Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

you say it.

1

Opportunitynowhere

SpeakStrong Webinar:

Introducing The Kata Success-Quest:

“Making the world a safer place to iterate in”

(Be sure to click through the notes next to comments below.)

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Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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2

Career advisors often preach a one-sided myth of a linear, power-based career path that I call: Opportunityoutthere

I’ve been there, done that, and got the cancelled checks. You?

Do career plans ever unfold just the way “they” tell us?

Sure. But don’t count on it.

And even if yours do, you might miss a lot of opportunitesNOWhere

“At first glance his career path appeared to be linear.” Nate Skinner

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Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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3

There’s both gold and glitter in the success industry

(I chose covers at random.) How do you respond to success industry missives?

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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The SpeakStrong Litmus Test:Do Mentors Really…

• Say what they mean• Mean what they say• Without being mean when they say it?

• Are they telling the whole story, or just the sunny side?• Do they walk their talk? Is the information lived?• Do they communicate in a way that respects and

honors where you are on your own path? Is it a natural or a forced fit?

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Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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And even more importantly…

• Do they inspire you to say what you mean and mean what you say without being mean when you say it?

• Do they help you adopt and adapt their methods to your current reality and pace?

• Do they show you how to find and develop your own opportunities and face your own challenges?

• Do they advise shortcuts with side effects?• How does your heart respond to the advice?

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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6

Reality is way messier and far less predictable than many people imply

What unexpected twists and turns have shaped your career? What do they teach you about your success?

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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One-sided thinking can lead toshort-term gains you can’t sustain.

• Mind over matter– Matter pushes back

• The winner takes all– And the “losers” game to tear the “winners” down

• If winning isn't everything, why do they keep score?– Keeping score too closely inhibits creativity

• The ends justify the means– You can’t really hide all the dead bodies – plus they might have been allies

• Nice won’t get you anywhere. It’s a “take no prisoners” world.– There are all kinds of worlds out there

• Image - image matters most– Put your best foot forward, but not a false front!

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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8

Success a learning journey, not an implementation journey

• What worked for others might not work for you – but how they found their way might be really useful

• What worked yesterday might not work today• The “weaknesses” and “mistakes” you

begrudge could be stepping stones to success• We’re all still learning – and learning how to

iterate – not just think it out but try it out - is one of the best things you could learn

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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9

Opportunitynowhere is the complement of Opportunityoutthere…

Opportunities are closer than they appear

Have you ever discovered that you already had something perfect for you – you just didn’t know you had it or didn’t let yourself enjoy it?

Did you ever get so overwhelmed striving toward the big thing you were immobilized?

Have you ever taken a step toward one goal and learned things that catapulted your career in another way?

Have you ever found an opportunity in something you once complained about?

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Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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This approach it uses many of the same tools in very different ways

www.behappylifecoach.com/motivate-yourself-with-daily-affirmations-like-jessica/

Affirmations are to remind you of things you believe are true but sometimes forget.

Not to brainwash you into believing something that doesn’t ring true for you.

What affirmations

remind you of who you are,

what you aspire to and how to

stay aligned with your purpose?

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See through opportunity’s disguises

And leave room for discovery and serendipity

It was just an ordinary blog post. But that, along with a disappointing experience with a potential employer led Ann to her dream job.

The lack of coordination among doctors at her hospital was a major problem for Wendy – one she turned into a position of Medical Staff Coordinator.

A seminar company I worked for was going to publish my book, but pulled the contract. It was a set-back – that turned into my best selling book.

Pam Young couldn’t get organized. It was a huge problem that she solved by creating a powerful organizational system and wrote a best-selling book

I needed proof-reading and editing help. Angela agreed to develop the skill, and now she’s editing books for clients.

What blocks and problems have you transformed into opportunities?

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

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I’m here now because…

• One thing led to another thing that led to another…• I’ve always been an inside-out kind of girl, and I’ve had to

learn (am still learning) how honor my nature in an outside-in kind of world.

• The prevailing success wisdom isn’t WRONG, but it is one-sided.

• We need the rest of the success story. The whole story.• I want to make the world a safer place for Kata-questers

to iterate in. (For people to develop one step at a time, learning with each step.)

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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Don’t think it out, try it out through kata

Kata is:• A specific practice• A repeated routine to increase adaptiveness

and skill• Learning by doing• A way of keeping two or more things in

alignment or synchronization with each other

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Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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What does a Kata-quester align? Two very different styles.

Linear1. Working the plan

2. Structure

3. Authority

4. Rules

5. Formulas

6. One way

7. Black and white

8. Experts

9. Discipline and control

10. Saying what you mean and meaning what you say

Constellar• Unfolding the plan• Creativity• Collaboration• Guidelines• Possibilities• Options• Colors and nuance• Expertise• Serendipity and

spontaneity• Without being mean when

you say it

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Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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In other words, it aligns

Striving toward a goal with…

…the learning and unfolding of the path

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Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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These guys flipped the balance a bit too much but they’re getting there

?

