshrouds all these laws is the fact that deep change occurs at the levels where our emotions and memories reside. It is the images, the sounds and the feelings of past experiences of joy and sorrow which become a powerful driving force behind the choices we make today, behind the actions we take today and destiny that we shape for our tomorrows.
Change at and around the seat of our emotions and past experiences is brought about a careful construction and morphing of the verbal and non-verbal language that we use in our day to day interactions with our family, friends and colleagues. Those that recognize the power of the words we weave have learned the art and science of it over time, through deliberate effort and razor-sharp awareness of their own thoughts, mental processes, ideas and emotional shifts. Those that master these skills and develop intuitive competencies stop being like a bunch of sparrows atop a tree but become soaring eagles in the sky that fly down sharp and swift for a purpose and then fly back into the echelons of personal performances and achievements.
In some ways we resemble a flock of birds chirping away at nothing and for this we can happily blame it on the nature of our creation. In many ways we are affected by the fast changing, constantly chaotic, circumstances which surround us. The bottom-line, though, regardless of whether it is nature or nurture that makes us, is the fact that we are always in a state of flux.To give positive direction and constructive shape to the change that is constantly happening to us requires that we develop skills to navigate or anchor ourselves at a deeper, primal level closer to our identities and emotions. To give positive direction and constructive shape to change in others we must also develop the skills and abilities to create a shift for them at a deeper and a more emotional level in them…read more
Dr Robert Cialdini, known for his popular book on persuasion and marketing, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion makes claim to six laws that can create a shift in others and these, very quickly, are;
• Reciprocity - People tend to return a favor for a favor. Thus giving the power to one who does the first favor.
• Commitment and Consistency - If people commit, orally or in writing, to an idea or goal, they are more likely to honor that commitment.
• Social Proof - People will do things that they see other people are doing.
• Authority - People will tend to be influenced by authorities and celebrities.
• Liking - People are easily persuaded by other people that they like.
• Scarcity - Perceived scarcity will generate demand and therefore give power to the one owning title to the things in demand.
These laws are good and make a lot of social sense. I agree with them absolutely and would add to these facts the current research from the fields on Nuero-psychology. What support and enshrouds all these laws is the fact that deep change occurs at the levels where our emotions and memories reside. It is the images, the sounds and the feelings of past experiences of joy and sorrow which become a powerful driving force behind the choices we make today, behind the actions we take today and destiny that we shape for our tomorrows.
Change at and around the seat of our emotions and past experiences is brought about a careful construction and morphing of the verbal and non-verbal language that we use in our day to day interactions with our family, friends and colleagues. Those that recognize the power of the words we weave have learned the art and science of it over time, through deliberate effort and razor-sharp awareness of their own thoughts, mental processes, ideas and emotional shifts. Those that master these skills and develop intuitive competencies stop being like a bunch of sparrows atop a tree but become soaring eagles in the sky that fly down sharp and swift for a purpose and then fly back into the echelons of personal performances and achievements.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
History Repeats Itself
The other day at the bank, Lisa, my young and attractive bank officer was telling me how her mother had taken a fall, and while waiting for hip replacement, was confined in a hospital in the USA. 
While Lisa was talking to me, I was watching her eyebrows and wondering how painful it must be for girls to undergo all that plucking. I was wondering how she would look if she let her eyebrows grow. Coming out of the trance, I looked up and brightly asked her: “Hey how’s your mom? Does she still live in Japan?”
Right! I was hearing her but I hadn’t been listening! I was physically present but spiritually gone. I was hearing her but I wasn’t listening. Listening requires engagement, comprehension, absorption, and processing while hearing is only a function of the ears.
We spend half of our waking time communicating with others and the other half listening. In school we are taught how to read, write, and recite, but have any of us spent time learning to listen fully? If we learned to listen with our heads and hearts, we’d be able to manage our time projects and plans much more efficiently.
Putting our heads and hearts together makes us not just attentive, but also watchful of our own input. Our partners, our customers deserve that and some more from us. Call this behavior “Listening Mindfully.”
Listening Mindfully will benefit you by:
• Making you aware of your own intentions and authenticity.
