|
|
      |
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
|
|
|
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
 |
Ahead of the Curve to be on Top
I once heard a statement that no matter how good you think you are, there is always someone else who is better. This appears to be a pessimistic view even to a point of degrading one's self-worth. However, this saying provides a starting point to understanding one's gifts or setbacks, one's strengths or weaknesses in comparison to potential counterparts. Do you remember in your school band when you were the third chair among all the clarinet players? Do you recall your high school student council campaign? Who was voted in as the president and who were the runner-ups that year? Who was the starting quarterback and who was the 2nd string quarterback for the college football team? Who won the role of Juliet and who was her understudy for the community play? While being first or second was prevalent in school, it is inevitable in a work force setting and even in everyday occurrences. You might have been a candidate for a lucrative job offer, but was disappointed because the job went to someone else. You might have rushed to a music store to buy an artist's greatest hits collection only to find out that someone else bought the last CD five minutes before you came in. Being first or second may be inescapable, but you can take your placement in life's occurrences as a positive factor to help move you towards the top. Think about these motivating characteristics that can help move leaders ahead of the curve. Innovation: Many people associate the term innovative with the act of invention, but we think of innovation as looking at opportunities in a new way or "thinking out of the box." The fast food industry provides us with an example of one such man. No one will argue that McDonalds' Ray Croc was "ahead of the curve" in this industry. McDonalds was not the first hamburger chain in America; other chains can claim that fame. Finding a way to turn burgers and fires into a mass market enterprise set McDonalds "ahead" and apart from the other chains in the 1950's and 1960's. However, Ray Kroc's innovative foresight was to standardize menus and restaurants and to make the meals affordable that led to the popularity of McDonalds's today. Looking around corners: One of the most celebrated basketball players of all-time was cut from the varsity basketball team when he was just a sophomore. In his book, Can't Accept Not Trying, Michael Jordan, recounts instead of giving up basketball he set achievable goals, working on one after another until he dominated the game. He strategically focused on and worked towards being "ahead of the curve" to become one of the best basketball players of all time. Plan ahead: When Thomas Edison set about reinventing the incandescent electric light bulb, he proposed to connect his lights in a parallel circuit so that the failure of one light bulb would not cause the whole circuit to fail. Eminent scientists predict that such a circuit would never be feasible. And while at times it seemed that the bulb might never materialize, Edison continued his work on his reverse action generator and the development of electrical wires, still in use today. His planning, work and tenacity placed the first permanent, working commercial central power system in lower Manhattan in September 1882. His sight was always "ahead of the curve" and on the central power system that would light the world. These are just three of the strategic processes described in Dr. Steven J. Stowell and Stephanie Mead's new book Ahead of the Curve, A Guide to Applied Strategic Thinking and their workshop, Applied Strategic Thinking. The workshop is a practical look at what it means to be strategic and demonstrates a hands-on process in developing workable strategic plans that will take companies into the future. For more information regarding the workshop, please call (801) 569-3444. Stephanie Tuia and the CMOE Development team have collaborated in content writing for CMOE. If you would like to purchase a copy of "Ahead of the Curve", you can place an order by visiting their online bookstore or by calling 888-262-2499.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
We Are Trying To... How many times have you heard this in your life? Perhaps you have said it yourself. We are trying to accomplish something here. My Grandmother Never Had a Degree There were four generations sitting at the kitchen table, smacking on Mommy's delicious meal-somehow we never made it to the dining room. I smiled to myself when I thought of how fabulous this truly was--sitting here, next to my grandmother, my mother, my father, my sister, my children and my niece-celebrating Mother's Day. Three Fs and a Challenge It's no secret that life is a tricky animal to understand and it's even harder to tame it so that it delivers what you want. But from my work in the world of personal development I've figured out three simple things that can transform any situation, any problem, any issue. The P Word... Procrastination A problem many of us are familiar with. Its showing up in your work environment interfering with your daily life?. The Untold Truth About Mentors, and Why You DONT Need One I think there is a misconception about what a mentor truly is. A mentor is someone who guides you, someone wise, someone you trust. Action vs. Apathy - Feeling Powerless? Get Moving! How many times have you felt truly defeated by the circumstances in your life? You know, the "I don't know why I bother to keep trying, I'm going back to bed and staying there" feeling. It happens to everyone - housewives, corporate executives, rock stars, actors, world leaders. Pushing Through Your Comfort Zone Our greatest growth in life comes from pushing through our present comfort zone. This process starts at birth. Making Decisions You lost your job. Your partner left you. How To Get Through A Bad Day No matter how hard you try to make them otherwise, some days are just awful. They start off bad, they never get any better, and they end on a low and sometimes even gloomier note. Are You Still Stuck on Still? Are you still "stuck on still?" If so, don't let fear, doubt or disappointment rob you of your future, or keep you from your desires. Instead, see yourself as the person that you want to become. Knowledge Or Action It's been said that knowledge is power. While that's true to an extent, it isn't the whole truth. The Top Five Great Reasons to Delay Pursuing Your Dream 1.2. Becoming Rich in Your Own Way If you really want to become rich, then begin by evaluating your work habits and work environment. That's how most millionaires made their first million. Ten Tips to Create More Life for Your Life When people begin to investigate career change, often they don't want a new career at all. They love their career -- but they also want time for creating a life outside work. Trust Your Intuition! How many times have you been faced with a decision to make and all of a sudden you get this feeling of instinctively knowing what you must do? Something inside you is telling you the difference between what you should do and what you are meant to do. Many people interpret this as a hunch, a gut feeling or having an inkling. Citizens of the Land of Opportunity "We hold these truths to be self-evident: That all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." --The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776In a crowded, airless room in the city of Philadelphia 228 years ago this week, a group of men solemnly stepped forward, one by one, and affixed their names to a single sheet of paper -- each man knowing that if they faltered in their collective vision, purpose, commitment, or action, he had just signed his own death warrant. Five Ways to Stand Out from the Crowd Some people are content to just to be another face in the crowd. By assuming this attitude, they are saying, in effect, to the rest of the world, I'm just average; there's nothing special about me. Creating Your Best Year Ever January is synonymous with resolutions and getting organized is high on many people's list. Unfortunately, perhaps some of us make a resolution, when what we really want is a revolution. A Special Q & A - All About Passionately Soaring in Life 1. How do I discover my passion?This is one of my favorite reasons for giving Divinely channeled private consultations. Live Life with Gusto Life is a gift; live it with gusto everyday. Don't worry about the future because most of what you worry about never happens.
|
Section Site Map - Submit News - Feedback - Comments - Advertise with Us Copyright © 2006 Luminati Inc. All rights reserved. 
|
