huesworks

Lessons from the Martial Arts

2010-07-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

Previously, I mentioned a Bruce Lee quotation book that contained some excellent reflections on teaching. Anyone who knows me knows that I will now have to pull on that thread and see where it takes me (or what cloth I pull apart).

So, I went to my other favorite used book store and scoured the martial arts section, looking for any teaching wisdom that I could find. Two books caught my eye - "Martial Arts Teachers on Teaching" by Carol A. Wiley, and "Martial Arts Teaching Tales of Power and Paradox" by Pascal Fauliot.

When I opened "Martial Arts Teachers on Teaching", the first quote I saw said,

"If you follow the present-day world, you will turn your back on the Way; if you would not turn your back on the Way, do not follow the world" - Takuan.

The quote immediately resonated with me, as - according to the reactions I get - I'm the last man on earth without a cell phone. I'm not sure what 'the Way' is, but I'm pretty sure that cell phones are not...

Studies of 'flow' conclude that uninterrupted time is a prerequisite to reaching a flow state in any activity. Surely, it is possible to own a cell phone while maintaining uninterrupted time, but no one I know has succeeding, and it's an experiment I'm uninterested in pursuing.

So, I will 'not follow the world' (with regards to cell phones) anytime soon.

In what ways do you 'not follow the world', in order to find 'the way'?

Learning Moments: Empty Nest Syndrome

2010-07-14T08:18:00.000-07:00

Our empty nest

Well, we had a baby hummingbird that we named summer.

We watched mom build the nest and tend the eggs.

Then we watched our little hummer grow up.

Sunday night, Summer flew the coop. We went outside around 6pm and found the nest empty. Summer was sitting about 3 feet above the nest on a small branch. We watched her for the next two hours as she tested her wings. She seemed unable or unwilling to fly downwards. She just kept going higher and higher - sometimes grabbing branches that were too big for her feet, and then slipping and grabbing another branch.

When mom came for Summer's nightly feeding, she also found the nest empty. That kind of freaked her out. Summer was about 30 feet above the nest at this point, on the other side of the tree. As mom flitted madly about, Summer did something we had been waiting over a week for... she made her first noise. She called and called, but mom seemed to have very poor echo-location skills.

It was painful for us, to say the least. We could see summer, we could see the mom, but they couldn't find each other. This went on for about 30 minutes, until mom finally found summer and was able to feed her. We watched mom feed her until the sun went down and then we left them, hoping that summer makes it through her first night out of the nest.

I looked around on Monday morning. Mom was to be flying around, but no sight of Summer.

I climbed up and took a photo of the nest this morning. If you click on the image above, you'll see what I saw - another egg! Hummingbirds lay eggs in pairs. I'm assuming this one will not hatch, but I'll keep an eye on it over the next week to make sure.

Monday night, we saw Summer again. She made it through her first night, which was a relief to both of us. We look forward to watching her grow up.

Make Work Great (one person at a time)

2010-07-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

Last week I received my copy of Ed Muzio's new book, "Make Work Great".

I'm a big fan of Ed's work (writings, videos, and presentations), because he's one of the few thinkers out there who is trying help individuals build a bridge between great tools and productive relationships.

Also, because he's a great guy who happens to be a friend. Full disclosure: I acted as one of the 'peer reviewers' for "Make Work Great" last summer. I'm also the instructional designer for the companion one-day workshop.

Ed's 'Overtness' framework - which combines overtness of task (purpose, impact, incentive, progress, resources, and capability) with overtness of relationships (clarity, questions, approach, and agreement) - is a powerful tool. This framework helped me look at what I do and how I interact in a new light.

Ed's goal is to increase output - while reducing stress - in the workplace. This book points us in the right direction. I highly recommend you check it out.

Learning Moments:

2010-07-11T15:38:00.000-07:00

Baby Hummingbird

How cool is this? We've got a baby hummingbird in our backyard. With the help of a stepladder, I took some photos.

We've named him/her Summer (the hummer) because, well, it's summer! We've been watching Summer for the past week, as he/she grows quickly from a little hummer with a tiny beak to the point where it's positively bursting out of its' nest.

Today, Summer is moving a lot. I expect that he/she will be flying off within the next few days. Until, we plan to enjoy the process (and then clean all the 'residue' off of our back patio.

Learning Moments:

2010-07-07T20:04:00.000-07:00

So... you wanted to get close to nature, huh?

We spent the fourth of July weekend at Point Reyes National Seashore, where we ate a lot of oysters, drank a little wine, did some reading, and fit in a couple of 8-mile hikes.

One of those hikes was the trail out to Tomales Point. Now, I know that it's been a rainy year in California and that the wildflowers did quite well. This was a little over-the-top, though, don't you think?

There is a trail that ran straight between me and Angie in the photo above. You just can't see it through the growth. While that may look spectacular (and it was even better in real life), it wasn't so spectacular on our legs.

We've walked this trail a bunch of times before and even debated taking a different trail this trip. Once again, however, we learned that, 'one can never step in the same river twice', because everything changes. As long as you're open to it, even seemingly repetitive events can create a brand new experience.

Four Lessons for Teachers from Bruce Lee

2010-07-07T08:40:00.000-07:00

Last week, at one of my favorite used book stores, I picked up a book of quotes by Bruce Lee, called "Striking Thoughts".

I knew Bruce was a bit of a philosopher and definitely a sharp guy, otherwise I wouldn't have looked at the book. But, I didn't expect to find so many great thoughts about teaching and training:

"Remember, I am no teacher; I can merely be a signpost for a traveler who is lost"
"The ideal teacher - not 'what' to think, but 'how' to think"
"Defeat simply tells me that something is wrong in my doing it is a path to success and truth"
"Where method is, freedom is not"

I have often said that facilitation is more like zen than any other activity I can think of - Bruce's words confirmed that for me.

Can there be four better lessons for teachers and students than:

Take my words and do with them what you will. Your milage may vary...
Observe and explore my process, not my content.
Failure is not only to be expected, but welcomed and even celebrated.
If you didn't hear me the first time, reread 1, 2, & 3!!

Quote of the week

2010-07-06T08:13:00.000-07:00

"I wasted time, and now doth time waste me"
- Shakespeare, Richard II

I haven't decided what I want to appear on my gravestone, but that's certainly one line I don't want on it!

Quote of the week

2010-06-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

"Adventure is just bad planning".
- Roald Amudsen

As a frequent 'accidental adventurer', I can only nod and laugh at this brilliant quote.

Quote of the week

2010-06-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

"The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing"
- Larry James

Sometimes the simplest advice is the best advice.

Learning Moments:

2010-06-16T20:40:00.000-07:00

Quail Chicks at Carmel Mission, CA

It's the time of year when you need to keep your eyes open. Warm weather brings bare skin, ice cream trucks, fresh blooms, and babies of all types.

I was taking photos at beautiful Carmel Mission this afternoon, when a little bird sprinted across the courtyard in front of me. My first thought was, 'uh oh... someone fell out of a nest'. After watching the little bugger do three hundred-yard dashes, however, I realized that he didn't fall anywhere. This was a ground bird.

Soon, a couple of his family joined him. They zipped back and forth maniacally, like the Keystone Cops. I just sat back and watched, snapping photos on the few occasions that they stood still. The groundskeeper and I had a short conversation about them. He hadn't seen them, so he just stood, smiling with me.

Quote of the week

2010-06-15T10:03:00.000-07:00

"Ain't got no distractions, can't hear no buzzers or bells. Don't see no lights a flashin', plays by sense of smell."
- The Who, Pinball Wizard

What a great description of focus, or the 'flow state'. There's a reason why that boy 'sure plays a mean pinball'.
What can you do to reach a similar state of focus this week?

Learning Moments:

2010-06-09T13:47:00.000-07:00

Hummingbird Nest in our backyard

This is cool. We've got a hummingbird nest in the tree behind our condo. The nest is about 5 feet outside our back door, and about 10 feet up. Mama, pictured above, has been flitting about - putting the nest together and sitting (I assume) on a couple of eggs.

Hummingbirds are one of my three favorite birds (pelicans and kingfishers are the other two), so I'm psyched about watching a little hummer grow up in our backyard. I know nothing about hummingbird life cycles, so I'll be doing some research on that over the next few weeks. What I do know is that the next is about the size of a sake cup, so that's got to be one small egg...

Quote of the week

2010-06-08T09:57:00.000-07:00

"Objectives are not fate; they are directions. They are not commands; they are commitments. They do not determine the future, they are a means to mobilize the resources and energies of the business for the making of the future."
- Peter Drucker

This is a brilliant response (like there's any other kind from Mr. Drucker?) to the tired complaint, "I can't make goals, my work changes too much".
Well, duh, says Drucker. You can change them!

Quote of the week

2010-06-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

"Focus on eliminating anyting that doesn't serve the fulfillment of your goals".
- Michael J. Gelb & Sarah Miller Caldicott, Innovate Like Edison

I can't say it any more clearly than that...

Quote of the week

2010-05-25T09:48:00.000-07:00

"Become a milestone activitist"
- Tom Peters, The little BIG Things

Tom gets it. Do you?
Milestones = targets.
Milestones = feedback.
Milestones = momentum.

Do you think you can be successful without any of those? I don't, and neither does Tom.

Quote of the week

2010-05-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

"I believe in starting each project with a stated goal"
- Twyla Tharp, The Creative Habit

I find it interesting that all successful people - even creatives - use goals (in some form) to achieve their aims. Twyla Tharp is a world-famous dance choreography, and goals are just as important to her as to any CEO.

