Radish Sprouts

SZCZUREK WINS 'NEVER EVER GIVE UP' AWARD FROM GAZELLES

Technology and Management Solutions, a management consulting and business coaching firm, announces that Theresa M. Szczurek, its CEO and founder, won the “Never Ever Give Up” Award from Gazelles International at its recent coaches summit in Dallas, TX. 

Especially in tough economic times a firm needs to continually revise its strategy and then be relentless in its implementation. Theresa Szczurek, a Gazelles coaching associate since 2006, stated “Never Ever Give Up is part of the ‘Pursuit of Passionate Purpose’ formula for success which I help my clients embrace and execute. Successful firms and individuals maintain integrity of effort regardless of difficulty; they never ever give up.  Passionate persistence produces extraordinary results.” 

Keith Cupp, head coach and President of Gazelles International, explained, “The award is given to the Gazelles coaching associate who is a role model in living true to our organization’s core value, Never Ever Give Up.  Theresa Szczurek always strives for excellence, asks difficult questions, and persists until the proper results are delivered.”

Gazelles International is a worldwide, premier association of Professional Coaches that assist growth companies in developing a Gazelles One-Page Plan and in implementation of "Mastering the Rockefeller Habits" authored by Verne Harnish.  Gazelles Coaching Associates are independent Management Consulting firms which helps customers be fast growing companies through practical, follow-up implementation of best business practices. Coaching Associates are selected for their experience, professionalism, and abilities to effectively coach Clients to achieve their goals. Visit www.GIcoaches.com or www.Gazelles.com 

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

 

JIM COLLINS ON BUSINESS GROWTH -- IS GROWTH ALWAYS THE KEY TO SUCCESS?

"To be a great company, you must have an upper bound on growth and have the discipline to leave some growth on the table," says Jim Collins, best-selling author of Good to Great and How the Mighty Fall. This may seem like a strange recommendation given that so many companies today are struggling to grow.

To make his point, Jim Collins posed a growth quiz to the hundreds of CEOs of Gazelles (those firms growing more than 20% per year for 4 years or more) at the recent Fortune Small Business Growth Summit in Dallas. You have the option of investing in either Firm A or Firm B. They are both in the same technology driven growth industry as early-stage entrepreneurial ventures having equivalent products and markets with good long-term potential. Firm A has an average net income growth rate of 25%; B's is 48%. Should you invest in A or B?

GROWTH CONSTRAINTS? Does your firm have limitations on growth? Jim Collins recommends that you set a minimum performance expectation to hit no matter what. What's the performance hurdle that you'll always hold even if it requires you to limit growth? In terms of performance, you may choose to maintain core values, ensure quality, not risk more than you can manage to lose in the worst of times, have a certain profit per year, sustain your culture, or not lose control of the company and how you manage it.

IS GROWTH THE MOST IMPORTANT SUCCESS FACTOR? In the example of firms A and B, firm A has a standard deviation (s.d.) on its average growth rate of +/- 7 and B has a s.d. of +/- 323. Additionally the range of A's growth rate is 20 to 44, while B's range is -397 to 1288. Eventually firm A was trading at $290 and B at $14. Furthermore, B had lost control of its destiny. This real example, with the identities hidden, shows that growth is not the most crucial factor.

Jim Collins further remarks on taking advantage of tough situations, "If your firm goes into turbulent times strong, you have the chance to shine. The difficulties will expose your strengths relative to others. If you go into challenging times weak, it will show your weaknesses. It is more important what you do BEFORE the storm comes, than WHEN the storm comes. A storm holds great opportunities and it is something you do not want to waste."

DETERMINE WHAT TYPE OF COMPANY YOU HAVE NOW: Level I - a strong company (such as Intel), Level II - not as strong, or Level III - already weak (such as General Motors). Ask what you can and must do so as not to waste the opportunities from the storm. Take this as an assignment: establish two or three things you must do differently so that you'll never go into a storm other than as a Level I strong firm.

ESTABLISH SHOCK ABSORBERS. Another Jim Collins' suggestion is to build in shock absorbers to protect your firm. For example, reach a point where you could run your company for an entire year even if you would not receive one penny of revenue.

REVISE YOUR STRATEGY AND THEN ACT. Gather together your executive team, business coach, and advisors for a strategy session. This is the perfect time to revise your plan for the next year. Consider the following:

	Determine your constraints on growth. What is the performance hurdle that you'll always maintain even if it limits growth?
	Establish two or three things to do differently so that you'll never go into a storm other than as a Level I strong firm.
	Identify and install shock absorbers to protect your firm.

