How Do You Choose From 100 Other Ideas?

1) HOW TO CHOOSE FROM 100 OTHER IDEAS:  The power of “No”

Steve Jobs was famously quoted as saying,

““People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying ‘no’ to the 100 other ideas that are there. You have to pick carefully.”

This insightful article offers us the opportunity of considering what “the thing” is for us, individually and as an organization.  Once you have that clarity, there is much power in saying no to other requests because it gives primacy to achieving your “thing”. Or as we call it, your “commitment”

This short but thought provoking article reflects the work we do with our clients and internally around commitment and the focus it takes to realise a truly breakthrough result.  The ability to say “no”, or maybe even “yes but” enables leaders to create the laser like focus that is needed to achieve extraordinary results.  And a “no” can sometimes be unwelcome news.  Often we encourage clients to revoke any commitment that they’ve made which isn’t in service of the larger commitment of the organization. Achieve Breakthrough programmes can achieve a change organisation culture and behaviours.

Consider what your “thing” or “commitment” is – are the actions you’re taking today in service of your thing?  Or are they just a series of to-do’s on your list?  To read the article in full, click here.

2) MIND YOUR LANGUAGE: The far worse “F” word

Our friends at Elephant Journal made us smile this month with a humorous article entitled “The far worse F word”.  This simply written piece encourages the reader to think about the word “fine” and the implications that it has on ourselves and others.

This article resonated with us on a number of levels and reminded the team of the importance of language.  The work at Achieve Breakthrough is based on precision in language, specifically a number of what we call distinctions in language.  What would it be to master the word “fine”?  How would that feel?  The writer of this article asserts,

“I strongly dislike when I feel fine because that means I am content”

Contentment.  Not a BAD word per se.  But it’s safe?  It’s the comfort zone. And magic never happens in the comfort zone.  So the next time you’re presented with a situation that shows up as “fine”, or your feeling in response to a situation is that you feel “fine,” ask yourself, “Am I ok with fine?.”  This article encourages you to do a “gut check:”

“The next time you utter the word fine, I implore you to do a gut check. If fine starts to pepper your daily language, it’s time to call in the architect of your own life and start to make plans for a major overhaul. Scary, sure; doable, absolutely! Please don’t ever get to a position where your job, relationship or view on life is just “fine.” Take it from someone who lived far too long in that space; life is winning when you get to that point.”

To read this delightful article in full, click here.

3) AB IN THE PRESS:  Getting HR hitched to the rest of the business

With HR budgets under increasing pressure and many facing cut backs during the economic downturn, HR professionals have been left stretched and struggling with heavier workloads.  Our founder, Mike Straw, spent some time discussing the topic with HR bullets this month.

In this article, Mike shares four key steps which HR professionals can take to put HR firmly at the top table.  Mike says,

“To really get a place at the top table and be seen as a strategic partner to the rest of the business - rather than being seen simply as an administrative ‘pen-pushing’ function - I believe HR needs to shift its thinking. This is the shift from being HR professionals to business people who happen to be in HR.”

To read the article in full click here.

4) THINKING DIFFERENTLY ABOUT YOUR NEXT JOB:  The story of the CV and a Mad Hatter

Standing out from the crowd is a challenge for anyone applying for a new job.  We were delighted by the story of one applicants drive to do just this.

A Glasgow based creative agency that encourages innovative ways of applying for jobs, received the most unusual of applications, delivered by the Mad Hatter (a doting husband!) on behalf of his partner.  The message to the agency read,

“There is no great genius, without a touch of madness.”

We were really inspired by the creativity of this job applicant and it reminded us of the importance of thinking outside of what’s predictable.  This story is a little bit of fun – read it in full here and we hope it brings a smile to your face.

5) COLLABORATION – Counterintuitive or a Competitive advantage?

The only constant that many leaders face today is the ever increasing complexity, scale and pace of change.  When you combine that with the often current request of doing more, with less and doing it faster, the role of leadership in 2015 looks like an impossible task.

One emerging capability to deal with this different landscape of challenges is the power that lies within collaboration and this is an area that our team are working in with many of our clients who have recognised the potency that lies in this way of thinking.

An article featured on ‘Fast Company’ poses many of the same thoughts as we share on the topic of collaboration, most notably around how crucial it is as a component for long term business success.  The writer asserts,

“Collaboration is no longer just a strategy: it is the key to long-term business success and competitiveness. Businesses that realize this sooner rather than later will be the ones who win the game and succeed in the new global economy”

The full article can be found here.

6) STORY FOR INSPIRATION: Technology learns emotion

In this compelling TED talk, Rana el Kaliouby tells the story of the need to bring emotions back into our increasingly digital lives.  She shares the challenge that lies in today’s technology – its inherent wealth of IQ but notable absence of EQ.  This question led Rana and her team to create technologies that can read and respond to emotions.

The uses of this technology are heart warming.  One way that this emotive technology is being used is to help people with autism to recognise emotion, something that many people with autism can struggle with.

Watch the video in full and see how high EQ technology is creating a brighter future for us and our children.

Have you got an extraordinary story that you would like considered for publishing on our monthly blog: 6 Impossible Things? Do get in touch by contacting karen.neal@achievebreakthrough.com