Are you getting a charge out of your career?

It is that time of the year again – no, I am not referring to the World Series, although it is that time of the year as well! It is the season when the Nobel prizes are handed out.

The Nobel Prizes were first awarded in 1901, five years after the death of Alfred Nobel. Mr. Nobel was a real cracker jack (pun intended). He started early in business, inventing and patenting dynamite before the age of 35. He amassed a great fortune as a result.

In 1888, a French newspaper published his obituary, announcing that “The Merchant of Death is dead”. It was quite a critical piece, suggesting that he could have left a better legacy than creating a product that killed people. There were three interesting outcomes from this literary misadventure; the first was that Alfred had not died (he would die on December 10, 1896). The second outcome was that the obituary so disturbed him, it caused him to wake up to what kind of legacy, or impact, he was leaving the world. While yes, he was leaving some great holes in the earth, could he help mankind in another manner?

In November of 1895, Nobel created the Nobel Prizes which were to be given out annually to anyone across the globe. They were to be given in 5 key areas; physical science, chemistry, medical science, literary work, and, last but not least, the peace prize to the person who has given the most to society.

If you were to run around your office this morning and ask your coworkers what Alfred Nobel is best known for, what would most of them say? I’m betting you a box of matches it isn't dynamite. It is very true our talents and motivation can be used to help or to hurt - it is up to us which path they will take.

You might be wondering what the third outcome of the article was - I’m hoping that it will teach all of us that it is never too late to change the course of your life or career. You may not create the next Nobel laureate, but you can leave a legacy that makes a positive difference to those around you.

This week’s 10 Minute WORKout:

Take 10 minutes to write your own obituary.

Along the road with you,

Alan Kearns

Who do you bounce your ideas off of?

I have been playing basketball with my kids over the past year. We set up two nets in our front yard and are able to play a proper game.

Basket ball (no, this is not a spelling error) was invented by a Canadian physician and minister – Dr. James Naismith – who was actually brought up in a house about 20 minutes from where we live. Dr. Naismith was a member of the faculty at the YMCA International Training School in Springfield, Massachusetts. He was looking for an indoor game to keep college kids in shape over the long winters, when he heard about an old Mayan sport. He nailed a peach basket to a post at a height of 10 feet, brought out a soccer ball, and had his students play on a court the size of about 1/2 the length of today’s NBA courts. When a player would shoot the ball into the peach basket, someone needed to get a stick to knock it out!

The game has evolved since 1891; in the 50's they switched from a brown ball to an orange ball, as it was easier for the players and the spectators to see. Dribbling was also later introduced.

Over the past few weeks I have noticed a substantial increase in the "dunk" rate of my kids. They are making a lot more baskets than before. I was curious about what their secret was. It turns out that they have both figured out the role of the backboard, and are using it consistently to bounce the ball off of and, more times than not, it makes it into the net.

Bouncing ideas off of people is also a way of making better decisions. When you dance around the rim of issues, and try to hit the mark without the benefit of the backboard, you can often miss the point.

3 Traits of a Good Backboard

1. It must be the proper size and shape,

2. It should contain a well outlined area to hit, and

3. It must be the right density.

3 Traits of the Right Person to bounce ideas off of

1. They must have the right level of experience, with a level headed approach to problems in general,

2. It should be someone who can ask logical questions, and
3. They should be tough enough to be honest, yet respectful.

Often, one of the comments my clients make upon taking one of our programs is how easily they are able to bounce their ideas off of me - to test them out and reflect on them to see if they are on the right track. My role is to be objective, and to give feedback to help them refine their ideas, from career choices to job searches. In a majority of cases, the client gets much better results than if they went through the process by themselves.

This week’s 10 Minute WORKout:

What kinds of decisions have you been able to bounce off of your network of friends and colleagues? Who do you need to add to your network to help make better decisions?

Along the road with you,

Alan Kearns

How do you decide?

Have you ever found yourself having to make a decision about whether to take on a new role, or whether to change careers?

I was surfing the web the other day when I came across this quote: "Clearly, Apple is following Sony's lead by integrating consumer electronics devices into its marketing strategy, but Apple lacks the richness of Sony's product offering. And introducing new consumer products right now is risky, especially if they cannot be priced attractively." The writer was referring to the first edition of the iPod. At the time the article was written, the iPod was $399 with a 5 Gig harddrive.

The article was written by one of the analysts from CNET - a large online consumer technology site – in October 2001.

Everyone has an opinion about what is and what is not going to be successful. I assume Steve Jobs did not take the opinion personally. You may be struggling with what to do or not to do. In most cases, your instincts are probably correct. Steve’s certainly were - Steve and his very capable team had done their homework, knew the pros and cons, and got feedback from the critics. Ultimately, they decided on a strategy that was based on the big picture.

In my research on this topic, I uncovered a study by Ap Diksterhuis, a professor of psychology at the University of Amsterdam. In his research concerning decision making, he determined that our subconscious (what we call our “gut”) is much better at getting a sense of the bigger picture. Our conscious mind tends to "see" certain things.

Don't underestimate your gut. I am not suggesting that you completely substitute research and in-depth analysis for a “gut feeling” – but it is important to listen to the voice inside.

Happy 5th Birthday iPod! Apple certainly hit the ball out of the park with that important decision. Meanwhile, back in Sony land, well, when’s the last time they had a hit?

By the way, if you have heard or you download Podcasts, get ready, details will follow very soon. CareerJoy has an exciting announcement to make!

This Week’s 10 Minute WORKout:

What was the best decision you ever made? How did you go about making that decision?

Along the road with you,

Alan Kearns