Since today is Bill Gates' last day of work at Microsoft, I thought it would be appropriate to make this post about him. Hopefully the challenge of Google has not run him off, but it certainly will be a huge issue with his successor.
At any rate, a few months ago, Bill went on the record, as he is wont to do, on a subject that is dear to him, and one that is dear to many of the rest of us. His prediction was that PC's will have natural interfaces that will use camera and speech recognition. The result, he predicts, will make print obsolete. As much as we printers might not like the prospect, let's examine what is behind his statement.
The foundation of his premise is the "natural user interface". This NUI will mean there will be a new interactive relationship with the user and the device. The tablet computer is an example, and where used often replaces textbooks. Voice recognition and video is also used, both ways, that is from computer to student, and from student to the computer via a special camera. Wow!
The above paragraph is my understanding of how it will work, and has me on the brink of overload with too much technical projection. Nonetheless, it seems prudent that, for our own good, we stay open to the possibilities.
On the side of "It'll at least take time", would be the whole computerization of the classroom. It is true that many districts have done wonders with getting each student their own computer. However. there are still many many more districts that aren't even close. Continuing with this line of thought, it would take several years for Bill's vision to become a reality in any volume.
Concluding with a touch of reality is a must though, and dictates that we must prepare, we must change our thinking and broaden it, and we must not believe that the future will look just like it is now.
The book is sacred to many of us, but the reality is that there are many technological threats out there that will change not only how we use it, but how it is seen, used, read, and experienced.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Thursday, June 26, 2008
The Real Definition of Courage
Several years ago, while in the midst of working for one of the few difficult people in my life, I found myself in a recurring debate over the definition of courage.
"Morrie" was a fastidious man all the way and would take issue with me doing what I perceived was appropriate, when sometimes contrary to Company policy or procedure. He stuck strongly to the rules and wanted me to, as well as insisting that I get that from my people.
Being a strong-willed person (if you're a regular reader of my blog, you're not surprised), I always felt compelled to "do the right thing". This sometimes entailed making exceptions to the rules to achieve what I perceived to be the fairest or best outcome.
The outcome could be a subjective issue to Morrie and/or me, but to the person or customer involved, the perception ruled and, in fact I maintained, became the reality. Morrie insisted that rules were made for just these situations, and that it took courage to follow them ESPECIALLY when it was tempting to make an exception.
I debated that it was easy to fall back on some inflexible rule and cop out by saying "Company policy won't let me do what you want". Furthermore, it seemed to me much more difficult to do the right thing, especially when it meant bucking the system with an unpopular exception.
To this day I believe this, teach it, and do it, even when controversial.
What are your thoughts? What is your definition? Most importantly, when faced with a sticky problem you'd rather not handle, what do you actually do?
"Morrie" was a fastidious man all the way and would take issue with me doing what I perceived was appropriate, when sometimes contrary to Company policy or procedure. He stuck strongly to the rules and wanted me to, as well as insisting that I get that from my people.
Being a strong-willed person (if you're a regular reader of my blog, you're not surprised), I always felt compelled to "do the right thing". This sometimes entailed making exceptions to the rules to achieve what I perceived to be the fairest or best outcome.
The outcome could be a subjective issue to Morrie and/or me, but to the person or customer involved, the perception ruled and, in fact I maintained, became the reality. Morrie insisted that rules were made for just these situations, and that it took courage to follow them ESPECIALLY when it was tempting to make an exception.
I debated that it was easy to fall back on some inflexible rule and cop out by saying "Company policy won't let me do what you want". Furthermore, it seemed to me much more difficult to do the right thing, especially when it meant bucking the system with an unpopular exception.
To this day I believe this, teach it, and do it, even when controversial.
What are your thoughts? What is your definition? Most importantly, when faced with a sticky problem you'd rather not handle, what do you actually do?
Monday, June 16, 2008
The Rest of Getting Mentoring Right
Last post, we were outlining what makes a good mentor a great one. So if you haven't read through that, please do so and then continue on here.
In addition to genuine caring, not judging intentions, focusing on strengths, and treating persons individually, I will add four more.
Understand that mentoring is a longer haul than shorter. Neither person should expect instant results. Certainly we have every right to expect all the good things, increased confidence, courage to change, maturity, patience, as well as decisiveness. Good things most often take time, though, and trying to hurry the process will harm rather than help. Patience, patience, patience.
