Dondi Scumaci Blog

Have you ever purchased a car, left the lot and suddenly noticed all the cars on the road just like yours? Do you think they weren’t there before?  (It’s almost as if they’ve appeared out of nowhere–released into the car wild, right after your purchase.)

Of course those cars were always there. If you didn’t see them, it simply means you weren’t looking for them.

You can experiment with this concept right where you are: Look around yourself for a few seconds. (Go ahead swivel all the way around. Stand up if you must to get a better view.)

Once you have done that – look again. This time look for everything that is red.

Chances are (if you’re playing along) reds are popping out all around you. Who knew there was so much red! It isn’t magic, it is attention. What you look for, you notice. What you search for (even subconsciously), you see.

Your brain really is amazing. Constantly bombarded by impressions clamoring for your attention, it has a fantastic filtering feature. Now here’s the best part: You can use those filters intentionally – to solve problems and seize opportunities.  Like a guided missal, you can send your brain (and your team) on a mission. You can create a lazar focus to search for and find your “reds” and “cars.”

Think about it for a moment. What are the reds and cars in your environment? What should you and your team be looking for and noticing? Perhaps it is an opportunity to lower costs or improve service; maybe it is catching what is falling through the cracks or what is taking too long. Your “reds” and “cars” might be ideas to build a stronger, more resilient team, communicate more effectively, or handle conflict more productively.

This entire car-shopping-red-seeking discussion leads to a powerful teaming and meeting tool. We can create extreme focus around what we are looking for, working on and trying to solve – with a single question.

I like the idea of using questions instead of answers to create extreme focus. Questions inspire involvement and involvement is the fast track to ownership and commitment. As Zig Ziglar is famous for saying, “People act best on their own ideas.” (I’ve also heard they don’t argue with their own data.)

Questions push back on the crush of mandates and demands. Sometimes I think there is way too much “telling” going on in the world. Managers and team leaders can get caught in that trap. Parents can too.

We can get so good at telling; we might forget a simple concept: People need to be honestly involved to be authentically engaged.

Here’s another reason to ask rather than tell. The answers might just amaze you. Others will see things you don’t. They will bring new perspectives and insights. Something else will happen too: Well-posed questions are like a compass – steering people towards their “North” – to the future and solutions. That’s energizing!

What are the questions you will ask yourself, your team, or even one member of your team to create extreme focus around performance, results and solutions? As a manager, you might find your questions inside of a performance problem. Here’s a thought: Instead of telling in that performance situation, try asking employees the questions you wish they were asking of themselves.

As you explore this concept, you will find questions invite creativity and accountability. They help people focus on what they can influence or control. Instead of complaining about the problem, they are searching for the solution. That’s powerful because the brain really is amazing; if you give it a problem to solve – a question to answer, it goes to work. Suddenly we are noticing what we did not see – solutions, options and answers.

If you decide to hold an Extreme Focus Meeting of your own, here are the steps:

1. Choose a problem or an opportunity your group (or family) is facing and turn it into a question. For example, if the opportunity is to improve customer service, you might ask: “What could we do to make it easier for our customers to do business with us?”
2. Gather your team for a moment and pose the question. It’s important to personalize this challenge. (The question isn’t, “What can the company do or what should management do – it is what can you do – what can we do?”)
3. Let the team know you will meet again this afternoon, tomorrow, or next week.  Between now and then, the assignment is clear: Bring at least one solution, idea or commitment with you when you return.
4. Meet at the appointed time and collect the ideas and commitments. Encourage people to explore and experiment with their solutions.
5. Recognize and reward people as they follow through. Make progress visible and celebrate the victories.

Don’t be alarmed if your first meetings fail to yield brilliant, captivating ideas. Keep asking! Over time, the quality and quantity of ideas will grow. Confidence, energy and commitment will also rise.

In the end, you may find what I discovered. Getting to the answer or solution is a good thing.  How you get there matters too. Actually, how you get there may be what people will remember the most.

In Part III we’ll talk about another meeting that can change everything. Until then, I wish you all the best as you search for and find your “reds” and “cars.”

It won’t surprise anyone to learn of my love for books. I have always loved them, have a library filled to bursting, and can literally (pun intended) get lost for hours in a good bookstore. (Actually, I could live in one of those bookstores with the big overstuffed chairs and a coffee bar.)