Quote of the week

2010-05-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

"If you want to make a stand, help others make a stand, and if you want to reach your goal, help others reach their goal."
- Confucius

Wow, there's a lesson for managers. You want employees to push towards organizational goals? Show them how it meets their goals as well.

And there's an additional lesson for all of us - you cannot do it alone. Help others and you'll find the help you need.

Do you know the goals of those closest to you?

Quote of the week

2010-05-04T09:35:00.000-07:00

"If you start me up, if you start me up I'll never stop."

- The Rolling Stones

Mick Jagger on the art of management? Probably not, but there is a lesson in there for all managers. It doesn't take a lot to get your employees going (unless, of course, you already sucked all the life out of them... we'll pretend you haven't done that).

The key is just get them started and then get out of the way. And then they'll 'never stop, never stop, never stop, never stop'...

Quote of the week

2010-04-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

"As if you could kill time without injuring eternity!"
- Henry David Thoreau

Quote of the week

2010-04-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

"Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?"
- Foo Fighters

I love this song and I love this line, because it's asking two questions. Is someone getting the best of you, as in 'taking advantage of you'? Is someone getting the best of you, as in 'are you giving them your very best'?

Both good questions. Both questions that I haven't always been able to answer in ways that make me feel good. But it's a process, like most things. And I'm getting closer.

Is someone getting the best of you?

Spreading Good Fortune...

2010-04-19T10:53:00.000-07:00

Chinese Lion Dance, Chinatown

Angie and I are in San Francisco this week.

I'm presenting at the ISPI (International Society for Performance Improvement) Conference 2010.

I'll be speaking about SMART goals, but really - like this Lion Dancer we saw in Chinatown yesterday - I'm hoping to spread good fortune. I've learned a lot about SMART goals over the past 18 months and we've seen some very powerful results from creating 'red hot' goals.

On Thursday, I'll be doing my dance in front of a room full of this countries best business performance consultants. There, I will pass along much of what I've learned. Hopefully, I'll also pass along a little of the good fortune that's come with the application of that knowledge.

Quote of the week

2010-04-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

"I dread success. To have succeeded is to have finished one's business on earth, like the male spider, who is killed by the female the moment he has succeeded in his courtship. I like a state of continual becoming, with a goal in front and not far behind."

- George Bernard Shaw

Hmmm... he's probably not the first male to equate success with being knocked off by a female (nor the last). Despite that disturbing imagery, I resonate with the bit about 'continual becoming'.

One book I read about writing proposed that a 'villain' is just a fully developed character, while a 'hero' is one who is still developing. While not a complete definition, it's an interesting one.

So, what are you 'becoming'?

Quote of the week

2010-04-06T09:02:00.000-07:00

"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by."
- Douglas Adams

This sounds a lot like me. When I set my own deadlines, there's a 90% chance that I will miss them. I need someone else to set deadlines for me - something real.

Schedule a workshop with an audience and I'll finish my class. Schedule a product review and I'll complete my plan. Set an arbitrary date, and you can expect a 'whoosh'.

What's your relationship with deadlines?

Learning Moments: Go to the source

2010-03-31T11:04:00.000-07:00

Mission Ranch, Carmel, California

Many years ago, we were kayaking on the Sea of Cortez near Loreto, Mexico. Our good friend, Bill Bengele, was catching fish and asked if we wanted to eat them. I asked if they would taste good.

Bill looked at me for a moment and then said something I have never forgotten, "Glenn, the worst trash fish in the world tastes better fresh than the most expensive fish in your local grocery store will taste by the time you get it home and cook it".
And he was right.

I never liked artichokes as a kid. I could only laugh and repeat the line from the Little Rascals - "It might chock Artie, but it won't chock me!"
Now that I live in California, though, it's a different story. I love fresh grilled artichoke. Proving, once again, that everything is better when you get closer to the source.

Quote of the week

2010-03-30T08:56:00.000-07:00

"Live can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives".
- Viktor Frankl

I love this quote for the visual it forms of internal drives and external motivations.

Stop for a moment, think about something important you're about to do, and ask - Am I being pulled by goals? Or pushed by an internal drive?

Quote of the week

2010-03-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

"If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes".
- Andrew Carnegie

This statement is true for life, true for work, and very true for the classroom. Learning without goals is just fast food for the mind. Unless you have a goal to practice or use what you've learned, the learning is unlikely to 'stick'.
Students with goals typically outperform other students, by a lot!

Lesson - have a goal to apply what you intend to learn. It changes everything...

Quote of the week

2010-03-16T08:44:00.000-07:00

"Most people work just hard enough not to get fired and get paid just enough money not to quit".
- George Carlin

George's observation aligns very closely with the research of the Gallup Organization, which shows that only 20% of US workers are 'actively engaged' at work. The rest are 'disengaged' or 'actively disengaged'.

Which are you? And why?

Quote of the week

2010-03-09T08:36:00.000-08:00

"The only reason for time, is so that everything doesn't happen at once"
- Albert Einstein

Albert obviously never worked in corporate America, where everything does happen at once - the fiscal year end. In my goals research, it's amazing to see how few goals include a date. That's why so few goals are achieved until the end of the year.

Something to think about...

2010-03-08T22:45:00.000-08:00

A nice reward

For the past two days, Angie and I have been working our way through two months worth of mail. Most of it was worthless - or, more precisely, less than worthless.

This - my diploma for my Masters in Adult Education - however, brought a smile to my face. It's funny how something that was such a big part of my life for 18 months can just disappear, almost unnoticed, replaced by other things.

Though it's completely illogical, I expected the completion of an advanced degree to change me in some small way.

Did I think I'd feel more mature? No.

More confident? No.

More intelligent? Professional? Literate? No. No. And no.

And yes...

But it doesn't work that way. Any gains I made in maturity, confidence, intelligence, professionalism, or literacy were incremental (and certainly arguable).

What was gained was gained one fraction of an inch at a time, like the growing of hair. There's almost no change from last night, until suddenly you need a trim.

Well, it isn't like I need a brain trim (what would that be like?). But... even if the destination is anticlimactic, the journey was great.

2010-03-07T22:34:00.001-08:00

I was reading "The Architect's Guide to Fame" and stumbled upon a brilliant quote that captures my (mostly negative) feelings about the current state of design for buildings, cars, clothes, and - yes - presentations:

"Bad design is smoke. Good design is a mirror."
- Juan-Carlos Fernandez

One last thing?

2010-03-06T13:20:00.001-08:00

Traditional Korean Music at Incheon Airport

Saturday, March 6th

Learning Moment: Incheon Airport, Korea

Just when I thought our Korea experience was over, another music performance cropped up. This one took place at the airport. For thirty minutes, we were entertained by some great traditional music.

I carry my camera everywhere and am often not rewarded for the effort, but today I was...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 58 of 58

2010-03-05T17:18:00.000-08:00

Just did it...

Saturday, March 6

Learning Moment: Seoul, Korea

It's her Yu-naverse and we are just living in it.

COEX has been plastered with posters of Olympic Gold Medal figure skater Kim Yu-na.

This entire corridor to Samseong Station is lined with her image.

Today, we leave her universe and return to ours - California.

I'm not looking forward to a 12 hour flight, but it will be nice to get home.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 57 of 58

2010-03-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

Lee Hyeon Cheol gives me a lesson in Janggu

Friday, March 5th

Learning Moment: Seoul, Korea

Today was my last day of leading workshops on this 8-week trip. We completed an excellent session of Managing at KT. I really enjoyed the interaction with the Korea business team.

After the session, Angie and I went to Central Seould to watch Miso, a musical featuring traditional dance performances. The show started at 8pm, but I arrived at 7pm for a janggu lesson with Mr. Lee.

The lesson was a lot of fun. Mr. Lee walked me through the basic rhythms of the janggu and taught me some of the terminology. He was assisted by Carina, who acted as an excellent translator and a darn good photographer as well.

The show itself was great. I really enjoyed the music.

Tomorrow we return to California. As always, my feelings are mixed.

It'll be nice to sleep in our own bed and get back to some normal rhythms. On the other hand, I'll miss the food, the forays into different cultures, and - of course - all our friends, old and new.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 56 of 58

2010-03-04T05:27:00.000-08:00

6pm Bell ringing at Bongeunsa Temple

Thursday, March 4th

Learning Moment: Seoul, Korea

Every evening at 6pm, we can hear the ringing of the bell at Bonguensa Temple, across the street from our hotel.

Tonight we ran across the street to watch the ceremony.

The monks ring four different bells - the large bell pictured above, a drum, a fish bell, and a cloud bell.

The temple was quiet, so we wandered around a bit and enjoyed the atmosphere.

Votive Candles

After visiting the temple, we dined on Korean Barbecue and Cold Stone ice cream.

All-in-all, a pleasant evening.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 55 of 58

2010-03-03T05:37:00.000-08:00

Jung Ji Hyun performs the Hwaseon Dance

Wednesday, March 3rd

Learning Moment: Seoul, Korea

Tonight we scored front row seats for a traditional dance performance at Seoul Namsan Gugakdang. The winter series of performances featured Jung Ji Hyun, a master dancer and professor at Kyungsung University.

We were the only foreigners in the building, which attracted the attention of her husband and producer. He gave us a warm and friendly greeting, wanting to know where we were from, what brought us to the theater and where we got our tickets.

The performance was stunning - easily the best traditional dance performance we've ever seen. The choreography was creative, the costumes were beautiful, the music was powerful, and the venue was perfect.

Of course, Jung Ji Hyun was outstanding - graceful, beautiful, athletic, and able to convey a myriad of emotions through her face and body. This was truly the highlight of our trip.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 54 of 58

2010-03-02T05:04:00.000-08:00

The Lounge, COEX Intercontinental

Tuesday, March 2nd

Learning Moment: Seoul, Korea

The Intercontinental Hotel has a very nice WonderHour each night, where they offer unlimited wine, beer, and soju with a mini-buffet of meat, fish, salad, and appetizers for about US$19.

