To unlock your leadership greatness, you must start from the premise that greatness exists within you. Greatness is an infinite potential to reflect a significant purpose. It is not arrogance of superiority, but rather a hunger to live a life of meaning. As humans, we are intrinsically drawn to excellence and, when we are separated from it, we crave to re-establish contact. Access and exposure to this reservoir of experiences and expertise will enable you to lead yourself and others to a better future.

Leadership is an integral part of our lives and is instrumental in achieving results that represent success. Experts discuss the need to include diversity and inclusion as a part of training, rather than as a standalone program. Effective leadership, incorporating individual distinctions, will enable you to instinctively make decisions that include everyone. You will capitalize on the talents, ideas, and contributions of the team as well as every individual to improve innovation and decision-making.

The climate you have has a profound effect on your results. Some experts believe 30% of your financial results (profits and revenue) can be directly related to organizational climate. Climate can impact employee engagement levels, which also influence results.

The climate/culture you create can be seen through the acronym OASIS. OASIS = Open and Share Ideas Safely. The climate must be a place where people are in a safe place to state how they feel and how they can help you and the company excel and meet personal objectives and the needs of clients.

It was Friday of my first week as the Senior Director of Diversity and Work/Life Effectiveness, after nearly thirty years of sales, marketing, and training experience. I was called to a meeting of our Research & Development Department. It was an actual meeting with people participating across the world as a video conference and a teleconference. At one point in their discussion of the eight questions from the Employee Survey related to diversity, one of the directors turned to me. “Orlando, since you are the worldwide expert of diversity, what do you think we should do?”

“Thank you very much,” I responded. “Since I am the worldwide expert as of Monday, let me speak to you from my depth of experience. One of the questions asks, ‘Are you afraid to state what’s on your mind without fear of reprisal?’ The last survey result gave an average response of 64%, this year’s survey came in at 66%. I will not talk to you about the statistical significance of going from 64% to 66%, but what I will tell you is that one-third of your people are afraid to state what is on their minds. We recently lost four drugs in late-stage development, after a tremendous financial investment. Somebody knew they had problems. Either they were too afraid to state what was on their minds, or they spoke their minds and they were ignored. We will need the next great drug to be successful. Who’s to say that the success of that next great drug does not reside in the minds of the one-third who are too afraid to speak?” As a leader, you must get the best out of your people, and one way is to encourage candid discussions and establish an environment that rewards and encourages this philosophy. Remember you are all on the same team and want the same level of success.

There is a leadership continuum showing the correlation between values, beliefs, and results. Values influence personal expectations and the expectations you and the organization have for your direct reports. There is a certain behavior we infuse within our culture. Those who comply are seen as successful, and the outliers are reformed or replaced. Fifty to seventy percent of the variance in organizational climate can be attributed to differences in leadership style.

There is a burning desire, a hunger that exists within you; a turbulence stirring inside indicative of a need to be satisfied. This yearning to live a life of purpose asks you to find and fulfill your reason to achieve a goal. So, you are programmed to make an impact, not merely a faint impression, but a bold imprint. To be successful, there are keys or success factors at your disposal.

There is an open debate on which keys are the most beneficial to unlock the vault. However, this vault of potential energy will transform your life. It will not require voice recognition software, retinal scans, reading a thumbprint, or facial analysis to get inside and use its contents. In one of my favorite childhood stories, the hero would always say, “Open Sesame” to open the side of the mountain that was filled with unlimited treasure. In this book, you will review ten keys to unlock your leadership greatness. These practical strategies and their tactics are designed to give you Action-Oriented Knowledge (AOK).

The ten keys evolved from over three decades of experience in observing and developing Impact Players. The term Impact Players is common in professional sports and is applicable to academic, business, and community performance. Impact Players are the game changers, the difference makers, the catalysts who change the direction of the game and the performance of their peers and the competition. By their very presence, they accelerate and elevate performance to a higher level. People are wired to become Impact Players. The traits of these high achievers are similar to the traits we wish to unlock in each of us to reach our maximum effectiveness. Tapping into this power will enable you to unlock your leadership greatness.

