NURTURING THE QUALITIES OF LEADERSHIP

Leadership is more than assigning tasks.  Rather, great leaders bring people together in pursuit of a common goal or intent.  Some thoughts on the characteristics leaders can nurture in themselves and others (how Meta is that?):

• Integrity: I consider Integrity to be when what you say matches what you do.  A person of integrity can be trusted and people are more likely to confide in, follow and support a person they trust to be true to their word. 

• Courage: Sometimes being courageous means doing what is hard, saying what is unpopular or simply being first.  Other people will find more courage inside themselves when they see it modeled.  

• Commitment: Follow-through!!!

• Generosity: A great leader cares about others and goes out on a limb to listen, support and serve the goals and dreams of another.  The irony is that helping others often ends up with the biggest gift of all going to the giver.  The best leaders understand and model this principle.  The greater your ability to care and contribute to people, the more effective you'll be and the more you'll reap the benefits. 

This post started with a Leadership Skills focus, but the same can be generalized to Nurturing Qualities for Effectiveness.  

Inspired by a post from The University of Kansas's Community Toolbox

Pioneer Nation - My evolving list of Ideas, Plans, Inspirations

Pioneer Nation is a two-day event and gathering of people who are entrepreneurs committed to living a life of freedom and independence.  

A Query at Pioneer Nation

It's two days of working together to improve our businesses and to focus on actions for the purpose of increasing income, impact and sustainability.

I'm capturing my ideas as the two days progresses here.  Many of these thoughts come from conversations I've had with the other participants.

Why I'm here: Even though I'm pretty much obsessed with dancing right now, I don't want to forget about my two other primary goals for this year.  In addition to 1) competing in a Ballroom Dance competition (which is about to happen at SFOpen in April), I've also committed to 2) converting my Rock Your Talk seminar into a video course version and 3) (finally) completing the first draft of my book, MetaLearning: Creating Lifelong Self-Directed Learners.  SO...I'm after:

-connecting with like-minded people and inspiration
-collecting ideas on marketing, productizing, pricing
-having time to work on stuff (since sometimes focus is hard to come by in my daily life)


Random and Specific Notes:

I loved Chris Brogan's opening talk and his emphasis on building more business sustainability through Service which completely matches my values and how I love to operate.

Other people I've loved connecting with:

I loved hearing the story of James Todd's 24 Hour Book project which resulted in the book Everyday Superheroes.  I am intrigued about the possibility of using a service like his evolving A Book One Day.  I think it could get me past the obstacle of writer's block I've been experiencing since my computer was stolen out of my hands a number of months ago.  Action Step: Get back to using the interview process for finishing book.  Consider an interview for each MetaLearning skill.

A conversation with Seth Haley got me thinking about the possibility of collaborating with a videographer to create a product "Rock Your Talk on Video" offer which would help others speak effectively on-camera and which would result in a set of video modules to communicate the story.  These modules could be used for marketing.  Action Step: Explore the possibility of collaboration (QS videographer?) and/or price out as a supplied service.

[Friday:  Of note is the fact that the day after writing the above I discovered by chance that James homeschools his three kids and Seth was homeschooled.  I should be surprised since this event explicitly attracts people who are thinking outside of the box.)

Jenna Bee:  Totally resonated with her focus on working through the body as a metaphor and practice and her commitment and love of community-building.  Action Step:  Connect Jenna with the Watson U people, especially Tessa Zimmerman.

Doug Neill:  Involved in the super interesting field of SketchNoting or Graphic Recording.  I first saw this process in action at an Institute for the Future session on Hacking the Future of Education and have been intrigued by the process ever since.  My conversation with Doug was interesting especially related to the idea of teaching the process of SketchNoting for learning.

Sukhneet Singh: Amazing and deep conversation about values-based living, changing thinking, personal bias, science and religion relationship, Sihk culture and so much more.  Looking forward to doing a podcast with Sukheet later today for his Art of Change Project.  Action Step: Reconnect!

Connected with interesting people who are into Disrupting Education.  Patrick Larsen (writes about entrepreneurship, learning and travel and is a fellow-Hapa), Caitlin Muir (who was also homeschooled and took self-directed learning to hack college), Marli Williams (who counsels first-generation college students and has great ideas for expanding her service as well as an awesome evolving talk about empowering students to reclaim agency), Seth Perler (who helps struggling students shine).

