The Schiller Center

The Alexandria Waterfront

2011-12-20T22:17:00.001-05:00

For the last six months, I facilitated meetings of the City of Alexandria-appointed Waterfront Plan Work Group. Because there was so much controversy about a plan for the waterfront developed over the last few years by City staff with citizen input, the City appointed this seven member Work Group to identify areas of agreement and disagreement and offer recommendations they believed could strengthen the plan and unify the community.

This morning at a press conference at City Hall, the Work Group released its report, which can be found on the City of Alexandria's website (along with videos of all of our meetings) or at http://bit.ly/sxiqpt

In spite of very differing views among members of the group, the Work Group's report does highlight some important areas of agreement as well as offers the City Council some specific suggestions for focusing their deliberations when they meet next month to consider approval of the plan.

This certainly was an opportunity for me to witness connective change in my own backyard. Citizens appointed to the Work Group were all volunteers, and it was fascinating to see how they worked with one another as well as with City staff to produce a report that would be useful to Council. Sadly, I also had a front row seat to some of the most uncivil behavior I've seen anywhere in the world, leaving me wondering if this is a microcosm of what is going on in communities throughout our country and hoping it's not a foreshadowing of things to come.

The Empowering of Women Leaders in the Middle East

2011-11-11T15:10:00.006-05:00

All of the elements of Connective Change that I teach and write about are evident among the women leaders I am working with here in Amman. Although they come from a wide variety of cultures in the Middle East and North Africa, they share a passion for creating opportunities to increase women's economic opportunities throughout the region. They have formed a region-wide businesswomen's network to build the next generation of women business leaders and entrepreneurs.

Thomas Friedman's latest book, That Used to Be Us, is an astute analysis of how the United States has fallen from its admired position in the world, and why today's youth--for the first time in our nation's history-- cannot expect a higher standard of living or longer lifespan than their parents. Sometimes I think I can feel the resignation to this decline among neighbors, colleagues, and clients. This sense in America that the good life is unfairly and unfailingly eluding us seems particularly noticeable to me today. The first reason is that it's Veteran's Day and I have been reflecting on my mom's service as a WAC during WWII, as well as the values that she and others in her "greatest generation" imbued in us, their children.

The second reason this sense of pessimism about America's future is on my mind today is that there is such a different feeling here in the Middle East, especially among the women leaders with whom I am working. They are full of hope, vision, enthusiasm, courage, creativity, anticipation, and a deep belief that anything is possible. Their view could be summarized as That's Going to Be Us, because they have a shared vision, seem to have found their own voices, and are set on participating fully and authentically in the economic, political, and social changes that are reshaping this region.

These leaders are not trying to mimic the US, or anyone else. Their approach, forged from their own histories and cultures, is truly connective--dedicated to being inclusive, transparent, ethical, entrepreneurial, and constructive. As these women leaders grow their regional network, the positive impact of their work will cascade throughout their families, communities and the entire region. I look forward to witnessing the results they create together.

Women Leading Connective Change in the Middle East-North Africa (MENA) Region

2011-11-09T15:38:00.005-05:00

Being back in Jordan to continue work with the MENA Businesswomen's Network, I am in awe of the intelligence and tenacity of these women. Business leaders and entrepreneurs from 10 countries, they are dedicated to helping more women become business leaders and entrepreneurs, contributing substantially to the economic vibrancy of their communities and the entire region.

As I am in the process of writing a book about Connective Change--choices that link people to one another in pursuit of shared, positive goals--it is so affirming to witness Connective Change as the natural style among these amazing women. With so many obstacles to overcome, they doggedly focus on the positive and the good--what CAN be done if they remain clever, collaborative and creative. It is a gift to be in their presence and drink in their enthusiasm for what is possible as well as their celebration of what has already been achieved.

Thank you, Vital Voices, for providing me the opportunity to share with and learn from these diverse and determined women. I was asked at lunch what makes me happy. Without hesitation, I replied that feeling relevant makes me happy. And being here, coaching these leaders, without a doubt makes me feel both useful and happy.