I like my left wing

better than my

right one.

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17

Here’s your Success-quest Kata

1. “Begin with the end in mind”: Create a vision.(Not, pick a goal and kill yourself getting there.)

2. Find guiding images to make your vision tangible.

(Not find role models to compare yourself unfavorably to.)

3. Get to know yourself as you are

(Not beat yourself up for your limits.)

4. Set smaller goals that will move you closer to your vision(s)

(Not try to do it all in a day)

5. Iterate your way in the direction of your goal(s)

(Not create the whole plan from the outset)

6. Decide if you’re ready for new visions or are still journeying

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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1. “Begin with the end in mind”: Create a vision.

Sentence stems:• Imagine a world where…• I imagine my life as…• What makes me angry is…• What makes me cry is…• What weakens me is…• What seems just plain wrong is…• The things I’m against tell me I’m for…• I get joy from…• I define success as…

• A World of Truth http://www.speakstrong.com/strong/vision

I define success as: • Having what you need

and needing what you have.

• Being and becoming who you are.

• Feet on the ground, heart open and spirits high.

• Leave the world better than you found it.

You?

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

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2. Find guiding images to make your vision tangible.

This image guides my organizational activities. I have a vision of even my storage looking this nice.

Genius, but too mean for my liking

Character-based success-principles

What images motivate you?How do you picture perfection?Let images be a magnet

My husband built a business without self-promotion

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3. Get to know yourself as you are and as you are becoming

Be brutally totally honest. (After all, what do you really have to hide?)• In what ways are you, your

career and life like your vision?• Where are there gaps?• What obstacles stand between

you and living your vision?• What resources do you have

that will help you move yourself and others toward that vision?

• What seeming limitations do you have that could be turned into resources?

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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4. Set goals that will move you closer to your vision(s)

• Make them attainable stretch goals.

• Make them fun.• Make them inspiring.• Make sure they’re aligned with

your vision.

• Oh wow – I could start by…• It’s a small step. But I think I’ll…

Example:I might want to write a book on this style of living, striving and succeeding some day.

For now, I’ll create a SlideShare and webinar.

When I finish, I’ll see what I’m called to do next.

Part of what prepared me to do this was my study of lean and Toyota Kata with Mike Rother. I didn’t know what it would lead to. I don’t know what else it will lead to either. But I’ll find out!

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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22

5. Iterate your way in the direction of your goal(s)

1. Decide on your next step.

2. Take that step.

3. See what happens.

4. Summarize what you learned.

5. Assess your new reality.

6. Note obstacles that keep you from already being where you’re going.

7. Pick one to address.

8. Go back to step one and repeat.

(Note – this cycle can be as fast as a few minutes or even seconds.)

It looks like this:I attempted to present this Webinar last Friday.

We had too many sound problems and had to abort the effort.

I learned about the unreliability of the technology I was using.

I recorded the webinar in a conversation with my assistant, and sent the MP3 to the attendees. It got great feedback.

I learned that I like presenting in conversation.

I researched different technologies and found new ways to use SlideShare. All of a sudden, ideas started pouring out of me. It was an:

opportunitynowhere.

I didn’t fail –I iterated.

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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23

Iteration tips

• Everything tells you something• Speaking Strong is generative, not just declarative• Surprises and failed attempts teach more than getting the response

you anticipated• Greatness requires humility• Most people don’t recognize the iterative process when they see it• Small steps are like compound interest – they add up much more

quickly than you might guess• Be self-validating – not everyone values the process• Learn and grow at your own pace• There’s not a single right answer• Work with what you have

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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24

Iterative Power Phrases

• I don’t know• One no closer to a yes• Make mistakes faster• Don’t think it out, try it out• I just planted a seed. It will take time to grow. • This isn’t a complaint. It’s a challenge. • What have we learned here that will help us keep moving forward?• I don’t know how I’ll get there from here, but I do know what my next

step will be.• How can we refine this even more?• What can I say, think or do that will make me happy things turned out

this way?

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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25

Clues for hidden opportunitesNOWhere

• Pay attention to: – What’s bugging you – What needs you see– Dreams– Frustrations– Moments of joy and tenderness– What energizes you– What’s right in front of you nose– What you love about where you are right now– What’s right in front of you– New uses for existing skills

• Enjoy and honor every part of the journey by embracing the

opportunityNOWhere.

Meryl Runion Rose, Chief Iterative Officer SpeakStrong Method. Please share freely with credit.

Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don’t be mean when

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26

Next Week

HOW TO COMMUNICATE IN A BEYOND-BUSY WORLDCommunication that Cuts Through the Noise of Excessive Busy-ness

Friday, July 27, 2012Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Mountain TimePrice: Free

Coming soon: SpeakStrong Summer School Intensive

www.speakstrong.com/webinars