There, There... All Better!

As the above video points out, not all proofreading efforts lead to success.  As a college professor, I have to laugh at some of my students' bloopers... sometimes I mercifully correct them... sometimes I shrug it off as a lost cause.

One Christmas, when my sister's girls were much younger, they excitedly came to our house to see the Christmas tree I had put up in the basement.  I really enjoy Hallmark ornaments, and they loved seeing some of the different decorations.  My younger niece burst into the room first, yelling "I seed it!  I seed it!" at the top of her lungs.  Her older sister, always in the spirit of watching out for her, corrected her grammar, "No, Trisha, it's 'I SAWED it.'"

During one vacation my wife and I shared at a brand spankin' new resort on the north shore of Lake Superior, I happened to look down while showering and noticed water seeping up under the fresh pine baseboards.  Later that morning, I went to the front desk to inform the clerk that they may want to avoid water damage by caulking the baseboards.  She thanked me as I watched her write the note to her maintenance staff, "Shower in 103 needs cock."  Um, yeah... let's just not go there.  (Although I've always been curious what went through the mind of the maintenance staffer who was on the receiving end of that note.)

In our world of six-sigma-lean-TQM-continuous-improvement, are we REALLY making things better?  I've seen more than once where the cost-cutting efficiency efforts actually hurt the organization.  It seems that often, efficiency runs counter to effectiveness.

We may have saved a few bucks, but did we really make the overall process and the final end result BETTER?  Are our customers any happier?  Are the people doing the jobs any more satisfied?  Have we sped things up?  Are decisions more streamlined or better informed?

Or have we "proofread" one thing just to mess up something else?

Where have YOU seen one thing fixed, which in turn broke five other things?

Where the Filed Things Are

Some day, I'm going to write a book.

Some day, I'll run a marathon.

Some day, I'll clean that closet.

Some day, I'm going to take that vacation I've always wanted.

Accomplishments come in all shapes and sizes.  The only accomplishment that doesn't fit is the one that never gets accomplished.  We make excuses.  We procrastinate.  We "re-prioritize."  We daydream.  But we don't DO.

But that's not always a bad thing.  Accomplishments take time.  I ran across a long-term goals page I had written out about 15 years ago.  Included in my long term goals were:

• Become a college instructor
• Write a book
• Become an independent consultant
• Speak to audiences nationwide

Only one of those goals started and was realized almost immediately (college instructor).  The other three have only come to real fruition in the last four or five years.

Sometimes, we have to tell our dreams "not yet."  The real trick is to keep track of them during that waiting period.  Famed choreographer, dancer, and author Twyla Tharp suggests keeping a box to file away everything contributing to the creation of your accomplishments.  In her words, "Before you can think outside the box, you have to have a box."  She shared how she built her box for the stage performance of Movin' Out, which she collaborated with Billy Joel.

I keep track of my planned accomplishments on paper and electronically.  I'll jot down a line which would make a great sentence or paragraph in another book and store it in an electronic file.  I'll track people's names who'd make great character names.  I keep ideas for that restaurant I may want to open some day.  There's a completed children's book sitting on my laptop.  There are bins and boxes of wild things everywhere which feed my imagination and my accomplishments.

In the quest to Carpe Factum, remember it's OK to store your planned accomplishments away for a while.  Just remember where you put them, and don't forget to pull them out and dust them off every once in a while... just to keep the dream alive... and the wild rumpus going.

So.... what are your "filed things" and where are you keeping them?

Are You Building Your Accomplishments?

Remember playing with Legos as a kid?  Wow, you could build ANYTHING!  The only constraints were your imagination and the number and type of blocks you had.  And if you had enough of the first, the second was never really anything that could hold you back.  As a child, I was designer and builder (and supreme ruler) of great cities and vast empires.  There was nothing I couldn't accomplish with a nice box of Legos.

How about now?  Do you still design and build and accomplish?  Do you still see all of the possibilities as endless?

Really.

Really?

Why not?

So we may not get out a box of colorful plastic blocks to accomplish something great, but we still have blocks and we still have accomplishments.  What's getting in your way?  Could it be the same things that got in your way as a kid are still haunting you as an adult?

• The blocks don't fit the plan - remember when you'd get this really great kit of Legos and there might be one or two blocks missing (and you wouldn't find out until the most inopportune moment)?  FRUSTRATING!  We experience it often now, don't we?  We have our great plans, but the resources aren't there for us to achieve them.  Too often we give up.  But why not solve it like we did when we were kids?  Find a way around the gap.  Borrow from another kit.  Adjust.  Write pointed letters to Legos Headquarters explaining the situation and then waiting weeks for the part to show up.  But however we did it, we never let missing parts make us stop.

• The plan doesn't fit the blocks - some of us have all the resources in the world, but we don't have any plans to tell us how to use them.  Conversely, we may have aspirations of the building great empires, but only have the little 100-piece starter kit.  So we may have to create (or adjust) our plans to fit what resources are available to us.  Maybe we bring in our friends who have a different perspective to help us shape the direction of the activity.  Perhaps we scale back our plans or expand our plans.  Maybe we call a time-out and play with something else until an idea comes to us.

• Annoying siblings and pets - who out there didn't have an annoying brother growing up?  Sometimes, siblings and pets had a way of "taking away" things that didn't belong to them and messing up your grand designs of Lego-laden afternoon.  So you'd have to go on a Homer-esque quest to conquer and retrieve.  Now that we're adults, we still "let" others take things away from us.  Sometimes it is something tangible like a project or a budget.  Other times, the stolen accomplishment is less obvious but more serious.  Things like our confidence or our self esteem or our vision or our inner compass get misplaced, and we must retrieve them if our accomplishments are to be achieved.  How much fight do you have in you to search out your accomplishment?

We're starting a new week, folks.  What's your accomplishment?  Do your parts match your plan?  Are you prepared to find what's missing and fight for it?  Cool!  NOW GO BUILD SOMETHING GREAT!

Like a Bowl In a China Shop

The economy.

Green and sustainability initiatives.

Terrorism threats.

Healthcare debates.

Oil prices and energy reform.

Education changes.

Crime.

Poverty.

BCS Football overhaul.

Huh?

It seems Representative Joe Barton has a burr in his saddle.  And he has too much time on his hands to think about said burr.  It's a longstanding joke that if the opposite of "pro" is "con" then the opposite of "progress" must be "Congress."  Unfortunately, this story about Congress spending ANY amount of time on college football goes beyond a joke... it's a travesty.  (Mind you, I enjoy college football.  No, it doesn't define my life, which makes this post easier for me to write.)

In the world of accomplishment, there are always competing demands for our attention.  When we're doing requirements gathering, we know how to sort out "need to have" requirements from those that are "nice to have."  When we have to make triple constraint project trade-offs, we know that either time, scope, or cost is going to take it in the shorts in favor of something more pressing.  Maybe we need fewer lawyers and philosophy professors running our country and more project managers.

So what about you?  Are you spending time on the REALLY IMPORTANT accomplishments, or are you playing dress up with Don Quixote?  Make a list of the things on your planner for the upcoming week.  Now ask yourself if the world, your life, your job, your family, your project, or your employer would collapse in a flaming ball of massive failure if any one of those items WASN'T completed.

Just a thought to start out your week.

It's August 23rd. Do You Know Where Your Project Is?

OK, busted again.  Another two week lag.  I alluded to some things going on in an earlier post, but after a comment I received this past week, I figured it best to lay it on the line for you, my readers.

When the summer started, I had made plans to step away from consulting for a couple of months to focus on my books.  Race Through the Forest entered a successful second printing last month, and it appears to be selling well.  SWAT - Seize the Accomplishment will be going to print before Labor Day, allowing me plenty of time for marketing before its release date in January, 2010.  What I didn't anticipate at the beginning of summer was yet another project, one where my participation was mandated... out of duty, out of love, out of necessity, out of care, out of need, and out of concern.  My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Now for those who have read this blog for a while, you know that my family is no stranger to the "Big C" - we wished we'd never met it, but sometimes it just happens.  I'm considered a subject matter expert in a few areas:  project management, office politics, creativity, etc.  Handling cancer is a topic on which I wish I were completely ignorant.

Anyway, back to the comment.  One of my well meaning friends asked me how it felt to have the summer off from project management to enjoy myself.  I know they meant nothing bad from the comment, and that it was well intentioned.  However, the more I thought about it, the more irked I found myself becoming.  Let's get this straight:  Not all projects occur in cubicles, in laboratories, or at construction sites.

