Checkng the List

I recently found this list I posted back in 2011. If we review, I think we find that all of these are still valid and some are even more important twelve years later.

Read more, skim less. Turn your phone off once in a while. Don't wait for approval. 

Forget the past. Spend more time with people you love. Dream big; do bigger. Be gracious. Make quick decisions. Stop comparing your effort to others. Enjoy the ride.

Stop doing anything that weakens you. Trust yourself. Take a digital day off.

Keep an open mind. Plan ahead then be flexible. Ask for help. Help someone without their knowledge it was you who helped them.

Go for it. Eradicate unnecessary meetings. Eat the cookie. Listen more. Sing often.

Say thank-you. Trust your gut. Make time for think time. Don't wait.

Find the lesson. Keep learning. Thank a friend. Take the nap.

Don’t settle. Collaborate. Consume more funny. Good enough is not good enough.

Be yourself.

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Trusting Our Gut

We've heard it a thousand times. You're in a situation, you aren't sure what to do, and some self-proclaimed wise person tells you to trust your gut. But is it really that simple? 

Human intuition is powerful and can potentially be dangerous. I think I'm of sound mind and my ideas are right and so do you. But we may think completely different. So who's right? Both of us? Neither of us? That's the tough question. 

Intuition and Facts 

The Harvard Business Review published an article in 2003 entitled Don't Trust Your Gut. 

In the piece, the author Eric Bonabeau wrote; "One decision-making tool - human intuition - seems to offer a reliable alternative to painstaking fact gathering and analysis. Encouraged by scientific research on intuition, top managers feel increasingly confident that, when faced with complicated choices, they can just trust their gut." 

Science Based Wisdom 

Bonabeau goes on to state; "Anyone who thinks that intuition is a substitute for reason is indulging in a risky delusion." So when we trust our gut, experience, or intuition, are we doing it void of scientific realities or known facts? Or are we looking at those facts and making a judgement call through our lens and experience? Perhaps a mix of both. 

When you think of something you tried for the first time in your career. Perhaps a new gig or new department; maybe it was a new concept or project. Did you go blindly into the abyss ignoring all facts in front of your or did you measure what you could then made a judgement call on the direction? 

Dreamers and Billionaires 

We look at people like Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, and Jeff Bezos and call them visionaries. But I'm of the mind to suggest they didn't create an electric car company, rocket corporation, media empire, and online shopping conglomerate in a vacuum without facts and realities. I agree with Bonabeau that we can't just fly off the handle in the face of contradictory facts and trust our gut. But our intuition gets at least a vote. 

If you want to test your gut, asking others for their opinions may just add their gut into the mix and then you may be even further from a successful solution. But as President Regan famously stated, trust but verify. We should keep ourselves in check by checking with the facts. Eventually we'll have to make a decision and it may not always be successful. But one thing is for sure.

Indecision can create doubt even in our gut. __________________________________________________________________

Making Other Plans

One of my all-time favorite artists is John Lennon. His musical legacy is legendary; his views on politics and peace are well-documented. And he was aptly quoted once saying; "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." And it's so true. 

We are on the second lap of the calendar on this global pandemic. The end might be in sight but we actually have absolutely no idea when that will arrive. I have had my first of two vaccine shots and my second isn't until August. You may still be waiting for your first. Multiply that by seven billion humans and this thing is going to take a while. Please keep wearing your mask!

What is normal?

During the last year or so, I've noticed several trends. There are friends and colleagues who are out of work waiting for the company to call them back. Others are getting adjusted to a life of working from home and having to stay home around the clock. And others are making plans for what happens in their lives. I walked away from a situation that wasn't serving me, and near the end, some may have thought I wasn't serving it. And that is life. 

But the point for me was that I had to make other plans for my life. Whatever bucket you find yourself in right this minute, it isn't easy. My folks always encouraged me to try things as I grew up. If I had told them I wanted to be a clown in the circus, they would have told me to be the best clown that ever existed. But it's not up to others to break down those barriers to our plans. It's up to us. Others can help, but we have to write the book or build the wall or paint the canvas ourselves. 

