Here We Are. Now What?

Jump Start the New Year for 2021

2020-12-29T16:35:00.002-05:00

What a year 2020 was! I won't regurgitate all that happened. You know what happened. You lived it, just as I did.

As we head toward the turn of the year --just a few days off from today-- many of us in the Coaching & Leadership Training field think about Goal Setting.

The solid method for setting goals, that has been around for decades, is the SMART method:

Specific - Be specific about what you want to accomplish.

Measurable - Think of a way to measure progress toward the goal.

Attainable - Develop a plan that will help you attain the goal.

Realistic - Identify the resources you will need to achieve it.

Time-bound - Map out the timeline.

Going into 2021, I'd like to suggest a new approach that I call START. This approach can be used in addition to the olde SMART method.

S = Set SMARTS goals. (Scroll down for a new interpretation.)

T = Take aim at Targets you have set.

A = Assess yourself thoroughly to determine what you Aspire to do next.

R = Reach out to folks in (and not yet in) your network.

T = Take charge!

Here is my new interpretation of SMART:

S = Sales & Strategy - You are in Sales, the "product" is You, and you need a Plan.

M = Message & Marketing - Your brand is the message that you send to the market you have identified.

A = Activity means Visibility - The more active (on LinkedIn and in your professional community) the more visible (and findable) you will be.

R = Respond to Rejection - Don't take "No" as final.

T = Team up with others - Harness the power in team synergy.

S = Share your Story - Become your best storyteller and win your audience over.

Posted by Terrence H. Seamon on December 29, 2020

Feeling So Wonderfully Blessed

2020-12-26T14:40:00.001-05:00

"I'm not the same person I was a year ago and neither are you." So starteth an article in a local New Jersey newspaper (that I cannot read as it is behind a paywall.).

A week ago, I might not have subscribed to that sentence...but I do now.

Three days before Christmas, my wife Joan had a heart attack. A mild one, mind you. But still significant enough to warrant an angioplasty and three stents in a blocked artery.

The best Christmas present I ever got was when my wife came home from the hospital on Christmas Eve.

As Joan has now said in many many conversations with family and friends, she got lucky. Her father had dropped dead of a heart attack in his 40's. Her mother too in her early 70's.

And she listened to her body. She had a slight pain in her chest. She was getting short of breath. She would get lightheaded. Her heart would flutter.

At first we thought: COVID. So, that evening while doing some last minute Christmas shopping, she called her doctor. After a short description of the above signs, her doctor said: "Go immediately to an emergency room."

As we drove that night to Saint Peter's hospital, we looked out the car window for the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter, but due to clouds, we couldn't see it.

While the Star of Bethlehem, as some were calling it, appeared in the sky, we placed ourselves in the care of the lovely staff of our two local hospitals, first St. Peter, then Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital where the procedure was performed.

After the strange and challenging year of the 2020 Pandemic, what a way to finish!

So, back to that newspaper article that started with the sentence "I'm not the same person I was a year ago and neither are you."

Like my wife, I too feel incredibly lucky, fortunate that she came through this crisis.

I am reminded once again of the importance of paying attention to your body and listening to the signals it is sending.

I am grateful for the frontline healthcare professionals who are there to assist you even in the shadow of the virus.

Finally, I am heading into the close of this year feeling so wonderfully blessed.

As Joan often exclaims "God is good."

Posted by Terrence H. Seamon on December 26, 2020

Leaders, Light the Spark

2020-10-27T20:15:00.000-04:00

We cannot become what we are capable of becoming by staying what we are.

Lately, some of my clients have been asking for help with supervisory skills.

For example: "Our supervisors have never had any soft skills training. They need to learn how to treat people better. How to communicate more effectively."

On some level, these companies understand that how one treats others really does matter. Soft skills are really quite hard. They have a bottom line impact.

For many years now, I've been pondering what Managers can do to ignite the potential that exists in their employees? Over and over, I come back to the idea of engagement.

What can You do to become a more engaging leader?

All it takes is a spark:

S - Show the way. Share information. Set goals.

P - Provide support. Provide plenty of opportunities for people to participate and play a part. Praise.

A - Appreciate each person's strengths. Ask for their ideas. Address concerns.

R - Recognize effort and accomplishment. Reinforce learning. Role model the values.

K - Know each person individually, especially their goals and needs. Keep your commitments.

Yes, there is more to it. Much more. But by lighting the fuse, you can start a positive fire of engagement in your team.

Terrence Seamon has written the book on how managers can become engaging leaders. It's called Lead the Way and can be found via amazon. Follow him on twitter @tseamon

Nine Values for the Future of Humanity

2020-10-27T19:47:00.001-04:00

Clearly, with the coronavirus pandemic, 2020 has been a watershed year, a turning point that will be featured in the history books of the future.

Now just days away from another watershed moment, the presidential election, it is a good time to ask, What do we want our future to look like?