Dr. Abdi--Mother Theresa meets Rambo

2011-08-05T08:56:00.002-04:00

Last night I had the opportunity to meet Dr. Hawa Abdi and her daughter, who have worked tirelessly since 1983 to save Somalis. Today they run a camp for 19,000 refugees. The situation they describe is incredibly desperate, yet they continue to serve. They are truly models of working with absolute devotion to purpose and harmony. Where chaos and violence reign just outside their camp, they work with few resources to save lives. Look for Newsweek's feature story of Dr. Abdi on Monday and please support her work if you can. 100% of contributions go directly to their work:http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/dia/track.jsp?v=2&c=IIP90Ol%2FnyhTw0GVZtu50C86y9w7enCr

Practicing Resiliency and Gratitude

2011-06-18T15:57:00.006-04:00

When I came home to my cottage last night, I noticed pine branches littering my driveway, preventing me from being able to enter. Once I made my way up the cottage, I noticed a screen blown out of the porch door and a 40 pound plant moved across the porch. Hmmm.

I turned on a few lights and discovered heavy metal furniture had been tossed right off the deck. Uh-oh. I straightened up the best I could in the dark, looking forward to hearing from my neighbors in the morning about what kind of gust must have come through to create such a mess.

This morning, I awakened to a yard littered with fallen trees—fallen and transported from someone else’s property! (see photo) My neighbors reported that we were the lucky ones. Further down the island, boats had been blown out of the water and crushed into buildings, trees ripped from the ground and hurled through the air--one with such force that it went in one side of a building and out the other. They won't have phone service or power for a while.

That put today’s unplanned cleanup into perspective. Nobody injured. Even my osprey and barn swallow babies all survived. Just a real mess. Something I could handle.

As I was clearing debris, I couldn’t help thinking about how often this happens in organizations. Some unexpected storm blows in, you discover in stages how widespread the damage is--and then you have to put it into perspective, clean it up, and move on. This takes resiliency, and it is essential in these stormy times for both individuals and organizations. My colleague Al Siebert, author of The Survivor Personality, believes that resiliency can’t be taught, but it can be learned. I used today’s cleanup activities as practice in resiliency and gratitude that my damage hadn't been worse.

As you work toward building connectivity and achieving greater purpose and harmony in your organization, don’t forget to practice resiliency and gratitude. They will serve you well the next time an unexpected storm hits. And, hey, if you recognize the lob lolly pine in the photo as yours, contact me to claim it before I get to clearing that section!

What Harmony Looks Like

2011-05-17T09:17:00.007-04:00

We all know what harmony sounds like. But what does it look like? I recently witnessed a powerful example.

Over the last several months, I have had the opportunity to observe several Irish music sessions, where musicians gather to play music together for the sheer pleasure of it. Last week, I attended a session at a local pub, O'Connell's, where world-class fiddler Brendan Mulvihill, and guitarist Brian Gaffney were joined by six of their pals for a friendly session. It goes without saying that they sounded superb. But beyond that, watching them was a dramatic illustration of what harmony LOOKS like.

There was no official leader of the group, because none was needed. Leadership flowed from one musician to the next without a word being spoken. Nobody took more than his number of turns. When in the lead, each guided the group to a favorite tune. In the course of the evening, each musician had the chance to select tunes, to have his musical talents featured, and to support others who took the lead. Some switched instruments depending on what the song called for. Nobody hogged the spotlight, nor had a personal agenda. They spoke words of encouragement to one another and praised whatever tune had just been selected. There was joking and back-patting. They interacted warmly with the few of us who were there to listen. And the music they created was made sweeter by the fact that they were enjoying being with musicians of their own caliber, playing rare tunes they loved that may be too esoteric to play for paid performances.

Can you imagine creating this group dynamic in your own organization? Focusing on the creation of whatever it is you exist to create, for the pure joy of doing so? Developing a team that is devoid of hidden agendas and ego needs? Where leadership is shared, and members encourage one another?

