Archive for September, 2007
Get Real
A vice-president client we’ll call, Joe, recently presented to a group of peers and more senior executives. Half way through the material he lost his place. So, he stood there awkwardly for twenty seconds or so and tried to remember what he was supposed to say next. He cleared his throat, shuffled some papers and paced a few steps before he remembered and got him back on track.
Joe asked me what he could or should have done to avoid getting off track. I offered a few simple ideas about sticking to the core material and not getting into side-bar subjects.
A far bigger issue, though, was how Joe felt during those 20 seconds, and for four days afterward. Joe felt self-conscious, embarrassed and insecure. Why? Because “that is not…
Roger Federer and Executive Learning
In about an hour I will sit down to watch the US Open tennis final between Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. More than watching the tennis, per se, the match takes my mind to thought about learning. For me, it’s a chance to witness two accomplished professionals challenge themselves and each other to perform at the tippy top of their skill range, manage their energy in the face of intense, prolonged requirements and a lot of external distraction, and continually rise and respond to every challenge thrown at them.
US Open tennis is a fantasy for me. I am a twice-a-year hacker who can’t seem to do more than scatter balls around the court in random patterns no matter where I intend them to go. So, I don’t watch tennis…
