Why Teams Work

When we discuss the qualities of a great team, there is often a mystifying intangible. In our language we may describe them as having good chemistry, or the team is dynamic. We know the team has certain qualities that make it great like good communication skills but we rarely stop long enough to understand the mechanics of good communication. We are just happy to be part of a functional team and get on with the work. Can teams like this be intentionally built? What if the workplace is toxic? Yes and YES!

What is noticeable in teams that are authentically functional and sustainable is that they balance structure and flexibility in their delivery of information. This balance can be described as linear/non-linear or formal/informal.

Most organizations have a fairly good understanding of linear and formal types of communication. These appear like internal communications plans and newsletters and external annual reports. Chances are, if your team is not functioning well, it is because the rich depth of informal communication is absent.

Storytelling is an emergent field within work organizations that includes the kind of informal sharing provided by blogs and other social networking tools. It can be as simple as a weekly shared lunch with the team, or a mentoring arrangement. Its combined significance is profound.

Storytelling is a sharing of experience and in order for it to work successfully it needs to have an audience of active listeners. I have witnessed even the most toxic situations dissolve with the careful application of these tools.

Just think about it: How could chronic issues in your work or home environment be resolved with the implementation of sharing, listening and learning?

Just do it: Try a peer pod meeting. Peer groups can meet to share a challenge, a success and a goal on a regular basis. Careful: active listening is not about fixing someone else or their project. It is about providing informal support by supportive storytelling environments. If you feel the person sharing needs to be challenged to grow, try phrasing your challenge as a question rather than a judgement. You may be surprised how much more accountable people become when they feel like someone is really listening.

The Organic Project

Due to my rampant optimism, I often have three or four half-digested books by my bed. The part of me that knows I have what I need gets guilt-tripped by the part of me that believes I should finish them up. If you have been in this place, you are probably thanking your mother right now for all those times she made you clean your plate.

This stick-to-it endurance is considered valuable in the workplace, in family and relationships. If you have it; you are regarded as someone who can get the job done.

In a work environment, the challenge with this determination is that most new projects plans are conceived with limited perspective and information. These types of projects typically start strong and then the value begins to leak out of them before implementation making the outcome less than inspiring. Alternatively, I have heard project managers bemoan projects that start out small and then morph into something unpredicted. Why does this happen?

I believe that effective projects have a natural tendency to evolve as they mature and that change in scope or project creep should be an anticipated outcome of something that is taking on a life of its own.

Just think about it: Rather than grappling to control the liveliness of the project in order for it to match the original plan, what if teams could revisit the project objectives as a powerful positive? Imagine the difference sitting your team down at a natural interval to say, “This project is developing proper lift and momentum, now it’s time to rebalance the outcomes with time and budget variables. More often the project manager is called to explain why the project “has gone off the rails and how will he/she get it back in control.”

If an evolving project is meeting the objectives, adding value and people are well deployed; we might be better to congratulate ourselves for investing in the project that was the greatest benefit to the organization at the time.

The natural question is how to budget for this growth tendency? A group I worked with recently has altered their quoting process to deliver proposals with budget ranges. It is much better protection for them from the client’s enthusiastic add-ons, the client is happier that their inspired ideas are received within the range and the company does not suffer from quoting too low based on prior information.

Emerging through Transformation

It's the season of emerging here at the Edge of Ontario's Algonquin Park.

• snapping turtles crawl from the lake to lay eggs in rocky soil - often at great risk to life and shell as roadside gravel seems to offer the perfect mix of digability and protection for the ping pong ball-like eggs from predators like weasels and foxes.
  
• what we know as dragonflies emerge from the lake bottoms where they have spent seven years as creepy crawlies... hatching out of their exoskeleton and unfolding their wings on a tree or rock they wait for the right moment to take flight and enjoy new sources of food and sex. Of course there is the risk that one of many types of birds will snatch them out of the air ending their adventure.
  
• spring peepers gather in a courtship ritual and attract mates with a deafening chorus in the early evening . . . in the morning, a stork-like blue heron, stalking the mud is looking to lower the volume by a few such frogs with a breakfast snack.
  

When an organization undergoes reorganization, change, or growth there is often great anxiety coupled with great opportunity. Successful organizations take risks, but also mitigate against the threats that wait to stifle growth.

Just think about it: What changes is your organization going through? How are you stepping out and enhancing your current operations?

Just do it: Be sure to understand the fear that your team members have about change. Listen without judgment to the threats and risks they identify - whether personal or organizational. You'll be better able to draft an emergence plan that balances risk / reward so that your organization isn't someone else's dinner.

Employer Summit in Toronto

We hope to see you at the Employer Summit in Toronto March 22-23. We're looking forward to an inspiring couple of days among Canada's Top 100 Employers.

todd.
Corporate Quest Canada
http://www.corporatequest.ca

Why consider executive coaching?

Often when executives notice change is needed they reach for a safety line... in most cases, the safety lines that are most immediately available do not produce the best results. There are many ways of acquiring new skills, some more effective than others. Transferring those skills to the workplace differs drastically depending on the type of training chosen.

Thank you to Jennifer East for providing this highly thought-provoking research on the effectiveness of coaching compared to other less intensive training opportunities.

Elements of Training // Transfer to work place
Presentation // 5-10%
Demonstration // 5-10%
Practice // 5-10%
Feedback (with practice) // 5-10%
Coaching (after training) // 90%

Having a confidante work with you who understands your challenges and can help you see work in a different light, can help executives most effectively transfer new skills to the workplace.