To unlock leadership greatness, discard and disregard the debate of whether great leaders are born or made. Walk away from conversations that argue whether nature or nurture shapes the greatness of a leader. William Shakespeare said, “Be not afraid of greatness; some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.” The ten keys to unlock your leadership greatness embody these quotations.

We define our infinite potential as our inherent leadership greatness. You will utilize your skills to focus on the benefits, remove the barriers, and experience the breakthroughs or “Aha’s,” as you discover the treasury of enriched potential within you. Jules Verne, in his book Journey to the Center of the Earth,” imagined wonders and adventures” on an expedition going beneath the Earth’s surface. You will encounter such a stimulating journey as you delve into unlocking your leadership greatness.

DEI vs VEI – “Variety is the Spice of Life, Imagination, and Innovation”

November 15, 2024 ~ Orlando Ceaser

DEI is a strategy to alter the climate in the workplace, build company culture, and capitalize on different talents and perspectives. It reflects customers’ makeup and ensures that many groups are represented. DEI is also necessary to ensure that organizations have a workforce that meets their staffing needs. However, despite its intent and documented positive results, DEI is controversial. Many believe that when DEI is implemented correctly, it is effective and has company and employee benefits.

The word diversity is primarily linked to affirmative action and reverse discrimination. Diversity is more than race and gender, but some people fail to see this. DEI applies to many valuable attributes and creates an environment where innovation can enhance teamwork and improve company culture. Equity and inclusion should be human rights. A successfully implemented DEI strategy in your culture is a win-win proposition. Additionally, it helps employers staff organizations today and in the future.

The variety among members of our species is visible and invisible. We have idiosyncrasies, peculiarities, and eccentricities that make us stand out from our peers. People should realize that their uniqueness is not a weakness, but a viable asset. DEI allows this to happen.

Consider the following kaleidoscope of values that highlights our differences. Everyone should see themselves in multiple words in the definition. When this is observed, it is not seen as a special program only for particular groups of individuals. Additionally, one does not feel left out and excluded.

Despite challenges to DEI, many organizations have remained steadfast in their commitment because they have seen the business transforming power of DEI. However, others have removed their support, due to pressure and negative impact on business. For example, consider the situation with Bud Light sales when a boycott was engineered after a social media post featuring a transgender actor. Bud Light went from number two to number three in sales and they had to shuffle company executives to distance themselves from the controversy.

Eliminating DEI programs prevents people from experiencing and benefitting from the fullness of DEI. Resistance to history, unconscious bias, micro-aggression, micro-inequities, and other diversity training are lost opportunities to better understand each other.

I propose the ‘V’ word, as a replacement for individuals confounded by the ‘D’ word. The principles present in DEI are valuable to all employees. We want to create an accepting, fair, inclusive, and belonging climate. Ultimately DEI can influence imagination and innovation. Variety should be used to accentuate our similarities and differences for growth and development.

Variety in the acronym may minimize controversy. I reworked the chart using variety as a neutral word for diversity while maintaining the highlights.

VEI addresses the advantages of our distinctiveness. We can enhance value by creating a positive company culture, where individuals and teams perform at a higher level.

Everyone has distinct qualities that make us unique. Variety as a replacement word may allow people to come to the table and use their various and sundry skills to bring out the best in everyone for the good of everyone in the enterprise. My premise is that substituting ‘Variety” for “Diversity” will help us achieve benefits for all employees.

The Literal Leader – 6 Steps to Authenticity

Featured ~ Orlando Ceaser

The Literal Leader – 6 Steps to Authenticity

I received a literal arts education from a liberal arts university. My coursework was well-rounded and included biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics. I was schooled in the scientific method, with an emphasis on evidence-based decision-making. My communications classes taught me that clear messaging is important, and the value of unambiguous thought and speech. This mindset put me on the road of life to adopt a “what you see is what you get” leadership style. Literal leadership promotes straightforward and predictable behavior.

Literal leadership is not based on interpretation, translation, or guessing the leader’s intent or expectations. There are at least six guiding principles for authentic communication, leadership, and team effectiveness. They are as follows;

Clarity
Charity
Regularity
Parity
Hilarity
Solidarity

Literal leadership categories set the stage for transparency, authenticity, trust, and credibility.

