DynamicDuoTwins - "Motivational tip of the Week!"

module: "Sideline View"

One of the most critical positions when looking at something objectively is the view from the sideline. The "Sideline View" as it is called, is a point of strategic advantage for both player and coach. It allows one to see what the other cannot see. It's one thing to be playing in the game and another to be on the sideline watching from a different perspective.

Perspective by definition:  a specific point of view in understanding or judging things or events, esp. one that shows them in their true relations to one another.

Often times we are too involved in our daily activity or problem to see what is really going on due to our inability to step back away from it long enough to consider the true relationship. This is common for most people regardless of your level of expertise or success, we all need a "sideline view" to help us navigate through the maze of obstacles that can impede our progress. Imagine a boxer fighting in the ring without the benefit of having a manager in his corner to help him avoid a particular punch from his opponent. Most likely he would undoubtedly loss the fight. Imagine for a moment a football team playing football without the benefit of a coach to help them determine which plays to execute. It would be a disaster waiting to happen. Its amazing what can be seen from the sideline when you are the one observing. The sideline viewer can see distracting behaviors, patterns, attitudes, skill deficiencies just to name a few. In fact the sideline viewer can see what your competion is doing even before the game begins. Without this view you are powerless to win regardless of how well prepared you are. When you are engaged in a task or project your engagement is generally subjective which causes a loss of objectivity. Once you have become fully engaged you loss the objective benefit, which is critical to a sustained victory.  

So than we see that it is to our benefit to seek a "sideline view" from one who is able and equipped to see the entire playing field. If you’ve been operating without the benefit of this perspective than you have deprived yourself of a key advantage and have unquestionably hindered your success. Anyone close enough to you can provide this perspective ex., a colleague, a supervisor, a friend, or even a family member. The key is to be able to have access to a "sideline view" when it becomes necessary to your growth and success.

"When two people meet, there are really six people present. There is each man as he sees himself, each man as he wants to be seen, and each man as he really is." Michael De Saintamo

DynamicDuoTwins - "Motivational tip of the Week!"

module:  "Mind Set"

As a trained certified Black Belt instructor I taught my students when competing in martial arts competition to always focus their mind on winning. I taught them that winning is all about the "mind set". Its when you see yourself at the end of having already completed a task, a project, a goal or an objective that you can smell victory. A famous scene in the the movie "Apocalyse Now" occurs when the commander of an AirCav unit played by Robert Duvall refuses a request to transport a soldier who is considered to be a professional surfer. But rather instructs his pilots to capture a certain village along a dangerously fortified beach controlled by the enemy for the soldier to surf, since the beach which marks the opening to the river was perfect for surfing. Dismissing their concerns with the explanation that "Charlie don't surf!," the Commander  orders his men to saddle up in the morning to capture the town and the beach.

After helicopters swoop over the village and demolish all visible signs of resistance, a giant napalm strike in the nearby jungle dramatically marks the climax of the battle. This famous scene ends with the Commandre saying "I love the smell of napalm in the morning... The smell, you know that gasoline smell... Smells like, victory".  

" Your mental attitude is something you can control outright and you must use self discipline until you create a positive  mental attitude - your mental attitude attracts to you everything that makes you what you are." --Napoleon Hill 1883-1970, author of "Think and Grow Rich".

 There is no doubt that the Commander had a certain "mind set" that meant for him both success and victory. Developing a victorious "mind set" must be learned, nutured and takes alot of training. As leaders strive to inspire and engage, we need to fully understand the power of senses that lie within the mind.  Many have heard the expression, often said of players on winning sports teams, they wanted the win so bad, they could taste it. Well it's all about the "mind set". Senior Executives will establish new performance objectives for the year along with new annual goals; Account Executives will strategize sales tactics and techniques; Customer Service Representatives will re-visit customer issues and solutions with a "mind set" to be victorious. I'm reminded of a song by Frank Sinatra called the "September Song":

Oh, it’s a long, long while from May to December
But the days grow short when you reach September
When the autumn weather turns the leaves to flame
 One hasn’t got time for the waiting game
Remember that whatever you embark on its outcome will ultimately be determined by your "mind set". So think and achieve, think and succeed.

DynamicDuoTwins - "Motivational tip of the Week!"

  

module -  

"99c don't make a dollar"

Sure you've heard the expression "99c don't make a dollar". An expression that means that falling short of the mark does not count as having accomplished the task. Until you've crossed the finish line you have not won the race. This would be true of any endeavor that you undertake. As in football it's not enough to push the ball all the way up field to the one yard line and not score a touch down. Until the ball is in the end zone you have not scored.

"Failure is not my Destiny." -- Eric M.