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

copyright 2009.

BECOME THE MARKET LEADER: LESSONS FROM HIDDEN MARKET CHAMPIONS

Few business people realize that the number one exporter in the world in 2008 was not China, USA, or Japan.  The number one exporter was Germany.  Why you ask: because of the many small and medium-sized German businesses which are ranked in the Top 3 in the world in their industry.  These are the “Hidden Business Champions of the 21^st Century,” as reported by Hermann Simon in his newest book by that name, and include firms such as Delo which provides special electronics for smart phones, Baader the leader in fish dissection systems, and Lantal experts in airplane interior design. 

 

Hermann Simon shared during the recent Fortune Small Business Growth Summit, “The champion firms include 1200 market leaders with an annual growth rate of approximately 10% which have generated over 1 million jobs and waves of innovation.”  These firms share the following characteristics.

 

1.  Set ambitious goals and aspire to be nothing less than world-class.  Their will, or passion to be the best, is the most important characteristic. 

2.  Fully focus and concentrate on what must be mastered.  The key is to avoid distraction.  Successful firms Uhlman and Flexi, for example, state:  “We only do one thing.”  They go deep, not broad, by refraining from outsourcing any core competencies, outsourcing non-core activities, conducting very secretive R&D, and avoiding strategic alliances.

3.  Expand regionally and internationally using product know-how.  Rather than going into unknown business areas, they go global with what they know well.  They follow their customers everywhere.

4.  Innovate continuously and in small steps:  it is the only way to sustainable market leadership.  The hidden champions spend at least twice as much on R&D than the typical average and many times much more.  Over 65% of these firms say both the market and technology are important factors of innovation.  They average five times the number of patents per 1000 employees while cutting the cost per patent to one fifth the average.  Brains are more important than a certain budget.  They have continuous improvement, rather than breakthrough innovation.  They are speedy in bringing new innovations to market.

5.  Stay really close to your customers.  These firms average five times as many employees having regular customer contacts.  They stay very close to demanding customers who drive performance and innovation. This factor is the number one strength even over technology and quality.

6.  Pay attention to clear competitive advantages.  Quality still counts. Their strategies are value-driven not price-driven.  They typically price at a 10 to 15% premium.  The most important competitive advantage is quality, innovation, and service, not price.  For example, advice and system integration can not be imitated and reside in the quality of employees. 

7.  Hire quality people and retain them.  Avoid high employee turnover.  These firms have more work than people.  They have a high performance qualification standard.  The hidden champions average 2.7% turnover per year, while the USA averages over 30% turnover. When employees leave, they take know-how with them.

8.  Lead authoritarian in the principle and flexible in the details.  These firms do not compromise on their values.  They are predominantly self-financed with only 8% having private equity and 66% family owned.  Many CEOs come into power young, have high continuity, and many more on average are female.

 

These simple guidelines have led many small and medium-size firms to market leadership.  It takes a long term perspective.  Make sure you passionately pursue your purpose with never-ending perseverance.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

Copyright © 2009 Theresa M. Szczurek. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

THE WORST BUSINESS PLANS EVER

Usually you do not hear about the plans that fail.  However, the majority of new businesses fail.  Why ?  The National Business Incubation Association reports that most failures are attributed to three factors:  weak management team, insufficient funding, and poor strategic plan.   The worst plans are:

 

Never finished.  Many organizations and people aspire to write a good plan; few succeed in completing the task. It is harder than you think to pull together all the important elements.  The wise leader combines inputs from staff, advisors, investors, and customers with a business coach or team lead who focuses to finish the effort. 

 

Never implemented.  You can have the best plan in the world, but if it sits on the shelf collecting dust it is destined to fail.  Use the plan to hold people accountable.

 

Never changed.  A plan must continue to evolve.  The market is changing and competition is changing in response to the market.  It’s ‘change or die.’  Known as “Nothing But Initials,’ NBI grew from a fledging Boulder start-up founded by Binx Selby in 1973 to be one of the most successful firms in the word processing and office automation industry. By 1982, its sales exceeded $100 million and the growth continued.  However when technology moved from centralized computing to distributed personal computers, NBI’s leadership did not revise its strategic plan that allowed its product to evolve in response to changing market conditions. The competition did. NBI ultimately lost its leadership position and much more.