My love for books collides perfectly with my love for this season – this gift-giving, song-singing, candle-lighting, reflection-inviting time of year. Books are good gifts – and a really good book will give back.

And let’s not forget the wrapping! This is a serious art form in my house. I can get lost in that process too. Wrapping is not a paper and tape exercise for me. Gifts are to be embellished properly – wrapped to the nine’s in a breathtaking presentation.

So which books go on the gift list? If I could recommend just one, it would be The Go-Giver, by Bob Burg and John David Mann. Buy it for yourself and everyone on your list, because when you give this powerful little story, you are giving Five Laws of Stratospheric Success!

We read The Go-Giver as a family (also known as Team Scumaci) and worked to apply the five laws. What a fabulous experience! Each of us found unique and meaningful ways to incorporate the wisdom into our work, our relationships, and our perspectives. It was inspiring. My son, in his 20′s declared, “This is the best book I have ever read!” (That’s a bold statement when your mom is an author.)

Here are a just a few of the powerful things I learned along the way:

1. Success is built on acts of giving and receiving. If you cannot do both, you will block the flow. You jam up the process and everything gets stuck.
2. Value writes your paycheck. If you will simply focus on adding value – compensation will take care of itself. It’s exhilarating and liberating when you finally get that!
3. Authenticity is irresistible. Good news! The most successful you, is the real you.

There is a special shelf in my library reserved for the books that have changed me – how I think, what I think about, what I believe is possible, what I do to reach for greater impact. I refer to these over and again; they are marked up, highlighted, and worn. This is a shelf of inspiration and wisdom. I think of the authors as my mentors, and I am grateful for the gifts they have wrapped in words.

On this shelf you will find my personal copy of The Go-Giver. You will also find this book on the shelves of the people I love, do business with and care about. When I am asked, “What are you giving this year?” I will say, “Success…wrapped to the nine’s in a little red book.”

May 2011: An exciting update to this post. Dr. Peter Wu, featured in the story below is named SAMPE fellow. This is an honor only three other scientists around the world will receive this year. Congratulations Dr. Wu, you indeed touch humanity and change the world. Your story is still inspiring me.

Last week was what I fondly call “crazy in a can!” It was filled with travel and 8 keynote presentations in 3 days. For the record, I loved everyone of those appointments and left each one feeling like something important had taken place.

One presentation stands out in my mind…and it will forever.

At Spirit AeroSystems in Wichita, I had the absolute honor of speaking to the “Technical Fellows.” As explained to me, this is a very special group of people. Only a small percentage of the science and engineering population earn this prestigious designation. These are thought leaders who work on amazing, mind-boggling things!

I was there to speak about mentoring – the art of leaving a legacy. That is a requirement of a Technical Fellow. He or she must demonstrate the ability (and willingness) to mentor others in meaningful ways. (I really love that by the way.)

The Chief Scientist, Dr. Peter H. Wu is well known and deeply respected around the world. When he arrived, it was as if grace and humility stood on each side of this brilliant man. I asked him a few fairly standard questions, “What is your objective for this presentation Dr. Wu? What are you hoping to accomplish in here today?”

His answer changed every presentation I will deliver in my lifetime.

Dr. Wu smiled and quietly told me, “These are people who have the opportunity to touch humanity and change the world. You have the opportunity to touch them.”

Wow. Speaking of purpose!

His answer energized me to the very core of who I am, and I enjoyed every second of that marvelous opportunity. It was an amazing time – an honor and a pleasure.

The next day as I stepped into another presentation room, his words came back to me. “These are people who have the opportunity to touch humanity and change the the world. You have the opportunity to touch them.”

Those words are true of every audience and every interaction – for me and for you. Thank you Dr. Wu for reminding us that inside of every communication there is a chance to touch forever.

I often ask people to share their mentoring stories. Who has influenced your
life, the way you think, and what you believe? Who are the people that have
deeply invested themselves in you, and how have they done that? Honestly,
these are some of the most moving stories I ever hear. They are always packed with
devotion and gratitude and wisdom. I learn something from each one of them.
These stories connect us to each other and to what we value most.

My first mentor was my Grandfather. He was a 6-foot-something Irish man, blinded
in a mining accident in his early 20′s. He never laid seeing eyes on his
wife or children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren. Even so, he went on
to build something from nothing. He was farmer, a fisherman, and my best
friend. We called him “Pop,” and when my Grandmother died he came to live
with us. He was a wonderful babysitter! Oh the places we would go!

