What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful (Hardcover)
by Marshall Goldsmith (Author), Mark Reiter (Author)
This book helps you to identify gaps between managers and executives, a easy reading. Enjoy.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Proactive vs. Defensive Visibility vs. Excuses
My friend is an accomplished professional. She constantly deals with big clients. Recently, she worked on a complex business negotiation with her company's largest client. The client was very skillful in applying various negotiation skills including changing positions, escalating and blaming her for delays, renegotiating terms back and forth.
She struggled through the long and unpleasant negotiation process. Finally, every party was satisfied and the deal was made. But she felt bruised inside and out.
When we went to lunch to celebrate the success, she questioned if could she do better given the same case again in the future. "What's the most troublesome issue you faced?" I asked my puzzled friend. She lamented, "Communications with the client, internal business partners and my boss. Everything became convoluted, the client's negotiation techniques mixed with their hidden agenda. I was accused of being the defensive and making many excuses. Some information was true for a brief moment, then became false because of ever changing terms and conditions."
I was amazed, my friend isn't the type to be defensive and full of excuses, she is humble and responsible.
"There are two pairs of concepts, paradoxes: Proactive vs. Defensive and Visibility vs. Excuses. Both can be used to describe the same action and same information, due to different timing", I said. "What do you mean?" She asked. "Let's assume that you have some key information that is critical to either your boss or your business partner in dealing with your client during the negotiation. If you presented it to your relevant partners before the negotiation, your information become instrumental in winning the negotiation, you will be viewed as proactive and giving the right amount of visibility. If you did not pres ent the critical information beforehand, but after the fact, you could be blamed for acting defensively and full of excuses. It is all about timing in this ever changing world, a piece of critical information presented at the right time can win your company an important deal."
She struggled through the long and unpleasant negotiation process. Finally, every party was satisfied and the deal was made. But she felt bruised inside and out.
When we went to lunch to celebrate the success, she questioned if could she do better given the same case again in the future. "What's the most troublesome issue you faced?" I asked my puzzled friend. She lamented, "Communications with the client, internal business partners and my boss. Everything became convoluted, the client's negotiation techniques mixed with their hidden agenda. I was accused of being the defensive and making many excuses. Some information was true for a brief moment, then became false because of ever changing terms and conditions."
I was amazed, my friend isn't the type to be defensive and full of excuses, she is humble and responsible.
"There are two pairs of concepts, paradoxes: Proactive vs. Defensive and Visibility vs. Excuses. Both can be used to describe the same action and same information, due to different timing", I said. "What do you mean?" She asked. "Let's assume that you have some key information that is critical to either your boss or your business partner in dealing with your client during the negotiation. If you presented it to your relevant partners before the negotiation, your information become instrumental in winning the negotiation, you will be viewed as proactive and giving the right amount of visibility. If you did not pres ent the critical information beforehand, but after the fact, you could be blamed for acting defensively and full of excuses. It is all about timing in this ever changing world, a piece of critical information presented at the right time can win your company an important deal."
Monday, August 3, 2009
Dealing with Change
The world is an ever changing place and the pace of the change is accelerating. Holding on what we have, life style, working style, existing technology, communication style and etc is no longer realistic in this world. Our career or jobs will change at least 7 times in our lifetime.
One of my friends called today and joked about the only people whose lives were not affected by this downturn in business are those on social security. I joked back, it won't be true for long when inflation hits the country.
The choice is up to you: resist the change, accept the change, adapt to the change or embrace of the change. At end of the day, whether you are willing to change or not, your life is going to be different.
How does one embrace the change?
Positive attitude and ability to anticipate the trend enable you to embrace the change.
Each week, free yourself from your daily busy work and schedule four+ hours for research and learning new things. Your research will quickly show you trends and tips that will be helpful for your future..
Change comes with risks. Are you willing to take these risks? Are you in the position mentally and financially to take these risks?
One of my mentors told me, "Never run away from things, always run into something big for you." To embrace the change, you have to anticipate it and adjust your career and life accordingly, learning new skills and moving into new fields. Make your assets inflation proof. Tips and ideas from experts are readily available. You just need to look for them and start to practice on them today.