Organizational professor Bill Brendel published a piece about nine values that can guide us into our future. The nine are:

Awareness of the system that we are all part of.
Openness to learning.
Integrity & well-being.
Courageous leadership.
Trust & respect.
Diversity & inclusion.
Collaborative engagement.
Strategic practicality.
Fostering continual progress.

Derived from a study of professionals in the field of organizational development, Brendel says that these nine values can drive the Future of Humanity.

#values #future #orgdev

Getting Ready for the Shock

2019-11-22T14:54:00.001-05:00

A financial writer interviewed me about ways to safeguard yourself and prepare for job loss. In particular, she wanted to reach professionals that have been at one company for many years, who are often ill-prepared for the "shock and awe" of the pink slip.

What can they do today to get ready for the rollercoaster ride of being "in transition?"

Here are a few of the ideas, that I offered up for professionals who are still working but who see "the handwriting on the wall:"

- Take training now - Is your employer offering training? Sign up. Take as much as you can.

- Take charge of your own learning - What are the "hot topics" in your field right now? Agile? Machine Learning? Big Data? Sign up for courses. Read books. Listen to podcasts in your car or on the train while commuting.

- Read outside your field - Are you a chemist? An engineer? Then start reading articles and books from other fields. Art, history, finance, economics, business, strategy, and politics. The great management expert Peter Drucker said that you must develop expertise outside your field.

- Get active in your professional association - Activate your membership. Get more involved in the local chapter. Attend meetings. Volunteer to help.

- Demonstrate your expertise - Offer to give a presentation on a topic you know very well. Offer to teach a class. Write an article and publish it on LinkedIn.

- Update your resume - If you do the above, add them to your resume. Be sure your resume exhibits your skills and your accomplishments. Strengthen the summary on page one so that it conveys your brand and your value proposition.

- Get on LinkedIn and start using it - Build a complete profile. Be active. Post updates.

- Start networking now - Remember that networking does NOT mean "not working." The time to start networking is now. Start connecting with people. One simple way to start is to call up former colleagues and bosses to wish them a happy holiday. Ask how they are doing. Find out what they are up to these days. Have a conversation. Simply connect.

Final point: Challenge yourself. Get out of your comfort zone before you are pushed out.

Published on 11/22/19 by Terrence H. Seamon

The Way of Change

2019-09-09T16:18:00.001-04:00

The Way of Change (a poem for facilitators)

The way of change is the way of Life.

Learning and adapting, we flow

Flowing like a river, dancing like a breeze.

Convening and listening, we invite and welcome

Opening a safe space where thoughts can bloom.

Facilitating and supporting, we gently bring forth,

like a midwife helps bring an idea to birth,

A way to make things better.

We cannot become what we are capable of becoming
by staying what we are.

The way of Life is the way of change.

TEVA: 4 Strategies for Organizational Change

2019-04-09T13:39:00.000-04:00

I was the Training Manager supporting the R&D unit of a global pharma-chemicals company. The business unit head from Frankfurt had flown to New Jersey for a management meeting and, to my great surprise, asked to see me.

In a meeting that lasted only a few seconds, he shook my hand and said, "Please help them to change."

He was talking about my client group, a community of research scientists and technicians. The change he was referring to was the need to become more business-aligned and more customer focused. The customers, the business units in North Carolina and Texas, had grown fed up with the lack of commercially viable new product ideas from the R&D group.

Over a number of years, the perception had formed that the R&D organization in NJ was an out-of-touch ivory tower, disconnected from the real needs of the revenue generating business units. The truth is, the R&D community had stopped engaging with their customers, had stopped listening to them.

The moment of truth came at a town hall meeting. The head of the R&D unit put it plainly: Unless we start generating commercially viable new product ideas that the business units want, this R&D location will be closed.

What did we do? Working in concert with R&D management, HR, and Quality, I developed several initiatives, including an intra-preneuring course that showed the scientists how to frame their new ideas as business proposals. An important feature of this program was the new product idea presentation where the research teams presented their pitch to management (including business unit managers) and got direct and unvarnished feedback. Some ideas were killed on the spot, while others were sent back to the drawing board for more work. From this iterative process, the strongest ideas were given the green light for further development.

As well received as this training program was, the real breakthrough was a series of new idea brainstorming sessions, comprised of max-mix groups where researchers met with reps from the business units. Conceived by one of my clients, a young researcher, these brainstorming meetings produced many innovative ideas that excited the business units, and helped shift their perception of the NJ R&D unit. As the meeting facilitator, I had the thrilling opportunity to see a bunch of great minds interacting and coming up with so many possibilities.

Through this experience, I learned some important lessons about changing an organization:

T - It takes a team: No one person could have done this alone. But as Margaret Mead once said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."

E - It takes engagement: To shift such deeply entrenched negative perceptions, the parties have to re-engage, start interacting again, start listening again, and start trusting again.