Clarity

The Literal Leader provides clarity of vision, expectations, mission, goals, and feedback. They have a reputation for telling it as it is. They know that they stand for truth and development. They think about their words and search for a clear message. If they can think of two meanings to a request/command, they will rewrite or rethink it to search for one unambiguous message.

The Literal Leader also provides as much information as possible, to increase their followers’ understanding of their decision-making process. It would be malpractice to shield your team from information that could stimulate their growth and broaden their understanding. People know where they stand, even if it’s in quicksand. There is no speculation about expectations, with the Literal Leader.

Charity

The Literal Leader is kind, giving, and forgiving. They use empathy as part of their repertoire of requisite skills. They are servant leaders. They emulate the generosity that flows from a service-oriented mentality. Leading by example and being a positive role model is evidence of their servant leadership mentality. The Literal Leader is sharing, caring, and thriving by using their exposure, experience, and expertise to benefit others. It is within their very own to assist others in their development.

Regularity

The Literal Leader is the hallmark of consistency. When you need guidance, you can count on them to be dependable and predictable. Teams feel comfortable around them. There is only necessary drama. The Literal Leader has their back and will support them in everyday activities and planning their careers. The Literal Leader can be counted on to deliver according to their words and promises. They are predictable and will act on cue to retain the results consistent with your expectations. People can predict their actions and behavior, which makes them feel safe.

Parity

Parity in a high-performing team is the goal of a Literal Leader. Parity is where everyone exudes excellence and the average is synonymous with greatness. Bill Hybels, a famous author, and church leader, used to say that the speed of the leader determines the speed of the team. The Literal Leader knows that when everyone achieves an all-star level of development and execution, everybody wins.

The Literal Leader believes in celebrating difference through diversity, equity, and inclusion. They make people feel they belong. This also creates an environment for maximum productivity. They support equity and equality in the workplace. Parity speaks to treating people fairly with access to opportunity. They must exhibit competence, regardless of their gender and other distinctions. The Literal Leader knows the dangers of favoritism, nepotism, special treatment, and other behaviors denigrating morale and teamwork. Therefore, parity is linked with treaty personalities with equal respect to satisfy their needs.

Hilarity

There is a misunderstanding that it is inappropriate to have fun at work. Humor, in certain settings, is frowned upon as unprofessional. A manager told a story about his boss, who made the following statement; ‘judging from the laughter in the room when I arrived, I am convinced that the atmosphere was not professional.” He did not see the connection between laughter and leadership.

The Literal Leader knows that work can be stressful but finds ways to make it fun. They will mingle levity and pace, to create a healthy rhythm in the workplace. The Literal Leader can make work meaningful and enjoyable. People enjoy their jobs because they are in the right job that allows them to develop their skills and helps them consistently use their gifts. The environment is there for them. The Literal Leader knows the coordinates of their subordinates, so they can meet them where they are. They know that if it’s not fun it’s not fair. And if it is not fair it’s up to individuals to provide input and suggestions to make a change. Many employees work together and play together. A Gallup survey showed that one of the variables for engagement and retention was to have a best friend at work. A best friend is someone you can laugh with and provide levity to lighten the workload. They can be developed and found in the workplace.

The Literal Leader may be seen as a tough-minded leader with lofty standards. They may be described as firm, but fair, but they know how to have fun. The Literal Leader may approve team activities during and after work to allow people to get to know each other and to lighten the work atmosphere.

Solidarity

Solidarity is the glue that keeps the team together; where everyone works together for the sake of the group. It results from talented people, who receive feedback that reinforces their value to the organization and the team. People ask themselves the following question; Are my actions in alignment with the goals of my assigned responsibilities? They work as a team, with common interests, which grows commitment to a greater cause. This has a spillover effect as everyone wants everyone to succeed. It reminds me of the Three Musketeers and their chant of “all for one and one for all.”

