Strategic Serendipity

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Shame on the Washington Post for its one-sided article about MBTI yesterday and its thinly veiled criticism of using it for professional development in federal agencies (and no I will not give the courtesy of a link).  The author uses a quote from a professor of industrial psychology at the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School that equates the usefulness of the MBTI to that of the horoscope.  After acknowledging that "A common line from supporters is that the test starts an important dialogue around who we are and how we interact with others," the author uses a quote from a Cambridge psychology professor who says “Insight from the Myers-Briggs can start that conversation, but unfortunately it often ends the conversation. You’ve got your type stamped on your forehead.” For those who use MBTI to coach and develop others nothing could be further from the truth.  We use the MBTI to help individuals understand their preferences on each of four dichotomies while remind...

I attended an amazing training session with The Coaches Institute this weekend...more on that to follow over the next year.  In the meantime, I want to share with you one of the things that occurred to me.  We all have patterns in our life.  Some of them are good and some of them are not.  For example, for me, it always seems that just when I've found an area in which I can contribute quietly and effectively (because no one else cares about it) there is that person who suddenly cares just as much and beats me out for the job.  I'm not proud to admit that for a couple of years, I wondered why I should bother caring about anything because this will always be the outcome.  This weekend I remembered why I should care.  Because caring is so much more fun than not caring.  I also thought a lot about how to handle that person the next time they showed up in my life to take something I care so much about.  Then it finally occurred to me.  If I w...

I will admit it, I can't stop watching Dance Moms.  If you've not seen the show, it is based on a dance instructor and her troupe of young girls who compete in contests and of course, their moms.  Last week was the season premiere and in it the dance instructor repeatedly stated that everyone can be replaced.  This hit me so hard and I spent a lot of time thinking about why.  I concede, the dance world is probably more competitive than I could ever survive, and that type of realism is probably a good thing for future dancers to learn at an early age.  However, my first boss out of college used to love to throw the "everyone can be replaced" in my face...repeatedly.  And I have heard some version of it, more or less, from more than one boss since.  So it got me thinking.  It is probably true that people can be replaced.  However, what does it say about the leader who uses that as a primary motivator?  Does the phrase come from a...

"Purpose and passion are the internal drivers that determine employees' performance and their commitment to the organization, factors that ultimately have a very real impact on business results. ... Without [individual purpose, an employee's] journey meanders, their actions lack meaning, and their passion is left unexpressed in their work - a combination likely to leave them disengaged, dispirited, restless, ... or worse."  The Purpose Linked Organization:  How Passionate Leaders Inspire Winning Teams and Great Results by Alaina Love and Marc Cugnon. We all know people who don't seem to have their heart in their work.  And it shows.  Some may not actively try to let everyone know how unhappy they are, but it doesn't work.  No matter where you work, when you are passionate about what you do...it shows.  And if you aren't...that shows too.  How you got there doesn't matter, but it is how you are going to get out that is the key.  The most i...