We are not born with fear

Fear is something we learn over a lifetime of shortfalls and mistakes. We think it protects and guides us but all it does is stop us. I have an Olympic gold medal in fear. It's easier to blame circumstances or age or finances or a myriad other reasons as to why we don't follow our gut to reach our dream. 

If you have a seed of an idea, share it with someone you trust and ask for feedback. If the idea is taking shape, reach out and ask for help. If you have never truly asked for help - I can promise you two things. It will be scary at first and you will get better at it. 

 Life happens whether we make plans or not. 

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Risky Business

Manage risk, financial risk, reputation risk, market share risk, relationship risk, shareholder risk, the risks of risks, the risk of focusing on risks, the discussion of risks, the endless what if's that stall our journey risk.

Perhaps we perceive it will be difficult or worse, not successful. We often fear our own abilities and guts to take that ride. One of the worst emotions I think we can possess is regret. The idea we didn't act on can often be the one that stops the flow. The safety of inaction becomes our comfort zone.

Risk often focuses on what will, would, or could go wrong. It's a preemptive strike, a proactive measure, to protect the outcome. The biggest risk is when we use it to endorse inaction. I know of what I write only too well. Maybe you can relate.

The biggest risk is the bet we fail to make on ourselves.
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Advice for Leaders

Flexibility will garner better results. You don’t need to make every decision.
Show grace under pressure. If people call you sensitive, thank them.

It's better than being insensitive.

Turn your wounds into wisdom.
Oprah Winfrey

Don't let job titles get in your way. Trust your gut.
Don't play favorites.

Resist the temptation to take all the credit.
Fall seven times, stand up eight. (Proverb)

A short no is often preferred over a long maybe.
Bury the past. Laugh at least once a day.

We acquire the strength we have overcome.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Don’t hesitate this time. Be honest about your efforts.
No is a perfectly acceptable response.

Respect is how to treat everyone, not just those you want to impress.
Richard Branson

Balance confidence with competence.
Self-doubt serves no one. Own your decisions.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy.
Dalai Lama

Imagine. Create. Share. Lead.
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Sixty Thousand

We have an average of 60,000 thoughts every day. Do we need milk? Should I call her? Did the presentation go well? Perhaps the parkway will be a better route? Thoughts after thoughts after thoughts that often overlap and drown us with indecision.

We have as many choices in a day as well. Yet we add more thoughts to our already busy brain hoping we can make the right decision each and every time. We don't listen to our intuition. We know what we want but we either don't think it'll work out or we continue to find reasons our logic may be flawed. Or worse, we try and predict the reaction of others.

Watch out for the Lizard

We call it a gut call. It comes from the reptilian complex in our brain; some call it the lizard brain. It's that burning feeling you get when you know you're right but then doubt creeps in. We may believe we're using logic but we're often not.

We get lost in the worry about judgement from others, concern of being ridiculed, or our own general hesitation. The late Alan Watts remarked on this in his lecture "Choices".

Watch, listen, then choose.


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Life is Risky Business

Manage risk, financial risk, reputation risk, market share risk, relationship risk, shareholder risk, the risks of risks, the risk of focusing on risks, the discussion of risks, the endless what if's that stall our journey risk.

Perhaps we perceive it will be difficult or worse, not successful. We often fear our own abilities and guts to take that ride. One of the worst emotions I think we can possess is regret. The idea we didn't act on can often be the one that stops the flow. The safety of inaction becomes our comfort zone.

Risk often focuses on what will, would, or could go wrong. It's a preemptive strike, a proactive measure, to protect the outcome. The biggest risk is when we use it to endorse inaction. I know of what I write only too well. Maybe you can relate.

The biggest risk is the bet we fail to make on ourselves.
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Facing Danger

Manage risk, financial risk, reputation risk, market share risk, relationship risk, shareholder risk, the risks of risks, the risk of focusing on risks, the discussion of risks, the endless what if's that stall our journey risk.

Perhaps we perceive it will be difficult or worse, not successful. We often fear our own abilities and guts to take that ride. One of the worst emotions I think we can possess is regret. The idea we didn't act on can often be the one that stops the flow. The safety of inaction becomes our comfort zone.

