Is Critical Thinking necessary in planning?
All too often in today’s business world, planning and other decisions are being made without proper thinking…critical thinking! By definition, Critical Thinking is asking thought provoking questions and utilizing ethical reasoning to obtain all of the information one can so that a decision based on facts can be made. If you look, you will find numerous definitions for this topic, and they are all right.
A true measure of planning success is whether or not detailed critical thinking was completed. “If a man takes no thought about what is distant, he will find sorrow near at hand.” Confucius
Asking questions about funding, marketing, program sustainment, etc. is critical to the success of your business. An old saying that was often used in the Navy (exhibits a Sailor-like-crudeness) is, “Prior Proper Planning Prevents Piss-Poor Performance,” or better known as the Seven P’s. If business leaders and planners spent more time planning, there would be less time assessing and fixing problems.
My challenge to you is to learn how to think more critically. Every time you have a decision to make, ask your self at least three questions regarding the impacts of that decision. It may be as simple as “What should I eat for lunch?”
Josh Brody is the President and CEO of Corporate Guidance Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in helping organizations and individuals realize their potential and enhance their performance.
**Disclaimer** This Blog is for informational purposes only! Corporate Guidance Solutions (CGS) or any CGS employee cannot be held responsible for any positive outcomes you may experience.
Showing posts with label Leadership. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leadership. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Fear? YES!
Fear? Yes!
I decided to take “the leap of faith” as a small business owner in August of 2006. I did this for two reasons. 1) I felt that I was not doing what I really enjoyed doing, and 2) I wanted to help people work together better through individual commitment.
Leadership and being positive have come natural to me during my adult life, and like many people, I learned from past experiences. I realized that I had more to offer my family, society, and moreover…MYSELF!
Stepping out and taking risk is not a natural thing for humans to do. We as a human race have grown to be bigger risk takers over the last 20 years. Remember when Evil Knievel was the only “crazy” person jumping motorcycles over buses and crevasses? Now “crazy” people have competitions to see who can do the craziest trick without dying.
The same thing holds true for life in general. It is so easy to rest on our laurels and take the easy way out. I mean, we get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, and repeat. Albeit, the job may be satisfying and well paying, but many of us feel locked-in because of a false sense of security.
My experiences have led me from private industry, to the military, and the federal government. I have seen the people who go by, day-after-day, week-after-week, waiting until the day they can apply for retirement. No risk, no energy, no mission, no goals. I decided that I did not want to be one of those people. After all, if I am not happy, how can I project a positive outlook and motivate others to be happy?
General Douglas MacArthur made this point, “You win or lose, live or die – and the difference is just an eyelash.”
I agree with MacArthur, but I profess to be an advocate of thought evolution, better known as personal growth. At first there is usually a fear of risk; as we age we begin to fear regret. I was always afraid to venture out and take that “leap of faith.” Now, I don’t want to be the one that says, “I wish I would have done that.”
My challenge to you is to set safe, personal goals and go for them. Make sure they are attainable and quantifiable. Make a plan and keep track of your progress so you always know where you stand. Also, don’t tell anyone at first. Make a positive personal commitment to work toward goal attainment and GO FOR IT! Personal satisfaction, regardless of what you’ve been told is the greatest motivator.
Josh Brody is the President and CEO of Corporate Guidance Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in helping organizations and individuals realize their potential and enhance their performance.
**Disclaimer** This Blog is for informational purposes only! Corporate Guidance Solutions (CGS) or any CGS employee cannot be held responsible for any positive outcomes you may experience.
I decided to take “the leap of faith” as a small business owner in August of 2006. I did this for two reasons. 1) I felt that I was not doing what I really enjoyed doing, and 2) I wanted to help people work together better through individual commitment.
Leadership and being positive have come natural to me during my adult life, and like many people, I learned from past experiences. I realized that I had more to offer my family, society, and moreover…MYSELF!
Stepping out and taking risk is not a natural thing for humans to do. We as a human race have grown to be bigger risk takers over the last 20 years. Remember when Evil Knievel was the only “crazy” person jumping motorcycles over buses and crevasses? Now “crazy” people have competitions to see who can do the craziest trick without dying.
The same thing holds true for life in general. It is so easy to rest on our laurels and take the easy way out. I mean, we get up, go to work, come home, go to bed, and repeat. Albeit, the job may be satisfying and well paying, but many of us feel locked-in because of a false sense of security.
My experiences have led me from private industry, to the military, and the federal government. I have seen the people who go by, day-after-day, week-after-week, waiting until the day they can apply for retirement. No risk, no energy, no mission, no goals. I decided that I did not want to be one of those people. After all, if I am not happy, how can I project a positive outlook and motivate others to be happy?
General Douglas MacArthur made this point, “You win or lose, live or die – and the difference is just an eyelash.”
I agree with MacArthur, but I profess to be an advocate of thought evolution, better known as personal growth. At first there is usually a fear of risk; as we age we begin to fear regret. I was always afraid to venture out and take that “leap of faith.” Now, I don’t want to be the one that says, “I wish I would have done that.”
