I have been digesting the Global Business Dialog hosted by Thunderbird, The Global School of Management in Glendale, AZ, last week. About 1000 business leaders from around the globe came together to discuss pressing global business issues. There was much valuable content from global branding to the role of finance and economics, from social media issues to climate change. I discovered an underlying theme and call to action: Courage. Almost everyone who spoke or participated in a panel discussion was challenging us to be courageous. We need courage to speak up when we something is not right. We need courage to act when no one else is. We need courage to let go of what doesn’t serve us anymore. More than anything the times we live in require courage. What will it take for you to be courageous today?
A recent article in the in the Wall Street Journal struck a cord with me. The world has gone global and technology has shifted the way we work in significant ways. Business, done locally or globally, depends on relationship building. And relationships are built on trust. In spite of email, skype and many other technological advances and tools, there still comes a day, when a person needs to get on a plane and go to another country. I found this article, which speaks to that beautifully. What will it take to enhance your local or global relationships?
I am currently reading “The Coming Jobs War” by Jim Clifton, the Chairman of Gallup. Jobs are on everyone’s mind. If you have a job, you are concerned with keeping it. If you don’t have a job, you are faced with the daunting task of getting work in a challenging economy. If you are a student, you are wondering about whether you will get a job once you have graduated. And even as a retiree, you are concerned about whether payments into the social security system will be able to sustain the system throughout your lifetime. I believe people want to have meaningful work. According to a Gallup survey, currently there are 1.2 billion full-time, formal jobs in the world. And yet 3 billion people are working or looking for work, which leaves us with a potential shortfall of 1.8 billion jobs worldwide. The topic peaked my interest. In addition, I was curious about Jim Clifton, identified as a tribal leader in James Logan’s book “Tribal Leadership.” I highly recommend reading “The Coming Jobs War,” since it highlights and substantiates that it is up to all of us to create those jobs that we so desperately want. Let’s not wait for Government to create those jobs! I was particularly interested in the sections on employee engagement, customer science and where entrepreneurs are created. Why not check it out for yourself?
Interestingly, the day I sent off my copies to the Library of Congress for cataloging and to the Copyright Office to protect my rights, I felt I had arrived. I felt complete. I went home and celebrated!
Check out the result here.
Once I had the cover and interior layout complete, I still needed to find a printer to actually print the book. My research revealed many options of self-publishing, and I decided to go with Lightning Source, a print-on-demand company that automatically distributes through the Ingram distribution network. Once all of the legal papers were signed and the text and cover were uploaded, I waited for approval. Eventually, I saw my book appear on Amazon and made available to all other bookstores. Yeah!
Check out the result here.
Every mother knows that birth involves labor. I had no idea how much! I made the decision to self-publish the book to learn about the process of publishing. Well, a learning experience it was! I had to hire a graphic designer (who happens to be my graphic designer of choice for my business) to design a book cover. I asked associates and people who know my work if they could endorse me. And they did: Nancy Colasurdo, a Fox Business News Columnist and fellow coach, John Carter from John Carter and Crew, and Fred Andresen, author of several books. I had to have the interior layout designed. Questions like what font, what color, what size, what order, what spacing had to be answered. Each decision in itself seemed simple but together you feel as if you are conducting an orchestra. It’s not simple! Whenever people say that anyone can publish a book, I cringe. Yes, anyone can, but does everyone?
Check out the result here.
In honor of my 10-year anniversary, I decided to compile all of my anecdotes in a book. It was easy, since I had written at least one story or anecdote every month for 10 years. The body of work was accomplished in baby steps. With the help of a Virtual Assistant from Secretary in Israel, I pulled together all of the writing. We identified themes and decided what content should stay and what had to go. Some of it had to be re-written and some simply did not fit, but by-in-large most of my writing made it into the book. I wasn’t sure anyone would want to read the stories, so I hired a couple who offer editing services. I needed an outside opinion. They were very encouraging about the content of the book. In the end I hired a different editor to give me yet another perspective, Loretta Hudson. I found that working with an editor is not easy. You certainly have to leave your ego at the door. The whole point of giving your work to an editor is to get feedback and it’s not always positive. The point is to make it better, so you have to be willing to accept the editor’s feedback. And make no mistake about it, editing services are very expensive, because editing is so time consuming. Finally, you hold a manuscript in written and digital form and you feel accomplished. The body of work is done. The book is complete, but so far no one has read your book!
Check out the result here.
In my work as a coach, I uncover the hidden truths. Through listening, questioning and challenging, I have honed my skills in peeling back the layers of who people really are. Coaching is not just something I do – I am a coach. It comes naturally. In the process I get to hear and experience a lot of what people go through every day. I get to walk in people’s shoes for a while. I get to slip into their minds and experience what life is like for them. Sometimes it’s joyous and celebratory and other times, it is extremely challenging; for example, when they have to deal with the loss of a loved one. In either case, I am extremely privileged to partake.
As a result I get to experience human condition raw and unedited. I felt compelled to write it all down, to capture the beauty of the observations. It helps me find the meaning. Maybe, just maybe, it could help others as well. Maybe, by reading what I am observing, readers can get a glimpse of what I am experiencing and learning. I was called to capture the experiences.
Check out the result here.
How brilliant is that? Jess Bachman just published this one page book about where all of the US taxes go, called Death & Taxes. I never thought of a poster as a possible one-page book. How interesting! On top of that usually the federal budget is published in a book with several hundred pages that one can only get lost in. I already ordered my copy…
