In an open office, “headphones are replacing walls when people want to block out everything (and everyone) in order to concentrate.” In his latest column, When Headphones Get in the Way of Office Communication, New York Times Workologist, Rob Walker offers advice that’s universal. No one appreciates being interrupted mid-thought or mid-project. The next time you want someone’s input or ideas, choose the right approach:

• Opt for email or text to set-up a meeting. Acknowledge the other person, request a time to meet and outline the topic you want to discuss. Hi Jake, you worked-up the latest sales projections. When can we meet for 10 minutes this morning to discuss the specifics of the Marto deal with Kara?
• When it’s urgent, approach them in person, enter their line of vision, and ask permission to interrupt: Jala, if you can take a quick break, I’d like to get a status on the B & A project before I meet with the controller later today.
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Keep the lines of communication open and, in the spirit of collaboration, ask your co-worker what works best for them. Erin, your analyses of the sales and marketing data is critical to the decisions we make for our division. When I need your input, what’s the best way to get your attention? Share what works for you, I’m okay with interruptions. Feel free to wave me down if I am on the phone and I’ll follow-up as quickly as I can.

​Since they can’t wait to share their ideas, and enlist you as their sounding board and brainstorm buddy, the extroverts among us could lead us to believe that they’ve got a lock on innovative ideas. Change makers Bill Gates, Steven Spielberg, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Rosa Parks would quietly disagree. If you’re curious about what the other half is thinking, ask them.

Soliciting ideas from observant and deep thinking introverts calls for curiosity, carefully observing people in action, and subtly adapting our communication style to match theirs. When you meet people where they are and you ask what they think, await their reply, then acknowledge them, you send a powerful message: you value their ideas and respect a myriad of different approaches to thinking, learning and communicating.

In the first of this series of blogs we explored the core question, “WHY does your business exist?” Once you uncovered the answer, we explored HOW you will achieve purpose. Now we’ll explore how critical it is to really get through the first two questions before you can answer the third and final question in Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle infographic. “WHAT should you do to deliver on the promise of your WHY?”

Late last week, starting with WHY, helped Dan uncover the root of a problem that’s been plaguing him for weeks. He showed-up wondering how he could motivate one of his long-term employees (sound familiar?) now that he’s taken the on a high-profile project for implementing a new program for their human services clients.

​In the first of this series of blogs we explored the all-important question, “WHY does your business exist?” In this blog we will explore the second question in Simon Sinek’s Golden Circle infographic, “HOW are you delivering on the promise of your WHY?”
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Put your business plan on the shelf for now – and if you don’t have one, that’s even better. To answer HOW, read on to learn how you can marshal all the resources it takes to explore every possibility, gain important insights, and challenge your perceptions and expectations. In the final blog in the series, you’ll meet the challenge of WHAT and you’ll be fully prepared to create a business plan that brings your WHY to life. 

Unleashing your potential for entrepreneurial success. Part 1 in a 3 Part Series: The Why, How and What for Bringing Your Idea to Life

Ideas are the sparks that ignite curiosity and spawn entrepreneurial success. Are you itching to turn your idea into a service or product people will buy? Imagine that you are talking to a 6-year-old. Hold the hype, jargon and industry buzzwords and describe your idea in the simplest terms. With that as our starting point, let’s explore the possibilities with the help of author and TED Talk favorite, Simon Sinek. Read a Brand Genetics summary of his book, WHY? And watch his popular TED Talk.

Sinek poses the question, What’s the fundamental difference between the “Apples” of the world and everyone else? They start with one the question, Why?

Blame it on the full  moon! 

For the first time in over 10 years, I created a vision board in less than an hour and without cutting and pasting. I used PowerPoint to design a free-form collage around a picture of a very happy me that includes images and phrases that I collected on-line. My vision board is now the wallpaper on my phone, the first page in my daily planner and a picture on my nightstand.
 
What are you dreaming about? If you’re ready to create a vision board, start with ​                                                                                               

Stretching your network can be instrumental in achieving professional goals. One client confessed that he thought networking was supposed to be terrible. He's not alone! Read his story to find out how he stopped overthinking it.

I thought networking was supposed to be terrible. That was my experience with it: you go into a room full of strangers and try to make a “connection”. What that meant to me was to impress my contacts and convince them, in a short conversation, of my brilliance. As I never succeeded at this, I wasn’t really sure what would come next, or what I hoped would come of it (perhaps an immediate job offer?).
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Clarity gives you the courage to walk through the door and curiosity makes it easy for you to keep your emotions in check. Armed with both you will make connections and initiate conversations that are as powerful as they are totally unpredictable. These talking tips were inspired by science-based conversation hacks.

Encourage people to talk about themselves and when you do, it gives them as much pleasure as food or money. Smile, make eye contact, and ask simple, open-ended and unexpected questions. Listening without interrupting takes practice. Read their name badge and use the information actively in conversation. “Hi Bill, you’re from BGH Consulting, what’s your specialty?” Play off a change of seasons, “It’s September. What were the highlights of your summer?” Focus on the event. “We’re hearing from a futurist today, what trends are you interested in learning about?”

Networking is very much alive but the dreaded elevator pitch is finally dead - and not a minute too soon!

We’re replacing the phoney, one-sided, introductions that cause other people’s eyes to glaze over while they silently scream,  “Please get away from me!”, with a calm curiosity that gets people talking. When we listen to others, we uncover the clues that allow us to make real connections with them,  and to support them in unexpected ways. Science shows that providing people with the chance to talk about themselves gives them as much pleasure as food . . . or money!