• Strengthening and improving your relationships with your colleagues, customers and community.
• Giving you the ability to bring about positive and meaningful change in the world.
In all conversations, Listening Mindfully can be achieved by taking these five simple steps:
1. Investigate Intentions. Before entering any conversation, find out what it is that you really want to achieve. An honest appraisal of your intentions will keep you engaged and make your customers feel served well.
2. Increase Awareness. While you are listening, clear your personal, mental clutter. This could be anything from nagging thoughts, to lists of things to do, to plans for the day. Postpone these thoughts, increase awareness, note change in tone, and pitch and pace of speaker. Look for underlying feelings and visualize your mind consciously capturing key ideas.
3. Interact with Interest and Enthusiasm. Listening is also done with your eyes and body. Maintain eye contact and lean towards the speaker. Every now and then blink with approval, nod, and smile or participate gently by uttering words like “uh-uh,” “hmmm,” or “I understand.” Keep this participation genuine and non-intrusive.
4. Inquire and Re-Phrase. All transfer of information, knowledge, or ideas from one mind to another generally leaves a small percentage of the unknown. Clarify and fill that gap as much as possible by making simple, direct, and inoffensive questions. Rephrase ideas or create comparisons to further solidify understanding.
5. Inscribe Impressions. Whenever and wherever possible take quick and colorful notes. You know what they say about remembering, “A blunt pencil is better than a sharp mind.” This will help you put down your impressions and review ideas and perceptions later.
Follow these five simple steps and your customer service experience will jump up several notches. Also, the next time you are in a bank with an attractive bank officer, it will help keep your mind where your body is. History repeats itself only because people do not listen mindfully the first time!
Raju Mandhyan
www.mandhyan.com
While Lisa was talking to me, I was watching her eyebrows and wondering how painful it must be for girls to undergo all that plucking. I was wondering how she would look if she let her eyebrows grow. Coming out of the trance, I looked up and brightly asked her: “Hey how’s your mom? Does she still live in Japan?”
Right! I was hearing her but I hadn’t been listening! I was physically present but spiritually gone. I was hearing her but I wasn’t listening. Listening requires engagement, comprehension, absorption, and processing while hearing is only a function of the ears.
We spend half of our waking time communicating with others and the other half listening. In school we are taught how to read, write, and recite, but have any of us spent time learning to listen fully? If we learned to listen with our heads and hearts, we’d be able to manage our time projects and plans much more efficiently.
Putting our heads and hearts together makes us not just attentive, but also watchful of our own input. Our partners, our customers deserve that and some more from us. Call this behavior “Listening Mindfully.”
Listening Mindfully will benefit you by:
• Making you aware of your own intentions and authenticity.
• Strengthening and improving your relationships with your colleagues, customers and community.
• Giving you the ability to bring about positive and meaningful change in the world.
In all conversations, Listening Mindfully can be achieved by taking these five simple steps:
1. Investigate Intentions. Before entering any conversation, find out what it is that you really want to achieve. An honest appraisal of your intentions will keep you engaged and make your customers feel served well.
2. Increase Awareness. While you are listening, clear your personal, mental clutter. This could be anything from nagging thoughts, to lists of things to do, to plans for the day. Postpone these thoughts, increase awareness, note change in tone, and pitch and pace of speaker. Look for underlying feelings and visualize your mind consciously capturing key ideas.
3. Interact with Interest and Enthusiasm. Listening is also done with your eyes and body. Maintain eye contact and lean towards the speaker. Every now and then blink with approval, nod, and smile or participate gently by uttering words like “uh-uh,” “hmmm,” or “I understand.” Keep this participation genuine and non-intrusive.
4. Inquire and Re-Phrase. All transfer of information, knowledge, or ideas from one mind to another generally leaves a small percentage of the unknown. Clarify and fill that gap as much as possible by making simple, direct, and inoffensive questions. Rephrase ideas or create comparisons to further solidify understanding.
5. Inscribe Impressions. Whenever and wherever possible take quick and colorful notes. You know what they say about remembering, “A blunt pencil is better than a sharp mind.” This will help you put down your impressions and review ideas and perceptions later.