Many colleges pride themselves in offering you a liberal arts education, not realizing that there is a literal arts component. Their coursework and environment create a foundation for the growth of Literal Leadership. Students inculcate these values not realizing that it is teaching them to think with clarity, charity, regularity, parity, hilarity, and solidarity. They are consciously and unconsciously on their way to developing the leadership profile of a Literal Leader.

MSU (Making Stuff Up) – Credibility and Creativity

July 19, 2020 ~ Orlando Ceaser

MSU C (2)

I began speaking about the concept of MSU in 1986 when training sales representatives as a Regional Operations Manager. A few representatives, when faced with a difficult question, tried to bluff their way through their answers to tough questions. Their responses contained misinformation and outright lies. A few of them demonstrated unbelievable creativity under pressure to make up fantastic stories but distorted the facts. I was rather angry because we took the truth very seriously. We boasted to have one of the best trained sales forces in the industry. You had to achieve 90% to pass our product examinations. We stated the company policy around misinformation. Their credibility and the company’s reputation was on the line, therefore MSU was forbidden. We would not tolerate MSU (Making Shit Up). I apologized for the language, but it was a profoundly serious matter. Additionally, we told them that it made them look stupid because the doctors probably forgot more about medicine then they would ever know.

I must admit that some of the responses were rather creative. We applauded creativity but not in the dissemination of product information and following company policies and procedures.

MSU was such a catchy concept that we included it in our regular training vocabulary. We would openly talk about Making Stuff Up and the dangers of resorting to that practice in answering physician questions. MSU had value as it related to creativity and other areas. When I introduced the concept of MSU I would state that it did not stand just for Michigan State University.

Years later we were training physicians on presentation skills. I decided to drop in on one of the sessions. I noticed that on one slide were the letters MSU. This piqued my curiosity and I sat for the session. The presenter opened the session by saying he wanted to talk to them about MSU and it did not just stand for Michigan State University. It stood for Making Stuff Up. I was impressed but, I sat there speechless. I did not recall reading about MSU before that fateful day in 1986 in our sales training seminar.

15 years later I was in my office as an Area Sales Director. One of our trainers (Field Development Leaders) gave me a book. The book was titled MSU (Making Something Up). And 10 years later in Zambia, South Africa, one of our pastors conducted a workshop on MSU, Making Stuff Up; obviously, it was a well-established concept.

MSU is therefore a viable practice. It is a catalyst for creativity and a warning. We must use it wisely because authenticity and transparency are required to enhance your credibility. As a leader, is important to be aware of MSU and how adopting this mindset can be used to make decisions, answer questions, solve problems and enrich our world through creative thinking and innovation.

Websites: OrlandoCeaser.com

watchwellinc.com

A Call to Decency & Integrity (D&I)

April 21, 2020 ~ Orlando Ceaser

The 4th Monkey (3)

Decency is not a trade he frequently discuss. Yet, people know what it is when they see it. We would agree that people who are decent are trustworthy, with strong character traits, such as integrity. They are respected and held in high esteem. Decency is an acquired state. It is a function of diligence, conditioning, and a propensity to do the right thing. It is combination of characteristics, attitudes, and positive personal values, which causes people to gravitate to the as a magnet.

You may not have it as a goal, nonetheless it is a byproduct of being a good person. Decency is a positive side effect of good behavior. The individuals possess high moral standards and a solid reputation and track record.

Google defines decency as “behavior that conforms to accepted standards of morality or respectability.” It is often used in the context of someone being modest.

Decency surfaced on my first interview trip as a district sales manager. I was sent to help a district manager fill vacant sales of territories. The company had a structured interview program based on behavioral questions. We looked for competencies or behaviors necessary to do the job. Past performance / behavior was a predictor of future performance. Whereas there were no questions related to decency, it was evident, among the candidates.

One candidate rose to the top of my list. He had the requisite potential to be an outstanding sales rep. This was during a time when we were hiring recent college graduates for sales positions. There was one sales territory that was hard to fill. My favorite candidate evoked the word decency. He had the requisite skills, but I kept thinking, he is a thoroughly decent individual.

Decency translated into a culmination of many positive character traits. His overall demeanor was supported by quantifiable, specific behavior related outcomes.