If that seems like an impossible stretch, ask yourself what steps you could take to move in that direction. Does everyone agree on and support what the team exists to do? Who on your team can model shared leadership? How can you reward such behavior? Does every team member get to do what s/he is best at every day? Does someone know each team member well enough to offer encouragement regularly? Research shows these are some of the most important elements needed for a group and its members to achieve their greatest potential. It took a group of Irish musicians sitting around a table in a pub to remind me of what it really looks and feels like.

Thoughts on Women and Power

2011-05-14T09:37:00.012-04:00

Riham Helmy, Vital Voices participant from Egypt, with Sherry Schiller

Last week I had the pleasure of working with two amazing groups of women through Vital Voices. One group is composed of 26 dynamic entrepreneurs from developing countries, in DC for a partnership of Vital Voices, the US State Department, and Fortune the Most Powerful Women.

I had the opportunity to lead seminars with these inspiring women for two days, including a session on shaping organizational cultures and leading change. It’s always so interesting how universally applicable my work is on organizational culture and leading change. The participants came from different continents and different industries. Their organizations ranged in size and age. And yet they all had experienced connective and disconnective cultures, and were grateful to learn a model to understand and shape culture. Similarly, our work around leading change was built on strategies to create greater purpose and harmony. They found these strategies practical and insightful, whether they were going to apply them in a manufacturing company in China or a micro-enterprise in Haiti.

All of these women are multi-talented, courageous, and dedicated to improving their communities and countries. One of our participants, Thembe Sachikonye, is engaged in the first independent news reporting and commentary in her country, Zimbabwe. I think you’ll be fascinated by the newspaper article she published about her experiences here last week. “Thoughts On Women and Power” by Thembe Sachikonye, News Day – Zimbabwe (excerpt). Click on the article title link for her complete story.

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Thoughts on Women and Power

At the beginning of this week I sat in Washington DC, in a room with 25 emerging women leaders between the ages of 25 and 45, from countries all across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East, who are participating in the Vital Voices Global Partnership.

Without exception each woman appeared in some way to be a change agent, often going where others had not gone before, and taking risks that required courage and commitment to achieve uncommon goals.

Vital Voices Global Partnership is an NGO that identifies trains and empowers emerging women leaders and social entrepreneurs around the globe, enabling them to make use of their potential to transform lives and accelerate peace and prosperity in their communities.

By equipping women with management, business development, marketing and communication skills, the partnership helps women to expand their enterprises, provide for their families and create jobs in their communities.

Thinking about it later, I realized that the leadership potential, the resolve and the intelligence and education I witnessed in that room were not unique to this space and this time.

In each of the countries represented by these women, there are 25 others, 250 others, 2 500 others and many more who, while they may not be in one room at the same time, are still as capable and effective as the ones congregated in Washington.

They too are agents of change, pioneers, trailblazers and icons of empowerment. What do all of these women have in common?

Let me know what you think about these issues.

The Power of A Vision

2011-05-10T13:45:00.007-04:00

Many thanks to former Secretary of Defense Bill Perry for joining my guests and me here at the Schiller Center for a dynamic and informative discussion about his Nuclear Tipping Point project. Along with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State George Shultz and former Senator Sam Nunn, Secretary Perry has formed a movement, Nuclear Security Project, to galvanize global action to reduce urgent nuclear dangers and to build support for reducing reliance on nuclear weapons. They believe global terrorism heightens the threats beyond what people realize. Their film, Nuclear Tipping Point, has been used by President Obama to focus his defense team on this danger and motivate them to take every step needed to dismantle nuclear weapons and safeguard existing stockpiles around the world. Secretary Perry has committed the remainder of his career to this initiative. Guests commented that his talk, followed by a lively Q&A exchange, was informative, scary, and inspiring. We all felt fortunate to be able to learn about this complex and often hidden danger, what is being done about it—and what each of us can do. For starters, consider hosting your own showing of the film followed by a group discussion.

