Sorry to be graphic, I read somewhere that it attracts eyeballs.

“It’s sooooooo easy, huh?” I thought to myself.

It’s just so easy to stop writing, blogging and sharing on-line. Just stop. And I did. What I’m not going to do is talk about it endlessly. I’m not going to make excuses. F**K that.

Ok?

Forgive me?

Good.

Now I need to work hard to build back the engagement that I did have. I also need learn about those tools that will make this site more visible on-line. Two BIG tasks. In-between, I will work (at my day job). That all important – DAY JOB.

For better or worse.

Cause I love it.

Simple as that.

So, whattya got?

Well, I read recently that people of a certain generation prefer to look at graphics, video and images instead of reading a lot of text. Naturally, I didn’t do any further research before I jumped on the “I am an old man and I like to read” train and started to ask a bunch of questions about how the detail of an idea gets expressed visually. Why? Because, I don’t get it. To me, a bunch of words strung together can look visually pleasing too and you get something from the author you may not get from an image.

A thousand words. Yeah, but are they the right thousand?

Video is a different story though, huh?

I totally get that one.

Think about how much you can communicate with 5 min of video. I recently finished a presentation on Collaborative Project Delivery in which I distilled 7,500 words down to a 45min talk. Like any good Presentation Zen lover and as an Interior Designer I supported my topic with strong visual images (and not a lot of text). It’s not video but you can make the logical leap.

You could read 7,500 words or listen to an Interior Design guy talk about his life experiences supported by imagery.

Hmmmm……

I sure hope I made my audience feel something.

If I did, could I have done the same by simply writing the piece? There is likely an argument for both BUT if people prefer images and video then that’s what they prefer. Is that why TEDx is so huge?

Do you prefer video over writing? Images over text? Or is it a time and place thing for you?

That brings us to today’s quote.

I went to the music industry for this one. Mos Def was once described as the best dressed man in the music industry. I don’t know about that but he sure is one hip cat. Mr. Def (that sounds weird) certainly has committed himself with the quote below. I suppose because he creates emotion through lyrics and sound he sees the value in crafting imagery through words.

With that, I challenge thee, Millennials. Imagine this…..

If that doesn’t brighten your day then maybe this will.

A neutron walks into a bar, sits down and asks “how much for a beer?” After a moment of quiet contemplation, the bartender responds, “For you? No charge.”

Have a great Monday and an awesome week.

If you want to read last week’s quote simply click here.

Cheers!

Can’t you just make a decision already?

Last week my exams finally started.

For those that have been following along I am writing my NCIDQ exams to gain my professional accreditation in my industry, Interior Design. I am an Intern member of an organization called ARIDO which is the governing body that supports the Interior Design industry in Ontario.

Coincidentally, my wife is now the acting president of this organization.

No pressure, right?

She is very supportive of my career however there is an expectation that I finally become a registered Interior Designer during her tenure as president.

The first of three exams is now under my belt.

The next two are in a few weeks so suffice it to say I will be mired in study material in the moments I have free from my busy professional life. If you see a guy with his head buried in a book, well, that’ll be me.

The first exam was 2 intense four hour segments of design exercises to test the ability of an Interior Designer to apply program requirements, translate the requirements to floor plans, to test comprehension, problem solving ability and the knowledge of codes.

No one is meant to work in this manner in real life.

Four hours without a break.

Ridiculous.

Short term pain, long term gain. I suppose.

We all make sacrifices for future gain, right? The choices we make change the outcome of our future, for better or for worse, for as long as we shall live. Sure, in real life, if we make a poor choice we can take corrective action but we all know we have to live with the choices we make.

That’s the way this exam is structured.

Every experience is an opportunity to learn something and that’s the funny thing about exams. Exams are meant to test our ability to communicate what we have learned but in writing this first of three I am learning something new about my ability to communicate, think on my feet and make quick decisions of which I am borne to live with the consequences. No turning back. Ever.

Life experiences are not normally like that, are they?

In reality, when we make decisions we can take as much time as we need to do our due diligence and ensure the decisions are informed, well thought through and practical. Being in a position where choices are severely limited by time changes the perspective of how you decide your course of action.

This is especially challenging for me as I have a tendency to occasionally over think things and thereby potentially lose an opportunity altogether.

This test was a good opportunity to feel the freedom of making a decision and having to simply live with it.

For better or for worse.

There’s no out.

I am not really comfortable with this idea but I can see the long term gain.

Progress.