Our interviewing questions covered such areas as presentation skills, product knowledge, administrative abilities, persuasion, teamwork, tenacity, resilience, creativity, and organizational skills.

Sandwiched between his answers were examples of

Fairness, equality, and good judgment
A hard-working personality
Faith centered living
Integrity and moral behavior with clients and competitors

Decency is an attribute, we relish in people who lead us, serve us, and befriend us. They have integrity which is characterized by the 4th Monkey (Shizaru) which is “Do No Evil”. Decency is not something we feel we can teach, but believe it was necessary for longevity and success in the long term. It may be a function of upbringing, conditioning, modeling behavior, practice, and reinforcement. Decency is often described as; you know it when you see it, or you can feel its presence in your gut.

In a highly competitive marketplace, decency can be a tiebreaker in hiring employees and building relationships and collaborations. We should determine whether candidates can play well in the sandbox, are good listeners and strong team players. They could essentially play well with others, driven by a sense of fairness and purpose, emotional intelligence, likability, and a desire to excel and achieve their inner greatness.

When we visually survey our workers and coworkers, if we find they have a sense of decency we could probably see the following.

Authenticity
Integrity
Honesty
Strong work ethic, based on productivity, quality and execution
Treats people fairly, with dignity and respect
Moral character as reflected in the stories they tell
A sense of fair play

Answer the following question. Are you a decent human being? How do you know this to be true? Asked the coworker, relative or friend if they would consider you a decent person. Ask for examples.

The decent human being is the team player that people like to work with and want on their teams. Strong character individuals are sought after in every interaction that is important to us. It is advantageous to associate with decent people and hire, develop and promote in our organizations.

The Core of More™ – Be Awesome from the Inside Out

March 2, 2020 ~ Orlando Ceaser

MORE (2)

There are crucial components to your development that must be examined to accelerate your progress. There is a core set of skills, values or principles which can be debated, but factually, these key ingredients build on your present state. You have more depth and more in the core of your being you can imagine.

Let’s place four elements in this Core of More™. These elements confirm there is more in your core than you can imagine, yet you periodically ignore one or more components. They are Let it Go, Let it Glow, Let it Grow and Let it Flow. These ingredients will enable you to gain rather than regress and achieve success, that is surplus, but not necessarily excess.

Let it Go

Before you start and during your journey, there are nouns that you must displace. There are people, places or things that are excessive weight that must be discarded. There are situations, memories and perspectives you must release. As a hot air balloonist will tell you, if they want to increase their altitude, sandbags must be cast overboard, or they will impede their ascension.

There are personal situations that try to hold you back and hold you down. In earlier articles I refer to them as the Hindre™ a person or force of negativity that attempts to hinder or restrict your progress.

Hindre

They must be released if you are to soar to the rightful heights of your potential. You may know these impediments. You must be open to receive information on people who are plotting against you. Additionally, you must change old mindsets and adorn new ways as you grab on to new beginnings.

You must let go of destructive habits, attitudes, the wrong crowd, the wrong thinking and other roadblocks that may block your progress.

Let it Glow

Your light, however you define it, must be allowed to shine. Your talent, skills, abilities, capacity and resources must be a beacon of hope, a living positive example. Your light must be an indicator of your presence, purpose and performance. As we sang in Sunday School, “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.” When it shines, it has a glow, a luminescence that grabs people attention, pinpoints your location and potentially influences behavior.

Let it Grow

Skill level and impact will expand and enlarge your contributions. Influence grows as your abilities are refined and increased. You must devote time, effort, energy and insight received from teachers, mentors and coaches to improve knowledge and the quality of your work.

You will become a continuous learner and communicator, passionate about getting better in the priority areas of your life. Your light will get larger and brighter and more will take notice of you and more will be expected of you, as more are influenced by your presence. Your abundance will become a windfall to others, as you realize you are slated to get better, so others can benefit from your brilliance. You can state your growth as, “I’m proving myself by improving myself.”

Let it Flow

As it glows and grows, it will flow in the execution of your skill set and in helping other people. Work will become easier and more natural. Executing your tasks will appear effortless, mainly because you are in your sweet spot and you are streaming in success. It is captured in an acronym SMILE (So Make It Look Easy). An athlete will comment that they let the game come to them or the game slows down for them, as they improve their craft.