Perry’s talk has led me to reflect on the power of a really large, seemingly impossible vision. Many people would say that it’s impossible to eliminate nuclear weapons from the planet, so why even talk about it? But who knows the obstacles better than Perry, Kissinger, Shultz, and Nunn? Yet, they have dedicated their lives to this initiative. There are even signs that some progress is being made, although way too little and too slowly to assure a nuclear-safe future. Yet, where would we be without their vision, shared through their film, writing, teaching, and activities around the globe? Perry’s compelling message is that we can and must create a positive tipping point globally which, when reached, will lead to the rapid and complete dismantling of all nuclear weaponry. Without that vision and the actions to realize it, a nuclear incident is almost certain in the not too distant future.

Can you imagine taking on as a “retirement project” the goal of ridding the planet of nuclear weapons? Yet, here are four very intelligent, dedicated people doing just that. If we are able to divert a nuclear incident, I can’t help thinking that it will be in large part due to their vision and actions. This power of a truly large vision is behind all great advances that are made, personally, organizationally, or globally. Look at the stir the book Half the Sky, by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn is creating about turning oppression into opportunity for women worldwide. Kristof and WuDunn point out that at the time a few abolitionists began speaking out against slavery, the majority of people around the world imagined the elimination of slavery to be impossible. Now, they ask us to tackle the oppression of women around the world so their potential can be unleashed for the benefit of all. And it seems their vision is creating a critical mass for changes in human trafficking and other practices that only a few years ago seemed intractable.

What is your vision—for your organization and for yourself? The great 20^th Century theologian Harry Emerson Fosdick liked to talk about the power of ideas in the air—great positive ideas, evil ideas, even small unworthy ideas. As he spoke out against the spread of Hitler’s ideas at the time, Fosdick challenged people to pay attention to the ideas in the air which they serve. He believed that people can be measured by the ideas they choose to serve in their lives. To a great extent, the Schiller Center’s work focuses on helping people in organizations serve great, positive ideas—ideas like purpose and harmony, cooperation, trust, and benefiting all stakeholders as well as the planet. By Fosdick’s standards—and my own—Bill Perry is living a life worth living—serving a great positive idea that could not only improve the planet, but assure its existence. Thanks to Bill and his partners for taking on this monumental challenge, and encouraging us to be informed and engaged. You inspire us to ask ourselves daily what ideas we are serving in our own lives.

Kathryn Schulz: On being wrong | Video on TED.com

2011-04-26T16:04:00.005-04:00

I recommend the book "Being Wrong" by Kathryn Schultz. Her research on how we need to be "right," from the personal to the international level was really challenging. This book would make great reading for discussion groups of co-workers, business colleagues, or even family members. Hear the author talk about her premise in the following video, and let me know what you think.

Our need to be right colors our memories, our interactions, our decisions, and the filters through which we view the world. The ability to step back and understand this compelling need helps individuals and groups work with greater purpose and harmony--creating stronger connections with one another, with their shared purpose, and with their "best selves." Connective change depends on being able to recognize and acknowledge that others' views may be right--if only for them--or that occasionally you may be wrong.

Vital Voices

2011-04-13T10:05:00.019-04:00

Last night I had the great privilege of attending Vital Voices 10th Anniversary Global Leadership Awards, entitled, “A Decade of Investing in Women to Improve the World,” at the sold-out Kennedy Center Opera House. The entire evening was moving, from Secretary Clinton’s passionate plea for justice for women throughout the world to the awardees’ moving stories of their struggles against impossible odds in addressing issues like human trafficking. The recent program for women leaders in the Middle East and Northern Africa where I shared my work on Connective Change was cited as an illustration of Vital Voices’ courage to go where it is needed when it is needed.

The Global Trailblazer Award for Voice of the Decade was awarded to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi from Burma. This was particularly meaningful for me because nine years ago I met with the members of her party in Yangon to help them with envision and strategize for her release, as well as a more democratic nation afterwards. She was released from prison later that week, although, as we know, not permanently. In her comments last night, Suu Kyi encouraged us to keep an eye on Burma and hold it accountable for implementing the inclusiveness it's leaders are promising.