Every single one of my project skills has been put to the test this summer:

• When it comes to communication (90% of a project manager's time), there have been discussions with surgeons, oncologists, nurses, attending physicians, siblings (my sister walks on water, in my assessment), well meaning relatives and neighbors, and clergy.  We have to craft our messages for the audience and the time and hope for the best.
• The resource management aspect has been critical.  Again, my sister and I have done a fairly decent job of picking up a lot of transportation to and from appointments and handling some things around her house.  We've learned to rely on friends and relatives for those times when we both had to be attending to other things, and we're blessed that Mom is surrounded by so many willing and helpful people.
• On the issue of scope management, we're learning new terminology every day as we talk with Mom and her doctors about what treatments work and which ones don't.  While there is no "requirements document" that can blanket every cancer case, we keep up on the adjustments and check the results with the precision of a Six Sigma Master Black Belt.
• Wanna talk risk management with me?  OK, when fevers spike and blood counts drop and a 9-day hospital stay occurs unexpectedly, you get very good at having "what if" discussions about contingency plans and scrapping current plans for new ones.  Flexibilty is as critical as oxygen at the moment.
• Finally, time management and prioritization skills are put to the test.  I'm addicted to accomplishment.  There's no wing at the Betty Ford Clinic for over-achievers.  But I'm becoming better at telling other people and things in my life "no, thanks" and "not right now" - it just doesn't fit.  I wish there were more project managers who knew how to keep their scopes simple and focused.

I have a few projects under my belt over the past two decades.  There have been fun projects, intense projects, scary projects, screwed up projects, cool projects, and complex projects.  This project doesn't take place within cubicle walls, but it uses all the skills.  I've said for years that project management is universal, and this just supports that premise.  Some day I may have the summer off from project management.  Aw, who I am kidding?  Project management isn't a job; it's a lifestyle choice.

Yesterday's News

I'm sorry... I just have to take a break from revisiting Race Through the Forest to ask a simple question:

Governor Mark who?

South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford (winner of the 2009 "Don't Cry For Me, Argentina" award) has to be thanking his lucky stars.  The prima dona of yesterday's top news stories didn't even make the top 30 minutes of the Today Show.  If he even gets mentioned today, it will be a miracle.  He won't need to resign.  Our attention deficit disorder society has already forgotten him.

On the other hand, you have to feel a little sorry for Farrah Fawcett.  Her final shot at publicity, the one event that usually assures a celebrity of decent coverage, gets eclipsed because the King of Pop dies the same day.  The poor gal can't catch a publicity break.  (Caveat:  I say this all tongue in cheek.  As a cancer survivor and with all my family has gone through, my heart actually goes out to her family.)

When I was doing my webinar on Wednesday, somebody asked what to do when another person in the office keeps stealing credit.  I answered that each person is in charge of his or her own publicity, and they need to make people aware of accomplishments.

Publicity and buzz are very fickle mistresses.  Sometimes we want our accomplishments forgotten quickly.  Other times, we may hope to endure.  What you need to learn about this is twofold:

1. You're in charge of your own publicity.  As a professional in a sea of cubicles, you cannot rely on a media blitz to make your accomplishments known.

2. You can only milk it so long.  Once the buzz is done, it's done.  You can't draw it out any further than other people are willing to hear about it.

Most of the time we like to have our accomplishments heralded... unless you happen to be the governor of South Carolina.  Then we rely on the short attention span of others to help us survive.

Build It and They Will Climb

I was with the SWAT team a few weeks ago when they were practicing building entries (I've learned more ways to enter a building through watching them).  The team had just acquired some new collapsible ladders, and the command staff wanted them to practice assembling the ladders quickly (i.e., within seconds), positioning them, and then using them to enter through a window.  The toughest part to practice was the building, followed by the positioning.  The two were interdependent, since the height of the ladder and the window against which it would be placed had an impact on each other.  The decision of "where" and the ability of "how" were tied together closely.

I've been in the "post-college" career world for exactly 20 years as of today.  The SWAT exercise made me think of some professionals' career management skills.  We talk a lot about climbing the ladder of succcess, but many seem to think that the magical career fairy is just going to shove the ladder in our path so we can start climbing.  Not so.  The reality is this: we need to take the same approach as my tactical law enforcement friends.  If we're going to climb the career ladder of success, we'd better be prepared to build it and figure out which wall it should be leaning against and how high to position it.  THEN start climbing.

One of the first questions I ask my graduate students is "What do you want to be when you grow up?"  You'd be surprised how many have not thought beyond the next promotion they think they're going to get.  I'll be fascinated by their answers this fall given the current state of the economy.  There are so many employees living in a state of fear that their job is about to be eliminated.  I was having this discussion with friend and colleague Lisa DiTullio a couple of weeks ago about the atmos-fear in many companies.  I've met so many people who are afraid to leave and simultaneously afraid that they won't be allowed to stay.  These are the people who have let others define their career ladder.

I contrast this with my friends and acquaintances in the consulting and social media communities.  We meet for breakfast the first Friday of every month, and the energy is through the roof.  No fear.  No uncertainty.  We're all busy and productive and happy.  Often, our only complaint is lack of down time.  We see the current economy as a challenge to be overcome, a problem to be solved, or an opportunity to be capitalized.  This is a group of people who have built their own ladder and are climbing it at breakneck speed.

Juliet Wehr Jones has provided some excellent career development advice at the Career Key Blog.  Great stuff!  All of her points she poses boil down to one single question:  who is building YOUR ladder?  Your career is the longest-running accomplishment of your life (next to breathing).  Do you own it?  Is this an accomplishment you are seizing or have you delegated it to others?

Gradua-SHUN

Tonight I'm heading to a couple of graduation parties in honor of my Drake graduate students.  I've mentioned before that I'm a little melancholy to see this group leave.  In almost a decade at Drake, the past two years have yielded the best collective group of students I've ever had the pleasure of teaching.

It's been a few years since I've written a "graduation post" so in their honor, I thought I might pass along a little wisdom that the past 20 years of post-graduate professionalism have taught me (sometimes naturally, sometimes the hard way).  We do a good job of telling people to set goals and to move toward important things, but in looking back, I wonder if we warn our graduates of those things which should be avoided.  So, here goes:

• Shun "good enough" and "comfort zones" - mediocrity will eventually kill you.  You'll hit middle age and realize all the things you didn't do, all the risks you didn't take, and you'll want a do-over.  They only allow mulligans in golf, and even then when it really doesn't matter.

• Shun excess and greed - the perils of that mindset are becoming painfully obvious in our current economy.  I'm not saying you shouldn't succeed, nor that you shouldn't enjoy the fruits of your labor.  Just live well within your means.  You will rarely be stressed.  I once had a colleague who allowed the rewards to out-prioritize the work which helped obtain them; I don't associate with this person because his values changed so drastically over time.

• Shun selfishness - giving back to others is a tremendous feeling.  Helping another on his or her journey holds the best rewards.  Setting somebody on the path of success is a success for you, too.  If your focus is purely internal, you'll never realize the interdependent potential of the world around you.  My best teaching experiences have involved helping my students as well as local not-for-profits and small businesses.

• Shun small minds - develop an "improv" mindset of "Yes, and..."  Small minds can never comprehend possibilities.  They can't build.  They can't expand.  They can't imagine or dream.  And they are threatened by those around them who do.  I knew an executive for a consulting company who took perverse pleasure in telling those around her what they couldn't do and what couldn't be accomplished.  As a result, people worked around her to get things done.

• Shun excuses - we live in a world begging for accountabililty and responsibility.  If you make a mistake, admit it and learn from it.  And advertise your lessons.  Develop a great set of brakes so the buck stops with you.  People will notice and reward it.
  

• Shun stodginess - life is to be lived.  Laughter and passion are the soul of what keeps us breathing.  Get excited about something.  Hug, hurt, heal, run, fall, rebound, giggle, guffaw, shout, dance, believe, wish, hope, plan, work, relax, worship, look, think, appreciate, clean, improve, reach, learn, and then start the cycle over again.  There's a series of accomplishments waiting out there with YOUR name on them.

So, 2009 graduates, as you move your tassle in order to move forward, I hope you remember some of the things you need to leave behind.  There's a world out there begging to be changed... are you up for the task?

Carpe Factum!

The Fast and the Curious

Last Sunday, I took my turn with "nursery duty" at church.  In the toddler room, we get kids between 12 months and 3 years old... in other words, old enough to be mobile and potentially damaging and young enough to turn on the charm by giving you a clueless look when you're trying to direct them away from being "potentially damaging."

Such was the situation last Sunday when 18-month-old Benton decided he wanted drag race me across the room.  In his tender mind, "drag racing" consisted of crawling at break-neck speed from point A to point B.  Let me tell you, the kid was fast.  My only saving grace was that he was 18-months old... and easily distracted.  "Ooooo, look!  Pretty toy!"

But young Benton reminded me of a fundamental truth...  in our hustle and bustle to get things done, we sometimes need to stop and be curious.  Do we take time to revisit our scope and requirements periodically?  Do we ever wonder if we're going down the right path?  Do we pause to consider the accuracy of our information and paradigms?

One thing I've been observing is the number of people who are afraid to take time off from work.  They're so concerned for their jobs and being perceived as expendable that they don't wish to take any time away.  This economy has a lot of people spooked.  They've convinced themselves they have to be fast, but no longer allow themselves to be curious, to pause, to take time, to revisit.

