If you've explored ProStar Coach, you've discovered Fortunes Cookies, one of the creative learning-exercises within the system.
When you read Denny Coates' blog, you'll find yourself reading for a long time! He's provacative and inspiring.
Created by Performance Support Systems
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Monday, February 28, 2011
What I'm Learning from the Proactivity Exercises
Proactivity Discoveries for Myself
In one of the ProStar Coach exercises I’ve completed for Proactivity – the personal strength I’m working on – the question stem was “When I’m faced with a situation that requires this (proactivity) of me, I feel…” and I had to list 10 ways I end up feeling when I’m forced into being proactive.
This exercise is called Self-Discovery and that’s exactly what it turned out to be.
I won’t list all 10 of the feelings here – this is a bit too public for that revelation! – but I will say I was amazed at what WAS revealed. Seeing the words in print and realizing what was really going on inside of me forced me to step back and think.
Here’s how this worked for me:
First of all, it’s not easy to list 10 feelings – you do dig deep. This took much more than 10 seconds and that surprised me.
Secondly, the exercise directed me to write out what I discovered about myself and that’s not always easy to describe even if no one else is going to see the words! (I could send this to my Coaching Network for feedback or additional comments, which in time I will do).
Finally, I committed to a Planned Action: “What I will do to improve my chances for success…” and that’s what I’m sticking to – the planned action. By reading the plans each day, I’m consciously applying my discoveries and consciously changing my behavior. The goal is for those behaviors to become unconscious and automatic.
To have the changes I want become automatic, will take repetition and after I’ve faced my shortcomings for several days running (!), I’ll invite my Coaching Network to provide some feedback - we should all see a difference and an improvement in my proactive tendencies!
The Fortune Cookie exercise in Proactivity caused me to reflect on this quote: Court the future you desire, or she will fall in love with someone else.
That seems to sum it up quite succinctly!
I’m not finished with Proactivity - I’m going back to the Energizer exercise because it requires completion of an Action Assignment that I’m working through.
The bottom line here is that for as long as I’ve been on my own, I’ve dodged this personal strength (ProStar calls personal strengths behavior patterns that help us with the challenges of life and work) and now I’m facing it – personally and professionally. The ProStar exercises are getting me focused on just what I need to do, why I need to do it and what I can/should expect of myself.
More to come…
Let me ask you: are you open to thinking about personal and professional development from a new perspective? If you are intrigued, think about ProStar Coach – it’s enabling me to function as my own coach!
In one of the ProStar Coach exercises I’ve completed for Proactivity – the personal strength I’m working on – the question stem was “When I’m faced with a situation that requires this (proactivity) of me, I feel…” and I had to list 10 ways I end up feeling when I’m forced into being proactive.
This exercise is called Self-Discovery and that’s exactly what it turned out to be.
I won’t list all 10 of the feelings here – this is a bit too public for that revelation! – but I will say I was amazed at what WAS revealed. Seeing the words in print and realizing what was really going on inside of me forced me to step back and think.
Here’s how this worked for me:
First of all, it’s not easy to list 10 feelings – you do dig deep. This took much more than 10 seconds and that surprised me.
Secondly, the exercise directed me to write out what I discovered about myself and that’s not always easy to describe even if no one else is going to see the words! (I could send this to my Coaching Network for feedback or additional comments, which in time I will do).
Finally, I committed to a Planned Action: “What I will do to improve my chances for success…” and that’s what I’m sticking to – the planned action. By reading the plans each day, I’m consciously applying my discoveries and consciously changing my behavior. The goal is for those behaviors to become unconscious and automatic.
To have the changes I want become automatic, will take repetition and after I’ve faced my shortcomings for several days running (!), I’ll invite my Coaching Network to provide some feedback - we should all see a difference and an improvement in my proactive tendencies!
The Fortune Cookie exercise in Proactivity caused me to reflect on this quote: Court the future you desire, or she will fall in love with someone else.
That seems to sum it up quite succinctly!
I’m not finished with Proactivity - I’m going back to the Energizer exercise because it requires completion of an Action Assignment that I’m working through.
The bottom line here is that for as long as I’ve been on my own, I’ve dodged this personal strength (ProStar calls personal strengths behavior patterns that help us with the challenges of life and work) and now I’m facing it – personally and professionally. The ProStar exercises are getting me focused on just what I need to do, why I need to do it and what I can/should expect of myself.
