These questions have no right or wrong answers.

Because sometimes asking the right questions is the answer.

1. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
2. Which is worse, failing or never trying?
3. If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do?
4. When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
5. What is the one thing you’d most like to change about the world?
6. If happiness was the national currency, what kind of work would make you rich?
7. Are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?
8. If the average human life span was 40 years, how would you live your life differently?
9. To what degree have you actually controlled the course your life has taken?
10. Are you more worried about doing things right, or doing the right things?
11. You’re having lunch with three people you respect and admire.  They all start criticizing a close friend of yours, not knowing she is your friend.  The criticism is distasteful and unjustified.  What do you do?
12. If you could offer a newborn child only one piece of advice, what would it be?
13. Would you break the law to save a loved one?
14. Have you ever seen insanity where you later saw creativity?
15. What’s something you know you do differently than most people?
16. How come the things that make you happy don’t make everyone happy?
17. What one thing have you not done that you really want to do?  What’s holding you back?
18. Are you holding onto something you need to let go of?
19. If you had to move to a state or country besides the one you currently live in, where would you move and why?
20. Do you push the elevator button more than once?  Do you really believe it makes the elevator faster?
21. Would you rather be a worried genius or a joyful simpleton?
22. Why are you, you?
23. Have you been the kind of friend you want as a friend?
24. Which is worse, when a good friend moves away, or losing touch with a good friend who lives right near you?
25. What are you most grateful for?
26. Would you rather lose all of your old memories, or never be able to make new ones?
27. Is is possible to know the truth without challenging it first?
28. Has your greatest fear ever come true?
29. Do you remember that time 5 years ago when you were extremely upset?  Does it really matter now?
30. What is your happiest childhood memory?  What makes it so special?
31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
32. If not now, then when?
33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
36. Is it possible to know, without a doubt, what is good and what is evil?
37. If you just won a million dollars, would you quit your job?
38. Would you rather have less work to do, or more work you actually enjoy doing?
39. Do you feel like you’ve lived this day a hundred times before?
40. When was the last time you marched into the dark with only the soft glow of an idea you strongly believed in?
41. If you knew that everyone you know was going to die tomorrow, who would you visit today?
42. Would you be willing to reduce your life expectancy by 10 years to become extremely attractive or famous?
43. What is the difference between being alive and truly living?
44. When is it time to stop calculating risk and rewards, and just go ahead and do what you know is right?
45. If we learn from our mistakes, why are we always so afraid to make a mistake?
46. What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?
47. When was the last time you noticed the sound of your own breathing?
48. What do you love?  Have any of your recent actions openly expressed this love?
49. In 5 years from now, will you remember what you did yesterday?  What about the day before that?  Or the day before that?
50. Decisions are being made right now.  The question is:  Are you making them for yourself, or are you letting others make them for you?

 

P.S http://www.brazencareerist.com/profile/marc

Having spent many years perfecting the art (and it is an art) I would be happy to share my experience with some skiving competencies to help you provide people with feedback. Product development could then look at a new book (The One Minute Skiver?) and virtual training programme to address any skills gaps.

 

1. Ability to stride through the office with a serious look on your face
2. Ability to carry a totally unrelated piece of paper and wave it importantly
3. Ability to sidestep key questions such as “Are you busy? Do you have a moment?” And the most difficult “What are you working on currently?”
4. Ability to disrupt colleagues with spurious “urgent demands” (Keeps them on the back foot and stops them asking awkward questions)
5. Ability to disrupt colleagues with 20 minutes of social talk which you then end by saying “Anyway, can’t stay here chatting to you all day, some of us have work to do!”
6. Ability to sigh dramatically and say “this will take ages!” whilst looking at Facebook on your work laptop
7. Ability to get clients to book calls or meetings (local to home) at 12.30 on a Friday
8. The most important of all. The ability to suppress the odd waves of guilt that can get in the way of proper skiving

 

Five quid says your all thinking of someone right now!

Definitions of Blogs on the Web:

• A blog (a contraction of the term weblog) is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary …
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blogs 
• blog – read, write, or edit a shared on-line journal
• blog – web log: a shared on-line journal where people can post diary entries about their personal experiences and hobbies; “postings on a blog are …
  wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn 
• blogger – a person who keeps and updates a blog
  wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn 

In these tough economic times it’s important to remember that we Consulting Partners are a multi-talented group of individuals who would be successful in any number of careers. It was refreshing for me to learn that, rather than whine about a lack of training days, many of our group are using their talents to earn extra money during off-hours and following is only a partial list of what some of us are doing to make ends meet:

1) Our leader Kathleen has advertised her services as a “horse whisperer” and, borrowing from her equine misadventure from a few years back, her training focuses primarily on what not to whisper to your horse.
2) Under the stage name “C. Daddy”, Chris Edmonds is performing a wide variety of musical gems ranging from folk rock to hip-hop in area nightclubs. Chris is currently booked at the Wonder Bar in Alamosa, CO. If you’re in the area over the 4th of July holiday be sure to take in his set.
3) Dick Ruhe is doing stand-up comedy and you can catch Dick’s hilarious commentary on political topics at the Escondido Holiday Inn Express businessman’s cocktail hour Fridays and Saturdays through July 24th.
4) “Dreamboat Annie” Phillips can be seen modeling footwear in the Sunday newspaper advertising insert for The Gap stores. Annie, never wanting to be “just another foot”, leaves the pinkie toe nail of her left foot unpainted so that fans will recognize her.
5) Vicki Halsey has revived her competitive swimming talents. As a credit to Vicki, rather than violate her amateur status, she enters only events that don’t offer a cash prize. She has, however, made a pretty penny by melting down and selling the gold and silver medals that she’s won.
6) Although technically illegal, but nonetheless entrepreneurial, Neil Haveron brings a variety of Cuban cigars into the U.S. and sells them to affectionados state side.
7) John Lusardi is a security guard at a Boise shopping mall and was hired as an onset consultant for the movie “Mall Cop.” Jim Atwood runs a submarine sandwich shop. What sets Jim’s shop apart from the thousands of other sub shops is that he sells sandwiches that are actually served on submarines, giving him the corner on the niche of retired naval personnel searching for a touch of nostalgia.