Risk often focuses on what will, would, or could go wrong. It's a preemptive strike, a proactive measure, to protect the outcome. The biggest risk is when we use it to endorse inaction. I know of what I write only too well. Maybe you can relate.

The biggest risk is the bet we fail to make on ourselves.
__________________________________________________________________

Choices

We have an average of 60,000 thoughts every day. Do we need milk? Should I call her? Did the presentation go well? Perhaps the parkway will be a better route? Thoughts after thoughts after thoughts that often overlap and drown us with indecision.

We have as many choices in a day as well. Yet we add more thoughts to our already busy brain hoping we can make the right decision each and every time. We don't listen to our intuition. We know what we want but we either don't think it'll work out or we continue to find reasons our logic may be flawed. Or worse, we try and predict the reaction of others.

Watch out for the Lizard

We call it a gut call. It comes from the reptilian complex in our brain; some call it the lizard brain. It's that burning feeling you get when you know you're right but then doubt creeps in. We may believe we're using logic but we're often not.

We get lost in the worry about judgement from others, concern of being ridiculed, or our own general hesitation. The late Alan Watts remarked on this in his lecture "Choices". Watch, listen, then choose.

Because you've already chosen.


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As a passionate leader, Kneale Mann has extensive experience as a business coach and project manager in numerous industries and organizations including; human resources, corporate training, financial services, media, real estate, healthcare and more. He is always open to meeting leaders who want to improve their bottom line through strong culture and leadership. knealemann@gmail.com

The Memes of Risk

Manage risk, financial risk, reputation risk, market share risk, relationship risk, shareholder risk, the risks of risks, the risk of focusing on risks, the discussion of risks, the endless what if's that stall our journey.

Perhaps we perceive it will be difficult or worse, not successful. We often fear our own abilities and guts to take that ride. One of the worst emotions I think we can possess is regret. The idea we didn't act on can often be the one that stops the flow. The safety of inaction becomes our comfort zone.

Risk often focuses on what will, would, or could go wrong. It's a preemptive strike, a proactive measure, to protect the outcome. The biggest risk is when we use it to endorse inaction. I know of what I write only too well. Maybe you can relate.

The biggest risk is the bet we fail to make on ourselves.
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | People + Priority = Profit

walpaper

The Power of Blink

Malcolm Gladwell wrote a great book entitled Blink which begins with a story about an art gallery that is offered what appears to be authentic paintings. The curator suspects the pieces might be forgeries but he's then filled with hope that he's wrong. To be safe, he hires appraisal experts to make their recommendations.

They confirmed authenticity and the gallery purchased the pieces which turned out to be fakes. The curator wanted the pieces to be real even with doubt in his mind. And he may have convinced the experts to ignore their doubts as well.

The Gut Complex

We have the chance everyday to make a quick decision or belabor for a potentially better outcome. That is why we spend endless hours in meetings pondering the pros and cons of every decision. It’s the reason economic realities cloud our judgement. It’s at the base of demands from prospective customers and clients for positive results before the work begins. Return is expected before investment.

Leadership is about making decisions and producing results but every move we make is a risk. There are no guarantees. But if we always wait for the perfect time to do anything, it will never arrive. That doesn't mean we buy fake art or ignore our instincts but the guarantee we seek can be a fabrication we have created for the sole purpose of not making the call.

We don't want to blink too long and miss it.
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.

flickr

Lead with Their Gut

Have you ever thought of an idea then talked yourself out of it? Gladwell wrote a book about it. The thesis behind Blink was the power of thinking without thinking. We sense it’s the right call, and then we spend an inordinate amount of time trying to convince ourselves we could perhaps possibly be maybe wrong I don’t know what do you think am I over thinking it perhaps maybe?

We ask for opinions to endorse our idea and when we meet resistance, we often fold. Yeah, it was a dumb idea. It wouldn't have worked, Joe said so.

Your Gut is not Alone

I was speaking with a colleague recently and he proclaimed that his staff often comes to him with what they think are good ideas but they’re not usually that good. I think that’s short-sighted. Sure, having a clear vision of your company and understand how your experience has arrived at that decision is key but if you make time to ask someone to elaborate and expand their ideas, you might be surprised.

