If you want a good answer then start with a better question.
We ask students, "What do you want to do for a living?"
The result? Life today as we know it.
What if we began asking students, "What kind of lifestyle do you want to lead?"
I wonder where their imaginations would take them? I wonder how they might see things differently? I wonder what life would look like?
houston@figment-consulting.com
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label inspiration. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Monday, September 23, 2019
Failure is not tolerated
Middle schoolers in this public school must write a two-page paper on why they failed and what they intend to do about it each time they receive a D or F on a test or project. Then, they must get their parents to sign it along with the teacher, and even the principal if it is a recurring problem.
Why? Because at this school "failure is not tolerated."
The result is that the students get to redo the project or retake the test and the scores are averaged together. Who wins? Sounds like the school does to me.
What exactly does this teach the students? Does it teach them the difference between failing and failure? Does it teach them that failing is part of the success process? Does it teach them that failing can actually lead to success?
Or, does it teach them to fear the prospect of failure? And, when we are afraid to fail, we become afraid to try. And, when we are afraid to try, mediocrity sets in, ambivalence takes over, and apathy becomes our driver.
Edison might have given up if he had to write a two-page paper each time he failed. Steve Jobs may never have pushed through with the Mac II when the original Mac sales were disappointing. Walt Disney would have never found Mickey. And, none of us would be standing right now, let alone walking (because as a baby we become intimately acquainted with failure as we learn to stand and walk).
We tend to think the problem with education is found in grammar, math, and history. I wonder if it is found in the way we treat those we say we care about the most.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Why? Because at this school "failure is not tolerated."
The result is that the students get to redo the project or retake the test and the scores are averaged together. Who wins? Sounds like the school does to me.
What exactly does this teach the students? Does it teach them the difference between failing and failure? Does it teach them that failing is part of the success process? Does it teach them that failing can actually lead to success?
Or, does it teach them to fear the prospect of failure? And, when we are afraid to fail, we become afraid to try. And, when we are afraid to try, mediocrity sets in, ambivalence takes over, and apathy becomes our driver.
Edison might have given up if he had to write a two-page paper each time he failed. Steve Jobs may never have pushed through with the Mac II when the original Mac sales were disappointing. Walt Disney would have never found Mickey. And, none of us would be standing right now, let alone walking (because as a baby we become intimately acquainted with failure as we learn to stand and walk).
We tend to think the problem with education is found in grammar, math, and history. I wonder if it is found in the way we treat those we say we care about the most.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Friday, September 20, 2019
A Zig and a Fig
"You cannot perform in a manner inconsistent with the way you see yourself." Zig Ziglar
Our behavior is inspired by our beliefs. These beliefs are not in what we can have in life but in what we are worthy to receive and hold onto. Our belief in ourselves guides our behavior, produces the results we see in our lives, and either lifts us higher or restrains us from what we might become.
Perhaps if we spent more time in school working to elevate the confidence each student has in themselves, the other results might just manifest too.
A "C" student becomes an "A" student when they first believe they are an "A" student. Sometimes though, they must make a temporary stop at "B" just to make sure.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Tuesday, September 17, 2019
Customer service in schools? Don't let data guide you.
Customer service is not a program. It is not an initiative. It is not the technology you use. It is not something you do.
And please, whatever you do, don't let data lead the way. For many years the number one question asked by guests at the Magic Kingdom, according to data, was, "What time does the 3 o'clock parade start?"
Imagine if Walt Disney World had spent an inordinate amount of time seeking ways to ensure the guests understood that the 3 o'clock parade began at 3 o'clock. It would not have minimized the question and Disney would have been dumbfounded because the data told them this was the problem. (See point 3 below for the answer)
Too many schools work from the outside-in. They launch initiatives to offset parent problems or an influx of calls. They purchase new technology in order to make it easier for parents to connect with the schools. And, they gather data that tells them how many parents are complaining about X, Y, or Z so they can then work to alleviate X, Y, or Z.
Over time the band-aid approach of initiatives fails and schools are left to wonder why. So, they move on to purchase new technology or reassess the data and the pattern begins again.
Where are they going wrong?
1. Amy Cuddy, a Harvard Psychologist, and TED speaker, says that "how you say something is more important than what you say."