Thanks to Ross Lukeman who writes a blog called AlternativeHomeToday I will look for a skype recorder and finally take interviews to an online post-able format.  Here's an example interview he did with Brittany Yunker.  I have to compare the possible free programs to the one he suggested which is Call Recorder and $29.  He notes that 19:9 aspect ratio is best.  (Ross: thanks! And do go for that talk.  It was fun seeing it begin to evolve out of our conversation.)  If you have experience and thoughts on this please do share your opinion in the comments, pretty please.  Action Step: Decide on program and start interviews for book and for courses, which can also be something interviewees can use for their marketing.  

Will connect more with Azat Mardanov who is an entrepreneur, web and mobile developer, yoga + paleo enthusiast.  He's recently published a number of books including Express.Js Guide and knows a bunch about e-book publishing.  He's currently writing "How to Write a Book" and is building out some programs requiring presenting.  Action Step: Reconnect to give support for presenting and get insight on book launch and web support. 

Gary Hirsch's Yes Bot

Really enjoyed my conversation with Gary Hirsch of On Your Feet.  Gary co-wrote "Everything's An Offer" which completely speaks to my belief that acting and improv are super fun and experientially effective ways to better understand communication, work and LIFE.  Like so many folks here, these guys are out of the box.  Check out their alternative compensation offer of Wild Work.  Love it!   Gary's Yes Bot is pictured at right.

Resources:

Strikingly.com: Gorgeous mobile-friendly websites in minutes
Call Recorder:  Records audio and video calls directly to your mac.
Time Trade:  Online appointment scheduling for individuals and teams.
From Jonathan Meade's Launch Anything:

1. 40 Step Launch Checklist
2. Trailblazer Movie Trailer
3. Trailblazer Launch Blog and Sequence
4. Trailblazer Affiliate Resource Center

Ideas:

In order to sustainably and effectively serve more people:

1) create clearer and differentiated product versions and multiple packages; (Great ideas from Nathan Barry and looking forward to reading his book, Authority which was just gifted to us all).  Action Step: Read book and Work on Packaging

2) Determine your Minimum Viable Product (which could even be an email sign-up giveaway).  Action Step: Put Speaker tip on email sign-up.  

3) Lots of push to outsource work.  Action Step: Consider outsourcing page design for products.

Action Item: Move testimonials around.  Weave them through content.

Reach out to Willo re: possible tech support.

SHOW that it works.  (Before and after video).

[The evolving story here]

How about you?  If you're at Pioneer Nation, what are your takeaways and inspirations?  If not, in the spirit of Chris's message what steps are you taking to be of service to your community?

If you're here at Pioneer Nation please say hello through twitter as I'd love to hear your story.  Or if your dance card is filled stay in touch by joining my mailing list.

A Yearly Vision Process

I’ve noticed that goal setting has been taking a bit of a beating on the blogosphere as of late.  Still, I’m a big fan of intentional future planning with specific outcomes attached. 

I don’t know what it is about the process that excites me--especially though not only at the start of a new year-- but I suspect that reviewing the past and planning the future gives me a sense of fresh-start and possibility.  But I also get the Zen / Buddist concepts of Letting Go of Desire and Embracing Acceptance Of What IS!  And so, in our mad, treadmill world, I understand why there's a big push this year for freedom from the tyranny of goals.  But maybe it's possible to have both.  Personally, I like having envisioning my future desires, identifying concrete goals and holding it all with a sense of lightness, curiosity and acceptance. Both/And, baby! 

That said, if you do want to head full on towards no goals, Leo Babauta’s The Best Goal is No Goal offers some wise inspiration.

 

Joe and I have been doing a Yearly Review and Design process every December for the past 15 years.  Every year it’s a little different; Here are some of the 2014 elements:

Past Year Review

Reflection is such an important part of growth and I love to look back over my Yearly Reviews to see the patterns and to recognize parts of my journey.  Some of the questions we ask include:

What were the primary events?  
Where were we? (where did we live or what traveling did we do?)  

What were the landmark personal and work events?  

Who spent time in our home with us?  