It's a tough deal to beat, so Angie and I headed down there tonight and drank our money's worth of alcohol. Oh yeah, we ate a little food, too.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 53 of 58

2010-02-28T23:32:00.000-08:00

Keepsakes from Seoul

March 01, 2010

Learning Moment: Seoul, Korea

It's cold and windy today. It was raining this morning; then it turned to snow.

We decided to take care of some errands and relax. First, we went to the COEX mall, where we grabbed lunch, bought bananas at Hyundai Dept Store - where we ran into a Singapore colleague, Graham Lynch, and his girlfriend - and picked up a souvenir I've been looking at.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, I have some basic criteria for buying a memento. On this trip, two items have met my criteria.

The first, which I picked up in Insadong, are the three ceramic folks pictured above: a drummer, a dancer, and a flute player.

The second, which I bought today, is a fish gong.

A mogeo, or fish gong

Both are small (enough), musical in theme, and very cultural. So, now they are both going home with us.

We also booked tickets for a traditional dance at the Namsan theater on Wednesday night, and for MISO on Friday night. I can't get enough of Korean music and dance.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 52 of 58

2010-02-28T19:01:00.001-08:00

Performers at Namsan Hanok Village

Sunday, February 28th

Learning Moment: Seoul, Korea

Yesterday was quite a day in Seoul. Apparently, the first new moon of the year is an important one in Korean culture. There were numerous festivals to celebrate the occasion.

We ended up at Namsan park, with a lot of other people, to watch traditional crafts and entertainment. The gentleman in the white suit above walks (and jumps and bounces and does comedy) on the hire wire/rope that is behind him.

The Bukcheong: A Korean Lion Dance

Later, there were lion dances that featured the bukcheong, an interesting variation on the Chinese Lion dance that turns up in varying forms all over Asia. The Korean lion is shaggier than most, which I happen to like.

The grass teepee behind the lion is filled with written wishes that would be burned. The smoke then lifts your wishes to the gods.

What will the next year bring?

If anyone was looking for answers today, the fire responded with a resounding question mark.

This is only fair, I guess. No one really wants to know what the next year will be like, do they?

We ended our night with traditional dance.

Again, I was invited on-stage to drum, so I received another set of drum sticks.

So far, I've been to four dance shows. Three have pulled up audience members. All three times I was selected.

I don't mind...

More spectacular colors...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 51 of 58

2010-02-27T17:31:00.000-08:00

Faces of Insadong

Friday, February 27th

Learning Moment: Insadong Street, Seoul, Korea

If there were a vote for 'favorite place in Seoul', Insadong would probably be the people's choice. Popular with young and old, locals and foreigners, teeming with those who are curious and those who are curiosities - Insadong is filled with great restaurants, cutting edge galleries, traditional shops, music, and the entire range of human drama.

While we were wandering Insadong yesterday, I conducted two interviews with college students who are studying English. This is a normal occurance. Students lurk all over the street with notepads, waiting for a foreigner who isn't moving with a sense of purpose. When they find one, they ask, "May I interview you?"

Everyone is an artist, a subject, or both...

One student asked me, "What is your favorite thing about Insadong?"

The answer was easy - the energy of the people on the street.

Despite the restaurants, the galleries, and the historical sites that surround the area, I could be happy just standing there all day and watching people on the street - so I did.

Who needs art galleries?

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 50 of 58

2010-02-26T04:53:00.001-08:00

something I'd never seen before...

Friday, February 26th

Learning Moment: Seoul, Korea

Big day today in Korea...

We had a very successful slide:ology workshop.

Kim Yu-Na won the gold medal with a record setting performance (if you think that might not be a big deal in Korea, you would be way off target).

And, I saw something I'd never seen before.

This is, of course, the reason why I travel. When traveling - if you pay attention - you will see at least one thing a day that you'd never seen before. These things are sometimes beautiful, sometimes sad, often perplexing.

Today's sighting falls squarely in the perplexing category.

Our workshop was held on the 9th floor of the Kongdong building. On this floor there is a company and a public meeting room. The restroom is shared.

In the restroom is what appears to be a public toothbrush container. I'm not sure if this is a shared toothbrush collection, or if Korean trust is so high that you can store your personal toothbrush in a public restroom without worrying that anyone will do anything (and, of course, I mean anything) to it.

On the other hand. It does have a UV purifier, so maybe it doesn't matter?

Yeah, good luck with that.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 49 of 58

2010-02-25T05:01:00.000-08:00

A Solo Fan Dance at Pulhyanggi Restaurant

Thursday, February 25th

Learning Moment: Seoul, Korea

It's really hard to perform well when the audience sucks. Seriously.

Audiences seem to have little clue that they own some of the responsibility for the strength of a performance. Whether it's an athletic performance, a musical performance, a dance, or a public speaker: the next time you witness mediocrity, it would be fair to wonder if you're partially to blame.

That's what makes nights like a tonight seem like a minor miracle. Tonight, we had a nice dinner in a traditional Korea restaurant. The audience consisted of approximately 10 people. The show consistent of 4 so-so musicians and one very good dancer.

The audience didn't seem interested in the performance. They ate and talked more than they watched. In fact, their talking seemed to get louder through the night.

And yet... the dancer performed as though 400 pairs of eyes were glued on her every move. More accurately, she danced as though no one were watching; as if she were dancing only for herself. If only we could all summon that energy or passion when we need it.

Strangely, at the end of the show, a group of five that had talked through her entire dance made sure to get their photo with her. She obliged. This brought to mind the popular refrain of Wayne and Garth, "We aren't worthy".

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 48 of 58

2010-02-24T15:57:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, February 24th

Learning Moment: Seoul, Korea

One of the most important lessons I learned from slide:ology was the lesson of storyboarding: don't build your slides until you've built your storyboard.

On this eight-week tour of Asia, I've been able to put that principle into practice. I'm preparing for a 90-minute workshop at ISPI's 2010 Conference in San Francisco that takes place in April.

In the photo to the left, you can see my storyboard taking form. I've been working on it during my 20-70 minute taxi ride to/from Bundang in Seoul. The notebook is a 'Clean Sheet/Expedient notebook' by Kyokuto associates co, ltd.

I bought this notebook in Japan because it fits neatly into my blue Eagle Creek Travel bag (you can see the bag in the photo). The travel bag holds my notebook, Sharpie pens, and a Ziploc Easy Zipper bag filled with Post-it notes (starting to sound like an advertisement, huh?).

You can see that I'm using different color post-its. Yellow is slide content, Orange is quotes, Blue is for exercises. Green is for new ideas that I'm thinking about.

This system is working out very well for me. It's fast, flexible, and convenient. As I get closer to presentation time, I'll post the full storyboard.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 47 of 58

2010-02-23T05:42:00.000-08:00

Drumming with the Dancers at Korea House

Tuesday, February 23rd

Learning Moment: Seoul, Korea

Korea House is one of my favorite places on the planet. Great music, pounding drums, beautiful women, energetic dances, colorful costumes, and great food; that's tough to beat.

We never make a trip to Seoul without visiting Korea House, and this one would be no different. They've redesigned the stage and the program since we last visited. I loved the changes. The stage is more dramatic, and the new dances are still brilliant.

The legendary fan dance

The fan dance is always a highlight, as are the 'drumming dances'. But, the highlight of tonight - for me, anyway - was when I was invited on stage. When they invited me (along with a few other foreign guests), I started to say no. Then I realized that they didn't want me to dance, they wanted me to drum. I couldn't pass up that opportunity.

So, up I went. At the end of the song, they gave us all souvenir drum sticks, which was pretty cool. And I have to show a picture of Angie with our dinner. Do you think we got enough food?

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 46 of 58

2010-02-22T03:53:00.000-08:00

Sunset over Seoul

Monday, February 22nd

Learning Moment: Seoul, Korea

Heat is, apparently, highly valued in Korea. Our hotel room consistently runs somewhere between 76-79 degrees. The heat is centrally controlled, so our only choice is to turn the heat off completely. It doesn't seem to do much good. We have an oscillating fan, which helps a little.

Last night, I slept without covers.

We've had this problem at other Korean hotels, so it's not an Intercontinental Hotel problem.

I guess it comes from the culture of heated floors.

My classroom today was very hot - somewhere around 75 degrees. I was in short sleeves, so I was marginally comfortable, but I was asked at least three times if I was "okay". They were concerned that I might get cold.

Hell, I would have been barefoot and in shorts if it was up to me.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 45 of 58

2010-02-21T03:50:00.000-08:00

Sunday, February 21st

Learning Moment: Seoul, South Korea

We spent the day wandering the area around our hotel.

We visited Bong Eun Sa, a Buddhist temple, and then went to Seolleung, the royal tombs of King Seongjong. The tombs were built in the 14th century.

After that, we went to COEX, a large shopping mall, where we ate dinner at "On The Border". It was our first Mexican dinner (or approximation thereof) in 6 weeks. And we needed it...

Anyway, I've seen temples before. I've even seen royal tombs before. But, I've never seen a divining (or 'dowsing rod') class being conducted.

I'm not sure if they are learning to find water. It seemed as though they were learning to track energy. The instructor (who spoke Korean, so I am learning interpreting actions, gestures, and the occasional English word like 'energy') kept demonstrating that his rod wanted to point to the top of any nearby pagoda or stupa.