More to come…
Let me ask you: are you open to thinking about personal and professional development from a new perspective? If you are intrigued, think about ProStar Coach – it’s enabling me to function as my own coach!
Monday, February 21, 2011
This week in my leadership tips blog, YouNeverStopLearning, I’ve talked about Coaching Performance and what a critical skill this is for managers.
To give you even more information, Coach the People You Care About is one of two free eBooks available on our “Virtual Gym for Professional and Personal Growth” page for ProStar Coach. This book describes how to use the FOUR power coaching skills.
The second free eBook is Strong for Leadership - 400 inspirational quotes with insights and encouragements for dealing with the daily challenges of leadership.
Use this link for both eBooks. You’ll be glad you did!
To give you even more information, Coach the People You Care About is one of two free eBooks available on our “Virtual Gym for Professional and Personal Growth” page for ProStar Coach. This book describes how to use the FOUR power coaching skills.
The second free eBook is Strong for Leadership - 400 inspirational quotes with insights and encouragements for dealing with the daily challenges of leadership.
Use this link for both eBooks. You’ll be glad you did!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Have You Been to the Virtual Gym Yet?
“Just as we develop our physical muscles through overcoming opposition - such as lifting weights - we develop our character muscles by overcoming challenges and adversity.”
- Stephen Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- Stephen Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Lots of people work out to build physical strength.
But what can you do to build personal strength?
If you’re the kind of person who wants to get stronger for the challenges of work and life – you’ve come to the right place.
ProStar Coach is a revolutionary online self-development service
Learn more here - because you deserve it!
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Totally Unexpected Insights!
Here’s what I’m discovering about this system as I work on Personal Strengths and People Skills – not only am I learning the things that will improve the strength or skill – I’m ALSO learning WHY I have trouble with it!
Some of the exercises take you through a series of questions that you expect to be easy to answer, but if you dig, if you answer the question or statement stem as thoroughly as you’re advised to, amazing insights pop out!
This is not an understatement! As I mentioned, I’m working on Proactivity and when I respond to the Self-Discovery and Affirmation exercises, I’m realizing things about myself that I haven’t acknowledged before.
I’m saving each exercise to my ProStar Learning Archive AS WELL AS printing them out for daily reference.
Reviewing them regularly and concentrating on thinking and behaving differently is the only way I’m really going to ingrain the changes I want.
This is an unexpected, totally underestimated feature of this system! I like it!
Some of the exercises take you through a series of questions that you expect to be easy to answer, but if you dig, if you answer the question or statement stem as thoroughly as you’re advised to, amazing insights pop out!
This is not an understatement! As I mentioned, I’m working on Proactivity and when I respond to the Self-Discovery and Affirmation exercises, I’m realizing things about myself that I haven’t acknowledged before.
I’m saving each exercise to my ProStar Learning Archive AS WELL AS printing them out for daily reference.
Reviewing them regularly and concentrating on thinking and behaving differently is the only way I’m really going to ingrain the changes I want.
This is an unexpected, totally underestimated feature of this system! I like it!
I really encourage you to explore ProStar with the FREE 15-day trial - see if you find the same insights for yourself than I'm experiencing.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Patience Becomes Proactivity!
My work on Patience is paying off! I've committed to the behavioral changes I identified, am seeing improvements and will move on to ProActivity.
But the reason I so appreciate ProStarCoach is that leadership development programs can be a tremendous vehicle for introducing skills. But by themselves, they can't change a manager's behavior. That's because it takes much more than a one-time training course to ingrain new behavior. What's needed is a structured program of long-term follow-up that includes practice, feedback and coaching.
What if there were a web technology that delivered the follow-up virtual coaching your supervisors and managers need to acquire critical people skills and develop the personal strengths required to become stronger, more effective leaders?
There is! ProStarCoach is a unique online development program that delivers virtual coaching and reinforcement to ingrain the core skills people need to become stronger and more effective leaders.
ProStarCoach includes five breakthrough online services:
1. MicroFeedback and FeedForward
2. People Skills Videos
3. Personal Strength Exercises
4. Facilitated Focused Workouts
5. Coaching Network
...and MORE!
Want to know more? Find out what this unprecedented support system is like and how it can help your managers and high-potentials become your organization's leaders for tomorrow. Visit ProStarCoach here for more information and download the 15-day FREE trial now!
Please contact me personally by email (cjohnson@ald-inc.com) or by phone at 888-762-9699 and I'll be happy to answer any questions you have about how ProStarCoach can help your organization build stronger leaders!
