More on Pure Thoughts

The title sounds a bit reminiscent of the KISS rule, Keep It Simple Stupid; but the pun is unintentional.

Your thoughts are your business but the idea that you become those thoughts over time. Then the business of your mind becomes public domain. This was the case and still is the case of many writers. This is the intention of said writers. To exercise the thoughts from their mind into a tangible medium.

In the case of Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (AD 161–180), his intention was just that, to take the thoughts out of his head and attach it to a tangible object. His diary, Meditations, was intended for his eyes only. It is a rare glimpse into the world of a man who had a difficult job bestowed upon him. He had to rule the Roman Empire. And rule he did. Classified as the prime example of the golden age of Rome, he did a great many things in his time. The driving force he used was a set of principles that held him accountable not only for his actions but his thoughts as well.

"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts, therefore guard accordingly; and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue, and reasonable nature." —Marcus Aurelius

In order to create anything, having a clean slate to start with is ideal. Often times this is not always possible, but it is an ideal nonetheless. Having clear thoughts is the first principle on how to achieve your goals.

Going back to the idea of the importance of clarity, if we take it a step further we can see how we can actually improve resolution. By having a clear mind going into a project, the outcomes will be limitless. By going into a project with an agenda, these barricades will obstruct clarity.

How then is the best way to go into project? Of course we have an idea of what we want to or would like to accomplish. Otherwise why would we have a meeting?

If the meeting to tell the other side what we (as a group) are going to do, then it is not a collaboration, but a directive. If we first seek to understand each other and offer solutions based on the needs analysis of the situation, then we are a step closer to having clarity.


In Pulp Fiction, Uma asks "Are you the kinda person that waits to speaks, or listens?"


Do you really listen?


Thanks!

Matthew, MB



Beat your mental.

The Elegant K I S S

My junior high school art teacher was a funny man. I could tell you many jokes he told us, but I'd rather remember him for his rules of simplicity in design rather than his sailor mouth.


He introduced us to the KISS rule. His version was Keep It Simple Stupid! Sure it was negative, but that didn't keep Walter Matthau from bossing The Bad News Bears into a winning season.

I digress.

The KISS rule works if all you want to do is simplify. However, in complex situations does this rule still work?

In trying to achieve simple solutions to complex issues the wave of mutilation must first be surfed. The process of learning all that can be learned about a problem will ideally result in the satori of solutions, the elegant solution.


This effortless outcome that seems so obvious it is not even dared questioned.

When this idea falls in line with things that contain beauty with simplicity and functionality coupled with harmony, this is the frame work for ideal idea generation.

More on this later.

Beat your mental!


Matthew, MB

The Importance of Clarity

Clarity is simply the state of how clear something is. Something is clear when it is free from obstructions, blemishes, errors, doubt, or confusion.

Clarity is a principle that is key to the foundation of true communication.

I recently watched a video where Steven Covey talked about the concept of execution gap. This where there are goals and there are people, but there is something missing in getting things done.

Mr. Covey goes on to say that clear goals needs to be communicated effectively. Communication only happens when a message is received and understood. If the second point is missing then no communication has taken place. Therefore the message is not clear.
How then is a message clearly communicated?

Simply stated, first seek to understand then be understood. This is much easier said then done, but clarifing communication in the beginning is much more useful then trying to communincate excuses towards the end. Have you ever said, "I thought you meant …" or "I heard you say …." This is an unfortunate reality of many miscommunicated messages.

The techniques for clarifying communication are beyond the scope of this post, but I will say that paraphrasing, albeit can sound condescending at times, it a powerful tool.

Regardless, this is the first key in communicating a clear message.

The next point assumes the goals have been clearly communicated but the new challenge is personalization. Not in the sense of customization. Rather what does this message mean to the person or people it is being communicated to? Is it personal? Does it connect with them in a meaningful way? This is an interesting parallel to Krashen's idea of meaningful input for second language acquisition. Meaningful communication learned naturally is retained at a higher rate than language learned by rote.

In other words, repeating the message won't clarify it, but relating it how it will be in the interest of the other person will help to make it meaningful. It is like the WIIFM theory
(What's in it for me) where the details outside of my personal sphere are of not interest to me.

The direct connection of meaningful input to an individual's buy-in is critical in providing motivation. This motivation can secure ownership. Mr. Covey suggests the individuals that do not take ownership of goal will not have the passion needed to make it happen.

Is the message clear and is it personalized? The answer to this question is the second key.

Finally Mr. Covey says if the communication is clear and ownership has been taken, the last obstruction to execution is clarity of role? If I am ready to jump in, I want to know what I should do when I land. David Allen says that a worker who cranks widgets at his job knows what his schedule is like everyday. He sees a beginning and an end (an often coveted lunch break too, I suppose). He role is to crank widgets at 9:00 - 17:00. At the end of the day, he goes home. (See interview from AC).

This is a clear role, this is the final key to closing the execution gap. As mentioned in an earlier post, Miller states that short term memory is limited to 7 ±2 chunks of information. Using this as a baseline it could be assumed that a role with more that 7 ±2 hats is not a clear goal. For the purposes of clarity a role should be limited to one hat. A resource can be assigned multiple roles, but each role should should be clear.

To sum this up, clarity is important because if the message is not communicated and not made personal and the roles are not unique then we can expect an execution gap to occur. By clarifying goals, meaningfulness, and roles we can increase our chances of success.


Thanks for you ear!


Matthew, MB

Beat your Mental