Ancient Wisdom for Modern Leaders


Tuesday, September 15th
Arête; Ancient Wisdom for Modern Leaders
an Institue of Management Consultants (IMC) Event Featuring Marv Serhan

Have you got the “Right Stuff?”  Our forefathers did. They didn’t falter when it was time to loose the bonds of religious and political oppression in Europe to find a new and better life for themselves and their families. Their legacy is unique to America.

We live in a highly competitive and dangerous world as they did. The Ancients clearly understood this concept. They did not call it the “Right Stuff” but used another word to define their commitment to excellence. That word was Arête.

About: Arête; Ancient Wisdom for Modern Leaders

Ethical leadership is increasingly important in today’s highly competitive and complex global business environment. All corporate professionals, no matter their position or area of specialization, play a key role in establishing and influencing organizational culture, as well as modeling and encouraging the use of ethical decision making in all aspects of business strategy and processes.

The leader sets the tone. He/she either aligns with organizational values and seeks to fulfill the corporate mission, or attempts to alter course to change the corporate culture to another value system.

Leaders and followers need to understand where values originate. An intrinsic appreciation for the genesis of our value system as Americans is essential to ultimately determine our ability to withstand the turbulent whitewater of a highly competitive and dangerous world.

Our ancestors understood this premise. We should heed the lessons from antiquity for our survival as a culture is at risk. Come learn about Arête.

About Marv Serhan:

Marv Serhan has over 40 years of leadership and management experience in both the military and private sector. A graduate from the Naval War College and Navy Fighter Weapons School, his twenty-seven year Naval career culminated as Commanding Officer of Fleet Aviation Specialized Operational Training Group Pacific Fleet, directing a staff of approximately 500. His dedication to the men and women in his command and willingness to work alongside them formed a mutual respect that increased the effectiveness of new systems and procedures he created and implemented.

Since leaving active duty in 1997, Marv has worked in the utility, communications, telematics and security industries. He earned certifications in energy management and sustainability through the Association of Energy Engineers and is the President of their local Chapter covering Oregon, Southwest Washington, and Southern Idaho. While with Motorola, he worked in the Utility Solutions Division, specializing in communication protocols to support monitoring applications for various enterprise-wide commercial, industrial and utility operations. With IBM, he served as a Business Development Executive supporting their Intelligent Utility Network (Smart Grid) tiger team. He specializes in presenting the Smart Grid Maturity Model (SGMM) to all stakeholders in the energy and utility industries to assist them in developing a Smart Grid rollout strategy tailored to their specific needs.

Time:  7:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Price:  $35 IMC Member, $45 Guests
Location:  Multnomah Athletic Club, 1849 SW Salmon, Portland

Click here for more information and registration!



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To your success!
Kathie Nelson
http://kathienelson.com

Social Media Marketing Tele-Training


Thursday, September 3rd
Social Media Marketing Tele-Training
Featuring Alex Mandossian

On Thursday, September 3rd I’m co-sponsoring a teleseminar training on how to boost your profits and productivity utilizing the power of Social Media media.  My colleague Alex Mandossian can teach you how to market like a pro so you can turn your annual income this year into a monthly income 3 years from now.

This Social Media tele-training costs you nothing to attend and you will get to ask Alex any question (See below).  If you or a friend want to listen, click this:  http://www.1marketinglive.com/cmd.php?af=hhp5340&p=51

You can access Alex’s unique 45-minute tele-training during one or both of these two convenient sessions:

Morning Session: 9am Pacific/12pm Eastern
Evening Session: 5pm Pacific/8pm Eastern

You even get a 2-page page “Action Guide” that’s available for you to download now!

* * * Get Access to Alex’s Bonus Training * * *

If you’d also like as private access to a special, advanced training at 6pm Pacific/9pm Eastern, choose that option after asking your question: http://www.1marketinglive.com/cmd.php?af=hhp5340&p=51 


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To your success!
Kathie Nelson
http://kathienelson.com

“Does This Make Me Look Big?” Three Ways Never to Feel Small Again!