Which of our relationships began, changed or ended?

And...what did we learn?  As a MetaLearning fanatic who loves and supports life-long learning, taking stock of the past year’s lessons gives self-direction some serious legs.  A couple of inspiring examples are Carson Khan’s 33 Takeaways of 2013 and Meredith Perry’s Jigsaw Falling Into Place.

Next Year Visioning

After the review, we look towards the coming year.  If it’s suits your style to keep it SUPER simple, consider Susan Washington’s suggestion of just one resolution such as asking yourself a daily question like:

“How could I have been more thoughtful today?” Let that be our New Year’s resolution even though it’s really 'simple'. Simple things repeated over and over are major. Because resolutions that aren’t maintained make us feel worse than small, lasting and meaningful change.”

I love that!  I’m absolutely a person who admires the wisdom of simplicity but for better and for worse (believe me!) can’t seem to keep from adding, adding and adding more to it.  So here is what my process includes.  

A Yearly Theme: One of the overarching steps I like to take is to create a theme for the year.  

This puts the primary emphasis on process while still allowing space for specific outcomes.  I haven’t completely decided on my theme for this year but I’ll probably choose between Emotional Resiliency, Joy or Completion.  

Focus and Intentions: These are concepts and values will ideally support or augment the Yearly Theme.  This year I’m looking at Focus, Completion, Ease, Love, Humor, Good-Enough and Random Acts of Kindness.  Some years I come up with a different one for each month.  

Identify Domain-specific goals:  We do this for ourselves individually, as a couple and for our family-- in each of the following domains: Relationship/Marriage, Home, Kid Education, Finances, Community, Work, Fun, Travel, Personal Development, Self-care, Family and Contribution.

Specific Outcomes:  These are my primary goals for the year and I feel that it’s useful to be specific while also holding the final outcome and the details of how it looks somewhat lightly.  This might seem counter-intuitive but I think there is power and beauty in this seeming contradiction.  

I generally come up with specific goals in each domain but this year I'm keeping my eye on the top three biggies, my primary goals which are:

1) Publish a book (probably “MetaLearning”)

2) Compete in a ballroom dance competition (probably Mambo or Rumba)

3) Launch a new product (probably “Rock Your Talk” video class)

Processes:  One of the primary reasons some might reject the concept of Resolutions is that they are so heavily associated with Dec 31st and the implication is that you only make ‘em once a year. While as I said, I especially love the fresh slate of the new year, planning this stuff works best if you have systems and processes in place throughout the year.  James Clear outlines his approach in Forget Setting Goals. Focus on This Instead.

Some of the ongoing processes we use through the year are:

Family Goals: Every day we hold a family meeting in which we each identify a goal for the day which and then we set out to achieve it by 9pm the same night.   More details on the process are outlined in this article I wrote for Techmamas.

Daily Habits:  Cultivating what you do on a daily basis is a perfect example of systemizing for success.  It’s not about being perfect but rather about paying attention to the small steps that add up.  I use a spreadsheet to outline and track habits I’m working to cultivate but you can also use an apps like LIFT.

Monthly Focus: At the beginning of the year I make a plan for the progression of the year with a general focus for each month.  At this time I also review the goals I've identified and revise them if needed.

Quarterly Review: Each quarter Joe and I go back to our year planning document and review our progress in each domain area.  We check to see if we made progress or not and revise each area as appropriate.  

I compiled this information while going through my 2014 process and put it all together so that others could use whatever parts of it appeal to them.  If the New Year has already begun, don't worry, it still works.  That's the beauty of throwing out New Years Eve resolutions; Life planning, review and creation can be a part of daily life throughout the year!  

Building My Domain Specific Advisory Team - Are You In?

One area for growth I’m looking at is the ability and inclination to ask for help.  I’m really quite poor at and I’d like to change that.  Ironically I LOVE to be asked for help and so it seems that if I get better at it, not only will my life improve but it will give others in my extended friendship network the implicit permission to ask me (and others too) for help, which means WE ALL WIN!

Here’s my idea.  I’ve always liked the idea of a Personal Board of Advisors but I want to ensure that mine is specific and sustainable.  That means I’m making a list of the types of support I know I might need.  My goal is to have a number of people who agree to be on my team in the area(s) most appropriate for them. 