We would walk to town – just the two of us – to buy fishing lures and
weights and hooks and bobs. He had memorized the streets by counting the
curbs, so he always knew exactly where we were. That made me feel safe and also, I felt important. He needed me as much as I needed him.

At the time, it seemed pretty simple. I was his eyes and he was
bigger than life! As I look back on it now, there was a whole lot of
learning going on.

Pop taught me that you are never too young or small to have vision for
another – to see things they cannot. From him I learned how to balance
myself when someone is leaning on me for support. I learned to slow down
when the path is uneven, and to communicate clearly what I see.

I smile now when I think of about our trips to town. A small child and a
giant of a man on a great adventure. In many ways, I am still using those
skills. Balancing myself, casting a vision, communicating what I see, and
helping people navigate the rough spots. Those trips to town prepared me for
a much larger mission in life and I am grateful.

Find your own mentoring stories and I assure you, they will resonate. They will remind you of who you are, where you’ve been, and what matters most. Your story has the power
to encourage and equip others. Find your stories and tell them well. In
doing so, you honor both the lessons and the teachers. In short, you reconnect.

In both of my books, Designed for Success and Ready, Set…Grow!, I heartily recommended journaling. The value of writing down your own life lessons and experiences can’t be underestimated. What you’ve learned from mentors is a good writing “assignment” for your personal growth journal. Or you may want to consider a letter of gratitude. Let your mentors know the role they’ve played in your life.

You were built for success and designed to grow!

All the best,

Dondi

I heard a mentoring story this week. Actually it was a story that ended badly for everyone. I call it a mentoring story because it’s a perfect example of mentoring that didn’t happen, but would have made all the difference.

A bright young woman with great potential was climbing the career ladder two steps at a time. She was fabulous! With each promotion, she received greater responsibilities and felt more intense pressure to perform. Like many women she answered that call by working harder and longer. As she tells the story, she started unraveling. Her foot began to slip on the ladder and no one seemed to notice she was barely holding on. She not only lost confidence and credibility, ultimately she lost her job.

There is so much wrong with this story! Everyone lost. The organization lost a valuable resource and this employee hit the virtual wall. (And she was going way too fast when she did.)

She is going to be all right. She’s gathering herself and learning the right lessons from her setback. When I asked her what she is taking from this experience, she talked about mentoring. “I needed a mentor – someone to help me explore and discover ways to be more effective. Things were spinning out of control, and I just couldn’t “dance” fast enough. I lost my balance, and I fell.” (I would add  here that mentors don’t just magically appear. We have to look for them and sometimes recruit them!)

Statistically people who are mentored make more money. They are more satisfied in their jobs and better equipped to do their jobs. Mentors help us put things into perspective and find new approaches. They help us find our balance.

I encourage you to take make this a mentoring year. Find one and be one. (I’ll even match your commitment to that. Throughout the year, mentoring will be one area of focus for the new “Design Your Success” Podcast. That will be coming soon, and I hope you will tune in.)

Now thanks to all of you who have written in to tell us about your book discussion groups. Whether you are well on the way or just getting started, we wish you all the best as you Design Your Success. We will continue to support your efforts by adding the chapter discussion guides, so check thewebsite frequently. Ready, Set….Grow! is printed and making her way to bookstores everywhere! (Can I just say, “Go GROW!”)

And finally, here’s a shout out to Hallie whose “Designed for Success” blog makes us cheer. For each month of 2009, she will highlight one chapter of Designed for Success. You can read about her “Designed” journey at
http://nypinta.blogspot.com/2009/01/before.html.

To your success,

Dondi

As I’d mentioned earlier this week, we’ve been receiving a lot of “Ask Dondi” emails every day. This week we’re going to tackle some of them. Don’t forget, if you have submitted an “Ask Dondi” question, watch for the question and the answer here. Thank you for keeping the lines of communication open and for sharing your questions with me.

Audrey said: Greetings Dondi! I recently saw you on John Hagee Ministries. I purchased your book today. I was really enlightened by some things you spoke about. How can I hear more about the purpose of mentoring and why our success is vital to having mentors?

I am passionate about mentoring because I believe it is one of the most important strategies for personal and professional development available to us. Through mentoring we prepare for our next steps and we make the most of the step we’re on. Mentoring builds the heart and forges confidence. It is personalized development in action! I often say life should come with the disclaimer, “Do not attempt any of this alone!”

