In my previous post, I recommended you read up about the Theory of Constraints introduced to the world by Dr. Eliyahu M Goldratt in his book The Goal.
Sadly Dr Goldratt passed away one day later.
If you want to “stand on the shoulders of a giant” and achieve your business goals, buy the book ( I get nothing, by the way, just the satisfaction of spreading the word!).
Dr. Goldratts impact on business results will live on, and grow, in his memory.
“Huge backlogs in the office, sales made, but the paperwork needs processing and the people who do the processing can’t get the work done because the phones keep ringing, and the visitors keep coming, and the backlog just gets worse!”
“Anyone having a go at managing the situation? Maybe asking senior players to answer the phones and greet visitors, whilst the system is cleared and flow is restored?”
“No, they are all just moaning and staying in their silos!”
“For heavens sake, buy them the book The Goal by Dr. Eliyahu Goldtratt or get them to read these notes on Wikipedia about the Theory of Constraints!”
” I dread success. To have succeeded is to have finished one’s business on earth, like the male spider, who is killed by the female the moment he has succeeded in his courtship. I like a state of continual becoming with a goal in front and not behind”.
George Bernard Shaw, Irish critic, playwright and essayist. 1856 – 1950.
Are you still becoming?
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In my favourite film of all time, Field of Dreams, farmer Ray Kinsella tells his wife of his plan to raise their crops to the ground so he can build a baseball stadium so that famed baseball players can come back from the dead to play again.
Her response – “If you really think you should do this, you should do it!”
Do we show enough true love when other people come to us with their ideas?
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Here ‘s what one man makes…
….and how about the passion, all you speakers?
You never hear anyone say…
” I got up at seven o’clock, went for a run, had a hot shower, breakfast with the kids, a great first meeting at work……and, nothing good is happening in my life” !
Keith Harrell died yesterday, aged 52.
Keith was America’s ” Mr Attitude”! A superb speaker. Animated and energetic, he inspired audiences to take personal responsibility for their lives.
I saw him perform in Chicago 15 years ago and his messages still resonate with me today.
Thank you, Keith. Lets give you the last word…” Are you ( the audience) on the way, or are you in the way? “
As you will see, some of it goes well, some of it goes not so well !
What learning can you and your team take from this lively video, that might help with your next presentations?
How about reviewing it,(what went well, not so well, learning for us?), and sharing all your thoughts at your next team meeting?
Food for thought.
One of the USA’s most successful TV commercials.
There’s still time!
The leader speaks.
The followers applaud on command.
There is an illusion that effective communication has taken place. It hasn’t.
The leader believes his job is done.
The followers believe they has just been subjected to the “same old/same old”!
According to Leaders Voice – ” 86% of business professionals believe they are effective presenters. Only 17% of their audiences agree”.
Sort it out. You can get help. Guess where?
Looks a bit of a mess, doesn’t it!
Imagine speaking in front of that lot. You might have trouble holding your audiences attention, even using some of your best lines!
Well, some speakers find themselves surrounded by rubbish regularly. And, they put up with it. And, its their own fault!
You wouldn’t speak in a rubbish tip so don’t have rubbish surrounding you when you take the stage.
Get rid of all the clutter…spare equipment, coffee cups, cables, briefcases, chairs and yes, even the committee! ( “I hope you don’t mind but can I ask you to sit in the body of the kirk where I can see you for my bit, its also less distracting for the audience”…in 34 years of speaking no-one has ever said, no I am staying right here!…and if they did…!).
Get rid of it all. Give yourself a chance of holding the audience’s attention. Just get rid of it!
And no, I don’t feel strongly about this…I wish!
What do you think?
If you can spare five minutes, have a cup of tea and read this profile of a very special man .
And, I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions.
P.S. There’s a great tip in there for speakers but it seems a little insignificant in the scheme of things.
The exchange between Churchill & Lady Astor:
She said, “If you were my husband, I’d give you poison.”
He said, “If you were my wife, I’d drink it.”
A Member of Parliament to Disraeli: “Sir, you will either die on the gallows or of some unspeakable disease.”
“That depends, Sir,” said Disraeli, “whether I embrace your policies or your mistress.”
“I am enclosing two tickets to the first night of my new play; bring a friend…. if you have one.” – George Bernard Shaw to Winston Churchill
“Cannot possibly attend first night, will attend second…. if there is one.” – Winston Churchill, in response.
I just wish I was as sharp!
“To dance is to live. Dance the way I dance and you will live to be 100.” ~ Isadora Duncan.
I am told it would have been Isadora’s birthday yesterday. Sadly she only lived to age 50. So, perhaps she got the age wrong, but not the “dance “bit.
At the end of a week in which not one, but two friends passed away in their 50′s from cancer, I am reminded of Lee Ann Womack’s hit record – I hope you dance.
“I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance
Never settle for the path of least resistance
Living might mean taking chances
But they’re worth taking
Lovin’ might be a mistake
But it’s worth making
Don’t let some hell bent heart
Leave you bitter
When you come close to selling out
Reconsider
Give the heavens above
More than just a passing glance
And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance
I hope you dance “
……I hope you do to.
Regular readers will know I advocate that speakers “Junk the junk”.
Never, no, not ever, have people behind you when you speak. No, no,no!
Not even if you are the President of the USA!
In his book On the Road, the comedian Frank Skinner describes his experience of going back on the road doing stand-up again, after many years spent working mainly on television. His adventures on tour are funny and moving as he meditates on growing older, the terrors and joys of trying to make a live audience laugh night after night, and on the nature of comedy itself.
What struck me though, was the personal angst Frank felt whenever he received feedback with even a subtle hint of criticism even if, by and large, his performance had been received rapturously by the vast majority.
To be honest, as a speaker, I’ve had those same feelings myself…ninety nine people said it was great, one says it wasn’t, and whats my abiding memory? You’ve guessed it…the one!
I take comfort, and I hope Frank does, from the words of Tim Ferriss, author of The Four Hour Week…
” It doesn’t matter how many people don’t get it. What matters is how many people do!”
Having bought most of the books on leadership ever published, had a go at it myself, and also having been led by countless others, I am of the opinion that the book, The Leadership Challenge by Kouzes and Posner has got it right…
There are five fundamental practices of exemplary leadership -
- Challenge the process.
- Inspire a shared vision.
- Enable others to act.
- Model the way, and
- Encourage the heart.
Buy the book to get the detail (by the way, I get nothing for the recommendation!).
As a supplement to this excellent publication, I also recommend Sathnam Sanghera’s column in the Business section of The Times today. Sathnam writes some great stuff, and today summarises “… five more banal skills that are, in my view, essential in business leaders -
- The ability to read in moving vehicles….When you’re in charge of something you can’t waste time staring into the middle distance or throwing up when there are slides to get through between meetings…
- Public speaking…if you’re scared of public speaking, you’re done for because you will at some point have to address a group of people…
- A fondness for one’s own company…you rarely have time to see family and friends and you can’t bond with colleagues at any level because you can’t indulge in the gossip that is the primary glue of working life…
- The ability to get by on little sleep…Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon.com, is the only leader I’ve come across who admits to needing eight hours; everyone else seems to get by on four or five.
- An unexpressive face. A leader cannot betray emotions such as boredom or frustration: a mindlessly upbeat demeanour is essential to navigating the conferences, PowerPoint presentations, and sycophancy…”
I think Sathmans got it about right! Do you?
By the way, no prizes for guessing which of Sathnam’s essential skills lifted my heart!
Are your customers re – signing or resigning ?
…see, I told you it was short!
The magic is in the stories.
Your stories remind the audience of their stories.
What are your stories?