Whether it works or not, I cannot say (science says, "no"). But, it was pretty funny watching a group of serious looking guys in suits play with these fancy sticks.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 44 of 58

2010-02-20T18:43:00.000-08:00

The Yokohama Bay Bridge

Saturday, February 20

Learning Moment: Yokohama, Japan

We traveled from Japan to Korea today.

It was a relaxing day, with a late checkout from the Intercontinental Hotel in Yokohama. The picture above - taken from the limobus - shows our approach to the Yokohama Bay Bridge.

Our flight to Korea was smooth, and we reached the Intercontinental Coex at 10:30.

We ready to spend the next two weeks with the Korea team - enjoying the food and culture of Seoul.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 43 of 58

2010-02-19T17:02:00.000-08:00

Friday, February 19th

Learning Moment: Kamakura, Japan

Angie and I spent some time in Kamakura today.

It's a 25-minute train ride from Yokohama to the former capital of Japan.

We wandered the back streets and temples, where we saw school kids on class trips, the first apricot and plum blossoms of the year, and the guys pictured to the left.

These are karasu-tengu, or crow tengu. Tengu are spirits or gods that protect the mountains. They are usually pictured in a more human form, with a red face and long nose.

I like these guys better than the human version. There are a lot of crows in Japan, so I like the idea that there might be more to them than meets the eye.

We found the karasu-tengu in the back of the Zen temple, Kencho-ji. There is a mountain shrine called Hansobo that overlooks the temple. From Hansobo, you can see the ocean and - on a clear day - Mount Fuji. It's a beautiful area, with bamboo groves, caves, and sculptures.

It was a nice end to our Japan visit.

Next is Korea!

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 42 of 58

2010-02-18T15:32:00.000-08:00

Raw Horsemeat (Basashi)

Thursday, February 18th

Learning Moment: Yokohama, Japan

We had dinner with two good friends and colleagues, Haemi and Yagi-san.

Food, sake, and friends is a great combination in Japan.

I also had raw horsemeat for the first time in many years. I used to eat it quite a bit when I traveled to Kumamoto, but it's been a long time.

It was still delicious.

Haemi Kaku and Mikio Yagi

But, no matter how good the food, the conversation was even better.

Catching up with friends is one of the reasons I love to travel.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 41 of 58

2010-02-17T16:09:00.000-08:00

Angie at Maimon, Yokohama

Wednesday, February 17th

Learning Moment: Yokohama, Japan

One of our favorite things about Japan is the food. Here Angie is about to dig into a fried shiitake mushroom. Yum!

Behind her you can see part of the Yokohama Cosmo Clock (part ferris wheel, part clock) and the Intercontinental Hotel.

One of our least favorite things about Japan is that the smoking section still often gets the best views... Boooo!

Oh well. Great meal anyway.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 40 of 58

2010-02-16T04:21:00.001-08:00

Garr Reynolds at KLA-Tencor Japan

Tuesday, February 16th

Learning Moment: Yokohama, Japan

We had a big day today.

I conducted the slide:ology workshop at our Japan office, where I was joined by Garr Reynolds - the author of Presentation Zen and Presentation Zen Design. Garr was, as expected, brilliant.

He spoke about Simplicity, Restraint, and Naturalness - three design criteria that are too often absent in the high-technology world. Garr models all three, making it easy for anyone to understand and identify with him and his message. He's also, by the way, a lot of fun. We had some good laughs throughout the day.

If you're ever fortunate enough to have the opportunity to hear Garr speak, take advantage. If you can't hear him speak live - order his DVD. It's the next best thing.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 39 of 58

2010-02-16T04:13:00.000-08:00

Yokohama Intercontinental Hotel Place-mat

Monday, February 15th

Learning Moment: Yokohama, Japan

The Yokohama Intercontinental Hotel is one of the more distinctive hotels in the world. It's shaped like (according to the website) a 'yacht under sail'. It's such a singular look that they echo the design in many of their graphics and souvenirs.

For example, the place mat above creates a yacht shape by using little yacht shapes.

This pattern is also in many on the fabric of many of the chairs and sofas.

Smart use of an excellent graphic.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 38 of 58

2010-02-14T05:13:00.000-08:00

Streets of Yokohama

February 14th, 2010

Learning Moment: Yokohama, Japan

Spent the day catching up on music (I bought the latest cds by Cocoo, Anna Tsuchiya, Mizrock, and Chara), picking up some stationary supplies, and soaking in all that is Yokohama.

Angie and I then had a traditional kaiseki dinner at Minokichi in Landmark Tower. Along with three carafes of sake, it made for an excellent Valentines Day dinner.

Finally, I spoke with Garr Reynolds tonight. I'm beyond excited that Garr - author of the amazing Presentation Zen books and website - is joining me on Tuesday for a slide:ology workshop. It's pretty intimidating to be leading a workshop when Garr, a truly great presenter, is both watching and speaking. The good news is, he's on my team!

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 37 of 58

2010-02-13T18:06:00.000-08:00

with Angie at the Hard Rock Yokohama

Saturday, February 13th

Learning Moment: Yokohama, Japan

We had a smooth flight from Singapore to Japan today. For 6 hours, I worked on the storyboard for my book proposal. It was very productive.

We arrived at the Intercontinental Hotel at 5pm, and then went to the Hard Rock Cafe for a burger. It's strange going from 90 degree temps to 30 degree temps, but I have to say it felt great.

Japan will always feel like a second home to me...

Gong Xi Fat Chai!

2010-02-13T17:58:00.000-08:00

The Gate for Singapore's Hong Bao

Friday night, I took a quick run to Singapore's Chinese New Year Celebration.

Despite the fact that this is my year - the year of the Tiger, I was disappointed in the 'new and improved' Hong Bao.

What used to be a funky, crowded, and intimate festival crammed into the corners of a riverside park is now a large, soulless cattle herd. They took the celebration out of a green park, and put it on a floating barge. It's basically a parking lot filled with decorations.

This is a clear example of a new plan being implemented that 'fixes' the old problems without stopping to ask what was working at the old location. And that's unfortunate.

Regardless, people were happy - largely because Chinese New Year isn't really about floats, lanterns, fireworks, or parade. It's about family.

So, Happy Chinese New Year to you and yours.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 36 of 58

2010-02-11T16:42:00.001-08:00

Leaving with a smile on my face...

Friday, February 12

Learning Moment: Ubud, Bali

We fly back to Singapore this afternoon and then to Japan on Saturday.

There's still time for some adventure today - it's the start of Chinese New Year, after all - but the Southeast Asia portion of our tour is about to come to an end.

We'll be swapping shorts, sunscreen, and swimsuits for winter jackets, freezing temperatures, and cold winds. On the other hand, we'll get to see old friends and familiar places.

So, much like the Balinese statue pictured above; I'm leaving with a smile on my face.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 35 of 58

2010-02-11T01:07:00.001-08:00

Thursday, February 11th

Learning Moment: Bali, Indonesia

Today was another busy day.

I visited the monkey forest and got some free grooming from a new little pal.

Angie and I walked about 5 miles - from Ubud, through Peliatan, and back.

And we bought a pile of paintings...

Two things that I was reminded of:

First, it's hard to get a better bargain for your art dollar than the one you'll find in Bali.

We got five paintings of Balinese dancers, including the one on the left, for about US$65.

Second, I would never try to make my living as an artist. Barriers to market entry are approximately zero. Branding is almost impossible. It's really difficult to articulate the 'value' of your product. And everyone (along with their sisters) believes they are either an artist or an art critic.

There's got to be an easier way to make a living...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 34 of 58

2010-02-10T08:03:00.001-08:00

the Setting for our Kajane Romance Dinner

February 10, 2010

Learning Moment: Bali, Indonesia

Romance can be bought. Richard Gere did it, so can you.

In Bali, however, it will cost you a lot less.

Angie and I had a great day. I got a lot of work done on 'SMART as Hell'. We had a great breakfast by the pool. We witnessed a temple festival in downtown Ubud (music, dance, prayer, sarongs, incense, shadow puppets, and throngs of people - Asia in an hour). We had a great lunch at Ary's Warung. We watched dance, while listening to a Bamboo orchestra (jegog). And then we had the romance dinner served to us at our villa.

Above, you can see the 'make-over' the wonderful Kajane staff did to our patio. Flowers strewn about. Colorful cloths draped across our furniture. Candles turned our pool into a reflection pond. Music filled the air (and mosquitoes did not).

The food was excellent, the service perfect, the weather Balinese.

The price? US$45.

Of course, you need a villa - and someone beautiful to sit across the table - first...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 33 of 58

2010-02-09T00:49:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, February 9th

Learning Moment: Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

As part of our package, our hotel - the Kajane - included an 'adventure' outing of our choice.

We decided to trek in the rice fields.

So, we woke up early, ate breakfast, and joined our guides for a personal tour. The weather was perfect; sunny and relatively dry. We got up close and personal with the rice paddies, and also saw a large variety of trees and plants.

During a snack break, a local farmer scurried up a palm tree for us and brought down two fresh coconuts. He then sliced them deftly with his machete and handed us one with a ready-to-pour spout. Coconut is one of my five favorite food/ingredients, so you know I loved it.

A we continued our hike, we spotted cows, water buffalo, lizards, herons, dogs, and cats. We passed through a jungle ravine and emerged at a small village.

As part of our package, we received one-hour massages and a traditional Indonesian lunch. Tonight, we'll head to the palace to watch dancers perform the Ramayana.

Just another day in paradise...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 32 of 58

2010-02-08T01:01:00.000-08:00

An Offering

February 8th, 2010

Learning Moment: Bali, Indonesia

Almost the first thing one notices in Bali is the offerings that lie scattered everywhere.

Usually, the first notice is taken as one accidentally kicks the offering from a sidewalk into the nearby street.