 

 Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPasionatePurpose.com)

Copyright © 2009 Theresa M. Szczurek. All Rights Reserved.

 

MORE SECRETS TO BUSINESS SUCCESS— A LIVING BUSINESS PLAN

How do you attract the funds to build your venture? How do you align your team and get everyone moving in the right direction?  How do you test if your strategies will get you where you want to go?  A good business plan is the answer.   More detailed than the strategic plan, the business plan explains the model for turning an idea into a viable venture. 

 

Business Plan

 

A solid business plan explains:

• Company passion, purpose, and vision (or core idealogy), background, and strategic business model to achieve its mission
• Market need and why current competitive alternatives are not satisfying them. 
• Company’s solution, the product and services, offered to solve the unmet need with a sustainable competitive advantage
• Sales and marketing approach to bring the solution to market including pricing, distribution, partnership, and promotions strategies
• Realistic projections of forecasted sales and resulting revenues
• Proforma financial statements showing how the firm makes money, becomes profitable, and makes a full triple bottom-line impact
• Management and human resources available to create and execute the plans
• Explanation of what other resources, financial, human, and otherwise, are needed to succeed

 

The plan guides the firm’s efforts, ensures there is a solid business to be built, and helps attract resources.  At AT&T International as line of business manager, the plans I created convinced the Board of Director to internally fund the effort. At my entrepreneurial venture Radish Communications Systems and with my consulting clients, the business plans are used to attract outside investors.  The plan must be professional and comprehensive; otherwise you set the company up for failure.

 

Critical Mistakes.  It is not easy to create a good business plan.  Nearly 250 venture capital companies across the US, were asked, “What is the worst mistake an entrepreneur can make when completing their company's business plan?”  Eight critical mistakes were reported at http://www.capital-connection.com/survey-worst.html: not clear in explaining the opportunity, unrealistic projections, simplistic assumptions, weak analysis of competition, failure to describe a sustainable competitive advantage, mistakes, errors, and misleading information, overstated management strengths, and  incompleteness such as insufficient financial data.

 

Example.  Phil Lyman, founder and CTO of Boundless Corporation (www.boundlesscorporation.com), a Colorado corporation focused on innovative energy storage for high performance systems, wanted to expand into new markets.  He made a smart decision—to build a business plan and to get help from TMS to more efficiently do so.  He used this plan to attract funding and guide the firm’s operations.  Lyman explains, “One of Boundless’ keys to success has been to narrow our focus onto emerging target markets with urgent need for advanced technology.  Strategic planning is paramount for establishing adequate focus.”  Boundless was a finalist for an Innovation Quotient (IQ) award from Boulder County Business Report. With the right product and plan to bring it successfully to market, the firm augmented government sales with commercial sales of large-format lithium-ion batteries and packs.

 

Implementing the Plan – Pursue Your Purpose

 

Establish a strategic plan.  Then expand to a business plan. Use them as tools to guide the company and its people.  It takes relentless pursuit using a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy, ongoing assessment of progress, consistent team communications, and mid-course corrections. 

 

How to Build a Good Plan?

 

Combine your vision of what you want with relentless effort to get it.  Follow the 4-stage "Pursuit of Passionate Purpose" process. Get help from the right players.  Then pursue your passionate purpose!  Real rewards will follow.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

Copyright 2009

SECRET TO BUSINESS SUCCESS – A GOOD STRATEGIC PLAN

 

A legendary study of graduates from Harvard University showed the importance of goal setting and planning. People (and organizations) with a plan outperformed those without one. The three percent of those with a written plan greatly outperformed all the others, who only had a mental plan. Having a written plan is a key factor in effectively pursuing any passionate purpose.  Verne Harnish, author of Mastering the Rockefeller Habits, says, “A vision is a dream with a plan.” So where’s your plan? 

 

Your Strategic Plan

 

Gazelles, companies growing more than 20% per year for more than four years, know what is important:  A clear strategic plan which is implemented with best business practices.

 

Process. Use this 4-stage ‘pursuit of passionate purpose’ process to build your plan:

• Access progress – look at your current situation and determine ‘who are we now?’
• Find your passion by clarifying core values and competencies – determine ‘what is our passion?’
• Align that passion with a purpose and vision – Define a Big Hairy Audacious Goal or BHAG® on ‘where you want to get to?’
• Pursue purpose -- Identify and implement strategic initiatives on ‘how do we get there?’

It is iterative and ongoing--over time, go back to “Access progress” phase and revise your plan.