My challenge to you is to set safe, personal goals and go for them. Make sure they are attainable and quantifiable. Make a plan and keep track of your progress so you always know where you stand. Also, don’t tell anyone at first. Make a positive personal commitment to work toward goal attainment and GO FOR IT! Personal satisfaction, regardless of what you’ve been told is the greatest motivator.
Josh Brody is the President and CEO of Corporate Guidance Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in helping organizations and individuals realize their potential and enhance their performance.
**Disclaimer** This Blog is for informational purposes only! Corporate Guidance Solutions (CGS) or any CGS employee cannot be held responsible for any positive outcomes you may experience.
Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Ethics Awareness
Your ETHICAL style
When you make a decision or analyze a situation, what matters most to you? Is it the final outcome? Is it how the majority of people will be affected? Or is it the character of certain individuals? How do you approach situations? When making those difficult decisions, what is the most important aspect to consider? Only you know the answers to these questions.
In this post I will scratch the surface of the Ethical Awareness Inventory. I will give brief definitions of what each person thinks of while making a decision or utilizing any thought process.
There are four major components (Character, Obligation, Results, and Equity) to the Ethics Awareness Inventory. If you took an Ethics Awareness Inventory or survey in the past you know what I am talking about. If not, that’s okay. The results of an inventory would be listed within one of the aforementioned.
They are:
If Character is the overwhelming factor, your perspective leans toward what it is good to be, rather than what it is good to do. You believe that moral excellence should be achieved and look beyond an individual’s actions and into his/her character.
If Obligation is what drives you, you look toward duty, or obligation to do what is morally correct. You believe that ethical principals should be respectful of human dignity, be universal, and promote individual freedom.
If Results are most important to you, the consequences of actions usually take precedence. Ethical judgment must be based on concrete, factual evidence. Talking is not good enough, action is what matters.
If Equity is what revs your motor, you look for stability. Pragmatism and normal day-to-day experiences are usually the only real guide to action. You believe that no set decision is adequate for all time.
You will notice that the acronym for the above categories is C.O.R.E. It is fairly simple to remember because your CORE values guide your ethics and decision making skills.
What are your thoughts on ethics? When do ethics play a role in your decision making process, and do you think about others, respect, outcomes, or yourself? What is the difference between right and wrong, and how often do you battle with making a decision because of fine line between right and wrong?
My challenge to you is to figure out what the most important factor to you when making a decision. Ask yourself these questions: Who will my decision affect? What will the ramifications be? Is it right or wrong? Is a person’s character more important than the outcome they produce?
Josh Brody is the President and CEO of Corporate Guidance Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in helping organizations and individuals realize their potential and enhance their performance.
When you make a decision or analyze a situation, what matters most to you? Is it the final outcome? Is it how the majority of people will be affected? Or is it the character of certain individuals? How do you approach situations? When making those difficult decisions, what is the most important aspect to consider? Only you know the answers to these questions.
In this post I will scratch the surface of the Ethical Awareness Inventory. I will give brief definitions of what each person thinks of while making a decision or utilizing any thought process.
There are four major components (Character, Obligation, Results, and Equity) to the Ethics Awareness Inventory. If you took an Ethics Awareness Inventory or survey in the past you know what I am talking about. If not, that’s okay. The results of an inventory would be listed within one of the aforementioned.
They are:
If Character is the overwhelming factor, your perspective leans toward what it is good to be, rather than what it is good to do. You believe that moral excellence should be achieved and look beyond an individual’s actions and into his/her character.
If Obligation is what drives you, you look toward duty, or obligation to do what is morally correct. You believe that ethical principals should be respectful of human dignity, be universal, and promote individual freedom.
If Results are most important to you, the consequences of actions usually take precedence. Ethical judgment must be based on concrete, factual evidence. Talking is not good enough, action is what matters.
If Equity is what revs your motor, you look for stability. Pragmatism and normal day-to-day experiences are usually the only real guide to action. You believe that no set decision is adequate for all time.
You will notice that the acronym for the above categories is C.O.R.E. It is fairly simple to remember because your CORE values guide your ethics and decision making skills.
What are your thoughts on ethics? When do ethics play a role in your decision making process, and do you think about others, respect, outcomes, or yourself? What is the difference between right and wrong, and how often do you battle with making a decision because of fine line between right and wrong?
My challenge to you is to figure out what the most important factor to you when making a decision. Ask yourself these questions: Who will my decision affect? What will the ramifications be? Is it right or wrong? Is a person’s character more important than the outcome they produce?
Josh Brody is the President and CEO of Corporate Guidance Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in helping organizations and individuals realize their potential and enhance their performance.
Wednesday, February 28, 2007
Build a person, not a position!
Build a person, not a position!
Marcelene Cox said, “A child can never be better than what his parents think of him.”
How true is this statement? Many of you will read this and think about the times your parents helped to build you as an individual. How often they said things like, “You can do anything you want,” or “you are so smart!” Unfortunately, others who read this will think about how many times they did not hear encouraging, uplifting, and motivating statements.
Without completing research on the matter, it is difficult to say how the majority of each type of individual would be affected either way. However, here are a couple of things I do know when using this theory, whether it be with children, employees, co-workers, etc.