I made this mistake many, many times during my first visit. Fortunately, the Balinese don't take it personally.

Balinese offerings are ubiquitous. They lie in front of stores, inside stores, in shrines, on rocks, and in tree branches. I would not be surprised to find one anywhere.

These offerings are democratic - they are presented for the benefit of many gods, both good and bad. Once offered, they are food for birds, dogs, monkeys, and insects.

I've tried to emulate the Balinese with my course offerings. My workshops are available to anyone. I'm ready to conduct them anywhere. And I don't mind repurposing the content for any situation or audience.

How about your products?

Do you treat them as 'goods for sale'? Or as offerings?

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 31 of 58

2010-02-07T16:14:00.001-08:00

Ary - a Balinese Dancer Unmasked

February 07, 2010

Learning Moment: Bali, Indonesia

We spent the morning relaxing in our villa. Private pools are, for me, one of the best reasons to come here. Bali is one of the few places on earth where a normal human can afford a villa with a private pool. And, with the humidity, you want to swim every day.

So, we ate a late breakfast, swam in the pool, and did some reading.

In the afternoon, we headed to ARMA - the Agung Rai Museum. There we viewed the art collection, ate dinner (nasi goreng, with a glass of arak), and had an almost private viewing of a legong dance.

There were six audience members in a small hall for a full gamelan and dance troupe. It was like hosting a show in your living room. Before the show, I happened to meet Ary, the dancer pictured above. It was the first time I have seen a Balinese dancer out of costume. We talked a bit and she let me take her photo.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 30 of 58

2010-02-06T07:30:00.001-08:00

Balinese Dance at Puri Saren Agung, Ubud

February 06, 2010

Learning Moment: Ubud, Bali, Indonesia

You know how they say "You can't go back"?

And, you know how it is mostly true?

Well, doesn't it make it that much sweeter when you can go back?

That's what I'm finding on this trip.

We had a great time revisiting Chennai. And we had a great time revisiting Singapore.

Today, we landed in Bali. It's roughly our 10th visit to Bali. We always worry that it's changed while we were gone.

Bali is one of those places that just feels different. It's a combination of incense, humidity, ocean breeze, grace, humor, and authenticity.

Well, as soon as we landed, I knew that we were back.

And I mean back, as in, back in the arms of a friend.

It just felt right.

Tonight we went to Puri Saren Agung to watch the Legong Dance.

It was stunning, as usual. The gamelan was invigorating, the dancers were spectacular, the audience was appreciative, the night air was sultry.

It was, in a word, Bali.

We had an excellent dinner at Cinta and returned to our room.

The plan for the rest of the week? Lather, rinse, repeat...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 29 of 58

2010-02-05T05:23:00.000-08:00

A Toast to the Halfway Point (Long Island Ice Tea at Clarke Quay)

February 05, 2010

Learning Moment: Singapore

Today, we reached the halfway point of our two-month journey through Asia. As great as the past four weeks have been (and they have been...), some of the best is yet to come.

We'll be vacationing in Bali for the next seven days
We'll get to see the first of on Hong Bao (the riverside Chinese New Year festival) in Singapore
We'll eat a kaiseki dinner for Valentine's Day in Japan
I'll hook up with Garr Reynolds for a presentation workshop in Yokohama - slide:ology + Presentation Zen
And then, two weeks in Seoul, Korea

Today, I led another slide:ology session. There are two 'best known methods' that we've developed over the past 6 months of teaching slide:ology. They are not 'rules', but I practice them religiously. I'll share them with you, but - as always - your mileage may vary.

Never (ever) share slides with someone who isn't going to present them.
If you're asked to share your slide deck, email it, or store it on a server - say no. What you should do is convert it to a pdf file and then send it.
This method has three advantages. First, it shrinks the file size dramatically. Second, viewers cannot 'click' into your embedded files and read the data behind the data. Third, they cannot easily present your deck. Finally, they cannot cannibalize your slides to create a 'Frankendeck'.
Never (ever) use sub-bullets.
A single layer of bullets is fine for creating a list. The next level of bullets, however, indicates one of two things. One - you're typing in words that you're going to say anyway. These can be pushed into notes view and you can just say them. Two - if you really have important text in the sub-bullets, I would argue that the bullet and sub-bullets have enough meaning for one new slide. The bullet becomes the title and the sub-bullets become the text (or are changed to an image).

The use of sub-bullets is mostly laziness. Since I imposed this rule on myself, I have not found a case where I needed to keep them. There is almost always a better way.

Give it a try!

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 28 of 58

2010-02-04T08:51:00.000-08:00

With Maggie Lee at the KLA-Tencor Offices

February 04, 2010

Learning Moment: Singapore

What a great day...

Why?

Well let me list the reasons:

Today I led a slide:ology session that was great. The audience was totally engaged, we worked on some interesting issues, and I learned a lot (even though I'm the instructor, it isn't a good session unless I learn a lot).
I received great support from Maggie Lee. Maggie is a member of the Singapore HR team. I'm consistently pleased and humbled by the help I get from our Asia HR teams. Maggie is great. That's her photo above.
Angie and I had a good dinner at The Pump at Clarke Quay. There are few better people watching spots than Clarke Quay. The fact that dinner was good was a bonus.
We heard a great singer - Jai - at Murphy's bar. I stopped Angie and said, "Wow, that chick can sing." Turned out 'that chick' was a guy, and that the guy - Jai - really could sing. We stopped in to hear one or two songs and stayed until midnight.
I got to sing with Jai. Jai saw me singing along with the songs he was playing and asked me if I wanted to sing. No, I answered, until I saw that anyone could sing with him. "Do you know 'With or Without You', I asked?" Yes he did. And yes I did - sing, that is. It was my first time on a stage in about 5 years, and yes, it felt great. Jai and I had a good time, harmonizing and improvising a bit - we extended the ending and had a few laughs. That, my friends, is what I miss about music... the improvisation.
Angie and I got a tri-shaw ride back to the hotel. Despite all our years and visits to Singapore, we've never had a tri-shaw ride. Well, tonight, that streak ended.

There is no recipe for an outstanding day - but I can suggest strongly that if all of the above things happened to you, it would be a great day for you as well.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 27 of 58

2010-02-03T05:49:00.000-08:00

February 3, 2010

Learning Moment: Singapore

File this one under the title of "Artistic Bullsh*t"...

Tonight we checked out ION, a monumental mall on Orchard Road. In front of the mall is a sculpture of a nutmeg. I took this picture and walked over to read the artists statement.

This is what it said:

"Ion Orchards's signature sculpture connects the mall building site with its past as a nutmeg plantation - a reminder that present-day social spaces are enlivened and enriched with histories and collective memories."

Seriously? Is that what they think this sculpture does? Somehow a giant brass nutmeg spontaneously summons up collective memories of the plantations of the past? Do they think anyone is buying that line? Do they even believe it?

If they had stopped at the first sentence, it would have been okay. But the rest is laughably insincere. Oh well, at least there's that James Bond girl on the screen to distract us...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 26 of 58

2010-02-02T05:16:00.000-08:00

Watching People Watching People Watching

February 02, 2010

Learning Moment: Singapore

I love gatherings. Some of my favorite places in Asia are just gathering spots.

Yokohama Koen, The Bund in Shanghai, Orchard Road in Singapore, Shibuya Station, and Waikiki Beach are all locations where I love to hang out. In all of these places, you find older men who like to sit and watch the world move by in a flurry of color and sound.

These men just soak it all in - not needing to participate. They are happy just to watch.

I'll probably be one of those old guys some day.

I enjoy watching people, of course. But I also enjoy watching people watch other people.

This gentleman is sitting in Albert Mall, where Chinese New Year festivities are underway. He's witnessing thousands of people walk by: buying flowers, praying at the local temple, picking out fruit, and seeking a little prosperity from the gods of fortune.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 25 of 58

2010-02-01T08:55:00.000-08:00

Chinese Percussion

February 01, 2010

Learning Moment: Singapore

Today was a busy day.

I conducted DiSC training for Raj and Raman's teams in Singapore.

Great session, great questions. The teams were engaged and skeptical - just the way I like it to go.

I met Angie at the hotel. We then headed to Raffles City and went to Prego for a caprese salad and pizza.

During Chinese New Year, there is plenty of entertainment around town. We watched a percussion group perform\ and then headed over to Raffles Hotel for drinks and live entertainment.

Good weather, a good day, and a great night.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 24 of 58

2010-01-31T05:01:00.000-08:00

Singaporean Chinese Beauty, thanks to plan B!

January 31st, 2010

Learning Moment: Singapore

Today, we strolled the streets of Singapore; though Little India, up Orchard Road, and down back alleys. Tonight, while I reviewed the photos I took, I (re)learned two lessons:

Always check your settings.
Always. Check. Your settings.
I was using my SLR camera in manual mode the other night and never changed it back to aperture priority. As a result, all 150 photos I took with that camera today were either under or over exposed.
Have a plan B.
Redundant systems are our friend.
Today, I was carrying my pocket camera. For no apparent reason, I took 250 photos with my pocket camera. I never do that when I'm carrying my SLR. Well, almost never. Because I did take those pictures, I captured the Singaporean beauty above, during a promotion for the upcoming Chingay parade.

It was an important - but relatively painless lesson.

And that, my friends, is the best kind of lesson.

Training is a place where we can experience important, but painless lessons.

My job as a facilitator is to make sure that:

A) The lessons are painless, and

B) You realize how important they are.

When I do that - you learn, I learn, and life is good for both of us.

Continuing the Mentoring Conversations Model

2010-01-30T00:27:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned previously, Randy Emelo, CEO/President of Triple Creek Associates, and I have been writing a series about Mentoring Conversations.