That brings us to today’s quote.

Why do I keep picking these old guys when it comes to quotes? Does the now generation not have anything interesting to say? Surely, they do, however, I am either remiss to find it or it simply feels right to respect the wisdom of the past. Now did i choose Mr. Emerson because he’s so poetic or is it because his name is Ralph too? You decide (haha).

If that doesn’t brighten your day then maybe this will.

“The past, present and future walk into a bar all at the same time. It was tense.”

Have a great Monday and an awesome week.

If you want to read last week’s quote simply click here.

Cheers!

I read somewhere that listening is really hard. Really?

I am just finishing up a book called The Pin Drop Principle. Admittedly, I read a little less than I should but I do enjoy it. Over the past few years I have read very little for pleasure. I read mostly non-fiction. I find the stuff I learn very gratifying. Mostly.

This business book’s subject is about honing your presentation skills written from the perspective of how actors prepare for their performances. There are a ton of great tips and the book has been very helpful considering I am giving my first “formal” presentation at a course on reinventing construction project delivery in May. My subject is collaborative project delivery which is something I have a real passion for.

What struck me is the chapter on listening.

What?

Why include listening as part of a book on presentations? Well, the importance lies in the interaction between us; you as the communicator and me as the receiver and vice versa. The relationship between the two is fundamental in good communication.

Until I got through this chapter I thought I was an expert at listening. I have been listening off and on for 48 years so I am certainly an expert, right?

Not really.

The book suggested up to 70% of people don’t know how to listen well. Up to 70%! Really? And, it goes on to say most of us think we are in the 30% but in reality are not even close. There are a lot of ways to improve our listening skills and for me this is now of critical importance.

From this moment forward.

I can only imagine what good stuff I may have missed.

The chapter offers a myriad of tips to help you improve your listening skills. The first one, right out of the gate, seemed so obvious but, in fact, remains the biggest culprit of this day and age; avoiding distractions. To me, the smart phone has perpetuated this issue (see how I neatly blamed something else, there?).

My wife and I were talking about this while walking the pup on Friday. I was a lovely late March day; warm and sunny. I mentioned that I had a revelation.

We stopped in our tracks, looked at each other and started laughing.

You see, my wife knows full well, in certain situations, occasionally interrupting someone in the middle of a thought is something I have a propensity to do. I realised after reading this chapter that doing that not only is rude but also very disrespectful. Sure, I know that but what’s most important is the knowledge that I have not only been disrespectful but that I have completely missed what was being said. There is no way I could have understood what I was being told because my mind was already underway looking for a response before the thought was even finished.

Well, you can bet that’s not going to happen anymore. Not if I have anything to do with it!

I wonder if this same notation applies to reading.

I have read blog entries that suggest people skim content. I have always found that odd. In a similar manner to listening how can we absorb the essence of a piece of content if we don’t take the time to read it?

So, I ask myself, “Why even put yourself there if you don’t have the time?”

That brings us to today’s quote.

I don’t believe I have ever read anything by George Bernard Shaw but he certainly had a quote that fits very well to this week’s story. I can’t help respect a Nobel laureate and the namesake for Ontario’s Shaw Festival. Take it away George.

If that doesn’t brighten your day then maybe this will.

There are two fish in a tank. One turns to the other and says, “‘You man the guns, I’ll drive!”

Have a great Monday and an awesome week.

If you want to read last week’s quote simply click here.

Cheers!

Hey, where the heck have YOU been?

Um, what happened? Yes, we missed weeks 11 and 12. Well, we took a couple of weeks of vacation, that’s what. We actually thought about the impact of not posting our regular QOTW posts a bit before we left and resolved for a couple of reasons it made sense to just take a break.

Taking a few weeks off far outweighed the idea of writing something that wasn’t real or from the heart. The great thing, for us, about this Monday morning post is it is more off the cuff than planned. It takes on the flavour of the previous week and we always find an interesting learning experience to share with you guys. In this context, scripted posts would have seemed contrived.

Excuses, excuses.

Sure, sure, we could have found a way. The internet is never far away but it just felt right to let it slide. Besides, it was nice to get out of our routine and take in some different scenery too. Some that didn’t involve a computer screen (even though that’s not totally true either).

So, now we are going to apologize even more because this week we have nothing seriously interesting to share other than a few of vacation photos (ugh, right?). I should never say that we learned absolutely nothing in the last two weeks but I think we seriously tried hard to not think about too much other than enjoying each other’s company.