Follow these five simple steps and your customer service experience will jump up several notches. Also, the next time you are in a bank with an attractive bank officer, it will help keep your mind where your body is. History repeats itself only because people do not listen mindfully the first time!
Raju Mandhyan
www.mandhyan.com
Friday, January 29, 2010
CSR: Learn not Teach
One of my sons has come of the age when he has to make the choice to study further or plunge into the world of business. So far he has been a good son, an outstanding student and a very responsible citizen of the world. His teachers at the Ateneo de Manila University do take note of his performances and they have rewarded him with the right accolades and scholarships too. In life, he seems poised correctly to take off from being a good boy to a man to be respected. I take pride in this fact but claim no credit. As far as I am concerned, he is a self-made man already.
While driving about town, sometimes, we have healthy conversations about business, politics, social issues, life and about living gracefully. I must confess that I, more often than not, pick up more lessons than I think I give out.
One particular Sunday morning, just a week after I made a presentation at the Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR] in Manila, I was telling him about how people across the world are waking up to the realities of the rampage we have created, in the guise of development and growth, we have created on earth. I was also telling him how happy I was that thousand of individuals and organizations in the know are now doing the right thing by healing the earth, nurturing the needy and educating the ones not in the know. “People,” I said, “are essentially good, and when given the freedom and the resources will most likely do the right and the noble thing.” I was happy, I said, that many large business groups do not regard the concept of CSR just as marketing and a business strategy but more as a way of life. On other occasions most of our conversations had been, of course, about developmental work and study opportunities in the USA or Europe for him. His city of choice, to live, work and or study, he’d mentioned many a times to me, was San Francisco. Today, he just sat and heard me out quietly.
A few days after that one-sided chat, we were back in the car again.
“Pa,” he said “there’s this professor at school who was telling us about this developmental assignment in one of the remote provinces in the Philippines.”
“What about it?”
“It’s an eighteen month teaching assignment for high-school level kids in a village where there is no electricity and potable water.”
“And?”
“Well, I am seriously considering taking it up.”
Without thinking and very carelessly, I blurted out, “Why?”
Allowing no pause and with a quick frown on his good-looking face, he exploded, “What do you mean, why?”
That shut me up good for the rest of the drive. Again, instead of teaching, I’d learned. Likewise for CSR, I realized I need to learn not teach, do and not talk, live it and not just employ it as a business strategy.
While driving about town, sometimes, we have healthy conversations about business, politics, social issues, life and about living gracefully. I must confess that I, more often than not, pick up more lessons than I think I give out.
One particular Sunday morning, just a week after I made a presentation at the Asian Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility [CSR] in Manila, I was telling him about how people across the world are waking up to the realities of the rampage we have created, in the guise of development and growth, we have created on earth. I was also telling him how happy I was that thousand of individuals and organizations in the know are now doing the right thing by healing the earth, nurturing the needy and educating the ones not in the know. “People,” I said, “are essentially good, and when given the freedom and the resources will most likely do the right and the noble thing.” I was happy, I said, that many large business groups do not regard the concept of CSR just as marketing and a business strategy but more as a way of life. On other occasions most of our conversations had been, of course, about developmental work and study opportunities in the USA or Europe for him. His city of choice, to live, work and or study, he’d mentioned many a times to me, was San Francisco. Today, he just sat and heard me out quietly.
A few days after that one-sided chat, we were back in the car again.
“Pa,” he said “there’s this professor at school who was telling us about this developmental assignment in one of the remote provinces in the Philippines.”
“What about it?”
“It’s an eighteen month teaching assignment for high-school level kids in a village where there is no electricity and potable water.”
“And?”
“Well, I am seriously considering taking it up.”
Without thinking and very carelessly, I blurted out, “Why?”
Allowing no pause and with a quick frown on his good-looking face, he exploded, “What do you mean, why?”
That shut me up good for the rest of the drive. Again, instead of teaching, I’d learned. Likewise for CSR, I realized I need to learn not teach, do and not talk, live it and not just employ it as a business strategy.
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