Wednesday, October 14th
“Does This Make Me Look Big?” Three Ways Never to Feel Small Again!
eWomen Network Accelerated Luncheon
Featuring Victoria Trabosh

How many times have you asked that question of yourself? We’ve learned (and often believe) being big is a weakness. In business and in life, it’s anything but! Vicky knows that the greatest obstacle to our success can be our own voice and the words we say to ourselves. Playing big is not just a good idea–it’s imperative for self fulfillment, success and growth. Join us as Vicky shares her humor, life and business experiences, and presents practical tips in a dynamic presentation that will teach you how never to play small again.

At this powerful event you’ll learn:

  • How we are all meant to accomplish the extraordinary.
  • The power of knowing your life’s purpose.
  • Ways to distinguish between the voices of the doubter, the dreamer, and the realist within you.
  • The #1 Reason why you’ll never play small again.

Time:  11:00 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Cost:  $39 Member, $49 Guest
Location:  The Governor Hotel, 614 SW 11th Ave., Portland

Click here for more information and registration!


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To your success!
Kathie Nelson
http://kathienelson.com

That Zing You Do: A Shortcut to Clarity About Your Purpose & Context


Tuesday, September 8th
That Zing You Do: A Shortcut to Clarity About Your Purpose & Context
WEO General Meeting Event Featuring Jan Black, Author & Entrepreneur

Confidence about your Life Purpose and how it fits into the Context of your work is an essential ingredient in clearly defining your brand and leadership. The smallest tweak in your understanding of who you are and what you bring improves the way you and your business show up and succeed.

Jan has worked with accomplished professionals around the country to define their Core Brilliance and turn it into income-producing ventures. This shortcut to clarity simplifies the life purpose process and brings it into the context of your work and role.

In summary, in this session you will:

1. Use a new Purpose & Context clarity tool.
2. Understand how your purpose plays out in the context of your work and role.
3. Interact with the creator of the tool and the Let Yourself Happen effort.

About Jan Black


Author, artist, and entrepreneur Jan Black creates shortcuts to clarity that make it easier for you to Let Yourself Happen®. For the past ten years, Jan has been defining the Core Brilliance of professionals across the country and helping them create new ventures from it. She formed Quiddity, Inc.® in 2006, a project development studio. Jan and her creative team pump out fresh clarities through products and processes that help you define who you are, what you want to make of it, and what’s stopping you.  Jan’s books, including It’s Not Okay Anymore, Better Boundaries, and her 14-volume Character Foundation Curriculum, have sold over one million copies internationally.


Time: 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $25 Members, $35 Guests
Location:  Kell’s Irish Restaurant & Pub, 112 SW Second Ave., Portland

Click here for more information and registration!


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To your success!
Kathie Nelson
http://kathienelson.com

Making Changing Times Work for You


These changing times are forcing most of us to figure out how to do more with less. This means we are adopting new ways of doing things. Not only to save money but also to adjust how we serve our customers on a consistent basis. We are doing this while maintaining an insanely rapid pace in an environment of uncertainty. It is no wonder we are working harder and longer to stay on top of our game!

I will confess I am a big-time multi-tasker…always have been. The current environment has me in hyper drive. I recently came across a study that shows multi-tasking drops your efficiency by 44%. This stopped me in my tracks. I immediately internalized and asked myself, “Can I afford to have my efficiency reduced by 44%?” The answer is a big NO! Can you?

This got me thinking. Can anything be done to change this trend? I optimistically and emphatically say YES! Since I am in the middle of this personally and coaching clients who are adjusting as well, here is what I know.

Changing this trend boils down to three things:

  • Determination
  • Time
  • Desired outcomes

Determination

An overused but nonetheless valid quote from Einstein defines insanity as doing the same thing over and over yet expecting different results. Are you ready to stop the insanity? This requires determination. This is the point when you commit to change and say to yourself, “I determine that I will make the necessary change to shift my mindset and the activities that are producing the current result.” This is both an internal and external commitment. This level of personal change only occurs when you are willing to be brutally honest with yourself.