One of my friends called today and joked about the only people whose lives were not affected by this downturn in business are those on social security. I joked back, it won't be true for long when inflation hits the country.
The choice is up to you: resist the change, accept the change, adapt to the change or embrace of the change. At end of the day, whether you are willing to change or not, your life is going to be different.
How does one embrace the change?
Positive attitude and ability to anticipate the trend enable you to embrace the change.
Each week, free yourself from your daily busy work and schedule four+ hours for research and learning new things. Your research will quickly show you trends and tips that will be helpful for your future..
Change comes with risks. Are you willing to take these risks? Are you in the position mentally and financially to take these risks?
One of my mentors told me, "Never run away from things, always run into something big for you." To embrace the change, you have to anticipate it and adjust your career and life accordingly, learning new skills and moving into new fields. Make your assets inflation proof. Tips and ideas from experts are readily available. You just need to look for them and start to practice on them today.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Making Quick Decisions with Limited Data
During my recent talk at Microsoft, a program manager shared her frustration on having trouble making quick decisions with very limited data, say 10-20% of data. Her manager considers this ability is one of the major indicators of professional maturity. I agree with her manager. But how can one make quick decisions with very limited data?
The key is to become systematic in the decision making process. Summarize and build decision making models that take a few parameters. If you constructed many simulation models in the business world, you can change a few parameters and provide quick conclusions. Once these models become part of your thought process and part of your intuition, you can accelerate your decision making process significantly. Of course, you can always compare with incoming data and validate your conclusions again.
Observe the senior people around you as they face the same challenges. Find out how they come up with quick decisions and why they think the way they do. You will be able to learn and construct your models very quickly.
Understanding the precision of the decision/conclusion is also very important. In this fast changing world, you are expected to give an educated guess with 60-80% of accuracy instead of 99.9% of accuracy. It is simply okay to take a guess or give a quick conclusion. When you do that, add a disclaimer of your precision along with your conclusion.
The key is to become systematic in the decision making process. Summarize and build decision making models that take a few parameters. If you constructed many simulation models in the business world, you can change a few parameters and provide quick conclusions. Once these models become part of your thought process and part of your intuition, you can accelerate your decision making process significantly. Of course, you can always compare with incoming data and validate your conclusions again.
Observe the senior people around you as they face the same challenges. Find out how they come up with quick decisions and why they think the way they do. You will be able to learn and construct your models very quickly.
Understanding the precision of the decision/conclusion is also very important. In this fast changing world, you are expected to give an educated guess with 60-80% of accuracy instead of 99.9% of accuracy. It is simply okay to take a guess or give a quick conclusion. When you do that, add a disclaimer of your precision along with your conclusion.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
How to Release Stress
Stress is caused by problems and issues. The best way to release stress is to write down your problems and issues, focus all your thinking and energy to discover the solution.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
July Book: Leadership Passages
Leadership Passages: The Personal and Professional Transitions That Make or Break a Leader
by David Dotlich
This book is for senior executives who went through life change events. It is a easy read and provides interesting suggestions for anyone who are going through any dramatic life events, such as promotions, layoffs, new job, lost loved ones, starting a company, moving to foreign country to start a new career...
Publisher Comments:
Predict and Survive the Make-or-Break Crises You Will Face in the Course of Your Career
"Leadership Passages describes systematically that it is far more effective and compelling to build on both successes and failures, rather than trying to overlook or even ignore the valuable lessons that unavoidable adversity in both our personal and business lives can teach us."
–Daniel Vasella, chairman and CEO, Novartis
"If you want to succeed and have inner peace at the same time, then this book is for you."
–Ram Charan, coauthor, Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
"Leadership Passages describes in direct, simple, and honest language how human beings become great leaders. Filled with wisdom, insight, and practical advice from three world-class coaches–reading this book is like attending and completing a senior-level leadership program, or spending a week with the best executive coach."
–Linda Clark-Santos, senior vice president, Talent & Organizational Capability of Washington Mutual
"Do careers stop when we are passed over, have a bad boss, or just blow it? Not according to this book. Great leaders pick themselves up and move on, learning while they go forward. Leadership Passages shows us how."
