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Podcasting: My story
Listen to my latest podcast where I Talk about when and why I started podcasting, my amateur radio roots and why I think we all enjoy communicating and telling stories.
Show Notes
The National Association for Amateur Radio (correction ARRL.org not net)
Link to my My Amateur Radio Weblog (no longer updated)
Awards: Verified communications with 50 states and over 100 countries + Morse code proficiency certificate
Musical selection: Two Sides by Scomber.
Click below to listen or go to the website
The Garraud Files Podcast
The Garraud Files Podcast was created in 2004. In 2005 after 55 episodes or so, I decided to discontinue it due to other pursuits. I recently re-created the GF as a mobile podcast and it is currently been hosted at Libsyn.com. I’m currently using the Bossjock Studio podcasting app (for iPhone and iPad) and the iRig Mic Cast Microphone. The app and microphone mentioned suit my needs perfectly as this podcast will take place mostly while on the go and discuss subject matters relating to business, technology and social media.
Click below and listen to my first episode or check it out at http://rayga.libsyn.com
Asking the Right Questions
As you go about your day to day activities, are you asking the right questions?
For example: Do you love what you do? That question has a lot more relevance today than ever before. People who love what they do are the ones that are doing the best work, being the most productive and making the greatest impact.
With a properly-framed question, finding a worthwhile answer becomes almost straightforward. And when you’re honest with your answers, you can begin the process of making the necessary changes that will impact you both personally and professionally.
In today’s society, we are trained to be solution-finders. In our careers, we are judged by the solutions that we propose, not the questions that we ask. Very often, in many areas of life, we are defined by the solutions we come up with rather than finding the best problems to tackle. Meanwhile, in order to get to the best solutions, we often overlook that asking the right questions in a systematic fashion is really the best way to get to a worthwhile solution.
How do you ask the right questions? Good questions are clear, even if they are broad. They have to be linked to an objective, the challenges posed by current approaches, the decision criteria, and the obstacles to adopting new solutions. Your questions will also depend on the complexity of the issue. Some will be simple, others will require that you delve a bit deeper into the issue.
Be introspective and proactive in managing your career and your life. It’s an effective personal and professional development strategy and it’s how powerful reputations are built. Of course, detailed questions are never as exciting as answers, but they are the starting point for asking the right questions that will in turn lead you to productive answers.
Building a Cathedral
How much are your services worth?
I’m reminded of this story someone shared with me a few years ago:
A French woman, upon seeing Picasso in a Parisian restaurant, approached the great master and insisted that he put down his coffee and make a quick sketch of her. Graciously, Picasso obliged. When he was done, she took the drawing, put it in her handbag, and then pulled out her billfold.
“How much do I owe you?” she asked.
“$5,000,” was Picasso’s reply.
“$5,000? But it took you only three minutes!” she exclaimed.
“No,” Picasso answered. “It took me all my life.”
This short story informs us that there’s value inherent in what we have to offer to the world. Whatever you’ve done up to this point in your life, has either enhanced your skills, improved your marketability and increased your value or held you back from achieving your goals. Think about what your services are worth and plan, deliver and execute accordingly.
The Pygmalion Effect in Management
Successful managers have high expectations, both of themselves and their team. These expectations are powerful, because they’re the frames in which people fit reality. We often see what we expect, rather than what is actually occurring.
Social psychologists have referred to this as the self-fulfilling prophecy or the Pygmalion effect. In Greek mythology, the sculptor Pygmalion carved a statue of a beautiful woman, fell in love with the statue and brought it to life by the strength of his perceptions. Many managers play Pygmalion-like roles in developing people. Research on the phenomenon of self fulfilling prophecies provides ample evidence that people act in ways that are consistent with our expectations of them. If a manager expects a subordinate to fail, they probably will.
Organization builders have their strongest and most powerful influence in times of economic uncertainty and turbulence. When accepted ways of doing things aren’t working well enough, a manager’s strong expectation about the destination, the processes to follow and the capabilities of the team serve as a driving force that gets the team moving in a positive direction.
In addition, great managers tend to not give up on people, because doing so means giving up on themselves, their judgment, and their ability to get the best out of others. When I ask people to describe exemplary managers, they consistently talk about those that were able to bring out the best in them. To have your team’s best interest in mind and doing what is necessary to help them develop the drive and motivation to be successful; that is one of the defining characteristics of a great manager.