The impact of mentoring is undeniable – for individuals and organizations. Organizations committed to mentoring report the ability to manage change more effectively, prepare future leaders, and attract the best people. When organizations make the investment in formal mentoring programs, they fully expect to see results like these:

• Improved job satisfaction
• Increased retention
• Improved job performance
• Higher quality and productivity
• Employees ready to take the next career step
• Stronger sense of community
• Employees taking personal responsibility for their professional development

From the perspective of those mentored, the benefits are also striking. People who have been mentored tend to earn more and they are promoted faster. Both of these outcomes may be related to the process of mentoring which focuses on developing a solid career plan and building a strong professional network. Mentoring “plugs” individuals into the organization and makes professional development a personal priority.

Mentees or proteges are generally exposed to a broader organizational perspective. They are made more visible and they are able to market themselves more effectively. They see how all pieces fit together to form the big picture. This allows them to build strong networks, break through functional barriers and have a greater impact.

Mary wrote: How often should you motivate your team?

I encourage you to view motivation as a value versus an event. That means motivated is something we “are” rather than something we “do.” It’s not what you do that will be the most important thing; it’s what is created inside of people by what you do (or don’t do). As a leader look for ways to promote:

• Learning and growth
• A sense of personal achievement
• Confidence and self-esteem
• Ownership and commitment
• Opportunities to demonstrate special knowledge or expertise

To foster these attributes on your team you may assign challenging tasks that ask people to stretch, make progress and improvement more visible, reinforce and celebrate what is working well, get people involved by asking for their advice and their opinions, and find ways to let people shine.

I would also look for and respond quickly to what frustrates your team. If you can’t fix it, acknowledge the frustration and refocus your group on what they can impact. Sometimes people get lost in the things they cannot personally change and this will steal their strength and energy. We can’t ignore what isn’t working well but we need to maintain a rigorous focus on the action we can take and the impact we can have. In Designed for Success, you will find more ways to empower yourself and others with personal accountability.

My best to you as you make motivation an element of your culture.

Thank you for the wonderful feedback on Designed for Success. The response to the interview with John Hagee has been remarkable. What an honor it was to be with Pastor Hagee on the set of John Hagee Today, airing around the world. If you missed the two-day interview, it will air again next week, February 21-22.

I appreciate each of you who have taken the time to comment. Your questions are also right on the mark. Many of you have asked about mentoring specifically, and I am delighted to address those questions here. First, if you don’t have a mentor, make 2008 the year to find one! Mentoring is by far one of the most powerful things you can do for your career (and your sanity). We are designed for success, but we are not designed to go it alone! Our lives should come with that disclaimer. Do not attempt any of this alone! A good mentor is a sounding board, a trusted advisor, and visionary. This is someone who can help you sort it out, find opportunity inside challenge, and craft your professional development. Ask the most successful people; they can point to mentors who have helped them achieve the level of success they currently enjoy. Several of you asked how to choose a good mentor, or what is the ‘criteria’ you should consider when selecting a mentor. Here are a few things you may want to consider. Good mentors:

• Believe in personal growth. They are growing and learning; development is a core value.
• Possess excellent communication skills.
• Are trustworthy.
• Have achieved a level of success or accomplishment you aspire to.
• Help you make important discoveries and find your blind spots. 
• Rather than lending you their judgment, they assist you in developing your own.
• Are willing to invest themselves in the success of others.
• Have an excellent reputation, marked by integrity.
• Are authentic. They are willing to share what they have learned from success and failure.

Who in your personal or professional life meets these criteria? I encourage you to ‘test drive’ a mentor. Run a challenge you are currently facing by them. Ask their opinion about an opportunity. Learn from their experience by asking questions. What has been their greatest career lesson or most notable achievement? What skills did they consciously work to develop and master? What challenges have they faced, and how did they overcome those? What do they value, and how do they reflect and honor those values in their work? How has mentoring impacted them? As you look for a mentor, remember to be one. As you reach forward with one hand, reach back with another and bring someone along. You may have the answer someone else is looking for. Invest yourself in others. It is such a pleasure to watch another person ‘become.’ Stayed tuned for more of the mentoring discussion! We will explore this topic more fully in the days to come. In the meantime, if you have a specific question, please post it! Many of you shared such positive feedback about Designed for Success. Thank you for that! Please go to amazon.com and give us a review! Thank you in advance for helping us share Designed for Success with the world.