 

One-page Plan. Organize outputs of this process into a 1-page strategic plan.     This communications tool aligns everyone in your company with the passion, purpose, and priorities to pursue your vision.  It works.  The fastest growing companies have a good plan and a well-developed habit of continually using it to evaluate progress.  Keep the plan alive – monitor, assess, revise, and continue to pursue.  Check out www.Gazelles.com and sign up for the great weekly newsletter.  You can download a  template for a 1-page plan.

 

Example. Consider the International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology (www.icastusa.org).  TMS helped them create the iCAST strategic plan, implement a system for executing the plan, and better manage its exponential growth.   “We found great value in establishing a clear direction and roadmap for iCAST’s future,” said Ravi Malhotra, iCAST executive director and founder. 

Practical Pointers. How to Build a Good Plan?

1. Establish a strategic plan for your organization. Follow the 4-stage process. Combine your vision of what you want with relentless effort to get it.
2. Organize the plan in a simple to follow format where all critical information is in one place.  Post the plan so all can refer to it on regular basis.
3. Use the plan as a tool to guide your company and people.  Establish team and individual goals and metrics.  Publicly review progress and use team pressure to hold people accountable.
4. Then pursue your passionate purpose!  It takes relentless pursuit using a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy, ongoing assessment of progress, consistent team communications, and mid-course corrections. 
5. Get help from the right players.   We are available to coach you through this process. You don’t need to it alone.

Build a good plan and then execute it.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

copyight 2009

BUILD A HIGH-TECH WORKFORCE WITH MESA

When David Davenport was in high school, he discovered something that changed his life—he was good at math and science and enjoyed solving real-world problems with these tools.  This insight came as a result of participating in Colorado MESA.  Now an IBM engineer, David also became chairperson for the Denver chapter of National Society of Black Engineers. 

 

The Need.

If Colorado is to maintain its high-tech edge, it needs a properly trained and motivated work force prepared to pursue the passionate purpose of innovation creation. What people, employers, and the state need are MESAs—programs which encourage students to reach their potential in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).  Education and support are the answers.

 

What is MESA?

Colorado MESA (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement) is a state-wide pre-college program that provides after school math- and science-based learning activities to over 3,600 preK-12 students(in 2009), over 78% of whom are from ethnic and gender groups that are under represented in engineering career fields.  Founded in 1980 as a part of the non-profit Colorado Minorities Engineering Association (CMEA), MESA's mission is to increase the numbers of economically disadvantaged and at risk students who graduate from high school fully prepared for post secondary education in math- and science-based fields. 

 

MESA model works!

MESA after-school programs engage students in hands-on inquiry based projects such as designing mousetrap-powered vehicles, wind turbines, and robots.  MESA advisors, usually math/science teachers along with university student mentors and practicing engineers, help students discover relevant math/science principles necessary to achieve success with their project.  Local, state, and national engineering-based competitions provide additional motivation to keep students involved.

 

The state MESA office at the University of Colorado Denver provides advisor training, program materials, and academic resources.  MESA Centers at CU and CSU in provide stimulating project-based curriculum, career speakers, and roles models.  Field trips to business sites, colleges, science fairs, and engineering-based competitions excite students about career opportunities.  Parents are critical supporters.

 

MESA in Colorado.

MESA works with 156 schools in 24 school districts throughout the state in collaboration with eight universities/colleges.  Michele Towers, MESA Center Director at CU-Boulder (michele.towers@cudenver.edu), supports Boulder, Jefferson, Denver and Arapahoe counties.  The CSU Center in Fort Collins oversees northern Colorado including Larimer, Weld, and Adams counties.

 

While MESA has taken root in Longmont and other Weld County communities, more schools can participate. For example, programs exist at Angevine Middle in Boulder, Centaurus High in Lafayette, and Broomfield High.  Boulder County needs champions to start more programs.

 

How Businesses Benefit and Are Involved.

Companies are looking to hire a qualified high-tech workforce. Matthew Smith, an executive from United Launch Alliance (www.ulalaunch.com) a MESA sponsor, said, "The average age of the United Launch Alliance workforce today is 47. As more of our workers retire over the next 10 years, we need qualified graduates.  That is why we sponsor MESA."

 

Colorado MESA currently receives no state funding.  Support comes from community and corporate organizations such as The Denver Foundation, Lockheed Martin, The Daniels Fund, Xcel Energy, Ball Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, and others. 

