Have you noticed how often people mention ‘success’, whether talking about careers, companies, kids, politics, religion, pets and on and on.
The search results for quotes about success are pretty trite; but some to share and a few are from unexpected sources, so let’s start with the traditional and move out from there.
Winston Churchill is often quoted on a variety of subjects and I think his take of success is worth remembering, especially during those periods when nothing goes right, “Success is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.”
Donald Kendall offers a great insight for those who get a kick out of odd bits, “The only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary.”
I really like David Brinkley’s definition of success, “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”
Jon Bon Jovi’s definition (bet you didn’t expect him to be here) is another facet of the same gem, Success is falling nine times and getting up ten.”
And Warren Beatty sees it this way, “You’ve achieved success in your field when you don’t know whether what you’re doing is work or play”
Finally, there is the age old question: what is the nature of the link between success and happiness? I really like Ingrid Bergman’s take on it, “Success is getting what you want; happiness is wanting what you get”
Today I want to share stories about four people, three dead and one living.
We’ll start with the living. Lynn Passarella is principal of the Bronx Theater Arts Production Company School and has taken her school so far beyond grade inflation that it is being investigated.
“When I interviewed for the school,” said Sam Buchbinder, a history teacher, “it was made very clear: this is a school that doesn’t believe in anyone failing.”
Have you noticed that when historical information is released by a Presidential Library what surfaces is not new, more so of whatever was there before? That is certainly is true when it comes to the newly released Nixon tapes, in fact you might find yourself wondering if Mel Gibson is channeling him.
Nixon said he was not prejudiced but continued: “I’ve just recognized that, you know, all people have certain traits.” … “The Jews are just a very aggressive and abrasive and obnoxious personality.”
Reaching still further back in history, we have Mary Todd Lincoln, nicknamed “The Hellcat” because of her temper. She threw a tantrum during am ill-timed shopping trip just before the succession because she was asked to pay for her train ticket. It was her son that who calmed the troubled waters, but the media had a field day.
“My name is Bob Lincoln; I’m a son of Old Abe — the old woman is in the cars raising h-ll about her passes — I wish you would attend to her.”
Finally, there is Donald Tyson, the driving force behind Tyson Foods, lauded as a visionary entrepreneur and leader and it seems like a lot of current CEOs are channeling his methods.
But it [the contested purchase of Holly Farms] also led to risky deals, questionable business practices and political ties that produced legal entanglements for him and the company. … Environmentalists accused Tyson of fouling waterways. Animal rights groups said it raised chickens in cruel conditions. Regulators said it discriminated against women and blacks and cheated workers out of wages.
More evidence that being designated a leader isn’t proof that someone is worth following.
When Microsoft, the company know for its ferocious attitude when protecting its own turf and simultaneously stomping on everyone else’s, released Kinect it unleashed a frenzy of innovative development among the great unwashed, AKA the open source community.
Rather than embracing their out-of-the-box thinking Microsoft started stomping, but when the rabble attacked, Microsoft backed down—part way.
In statements, Microsoft said it “does not condone the modification of its products” and vowed to work with law enforcement “to keep Kinect tamper-resistant.” After geek outrage spilled onto the Web, Microsoft spent the next day clarifying its position. It stressed that it objected to miscreants who might, say, use Kinect’s camera to peer into living rooms. It would not, however, sue well-intentioned tinkerers. After that peace gesture, Microsoft stopped discussing Open Kinect publicly.
Do you (or your manager) act like this?
Do you freak out when faced with innovation outside of the expected and difficult to control?
Do you threaten the instigators and/or your team to bring them back in line with your narrow vision?
Or do you cheer them on, embracing ideas that didn’t originate with you and weren’t planned, but open up new paths and even new worlds to conquer?
The world has changed and you need to change with it. Years ago someone said that Microsoft shouldn’t try and act like a scrappy startup when it was a 500 pound canary, but now that canary is merely obese.
Doctors faced the same dilemma, going from a world where their word was law to one in which patients research and demand a say in their treatment—and vote with their feet if they don’t get it.
And before you see this as an age-related problem look around. It’s not hard to find Microsoft-styled managers and doctors of all ages.
The Microsoft vs. open source is a good analogy for two different types of management MAP and you need to choose which you want to be.
This post is for the parents and friends of any person 13 to 18 years old anywhere in the world who loves science has the imagination to change the world, whether on a large or local basis.
That, and internet access, is all that’s needed to register for the Google Science Fair.
The registration deadline is April 4, 2011.
You go to google.com/sciencefair. You find the template that tells you how to register. It gives you all the categories that you can compete in. They are very broad; physics, biology, the environment and loads of other ones. Then, you design and build your experiment. You document it in any way you want, including, for instance, YouTube videos. You get it done on line for the judges. –Entrepreneur Dean Kamen, inventor of the Segway.