How often does it happen in our own personal lives and in our professional careers that we get very close to completing a project, a task or accomplishing a goal or an objective but than just short of completing it someting happens that prevents us from scoring a touchdown.  This can happen to anyone regardless of how well conceived the plan, or how well executed sometimes things do happen. The second question is what do you do should it happen? do you except defeat or do you keep moving forward with an alternative plan? The obvisous answer would be that we should keep moving forward with an alternative plan of action a plan "B" and a plan "C". While no one intentionally plans to fail, planning to succeed takes a lot of thought and effort on your part. It is essential that in your planning that you consider all the variables that could impact on your success. Have you validated all your assumptions and weighed your criteria? Have you developed at least 3 courses of action to follow should one not succeed? If you haven't utilized this process than your headed in the direction of "99c don't make a dollar". Far too many people are satisfied with almost making it, but real winners and champions will not settle for less. Achievment for them is just that "going all the way".

"Don't give up at half time. Concentrate on winning the second half." -- Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant

 Just remember as you climb closer to the top the air is always thinner. You will have chanllenges along the way but they are just reminders to keep us focused.

"If you have the will to win, you have achieved half your success; if you don't, you have achieved half your failure." -- David Ambrose

DynamicDuoTwins - "Motivational tip of the Week!"

module -  

 "Drafting"

Drafting or Slipstreaming is a technique or a concept where runners as an example align themselves in a close group reducing the overall effect of drag by exploiting the lead runners slipstream. We see this technique is especially useful with race car drivers as well. Drafting can significantly reduce the average energy expenditure required to maintain a certain speed and can slightly reduce the energy expenditure of the lead runner as well. Drafting is used to reduce wind resistance and is also seen most commonly in other sports such as cycling, speedskating, swimming, and cross-country skiing.  An example of swim drafting would be where in a swimmer in a pool competition may hug the lane line that separates him/her from a swimmer of whom he/she is abaft, thereby taking advantage of the liquid slipstream in the other swimmer's wake.

When we apply "Drafting" to business practice and to our personal career goals we will see amazing results. We will be able to sustain successful growth for longer periods and we will have less negative resistance as we sustain that growth. Ever find yourself faced with a challenge that was wearing you down only to find that someone else had already been faced with a similar challenge and learned to overcome it. Well than if you team up with that person and draft in their "slipstream" than you will be able to acomplish your goal with minumum effort and less stress while at the same time helping you to conserve precious energy in getting the job done.

"Many of us are more capable than some of us .....but none os us is as capable as all of us!!!" Tom Wilson 

Drafting can be cooperative, in which members of the same team take turns in the lead position (which requires the most effort and energy consumption). Or, it can be competitive or tactical, where one competitor will try to stay closely behind another leaving him or her more energy for a break-away push to the finish line. In cycling, the main (largest) group of tightly packed cyclists in a race is called a peloton, where cyclists ride in a long formation, with each (but not the first one) drafting behind one another. In this instance they may also use what is commonly known in cycling as the Belgium Tourniquet where the leaders occaisionally rotate throughout the race to help maintian a constant speed and velocity.

We aslo see "Drafting" techniques used in nature as seen in paticular with the Canadian geese and other birds. Canadian geese fly in a V- formation where cooperative fluid dynamic techniques like drafting are at work. The wingtip vortices generated by the front bird will create up-wash circulations. The birds flying behind will receive lift force from these up-wash vortices. Thus, the other birds in the pack won't have to work as hard. Studies show that the birds place themselves roughly at the optimum distance predicted by simple aerodynamic theory to achieve this effect. A similar theory that explains the wings of an airplane in general. Now compare the two effects that of a car in draft - vs- a brid in draft. While the car driving behind another will receive drag force allowing it to reserve its power, a bird flying in a flock will gain better lifting force to allow it to travel farther. So than we can say that if we were able to maximize our draft effect we would have two positive outcomes:

1) Lifting Force - ability to ascend altitude with the pack for longer sustained periods and involves the recovery of energy from vortices created by the leader.

2) Drag Force - the amount of pressure exerted to keep up with the pack also involves the recovery of energy from vortices created from the slipstream of the leader.

As you discover the power of "Drafting" soon you will be soaring with eagles and sitting among the stars.

"The person with a fixed goal, a clear picture of this desire, or an ideal always before him, causes it, through repetitition to be buried deeply in his subconcscious mind and is thus enabled, thanks to its generative and sustaining power, to realize his goal in a minimum of time and with a minimun of physical effort. Just pursue the thought unceasingly. Step by step you will achieve realization, for all your faculties and powers become directed to that end." Claude M. Bristol

DynamicDuoTwins "Motivational Tip of the Week!"

module -  

"Crossing the Rubicon"

Have you ever found yourself while in pursuit of a goal or an objective considering the idea of giving up, quiting or turning around? Well you're not alone many people are faced with that temptation when things don't appear to be going as planned, but don’t turn back! stay on course.