The benefits are astounding.

And the mental rest is good for the soul. I suppose there’s a good story in that alone regardless of the cliché and over-stated nature of taking time to recharge the batteries. I can’t help but say it’s true though.

Try it if you can. You’ll see.

That brings us to today’s quote.

The quote we chose this week fits the vibe well. I have never heard of Josie Maran before but, hey, that’s no big deal. She’s a model, an actor and more interestingly entrepreneur. She has an interesting cosmetics line that uses an eco-friendly natural product. Not my thing really but it does sound interesting. Kudos to her for doing it her way. Take it away Josie.

If that doesn’t brighten your day then maybe this will.

What do you call a psychic midget that has escaped from prison? A small medium at large.

Have a great Monday and an awesome week.

If you want to read last week’s quote simply click here.

Cheers!

Hey, big boy, how hard is it to keep your cool?

A little while ago I had a moment where I was upset with a friend for stepping into a personal issue I was having. I won’t regale you with the gory details. Suffice it to say that my anger boiled over because I don’t like to be told what to do. I never react negatively to criticism or direction in a business environment so this was a rare occasion for me.

The issue was exacerbated by my friend (who was actually trying to help) when suggesting that I approach the issue in a particular way.

I don’t know about you but when dealing with a personal issue I really don’t like unsolicited advice. If I ask for it, sure, bring it!

Otherwise, no thank you!

My reaction, in the moment, was not one of my finest. Afterward, I actually felt I deserved an apology from my friend for sticking their nose into my business.

Nice, huh?

At any rate, I came to my senses and took responsibility for the entire incident. It was my fault after all. If I hadn’t reacted the way I did no one would have been affected.

After a few weeks, I apologized. Yep, a few weeks.

It was hard to suck it up. My ego was really battling me for control but I beat that sucker down. In the famous words of you QOTW guest, “I think you better quit talkin’ that bull….”

What did I learn?

I learned that even though I know what to do common sense doesn’t always prevail. In my work life I know better. The design world is fraught with opposing opinions and ego driven decisions. As a team member, regardless of my position, I have always been cool, been able to think before reacting and removed myself from a confrontation if I didn’t think I could handle the heat. This situation was no worse than anything I have dealt with in business. It was perplexing.

I truly felt bad that I let my ego get in between me and a close friend.

It did work out though.

My friend feels better that I came clean and I do as well. One less bag to carry. The way airlines are charging for luggage these days it’s a good thing I jettisoned that one.

Oh, we are still friends, of course. Whew!

That brings us to today’s quote.

Whatever happened to Fred Durst? It’s more like, what happened to me? Have I passed the alt rock phase of my life? Naaaaa, but as far as I know he’s still got it. Don’t 1.5mil followers on twitter mean something? Huh? Who knows but the 4 people he follows surely must feel special though. I was never cool enough to know what a LimpBizkit was anyway. Or maybe I didn’t care. I did love the music and maybe it has had its day? I can only imagine the humbling nature of the rise and fall of popularity. In response to an interview last year about his band, Fred said, “We were a moment in time and it’s over.”  Somehow, that comment and the following quote seemed fitting this week.

If that doesn’t brighten your day then maybe this will.

What did the Zen Buddist say to the hot dog vendor? “Make me one with everything.”

Have a great Monday and an awesome week.

If you want to read last week’s quote simply click here.

Cheers!

So, put your money where your mouth is, Mr Professional.

Some of you may have noticed my recent absence from the usual social haunts.

Well, ok, I was hoping someone would notice.

This year has started out with a strong push toward finally achieving something in my career that I have been putting off for the longest time; my professional accreditation. It’s not because I am afraid of the work, hardly. I have not needed the professional accreditation I am pursuing in order to be successful. Up to now I have been very successful in my profession but in order to tackle my future growth and in order to give back to my community I have to finally become a registered Interior Designer.

There’s a back story here that would require some time to explain so I will spare you.

Unlike Architecture or Engineering, Interior Design is not recognized in Canada as a self-regulated profession but that is likely to change very soon. The profession is hopeful that it will be granted its legislation in Ontario to become self-regulated and it’s time I supported the cause.

The first step for me, the political step and the necessary step is professional accreditation.

To get the ball rolling, I attended a study session for my exams over the past weekend. I learned that my 25 years in the profession have not taught me enough to breeze through the course work. I honestly thought it was going to be easy; a veritable cake walk.

Not so.

