Stuck? Check out I-deAZ

Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine iCopyright 2009

Need a better idea?

You may not even realize that you are stuck. Most people don't until there's a crisis, or a tough decision to be made.

As a Master Coach, I've discovered that with a gentle kickstart along with some guidance and guidelines, you can find the solutions you're looking for. The answers might be right there, but because you're not in sync with the 'how to' - you might miss an opportunity or opening.

Take this week's picture, for example. We were enjoying a slow stroll along the boardwalk in Canal Park, Duluth MN. Most of our focus was on the icy horizon of Lake Superior. That was the obvious scene we were looking to photograph. With a creative "I" in the "ready state", we noticed a refuse container. An ordinary, functional object, n'est pas? By bending down, and shooting through the space, we found another way to view the world. Interesting!

So, how do you tune in to the creative "I"?

In the next 26 weeks, I'll be posting "I-deA-Z" - ideas from A to Z to hone your thinking and problem solving skills. Hope you enjoy this crzy new series!

This week's "I DO": look for an ordinary object and see it from a different perspective.

Mark Your Calendar: Tuesday!

"Tuesday's Child is Full of Grace"
Photo Credit: Richard Chicoine, All Rights Reserved 08

Why Choose Tuesday?

If you’re looking for leverage, the day called “Tuesday” is your sweet spot. Tuesday is the gateway to a multitude of advantages. As the old saying goes, “It’s all in the timing.”

Productivity fluctuates during the week, so it’s no surprise that Fridays rate as the least productive day for most people in the workforce. The end of the week translates into not only a less professional wardrobe, but also a more casual attitude. Mondays, on the other hand, have taken on a “gung ho” style, with meetings and more meetings filling up organizational agendas. It’s a day when most employees are tired by the end of their shift.

In an independent study conducted by Accountemps, nearly half of Executives who were surveyed said employees hit peak performance on Tuesdays. If you consciously consider social marketing trends, Tuesdays have become a day for promotions, discounts and consumer attractions. Rental videos were among the first products to be heavily promoted as a Tuesday special. If you’re on a budget, Tuesday is the day to treat the family to a discounted meal (all you can eat ribs!), or to a movie. In short, Tuesday is THE day.

Have you noticed that elections fall on Super Tuesdays? Important announcements are arranged for Tuesday media conferences?

So how can you take advantage of the Tuesday Leverage Point?

* If you have an important meeting, a decision to make, a position to negotiate, schedule it on a Tuesday.

* If you want to save money on an outing, check out the Tuesday specials.

* If you’d like to finish an important project, or catch up on the backlog, block off the whole day as your most productive and prolific day.

* If you need to energize your team with a new project, launch it on a Tuesday.

Think Tuesday, Think “Leverage” to get ahead.

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Maggie Chicoine’s column, “The Tuesday File” addresses strategies to get ahead. A specialist in strategic systems thinking, Maggie is a dynamic keynote speaker, Master Coach and writer. Reach her at 1 800 587 1767.

Now? Near? Far?

Strategy?

Think NOW,

NEAR,

FAR


View Points
If you want to build a ship, then don't drum up men to gather wood, give orders, and divide the work. Rather, teach them to yearn for the far and endless sea.” - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Your point of view determines how you will move toward your plan of action. Easy, you say?

When I’m in the role of “traffic cop” during intense and sometimes heated discussions in a strategy session, I hear comments such as, “you just don’t understand what it’s like to be on the front lines”. Leaders become frustrated when the staff does not understand the balancing act of bigger picture decisions, such as the financial implications of expansion. The disconnect, if it stays “off the table”, can create long term problems in relationships. And relationships, as we all know, are the center of any organization.

One way to address the varying points of view in the situation, is to think about the outcomes from a time continuum.

“NOW” is the present and a few weeks ahead. What needs to happen? What should we watch out for?

“NEAR” is a few months into the future. What are the questions that will bring us from right now to the next quarter? Notice, I didn’t ask for answers! Start with the questions – all of the ones that are important from all aspects – and then move to the “right answers”.

“FAR” is the timing for long term strategy. A year or two down the line.

When you think about time as a continuum, the “far” always moves to “near”, and “near” to “now”. What do you see on the horizon?

Work backwards, again with questions. What do you have to start “now” to make sure that “far” is the desired outcome?

My one word of caution?

Simplify! From complexity, comes simplicity. Strategic plans often sit on shelves and collect dust and guilt. The best of strategy comes alive when it’s meaningful to the people who must carry it out today. The timing of “far” will arrive when “now” is a priority. Chunk down the plan. Live it.

NB: When you are stuck, you might need an unbiased facilitator to take you through the beginning of the process.

And remember: this Coach is on call...no strings attached. All you have to do is "ask"!

- Maggie
1 800 587 1767
PS Read the archives!