Life-long learning is a very general phrase that people quote to make sure everybody knows how important it is to keep an open mind to new ideas and unique experiences that may come your way.  And yes as a more “seasoned” professional in the world-of-work, there is never a day that I don’t recognize some form of special life-long learning moment.  However, for this week’s TRIPLE III TIME message… I want to specialize our thoughts about life-long learning…and discuss a single activity which I refer to as:  “Being a Student of the Times”.

For my entire career I tried Being a (devoted) Student of the Times.  By this I mean I cast both a wide and narrow view of current political, business, human need, economic, social trends and effective leadership with regard to what was happening around me.  I may have not been going to a regular “school”… but taking daily stock of life and progress impactors… helped me organize leadership priorities for myself and those that worked with me everyday… EVERYDAY!

Being a Student of the Times comes with several important guidelines that need to be front and center in your mind to be effective.  First, one must consider and respect the positions and situations of others.  You have heard the statement about the difficulty in “trying to walk in another person’s shoes”?  A high-quality Student of the Times requires one to switch places with others and see everyone’s point-of-view.  Second, don’t expect your friends, colleagues and co-workers to know what you know.  Assuming in this area means you can read their minds and Being a Student of the Times will let you know this position is not correct.

Finally Being a Student of the Times will force you to better acknowledge that the forever growing information-overload phenomenon exists everywhere and thereby makes most critical issues only truly a priority at one point in time.  Plus with the expanding social media presence… it is appropriate to recognize that not everything you hear/read/view online is accurate, truthful and/or deserves your professional attention.

Bottomline:  Being a Student of the Times will better position you… your business… your organization for tomorrow. Study well!!

As we all realize…continuous improvement and life-long learning often requires revisiting special important topic areas from time-to-time. So as I was talking to my American Government & Politics class recently about establishing and building a solid professional network of friends and colleagues… the last question I thought I would be asked was: “Well sir… if you were teaching A Workshop on NETWORKING to our graduating senior class… what topics would you cover?”

YES… I was caught off-guard! But yes you probably all know I carry a bunch of yellow legal pads with lots of notes… so I was ready to answer the question. And just for tradition-sake… I drafted customized concepts for A Workshop on NETWORKING in my own TOP 10 fashion!

1. Be aware that NETWORKING occurs everyday and everywhere you converse with people. Never waste an opportunity.
2. NETWORKING quality should not be measured by someone’s credentials. Let them be authentic.
3. Ideas and innovation are natural outgrowths of NETWORKING.
4. NETWORKING allows you to learn a little more about what you don’t know and avoid being wrong about an issue.
5. Good advice and support via NETWORKING can be high value no matter someone’s age.
6. Your professional reputation can be enhanced with solid NETWORKING connections.
7. Gaining linkages to specialists in multiple fields is a NETWORKING outcome.
8. Developing professional NETWORKING connections…causes one to uniquely test your relationship-building skills.
9. Sharing in a variety of ways is the essence of NETWORKING!
10. This is my favorite: NETWORKING helps make your ideas and events better.

Well the class probably got more information than they expected…but surely it was a lesson worth learning.

I hope at least one TOP 10 helps you be a better professional tomorrow.

Sometimes in my roles as a consultant or an educator a need arises to conduct a small bit of active research to offer a client “the better way forward”.  Typically it is understood that the research is not the only factor involved in making an appropriate decision regarding a change in current organizational operations.  Rather the goal is to gain a more in-depth snapshot of individuals…a group…or a certain setting to make sure of the accuracy of factors impacting what you may or may not want to change.

Why is “Observational Research” an important TRIPLE III TIME topic?

The intent of this “Observational Research” message is to encourage everyone…no matter your job…to occasionally apply this form of “natural assessment” to stay up-to-date with current product/service expectations.  You don’t have to be a degreed scientist to do “Observational Research”.  Instead, just keep your special study simple.  Prioritize these points:

1. Decide what do you want to know.
2. Decide what you need to observe and for how long.
3. Keep resources in mind.  Both time and money!
4. Analyze only what you observe…but include newly discovered insights.

Remember “Observational Research” can be a more quick and efficient way of gaining evidence-based information for planning or decision-making purposes.  Also keep in mind that the purpose of “Observational Research” is to learn more about a certain organizational activity or issue…but not to make comparisons.  Finally, when I utilized my simple “Observational Research” methods…it didn’t matter if a few issues changed during my study time.  Instead it forced me to stay focused on my original “what do I want to know” goal!

