Difficulty: Face, Confront, Overcome

 Face, Confront, Overcome. 

Some people practice avoiding difficulties. This is understandable. Difficulties can really suck. However, the skill refined by practicing avoiding difficulty is … avoiding difficulty. 

The skill we really want to practice is navigating and overcoming difficulty. 

When this skill is strengthened, we can be more selective in choosing which difficulties to take on to our best advantage and which difficulties to circumnavigate*. 

It becomes a choice. Having the skill set empowers us to choose. Not having the skill set leaves us with no option but to avoid difficulty. 

*Circumnavigating is not the same as avoiding. There are many ways to deal with an obstacle to continue our journey. Avoiding dealing with the obstacle isn’t one of them. 

K. H. Little Consulting Services

Kenneth H. Little, MA

cell: (603) 726-1006

kenlittle-nh.com

Critical Feedback: Receiving

 Critical feedback elevates performance. 

It is our professional responsibility to practice and improve accepting critical feedback. 

***

The better we get at receiving critical feedback the more value we gain from it and the better our performance becomes. 

—> Accepting even harsh critical feedback is a professional skill set. 

Practice to mastery leads to improvement. The more you practicing accepting critical feedback the better you will get at receiving critical feedback. 

This is our professional responsibility to our own professional development. 

#NewHampshire #Feedback

Nothing Less Than Your Very Best

 

I use to work inside this horribly depressed, angry, agitated company. 

Ironically, it was a mental health facility. 

***

I’ve never seen so many employees return from meetings with a particularly abusive senior manager crying. This is super duper HR fail. It is a super senior management team fail. It is a super leadership fail. And, it is a super big board of directors fail.

But it was not just this one toxic senior manager.  It was the organization as a whole. I’ve never seen so much inter-personnel animosity. I’ve never seen so much wide-spread demoralization anywhere, at any company I’ve ever worked at over my decades of work experience. 

This was quite simply the worst place I have ever worked. 

The senior manager, although super abusive and toxic, wasn’t responsible for the wide-spread demoralization and hostility throughout the company. He certainly was injecting a ton more yuck into the company, but he didn’t touch all of its moving parts. There was a much larger organizational problem. Ironically, he was screaming at people about not meeting productivity requirements.

#Morale matters. Everything floats on morale. Productivity isn’t improved by yelling.  Morale isn’t improved by yelling.  Employee absenteeism, tardiness, and retention are not improved by yelling.  Just the opposite, in fact.

Nothing is improved by yelling. 

At the time, I was navigating a super stressful life adventure. My wife had died (#Cancersucks) and I was raising our young sons by myself. I was so, so far out of my comfort zone and my zone of competence at home every single day for years and years. 

So, what did I do?  I quit after about three years, but before that every morning before going into work, I sat in my car in the parking lot looking at the office building getting my head straight, getting myself psyched up before entering the building. I did the same thing before every rugby game I played in college. I was determined to only bring positive professionalism into the building - my very best. 

My colleagues deserved nothing less than my very best. 

I did the same thing on the way home from work, letting go of the daily stress I’d accumulated and getting my head straight before going into our home. 

My sons deserved nothing less than my very best. 

Of course, I’m a flawed human so … it didn’t always go well, but when it didn’t I’d regroup, consider where I’d gone wrong,  what the contributing factors had been, and create a corrective action plan.

K. H. Little Consulting Services
Kenneth H. Little, MA
cell: (603) 726-1006

kenlittle-nh.com

How to Improve Cognitive Function

 Improving cognitive function involves a combination of lifestyle changes, mental exercises, and sometimes dietary adjustments. Here's a comprehensive approach to boost your brain power:

1. Physical Exercise:

   - Regular Aerobic Exercise: Activities like running, swimming, or cycling increase blood flow to the brain, which can help with neurogenesis (the creation of new brain cells) and promote better cognitive function.

   - Strength Training: Can also benefit brain health by improving executive function.