The musical tribute that closed the ceremony was a choral piece, “Walk On,” written by Bono as a tribute to Aung San Suu Kyi. Talking about the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, he said, “Suu Kyi, with an idea too big for any jail and a spirit too strong for any army, changes our view—as only real heroes can—of what we believe is possible. She’s a character of great grace. Her struggle has become a symbol of what’s best about our humanity and worst.”

From actors like Sally Field, journalists like Tina Brown and Wolf Blitzer, political leaders like Senator Kay Baily Hutchinson and the amazing awardees from all over the world, the message was clear: “A society that values its women will be healthy and strong. Women must have a vital voice in the decisions shaping their future.”

Working with purpose and harmony, the Vital Voices global partnership launches its second decade. I am proud to be on their team. See more at Schiller Center for Connective Change.

Get Out and Give Back

2011-04-11T15:14:00.005-04:00

A friend of mine, Jane Hess Collins, has launched an organization called Get Out and Give Back, to encourage people to do just that in whatever ways interest them in their own communities. Jane also practices what she encourages others to do, and so she spent last Friday at our local day shelter, called David's Place. Her account of it can be read at: http://www.getoutandgiveback.com/blog. Having been a volunteer and board member at its host organization, Carpenter's Shelter, I was really interested in Jane's insights. So few people who want to volunteer take the time to "walk in the shoes" of others, as Jane did. I encourage you to bookmark her blog and stay tuned to what Jane is learning as she inspires people to contribute in whatever ways make sense to them. Jane is a good example of Connective Change, working with purpose and harmony.

Allende: Passion Lives Here

2011-03-12T12:11:00.004-05:00

Please take a moment to view this TED speech of Isabelle Allende:
http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/isabel_allende_tells_tales_of_passion.html

She demonstrates the power of stories. I laughed out loud, cried, learned a lot, and was inspired and motivated--all from her short talk about women and passion. One of my favorites lines: "Heart drives us and determines our fates."

I have found so much of what Allende says about societies to be true of organizations as well. We should all adopt the Olympic slogan she quotes,"Passion Lives Here."

Al Jazeera

2011-03-08T16:43:00.002-05:00

While in the Middle East recently, I was impressed by the fine reporting by Al Jazeera on what was going on throughout the region. Distressed by CNN's obsession with Charlie Sheen as news, I called my cable company today and learned that Al Jazeera is not available, regardless of how many pay-for-view deluxe upgrades I purchase.

Take a few minutes and treat yourself to this recent ted interview with Wadah Khanfar, head of Al Jazeera:http://bit.ly/i9DdKF

Egypt: 48 B.C.

2011-02-22T13:53:00.004-05:00

As I attempt to relax with a book at the end of a wild day here in the Middle East, I read the following passage from "Cleopatra: A Life," by Stacy Schiff, winner of the Pulitzer Prize:

Throughout the Mediterranean a 'strange madness' hung in the air, ripe with omens and portents and extravagant rumors. The mood was one of nervous exasperation. It was possible to be anxious and elated, empowered and afraid, all in the course of a single afternoon. Some rumors even proved to be true.

Transformative Change

2011-02-22T12:26:00.005-05:00

Today our Middle East North African (MENA) policy advocates group had the honor of hearing from Professors Fatima Sadiki and Moha Ennaji about how the family law of Morocco has been reformed to be more supportive of women and children. It was a wonderful example of how transformative change looks from a distance as if it occurred in an instant--but in reality has taken the work of many people over a long period of time. The transformative nature of the changes in Moroccan family law seemed unfathomable to some of the participants from other countries in the region. It was a dramatic reminder that all incremental change does not lead to transformation--but all transformations are the result of many incremental steps--often taken place out of view--that are focused on a united intention. This is what Malcolm Gladwell meant by "the tipping point." The butterfly didn't appear out of nowhere, the Berlin Wall didn't fall by accident, and the current changes in family law of Morocco began in 1946.