Did you notice the key word I sneaked in? How about process? Mentoring is a process, and that is the next important thing to remember. A process to me means there is an overall plan without a foregone conclusion. It is something better discovered rather than pursued. A process also draws on other situations, people, and things. It can become complicated, but also can provide incredible growth, if accepted.
The next requirement is the mentoree doesn't have to like this process, and in fact may dislike it, but the Mentor must enjoy it. Yes, all of us are capable of performing tasks we don't really care to, but if a mentor attempts to give of himself without at least a sense of accomplishment, it won't come across as well and fact will most likely eventually fail.
Finally, the mentor must, has to be, completely honest. Notice I didn't say "brutally honest"! One thing I always have stressed, to the folks I've had the privilege to work with, is that constructive criticism is a gift. We certainly must be caring and give our thoughts in a way that the person can accept, without mincing words. They must "get it". The watchword phrase, though, is "don't break the spirit".
Mentoring is something I dearly love, and I've been told I do it well. Those may be kind words, but for better or worse, they will be the final judge of any one's efforts: what do your people say of you?
In addition to genuine caring, not judging intentions, focusing on strengths, and treating persons individually, I will add four more.
Understand that mentoring is a longer haul than shorter. Neither person should expect instant results. Certainly we have every right to expect all the good things, increased confidence, courage to change, maturity, patience, as well as decisiveness. Good things most often take time, though, and trying to hurry the process will harm rather than help. Patience, patience, patience.
Did you notice the key word I sneaked in? How about process? Mentoring is a process, and that is the next important thing to remember. A process to me means there is an overall plan without a foregone conclusion. It is something better discovered rather than pursued. A process also draws on other situations, people, and things. It can become complicated, but also can provide incredible growth, if accepted.
The next requirement is the mentoree doesn't have to like this process, and in fact may dislike it, but the Mentor must enjoy it. Yes, all of us are capable of performing tasks we don't really care to, but if a mentor attempts to give of himself without at least a sense of accomplishment, it won't come across as well and fact will most likely eventually fail.
Finally, the mentor must, has to be, completely honest. Notice I didn't say "brutally honest"! One thing I always have stressed, to the folks I've had the privilege to work with, is that constructive criticism is a gift. We certainly must be caring and give our thoughts in a way that the person can accept, without mincing words. They must "get it". The watchword phrase, though, is "don't break the spirit".
Mentoring is something I dearly love, and I've been told I do it well. Those may be kind words, but for better or worse, they will be the final judge of any one's efforts: what do your people say of you?
Friday, June 13, 2008
Getting Mentoring Right
One area that has spoken to me consistently in my life has been mentoring. Early on I was most fortunate in having good people, more experienced than I, in my life. These were folks who genuinely cared about me and wanted to help me, with no personal agenda. Whether it was my meat department manager when I worked at A&P while in college, or a professor who taught me how to really study and made me like it, or my Air Force flight instructor who taught me that life is hard, they and others like them got through to me and made a difference.
A bit later on, I began my BEING a mentor. I found myself at first working with teens at church. That led to officiating sporting events, then becoming a coach. Before I knew it I was a high school head soccer coach, while I pursued my business career. Mentoring was a joy from the other end, as I found myself making a difference in others' lives.
Now I've come full circle where again I am mentored through a wonderful priest and friend, but also work with young CEO's and Presidents helping them through the challenges, doubts and joys with their customers, families, and businesses.
After all this I feel qualified to write about what I think makes a good mentor. Here goes.
The mentor must have a genuine and deep interest in the well being of the mentoree. Simply put, she should care. We've all seen people who have something to gain or lose, and steer us toward that outcome while pretending to care more about us. Most often, we see right through it, and they have lost our trust forever. I've always been most impressed when I see people who will actually be negatively impacted with a change, but support it when they see a greater good. Wow! That's maturity.
Do not judge intentions. It's not only proper to judge performance, we are required to do so. At the same time, it's a losing proposition to try to know what's going on inside of an individual. Good mentors assume that the heart is good until the performance shows that there's a disconnect. Be on their side; more is gained by treating them a bit better than they may deserve, than a bit worse.
Focus on strengths; spend less time on weaknesses. (See my 1/30/08 post, The Healthy Lawn). Don't ever underestimate the power of positive feedback. Remember the Goethe quote, "If you treat an individual as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be."
Individualize your mentoring to the person. Remember that we are all not only a product of our experiences and upbringing, but we are also part of our generation, our community, and values. Understand these and work within them, and not according to how you might see them. The mentor strives to improve the mentoree on her ground, not make her as he is.