Basic “Observational Research” is a useful administrative/management assessment tool.  Try it!

Decision-making is in all areas of life… and has become more challenging than ever before.

Think about it.

With access to an ever-growing number of information sources, “experts” offering their views on issues online and twenty-four hour news broadcasts providing details on activities worldwide everyday… deciding on where you stand on any decision-making issue is now a unique, often uncertain process.  So how do we improve?

First, this TRIPLE III TIME message strongly recommends:  Don’t Take Sides… TAKE FACTS!  I believe trying to research and discover the most critical FACTS regarding your decision-making moment not only increases your independent vision on the issue… but also avoids someone “labeling” you as a follower of certain “sides”.  Also, keep it simple so everyone stays focused and not swayed with personal options (sides)!

Second, I am not suggesting that you employ the:  Don’t Take Sides…TAKE FACTS! process to the level of “fact-checking” what is being discussed or written about a certain challenge.  Rather, be sure to position yourself well during any significant decision making process so as the “debate” over the most correct action is taking place… you stand strong with real facts.  Finally during the debate/discussion moments be sure to listen and evaluate other’s concept contributions.  Is it easy to determine if their words are based on taking sides… or facts?

Thinking independently… keeping it simple… and listening with an evaluation mindset are all strategic decision-making assets when following a:  Don’t Take Sides…TAKE FACTS! professional position.  Those working with you will appreciate you… and your outcome actions will always be more progressively correct.

During these change-critical times… everyone… yes EVERYONE in any type of leadership role needs a special “NO/WHAT ABOUT?” personality check!  Specifically I am recommending that you honestly assess your typical first response to a co-worker when they pose a new idea, alternate action, personnel change and/or service redesign.

Is your immediate response:  “NO… not at this time.”  Or something like:  “WHAT ABOUT cost or that thing failed in the past.”  Do these words sound even remotely accurate?

This week’s TRIPLE III TIME message is all about creating and maintaining a culture of new idea generation.  Good ideas are hard to come by!  Even if the concept is way too difficult to initiate… or too costly to the organization/business… a single “stifling-word” can eliminate a truckload of high-value unique thoughts and possible innovations!

As you complete your initial response assessment…ask these kind of questions:

• Is NO an answer of convenience and no extra leadership effort is needed?
• Are finances a true concern or is lack of money an easy hiding place for having to try something new?
• Is it really a fact that no one has tried a suggested new idea or is innovation a personal fear factor?
• Has there really been similar innovations that have failed badly?

I am going to use some of my previous words to offer my position on today’s topic:

“During these change-critical times… good ideas are hard to come by!”

Change waits for no one… so be the leader that sparks the cool change… rather than the leader who is always dreading the need to change.

First let me point out that no matter your job and/or citizen status… everyone has some form of “Professional Landscape”.  Ok… Ok… I am already assuming that most readers are identifying with those that work with designing, installing and maintaining outdoor areas and the plants that are part of making an area look great… right? To better get everyone focused let me restart this TRIPLE III TIME message by offering MY definition of “Professional Landscaping”. In my teaching/consultant world, I periodically think about the local people… geography… culture… customers… colleagues…businesses… communities that are all a part of me… and MY “Professional Landscape”!  And as I am collectively Realizing My “Professional Landscape”… I better understand and strategically take stock of impactors that somehow affect my professional situations. 

What am I referring to?  Well let’s consider a special TOP 10 Realizing My “Professional Landscape” impactors:

– Growth Source Options

– Declining Clients/Students

– Service Potential Versus Customer Volume

– Need for Innovation

– Performance Results

– Special Niche Areas

– Personal Capacities

– Rate-of-Change Factors

– Situational Uncontrollables

– Travel/Time Limitations

I guess what I’m trying to encourage…is that everyone take a moment to accurately, progressively begin Realizing YOUR “Professional Landscape”!  Think about the impacts the listed TOP 10 can make on your current job…learning ideas…network connections…you know what I mean.  Too often we don’t take the time or apply a unique approach to consider potential improvements for ourselves.  

Realizing YOUR “Professional Landscape” may be necessary at different points in your career planning…so give it a try.

Planning and preparing to be the leader/facilitator for any special event/training/presentation can and IS a professional challenge every time!

Think about it.

Quality for these occurrences is often experienced by the “little-extras” that are provided to all in attendance.  And depending on the number of individuals invited and participating in the occasion… overall preparation can be somewhat easy… or become the case for sleepless nights, irritability and/or a chronic state of being overwhelmed!