I honestly thought I had this thing in the bag. Ha! Funny guy. Not so much.

The classes I attended this past weekend had approximately 30 participants of which I could have been a father to most. Clearly, there are a lot of smart young folks out there that see the value of professional accreditation and member ship in our professional association.

It’s so nice to be the old man in the room. Sheesh……

During a break on Sunday I had lunch with a few of the young folks writing the test exam with me and was humbled by a comment that was so innocent yet so damn obvious.

“After 25 years in the business, why do this now?”

Why indeed! The only thing I could muster was, “Because I have to. For my future.” The answer simply got me a funny look but it’s the truth.

Look out! There are still a few more miles in this old jalopy.

That brings us to today’s quote.

Harry S. Truman, the 33^rd US president, said the following which fits so well to the experiences of the last weekend I couldn’t pass it up.

If that doesn’t brighten your day then maybe this will.

I recently visited a new restaurant called Karma. There’s no menu, they just gave me what I deserved. For some reason they served me the humble pie.

Have a great Monday and an awesome week.

If you want to read last week’s quote simply click here.

Cheers!

Today we have all the time in the world.

It’s that winter holiday Monday in Canada, Family Day, and not to forget our American friends, President’s Day. Let’s hope you get to enjoy it! We are taking full advantage of the holiday by slowing our roll, taking our time, getting some well due rest and by having a little fun.

That got me thinking about time and the rush of time we deal with everyday. It seems that there is less and less time as the days pass and yet there is always more and more to get done.

It’s a commonality for most working professionals and there have been books written, speeches given and conferences booked to demonstrate how we can be more effective, more efficient and find time saving techniques all to offer us opportunity to get more done faster.

Speaking of getting more done faster the header image has to be one of my favourite spoof ads of all time (and so fitting).

So, there you have it. Drink more coffee.

Think about that the next time you are in a conversation.

Actually, no! Wait!

That’s terrible, terrible advice.

Don’t think about that or anything else the next time you are in a conversation. That’s probably the worst thing any one of us could do. Right? Even if you feel like you don’t have the time it’s probably not going to be helpful not to listen nor is it going to appear that you actually care if you don’t.

It’s a bit common sense that we all know but is not always so common.

Take a look at this list which I pinched from the ILA (International Listening Association), an organization that our quote of the week contributor was a big part of. You have to admit we have all done these irritating things at times and you have to wonder if our impatience with time drives us to do this stuff.

• Interrupting someone who’s talking.
• Not looking at someone who’s talking to you.
• Rushing someone and thereby making them feel that their wasting your time.
• Showing interest in something other than the conversation.
• Getting ahead someone and presumptuously finishing their thoughts.
• Saying, “Yes, but…” before someone has finished their thought.
• Forgetting what was discussed previously.

I don’t have to explain to you the impact these irritations have on any relationship; professional or personal. I am quite sure you get it.

That brings us to today’s quote.

Ralph Nichols was a leader, teacher and consultant in the field of listening. It strikes me kind of funny that a guy dedicated his career and life to listening. It almost seems Monty Python-esque in its description (can you imagine the skit?) however after perusing the ILA (International Listening Association) website I not only discovered some interesting tips and tricks to becoming a more effective listener but understand a little more about why Mr. Nichols dedicated his life to this pursuit.

So, listen up, people, Mr. Nichols has something to say!

If that doesn’t brighten your day then maybe this will.

What is it (remember, this is a family friendly site)?

• Arnold Schwarzenegger has a long one.
• Michael J. Fox has a short one.
• Madonna doesn’t have one.
• The Pope has one but doesn’t use it.
• Bill Clinton uses his all the time.
• Mickey Mouse has an unusual one.
• Liberace never used his on women.
• Jerry Seinfeld is very, very proud of his.
• Cher claims that she took on 3.
• We never saw Lucy use Desi’s.

What is it?

Have a great Monday and an awesome week.

If you want to read last week’s quote simply click here.

Cheers!

My wife and I have been seeing someone to help us out with our lives.

Once a week, on Sunday morning, we go see Rachel. Rachel for all intents and purposes is a perfectly nice person however what we can’t figure out is why she insists on being mean to us. After all we have gone to Rachel for help yet week after week she makes us do things that I can only see as torture.

We keep going back.

What does that say about us?

I was watching a short video from our QOTW guest today about passion (link here). You might think passion is over-rated or passion doesn’t put steaks in the freezer but, to me, passion is the difference between good and great. A professional can demonstrate skill, be completely competent and that may be good enough for many people but someone who demonstrates passion for what they do changes the game.