How do you do this?  Is it impossible?  Not really.  Some of my favorite tips for taking a break in the fast lane:

1. Schedule a meeting with yourself.  Put a meeting notice on your calendar with no other attendees (or use outside emails as the attendees).  Then make yourself scarce.
2. Plan early.  Take the first 10-15 minutes of the day and the first 10-15 minutes after lunch to chart out your time.  Any time management guru will tell you that.  Your day is a project; plan it out.
3. Develop a BS-o-meter.  Learn to sniff out unnecessary work.  Then learn to say "no" or "not yet" or "I'll get to it" to those things that feel just half-baked or bad ideas.
4. Take a walk.  A change of scenery is always positive.  Get outside,  Eat lunch somewhere beside your desk.  You can't be fast OR curious if you're constantly stuck at your same old gray-beige cubicle.
5. Say No.  As much as you like to contemplate your own super-human qualities, you can't do everything.  Make your requestors prioritize what they need.  If task A gets done, task B won't.  Let them make the decision, document it, and hold them to it.
6. Work from home.  If this will alleviate distractions and interruptions, this may be a good solution.  The lack of driving is also healthy for both the environment and your stress level.

What are your suggestions for remaining both fast and curious?  (By the way, I let Benton beat me in 3 out of 4 races... that seemed to amuse him.)

So What Are You Waiting For?

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary...  Isaiah 40:31

My daughter just sat there for no reason, as four-year-olds sometimes do.  She was staring out the window, not at anything in particular.  I asked her what she was doing, and the reply was simple:  "I'm waiting."  I figured she was waiting for her mother to come home, but no, she informed me she wasn't really sure but she'd let me know when she figured it out.  (I ABSOLUTELY LOVE how the four-year-old mind works and processes stuff.)

Waiting.

Watching.

Wondering.

At some point, we all get put in a waiting game.  Waiting can be healthy, but for many it's just downright frustrating.  I know many people who are job hunting at the moment.  I'm thankful for the times in the past I've ridden out a prolonged down-time.  It's given me the time I've needed to regroup and reassess my life.  But they are becoming understandably anxious.  All along a company has taken care of them, and now... well, not so much.  Do they have the skills to compete as the economic landscape changes around them at alarming speed?  Or can they wait?

There's just one problem with waiting:  its ending.  That point in time where you've been given enough time and now a decision or action must be made.  It may still not be clear what direction you have to go.  It may not be evident if it's going to be right.  It may leave knots in your stomach at the very thought of leaving the comfort of waiting.  But waiting must yield to walking, or the waiting has done you no good.

I've mentioned many times before how much I love Twyla Tharp's writing (her choreography ain't half bad either).  She shares in her book a time when she was absolutely and undeniably stuck, so she walked to the middle of the floor, stomped her foot, and issued the self-order:  "Begin!"  And that stomping led to an idea, which became a new dance.

Are you stuck in waiting?  It's healthy to be there.  Glean from it what you can.  But then recognize and act on the words of President John F. Kennedy from his inaugural address:

Carpe Factum Turns Three Years Old!

Wow, it seems like only yesterday that I posed the question, "Why Carpe Factum?"  Now after three years, you're still reading and still wondering what is on my mind.  (OK, yes, I'm a day off but like most other bloggers, I do have a life and a "day job").

Anyway, I'm going to celebrate by spending time with my friends over at the Central Iowa Bloggers.

Thanks for sticking with me.

Here's looking forward to many more years of seizing the accomplishment!

After the Lovin'

Hope you all had a nice Valentine's Day.  It was a fairly low-key affair at the Johnson household.  More weekend errand-running than anything else.  My wife and I are fairly pragmatic people by nature, so the gushy over-the-top romance is generally lost on us.  Oh, we appreciate it when it happens, but we're not 24x7 romantics.  So this year on Valentine's Day, we agreed to be very low-key on everything.  Don't spend a lot of money.  Thoughtfulness counts.

My wife likes two things a lot.  Coffee and music.  Yeah, I could get her a Starbucks gift card (yawn) or some miscellaneous CD, but where would that get me?  I decided to compile a play list just for her.  I spent the last few weeks combing iTunes for really cool songs dealing with coffee.  And quite frankly, when I played it for her yesterday, I think she was fairly impressed.

In the process, I discovered some new artists and songs that I really, really liked.  It was simple.  It was thoughtful.  It was impactful.

In our jobs, can we create a significant playlist of accomplishments?  Can we pick a theme, find 10 things, connect them together, and implement them in a short period of time?  Or do we just keep plodding along with the same mindset of doing things the way we've always done them?

We're starting a new week... can you find a way to romance your career with some new music?

Cre-8-ivity

Lots going on right now, so I thought I would fill you all in on a couple of really exciting things.

First, Modern Analyst's e-journal just published an article I wrote on The Practical Side of Creativity.  Adrian Marchis and crew were great, and I enjoyed the experience of working with them.  If you've never checked out the Modern Analyst site, it's an amazing resource for business analysts (and project managers... and really anybody who's required to think).

Second, and this is equally exciting news:  Race Through The Forest - A Project Management Fable is nearing the end of its first run.  We will be releasing the second edition this quarter.  While Tiberius is still the publisher, I asked the great folks at Lexicon to give the cover a face-lift.  Here is what the new version of Race will look like.  More details about other improvements will be forthcoming, but if you want to get a first edition copy, you'd better hurry.

So many good things happening here.  Hope you are seizing positive accomplishments on your end as well.

Inauguration Day

Congratulations, President Obama.  No, I wasn't a fan of yours (as anyone who has read this blog will attest), but I have been watching you the past couple of months during the transition period, and I have to admit I'm cautiously optimistic.  You're not afraid to stand up to and/or tweak your own party.  I can admire that.  You've obviously made some strides to work for the approximately 50 million people who did not vote for you, and you've caught my attention (in a positive way).  Your message today was rhetoric at its best... we'll all be watching and working to see how we as a country can convert rhetoric into results.  You've inherited a lot of issues and problems.  And even though I'm a Republican, I'm not going to complain that "my side didn't win."  There's been enough divisiveness over the past two years, and it is time for us to come together as a country to make things work again.

So celebrate tonight.

Tomorrow it will be time to Carpe Factum.

Fix Your Rear-View Mirror

2008 is behind us, and we're into the middle of the first week of 2009.  People are looking ahead.  Some with hope for the new leadership.  Some with dread due to world events and the economy.

How are you doing at looking back?  The old adage that "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it" rings very true in 2009.  Before you start making all of your plans for the new year, perhaps it's time for an "accomplishment audit" of the prior year.

Ask yourself (and your colleagues, and your superiors, and your subordinates, and your customers, and your suppliers) the following:

• What energized you in 2008?  What got you excited and thrilled?  Why?  Can you recapture it?

• What drained you in 2008?  Can you isolate the causes?  Can you avoid them in 2009, or can you at least mitigate them?

• What goals did you achieve in 2008?  Were they your highest priorities?  What will they do to help you in 2009?

• What was left undone from 2008?  Why didn't you get to it?  Is it still important?

• What relationships did you build in 2008?  Have they been positive and beneficial for both of you?  Were there relationships you wanted to forge in 2008 but were unable to do so?

• What relationships did you reduce or eliminate in 2008?  Has the reduction been helpful to you?  Are they relationships that should have been maintained?  Can you salvage them?

• What was the most fun you had in 2008?  Was it planned or unexpected?  Can it be maintained in 2009?

• What legacy will 2008 be known for in your life?  How did you expand your reach to others?

If your rear-view mirror isn't working, now is a good time to fix it.  Doing so may mean the best possible "Carpe Factum" of 2009.

Cease and Desist in 2009

Being the Bob Newhart fan I am, I couldn't resist the following skit a la YouTube

I talk a lot about accomplishment, which implies doing something.  Maybe... just maybe... in 2009, your greatest accomplishment might be stopping something.

Happy New Year!

The Journey of a 1000 Days Begins With A Single Blog Post

1,000 days.

24,000 hours.

1,440,000 minutes.

86,400,000 seconds.

474 blog posts.

1,403 comments

But who's counting?

It's been exactly 1,000 days that have passed since I asked the question, "Why Carpe Factum?"  You've given me a lot of answers to this question.  Here's hoping the next 1,000 of Carpe Factum go as well as the first.

I can honestly say that I've been changed for the better... for good.

Ho'Oko = Seize The Accomplishment

When you're having this much fun presenting at a conference...

And when the view from the room where you are presenting looks like this...

...It's not too hard to keep your presentation mojo flowing.  It was A TON of fun in Hawaii.  I was able to hear Andrea Ames of IBM talk about career management, listen to Elizabeth Larson of Watermark Learning compare "The Italian Job" to good project management skills, and learn from Bernard and Vivian Aschwanden about selecting a translation vendor.  I found out how great Hawaiian love songs sound as mediocre Karaoke.  I ate more pineapple and other fresh fruit than any Midwesterner has a right to devour in November.   Old friendships were solidified.  New friendships were forged.  And I won't rub it in by talking about the morning walks along Waikiki Beach.