Teachable Moments

2011-02-22T07:02:00.002-05:00

Today I introduced the notion of Teachable Moments to the women activists and policy leaders who are in this session from throughout the Middle East and North Africa. They immediately understood and embraced the idea and are using it to pursue goals not thought possible in the past. Never has the concept of Teachable Moments held more meaning for me than it does today as I hear these courageous women applying the idea to a realm of possibilities unfolding throughout the region. It's a great reminder that we all need to be looking for and seizing teaching moments when they appear-- personally, organizationally, and globally.

FB Revolutions

2011-02-21T02:28:00.002-05:00

Today participants are learning about using social media for successful advocacy campaigns. What a brilliant tool to empower women change agents throughout the Middle East and Northern Africa. The issues they are addressing affect women, families, and the quality of life for all people in their region. What an exciting initiative to experience firsthand!

How Do You Explain this Egyptian Vingette?

2011-02-20T17:11:00.004-05:00

It's midnight. I'm jet lagged. I have practiced every technique I know to still my mind. Yet sleep eludes me. They women activists from Egypt shared extraordinary stories and observations about their fresh victories, and I can't stop reliving the feelings they evoked in me with their determination, vision, courage, creativity, and wisdom.

Any woman who has walked any street anywhere in Egypt at anytime knows the prevalence of public sexual harassment there. The women leaders who were in the thick of the revolution shared with us that there was not a single case of sexual harrassment among the throngs of protesters out on the streets together day and night. Women were leading from the front--even at 2 in the morning.

And they reported that not a one of them had experienced harassment or witnessed a single incidence of harassment from the thousands of testosterone-pumped male protesters surrounding them. Several said it was the first time they felt truly proud to be Egyptian. Their stories were simple, powerful, non-ego centered, and evidence that they will be unable to ever go back to their previous culturally-defined roles. As one said, "I found myself walking differently as a result of January 25. I don't think I'll ever walk that way again."

witnessing history in the making

2011-02-20T12:18:00.002-05:00

Today I met with 50+ women activist leaders and policy advocates from 11 countries in the Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA) region. Although my role was to "teach" them about leadership, change, and effective team-building, they gave me more than I could have ever given them. To hear their personal stories, to experience their courage, and to help them connect with one another was a gift I will never forget. Thanks to Vital Voices, the sponsoring organization and brainchild of Hillary Clinton, for the opportunity to witness history as it unfolds in this region and to be able to make my own personal contribution by supporting these women. The brave leaders from Egypt confirmed that they achieved what even they thought was impossible a few weeks ago. I hope others find the same inspiration I do in knowing that the impossible CAN and DOES happen.

St. Brede's Day

2011-02-01T12:21:00.004-05:00

Today is St. Brede's Day, celebrated for a few thousand years in Ireland. Traditionally, the day symbolizes sweeping out the old and welcoming in the fresh energy of spring.

Decluttering is always good--for organizations as well as individuals. Take one small part of your work, your home, or your life and remove the clutter. Once you start, you'll discover that not nearly as much as you thought is actually essential. Clean and reorganize the essence you have retained. You will find it calming, and be opened to new possibilities.

Even Without Wasabi

2011-01-08T14:18:00.006-05:00

There was a long line at the take-out sandwich counter at lunch today. When the woman ahead of me finally got in position to place her order, she said to the server in an annoyed tone, "I understand that you no longer have the roast beef and wasabi!" The server courteously replied, "I'm sorry, mam, but that is true." "Huuumph!" she retorted in a loud voice. Then she turned to the server standing right next to the first and repeated the identical statement, to which she got the same reply. He kindly offered to make her a roast beef sandwich with spicy mustard, since they no longer carried wasabi. She contorted her face, made an even louder sound of displeasure, and stomped out.