Walt Disney World understands that customer service (guest experience) must be a culture -- not a program nor an initiative. And, technology must serve the guest experience culture and bring value to it. And, data? Well, data is used properly to help Walt Disney World identify pain points and delight opportunities. You see, customer service is not an effort to overcome a bad experience. It is also an opportunity to build experiences that continually delight the customer and build loyalty.
More importantly, Walt Disney World understands that how you say something carries more weight than what you say. But, when HOW and WHAT merge together seamlessly and both are done properly, delight is the result.
2. If schools truly want to serve their students then they must move beyond the idea of initiatives and programs. They must place technology and data where they belong. They must, I repeat, must move toward a culture of service that permeates the school.
My oldest son started his college experience in a class designed to assist new students with the college experience and, hopefully, lead to better retention of students. His professor, on the first day of class, spent much of the time sharing how much he cared about them and wanted them to succeed. "I am here for you this semester to make sure you have a great experience," is what he told them. One week later he was gone, replaced by a new professor who repeated the same content. Why? Because it was an initiative of the university and for those who led it, they had their script to follow but their heart was not in it.
Another professor of his that same semester went about her duties of teaching and guiding the students, answering their questions, encouraging them, and working to inspire them. When she would see my son on campus, she would walk over and ask him how he was doing and how his other classes were going. She didn't need to tell him how much she cared but when she said it, he knew she meant it. For her, it was not a program nor a script. It is who she is, not what she does.
Three years later when she sees him she still inquires about his well-being.
3. Back to the 3 o'clock parade. Disney understood that the real question being asked was somewhere below the surface. The data did not guide them, rather it assisted them because they kept it where it needed to stay -- in a support role. Once they uncovered the real question being asked, they then built it into their culture of how to answer it (how you say something). (If you want to know what they did, shoot me an email - houston@figment-consulting.com)
When a student says something improper in a school that has a customer-service culture, they understand the real issue might lie below the surface. And, they are trained to look for it, be open to it, and how to probe for it.
It has a completely different feel to it.
Start with these three tenets and you can begin to build a customer service culture in your school -- one that will last and one that will radically improve the relationships you desire with your students and parents.
houston@figment-consulting.com
And please, whatever you do, don't let data lead the way. For many years the number one question asked by guests at the Magic Kingdom, according to data, was, "What time does the 3 o'clock parade start?"
Imagine if Walt Disney World had spent an inordinate amount of time seeking ways to ensure the guests understood that the 3 o'clock parade began at 3 o'clock. It would not have minimized the question and Disney would have been dumbfounded because the data told them this was the problem. (See point 3 below for the answer)
Too many schools work from the outside-in. They launch initiatives to offset parent problems or an influx of calls. They purchase new technology in order to make it easier for parents to connect with the schools. And, they gather data that tells them how many parents are complaining about X, Y, or Z so they can then work to alleviate X, Y, or Z.
Over time the band-aid approach of initiatives fails and schools are left to wonder why. So, they move on to purchase new technology or reassess the data and the pattern begins again.
Where are they going wrong?
1. Amy Cuddy, a Harvard Psychologist, and TED speaker, says that "how you say something is more important than what you say."
Walt Disney World understands that customer service (guest experience) must be a culture -- not a program nor an initiative. And, technology must serve the guest experience culture and bring value to it. And, data? Well, data is used properly to help Walt Disney World identify pain points and delight opportunities. You see, customer service is not an effort to overcome a bad experience. It is also an opportunity to build experiences that continually delight the customer and build loyalty.
More importantly, Walt Disney World understands that how you say something carries more weight than what you say. But, when HOW and WHAT merge together seamlessly and both are done properly, delight is the result.
2. If schools truly want to serve their students then they must move beyond the idea of initiatives and programs. They must place technology and data where they belong. They must, I repeat, must move toward a culture of service that permeates the school.
My oldest son started his college experience in a class designed to assist new students with the college experience and, hopefully, lead to better retention of students. His professor, on the first day of class, spent much of the time sharing how much he cared about them and wanted them to succeed. "I am here for you this semester to make sure you have a great experience," is what he told them. One week later he was gone, replaced by a new professor who repeated the same content. Why? Because it was an initiative of the university and for those who led it, they had their script to follow but their heart was not in it.