So it's not really surprising that I was a little melancholy on the flight home yesterday.  As the pilot announced that it was 39 degrees in Des Moines, I reached into the seat pocket in front of me and found a bookmark a prior passenger had left behind.  Written on it was just the message I needed:  "Look back with pride on all you've accomplished.  Look forward with excitement to all the adventures ahead.  And just enjoy yourself - you've earned it!"

Thanks to the folks from LavaCon and the Honolulu PMI chapter for an awesome experience!

Recession-Proofing Your Accomplishments

Massive layoffs and growing unemployment.

Store closings and bankruptcies.

Moody stock markets.

Election uncertainty.

It's a little challenging to talk in terms of seizing accomplishments when my readers are wondering if they'll even have a paycheck or a retirement fund by the time all the dust settles.  If we're looking to our leaders (be they business or political) to save us, we're looking in the wrong places.

What can you personally do to protect yourself from the current economic situation?

• Budget BEFORE you need to - look at how you can trim fat from your spending.  Subscriptions, Starbucks runs, etc. are all things that can take a temporary hiatus.
• Network BEYOND your expertise - Des Moines is a huge financial services center, and there are a lot of very nervous people here.  I'm fortunate to have networked in the pharmacy and manufacturing and publishing arenas.
• Let your boss know what you're working on WHILE you're working on it - when decisions are being made about downsizing, the last thing you want is somebody asking what you're working on or how you're adding value.
• Do your best work ever and fix your prior mistakes... NOW - don't let people question your quality.
• Be creative to think (and act) OUTSIDE the box - challenge yourself to look beyond what is in front of you.  Look for possibilities and leave no stone unturned.
• Focus on what YOU can do - with so many looking for work, don't look to others to solve your economic woes.  Hone in on the things that are still within your control.  Maybe it's making 10 phone calls and sending 20 emails, or perhaps it's just exercising more while you have down time.
• Spend time PLANNING - with so much downtime occurring for so many reasons, take advantage of it and plan out home improvements, upcoming projects, resources and budgets... whatever you claim you don't have time to plan when things are moving forward.
• Get by with a little help from your FRIENDS - create a close network of those who can help you with resources, job leads, babysitting assistance, etc.  We're currently loaning a vehicle to friends of ours who lost the use of a company car due to downsizing.  It's all part of building a sense of community.

We'll all make it through to the other side a little bit stronger.  Just don't lose hope in yourself or faith in your accomplishments. Carpe Factum!

A Life. A Legacy. A Loss.

I was very saddened to find out that Jim Goodman passed away today.  He was competing in the Hy-Vee Triathlon here in Des Moines, and suffered a heart attack.

A lot of people will read the statistics about Jim.  He was 46.  He had a wife and three daughters, all of whom he spoke very highly and with great love and affection.  He was a man of faith, a man of integrity, and a man of character.  I wonder how many will find out about the real Jim.

Jim was an entrepreneur.  He would exhaust me by listing off all of his business ventures, but with each word, his irrepressible grin grew larger and the twinkle in his eye grew brighter.  Creation was Jim's adrenaline.  I doubt he ever met a business venture he didn't like.  He ran the CEO Center in the East Village, a sort of incubator to help small creativity-oriented businesses grow and thrive.  "It's like an artist colony for business people," was Jim's description.  I knew some of his tenants.  And Jim made it happen.  That was just one of his ventures.

Jim was a community pillar.  He knew everybody in city and state government, and partisanship really had little meaning in Jim's mind.  He favored whatever made the most sense.  And he was too smart to run for an elected seat himself.  He knew he could have the most impact by partnering with government to make change happen.

Jim was a helper.  Very much a behind-the-scenes helper.  He was instrumental in getting my last book into the right hands.  And he wanted no credit for it.  I found this shying away from publicity and credit ironic for a guy with a marketing mindset, but then again, you had to know Jim Goodman.  When he interviewed me on his radio show last spring following the release of my book, Jim was so calm and calming.  I, on the other hand, was debating whether I'd pass out or throw up.  I was so nervous, I accidentally said I had three daughters instead of two (try explaining that to the Mrs.).  When a few of us started a creativity networking group three years ago, Jim provided us with a place to meet, to talk, to laugh, and to share.

Now he's gone.  And there's a big hole.  In his family.  Among his friends.  Throughout his community and state.  In my heart.  I've only known Jim for a few years, but he made an indelible mark.  As I've mentioned a few times, I've been teaching a leadership class at Drake (where Jim was also a fellow instructor).  My students have been attempting to grasp what "changing the world" looks like and how it's applied in a day-to-day life of action, how passsion meets purpose to drive results.  Sure, my students listened to me ramble for hours.  They read some great books on the topic.  But if they really wanted to see it done, and done magnificently well, they should learn how Jim did it.  He changed the world.  And he'll be missed.

My condolences and prayers to his wife, children, family, friends, and colleagues.  Jim Goodman was special guy.  I have a feeling that heaven is shining a little brighter tonight.  Jim's earned his reward.

The Best Time of My Life

"Tim, there's a growth.  It looks like it might be a tumor, but I'd like to do a biopsy."

Those words started me down a path that I wasn't expecting at the tender age of 24.  A few weeks later, a tennis-ball size tumor was removed from my neck, where it had been growing on my thyroid gland, which was also removed.  This would be followed by three radioactive iodine treatments (each requiring 48 hours in isolation), another surgery, six weeks of radiation, months of regulating medications, and two trips to Mayo Clinic (since the doctors here had "never seen anything like that before").  But before all of these follow-up treatments were to occur, something else monumental was about to happen.

"I'm sorry, but the surgery revealed malignant cancer on the pancreas.  We can try to treat it with radiation and chemo, but the prognosis does not look good."

This time, the diagnosis was on my dad, less than four months following my own surgery.  In addition to some of my own cancer treatments, the next seven months were spent watching the man I looked up to battle and eventually succumb to cancer of a different and more deadly variety.  He passed away the following May, two days after my graduation from Drake (looking back, the last months of my MBA program were a bit of a blur).  But my dad was able to see me in my cap and gown, which was what I think he was holding on for.

You're probably re-reading the title and wondering if I made a mistake.  Not really.  In a few short months, I learned more about life and living than I could from any book, class, or lecture.  I was provided with the unique opportunity to be both a cancer patient AND a family supporter of a cancer patient.  Two different perspectives would create a wider breadth of understanding in a very young and tender mind.  While it was truly the most physically and emotionally draining period in my life, I look back at that time with extreme gratitude for the lessons I learned:

1. Life is a gift.  No matter how badly or wonderfully it may be going, breathing is not an entitlement.  Passion and love and fun are what shows our Maker that we're enjoying the gift.
2. Coming through trials is intended to prepare one for greater accomplishments than they could have imagined beforehand, in case you ever wonder what event solidified my "Carpe Factum" mindset.
3. A sense of humor is the best defense available.  During one of the few times that my dad was doing better than I was and was visiting me in the hospital, I joked with him, "Dad, we need to stop this kind of father-son bonding.  I think it's bugging Mom."  He just grinned.  He's the one who taught me to laugh at everything.
4. My parents were/are the wisest, strongest, and most gracious humans on the planet.  Adversity simply strengthened the character that was already there.  I still look at my mom in awe for what she went through during those months (although I don't tell her that as much as I should).
5. We may not own the catalyst, but we always own the response.  And that response defines and shapes us in unexpected ways.
6. Empathy is critical for others who are going through rough periods in their life.  The journey may be hard, but it never has to be lonely.
7. My body and my health are my responsibility.  My current family doctor does not understand that and still thinks he has all the answers.  He may have 15 years of medical practice behind him, but I have 41 years of being Tim behind me.  That's why he's about to be replaced.
8. A legacy is written on a life, not a monument.  Changing even one other person's life for the better has a ripple effect that will be felt through eternity.

I'm sure that there are times my students, friends, colleagues, clients, and family wonder why I do or say or think something.  The answer is simple:  It's because - during a very dark period in my own personal history - I had the best time of my life.

Infrequent Frequency

Last week, I talked to my graduate students about finding their frequency.  We were discussing Steve Farber's book, Radical Edge, and the importance of knowing yourself before you can lead others.

I played the Christine Kane song, "What the hell am I doing with my life?" for them.  (By the way, Christine Kane is one of the best story-tellers I've ever met.  If you want an amazing experience, get her live performance CD, A Friday Night in One Lifetime.  You'll enjoy it immensely.  I received a free copy at SOBCon and have been listening to it almost non-stop this month.  Who knew that her songs make such a great graduate teaching tool?!)  Out of a class of 28, there were only two students who were in that sweet spot between expertise and passion in their job.  The others ranged from uneasiness to uncertainly.  I'm guessing a few were experiencing angst, but doing so quietly.