What causes someone to wait in line for 15 minutes for a sandwich she knew they didn't have, and prevents her from finding something acceptable from the hundreds of possible combinations they did have? When we are tired, hurting, needy, or off balance, any of us can focus on what we don't or can't have, rather than what we do have or can create.

I'm grateful to this woman for the reminder that there's always a varied menu of options, even without wasabi.

Sucessful Resolutions

2011-01-05T11:21:00.002-05:00

Have you found yourself making new year's resolutions in the last week--or feeling guilty that you didn't? Why are they so alluring, when so many get broken? One reason is because, on some level, we are all conscious of the gap between our ideal situation and our current reality. The beginning of a new calendar year seems like a good time to make a fresh start in reducing that gap, so we pledge to "do better or different."

I understand this desire to be our best selves. For all of my adult life, I have been driven to help people and organizations do just that. Fortunately, a lifetime of study and experience has contributed to a better batting average that most people have with their new year's resolutions. What are some keys to successfully setting and achieving goals that you can apply, individually or with your team?

1. Create a sense of urgency. Why is this change needed? What will happen if it doesn't occur?
2. Be specific about the results you want. Write & post them. Visualize them. Make them real.
3. Enlist others. Build a team that shares your vision. Draw on their talents.
4. Produce short-term, visible wins. Showing progress will reinforce your drive.
5. Don't give up. Breaking old patterns takes time. Even if you have a temporary setback, never, ever give up!

What's Your Halter?

2010-12-14T09:55:00.002-05:00

One of the joys of working with such a variety of nonprofit organizations is the opportunity to dip into so many different worlds, learn from each, and cross pollinate ideas and solutions. When I was working with an organization that trains seeing eye dogs, I learned that these dogs are just like other dogs when they are not on their halters. Visiting homes where the dogs were being raised gave me the opportunity to see them spread out in front of the fireplace, begging for belly rubs, just like any other dog. I was surprised, after seeing how disciplined and single-minded they were at work.

We all have "high performance profiles," a set of elements that together cause us to excel at what we do. For a seeing eye dog, it's obvious that donning his halter means getting serious. For me, there are a host of factors that contribute to being able to sustain peak performance. For years, I've worked at cultivating them so that I can achieve optimum performance when needed. One factor I've just noticed is wearing a watch. My watch has become for me what the seeing eye dog's halter is to him--it means "work." When I strap it on in the morning, it is time to get down to business.

What are the factors that help you and your team perform well? Do you do better when you get enough sleep? When you are close to deadline? When you frequently review goals? When you get positive feedback? Pay attention to what contributes to success, and then build in those elements to be able to achieve and sustain peak performance.

All You Need is Love

2010-12-08T11:12:00.003-05:00

John Lennon died 30 years ago today. I am reminded of an assignment given the first day of the first teaching methods course I took in undergraduate school. Our professor asked us to come in the next week with our personal philosophy or perspective on what it takes to be a good teacher. Most of the students in the class didn't even do the assignment. I had spent the entire weekend painting a banner on canvas with dozens of Peter Max figures surrounding the statement, "ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE." I was actually embarrassed by my over-achievement, but committed to the sentiment. The banner hung in the entrance to the University of Michigan School of Education for many years. All this time later, I would say that you need more than love to be successful at anything, but it's the very best place to start.

Be the Change

2010-12-07T09:20:00.003-05:00

One of the most frequently seen quotes about change is from Mahatma Gandhi: "Be the change you want to see in the world." We're so familiar with this quote that we can forget to stop and reflect on its powerful meaning.

Maybe the most difficult challenge we face is to live one's life in complete alignment with one's values and vision. How many organizational leaders want everyone around them to change but don't want to align their own behavior with the values and vision they espouse? Every day, I wrestle with reducing the gap between my actions and the change I want to see in the world.

It is said that the way someone does one thing is the way they do everything. Think about that. How you do every little thing (yes, even how you handle being cut off in Beltway traffic) is a statement about who you are and what you value. As you go through the day today, pay attention to how you handle the little things, and ask yourself the degree to which you ARE the change you want to see in the world.