Check it out...
You really haven't seen anything like this before - sign up for the 15 day free trial and give yourself the chance to explore. Everyone of us has some characteristic we'd like to develop or improve and this is the way to do it!
And...the introductory pricing expires February 28, 2011.
But the reason I so appreciate ProStarCoach is that leadership development programs can be a tremendous vehicle for introducing skills. But by themselves, they can't change a manager's behavior. That's because it takes much more than a one-time training course to ingrain new behavior. What's needed is a structured program of long-term follow-up that includes practice, feedback and coaching.
What if there were a web technology that delivered the follow-up virtual coaching your supervisors and managers need to acquire critical people skills and develop the personal strengths required to become stronger, more effective leaders?
There is! ProStarCoach is a unique online development program that delivers virtual coaching and reinforcement to ingrain the core skills people need to become stronger and more effective leaders.
ProStarCoach includes five breakthrough online services:
1. MicroFeedback and FeedForward
2. People Skills Videos
3. Personal Strength Exercises
4. Facilitated Focused Workouts
5. Coaching Network
...and MORE!
Want to know more? Find out what this unprecedented support system is like and how it can help your managers and high-potentials become your organization's leaders for tomorrow. Visit ProStarCoach here for more information and download the 15-day FREE trial now!
Please contact me personally by email (cjohnson@ald-inc.com) or by phone at 888-762-9699 and I'll be happy to answer any questions you have about how ProStarCoach can help your organization build stronger leaders!
Check it out...
You really haven't seen anything like this before - sign up for the 15 day free trial and give yourself the chance to explore. Everyone of us has some characteristic we'd like to develop or improve and this is the way to do it!
And...the introductory pricing expires February 28, 2011.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Personal Strengths
Personal Strengths: behavior patterns that help us with the challenges of work and life.
I'm currently working in ProStar Coach with Patience and that's only one of the 40 Personal Strengths I can choose from. Of the eight exercises - the mental workouts - associated with each personal strength, I'm examining myself through Self-Discovery today. I like this exercise because it does cause a burn! I have to dig deep to describe in 10 ways the things that bother me when I have to use patience (this is hard!) - then I have to describe what I've discovered about myself and what I plan to do about it.
This is a personal commitment I make to myself, but I’m forced to consider the effects of my own behavior and what I’m going to improve myself. I can save this exercise to my Leaning Archive inside ProStar for future reference and even send it to my ProStar Coaching Network for feedback and comments if I care to – though I won’t publish it here! A little too public!
My plan is to stick with the workouts for Patience until I have a firm grip on changing my behavior.
I'm currently working in ProStar Coach with Patience and that's only one of the 40 Personal Strengths I can choose from. Of the eight exercises - the mental workouts - associated with each personal strength, I'm examining myself through Self-Discovery today. I like this exercise because it does cause a burn! I have to dig deep to describe in 10 ways the things that bother me when I have to use patience (this is hard!) - then I have to describe what I've discovered about myself and what I plan to do about it.
This is a personal commitment I make to myself, but I’m forced to consider the effects of my own behavior and what I’m going to improve myself. I can save this exercise to my Leaning Archive inside ProStar for future reference and even send it to my ProStar Coaching Network for feedback and comments if I care to – though I won’t publish it here! A little too public!
My plan is to stick with the workouts for Patience until I have a firm grip on changing my behavior.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
The Secret to Leadership Development…
Treat It Like a Fine Meal and Enjoy Every Course!
Treat It Like a Fine Meal and Enjoy Every Course!
What could the link between a very fine meal enjoyed in a restaurant and leadership development possibly be?
Well, think about the fine meals you’ve enjoyed – each course was delicious, perfectly prepared, served with courtesy, and finally, enjoyed by all.
You walked away satisfied and pleased; you felt that you had been well-served and that you got at least as much as you expected – probably more!
So how does enjoying each course of a fine meal correlate to leadership development????
The Chef and Your Very Fine Meal
Any fine meal begins with a great chef who has the ability to prepare an exquisite meal – one that will suit your tastes and maybe introduce you to new flavors. You’re in a setting that suits your style and budget.
Leadership Development begins with having the right RESOURCES AVAILABLE – professional, well-developed, based on solid research and experience – in other words, great chefs have cooked it up!
Ultimately, you want to become your own chef, in charge of your own personal and professional growth.
The Appetizer in Your Very Fine Meal
Start at the beginning – with the APPETIZER. Its purpose is to whet your appetite – to stimulate your senses and prepare you for the greater tastes and new flavors to come.