Why?  Why are we allowing ourselves to stay trapped in jobs we hate?  I'm really curious about this.  In the past two semesters of teaching this leadership class, about 25% of my students have initiated a job search because they realized they weren't living their frequency.

What do you want to be when you grow up?  And are you moving in that direction?

Are you doing what you love?  If not, why not?

Accomplishing Adventure

With the impending release of the new Indiana Jones flick coming up, I've been thinking a lot about adventure.  You know, the stuff you dream about when you're staring at the umpteenth spreadsheet in your gray cubicle.  What is your fantasy adventure?  OK, now what is your REAL adventure?  Your career adventure?  Your life blood adventure?

This past year has been an adventure for me.  I've traveled across the US speaking to some outstanding audiences and meeting some amazing people.  I've embedded myself into a SWAT team to research a book.  And I've helped launch the adventures of my students (which is what prompted this post).

In the leadership class I've taught this year at Drake, between 20-25% of my students have initiated a job change of some kind.  Some of them have quit their jobs outright, not quite knowing what their next step is but knowing that the current one was dead wrong for them.  I recently received an email from a student who came to the realization that she was not in love with her job.  Now, you may think that's an unrealistic expectation for anybody to have, but I would disagree with you wholeheartedly.

For the past three years, I've been haunted by the words of Steve Farber:  "Do what you love in the service of those who love what you do."  I can't seem to get those words out of my head.  It's the main reason I assigned his books to my leadership students (and probably the real reason why many of them are seeking their own great adventures).  When I create my task list in the morning, those are the words that serve as my Litmus Test for accomplishment... for love... for adventure.  I'm no longer "Tim Johnson - Consultant"; I'm the explorer in "Iowa Johnson and the Project of Doom"!  Numerous people have come up to me this past year with one common statement:  "It's so obvious that you love what you do."  Yeah, I do.  And it's a romance that I hope carries me to my dying day.

What about you?  Are you in love with your job?  Are you having an adventure?

A Map For Every Person

This weekend marked the end of the leadership course at Drake (grading notwithstanding, of course).  One of my students used this clip in his presentation (funny enough to share with you).  I'm just thankful that I know there are 38 graduate students who have maps... not of the US, but for their lives.  It was a powerful weekend, and all I can say is "Watch out world - these folks are going to make a difference!"

Happy Blog-iversary

And they said it wouldn't last.

The Carpe Factum blog is celebrating its second birthday today.  That means we're entering the "terrible two's" where anything can happen... and generally does.

Anyway, just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of my readers for making the last two years something really, really special.  You've helped me seize accomplishments I never dreamed possible two years ago.

Have a great day!

Visiting Ground Zero

My New York trip is coming to an end.  I met some wonderful people while I was here, and I feel fortunate to have seen many wonderful sights.  New York truly is one of the most vibrant, alive, diverse, loud (in a good way), bright (in a better way) cities I've ever experienced.

And yet... there's still Ground Zero.  It was a mellowing few moments to see the site of our nation's worst emotional disaster ever.  The tears welling up in my eyes could have been from the stinging cold wind this morning, but I doubt it.  So much reduced to so little in such a short amount of time.

And yet... there's still Ground Zero.  The site of clean up.  The site of new dreams.  The site of rebirth and renewal.

I reflected a little about my own "ground zero" points... those moments in my life when it felt like everything collapsed, when all hope was lost.  And now I'm able to look beyond those points and see what I couldn't see then.  The destruction, the despair, the drain... all was there to prepare me for something greater, something better, something more amazing.  A discussion with a friend a few days ago solidified this thought.  We talked about how each setback brought about a triumph... all we had to do was wait for it to occur.

Ground Zero was humbling.  September 11th was a terrible tragedy.  Yet even in the midst of it all, we as a nation are still here.  Our democracy is intact.  Our freedoms still exist.  We go through times of riches and recession, yet we still go.  This applies on an individual level as well.

If you're at your own "ground zero," get out your bulldozers and start clearing the rubble.  There's something new waiting to be built if you'll let it.  That's the only way to seize the accomplishment.

Dating My Daughter

Tonight, I had the honor of escorting my older daughter to the annual Daddy-Daughter Valentine's dance in West Des Moines.  I learned quite a few things tonight.  For example, I now know that my daughter does a great Macarena.  Also, this old guy can pull off a Cha-Cha-Slide when he needs to.  And I have not forgotten the moves to the Chicken Dance.  Oh, and that I get a major lump in my throat slow dancing with my daughter to Bob Carlisle's song, Butterfly Kisses.

I spend a lot of time talking about accomplishment, but the accomplishment that matters most is the relationship.  I see it in effective communication between a project manager and his team.  I experience it when people learn to use office politics in positive ways.  I feel it when a team works together to create something new and exciting and better than the status quo.

But the relationships that excite me most of all are those of family and community.  When I see hundreds of dads get dressed up to take their daughters out for dinner and dancing, that is a huge accomplishment in both arenas.  Guys, teaching our daughters about dating and romance one of the most important roles we can fulfill.  It's our job to show them how it is done correctly, how chivalrous gentlemen act, how it feels to be placed on a pedestal, how important it is to be told they are beautiful (both inside and out), how to set an example of integrity, how to raise the bar so high that any boy who even thinks about looking at our daughters (let alone pursuing them) will have to work very, very hard to impress them.  When I see hundreds of guys willing to make the investment in that critical relationship, I know that both family and community are seizing the accomplishment that really matters.

Snow Business Of Yours

We received a light dusting of snow yesterday, and it is always interesting to be one of the first out and about after that happens.  Why?  I like to look at tracks.  It intrigues me to see what people were doing after the snow fell.  Who spun out their car?  Who was walking and fell?  Who switched lanes?  Freshly fallen snow gives a nice imprint of human and automotive behavior.

The bottom line is that accountability and accomplishment are inextricably tied together.  To achieve true, lasting accomplishment, somebody will know what you've been up to.  I had run across a blog post that focused on weight loss, but the concept held true to any kind of real accomplishment (in business or in life):

but I think you know by now that I, and many of us ... are absolutely convinced of the fact that what matters and what will really make the difference in our journey is including meaningful, powerful, gracious, and supportive accountability into our weight loss journey."

What if your organization left tracks as visible as those in the new fallen snow?  What would they show?  An organization that is living out its mission, straight and true?  A corporation that switched lanes and spun out?  A company that plowed through a snowbank of an obstacle?  What about if that question applied to you?  What would it show?

So... who is holding you and/or your company accountable?

How To Create a New Year's Resolution Carpe Factum Style

Wow... having a week off from blogging on this site has been a great break to spend with family and close out some year-end business activities, but I needed to close out the year with some final thoughts.  Now is the time when people are going to be making New Year's Resolutions... those happy little goals they think will help them have a better 2008.  Most will be broken by January 2nd.

If you are serious about goal setting for the next twelve months, let's sit down and do this the right way, OK?

1. Do an honest self-assessment of where you are right now... what is going wrong, what is going right, what needs to stay, what needs to be hurled out the window.  Making any type of goal or resolution isn't going to do you any good if you don't honestly assess your perception of the status quo.
2. Take ownership of what you can change.  Getting along better with your family may be a great resolution unless you are related to a bunch of dysfunctional sociopaths.  About the only thing you can resolve to do in that case is a) tune them out; b) avoid them; c) drink heavil before family gatherings (not really recommended).  If you are going to change something in 2008, make sure it's something you can change.
3. Address problems and opportunities, not symptoms.  Saying that you want to begin arriving on time to things is great (I love punctuality); however, if that is merely a symptom for your lack of organization or an issue with holding yourself accountable, then you may be solving the wrong problem.
4. Know your core values.  I create at least one specific goal for each area of my life:  faith, relationships, business, self.  If you are very family-oriented, making goals about working long hours at the office to move ahead may just end up making you (and those around you) very miserable.  This will also gauge your passion that it will take to reach the goal.
5. Have a specific "deliverable" in mind.  What is something tangible (and achievable) that will tell you that you've arrive?  The popular resolutions are losing weight (or getting fit) and getting organized.  How about saying that you will reach your target weight of 200, or that you will be able to park both cars in the garage?  A law enforcement friend gave me the physical requirements to get onto the police force, so I'm using those as my fitness goals for the year (and can I just say that push-ups and sit-ups suck royally).
6. Identify roadblocks and develop a plan to deal with them.  Do you have naysayer friends who shoot you down?  Are there office politics standing in your way?  Do you need to take classes to get educated to meet your goal?  Identify and obtain the resources needed to help you overcome your roadblocks.
7. Find cheerleading accountability partners.  You will want people who will ask you the tough questions and then (gently) bust your chops if you are not giving the right answers.  You want these same people to cheer you on in your quest to meet your goals, those who will celebrate with you when you arrive.