Just think about it: What change management strategies have you employed in your executive lifestyle? How could you better anchor those changes by surrounding yourself with words, images, and actions that produce the results you are looking for? Is coaching, something you have thought about as a strategy towards bringing about a healthier, more balanced, more productive management style?

Team Building Web Site to Feature Resources

We've just launched a new and improved Team Building Web site at Corporate Quest Canada.
We hope you like the new look at http://www.corporatequest.ca/index.html

We'll soon be linking to a bevy of new team building resources. Stay tuned. and if you have any advice on sites or tools to link to, drop us a line.

Skating on Thin Ice

Today, the lake froze solid.  Ice from shore to shore.  Underneath this thin layer of ice is a lot of water . . . cold water.  Although the surface looks solid, I won't venture going for a walk on lake until late December.  Even then, the ice will only be a few inches thick. 

It is impressive to me, that as little as four inches of ice over water is enough to support a full sized vehicle.

The question I'll be pondering over the next few weeks is, "How thick is the ice?"

In a business context, consider the ice to be the support that staff receive from management.  Do staff have what they require to be successful or are they skating on thin ice?  Am I providing the support needed so that the people who need me can have the confidence to step out beyond their comfort zone to achieve success that might not otherwise be possible.

Like the ice forming over our lake these days, staff can learn to trust that support over time.  A little bit of support on a day to day basis can add up to quite a thick layer of trust that will help you team achieve and exceed their goals.

Just think about it:  What can I do today to thicken the ice for my staff?

Discovering Genious

I was driving in the car the other day with a future staff member when the conversation turned to - How do you know where your genious is?
The assumption is that everyone has an area that he or she excels at. My travelling companion, Karen defined genious as, "that which produces the greatest abundance, for the least amount of time/effort".

In other words, effortless success!
Recent research suggests that there are a number of different types of intelligence. Emotional, analytical, linquistic, artistic, kinesthetic, natural, etc....

Just think about it: When do you feel like a genious? What things do you do with little effort that produce abundance in one form or another.

Just do it: Chat up your staff to find out what their natural intelligence or genious
is, by asking them what they enjoy doing in their spare time, what awards they have been nominated for or won? Where they find effortless success? Then discover, uncover, and create opportunities for your staff to express their genious through their day-to-day work in your business.

What do your references say?

I was thinking about how job applicants need to provide credible resources as an important consideration when applying for a job. Then I started to wonder what our clients say about us? Of course we all pay attention to how our guests feel about their experiences. We use feedback forms and assessment tools to determine how well our experience is received by our clients.

A new reference tool is needed.

I now wonder what do our staff feel about the work environment and the services we offer? Do they fully believe in the services we offer? Are front line staff aware of the quality of experience we offer for clients they do not interact with? Are our staff proud to tell people where they work? Are they happy to introduce the owners to friends and family?

Just think about it:
What do your staff think about your business, your products, your leadership style and your work environment?

Just do it:
Consider taking a few minutes to speak informally with staff about the things that matter most to you. Depending upon the culture of your work environment you may not get honest answers from interviews. Instead, consider implimenting an anonymous survey. Best to do this with a Web-based form.

If it comes down to not feeling you can communicate openly with your staff, you may have some answers to what you really want to know already. The next step is making the decision to do things differently.

The Service Economy

The other night, my wife Martha and I were looking for a place to eat on a rare night out. The first question I offered was, "What do you feel like eating tonight?".
It wasn't long before Martha answered my question with a question.
"What kind of service do you want tonight?" she asked.

That brought to mind a whole other set of variables and eliminated 80% of the options I had rolling through my mind. Off the list were the many neon lit chain restaurants and to my delight as I reflected on her question, to mind came a number of small, intimate, locally run establishments that have over the years provided me with not just a culinary experience, but an engaging enjoyable level of service that is refreshing.

Often, I'm too hungry to make a decision and the advertising and bright lights of the chains often draw me in with the unfulfilled promise of a fulfilling culinary fantasy.

We ate at a small local Italian restaurant and had an evening I won't soon forget. In fact, that night changed my dining decision making process forever.
Regardless of my feeling of hunger I will pause and reflect on the type of service I want as the primary motivator in choosing a dining experience.

Just think about it: Is your business just a commodity or is it much more? How do you encourage your staff to provide a level of service that makes purchasing from you second nature.
Just do it: The next time you are in the marketplace for just about anything, look beyond the commodity you are purchasing and take stock of the level of service you are being offered. And over time, if you are getting great service, don't let the price point sway you away to Walmart or some big box store unless the service level inspires you to exchange some of your hard earned cash.

How Noisy is your Office

The link between noise levels and heart attacks is shown to be significant in a recent medical study.

Just think about it What can you do to reduce the amount of noise in your workplace? What benefits would accrue besides the avoidance of health risks discussed in the study below.

Just do it! Seek out quiet space for yourself every day.

Review
BERLIN, Nov. 23 - Too much noise may increase the risk of heart attack, European researchers say.

In a large case-control study, chronic exposure to environmental noise was associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction in both men and women, according to Stefan Willich, M.D., of the Charité University Medical Center here.

According to the study, the culprit was the noise itself, not the annoyance the noise caused. Dr. Willich and colleagues report in the Nov. 24 online edition of the European Heart Journal.

To study the issue, the researchers enrolled consecutive heart attack patients in Berlin's 32 major hospitals, and matched them with controls admitted for other conditions not thought to be linked to noise, such as inguinal hernia or goiter.

Data on annoyance from noise was obtained through standardized interviews with the 4,115 patients. Data on noise exposure was obtained from a variety of sources, including traffic-noise maps and international standards for workplaces.

