the WHY question...

During the course of this very short week, many conversations, incidents and issues I had encountered reinforced my mental model on the importance of being "purposeful" in everything we do.


Very often, when we approach a problem or a challenge, we will always jump into the solution mode. We will start asking questions on "WHAT" we need to do to solve the problem. We don't usually think about the "PURPOSE" or objective we hope to achieve - the 'WHY' question. As they saying goes, once you know the WHY, the HOW will be easy.



My key takeaway this week is...

• Always start with the WHY question- your purpose or objective.
• Then you go to the HOW question- your possible strategies.
• And finally, your WHAT question - ways to execute your strategies.

I also felt that this sequence of communication is very powerful, especially if you are in a leadership position. Please allow me to explain.

My mental models on this thinking are,

1. People buy into your WHY and not your WHAT or HOW; and
2. The capacity and potential of the people you lead is so much more that you think. So have faith in them to sort out the how once they are clear of the why.

So if leaders are able to clarify and connect his people to the WHY. You can almost be assured that the people you lead will sort out the WHAT and the HOW. Therefore, when you communicate, always start with

• WHY you are doing this?
• WHY the team needs to work on this?
• WHY this project is important and key? etc

Always clarify your "end" in mind. Once your people buy into your WHY (Purpose), the HOW and the WHAT becomes easier.

So, WHY are you reading this? and WHAT are you going to do about this?


picture source: photobucket

My DAILY 5

It has been a very busy and hectic week for me. When you are overwhelmed with work, sometimes you can lose your focus in life as you fight the daily "fires" and projects at work. I am glad that I was able to reflect daily and ask myself the critical question on "Why am I here?". We need to constantly go back to the core purpose of our existence so that we can stay focused on what are the really important things in our lives.

To help me to stay focus on a daily basis, besides my personal mission and core purpose, I have my DAILY 5 to guide me. These DAILY 5s constantly remind me what are the little things I must do on a daily basis in order to achieve my BIGGER things in life. I'm glad I have my DAILY 5s to guide me along. Do you have yours? If not, time to think about these DAILY 5s of yours. Everyone will have their own DAILY 5s. Reflect deeply and discover your own. If not now, when?

Jim

“One must care about a world one will not see.”

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970);
philosopher, mathematician

Don't Change the World

Once upon a time, there was a king who ruled a prosperous country. One day, he went for a trip to some distant areas of his country. When he was back to his palace, he complained that his feet were very painful, because it was the first time that he went for such a long trip, and the road that he went through was very rough and stony. He then ordered his people to cover every road of the entire country with leather. Definitely, this would need thousands of cows' skin, and would cost a huge amount of money.

Then one of his wise servant dared himself to tell the king, "Why do you have to spend that unnecessary amount of money ? Why don't you just cut a little piece of leather to cover your feet ?"

The king was surprised, but he later agreed to his suggestion, to make a "shoe" for himself.

There is actually a valuable lesson of life in this story : to make this world a happy place to live, you better change yourself - your heart; and not the world.

Author: Unknown

7 Wonders

Lessons from an Oyster

There once was an oyster
Whose story I tell,
Who found that some sand
Had got into his shell.

It was only a grain,
but it gave him great pain.
For oysters have feelings
Although they're so plain.

Now, did he berate
the harsh workings of fate
That had brought him
To such a deplorable state?

Did he curse at the government,
Cry for election,
And claim that the sea should
Have given him protection?

'No,' he said to himself
As he lay on a shell,
Since I cannot remove it,
I shall try to improve it.

Now the years have rolled around,
As the years always do,
And he came to his ultimate
Destiny ­stew.

And the small grain of sand
That had bothered him so
Was a beautiful pearl
All richly aglow.

Now the tale has a moral,
for isn't it grand
What an oyster can do
With a morsel of sand?

What couldn't we do
If we'd only begin
With some of the things
That get under our skin.

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

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