If you volunteer yourself --or agree to my request-- then you can expect to occasionally hear from me with a very specific “ask” that is designed to take no more than 8 minutes of your time.  I absolutely promise!  Then you choose to offer a response by phone, email or Google Hangout as best suits you.   For those 8 minutes I will be an attentive listener/student and will deeply consider your thoughts on the issue at hand. 

I could (and will) ask people I know who fit these categories but I’m kind of excited by the idea that others in my extended network might have willingness and skills to share with me in ways I’m might not yet know. 

My Domain Specific Advisors

Writing and Publishing:  I have so many friends who have already written and published books.  My requests on this will likely be logistical.  If I know you’ve completed a book I might ask you anyway but if you’re explicitly willing to play with me here, YAY!

Technology:  If you’re generally good at tech and might be able to answer one-pointed questions related to Wordpress, Blogger, Facebook, Google Air and other new technology, all of which I love (but can be a little slow to grok) then super sweet! And thanks in advance!

Social Media Advice: I might throw out a request for ideas, brainstorming or a technical query on utilizing this specific technology area and knowing who feels super strong in this area would be really helpful.

Parenting Advice:  Ideally teenagers and young adults for this one!  My requests will likely be for your thoughts on a particular topic or input on how you would have liked your parents to support you vis a vis the issue at hand. 

Loving and Empathy:  There are special people who really have loving kindness down, or who are in a deep process with it like me.  If this is a special area of skill or interest for you then I might ask for input or thoughts when I’m struggling with a relationship or communication issue or need a reminder for self-empathy.  If you’re someone with NVC training, or other specific tools, wonderful. 

Mindfulness (especially for addressing stress and anxiety):  I know there are others who struggle with this and some of you have found good tools for mitigating stress.  I might ask for a reminder or for suggestions on tools. 

Getting Things Done (GTD):  You’re super organized and have tools you can articulate for those times I get frustrated with chaos related to time, space or things.  I will most likely ask for insight into what you do that works related to a specific challenge.  (Cathy, Tiago, ?)

Accountability Team: When I want someone to hold me accountable to something specific I will send out an email will a specific goal, obstacle or habit I’m trying to complete.  It will be specific and time bound and I will ask you to hold me accountable by checking back with me at a certain time. 

General Cheerleading Advisory:  This one if for friends who really like and believe in me and who are willing to be a voice for those times I get frustrated or discouraged.  I might just sent a request for a happy thought, a funny video, keep-on-keeping-on encouragement or I believe-in-your support.   (Susan)

OTHER: Is there an area of improvement or support that I’ve forgotten about or don’t even know I need and which you’d be willing to support in this way?  I’m open…

If you’re willing to be on my DSA Team then please direct message me on Facebook with your domain(s) and best email or other way to contact you.  And THANK YOU in advance.

Finally, where do you need support?  And why don’t you do this too?  I’ll sign up where I’m able!  Let’s get better together!

UPDATE: After posting this on Facebook, I received so many offers of domain specific support that I felt utter gratitude and deep support.  I'm super grateful and I look forward to utilizing the wisdom offered.  Yet, the offers of support alone have already made an enormous difference.  Thank you, thank you!  It's amazing how actions, small and large can truly change the world, one small piece at a time.  

Launch Education and Kids in Mountainview (June 2013)

Purposes:
1) best platform to launch company
2) connecting companies with angel investors

Serving the entrepreneurial community and "[their] own curiosity".  They put a lot of work into curating 30 companies out of 300 initial "applicants" and nominees. Microsoft and Bing are the biggest supporters (space).

People and things to check out:
http://shannonclark.wordpress.com/

Learning tools to check out:
http://www.conceptuamath.com/
http://www.nearpod.com/
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/memetales-childrens-picture/id437133315?mt=8&ls=1
(reading apps) by Polish company Chufcha
Lynda.com

For schools:

Edmodo.com
Masteryconnect
Achieve3000
Class Dojo

Companies presenting:

http://www.joytunes.com/
Gamification of music learning
Piano Dustbuster
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/piano-dust-buster-song-game/id502356539?mt=8

Playtell.com
Reading together app with an expanding library (3rd party publishers and authors) and will add video that they can interact on.