V - It takes vision: What one thing will turn around an organization that was headed for the chopping block? A very clear, unambiguous view of what John Kotter termed "the burning platform." And a clear alternative vision of a brighter future.

And one more...

A - It takes acceptance: For an organization to change, the members must accept it. If they understand the need, they are more likely to embrace the change. And in accepting it, they will take Action. They will be open to learning (about themselves, about others), open to influence, and open to growth.

The four points above spell out as TEVA. "Teva" is an ancient word in Hebrew that means "nature." Perhaps there is a synchronicity here?

Many people will say that they don't like change. But the truth is that we all change. It's quite natural to change.

When it comes to organizational change, perhaps we need to reflect upon how natural change really is. And apply the concept of teva.

Yes, there will be some loss and pain associated with organizational change. But, as the old saying "No pain, no gain" reminds us, there will be a new beginning.

Terrence Seamon helps his clients find their way through the challenges of change. Follow him on twitter @tseamon

Where We Start

2019-03-24T12:45:00.002-04:00

Sometimes a career transition can feel groundless, like there is nothing but air beneath your feet.....

My career has evolved in some interesting ways. It did not go according to a plan. What plan? There never was one.

What there was, I believe, was an inner truth...and an inner guidance system.

The inner truth was the calling that I came into the world to pursue. In a nutshell, I would describe it as helping people to find their way.

The inner guidance system is the "knowing" the way to go. I put the word knowing inside quotation marks because it is not the same as knowledge of the head, knowledge that one acquires from education. Rather it is an inner knowing, a knowing of the heart perhaps.

My colleague Seishindo coach Charlie Badenhop wrote: "You were born with a psyche that functions perfectly well, and an innate resilience and clarity,. You have a natural motivation to survive and thrive. You have the capacity to enjoy life fully, and successfully navigate its ups and downs."

I love that. I always bring that to my coaching work with clients: "You (have) an innate resilience and clarity...(you can) survive and thrive."

Where we start is important.

Poet Muriel Rukeyser said: "Let us nourish beginnings. The blessing is in the seed."

Coach Barbara Beizer said that "More often than not, clients are experiencing what I think you mean when you say “loss of faith” or some other kind of loss related to a “not knowing" who they are, where they belong, what they could be doing, etc. Pema Chodren calls it “groundlessness.”"

In my work as a career transition consultant, many of my clients are experiencing a "not knowing" where they are going, what is next in their career, and what will happen to them if they don't find a job.

Pema Chodron's groundlessness seems an appropriate image and metaphor.

It's a scary feeling. A sense of "oh my god, what will become of me?"

For me, I try to combine Charlie's optimism about the client's inner guidance mechanism, with Barbara's recognition of the client's fears.

I put my faith in the client and I strive to help them to believe in themselves, improve themselves, and put themselves "out there" further than they ever have before.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Sunday March 24, 2019

Job Hunting Smarts

2019-02-15T18:42:00.003-05:00

Job Hunters are seeking to reach their next career goal, to find the job of their dreams. But how to do that? What would it take to land that job?

In the old days, what often worked was to peruse the "want ads" in the local newspaper. In today's world, new strategies are necessary.

Here are five practices that will make you a job hunter with "smarts."

S = Strategy: Do you have a strategy for your job search? What is a strategy, you wonder? Essentially, if you have a strategy, you have a battle plan. The word strategy comes from "strategos" and means the art of the General. An effective commander knows what she is after. The Objective is clear. The Plan for achieving the objective is laid out as a roadmap. The Obstacles have been identified and the Resources will be marshaled against them.

M = Market: How do you find potential employers? Like a Big Game Hunter tracks and snares his prey, a job hunter with smarts knows that she is hunting companies, not jobs. With clear intent and unrelenting pursuit. You know what you want. You know your market. Because you know your Product. And the product is You. Remember: when you are in transition, you are in Sales & Marketing.

A = Acquisition: How do you rise above the rest of the job hunters out there? They want a job. But you are looking to acquire opportunities. Opportunities to connect and expand your network. Opportunities to learn and enrich your knowledge. Opportunities to help lift others up who may also be in transition. Acquire connections. Acquire skills. Acquire wisdom.

Sure, you want a job too. But think about it for a few minutes from the point of view of the recruiter who is beating the bushes to find and attract some good candidates. Great recruiters are also seeking new contacts, new information, and new ways to help others. You are doing the same thing from the other side of the equation. So get into acquisition mode.

R = Research: How do you wow the employer? By demonstrating how much you know about him or her. You did your research, using your network, LinkedIn, and other resources on the internet. You prepared a list of questions to ask. You know so much about the employer that you may actually impress the interviewer.

T = Target Companies & Tools: The smart job hunter doesn't hunt jobs. Rather she hunts companies. What companies are "in your sights?" Where do you want to work? How will you penetrate them and raise your visibility with them?

The well-equipped job hunter always carries his most trusty tools, especially business cards, a pen, a fully charged cell phone, and a box of "Thank You" note cards.

