Eclectic Change

Are your a futurist?

I was very fortunate to be be able to attend the Lift10 Conference for the past three days.   Lift is a series of events built around a community of pioneers who get together in Europe and Asia to explore the social implications of new technologies. Each conference is a chance to turn innovation into opportunities by anticipating the major shifts ahead, and meet the people who drive them. It was extremely eclectic in topic choices and workshops.  What was exciting for me was not to listen...

The slippery slope of eccentricity (A personal work in progress)

This will be posted over Easter when I am off with the family on a journey to visit some German Castles and Legoland. It seems right to take a little time to pontificate on how my life has changed.  A small story of how I have chosen to remain a work in progress and reassemble the pieces of myself.  Too bad it is not as easy as Play-mobile or Lego. When I was in my 30's I use to say that I was in training to be eccentric.  I felt that any eccentricity before the age of 60 was merely being "fl...

Encouraging Differences Starts at Home

Everyone wants to be accepted for who they are.  Mothers are great for that.  While they have high hopes for us, the bottom line is that mothers want us to be happy.  Mothers also quickly learn how their children are similar and how they are are different from them.  The good mothers foster and encourage those differences.  I had a mother like, that even though she worried all the time about me. My mother tried hard to manage me . . . she figured out pretty quickly that I wasn't at all like h...

The Entrepreneurial Mindset (Video)

Today on Twitter I was personally asked, "When you first thought about being an entrepreneur, what did you consider? What was the best idea you heard?" I had just completed a post on my Assessments Today Blog recommending Daniel Isenberg's post on the Harvard Business Review blog: Should You Be An Entrepreneur? This is one of the best  check list I have seen on the subject.  Of the 20 items, Isenberg suggests that if you score 17, you should consider becoming an Entrepreneur.  I scored 16.  G...

Improve Your Leadership Effectiveness By 20% – It Really Is This Easy

I know that I tend to be a little obtuse at times, so I thought that I would create a very simple 10 point list on how to immediately (yes immediately) improve your leadership. The only trick? You must implement half of these and do them every day. (And yes, I pulled the 20% right off the top of my head but I bet I am being conservative.) Smile - A smile goes a long way.  It is one, if not the only, universal body language gestures.  It invites engagement and openness. It communicates as a l...

5 Skills of Eclectic Innovators – Leadership Essencials

Sometimes I think there is a tendency to equate innovator skills with entrepreneurial skills with leadership skills.  While some of the qualities may overlap, I do believe that they are distinct "roles".  That said, just as everyone from parent to CEO can benefit from using and applying sound coaching skills, both entrepreneurs and those in leadership roles can benefit from applying certain innovative skills. Image via Wikipedia A major new study involving some 3,500 executives has high...

5 Skills of Eclectic Thinkers – Leadership Essencials

Eclectic thinkers like their counter parts eclectic philosophers and deep thinkers are bright and inquisitive.  While they tend to be introspective it doesn't appear to be a necessity.  Why is being an eclectic thinker and important skill for leadership (or at least having access to one)?  Eclectic thinkers are the "mavens" who not only have valuable information at their fingertips, they possess the ability to filter through today's noise and create meaning from that data.  While eclectic thinke...