At work, chronic exposure to noise was only associated with increased heart attack risk in men.

However, the risk did not rise in step with increasing noise levels, Dr. Willich said. "We seem to be looking at a threshold at which risk occurs and remains constant above this," he said.

The risk threshold is around 60 decibels, or about the level of noise in a large busy office, he said.

After adjusting for other risk factors, the investigators found:

* Men exposed to high environmental sound levels had about a 50% greater heart attack risk than did those in the reference group (exposed to less than 60 db). The odds ratio was 1.46 with a 95% confidence interval ranging between 1.02 and 2.09.
* For women, exposure to high environmental sound levels more than tripled the risk. The odds ratio was 3.36 with a 95% confidence interval ranging between 1.40 and 8.06.
* For men at work, exposure to high sound levels increased the risk by about 30%, compared with a reference group exposed to sound levels of less than 55 decibels. The odds ratio was 1.31 with a 95% confidence interval ranging between 1.01 and 1.70.

The researchers also found that the level of annoyance people felt at high noise levels wasn't a factor. In neither men nor women was there a significant link between annoyance and increased risk of heart attack.

However, Dr. Willich said, for women there was a trend toward risk increase because of annoyance: the adjusted odds ratio was 1.47, with a 95% confidence interval ranging from 0.95 to 2.25.

Most previous studies have focused on men, he said, and this was the first study to show an effect in women. The findings raise the possibility of a "gender-specific reaction and pathophysiological response," which needs to be investigated further, he said.

The study was limited, Dr. Willich said, in that it didn't look at transitional noise exposure -- such as driving to work on a busy expressway -- and didn't include rural populations or people over 70.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration says workers can be exposed to 90 decibels for as long as eight hours. The equivalent standard in Europe is 85 decibels.

But this study implies that both standards are too high, Dr. Willich said. "We should definitely be looking at something lower," he said, "somewhere between 65 and 70 decibels."

Primary source: European Heart Journal
Source reference:
Willich SN et al. Noise burden and the risk of myocardial infarction. European Heart Journal. 2005. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehi658

Team Building: Chubb takes a risk

Risk Management is a part of the insurance business and the Chubb Personal Insurance Canada management team took part in a big time adventure at the Edge this week on a customized RailQuest team building retreat. Just like Earnest Shackleton who set off to discover the south pole, team building participants navigated the ice fields and sought adventure on the water as they learned to navigate and put their compass of values and principles to the test with all manner of adventurous, creative, tribal, and dream time activities.

By all accounts, many discoveries were made on this custom team building adventure.

Eliminate Distractions for Strategy Planning on your next Executive Retreat

Today, I'm sitting in one of our executive retreat buildings that operates on solar power. I'm sending this post to the internet via satellite, as phone lines and other internet access is miles away from this retreat setting. Our remote location on the Edge of Algonquin Park is off-the-grid and we like it that way.

There aren't phones ringing at the Executive Retreat, "the Edge", and communications with the outside world are for the mostpart outgoing only. Our Skype phone and Web phone only operate when we want them to. This environment is a very productive place for me to work.

Often our executive retreat guests inquire about the availability of Blackberry access, wireless Internet and other devices which have become such an important part of the executive landscape. Although we can provide wireless Internet access, we usually hide the computers when our executive retreat guests arrive.

One of the most valuable assets of our remote executive retreat location is the elimination of distractions.

A recent article I read highlighted the drop in performance that an intense office setting can bring, with a 10 point drop in functional IQ in such executive settings.
Imagining a business stategy meeting with beeping palm organizers, blackberries and Internet messages demanding the attention of retreat meeting attendees most executives would agree that such distractions limit performance and the amount of work that can get done.

However, there is a deeply ingrained fear that such distractions are a necessary part of doing business, with over 50% of business people claiming to respond to each piece of email within one hour!

Park the thought that your business will suffer as a result of getting away from electronic communications for a few days. Our guests who may spend three to four days away from the communication matrix while participating on our retreats, find the setting and lack of distraction an incredible boost to productive business plannning.

If you are truly looking to map the future of your organization, whether in a business planning meeting, or full fledge retreat, do yourself a favour and plan strategies to limit the influx of daily distractions.

Just think about it:What steps can I take to elimnate distractions in my workplace to be more productive, and how can I plan more productive meetings by asking participants to limit the distractions that might intrude.

Just do it:Plan your next executive retreat in a remote location that doesn't have Internet access. Be sure to turn on your autoresponders to let people know when you will be available. Then tune out the electronic world and tune into your team and enjoy the most productive executive retreat possible.

Leading by Serving - Deep Team Building

Often when I explain how things work at the Edge to folks inquiring about team building over the phone, I can hear the sound of eyebrows being raised as the person I am speaking with tries to understand the value of . . . doing your own dishes while they are here for a team building retreat.

After all, our team building services are not cheap. So in addition to the incredible team building experiences we offer, why shouldn't we have their plates cleared for them so that they can get on with the business of their team building retreat.

It's not easy stepping into the role of service, particularly for executives who spend much of their time in a traditional hierarchical business structure.

Service and caring for the team is the essence of true team building. By having empathy for those we work with, we motivate and inspire each other to be the best people we can be. . . achieving and overachieving as a team. It can be easy to demonstrate such behaviours when we're out for a day of team building adventure, or doing some dreaming together and creating business strategy plans.

But when the work has been done, and a wonderful team meal has been enjoyed, what happens when empty plates litter the table is more telling of the true potential of any team we work with.

Clearing the table of plates of team members, washing them by hand, drying and placing them on the counter for the next meal is a unique team building opportunity that isn't available in traditional settings.