Another professor of his that same semester went about her duties of teaching and guiding the students, answering their questions, encouraging them, and working to inspire them. When she would see my son on campus, she would walk over and ask him how he was doing and how his other classes were going. She didn't need to tell him how much she cared but when she said it, he knew she meant it. For her, it was not a program nor a script. It is who she is, not what she does.
Three years later when she sees him she still inquires about his well-being.
3. Back to the 3 o'clock parade. Disney understood that the real question being asked was somewhere below the surface. The data did not guide them, rather it assisted them because they kept it where it needed to stay -- in a support role. Once they uncovered the real question being asked, they then built it into their culture of how to answer it (how you say something). (If you want to know what they did, shoot me an email - houston@figment-consulting.com)
When a student says something improper in a school that has a customer-service culture, they understand the real issue might lie below the surface. And, they are trained to look for it, be open to it, and how to probe for it.
It has a completely different feel to it.
Start with these three tenets and you can begin to build a customer service culture in your school -- one that will last and one that will radically improve the relationships you desire with your students and parents.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Monday, September 16, 2019
A blank sheet of paper . . .
In 1974 Marty Sklar had just been promoted to creative leader of Walt Disney Imagineering -- the creative force behind the theme parks and other guest experiences. At the time Walt Disney World in Florida had just opened and EPCOT Center was on its way (Disneyland in California was in operation). Over his tenure as the leader, it grew to eleven theme parks across the globe on three continents.
Back to 1974 though. In one of his first meetings, Sklar set out a black piece of paper in front of the Imagineers who had gathered for the launch.
"There are two ways to look at a blank sheet of paper," Sklar told the creative team. "It can be the most frightening thing in the world because you have to make the first mark on it. Or it can be the greatest opportunity in the world because you get to make the first mark -- you can let your imagination fly in any direction, and create whole new worlds!"
If a blank sheet of paper were placed in front of you, how would you see it? Answering that question can make all the difference in the world as to what you may or may not create moving forward.
Back to 1974 though. In one of his first meetings, Sklar set out a black piece of paper in front of the Imagineers who had gathered for the launch.
"There are two ways to look at a blank sheet of paper," Sklar told the creative team. "It can be the most frightening thing in the world because you have to make the first mark on it. Or it can be the greatest opportunity in the world because you get to make the first mark -- you can let your imagination fly in any direction, and create whole new worlds!"
If a blank sheet of paper were placed in front of you, how would you see it? Answering that question can make all the difference in the world as to what you may or may not create moving forward.
Friday, August 26, 2016
One Little Spark: One customer's response makes all the difference to one mom
In hopes of offering something different, I wanted to share this with you. It is a story from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch from Aisha Sultan.
In this story, you will see how one customer's response made all the difference in the world to a mom with a high-functioning autistic child. It gives us all something to think about and my hope is it encourages each of us to proactively look for ways to bring a little spark of encouragement to someone this weekend.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Wednesday, August 17, 2016
I Am Free
'I Am Free' is the debut song of former American Idol contestant Terrian Bass. It is a beautiful song from a wonderful young lady whose story is an inspiring one.
We here at Figment were proud to be part of Team Terrian and the launch of her musical career. And while the story we have to share with her continues, the beginning of the journey was a huge success.
We invite you to visit her re-imagined website www.terrianbass.com, download her debut song for free, and become a part of her story.
Figment handled:
* Website re-imagining
* Marketing strategy and development
* Public relations
* Lyric video development
* Social media strategy
* Overall messaging strategy
At the end of the day though, her success is due to the beauty of her song, and the message it holds.
Thanks Terrian for allowing us to play a small role.
houston@figment-consulting.com
We here at Figment were proud to be part of Team Terrian and the launch of her musical career. And while the story we have to share with her continues, the beginning of the journey was a huge success.
We invite you to visit her re-imagined website www.terrianbass.com, download her debut song for free, and become a part of her story.
Figment handled:
* Website re-imagining
* Marketing strategy and development
* Public relations
* Lyric video development
* Social media strategy
* Overall messaging strategy
At the end of the day though, her success is due to the beauty of her song, and the message it holds.
