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I know you guys have seen the book The Power of Full Engagement by Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz where they talk about managing energy, not time. They came up with a lot of insights from their research working with top athletes.

Val, always great to hear from you.

Posted by Halley Suitt at April 13, 2005 4:32 PM

A lot of engagement is a matter of perspective, depending on where the needle is pointing!! The engagement meter always has a knob and depending on which way it's turned, the meter reading is different. Participants in any Engagement have the option to move thier needles either way.

Silence is an art of communication too!!

Marcus Buckingham is good reading--Now Discover Your Strengths is another classic.

Posted by /pd at April 13, 2005 5:19 PM

Check out the Center for Talent Retention. www.keeppeople.com. They got state of the art stuff to get people to take action to increase engagement.

Posted by Andrew at April 13, 2005 8:25 PM

I don't know why but I think about death often. Relatives who die especially remind me of the very limited time we have on this planet.

Since hitting 40, I have entered into the proverbial arena of questioning everything. (Certainly didn't stop after 30 although it was a rather sluggish decade..) A good part of my questions have to do with intention.

It's one thing to have the desire to be more intentional with living, but another to know what should command your intentions.

I would say I am more engaged than ever with my life and work. (Both are the same thing to me.) Each day, I awake with the question: "What can I do today to further my mission?" That's pretty much it but believe me, it's huge.

Recently, I (finally) finished an E-Book that I had been working on for almost a year. Ridiculous for something only 36 pages long. I wasn't fully engaged after I wrote it. After months of procrastination, I forced myself to sit down and edit it. I sent it to others for feedback. Then I realized my fear. I was afraid it wouldn't be good enough, not perfect enough, or not polished enough.

I am wondering how this affects others who seek to be more engaged? Perfectionism can be the death of so much. Where would Microsoft be if they waited until everything was perfect before release?

Sometimes, we can nit-pick something to death until it is devoid of all originality. Words to live by for myself as well as anyone else who deals with The Critic.

Posted by M.R. Maguire at April 13, 2005 10:13 PM

Very powerful post M.R.

I used to be pretty obsessional too about getting things perfect before releasing anything - I think that was all about my fear of criticism and failure - as defined by me.

As I have got older I can now see criticism as helpful - providing it is not personally insulting.

Be proud of your book - do not under-estimate 36 pages - that is fantastic - celebrate it! - It is not about quantity - it is about quality and it is about you having a fabulous achievement!

I received some criticism of my book but it was well received by most people and on balance there are far more positive comments than negative ones.

I was told by people I respect "Have a thick skin and an ego that doesn't mind getting bruised - you will receive criticism - rise above it!"

At 52 years of age I now grudgingly realise one must accept criticism, take it on board and learn from it - even if it sometimes hurts us.

There is one FACT however that our critics must accept - we have produced a book and that feeling can never be taken away from us. When 500 copies of my book were delivered to me last October it was a feeling that I cannot find the words to describe and that feeling is something far more special than negative comment.

Congratulations on your book - look at the product and smile - YOU HAVE DONE IT!!

Warm regards

Trevor

Posted by Trevor Gay at April 14, 2005 5:33 AM

Afterthought ...

Nowadays I just put things 'out there' and let people 'pull it apart' rather than me waiting until everything is perfect in my eyes before release.

The reason I do this is I now realise it will never be perfect anyway so why not change things as you go along - informed by feedback from people you know, like and trust.

Trevor

Posted by Trevor Gay at April 14, 2005 5:37 AM

Halley - thanks for the "Power" reference - 2 years ago I got the book and tape - and luckily seemed to absorb it while van pooling into D.C. Now I'm in Santa Fe - so something clicked to get me here with le government de federale. Physical, emotional, mental, spiritual [PEMS] exercise and energy - c'est la vie triathlon.

Trevor understands endorphin and seratonin balance.

Posted by Sean at April 14, 2005 7:23 AM

This is what drives me nuts about businesspeople (though most readers of this site are certainly exceptions): They don't give a damn about what they are doing.

