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Master of Your Universe

Watching He-Man raise his sword and calling upon the powers of Grayskull take me back to my childhood living room. He-Man was part of the Masters of the Universe. To this day, I’m not sure how that group became endowed with such power. I know that many times in my life I have not even been the master of my universe. One book that helped me understand my relationship to my own life and how to influence the outcome is The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey.

Covey made such an impact in my life, that I go back to this book year after year to plan and execute my work. The two biggest principles I learned from the book are:

  • I have the capacity to change
  • I can determine how to change

Once I knew that I could influence and determine my future, I was able to get on with the work of doing something about it. The book is divided into two main sections: Personal Victory and Public Victory. The biggest influence on my life has come from the section on personal victory. Personal victory  encompasses three habits: Be Proactive (having the capacity to change), Begin with the End in Mind (Determining how to change), and Put First Things First (manage change).

Putting first things first is the habit that I use most often, it is how I plan my year, each month, and week. This habit has provided the framework on how to look at life and to organize it. Because of this habit, I have a Personal Mission Statement, Personal Values, and  have identified the roles I play in my life.

Thanks to Covey and The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People that I have come to better understand myself. I have learned the things I need to do to determine my future. I have changed the way I live my life, the way I work, and the way I help others. In short, I have become the master of my universe.

Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash

unsplash-logoGreg Rakozy

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Up Your Game: 6 Timeless Principles for Networking Your Way to the Top






Up Your Game: 6 Timeless Principles for Networking Your Way to the Top Book Cover




Up Your Game: 6 Timeless Principles for Networking Your Way to the Top





David Bradford




Non-Fiction




Life Science Publishing




2014




Kindle




192



This was an easy and fun read.  The 6 principles outlined in the book are:

  1. Start Up
  2. Show Up
  3. Follow Up
  4. Link Up
  5. Stand Up
  6. Scale Up

What the booked showed me, was that there is no magic to networking, it is simply to be aware of our relationships and KNOW that they matter.

Start Up

This means to “give with no thought of getting.” I am amazed how many time we need to be reminded of the golden rule, “Do unto others.”  I guess that when people have been cheated on, trampled by loved ones, or otherwise abused it is hard to believe that we have to give freely and others will reciprocate.  I do believe that people will reciprocate, and I am amazed by the love that I have received through out my life.

Show Up

This principle is to be present, and in this world of so many options it is hard to be in the NOW.  I have been guilty of being at home, yet having my head buried on my phone, or my computer.  I have also seen the benefits of showing up, being at the right place.

Follow Up

Return calls, connect back, make something out of an encounter.  There are people who are masters of this art, I am not one of them.  I have to program myself to do a follow-up, but I know tha it is valuable.

Link Up

Go deeper than just “friend” someone, or “connect” with someone, or “follow” someone.  This is the real process of caring for your network.  This is easy for me, I am curious, and genuinely care for people.  My problem is that when I am comfortable in a group, I don’t try to grow it or meet others.  I forget that I need to be more inclusive and continue to find points of interest with other people.

Stand Up

This is about moral fortitude, doing what is right.  This will be something that we all need to constantly think about; and strive to be righteous.

Scale Up

Never stop working on your network, this is your footing for anything that could happened in your career or in life.  You must push forward.

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Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter






Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter Book Cover




Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter





Liz Wiseman



Wonderful book about becoming better by helping those around us excel. Liz Wiseman wrote an article in the blog from Harvard Business Review and I was hooked. You can find the article about Smart Leaders here: http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/08/smart_leaders_get_more_out_of.html I tried to sumarize, mainly so that I don't forget the key points down below.  You can find more information in The Wiseman Group website.

Traits of Multipliers

  • Talent Magnet
  • Liberator
  • Debate Maker
  • Challenger
  • Investor

Talent Magnet

The Four Practices of the Talent Magnet

  1. Look for Talent Everywhere
    1. Appreciate all types of genius
    2. Ignore boundaries
  2. Find People’s Native Genius
    1. Look for what is native
    2. Label it
  3. Utilize People to Their Fullest
    1. Connect people with opportunities
    2. Shine a spotlight
  4. Remove the Blockers
    1. Get rid of prima donnas
    2. Get out of the way