Always prepped
(connect with this guy re: independent educators being testers since we are further ahead of schools on using apps).

GatherEducation
Alternative to Collaborate type systems
Innovative; worth a look for Disrupt_Ed.

Penyo Pal
Iphone app available now (from Canada) for learning Chinese

LearnStreet
Teaching coding, ruby,
Looks like a really interesting way to learn to code (interactive, lectures, output, easy user-interface).

Kno
French book on Kno:
https://www.kno.com/account/courseManager

Timbuktu
Creative interactive ideas for parents and kids (explore with Soleil), based on Emilio Regio, imagination.  Solves the problem: "What can I do with my kids tonight".
Interested in meeting customers and testing with kids.

Launchpadtoys.com
Storytelling tool.  "Grow with me"...I like that.  Drops off at 13.  Why?  Too cool?
Monkeygram is a messaging platform which can be sent out by texts.
Check out for Soleil storytelling.

---

Day 2

Edulaunch

Study Egg
Support for studying and organizing content

Eduvant

Eduvant provides user-friendly tools that allow school leaders, administrators, and educators to better leverage data to inform the decisions they make everyday. We make it really simple to get your hands on the right data when you need it.

A school support...leaving feedback to someone interested in that space.

No real application for autodidacts or independent learners

Tipitap
This company is pretty far along compared to many of the other ones.  I'm conflicted...it looks like it's worked

Session 4

SmalLab Learning
-classroom model is antiquated, trying to integrate kinesethic with conceptual.  (Seems not very physically accurate)
-Flow works with Kinect (uses whiteboard), $495 with one year subscription,
-would explore for direct to consumer market
-20 pieces of content, 3rd party, existing companies, $3000 prof dev for schools,

Nearpod
-very interesting, is it applicable for outside of the classroom?
-takes some of the benefits of distance learning to the classroom

DuckieDeck
Polish company

http://www.fingerprintplay.com/
Check out for Soleil, looks interesting
Business model:
Connected mom

---

Brainrush

Session 5

Gradecam
Teacher focused.  Grades tests.

Testive
about 5 questions to adapt to student learning need
Not an impressive demo but worth exploring as a free SAT prep

Testmax/Barmax
Expensive iPhone app to help people prepare for the bar exam

Educreations

Motion Math
-check it out for Soleil (Kaizen's idea is that sometimes learning games just make you good at the learning game and may not be transferable)

Overal Themes
Gamification,

instantedu.com/launchedu
$.50 per minute
Really nice solution to the "community", mentoring, connection issue.  Nice parallel between this and online learning.  Content+Community+Credentially=21st century learning
Also like the on-demand nature which makes it more applicable and relevant.
Taskrabbit for tutoring

ManyLabs
-make the software....to help students look at data and share the data with other schools.
-messaging problem.  need to emphasize citizen science component.

Voxy
-language learning for Spanish and English only

Bloomboard
Teacher professional development and learning
Online coaching and goal setting
Shared best content for teachers to share with each other and track with online platform.

LearningJar
-modularized learning.  Resources from subject matter experts.
Seems to have a signaling component showing competency; has a competency check in place
Online version of Skillshare in the trading of skills element

Demopit Pad
-school focused.

The Future of Learning

In the very near future learning at all levels (even higher ed) will be radically, irreversibly altered. Huge changes will happen such that many people cannot yet even imagine, and it’s going to be capital M, Messy!

Here’s some of what I’m guessing:

1) Learning will be increasingly modularized. We won’t be dealing in degrees but rather fine grains of learning gathered from various sources. Once the education bubble is fully deflated (and it will probably deflate rather than burst) more people will reject spending huge amounts of money on a prescribed set of courses, which often feature only a small handful of awesome learning facilitators (professors) along with a lot of mediocre teachers and learning opportunities.

2) Universities will be radically, unrecognizably altered. Don’t get me wrong; the few at the top won’t be as effected…Stanford, Harvard and other upper echelon universities will remain unchanged for longer (unless they are very smart).  I’m often in rooms where people love to argue about the future of B&M universities and whether or not they’ll continue to exist. The best line I’ve heard recently was “universities will exist like orchestras exist”.  In other words there will be a few, elite, expensive, high quality examples but most of the population won’t relate to or benefit from their existence. The rest of them will be enormously altered.