–Ken Blanchard, coauthor, The One Minute Manager® and The Secret
"This breakthrough book on leadership development is filled with practical advice on ways to lead others and ways to learn from your life as well as your career. We all know that experience is a teacher, but Dotlich, Noel, and Walker show us why!"
–Joe Berardino, vice chairman, Sciens Capital Management LLC, and former chairman and CEO, Andersen Worldwide
by David Dotlich
This book is for senior executives who went through life change events. It is a easy read and provides interesting suggestions for anyone who are going through any dramatic life events, such as promotions, layoffs, new job, lost loved ones, starting a company, moving to foreign country to start a new career...
Publisher Comments:
Predict and Survive the Make-or-Break Crises You Will Face in the Course of Your Career
"Leadership Passages describes systematically that it is far more effective and compelling to build on both successes and failures, rather than trying to overlook or even ignore the valuable lessons that unavoidable adversity in both our personal and business lives can teach us."
–Daniel Vasella, chairman and CEO, Novartis
"If you want to succeed and have inner peace at the same time, then this book is for you."
–Ram Charan, coauthor, Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
"Leadership Passages describes in direct, simple, and honest language how human beings become great leaders. Filled with wisdom, insight, and practical advice from three world-class coaches–reading this book is like attending and completing a senior-level leadership program, or spending a week with the best executive coach."
–Linda Clark-Santos, senior vice president, Talent & Organizational Capability of Washington Mutual
"Do careers stop when we are passed over, have a bad boss, or just blow it? Not according to this book. Great leaders pick themselves up and move on, learning while they go forward. Leadership Passages shows us how."
–Ken Blanchard, coauthor, The One Minute Manager® and The Secret
"This breakthrough book on leadership development is filled with practical advice on ways to lead others and ways to learn from your life as well as your career. We all know that experience is a teacher, but Dotlich, Noel, and Walker show us why!"
–Joe Berardino, vice chairman, Sciens Capital Management LLC, and former chairman and CEO, Andersen Worldwide
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Tournament of Champions
My son is an excellent baseball player; he is fast, strategic and calm under stress. This year, he is on a great team. They won the Saratoga AAA Little League Championship two weeks ago. The team advanced to the Regional Minor Tournament of Champions.
Everyone was excited. The coaches and team practiced everyday.
They won the first game on Saturday. They won the 2nd game on Monday. They won the 3rd game on Tuesday. Then they entered the final. It was a tough game. Luck was not on our side. Many hits were caught in mid of air, there were two questionable calls from the umpires and the team got frustrated. My son scored but the team lost the game. They are in the 2nd place.
The final game wiped all recent victories, everyone felt defeated instead of enjoying the great season. I know I was one of them.
My son and I walked to my car, I asked him: "How do you feel?" His face was still calm, showing neither excitement nor disappointment. "Mom, it is okay”, he said. “ I learned one thing from my coach, if you want it bad enough, use your heart and guts, you will get it eventually."
It was a moment of truth in my life. We use our brain every day forgetting about our heart and guts, the sources of true success. So gather your passion and courage and go for what you want in your life. Eventually you will get it
Everyone was excited. The coaches and team practiced everyday.
They won the first game on Saturday. They won the 2nd game on Monday. They won the 3rd game on Tuesday. Then they entered the final. It was a tough game. Luck was not on our side. Many hits were caught in mid of air, there were two questionable calls from the umpires and the team got frustrated. My son scored but the team lost the game. They are in the 2nd place.
The final game wiped all recent victories, everyone felt defeated instead of enjoying the great season. I know I was one of them.
My son and I walked to my car, I asked him: "How do you feel?" His face was still calm, showing neither excitement nor disappointment. "Mom, it is okay”, he said. “ I learned one thing from my coach, if you want it bad enough, use your heart and guts, you will get it eventually."
It was a moment of truth in my life. We use our brain every day forgetting about our heart and guts, the sources of true success. So gather your passion and courage and go for what you want in your life. Eventually you will get it
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