Rubik’s Cube: A solution to dyslexia and other life’s challenges?

According to William Wiessmann, “It's important to spend a lot of time thinking, to try to find connections and patterns. I believe that there are surprises around the corner.”




Another insight he shares in his essay, I Believe; Accomplishing Big Things In Small Pieces, “I discovered that just before it's solved, a problem can look like a mess, and then suddenly you can find the solution. I believe that progress comes in unexpected leaps.”

What I find remarkable is that William is dyslexic. From his perspective, learning to read was the equivaliant to a “normal person” solving the Rubik’s Cube. AND, he’s solved that now too!

Thank you WW for the inspiration!!

To hear or read William Weissmann’s essay, following this link to NPR’s site http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=94566019

National Listening Day

The very first National Listening Day will be this Friday, the 28th.

Put together by our friends at StoryCrops, this holiday season how about shopping one hour less and sit down with a family member, or friend or neighbor, and them about their lives — then listen.

By listening to their stories, you will be telling them that they matter and they won’t ever be forgotten. It may be the most meaningful time you spend this year.

Click http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/11/listen-up-natio.html to learn more.

Dangerous Things you want your Employees to do… and often

I've been thinking lately what makes our organization a cut above the rest in our corporation. Perhaps the little liberties I encourage my team to take foster and help maintain a culture of sustained productivity? Here's a list of presumably dangerous things I encourage my employees to do:

· Screw up - Try new things; learn from mistakes often and fast!

· Talk to strangers (and accept rides and lunch) - Get out there.

· Screw off - Enjoy unstructured play – it’s where ideas happen.

· Be wasteful - Buy a new tech toy and experiment.

· Play with knives - Hone skills to deal with prickly issues

· Talk to your boss with out you there - Let them handle some big issues and build their reputation and yours.

· Get lost - Explore new territory.

· Play with power tools - Try new tools to build bigger, better things; don’t be afraid – wounds will heal.

· Do NOT do their job - Expand their role and contributions.

· Be a pain in the @#!- Question things

· Piss someone off - Maintain integrity and respectfully disagree.

· Ignore the rules - Rules are good. We all like rules.
But, direction should be guided by vision and focus.

· Speed! - Be responsive. Be first.

· Play with fire - Spark and fan hot ideas!

· Jump off a Cliff - Take a big risk. Go for it!

Sure, there's risks, and chances I'll get burned. But, I'm experiencing far more benefits than draw backs. I wonder what others may have experienced.

BACKPACKING 2008

Views from the High Sierras from Bishpo Pass, up along the Pacific Crest Trail, and out through Piute Pass.

That'll do... Babe

As of today, my favorite movie. It is perfect, and pure. Uplifting.

Set in a pastoral land where all animals (and humans?) fully understand and accept their per-determined lot in life, a runt pig captures the imagination and heart of a solitary sheep farmer. The farmer has probably not tried anything new in the last half century, to be sure, by the look of his equipment and techniques. From the very first contact the pig and farmer experience a fleeting connection; and a silly little wisp of an idea flutters by. Slowly, little quirky things begin to show up, and the little ideas begin to flurry.

These thoughts eventually bubble to the surface and exhibit themselves in odd little comments and actions of the farmer’s. After a while the farmer’s wife grows concerned for her husband’s uncharacteristic behavior. But, neither the wife, nor the farmer who is beginning to swim in these thoughts, can quite put their finger on the source. At a pivotal point in the film, the farmer let’s go to his ideas and begins training the pig as a sheep dog.

“It was then that Mrs. Hogget began to worry. But, Farmer Hogget knew that ideas which tickled

And nagged,

and refused to go away – should never be ignored…

…for within them lie the seeds of destiny.”

Brings a whole new perspective to the old addage "tickled pink!"

HOW TO GIVE A SHORT LEADERSHIP TALK

I’ve been watching my leaders lately. Especially the ones I’ve heard talk before (I already know their message). Here’s what I’ve noticed makes a great leadership talk. Short, simple – significant.

Be yourself.

Share a personal yet relevant story to connect with them as a person. We all still love and need stories, even though we’ve long since left the kindergarten story time circle.

START by thanking the group.

Tell the group before you start that you’ll be saving time to answer their questions at the end (prompting people to think of questions at the start will lead to there actually being questions at the end.)

LIMIT your message to 3 – 5 points or goals.

Show how “IT” is important… to them, to you, to the organization. Whatever your “IT” is.

Illustrate a way (or two) that the group is the best. Not just good. THE best! “You’re the best / you’ve done the best with meeting this new challenge…” Remember, be sincere. Go on to say (if it’s true), “I took your idea and learned from it and am using it elsewhere.”

Reinforce positive behavior, giving examples of what you see the group doing to attain your 3 – 5 top goals. IGNORE ANY AND ALL ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT.

Thank the group for their time.

Ask for questions. When you field them, always ask, “Did I answer your question?” It’s easy for leaders to get lost in business-speak, or think the question relates to a “big picture” issue when, in fact, it does not.

Thank the group (yes, again.)

Persistence

Quiet patience and persistence - that's all it took! Well, that and ignoring her dad the naysayer (yours truly). –photo credit: Taryn Baillie