3) Learning will be much more learner-empowered and autodidactic.  This change has begun to become visible but it will become increasingly true and one of the key drivers of effectiveness and attractiveness in learning environments. 

4) There will be many more learning path options and the current “must-do” of university will no longer be regarded as the only way or even the best way. There will be a flip in validity perception so autodidactism and self-directed learning at all levels will be more highly valued and rewarded. EVEN by employers!

5) The biggest change game in the edu space, the Holy Grail, so to speak, is the creation and establishment of an alternative credentialing system. Currently, the institutions have a firm grasp on their remaining “brass ring”, the degree. They won’t let go easily but it will be forced out of their hands. This is the opinion where I get the most push-back; SO many people can’t believe this could ever change but I’m very confident that it will and I think it’s going to happen sooner than people think. I’ve been advising start-ups in the edu space and I know many people who are working on alternative signaling systems. It’s a huge problem but once it’s solved in a way that allows for adoption, and once more and more people decide to consider competence over signals, much will change.

Basically, the old system had a stronghold on three primary spokes: content, community, credentialing. Tech innovation has made content and community creation much more widely accessible! Once the last remaining leg is replaced, so much will change incredibly quickly. Customization, as mentioned aboveSo, from a futurist perspective I’m pretty convinced that a university degree won’t be nearly as important as it has been in the past, or even as important as it currently remains.

That’s why I want my kids and yours (and all of us, really) to have the MetaLearning skills which I believe are necessary for university success because they are the same skills that will serve learners should they choose to go a more independent route and the same skills we all need to be effective and happy.  

The Future of Education

In the very near future learning at all levels (even higher ed) will be radically, irreversibly altered.  Huge changes will happen such that many people cannot yet even imagine, and it's going to be capital M, Messy!

Here's some of what I'm guessing:

1) Learning will be increasingly modularized.  We won't be dealing in degrees but rather fine grains of learning gathered from various sources.  Once the education bubble is fully deflated (and it will probably deflate rather than burst) more people will reject spending huge amounts of money on a prescribed set of courses, which often feature only a small handful of awesome learning facilitators (professors) along with a lot of mediocre teachers and learning opportunities.

2) Universities will be radically, unrecognizably altered.  Don't get me wrong; the few at the top won't be as effected...Stanford, Harvard and other upper echelon universities will remain unchanged for longer (unless they are very smart) .  I'm often in rooms where people love to argue about the future of B&M universities and whether or not they'll continue to exist.  The best line I've heard recently was "universities will exist like orchestras exist".  In other words there will be a few, elite, expensive, high quality examples but most of the population won't relate to or benefit from their existence.  The rest of them will be enormously altered.

3) Learning will be much more learner-empowered and autodidactic.

4) There will be many more learning path options and the current "must-do" of university will no longer be regarded as the only way or even the best way.  There will be a flip in validity perception so autodidactism and self-directed learning at all levels will be more highly valued and rewarded.  EVEN by employers!  

5) The biggest change game in the edu space, the Holy Grail, so to speak, is the creation and establishment of an alternative credentialing system.  Currently, the institutions have a firm grasp on their remaining "brass ring", the degree.  They won't let go easily but it will be forced out of their hands.  This is the opinion where I get the most push-back; SO many people can't believe this could ever change but I'm very confident that it will and I think it's going to happen sooner than people think.  I've been advising start-ups in the edu space and I know many people who are working on alternative signaling systems.  It's a huge problem but once it's solved in a way that allows for adoption, and once more and more people decide to consider competence over signals, much will change.

Basically, the old system had a stronghold on three primary spokes: content, community, credentialing.  Tech innovation has made content and community creation much more widely accessible!  Once the last remaining leg is replaced, so much will change incredibly quickly.  So, from a futurist perspective I'm pretty convinced that a university degree won't be nearly as important as it has been in the past, or even as important as it currently remains.  On a personal level, my goal is to give my kids the meta-skills that I believe are necessary for university success because they are the same skills that will serve them should they choose to go a more independent route.  And in the meantime, I'm doing what I can to make sure there's a lot more choice in the matter.