"Having an exciting destination is like setting a needle in your compass. From then on, the compass knows only one point-its ideal. And it will faithfully gudie you there through the darkest nights and fiercest storms." Daniel Boone

 Its not that we can’t turn back, but in turning back we must consider the consequences of our action. We jeopardize losing the edge, the advantage, our focus and time. So that in turning back their lies the great possibility of failure, disappointment, and the loss of opportunity. To not turn back when tempted to do so, but to press forward is critical to your ultimate success. Have you ever been in a situation where you couldn’t turn back for fear of failure? The fear that comes with feeling that you can not afford to lose all that you have already gained and that the risk of turning back may result in your losing everything. It is a fear in thinking that I have reached a point of no return? You may be asking yourself what is the point of no return?

According to Wikipedia: The point of no return is the point beyond which someone, or some group, must continue on their current course of action, either because turning back is physically impossible, or because to do so would be prohibitively expensive or dangerous.

We call this feeling "Crossing the Rubicon" a metaphoric expression for deliberately proceeding past a point of no return. The origin of the term "Crossing the Rubicon" dates back 2,000 years ago when on January 10, 49 BC Julius Caesar was ordered to return to Rome an instead he and his army crossed the Rubicon River in violation of a direct order, recognizing that their fate together and ultimate success rested not in turning back but in pushing forward, hence the term “Crossing the Rubicon" was born.

So what have we to gain in pushing forward to cross the Rubicon, when faced with so great an onslaught of  alluring temptations to give-up, to quit or to turn around? The victory comes in our pressing forward and reaching toward the finish line.

A biblical writer wrote:

 Phillipians 3:12-14 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: I Forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

So when you are faced with the temptation to give up, to quit or to simply turn around don't!, you can do it, you can "Cross the Rubicon" and meet success.

“Success is not measured by what we’ve accomplished but by the opposition we’ve encountered, and the courage with which we’ve maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds." Orison Swett Marden

DynamicDuoTwins - "Motivational tip of the week"

module:  "Wolf Pack"

A famous line in the movie "Training Day" occurs at the beginning of the movie when Denzel Washington ask the new police recruit "are you a wolf or a sheep". This statement is the central theme of the movie in which all the events will revolve. The "wolf" represents the epidemy of the hunter who will stop at nothing when in pursuit of his prey. Wolves are known to hunt only in packs and will stalk their prey for miles before making the attack. Wolves adopt this mentality instinctively and are born with the natural synergistic ability to hunt in packs or a group. While this behavior is instintive it can be learned.

"Wolf is the Grand Teacher. Wolf is the sage, who after many winters upon the sacred path and seeking the ways of wisdom, returns to share new knowledge with the tribe. Wolf is both the radical and the traditional in the same breath. When the Wolf walks by you - you will remember." Robert Ghost Wolf 

Are you a team player? Do you have what it takes to pursue a team objective regardless of how difficult it may look? If so than maybe you are a "wolf".

In today's market the most effective and notorious sales representatives and customer service representatives are those individuals who have adopted the "wolf pack" mentality. When they are working together they are unstoppable and the competition may as well take the day-off.
What is it about the wolf that makes it so ominous? Individually the wolf is not a great threat to his adversaries but as a member of the wolf pack he becomes invincible.  

"The achievements of an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual." Vince Lombardi

In the pack the wolf is feared and revered by his adversaries. His instinct and sense of committment, drive, tenacity and unwillingness to yield is unpararlleled. Have you ever noticed a sales or customer service operation that appeared to be very effective and efficient. Their quality services rating were high, their production was high, and their numbers were through the roof. Whether they were aware of it or not, they probably had adopted a "wolf pack" mentality as their mode of operation. When all the members of the team are working together, and whose goal as committed team members is to satisfy the team objective than nothing can stop their success.

Nelson Mandela "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine as children do. It's not just in some of us; it is in everyone. And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

When you have learned how to identify with the "wolf pack" mentality your competition will fear you and your customers will love you.