When you Let it Flow, your stream of influence will remove logjams that exist in your path. Your actions are fluid as a well-trained athlete, gliding through the race; a musician who makes playing the instrument look easy; a world class professional speaker in their comfort zone, delivering a powerful message, a leaf sailing on the water. You are caught up in the flow.

Professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi , has a concept of Flow which is defined as follows, “In positive psychology, as the zone, is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity”¹. It is a state where skills are consistent with the challenges presented to you. In the state of flow, you lose track of time and you are consumed in passion². Simon Sinek says, “Working hard for something we don’t care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion.”³ When you Let it Flow, your passion shows and when added to perseverance, you are exhibiting Grit⁴.

Flow Document (1)

Let it go, Let it glow, Let it grow, and Let it flow are part of the Core of More™. Apply these principles to help you achieve success in the professional and personal realms of your life.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_(psychology)
Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly (1998). Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement With Everyday Life
wordpress.com/2014/08/24/working.
Duckworth, Angela (2016). GRIT: The Power of Passion and Perseverance

What is your From – To Story (FTS)?

September 16, 2019 ~ Orlando Ceaser

Goals
Constantly, we are exposed to stories that grab our attention. They are tales of unbelievable struggle, growth and accomplishment. People have overcome tremendous odds the and circumstances to arrive at an unforeseen destination. They may be classified as from rags to riches, from poverty to higher education, from homelessness to home ownership or from working as a janitor to becoming the principal of a school. These stories show the power of the human spirit; the magnificence of vision, goal setting, perseverance, generosity, luck and encouragement.

Our hearts were warmed a few years ago by the story of a Ted Williams, a homeless man who was called the Man With The Golden Voice. He was given a job making commercials and later returned to radio. When you think about your life, you can also create your own personal From – To Story. Look at a point in your life, a different job or think of your current position or objective in life. Where were you? Where are you? Where do you want to go? What do you want to become? What is your purpose, your destiny or your goal?

When I was younger, I would read about individuals who stated that they were the son or daughter of a sharecropper. Their bio would state, from a sharecropper’s son they rose to the position of president of their own company; from a single parent to the position of a medical doctor; from the inner city to a position in higher education. I have known individuals who have gone from an administrative assistant position to a position in sales management. These examples are all around us.

You know who you are and where you’re From, now it’s up to you to establish, what is your destination, or more specifically, what is your To? What is the right To for you? Before you arrive at your ultimate destination, there may be a series of stops along the way, therefore, there may be multiple To’s in your forecast, in your future.

What does your dream scenario look like? What is the tagline that you would want attached to the beginning of any description of your life and accomplishments? Fill in the blanks below to give yourself some practice. Thinking about your responses may fill you with a sense of accomplishment, on how well you’ve done and how far you’ve traveled. It may also show you, how far you must go and serve as a reminder of your purpose, destination and destiny.

From ________ To ___________.

I wish you success on your journey. I look forward to the day when we can discuss where you are From and your arrival to the To that is right for you. Your, From – To Story (FTS) will be a benefit to you and enrich the lives of others.

Authenticity Messages from The Scrolls of Greatness™

August 27, 2019 ~ Orlando Ceaser

Mothermirrorlion1
There are countless archaeological discoveries that add to our knowledge of earlier civilizations, cultures and beliefs. You heard the stories of individuals stumbling upon a discovery, which greatly increased our knowledge. There may be scrolls of information in the earth that enlighten our paths.

There are scrolls of knowledge within you that validate your greatness. These texts confirm the greatness within you. The question is, how will you search through the caves, caverns and catacombs of memories and earlier instruction, to recover and discover knowledge and wisdom to achieve your grander purpose.

There are messages on authenticity that I gleaned from my excavations. They will ultimately be published in a future work entitled Scrolls of Greatness.

An Authentic Life

“Is your life a quotation or a paraphrase of the life of another or is it the original authentic paragraph God has written for you to include in His magnificent manuscript?”