But the Swiss Army Knife of all job search tools is one's network, the people you know, the people you can count on, the people who are looking out for you.

One last thing: An important component of your strategy is your Story. What is your story? Your Story is your Brand. Telling your Story is the way you sell the prospect.

Why would an employer hire you? Because you told the best story. The story of Who You Are. And the value that you can bring to the employer's organization.

Be smart, baby. Be smart.

Terrence Seamon helps career transitioners to reach their goals. Follow him on twitter @tseamon, and connect on LinkedIn.

Action Changes Things

2019-02-11T10:29:00.001-05:00

Last September, we had a gathering at my church for a conversation about the crisis. The triggering events were the downfall of Cardinal McCarrick and the Pennsylvania report about widespread clergy abuse of children.

Our then-pastor asked several of us to be small group facilitators for the gathering, following the lead of a guest speaker whose expertise included many years as a church attorney, dealing with cases of abuse by priests.

As you might expect, it was an emotional meeting, with strong feelings expressed including outrage (at the lies), sadness (for those who were hurt), anger (at our local Church leaders), and a sense of betrayal by Church authorities who covered up despicable situations for years.

But it was also a productive discussion, generating a great deal of input that found its way into a report that we forwarded to our Bishop, wherein we claimed our role and responsibility for providing leadership in the local church..

Thinking about that meeting, I realized that each of the following six ACTION points was exemplified.

A = Aspire to an Attitude of Accountability where the old saying "If it is to be, it is up to me" becomes our maxim, and instead of waiting for someone else to take the lead, we step forward and seize our responsibility to make a difference.

C = Convene critical conversations - This is the time to communicate, to gather together and share, to generate ideas, and to formulate a vision for a better future.

T = Teach by everything you do - As my former pastor used to say, "Everything you do teaches." Be mindful of your conduct. Be a role model.

I = Invite others to join in - Reach out and form groups in solidarity around issues that need to be addressed.

O = Organize with Optimism and Open Minds & Hearts

N = Never give up on what matters most - Get in touch with your inner values, the principles you hold most dear. These are the immovable touchstones (such as respect, caring, inclusion) upon which you will stand.

When your organization is facing a crisis, and things need to change, remember: Action changes things.

Terrence Seamon helps others through change. Follow him on twitter @tseamon

Build Your Team

2019-01-28T07:31:00.002-05:00

There are many pitfalls that today's job hunters must be wary of including:

Don't wait for the phone to ring
Don't spend all day on the computer

Another one that is less talked about:

Don't go it alone.

In fact, I have started to tell my clients "Job search is a team sport."

So many job hunters isolate themselves, hardly ever coming out of their house! This isolation is dangerous:

You are not connecting with others
You are not surrounding yourself with positivity
You are not getting diverse points of view
You are not getting a change of scene
You are not getting exercise

Such isolation can lead to depression...and a lengthy search.

So, what is the answer? Build a team.

I've started to ask my audiences, "Who is on your team?"

After a few seconds of blinking, they get right into it, discussing the people that are in fact already on their team. People such as family members, friends, former co-workers.

In a recent speaking engagement, an audience member offered this thought: Have three teams, an "A Team" of the core team members such as your spouse or significant others. A "B Team" of other job hunters for morale boosting, job search tactics, and accountability support. And a "C Team" of subject matter experts in the career transition process...such as Me or other coaches.

Excellent organizations know the power of teams. Highly effective teams produce results because they are:

Results driven
Goal focused
Diverse
Collaborative
Energized

Why not harness the power of teamwork to reach your career goal?

Who is on Your team?

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Monday January 28, 2019

Open Your Eyes

2019-01-08T11:41:00.000-05:00

We all have blind spots. Trouble is, by definition, we are blind to them. Unless someone fills us in, we go along oblivious.

One piece of wisdom that I came across years ago resurfaced the other day in my twitterfeed...and it reminded me of an important life lesson.

The wisdom is a quote often attributed to Albert Einstein:

"The definition of insanity is...doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

The life lesson for me is to examine the insanity in myself. What am I doing over and over again that is NOT producing the results I want out of Life?"

I shared the Einstein quote with a friend recently after he shared his frustration that he wasn't getting any traction toward his career goals.

The second I hit the Send button, I stopped and looked at myself.

Could this be my blind spot as well? Am I repeating well-worn routines that are keeping me in old ruts?

As I am writing this post in early January, the time of year for new ideas and new resolutions, I am resolving to open my eyes and seek input from others.

This past Sunday we celebrated the feast of The Epiphany (meaning "to shine forth"). I always enjoy hearing the Gospel reading about the magi from the East, especially the line "...and having been warned in a dream not to return to Herod's palace, they returned to their country by another way."

In 2019, what could you do in another way? What changes might make all the difference in the results you are now getting?

Now is the time to travel by a different road.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Tuesday January 8, 2019

3 Words for a New Year

2018-12-31T10:15:00.002-05:00

At this time of year, I often recall the "3 Word Exercise" that I learned from blogger Chris Brogan.