The Google Science Fair is an amazing oportunity for all who enter, not just the winners.
I sincerely hope you will spread the word; don’t make assumptions as to who would be interested and who would not, just forward the information to all the kids and groups involved with kids you can think of.
See more videos, including the opening event on January 11, 2011.
According to Clate Mask, co-author of Conquer the Chaos, bosses who do these five things are on track to kill their culture.
Hiding the numbers
Hoarding the decision-making
Withholding praise
Bottling up the strategy
Talking down to employees
In fact, all five aren’t necessary; any one of them can mortally wound your culture.
Over the years I’ve heard probably every justification for these, and similar, actions, but the MAP (mindset, attitude, philosophy™) involved is the same.
The basis of a great culture is found in the boss’ philosophy about employees.
If she believes that people are intelligent, motivated and honestly want their company to succeed and hires accordingly, then the above actions make no sense.
If, however, she believes that people are stupid, lazy and don’t care those same actions become logical.
It is the wise boss who knows to look in the mirror before doing stuff to her people that she wouldn’t allow to be done to herself.
Influence is, simply put, the power and ability to personally affect others’ actions, decisions, opinions or thinking. At one level, it is about compliance, about getting someone to go along with what you want them to do.
He goes on to describe three kinds of influencing tactics: logical, emotional and cooperative, or influencing with head, heart and hands and talks about ‘personal influence’ and its importance in persuading people when authority is lacking.
A couple of years ago I wrote The Power of Words and said, “Personally, other than socially acceptable definitions, I don’t see a lot of difference between influence and manipulation,” and I still don’t.
I realize most people consider manipulation negative and influence positive, but they are just words.
I often hear that leaders are good people, while manipulators are bad people. But as I pointed out in another post,
leaders are not by definition “good;”
they aren’t always positive role models; and
one person’s “good” leader is another person’s demon.
Everyone believes that they use their influence in a positive way, but when you persuade people to do whatever who are you to say that the outcome is positive for them?
Influence, persuasion, manipulation; call it what you will, just remember that it is power and be cautious when you wield it.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born yesterday and has a holiday in his honor tomorrow, so today seems like a good time so share some of his thoughts. In the abundance of available quotes I looked for those that had broader applicability than the worlds of politics and religion.
Corporate training, mentoring programs and management coaching should have the same goals as King recommends for education.
The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically… Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.
There is a reason that IBM’s slogan is “Think;” that’s right, just that one word encapsulates its culture and everything it asks of its employees. IBM knows that critical thinking at all levels of the company is its true edge on the competition, as do many others. Sadly, more and more people seem to prefer pursuing silver bullets.
Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people more than having to think.
In a world where the various flavors of ideology encourage blind acceptance as opposed critical thinking, Kings words ring especially true.
Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
If you do choose to focus on building critical thinking within your organization it is to remember King’s belief regarding progress.
All progress is precarious, and the solution of one problem brings us face to face with another problem.
Finally, if you are responsible for another person’s growth, whether at work, at home or in the general world, print out this bit of wisdom and tape it where you will see it every day.
Lukewarm acceptance is more bewildering than outright rejection.
Today’s selections started in one direction, veered towards another and then went off in a third. But that’s OK; I have great confidence in your ability to follow the sometimes torturous logic of my mind.
The first two present views of raising children. Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior is an essay describing the difference between “Chinese” parenting and “Western” parenting (although both terms are applied more widely); be sure to read some of the nearly 6000 comments. In direct contrast to the Chinese approach is the movement to restore playtime to kids in an effort to encourage imagination and creativity. They seem to be in direct conflict, but are they?
This HBR article brings up a related question: if not you, who? Who will push you to practice and grow as an adult? What happens if you stop working on yourself? How do you know when you need to improve?
Moving from what differentiates individuals to what differentiates organizations, especially organizations in a “dying” industry such as magazines. What allows the number two company to spend a billion dollars on acquisitions in less than a year while the number one company is closing title right and left?
And now a bit of levity to round out the day.
Most people scoff when others talk about their lucky shirt or special rock, but consider the beliefs harmless. Does superstition influence business? In a word, yes—everything from the stock market to productivity. Are you superstitious (you don’t have to answer out loud)?
Entrepreneurs face difficulties that are hard for most people to imagine, let alone understand. You can find anonymous help and connections that do understand at 7 cups of tea.
Crises never end.
$10 really does make a difference and you’ll never miss it,
Have you noticed how often people mention ‘success’, whether talking about careers, companies, kids, politics, religion, pets and on and on.
Do you manage like Microsoft?
Every conversation about leadership talks about ‘influence’ and how to increase yours.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was born yesterday and has a holiday in his honor tomorrow, so today seems like a good time so share some of his thoughts. In the abundance of available quotes I looked for those that had broader applicability than the worlds of politics and religion.
