John's Blog

As part of accredited training, each person on course gets one-on-one feedback. In this feedback, I usually ask people at the start if they think they are competent in the skills learned. Normally, the response falls in one of two categories. Some people are confidant of their ability and say yes. Some people are hesitant, and squeeze a yes or a maybe out.  

Indulge me for a moment… If success is a numbers game, many attempts will surely guarantee success at some stage? What do you think? In light of the Disney of Destiny article, I have decided to challenge myself to produce 100 posts in 100 days. My main topic is leadership, but I don't plan to stick to it, I plan to write.   I am not a professional writer, and decided to see if I could actually do this. The posts will have the hash tag #100posts100days.  Join me. Not just in reading the posts, but in producing your own for 100 days. Tag your posts in comments below or tweet them with the afore mentioned hash tag and let creativity rule! 1. Surprise Visit from my Heart 2. The Dragon Whisperer 3. Disney's of Destiny  4. Are you as good as you think you are? 

Creativity is an elusive and strange phenomenon that both eludes and tickles people. For most people a stroke of creative genius is just that, a stroke. One miserable stroke and then it’s gone. Forever. For a select few, creativity seems to be a fountain bubbling up in the centre of their being, constantly oozing out original results.    

Another Self Indulgent Post by John Usher Uncle Ben phoned me before eight this morning.   I thought it unusual and was concerned. I stepped out of the occupied training room and answered the call. "If you don't talk to her today, I will find her and tell her what a fool you are," boomed his stern voice. "You read the blog!" I started to laugh.

A Self-indulgent post by John Usher She stepped through the door and awoke the dragon. The conversation stalled as she entered the training room. She was awkward and uncomfortable. Although, thinking back, it was probably because I was openly staring. She introduced herself bluntly and sat down in the front row. Delicious eyelashes generously framed big, curious, beautiful eyes.   I instantly realised that I was in pain.

It takes three elements to make a fire; heat, oxygen and fuel.   These three elements make up what’s known as the Fire Triangle.   It’s a common strategy to remove just one of the three elements, breaking the triangle, to extinguish a fire successfully.   The Leadership Triangle also has three elements essential to its existence; vision, a leader and a team.   Removing one of these elements would break the Leadership Triangle and extinguish any hope for success.  

Personal Development Skill: Team Work There is no doubt that the single most important skill to define a leader; to will make or break his or her reputation is their ability to work with a team. This important skill quickly separates true leaders from the “wannabe” that wants to gloat in their own self importance. You may fool fans, but you will never fool the team.

Personal Development Skill: Effective Communication We communicate, all the time. Using various mediums, messages travel back and forward between people at an incredible rate. Communication generates an incredible amount of data daily. Why then is effective communication so illusive?

Personal & Leadership Skill: Ability to Identify and Solve Problems No other skill will keep you relevant and in demand like the ability to solve problems. The best problem solvers in the work place are often the highest paid in the company. This is a skill that everyone should have but has become rare and extremely valuable.

Personal & Leadership Skill: Cultural Awareness Sadly, polarisation seems to be the current trend in the world at the moment. This is a dangerous attitude to own in the “global village” of our modern world. Our workplaces, neighbourhoods and public areas are filled with people from various culture groups and backgrounds. We are exposed to all sorts of age groups, religious persuasions and life attitudes each and every minute. This cosmopolitan environment requires each of us to be able to demonstrate some awareness and sensitivity to other culture groups.   

Personal & Leadership Skill: Collect, Organise, Analyse and Critically Evaluate Information Regardless of the position we hold at work, we all deal with information daily. A massive amount of information is passed back and forward on a moment by moment basis. Information and its assimilation is big business. If you are in business, if you work or even as a student, you will constantly deal with this skill. Efficiently collecting, organising, analysing and critically evaluating information can mean the difference of starting a new trend in your industry or being a tail-end trend follower.

Personal & Leadership Skill: Use of Science and Technology Developing ourselves requires conscious planning and focus in specific areas. We should not allow our personal and career development to be haphazard or ad hoc. Having a careless attitude towards our career or personal skills could result in us unwittingly becoming redundant and without purpose in the work place.

Staying Relevant In A Rapid Changing World The pace of change is fierce and constant. A leader, a manager and even an employee has to develop a serious passion for change in order to remain current and relevant over the lifespan of their personal career. As simple as this may seem at first, it requires a mindset that is focused on development. Random and haphazard development is not sufficient to keep you up-to-date. The development should be specific and purposeful.

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