In a nutshell, he recommends visioning the new year ahead and letting 3 words filter out of the "big story" you have in mind.

As I sit here and envision my "big story" for 2019...three words that are percolating up for me are...

Epiphany (as in "shine forth")

Emerge

Energy

I'll be pondering the significance of these words and write about them in the new year.

What are your 3 words for 2019?

Posted by Terrence Seamon on New Year's Eve December 31, 2018

Dark and Quiet

2018-12-29T08:50:00.002-05:00

"Darkness reveals the heavenly lights."

For the past several years, a group of friends has gathered in December for the celebration of the Winter solstice. One of the group, a Franciscan sister, prepares a short and simple prayer for us to follow as we stand around a fire in the night.

This year, she asked us to reflect on the meanings we have for darkness.

After a few initial responses that brought out the "dark side" of darkness, someone said, "When it's dark, the stars come out."

We all oo-ed and ah-ed at that reflection and we immediately looked upward. It had been a cloudy day, but the bright moon flashed through the rapidly flying clouds.

Suddenly one of our group pointed and said, "Look a star!"

Filled with renewed animation, this triggered more reflections on darkness including one about growth. The individual said, "In darkness, seeds lay dormant in the ground, away from the light, until the seasons change and they begin to germinate."

This time of year, when Christmas begins* and we move toward the end of the year, I have always felt a singular comfort. A time of year I would describe as "dark and quiet," like the expectant time just before dawn.

For anyone going "through a dark time" in their life, this can be a difficult time of year. Let me suggest a few things to think about that may help with the journey.

Stars - What might you see if you looked up instead of down? So much in life is a matter of perspective, isn't it? A matter of outlook. Of attitude. Even when things seem at their quietest and darkest, there are stars twinkling above.

Seeds - What might be laying dormant within you right now? What potentiality is quietly waiting for the warmth that will trigger new life?

New Year - The new year is coming and, as I write this post, is just a few days away. How will you start this new year? With "more of the same" from this year? Or with a new game-plan? A new vigor?

For those in a career transition right now, what will you do to start the new year on the right foot? Here are three thoughts:

Vision - What do you envision? What is your desired future? Externalize it somehow, whether by writing a goal or creating a vision board. Whatever you choose, put the vision in front of you so you see it every day.

Seeds - There is a tale about a man who planted seeds. Some fell on bad ground and did not thrive. But the seeds that found good soil were able to take root and grow. The lesson is, plant your seeds where the soil is rich and fertile.

Galvanize - Get going and don't stop. Establish a cadence that works for you. I suggest a weekly outlook, filled with "high value" activities such as networking, learning, volunteering, and "putting yourself out there" to increase your visibility.

Make 2019 a great year!

(*Note: Christmas is more than a one day event. It is a season and it goes until January 6, the feast of the Epiphany. In some traditions, Christmas keeps going until February!)

Posted by Terrence Seamon on December 28, 2018

The Soul of a Company

2018-12-25T10:42:00.001-05:00

There are organizations out there that are doing much more than making a profit and giving a return to shareholders. Some realize that they are providing jobs. Some realize that they are part of a community.

Some realize that they are giving hope to those who have lost much in life.

There is a small enterprise in west Los Angeles called Timothy J Candles. They make specialty candles for special occasions and customers.

In this short video, Tim Sullivan, the founder of the company, lets all of us know what he and his firm believe in.

His is a company with soul.

What is it that keeps other companies from having a soul like this?

Consultant Kenny Moore once pointed out that the word "company" comes from "sharing bread together."

He wrote: "At its core, company is about meaning, purpose and mutual support. Many of today’s businesses had their origins around like-minded individuals coming together to support and nurture each other in starting a labor of love."

That gave me one of those "Whoa!" moments. How many companies have an awareness of this? How many have lost this sense of company...and lost their way as a result?

Moore points out a connection to employee engagement: "It is when people feel a sense of belonging and purpose that they more willingly contribute not only their hands but also their heads and hearts to bring about business success."

Moore suggests that long-term organizational success is "less about the bottom line and more about establishing a sense of shared community and passion for the effort."

*Tim is not my client. He is actually my wife Joan's first cousin. So he is family. And an inspiration to many.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Christmas Day December 25, 2018

Follow your Internal Guidance System

2018-12-24T14:02:00.000-05:00

“Built into you is an internal guidance system that shows you the way home. All you need to do is heed the voice.”

I like that sentence from writer Neale Donald Walshe.

"Home" is You.

I think I am called to help people (myself and others) to 'tune into' it.

There are many methods for such attunement. One is the Holland Theory of Careers.

Some of you may be familiar with the Career Types theory developed by John Holland. It is used extensively in career counseling work, in educational settings, in industry, and in classifying schemes such as the federal government's Dictionary of Occupational Titles.