If you’re not familiar, Google used to allow employees to spend 20% of their time working on ideas that may or may not have anything to do with their day job. Many products have come from employee ideas. Some of them may not have been that great to start, but there is an environment to flush them out and see if their gut is on to something. Some (me) think they should bring back the policy.

What Do You Think?

There are plenty of data to clearly show how disengaged employees will be the most destructive element of any business. And it’s not always easy to measure. A late meeting here, sloppy work there, missed deadline here, and suddenly the quality of work suffers. There’s a malaise that just seems to hover over everyone’s desk. The days of all for one have been replaced by everyone for themselves.

Leadership is not easy. But it’s nearly impossible if you think your gut has to make all the decisions. If you’re in a leadership position, write down a list of the times you have asked for others’ opinion – and meant it – in the last month. Now take the next month and triple that number.

No One Bats 1.000

Some of their ideas may not initially be great, but have a close look at your batting average before you act too fast. And this is not to suggest you have to create a suggestion box where everyone's ideas are immediately accepted. Just adopt an open mind policy and see what happens.

If you rely solely on your gut to create ideas for your business, you will run the risk of creating a culture of employees carrying out what they’re told.

Their real efforts will be seeking employment elsewhere.
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Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.

pizzaschmizza

Inquisitive Intuition

The intuitive mind is a sacred gift and the rational mind is a faithful servant. We have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. Albert Einstein

It’s often said that things happen for a reason. It’s often said that we adapt to the result with which we’re faced with at any given time. This is not a work thing, it’s a life thing. We create what we want – even when it doesn't feel like it. Our energy pulls in what we focus on which can be what we want or what we don't want.

As children, one of the first words we learn is "no". Words such as; yes, imagine, how, create, come much later which may be why we gravitate to "can't" far too often. That may be why we first hear no in our minds soon after the idea. As leaders, we need to make sound decisions, but nothing is guaranteed so there is always be a chance of a misstep. But taking chances is where growth thrives.

First Impressions

Malcolm Gladwell talks about that feeling you get in your gut when you know you’re right in his book Blink. It happens to all of us. We sense there’s an opportunity, we feel it’s a good one, and then justify the reasons not to act. Our reflection then creates the "I knew it!" moment.

We have to be careful not to build in failure at the design stage then work toward fulfilling that prescribed inevitability. What we need to do is learn from past challenges but focus on successes. Food for thought for the next time you get that nagging urge to act yet find some excuse stop yourself.

Let's listen to our intuition more and stop thinking so much.
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Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.

microsoft

Learning and Other Bright Ideas

A couple of years ago, I began posting quotes, ideas, and thoughts on Twitter each morning that could be silly, life changing, or anything in between.

Some from December 2013

Flexibility will garner better results. You don’t need to make every decision.

Show grace under pressure.

If people call you sensitive, thank them.
It's better than being insensitive.

Turn your wounds into wisdom.
Oprah Winfrey

Don't let job titles get in your way.
Trust your gut.

Resist the temptation to take all the credit.
Fall seven times, stand up eight. (Proverb)

A short no is often preferred over a long maybe.
Bury the past. Laugh at least once a day.

We acquire the strength we have overcome.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Don’t hesitate this time. Be honest about your efforts.
No is a perfectly acceptable response.

Respect is how to treat everyone, not just those you want to impress.
Richard Branson

Balance confidence with competence.
Self-doubt serves no one.

Lower the bar and your best people will leave.
The culture begins with you. Own your decisions.

The purpose of our lives is to be happy.
Dalai Lama

Imagine. Create. Share. Lead.
__________________________________________________________________
Kneale Mann | Leadership Strategist, consultant, writer, speaker, executive coach facilitating performance growth with leaders, management, and teams.

FILDI: Let Me Let You

Let me remember that I love helping people and I make mistakes. Let me know that my gut is telling me something when my head is trying to steer me in the wrong direction. Let me realize that everything I did has prepared me for what I’m doing and will do.

Let me play you a brilliant video from the always thought provoking Ze Frank. Let you not be offended by some of the words he uses because they are critical to our success. Let you do something for you after you watch this video.