 

MESA Delivers Results. 

At a time when Colorado needs a highly-skilled, technical workforce, MESA allows qualified students to enter the workforce pipeline and it does it for under $125 per student per year.

 

100% of MESA seniors graduate from high school and historically, more than 90% have enrolled in college with over 80% enrolling in a math/science related major.  Approximately 85% of MESA students are from families in the low-to-moderate income bracket.  Approximately 50% are from ethnic groups underrepresented in math-based careers. 

 

“Every experience and memory I got from the MESA club will always live with me.  I owe a lot to the MESA club, because without it, I would never had these incredible experiences,” says Ernesto Chairez, graduate from Career Education Center in Longmont, attending CU- Boulder in the Fall 2009 majoring in Aerospace Engineering. 

 

How You Can Get Involved?

·     Help the kids in your life learn to love mathematics and science.

·     Ask your schools to sponsor a MESA program. 

·     Volunteer, make a donation, become a sponsor, create an internship or scholarship. 

·     Become a sponsor or volunteer for the October 15-16 MESA Fall Fling at CSU-Fort Collins.  Around 250 MESA high school students will taste university life, gain valuable academic, financial aid, and career information, and participate in Boat Building and Wind Energy engineering competitions. Learn more at www.cMESA.org.

 

Do you have MESA in your business or life?  Like David Davenport, who continues to champion multicultural engineering programs, support MESA and help build a stronger high-tech workforce.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

 

Copyright © 2009 Theresa M. Szczurek. All Rights Reserved.

WHAT CAN YOU ANDYOUR TEAM LEARN FROM A BEE?

At the end of the last school year, my daughter came home with a summer reading list for young adults.  It has valuable information for all of us.  It is especially helpful for me since once of my goals this year is to read at least one fiction book per month – yes, fiction, not only non-fiction business books. 

 

What a fun journey this has become – reading The DaVinci Code, Chocolat, Secret Life of Bees, and many more.  And, it has been a way to connect with my 13-year-old on a different level and learn valuable lessons about life.  Each of us reads the book and then when available we watch the movie. Then I like to analyze and talk about the message and experience, although Annie, unfortunately, is less interested in that part.

 

Last night we watched Secret Life of Bees.  Bees hold valuable wisdom useful in work and life.  No, it is not only that they are headed by a Queen.  They work as a team toward a common goal each innately knowing his/her part in pursuing the passionate purpose—the end result from their superb performance is sweet.  August, the matriarch beekeeper, shares with 14-year-old Lily, who is on a quest to get to know herself and her mother, “Send the bees love.” 

 

What would the impact on our business and family be if we send each other love while we look out for a greater good?  It would produce real rewards.  Too often, rather than pursue a noble purpose, we individually get lost in doing, achieving, or protecting our own turf while putting others down.  Instead, as August recommends, let’s try to “Lift each other to a higher level with love.”  Consider all the energy, currently wasted in friction and conflict, which could be redirected toward real results. 

 

In life, there is a symbiotic relationship between the bees and the flowers.  Again, we can learn a lot from Mother Nature.  Passionate Pursuers, those people who successfully find and pursue meaningful intentions, are like sunflowers who possess the SUNFLOWER traits (see Ch. 3 of Pursuit of Passionate Purpose).    

 

Practical Pointers:

• Act like a bee.  Work as a team toward a common goal with love.  Find better performance.
• Get clear on what real purpose you are pursuing.
• Lift each other to a higher level.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

 

 

 

AUTOPSY OF THE PROJECT FROM HELL: HOW TO GET BACK TO HEAVEN

The project from hell--most of you, unfortunately, know what projects I mean.  These are the projects that do NOT deliver the needed results in the proper timeframe:

• Delivery is delayed. 
• Scope creeps. 
• Responsible parties do not deliver appropriate solutions on time, on budget. 
• Team members are frustrated, perhaps due to the incompetence of other team mates or elements beyond their control.
• The system does not work as expected.
• The client never seems to be happy. 

The issues/problems go on, on, and on.    The 80/20 rule may be at work-20% of the projects bring 80% of the headaches. 

 

Here are some lessons, arranged in line with the 4-stage Pursuit of Passionate Purpose process, learned from my clients on how to turn the project from hell around.

 

Find Your Passion and Stick to It. 