The conversations about personal and team business objectives carries much more weight when we can demonstrate in the simplest everyday actions that we care for the well-being of one another. This is the essence of a team building towards something greater than individual success.

Just think about it: Where are there untapped opportunities to serve your team members?

Just do it:Take opportunities to do things outside of the traditional power structure norms if it fits with the culture of your organization for true deep team building.

English Language is Missing a Word

I'm sure in some culture, some dialect, some language there is a word for what I'm thinking of today. . . but not in English.
Often in work or home life we are engrossed in our own activities, striving for a feeling of personal accomplishment or did-it-ness. In team work, we are faced with an opportunity to share success with others. Such team wins often require the team to make the most of the unique talents of each individual. This requires sharing responsibility, trusting each team member to do their best making use of their unique collection of skills, talents, and abilities.

But distribution of tasks does not lead to automatic success, even with the most accomplished team members making the most of their talents, there is another element that is above all most important.

A Shared Yes.

And that is the word that is missing in the English language.

A Shared Yes is a powerful thing, something that goes beyond teamwork. Beyond a shared goal. A shared yes requires a deep belief that the objectives are worth striving for, that the means to achieving them are distributed within our team, and that only by working in synergy with others it will be possible to achieve our goals.

A Shared Yes requires team members to define the goal together, to recognize the skills talents and abilities that can be drawn out of each individual, and commit to a comprehensive plan for achieving that goal.

There is nothing quite like a shared yes, and there is no word in the English language that quite captures its essence.

Just think about it:
What projects are you working on that others might help you define or refine the goal on?
What skills talents and abilities waiting in others could be put to better use?
Who do you have an affinity with, that you could have a shared strategy-development session with?

Just do it:
Make time to share a Yes with others, and if you think of a word that describes the essense of a shared Yes, please send it along to Todd

What are you leaving on the Cutting Room Floor?

Funerals are wonderful opportunities to reflect on our lives and the important people in them. At a recent funeral gathering I was speaking with a dear friend and opined that perhaps we can consider our lives as just still frames in a much longer movie. We live on in our children and in the lives of others where for at least one shining moment we make a difference.
I hope that time spent with my family and friends, and participating in life-enhancing activities that enable me to connect with the deeper parts of myself and this wonderful world don't end up on the cutting room floor because I decided that I didn't have time for them. I must make time for the important things in my life if I am to be happy and fully content with the life I'm living, now and at the end of my days.
I'm taking time to reflect today on the things that are part of the movie of my life and wondering what things in my movie would be best left on the cutting room floor, making room for more important things. As I sit here typing, I am called to hop in my kayak and make a slow turn about the bay here in our corner of the lake. Yes, even when living in a wonderful world such as I do, it can be easy to overlook the importance of enjoying my surroundings every day. I am making a commitment to go for a sea kayaking paddle tomorrow morning before tending to the other needs of business and living. I know I'll feel better having made this choice to start off my day.
And when the gang (Martha, Tim, Emily and Natalie) return to the lodge, I'm going to spend some quality time with each of them and all of them.
Just Think About it: What would you like to pick up off the cutting room floor and make room for in the movie of your life?
Just do it: Choose one thing to enhance your day tomorrow and make a commitment to do it. You will have to also commit to cutting something less important out of your day in order to make it happen.

Newfoundland - Team Building for Community Enhancement

I've just returned from two weeks of "Community Team Building" working with two good friends in delivering an Experiential program in Gros Morne National Park in Newfoundland.

The Wonder of such places, motivates and inspires all people to look at the potential within themselves and their team.

Whenever I deliver a team building program I learn quite a bit about myself. This time, I got a huge dose of admiration for the strengths of others. After the third day of experiences, I shared a short conversation with one of my partners who was feeling a bit out of sorts, because one of our partners didn't share the same delivery style or focus. As I listened to the story, I knew the essence of team. It bubbled forth in a wave of appreciation.

When working with others, I don't have the energy to worry about how or what others are doing, I am totally focused on what I need to do. In letting others build teams and potential in their own way, it permits each of me to deliver my true essence, my personal brilliance. . . and so too, they deliver theirs.

Sure, I would do some things differently, if I were them, but the point is, I'm not. Our differences are what make our delivery team so special, and our experiences so memorable and meaningful.

Upon leaving a building, at the end of the training, our team reviewed the comments of participants to better prepare for our next group. We were all amazed at the consensus of the course participants. They knew us better than we knew ourselves. They identified each of our unique personalities and the strengths that were evident among our team.

My colleague and I flew home with a complete understanding that our differences are what make our team building capacity so great.

Just think about it: When can you give up a little bit of control to let others on your team contribute their true essence?

Just do it: The next time the urge to confront someone on your team with what they are doing that bothers you, take a look at the deeper strengths that are present in that individual and help them bring their passion to the forefront, to ensure that unparalleled success follows as a natural byproduct of your team building endeavors.

A Treat for the Senses

I'm testing our new web server. Hopeful.

Team Building with Appreciative Inquiry

Four team building components that we have been using over the past 8 years are crucial to creating meaningful, memorable, successful Corporate team building experiences for executive teams. By simple trial and error, we've found that ensuring there is Appreciative Inquiry time for Discovering (Adventure), Dreaming, Designing (Creative Expression), and Tribal Community Gathering we engage our guests in a way that is truly remarkable.

Yesterday, a departing executive team member remarked, "When we were finally going to get down to our concrete business planning today, I was doubtful we would accomplish what was needed, having spent a great deal of time on fun, seamingly unrelated activities. At the end of the day I am truly amazed at what we have accomplished and I feel full of energy, not depleted as I usually am at the end of a business planning session."