In Leadership Development don’t you need the same stimulus to know where to begin with your leadership development? How does that happen?
You certainly need feedback of some kind to guide you in the right direction – that way your appetite is whetted – “WHAT DO I WANT AND NEED?” – “WHAT LEADERSHIP SKILL OR PERSONAL STRENGTH SHOULD I IMPROVE?” Discovering this should make you hungry and anxious for more.
With the feedback you’ll receive, you’ve identified a real NEED – a leadership skill or a personal strength you’ve recognized as worth developing.
This is similar to the hunger for a hearty entree following the shrimp cocktail, right? Can’t you just taste it?!?!?
Soup & Salad Course in Your Very Fine Meal
What follows the appetizer? A salad or soup course…
Yummy - these are the smaller portions of the full meal – starter dishes that complement and prepare you for what’s to come. You’re relishing the varied tastes, aren’t you?
The soup and salad are stimulating; they add to your satisfaction with the entire meal and set you up for the main course – the entrée.
In Leadership Development, these are the EXERCISES AND ACTIVITIES that help you develop the skill or personal strength you are working to improve. There should be a wide selection of activities to be completed – just as there are so many soups and salads to choose from – but these EXERCISES AND ACTIVITIES are all directed toward satisfying a goal – the skill or strength you’ve determined to improve or develop.
The Company of Friends at Your Very Fine Meal
We don’t overlook the value of dining with friends - some of our most memorable times are the shared meals we have with friends and family – there’s something about breaking bread together that makes the event special – we’ve connected with people we care about.
With Leadership Development, you can and should create an online COACHING NETWORK. It will be comprised of the people you choose to invite – co-workers, experienced managers and leaders, friends, even family – but this network is people whose opinions and judgments you respect and trust because they’re going to provide feedback to you on the exercises and activities you ask for comment about.
It’s all about making you stronger…with a little help from your friends!
The Entrée in Your Very Fine Meal
Now comes the ENTRÉE – whether you go for the steak, a salmon or a filling veggie creation, this is the “meat”.
This is what you really came for and what you plan to enjoy until your plate is cleared – you can expect to be well-nourished!
In Leadership Development, the meat is the APPLICATION of your new skill or strength – trying it out in the workplace, seeing if you can perform the skill effectively or if you can demonstrate the personal strength. Your appetizer, soup and salad courses, your coaching network assistance all prepared you for this ability to perform a skill or demonstrate a personal strength.
As the entrée is the largest course of the meal, this is also the most important part of your development. Why? Because you’re going to influence other people, maybe change the course they’re currently on through your behavior, your skills, your guidance and your ability to lead others.
The Sweet Course at the End of Your Very Fine Meal
And finally - finish it all off with DESSERT – add a cup of coffee or an after-dinner drink, then sit back and savor the delectable flavors.
In our delicious meal this satisfies the sweet tooth - it caps the yummy dishes we’ve just enjoyed.
In Leadership Development, the dessert is the REAPPLIED APPLICATION of the skill or strength you’ve worked on. You discover that now you can do it! You’ve practiced, you can do this repeatedly. Application of the skill or strength has positive outcomes and you’ve seen the effects on others – your ability now works to your benefit AND to the advantage of your employees, co-workers, and your organization.
Now that’s sweet!
So what’s the resource for developing leadership effectiveness and making the process as delicious as dining out and enjoying a very fine meal?
It’s ProStar Coach - this is new, it’s REVOLUTIONARY, it’s customized for YOU,
it’s suited to your learning style and it’s available every day, every hour, anytime you’re in the mood to work on
your own development
Learn more at this link…
ProStar Coach – This is a system designed to strengthen your leadership skills and the personal strengths of effective leaders – an online 24/7 developmental tool for you to use AS YOU NEED IT.
You are the primary chef! Prepare your meal as you prefer and create a very fine outcome! It's the same with Leadership Development - determine the skills and strengths you need to improve, then design your growth inside this amazing system.
Well, think about the fine meals you’ve enjoyed – each course was delicious, perfectly prepared, served with courtesy, and finally, enjoyed by all.
You walked away satisfied and pleased; you felt that you had been well-served and that you got at least as much as you expected – probably more!
So how does enjoying each course of a fine meal correlate to leadership development????
The Chef and Your Very Fine Meal
Any fine meal begins with a great chef who has the ability to prepare an exquisite meal – one that will suit your tastes and maybe introduce you to new flavors. You’re in a setting that suits your style and budget.
