Thursday, July 11, 2013

Learning and the "Dislocation Theory"

"Learning eventually results in changes in action not just taking in new information and
forming new ideas."
- Peter Senge,
The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization

Dislocation theory seeks to replace what the enemy thinks should be occurring
with something that is happening faster than he can understand.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Notes from John C. Maxwell's book: "The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player"

You've got to think of "big things" while you're doing small things so that all the small things go in the right direction. – Alvin Toffler

Adaptable people are good team players because they are teachable; they are willing to face the unknown to learn and go to higher levels.

Stodgy: Dull and uninspired; commonplace…

“A person’s age can be determined by the degree of pain experienced when he/she comes in contact with a new idea.” – Quincy Jones

Adaptive people are creative – when difficult times come, they find a way.

Really creative people aren’t afraid of failure because they know that they can do something different and make it work next time – or the time after that.

Commitment is a choice and lasts when it is based on values.

There are no half-hearted champions.

“The moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issue from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would come his way.” –William H. Murray

Most communication problems can be solved with proximity; make it easy for others to communicate with you (and each other if on a team).

“Friendship is a slow-ripening fruit.” – Aristotle
Be accessible; follow up within 24 hours; follow up on important matters in writing.

There is no union without good communication: open communication increases trust; trust increases ownership; and ownership increases participation.

Excellence:

“People forget how fast you did a job - but they remember how well you did it.” – Howard W. Newton
“Building a team is as important as producing a product… You have to let the people be a team. That means fostering an environment where people say what they really think. You can’t be dogmatic.” – Bob Taylor, Taylor Guitars

Competence: to be well-qualified, fit.

Highly competent people never settle; they pay attention to detail, no matter how small; are highly consistent; try different things but do what they are best at – they ‘edit” themselves.

Dependable team members possess the desire to do the thing that they are capable of doing.

“Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“No matter what I’m working on, I like to do what I’m not doing.” – Woody Allen

“Obstacles will look large or small to youaccording to whether you are large or small.” – Oreion Swett Marden

No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.

“Every successful person finds that great success lies just beyond the point when they’re convinced their idea is noy going to work.” – Napoleon Hill

“Success is like wrestling a gorilla. You don’t quit when you’re tired, you quit when the gorilla is tired.” – Robert Straus

“You beat 50 percent of the people in America by working hard. You beat another 40 percent by being a person of honesty and integrity and standing for something. The last 10 percent is a dogfight in the free enterprise system.” – A. L. Williams

Thursday, July 4, 2013