- Once is not enough. Reinforcement is the key to their success. If you believe in them, tell them so, and do it often. This will build confidence and rewards.
- Build the foundation. If you help someone to build self-confidence and self-respect, they will emulate that and gain respect wherever they go in life.
- Trust is essential! Through often confidence building statements, a new level of trust will be built between you and the other individual. With trust comes confidence and respect.
Of course there are exceptions to this. We have all seen made for TV movies in which a child raised in a destructive home refuses to be held down and becomes the President of a Fortune 500 company. But these cases are rare and shouldn’t be viewed as the norm.
My challenge to you is to build a person from within. Provide confidence building statements to your children, co-workers, and employees. See what miracles happen when those people know how much confidence you have in them. Watch the level of responsibility grow exponentially.
Remember; build a person, not a position!
Josh Brody is the President and CEO of Corporate Guidance Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in helping organizations and individuals realize their potential and enhance their performance.
Marcelene Cox said, “A child can never be better than what his parents think of him.”
How true is this statement? Many of you will read this and think about the times your parents helped to build you as an individual. How often they said things like, “You can do anything you want,” or “you are so smart!” Unfortunately, others who read this will think about how many times they did not hear encouraging, uplifting, and motivating statements.
Without completing research on the matter, it is difficult to say how the majority of each type of individual would be affected either way. However, here are a couple of things I do know when using this theory, whether it be with children, employees, co-workers, etc.
- Once is not enough. Reinforcement is the key to their success. If you believe in them, tell them so, and do it often. This will build confidence and rewards.
- Build the foundation. If you help someone to build self-confidence and self-respect, they will emulate that and gain respect wherever they go in life.
- Trust is essential! Through often confidence building statements, a new level of trust will be built between you and the other individual. With trust comes confidence and respect.
Of course there are exceptions to this. We have all seen made for TV movies in which a child raised in a destructive home refuses to be held down and becomes the President of a Fortune 500 company. But these cases are rare and shouldn’t be viewed as the norm.
My challenge to you is to build a person from within. Provide confidence building statements to your children, co-workers, and employees. See what miracles happen when those people know how much confidence you have in them. Watch the level of responsibility grow exponentially.
Remember; build a person, not a position!
Josh Brody is the President and CEO of Corporate Guidance Solutions, a consulting firm specializing in helping organizations and individuals realize their potential and enhance their performance.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Followers are just as important as leaders.
There are two kinds of people in the world; leaders and followers. It doesn't matter which category you fall within, because both leaders and followers are needed to make things work in the world, and are equally important. As a matter of fact, most leaders have great followership skills.
In fact, with the amount of information and training available today for leadership, many people who are uncomfortable in leadership roles are often "pushed" into being something they are not. Many people are very happy doing what they need to do, and being part of the team. How many times have you been in an office and run into the janitor, and he has been one of the happiest individuals in the building? How many times have you been in a restroom at a swanky hotel or restaurant and it seemed the happiest employee was the attendant handing you the towel?
Followers are just as important as leaders. Leaders create vision! Followers generate revenue!
After all, each person, no matter what their position or status within an organization has value. Good leaders recognize what value each person has and they capitalize on it. Followers know what they do best and don't mind doing whatever it takes to get the job done. They are usually the epitome of the word TEAM! They have individual projects they lead.
Leaders that are open to discussion, get "out and about" in their organization, and keep their finger on the pulse so to speak...are invaluable.
Many organizations have leaders with the "Halo Effect." Many times followers become apprehensive about making recommendations or small decisions because they feel like leadership is unapproachable. Great leaders empower their people to be great followers. By doing this, they build confidence and ingenuity. Remember, without good people and ideas, leaders would not lead!
More to follow…
Josh Brody is the President and CEO of Corporate Guidance Solutions, a consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations and individuals realize their potential and enhance their performance.
corporateguidancesolutions@gmail.com
In fact, with the amount of information and training available today for leadership, many people who are uncomfortable in leadership roles are often "pushed" into being something they are not. Many people are very happy doing what they need to do, and being part of the team. How many times have you been in an office and run into the janitor, and he has been one of the happiest individuals in the building? How many times have you been in a restroom at a swanky hotel or restaurant and it seemed the happiest employee was the attendant handing you the towel?
Followers are just as important as leaders. Leaders create vision! Followers generate revenue!
After all, each person, no matter what their position or status within an organization has value. Good leaders recognize what value each person has and they capitalize on it. Followers know what they do best and don't mind doing whatever it takes to get the job done. They are usually the epitome of the word TEAM! They have individual projects they lead.
Leaders that are open to discussion, get "out and about" in their organization, and keep their finger on the pulse so to speak...are invaluable.
Many organizations have leaders with the "Halo Effect." Many times followers become apprehensive about making recommendations or small decisions because they feel like leadership is unapproachable. Great leaders empower their people to be great followers. By doing this, they build confidence and ingenuity. Remember, without good people and ideas, leaders would not lead!
More to follow…
Josh Brody is the President and CEO of Corporate Guidance Solutions, a consulting firm that specializes in helping organizations and individuals realize their potential and enhance their performance.
corporateguidancesolutions@gmail.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