Indeed these folks are headed toward a new year with a brighter outlook because they took the time to include each of these elements.

Just think about it: For your last executive retreat or team building session, how many of the above components were included? How successful was your event? Could it have been enhanced by adding an element or two?

Just do it: Regardless of the team building solution you seek, ensure the service provider takes the time to include the four cornerstones that result in 100% engagement of participants and produces real extra-ordinary results.

Todd

Taking Time

Great Teams take time for the important things. Great Leaders take time for the important things. The key is determining which are the important things and which are not. Then making the decision to do what is best for ourself, our families, our teams.

A few years ago, my brother reminded me that you only get 80 chances in a lifetime to appreciate the Fall Colours. That of course assumes a lot. But even if its a few more or less, the point is you only get a limited amount of time to enjoy the world around us and the special people in our lives.

Taking time out to feel alive whether its an autumn walk with friends or family, or a round of golf on a sunny day, or even time alone just breathing in the fresh air and natural beauty of some natural location is what contributes to the wellness of many people.

Each day, we can decide that the urgent and sometimes important things in our lives need to take a backseat to personal wellness.

Choosing to go to bed early to rise and breath in a freshly brewed coffee while the sun rises is avaiable to me. It's also a choice to turn on the TV or radio to keep my mind busy. Sometimes letting the quiet seep into my bones is all I really need to perform at my best on the job. When I take the time to rejuvenate myself, I get more done in less time with less energy and less stress.

Often, Nature is what recharges my batteries. What recharges yours?
Just think about it: What natural space can you escape to?
Just do it: Plan 15 minutes in your day tomorrow to enjoy some time in nature or with someone you love. Don't commit to anything except engaging with a special someone or some place.

When doing one of the above, don't be connected to outcome, just experience making a deep connection without expectation of anything special. Incidentally, try connecting with a person or place you may have avoided for a long time. Such an act may yield some interesting rewards.

Return to work and check in to see if it makes a difference in your day. You may find yourself giving permission to yourself and others to take time out to ensure a healthier, happier, more productive staff.

Home Page of Corporate Quest

To Care

A recently completed senior executive retreat revolved around caring. Many program activities presented throughout the three day retreat gave participants an opportunity to care for one another. Our experiences don't tend to instill a caring attitude on on organization, more accurately, they reveal one waiting to be lived. Perhaps the most revealing element of our remote executive retreats is what happens between program elements and business planning sessions; the spontaneous acts of caring and compassion that are of an every day nature.

Of course we all have the intention (I) to care, but there are two other elements that are sometimes elusive.

We need to have our attention (A) tuned to the possibility that caring might be needed in a given situation. Sometimes, program elements are overtly set up with a need for participants to be cared for and care for one another. During my business day or any other ordinary day away from the Edge at home or work, or in public spaces, my awareness may bring to my attention a need to care; either for someone I know or someone I don't.

Just think about it: Have you encountered anyone today who needed care?

The third component of caring is making a decision (d) to care. Knowledge that an individual may require care, can spur us as individuals or communities to step in and offer assistance or care where it is required. This can only occur if we decide that we want to intercede and care.

For most of us, we have an inherent willingness or intention to care. Where we fall short is in paying attention to the needs of others or in making the decision to care.

To be aware, requires us to pay attention to our surroundings and that requires us to be healthy and not overburdened ourselves. Taking steps to ensure my individual personal health by eating properly, exercising and doing other things that are good for my soul, helps me to be ready to offer care to friends, family, co-workers, or passersby more often.

To make the decision to care is perhaps the most difficult part of the equation. I may be healthy enough to care, recognize that care is required, but something special is required to coax me forward to intercede and offer aid. I must first be assured of my safety (physically, emotionally, intellectually). Then I must decide to step beyond myself and reach out.

Sometimes I am hesitant to offer care because I do not respect or feel in any way responsible to care. As I become a caring person, I am challenged more often to step up and care for individuals that normally I don't care about. Afterwards, I want to feel satisfaction knowing I am living up to my personal principles and values.

Just do it: The next time you are aware that caring is required and you feel you have the capacity to care, don't hesitate, step in and offer care.

To remember what is needed to be a caring human being, consider the acronym: A-I-D, Aid. Focus on having the Attention, Intention and make a Decision to reach out and care.

Lao-Tse lives in my computer

We've been beset by numerous computer challenges recently including virus attacks and a recent hard drive crash. The regularity of our computer woes is a bit alarming and I seem to be the most affected by these bi-annual meltdowns.

A few years ago when this would happen, I would take the computer to the repair shop and take a few days off to enjoy some time in nature.

At the height of our booking season, its not too feasible to have everyone take a few days off until things are working again, so perhaps we are to focus our attention in other areas.

One time a technician working on the problem reported to me, "Your computer is toast, do you have it backed up?" Of course I've learned and we have copies of copies of most of our work, data, etc. But the thing I remember is what I wrote on the paper in my dismay at having lost everything,

" Computer is taoist." (toast spelled improperly)

I giggled to myself at that freudian slip of sorts. I thought it quite a coincidence that my CPU (short for central processing unit) was very close to the toaist spelling of P'u, the basic Taoism principle that states: "all things are beautiful in their own right"

According to Lao-tse, the father of Taoism (pronounced dowism), the world is full of lessons and everything has its own nature which cannot be violated without causing trouble. I know that without computers functioning, deadlines are missed and client needs are not met. What do I have to learn from what is going on around me?

