Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it! — Goethe
There is power in the FIRST STEP.
How many times have you had a great idea, but just let it sit in the stagnating pool of sludge in your brain, until it grows fungus, and becomes part of the sludge?
I have done that too many times to count. My journal is full of ideas gathering cobwebs.
Sometimes I feel like I don’t’ have the resources to begin something. Like I don’t have enough knowledge, talent or skill.
I heard Steve Sjogren talk about the “French Method of Teaching/Learning” one time. He was talking in terms of applying it to Evangelism, but I think it might just be applicable here too. Here is how it goes:
DO the “thing” that you want to do
Regroup and TALK about the “thing” you did
RESEARCH the reasoning behind why you did the “thing”
Here in the states, we get together and Talk about what we want to do…we research and find out all the reasoning and methods and ways to do what we want to do.
We spend a lot of time in research and talking,
AND NEVER DOING THE THING WE DESIRE TO DO.
The French folks (if the model is still in use)…
DO THE THING FIRST.
Then talk about it, and research it.
BE BOLD!
DO THING THING YOU WANT TO DO.
TAKE A STEP!
DON’T FALL INTO THE PARALYSIS OF ANALYSIS!!!!
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
Interviewing by a PD as witnessed by... me!
I have been reading The Pursuit of WOW! By Tom Peters, and it has got me thinking about different experiences that I have encountered in my life.
Being in radio for 13 years, I have had many opportunities to interview with several different program directors. One experience that stands out was when I interview for Scott Sands who is Program Director for WZPL in Indianapolis.
I had to do the normal stuff – Send a tape and resume, which got me in the door, then I had to do an air shift (which was a blast – because I had always admired the station). The funny thing was that there wasn’t that much of what would be called a ‘FORMAL’ Interview. Most of our conversations were in Scott’s car as we drove to and from Dinner, and to and from the hotel to the station.
When my Sunday evening shift was over, he took me to a local place to grab a bite to eat. He had mentioned that maybe some of the staff would come by. Well, it was pretty much the whole staff – give or take a few. I remember that Dave Decker the Midday guy/APD/MD was there – great guy – the promotions team, a couple sales folks, I think there were more, and a couple came late to hang out as well. It was good dinner, drinks and conversation.
Little did I know that that was the majority of the interview.
I did meet with Scott briefly in his office the following morning. But nothing really in depth – just the semantics of what the job would be if I was hired.
Needless to say, I wasn’t hired for that job. Perhaps because he was good friends with my Program Director at that time, Jimmy Steele, and they apparently had had a conversation about me. (which came up at an inopportune time a couple months later)(that’s another story)
But, that is one experience of Interviewing that I will always remember. I really enjoyed it.
He obviously was looking to see how I would Gel with the staff that was already assembled. (You gellin’? Like a felon)
He was seeing if I could think on my feet.
He was looking to see how I would relate, and his folks would relate to me.
Tom Peters in a “rant” in his book Pursuit of Wow – talks of his displeasure with drug testing. (this book was written several years ago – so I wonder is he still has the same ‘distaste’ for it today as he did then – I bet so!)
He says that the interviewing process should be like a courting process, setting up times for Coffee, for lunch for interviews with the whole staff, for dinners, for mingling with everyone on all levels within the company.
That the process should take several weeks of time. That way, you truly know who you are getting, and the need for a drug test is non existent. (pgs 88-89 if you want to read it)
Scott Sands was doing a mini version of this when I visited him and his station and staff in Indy those couple days.
Cool stuff. And I will remember it for a long time to come.
Thanks Scott!
Being in radio for 13 years, I have had many opportunities to interview with several different program directors. One experience that stands out was when I interview for Scott Sands who is Program Director for WZPL in Indianapolis.
I had to do the normal stuff – Send a tape and resume, which got me in the door, then I had to do an air shift (which was a blast – because I had always admired the station). The funny thing was that there wasn’t that much of what would be called a ‘FORMAL’ Interview. Most of our conversations were in Scott’s car as we drove to and from Dinner, and to and from the hotel to the station.
When my Sunday evening shift was over, he took me to a local place to grab a bite to eat. He had mentioned that maybe some of the staff would come by. Well, it was pretty much the whole staff – give or take a few. I remember that Dave Decker the Midday guy/APD/MD was there – great guy – the promotions team, a couple sales folks, I think there were more, and a couple came late to hang out as well. It was good dinner, drinks and conversation.
Little did I know that that was the majority of the interview.
I did meet with Scott briefly in his office the following morning. But nothing really in depth – just the semantics of what the job would be if I was hired.