This new model suggests the conversations that are necessary to guide anyone from orientation to decision making on an issue. Randy and I wanted to provide a tool that could be both diagnostic and prescriptive.

The fifth issue of our six part series introduces the partial confidence.

Take a look at the series. When you finish our series, I recommend that you read Randy's back catalog of newsletters.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 23 of 58

2010-01-29T20:53:00.000-08:00

January 30th, 2010

Learning Moment: Fisherman's Cove, India

Tonight, we fly from India back to Singapore.

It's been a great stay here - training went well, we ate great food, and I'm bringing back some nice photos.

Since I won't have time to post an image from today, I'll present this image from last night.

We ate at a seaside barbecue, under a full moon, with a nice breeze coming up from the ocean.

Behind us, Cognizant was holding a dinner parter for some employees. Dancers were brought in to entertain, so I quietly slipped over for some pictures of the dancers.

This shot captures a brilliant smile: the kind of smile that I grew accustomed to during the past few weeks. Smiles like this might be India's greatest treasure.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 22 of 58

2010-01-29T04:30:00.000-08:00

Everybody Loves Ganesha

January 29th, 2010

Learning Moment: Chennai, India

I don't buy a lot of souvenirs. I have enough 'stuff' and less than enough room.

Also, airlines are making it extremely difficult to transport your toothbrush, let along a war mask.

Still, I do like to collect the occasional memento. For example, a couple of days ago, I bought these two Ganesha statues at Dakshinachitra (for US$6 each). This got me wondering what my purchase criteria is. After some thought, I decided that the souvenirs I buy have to meet at least some of these criteria:

They are 'of the place I bought them' or will remind me of that place.
I don't buy India crafts in the US or Balinese crafts in Japan. I want art that represents at least one component of the culture (if not more). The Ganesha represent a Hindu god. They also show India musical instruments.
They have elements of both 'art' and 'craft'.
This is totally subjective, of course. First, I want my piece to have some element of spirit; to represent an artists view of something. I'm not big into literal representations (I have my own camera, thank you). I want to feel like I'm looking at a part of the world through the artists eyes. Second, it should be well made. There should be a level of skill required to create it. These statues are artistic interpretations of Ganesha that convey a sense of grace and humor that I find appealing. They are also very solid, with an interesting 'wire' technique.
They must represent something I like.
Typically, this means music or dance. But it could include favorite animals, architecture or more. I like both elephants and music, so these Ganesha satisfy the criteria.
It helps if they are usable.
Furniture, lamps, musical instruments, and kitchen ware are great examples. If you can use a souvenir, it pulls double duty. These Ganesha serve no function, unfortunately.
Finally, cost and size are always a factor.
For obvious reasons... The Ganesha are four inches tall, so they work perfectly.

Do you buy souvenirs?
What are your souvenir criteria?

SMART as Hell at ISPI 2010

2010-01-27T23:11:00.000-08:00

Do you believe goals are important?

Or do you find them to be overrated?

Do you believe that the SMART goal framework is useful?

Or do you find SMART goals to be frustrating and counterproductive?

Interestingly, a lot of people I meet say 'yes' to all four questions.

For the past 18 months, I've been researching SMART goals. I've created a tool for assessing SMART goals and have identified the qualities of a strong SMART goal. After reviewing more than 600 goals, I have discovered some interesting points:

Most business gurus and researchers agree that goals are important.
Most use the SMART framework.
Most, however, don't agree on what the SMART framework means.
Out of 600 goals I've assessed from business, government, and education sectors, less than 10% meet the SMART criteria.
Better tools are needed to successfully implement SMART goals.

In April, I'll be presenting my findings and recommendations at the International Society for Performance Improvement's (ISPI) Conference in San Francisco.

Who: Glenn Hughes

What: How smart is SMART? Writing and quantifying SMART goals.

Where: San Francisco, California

When: April 22, 10:30 am to 12:00 noon

More Info: www.ispi.org/ac2010

Many excellent presenters, including my friend Ed Muzio, will be presenting this year.

If you're interested in SMART goals or any other aspect of performance improvement, I recommend you join us in San Franciso.

I hope to see you there!

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 21 of 58

2010-01-27T19:37:00.000-08:00

January 28th, 2010

Learning Moment: Fisherman's Cove, India

I woke up at 6:30 this morning to watch the sun rise over the Bay of Bengal at Kovalam Beach.

In America, we have this romantic notion of 'riding off into the sunset', but that seems strange to me. Isn't more romantic to ride off into a sunrise?

Sunrises are the proverbial 'dawn of a new day', full of possibility and hope. Don't get me wrong, I love sunsets, but they lead to what... darkness?

That's why when I ride off... I'm riding off into a sunrise...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 20 of 58

2010-01-27T05:04:00.000-08:00

Geetha, Jaishree, and Uthra

January 27th, 2010

Learning Moment: Chennai, India

Today was a relatively quiet day.

It was cloudy during my commute into work; the first cloudy day we've seen. I continued reading "You Must Be Joking, Mr. Feynman" during the ride. Just as we reached the office, rain began to fall. Everyone seemed surprised, as the rainy season isn't due to start for another month. It was a short rainfall. The rest of the day was pleasant.

Our second day of the "Managing at KT" workshop was engaging. The group asks many interesting questions. We spent a fair amount of time on SMART goals. Most people don't realize the power of well-written goals, but these folks understood. It's rewarding to see them create strong goals.

Members of our stellar Human Resources team - Geetha, Jaishree, and Uthra - stopped in to make sure all was going well, so I took the opportunity to pose them for a picture.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 19 of 58

2010-01-26T08:30:00.000-08:00

Celebrating India's National Day

January 26th, 2010

Learning Moment: Kovalam Beach, Chennai

Today was National Day in India. We slept in a bit, ate a buffet lunch, and then went to Dakshinachitra to look at Indian architecture and crafts. We saw folk dance, shadow puppets, very cool buildings, and some great art.

I bought two Ganesha statues and then we headed back to the hotel.

There was still daylight, so I headed down to Kovalam beach to make new friends. I watched an informal game of cricket and then spotted this boat flying the Indian flag. It seemed like a good idea to get a photo of the flag on national day, so I introduced myself to these fishermen and got a picture of all of us around the flag.

Don't You Dare Me...

2010-01-25T07:53:00.001-08:00

As we were sitting at the dance festival in Mamallapuram on Saturday night, a ticket collector came around to check our seats.

"Here comes sour face", said the man next to me. "We've been coming here for 5 nights straight and she hasn't smiled yet."

Hmmm... I don't know a lot, but I know a couple of things. First, I'm pretty confident that I can make anyone smile at least once (it's easy if you're willing to make an ass out of yourself). Second, it isn't that hard to make an Indian smile.

"Really...", I said to him, as I turned around to her.

I would have placed a bet with him, but he'd already said he was spending US$16 a night on his hotel room - so, the stakes would have been too low to bother. This exercise would merely be to make a point.

Within three sentences, I got a smile out of her.

And no, I didn't have to do anything stupid.

"Wow", the guy said, "That's the first smile I've seen from her".

"Well, you had to challenge me", I replied, as he put up his hands in mock surrender.

She has a face built to smile. This photo is my proof and my reward.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 18 of 58

2010-01-25T05:43:00.000-08:00

Coconut Milk Appam

January 25th, 2010

Learning Moment: Chennai, India

Today I facilitated day one of our flagship management workshop - Managing at KLA-Tencor. It was great session, with excellent questions.

During lunch, my friend Lawrence Sanjay took me to an Appam restaurant for lunch. He described appams as a 'kind of pancake', which wasn't far off. We had a coconut milk appam as a starter - I absolutely love coconut milk - and a mutton appam with curry for the main course.

If I'd ever had an appam before, I didn't know what it was. Now, however, I will not forget.

They are delicious. I highly recommend you try one, wherever you can find it.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 17 of 58

2010-01-24T08:49:00.000-08:00

Children of Kovalam

Sunday, January 24th

Learning Moment: Fisherman's Cove, India

This afternoon, we walked down the beach to Kovalam, a small fishing village 25km south of Chennai. It was a beautiful day. The sun was warm, the wind was light, and the air was clear. We could see the skyline of Chennai - a first for us from Fisherman's Cove.

In the evening, the fishermen return with their catch, which immediately goes up for sale on the beach. The local kids come down to the water's edge to swim and play.

The children were quite thrilled to have their photos taken, so I shot about 100 pictures of them in groups, pairs, and solo.

I love the energy that is present during these interactions. They mug, hug, and tug each other around, begging for more.

I could shoot faces all day long, and Indian faces are among my favorite.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 16 of 58

2010-01-24T06:04:00.000-08:00

Bharathanatyam Dance in Mamallapuram, India

Saturday, January 23rd

Learning Moments: Mamallapuram, India

I often get asked why I love to travel so much.

In response, I can offer a day like today...

We went to Mamallapuram to see the monuments located in the World Heritage Site. During our walk we saw centuries-old carvings; scenic vistas over rice fields and ocean; goats, dogs, and monkeys living in peace; and loads of friendly people.

At the end of the day, we headed to the Mamallapuram Dance Festival. There, we bought some trinkets from a wandering carver and chatted with a husband and wife who have retired from teaching in Michigan. They are now on a two and a half month journey through India.

Then the dances started. There were three dance troupes - a local folk dance troupe, a large group of folk dancers from Uttar Pradesh, and a local classical dance troupe from Chennai.

The first group was amusing, but unremarkable. Most folk dance is rather unsophisticated, but these dances looked like they were choreographed under the influence of heavy drinking. The second group was very good - beautiful girls, colorful costumes, and great music.