Take a moment right now and ask yourself the following:

  • What is the mindset or belief system that contributes to my current state? i.e What do I say to myself when I think about what is going on in the world? Or with my customers? Or with the opportunities available to me?
  • What are the activities I tolerate that sabotage my desired outcomes? i.e. Do I know my highest payoff activities to move me toward my desired outcome? Is this where I spend my time? Do I make excuses or blame the situation, environment or other people for my current state?

Time

A recent survey by Microsoft shows most people actually use 60% or less of available work time. This means out a 5 day work week, we have only 3 productive days. I find this statistic a little scary!

A truth that has had tremendous impact on my own calendar philosophy is from Brian Tracy’s 101 Absolutely Unbreakable Laws of Business. He states, “Every minute spent in planning saves nine in execution.” Once I began to practice leveraged time scheduled around my life strategy I began to experience balance for the first time. Interestingly enough it was also while I experienced explosive growth in my business.

It has become apparent with this year’s economic environment that how you leverage time requires fresh evaluation when major change occurs. When this first came to my attention I said to myself, “OK. I know what to do now. This is the logical next step.” But, what I found is that the speed at which I operate in the current environment increased the challenge to make the time for this tremendously high payoff activity. And, don’t kid yourself. It takes quality time to reflect at the level that truly shifts our perspective.

Here is a “behind the curtain” peek at what’s going on in my operation right now. Connectworks has been growing as we adapt our offerings to the market and dig deeper in our niche. We’ve added new people to the team. It is crystal clear that if my calendar doesn’t change I will wear myself out and not reach my desired outcome. While it is fun and exciting right now, this is not going to serve me, the team, or my customers in the long haul. And I am in this for the long haul.

I am asking myself the same questions as I challenge you:

  • What are truly my highest payoff activities? These are the activities that give me the greatest return on my time investment and only I can do. After all, can I afford to be 44% less efficient?
  • Have my core values changed? In addition to my commitment to delivering over-the-top service to my clients, I value my family, friends, continuous learning, and fun. Fun for me translates to a variety of activities from gardening to travel to watching movies.
  • What values and outcomes are compromised by my current mode of scheduling? My goal is to translate this to a cost either in dollars and cents or relationships to increase the pain of knowing I am continuing a behavior that no longer serves my desired outcome.
  • If I had an ideal weekly or monthly calendar, what would it look like? What filters would I put in place to keep the non-productive tasks or activities at bay? Here is a quick resource for calendar by design.

Desired Outcome

It is no secret that when times change we are forced to adapt. The daily grind keeps us in denial that the only constant…is change! Now is the perfect time to stop, reflect and update your desired outcomes. What do you REALLY want? What matters most to you, right now? What is your vision of success in each area of your life? We are whole people, not just our job. It is important to view our calendar and goals from a holistic perspective. Take into account that how we do anything affects everything personally and professionally.

Ask yourself in light of these changing times, what are my desired outcomes?

  • Professionally? What are the desired outcome(s) for my work/career?
  • Relationally? What are the desired outcomes from my relationships, both at work and at home?
  • Personally? What are the desired outcomes for me in the personal arena, financially, environmentally, etc.?

At the end of the day, these changing times prompt us to re-evaluate what matters most. What matters most to you? Your determination will create a focus that gets you out of your own way…because your time is your life. When we are on the other side of this economic cycle, what would you like to observe about yourself when you look back? Make it count.

P.S. If this article brings up places you are stuck, I encourage you to get support. Gather a short term mastermind or focus group. Contact us to schedule a complimentary laser session with one of the Connectworks strategists. We are fanatics about helping you find strategies that deliver more of what you want.


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To your success!
Kathie Nelson
http://kathienelson.com