DynamicDuoTwins - "Motivational tip of the week"

          module:

   "Pyrrhic Victory"

Far too many people today spend the majority of their waking hours working, planning, trying to makes ends meet and getting ahead. Not all of this is about paying bills, their are those individuals whose goal is to achieve as much as they can at whatever cost. Now there is nothing wrong with pursuing your dreams or just being all you can  be, but at what cost. At the end of the day what is the price of this kind of success.  Have you considered how much time you spend working and traveling. Time spent away from home, family and friends just to reach that golden place in the road where you can say I've made it, I've done it. Its all about weighing the cost and finding the balance between success and failure.When was the last time you ate dinner at the table with your family, or went to a soccer game where your son or daughter were playing. When was the last time you got home early enough to take a walk in the park or sit on your deck and watch the sun go down.If this is you than you've been missing out on the most important part of life. Weighing the cost and finding the balance is not always easy but it is a must if you are to be truly successful. The best of leaders and managers find the time to occassionally just shut it down.  Some do it at a certain hour in the day while others do it during certain times during the week. Whatever their routine the fact is they do it, they find the balance. When you have missed those golden moments in life you cannot get them back no matter how hard you try.

 A biblical writer wrote: 

"For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul: Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?" Mark 8:36-37 

Another biblical writer tells of a man who said:

"Now I know what I'll do. I'll tear down my barns and build bigger ones, where I can store all my grain and other goods. Then I'll say to myself, 'You have stored up enough good things to last for years to come. Live it up! Eat, drink, and enjoy yourself.' " But God said to him, "You fool! Tonight you will die. Then who will get what you have stored up?" Luke 12:18-20 

The morale of this biblical truth is that life requires that we weigh the cost and find a balance. The price of success at this level is called the "Pyrrhic Victory". By definition it is a victory that is won by incurring terrible losses. It's loss outweigh its success. Take a moment and see if this picture may apply to you and if so make a conscience determination that you will find a balance between work, home, family and friends in the coming days and weeks. Surprise yourself and see how great you will began to feel.

DynamicDuoTwins - "Motivational tip of the Week"

module - "1-5/6-10"

Are you a leader or a follower? Do you think that most people desire to be a leader? the answer is that most people do not. In fact, studies show that most people are content with taking orders from others and are satisfied in leading only themselves. There is really nothing wrong with this attitude or unusual about adopting a follow-the-leader mentality. Although some may argue with this position the truth is that only a few will ever become true leaders. It takes more than just wanting to be a leader to become one. Some people believe that leaders are born, while others believe they are made.

Vince Lombardi "Leaders aren't born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work. And that's the price we'll have to pay to achieve that goal, or any goal."

While it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership. What separates leaders from non-leaders we call the 1-5/6-10 concept. It is here that we find varying degrees of both types. On a scale of 1-10 where are you on the leadership spectrum? If you fall within the 1-5 range than prehaps your desire is to be lead, if you fall within the 6-10 range than prehaps you are suited for leadership. You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. A leader contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group. Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power or creating an atmosphere of false motivation driven by fear. It is however about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture.

Take inventory of where you are and start to develop those God given skills to help you lead others and put them into practice .

"Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." Muriel Strode

DynamicDuoTwins - "Motivational tip of the Week"

module - "X-Box"

In 1955 two psychologist Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham developed a tool to help people better understand their interpersonal communication and relationships. This unique tool or concept became know as the "Johari House" of 4 rooms or "Johari's Window".

Room 1 is the part of ourselves that we see and others see. Room 2 is the aspect that others see but we are not aware of. Room 3 is the most mysterious room in that the unconscious or subconscious bit of us is seen by neither ourselves nor others. Room 4 is our private space, which we know but keep from others.

To better understand ourselves and to be able to maximize our interpersonal skills and abilities one must learn to operate equally in all "4" rooms. That means finding a balance between what is known and unknown about yourself and pulling occasionally from your "X-Box" those things which are hidden from you and others.

"Far too many people have no idea of what they can do because all they have been told is what they can't do.They don't know what they want because they don't know what's available for them". Zig Ziglar

When you have learned how to tap into your "X-Box" of unknown skills and talents you will be amazed at how quickly you excel in whatever it is you are doing.

DynamicDuoTwins "Motivational Tip of the Week!"

Module - "Running with Horses"

Ever wonder why certain people always seem to finish first while others always seem to finish last. Have you found yourself always looking at the other guy or gal to see what they are doing. If this is you than perhaps your challenge is learning how to run with horses. A very prolific scripture in the book of Jermiah 12:5 reads: "If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses? Being competitive and winning is about keeping your focus on the goal that lies ahead.

Don't allow yourself to get bogged down with what others are doing.

"History has demonstrated that the most notable winners usually encountered heartbreaking obstacles before they triumphed. They won because they refused to become discouraged by their defeats." Bertie C. Forbes

The race is often won not by the fastest horse or by the one who gets out of the gate first but by the one who keeps his concentration and focus on the finish line.

The Art of Synergy

Synergy by definition is the combining of like forces.
The interaction of two or more agents or forces so that their combined effect is greater than the sum of their individual effects. It is also defined as the cooperative interaction among groups, especially among the acquired subsidiaries or merged parts of a corporation, that creates an enhanced combined effect.