Thanks Terrian for allowing us to play a small role.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Monday, August 15, 2016
Walk the thought
I know, it is supposed to be walk the talk.
But, we can deceive ourselves and others by saying one thing -- something that sounds so wonderful -- yet not actually doing it.
However, when it comes to walking the thought, well that is absolutely what we do each day, whether we believe it or not, like it or not.
Whatever we believe about ourselves manifests before us. Whatever stories we tell ourselves show themselves in our lives. Whatever thoughts dominate our minds display themselves in our daily walk.
If you desire to change your walk, don't start with your talk. Instead, begin with your thoughts.
houston@figment-consulting.com
But, we can deceive ourselves and others by saying one thing -- something that sounds so wonderful -- yet not actually doing it.
However, when it comes to walking the thought, well that is absolutely what we do each day, whether we believe it or not, like it or not.
Whatever we believe about ourselves manifests before us. Whatever stories we tell ourselves show themselves in our lives. Whatever thoughts dominate our minds display themselves in our daily walk.
If you desire to change your walk, don't start with your talk. Instead, begin with your thoughts.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
How much is a piece of tape worth?
If you stop at Target, you can pick up a roll of Duct Tape for around $6-$8 plus tax.
Measure about a 6 inch length and cut it off.
Then, tape it across your mouth, and it becomes priceless.
Can you see the ordinary in extraordinary ways? If you do, you have the potential of creating something magical.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Figment Consulting looks for the extraordinary in the ordinary, bringing out fresh ideas that stick.
Measure about a 6 inch length and cut it off.
Then, tape it across your mouth, and it becomes priceless.
Can you see the ordinary in extraordinary ways? If you do, you have the potential of creating something magical.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Figment Consulting looks for the extraordinary in the ordinary, bringing out fresh ideas that stick.
Friday, July 8, 2016
The thing about thoughts
Are you afraid of being wrong?
Is it ever your fault, or can you find other reasons?
Can you take on a viewpoint different than your own, even if only for a little while?
Can you see the other side's point of view? Have you ever tried to understand it?
Do you ever second guess your decisions?
Are decisions difficult to make for you? Easier to let someone else make them?
Have you ever thought that making no decision is really a decision?
Are you waiting for things to get better before you do?
How easy is it for you to quit?
What does "playing it safe" mean to you?
What are the stories you tell yourself to help you make it through the day?
You see, the thing about thoughts is that they impact us far greater than we realize. The real value in this exercise is not to analyze the answers you provided to the questions, but rather to analyze the feelings and emotions that were stirred by reading the questions.
If your feelings contradicted your answers, well, that is the realm where thoughts truly are things. And that is where the real change must occur.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Is it ever your fault, or can you find other reasons?
Can you take on a viewpoint different than your own, even if only for a little while?
Can you see the other side's point of view? Have you ever tried to understand it?
Do you ever second guess your decisions?
Are decisions difficult to make for you? Easier to let someone else make them?
Have you ever thought that making no decision is really a decision?
Are you waiting for things to get better before you do?
How easy is it for you to quit?
What does "playing it safe" mean to you?
What are the stories you tell yourself to help you make it through the day?
You see, the thing about thoughts is that they impact us far greater than we realize. The real value in this exercise is not to analyze the answers you provided to the questions, but rather to analyze the feelings and emotions that were stirred by reading the questions.
If your feelings contradicted your answers, well, that is the realm where thoughts truly are things. And that is where the real change must occur.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Make each day a masterpiece?
So, why should we strive to make each day a masterpiece? It is a pain-staking process, wrought with blood, sweat, and tears. Then, we put it on display hoping others will approve, much less buy it.
I say, instead of a masterpiece, let's allow each day to be an abstract, and let's simply create something fresh. What if we strove to simply add some color to the day, some texture, some lines rather than spend our time trying to produce some masterpiece?
It's not settling. Nor is it taking the easy way out. It is simply redirecting our expectations and allowing our day to be an abstract one where we spend our time cultivating joy, not tears.
One little spark of inspiration: Make each day messy.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Monday, June 13, 2016
There's still good in the world
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| Every purchase creates a kinder world. |
I mentioned to her that my trip came just a week after the TWA flight 847 from Athens to Rome was hijacked by Shiite Hezbollah terrorists who were looking for "Jewish-sounding names."