In a nutshell, Holland developed a system with six types: RIASEC (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional). He found that every career has a code (i.e. a 3 letter combo such as CRS), and every person has a code as well. When the Person and the Career codes match (or come close) there is a recipe for success (meaning tangible success as well as contentment).

Just out of curiosity, I thought I would look up a few careers for their Holland Career Codes.

Management consultant IEC (Investigative, Enterprising, Conventional)

Social worker SIA (Social, Investigative, Artistic)

Organization Development EIS (Enterprising, Investigative, Social)

Corporate Trainers ESR (Enterprising, Social, Realistic)

Career Counselor SAE (Social, Artistic, Enterprising)

This may be "Greek" to you (not unlike MBTI), but for me, it is true food for thought. My own Holland Code is ASE for Artistic, Social, Enterprising. The work I am now doing as a career coach is a great fit, even better than when I was a corporate Training manager earlier in my career.

The times when I experienced "mis-fit" in my earlier career was when I was in roles where the "I" (Investigative) was prominent, as it is in OD. The quantitative and methodical have never appealed to me. Rather the human, the creative, the interactive, the visual, and the facilitative have been my joys. And still are.

To find out your Holland Code, order a copy of the Self-Directed search.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on Christmas Eve December 24, 2018

Never Assume

2018-12-23T15:36:00.002-05:00

"Never assume that the next guy knows what he is doing much less why."

Dave Davidson was one of my professors at Rutgers circa 1973. His specialty was Information Systems Theory.

Amidst an interesting and diverse Department of Communication faculty, Dave was one of the more memorable professors that I met, equally stimulating and irritating.

His trademark was his pipe which he smoked all the time, even while teaching his classes. And it would not be unusual for his small group discussions to be held at Olde Queens Tavern.

As a teacher, Dave' style was to say something provocative and then take a deep puff on his pipe and gaze at us through his thick glasses, waiting for us to jump into the discussion. It never took long for an animated exchange to begin.

One of his statements has stuck with me in the 45 years since then. I call it the Dave Davidson Theorem:

"Never assume that the next guy knows what he is doing much less why."

I think Dave was trying to provoke us in order to awaken us. To get us to notice our own habits of thinking.

To realize that what we think about the next guy (e.g. what he is doing and why) may all just be in our own heads.

This recollection of Dave and this theorem came back to mind the other day when the OD Network discussion list was discussing Kurt Lewin's theory that human behavior (B) is a function of Person and Environment. Lewin captured it is this elegant formula:

B = f(P,E)

Dave was a fan of the social psychologist Karl Weick who advocated the idea of "sense making" to describe what people do in situations that present challenges to overcome. One is example is the Mann Gulch case where highly trained smoke jumpers were dispatched to battle a fire.

Though they knew what to do and how to do it, in the midst of the raging fire, they became disorganized and their well-ingrained operational routines failed...and so they perished.

Why?

People, and their behavior, can be a highly complex dynamic, not at all predictable, even displaying the so-called "black swan" phenomena at times.

Posted by Terrence Seamon on December 23, 2018

A Gift for You

2018-12-19T10:06:00.001-05:00

Seasons Greetings,

At this festive time of year, our thoughts often turn to the gifts that we might give to others. I would like to offer you this thought.

There are many important resources that every well-equipped job hunter and career changer should have, but foremost among them is a calendar filled with high value activity to propel your progress.

You can fill your calendar in many ways, especially:

Attend webinars offered on job search and career change topics
Send out weekly updates on LinkedIn
Utilize learning resources in your local area such as community colleges
Become a recognized expert by offering your knowledge
Attend networking meetings near you
Form an accountability team to help fuel your search
Make a presentation to a group
Write an article and publish it on LinkedIn
Join professional associations in your occupational field

I hope this list gives you ideas!

If you would like to discuss any of these, let me know.

Happy holidays!

Terrence Seamon helps his clients to reach their career goals. Follow him on twitter @tseamon

Being Human

2018-12-08T16:43:00.000-05:00

Many years ago, my former pastor Fr. Doug preached on the theme that each of us is both Gifted and Broken. It resonated so deeply with me that it became one of my Nine Steps to OD:

At the time that I published it (back in 2005), I was attacked over the "broken" part. I remember one reader writing (something to the effect) "Speak for yourself. I am not broken. I don't see people that way. And if you do, it's an unhealthy perspective to take."

All I could say then, and all I can say now, is: Take a look around. So much is broken: Greed. Inequality. Climate change. Extinction.

This world of ours is a human creation. And this creation of ours is heading to Hell in a speeding handbasket.

Why? Because we are asleep at the wheel. We are so stupid in our denial of the reality of our present situation that the next generations (if there are any) will look back and ask, "What was wrong with them?"

This essay by writer Umair Haque captures the present situation:

So, Yes we are Broken. And our brokenness, if unchecked, will lead to our self-extermination.