Needless to say, I wasn’t hired for that job. Perhaps because he was good friends with my Program Director at that time, Jimmy Steele, and they apparently had had a conversation about me. (which came up at an inopportune time a couple months later)(that’s another story)
But, that is one experience of Interviewing that I will always remember. I really enjoyed it.
He obviously was looking to see how I would Gel with the staff that was already assembled. (You gellin’? Like a felon)
He was seeing if I could think on my feet.
He was looking to see how I would relate, and his folks would relate to me.
Tom Peters in a “rant” in his book Pursuit of Wow – talks of his displeasure with drug testing. (this book was written several years ago – so I wonder is he still has the same ‘distaste’ for it today as he did then – I bet so!)
He says that the interviewing process should be like a courting process, setting up times for Coffee, for lunch for interviews with the whole staff, for dinners, for mingling with everyone on all levels within the company.
That the process should take several weeks of time. That way, you truly know who you are getting, and the need for a drug test is non existent. (pgs 88-89 if you want to read it)
Scott Sands was doing a mini version of this when I visited him and his station and staff in Indy those couple days.
Cool stuff. And I will remember it for a long time to come.
Thanks Scott!
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Bridges and Thumbnails
Reading The Pursuit Of Wow! by Tom Peters. An older book, but still some great thoughts.
One of his points is:
“Build bridges with friends, instead of burning them with enemies.
Forget your enemies. Work around them. Work instead on developing friends, turning people who agree with you (a little bit or a lot) into passionate advocates and adherents.”
It made me think of my cousin who was working on the roof of his house. He slammed the hammer down on his thumb. Thumbnail – Popped off. (gross) Blood and thumbnail on the ground. Purple thumb. That’s what I remember.
It made no difference though. Swollen and busted up thumb, he still had to finish the roof. 4 fingers were fine. 1 that was busted. Yet, he still had to complete the project.
This example is not quite related to the point above – but in a way it is. How easy is it to let one sore thumb totally screw up the project you are working on. What if there is one sore thumb in your organization?
Are we going to let that one sore thumb torpedo the project? Or are we going to gather the four fingers (plus the other five on the other hand) that can still do the job and get it done?
Hmm. Maybe it’s completely two different points. But still. It made me think.
Thinking is good.
One of his points is:
“Build bridges with friends, instead of burning them with enemies.
Forget your enemies. Work around them. Work instead on developing friends, turning people who agree with you (a little bit or a lot) into passionate advocates and adherents.”
It made me think of my cousin who was working on the roof of his house. He slammed the hammer down on his thumb. Thumbnail – Popped off. (gross) Blood and thumbnail on the ground. Purple thumb. That’s what I remember.
It made no difference though. Swollen and busted up thumb, he still had to finish the roof. 4 fingers were fine. 1 that was busted. Yet, he still had to complete the project.
This example is not quite related to the point above – but in a way it is. How easy is it to let one sore thumb totally screw up the project you are working on. What if there is one sore thumb in your organization?
Are we going to let that one sore thumb torpedo the project? Or are we going to gather the four fingers (plus the other five on the other hand) that can still do the job and get it done?
Hmm. Maybe it’s completely two different points. But still. It made me think.
Thinking is good.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
FOSTERINGHOPE.COM
What a great Site.
This week Dave Foster has been talking about Serving. GREAT STUFF
We attended Bellevue Christian Church for about a year, and loved Dave to death!
This week Dave Foster has been talking about Serving. GREAT STUFF
We attended Bellevue Christian Church for about a year, and loved Dave to death!
Friday, October 07, 2005
Whisper
Cool post on Fast Company’s blog a couple days back that I just found about finding your vision, your passion.
It suggests an exercise to help find what is whispering to you – from a Christian perspective – what is the still small voice of God saying to you?
1. What whisper do you hear?
2. Put it on paper - I recommend doing this even if you think you know it already - it forces you to articulate it more clearly.
3. Recognize that this is your sweet spot - the place where you'll find more creativity and success than anywhere else.
4. When the time is right, follow it. Slowly at first if you have to.
5. Revisit this whisper at least once a year as it can change and grow as you begin to listen to it.
Question: How have you woven your whisper into your life?
Gonna think about it, and write it out - maybe even here on the good ol' blog!
It suggests an exercise to help find what is whispering to you – from a Christian perspective – what is the still small voice of God saying to you?
1. What whisper do you hear?
2. Put it on paper - I recommend doing this even if you think you know it already - it forces you to articulate it more clearly.
3. Recognize that this is your sweet spot - the place where you'll find more creativity and success than anywhere else.
4. When the time is right, follow it. Slowly at first if you have to.
5. Revisit this whisper at least once a year as it can change and grow as you begin to listen to it.
Question: How have you woven your whisper into your life?
Gonna think about it, and write it out - maybe even here on the good ol' blog!
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