The third group performed Bharathanatyam, which we have seen many times before. This time, however, felt like I was seeing the dance for the first time. Grace, precision, and athleticism combined to hold the entire audience in a trance.

Angie and I were in awe. Our drive home consisted of each of us saying "Wow. Could you believe when they did that?"

We've often wondered if it is redundant to return to a country or region that we've visited before.

Today reminded me that life (or travel) is like a kaleidoscope - the elements might be fixed, but the arrangement is always changing. To take just one look insures that we'll miss a lot of beauty.

Groundhog Day

2010-01-22T22:13:00.000-08:00

An interesting pattern played out last week as I was conducting workshops at the Fortune Palms Hotel in Chennai. Every morning and every afternoon, we would take a traditional 10-15 minute 'tea break'.

On Tuesday morning, both the staff and my co-workers asked if I would like a hot tea or coffee.

"No thanks", I replied.

I have never drank a cup of coffee. The smell disgusts me. I don't even like the smell of coffee beans. Additionally, I'm not a big fan of hot drinks. I enjoy ice cold drinks: water, soda, iced tea, cocktails... You get the idea. I like cold drinks.

They drank their hot tea and coffee. I drank my cold water. We moved on.

Or so I thought...

On Tuesday afternoon, the same servers and co-workers asked me again, "Would you like a coffee or tea?"

"No, thanks. I don't drink either."

"Really?"

"Really. We discussed it this morning. Water is fine."

This exchange recurred twice on Wednesday, twice on Thursday, and - yes - twice on Friday.

I know they're showing hospitality, and I'm a very patient guy - but I have to admit that a part of my brain wanted to snap!

I shared this with Angie last night at dinner (where I was drinking an ice cold cocktail) and she said, "Groundhog Day".

What?

"Groundhog Day. You're living the movie. You're supposed to learn something from this and change the pattern".

Really?

She laughed, "No. You're just supposed to live with it!"

Thanks...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 15 of 58

2010-01-22T21:43:00.000-08:00

The Monkey God Hanuman in a Kathakali Dance

Friday, January 22nd

Learning Moment: Mamallapuram, India

Last night, we attended the annual Mamallapuram Dance Festival. For US$3, you get to watch two hours of traditional Indian dance in front of Arjuna's Penance - one part of a spectacular World Heritage site.

The show featured dancers from Kerala, in Southern India. There were folk dances, as well as the famous kathakali dance. The costumes, as you can see above, are spectacular. We saw men dance in costumes with five-foot wide boards on their backs, and with 20-foot towers attached to them. It was quite a spectacle.

My favorite part of the night came when the character above appeared. I immediately thought 'that's got to be Hanuman'. I don't know why, but I become unreasonable excited when I see the white monkey god from the Ramayana. Part of it is every kids fascination with monkeys, I guess.

Here's clip of the dance, from YouTube.

It's fascinating to see variations on a theme. In two weeks, we'll be in Bali, where the Ramayana dance will present Hanuman in a more physical role, with a more realistic costume.

Two countries, two versions: both creative and impressive.

Further proof that there can always another twist on a common theme.

We're heading back to the festival on Saturday to see classical women's dance.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 14 of 58

2010-01-21T08:25:00.001-08:00

Winners of the Paper Tower Contest

Thursday, January 21st

Learning Moment: India

I love leading workshops in India.

The attendees are energetic, reflective, and curious.

They fully invest in whatever the topic is. That is such a pleasure.

I learn as much from them as I 'teach' in any session.

Yesterday, we conducted a "Five Dysfunctions of a Team" workshop. As part of the workshop, we did the 'Personal Histories' exercise, where team members share the most difficult time of their childhood and their greatest influence other than their parents.

I felt honored to be able to hear their stories.

I've known most of the participants for four or five years, but I had no idea what many of them had gone through, how hard their parents and other family members worked for them to educated, or how thankful they are for where they are today. It was truly remarkable how many of them could point to one person in their lives and say "I owe everything to that person".

In a world as challenging as the one they grew up in, it is often the prodding of one interested party that makes all the difference. I couldn't help but think about those who prodded me. I also couldn't help but hope that one day I can do the same for another.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 13 of 58

2010-01-21T08:15:00.000-08:00

Bharathan, myself, and Angie

Wednesday, January 20th

Learning Moment: India

Tonight, my wife and I were invited to the home of Bharathan and Sharmila Prahalad. Bharathan is the head of Human Resources for KLA-Tencor India and a great guy.

He wanted us to meet his family, eat a home-cooked meal, and see an Indian home. We were impressed by all three.

His wife, mother-in-law, and three children greeted us warmly and made us feel welcome.

The dinner was incredible: diverse, tasty, interesting - and it seemed to never end!

His home was comfortable and beautifully decorated.

All of the literature I've read extols the hospitality of the Indian people.

As we saw, the literature is right on target.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 12 of 58

2010-01-21T06:28:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, January 19th

Learning Moment: India

If I've learned one thing from Bollywood films, it's that a dance can break out anywhere, anytime.

Well, while dining at our restaurant at Fisherman's cove a dance broke out nearby. Of course, the dancers were hired to perform for an Accenture party, but that didn't make the surprise any less cool.

We got to eat our dinner under the stars, listen to the waves pounding the beach, and watch a classical Indian dance.

Obviously lesson: Carry a camera everywhere...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 11 of 58

2010-01-21T06:14:00.000-08:00

Monday, January 18th

Learning Moment: India

We're enjoying our stay at the Taj Fisherman's Cove.

Nature is a good thing and we're seeing plenty of it here.

We've seen myna birds singing in the trees, crows pretending to be lords of their domain, kingfishers flitting about, geckos eating flies (we have a large resident gecko that barks about once an hour), lizards scampering about, crabs skittering across the beach, water buffalo lazing in rivers, bats swooping between dinner tables, sacred cows meandering, monkeys stalking the periphery of the hotel grounds, and a lot of frogs croaking and hopping across the lawns.

This big guy was still as a rock outside our room. He made an excellent model.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 10 of 58

2010-01-17T08:37:00.001-08:00

Sunday, January 17th

Learning Moment: India

Great day in Fisherman's Cove.

I spent the morning at the pool - working on storyboards for a course I'm designing and swimming laps.

We then had an excellent outdoor Mediterranean buffet, with champagne, at the Upper Deck restaurant. Overlooking the Bay of Bengal, we enjoyed our food while spotting kingfishers, butterflies, and lizards.

We worked off lunch with a trek up and down the beach, where we encountered this happy gentleman. A small fishing boat had just come in from the bay and sold it's contents to the locals who crowd the beach.

This man is showing off the two fresh fish that he just bought. I love the vibrancy of life in India. I also love that people enjoy posing for photos.

"Namaste! Namaste! Hello!", we kept hearing.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 9 of 58

2010-01-17T08:21:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 16

Learning Moment: Chennai, India

On Saturday, we flew from Singapore to India.

The cover on the left is there only because I like it.

It caught my eye in the airport book store, so I snapped a picture of it. Su Tong is the author of "Raise the Red Lantern", which Zhang Yimou made into a stunning film, starring Gong Li. If you've never seen it, you must.

Anyway, we had a good flight to India and even cleared immigration quickly.

Then we reached baggage carousel hell. One carousel broke down, so two planes worth of baggage was sent to one carousel - 600 people crammed into a space built for about 100.

It felt like being in the front three rows of a rock concert, but without the music. Tight, sweaty, hot, uncomfortable. After getting our bags, we walked a mile or so to our taxi, dragging the bags through dirt, mud, and rocks while cars lined in single file honked their horns at each other just to see what they sound like.

Sixty minutes later, we were in Fisherman's Cove, at our hotel - our sanctuary.

It felt like we found our own redemption.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 8 of 58

2010-01-15T05:30:00.001-08:00

Friday, January 15th

Learning Moment: Singapore

I probably do my best work when I'm traveling. Today, I finished teaching a Situational Leadership II workshop that went really well.

In addition, I finished seven more pages of a workshop I'm designing, gave feedback on two slide decks, and coached three different employees on issues that they are facing.

That's a good day.

To reward myself, I took Angie to Chijmes for dinner.

Oh, who am I kidding? I would have done that anyway.

It was a beautiful night - warm with a tropical breeze. The pizza and mojitos were tasty, and the surrounding architecture (it's a former convent) is interesting.

No wonder I do my best work on the road.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 7 of 58

2010-01-14T06:41:00.000-08:00

Thursday, January 14th

Learning Moment: Singapore

I was in a taxi today, headed to the office in Serangoon, when I realized that I love my Kindle.

I'm the kind of person who cannot make a long business trip without bringing at least six books.

I need three for each direction.

Then I end up buying at least five more... You can imagine the weight I end up accumulating.

Well, this is my first trip with my Kindle. I've got 467 documents loaded: everything from ChangeThis manifestos to work documents that I've converted to pdfs to Gandhi's autobiography.

I've completed two books and more than ten smaller documents.

The kindle is lightweight, easy to use, and easy to read.

Very, very cool...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 6 of 58

2010-01-13T05:00:00.000-08:00

Storyboards Rock...

Wednesday, January 13th
Learning Moment: Singapore

I'm working with Ed Muzio (co-author of Four Secrets to Liking Your Work) on the instructional design of a workshop that will accompany his new book, tentatively titled "Make Work Great!".

I first used storyboarding while working on the slide:ology workshop, but that was done on my office wall. This project marks the first time that I have storyboarded a workshop in my notebook and then worked on it while traveling.

Ed and I brainstormed ideas for the workshop over the course of a couple of months. On my flight to Singapore, I sketched those ideas onto post-it notes with a sharpie and placed them into my notebook. Then, I went through the draft of Ed's book and created more post-its (this second round of notes is in blue pen). Finally, I combined the two sets of notes, moving them into a working order.