• If a potential project is interesting and intriguing, but not consistent with your values and does not leverage your core competencies, i.e., your passion – Say No!  
• Do a risk/reward assessment.  The key is to do a good assessment ahead of time to screen out the most likely problem cases before they turn into nightmares.  Do a situation analysis – find out what problems have occurred before or exist now; ask  why.  If the risks are high and the reward low – Say No! 
• Screen for project criteria as well as for the people involved.  If the people involved in the project are difficult or suspect—Say No! 
• Sometimes it is not easy to say no—however, it is easier if you can give a reason why an alternative approach would be better.  “Thanks for considering me for xyz project.  However, I am booked until next year and know person A has the experience you need.”  If you say no to projects that are not a match and are a set up for failure, you will be able to say yes to others that are winners. Say no to the 20% of projects that bring the 80% of the headaches.

 

Align Passion with Clear Purpose. 

• Clarify the project definition. Make sure you have a clear description of the project upfront.  Agree on the scope of work, detailed requirements/specifications, and success factors.  Only agree to handle those parts of the project you can influence.  Make sure project boundaries are clearly set so that parts beyond your control are outside the scope. Get all it in writing. 
• Ensure that everyone knows what to expect and by when.  Put down in writing what is expected by all parties.  Determine project liaisons and their roles.  Clarify how communications will take place and with whom.
• Ensure a rigorous process is established for completion of the requirements and make sure the entire team abides by it.  Put together and get agreement to a project schedule including the amount of time allocated for final test and approval. Demand that leaders for certain segments of a project follow an agreed on process.
• Specify a test plan – what steps will be taken to ensure that the system is delivering to the requirements, who will be doing the testing, how long is the test period. 

 

Pursue Purpose with a Competent Team. 

• Make sure that the proper players, including high level champions, are involved. Get agreement upfront on what active participation is needed and who will ensure it takes place.  What will happen if this participation does not take place?  Specify what other resources / people are needed and what budget there is to cover this expense.
• Only allow proven, high competent people on the team.  Especially if you have not worked with certain members before, interview them carefully to ensure tangible evidence of past performance.  Past performance is the best indicator of future performance.  Make sure you check references.  Dig deep to talk to references from the references. 
• Notice any red flags.  Trust your gut and your head.  Take action to correct problems when they are small so they don’t get bigger.
• Have a tight contract and put in escalating penalties for not meeting budget and deadlines.

 

Assess Progress.  

• Especially with a new project and team, you need to constantly be monitoring results and readjusting.  Keep track of what progress has been made and what has not been made.
• Issue regular status reports to keep all parties informed – communicate, communicate, communicate.
• Make mid-course corrections along the way.
• Smile, believe, and allow the project to flow.

 

How do you avoid hell and stay in heaven? Say no to certain projects, say no to working with incompetent players, and say yes to important project management processes. These three factors will improve your business and project performance.

 

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)

WHERE IS YOUR ENERGY SOURCE FOR PERFORMANCE?

Meditating this morning, I was chilly until the big, beautiful ball of energy--the sun--rose.  It brought warmth, encouragement, and hope for making today another day of opportunity.

Energy, the E in the SUNFLOWER traits of successful passionate pursuers as described on page 52 of Pursuit of Passionate Purpose, is the capacity to do work.  Some people have more and attract more of this capacity than others.  They have a strong work ethic, which Venture Capitalist Brad Feld today talked about in his blog "Feld Thoughts" as a desirable characteristic.  Additionally, they can produce real results from their efforts.

What word do people use to describe you? The one-word description people most often use for me is 'energetic.'

How can you have more energy?  There are simple ways to increase your energy level.  David Hawkins, MD, PhD explains in Power vs. Force:  The Determinants of Human Behavior that energy levels can be calibrated into a map of consciousness.  Low energy levels manifest as shame, guilt, grief, and fear.  Courage, acceptance, love, and enlightenment align with high energy levels.  No wonder we are attracted to people with high levels of energy. Positive jumps in energy are possible through intention, will, choice, and motivation.  Many spiritual disciplines of the world are interested in approaches to ascend these levels.  Meditation is one such useful technique.

Practical Pointers:

• Set the intention to increase your energy level.
• Be motivated to discover what helps and what does not help.
• Make the choice to surround yourself with energizers and to leave hindrances behind.
• Use your will to focus on approaches which help you ascend energy levels.  Do you have a regular meditation practice?  Why not?

Energy is a key element to improving business and live performance. Build your energy.

Theresa M. Szczurek (www.TMSworld.com and www.PursuitofPassionatePurpose.com)