Nothing is done for its own sake-- always for something else... always for some diabolical goal or concept (namely, money). Your average businessman can't imagine doing something for the simple joy of it, regardless of its profit potential. Suggest that they do so and they go berserk... start frothing at the mouth and gibbering about "the market".

How do people become so far removed from their humanity?

Posted by AJ Hoge at April 14, 2005 10:07 AM

AJ Hoge

I disagree - I have encountered a fair proportion of people who want to do things well for the sake of it. We are there! We just don't get much publicity!

Posted by PaulH at April 14, 2005 10:23 AM

I agree with you Paul but I also agree with AJ.

Sadly, there are people I meet in business who are intersted in only 2 things - making money and promoting their own image

Like many others - I often do things with no monetary reward in my business.

I get a wonderful feeling for having helped or supported someone - maybe someone starting off in management - it feels like I am putting something back for after all the years I have worked as a manager.

Having said that I also have bills to pay so I need money like the next person. There really is no way out of that!

AJ's point however is spot on. I have lost count of the number of people who have seen the latest mangement fad as a way of making a quick buck - they are 'here today' 'gone tomorrow' types.

My greatest guru is my supervisor - Professor George Giarchi. George is selfless and full of humility - he never mentions money and he does lots of things for people free of charge.

George is a wonderful role model. He will be rememebred for his humility more than the money he makes - but he will be remembered!

I am a realist and if my efforts earn income making things comfortable for my family and myeself then so be it.

Great discussion guys

Trevor

Posted by Trevor Gay at April 14, 2005 11:01 AM

Trevor,

Congratulations also to you! Accomplishing a large task, such as writing a book, is monumental.

Critics will always be near the risk-takers. The trick is to learn who to listen to and who to shrug off. Since you're into quotes, I'll share one of my favorites:

"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocre minds. The latter cannot understand it when a [person] does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses their intelligence." --Albert Einstein

I believe that anyone who wants to make their mark in the business world must learn the fine art of standing for their convictions but yet remain open to new perspectives. Sometimes it feels like a tightrope walk! But learning to let go of a certain "image" or expectation to me is key.

Regarding Halley's comment: I've found that when I spend less time considering the "maybe's" of others; I have more energy. At that point, I am no longer spinning my wheels worrying about their opinions. My energy instead is focused on my mission. This is freedom!

pfizer viagra 100mg There will be those who are looking for the quick buck, but ultimately, they're on the losing end. Fulfillment comes in many forms and one of the best, is in giving away what you know. I'm still learning how to do this myself but I know it's a practice worth pursuing.

Sounds like you've been fully engaged in both giving and receiving. :-) Excellent!

Posted by M.R. Maguire at April 14, 2005 9:09 PM

Trevor,

Yes indeed, bravo. This site has given me a glimpse of hope regarding business.

I find the commentors here very refreshing, which is why I continue to visit here despite my low opinion of the business world. You all challenge my assumptions and remind me that there are exceptions to the rape & pillage model of business.

In fact, Id say you are glorious mutants. In biology, mutants are always in the extreme minority.

But they are, of course, the driving force of evolution.

To you Trevor, and others like you, I say, "Charge On"!!

Posted by AJ Hoge at April 15, 2005 1:22 AM

I may be blind but for my experience companies, starting by CEOs, don't give a s...in people's engagement. Companies focus exclusively in having the work done, if they would really care for people's engagement they will offer more benefits and better conditions on contracts, they will take care of employees attitudes, starting indeed by top managers on the organization, they will make people feel that the company offers them security, and so on. But, let's face it, that's not reality, even there will be some exceptions.
It seems that we are living on the era of disengagement, in the culture of the uncertainty, where the passion is maintained by the excitement that the unexpected cause in us and by the "Do it now" attitude to which we are urgued by our fear in the future.

Posted by Omara at April 18, 2005 1:43 AM buy brand viagra in canada

The Gallup studies are reinforced by Watson Wyatt (www.watsonwyatt.com) in their ongoing studies, WorkUSA and WorkCanada. These studies show, amongst other things, that the rate of employee (and manager) engagement is alarmingly low.

Posted by Brian Ward at May 4, 2005 10:25 PM