We will continue this rather robust topic in the next blog; remember, I promised with my first posting that I would be consistently brief!
A bit later on, I began my BEING a mentor. I found myself at first working with teens at church. That led to officiating sporting events, then becoming a coach. Before I knew it I was a high school head soccer coach, while I pursued my business career. Mentoring was a joy from the other end, as I found myself making a difference in others' lives.
Now I've come full circle where again I am mentored through a wonderful priest and friend, but also work with young CEO's and Presidents helping them through the challenges, doubts and joys with their customers, families, and businesses.
After all this I feel qualified to write about what I think makes a good mentor. Here goes.
The mentor must have a genuine and deep interest in the well being of the mentoree. Simply put, she should care. We've all seen people who have something to gain or lose, and steer us toward that outcome while pretending to care more about us. Most often, we see right through it, and they have lost our trust forever. I've always been most impressed when I see people who will actually be negatively impacted with a change, but support it when they see a greater good. Wow! That's maturity.
Do not judge intentions. It's not only proper to judge performance, we are required to do so. At the same time, it's a losing proposition to try to know what's going on inside of an individual. Good mentors assume that the heart is good until the performance shows that there's a disconnect. Be on their side; more is gained by treating them a bit better than they may deserve, than a bit worse.
Focus on strengths; spend less time on weaknesses. (See my 1/30/08 post, The Healthy Lawn). Don't ever underestimate the power of positive feedback. Remember the Goethe quote, "If you treat an individual as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be."
Individualize your mentoring to the person. Remember that we are all not only a product of our experiences and upbringing, but we are also part of our generation, our community, and values. Understand these and work within them, and not according to how you might see them. The mentor strives to improve the mentoree on her ground, not make her as he is.
We will continue this rather robust topic in the next blog; remember, I promised with my first posting that I would be consistently brief!
More Sound Advice From Al McGuire
In an earlier blog (see 1/28/08 posting) I related some principles from knowing Al McGuire, the deceased but not forgotten, Marquette basketball coach and broadcaster. Just the other day I was reminded of him in 2 ways. The first was from one of my consulting associates, Rick Maurer, stating that we must improve our customer performance 25% just to stay in the game. The second was from a synopsis of the NBA Finals, where so many of the athletes said their simple goal EACH day was to get better. Al McGuire demanded it.
Interesting premise. Aren't we maintaining quality if we work hard and keep on doing what we've experienced success with yesterday? I think not. When we paddle a canoe up stream, if we stop paddling, we go backwards. The problem is that our competition is working as hard (maybe even harder) to win. That means that after 34 years in the business world, I have to still get up each day and find a way to grow, to challenge myself, and to find things that add value to others.
I am absolutely flabbergasted at the rate of technological innovation we're experiencing now. The speed of the game has increased geometrically. That's what you constantly hear from rookies in the NBA: "The speed of the game is so much faster than college. I need to learn the game better so that I can simply react without thinking and make the play."
In the business world, when we are situationaly challenged, we use our current knowledge & experience to determine the appropriate response. The learning must already be absorbed by then, to be able to apply and come up with the right thing to do. What used to be something that could wait a week now happens overnight, later today, or even immediately. If we haven't improved from the last experience, we may not get it right.
How are you growing and getting better each day? Compared to last year, and compared to your competitors, have you stayed the same, gotten better, or back slid?
Interesting premise. Aren't we maintaining quality if we work hard and keep on doing what we've experienced success with yesterday? I think not. When we paddle a canoe up stream, if we stop paddling, we go backwards. The problem is that our competition is working as hard (maybe even harder) to win. That means that after 34 years in the business world, I have to still get up each day and find a way to grow, to challenge myself, and to find things that add value to others.
I am absolutely flabbergasted at the rate of technological innovation we're experiencing now. The speed of the game has increased geometrically. That's what you constantly hear from rookies in the NBA: "The speed of the game is so much faster than college. I need to learn the game better so that I can simply react without thinking and make the play."
In the business world, when we are situationaly challenged, we use our current knowledge & experience to determine the appropriate response. The learning must already be absorbed by then, to be able to apply and come up with the right thing to do. What used to be something that could wait a week now happens overnight, later today, or even immediately. If we haven't improved from the last experience, we may not get it right.
How are you growing and getting better each day? Compared to last year, and compared to your competitors, have you stayed the same, gotten better, or back slid?
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