Leadership Development begins with having the right RESOURCES AVAILABLE – professional, well-developed, based on solid research and experience – in other words, great chefs have cooked it up!
Ultimately, you want to become your own chef, in charge of your own personal and professional growth.
The Appetizer in Your Very Fine Meal
Start at the beginning – with the APPETIZER. Its purpose is to whet your appetite – to stimulate your senses and prepare you for the greater tastes and new flavors to come.
In Leadership Development don’t you need the same stimulus to know where to begin with your leadership development? How does that happen?
You certainly need feedback of some kind to guide you in the right direction – that way your appetite is whetted – “WHAT DO I WANT AND NEED?” – “WHAT LEADERSHIP SKILL OR PERSONAL STRENGTH SHOULD I IMPROVE?” Discovering this should make you hungry and anxious for more.
With the feedback you’ll receive, you’ve identified a real NEED – a leadership skill or a personal strength you’ve recognized as worth developing.
This is similar to the hunger for a hearty entree following the shrimp cocktail, right? Can’t you just taste it?!?!?
Soup & Salad Course in Your Very Fine Meal
What follows the appetizer? A salad or soup course…
Yummy - these are the smaller portions of the full meal – starter dishes that complement and prepare you for what’s to come. You’re relishing the varied tastes, aren’t you?
The soup and salad are stimulating; they add to your satisfaction with the entire meal and set you up for the main course – the entrée.
In Leadership Development, these are the EXERCISES AND ACTIVITIES that help you develop the skill or personal strength you are working to improve. There should be a wide selection of activities to be completed – just as there are so many soups and salads to choose from – but these EXERCISES AND ACTIVITIES are all directed toward satisfying a goal – the skill or strength you’ve determined to improve or develop.
The Company of Friends at Your Very Fine Meal
We don’t overlook the value of dining with friends - some of our most memorable times are the shared meals we have with friends and family – there’s something about breaking bread together that makes the event special – we’ve connected with people we care about.
With Leadership Development, you can and should create an online COACHING NETWORK. It will be comprised of the people you choose to invite – co-workers, experienced managers and leaders, friends, even family – but this network is people whose opinions and judgments you respect and trust because they’re going to provide feedback to you on the exercises and activities you ask for comment about.
It’s all about making you stronger…with a little help from your friends!
The Entrée in Your Very Fine Meal
Now comes the ENTRÉE – whether you go for the steak, a salmon or a filling veggie creation, this is the “meat”.
This is what you really came for and what you plan to enjoy until your plate is cleared – you can expect to be well-nourished!
In Leadership Development, the meat is the APPLICATION of your new skill or strength – trying it out in the workplace, seeing if you can perform the skill effectively or if you can demonstrate the personal strength. Your appetizer, soup and salad courses, your coaching network assistance all prepared you for this ability to perform a skill or demonstrate a personal strength.
As the entrée is the largest course of the meal, this is also the most important part of your development. Why? Because you’re going to influence other people, maybe change the course they’re currently on through your behavior, your skills, your guidance and your ability to lead others.
The Sweet Course at the End of Your Very Fine Meal
And finally - finish it all off with DESSERT – add a cup of coffee or an after-dinner drink, then sit back and savor the delectable flavors.
In our delicious meal this satisfies the sweet tooth - it caps the yummy dishes we’ve just enjoyed.
In Leadership Development, the dessert is the REAPPLIED APPLICATION of the skill or strength you’ve worked on. You discover that now you can do it! You’ve practiced, you can do this repeatedly. Application of the skill or strength has positive outcomes and you’ve seen the effects on others – your ability now works to your benefit AND to the advantage of your employees, co-workers, and your organization.
Now that’s sweet!
So what’s the resource for developing leadership effectiveness and making the process as delicious as dining out and enjoying a very fine meal?
It’s ProStar Coach - this is new, it’s REVOLUTIONARY, it’s customized for YOU,
it’s suited to your learning style and it’s available every day, every hour, anytime you’re in the mood to work on
your own development
Learn more at this link…
ProStar Coach – This is a system designed to strengthen your leadership skills and the personal strengths of effective leaders – an online 24/7 developmental tool for you to use AS YOU NEED IT.
You are the primary chef! Prepare your meal as you prefer and create a very fine outcome! It's the same with Leadership Development - determine the skills and strengths you need to improve, then design your growth inside this amazing system.
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