Wu-Wei might be a better operating system than Windows XP. Don't force things to happen. Go with the flow, and work with what you've got.

Since my computers are not functioning, I ask myself, "How can I transform this situation so that it has a benefit?" I can spend extra time with my kids or give attention to important people in my life or find time to wander about in nature (or on a golf course!) not feeling negligent about what I'm supposed to be doing, because I cannot do it.

Have you noticed how some people can actually cause computers to function improperly? I've noticed that the attitude and energy of the person working at the computer has quite a bit to do with how well the machine functions. Just ask yourself:Do you have other things in your world that respond to you in a reflective way based on your sense of balance and harmony? What are they trying to say to you?

I think about how much our lives have changed in the past twenty years. Now a powerful Taoist guru is silently teaching me the ability to enjoy the simple and the quiet.

Just do it: Spend a few minutes reflecting on what is going on around you. What is the world reaching out and trying to say to you.

Turtle Teachings

Over the past three days I've seen eight snapping turtles laying eggs. These ancient creatures that have been around for hundreds of thousands of years virtually unchanged. I watch the mother turtles dig, dig, dig, then drop gooey ping pong ball eggs into the 12 inch deep hole and cover them over before returning to the water.

What is most striking is that these turtles are seeking out the best location to lay their eggs and they have all come to the same conclusion: The gravel at the side of the road is just the spot!

There is a fierceness and dedication shown in these turtles as they face danger that roars by on the road a few feet from their nest, because the gravel there is the best nesting site.

Chunky granite gravel must be easy to dig, while provide a safe amount of protection from preditors, and being a proper type of material for freshly hatched turtles to climb through and make it safely to the surface before heading to the nearby water.

Over the millenia, snapping turtles have found the courage to stand their ground. As Gloria Estifan is singing on the radio as I type: hopefully, "I’ve finally found the courage to stand my ground."

I'm called to think about my fierceness today.
Just think about it:
What am I willing to risk life and limb for? What values do I stand for in my workplace with my team? How do I communicate these values? In the face of what adversity do I turn and return to safety, while neglecting my deeper need to stand up and do or say the right thing?

Fierceness is not the same as agressiveness, it's more like tenacity, or a willingness to be seen doing the right thing.

Others should not recoil from me because I am loud or abrasive while stating my needs with my team, or doing my work the way it needs to be done.

Like the snapping turtle, I may need to cloak myself in protective armour and dress for success, and project my needs with confidence and self assuredness. But also like the turtle, I need to just do what I need to do, how I need to do it, and when I've done the best that I can, turn my back and head to the safety of the water, and there wait, wait, wait....
in the hopes that some of the eggs I bury make it safely into the world.

Waking up

The days get longer and the sun gets up earlier and every day offers a bit more opportunity to live life to its fullest. Over the past week I have excitedly watched as wildflowers have unfolded in the spring progression that lasts only a few short weeks each year.

Every day I have an opportunity to open my senses and soak up more of my world than I did yesterday. Change is never easy, but taking time once, can yield rewards that make it a much easier decision to make tomorrow.

I was speaking with a friend who has begun rowing on Lake Ontario each morning. The difference it makes in his day is immesurable and he cannot imagine not doing it. Yesterday I went for a morning walk, (something I rarely take the time to do) and was rewarded with the sighting of a white trillium. White trillium are present in large parts of Ontario, but in my forest, it seems red trillium are all I ever see. It was such a surprise and joy to encounter this white trillium that I will remember it and tell stories about it dozens of times I am sure over my lifetime.

Then, later in the day we had an opportunity to walk to a friends cabin in the woods for dinner. What captured my imagination this time was unseen. It was the marvelous fragrance of the forest. The flowers on the trees, shrubs and small wildflowers including spring beauties were making my world delectible.

All in all, these two experiences combined took 10 minutes, and the rejuvenation I felt is still impacting my spirit today. I am a better person because of these encounters.

Just think about it: What special moments are you overlooking today?

Just do it: Give yourself 10 minutes today to give your attention totally to something you encounter every day. It just might make a difference in your outlook on other aspects of your life and make you a better leader or team member.

Tranquility Zone

Clutter makes it difficult for me to get things done. Two years ago I picked up a book in the airport when I read on the back cover the invitation to - Empty your Inbox.
At the time, I was floundering in information. Numerous projects, inquiries that needed to be responded to and the information to complete tasks was making it difficult to get work done. I couldn't see the end, that I was so desperately seeking to find. If someone could show me how to empty my inbox, that would be a big step in the right direction.
Not only did I accomplish emptying my inbox, I also got the rest of my life organized in such a way that I could find things I needed and complete projects in much faster time than ever before. David Allen's Book, Getting Things Done was a life changer - Davidco.com
Key principles that I've put into practice in my life include:
1. Make decisions on things as soon as possible. I gather the info I need and make a decision. Putting off decisions clutters up my mind and leaves little room for new ideas to sprout. Indeed, the non-decided-upon item will keep coming to mind, invading my conciousness at all times and places until I commit to action. My mind becomes tranquil.
2. Attach an action to items that come into my inbox and write actions down. If it takes less than two minutes, I just do it. If it's action that is obvious it goes into the "@Action" folder as is. Sometimes I need to think about it for a while and make a separate note on what I need to do. If its reference material that I will refer to in the future, it gets filed alphabetically in a project folder. Do yourself a favor and get an instant electronic labeller - getting organized is fun! Otherwise, it's recycled paper! When my inbox is empty - or nearly so, I have time for reflection and consideration of new opportunities.
3. If the action has a time attached to it, like a meeting by phone, deadline, bill payment time, or other calendar event it gets written into my calendar. I've found my computer calendar in outlook just doesn't work for me.
4. I've created a tranquility zone on my desk! My workspaces are sometimes used by other people and it is important that I have control over my world. A small turtle (an important symbol for me) sits on my desk keeping clutter at bay and focusing my attention on things that matter.
5. Each day starts by identifying the items requiring less than two minutes of my time, followed in non-specific order by items which take a bit longer.