2. Mental Stimulation:

   - Learning New Skills: Whether it's a new language, musical instrument, or complex game like chess, learning challenges your brain and can forge new neural pathways.

   - Brain-Training Games: Apps like Lumosity or games that focus on memory, attention, or problem-solving might help, though the benefits can vary from person to person.

   - Reading and Writing: Engaging in deep reading or creative writing stimulates various cognitive areas.

3. Nutrition:

   - Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Found in fish like salmon, walnuts, and flaxseeds, these support brain health.

   - Antioxidants: Foods rich in antioxidants (berries, nuts, dark chocolate) can protect brain cells from damage.

   - Hydration: Water is crucial for maintaining concentration and cognitive performance.

   - Moderate Caffeine: Can temporarily boost alertness and concentration.

4. Sleep:

   - Quality Sleep: Aim for 7-9 hours per night. Sleep is critical for memory consolidation and cognitive function.

5. Stress Management:

   - Mindfulness and Meditation: These can reduce stress, which in turn can improve cognitive function.

   - Regular Breaks: Short breaks during work or study sessions can boost productivity and cognitive performance.

6. Social Interaction:

   - Engage in Social Activities: Social engagement can prevent cognitive decline and improve mood, which indirectly supports cognitive health.

7. Avoid Harmful Substances:

   - Limit Alcohol: Excessive alcohol can harm neurons.

   - Quit Smoking: Smoking has been linked to cognitive decline.

8. Environment:

   - Organize Your Space: A clutter-free environment can reduce cognitive load and increase productivity.

   - Light Exposure: Natural light or light therapy can regulate your circadian rhythm, affecting sleep and mood.

9. Continuous Learning:

   - Stay Curious: Engage in lifelong learning to keep your brain active and adaptable.

Implementing these strategies can lead to significant improvements in cognitive function over time. Remember, consistency is key, and combining several of these methods might yield the best results. If you have concerns about cognitive decline or if you're not seeing improvement, consider speaking with a healthcare provider for personalized advice.

Continuous Quality Improvement

 

Want to improve your company? 

First, start by making a list of all 1 bazillion problems your company is struggling with. 

Then:

Whittle it down to the top 100,000 problems. 

Then: 

Whittle it down to the top 10,000 problems.

Then:

Whittle it down to the top 1,000 problem. 

Then:

Whittle it down to the top 100 problems. 

Then:

Whittle it down to the top 10 problems.

Then: 

Pick the top 2 problems to start with. 

Once you’ve got these 2 headed in the right direction, using Successive Approximations to slowly refine your processes and outcome, move to the next 2 problems on your list. 

Celebrate all the small wins the team achieves. 

#NewHampshire 

Personal Growth & Development

 Personal Growth & Development 

—> Create a clear vision of the best possible outcome. 

For personal growth and development it’s critical that we create a precise, accurate vision of your ideal future. 

—> Create a clear vision of the worst possible outcome. 

It’s also very important to create a fairly precise, accurate vision of what your future worst nightmare looks like. 

Future awesomeness. Future nightmare. 

—> Your strengths, positive qualities and characteristics, your constructive energies will move you toward your ideal future vision and away from your future nightmare. 

—> Your weaknesses, negative qualities and characteristics, your destructive energies will move you toward your future nightmare and away from your ideal future vision.

Part of developing your future visions (best and worst) is identifying your strengths - what you will use to move toward your ideal future outcome and away from your worst future nightmare - and your weaknesses - that which will move you away from your ideal future outcome and toward your ideal future. 

—> Know your strengths, your constructive element. 

—> Know your weaknesses, your destructive elements.

K. H. Little Consulting Services

Kenneth H. Little, MA

cell: (603) 726-1006

kenlittle-nh.com

Laziness? Really?

 

No one is lazy.  This is just a harmful, denigrating / self-denigrating, social diagnosis; a social pejorative. 

People do the best that they can. 

If you aren’t doing well, consider the reasons, the real reasons.  This takes careful and deep self-reflection.  

You will need some time.  It’s never easy to figure out what the real problem is.  You may need help.