But there is Good News: We are also Gifted. The yin-and-yang of being human tells us that we are also incredibly gifted with wondrous potentiality to work together, to collaborate and create, to build bridges of understanding, to solve long-standing and intractable problems, to heal wounds, and to grow new possibilities.

Now more than ever, we need to unfurl the flag of Giftedness, the flag that displays the colors of innovation, of new thinking, of open mindedness, of acceptance of dissent, and encouragement of divergence.

All are welcome. All voices are heard. All are key to our success.

We need to encourage organizations that collectively dream of a better tomorrow.

What does it mean to be human? One thing is for sure: We are NOT along for the ride. This ride, this Life, this planet, and the human race are One and the Same. What happens next is up to us. We have extraordinary agency in this regard.

Will we wake up?

Will we learn?

Will we break the cycle of greed?

Will we love one another?

Will we take care of our beautiful planet?

We have the capability to do the above. Do we have the will?

Can OD play a part? In my view, it had better. If all OD does is serve a corporate master, and improve the bottom line, then OD is nothing more than a shill, an accomplice, a co-conspirator.

I don't know about you, but that is NOT what I am about.

For me, OD is actually a spiritual endeavor, if that makes any sense.

My definition of OD? OD is the field of practice that helps organizations become places where Joy, Meaning, and Commitment to a Greater Purpose bring out the Best in those who work there and make the World a better place.

The ART of Navigating Change

2018-11-21T11:43:00.000-05:00

Much of my work is about change. Helping companies to change through learning processes, for example. And helping my one-on-one clients to change through a coaching process.

Throughout it all, the essential challenge is, in a word, change. How to face it. How to embrace it. How to master it so that you are able to navigate the often turbulent waters of change.

Much has been written about change, but here I only want to dwell on three aspects. Three that I will call "the ART of navigating change."

Adaptability: This refers to the things we do, from day to day during a change journey, to adjust continuously to the ever-emerging surprises and challenges that a change-filled environment brings. On a change journey, every day brings something new to reckon with. Some new problem. Some unexpected difficulty.

What is this new challenge? What will it take to deal with it? What am I learning?

The more adaptable you are, the more you are learning as you go, the more likely you will accomplish the journey successfully.

Resilience: This refers to the things we do to maintain ourselves, particularly our health and well-being, as we are buffeted by the winds of change. Change can push you around. It can knock the wind out of you, even knock you down.

Can you get back up and go at it again?

This is your resilience, your ability to take the hits and come back stronger.

Transitioning: This refers to the journey itself that change requires of us. We would do well to understand the journey.

It starts with an Ending (as the great William Bridges taught us) where "the old way" must be released before anything new can have a chance of happening.

It then continues into the Wilderness where uncertainty reigns. Where our questions often receive no clear-cut answers...other than to keep on moving.

And, if we persevere, eventually it brings us to the New Beginning where what once seemed remote and impossible becomes the new reality.

This is the new role I call "the Transitionist" which reflects your ability to undertake the change journey with all its steep climbs, twisting paths, and perilous passages.

With the ART of change in mind, you can become an artist of change, daring to express your vision, confidently painting your own canvas.

Posted by Terrence H. Seamon on November 21, 2018

Endings

2018-11-03T15:51:00.001-04:00

“We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned so as to accept the life that is waiting for us.” - Joseph Campbell

Endings are hard, sometimes too much to endure, like when we lose a job, or lose a loved one...or lose a pastor.

Endings often trigger emotions. Sadness. Anger. Sometimes relief.

We have an Ending going on right now at my parish, where our pastor of many years has resigned due to health issues.

This Ending started several years ago when he was first diagnosed with a serious health condition and had to stop working and go away for treatment. He was never the same again. Though he was still pastor, he was mostly absent. The leadership vacuum became the uncomfortable norm.

It became a long, drawn-out Ending that many in this community felt...and suffered ill effects from as a result.

My late sister-in-law had a saying that we used to smile at: "Leave before it gets ugly."

This Ending got ugly...very ugly. And now, with his resignation, it will likely trigger another wave of emotion.

In my career coaching work, Endings are a big part of my business. I am helping my clients with Endings all the time.

What has ended? What has not?

What is beginning?

What could happen next?

Endings are not always easy, but they are not final.

As William Bridges helped us to understand, all new Beginnings start with an Ending.

Posted on November 3, 2018

Action Changes Things

2018-10-27T13:34:00.004-04:00

Inspired by a colleague's list of tips for resilience and coping...

Here are six ideas for taking action in dark times.

C = Convene critical conversations - This is the time to communicate, to gather together and share, to generate ideas, and to formulate a vision for a better future.

T = Teach by everything you do - As my pastor Fr. Doug used to say, "Everything you do teaches." Be mindful of your conduct. Be a role model.

I = Invite others to join in - Reach out and form groups in solidarity around issues that need to be addressed.

O = Organize with Optimism and Open Minds & Hearts

Action changes things.