So... when the ball drops, the champagne glasses clink, and the kiss of the new year has been given, you will be ready to face your New Year's Resolution with New Energy... and I wish you all the best as you "seize the accomplishment" in 2008!

No Egrets

Well, the fall semester is done (except for a huge mountain of grading, that is).  Last Saturday, my project management students made their presentations to the Blank Park Zoo.  They had to develop a business case and a project plan for projects encompassing expansion, membership, education, and food service.

It was so rewarding to watch them present.  It wasn't just that they were learning the skills for which a project manager is accountable.  It wasn't that they learned how to manage a portfolio of projects by communicating with each other across project teams.  It wasn't that they dressed up in their professional best on a Saturday morning to make an excellent impression on the zoo's CEO.  It wasn't that their Powerpoints were effective or that their deliverables were useful.  It went beyond all of that.  My students did something to help the community... to give back... to make Des Moines a better place to live.  Project management went beyond theory; it became real.

Sometimes MBA programs are accused of being too entrenched in theory and not enough practice.  Not in my classroom.  I know that, realistically, my students may retain about 5% of what I say years down the road... if even that.  What they'll remember is that they made a difference the past three months.

And isn't that what real education is all about anyway?

(And yes, there are egrets at the zoo.  The pun was too good to pass up.)

The Jazz of Carpe Factum

I've been enjoying the jazz scene here in New Orleans during my stay for the LavaCon/PMI Conference. Since I am staying right in the French Quarter, finding live jazz is not a difficult chore.  In our overworked and overstressed society of getting more done with less, there is a lot to be learned about how to carpe factum - how to "git'r done" - by watching these artists perform.

• It's all about the rhythm - sure, there are some trumpets that seem to take on a life of their own, and there are saxophones with more sex than all of Bourbon Street combined... but at the heart of it all is the rhythm, the beat.  When we are trying to get things done, how are we pacing ourselves?  Are we operating on a steady rhythm or are we letting everything around us set the rhythm for us?  I'm thinking of buying a metronome for my desk, just to remind me that my rhythm is mine, and I'm in control of setting it.
• The ensemble is best - soloists are wonderful, and there are many talented individual musicians, but I'm drawn to the small ensembles.  They seem to play off of each other tremendously well, they complement each others' sounds and styles, and they know when to give each other a rest and do a little solo action from time to time.  Who is your ensemble - your team - and how well are you all playing together?  Do each of you know which instruments you play and when to play them?  Are you to the point of just instinctively communicating?  Do you know when and how to give each other a rest from time to time?
• Room for spontaneity - at the heart of jazz is the ability to just break out into something random, to chase a tune for a little while just because it feels right.  I've mentioned this before in these writings, but it's becoming increasingly evident that slack time must be built into schedules.  If we overschedule and overplan, it becomes as bad as not planning at all.  Occasionally, we all feel the need to chase a different tune when opportunity arises, and we need the flexibility to pursue it when it does.

It's been a fun trip to the Big Easy (I'll be back), and I'm looking forward to getting home to see my friends and family again.

Why Is This Such A Hard Concept?

I challenged my leadership students with one question for their final paper:  how will they use their leadership style and the concepts covered in the course to change the world?  I have a few students who are seriously freaking out over this assignment.

Whether they realize it or not, each of us changes the world in some way.  Some for the better; others... well... not so much.

Should I have changed the assignment to 1) do a biography on your favorite leader; or 2) share your application of your favorite leadership theory; or 3) if you could be any kind of plant, what would you select and why?  OK, maybe that's not the best approach (namely since I just responded to a student's question about whether effective leaders can use sarcasm).

German photographer Till Erdmenger recently created an informed post about how a single photograph can change the world.  His summary could also be applied to leadership:

It´s not easy to determine what gives a photo the power to change the world, but often it seems that it´s related to showing the truth and opening up people´s minds – what do you think?

So... to my readers... I ask... do you feel that you have the power to change the world?  A simple yes or no would suffice, but as always, I welcome the dialogue.

Image is from Till Erdmenger's Fast Fish Series (2000)

Multi-Taskers: Take a Licking

"Consider the postage stamp:  Its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it gets there." -Josh Billings

This one needs no further explanation.

Have a great day and Carpe Factum!

Are You Dry Yet?

Our trusty Maytag dryer started acting funny over the weekend.  We would turn it on, and it sounded like it was working, but nothing was getting dry.  Sure, it tumbled and tumbled and tumbled clothes (all night, as a matter of fact), but nothing was happening in the way of heat.  A simple call to a local appliance repair shop and $114 later, and all was happy again in the land of laundry.

We see that a lot in our professional lives, too.  People seem to be busy.  Really busy.  Excruciatingly busy.  "Don't talk to me now or I'll bite your head off" busy.  And yet... are they accomplishing anything?  Like our dryer, are they just spinning their wheels without getting anything done?

There are a lot of "busy mongers" at work, but few accomplishers.  When people start discoursing on how busy they are, I counter by asking them what they are getting done.  I do it gently and politely, because - besides being busy - they're probably also stressed.  Some people actually try to hide their lack of accomplishment with busy-ness.

However, there comes a point where being too busy is bad for accomplishment.  I found an effectively written post about this topic.  Jeff at The Blue Sky Ahead has been sharing about his new job and his new work habits.  He'd discovered through past employment experiences that being busy just led to burnout.  Now he's trying to plan out his work before diving in, and he's giving himself some extra buffer room.  It seems to be working for him, but I'll be checking back in at his blog to see for sure.

What are your cures for busy-ness?  What are the symptoms you observe?  How can you trade busy-ness for accomplishment?  What is your "heat element" that helps you get dry?

Lighten Up Already

"All my life through, all the new sights of nature made me rejoice like a child." -Marie Curie

"Do not take life too seriously.  You will never get out of it alive." -Elbert Hubbard

"Laugh at yourself first, before anyone else can." -Else Maxwell

"All animals, except man, know that the principal business of life is to enjoy it." -Samuel Butler

It just seems like I've been hitting some hard and intense subjects recently.  In the interest of balance and well-being, think about these profundities for a while.  And smile already.  Sheesh.

Dominate!!

Today, I had a fascinating experience.  I spent the day with numerous SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) Police teams from around the metro area, observing them as they practiced various entry scenarios.  There's actually a real business reason for my regressing to a desire to play "cops and robbers" for a day, but I'll get to that in another post.

There are many facets to a SWAT officer's job.  The first one is almost a paradox:  have a ton of might and weaponry and skill ... and hope against hope that you never ever have to use it.  The second is that the scope of the SWAT team is fairly well boundaried:  secure the facility and those within it.  That may sound simple, but after watching the various scenarios today, I realized very quickly that it isn't.  The number of unknowns facing tactical law enforcement is staggering:  the number of people in the building, the exact situation they're facing, how to enter, where people are located, who is armed and/or dangerous, who is threatening whose life.  I'm still processing it all, and I'm anticipating a sleepless night ahead.

The process they follow is pretty consistent

1. Enter (which may be peacefully through negotiation or forcefully if the need arises)
2. Secure the house (hostile individuals and hostages)
3. Centralize the people in the house
4. Secondary Sweep
5. Exit and hand off to the investigation team

I know I've oversimplified it (A LOT) by putting it in a 5-step process.  Having met with and talked with one of the commanders over the past several months, as well as meeting the teams today, there is a lot of complexity within this "consistent" process.  The one thing that is still ringing in my ears (besides the very loud flash-bang devices) is the shout of "DOMINATE!" which is a half-command/half-declaration to gain control of a specific area.  When they're on the job, these people mean business, and dominate means dominate.

We'd be afraid to use a term like "dominate" in business.  It sounds too harsh, too mean, too Simon Legree, and not nearly participative enough for our happy little cubicle-dwellers.  How many of us actually do put our necks out to dominate our business?  How many are accountable for making sure that processes work... and work well?  How many of us spend more time beating down the others who do want to try to "dominate" - not out of some maniacal need to control, but rather out of a strong desire for personal ownership?

"Dominate" seemed to resonate with me.  When I came up with Carpe Factum, it means to SEIZE the accomplishment.  Not overanalyze the accomplishment.  Not hold meetings about the accomplishment until people forget about it.  Not passively-aggressively support the accomplishment publicly only to sabotage it in private.  Seize the accomplishment.  Dominate it.

I'm really thankful there are SWAT teams out there.  Not only do I feel safer knowing that these law enforcement professionals know what they're doing and how to do it so well.  I feel great knowing that they are so good at their jobs that they can teach a thing or two to the business world.

What are you going to dominate?

(A huge thank you to all of the great people I met today.  You're a very special team of professionals who do an extremely important and dangerous job exceptionally well.  I appreciate your taking the time to let me tag along and ask you a lot of questions.  You made my day!)

Announcing... Carpe Factum Workshops

Some of you have asked me why I've been sporadic with my blog posts this summer.  I'll admit; it has been a little hit and miss, but I've had a good reason.