You can see that module headers are pink, learning content is yellow, and exercises are blue. At a glance, I can see what the mix of content to exercise is. I've been working on this project by the pool at the Intercontinental Hotel, in our room, at breakfast, and in taxis to the office.

Only now am I constructing the workbook for the course. This storyboarding has made it very easy for me to think visually and see the book before I construct it.

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 5 of 58

2010-01-12T17:45:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, January 12th

Learning Moment: Singapore

Timeliness obviously varies by culture.

I was reminded of this fact yesterday, as I led the slide:ology workshop in Singapore.

The workshop was scheduled to start at 9:00 am.

At 9:15, I had just over half of the attendees present, so I started.

The room was full around 9:30.

When I gave a 10-minute break in the morning, most of the attendees took 20-25 minutes.

For lunch, I gave a 70-minute break, saying "be back by 1:30".

We didn't get started until 2:00.

Finally, I got smart. I gave a 7-minute break in the afternoon - just enough time to reach the coffee machine and restroom. Then I didn't give the last break that I usually provide.

Sure, I could get angry and threaten, but that doesn't support a learning atmosphere.

I just observe the behavior, comment on it, and let them know that any chance to end early is decreased by their tardiness.

If that doesn't work, I just adjust the material a little, trimming time for exercises, and keep on teaching...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 4 of 58

2010-01-11T06:38:00.001-08:00

proof that you shouldn't drink and drive powerpoint

Monday, January 11

Learning Moment: Singapore

Yeah, I admit it. This is bad. But I couldn't help myself.

Angie and I were eating dinner at Prego, a favorite Italian restaurant of ours in Singapore.

At the table next to us, a woman was sipping a glass of wine while creating an awful PowerPoint presentation.

I had to sneak my camera out and take a shot of it.

Just about everything is wrong with this slide:

It's got a terrible, noisy background
The title is meaningless
Baaaad clip art
Red lines that are hard to see against the dark blue background
And you can't see it, but don't get me started about the animation (everything flew in from somewhere)

The worst part of it?

She spend two hours of her life making small adjustments to this, as if the small adjustments would improve the presentation! That doesn't count the hours she spent before I saw her.

There really isn't any excuse for this. I wanted to shake her by the shoulders and command her to buy "slide:ology" or "Presentation Zen".

On the other hand, ever crappy presentation out there makes me look better.

So, let others keep making bad presentation, I say.

As long as I don't have to watch them...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 3 of 58

2010-01-10T04:46:00.000-08:00

a quiet Chinese temple

Sunday, January 10

Learning Moment: Singapore

Wandering the streets behind Boat Quay, we found this small, but active Chinese temple.

I took some pictures of the grounds and then took this one inside the temple, before the woman here approached me and nicely told me that no pictures were allowed.

I've never been stopped from taking photos in a Chinese temple before.

It just goes to show that one should always ask, I guess...

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 2 of 58

2010-01-09T17:31:00.000-08:00

Island in Time

Saturday, January 9

Learning Moment: Singapore

One of the reasons I travel is - like John Dunbar in Dances with Wolves - to "see it before it's gone", whatever 'it' is.

I was reminded of this yesterday at Orchard Central, a new 12-story mall in downtown Singapore. From the rooftop garden, I was able to look down on Peranakan Place: a collection of historic Chinese shophouses that now serve as residences or trendy bar/restaurants.

We've walked Peranakan Place many times, photographing the colors and details of the graceful colonial architecture.

I knew the area was shrinking under the pressure of expensive high-rise housing.

I didn't know that it was basically a three-block stream running through a desert of characterless condos.

Sometimes it just takes a different view of the world for us to 'get it'.

That's one value that travel provides (as well as books, art, or teachers).

Le Grand Tour D'Asia: Day 1 of 58

2010-01-09T17:16:00.000-08:00

Origami display at Narita Airport, Japan

Friday, Jan 8th

Learning Moment: Japan

I knew that Origami is a traditional Japanese 'art'.

I knew that there are origami clubs around the world and enough books on origami to fill a library.

I also knew that - despite living in Japan for 10 years - I'd never seen much origami that was more sophisticated than the proverbial 'crane chain'.

Today, as we were changing planes in Narita Airport, we passed an origami show.

There, for the first time, we saw origami diorama.

There was a scene of dancers in front of Mt. Fuji, a scene of Todaiji temple in Nara (complete with deer), and various other scenes.

I particularly like the details in the one above - two women in kimono enjoying tea and sweets.

Never underestimate what can be accomplished by an accomplished artist, with even the most primitive tools.

Still, I wonder if the artists ever get paper cuts...

Upcoming Events: SMART Goal Workshop at ISPI in April

2010-01-06T08:59:00.000-08:00

I'll be presenting a 90-minute workshop at the International Society for Performance Improvement's (ISPI) Performance Improvement Conference this April.

The event takes place April 19-22 at the Marriott Marquis in San Francisco.

There will be a lot of great presenters there, so I hope you'll attend.

I'll be discussing why SMART goals can be a great tool, but usually fail.

I'll share strategies and tools for insuring that your goals are SMART as Hell.

The session will be fun and fast-paced. It will change the way you look at SMART goals.

Asia Tour 2010 - On the road again...

2010-01-05T08:36:00.000-08:00

For the next eight weeks, I'll be leading KLA-Tencor workshops in Asia.

My buddy Martin once called me the "Indiana Jones of Training", so you know that this is the stuff I love - 5 countries, 29 workshops, more than 500 attendees.

Here's the plan:

Jan 11 - 15 Singapore:
Situational Leadership II, Maximizing Customer Relationships, slide:ology
Jan 18 - 29 Chennai, India:
5 Dysfunctions of a Team, Presentation Skills, Managing at KT, Working Globally
Feb 1 - 5 Singapore:
Situational Leadership II, slide:ology
Feb 8 - 12 Bali, Indonesia
cultural anthropology (ie: vacation)
Feb 15 - 19 Yokohama, Japan:
Managing at KT, Hire at KT, slide:ology
Feb 22 - Mar 5 Seoul, South Korea
(Presentation Skills, Managing at KT, slideology)

I'll be sharing highlights in the form of stories, photos, and maybe even videos.

A New Year Present for all of you...

2010-01-04T13:11:00.000-08:00

2009 was a year that could be described with many words: challenging, interesting, difficult, adventure-filled, risky, disappointing, surprising, and opportunity-filled are just a few that come to mind.

Though I did no business travel - for the first time since 1989 - Angie and I still found plenty of excitement.

I assembled this Learning Moments Calendar 2010 to share some of my favorite learning moments of the year with family and friends. Feel free to distribute it...

I'm Back Again...

2010-01-04T10:32:00.000-08:00

It's been a crazy two months:

My home pc died in late October. I played with it for about a month. I got it to breathe again, but never got it to work with the internet. I finally gave up last week.
Good news - I was able to save all my files.
Better news - I have an excuse to buy a new computer in March.
I graduated with my Masters in Adult Education and Training. I wrote my action research paper over the last 10 weeks. I learned that I like learning a lot more than I like recapping my learning.
Work picked up. Suddenly, in September, our classes started filling up. Budgets are back. I've been teaching at least three days a week, which is great.
slide:ology exploded onto our scene at work. I've been leading at least one workshop a week. The Duarte approach is changing our culture.
I've got a two-month Tour of Asia coming up. More about the trip later, but planning that hasn't been easy.
My Training. I attended Decker Made to Stick Messaging, Leadership Challenge (where I 'slideologized' their deck), and Influencer. I would recommend all of these. I'll write more about them in the next week.
Projects. We're working with Rick and Mary Gilbert of Power Speaking on "Speaking to the Big Dogs 2.0", and with Ed Muzio of Group Harmonics on "Make Work Great". Randy Emelo and I have also released the first four installments of our six part series on the Mentoring Conversations Model.
Thanksgiving? Christmas? New Year? Yep, dealt with all of those - plus a nasty cold that put me down for about 72 hours during the holidays.

Apologies to any and all that I've neglected during this time.

All-in-all, it was a hectic end to a pretty great year, but I'm back again.

Mission: Impossible?

2009-10-19T08:15:00.000-07:00

Is it really that hard to write a good mission statement?

Fast Company's November 2009 issue has an excellent short article by Nancy Lublin about mission statements. Nancy compares real mission statements with the random garbage that is spewed by the Dilbert Automatic Mission Statement Generator and challenges the reader to spot the difference (hint: you can't...)

I think the keys to a great mission statement are threefold:
1) it's singular - a mission statement is just as important for what it doesn't say as for what it says
2) it's a rudder - it makes it clear what every individual should do when presented with multiple options
3) it's unique - it defines what you do differently from (almost) everyone else

How's yours stand up?

Keeping busy!

2009-10-11T23:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week...

Finished class number 11 (out of 13) for my Masters in Adult Education and Training...
Started class number 12
Packed up my office and went 'open work' (ie: homeless)
Received my Kindle DX and loaded it with brain candy
Delivered slide:ology webinars to South Korea and Singapore. Both went really well...
Helped an internal team build their vision statement
Ended up on the winning team in an HR Iron Chef challenge!
Facilitated a team session with DiSC, Tuckman's model, and the ever-awesome spiderweb
Got in a hike at Alum Rock Park
Watched the Yanks sweep the Twins (Yanks/Angels should be a great series)
Watched the Giants beat up on the Raiders (or is that 'beat down')
Worked with Randy Emelo on Part III of our Mentoring Conversations Model
Worked with Ed Muzio on the instructional design of the workshop version for his upcoming book

Yep... it was a good week.