Let you hit play. Now.

Some language not suitable for all ages but necessary for most.

Kneale Mann

Ze Frank

Making the Right Decision

Malcolm Gladwell wrote a great book entitled Blink which begins with a story about an art gallery that is offered what appears to be authentic paintings. The curator suspects the pieces might be forgeries but he's then filled with hope that he's wrong. To be safe, he hires appraisal experts to make their recommendations.

They confirmed authenticity and the gallery purchased the pieces which turned out to be fakes. The curator wanted the pieces to be real even with doubt in his mind. And he may have convinced the experts to ignore their doubts as well.

The Gut Complex

We have the chance everyday to make a quick decision or belabor for a potentially better outcome. That is why we spend endless hours in meetings pondering the pros and cons of every decision. It’s the reason economic realities cloud our judgement. It’s at the base of demands from prospective customers and clients for positive results before the work begins. Return is expected before investment.

Leadership is about making decisions and producing results but every move we make is a risk. There are no guarantees. But if we always wait for the perfect time to do anything, it will never arrive. That doesn't mean we buy fake art or ignore our instincts but the guarantee we seek can be a fabrication we have created for the sole purpose of not making the call.

Some decisions take time and care, but if we blink, we may miss the opportunity entirely.

Kneale Mann

istock

17 Things

Effective leadership is not about creating more noise and confusion, yet we can’t seem to help it. Our lives are packed with information and most of it isn’t important.

We attend meetings that create more meetings. We check our smartphones more often than we blink. We make everything top priority. We think multi-tasking is effective.

We over think every decision. We make easy things more complicated. We spend far too much time obsessing about yesterday and tomorrow. We wear busy like a badge of honour. And we leave very little time for ourselves.

Here are few ideas to get us out of that routine.

Don’t be available all the time. Let them be right. Take a think day. Sleep in. Be flexible. Take a long lunch. Shut off the computer for an entire day. Be out of the loop. Stop following other people’s dreams. Let someone else handle it. Listen to an hour of music without doing anything else. Have cereal for dinner. Go with our gut. Stop taking advice from negative people. Skip the meeting. Don’t be so hard on ourselves. Buy the shoes.

Then we can get back to the busy.

Kneale Mann

flickr

Five Rings and a Month of Suggestions

It can be fun, serious, funny, or thought provoking, but daily on Twitter I post something that may brighten your day, cause you to pause, make you think, or give you a smile.

Since the London Olympics began on July 27th, you'll notice some silliness may have ensued in the last few days of the month and may continue through August 12th.

Here’s the list for July 2012

• Happy Birthday, Canada
• Two out of ten play mostly to their strengths. What about you?
• Context is king
• Happy 236, USA
• Without initiative, leaders are simply workers in leadership positions. Bo Bennett
• Martin Streek - Three years and still doesn't seem real.
• At the end of the day, when all is said and done, we may need fewer clichés
• Never underestimate the power of quite time
• Build relationships not customers
• Leadership doesn't appear on a business card
• Nose to the grindstone, best foot forward, shoulder to the wheel, drink plenty of fluids
• Stay curious
• Drop out of the Ain’t it Awful Club. Jack Canfield
• Take a break from the internet. It will be here when you get back
• Make the choice or something else will make it for you
• Let others have the spotlight today
• Take the victory
• Leadership starts from within
• How often do you listen to your gut?
• Never. Stop. Learning.
• Thank those who help you
• Independence needs a hand. Accept it with grace
• Meet five new people this week
• Growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership
• Stress can be a self-inflicted injury
• Leadership is about helping others
• Are you giving your best?
• Remains the frontrunner in marathon napping
• Scored gold for sharp retorts
• Won silver in coverage viewing
• Stuck the couch dismount

If we give up, we may never know.

Kneale Mann

getty images

Do You Go With Your Gut?

We admire leadership that is executed with firm direction. Yet we are often stalled by external influence. The idea sounded good but others have shed some doubt. We can also be bold and ignore necessary evidence that changes are necessary.