Over the past eighteen months, I worked with the Des Moines Higher Education Collaborative to create a series of classes entitled "The Art and Science of Project Management."  This was a project that had been in the works for two years prior to my coming on board.  While the DMHEC is shutting down operations, those who were instrumental in getting these classes up and running wanted to see our work continue.  I've had some great discussions with very insightful people who encouraged me to take this next step.

It is with immense pleasure that I officially announce the roll-out of Carpe Factum Training Workshops.  Initially, all workshops will be offered locally here in the Des Moines area.  Our sponsor at Iowabiz.com, Professional Solutions, has graciously allowed us to use their beautiful facilities for these workshops.  We are initially offering four workshops in some of the most essential skills needed for business today:

• Human Project Management
• Technical Project Management
• Managing Office Politics
• Creativity (Applied for Professional Business Settings)

In addition, I've teamed up with some very talented individuals to deliver these workshops.  Lyle Holman will be my co-instructor for both of the project management sessions.  Mark Yontz is working with me on the creativity workshop.  Dana Dennis is my teammate for the office politics workshop.

A special thanks to Sandy Renshaw for once again coming to my rescue with the website changes, setting up the registration page, and the Paypal link.

We're keeping the workshops affordable, focused, and real-world.  Our goal is for attendees to be better able to Carpe Factum... whatever that accomplishment may be.

Most Far-Fetched Excuse

I'm starting a new periodic post series that I'm simply entitling MOST.  The purpose is to get you, the reader, to engage in blog conversation (but something fun and a little light-hearted).  I know I have hundreds of subscribers and visitors daily, so somebody is out there reading this blog.  It's your turn to talk.

For the inaugural MOST POST, I want to know what is the MOST FAR-FETCHED EXCUSE that you've ever heard somebody offer as a reason not to do something.

For me, it was a student many, many years ago (pre-Drake, even) who told me that his estranged wife had put a restraining order on him, and since they were both students at the same school, that was why he missed a third of the semester (of course, he tells me this right before returning to class after a four week absence instead of bringing it up the first week he was gone).

So let's hear yours:  what has been the most far-fetched excuse you've ever heard?

Flickr Photo by Denny2

Lending A Hand To Your Fellow Blogger

As I've been blogging over the past several months, I try not to lose sight of the fact that my bottom line purpose to blog is to promote my business.  I'm a writer and speaker, and the goal is to get the word out about those products and services.

There's a greater "social value" bottom line to blogging:  seeing that I'm not the only one on this journey with that goal.  There are numerous bloggers out there who have given me a "leg up" in the last year... I've mentioned a lot of them when kudos and call-outs are earned.  The other part of this equation is knowing when I can help other bloggers.

As many of you know, I also teach a few MBA classes at Drake University.  If my students only walk away with theory, I'm not really adding value to their education.  Part of Drake's mission is to bring the world into the classroom and the classroom into the world.  So while I am teaching my Creativity for Business class, I want to provide my students with the opportunity to use their creative skills to help real businesses succeed.  And what better targets are there than my own fellow Central Iowa Bloggers?  The past couple of weeks have been exciting, as four bloggers have shared their business challenges with my students, and in a couple of weeks, they will return to hear the recommendations that my students have come up with for them.  I'm very appreciative that these very busy people took the time to participate in this exercise with my students.  The goal is a win-win, and we're well on our way there.

Thanks to the following blogging businesses for taking part in this exercise:

Sherry Borzo at dsmBUZZ - an exciting and passionate membership movement to build community through buying local.  I can think of a lot of local small businesses who should get in on the ground floor of this.

Barb Rasko at Make Mine Wine magazine - Barb is putting the Midwest Wine industry on the map through her very professional and relevant lifestyle magazine.  I don't even drink wine, and I was enthralled by the useful information I found in the issues.

Nathan and Matt Owen at US Rodeo Supply - As if sitting on a bull for 8 seconds isn't exhilerating enough, listen to these guys tell their story.  OK, so maybe Professional Bull Riding isn't your thing, but many of my MBA students are experienced in "bull" so it should be a good fit.

Mitch Matthews of Do You Q? - Blogging is about conversation.  For those who love face-to-face conversations but fear they have nothing to say, Mitch is your high-energy man.  I don't think there's anybody alive that he couldn't draw into an engaging conversation with his games Q-Friends and Q-Dating.

Each of these organizations is doing something great to improve our communities and add value to their customers.  It's an honor and a pleasure to help them reach the next level.  I'm sure each of them will be adding their own input and commentary to this experience.

Find Your Factum

OK, this post is all about audience participation.  My passion is accomplishment, and I've expounded on the topic a lot - both what contributes to it and what detracts from it.  Now it's your turn to answer one thing for me:

What is your single most significant accomplishment, either professionally or personally?

(Bonus question:  why do you consider it your most significant accomplishment?)

Just call me curious.  Can't wait to read your answers.

Putting The CARPE Back In Factum

In my last post, I talked about the feeling of being overwhelmed by my tasks and schedule.  Having a week in sunny Florida behind me, I've had some time to think about how to handle this situation going forward.  Before I say "yes" to anything else, I'm going to be asking myself some tough questions:

• COST - A significant accomplishment should have some skin in the game.  I'm reminded of King David of Israel, who when Araunah offered property at no cost to make an altar, he declined, simply saying that there's no sacrifice without a cost (2 Sam 24:18-25).  Time is the currency here, and I need to consider how much of it an accomplishment will cost, and what will suffer if I agree to tackle it.
• ACCOUNTABILITY - There are some accomplishments where I'm not the owner... the buck doesn't stop here.  In the future, I'll be looking at my role in making sure the accomplishment is successful.
• RELEVANT - How well does this commitment to accomplish something align with my values and my existing goals?  If it doesn't, the decision to decline should be fairly easy.
• PERPETUATING - Too often, commitments are made based on short-term gains.  While these should not be ignored, one needs to look at the long-term benefits of the accomplishment.  How long will this accomplishment continue to derive benefits?
• EMBRACEABLE - The most important element of any commitment to accomplish something significant should be passion.  If I don't care about it, the other four probably won't matter.  I know myself well enough to know what projects, people, and commitments will derive passion... and which ones will be a mere endurance test to the end.

So there you have it.  Cost... Accountability... Relevant... Perpetuating... Embraceable... That should put the CARPE back in my Factum.  This consultant is doing a course correction in his own career and his life.  What about you?  How are you going to tackle being too busy and accomplishing too little?  How will you mitigate those situations when you feel overwhelmed?  What strategies work for you?

The Carpe Factum Weight Loss Plan

A recent snowstorm blanketed our state with one of the most beautiful snows I've seen in a long time.  Yes, we received quite a bit of snow, but it was just peaceful and tranquil and forced us all to stay in, relax, and take a deep breath.  Our neighbor's tree, unfortunately, did not see the snow in the same light as I did.  Weighted down by an earlier freezing rain followed by a heavy snow, the poor tree just seemed to split down the middle and toppled over on all sides.  Looking at that tree, I realized how much we had in common.  I've been balancing a lot recently, and while those around me have been giving me subtle hints that they've been alarmed at my workload, it wasn't until I looked at that tree that it dawned on me that I needed to slow down a little bit.

That's one of the perils of a "carpe factum" mentality, though.  As long as all of the accomplishments are good things (as opposed to the trivial "busy work" of survival), then it's OK to continue to take on the commitments, right?  Wrong.  I lost sight of one of my own key values:  balance.  And like that tree, I was feeling weighted down by a lot of very good things.  Bottom line:  not good.

Delaney Kirk recently shared some practical and useful tips for dealing with being overwhelmed.  I've taken a few of them to heart, and it has helped to alleviate the stress.  One of Roger von Oech's suggestions is to pause and rest.  In this day and age of unrelenting busy-ness, it is alarmingly easy to fall into the trap of overextending ourselves.  We call a "time out" for our children when they get out of hand; why not do the same thing for our schedules and our task lists?

In my next post, I'll share some ideas for how I'm going to be managing my "accomplishment inventory" moving forward.  For now, a week someplace warm and sunny sounds really, really nice to help recharge my batteries.

How Sweet It Is

A year ago today, I posted Why Carpe Factum?  It was my very first blog post.  And now - 164 posts later - I want to thank all of you for an awesome year.  (And thanks to my wife for the "Blog-iversary Bar.")  We'll see what Factums I can Carpe in the coming year.  For today, I'm going to enjoy the past 365 days and all the great relationships that have been built.  Thanks for reading.

The Nights of Cram-A-Lot

The Creativity for Business class began last week at Drake.  The class load is a little larger than planned, but first impressions bare favorably on this group.  It would appear as though I have the bell curve that one would expect in a class such as this:  a smattering of those who are very highly creative and those who do not perceive themselves as being creative at all... and then the masses in the middle.