So what are the TRIPLE III TIME recommendations for easing planning/preparation strains…TRUST YOURSELF.

All the outside advice in the world will NOT resolve your concern for planning confidence… right?  Rather it may be appropriately wise to TRUST YOURSELF and apply the following:

• Use your own processional judgement on planning/prep time and effort invested.
• Relook and calculate your preparation work already supplied… and ask if you have over-projected event/training/presentation planning expectations? (Have you maybe already doubled what time will allow?)
• Prior to the activity trade chairs with attendees and decide if they could absorb a little more…be getting “just enough” or are you in the “way too much” service category?

Finally, for fun become an official timekeeper of yourself and apply some historic activity limits/expectations.  Consider college classes that recommend one-hour study/prep-time for every hour of class time.  Or car repairs that often reflect time labor costs that are similar to the overall cost of repair parts?!

Regardless…take effective and efficient steps to TRUST YOURSELF! when planning/preparing for leading/facilitating important events/trainings/or presentations. Very recently I avoided all of these common sense recommendations and drove myself crazy preparing for a consultant session.

And guess what… I did just fine.

What if the producers of the nationally known DISCOVERY CHANNEL knocked on your door and announced that “YOU” are going to be their first “WHO AM I?” special television “personality”!  Well…I would understand if your first instinct would be to quickly slam and lock the door…RIGHT?!  But for this unique TRIPLE III TIME message-moment, let’s seriously think about the knowledge, skill and experiences value of doing an adult-years self-assessment labeled:  WHO AM I?

First, I believe it would be wise to think back to your basic starting jobs and then compare those jobs to where you are today in the world of work.  Consider what learnings that you have chosen to carry-over from opportunity to new opportunity.

Do these carry-over learnings help answer:  WHO AM I?

Next review your travels, home location changes, job related movements, and what major factors have contributed to shaping you.  Do you enjoy a regular geographic and/or home ownership change?  Is/has “home” always been nearly in the same location?  Does relocation to a new town, state, suburb or forest make you excited or cause you grief?

Would the DISCOVERY CHANNEL viewers enjoy this:  WHO AM I? segment?

The final self-assessment area to utilize would be to somehow rank personal and professional areas of achievement.  For example would you assess your education status as your most important achievement factor…or your family and all the positives it brings to you.  Or what about your job credentials/positions that you have had?  Truly all of these self-assessment discoveries are critically important to accurately respond to the BIG question:  WHO AM I?

Ok…ok it is time to wake up from the DISCOVERY CHANNEL dream (or maybe nightmare) and get to the real purpose of this non-traditional TRIPLE III TIME message!

The simple III take-aways from honestly…periodically completing a WHO AM I? self-assessment are contained in this SUPER 5 DISCOVERIES list:

1. Don’t duplicate life efforts but better use all of what you have!
2. Make great choices of those individuals you surround yourself with!
3. Calculate job changes based on valued NEW learning potential.
4. Think independently as a life requirement.
5. Be accurate and honest during any self-assessment… and always be proud of discovering: WHO AM I!

It is always interesting as you “grow-up” and remember some of the special learning points shared by your parents.  One of the main directives that came from my Mom was:  “If you don’t have something good to say about someone or something… don’t say anything at all”.  I will bet a lot of readers of this TRIPLE III TIME message can remember this or some similar quote from a family leader… right?!

Well today before I get into the real important parts of this blog…I think that given our interesting times and multiple options for getting the word out… if we really followed Ma’s suggestion there may be a bit more silence in our world… do you think?!

Ok enough of that…it’s time to stress:  Finding The GOOD!

Today with our tremendous worldly expansion of communication methods and styles… it is very difficult to accurately see the various sides to every issue.  Example issue impactors may be geographic location, past experiences, local finances, regional culture, religious concerns, population ages, political beliefs… and possible a whole lot more.  The result is that only YOU personally and professionally become the key to make it a standard practice to reflect on ALL sides of particular problems/issues or actions and in so doing:  Finding The GOOD!

I will not deny that often it is very challenging to achieve Finding The GOOD! in many situations. But today let’s think about trying a few common sense TRIPLE III TIME suggestions:

• Take time to “see” a bigger picture.
• Use patience as a professional tool to see more of the situation.
• Be ready to see a view you did not think existed.
• Research other sources that you may not have used before.
• Don’t allow someone else’s short timeframes to be your only timeframes.
• Finally don’t be afraid to JUST SAY “IT”:  Possibly your “authenticity” when purposefully Finding The GOOD may be just what people need to hear.

Let me know how it works!