HD Clarity E-Zine – Page 22

Why I’m Going Against Yoda (and Mom, Dad, and Mrs. Merriwether)

by KimAugust 15, 2012

From Volume 5, Issue 8:Occasionally I challenge the wisdom of the Jedis by claiming that Yoda’s famous quotation from Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back—“Do or do not. There is no try”—is just not a productive attitude for most of us. Yoda’s words tell us that we should be able to step off cliffs and not plummet to our doom. Or drive a Rally Ford Fiesta in a World Rally Championship event and win. But if you buy into this thinking, you’re setting yourself up for a lifetime of frustration and feeling like a failure. There’s a better way to approach doing, and yes, Yoda, there is a try.

The Eagle Flies

by KimJuly 18, 2012

From Volume 5, Issue 7:I want to brag about a client I’ve worked with since 2009. Eagle Bank and Trust is a regional bank in the St. Louis area that is more than 100 years old. Back when the stuff was hitting the fan in late 2008, a mutual friend introduced me to Mike Walsh, president and CEO of Eagle Bank. Mike knew that the bank, like every other bank, was facing an uncertain future. He was determined to not only weather the storm, but prosper. And boy, did he ever!

Running the Susan G. Komen 4K

by KimJuly 18, 2012

From Volume 5, Issue 7:It has not been unusual in my life for me to obsess about a small thing just to see the big goal go unattained, or even be obliterated. The problem is, I don’t know I’m doing it until it’s too late. The ego gets involved, and before you know it, that big dream you’ve been shooting for is whisked out of your hands. Take these race day stories as an example of what not to do when you have a goal in mind.

Breaking Down the Bureaucracy Within

by KimJune 20, 2012

From Volume 5, Issue 6:A client I worked with about 20 years ago recently discovered something shocking. The carefully created process his company developed to get from initial meeting to satisfied client—a process that worked well when I was working with them—had ballooned from 40 steps to more than 600! It had become a monster. As we discussed his problem, I realized that organizations are just bigger versions of ourselves, and that we’re all in danger of creating these kinds of monsters within.

The Question That Can Change Your Life

by KimJune 20, 2012

From Volume 5, Issue 6:Wow! Yesterday, I participated in a branding strategic implementation meeting with a client and his new branding gurus, goBrandgo. They covered all the usual questions—How is your industry perceived?, How are you perceived?, etc.—and then they asked something that left my client dumbfounded and impressed the heck out of me.

You’ve Got Two Cheeks. Use Them!

by KimMay 16, 2012

From Volume 5, Issue 5“But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.” Matthew 5:39

Some years ago I was involved in an organization with a terrific leader who had a habit of verbally dressing down a subset of direct reports. She said that she couldn’t get these direct reports to do what she needed to fulfill her commitments to her superiors without yelling, but yelling wasn’t creating any lasting change. So certain was she that these people needed her to yell at them that I could not get her to modify her behavior, so I resorted to Plan B.

The Art of Repairing a Broken Connection

by KimMay 16, 2012

From Volume 5, Issue 5You might relate to this experience. The other day, after scouring my databases for the phone number, I tried to call an old contact, only to be greeted with “You have reached a number that is no longer in service. Please check the number and try again.” I’d invested so much time in trying to connect, and now I was nowhere, faced with having to keep looking for a way to reach this person. And then I realized this happens all the time in our interactions, and simply because we don’t know how to reconnect, we lose the deal, the promotion, or even just our cool.

How to Change Your Luck

by KimApril 18, 2012

From Volume 5, Issue 4 A University of Pittsburgh study has concluded that optimists live longer, healthier lives than pessimists. The study followed 100,000 postmenopausal women over eight years. Those who expected good things to happen rather than bad were 14% less likely to die from any cause and 30% less likely to die from heart disease. If this has you worrying about an early death, you might just be a pessimist who needs a little lucking.

Proper Use of the F Word

by KimApril 18, 2012

From Volume 5, Issue 4In a recent conversation I had with an associate in the national rallying community, my friend waxed poetic about his current dissatisfaction with his job. I countered that he might benefit by looking for the fun in the job. His response? “Fun” isn’t a word he associates with employment. I know many people who feel that way, and my sense is that they need to take another look at how they are using the F word.

The Forgiveness Thing

by KimMarch 21, 2012

From Volume 5, Issue 3“To err is human; to forgive, divine.” Alexander Pope (1688-1744) It’s not the “err” thing I want to talk about. It’s the “forgive” thing. I understand people’s ire when something has been irretrievably taken from them. Theft comes to mind. Possessions. Virginity. Life. But the act of forgiveness is incredibly powerful. Let me show you what I mean.