Wouldn’t you agree?

Our trainer, Rachel (she has her own blog), told us a story yesterday about when she was in her own training program. We were finishing up our routine and we were both out of gas. She had us throwing weighted balls against a wall at chest height. Sounds easy, right? Just 25 reps. That’s all!?! And only 3 times at that. Remember, she’s mean!

She told us about her trainer who asked her to 200 reps of the same exercise and about her determination to do it. She never backed down and didn’t give in to the pressure. Masochist! After a few minutes those 25 reps didn’t really matter anymore.

Sure, you call that motivation but the thing you couldn’t see what the look in her eye as she told the story.

That brings us to today’s quote.

Tom Peters graduated from University the year I was born. He worked with one of the preeminent management company’s McKinsey & Co and has lived with his share of controversy but one thing you can say about him is he’s passionate. You decide for yourself. Take it away Mr. Peters.

If that doesn’t brighten your day then maybe this will.

A french fry walks into the bar and says to the bartender “Hey , could I get a beer please?” The bartender looks at him shaking his head and says “Sorry, we don’t serve food here.”

Have a great Monday and an awesome week.

If you want to read last week’s quote simply click here.

Cheers!

Is it not exhausting always being the person who has to have all the answers?

If you are in a leadership position having the answer has always been the baseline expectation, right? It seems like the go-to position. I read something recently suggesting that great leaders know the right questions to ask. Does that mean they don’t have the answers? Maybe. The message I get when someone takes that approach is that they are willing to help their colleague figure out the answer.

What it also tells me is that the person is not afraid to admit they don’t know something.

Is that ok?

I had dinner with a friend recently who I haven’t seen in ages. It had been six months or so and even longer since we sat down to chat together. My friend is someone I have had in my life since my childhood and even though we don’t see each other very often we certainly know each other very well.

We were chatting about how his two boys have grown into very inquisitive teenagers but still haven’t lost the notion that their dad is the all knowing being. We don’t have children but I am sure if you do that you can relate to dad being that guy who has all the answers, right?

My friend is also a leadership professional. Maybe not so much so but he does run a company, has employees and is in a position where people rely on him daily.

The funny thing is how he approaches his boys’ questions these days.

He normally says he doesn’t know.

We were laughing about how he now tells them to Google the answers, bring him 3 or 4 sources to corroborate the answer and then spends a bit of time chatting about the ideas with them. Hilarious! He told me that he has learned so much more about his kids doing this than he ever would have giving them the answers and on top of that has learned about things he may have never considered himself.

Is that ok?

That brings us to today’s quote.

Douglas (Noel) Adams, one of my favourite writers of all time said it beautifully. One too many pan galactic gargle blaster’s or not the man spoke with eloquence and wit. Take it away Mr. Adams.

If that doesn’t brighten your day then maybe this will.

When NASA first started sending up astronauts, they quickly discovered that ball-point pens would not work in zero gravity.

To combat this problem, NASA scientists spent a decade and $12 billion developing a pen that writes in zero gravity, upside down, underwater, on almost any surface including glass and at temperatures ranging from below freezing to over 300° C.

The Russians use a pencil.

Have a great Monday and an awesome week.

If you want to read last week’s quote simply click here.

Cheers!

We posted a piece last week that got some mixed feelings from a variety of folks. In some cases the reactions were a little stronger than what we normally expect but that’s ok. It’s actually a good thing.

The message certainly sparked some controversy.

The premise of the post was that we all need to work for what we want in life and nothing of value really comes to us without effort.

Most people would agree with that but since we are troublemakers the idea was presented in a bit of a different way.

We exposed a reality that exists in the Architectural consulting world which suggests that since time has a financial value the result can yield a focus away from the task and more on reducing cost through streamlining services.

If you are interested or feel strongly about the notion that time is money and the formula’s negative effect on effort then take a look here.

That brings us to today’s quote.

Calvin Coolidge, the 30^th US president offers us a quote that aligns directly with our thinking around effort. It’s important to us that we align effort with the goals of a project and ensures that we understand that the work we put into a project can yield the results we desire but only if we are willing to find the opportunities and act on them.

If that doesn’t spark something in you to get you going  then maybe this will.

“Hard work never killed anybody. But it does keep you off Facebook.”

Have a great Monday and an awesome week.

If you want to read last week’s quote simply click here.

Cheers!