Certified Strengths Trainer - Jim Seybert » New Ideas http://strengths.jimseybert.com Helping people maximize their strengths Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:44:05 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Promises, Promises http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/06/promises-promises/ http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/06/promises-promises/#comments Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:06:31 +0000 Jim Seybert http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/06/promises-promises/ Experience has taught me to refrain from making promises about the frequency of blog posts, but I’ve just installed an app to my BlackBerry that allows me to post from where ever I am and this may change the wind.

My goal for the blog is to share observations related to the practice of understanding and [...]]]> http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/06/promises-promises/feed/ 0 In praise of managers http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/05/in-praise-of-managers/ http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/05/in-praise-of-managers/#comments Sat, 08 May 2010 16:40:05 +0000 Jim Seybert http://strengths.jimseybert.com/?p=1876 Pity the lowly manager.

We have a preponderant preoccupation with leaders, leadership and leading these days.

I did a quick Google search and found 30,200,000 pages mentioning “great leaders” and half that many for “great managers.”

We worship leaders and tolerate managers. Leaders are followed (often blindly) while managers are obeyed. Leaders paint pictures of a desired future, managers [...]]]> http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/05/in-praise-of-managers/feed/ 0 Personal Dis-integration http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/05/personal-dis-integration/ http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/05/personal-dis-integration/#comments Tue, 04 May 2010 18:16:16 +0000 Jim Seybert http://strengths.jimseybert.com/?p=1839 The latest edition of Counter Intelligence is available.

This month I explore a practice the ancient Greeks knew as “akrasia” – or as we call these days “square peg in a round hole.”

If you don’t receive a free copy via email every month, you can [...]]]> http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/05/personal-dis-integration/feed/ 0 Changing your angle http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/04/changing-your-angle/ http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/04/changing-your-angle/#comments Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:42:52 +0000 Jim Seybert http://strengths.jimseybert.com/?p=1805 What have you changed your mind about lately?

Two of my StrengthsFinder themes are Ideation and Future, and I’m at my best when challenging people to think differently. This question, “What have you changed your mind about lately?” can be a powerful tool to help someone get a new perspective.

I [...]]]> http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/04/changing-your-angle/feed/ 0 Reaching into the future http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/04/reaching-into-the-future/ http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/04/reaching-into-the-future/#comments Mon, 19 Apr 2010 16:32:16 +0000 Jim Seybert http://strengths.jimseybert.com/?p=1798 It’s all about the future.

Nothing you do today can change the past, and the present is but a series of rapidly passing instants destined to become the past. So, the only time you have any chance of influencing is the future.

You eat a balanced diet, to insure good health – in the future.

http://strengths.jimseybert.com/?p=1775 We’re taught from very early that curiosity is bad.

“Curiosity killed the cat”

“Johnny, you sure do ask a lot of questions”

Curious George the Monkey was in trouble all the time

Oh sure, we rubberneck at traffic accidents, glue our attention to the latest celebrity scandal and scan our social networking channels for tidbits of information about our “friends.” [...]]]> http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/04/is-curiosity-dead/feed/ 1 Things we’ve come to expect http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/04/things-weve-come-to-expect/ http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/04/things-weve-come-to-expect/#comments Tue, 06 Apr 2010 01:02:03 +0000 Jim Seybert http://strengths.jimseybert.com/?p=1768 Despite an annoying penchant for resisting change, we humans are rather adaptable when it comes to things that make our lives easier, or give us pleasure.

“What did we ever do before . . . ?” has become a commonly uttered phrase. And very few would honestly want to return to the days before — you name [...]]]> http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/04/things-weve-come-to-expect/feed/ 0 The Death of Random Discovery http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/03/death-of-discovery/ http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/03/death-of-discovery/#comments Wed, 31 Mar 2010 22:22:11 +0000 Jim Seybert http://strengths.jimseybert.com/?p=1742 It’s rather easy these days to arrange your life so that only those things of which you approve make it to your eyes and ears.

Search engines boast of their ability to serve up the most relevant URLs. Marketers use data to make sure they send you ads for things you might want or need – and nothing [...]]]> http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/03/death-of-discovery/feed/ 0 Haiku and the Decision Making Process http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/03/haiku-decision-making-process/ http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/03/haiku-decision-making-process/#comments Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:56:52 +0000 Jim Seybert http://strengths.jimseybert.com/?p=1734 If a traffic accident occurs directly in front of you as you barrel at 80 miles an hour, your reflexes and instinct take over to help you slam on the brakes, look in the mirror and maneuver the wheel to (hopefully) avoid being part of the imminent mayhem.

If the same accident happens [...]]]> http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/03/haiku-decision-making-process/feed/ 2 iPad and the Weather http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/02/ipad-and-the-weather/ http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/02/ipad-and-the-weather/#comments Thu, 11 Feb 2010 14:22:19 +0000 Jim Seybert http://strengths.jimseybert.com/?p=1655 According to EPM Communication‘s Entertainment Marketing Letter:

82% of consumers had heard of Apple’s new iPad device but only 9% say they’d like to buy one.

Like the weather – everyone’s talking about it, but nobody ever [...]]]> http://strengths.jimseybert.com/2010/02/ipad-and-the-weather/feed/ 0