Authentic Faith

“Most of your knowledge is based on faith. You were exposed to information packaged and provided to you by strangers and people you know. You are placing a lot of faith and trust in the character, motives and authenticity of others, which is the way it should be, because you cannot verify everything.”

Authentic, Non-manipulative Love

People should know that you genuinely love them; authenticity without manipulation. You want them to be happy, expecting nothing in return, no strings attached. I told a group of students that I drove an hour and a half to speak to them and I was not being paid for it. I wanted them to know that there are people who love them and expect nothing in return, but their excellence. We must learn to give back and I was compelled to do this, because it was done for me. “A young man spoke,” I wouldn’t do it, if I was not getting paid for it.” I responded, “If you thought as highly of you, as I think of you, you would do it, because I know you are worth it.”

Forgiveness

“Forgiveness should not dependent on receiving an apology or the knowledge of an impending apology. It may not be automatic. It may be difficult. But it should be authentic when experienced and expressed.”

Observations

“Many times, your words should serve as an observation and not a critique. However, there will be times when the order should be reversed. Authenticity improves the power of your communication.”

Share the Journey

“My message seems more powerful when I profile my pain. When I accept the blame,
I seem human. When I discuss my shame, I am vulnerable and real. People relate and identify with me when they can connect and feel that I am genuine, with good intentions.

Sometimes we do our journey a disservice when people only see the finished product and not the rough parts of our development. A glimpse into the construction, deconstruction, destruction and production processes, will heighten their awareness and appreciation of our struggles and what it takes to be successful. We will connect. The authenticity of raw, without disclaimers, and revealing our flaws, will open people to our stories and increase our chances to inspire growth.

The world wants to know how we made our names, the obstacles faced and how we overcame. Otherwise, people will surmise, we obtained the prize and never made mistakes, always received the breaks, were never afraid, that we possess a passing grade, but it was easy, and we always had it made.”

Artificial Experience (AE) and Performance Enhancement

July 26, 2019 ~ Orlando Ceaser

William James change your life
Early in my sales career, I came upon a quote attributed to William James, the Father of American Psychology. The message was profound. “The mind cannot tell the difference between something that is real and something that is vividly imagined.” These words were mind blowing and changed my life. They were simple, crystal clear and sensible. I instantly recalled a dream that I had in childhood. I dreamed that I came upon a large mound of coins. I took a handful of coins and clinched them tightly in my hand. I wanted this to be true. I awakened with my fist clenched, my heart pounding and filled with anticipation. However, as I slowly opened my fingers, the disappointment was obvious. It was only a dream. A very vivid dream, but still a dream.

I became so fond of this technique, which was all around me, but I never noticed. It seemed sophisticated and more structured then daydreaming. Additionally, it was consistent with visualization and mental rehearsal. These were techniques used by athletes and performers to prepare themselves for competitions, performances, presentations and other events.

My usage initially was preparing for sales calls. This was very evident in my initial sales training in pharmaceutical sales. The six new sales representatives were preparing for videotaped presentations with our sales trainers. The tension level was very high in the room, as five employees were rushing to make practice presentations before presenting to the trainers. I was in the hallway visualizing my upcoming scenarios and preparing my responses. I realized that I could mentally role play more presentations than I could physically demonstrate, therefore I was structuring my thinking. This would allow me to create artificial experience and have déjà vu moments within each sales presentation. My confidence was elevated, and I performed better than I would have otherwise. I was not as nervous as my peers and felt more comfortable through my means of gathering artificial experience. I explained my method to my peers, and everyone implemented this technique, which I feel was helpful in completing our sales training, especially the videotape portions.

The practice of cultivating artificial experience allows us to simulate many situations and improve our performance in our current reality. We also can accelerate the pace of learning through many scenarios to increase our ability to think on our feet.

Airline pilots go to through many hours of flight simulation training to expose them to a variety of scenarios which may occur in flight. The objective is to create the type of muscle memory or response memory, so that when they are in actual situations, they can draw on this artificial experience to perform effectively.

Many people new to their assignments feel apprehensive because they do not have the same level experience as their peers. New managers may be in situations where they are managing teams where individuals have been with the company longer. Millennials may be managing baby boomers. Managers may be managing a very diverse team. It is a reality that artificial experience, along with coaching, mentoring and researching the past can contribute to elevating competence and confidence.

