Talent Development 22 Future Readiness

Section 3.8 in the CPTD Certification program for ATD is Future Readiness. Section A reads, “Knowledge of techniques to promote, support, and/or generate innovation and creativity, for example design thinking, brainstorming, and ideation.”

Creativity is essential for forward movement in any organization. Unfortunately, the tools to have high creativity are often not used well, so the end result is muted rather than brilliant.

One of the more misunderstood techniques to bring about creativity is brainstorming.

Do brainstorming right

The technique of “brainstorming” was developed by Alex Osborn in the year 1967. His book “Applied Imagination” laid out a specific set of rules for brainstorming sessions.

Rule 1 – go for a high number of ideas – He suggested that quantity was more important than quality when creating fresh ideas.

Rule 2 – suspend all judgment while coming up with the ideas. This is the rule that most groups find difficult…

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The Ghost Of Christmas Past, A Management Lesson

Practical Practice Management A Division of Top Practices

For the past two weeks I have been teaching in our Virtual Practice Management membership group lessons we can learn from the story “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, that can make us better managers or business owners.

This week we took a look at the chapter which Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the “Ghost of Christmas Past”, and a spectacular lesson to be learned was in one of the encounters during this ghosts visit. If you remember this ghost took him to his school when he was a child and was left there alone, apart from his little sister Fan, it was a painful experience for Scrooge to relive.

Then the ghost took him to another time when he was a young man to the place where he did his apprentice work. His employer was Mr. Fezziwig. The scene was the Christmas Eve work party and Mr. Fezziwig was…

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The Ghost Of Christmas Past, A Management Lesson

Practical Practice Management A Division of Top Practices

For the past two weeks I have been teaching in our Virtual Practice Management membership group lessons we can learn from the story “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, that can make us better managers or business owners.

This week we took a look at the chapter which Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the “Ghost of Christmas Past”, and a spectacular lesson to be learned was in one of the encounters during this ghosts visit. If you remember this ghost took him to his school when he was a child and was left there alone, apart from his little sister Fan, it was a painful experience for Scrooge to relive.

Then the ghost took him to another time when he was a young man to the place where he did his apprentice work. His employer was Mr. Fezziwig. The scene was the Christmas Eve work party and Mr. Fezziwig was…

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Looking Forward

Practical Practice Management A Division of Top Practices

Remember it is a choice how you show up each day. You can make a difference in your life and those you encounter ❤️

Happy Holidays to you all!

Tina

http://www.toppractices.com

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Mind Like Water

Practical Practice Management A Division of Top Practices

Most people want to maximize their potential in order to be successful at whatever they are trying to accomplish at work or in their personal life.

Far to often we allow “things” that come up unexpectedly to throw us off track. It is important to understand that when we allow these “things” to either cause us to overreact or underreact we are actually allowing them control our time. What we need to learn to practice is what is called, “Mind like water.” I read about this in David Allen’s book, “Getting Things Done” and found it to be very helpful.

“In Karate, there is an image that is used to define the position of perfect readiness: “Mind like water.” Imagine throwing a pebble into a still pond. How does the water respond? The answer is, totally appropriately to the force and mass of the input; then it returns to calm…

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Mind Like Water

Practical Practice Management A Division of Top Practices

Most people want to maximize their potential in order to be successful at whatever they are trying to accomplish at work or in their personal life.

Far to often we allow “things” that come up unexpectedly to throw us off track. It is important to understand that when we allow these “things” to either cause us to overreact or underreact we are actually allowing them control our time. What we need to learn to practice is what is called, “Mind like water.” I read about this in David Allen’s book, “Getting Things Done” and found it to be very helpful.

“In Karate, there is an image that is used to define the position of perfect readiness: “Mind like water.” Imagine throwing a pebble into a still pond. How does the water respond? The answer is, totally appropriately to the force and mass of the input; then it returns to calm…

View original post 114 more words

Walking The Tightrope

Practical Practice Management A Division of Top Practices

I’m sure you will agree that the past 9 months have been,,, well something that we never thought we would experience.

It appears to me that either people are adapting (as best possible) or they are struggling more with each day that passes. I witness this in the patients we see each day in our medical practice. The other day one of our patients was struggling with paperwork that was required for her medical record. One of the assistants went in to help, because the office was closing for lunch, and the patient got upset and angry with her when she asked if she was finished or had any questions.

When I heard the encounter I step to the door and told the assistant to go ahead and leave for lunch and I would stay. I then made a comment to the patient about how different things are now and…

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Start With Happy Employees

Practical Practice Management A Division of Top Practices

A couple years ago our practice found itself in the position of needed to hire a couple of new staff members. Now, the hiring process is not one of my favorite things to do because many times for one reason or another it doesn’t work out.

I had been told that it takes going through the hiring process 10 times before you find the right employee. I know that is not true if you use the correct process the first time which is taught by my friend Jay Henderson at http://www.realtalenthiring.com

As an employer or manager you know how hard it is to keep your people happy all of the time. So, this time I thought, “I will find people who are already happy to hire.”

The interviews became fun as I asked questions about the candidates, hobbies, likes and dislikes. I could hear and observe if they sounded and…

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Decisions Can Be Difficult

Practical Practice Management A Division of Top Practices

Decisions can be difficult at times and we have so many to make each day from what to fix for dinner, what to wear to work, to what would l like my life path to be?

And now during the Covid Pandemic for many of us our work and our children’s schooling situations have brought on even more difficult decisions to make due to decisions that were made for us and out of our control.

Many decisions can be very stressful especially if they are life altering, such as a job change or large financial purchase. There are also difficult decisions we need to make about pursuing our dreams. Knowing that we may not get a second chance at something can either push us to pursueor stifle us to stop altogether.

I heard a speaker one-time state that making any decision can be made easier and you will feel good…

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What Will You Choose?

Practical Practice Management A Division of Top Practices

Wouldn’t it be great if we never had face difficult times in our life? Sometimes, when things have been going good for awhile I will wonder, “when is the stink bomb” (as my friend Rem Jackson calls them) going to hit? And what is it going to be?

Maybe, it’s because I am getting older and hopefully a bit wiser that I know if I choose the right attitude I will get through whatever the obstacle is.

I have been honored to have a wonderful mentor, My Aunt Dollie, who has taught me when we encounter things, good or bad, to look for the lesson to be learned from it.

Happiness is a choice, even during bad or difficult times. There always is a “silver lining” even though we may not see it for a long time, but if we choose at the time to look for some glimmer of…

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