Posted on October 27, 2018

Hustle and other keys to success

2018-09-05T12:01:00.001-04:00

Recently, I came across an image online about "hustle" that said:

HUSTLE - Verb  -  1. The only controllable pillar of success

Seeing the word hustle reminded me of when I played Pop Warner Football as a kid in grammar school. The coaches would frequently urge us to "Hustle!"

I took it to mean "Get moving!"

Looking up the word in the dictionary, hustle has several meanings, including:

to proceed or work rapidly or energetically; to push or force one's way; to aggressively pursue a business aim

While I don't agree that hustle is "the only controllable pillar of success," I certainly salute its inclusion.  Other pillars of success over which we have a great deal of control include:

Attitude - What is your attitude right now? Henry Ford once said, "If you think you can do a thing, or if you think you cannot do a thing, either way you are right." If success is what you are after, then a Can Do attitude is a vital component.

Conduct - How do you "show up?" How do you impact others? Are you likable? Are you easy to do business with? Can others count on you?

Time Management - Time is life. How are you spending it? The key is to set priorities and pursue your goals. Be sure to schedule quality time each week...or it won't happen.

Initiative - Are you proactive? Do something every day that moves the ball down the field toward your goal. Don't wait. Make things happen.

Open Communication - Two vital words:  open and communicate. Open up to new ideas, to new thinking. Open up to others. Communicate your objective so that others can help you.

Networking - What is networking, you ask?  Essentially it means cultivating and leveraging your relationships. Start with people you know. Then move further out to people they know. 

This "ACTION" formula can galvanize you toward your success. But it helps if you hustle too.

Terrence Seamon helps his clients focus on the controllable aspects of success. Follow him on twitter @tseamon

On the Art of Influence

2018-09-05T11:05:00.002-04:00

The project manager is like a samurai who comes upon a tiger in the forest. If he turns and runs, he will surely be eaten by the tiger. If he stands and faces the tiger, the outcome is uncertain.

What do meeting facilitation, project management, and the art of influencing others have in common?

In a nutshell, everything.

For the client, the art of influence is the ability of the project managers to work effectively with diverse stakeholders in a highly complex organizational environment, to reach consensus, make wise decisions, and move forward toward strategic aims.

What goes into this capability? Probably much more than we had time for, but here are a few of the points that emerged:

Integrity - The project manager must operate from a foundation of integrity. This is the beginning of building strong relationships. Integrity stems from knowing oneself, one's values, and being aware in-the-moment of the choices that one can make.

Trust - Building trust with stakeholders is essential. Trust takes time to achieve and depends upon factors such as integrity, follow through, and performing.

Perspective - For this client, a key principle of leadership is "enterprise mindset." This means avoiding the trap of myopia by stepping back to consider a bigger picture. The bigger picture perspective is long-term and strategic. It encompasses the market, the competition, the customer, and the business.

Alignment - Getting into alignment with key stakeholders is a must for these project managers so that progress can be facilitated toward shared goals. One way to establish alignment is to meet with stakeholders for 1-on-1's where inquiry and listening are a project manager's most trusted tools.

And one more ingredient: social intelligence. Using Karl Albrecht's definition, social intelligence is the ability to get along well with others and get them to work cooperatively with you toward a goal.

Much goes into this concept of social intelligence including how well the project manager understand both herself as well as the others she is working with. One of the keys to this is self-understanding and self-awareness.

Putting them together then, the project manager becomes highly tuned, situationally aware, much like a samurai entering a forest where there may be dangers as well as opportunities.

There may be a tiger in that forest. As OD consultant John Scherer has taught us, you can run from the tiger. Or you can face it.

In advanced facilitation, the skilled project manager can calmly face the tiger and proceed confidently along the path.

Terrence Seamon designs and facilitates highly impactful learning interventions for clients. Follow him on twitter @tseamon

It's All About the Client

2018-09-04T19:02:00.002-04:00

Way back when during the TQM movement, I was trained to be one of my then-employer's Quality Facilitators. Part of that role included teaching the 8-step quality improvement methodology to teams across the businesses.

This particular methodology had been selected by the new management that had recently taken over the company. The method came from an outside vendor.

During one of the training sessions, a participant put his hand up to ask a question. He said, "Just a comment about Step 1 of the process you are teaching."

Step One was "Define the problem."

"Go ahead," I said encouraging him to make his point.

"Wouldn't it make sense to have a prior step?"

"A prior step?" I echoed.

"Yes, a step where the client establishes an improvement goal for the part of the business, or the part of the process, that we are going to address and attempt to improve. For example customer service."

It was a learning moment for me. From that point on, we modified our presentation, risking the displeasure of the Quality Management organization that wanted every facilitator, across the organization, to be consistent.

I realized in that moment of clarity that continuous improvement was not about following the 8 steps. Rather it was about facilitating the client's journey through change toward improvement.

Terrence Seamon helps individuals and teams to set goals and move toward them. Follow him on twitter @tseamon and on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FacilitationSolutions/