Exploiting Chaos!

Walking through an airport this week, a book title caught my eye, “Exploiting Chaos“.

Why?  If I have to explain this to you, you most likely won’t understand. But, because I’m a sucker for people who want to understand and continuously improve, I’ll give it a brief try here.

Chaos is a paradox.  We can (and probably do) hate chaos.  Or, we can (and probably don’t) love chaos.

Hate it for all of the societal norm reasons most hate chaos.

Love it for all the opportunity it brings.  Yes, opportunity.  So once again, if I have to explain this to you, you won’t understand.  But if I were you, I’d quickly try to figure it out, or get left behind.

Do you love what you do?

Do you love what you do?

Ever heard, “Do what you love and you’ll never have to work another day in your life?”

I hope you love what you do.  Where I work, we strive to hire people for positions they will most likely enjoy and are naturally suited for.

It’s called “right-fit talent”.

My wife spent ten years in a very large employment office in Central Florida. I conducted hundreds of interviews myself. So, I know the process intimately.

Want a simple answer? One that’s so easy, even a caveman can understand?

Hire people in positions where they “get to do” more than they “have to do”. It’s unsophisticated and maybe even too simple for senior HR professionals who have their own corporate HR jargon.

Do you “get to do” more than you “have to do“? How about the people who work for you and/or report to you?

Make it a GREAT day, because if you don’t, who will? If you’re a leader, the people around you are looking for “cool, calm, collected – optimistic, hopeful, inspiring“. Carpe diem, jungle jeff 🙂

What’s the 1st thing you do?

What’s the first thing you do when you hear your alarm clock go off?

As I write this, it’s almost 5am.  I’ve been up for an hour, reading, writing, thinking.

Actually, I didn’t think the alarm clock was ever going to go off.  Just lying in bed, wondering, “When is that thing ever going to go off.  Come on. Let’s go.  Bring it (the day) on!”

Those who know me know I’m completely serious.  Those who don’t – “crazy man”!

Part of the challenge is the thing we’re waiting on is called an “ALARM” clock.  Yikes.

What if we called it an “OPPORTUNITY” clock.  Wow!

Everyday is an opportunity to do something great.  Everyday is a gift.  To be able to get out of bed.  To be alive.  To have the privilege to serve and help others.

Have you noticed the tone, the language, of today’s post?

There a few key words and phrases that set the tone.  Agree?

The same is true in business.  That’s one of the most powerful secrets in business.  Use words to nuture and grow a great culture.

I’ll explain more in another jungle jeff post.  Right now, it’s off to the Orange County Convention Center for a GREAT day.

Make your day GREAT!  Because if you don’t, who will?

Carpe diem, jungle jeff  🙂

What does EPCOT stand for?

What does EPCOT stand for?

Every Person Comes Out Tired!

What?

Just kidding.  You can take the boy out of the Jungle Cruise, but you can’t take the Jungle Cruise out of the boy.

EPCOT stands for Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow.

That’s what Walt Disney called Walt Disney World, before it was officially named Walt Disney World.  The entire 43-square mile piece of alligator, snake and mosquito infested swampland he called EPCOT.

He said it would never be completed.  He added, “The sketches and plans you see here are simply a starting point. Our first overall thinking.”  As he continued, “Our plans may change time and time again.”  He gave us permission to take his crazy, “impossible” vision and find the best way to get to our destination – “that EPCOT will always be a showcase for American ingenuity.”

And so it is with me.  And with you too.  Who wouldn’t want to always be in a state of becoming.  Always changing and growing -serving more people in more ways.  Then those people go out and do the same.  We know this as “the ripple effect”.

Who’s helping you?   Who’s holding you accountable?

At last week’s National Speakers Association Winter Conference, prior to the opening Keynote speech from Roxanne Emmerich ( https://www.emmerichgroup.com/ ), author of  “Thank God It’s Monday:  Kicking Butt and Taking Names to Grow Your Business”, we were asked to find one or two accountability partners.  It was great to establish this upfront.

Carpe diem, jungle jeff  🙂

What’s the downside to creativity?

What’s the downside to creativity?

Being creative does not mean being productive.

Huh?

Creativity can be defined as generating useful ideas, in any domain.  Most people assume that a bunch of creative ideas is something great.  It really isn’t.  Seriously, it’s not  Because, if none of your creative ideas ever get implemented, then what do you have?  N-u-t-h-i-n’.  Nuthin!  Period!

Want to know the key?

Curious about world-class spin on this “creativity issue”?

Here’s the deal:

Innovation is the implementation of a creative idea!

That’s the secret at world-class organizations, like Disney.  They focus on creativity and implementation, in order to create innovations that make things better for their Employees, Customers, or Business practices.

Personally, I think of Walt Disney as the “Father of Creativity”.

What Walt really deserves credit for was his ability to innovate – to implement new, creative ideas.  He was the ultimate “envelope pusher”.

So what?”  A simple question.  One I began using a decade ago for the sole purpose of challenging people to adapt, not adopt “book theory” best practices.

On a scale of 1-10 (10 is excellent), how would others (not you) rate you on your drive, your vision, your energy, to push creative ideas through to implementation?

I hope you like your number.  I didn’t like mine when I did this exercise.  So I did something about it.  I started to practice what I preach.

That has made all the difference.

Make it a GREAT day, because if you don’t, who will?

Carpe diem, jungle jeff  🙂