These are just a few of the many, many great ideas I've learned about getting things done.

In short, my inbox is usually empty and I have no trouble locating the information I require, when I require it. Without the book, there are three simple things you can do tomorrow to give yourself some tranquility. Just think about it: What one thing is currently intruding on your thoughts through the day, what action step can you commit to, in order to deal with it? Just think about it:What items have been in your inbox for a long time that would take less than two minutes to deal with? Why not take action on it? Just do it:Create a tranquility zone on your desk or in your workspace.

Profit Through Partnership

The following article appeared in the Almaguin News following a seminar Todd presented in Ontario, Canada, May 5th, 2004

Lucier Is Inspiring

Lucier’s presentation, alone, was considered by many well-worth the price of admission.
The owner of Northern Edge Algonquin and Blue Canoe in South River was both entertaining and motivating during a 40-minute presentation — a timeslot that proved far too short for what Lucier had planned to offer.
Nevertheless, the crowd was given a glimpse into how a business or venture can succeed and prosper in the region, with or without pavement.
Todd Lucier contends that niche markets have to be actively sought, fostered and marketed in innovative and creative ways.
He told those assembled at the conference to stop thinking about ‘Almaguin Highlands’ as a Muskoka-type tourist destination, and look for a more global connection.
“Use the power of internationally recognized brands ... like Algonquin Park, not Almaguin Highlands, because there’s nobody out there specifically looking for Almaguin Highlands,” Lucier offered.
He said the market being sought should not be toward those who are passing through the area along Highway 11. Rather, it should be toward customers who have been carefully identified and enticed to a local attraction or event in the region.
“Start thinking about who your best customer is and how you can meet their needs. Ask yourselves, ‘what would they (tourists) come here for?’ And then, market and package it so they will,” offered Lucier.
Success for Todd Lucier and his wife Martha is due in part to something he calls ‘narrowcasting’ — creating and marketing to very narrow groups, niche markets.
Lucier also credits business success to marketing initiatives that partner with corporate identities, like Ontario Northland, Blue Sky Network and the New York Times on marketing initiatives. He believes they lend important credibility to a business.
The Northern Edge Algonquin principal also suggested that it is essential for competitors to work together, not against each other, in marketing their products and/or events.
“Take that old attitude about competition and throw it out ... the only way to succeed is to partner with someone you’re most threatened by, Lucier offered.
“Identify your unique selling points, establish a partnership with people you have an affinity with, and sell each other,” he added.
Lucier said the Internet is the vital link that will help the area prosper economically, regardless of how people travel — whether by highway, rail or air — to reach the region.
The highly successful entrepreneur also warned, “The terror of the (four-lane) highway is not the people who will drive past (your business or community), but the people of the local community who will leave and buy elsewhere.

Just think about it: Who or what are you most threatened by? How can you work "with" this threatening entitity to improve your services or products?

Seeing in Panoramic Format

They call those pictures with a wide angle - Panoramic Images. Movie screens are designed in letterbox format. These wide angle views are more pleasing to most people. Some people get distracted by what isn't there (You know the black bar on top and bottom of the tv screen). I can often get distracted by what isn't there, often avoiding opportunities to be in the moment. Just think about it: What horizontal bars are keeping me from really engaging today? Maybe if I set aside time and attention to the black bars early in the day, I'll become blissfully unaware that they are there for the remainder of the day, much like what happens when enjoying a letterbox movie.


I enjoy creating panoramic images by taking more than one picture and stitching them together being careful to find the natural places they overlap. Together these images can have a very pleasing wide horizontal view of a much larger area and show the big picture. Can you see where this picture of our lodge was stitched together?

When I stitch the photos together, there is a certain level of overlap. It’s that way with the skills and abilities of the people I work with every day. Seen as distinct separate photographs, they can be cropped into nice images, but by piecing the elements together and making use of the overlap between the skills of the people I work with can create a grand image, something, far beyond what is possible by myself. How can I make better use of the skills, talents, unique features of those around me to create grand panoramic images?

What types of skills, talents, and abilities are around me waiting to be stitched into a grander vision? Maybe they are not even within my organization. Is there a way to co-operate to create something bigger and better that what two or more organizations can accomplish on their own? Partnerships can have mutual benefit! How can I use others to enhance the quality of my products or services?

Just do it: Make a list of 5 great skills and abilities lurking your community, and spend 10 minutes thinking about how to put them to better use in panoramic format.