Becoming a Talent Magnet

  1. Become a genius watcher
  2. Pull some weeds

Liberator

The Three Practices of the Liberator

  1. Create Space
    1. Release others by restraining yourself
    2. Shift the ratio of listening to talking
    3. Operate consistently
    4. Level the playing field
  2. Demand Best Work
    1. Defend the standard
    2. Distinguish best work from outcomes
  3. Generate Rapid Learning Cycles
    1. Admit and share mistakes
    2. Insist on learning from mistakes

Becoming a Liberator

  1. Play your chips
  2. Label your opinions
  3. Make your mistakes known

Challenger

The Three Practices of the Challenger

  1. Seed the Opportunity
    1. Show the need
    2. Challenge the assumptions
    3. Reframe problems
    4. Create a starting point
  2. Lay Down a Challenge
    1. Extend a concrete challenge
    2. Ask the hard questions
    3. Let others fill in the blanks
  3. Generate Belief in What Is Possible
    1. Helicopter down
    2. Lay out a path
    3. Co-create the plan
    4. Orchestrate an early win

Becoming a Challenger

  1. Ask a leading question
  2. Take a bus trip
  3. Take a massive baby step

Debate Maker

The Three Practices of the Debate Maker

  1. Frame the Issue
    1. Define the question
    2. Form the team
    3. Assemble the data
    4. Frame the decision
  2. Spark the Debate
    1. Create safety for best thinking
    2. Demand rigor
  3. Drive a Sound Decision
    1. Reclarify the decision-making process
    2. Make the decision
    3. Communicate the decision and rationale

Becoming a Debate Maker

  1. Ask the hard question
  2. Ask for the data
  3. Ask each person

Investor

The Three Practices of the Investor

  1. Define Ownership
    1. Name the lead
    2. Give ownership for the end goal
    3. Stretch the role
  2. Invest Resources
    1. Teach and coach
    2. Provide backup
  3. Hold People Accountable
    1. Give it back
    2. Expect complete work
    3. Respect natural consequences
    4. Make the scoreboard visible

Becoming an Investor

  1. Let them know who is boss
  2. Let nature take its course
  3. Ask for the F-I-X
  4. Hand back the pen

 

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Getting Past No






Getting Past No: Negotiating Your Way from Confrontation to CooperationGetting Past No: Negotiating Your Way from Confrontation to Cooperation Book Cover




Getting Past No: Negotiating Your Way from Confrontation to CooperationGetting Past No: Negotiating Your Way from Confrontation to Cooperation





William Ury




Random House Inc




1993



This book is now my favorite negotiations book, not only does it give a clear framework of what to do when you encounter opposition in a negotiation it also enlightens the reader on the benefits of negotiation. This is a much more enjoyable book than Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, but reading Getting to Yes is essential but not required.
If you seem to come to negotiation circumstances and feel that you did poorly or caved in, then you need to read this book. If you feel cheated or unable to articulate a response to an argument,then you need to read this book. If you want to take a negotiations class and you think your are not good, then you need to read this book.

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The Mirage of Global Markets






The Mirage of Global Markets: How Globalizing Companies Can Succeed as Markets LocalizeThe Mirage of Global Markets: How Globalizing Companies Can Succeed as Markets Localize Book Cover




The Mirage of Global Markets: How Globalizing Companies Can Succeed as Markets LocalizeThe Mirage of Global Markets: How Globalizing Companies Can Succeed as Markets Localize





David Arnold

It's a bit dated now, but it clearly shows the patterns to be mindful of when entering international markets.

The Mirage of Global Markets: How Globalizing Companies Can Succeed as Markets LocalizeThe Mirage of Global Markets: How Globalizing Companies Can Succeed as Markets Localize by David Arnold

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It’s a bit dated now, but it clearly shows the patterns to be mindful of when entering international markets.

View all my reviews

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Getting to Yes






Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In Book Cover




Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In





Roger Fisher, William Ury




Penguin Books




1991



I really enjoyed the book, in particular the Objective Negotiation part. I really feel that the book creates a good framework for a negotiator. A good companion book would be The Truth about Negotiations and Getting Past No: Negotiating Your Way from Confrontation to Cooperation.
The other part I really enjoyed was that of one-text, the idea being that for multilateral negotiations or when a 3rd party is needed, the best way is to use one-text that each part can comment on. I did a simulation not too long ago, and had we used this method all parties would have come out with a better agreement.