Malcolm Gladwell wrote a great book entitled Blink and it begins with a story about an art gallery that is presented with what appears to be authentic pieces. The curator suspects the pieces are fakes but then a layer of hope takes over and changes his mind. But to be safe, he hires appraisal experts to ensure he’s right. They confirm authenticity and the gallery purchases the pieces which were fakes.

Eyes Deceive

The curator – like all of us – didn't listen to his gut. He wanted the pieces to be real despite his spidey senses. And his overwhelming desire for them to be real transported to the appraisers. It sounds impossible and happens all day long. Have you ever felt that? Of course you have and it’s almost as if we have to deliberate for a while because the right answer couldn't possibly come to us that effortlessly.

We have the chance everyday to make a quick decision or belabour for a potentially better outcome. That is why we spend endless hours in meetings pondering the pros and cons of every decision. It’s the reason economic realities cloud our judgement. It’s at the base of prospective clients demanding results before the work begins. And it’s the sole reason we get stuck.

No Guarantees

Life, business and every decision you make is a risk. But there is credence in seeing smart successful people make quick choices, realize mistakes and correct them long before most of us get past the “what if” stage. If we wait for the perfect time to do anything, it will never arrive. The guarantee we seek is a fabrication we have created for the sole purpose of not making the call.

Change holds a certain allure until you realize what it entails. There are many moving parts but often we think we can stand still while the rest move in our favor and that's simply not reality. We have to affect the change, we can't expect others do to it then blame them when they put the pieces in the wrong order.

That pang in your gut may be worth another look.

Kneale Mann

image: knealemann | ralston

The Gut Complex

Letting Others Make Your Decisions

This space began in April 2008 on a dare. I caved to peer pressure and began publishing my thoughts. Having been in media and marketing my entire career, I had ample experience creating content for others. In fact, it’s weird every time words like “I” and “me” appear on the screen because if this was not about you, then these posts could be kept on the hard drive and we could all get on with our day.

But the people I read on a regular basis (some are listed on the side bar of this site) keep pushing and contributing to the conversation. This blog does not have advertising or guest writers. It’s never been a fancy schmancy place to hang out. It’s just a guy with lots of ideas sharing them with anyone who happens to drop by during their busy life. But without action, the conversation and ideas lose their meaning. I speak from experience on that one!

Digging Deeper

There is a shift going on with many of the writers I read and it’s in the form of more thought provoking content. Sure we all get into the Google Plus versus Facebook diatribes but the longer form articles are about people which is my kinda content.

The world – and the social media landscape – is filled with clichés so I won’t add to them save one that keeps coming back to bite me in the backside – go with your gut.

Malcolm Gladwell wrote a great book entitled Blink and it begins with a story about an art gallery that is presented with what appears to be authentic pieces. The curator suspects the pieces are fakes but then a layer of hope takes over and changes his mind. But to be safe, he hires appraisal experts to ensure he’s right. They confirm authenticity and the gallery purchases the pieces which were fakes.

Eyes Deceive

The curator – like all of us – didn't listen to his gut. He wanted the pieces to be real despite his spidey senses. And his overwhelming desire for them to be real transported to the appraisers. It sounds impossible and happens all day long. Have you ever felt that? Of course you have and it’s almost as if we have to deliberate for a while because the right answer couldn't possibly come to us that effortlessly.

We have the chance everyday to make a quick decision or belabour for a potentially better outcome. That is why we spend endless hours in meetings pondering the pros and cons of every decision. It’s the reason economic realities cloud our judgement. It’s at the base of prospective clients demanding results before the work begins. And it’s the sole reason we get stuck.

No Guarantees

Life, business and every decision you make is a risk. But there is credence in seeing smart successful people make quick choices, realize mistakes and correct them long before most of us get past the “what if” stage. If we wait for the perfect time to do anything, it will never arrive. The guarantee we seek is a fabrication we have created for the sole purpose of not making the call.

Change holds a certain allure until you realize what it entails. There are many moving parts but often we think we can stand still while the rest move in our favor and that's simply not reality. We have to affect the change, we can't expect others do to it then blame them when they put the pieces in the wrong order.

What is your gut telling you?

Kneale Mann