Moose on the Table

I was speaking with someone today about fire walking. It's interesting the things I have absolutely no fear of, while other things can be extremely frightening. Fire walking.... No problem. Clearing a disagreement with someone..... that can be downright scary.
It is difficult to have a dinner conversation with a moose on the table, but that is exactly what happens when an unaddressed issue arises between dinner guests whether attending a family dinner or business lunch. All my thoughts and feelings become shaped by the unacknowledged moose.
Sometimes I try to pretend that the moose isn't there, and the more time that passes before the issue gets dealt with the bigger and more intrusive the moose will get. He'll start running around the room crashing into walls, breaking furniture in an attempt to get noticed.
Sometimes I ignore the destructive force of the moose, when all that is required most often is to open the door to letting the moose outside. This is most easily addressed by speaking about the issue directly. Don't wait until desert, enjoy the whole meal by getting to the point. What's wrong- What is the real core issue that needs to be addressed? Moose destroying house. What will make things right? Open the door.
Most of the time, my dinner guest and I are relieved when the issue finally gets addressed, because it may either be an unknown issue, or something that has been nagging at them as well. Most of the time addressing the issue of the moose in the room, will reveal that there is also a water buffalo roaming in the kitchen. Only when opening the door to let the moose out, does the water buffalo make its presence known, stampeding towards the door. What a mess that can cause if the two wild beasts try to get out at the same time or worse start chasing one another around the room. What might happen is they get stuck in the door together and never leave.
The best thing to do in this case is let the water buffalo out of the room first. Address the needs of this animal by putting the moose in a spare room, with the agreement of my guest to let the moose out as soon as the water buffalo is taken care of. I sometimes find, that the water buffalo was there first. By listening to my dinner guests concern I address the need to enhance our relationship. Instead of feeling challenged in my position, try to understand the deeper need of the dinner guest and find ways of meeting them.
Once the water buffalo leaves the room, it is much easier to coax the moose onto the porch and have the dining room back.
Remember, when dealing with large beasts, they'll cause more destruction over time, best to open the door as soon as possible.
Just think about it: What large beasts are roaming in your world?
Just do it:What small thing can you do to stop the destruction?

Digging Deep: Connecting to the Leader Within

Deep in the heart of every human-being there is a leader. Leaders come in all shapes and sizes, and have a multitude of gifts to share. When I used to think of a leader, what would come to mind is someone who is a strong, independent, and demanding; an extrovert who is not a very good listener. I discovered that my concept of what it means to be a leader came from poor examples of leaders that had influence in my life. My definition of leadership kept me from embracing the leader within myself.

What does it mean to be a true leader? According to author, teacher and sociologist Parker J. Palmer, “a leader is a person who has an unusual degree of power to project on other people his or her shadow, or his or her light. A leader can create conditions that can either be as illuminating as heaven or shadowy as hell. A leader is a person who must take special responsibility for what’s going on inside him or her self, inside his or her consciousness, lest the act of leadership create more harm than good.”

Our world is in desperate need of true leaders. We need leaders to raise our children, and teach them in school. We need leaders to govern our communities and police our neighborhoods. We need leaders heading our corporations and our nations. We need leaders in every walk of life, to help shape our world into a world that embraces rather than excludes.

True leadership is about being honest with ourselves. It is about being willing to look at the parts of ourselves that we’d really rather not! Being a leader is about tapping deep into the well of our inner life. Like a spelunker, a leader must crawl deep into the caves of our innermost being to harvest the gold that lies there. The work of a spelunker can be dangerous, as he/she does not know what lurks behind the shadows. However, the rewards can be very plentiful!

The Grand Canyon

Edges are formed by nature. Even rock, the foundation of the earth yields itself to the forces and pressures that created it. The earth is not perfectly smooth. As I get on my knees and pull apart the grass I can see the changes in elevation and the grooves and cracks in the earth that are essential for growth. No seed can fall on perfectly flat earth and grow. The cracked landscape of the desert is necessary to the survival of many creatures who seek out pockets of cool water, hide from the suns scorching rays, and evade predators. Even larger cracks, scars and edges draw visitors from all over the world to marvel at their beauty; Niagara Falls, Carlsbad Caverns, the Grand Canyon, the Rocky Mountains. I am willing to admire the potential in these faults, but much less receptive to accept the fractures that want to spring forth new growth in me, the fingerprints which illustrate my personal leadership potential.

Ah to be rigid and unchangeable. Strong… powerful… fearless… Just like everyone wants me to be; so that I will not surprise them with new stories, new directions, new dimensions of growth. I can fill those cracks and pretend to be the perfect leader or I can look at my edges and choose to go down inside to search out my essential being. What riches await as my body, mind and soul continually unfold in new patterns like the ever changing spiral DNA that is everything.

Although the edges look scarred, painful and in need of attention, this is the nature of my leadership journey. These edges are normal. The deepest crevasse can lead to the greatest personal and/or professional development. Many times in my life the most frightening events have lead to the greatest growth, healing and renewal.

Cracks do not just appear on the surface, they are channels that run right to my soul. To cover them up with plaster my make them look fine but he underlying structure or foundation will be weak. Sooner of later the plaster will crumble as crystal seeds of passion try to break out of the prison of my defensive personality. The edge is not about destruction, fear, or judgment. It is about love, healing, forgiveness and growth. Cleaning out the clutter that fills in the cracks and makes me feel whole is necessary spring-cleaning. Sometimes, headaches, illness and addictions like alcohol, food or television mask opportunities to grow. How am I filling them, ignoring them, hiding them, covering my rough edges so that no one can see? How do personal challenges impact my relationship with others?

I can help others who work with me transform their fault lines into opportunities for awareness and growth, but I can only do this when I know the landscape of my own pain, my own struggles, through ruthless self examination. Being an archeologist or spelunker, I carefully explore for hidden treasures. Them I can empower others on my team, as a tour guide, bridge person. As I carefully scrape away the makeup and get to know my true self, I marvel at the naturally carved nuances that make me the unique boundless person I have always wished to become, not knowing or understanding that I am already that spiraling, wonderful piece of continually changing creation manifesting greatness even in my perceived weakness. Through the eyes of the leader within, I am the Grand Canyon.

Just think about it: What personal fault lines do you have in your life? Are you being called to appreciate and use them in a new way?

Todd