7 Success Traits I Learned from the New England Patriots
Yesterday I watched my American football team, The New England Patriots, reach 14 wins with no losses in the season. They are only the second team in history to do so. Whether or not you like the Patriots, you have to admit that they are a special team. I have been listening to interviews with […]
2007 Innovation Lesson
Every year at this time, Chuck Frey at innovationtools.com asks experts/readers for the most important lesson learned during 2007 regarding innovation, creativity or brainstorming. Here is my response: Over the past couple of years, I have observed something I call “The Performance Paradox.” This paradox looks at the relationship between motivation (goals, targets, and management) […]
How to Target Innovation
When I conduct executive training, one of my favorite activities requires participants to consider a typical set of processes common in the insurance industry: Develop Products and Services, Customer Service, Manage Revenues, Manage Distribution Channels, Market Products and Services, Underwriting, Claims Fulfillment, Manage Provider Network, and Plan and Manage the Enterprise. I ask the group […]
Quote of the Day
Antony from Sydney, Australia has sent me dozens of great quotes. Today, he is providing his own personal quote. “I just realized that few of the greatest things I’ve achieved in this life were planned years before. On the contrary, the greatest opportunities would certainly never have resulted without the failure of major goals. It […]
How to Run a Mastermind Group
This morning I was having a conversation with an aspiring speaker. He asked my thoughts on the best ways to further his career. My response was, “Join a mastermind group.” What is a mastermind group? It is a group of people who get together and work on each other’s business (or personal lives). The concept […]
Surveys Uncovers Surprising Results
Back in the 1980’s, executives used to joke that you would never get fired for buying “Big Blue” (IBM) computers. It’s not that IBM was the best, but you knew they would not screw up. When I worked for Accenture (then Andersen Consulting), the Economist once called us “The McDonalds of the consulting industry. You […]
Quote of the Day
“I worry a lot of people fall into the trap of believing that they need to make big life decisions before they can start doing anything….Your life doesn’t need to go through a predictable story arc. It doesn’t have to start with a dream, follow through hard work and end up in a nice home […]
Goal-Free Fun
In a previous blog entry, I describe how games can turn work into play. The key is to choose a game that resonates with you. Here’s a bit from the Simpsons that shows that not all games are fun. Bart forgot his permission slip, so he was unable to visit the chocolate factory. Instead, he was […]
Cool Book of the Day
Goal-Free Living was featured as today’s “Cool Book of the Day.” What I like about this website is that it is not your standard book review. Instead, Dan Janal, the site’s creator, posts a bit of “backstory” about the books he features. Check it out.
How to Make Drudgery into a Delightful Diversion
I’ve noticed something interesting lately. A lot of adults are playing games. No, I don’t mean Parcheesi or tennis. I mean games specifically designed to enhance one’s experience of another activity. And I am convinced that this is one of the simplest and most powerful tools for improving your productivity while increasing your enjoyment of […]