Karl Miller: December 2011

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Willpower is a predictor of life Success. Here's how it works.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/2011/11/07/how-willpower...

Monday, December 26, 2011

NPR.org » Work, Life Balance: VW Agrees To Switch Off After-Hours Email

Does your employer EXPECT you to answer emails after work hours or do you do it willingly?

NPR.org » Work, Life Balance: VW Agrees To Switch Off After-Hours Email
http://m.npr.org/story/144200222?url=/blogs/thetwo-way/2011/12/23/144200222/work-life-balance-vw-agrees-to-switch-off-after-hours-email&sc=tw&ft=1&f=1001

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Saveur Magazine: Island Holiday: Christmas in Puerto Rico

Homage to my homeland. ¡Feliz Navidad!

Island Holiday: Christmas in Puerto Rico

by Kathleen Squires Growing up in New Jersey, Christmas always meant snow, cozy fireplaces, chestnuts, and Santa Claus. But my idea of the holidays ch...

Source: http://goo.gl/mag/vm2L4

Shared via Google Currents

Merry Christmas! ¡Feliz Navidad!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Hack Your Productivity: A Time-Management Geek's 10-Minute Solution | Fast Company

How are you going to get more out of 2012?

http://www.fastcompany.com/1802627/your-most-productive-week-ever?partner=bes...

Friday, December 23, 2011

Article: Be More Productive by Making Better Daily Choices

Be More Productive by Making Better Daily Choices
http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/12/the_quest_for_efficiency_and.html

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Article: Boost Your Career with Social Media: Tips for the Uninitiated

Boost Your Career with Social Media: Tips for the Uninitiated
http://blogs.hbr.org/hmu/2011/12/boost-your-career-with-social.html

Friday, December 16, 2011

Article: 11 Expert Tips on How to Set Life- and Business-Changing Goals for the New Year

11 Expert Tips on How to Set Life- and Business-Changing Goals for the New Year
http://www.forbes.com/sites/thebigenoughcompany/2011/12/15/11-expert-tips-on-how-to-set-life-and-business-changing-goals-for-the-new-year/

Thursday, December 15, 2011

5 Ways to Prepare for a Potentially Contentious Meeting

Most of us don't like confrontation but the reality is that confrontation is sometimes part of life. When we are lucky enough to know it is coming (and I believe that most of the time you will know beforehand...but that is fodder for another post), there are a few things you can do to prepare that can make the encounter a little less heated and unpleasant. These strategies also make it more likely all parties come out with an outcome they can live with.

1. Find out all you can about what's behind the unhappiness. Why might this meeting be confrontational? Is it just that the person you are about to meet is always a confrontational person or are there other issues that led to this? What has caused this rift in viewpoints? Might there be something that can be done prior to the meeting to ease some of the tension? Is it a misperception or misunderstanding or miscommunication (one of the biggest causes, by the way)?

2. Become informed on the issues. Once you know more about what's causing the unpleasantness, research the issue(s) and know as much about it as possible. Information is power. If you go in uninformed, you are more likely to become defensive and make a tough situation worse. You weaken your bargaining position when they hold all the information.

3. Know the players involved. Know everyone who will be in the meeting. Research them. What is their status in your organization? What meeting outcome will please them most? What meeting outcome will cause an impasse? How are they known to react to stress? How do they like to be approached? What compromise are they willing to consider (Hard to get this answer beforehand.)? The better you know those involved, the more you can play to their preferences. This may mean you have to give up status, use humility, ask forgiveness, and/or give praise depending on the person. Remember: everyone is coming in with a defensive stance. If you can be the one above the fray, you hold the position of strength.

4. Run the scenarios. Most people come into these meetings with a rigid mind. They are fighting for their best option and they are not ready to consider other ideas. They know what it is you want and they are not prepared to let you have it. If you come in understanding the different scenarios represented around the table, you can be ready to find the best from each option. This puts you in the position to lead the final strategy.

5. Prepare to compromise. In The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, Stephen Covey's 4th Habit is "Think Win-Win." The premise here is that victory for the organization (office, program, donor, family, etc.) is greater than a victory for any one person. Come up with ideas on how both sides win and be courageous in putting those on the table. The final answer may not be yours, but you can start the "win-win" thought process and spark whatever the final answer becomes.

Remember the clichés created around these situations: "Sometimes you have to lose the battle to win the war." "Pick your battles carefully." "Don't let your ego get in the way."

These meetings aren't much fun and they can induce great anxiety. However, if you follow these strategies while being the one in the room with the greatest self-awareness, an ego that doesn't bruise easily, lots of humility, composure, and professionalism, you can lead the way to "win-win" more often than not.

What other strategies do you use prior, during, and after contentious meetings?

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

7 Things Highly Productive People Do | Inc.com

http://www.inc.com/ilya-pozin/7-things-highly-productive-people-do.html

Any others you would add?

Monday, December 12, 2011

Imagine What Colleges Could Do With Gamification. Look at What Ford Does.

http://www.joakimnilsson.com/case-studies/how-ford-social-energized-their-core-customer-base-with-badges/

We could give badges by graduation year, major, giving societies, sports teams, residence halls, cities (e.g., Dallas Alumni badge), states, clubs, fraternities/sororities, and more. They could be shared across social media platforms.

Friday, December 9, 2011

I Don't Understand What Anyone Is Saying Anymore - Dan Pallotta

http://blogs.hbr.org/pallotta/2011/12/i-dont-understand-what-anyone.html

I agree with Dan. When did we become so pretentious with all the jargon and business speak.

Price-point for price; using that annoying rhetorical "right?" at the end of a sentence assuming everyone agrees with us; pretty much any acronym that's not scuba or radar; bandwidth for time or capacity; job creators for small business owners (OK,so that one is not used by EVERYBODY).

Thursday, December 8, 2011

8 Ways to Keep Your Sanity During the Holidays

		THERESE BORCHARD: 8 Ways to Keep Your Sanity During the Holidays
	Yes, the holidays do bring a magic and excitement to the month of December, but the stress, loneliness and blues pre-packaged with the festivities can be enough to drag one-fourth of us across the tenuous line from sanity to insanity.

VIDEO: David Attenborough - Wonderful World ((Publish 12:00 PM))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8WHKRzkCOY&eurl=https%3A%2F%2Fplus.google.com%2Fhot&feature=player_embedded

2 minutes that will invigorate and inspire. Well worth your time. Enjoy!

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Article: 10 Proven Strategies of High-Performance Teams

10 Proven Strategies of High-Performance Teams
http://mashable.com/2011/12/02/team-strategy-infographic/

Dec 7 Remembrance: Orville Miller, Jr.

December 7 always reminds me of my grandfather. He was a 20-year-old Navy radioman in 1941 and annually he would recall to us receiving the Morse Code message that Japan had attacked Pearl Harbor.
I always called him on December 7th to say hello and since his death nearly two years ago, I miss getting to make that call and hearing him say, "Hi, Karlie. How's everything?"
Gramp, I miss you.