Artificial experience along with other leadership techniques, such as emotional and cultural intelligence can assist in individual and team performance and personal development.

The 4th Monkey Matters

May 14, 2019 ~ Orlando Ceaser

4th Monkey
Leadership is consistently emphasized as a valuable set of skills for individuals charged with managing a business, performing in athletics and other interactions and endeavors involving people. There are numerous theories, books and training programs about leadership and the necessary characteristics and attributes of a strong leader. Integrity in business is one of the key leadership traits, often cited as critical when dealings and interacting with others.

Leadership is a discipline that is highly regarded in the annals of personal and organizational development. Effective use of this skill contributes to the successful implementation and execution of strategies that enable people to achieve expectations. Studies have indicated that diverse teams with strong leadership perform better. Strong leadership allows individuals to handle the disruption and challenges they may encounter while managing and working in a diverse environment, where differences of opinions, styles and approaches, among team members is prevalent.

The 4th Monkey is known as Shizaru in Japan. He receives very little attention, since most are familiar with his counterparts; see no evil (Mizaru), hear no evil (Kikazura), and speak no evil (Iwazura). His function is to do no evil, which you could argue is the most important monkey. The 4th Monkey’s emphasis is on right practices and behaviors. The proper way to meet people and treat people are just a few of the important actions. Being trustworthy and ethical are also essential elements.

The age-old saga of the monkeys places the emphasis on lack of involvement. If you do not see, hear or speak evil, you will minimize conflict. However, the 4th Monkey matters and transcends complacency and instructs the leader to exert their character and insert their presence into situations, to lead people to a mutually beneficial decisions and destinations.

The 4th Monkey matters. Do no evil is critical in leadership, as we lead in all areas of our lives. The 4th Monkey should be a mascot for a leadership team to validate the importance of ethics and right behavior. Let us focus on the workplace. In the business setting what are some of the wrong (evil) characteristics we can highlight?

Here is a top 10 list of principles that illustrate some examples of do no evil. This is by no means, a comprehensive or exhaustive list. Also, the list may be challenged and amended, for you may have other principles which are equally or more appropriate to your business and experience. Nevertheless we are in agreement that the 4th Monkey matters in the workplace.

Please review this list for it shows the interaction and compatibility between the 4th Monkey and your ability to lead. These principles will illustrate the importance of integrity by internalizing these 10 proposed principles from the 4th Monkey. Implementing these practices can highlight and contribute significantly to your results.

Notice below and, in your discussions, that there are evils / crimes of commission and omission. Failure to do the right thing, in the right situation, can be construed as a malicious act of omission.

1. Do not demonstrate poor character and lack of integrity
2. Do not lie (knowingly give false or misleading information)
3. Do not bully or intimidate others
4. Do not harm people’s dignity and self-respect
5. Do not misrepresent data (to deceive or protect)
6. Do not violate people’s rights or property
7. Do not discriminate (no favoritism and nepotism)
8. Do not steal (ideas or intellectual property)
9. Do not gossip, demean and discredit a reputation
10. Do not fail to give direction and authentic feedback

During my anthropology class in the first year of college, I was introduced to two attributes particular to certain monkeys. The first concept was brachiating, which meant the hand over hand movement of monkeys, as they travel from branch to branch (children perform this activity on the monkey bar). This reminds me of a leader who not only takes the high road, but is performing at a high level, to very high standards. This visible performance is noticed by others, especially those who are on the ground, and those traveling with them.

The second attribute was that many monkeys had a prehensile tail. This tail enabled the monkey to achieve additional agility and movement because of its ability to grab on to objects, which gave them greater flexibility and agility. Effective leaders must grab onto knowledge, information and concepts better than their peers. I propose that the 4th Monkey provides a metaphor of leadership dexterity to those individuals who are truly practitioners of effective leadership.

The 4th Monkey matters and enables us to lead and form natural alliances with our constituents, followers and others as we demonstrate and develop leaders, in order to transform their operations into successful, individual honoring enterprises.