My flight to Israel was transferring through Rome so it certainly caught my eye back then. In relaying this story to my professor, what I remember most is her response.
"I have always believed that as long as stories such as hijackings are on the front page of the newspaper then the world is still good. It's when those stories move to the back page, that's when we are in trouble."
Fast-forward a few decades and we have a tragedy such as the one yesterday in Orlando. While not minimizing the horrific act of terror this was, nor the level of tragedy and effect it will have on survivors, family members, relatives, and others, what I do know is that it is still front page news.
We see stories like this on a more regular basis -- perhaps it is the 24-hour news cycle where the top five stories are repeated throughout the day and that drives the negative into our subconscious, or perhaps it is the impact of social media where stupid people now have a platform to share their hate and put their stupidity on full display. Or, perhaps it is a combination of both and it is a perpetuating cycle that simply becomes a circular argument.
Whatever the reasons, I offer that these stories are still front page news. And, I would offer that the words of my professor over thirty years ago still ring true, "the world is still good."
Sometimes it just doesn't feel that way.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Saturday, June 4, 2016
Be you
There is no other you like you.
And no one can be just like you.
In fact, no one can be as good of a you as you.
So, why be someone else when what we need is you.
Let them be them and you be you.
The world would be less of a place if you were someone else.
So, be you.
Be all of you.
Be only you.
Be you and we will all be better for it.
houston@figment-consulting.com
And no one can be just like you.
In fact, no one can be as good of a you as you.
So, why be someone else when what we need is you.
Let them be them and you be you.
The world would be less of a place if you were someone else.
So, be you.
Be all of you.
Be only you.
Be you and we will all be better for it.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Thursday, June 2, 2016
The why of your life
"The two most important days in your life are the day you were born, and the day you find out why."
Mark Twain
What's fascinating to me is that finding out why is not a search we undertake. Instead it is a decision we can make.
By deciding who you want to be, and what you want in life, you can determine the why of your life.
Think about it.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Mark Twain
What's fascinating to me is that finding out why is not a search we undertake. Instead it is a decision we can make.
By deciding who you want to be, and what you want in life, you can determine the why of your life.
Think about it.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Friday, May 27, 2016
Thursday, May 26, 2016
Futuristic Chinese bus concept
The Transit Elevated Bus (TEB) rides high allowing the cars to pass underneath, or it to pass over the cars.
How would you feel seeing one of these in NYC or Chicago?
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Why you will fail
Larry Smith pulls no punches in this evocative TED Talk.
Where are you on the excuse spectrum? Are you pursuing your passion in life no matter what others might say? Or, are you using one of the excuses he talks about to keep you from sharing your best self with us?
I know which one is mine. Which excuse is yours? And, when will we stop using them?
Tuesday, May 10, 2016
Our biggest failure
is not found in what we did wrong.
Rather it is found in what we were afraid to try.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Rather it is found in what we were afraid to try.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
It's only mountains
But, do we know how to make a molehill out of a mountain?
Whether a mountain or a molehill you can still simply go around.
You can also go over either one.
And remember, the view from the mountain is more breathtaking than the one from the molehill.
We can help you navigate the path and enjoy the journey.
houston@figment-consulting.com
Thursday, April 14, 2016
The solution is . . .
. . . dependent upon the question being asked.
We spend countless hours searching for solutions. We waste hours upon hours in meetings discussing possible solutions.
We fire and hire based on finding solutions.
Anyone stop to make sure we are asking the right question?
Why are our sales declining? Why are customers leaving us? What can we do to increase sales? What can we do to attract new customers?
All are centered around the same problem yet each is a distinctly different question that will provide different solutions. The real problem is which question is best asked so we can find the proper solution?
houston@figment-consulting.com
We spend countless hours searching for solutions. We waste hours upon hours in meetings discussing possible solutions.
We fire and hire based on finding solutions.
Anyone stop to make sure we are asking the right question?
Why are our sales declining? Why are customers leaving us? What can we do to increase sales? What can we do to attract new customers?
All are centered around the same problem yet each is a distinctly different question that will provide different solutions. The real problem is which question is best asked so we can find the proper solution?
houston@figment-consulting.com
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