I'm amused by the "student mentality" of procrastination.  They had two assignments coming out of last week:  1)  fill out a questionnaire/survey; and 2) set up a blog for their personal journals (and then email me the link).  Our second class meets tonight, and I'm not surprised by the number of emails I've received in the last 24 hours about blogs and blog links.  Why do we perpetuate a mentality of procrastination?

Something my students should learn this semester (at least I hope they do) is that procrastination is the enemy of both creativity and accomplishment.  The fallacy that "I think best when I'm under pressure" is a short-term solution, but it really doesn't lead to long-term success.  This cartoon by Dave Walker made me chuckle; even I can get distracted by the internet's siren call when there's critical work to be done.

This year, I've been attempting something a little different with my task list, and it appears to be working.  Instead of creating a daily task list, which I can easily procrastinate from one day to the next, I've been making a weekly task list with no more than 25 items on it.  These are things I know I have to get done this week.  Either I need to do them, or somebody else is counting on me.  Once the list has been made, I've been trying to "front load" the activity, so by the end of the week, the list is virtually empty.  I've been feeling a lot better about my personal and professional accomplishments because of it.

Creating this list has also helped me with one other area of my life:  learning to say "no" to the non-critical things.  I take my weekly list pretty seriously, and I try to place only the most important things there... those that have an impact on the various roles I play.  (Yes, you caught me... I've been re-reading Stephen Covey's 7 Habits again.)  However, there's a lot of validity to centering our tasks around our most critical roles.

College students will probably never change.  If cramming the night before the test ever became passe, too many coffee houses would go out of business.  So now I'm curious.  To all of you accomplishment-mongers out there, what have been your best tricks for battling procrastination?

The End Is Mightier Than The Ford

A nation watched President Ford's funeral today.  I was about the same age as my older daughter when he took office in the midst of the Watergate scandal.  During the two years of his presidency, I didn't recall a lot of nice things being said about him.  The fact that he was never elected president and the issue that he pardoned Nixon hung heavily over his short term.  Historians pretty much agree that the cloud of doubt cost him re-election in 1976.

It's been interesting to hear the comments about his contributions to history over the past week.  How those same actions that cost him the election are now being viewed as "healing" and "good for the country."  Hindsight has a quirky way of acknowledging our past actions.  I'm not disagreeing with any of the comments made about President Ford... then or now.  I'm just fascinated by the impact time has on perception.

Recently, I've run into students and colleagues from the past... people with whom I've had virtually no contact for years.  The messages from them have talked about contributions I made in helping them shape their future.  Seemingly obscure comments or actions from my past made a profound impact on somebody else.  A couple of the instances they brought up were not popular decisions at the time.  Popularity, it would seem, is a rather fickle friend.  Significance, while a more subdued and behind-the-scenes presence, is a better friend to have around.  President Ford, in his death, probably reinforced one of the greatest lessons of all:

Doing what's right is always better than doing what's popular.

New Fear's Resolutions

2006 is winding down.  My daughter and I are snuggled up waiting for the ball to drop (actually, she's taking a quick break to get into her pajamas, which allows me to post a few thoughts).

What a year.  On March 5, I met with Mike Sansone to discuss the possibility of starting business blogging, after being nudged by Mike Wagner.  He thought it would help me with sales of my book.  Ten months later, I'm not on the New York Times Best Seller List, but I've gained benefits far beyond the sales of a business fable on project management.  The people I've met, the posts I've read, the conversations I've shared... they've all played a role in shaping me professionally.

As we enter 2007, there are a lot of people talking about new year's resolutions.  Bah!  Resolutions are about starting things.  And there is generally very little accountability for following through.  Many resolutions are driven by fear - fear of the status quo, fear of the future, fear of the past.  I would challenge each of you, instead, to develop your Carpe Factum list for 2007.  Don't tell yourself what you are going to start doing.  Tell yourself what you're going to accomplish - what you're going to finish.

Instead of saying you're going to start working out and losing weight, tell yourself you're going to shop for a new wardrobe when you've dropped two sizes.  Instead of saying you're going to go back to school, figure out how many credit hours you can realistically complete in 2007.  Instead of planning on getting more organized, plan what you will do with the additional space when the closets are cleaned out.  It may seem like a twist in semantics, but holding yourself accountable for finishing something rather than simply starting it will make all the difference in the world.

Me?  What will I be accomplishing in 2007?  Here's a partial list:

• My second book, GUST - The "Tale" Wind of Office Politics, will be released this year (April is my current target)
• The manuscript for my third book will be written
• I will pursue at least 12 speaking engagements (I already have two scheduled in January)
• A new class on office politics will be released at Drake University

What about you?  Ditch the resolutions in 2007, and Carpe Factum!!

For Unto Us...

It was a lousy job by any standard.  At the bottom of every social scale, these guys had it rough.  They were yelled at, snubbed, and generally mistreated on multiple scales.  They put in long hours for low pay.  Nobody cared about their working conditions, which could best be descibed as dismal and lonely.

No, I'm not talking about mall retail workers.

Then there were their so-called "customers."  Brainless and stupid, they were followers who couldn't form an original thought if their lives depended on it.  They made a lot of noise without saying anything significant.  They suffered from significant "group think" and "mob mentality" and the only thing they could accomplish on their own was getting lost.

No, seriously, I'm not talking about the mall at Christmas.

But... to these unappreciated and unnoticed workers, something amazing happened:

And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them, and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them, "Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."  And suddenly, there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men." (Gospel of Luke, KJV)

Sometimes, the greatest accomplishments can happen in the most unassuming places.  Sometimes, out of humility comes greatness.  Sometimes, the unexpected pit becomes the exalted pinnacle.  I doubt a bunch of uneducated shepherds were expecting this visit 2000 years ago, but they were the first to receive the greatest news of all.

I wish you all a wonderful Christmas, full of unexpected magic.  May all of you find peace, love and friendship this holiday season.  And may your 2007 be guided by a star... one that will allow you to CARPE FACTUM.  All the best of accomplishments to you and your families.

Carpe Factum Put To Song

Wow... Steve Farber never ceases to amaze me.  Check out his latest post about his musical talent.  His song "Blaze of Glory" should be the anthem of every professional.  Carpe Factum is all about accomplishment.  When we fall short of that accomplishment, we pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and come back better than ever.  I've been listening to his song multiple times already this morning.

May you go down in a blaze of glory, and rise up in a ball of fire!

Thanks, Steve, for sharing your talent!

Yeah But What If?

Recently, I've been working with a group of people to help them redefine the way they do work.  We're on the final stretch, and it's been a challenging project.  (Challenging in a "good way," mind you.  Paradigms have been pushed to the limits, and this group has experienced their fair share of Aha! moments.  "Bad challenging" is where everybody sits around in a befuddled state, paralyzed with fear of moving forward.)

One of the elements of the challenge has been the "Yeah but what if...?"  This is a two-edged sword.  As a facilitator of change, I want to get all of the possible variations to the process out on the table so we can address them.  However, some times the "Yeah but what if...?" becomes a destructive weapon, used to halt progress with that 0.000001% chance that this one event that only happened one time in the history of the department could happen again.

Ten days ago, Scott Berkun put up a post called Idea Helpers:  Ways to Grow Ideas.  A week prior to that, he submitted Idea Killers:  Ways to Stop Ideas.  Mind you, both posts are excellent reads, and his contributors have submitted thoughtful additions to the lists he started.  The disturbing element is that as of the time I'm writing this post, Idea Killers had 78 comments; Idea Helpers had 8.  That tells me that there are a lot more people out there using "Yeah But What If...?" as a weapon than as a tool.  Have we really become that much more proficient at killing ideas than incubating them?  Wow!

How have I been dealing with the "Yeah but what if...?" from my team?  A few hints:

1. Validate and affirm - often the person just wants to feel heard.  They may agree that their issue is too remote to be put into the process, but they just had to get it off their chest.
2. Use a Parking Lot - this is a great meeting management tool.  Just keep an extra sheet of flipchart paper around to capture tangential ideas that fall into the "Yeah But What If...?" category.  This way the meeting can continue and you can decide later if you need to address it once the entire process is documented.
3. Challenge appropriately - the art of meeting facilitation comes into play here.  Begin asking some open ended questions about the "Yeah but what if...?" event:

• When did this last occur?
• What caused it?
• What did you do about it when it happened?
• What safeguards did you put in place to prevent it or mitigate it for the future?
• What is the probability that it could happen again?

Remember, the "yeah but what if...?" can get you into trouble or keep you out of trouble.  How do you handle the "yeah but what if...?" in your quest to carpe factum?

Just A Friendly Reminder...

Just a friendly reminder that this is the last week to purchase a copy of Race Through The Forest to help some great kid-friendly organizations financially.  My publisher, Tiberius Publications, and I are each donating $1 per copy sold to three awesome United Way affiliated agencies.  And since it is Christmas shopping season, buy few copies for all of the project managers in your life.

If Amazon should go into an oversold situation, we will honor all orders made during November.