Please feel free to add to this list as I’m sure I’ve left out some of you who may (or may not) want to share your after-hours endeavors.

Happy 4th!!

Tom

So the office of the future created, yet another White Paper.  This one is about creating a Motivating work environment. Honestly, it’s a long read but well worth it .

(Excerpt from the paper)

This research sheds light on the important topic of

Employee passion and commitment. What kind of

environment do great leaders create, and how do

they behave to foster a motivating environment?

What differences appear across generational cohort,

gender, and personality type? Understanding these

differences can help leaders adjust their behavioral

tendencies to better meet the needs of the people

they support and depend upon. This study examines

the following issues:

What are the elements of a high-performing work

environment?

What does a leader do to create that environment?

What characteristics are associated with leaders who

are considered outstanding?

What are the beliefs of outstanding leaders, and

what is the impact of those beliefs?

What specific actions can leaders take to create a

healthy, exciting work environment?

 

All and all, everyone agreed that to create a stimulating work environment you need to provide people with challenging and varied work. They also noted that people like working with leaders that make them feel valued, respected and cared for. Many respondents added that they appreciated being on a team with their leader and not treated as a subordinate.

 At the end of the day I like my leaders like I like my clothes…Cute, Well manufactured, accentuates my positive assets, doesn’t point out my flaws but allows them to be seen as an imperfect perfection, hugs my body appropriately, and is brought from a brand that I love and Trust.

 

<3 Nish

P.S. To locate the original White Paper…Follow the link!

http://sharepoint.kenblanchard.com/OOF/White%20Papers/2009%20%20Creating%20a%20Motivating%20Work%20Environment%20(External).pdf

Have you heard the latest rumor, that there is a mole in the company? Not the hairy, weird eyes looking mammals that live underground. Or even that disgusting hairy brown thing that linger on peoples bodies. A real life, human being that is leaking secrets to other companies maybe even our competitors! Now in my generation we call that a snitch, a nark, a tattle Tail, or even a rat. I haven’t gotten all the 411 on this individual, but all I can say is that they are amongst us. Are you the mole?

<3 Nish

p.s. Moles are actually kinda cute!

Once considered an ‘online diary’, has now become a new trendy word created for use on the internet to try and make something old and established look new and interesting and to make those who use the word seem relevant. What used to be called a forum where topics of the same subject or area of interest were discussed via posts are now called blogs. Those participating in these online discussions are referred to as bloggers and the act of doing so is called blogging. Soon to be replaced by another trend.

A blog (a contraction of the term weblog) is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary, descriptions of events, or other material such as graphics or video. Entries are commonly displayed in reverse-chronological order (wikipedia.com)

So basically this is a place for Professional Services (staff and Consulting Partners) to have internal conversations on items that pertain to our world. Feel free to leave a comment and our reach out to me if you would like to be a guest blogger.

<3 Nish

P.S Blog on Bloggers!

Everyone has probably heard of the Proverb. The Early Bird gets the worm. Well I’m not a bird and I don’t like worms, so getting up early and being in the office at 8:30am is technically killing me! Oh ok well not killing me but it’s crippling my image! I don’t know about you all, but in my generation image is everything. And coming into the office at 8:30am with the rest of the world, is doing nothing for my individualistic approach to life. After 7 years of working in “Corporate America” it’s official. I’m one of them.

Top 10 reasons I hate Being in the Office at 8:30am

10. I’ve seen more people get pulled over by the Highway Patrol between 8-8:30am then I’ve ever did when I was coming into the office at 9am.

 9. Have you seen the freeway at 8:00? Everyone I mean everyone is trying to get someplace at the same time. That means; Kids, Parents, nannies, DMV workers, ex-cons, principals, and little league coaches.

8. Getting hit on by the homeless man that is digging through my trash cans at 8 in the morning is not who’ve I’ve envisioned as my “early wakeup call”.

7. Isn’t it ironic that all the lights suspiciously turn red when you’re about 5mins away from your final destination?

6. It’s still dark outside, so sometimes I forget if I’m supposed to be coming into the office, or meeting the girls at a club (thank God I have extra clothes in my trunk).

5. The annoying radio DJs that feel the need to talk about whatever and whomever. Play some funky music white boy!

4. Either A. the coffee pot is full or B. The coffee pot is empty. If I knew that I was the “official” coffee maker at work I think I would have strived for a lower college degree.

3. No one calls me (with the exception of Ken) until 12 noon, and if they do call me it’s always on my cell phone!

2. The UK office is still open!

1. I’m the “cool” kid in the office; this coming in at 8:30am is doing nothing for my reputation

<3 Nish

 

P.S Consulting Partners have the life, with every client it’s a new location and new experiences.